At Eurosatory 2024, Rheinmetall announced a new alternative fuel production concept under the Giga-PtX project, which, according to the company study, will offer an efficient, dependable diesel fuel independent of existing fossil-fuel hydrocarbon supply chain that will be able to support military consumption with more survivable and sustainable production and distribution. This groundbreaking vision ensures the armed forces a secure, war-ready fuel supply dependent on water and CO precursors and grid-independent energy sources (such as wind-generated electricity). Unlike the supply chain based on fossil fuels that are prone to collapse in wartime, the Giga-PtX approach aims to establish a robust, localized synthetic fuel production network located near electrical energy generation facilities, thus enhancing combat readiness while contributing to defossilization.

Addressing Fuel Supply Challenges

A secure and reliable fuel supply is essential for military forces combat readiness. The current fossil fuel supply chains are designed for peacetime operations. At war, they are logistically complex and vulnerable to wartime disruptions, as seen in the Russo-Ukraine war.

Traditional fossil diesel and kerosene remain the backbone of the military energy supply, with the average fuel requirement in wartime ranging from 20 to 60 liters per day per soldier. Fuel logistics are critical, as evidenced by the fact that 60% of NATO casualties in Afghanistan were related to logistics, predominantly fuel logistics.

The Giga-PtX project seeks to mitigate these risks by investing in a distributed network of renewable energy sources and synthesizing e-fuels to supply diesel fuel to users from multiple locations. These synthetic fuels can be produced efficiently and integrated into existing logistics systems (pipelines, tank farms, tankers, etc.), providing a resilient and sustainable energy solution for military operations. Each synthesizing unit can be packed in several ISO containers that can be moved on tracks, trains or ships, each facility can be relocated quickly to compensate for combat damage or increased demand. Such facilities can also be installed on large ships, such as amphibious ships or aircraft carriers, leveraging the platforms unlimited energy supply (nuclear reactor) to supply aircraft jet fuel or diesel for amphibious forces.

Hydrogen is a key component in producing synthetic fuels, indispensable for military applications due to their high energy density and ease of use. Rheinmetall leverages over 20 years of experience in hydrogen technology to develop efficient and cost-effective solutions for producing, storing, transporting, and utilizing hydrogen.

The Giga-PtX Vision

Unlike the centralized approach of crude oil-based fuel refining, the Giga-PtX project envisions a network of decentralized synthetic fuel production plants, each with a capacity of up to 50 MW. These plants combine energy generation, hydrogen, CO supply, and fuel synthesis in one location, ideally near military units or pipeline systems. Utilizing renewable energy, each plant can produce several thousand tonnes of fuel annually without requiring electrical grid expansion. Initially, CO can be sourced from power plants, cement works, and biogenic sources, making direct air capture unnecessary in the short term. Relying on available energy, clean water, and CO resources, production costs are expected to be lower than diesel refined from fossil fuel with the added advantage of lower carbon footprint and fuel independence.

The decentralized nature of the Giga-PtX network makes it difficult to target and disrupt. The moderate size of the plants allows for rapid scaling and low-risk replication of tested prototypes. This strategic distribution ensures a resilient fuel supply, enhancing military forces operational readiness and sustainability. In partnership with Ineratec, Rheinmetall is poised to offer a scalable and replicable solution to address the armed forces critical fuel supply challenges. The Giga-PtX project represents a forward-looking approach to military fuel logistics, ensuring that armed forces remain operationally ready and sustainable in an increasingly volatile global landscape.

Ineratec is known for its sustainable and ready-to-use e-fuels. These synthetic fuels, including Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), e-diesel, and e-methanol, are derived from recycled CO and renewable energy. They are CO-neutral and miscible with conventional fuels, which means that no adjustments to engines, logistics, or infrastructure are required.

Ineratec is building what is currently the largest production plant for sustainable e-fuel in Frankfurt am Main, making it a pioneering plant for the global use of Power-to-Liquid technology. The production plant in Industriepark Hochst, one of the largest research and production sites for the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Europe, will produce up to 2,500 tons of sustainable e-fuel per year.

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A drone photo taken on June 7, 2024 shows an exterior view of Volkswagen (Anhui) Automotive Company Limited in Hefei, east China's Anhui Province. [Photo/Xinhua]

The European Union's (EU) plan to impose additional duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) will harm both parties, Zheng Shanjie, head of China's National Development and Reform Commission, said on Saturday.

Refuting claims of "overcapacity" in China's new energy industry, Zheng called these claims contrary to market principles and common sense.

Speaking at a high-level meeting between China and Germany on climate change and green transition, Zheng said China will take all necessary measures to protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies.

The development of China's new energy industry is driven by advantages in technology, market and industry chains, Zheng said, adding that it is a result of market competition rather than subsidies or unfair practices.

The capacity utilization rate of China's new energy vehicles (NEVs) remains at a relatively high level, with most products sold domestically and exports making up only 12.5 percent of output, official data showed.

In recent years, as China continues to expand its high-standard opening up, many foreign automakers have increased their investment in the country.

Zheng said that foreign brands establish factories in China not due to subsidies, but because China possesses the most comprehensive EV industry chain and skilled automotive industry workers.

The global NEV production capacity currently falls short of market demand, and Chinese NEVs can contribute more to the global green and low-carbon transition, Zheng said.

Protectionism cannot enhance competitiveness; it will only hinder global efforts to combat climate change, Zheng added.

He urged Germany to demonstrate leadership within the EU and take the right actions.
MALKERNS  Poppy Khoza celebrated her 80th birthday yesterday, in an event that was graced by Thabo Mbeki, the former President of South Africa.

Mbeki arrived yesterday for the event which Poppy, the wife of the late former Deputy Prime Minister, Arthur Khoza, hosted at Malandelas Restaurant in Malkerns. The ex-president is expected to return to South Africa today. In a brief interview last night, Poppy, the first CEO of the Eswatini Tourism Authority, said she was born on June 13, but her children shifted the birthday celebration to yesterday to accommodate all their busy schedules.

She said she was honoured to have Inkhosikati LaMatsebula and Inkhosikati LaGija in attendance. She said she was also delighted to host Paul Dlamini, the current chairman of Liqoqo and former Deputy Prime Minister. Poppy thanked God for giving her many years on earth to cherish and serve Him. She also thanked President Mbeki for being a loyal member of the family. She was also happy with the place where she hosted the party.

This is a beautiful place, she said. It is where the world acclaimed Bushfire festival is hosted.
King Charles has an 'open invitation' to New Zealand, the country's Prime Minister has said amid plans to scale back the monarch's South Pacific tour.

The announcement comes amid plans to axe the New Zealand leg of the tour entirely on the doctors orders.

The tour in August is still scheduled to go ahead, but the King has been advised to take it easy after his cancer diagnosis.

Charles and Camilla are still planning to visit Australia and go to the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Samoa in October.

But visits to New Zealand and Fiji have been scrapped on doctors' advice.

The Telegraph reports that Christopher Luxon, the New Zealand Prime Minister, extended an 'open invitation' to the King.

But both are aware of the requirement for the monarch to not strain himself as he undergoes treatment.

King Charles III and Queen Camilla smile as they attend day three of Royal Ascot on June 20

Pictured is New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon. There are plans to axe the King's New Zealand leg of the tour entirely on the doctors orders.

He had planned to tour Australia and Samoa with Queen Camilla, before continuing on the New Zealand however concerns were raised that the monarch is doing 'too much'.

A source told the Mail on Sunday: 'Officials first decided to drop Fiji and then New Zealand, because a trip like that is quite strenuous.

'The tour will probably last around 10 days, covering Australia and Samoa.'

The court circular suggests that he has taken only three days off over the past two weeks.

In January, the 76-year-old was admitted to hospital to undergo 'routine treatment' for an enlarged prostate.

However, doctors soon discovered an unspecified form of cancer after tests in February, he has been undergoing chemotherapy since then.

He was cleared by his medical team in late April, declaring he was well enough to return to public duties after responding well to treatment.

A source told the Mirror: 'Naturally, it will be a bitter disappointment on both sides to not have the opportunity for the King and Queen to visit New Zealand, but of course all are aware of the King's ongoing health and the need for him to pace himself.

'It's very much hoped there will be further opportunities in the future.'

He had planned to tour Australia and Samoa with Queen Camilla , before continuing on the New Zealand however concerns have been raised that the Monarch is doing 'too much'

The visit would be the first trip to Australia by a reigning monarch since 2011

Prince Charles is pictured holding a baby Prince William in their Official Tour Of New Zealand

The Australia leg of the tour will be scaled back to around six days, with a break lasting up to two days before the King and Queen travel to Samoa for three days.

The visit by the King and Queen would be the first trip to Australia by a reigning monarch since 2011.

The last such visit was when Queen Elizabeth II travelled to Canberra, Brisbane, Melbourne and Perth for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.

King Charles has already made 15 visits to Australia, his last being in 2018 to open the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast and to visit parts of Queensland and the Northern Territory.

The King has previously travelled to every state and territory, and it's expected all jurisdictions will make requests for the monarch to visit them.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said plans were already under way on possible logistics for the visit.

The late Queen Elizabeth is pictured in 2011 in Canberra, Australia

Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Anne and then-Prince Charles as they passed through the crowds at the Royal Easter Show in Sydney

'The King has shown his compassion for Australians affected by recent natural disasters, just as Australians have shown compassion and support for the King following his cancer diagnosis,' he said.

'The King, Queen and members of the Royal Family are always welcome in Australia.'

Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles said the King had a long connection with Australia, extending from his time attending Geelong Grammar.

'There is an affection for King Charles, I know King Charles has a deep affection for Australia,' he told ABC TV on Monday.

'A royal visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla later in the year would be a really, really tremendous and popular event and I do think that Australians would very much welcome seeing King Charles in our country.'

Sources in the country say state and territory leaders have been asked to deliver bids to host the royals aligned with two main themes, Charles's first visit to Australia as King and his deep interest in climate and sustainability.
A female prison officer had sex with depraved serial killer Levi Bellfield and several other serious criminals in the 'Monster Mansion' jail, according to a new book.

The warden at HMP Wakefield, a high security prison which holds some of the most dangerous criminals in the country, slept with several inmates, the book claims.

Nearly two thirds are inside as a result of the most serious sex offences, and it has a close supervision centre for the most disruptive. Among those inside are John Warboys and paedophile Ian Watkins.

Written by Jonathan Levi and Emma French, INSIDE WAKEFIELD PRISON: Life Behind Bars in the Monster Mansion quotes Bellfield's pen pal as saying the staff member 'went around having sex with multiple inmates' but was allegedly sacked after she 'settled down with one'.

Bellfield, a former bouncer, was jailed for life in 2008 for the hammer murders of Amelie Delagrange, 22, and 19-year-old Marsha McDonnell and the attempted murder of Kate Sheedy, 18.

Three years later he was convicted of killing schoolgirl Milly Dowler, 13, who was abducted on her way home from school in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, in 2002.

Pictured is serial killer Levi Bellfield, who is imprisoned in HMP Wakefield

A female prison officer had sex with depraved serial killer Levi Bellfield and several other serious criminals in the 'Monster Mansion' jail, according to a new book

Bellfield has been gifting his friends - including black cab rapist John Worboys - disturbing cards and artwork while serving his whole life sentence in jail.

His bizarre designs include cartoon depictions of police officers on the toilet and drawings of houses and owls.

A prison source previously said: 'He started making cards for prisoners to give to their loved ones. It would be wide-ranging. He'd draw teddy bears and flowers for the girlfriends.

'He would do funny ones too - like the guy on the toilet. The design would just depend on who it was going to. He would cater for all.

'After the cards proved popular he moved onto drawing on the back of A4 letters in his cell.'

The 50-year-old became friends with Worboys in HMP Wakefield, West Yorkshire, and he even helped the serial sex attacker win his legal bid for parole.

The book also claims that 'Dr Death' Harold Shipman acted as an informal GP to fellow inmates.

In 2000 Shipman was found guilty of the murders of 15 of his patients by lethal injection - but his true count is estimated to be 250.

In 2004, the Ministry of Justice insisted Shipman never gave medical advice to other patients.

The book also claims that 'Dr Death' Harold Shipman acted as an informal GP to fellow inmates

Also imprisoned there is child sex killer Roy Whiting (pictured), who kidnapped and murdered Sarah Payne in July 2000

However, former prison officer Martin Baker said inmates told him how Shipman 'diagnosed' them with conditions, according to the Express.

Shipman, 57, hung himself in 2004 and a review concluded the prison staff could not have predicted or prevented his death.

But the book claims at least two officers were aware of his plan to commit suicide.

General secretary Brian Caton said the serial killer was checked in his single cell frequently through the night and was alive and well at 5am.

But, at the 6am check, Mr Caton said: 'He'd hung himself from a ligature, thought to be strips of bedding, and had held the curtains around himself so no one could see him.'

Also imprisoned there is child sex killer Roy Whiting, who kidnapped and murdered Sarah Payne in July 2000.

Despite the infamous inmates, even in the Monster Mansion, he is hated and the book says he will probably be murdered inside after frequent attacks.

Former Lostprophets frontman and paedophile Ian Watkins was stabbed in the prison

John Warboys was jailed there after being found guilty of 19 charges of drugging and sexually assaulting 12 female passengers in his cab

He prefers to stay in his cell smoking, only coming out to use the sewing machine.

And Charles Bronson apparently acts like a spoilt child, the book says.

Bronson, 71, hit killer Robert Donaldson with two hooks and two uppercuts when the sick killer tried to attack him on a wing of Category A HMP Woodhill, a source revealed in May.

Donaldson, 48, was jailed in 2005 for murdering Paul Bourke, 38, weeks before gagging a deaf 100-year-old woman and beating up her 76-year-old son while they slept.

In 2014, while serving his sentence in HMP Grendon Underwood, he slashed the throat of another inmate using an improvised weapon, severing the jugular vein, and grabbed a prison officer and threatened to cut his neck.

The former crack addict has been detained at HMP Woodhill alongside Bronson for two-and-a-half years but Bronson was so disgusted by his crimes that he had always avoided him, a source said.

The source said Donaldson had angrily charged at Bronson with his fists raised after banging into him as he walked down a landing.

Bronson is in solitary confinement due to being a prime target of his criminal neighbours, the book says.
As polling day nears, it is evident the Tories will be drenched in two waves. A red wave of those returning to Labour after 14 years or giving it a go out of exhaustion with the current Government.

The other wave is light blue in complexion and represents Reform, the Nigel Farage vehicle laying siege to the Conservatives right flank.

Rishi Sunak has given up trying to turn back the Labour tsunami, recognising like Canute that he has no control over this tide. Instead, his efforts are focused on Reform and convincing estranged Tories to return to the fold.

And so the Tory establishment is throwing everything at Reform. And Reform is going out of its way to be helpful on that front, with one candidate after another revealed to be obnoxious, offensive or downright loopy.

The Conservatives are also playing up Farages comments on the supposed role of Nato expansion in the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Principle

There is no reason they shouldnt. Everything is fair in love, war and elections. But I question whether this strategy will have its desired effect.

Nigel Farage's Reform vehicle is laying siege to the Conservatives right flank

Lifelong Conservatives arent preparing to break their electoral habits on a whim. This is a decision most have thought long and hard about. Its not a matter of polls or personalities but one of principle.

The Conservatives romped home in 2019 with an 80-seat majority, yet what have they done with it? They delivered Brexit, true enough, but a very messy version which consigned part of the UK to the continued rule of EU diktats.

This era of Conservative government has seen progressivism march through the institutions, whether gender identity ideology, critical race theory or post-colonial rewritings of British history. It does not help that in some cases Conservative MPs and even ministers openly concur with these doctrines.

However, no issue has powered the rebellion on the Right like immigration. The Conservatives promised to reduce the numbers coming here yet have presided over unprecedented levels of immigration, legal and illegal.

As far as many Conservative supporters are concerned, their party has been led since 2010 by one liberal after another and they are not prepared to vote for the latest, Rishi Sunak.

They feel betrayed. Frustrated. Absolutely furious.

They want to teach the Tories a lesson for taking them for granted. If that means handing Sir Keir Starmer a mammoth majority, then so be it.

Truth be told, I suspect nothing will dissuade these voters from putting their cross in the Reform box on July 4. Its not that they are terribly impressed by Reforms policies. (How could they be? The party barely has any.) They just want to punish the Conservatives and Reform is the readiest means to do so.

Im not about to scold these people and tell them to vote Tory or they will usher in a landslide Labour government and with it a slew of fashionable crank policies on race, gender and identity. Voters are grown-ups.

They understand that putting a liberal London lawyer in No 10 and gifting him a towering majority will mean at least five years, and probably longer, of policies that reflect Starmers progressive worldview.

Lecture

But just as I wont lecture Reform voters in England, I have no intention of telling Reform voters in Scotland only what they want to hear.

Because the inescapable fact is that political dynamics are different here. Yes, we too must decide which party we think most fit to govern the UK but we also have an opportunity to pass judgment on the party which has been governing Scotland for the past 17 years.

John Swinney is treating this election as a plebiscite of sorts on Indyref2, a referendum on a referendum.

As he said at his partys manifesto launch: If the SNP wins a majority of seats in this election in Scotland, the Scottish government will embark on negotiations with the UK Government to turn the democratic wishes of people in Scotland into a reality.

By democratic wishes, he doesnt mean voters rejection of independence ten years ago. He means the result of the 2021 Holyrood election, which saw a majority of seats snatched by separatists.

This is as disingenuous as it is demagogic. The 2014 vote was explicitly on the question of independence.

The 2021 election was to a devolved parliament with no power to bring about independence. All that is beside the point.

The First Minister intends to treat every SNP MP as an endorsement of his plan to drag Scotland back down the rabbit hole of independence.

Just when it looked like Scotland might finally be able to move on. Just when we thought we had seen the back of all that bitterness and division.

To which I say: Mr Swinney, your terms are acceptable. If the SNP wants to make this election about independence, lets do that.

If you are eager to repeat the past ten years of soul-sapping obsession with constitutional process while public services are left to unravel, then you have the option of voting SNP. If you want to prevent that, you have the choice to vote against the SNP.

Fight

That will mean different things in different constituencies. In most, Labour will be best placed to take the seat while in a handful of others it will be the Lib Dems. But in about a dozen constituencies its a straight fight between the Nationalists and the Tories.

What seats do I have in mind? Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, represented by Scotland Office minister John Lamont, and Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale, held by former Scottish secretary David Mundell.

Another Tory minister hoping to cling on is Andrew Bowie in West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, while Scottish leader Douglas Ross is trying his luck in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.

Then theres Rosss former seat of Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey as well as Dumfries and Galloway, which is being contested by former Mail journalist John Cooper.

Sandesh Gulhane aims to unseat the SNP in East Renfrewshire, while Stephen Kerr hopes to do likewise in Angus and Perthshire Glens.

Ex-MP Luke Graham will be the toast of Unionists for the rest of his days if he topples Pete Wishart in Perth and Kinross-shire. Rounding out the dozen are Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber; Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock; and Gordon and Buchan.

Voting Reform in these seats could hand victory to the SNP, and Nationalist MPs elected to these constituencies will spend the next five years agitating for independence. Those are the facts.

It is for every man and woman to make their choice. Vote however you want.

But choosing means accepting consequences. In Scotland, the consequence of snubbing the three main Unionist parties could be a better than predicted night for the SNP.

Swinney has told us what hell do. Every SNP MP elected will be used to pull Scotland back into the constitutional quagmire. On July 4, we can vote for that or vote against it.
John Swinney yesterday attempted to dismiss the row over SNP postal expenses following revelations his office manager discussed the use of taxpayer-funded stamps for campaign purposes.

The SNP leader claimed his long-serving staff member Elaine Wylie had only been making a humorous remark when she told colleagues on WhatsApp that the stamp fairy is useful when it comes to campaigns.

He also insisted he had been given assurances that no publicly-funded stamps had been used to sup-port SNP election purposes.

It comes after the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body last week launched an investigation into allegations that stamps paid for using MSP expenses were then used in candidate election campaigning.

Mr Swinney was quizzed about the claims during an appearance on the BBC 's Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday

Reports in several newspapers including the Mail on Sunday yesterday revealed that Ms Wylie was involved in discussions about the issue, and told colleagues on WhatsApp that the stamp fairy is very useful when it comes to campaigns, followed by a winking emoji.

Asked about the issue during an interview on the Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme on the BBC yesterday, Mr Swinney said: Ive obviously discussed this with my staff and Ive been assured that no parliamentary stamps that have been provided by parliament have been used to support election purposes.

Obviously the parliament has said that they are looking into this matter and obviously we will provide parliament with any assistance that they require as they undertake those enquiries.

Pressed by Ms Kuenssberg about his own staff members reference to the stamp fairy, Mr Swinney said: We campaign on a regular basis in my capacity as a member of parliament so were engaging with the public on a countless range of different issues.

I think these are sort of humorous remarks made in a WhatsApp channel, and what is important is the reassurance that Ive had that parliamentary stamps have not been used for election purposes.

MSPs have up to 5,000 a year to spend on postage and stationery but the rules state that it must be used only for parliamentary duties and not for any other purpose, including party political purposes.

Ms Kuenssberg said there is a hugely important principle here about public money being used for campaigning purposes by political parties and asked if he was completely sure no public money has been used by his party to fund an election campaign. Mr Swinney replied: Im confident of that.

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said: The SNP have serious questions to answer about these concerning allegations.

These leaked messages appear to show staff potentially misusing public resources.

The SNP must be upfront with parliamentary authorities about this situation.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: These are concerning allegations and must be investigated fully.

The SNP has a long record of failing to treat public money with respect.

An initial complaint, made by someone who appears to be an SNP staff member, was sent to Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone last week, including screenshots from a WhatsApp conversation named Office Manager chat.

Among those participating in the chat were the office managers of former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, SNP deputy leader Keith Brown, MSP Bill Kidd and Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville.

One staff member asked: Guys, the new stamps. Can they be traced?

A worker from Ms Sturgeons office replied: Like who purchased them and what theyre used being used for?

A third staff member, who appeared to work for Mr Brown, said they had asked a member of staff in the Scottish Parliament mailroom and been told they could not.

There was then a discussion about how stamps could not be traced back to the people who bought them, with a staff member in Ms Somervilles office telling the group: If they can, then a few people may be in front of the corporate body.

A Scottish Parliament spokesman said: We take the use of public resources very seriously.

Officials are investigating to establish if there has been any misuse of parliamentary resources.

In yesterdays BBC interview, Mr Swinney also admitted that his party has had a tough time and he is looking to rebuild the trust with the public.
Are you stuck at the airport?

Holidaymakers have spoken of the chaos they endured at Manchester Airport today after a quarter of all flights were cancelled due to a major power cut.

Thousands of fed up passengers spent hours in check-in and security queues, or were left stranded on inbound planes following the electrical fault.

Around 70 flights departing from Terminals 1 and 2 were cancelled, as airport bosses appealed to passengers to stay at home.

Those due to fly from terminal three were told to go to the airport as normal, unless advised otherwise by their airline, after some earlier departures were delayed.

The power cut lasted just a few minutes at 1.30am, knocking out security systems including baggage loading, boarding pass screening and passport controls.

This meant passengers and their luggage could not be processed for hours  and there were instances where some people's baggage was not on flights.

Paul Spencer, 67, and his wife, Jane, 66, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, were due to fly to the Greek island of Kefalonia with Jet2 at 4am. They arrived just as the outage occurred and managed to get through baggage check-in and security and onto the plane, but their flight was cancelled before take-off.

'There was no prioritising, and people who were flying later were blocking those who were flying earlier,' Mr Spencer said. 'I think we were queuing for about four hours.

Paul and Jane Spencer (pictured) arrived at the airport just as the outage occurred

Cooper Rawe, Georgia Rawe, Dan Mason, Lisa Rawe, Henry Rawe and Dan Mason (pictured) sat outside Manchester Airport today

Passengers queue outside Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut led to disruptions and cancellations at Manchester Airport

Pandemonium at Manchester airport as a power failure sees bags piled and lined up in the terminals

'When we got to the gate, we spotted the captain of the plane. He didn't know about the chaos inside the airport and was wondering why the baggage hadn't been loaded.

'Eventually, we got onto the plane but we were sat there for 45 minutes before we were told the flight was being cancelled.'

The couple managed to find alternative flights from Leeds-Bradford airport today.

'We feel we've got off lightly because other passengers weren't so lucky,' Mr Spencer added. 'Some we chatted to said they'd been told they'd have to get down to Gatwick to catch an early morning flight to Zante and then get a ferry on to Kefalonia from there.'

Managing director Chris Woodroofe stood outside the airport's building this morning and offered his 'sincere apologies to every single passenger impacted by what has gone on'.

Friends Lisa Raw, 37, and Daniel Mason, 33, were part of a 16-strong group of friends and family due to travel to Dalaman, in Turkey, at 11.20am with Sun Express.

Paul and Jane Spencer's flight was cancelled just before take off and they were forced to find alternative flights from Leeds-Bradford airport today

Louise and Christine Hill (pictured L-R) wait in the queues at Manchester Airport today

Emily Parkinson and Charlie Smith (pictured) wait in the queues at Manchester Airport

Mrs Raw, an aesthetics practitioner from Richmond, North Yorkshire, said: 'We got here at 7.30am but didn't find out it was cancelled until two hours later.

'So we've now had to find new flights from Liverpool that cost 1200. All we were told was keep standing around, we got not updates at all.'

Jennifer and Robin Holt and their two children Molly, 19, and George, 16, were due to fly to Bangkok with Etihad.

Mrs Holt, 45, said: 'We were watching our flight on Flight Radar and it just kept circling above Manchester Airport before it was diverted to Birmingham.

'It didn't bother landing here due to all the chaos.

'We've been told to stay at a hotel in Manchester and hopefully we can get a flight early tomorrow morning.'

Mr Woodroofe said it is hoped that operations will return to normal tomorrow morning.

The airport's own power supply packed up at about 1.30am that was effectively like 'ripping the plug out of your computer without shutting it down properly', he said.

Engineers have since fixed the fault but so far more than 40 flights have been scrapped but more are expected.

At 3.15pm the airport posted an updated message on its X/ Twitter page to say it expected flights to restart this afternoon and evening.

People who had to turn around today after their plane was grounded may not be able to fly out until later this week with the airport saying it is working with airlines to reschedule the flights in the coming days. Those who have flights booked tomorrow should travel to the airport as normal.

Some passengers who did manage to board planes earlier face an anxious wait to be reunited with their belongings as the airport warned luggage lined up and piled in the terminals may not even have been flown out on the same plane as them.

Manchester Airport's managing director Chris Woodroofe stood outside the airport's building to issue a grovelling apology to passengers

Jennifer Holt, Molly Holt, Robin Holt and George (pictured L-R) were due to fly to Bangkok with Etihad

Louise and Christine Hill (pictured) among the chaos at Manchester Airport today

Jennifer Holt (left) said the family had been told to stay in a hotel in Manchester tonight and hopefully get a flight tomorrow

Mr Woodroofe said: 'First of all an apology, my sincere, personal apologies to every single passenger who has been impacted by what has gone on at Manchester Airport today.'

Explaining the impact the power spike had on its systems and the dire situation the airport finds itself in with planes unable to land on a jammed airfield.

He added: 'That's damaged some really key equipment for our departure's security and our departure's baggage systems.

'So that's meant terminal one and terminal two haven't been able to depart aircraft today and as a result we haven't been able to have those aircraft land either as arrivals as there is no space to park those aircraft on the airfield.'

He added: 'We are working very closely with our airlines to seek to recover the operation and understand what passengers can be re-booked on to future flights.'

EasyJet, which operates flights from terminal one, said there were 'very long queues' for security and disruption to hold baggage processing, meaning passengers could board flights only with cabin luggage.

The airline, which had the largest number of cancellations, said: 'Although outside of our control, we would like to apologise for any inconvenience experienced as a result.

'We are doing all we can and working closely with the airport team to minimise the disruption.'

Meanwhile, a number of arriving flights were being diverted to other airports.

One Singapore Airlines flight arriving from Houston in Texas had to go to London Heathrow while another, which came in from Singapore, was forced to land at London Gatwick.

An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport was diverted to Birmingham Airport.

Among those caught up in the disruption was Samuel Martin, 27, a student at the University of Sheffield, and his friend Matthew O'Brien, 27, an operations manager, whose flight to Manchester Airport from New Zealand via Singapore was diverted to Heathrow.

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport onto flights as soon as possible'

(Pictured from left to right) Evie Marsh, 20, Honey Harrop, 20, and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight after their flight to Lisbon was cancelled

Holidaymakers departing from Terminals 1 and 2 are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Manchester Airport is in 'utter chaos' today with passengers standing shoulder-to-shoulder in after a major power cut left all flights facing severe delays or cancellations

Mr Martin, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, said: 'We had someone driving to come and pick us up from Manchester Airport who had to turn around and go home.'

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: 'Following a site-wide power outage at Manchester Airport, baggage systems are currently not operational.

'Our teams are working closely with the airport authorities and are keeping our customers up to date with the latest information.

'Virgin Atlantic flights are currently departing but may be subject to minor delays.'

At just after 3pm, the airport said it was in the process of resuming operations, saying flights on Monday 'should be unaffected'.

It apologised for any inconvenience caused.

Mr Woodroofe described it as a 'very difficult situation' and said he 'couldn't be more sorry.

He continued: 'The good news is we very much expect this to be recovered over the afternoon and evening so we are back to normal operations tomorrow.'

Three Olivia Rodrigo fans are devastated as the chaos shattered their plans of seeing the American pop sensation in Lisbon tonight where she was performing the last show on the European leg of her Guts tour.

One family had their plane diverted at the last minute to Heathrow as it began to descend ready for landing towards the end of a 13 hour and 45 minute flight from Singapore.

Huge queues formed in Terminals 1 and 2 at Britain's third busiest airport following the 'two hour' outage as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights.

People expecting to fly in to Manchester found out mid-air they were landing miles away elsewhere as a number of flights are diverted to other airports.

One mother, who did not wish to be named, told MailOnline she has been stuck on the runway at Heathrow for more than an hour after her flight from Singapore was diverted at the last minute.

Huge queues formed in the terminals as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights

People queue to use the lifts at Manchester airport

Delayed at passengers sit on the terminal floors

People standing in the terminal at Manchester airport following an earlier power cut

Fed up passengers wait outside Manchester airport's Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut caused chaos

Passengers sit among their luggage and look at their phones and tablet to keep them entertained during the wait

People are queuing outside the airport waiting to get inside as staff work through a backlog

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time' (Pictured -- people waiting outside)

The cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing (Pictured -- people waiting outside the airport)

'Heathrow staff say they're struggling to get any kind of information from Manchester airport staff so no idea what's happening,' she said.

'They also said they were only told to divert the flight as they started to descend for landing at Manchester.

'The plane crew are trying their best but they have no idea what's going on either. I have some very fed up kids after a long journey from Sydney.'

Honey Harrop, 20, Evie Marsh, 20 and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight in Lisbon.

The three pals' easyJet flight was cancelled at 8.30am but they are still sitting in the arrivals hall as they say they have nowhere to go.

'We are all pretty devastated and just feel really frustrated because the communication from the airport and easyJet has been really terrible,' Honey told MailOnline.

'Though we do understand that it is an unprecedented situation. It is just really annoying that we won't make it to the concert.'

Luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' with prams discarded on the floor, one person claimed who has posted footage which showed people standing in near darkness as an alarm sounded.

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time,' the cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing which take time to re-boot.

This meant that staff were unable to process passengers arriving for early morning flights causing a 'giant bottleneck', an airport spokesman said.

Engineers have since fixed the fault but the exact cause is unknown.

'The airport runs on its own electrical supply so none of the wider area was affected,' he said.

The 'two hour' outage sparked chaos in Terminals 1 and 2 as holidaymakers are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Delayed passengers standing in long lines inside the airport's terminal

It is understood there was a widespread power cut in the area which plunged the airport into near darkness

'The fault has been fixed and checked so we are confident it won't happen again but we do not know exactly what caused it.

'What happened around 1.30am was the power cut, then the back up kicked in, the power was restored, but then went off again, all within a short space of time.

'It was effectively what happens when you rip the plug out of the back of your computer without shutting it down properly, but on a much bigger scale, and when it is affecting important infrastructure around the safety of aviation the delay in those systems getting back up and running is what caused the problem.'

He said staff were working hard to get those passengers scheduled to take off on early morning flights into the air and out of the airport, but admitted 'dozens' of flights in and out of Terminals 1 and 2 today would be cancelled until the backlog was cleared.

So far more than 40 flights have been scrapped but more are expected.

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport 'onto flights as soon as possible', although their bags may not be loaded onto the same plane.

'We will work with airlines to make sure passengers are reunited with any baggage that is not on their flight as soon as possible,' the airport said.

Fern, who did not wish us to publish her surname, was stuck at the airport for six hours after her plane from Hurghada in Egypt landed on the tarmac at about 2.50am.

She told MailOnline she was 'herded like cattle through long corridors until alas, a dramatic halt to all movement and a one hour and 45 minute wait in corridors with no communication'.

The electricity supply went out at around 1.30am leaving stranded passengers standing in near darkness

One person has claimed luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' with prams discarded on the floor

'Frustrations continued when we were then looped back to the tarmac to board buses to T1,' she said.

'It was terribly slow movement on the passport control - several machines going down and again, zero staff- had there been a zombie apocalypse whilst we flew the skies?

'Relief washed over us when we entered the baggage claim area. This was to be short lived. Now, I'm going to cut a very long story short, but I left baggage claim at 8:45am. A staggering six hours after landing with no communication from any airline staff and only Jet2 reps visible who, whilst very helpful, could only provide so much support to those travelling with other airlines like myself.

'Absolutely shocking scenes, the trauma is sure to last a lifetime!'

In a statement released at 6.30am today, Manchester Airport said: 'Manchester Airport was affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning.

'This has caused widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled... we apologise for any inconvenience and aim to restore normal service as soon as possible.'

The airlines that operate from Terminal 1 include easyJet, Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Etihad Airways.

The likes of Air France, Jet 2, KLM, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Tui, and Virgin Atlantic fly out of Terminal 2.

Travel expert Simon Calder told LBC the systems at the airport are in 'extreme disarray'.

'The vast majority of passengers will be using terminals one and two [and] there are crowds of many thousands of people there, they have been there since the early hours,' he said.

'No flights are leaving and the latest information I have is that the airport is going to instruct the airlines to cancel a whole swathe of flights for several hours this morning, which will mean people who are on their way to the airport will suddenly find they will get a message saying your flight isn't going in a bid to recover the operation later today.

'On top of the tens of thousands of people who will be affected by hundreds of cancellations you've got an equal of opposite number of people waiting to fly back who are also going to be stranded.

'All of this is happening at a time when aviation is just getting into a peak season.'

He warned the situation could get 'very messy' and people could be waiting 'several days' to get to where they needed to be.

Shohaib Siddique posted footage of hundreds of people waiting to get inside the terminal as he wrote on x/ Twitter: 'Chaos at Manchester airport after power outage 2 hours stood outside the terminal with no idea if we are departing today or not.'

'What kind of hell on earth is this airport?': Stranded passengers enduring the 'chaos' at Manchester airport

The airport has apologised for any inconvenience as it explained there had been widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled

Hundreds of people have been pictured outside waiting to get inside the airport and say they don't know whether their flight will be departing today

Emily Louise said she had been in a queue for nearly three hours. She wrote: 'My gate has technically closed & passengers who checked in already their suitcases are still in the check-in area? Organised chaos & no Communication!'

A furious Max Wilkinson branded the airport a 'shambles' and called on management to quit.

'Utter disgrace, the airport should have back up systems / generators for this sort of scenario,' he wrote on X.

'Expect the unexpected. In general this airport is a shambles and needs major investment. I don't see how a power cut causes a toilet blockage across T1. Management should resign.'

Passengers at nearby Birmingham Airport have also faced travel misery for weeks as they wait in queues for hours amid confusion over the security's liquid policy.

On Thursday scores of holidaymakers took to social media to share their experience, describing two-hour queues as 'appalling' and 'ridiculous', while another traveller said the 'non-express queues are insane'.

Physical changes to the security area, which should allow for new technology required to relax the 100ml rule, mean passengers are now queuing on the ground floor and, at busy times, even outside of the airport.

The Government had announced that the 100ml rule would be scrapped in time for summer, meaning holidaymakers could take larger bottles of liquids in hand luggage for the first time in years.

But this has now been delayed, causing chaos at airports across the UK and confusion for passengers.

New 'liquid check' stations have been rolled out at the airport in a bid to cut the time wasted at security by those confused by the changes to hand luggage rules.

Airport bosses have also said they are in the process of hiring a further 100 staff to help combat the lengthy queues faced by travellers.
Police are hunting for a vandal who attacked a Labour MP's constituency office and distributed 'malicious leaflets'.

Officers have released a CCTV image of the man who broke into Stella Creasy's office in Walthampstow, northeast London early on Sunday morning.

The vandal is shown in the picture wearing all black, with his hood up and holding a large poster with green writing on it.

Offensive graffiti calling the Labour Party 'child bombing liars' and accusing it of 'genocide' were seen on a road near the MP's office.

Ms Creasy has issued a warning to the culprits of an 'anti-democratic attack' which saw her office destroyed and 'malicious and false leaflets' circulated this weekend.

The politician, 47, posted pictures of cracked glass windows and doors with several holes in them at her office.

Police have released a CCTV image of a vandal who attacked a Labour MP's local office

Stella Creasy shared pictures of cracked windows and doors with holes smashed through them at her office in Walthampstow, northeast London

Pictured: Offensive graffiti on a street near the Labour politician's constituency office reads 'Labour: child bombing liars'

Ms Creasy, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2010 and is currently campaigning to keep her seat on July 4

Ms Creasy, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2010 and is currently campaigning to keep her seat on July 4, also said 'malicious and false' leaflets had been handed out since Saturday night's attack.

She wrote on social media on Sunday: 'Message to whoever attacked my office last night.

'You don't intimidate me and you don't belong in the political process. Same as those circulating malicious and false leaflets.

'Police already on this to find you - will press for the strongest penalties for such an anti-democratic attack and I know Walthamstow won't be cowed or influenced by your violence either.'

A Labour spokesman added: 'We completely condemn any intimidation tactics towards candidates of any party.

'It is vital to our democracy that parliamentary candidates are able to campaign freely.'

An investigation into the incident has been launched by the Metropolitan Police, who say the attack has not been recorded as a hate crime.

Detective Superintendent Dion Brown, one of the senior officers responsible for policing the area, said: 'It is entirely unacceptable for the office of one of London's prospective parliamentary candidates to be targeted in this way.

'An urgent investigation is under way, and officers have attended the scene and are already following up active lines of enquiry, which will include full analysis of all available CCTV footage.

'The incident is believed to have occurred between 03:10hrs and 03:30hrs on Sunday, 23 June. I urge any witnesses or anyone with information to contact police and share what they know.

'Anyone who witnessed the damage being caused, or who has other information, should call police on 101 with the reference 2621/23jun.

'Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, 100% anonymously, on 0800 555 11.'

Ms Creasy previously served as a frontbencher in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and was a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, claiming the party was 'running on empty' with him at the helm.

In 2013, Ms Creasy supported feminist author Caroline Criado Perez in her campaign for the Bank of England to put a woman on the 10 note, and received numerous rape threats and other misogynistic messages on her Twitter timeline as a result.

The 'malicious attack' saw the MP's office destroyed and malicious leaflets circulated

Police are urging witnesses or anyone with information about the incident around 3.10am on Sunday to come forward

She was forced to endure a social services investigation last year after an online troll thought he was 'entitled' to the view that her children should be put into care.

The politician was told by police that they would not impose criminal sanctions on her tormentor, who pounded her office with emails because he disagreed with her political views.

Leicestershire Police said the harasser had legitimate right to make a social services referral because he disagreed with Creasy's opinions on misogyny, even though he lacked evidence against the MP.

Ms Creasy's harasser used the alias 'Lance Jones' and carried no personal connection to the politician or her children.

She told The Times that the police's response gave other trolls the 'green light' to target the families of those in the public eye merely because they do not like them.
A British woman was fighting for her life last night after stabbing herself in front of shocked tourists at Ibiza Airport.

The 54-year-old plunged a pair of scissors she had purchased at an airport chemist's into her neck as horrified holidaymakers looked on.

Her condition was initially described as 'serious but stable' after she was rushed to the island's Can Misses Hospital.

But this afternoon her condition worsened and she was described as being 'critical' in the hospital's intensive care unit.

The unnamed woman was treated at the scene so she could be stabilised before arriving at the hospital just before midday.

A British woman is in a critical condition after stabbing herself in the neck at Ibiza airport. Pictured: blood on the floor in the airport terminal

She is said to have stabbed herself repeatedly in the neck just outside the chemist's. Pictures from the scene showed blood all over the floor of the airport terminal, said to have been busy at the time.

Police who were last night investigating were on the scene almost immediately.

It was not immediately clear if the woman was on her own or with other people at the time and what had led her to harm herself.

The unnamed woman used scissors purchased from an airport chemist to cut herself in the neck

It is also unknown at this stage if she was about to board a flight.

A worker at the chemist's where she bought the scissors and began stabbing herself, said: 'I tried to stop her but it was difficult because she was a large woman.'

Another witness said: 'There were other people in the chemist's at the time. There was blood all over the floor outside before airport workers arrived to clean it once the woman had been taken away in an ambulance.'
The owners of a Western-style steakhouse in Wyoming got into a confrontation with tourists that authorities say escalated to death threats and a serious assault on a police officer.

Married couple Randel and Courtney Hooper have run Cassie's Steakhouse in Cody since 2022, but their peaceful stint as restaurant owners came to an abrupt end Wednesday when a Florida couple visited, Cowboy State Daily reported.

After Courtney Hooper, 42, claimed the customers were upset with their service and threatened to kill her, both Hoopers followed them back to the nearby Big Bear Motel to make threats of their own.

Officers on the scene from the Cody Police Department said Courtney Hooper threatened to shoot a man filming her multiple times, adding that her husband hurled profanity-laced fighting words as well.

The Hoopers were arrested back at Cassie's a short time later, where Randel Hooper allegedly kicked Cody Police Officer Daniel Villalobos in the head so hard he had to go to the hospital for his injuries.

Courtney Hooper, left, and Randel Hooper own Cassie's Steakhouse in Cody, Wyoming. After she was allegedly threatened by a Florida couple in the restaurant, Randel Hooper chased the Floridians down as they walked back to their motel, according to police

For the alleged assault on Villalobos, Randel Hooper, 56, was charged with a felony and could face 10 years in prison plus $10,000 in fines.

Both Hoopers are facing multiple misdemeanor charges related to this incident and have been released on bond.

This saga officially began on Wednesday at 8:47pm when Cody police officers received a disturbance call originating from Cassie's, according to a charging affidavit written by Officer Villalobos.

Cassie's became a fixture in Cody during the 1940s and was bought by the Hoopers in 2022. It has a deep history and has a Western decor inside and out, making it a popular stop-off for tourists.

When Villalobos arrived, Courtney Hooper told him that a couple from Florida 'stated they would kill her because they waited for over an hour and a half to be seated,' according to the affidavit obtained by Powell Tribune.

She also recalled the couple saying 'they would kill her if she got in their face.'

The alleged threats against his wife are what prompted Randel Hooper to chase down the man and woman who'd left Cassie's in a huff to go back to Big Bear Motel.

The affidavit also claims that once tensions seemed to be subsiding between all parties involved, Randel Hooper yelled a death threat within earshot of the officers.

'You better f***ing arrest them or Ill be back and Ill f***ing kill them,' he allegedly yelled to Villalobos.

Cassie's Steakhouse became a fixture in Cody during the 1940s and was bought by the Hoopers in 2022. It has a deep history and has a Western decor inside and out, making it popular with tourists

Pictured: The interior of Cassie's Steakhouse, which has a stage for live music

At Courtney Hooper's request, officers on the scene told the Floridians they were no longer welcome at Cassie's and soon after, everyone parted ways, according to the affidavit.

Normally, that would be where this ends, but the police were dispatched to the motel less than an hour later on reports that the Hoopers were there causing a ruckus.

The Hoopers drove to Big Bear Motel and allegedly confronted the Florida couple's male traveling companion. The man reportedly told them to leave and began recording, sending Courtney Hooper into a rage.

In the video, she allegedly tells the man recording her that if he didn't stop, she would shoot him. Officers say they watched this video and confirmed these deadly threats.

Meanwhile, Randel Hooper was alleged to have said 'You better f***ing leave Cody or else.'

Randel Hooper is accused of assaulting Villalobos a short time later while he and his wife were getting arrested back at Cassie's.

While Courtney Hooper submitted without incident, Randel Hooper 'actively resisted arrest' and began 'grappling' with Officer Tom Wilshusen in the restaurant parking lot, according to the affidavit.

Courtney Hooper is alleged to have threatened to shoot the Florida couple's traveling companion because he was recording her. Randel Hooper allegedly told them they 'better f***ing leave Cody or else'

Villalobos wrote that he got control of Hooper's legs, causing him and Wilshusen to fall to the ground.

During that struggle, Hooper kicked Villalobos in the head, which caused bleeding at the top of his head and on his elbow.

There wasn't any evidence that the Hoopers were intoxicated, Park County Deputy Attorney Jack Hatfield said during a Friday morning arraignment.

The Hoopers were in jail until that arraignment, where it was also revealed that Randel Hooper had resisted an officer in 2004 in Utah.

His wife had no criminal history, but Hatfield was just as unnerved by her conduct, saying he was 'very concerned about [her] making threats to kill people on two separate occasions within about an hour.'

Park County Circuit Court Judge Joey Darrah set Randel Hoopers bond at $5,000 cash or surety, and Courtney Hoopers at $2,500 cash or surety, rejecting the defense's plea to let the couple go on signature bonds.

Signature bonds ensures that the defendant doesn't have to pay a monetary amount toward bail.

Randel Hooper's first court date was set for June 28, while his wife's trial will kick off on November 14.

While out on bond, the Hoopers have been ordered to stay away from the Big Bear Motel and have no contact with the couple they allegedly threatened to kill.
A pair of 20mph signs from the Welsh governments hated scheme have been desecrated eight times since September.

The pair of signs are now vying for the title of 'most vandalised in Wales'.

For residents in Llanrhos, near Llandudno, seeing defaced signs has become a monthly occurrence. While some people have taken a dim view of the vandalism, others are pleased to see the 20mph debate still being highlighted.

After the Llanrhos signs were first daubed with paint last September, Conwy Council (CCBC) warned that defacing signs was a criminal act and a safety risk to motorists.

When the local authority said it would be cleaning or replacing the damaged signs, local critics pledged to 'paint them quicker than they can replace them'.

For residents in Llanrhos, near Llandudno, seeing defaced signs has become a monthly occurrence. While some people have taken a dim view of the vandalism, others are pleased to see the 20mph debate still being highlighted

The latest act occurred in the early hours of this morning. Not all lettering was readable but the slogans appeared to read, 'Get them gone' and 'CCBC get it together'

The latest act occurred in the early hours of this morning. Not all lettering was readable but the slogans appeared to read, 'Get them gone' and 'CCBC get it together'.

Previous slogans have included the likes of 'Cymry (sic) Am Byth' (Welsh For Ever) and 'Dictator Wales'.

Sometimes the background is painted white, this time it was black. Green lettering is often favoured.

Despite the cost to council taxpayers in Conwy, one resident supported the vigilante's message, if not the means of delivering it.

'It's a wrong that makes a right, in my view,' he said.

'People are clearly against it, they have been since the policy was rolled out. But the signs are still there. Some were calling this sort of behaviour a last resort - but I think it's an absolute outrage that 20mph still hasn't been revoked.'

When the local authority said it would be cleaning or replacing the damaged signs, local critics pledged to 'paint them quicker than they can replace them'

Previous slogans have included the likes of 'Cymry (sic) Am Byth' (Welsh For Ever) and 'Dictator Wales'

In September 2023, around 7,700 miles of urban and village roads across Wales changed from 30mph to 20mph. More than 30,000 road signs were erected or altered at a cost of 32m.

The move prompted a petition calling for a U-turn that gained almost half-a-million signatures. Conwy has been a hotbed of opposition, with protest convoys still being organised.

Local anger was fuelled further by figures showing that, over a six-week period this spring, 114 drivers were caught exceeding 20mph at a single location, Glan-y-Mor Road in Penrhyn Bay.

Cardiff has launched a review of local 20mph limits and motorists can contact local authorities with their suggestions.

While the review is ongoing, Aberconwy MS Janet Finch-Saunders has called for enforcement in new 20mph zones to be suspended.

Following earlier vandalism of signs in Llanrhos, Conwy Council said: 'Damaging traffic signs is classed as criminal damage and we have made the police aware of the issue. Vandalising signs can put road users in danger.'
Nearly 80% of Gen Z holidaymakers believe it is 'normal' to get sunburnt on holiday, despite melanoma diagnoses expected to soar to 20,800 in the UK this year.

Alarming new research by Well Pharmacy has today revealed almost a third (31%) of 18 to 24-year-olds agree 'a bit of sunburn is fine' while on holiday  and nearly 19% said red skin was okay because it 'browns eventually'.

Just 17% of young people said they only apply sun cream on holiday 'when they remember' and 15% believed getting burnt was 'part of being on holiday'.

Two-thirds (62%) of Gen Z admitted they had been sunburnt at least once in the last year, with 11% saying they had been to hospital at least once due to being burned.

It comes as cases of melanoma skin cancer are expected to reach a record high in the UK this summer, with experts issuing a warning to sunworshippers about the dangers of not using high-factor sunscreen.

Rates of skin cancer, which is usually caused by too much exposure to the sun, have increased by almost a third in a decade.

Alarming new research by Well Pharmacy has today revealed almost a third (31%) of 18 to 24-year-olds agree 'a bit of sunburn is fine' while on holiday (stock image)

Youngsters' care-free attitude comes in contrast to older generations who are more concerned about protecting themselves from damaging solar rays, the study suggests.

More than half of Brits aged 55 and over said sunburn on holiday was 'unacceptable', with 42% ensuring they never get burned, and 12% getting annoyed if they miss a spot with the sun cream.

Only a fifth (20%) of the 55 and over age group said they had been sunburnt in the last 12 months.

But despite this, figures from Cancer Research UK have shown older age groups have had the highest rises in sun-linked skin cancer rates, with a 57 per cent increase in those over the age of 80 in the decade to 2019.

Experts believe many people are suffering from years of sunbathing after cheap package holidays boomed in popularity in the 1960s, when the risks were not so widely understood.

Around 17,000 melanoma cases in the UK could be prevented every year, according to the charity's researchers, with almost nine in ten caused by excess UV rays.

Two-thirds (62%) of Gen Z admitted they had been sunburnt at least once in the last year, with 11% saying they had been to hospital at least once due to being burned (stock)

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, described the figures as 'concerning'. She said: 'Survival from cancers including melanoma continues to improve. But it's vital that people try to reduce their risk of getting the disease in the first place.

'Contact your GP if you notice any unusual changes to your skin  whether a new or changing mole, a sore that doesn't heal, or an area of skin that looks out of the ordinary.

'Spotting cancer early can make all the difference.'

Sun lotion is the most effective way to protect skin from sun damage. When looking to buy and apply sunscreen, holidaymakers should make sure the bottle carries the letters UVA in a circular logo and has at least four-star UVA protection.

It is also crucial that the sunscreen is at least SPF30 to protect against UVB.

George Sandhu, Deputy Pharmacy Superintendent from Well Pharmacy said: 'Always use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, and reapply it every two hours when outdoors, even on cloudy days. Seeking shade and wearing protective clothing and hats are also essential sun-safety measures.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, described the figures as 'concerning' (stock)

Sun lotion is the most effective way to protect skin from sun damage. When looking to buy and apply sunscreen, holidaymakers should make sure the bottle carries the letters UVA in a circular logo and has at least four-star UVA protection (stock)

'If you do get sunburn, over-the-counter painkillers such as paracetamol and ibuprofen can help reduce pain. Apply cool compresses and aftersun cream or spray to the affected areas. Stay out of the sun until the burn has fully healed.

'Severe sunburns with fever, chills, blistering, or dizziness require immediate medical care, as intense burns can affect electrolyte and fluid balance throughout the body.

'An annual skin check by a dermatologist is advisable for anyone with a history of sunburns.

'Your community Pharmacist can advise you on the best ways to prevent and treat sunburn this summer.'

With warmer weather expected, experts have advised spending time in the shade between 11am and 3pm, covering up, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and slapping on sunscreen of at least factor 30.

Dr Claire Knight, of Cancer Research UK, said: 'Getting sunburnt just once every two years can triple the risk of developing skin cancer. Whether you are abroad or here at home, it's important to protect yourself.

'Remember, sunburn doesn't only happen when it's hot  it can happen on cloudier days too.'

Last month, it was revealed that the first personalised mRNA jab for melanoma is being tested in British patients.
MBABANE - In a quest to recover E335 million invested by over 1 000 emaSwati in Ecsponent, shares amounting to E2.9 million belonging to two South African businessmen have been attached.

According to a notice of attachment from Deputy Sheriff Thabiso Hlandze, the shares were attached on Friday and they belong to Dave Van Niekerk and Edwin Soonius. The duo is among those who the High Court ordered should repay the lost E335 million. This was through a judgment issued on Thursday whereby they were ordered to repay the money together with other defendants who are Ecsponent Limited South Africa, GetBucks (Pty) Limited South Africa and Anthony Hay.

A copy of the notice of attachment reflects that permanent shares amounting to E2 million belonging to Van Niekerk have been attached. For Soonius, the notice reflects that the amount of shares stands at E904 000.Worth noting is that on December 2023, the High Court granted an interim order for the attachment and freezing of assets belonging to the two South African men as they were implicated in the loss of millions invested by emaSwati in Ecsponent.

The order was granted by Judge Zonke Magagula after the ESW Investment Limited, former Ecsponent Eswatini, moved an ex-parte urgent application for the attachment of the assets pending the finalization of action proceedings instituted against them. The attachment of the shares was made possible through the strength of the default judgment following that the High Court made a ruling. The assets, according to the application, were allegedly owned by the duo in Status Capital Building Society, a building society duly established and incorporated in terms of the Building Societys Act of 1962.

Status Capital Building Society has been cited as the third respondent in the matter. The other assets, it was stated in the application, were allegedly held in the Swaziland Debt Factoring Firm (PTY) LTD, a company duly registered and incorporated in terms of the company laws of the Kingdom of Eswatini, having its principal place of business at Ezulwini, the Gables complex in the district of Hhohho.

The company was cited as the fourth respondent in the matter. The applicant had sought an order to not only attach the shares but to further interdict any payment of dividends and or interest that was due to the first and second respondents in the two companies. Also included was a sum of E250 000 which was deposited by the first respondent as security for costs under High Court case number 1818/2023.Also, the applicant had sought an order to interdict the payment of the sum of E250 000 and or its residue currently under the custody of the Registrar of the High Court of Eswatini pending the completion of the action proceedings under High Court case number 2975/2023.

The Registrar of the High Court of Eswatini was cited as the fifth respondent in the matter. Furthermore, the applicant had sought an order that would ensure that there was no interference in the financial activities of the third and fourth respondents by the first and second respondents.In his founding affidavit, Bonginkhosi Mkhonza, the then Chief Executive Officer of the applicant submitted that the company, together with the investors who invested sums on excess of E340 million had instituted legal action proceedings against the first and second respondents.

The said action proceedings, according to Mkhonza, have been instituted under High Court case number 2957/2023.VMkhonza said after instituting the said proceedings, the applicant had seen it necessary to move the application to attach property in the form of shares belonging to the first and second respondents and to further seek an order to ensure the attachment and anti-dissipation of assets belonging to them. He submitted that ideally, the application should have included the investors as part of the applicants but that they were over 1 100 in number and given the exigency of time, there was not time to secure confirmatory affidavits. Mkhonza submitted that the order to have the assets attached will not in any way be prejudicial to the first and second respondents as it will seek to ensure that the interests and principles of justice are well preserved.

This will further ensure that once the action proceedings have been admitted at the High Court, the applicant and investors will be able to recover at least a fraction of what has been lost by them, Mkhonza submitted. He mentioned that the applicant moved the ex-parte urgent application for the attachment of the first and second respondents assets in order to establish jurisdiction, as the said respondents were peregrinus to the Kingdom of Eswatini and further more so because there were reasonable grounds a d belief that the respondents could interfere with the financial activities of the third and fourth respondents and to avoid any liability.

Giving a background of the matter, Mkhonza submitted that the applicant (ESW Investment Group Limited), was incorporated in Eswatini in the year 2013 and was registered under the name Escalator Capital Limited where Ecsponent Limited, a South African company listed in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange owned 85 per cent shares in Escalator Capital Limited. The applicants first issue of the companys prospectus, according to Mkhonza, was issued out in the year 2014 whereby investors were invited to invest their monies in accordance with the terms set out in the prospectus.

He submitted that in terms of relevant prospectus for each period of the investment funds could only be invested in a secured environment through linked preference shares in the share capital of Ecsponent South Africa for investors to obtain higher returns that were normally available while making capital available to businesses that needed the funds for growth. Mkhonza alleged that the first and respondents did not invest the funds as per the relevant prospectus in a secured environment through linked preference shares in the share capital of Ecsponent South Africa for investors to obtain higher returns than were normally available while making capital to businesses that needed the funds for growth use but expatriated the funds to South Africa for their own purposes contrary to the purpose set out in the approved relevant prospectus.

The veracity of the allegations is yet to be tested by the Court.As a consequence of the above, an amount of E335 240 000 of the investment funds were expatriated to South Africa and became unrecoverable by virtue of the unlawful expatriation and unlawful thereof for purposes other than stipulated in the relevant prospectus, Mkhonza stated. He said as a further consequence the applicant and investors jointly suffered the loss of the E335 240 000 due to the loss of the investment funds. Mkhonza clarified that the first respondent (Van Niekerk) was not a director of Ecsponent but allegedly held the position in the South African companies believed to have received the funds and definitely has a case to answer.

He had argued that the matter was extremely urgent as there was now action proceedings that had been instituted against the first and second respondents and a freezing of their assets was extremely necessary and urgent as such would ensure that the applicant and investors were able to recover at least a fraction of their invested funds. I further state that it is necessary to freeze the assets and dividends of the first and second respondents, mainly because fraud criminal proceedings have further been instituted against them. Another argument by Mkhonza had a clear right to protect as there were a number of investors who suffered huge losses.

The number, he stated, included the elderly, orphans, persons with disabilities and pensionaries. Mkhonza also submitted that the company explained that it moved the urgent ex-parte application in fear that once the two became aware of the action proceedings against them and further criminal case pending against them may either dispose of their shares. Also, the applicant alleged that the first and two respondents resided in South Africa and were likely not to ever come back to the Kingdom of Eswatini. Representing the ESW Investment Limited in the matter was Phesheya Maphalala of S.V Mdladla and Associates. Meanwhile, the judgment issued on Thursday states that the millions lost were invested by a number of individuals and other entities to obtain higher returns.

However, E335 240 000 of the invested, E406 932 005.55 was allegedly transferred to South Africa, and the investors want their money back. The order was granted by Judge Khontaphi Manzini at the Commercial Court Division of the High Court.Our sister publication, the Eswatini News reported yesterday that a representative of the duo of Van Niekerk and Sonius has indicated that they might seek to overturn the judgment granting the payment of the E335 240 000 investments to ESWIG. It was reported that Advocate Louis Hollander, who represents the duo on Friday told the High Court that they intended to apply for a rescission of Judgment Manzinis decision in terms of which they, together with other parties, have to pay the money.
Two synagogues and an Orthodox church across southern Russia have today been attacked by militant gunmen, who killed six police officers and slit the throat of a priest.

The attackers fired at the religious sites, as well as a police station, across the tinderbox region of Dagestan, a largely Muslim region of Russia that borders Georgia and Azerbaijan. Authorities have said that at least 12 people were injured during the attacks.

A synagogue in regional capital Makhachkala was set alight, with smoke seen pouring from the building, while another was set on fire in Derbent, the southernmost city in Russia which lies roughly 80 miles south of Makhachkala.

The attackers, who have still not been identified, attacked the Kele-Numaz synagogue, the only Jewish place of worship in Derbent, which was also where militants attacked a priest and a guard who both worked at an Orthodox church in the city.

The priest, named locally as 66-year-old Father Nikolai Kotelnikov who served more than 40 years in Derbent, reportedly had this throat slit by the gunmen.

The attackers fired at the religious sites, as well as a police station, across the tinderbox region of Dagestan, which borders Chechnya

Two synagogues and an Orthodox church across southern Russia have today been attacked by militant gunmen

So far, two of the attackers involved in the deadly shootings have been killed

It is not currently know how many people were involved in the shootings, nor is it known who is behind them

Two police officers were killed in the attack, it was reported

So far, two of the attackers involved in the deadly shootings have been killed, Russia's interior ministry said.

Many of them managed to flee, with local media reporting that the attackers in Derbent, which is home to an ancient Jewish community and a UNESCO World Heritage site, escaped in a White Volkswagen Polo.

The chairman of the public council of Russia's Federation of Jewish Communities, Boruch Gorin wrote on Telegram that 'it has not been possible to extinguish the fire' at the synagogue in Derbent.

He added: 'The synagogue in Makhachkala has also been set on fire and burnt down.'

Gorin wrote that in Derbent, firefighters had been told to leave the burning synagogue because of the risk that 'terrorists remained inside'.

It is not currently know how many people were involved in the shootings, nor is it known who is behind them, according to Dagestan's governor, Sergei Melikov, who said on Telegram:

The attacks on the religious sites across Dagestan come just months after a deadly terrorist attack in Moscow

Russia's Investigative Committee has already said it is probing them as 'acts of terror.'

'Tonight in Derbent and Makhachkala, unknown individuals attempted to destabilise the public situation. Dagestan police officers stood in their way. According to preliminary information, there are casualties among them.'

Nor is the motivation behind the attacks known.

But Russia's Investigative Committee has already said it is probing them as 'acts of terror.'

Dagestan has undergone a series of anti-Semitic events in the past year, most notable when a mob stormed the airport in Makhachkala to search for Jewish passengers from Israel.

The attacks on the religious sites across Dagestan come just months after a deadly terrorist attack in Moscow took the lives of nearly 145 people.

Islamic State Khorasan Provice (ISIS-K), a particularly brutal sect of ISIS, slaughtered innocent concertgoers who went to see the Russian band Picnic at the Crocus City Hall concert venue in March this year.

After shooting up the venue and setting it alight, 145 people died while 551 people were injured by gunfire or burns.

More to follow.
Hispanic voters in seven key battleground states for the 2024 election trust Donald Trump to handle immigration more than President Joe Biden.

While 38 percent of Hispanic voters in these swing states trust Biden to handle immigration, 41 percent of the same voting bloc trust Trump more.

Sixteen percent of voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin remain undecided, according to a poll released by Equis.

Much has been made about why Hispanics, who many times are first, second or third generation American citizens, are upset with how the immigration system has become more lax in recent years.

Interviews with Hispanic and Latino voters reveal they feel disenfranchised by Democrats who are trying to make it easier for migrants to gain access into the country and be released without legal status.

A new poll shows that Hispanic voters in seven key swing states trust Donald Trump to handle immigration more than President Joe Biden

Arturo Garino, who was previously mayor of Nogales, Arizona, told NBC News that open borders is not the way to go.

'I don't think what this administration is doing it right  letting all these people just come across,' Garino said.

'I'm a Democrat, and I'm pretty p***ed off.'

Biden's campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu 'I don't know' when asked why he thinks the president is losing ground with Hispanic voters.

'Latino voters are like everybody else,' Landrieu said in his Sunday interview with NBC host Peter Alexander. 'They move around from space to space. You see this with African American voters as well.'

Non-Hispanic voters in the seven swing states who were polled also favor Trump to handle immigration more than Biden.

Forty-nine percent of non-Hispanic voters in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin say they trust the border hawk former president, compared to 34 percent of those who say they trust Biden more.

The poll shows 14 percent are undecided.

Migration and the southern border crisis remains a top issue for voters ahead of November's presidential election with nearly 8 million crossing illegally since Biden took office

Nearly 8 million migrants have crossed the southern border since Biden took office in January 2021 and reversed most of Trump-era policies on day one. He then spent the next three-and-a-half years implementing more lax policies that permitted more migrants to cross.

Then, Biden issued an executive order earlier this month that restricts migrants from seeking asylum at the southern border once it reaches 2,500 per day.

Republicans labeled the order a desperate attempt by the Biden administration to earn points with those upsets by the immigration crisis ahead of November's election.
In the make-belief world of James Bond, it was always the pretty girls who swooned over the suave super-spy.

But for real-life Scots secret agent Meta Ramsay, who rose to the very top of MI6, the problem was how to stop the foreign agents she was trying to recruit from falling in love with her.

As one of Britains most accomplished spies, the now 87-year-old Labour peer has revealed that one of the unlikelier threats she faced to her field operations was when she sensed the men she had targeted as possible agents were becoming too romantically attached.

Revealing some of the niceties of the art of spycraft, Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale, as she is now styled, told The Sunday Herald: Youre cultivating someone and you havent got to the stage - because you want to recruit them - of asking them that.

Yet youre making all the signs of being very happy, and wanting to see him and have lunch and all these things, she said. Thats an absolute killer if you dont get it right. You must never let a man make a move thinking that it will be welcomed and then its not because then youve really ruined your own project.

Baroness Margaret 'Meta' Ramsay was once tipped as a future head of the Secret Intelligence Service

Flirting was, therefore, never a weapon in her arsenal: No, its a very bad idea - the last thing you want, she said. The real danger is that it might make you go much earlier when it comes to putting the question. The rule is that you should never get a no. You shouldnt be asking the question if youre not going to get a yes.

While she strove hard to keep sex out of her job, Ramsay was forced to battle institutional sexism throughout her career, which nevertheless saw her rise through the ranks to the point where it is rumoured she was in contention to be the first woman head of MI6, the Secret Intelligence Service.

She refused to be drawn on the topic, saying only that when she retired at the statutory age of 55 she was the most senior woman in the service.

Before that, she had proved herself adept at managing dicey situations, including during her time as MI6 head of station in Helsinki when the double-agent Oleg Gordievsky was sprung from inside Russia at the height of the Cold War in one of the most audacious spying operations of the 20th century.

Gordievsky, a KGB colonel who ran Russias spying operations in Britain, had been recalled to Moscow in 1985 after his cover was secretly blown by a CIA officer turned traitor.

Knowing Gordievsky faced execution, an MI6 officer arranged to smuggle him over the border to Finland in the boot of his car.

At the border, Soviet guards were using sniffer dogs to search for Gordievsky.

The MI6 officer had taken his wife and baby along as cover and as the guards approached their car, his wife got out and changed her babys nappy on the boot, with Gordievsky hiding inside, literally throwing the dogs off the scent.

Ramsay admitted that coping with danger was part and parcel of the job: If you get yourself into a difficult situation, the adrenalin goes so hard your training kicks in, it prepares you. There are times when youre in a place youd never in a million years have gone, especially as a woman. Youre there in the pitch black in the wrong bit of town, she said.

Youre making yourself extremely vulnerable, somewhere no woman in her right mind would ever go. However, she added: Youve got to always be on edge a little if youre meeting an agent or doing something you shouldnt be doing and theres no way of explaining away why youre where you are. If you dont keep on edge, thats when it gets dangerous. You dont relax. If you do, you do something wrong.

I mean, it happens, people are human, but when youre meeting an agent you really mustnt be so relaxed that you havent noticed surveillance somewhere.

Giving a rare insight into the relationship between a spy and the agent theyve recruited, she said: Youve got to have chemistry, they have to trust you with their life - at best disgrace, at worst their lives. You have a special rapport but it cant be too close. Its a very delicate balance. You have to give enough of yourself for them to feel youre real.

Roger Moore and Barbara Bach in The Spy Who Love Me

She added: They must feel comfortable... Its like being an actor. Its tricky. You give a lot of yourself. In a way they use you if its all working properly. Youre the one person in the world they can tell anything to. I sometimes thought it was a cross between priest and psychiatrist. Youre the person they can call in the middle of the night wholl never be put out.

A lifelong socialist, Baroness Ramsay worked for New Labour as a strategist at the behest of then-leader, the late John Smith, with whom she became friends at Glasgow University.

She has remained active in Labour circles ever since and sits on the executive committee of Scottish Labour.

Like many women agents, she has never married but does not regret it: There just wasnt the right man at the right time, or if the time was right, the men werent.
Scotlands schools are breaking the law every day by failing to provide boys and girls with enough separate toilets, according to a campaign group.

A survey of 243 secondaries found only 13 complied with a legal obligation to provide adequate numbers of single-sex facilities, also leaving them open to compensation claims by both parents and pupils.

Just three - Islay High and Tarbert High in Argyll & Bute, and Castlebay in the Western Isles - fully complied with current legislation by also informing pupils they cannot use opposite-sex toilets.

One in 20 schools which took part in the survey, by For Women Scotland (FWS), provided mixed-sex only toilets, which they say is also against the law.

FWS, who campaign for women and childrens rights, are opposed to the Scottish Governments Gender Recognition Reform Bill which seeks to remove any requirement for a medical diagnosis for people wishing to change sex.

The campaign group said there is a legal obligation to provide adequate numbers of single-sex facilities

Trina Budge of FWS says their survey results, obtained under Freedom of information, confirm how widespread the practice of toilet sharing is becoming, which she claims is increasing the risk of bullying, particularly for young girls.

Ms Budge added: Schools are breaking the law and leaving themselves open to legal action from pupils or parents, by failing to provide safe single-sex spaces.

There are very few schools meeting the requirements to provide the minimum numbers of toilets and urinals in the schools.

Local authorities are also in breach of their obligations under the Equalities Act

The damages could be quite substantial if someone was to take it to court

I think it is going to happen sooner rather than later. 

Concerns were raised over mixed-sex toilets when they were first introduced at Jedburgh Grammar and Kelso High three years ago.

Ms Budge says that schools are obliged to provide single sex toilets under Scotlands School Premises Regulations.

She added: Ive heard reports of girls being so embarrassed to use mixed-sex toilets, they are forcing themselves to wait until school break so they can access facilities outside the premises.

We frequently receive requests for help and advice from parents whose daughters are avoiding mixed-sex toilets or have been victims of boys exposing themselves or bullying.

Many boys as well as girls experience feelings of discomfort and embarrassment where a teenager says they identify as the opposite sex and enters a toilet accordingly.

Ms Budge continued: Both teenage sexes require toilet facilities that allow for dignity and privacy.

They are acutely aware of how their bodies are changing and the majority are easily embarrassed.

There are already studies reporting on the increase of mental health issues for teenagers.

The addition of the uncertainties and anxieties created by mixed-toilet policies only operate to exacerbate teenage mental health issues.

The FWS survey also found that only 52 per cent of schools providing single-sex toilets for girls met the minimum number of toilets required.

While 59 per cent providing single-sex toilets for boys had the minimum number .

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher said: Parents and pupils will be alarmed by these figures if it means that gender-neutral toilets are becoming the norm.

It has been a long-standing position of the Scottish Conservatives that every child should be able to access single sex toilets at school.

Introducing gender-neutral toilets should never come at the expense of single-sex toilets, which provide young people, in particular young girls, the safe space they are entitled to.

The Scottish Government says it is updating the School Premises Regulations and will be consulting on changes in due course.

A spokesman added: The provision of toilets in schools is a matter for local authorities.
A Florida teenager has mysteriously died in her sleep at her parents' home after a night out at a bar in what officials have deemed a possible homicide case.

Ava Hulett, 19, was pronounced dead in her family's home in Estero, just hours after she was released from the hospital after an incident at Pelican Larrys Raw Bar and Grill in Fort Myers early June 15.

Lee County detectives have now launched an investigation into the death, according to Anthony Rickman, a Tampa attorney representing the family.

Hulett is the younger sister of Bradley Hulett, who was inadvertently shot and killed by a friend while playing video games in 2019.

Now the Hulett family is mourning the death of their second eldest child.

Ava Hulett, 19, was pronounced dead in her family's home in Estero, near Fort Myers, just hours after she was released from the hospital after an incident at a bar

Hulett is the younger sister of Bradley Hulett (left) who was inadvertently shot and killed by a friend while playing video games in 2019

Now the Hulett family is mourning the death of their second eldest child

Hulett along with at least one friend were transported to the hospital for treatment while at Pelican Larrys Raw Bar and Grill in Fort Myers early June 15.

Hulett was released from the hospital later that day, but would be found dead just hours later.

At about 12:20 pm, her mother found her unresponsive at home, according to Rickman.

Meagan called the police while her husband performed CPR until first responders arrived on the scene but she was pronounced dead at 12:31 pm, The Tampa Bay reported.

'She had just turned 19 last week, a few days before she died. She was looking forward to starting school, starting her adult life,' said Rickman.

Ava's mother, Meagan Hulett, addressed her daughter's death in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

The Drug Homicide Investigation unit is now investigating the incident

Ava's mother emphasized that her daughter did not commit suicide and believes she mistakenly took a substance that killed her

According to her mother, there were reports of 'other overdoses' at the same bar the evening of Hulett's death - which is why the police deemed it a possible homicide case

She emphasized that her daughter did not commit suicide and believes she mistakenly took a substance that killed her.

'She was conscious after the event and even said to me, 'I don't want to die,' the post said. 'She was scared.'

According to her mother, there were reports of 'other overdoses' at the same bar the evening of Hulett's death - which is why the police deemed it a possible homicide case.

'No parent should ever outlive their children, and these two parents are outliving two of their children, and it's just horrific that they're going through this again,' said Rickman, the family's lawyer since Bradley was killed.

But the sheriff's office stated there is no sign that Pelican Larry's Raw Bar and Grill in Fort Myers caused any intentional harm to their customers.

At about 12:20 pm, her mother found her unresponsive at home, according to Rickman

Bradley Hulett was inadvertently shot and killed by a friend while playing video games in 2019

'At this time, there is no indication that the staff at the business or its operations caused harm to their patrons,' the statement read.

Ava was described as a free-spirited friend who lit up every room and lived 'unapologetically.'

'Yesterday, one of my childhood best friends passed away,' a friend wrote in an obituary.

'I woke up this morning in complete denial and trying to wrap my head around why it was Ava. Ava was a girl who always had me laughing. Any room she walked into lit up instantly and now that light is gone.

'The untimely death of Ava Hulett has sent ripples of sorrow throughout her community and beyond, leaving those who knew her grappling with immense grief.'

The Drug Homicide Investigation unit is now investigating the incident.

Detectives await the toxicology results to determine Hulett's cause of death following an autopsy.

America's drug epidemic hit new heights in 2022, official data shows  with the escalating crisis showing no signs of abating.

A CDC report found there were a record 107,941 deaths from overdoses that year, which is the most recent data available  the equivalent of 295 fatalities per day and up one percent on the year before.

Fentanyl was the main force behind the surge  which is fatal in even in tiny doses  with the illicit drug behind nearly 70 percent of the fatalities.
Donald Trump decried Bill Maher and his late night show Saturday, calling him 'overrated' and his long-running program a flop.

The comments came on the aspiring two-term president's Truth Social Account, hours after the progressive talking head took aim himself on Friday's airing of Real Time.

There, Maher accused Trump of colluding with Russia - something he said Joe Biden has stood against. He also accused Trump of attempting to overthrow the government - an allegation he said should have seen him put in jail instead of the ballot.

Trump, in turn, answered back - more than ten years after he sued the comedian for $5 million for joking that he was the son of an orangutan. That filing, within a couple of months, was withdrawn.

On Saturday, however, Trump reignited that old feud, fresh off his conviction in his New York hush money case that Maher, while talking with disgraced Democrat Andrew Cuomo and Illinois' ex-Rep. Adam Kinzinger the day before, also mentioned.

Scroll down for video:

Donald Trump decried Bill Maher and his late night show Saturday, calling him 'overrated' and his long running program a flop

The comments came on the aspiring two-term president's Truth Social Account, hours after the progressive talking head took aim himself on Friday's airing of Real Time. A few weeks ago, joked that 'we've all been' imagining Trump being raped if he is sent to prison

'Bill Maher, the highly overrated "Star" of the ratings challenged show with the Fake, Loud and Obnoxious laughter pouring out of your set every few seconds, even when nothing was said that was funny (which is most of the time!), suffers from a terminal case of Trump Derangement Syndrome,' Trump, 78, wrote.

'Republicans should stop using him as a reference point, his show is dead!'

Hours before, Maher, 68, spoke not too fondly of the GOP's pick for president, painting him as a despot while engaging in a somewhat surprising defense of Biden, who he's previously panned as a not ideal candidate.

While doing so, he referenced a barrage of deceptively edited 'deep fake' videos lambasting the aging president, saying at a point, 'I mean, he may be number two in the polls, but he wasnt pooping his pants.

In response to a clip showing the president appearing lost during the month's D-Day anniversary celebration, Maher proclaimed, 'Everybody's dancing and hes not. Good! He shouldnt be dancing! Hes 82! You look like an idiot when you try to dance.'

Then, as Cuomo and Maher discussed the New York hush money case against the ex-president and how it should not have been brought forth, Maher insisted Trumps election interference cases should have taken precedence.

If they had just heard the one about trying to overthrow the government of the United States. Thats the main thing! He tried to overthrow the government of the United States! And were never going to hear that, Maher told the ex-New York governor.

The remarks, however, appeared to stem from vitriol aired by Maher and guests Andrew Cuomo and ex Illinois Rep. Adam Kinzinger, both of whom joined Maher in expressing their disapproval of Trump while on the air

'And good for you,' Cuomo responded, almost three years after resigning in disgrace following a barrage of sexual harassment allegations

Cuomo would then go on to gesture towards Kinzinger - the man who sat on the House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6 insurrection during his waning years in Congress - 'for January 6.'

A devout Republican, Kinzinger distanced himself from Trump following the events of that day, and did so again on Friday.

'This is what drives me nuts - is when the GOP say [Vladimir Putin] didn't invade [Ukraine] under [Trump],' the former rep said.

'It's Ronald Reagan that said, "We can have peace and we can have it tomorrow. Surrender.

'And that's what Donald Trump basically did,' he concluded, claiming the president pandered to aggressive countries to give 'these people everything they wanted.

'He went to North Korea and wrote about love letters with Kim Jong Un,' he continued of how the conservative has touted himself as more friendly with the infamous dictator than his Democrat replacement.

So, yeah, they're coming together,' he said of growing ties between countries like Russia and North Korea.

'But that's as a result of a stronger U.S. foreign policy.'

'Right,' Maher - who a few weeks joked on air about Trump being raped if he is ever sent to prison - replied.

The pair, seen here in 2004 at the Primetime Emmy Awards, previously sparred in court in 2013, when Maher categorized the old Apprentice star as the son of an orangutan

The panel of Cuomo and Kinzinger appeared to also anger the Republican, though the former, at a point, appeared to suggest the hush money case against the former president in their home state of New York would never have been launched if he wasnt running for another term.

However, moments before, Maher and Cuomo agreed American citizens still deserve to see Trump stand trial for 'trying to overthrow the government of the United States' - a reference to his still underway federal case for allegedly influencing the January 6 insurrection.

'If his name was not Donald Trump, and if he wasnt running for PresidentIm the former AG in New YorkIm telling you that case would have never been brought' Trump later quoted Cuomo as saying in another post to Truth Social, where he left out the earlier declaration.

Maher, meanwhile, earlier this month told his studio audience, 'Given the opportunity, it's natural to want to imagine [Trump] getting f**ked in the a**' - an assertion that drew both laughs and gasps from the gallery.

He added that such jokes will now be made more often since the former president's convictions for falsifying business records, telling the crowd, 'With all the talk now about Trump possibly going to jail, we've all been doing it.

'I mean, come on, it's Donald Trump!'

Meanwhile, as Maher mentioned on Friday, Trump remains ahead in most polls.

Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to cover up 'hush money' payments to pornstar Stormy Daniels about their extramarital affair to prevent news of it derailing his election campaign.

He also stands accused of urging on the insurrection seen outside the Capitol on January 6, while also facing cases in Georgia, an appeal in Manhattan over the sexual assault case involving E. Jean Carroll, a fraud case in New York, and a DOJ probe into his removal of classified documents from the White House when he left office.

All, as of writing, remain up in the air, with the general election a mere four months away.

Moreover, last month, Maher likened Donald Trump to Garfield the cat - amid speculation over the former president's ability to foot a $454million bill for his fraud appeal next week

Maher said at a point during his opening monologue: 'He's a fat orange p***y who hates Mondays'

Moreover, last month, Maher likened Donald Trump to Garfield the cat - amid speculation over the former president's ability to foot a $454million bill for his fraud appeal in New York.

'[Trump] is in a few trials going on, and one of them is in New York, because he exaggerated his net worth, how much this property was worth,' the 68-year-old began, first laying out the situation surrounding the fraud case to his audience.

He continued: 'There's a bond he has to pay the fine of $454million and he Trump has the weekend to come up with it.'

He went on to drop the now-viral Garfield bomb, saying the former commander in chief is essentially 'Garfield now.'

Met with whoops and cheers, Maher concluded: 'He's a fat orange p***y who hates Mondays.'
A father-of-three police officer was shot dead in an 'ambush' while he was tailing a stolen car in Detroit.

Oakland County Sheriff's Deputy Brad Reckling was following the stolen car in an unmarked police vehicle on Saturday evening when the thieves suddenly stopped and started shooting at him.

He was shot in the head and body multiple times and was rushed to hospital but died from his injuries.

Oakland County sheriff Michael Bouchard said: 'It was an ambush.'

Reckland leaves behind his pregnant wife and their three young daughters.

Oakland Detective Brad Reckling was following the stolen car in an unmarked police vehicle on Saturday when the thieves suddenly stopped and started shooting at him

Reckling was working with two other deputies from the auto theft unit to search for a stolen 2022 Chevrolet Equinox taken from a waterpark earlier that day.

He was driving an unmarked police car when he spotted the stolen car in Detroit.

He carefully followed it and then 'suddenly stopped'.

Bouchard said: 'Individuals exited that stolen vehicle and opened fire on our deputy.

'That obviously triggered a whole bunch of things. The deputy was struck in the head, struck in the chest, the torso area. At 22:50 the officer down call went out.'

Detroit Police then 'flooded the area' and set up a perimeter, arresting three people.

The suspects have not yet been named.

Reckling's colleagues paid tribute to him on Sunday, with his substation commander praising him as 'one of the best deputies and detectives I've ever worked with'.

Deputy Nicholas Bohun said: 'Brad was always there to lend a helping hand. He loved his family more than anything. He was a great cop, but even a better friend, and father, and husband.'

Reckland leaves behind his pregnant wife and their three young daughters

Deputy Matthew Morrison added: 'Brad was a loving husband, father, and amazing friend. He loved the outdoors. He was an amazing fisherman, loved to hunt, and enjoyed growing his farm and raising animals.

'Brad spent several months remodeling his home, giving his wife and three girls the best place to call home.

'Anyone who knew Brad knows it doesn't take long for him to start cracking jokes and get him laughing.

'He was a great worker and amazing friend who would do anything for anyone. He was a prime example of what great parent, husband, and friends means, and he is loved by many and will be truly missed.'

Bouchard called for more resources for the County in the wake of Reckling's death.

His officers have been called to attend the Rochester Hills splash pad shooting, the Oxford High School shooting and the Michigan State University shooting recently, all of which take a toll on officers' mental health.
Suranne Jones has a blood-curdling cackle. She can also howl like a wolf under a full moon, and she seems quite fond of chanting incantations.

I feel sure she would never lay a curse upon an incautious telly critic who failed to heap praise on her performances, but I might exercise more care in future (not that she ever merits anything less than superlatives  magnificent in Doctor Foster, powerful in Vigil, full list of plaudits available to her agent on request).

The two-part documentary Investigating Witch Trials sees her striding across the landscape in a long woollen coat to quiz historians, like a combination of Lucy Worsley and Gentleman Jack.

As she unravelled the story of how, for 200 years, Puritans persecuted and murdered people  most of them women  accused of practising witchcraft, she also revealed a yearning to try a little white magic for herself.

Suranne Jones has a blood-curdling cackle. She can also howl like a wolf under a full moon, and she seems quite fond of chanting incantations

I feel sure she would never lay a curse upon an incautious telly critic who failed to heap praise on her performances, but I might exercise more care in future (not that she ever merits anything less than superlatives  magnificent in Doctor Foster, powerful in Vigil, full list of plaudits available to her agent on request)

It began with that cackle, half shriek and half death rattle, a sound straight out of fairy tales. She did it so well that she surprised even herself. 'Oh! That's a good laugh,' she gasped. 'Someone, cast me as a witch.'

In a series of chats with folklorists and academics, she learned the story of the Pendle witches eight women and two men from Lancashire executed in 1612, after the intervention of King James I.

She ventured to Germany, where nearly 20,000 women were tortured and killed as witches. To save the show from unrelenting grimness, she met pop star Natasha Khan, alias Bat For Lashes, who read her fortune in tarot cards and taught her to bay like a coyote. 'That's better than a headache tablet,' Suranne announced.

All this was linked with lots of atmospheric close-up shots of cobwebs and mushrooms.

The two-part documentary Investigating Witch Trials sees her striding across the landscape in a long woollen coat to quiz historians, like a combination of Lucy Worsley and Gentleman Jack

It's a pity she isn't delving into the more recent history of witchcraft  still very real in the 20th century. I grew up within sight of Meon Hill near Stratford-upon-Avon, scene of a notorious ritualistic murder. The body of a farmer named Charles Walton was found there on St Valentine's Day, 1945  his throat cut and his head pinned to the ground by a pitchfork. Thirty years later, locals still whispered of satanic rites.

The previous year saw the last witchcraft trials in Britain. A spiritualist medium named Helen Duncan was jailed, accused of supernatural spying after apparently relaying messages from drowned British sailors, before the loss of their ships had been officially announced.

Suranne did make the connection between the bullying and victimisation of women centuries ago and today. 'Women were silenced,' she said. 'It's still a big issue.'

But she didn't draw the obvious parallel with the demonisation now of women who dare to insist on the biological differences between the sexes  so-called TERFs, whose champion is the queen of all witches and wizards, J.K. Rowling.

The episode ended with Suranne joining a coven for prayers and spells on a moonlit night. Everyone took it very seriously, but broomsticks are optional.
QUESTION: Why was Joan Rivers banned from The Tonight Show?

Joan Rivers first appeared on Johnny Carson's show on February 17, 1965. The comedienne wowed the host, who proclaimed she was going to be a star. Carson invited her on his popular late-night show more than 100 times.

In early 1986, Rivers was approached by the new Fox Television Networks to host a rival show. The Late Show premiered on October 9, 1986. Carson felt betrayed and claimed Rivers hadn't had the courtesy to tell him her plan. She denied this and said Carson had proved persistently unavailable.

The show was an abject failure, in large part because A-list guests refused to do the show in deference to Carson. The Late Show lasted only two seasons.

Carson banned Rivers from The Tonight Show, and this remained in force even when Jay Leno took over as host. It was not until 2014 that Jimmy Fallon invited Rivers back on the show.

Edward Miller, Basingstoke, Hants

Joan Rivers first appeared on Johnny Carson's show on February 17, 1965. The comedienne wowed the host, who proclaimed she was going to be a star

In early 1986, Rivers was approached by the new Fox Television Networks to host a rival show. The Late Show premiered on October 9, 1986

QUESTION: What was an 'uncut' book and how was it 'cut'?

There is confusion regarding this term and caution is advised when using it.

In the hand press period (up to 1800), books were made by printing text on both sides of a full sheet of paper and then folding the paper one or more times into a group of leaves.

These books were technically 'unopened' and had to be slit open with a paperknife. As Geoffrey Ashall Glaister's Encyclopedia Of The Book explains, 'a book is said to be uncut if the edges of the paper have not been cut with the plough or guillotine'.

Strictly speaking, therefore, uncut means that the book has not had the edges trimmed, thus they are uneven and rough.

Ashley Wiley, Oxford

QUESTION: I've read that the introduction of sulfonamide started a pharmaceutical revolution. How?

Further to the earlier answer, sulfonamides may have changed the course of the war.

Winston Churchill suffered a serious bout of pneumonia while in Tunisia in 1943. He was successfully treated with a sulfonamide called M&B, produced by pharmaceutical company May & Baker. It's said that from that time, Churchill 'delighted in referring to his doctors, Lord Moran and Dr Bedford, as M&B'.

David O'Connor, Bedford
Moscow, June 23 (UNI) Recent drone attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces on the city of Energodar, home to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), have raised serious concerns about the safety of the nuclear facility, local authorities said on Saturday.



ZNPP Director Yuriy Chernichuk said that several divisions of the ZNPP were left without power due to drone strikes on the Raduga substation that occurred on Friday, including the printing house, pump stations supplying drinking water, and production and technical equipment management.



"This is a direct hit on the critical infrastructure essential for the station's operation. It can be said that this attack impacts the safety of the ZNPP," Chernichuk told the RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday.



Three more drone strikes on Energodar were recorded on Saturday, leaving one resident injured, Eduard Senovoz, mayor of the city, said on his Telegram channel on Saturday.



He added that one of the drones landed near the Raduga substation.



Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that Russia would take all necessary measures to prevent Ukraine from carrying out similar drone attacks on Energodar in the future.

UNI/XINHUA AKS
Sarah Becker, a reality TV star who appeared on the fifth season of MTV's The Real World, has died by suicide, TMZ reported.

A family member of Becker's confirmed that she died early last week at her Illinois home.

She reportedly moved to the state to take care of her ailing mother and sister but planned to move to California when she could.

Becker was struggling with mental health symptoms in recent months, compounded by the responsibility of caring for her family and a skateboarding accident.

She made a career for herself as a comic book editor, and when she was 25 years old, she got a chance to star in a 22-episode season of The Real World in 1996.

Sarah Becker, pictured in a selfie, died last week at age 52 by suicide, TMZ reported

Becker revealed to the Chicago Tribune in 1997 that she didn't like the fame she got from the show, saying she sometimes wore a hood when going out.

The Real World is a show on MTV that ran for 33 seasons up until 2016, making it one of the longest running reality shows in history.

Each season is set in a different city, with the narrative following a group young adults from different walks of life that are forced to become roommates for several months.

Becker's season was set in Miami as she roomed with seven other strangers in their early to mid twenties.

Her co-stars included Dan Renzi, Melissa Padron, Joe Patane, Cynthia Roberts, Flora Alekseyeun, and Mike Lambert.

Alekseyeun posted a tribute to Becker on her Instagram Sunday, calling her former roommate 'the most selfless person I knew.'

'She was always kind and helpful to everyone. I havent spoken to her in years and never knew she was troubled,' Alekseyeun wrote.

'My prayers go out to her family. RIP my roomate, my friend. May you skate with angels and never feel pain again.'

The never-before-seen twist for this season was that the group of youngsters had to attempt to start a business together from their swanky waterfront house in South Beach.

Becker was one of the oldest members of the cast but described herself as '19-year-old trapped in a 25-year-old body.'

Her official MTV bio also revealed that she graduated from the Indiana University and worked at WildStorm Comics in La Jolla, California.

'A tomboy, Sarah says she doesn't deal well with pettiness and wants to stay true to herself while on the show,' her bio read.

Becker is pictured here riding a skateboard. She was an avid skateboarder all throughout her life

The cover image for Season 5 of The Real World Miami, which Becker applied to as joke

After the show ended, Becker spoke to the Chicago Tribune about her experience being on TV.

'For me, "The Real World" was a six-month long vacation,' she said. 'I knew from the get-go that it couldnt be a stepping stone to bigger and better things.'

'I want my own magazine some day, and I dont think Sarah from "The Real World" is going to have anything to do with that,' Becker said.

Becker also revealed that she didn't like the fame she got from the show, saying she sometimes wore a hood when going out.

Becker actually applied to be on The Real World as a joke and was shocked when she was accepted.

Despite having reservations initially, she decided to join the cast, adding her experience 'was a blast. And I learned that Im pretty happy about who I am.'

Friends of Becker took to social media in the hours after her death was made public to honor her memory.

'I saw the news today that we've lost one of everyone's favorite WildStorm folks, Sarah Becker,' wrote former WildStorm Vice President of Marketing Jeff Mariotte on Facebook.

'Even if you weren't into comics in the 90s you might remember her from The Real World (and from the opening episode of her season, some of which was filmed in our offices and at Sarah's wild going-away party).'

'I'm so terribly sorry that Sarah's gone,' he concluded. 'She added sunshine to every room she entered, the fans loved her, and so did we all. Fair winds, Sarah. We'll miss you.'

Another friend, Daniel Norton, said Becker was 'made of pure sunshine.'

'You couldn't help but feel her warmth standing in her presence. I am grateful for our adventures and laughs,' Daniel Norton wrote.

Becker is credited as the editor on dozens of comic series WildStorm put out in the 1990s.

Becker's family described her as a selfless person who took care of everyone else. She died at age 52.
Scammers are fleecing learner drivers up and down the country out of hundreds of pounds to pay for non-existent driving exams, amid record waits for lessons and tests.

The latest data shows that learner drivers are facing increasingly long wait times for tests, with the average amount of time they wait for rising from 14.8 weeks in February to 17.8 weeks in February, according to figured obtained by the AA Driving School.

The increased wait times have left learner drivers, especially young people, more and more desperate for test slots.

Social media scammers are now exploiting this desperation, the Times reported, leading to learners forking out up to 250 for non-existent driving tests through dodgy Facebook groups that advertise last-minute test slots, often run from other countries including Bangladesh.

Driving instructors approved by the Driving Standards Agency (DVSA) have access to a special platform to book tests for pupils. The DVSA only charges 62 for most tests.

Scammers are fleecing learner drivers up and down the country out of hundreds of pounds to pay for non-existent driving exams (File image)

The latest data shows that learner drivers are facing increasingly long wait times for tests (File image)

Scammers in fake social media groups claim that they can book last-minute tests slots for an extortionate fee, only for learner drivers to find out that the tests never even existed in the first place (File image)

They require a learner's provisional drivers licence number to book official tests.

But many claim this system is open to abuse, as driving instructors can use their licence number to book a test without permission, before swapping the booking with a pupil ready to take the test.

Alina Mayer, 34, from Reading, told the newspaper she was able to buy a test through social media and ended up paying 100 as well as 62 for the test.

'There was absolutely nothing on the DVSA website for anywhere near my area,' she said. 'I searched online and came across these Facebook groups. I found out you have to have an existing test, and they will swap it with an earlier one. I booked one for the Isle of Wight.

'I then joined a WhatsApp group run by the people behind the Facebook page. They constantly list test slots for centres all over the country. A date in Slough was listed so I messaged. I've got no idea how the group gets the tests in the first place. They are based overseas, but I sent the money to a NatWest bank account. I definitely think this should be illegal, it feels incredibly dodgy, but it did help me pass sooner.'

But scammers can go even further, claiming in fake social media groups that they can book last-minute tests slots for an extortionate fee, only for learner drivers to find out that the tests never even existed in the first place.

Learner Oly Hutchings, 30, from Southampton said he was shocked by the sheer number of scams on social media sites.

'I have a friend who was scammed  they paid 200 to swap for an earlier test but when they turned up to the centre in High Wycombe they discovered the test didn't exist.

'Then I found these Facebook groups online, and I could see how many people were getting scammed the same way. The scammers offer you an earlier test date and take your money, then just disappear or the test doesn't exist.

'I was furious. People are desperate to pass, and the scammers know that. They've spent so much money only to be taken advantage of.'

The DVSA told the Times it 'does not run, approve or endorse any cancellation finder apps or services and we encourage learners only to book their driving test when their instructor agrees they are ready'.
America's deadliest rip currents claimed their latest victims on Friday when three young friends were swept to their deaths within minutes of entering the water.

Harold Denzel Hunter, 25, Jemonda Ray, 24, and Marius Richardson, 24, were among a group of six who left their homes in Birmingham, Alabama for a weekend in an AirBnB next to Florida's Panama City Beach.

A teenager had died at the spot the previous evening but the young friends were desperate to get in the water after their long drive despite a single red flag warning of the danger.

Ten minutes later the first 911 call was made, but it was two hours before the men were found and taken to hospital where they were declared dead.

'I'm praying for their family and ask that you do the same,' said Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford in a Facebook post. 'It is such a tragedy.'

Jemonda Ray disappeared with his friends minutes after entering the water

Ray and his cousin Marius Richardson were like 'peas in a pod' according to Ray's mother

Ray and Richardson were cousins who grew up like brothers, their family told al.com, while Hunter was one of their friends.

Ray, who graduated from Jackson-Olin High School in Birmingham, worked at Amazon and had a baby son, while Richardson was married with a two-year-old.

'He kept everybody with smiles on his face,' Ray's mother Iris said of her son. 'He was the sweetest person. He made sure he saw me every day.

'The detective told me they were trying to make it back to shore, but the current got the best of them.'

Rip currents killed more people at Panama City than anywhere else in the US last year, according to the National Weather Service.

They are defined as strong, localized, narrow currents of water that move directly away from the shore, like a river flowing out to sea.

Eight of Florida's 30 fatalities occurred at the site 100 miles west of Tallahassee, and Friday's deaths brought to six the number killed on the state's beaches last week alone.

Nineteen-year-old Ryker Milton was visiting from Oklahoma where he was in his first year of online seminary training before dying in a rip current on Panama City Beach on Thursday.

Harold Hunter, 25, who worked for a tire and brake company, leaves behind both a young son and a daughter

The three friends were found around half a mile from where they entered the water

Dozens of volunteers shone their flashlights into the water to help with the search

And Pennsylvania couple Brian Warter, 51 and Erica Wishart, 48, drowned in front of their six children when they were caught in a rip tide that same day north of West Palm Beach.

Richardson's wife was on Friday's trip along with Ray's girlfriend and one of Hunter's cousins.

What to do if you are caught in a rip current If caught in a rip current, don't fight it. Swim parallel to the shore and swim back to land at an angle. Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are prevalent along the East, Gulf, and West coasts of the U.S., as well as along the shores of the Great Lakes. Moving at speeds of up to eight feet per second, rip currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer. Lifeguards rescue tens of thousands of people from rip currents in the U.S. every year, but it is estimated that 100 people are killed by rip currents annually. Source: National Ocean Service Advertisement

Hunter, who worked for a tire and brake company, leaves behind a young son and daughter.

'He was the life of the party,' his sister, Selina Black said.

'He was always smiling. He wanted everybody up, even when he was down, he was our own personal DJ. 'This was all so unexpected and hit the family hard.'

Iris Richardson said Ray and his cousin, Marius, had grown up together and were 'inseparable'.

'They were two peas in a pod,' she added.

Marius was hardworking too,' she added. 'He was always taking care of his family. He was a good person.'

Dozens of volunteers scoured the water for signs of the three young men as a search helicopter shone down a beam from above.

The three men were found separately within half a mile of where they had entered the water at 8pm.

'They checked into their rental and rushed out to get in the water,' Sheriff Ford wrote next day on Facebook.

'I have such a heavy heart this morning about the loss of three young visitors to our community.

'I witnessed so many people, including visitors to our community, come together last night on the beach to desperately search for them,' he added. 'The acts of courage by first responders were amazing.

The men died just a day after Brian Warter, 51 and his girlfriend Erica Wishart, 48, drowned in front of their six children after being caught in rip current north of West Palm Beach

'Many of our rescue swimmers with the sheriff's office, Bay County Emergency Services and Panama City Beach went into the dark and dangerous waters for over two hours to attempt to rescue and search for the young men.

'I worry about the emotional toll that these situations take on first responders as I know I'm struggling with it as well.'
A Sydney ride share driver has been rushed to hospital after being assaulted by passengers who stole his car.

The incident unfolded early on Monday morning at the intersection of Kindelan Road and Gibbon Road, Winston Hills in Western Sydney.

Police said the driver accepted a booking from two men at an address in Box Hill at about 12.35am.

The men directed the driver to several locations including a service station on Penure Street, Rouse Hill, at 1.05am where they purchased food items before returning to the vehicle.

The driver was instructed to attend further addresses, and when at the intersection of Kindelan Road and Gibbon Road, he was assaulted by the men.

A Sydney ride share driver has been rushed to hospital after being assaulted by passengers who stole his car

The incident unfolded early on Monday morning at the intersection of Kindelan Road and Gibbon Road, Winston Hills

Police said the driver ran from the vehicle and sought assistance from a nearby resident who contacted Triple Zero.

The men then drove from the location in the ride share vehicle  a white 2018 VW Tiguan.

Paramedics treated the rideshare driver at the scene before he was taken to Blacktown Hospital in a stable condition with head and facial injuries.

No arrests have yet been made.

Police are urging anyone who may have information to contact them immediately.
The Home Secretary's top aide only said the Rwanda scheme was 'crap' for dramatic effect, James Cleverly has insisted.

James Sunderland, the Tory MP for Bracknell, only criticised the government's flagship immigration policy to 'shock and grab the attention of the audience', he said.

Mr Sunderland, speaking at a private event in April, twice said the policy was 'crap' - but later in the conversation defended it as an effective deterrent.

Mr Cleverly told the BBC yesterday: 'I've had a conversation with him and I've also heard the recording. And it's clear what he's doing is he's putting forward a very counter-intuitive statement to grab the attention of the audience.

'If you actually listen to what he then went on to say, he was saying that the impact, the effect, is what matters.'

'He did it clearly for dramatic effect to grab the attention of the audience.

'But he is  and it's clear in the recording  completely supportive of the deterrent effect that the Rwanda policy has.'

Secretary of State for the Home Department James Cleverly (pictured) insisted his top aide only said the Rwanda scheme was 'crap' for dramatic effect

James Sunderland (pictured) has been a parliamentary private secretary to James Cleverly and worked for his predecessor, Suella Braverman

Talking to a group of Young Conservatives in April, Mr Sunderland said the plan  which the Prime Minister has hailed as a dividing line between the Tories and Labour this election  was not necessarily 'about the policy'.

He added: 'It's about the effect of the policy. It's the second- or third-order effects.

'There is no doubt at all that when those first flights take off that it will send such a shockwave across the Channel that the gangs will stop.'

When confronted over the comments, Mr Sunderland insisted: 'I was talking about the response to the policy. The policy itself is not the be all and end all but part of a wider response.'

People believed to be migrants picked up at sea attempting to cross the English Channel from France (pictured)

Migrants are pictured aboard of a Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboat after being picked up at sea while crossing the English Channel from France

Last year, Mr Cleverly himself declined to explicitly deny reports suggesting he privately described the Rwanda policy as 'batshit'.

When questioned, Mr Cleverly said he did not remember using the term. He added: 'Where I've expressed frustration about the policy is, at times, I felt there was a focus on that to the exclusion of everything else.

'The Rwanda policy is important but it's part of a toolkit of responses to this, including the returns agreements we have, including with Albania, including the creation of a small boats operation command.'

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'The Tories' Rwanda scheme has been completely exposed as an extortionate and failing gimmick.'
Sir Keir Starmer will 'unpick Brexit' if he is handed a landslide majority, Kemi Badenoch warns today.

Writing in the Daily Mail, the Business Secretary says the Labour leader  who campaigned for a second referendum  has shown a 'total lack of belief' in Britain's ability to thrive outside the EU.

Ms Badenoch appeals to those who backed Brexit in 2016 to rally behind the Tories  or risk being dragged back into Brussels' orbit.

She warns disaffected Tories that a vote for Reform will 'split the vote against Labour, enabling a strengthened Starmer to unpick Brexit'.

Her intervention comes as senior Tories step up warnings about Labour's intentions on Brexit.

Writing in the Daily Mail, Kemi Badenoch says Sir Keir Starmer  who campaigned for a second referendum  has shown a 'total lack of belief' in Britain's ability to thrive outside the EU

She writes that the Labour leader  who campaigned for a second referendum  has shown a 'total lack of belief' in Britain's ability to thrive outside the EU

As Jeremy Corbyn 's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir led Labour's opposition to leaving the EU and pressed for a second referendum. Pictured: The two men together in 2019

As Jeremy Corbyn's shadow Brexit secretary, Sir Keir led Labour's opposition to leaving the EU and pressed for a second referendum.

In his ten-point manifesto to succeed Mr Corbyn four years ago, he pledged to 'defend free movement'. But he has steadily shifted his rhetoric as Labour seeks to retake pro-Brexit seats in traditional Red Wall constituencies.

The Labour leader has said he will not seek to rejoin the EU or apply for membership of the single market. But he and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves have signalled they are willing to sign up to EU rules in some areas in order to secure a closer relationship.

Rishi Sunak warned Labour's plan to negotiate a new deal with Brussels would 'recreate that Brexit doom loop'. The Prime Minister told The Sun that Sir Keir would sign Britain up to 'rules that we didn't vote for'.

Former trade secretary Sir Liam Fox warned: 'We can almost see the white flags being raised by Starmer and co already.

'The great irony is that those who are considering voting Reform, and who were great champions for Brexit in the referendum, will make its reversal more likely by denying seats to the Conservatives and giving Labour a big victory.'
Boris Johnson last night accused Nigel Farage of being 'morally repugnant' for 'parroting Putin's lies' about Ukraine.

The former prime minister lashed out at the Reform UK leader after he doubled down on his comments that the West was to blame for provoking Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Johnson branded his comments 'nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda'.

It came after Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine praised Mr Farage for showing 'enlightenment and sanity'.

Russian state TV  rigidly controlled by the dictator  boasted that he was 'complimentary' to Russia and had revealed 'who really provoked the conflict'.

A spokesman for Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov also seized on Mr Farage's comments. Asked if the Kremlin considered the Clacton-on-Sea candidate 'an ally', Maria Zakharova suggested it did, saying: 'How [else do] you see the person who tells people that two plus two is four or reminds you of the exact time?'

Former prime minister Boris Johnson (pictured) lashed out at the Reform UK leader after he doubled down on his comments that the West was to blame for provoking Russia's invasion of Ukraine

Nigel Farage (pictured) wrote in an article for the Sunday Telegraph: 'If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, don't be surprised if he responds'

In an article for the Sunday Telegraph, Mr Farage wrote: 'His [Putin's] invasion of Ukraine was immoral, outrageous and indefensible. As a champion of national sovereignty, I believe that Putin was entirely wrong to invade the sovereign nation of Ukraine. Nobody can fairly accuse me of being an appeaser. I have never sought to justify Putin's invasion in any way and I'm not now.

'But that doesn't change the fact that I saw it coming a decade ago, warned that it was coming and am one of the few political figures who has been consistently right and honest about Russia's Ukraine war. If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, don't be surprised if he responds.'

Sharing the article on X, Mr Johnson wrote: 'This is nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda. Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody 'poked the bear with a stick'.

'The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country. They were perfectly entitled to seek both Nato and EU membership.

'There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine  both in 2014 and 2022  and that is Putin. To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putin's lies.'

He added: 'It is bizarre that the author should also suggest we now reduce our support for Ukraine, when the solution to the conflict is in fact clear  the Ukrainians need to win, and to repel Putin's invasion.

Vladimir Putin's propaganda machine praised Mr Farage for showing 'enlightenment and sanity'. Pictured: Putin takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony

'They can and they will. The problem in the last 30 years has not been western provocation but western weakness in the face of Russian aggression  a weakness exemplified by this article.'

Russian news anchor Ekaterina Andreeva hailed Mr Farage's 'balanced' comments on a Russian channel's main evening bulletin. Introducing a clip from the BBC Panorama Interviews programme, on which Mr Farage originally made the comments, she said: 'The leader of a British Right-wing party, Nigel Farage, on who really provoked the conflict.'

In an earlier bulletin on the same 1TV channel, Anylona Lapshina suggested Mr Farage's views represented public disenchantment with support for Kyiv, adding: 'More and more European politicians are showing enlightenment and sanity.

'The leader of a British Right-wing party, Nigel Farage, expressed an opinion different from the generally accepted position of the West. Farage, as an experienced politician, follows the mood of voters.'

Mr Farage made his original comments in an interview with the BBC which was broadcast on Friday evening. He said he was not a supporter of the Russian tyrant and merely admired him as a 'political operator' because he had 'managed to take control of running Russia'.

He doubled down on his comments again last night, telling ITV that the West historically 'provoked Putin stupidly'. But he also said on X that he has 'never supported or been an ally of [Putin's] administration in any way'.

Home Secretary James Cleverly condemned the comments last night, telling GB News: 'To suggest somehow that those countries brought it upon themselves... is victim blaming of the worst order.'
Two teenagers have been arrested after an altercation between two groups at a food court sent a major Adelaide shopping centre into lockdown.

The incident unfolded at Westfield Marion Centre in Adelaide just before 3pm on Sunday and triggered widespread reports of an armed person inside.

Two boys, aged 15 and 16, have been arrested and each charged with assault, affray, and aggravated robbery, SA Police said on Monday.

'Police have seized two expandable batons,' a police statement read.

'The two teens will appear in the Adelaide Youth Court later today. Investigations are continuing to locate any outstanding suspects.'

Shoppers inside Westfield Marion in Adelaide filmed a brawl between two groups of teenagers that caused the shopping centre to enter a lockdown at 2:53pm on Sunday

Terrified families were among those caught up in the chaos at Westfield Marion

Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said police had received reports of two groups fighting in the food court, with two boys armed with expandable batons.

'(One group) approached another group of boys and an altercation occurred,' he told reporters at the scene on Sunday.

'The expandable batons are seen and at this stage, we cannot discount any other weapons but we have reports that a knife may be involved.'

Mr Duval said three boys chased another group of teenagers through the centre and entered the David Jones store.

'That was the first part of our focus of where we put our specialist attention, to start clearing the centre to ensure the safety of all people could be assured,' he said.

'We are at the point now where we are able to clear the centre safely with specialist police and allow people that were still sheltered in place to leave.'

Mr Duval said it was clear from the CCTV that it was not a random attack.

'The boys would appear to be known to each other, but obviously we're still in the early days of investigation of the incident,' Mr Duval said.

A 77-year-old woman suffered a shoulder injury while fleeing the centre and another person in their 30s injured their knee, South Australia Ambulance Service said.

One of the patients was being transferred to the Flinders Medical Centre for treatment and paramedics remained at the shopping centre, a spokesman said.

Heavily armed police officers had secured the Adelaide shopping centre by 5pm and all remaining patrons were able to leave

Shoppers who rushed into shops for safety shared footage of the incident as it was happening

A young woman, who was in the cinema when the commotion began, told ABC News how it unfolded.

'We were in the movies and we just heard this noise going on saying 'emergency'... and nobody really knew what it was - if it was a phone or something,' she said.

'Someone went out of the movies and all of a sudden everyone just came running in - just sprinting incoming, yelling "run, run".

'Then we got up and started sprinting towards the emergency exit.'

Large digital screens inside the centre warned members of the public of an armed offender in the complex.

Social media footage from shoppers showed armed officers storming into the centre while dozens of people attempted to run to safety.

The lockdown comes less than three months after a man armed with a 30cm knife attacked shoppers at Westfield Bondi Junction in Sydney's east, killing six people including a security guard.

Westfield Marion is the largest mall in Adelaide and is located in Oaklands Park, about 22 minutes south of the CBD.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact Crime Stoppers.
Elon Musk has confirmed he recently had a third baby with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis, who works for his brain implant company.

Musk, 52, was accused of keeping the birth of the child - his 12th overall - a secret, after news of the birth was made public through media reports.

The billionaire businessman says there was never any intention to keep it under wraps, but that putting out a press release would also have been 'bizarre', although the baby's name and gender have not been revealed.

'As for "secretly fathered," that is also false. All our friends and family know. Failure to issue a press release, which would be bizarre, does not mean "secret"', Musk said to Page Six, about the birth.

The baby, believed to have been born earlier this year, was mentioned for the first time in a report by Bloomberg entitled 'Elon Wants You to Have More Babies'.

Musk and Zilis quietly welcomed baby number three in early 2024

The baby is believed to have been born earlier this year

Elon Musk has now had 12 children with three different woman over the last 22 years

Musk said there was never any intention to keep the birth of his 12th child a secret but to send out a press release would also have been 'bizarre'. Pictured, Musk welcoming his son X in 2020

The article discusses the X and Tesla owner's previously shared concerns over declining population rates.

'A collapsing birth rate is the biggest danger civilization faces, by far,' he has tweeted in the past.

Musk is a fanatic when it comes to a possibly population collapse which he believes is a bigger risk to the world than global warming.

This was apparent in a recent exchange on X between Musk and the Netherlands hard-Right leader, Geert Wilders, in which the Dutch politician warned of a collapse of Western values in his country thanks to open borders, a stance shared by other EU populists.

Agreed, responded Musk. But if the birth rate stays as low as it is [1.6] your Dutch nation will die out by its own hand.'

'Many countries are already well below the replacement rate, and the trend indicates that almost all will be. This is simply a fact, not a 'debunked theory,' Musk has said previously.

'2.1 kids is the replacement rate, and it's clear that globally we will soon fall below that point.'

Musk is also the father of twins Strider and Azure that he shares with Zilis

Musk has said he wants to be present for his children and sometimes takes them to work

In a 2023 interview with Tucker Carlson, Musk shared similar views.

'Once you have birth control and abortions and whatnot, now you can still satisfy the limbic instinct but not procreate. Will civilization end with a bang or a whimper? Well, its currently trying to end with a whimper in adult diapers, which is depressing as hell,' he said.

The U.S. Census Bureau disagrees with such views noting that the worlds population is not in decline.

100 years ago there were 2 billion people alive with the number topping 8 billion last year.

Data from the United Nations projects the figure will continue rising to 10 billion by the year 2100 - and even there is unlikely to be any collapse.

Four-year-old X often joins his father at public events

Zilis works as Neuralink Corp.s director of special projects. Neuralink is Musk's brain implant company

Aside from his three children with Zilis, also shares three with Claire Boucher, known by her stage name Grimes. The pair are pictured in 2018

Musk and Zilis, who works as Neuralink Corp.s director of special projects, already share two-and-a-half-year-old twins Strider and Azure who were born in November 2021. The pair have featured in several of Zilis' social media posts.

Musk's complicated personal life has involved three marriages and three divorces, including two of each with the same woman, as well as eight children from two long-term romances plus the twins with Zilis they conceived via in vitro fertilization.

Aside from his three children with Zilis, also shares three with musician Grimes.

Grimes is currently in a legal battle with Musk and is suing him over parental rights to their three kids.

Last September, a feud broke out with Grimes accusing the SpaceX founder of preventing her from seeing her son, and Neuralink director Shivon Zilis - mother to two of Musk's children - of blocking her on social media. But the pair appear to have buried the hatchet

Last September, a feud broke out with Grimes accusing the SpaceX founder of preventing her from seeing her son, and Neuralink director Shivon Zilis - mother to two of Musk's children - of blocking her on social media.

But the pair appear to have buried the hatchet with Grimes saying she was 'excited to become friends' with Zilis and have their 'kids grow up together.'

Grimes wrote on X at the time: 'Women are so often pitted against each other. Speaking with Shivon, it's very evident she's an amazing human and we both just want what's best for our kids,'

Zilis called Grimes a 'badass' in response and said their lengthy conversation, during which the air was cleared, had been 'insanely overdue.'

Elon started dating Grimes in April 2018. The eccentric couple captured headlines when they made their red carpet debut at the Met Gala the following month.

Nevertheless, Musk has been seen with his four-year-old son, X (born X  A-12 in May 2020), at various events, including the Super Bowl in Las Vegas.

Musk and X - for whom the platform once known as Twitter seems to be named - looking at Optimus the robot

SpaceX founder Elon Musk and Canadian musician Grimes in 2018 at a SpaceX competition

Their second child Exa Dark Siderl, who is called Y, was born via surrogate in December 2021.

Musk's other children are the result of his union with his first ex-wife, Canadian author Justine Wilson.

The couple share twins Griffin and Xavier, born in 2004, and triplets Kai, Saxon, and Damian with his ex-wife.

Xavier - now 20 - has since transitioned genders to become female. She is called Vivian and has dropped her father's famous surname - after telling a court that she 'no longer wishes to be related' to him 'in any way.'

Musk and Wilson's eldest child, Nevada, tragically passed away aged just 10 weeks from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in 2002.

Elon Musk and his first wife Justine Wilson lost their son Nevada Alexander in 2002

Musk and Wilson also used IVF to have triplet sons Damian, Kai and Saxon in January 2006.

Elon Musk and his second wife, British actress Talulah Riley, are pictured in 2015 with Xavier and Griffin. The twins are now 20, and Xavier is known as Vivian

Musk started dating singer Grimes in May 2018 and she gave birth to their son X AE A-Xii, pictured here, in May 2020

Musk pictured with his son in April 2023

Zilis is one of the top executives at Elon Musk's company Neuralink, welcomed twins with the Tesla CEO in November, court documents revealed

Zilis, who was born in Ontario, Canada, met Musk through OpenAI, the artificial intelligence research-and-deployment nonprofit Musk co-founded in 2015, Insider reported.

Zilis has been Musk's 'intellectual companion on artificial intelligence since the founding of OpenAI.'

In 2015, Zilis was on Forbes' 30 Under 30 list in the venture-capital category and in 2017, joined Musk's brain chip company Neuralink as the director of operations and special projects, according to her LinkedIn profile.

She studied economics and philosophy at Yale where she also played goalie on the women's ice-hockey team.

Musk and Zilis filed a petition in April 2022 to change the twins' names in order to 'have their father's last name and contain their mother's last name as part of their middle name,' according to the court documents.
A Texas man who spent nearly 20 years on death row has been exonerated - almost 47 years and three trials since he was sentenced for murdering and raping his neighbor.

Kerry Max Cook, now 68, was found guilty of murdering Linda Jo Edwards, 21, back in 1978.

But on Wednesday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals declared that he is 'actually innocent,' after evidence was withheld in his first trial in 1978 and some of the expert testimony was later proven to be false.

'This case is riddled with allegations of State misconduct that warrant setting aside Applicant's conviction,' Justice Bert Richardson wrote in the court's opinion.

'And when it comes to solid support for actual innocence, this case contains it all - uncontroverted Brady violations, proof of fake testimony, admissions of perjury and new scientific evidence.'

Kerry Max Cook, now 68, was found 'actually innocent' of murdering Linda Jo Edwards, 21, back in 1978

Edwards was found brutally murdered and mutilated in her bedroom in an apartment complex

Edwards was found brutally murdered and mutilated in her bedroom in an apartment complex in Tyler, Texas in 1977.

Cook lived in the same complex, and police claimed a set of fingerprints on Edwards' sliding patio door matched those of Cook.

The star witness at that first trial in 1978, Edward Scott Jackson, also testified that Cook told him he killed Edwards.

He was sentenced to death in 1979, and during his time on death row, Cook was stabbed and raped by other inmates, Texas Monthly reports.

But Jackson later recanted his testimony, saying, 'I lied to save myself.'

An expert witness - a sergeant who was deemed a fingerprinting expert - also admitted he was pressured by the District Attorney's office into claiming the fingerprints were fresh, according to the Death Penalty Information Center.

A scientific analysis and expert testimony would later debunk the claim.

Police claimed a set of fingerprints on Edwards' sliding patio door matched those of Cook

It would later also be revealed that during the course of the investigation, police destroyed human hair - which could have contained exculpatory evidence.

Richardson described these actions in his opinion on Wednesday as going 'beyond gross negligence' and reaching 'into the realm of the intentional deception against the tribunal.'

Cook's conviction was then overturned in 1991, and a second trial one year later ended in a mistrial when the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

A third trial in 1994 ended with a new conviction and death sentence, but once again, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals found that Cook's due process was violated, reversed the conviction in 1996 and remanded the case to the trial court.

Cook was freed from prison the following year.

Cook faced trial for the murder three times - and eventually entered a plea deal

During his time on death row, Cook was stabbed and raped by the other inmates

By 1999, the results of DNA testing on Edwards' underwear came back a negative match for Cook.

It instead matched Edwards' boyfriend at the time, James Mayfield, who was married and was twice her age, Texas Monthly reports.

Mayfield had also lied about his whereabouts on the night of Edwards' murder.

Before a fourth trial in 1999, Cook agreed to a 'no contest' plea deal in which he would be sentenced to 20 years in prison and given time served - but the conviction would stand.

Cook became an outspoken critic of the death penalty, writing a book entitled Chasing Justice

Still, Cook continued to fight for exoneration and became an outspoken critic of the death penalty, writing a book entitled Chasing Justice. His story would also become the subject of a hit play, The Exonerated.

By August 2016, the trial court recommended Cook be granted relief based on the false testimony, but found that the new evidence did not prove innocence.

Judge Richardson, however, disagreed with the ruling in his opinion on Wednesday,

'The State merely has to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt - which the State could never achieve in this case,' he wrote.

'Cook should therefore not have to prove his innocence beyond all doubt.'

'After being incarcerated on death row for almost 20 torturous years, we hold that Cook has met the burden required for actual innocence and relief is hereby granted.'

Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Justice Bert Richardson ruled on Wednesday that Cook meets the burden of proof to be found 'actually innocent'

Kerry and his attorneys celebrated the news.

'Kerry suffered immensely for nearly 50 years and nothing can give him his life back,' attorney Glenn Garber, of the Exoneration Initiative, told CNN.

'The decision finally and forcefully clears his name, and at the same time chronicles the state's outrageous and unrelenting misconduct,' he continued.

'It is important for the people of Tyler, Smith County and the world to understand what it was all along - a disturbing witch hunt by state actors.'

The opinion from the appeals court, though, noted it did not hold the current prosecutors 'in any way responsible for the past events in this case.'

But the good news for Cook came just as he suffered a stroke, with doctors informing him that the arteries were 90 percent blocked.

'They're performing life-threatening surgery,' he told Texas Monthly. 'I hope I come out of it.

'I was praying, "I hope they rule and set me free,"' he continued.

'Because if I die, at least I want to be able to know that I won.'
RISHI Sunak will today tell Scots voters they can put independence on the backburner for a generation if the SNP is routed at the General Election.

The Prime Minister will issue a rallying cry to voters by telling them the ballot on July 4 is Scotlands chance to end the decade of division.

He will say the SNP has put their political obsession on the line with a manifesto commitment to demand another independence referendum if it wins a majority of Scottish seats. But he will warn that constitutional wrangling will end only if the SNP lose big and is routed at the election.

It comes as John Swinney was yesterday branded arrogant for refusing to commit to taking independence off the table even if the SNP fails to win a majority of Scottish seats.

In a speech in Edinburgh to mark the launch of the Scottish Conservative manifesto, Mr Sunak will say: All elections have consequences, but this vote in Scotland matters so much.

Rishi Sunak is hoping to galvanise support to kick out the Nats

It will determine whether we have MPs focused on the real priorities of the Scottish people or whether the divisive constitutional wrangling of the last decade continues.

If the SNP win a majority of the seats at this election, they will treat that as a mandate to carry on campaigning for independence for another five years. Another five years of ignoring your priorities, with MPs achieving little at Westminster.

He will say the SNP has put their political obsession on the line with a manifesto commitment to demand another independence referendum if it wins a majority of Scottish seats. But he will warn that constitutional wrangling will end only if the SNP lose big and is routed at the election.

It comes as John Swinney was yesterday branded arrogant for refusing to commit to taking independence off the table even if the SNP fails to win a majority of Scottish seats.

In a speech in Edinburgh to mark the launch of the Scottish Conservative manifesto, Mr Sunak will say: All elections have consequences, but this vote in Scotland matters so much.

It will determine whether we have MPs focused on the real priorities of the Scottish people or whether the divisive constitutional wrangling of the last decade continues.

If the SNP win a majority of the seats a vote for the Scottish Conservatives is a vote to put this issue to bed, to move past these tired and stale arguments and go forward together.

The SNP have put independence on page one, line one of their manifesto. They have put their political obsession on the line.

The 4th of July is Scotlands chance to end the decade of division. To put independence on the backburner for a generation. To get back to the issues that really matter to communities up and down the country.

But that can only happen if the SNP are routed  if they do not just lose some seats, but the SNP lose big. And voting Scottish Conservative is the way to ensure that happens.

The 4th of July is Scotlands chance to end the decade of division, but only if the SNP are routed, if they lose BIG

The Scottish Conservative manifesto includes a range of pledges on tax, justice, health, education and road upgrades.

Mr Sunak will also warn of the threat to the Scottish economy of the SNP and Labours opposition to new oil and gas licences.

He will say: It tells you everything you need to know that while the SNP are turning Scotland into the high tax capital of the UK, hiking taxes at every opportunity, this Conservative Government is cutting tax for workers here in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.

Weve already cut taxes by 900 for the average worker by reducing the National Insurance tax. And if you offer us your support, we will cut this tax again.

Highlighting Labours plans to raise taxes and ban new North Sea oil and gas licences, the Prime Minister will also say: Labour dont want to ban oil and gas, just British oil and gas. They would rather virtue signal to eco zealots than protect jobs at home.

The SNP manifesto states that if the party wins a majority of Scottish seats, it would seek negotiations on another referendum.

During an interview on the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme yesterday, Mr Swinney refused to take the push for independence off the table if the SNP fails to win a majority.

When asked by Ms Kuenssberg if he would accept that the will of the Scottish people is they dont want another referendum if the SNP fails to win a majority, Mr Swinney said only that he wouldnt prejudge the outcome of the General Election.

Ms Kuenssberg said: You cant have it both ways. You are saying if you have a majority you would do this... If you dont have a majority will you accept that that is the Scottish electorate telling you they dont want to pursue independence right now?

Mr Swinney said: The Scottish parliament was elected in 2021 with a majority of members for a five-year term committed to the delivery of a referendum on independence, and to delivering Scottish independence if that was supported in the referendum.

I think that democratic mandate from the people of Scotland, clearly given, has got to be delivered. This election is an opportunity for us to advance those arguments.

When pressed again about whether he accepts that the SNP losing support at the election would mean it is losing support for independence, Mr Swinney said: The democratic logic is that the people of Scotland have had their democratic will thwarted since 2021.

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross accused Mr Swinney of taking an arrogant approach by indicating that it doesnt matter what happens in elections, the SNP will continue to agitate for independence.
Voters have just ten days to save Britain from the 'disaster' of a Labour supermajority, the Prime Minister will warn on Monday.

In a dramatic message, Rishi Sunak will urge disaffected Tory supporters not to hand 'unchecked' power to Sir Keir Starmer when they cast their ballots on July 4.

He will also call on them to 'think what a Labour government would mean' if they risk a protest vote for Reform. Addressing Tory activists on Monday, the PM will say: 'We have ten days to take our message to every corner of the United Kingdom.

'To make the argument that this country needs lower taxes, not 2,000 more taxes for every working family. To make the case that a Labour government would be bad for our country, and an unchecked Labour government would be a disaster from which it would take decades to recover.'

Voters have just ten days to save Britain from the 'disaster' of a Labour supermajority, the Prime Minister will warn on Monday

In a dramatic message, Rishi Sunak will urge disaffected Tory supporters not to hand 'unchecked' power to Sir Keir Starmer when they cast their ballots on July 4

Mr Sunak will acknowledge public anger with the Tories but insist that the election 'is not a referendum on the Conservative party or me, but a choice  who do you want to be the next government?'

He will add: 'Before you make that choice, think what a Labour government would mean.'

Pointing to Sir Keir's opaque plans and broken promises he will warn the country risks giving Sir Keir a 'blank cheque'.

He will add: 'When a politician won't tell you what they are going to do, it means that they know you won't like it.

'All their evasions tell you is that they are going to whack up council tax and a bunch of other taxes. And one thing we know about Keir Starmer is that he has no problem going back on his promises. His career is a story of commitments dropped as soon as they became too difficult to keep.

'I tell you this: once you have handed Keir Starmer and Labour a blank cheque, you won't be able to get it back.'

He will also call on them to 'think what a Labour government would mean' if they risk a protest vote for Reform. Addressing Tory activists on Monday, the PM will say: 'We have ten days to take our message to every corner of the United Kingdom

The PM's stark message reflects growing alarm among Tory strategists that disgruntled Conservative voters could accidentally hand Labour a landslide victory by voting for Reform.

Three mega-polls last week suggested that the split on the Right is set to give Sir Keir a Tony Blair-style supermajority.

But analysis of the polling by the Mail suggests that voters in dozens of seats could avert this if they hold their noses and return to the Tory fold.

It came as:

Boris Johnson accused Nigel Farage of being 'morally repugnant' in his comments about Vladimir Putin;

Kemi Badenoch warned that Sir Keir will 'unpick Brexit' if he wins power;

Labour's education spokesman Bridget Phillipson suggested the party will scrap guidance banning pupils from being taught that they can change gender;

The giant Unite union said it was time for Labour to ditch the 'straitjacket' of spending control;

A fourth senior Tory official was accused of placing dozens of bets on the timing of the General Election;

Analysis showed Labour's green energy plans would require land the size of Greater London to be covered in wind turbines.

Tory morale has hit rock bottom after a series of campaign setbacks and Mr Sunak's failure to budge Labour's 20-point poll lead. In his speech on Monday, the PM will tell activists they must not 'surrender'  and point out there are many voters for whom 'only we Conservatives will stand up for them and make sure that their voice is heard, their values represented'.

Mr Sunak will acknowledge public anger with the Tories but insist that the election 'is not a referendum on the Conservative party or me, but a choice  who do you want to be the next government?'

The PM's stark message reflects growing alarm among Tory strategists that disgruntled Conservative voters could accidentally hand Labour a landslide victory by voting for Reform

Tory morale has hit rock bottom after a series of campaign setbacks and Mr Sunak's failure to budge Labour's 20-point poll lead

He will say: 'Don't surrender to Labour. Fight for every vote, fight for our values, fight for our vision of Britain.'

Yesterday former immigration minister Robert Jenrick warned that Tory voters flirting with Reform could inadvertently hand Sir Keir a 'supermajority' and allow him to tear up border controls.

He told Sky News: 'I want to deliver this warning to all of those small-c conservatives across the country... that if they vote for Reform they are going to usher in, I believe, not just a couple of years of harmful Labour government, but potentially a generation of hard-Left Labour rule.'

Writing in the Mail on Monday, Business Secretary Ms Badenoch also warns Brexit supporters risk having the project undone if they vote for Reform.

And former chancellor Philip Hammond warned that it is vital to maintain a healthy Tory opposition if Labour wins.

He told the BBC that if the party gets 'dragged inexorably to the Left... we need a strong opposition in Parliament to make sure we hold this Labour government  if that's what we get  to account'.

But former Labour business secretary Lord Mandelson dismissed the 'pseudo-scientific' mega-polls, saying: 'I don't believe these polls for one moment. The fact is many people are uncertain.

'Some are undecided, some are doubtful, others are leaning one way or another but haven't finally made up their minds.

'That is why the polls are dangerous  they generate, if you are not careful, a sense of complacency that it is all in the bag. It isn't. If people want change they are going to have to go out and vote for it.'
Several Reform UK candidates have made disparaging remarks about women online, it emerged yesterday.

The comments, unearthed by the BBC, include remarks about murdered MP Jo Cox, former prime minister Theresa May and a black reality TV contestant.

Simon Moorehead, standing in Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West, wrote on X/Twitter: '[Jo] Cox was a dreadful woman, with bad ideas.' But added: 'No-one wanted her dead though.'

Andrew Banwell, the candidate for Thornbury and Yate, referred to Mrs May on X/Twitter as '[Angela] Merkel's Bitch'.

Mrs Merkel's term as the German chancellor overlapped with Mrs May's time as prime minister.

The comments, unearthed by the BBC, include remarks about murdered MP Jo Cox (pictured)

Several Reform UK candidates have been accused of making sexist remarks about women online

Mark Cole, the party's candidate in Harwich and North Essex, said in a Facebook post: 'Accidently switched on to X-Factory [sic]. The only thing worth watching is the black bint . . . whoever she is.'

Mr Cole deleted this comment after being approached by the BBC.

Emmett Jenner, the candidate for Ynys Mon, shared a post from Tory party headquarters which read: 'PM: I want girls who are growing up today to know that they can achieve anything they want.' Mr Jenner commented on the post: 'Like fertilising eggs & providing Y chromosomes.'

Andrew Banwell, the candidate for Thornbury and Yate, referred to Mrs May on X/Twitter as '[Angela] Merkel's Bitch'. Pictured: Theresa May with her husband Philip

In response to a request for comment, Mr Jenner told the BBC: 'That is/was a parody account and you can see it is taking the Michael out of the Conservatives . . . it's all deliberately provocative windups meant to elicit embarrassing responses.'
A Maryland couple died during extreme heat while fulfilling their dream of traveling the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia - and now their devastated daughter is desperately searching for their bodies.

Alieu Dausy Wurie, 71, and Isatu Tejan Wurie, 65, were last heard from on June 15 when the couple told their daughter they had been waiting for hours in extreme heat for transportation to take them to Mount Arafat.

It was the Bowie couples lifelong dream to complete the hajj - the annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca which draws millions each year and is mandatory for all Muslims who have the means to complete it.

'They saved their entire lives to embark on this journey and they didn't receive the proper preparation, the proper documents, it was just a nightmare overall experience,' their daughter Saida Wurie told CNN.

After last hearing from her parents on that 109 degrees Fahrenheit day, Saida said she was contact by one of their travel group members who informed the family their parents had died on the journey.

Alieu Dausy Wurie (left), 71, and Isatu Tejan Wurie (right), 65, were last heard from on June 15 while waiting hours in the heat for transportation during the hajj in Saudi Arabia

Their daughter Saida Wurie (top center) said her parents never returned to their hotel and that's when a group member found out they died

Their cause of death was listed as natural causes, which includes heat stroke. Now she is trying to track down their bodies after the Consulate General's office told her the couple have already been buried.

'We did ask the Saudi government to hold the bodies in order for us to travel to Saudi Arabia to at least give them the proper burial with [their] children being present and to be able to identify the bodies,' Saida said. 'Unfortunately, they have already been buried.'

According to AccuWeather, the high temperature in Mecca on June 15 was 109 degrees Fahrenheit and ranged from 109 to 113 throughout the week.

'All we know is that it was of natural causes and someone from the U.S. embassy did advise that natural causes could have been due to a heat stroke, which based on the temperature, people were saying it was over 110 degrees,' she said.

'There are millions of people, they have to walk long hours, so it was more than likely a heat stroke for both of my parents.'

Saida said her parents had been dreaming of making the pilgrimage and her mother had recently retired from her role as head nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Prince George's County.

The Wurie's spent $23,000 on the trip and booked through a company registered in Maryland, which Saida believes did not properly care for her parents.

The Wurie's spent $23,000 on the trip, but their daughter believes the travel company did not properly care for her parents

It was the couples life-long dream to complete hajj and Isatu Tejan Wurie (center right) had recently retired from her role as head nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Prince George's County

Their cause of death was listed as natural causes, which includes heat stroke. The high temperature in Mecca the day they went missing was 109 degrees Fahrenheit

'Honestly, I don't think they were properly prepared for this trip. There was a group of them, maybe up to 100 people that were traveling under a certain agency,' Saida said.

The couple had been waiting for transportation to arrive when they decided to walk. A member of their group said Alieu Dausy had stopped for a break and then the couple was never seen again.

'We received a phone call from someone within their group who advised us they had been missing for a few days, that they were the only two hadn't returned back to their hotel after the hajj was completed,' their daughter said.

'I tried tracking them a few times on the phone, I believe their phones may have died, we tried reaching out to the US embassy, ultimately the same person who had advised us that they were missing advised that he went around to a bunch of hospitals and that they have passed away.'

'I was able to confirm that with the consulate generals office in Saudi Arabia that they had passed away,' she said.

Democrat Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks paid tribute to the couple on X.

'Haja Isatu Wurie was an incredibly active member of our community. She was involved in several community organizations, making transformational impacts that were felt both locally and globally,' Alsobrooks said.

The couple were longtime Bowie residents originally from Sierra Leone and had recently rekindled their relationship after splitting in the early 2010s, according to The Baltimore Sun.

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims with the means must complete it at least once

Over 1,300 people have died during this year's Hajj, mostly due to the scorching temperatures over 100 degrees

The hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam and all Muslims with the means must complete it at least once. It is one of the worlds largest religious gatherings with more than 1.83 million Muslims participating in 2024.

Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage.

Over 1,300 people have died during this year's Hajj, majority of whom were pilgrims walking long distances in the blazing heat in and around the holy city of Mecca, according to the Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel.

During this years hajj period, daily high temperatures ranged between 117 degrees and 120 degrees Fahrenheit in Mecca and sacred sites in and around the city, according to the Saudi National Center for Meteorology.

The Egyptian government announced on Saturday it will prosecute travel agents over hajj 'fraud' following thousands of deaths.

Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered 16 tourism companies to be stripped of their licenses and referred their managers to the public sector over the illegal pilgrimages to Mecca, the cabinet stated.

Each year tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the hajj through irregular channels as they cannot afford the often costly procedures for official hajj visas.

This places these off-the-books pilgrims at risk as they cannot access air-conditioned facilities provided by Saudi authorities along the hajj route.
A massive fire has broken out at a Scottish industrial estate, sending a huge plume of smoke into the sky and forcing firefighters to race to the site.

It is not currently known how the fire at the Linwood Industrial Estate, which lies west of Glasgow between Johnstone and Paisley and south of Glasgow Airport, began.

A thick plume of smoke could be seen engulfing the sky just after 9pm tonight.

Video taken from right by site shows metal melting away as the blaze consumes it. Flares of flame and smoke can be seen igniting as it rages on.

Analysis of drone footage and videos posted to social media suggests the blaze has centre-most set of buildings on the industrial estate, but this hasn't yet been confirmed by officials.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said tonight that it received a call about the fire at 9:12pm.

A thick plume of smoke could be seen engulfing the sky just after 9pm tonight

'There are no reported casualties at this time. Crews remain in attendance', Scotland's fire service said

'At its height, Operations Control mobilised 10 fire appliances to the scene to tackle and contain a well-developed fire affecting a commercial building in an industrial area.

'There are no reported casualties at this time. Crews remain in attendance.'

While the site is just four miles away from Glasgow Airport, which last year saw more than seven million passengers, a spokesperson said there was no disruption to flight.

They added that they were 'continuing to monitor the situation.'

Analysis of drone footage and videos posted to social media suggests the blaze has centre-most set of buildings on the industrial estate

A thick plume of smoke could be seen engulfing the sky just after 9pm tonight

It is not currently known how the fire at the Linwood Industrial Estate, which lies west of Glasgow between Johnstone and Paisley and south of Glasgow Airport , began

Eyewitnesses said they could see the plume for miles around

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said tonight that it received a call about the fire at 9:12pm

Data from FlightRadar, however, shows that several planes had to make swooping arcs through the sky to avoid the massive bloom.

Video on the ground back the data up, with one showing a plane banking to escape the plume.

Eyewitnesses said they could see the plume for miles around. One said: 'Starting to hear loud bangs now too, like fireworks. The smoke cloud is heading towards Glasgow.'

Another, commiserating Scotland's loss against Hungary tonight in Euro 2024, joked: 'Linwood fire - thank you. Took my mind off that last second goal.'

Another said: 'Glasgow commiserates itself by setting the sky on fire.'

More to follow.
A small number of Reform voters in constituencies across the country could prevent Sir Keir Starmer winning a Labour landslide if they switch to back the Conservatives.

Analysis of data from a 'mega-poll' suggests that the Conservatives are neck-and-neck with Labour in dozens of seats.

The survey of 10,850 voters by More in Common last week forecast that Sir Keir is on course for a landslide majority of 162, with the number of Tory seats slashed by more than half to 155.

The think-tank found there were 96 seats in which the Conservatives were within five points of Labour.

If the Tories won all of them, then the total number of the party's seats would jump to 203, cutting Labour's majority and providing a platform for the Conservatives to provide an effective opposition to Sir Keir.

The marginal seats where voting Conservative will help slash any Labour majority

This graphic shows the seats where Reform are best placed to thwart Starmer

The seast where the Conservatives face a battle from the Lib Dems and the SNP

Analysis of the data by the Mail suggests that in many areas the Conservatives could win with just a small swing from Reform.

In seats as far afield as Plymouth Moor View, in Devon, and Morecambe and Lunesdale, in Lancashire, the Conservatives are just a handful of points behind.

In others, Brexiteers and immigration hardliners are within a whisker of being ousted by Labour MPs if disaffected Tory voters gamble on backing Reform.

Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, a potential Tory leadership contender who resigned to push for tougher border controls, is forecast to fall two points short of Labour in Newark, where Reform is polling more than 10 per cent.

In Harwich and North Essex, veteran Brexiteer Sir Bernard Jenkin is less than a point behind his Labour rival.

Elsewhere, in seats like Bracknell and the Derbyshire Dales, a narrow lead could be hauled in by Labour with only a tiny swing unless Tory supporters lending their votes to Reform return to the fold.

Sir Bernard Jenkin, the veteran Tory candidate for Harwich and North Essex, is less than a point behind his Labour rival

In other parts of the country, the Conservatives need to claw back support from Reform to win against pro-EU parties such as the Liberal Democrats and SNP.

In West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, energy minister Andrew Bowie is forecast to fall less than one per cent short of holding off the SNP, who want to break up the UK and take Scotland into the EU.

Brexiteer Derek Thomas is also forecast to be less than 1 per cent behind the Lib Dems in St Ives, in Cornwall, where Reform are polling more than 10 per cent.

A separate mega-poll by YouGov last week suggested Labour was on course for a 200-seat majority with 39 per of the vote.

The predictions underline the importance for the Tories of galvanising the centre-Right vote in order to provide a competitive challenge to Labour.
A young mum has revealed why she chose to take a sizable pay cut, as research reveals a surprising number of Aussies are choosing flexibility over salary.

Jade Reece from Brisbane worked in a well-paying corporate marketing job that required her to be in the office five days a week, but she has now decided to take another role that allows her to work entirely from home.

'It is a much lower salary, which at first I thought I would regret, but honestly, it has been the best thing for me,' Ms Reece told Daily Mail Australia.

There has been a lingering shift in the way staff want to do their jobs since lockdowns during the Covid pandemic proved work in many office-based industries could be done remotely - arguably without any loss in productivity.

But many companies worldwide are now demanding staff return to the office, for at least part of the week, based on the argument it improves connectivity.

The Commonwealth Bank, for example, told all staff last year they must be in the office for 50 per cent of their working hours, leading to a challenge from the Financial Services Union, which was eventually abandoned.

Other companies such as ANZ, Suncorp and electricity provider Origin have linked showing up more in the office to pay rises and bonuses.

But new research from software firm Capterra reveals that money is no longer the top priority for many Australians in their careers, with more than a third of employees saying they would take a pay cut to continue working remotely.

New mum Jade Reece from Brisbane is one of a growing number of Aussies choosing less pay in order to work in a hybrid arrangement or entirely from home

Software firm Capterra's 2024 Cost of Work survey revealed a third of Aussies now prioritise flexibility over pay

The survey polled 2,716 workers across 11 countries, with 250 from Australia, and found Aussies were on par with the global average of 36 per cent who said they would choose less pay if they could work in a remote or hybrid arrangement.

Of the Australians surveyed , 46 per cent worked fully on-site, 41 per cent had a hybrid arrangement involving office-based and remote working, and 10 per cent worked entirely remotely.

The Capterra 2024 Cost of Work survey found work-life balance was the primary motivation for those hesitant to return to the office.

The software research firm also noted being a 'full-time on-site employee entails significant costs'.

It said daily commutes, office attire, and lunches were noted as financial drawbacks by those surveyed.

Ms Reece said time was one of the major factors in her decision.

'Without the commute, I open up almost three hours to my day, I can get so much more done,' she said.

'I would have to leave my son at childcare at the earliest drop off and only just make it back in time to pick him up.

'If either of us got sick I would lose work unless I used sick leave. I would easily go through a tank of fuel a week and had to pay for parking each day.

'It wasn't an easy decision to take a pay cut, especially with the cost of living rising and it being less consistent financially, but for me the flexibility of working around other things going on is a huge benefit.'

Ms Reece said working remotely 'opens up' her day and allows her to do her own hours and continue working through most issues that would have prevented her turning up to the office

The marketing coordinator said she took a significant pay cut which she worried she might regret but loves her new way of working

Similar to Ms Reece, HR executive Angela Zegir has also opted 'post-Covid' to forego more lucrative roles that required her to be in the office.

'I have lost about 40-50 per cent of my salary by working remotely and casually. It is a serious trade off,' she said.

'Essentially I have sacrificed money for flexibility and control over my hours and location of work.

HR executive Angela Zegir said she took a 40 to 50 per cent pay cut to work remotely

'It also allows me to care better for my daughter who has a disability ... I'm also able to be home during school holidays.'

Both Ms Reece and Ms Zegir said the main thing they missed about being in the office was the 'social side' and spontaneous chats with colleagues.

In terms of broaching the subject of their working location with their bosses, Ms Zegir said she 'actively sought' an employer who offered what she was looking, while Ms Reece 'raised her concerns'.

'I'm lucky I work with great people, my new boss is also a mum with young kids and understands the troubles with that around childcare, so she was happy to be flexible around my working arrangements,' Ms Reece said.

'As long as I get my work done, she is happy.'

Ms Reece said she 'raised her concerns' with her bosses who were happy to accommodate provided she completed her work

Capterra said while a third of workers placed flexibility above money, two-thirds would still opt to be entirely office-based.

The software company said leveraging the different preferences of staff could actually benefit businesses.

'Despite the majority unwilling to take a pay cut to stay working remotely, it may be a worthwhile trade-off for those living in areas far from their workplace,' Laura Burgess, Analyst at Capterra, said.

She points out the benefits to employee morale, retention, and the company's reputation, are factors that should 'carefully be considered'.

'Companies can also offer incentives such as wellness programs, extra annual leave, on-site training or benefits like parking or lunch allowances that make the office space more appealing,' she said.
It's the world's most famous music festival that has attracted the biggest names for decades, from David Bowie to Billie Eilish.

This year's event, which kicks off in just a few days, will be headlined by Dua Lipa and Coldplay.

While illustrious, they don't have the regal pull of King Charles and Prince Harry, who are among the royals who have attended in the past.

And Prince William previously revealed that attending the Somerset musical extravaganza was on his and Kate's bucket list.

During an interview on BBC Radio 1 in 2017, William said: 'I've talked about going to Glastonbury before because I do love my music and Catherine as well.'

But he added that, due to security issues, 'it's kind of best to keep away from that.'

So while the Prince and Princess of Wales may not have visited Worthy Farm just yet, here are the royals who have been lucky enough to attend Glastonbury.

In 2010, King Charles visited Glastonbury to mark the festival's 40th anniversary

During an interview on BBC Radio 1 in 2017 Kate and Will revealed their aspiration to visit Glastonbury. The Prince of Wales said: 'I've talked about going to Glastonbury before because I do love my music and Catherine as well'

King Charles

In 2010 the King - who was then the Prince of Wales - visited Glastonbury to mark the festival's 40th anniversary.

He stood out from the crowd of revellers in his customary suit and tie, but still seemed to enjoy himself.

Charles was given a tour of the site by Glastonbury's founder, Michael Eavis.

The visit was notable for the future King's interaction with young Australian Nick Wardle.

The man said: 'Hello mate, I'm Nick from Australia. I'm working at the festival.'

During his visit, Charles stood out from the crowd of revellers in his customary suit and tie, but still seemed to enjoy himself

Prince Charles being driven through Worthy Farm during his visit to Glastonbury in 2010

Charles walks through crowds at the Glastonbury festival during his 2010 visit

Without taking a breath Charles replied: 'I would never have guessed. I hope you have a permit to work over here.'

Amused, rather than shocked, Mr Wardle replied: 'Yes. I do, mate.'

He said afterwards: 'The Prince is a top bloke. I thought it was funny he asked me about my visa.'

The visit was also marked by the moment that one of Charles's protection officers was pictured reaching for his gun when an over-friendly spectator approached him.

The man in question was Bob Wilson, manager of the Greenpeace Field at Glastonbury. It turned out he was saying hello to another person.

But the officer felt the man posed a risk and so reached for his concealed pistol before relaxing when it became clear he was not a threat.

Prince Harry

While his father visited the festival legally, Glasto founder recently joked that Prince Harry had 'jumped the fence' during his visit.

In April this year, Sir Michael, 88, was knighted during a ceremony presided over by the Princess Royal. After the ceremony he said: 'The King came once, Prince Charles. And Harry - I think he jumped the fence I should think.'

When asked how he knew this, Sir Michael chuckled and said: 'I've got spies everywhere. No, I've got security all over the place actually.'

Harry was spotted at Glastonbury in 2013, where he watched The Rolling Stones backstage before partying until the early hours alongside Sir Michael. Above: Harry (second from left in grey hat) during his visit. Right in the blue hat is his then girlfriend, Cressida Bonas

In April this year, Glastonbury founder Sir Michael Eavis, 88, was knighted during a ceremony presided over by the Princess Royal. After the ceremony he said: 'The King came once, Prince Charles. And Harry - I think he jumped the fence I should think'

Harry was spotted at Glastonbury in 2013, where he watched The Rolling Stones backstage before partying until the early hours alongside Sir Michael.

Speaking back in 2013, Mr Eavis said: 'Prince Harry was great actually.

'I recommended that he should go on into the night, because the nightlife is what Glastonbury is all about.

'At three o'clock in the afternoon, you don't get it.

'I told him to get his taxi driver to come back at five o'clock in the morning and do you know what? He lasted until four in the morning.

'His friends were all having a great time. He didn't want to make a formal thing of being here.'

Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie

Prince Andrew's daughters have also been spotted enjoying the live music at Worthy Farm in the past.

Last Year, Beatrice and her husband, Edo Mapelli Mozzi, were seen hanging out with friends on the last day of the festival.

A Glastonbury regular, Beatrice was also there in 2022. The Princess did find herself in a tricky situation that year when her card was allegedly declined at a high-end food stall.

Prince Andrew's daughter Beatrice has also been spotted enjoying the live music at Worthy Farm in the past. Above: Beatrice (second from left) at the festival last year

A Glastonbury regular, Beatrice was also there in 2022. The Princess did find herself in a tricky situation that year when her card was allegedly declined at a high-end food stall. Above: Beatrice and her husband Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi at Glastonbury in 2022

Princess Eugenie is also a seasoned festival-goer, having been spotted at Glastonbury in 2013 and 2016. Despite the wet weather on her second visit (above), Eugenie still seemed to enjoy herself.

While grabbing a bite to eat at the the Michelin-starred Pony Bistro, it was widely reported that Beatrice's card was declined three times.

Despite the short-lived embarrassment, she seem unperturbed and soon re-united with her husband among the other revellers.

Her sister Princess Eugenie is also a seasoned festival-goer, having been spotted at Glastonbury in 2013 and 2016.

Despite the wet weather on her second visit, Eugenie still seemed to enjoy herself.

She was photographed partying with friends in black-and-green wellies to combat the soggy conditions.

Cressida

Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bona has been to Glastonbury numerous times. In 2013, while she was dating Harry, Cressida was spotted tucking into a plate of chips.

The actress's appearance at the festival sparked rumours at the time that her then beau might also turn up - and he then duly did.

Harry's former girlfriend Cressida Bona has been to Glastonbury numerous times. In 2013, while she was dating Harry, Cressida was spotted tucking into a plate of chips

The next year, fresh from her break-up with the Duke of Sussex, Cressida was once again spotted mingling with friends in the famous Somerset fields

Cressida Bonas at Glastonbury in 2014 with Prince Harry's best friend Tom Inskip

The next year, fresh from her break-up with the Duke of Sussex, Cressida was once again spotted mingling with friends in the famous Somerset fields.

Speaking at the time she said: 'I'm staying with some friends who have pitched up a tent.'

Cressida might have regretted that decision after torrential rain turned the camping site into a 900-acre mud bath and the festival was also plunged into silence for two hours after a lightning storm struck.
Turning 80 is a significant milestone in anyones life. But for Thomas Markle, his big day on July 18 will be tinged with regret and mixed emotions. I never expected to make it to 80 because Markle men never do, he said last night. My father died at 61.

Ive had a good life and I am proud of what Ive accomplished, but everything has been overshadowed by what has happened in the last six years.

Ive never been one for birthdays, but I know the one person I most want to hear from, Meghan, wont be in touch. I would love to meet my grandchildren, but I would be happy with a photograph at this stage.

Thomas Markle with a young Meghan. He became estranged from her after he was unable to walk her down the aisle for her marriage to Prince Harry

Mr Markle became estranged from his youngest daughter, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, in 2018 when he was unable to walk her down the aisle for her marriage to Prince Harry after he suffered two heart attacks on the eve of their wedding. The couple have not spoken to him since.

Mr Markle has never met his grandchildren Archie, five, and three-year-old Lilibet.

Speaking from his cliffside home in Rosarito, Mexico, just 250 miles from the Sussexes 16-bathroom home in Montecito, California, he remains perplexed that he has also never met his son-in-law.

When I reflect back on my life, as you do when you are approaching 80, thats one of the questions I cannot find an answer for.

Why didnt Harry ever come to meet me? He has the resources to fly around the world  and does  but why didnt he come to see me, particularly when people in the royal household like Jason Knauf [Harry and Meghans former communications secretary] were urging him to do so? That has never made sense to me.

What man gets married without meeting his wifes father?

As he speaks, the effects of a serious stroke he suffered two years ago are apparent. At times he struggles to find words or stumbles over sentences. He endures the aches and pains of old age, including a bad knee and bad back, and is frustrated when he cannot remember names and places.

Mr Markle feels deep empathy for King Charles, who is in the same boat as far as not seeing his grandchildren is concerned.

I would love to speak to him because I am sure he has as many unanswered questions as I do. Neither of us deserves the treatment weve received.

He is going through cancer treatment and Im not in the best of health. Im not afraid of dying. It is what it is.

I have so many questions Id like to ask Meghan and Harry. The main one being, why have they treated not only me but the Royal Family and the King so badly.

Like millions around the globe, Mr Markle saw the stunning images from last weekends Trooping The Colour, which marked the first appearance of Catherine, Princess of Wales, since her cancer diagnosis.

But it was the sight of William and Catherines three children  George, Charlotte and Louis  on the Buckingham Palace balcony that particularly moved him.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex with Archie, five, and Lilibet, three. Mr Markle has never met either of his grandchildren

Mr Markle said: It struck me as very sad that Meghan and Harrys kids are being denied the right to know their cousins, who look like fantastic children.

The relationship between cousins is a special one. Theres a unique bond.

I feel sad that Lilibet and Archie dont have the chance to get to know their cousins and take part in things like Trooping The Colour, which is their birthright.

They are getting to the age where they will start asking questions, as all kids do.

At some stage its inevitable that they will ask their parents why they have cut them off from both sides of the family?

They have two grandpas who want to see them, one of whom is the King of England. I never in my 80 years thought Id be in the same boat as the King.

The decisions Meghan and Harry have made will affect their kids for the rest of their lives. I find myself wondering how Archie and Lilibet will feel in a few years time when they realise all the things they have missed out on.

An Emmy-award winning Hollywood lighting director, Mr Markles long life has taken him from small-town Pennsylvania to the bright lights of Hollywood.

His father Gordon worked as a printer at Olmsted Air Force Base outside the familys hometown of Newport, Pennsylvania, while his mother Doris ran the sweet counter at a five-and-dime budget store.

Tom started working on theatre productions in high school and later joined a local theatre group, where his talent blossomed.

He landed a job with WTTW public television in Chicago and spent more than a decade on a groundbreaking live music programme called Soundstage, a precursor to shows like Top Of The Pops, working with Aretha Franklin and Billy Joel.

After divorcing his first wife Rosalyn, the mother of his two oldest children Samantha and Tom Jr, he decided to try his luck in Hollywood. In Los Angeles, he initially worked in a motel, where he rubbed shoulders with prostitutes and an accused murderer, before landing his big break with ABC television.

Ive had a colourful life, he said. When I worked at the motel I was friends with a bodyguard called Gregory Diles.

Diles, who died in 1997, was tried and acquitted for his involvement in a case known as the Wonderland Murders, in which four people were killed during a brutal robbery at a drug dealers house. The case remains unsolved.

Mr Markle said: They were interesting times. I loved my career and enjoyed being behind the camera. I worked with some of the biggest stars in Hollywood, like Elizabeth Taylor, and covered the red carpet at the Oscars.

Mr Markle became the lighting director on two popular shows, General Hospital and Married With Children.

He met Meghans mother Doria when she was a secretary working at the same studio and even though they divorced when Meghan was two, they remained close.

We had such an amicable divorce that after I retired to Mexico and had to go to LA, I would stay with Doria and shed cook me dinner.

I always provided well for Meghan and Doria and was happy to do so. There was never any bad blood between us until Meghan met Harry.

Meghan lived full-time with her father from the age of 11 when Doria launched an import and export business and travelled extensively. Meghan grew up on TV sets that I was working on. Id either collect her from school myself or would send a car to get her and bring her to the set.

Those are the happy times I look back on. Meghan had a great childhood and I felt lucky, as a father, to spend so much time with her.

She makes out she achieved everything on her own, but one of the directors of General Hospital, Owen Renfroe, gave her one line to read which helped her to get an actors union card. That was what started her career.

His living room in Rosarito is filled with memories. A picture of Meghan graduating from the Little Red Schoolhouse kindergarten sits on the mantel above the fireplace.

Her graduation picture from Immaculate Heart High School is on another wall.

A picture of Tom taking Meghan to the Emmy Awards  televisions Oscars  when she was ten or 11 is on the wall above the sofa I am sitting on.

He says: The one thing I never imagined was Meghan turning against me at this point in my life. I thought she would always be there for me.

Meghan was mad at me because I posed for some paparazzi pictures before the wedding. I was totally alone and being hounded. A photographer went to my daughter Samantha and convinced her that the pictures would improve my image.

It was a mistake and I have apologised for it repeatedly.

Mr Markle will celebrate his 80th birthday on July 18 but does not expect to hear from Meghan

When you look at what Harry and Meghan have done since, like accusing the Royal Family of racism, its far worse than anything Ive done. I dont want pity and I dont want this episode to define my life. I dont want to be a footnote in history.

I never felt old in my mind, but it hit me a few years ago when people started standing up and offering me their chair.

When the drama started with Meghan and Harry I was already well into my 70s and, while I did not realise it at the time, I was vulnerable.

Mr Markle wonders if the royals blame him for their issues with Meghan. The person shes become isnt the girl I raised, but I wonder if they blame the Markle family for everything that has gone wrong.

She started to change when she lived in Canada filming Suits and was hanging out with the Soho House [an exclusive members club and hotel chain] crowd.

She began acting entitled. Things escalated after she met Harry.

It upsets me that the Markle name is now associated with negativity. People talk about being Markled when they get dumped for no reason. That saddens me.

Mr Markle will celebrate his birthday on July 18 with his son Tom Jr and will speak to his eldest daughter Samantha on the phone (she suffers from multiple sclerosis and is unable to travel from her home in Florida to be with him).

He has already started to receive wishes from friends and former colleagues ahead of his big day.

I dont expect to hear from Meghan and Harry, he said. I wish we could have worked this situation out. I was always ready and willing to do that.
The full scale of the horror at the Southern Border can be revealed as DailyMail.com discovered bones piled up and migrant bodies that are too hot to touch.

Asylum seekers are being funneled through a remote part of the desert- just outside of El Paso, Texas, where New Mexico, Texas and Mexico all meet.

With 82 deaths in the region so far this fiscal year, the US Border Patrol in El Paso Sector believes it's on track to see the deadliest year for the zone that includes West Texas and all of southern New Mexico.

By comparison, at this time last year, El Paso Sector had only seen 50 deaths.

'The numbers are increasing, temperatures are rising. We're seeing triple digits constantly,' Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera told DailyMail.com.

And summer is just beginning in the Chihuahua Desert.

Rescuers describe finding migrants teetering between life death in the desert - their bodies too hot to touch with bare hands to get their temperature or vital signs.

Human remains believed to belong to a migrant who died in the desert near Santa Teresa, New Mexico were found by Battalion Search and Rescue in recent weeks

The mounting death toll has forced first responders to implement an ice bath treatment for migrants on the brink of death in a last ditch effort to keep them alive.

'It's horrible. It's really, really bad,' James Holeman humanitarian worker told DailyMail.com.

'It was 10 bodies in the first ten days of June. The numbers are sky-rocking in that area.

'Another shocking twist is over half of the deaths are female, and that's more than anywhere along the entire border.'

In the first weekend of June, a particularly hot stretch, four migrants died due to the heat.

With his group Battalion Search Rescue, Holeman has been working to find migrants who died in the desert and whose remains have not been recovered for years in Arizona.

The skeletal remains of a migrant found in recent weeks in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. Rescure workers say bodies left the desert decompose extremely quickly, especially in extreme heat

From October 2023 until now, at least 82 migrants have died in this area. The death toll could actually be five times higher, as most illegal immigrants who get lost in the desert die and are never found

Battalion Search and Rescue pinpoints the location of the remains and turns the information over to the local medical examiner's office

Since September, the group has shifted its resources to neighboring New Mexico, focusing on an area called Santa Teresa.

'Migrants seem to be very unprepared and they're underestimating the desert there. It appears close, when you look at a map- Santa Teresa. It's brutal. It's killing a lot of people,' Holeman added.

Border Patrol explained that migrants who illegally enter the US in this region are victimized, dehydrated, starved and sometimes physically or sexually abused by smugglers before they ever cross the international boundary.

They're held in squalor in shanty homes in Mexico-- just feet from the US.

'These migrants are coming across the border very dehydrated, with very little food in their system, so once they cross into the United States, they go into distress right away because of the terrain,' Border Patrol Agent Refugio Corrales explained.

The migrants are either guided over a dangerous mountain, Mount Cristo Rey, or hoisted over the US border wall, which can be up to 60 feet tall in some places.

On a 101-degree day, a migrant woman was located by the Border Patrol Wednesday after her smuggler and the group of illegal immigrants she was with left her behind in the desert. Her body temperature was 102

A young migrant captured by Border Patrol in Santa Teresa had a bloody mouth after falling from the border wall as he breached the international barrier

The smugglers, also known as 'polleros' are often teenagers: 16-year-old thugs who do the cartel's dirty work.

They often abandon the migrants once they're in the US to avoid getting caught by Border Patrol.

Instead the polleros guide migrants to the nearest highway via cell phone from the safety of the Mexican side.

Migrants often injure themselves scaling the barrier, especially on the way down.

'A simple twist of an ankle can be deadly as migrants are left behind by the group, by the smuggler,' Herrera added.

'They're walking long distance, and if a migrant cannot keep up with the group, they just leave them behind.'

The lost and/or wounded migrants can often spend hours in the searing heat before they're found, if they are located at all.

Border Patrol has safety beacons located through the desert, that once activated, will alert US officials that a migrant is in need of rescue.

Mount Cristo Rey, seen from New Mexico, is a no-mans land take over by the smugglers to sneak illegal immigrants into the US near El Paso, Texas

A smuggler, who covered his face when he spotted a camera, was preached on a mountain top in Santa Teresa-- using the high ground as an advantage to keep an eye on US immigration authorities

Each red dot represents a migrant who died in the desert in Southern New Mexico and whose remains were recovered. The map reflects deaths in recent weeks recorded by non-profit organizations

Sometimes, migrants are found dead near the beacons before they've had the chance to call for help, first responders recalled.

Illegal immigrants lucky enough to be found by authorities are in various phases of heat stroke.

Once a migrant is located, Border Patrol will call 911, which triggers a response from the Sunland Park Fire Department.

When paramedics arrive, the migrant's temperature is immediately measured. Anyone suffering heat stroke below 104-degree body temperature is considered stable enough to be transported to a waiting ambulance.

Anyone above that temperature has maybe a few minutes to live.

In an effort to save life, the Sunland Park Fire Department has resorted to responding to migrant rescues with a ice and water. The migrants suffering from heat exposure is laid in a stretcher so the ice bath can be used to lower their core temperature

First responder arrive to a migrant rescue with an all-terrain vehicle in order to reach the migrant stranded in the desert with no paved roads

Members of the Sunland Park Fire Department are on the frontlines of the grizzly effort to keep migrants alive in the most extreme conditions

In the worst case scenarios, their bodies are too hot to touch to even get their temperature or take vital signs.

Oven mitts or gloves have to be worn just to pick up or touch the migrants, who often have blistered skin from the sun and have gone into shock-- foaming at the mouth and losing consciousness.

'We know that they are at 104, 105. We know that they are cooking internally,' Sunland Park Fire Dept. Capt. Abraham Garcia stated.

'The brain starts malfunctioning. They have four or five minutes with brain damage, so we want to cool them as fast as we can. We want to get them quickly to 102, 101 so we can get them transported quickly to the hospital and have a higher survival rate.'

To stop the loss of life, Sunland Park Fire Department has borrowed a technique developed by the Phoenix Fire Department for cooling patients-- ice baths.

Migrants suffering from the worst heat exhaustion are laid in a stretcher, where a white body bag will hold the water and ice poured on the person.

A migrant woman, who requested her face not shown, lies in ambulance after being treated for heat stroke

Border Patrol spokesman Claudio Herrera says migrants shouldn't endanger their lives in crossing the brutal desert when there are legal pathways to get into the US

'Most of the ice water will go right into the core, that's what we want to cool down, the core area of the patient,' Garcia explained.

So far, it's saved a handful of lives-- precious victories as the blazing heat sets in for the next few months.

The department is now responding to all heat-related distress calls with bags of ice and water needed for the ice baths-- driving over remote desert with cooler filled with life-saving ice in tow.

Even the worrying death toll doesn't fully reflect the scale of the death, as it only shows the bodies found.

Holeman's group estimates the actual death toll is is actually five times the known tally.

'That's only the ones that are reported. The estimates are five times because the desert makes them disappear very quickly.'

As the humanitarian crisis on the border continues to grow, it's tying up the resources of the tiny Sunland Park Fire Department-- just 24 members strong.

The two fire stations serve 17,000 locals, but the paramedics are often tied up saving migrants instead of responding to citizens' calls.

'It's just overwhelming. Some of these shifts, we're running 5, 6 times a day (to migrant calls.) It's taxing on our resources, but yes, it's getting worse,' Capt. Garcia said.

Once the migrants who don't drop dead from the heat are told to run for anywhere from a few hundreds yard to a few miles to a pick-up location.

Multiple migrants were rescued in Santa, Teresa New Mexico and were airlifted to the hospital to keep them alive

Four migrants died after being taken to the hospital

Over a 6-hr period, Agents in Santa Teresa , NM responded to 6 migrant heat related injuries. Temperatures in our region are now reaching triple digits. No arriesgue su vida!#HeatAwareness #SafetyAwareness pic.twitter.com/VZE0yIArQp  Anthony Scott Good (@USBPChiefEPT) June 1, 2024

Illegal immigrants rescued from a stash house in New Mexico in recent days by US Border Patrol agents

A mobile home in New Mexico that was being used as a stash house

If they don't die of heat, break a leg running through the desert, get lost or found by Border Patrol, the migrants who make it to the meet up location will be picked up by a smuggler.

The smuggler then takes the illegal immigrant to a stash house-- where they will be warehouse in cramped, dirty quarters homes or apartments until they can be transported to another location deeper into the US.

In the past, smugglers would not send migrants through the desert during the hottest parts of the day, in an effort to keep them safe.

But in the last year, heartless cartels have been using the unforgiving temperatures as a cover, hoping federal agents won't want to brave the heat to track down migrants, sources tell DailyMail.com.

However, Border Patrol agents do brave triple-digit temperatures to track down smugglers and migrants, but sometimes, the migrants are dead by the time help arrives.

In response to the death, the agency has deployed specialized rescue teams equipped drones and heat-sensing devices to find people in the desert.

Additionally, BORSTAR agents, the Border Patrol's SWAT unit, is patrolling the desert looking for migrants in need.

Since October, the agency has conducted 690 migrant rescues in the El Paso area.
From the aubergine to the flame, there is pretty much an emoji for everything you could want to express.

But if you still feel that the 3,782 emojis currently out there don't quite capture the full range of your expression there is, thankfully, a solution.

Unicode, the organisation that sets the standard set of emojis, is currently taking public suggestions for the next set of new emojis.

But with Unicode accepting fewer emojis each year, your submission will need to be top-notch.

So, if you've got a killer idea for the next great emoji, here's how you can submit your own character - and the tips that could get it accepted.

If you've got a brilliant idea for the next great emoji then you are in luck because applications for new emoji suggestions are now open (file photo)

Unicode, the organisation which standardises emojis, is accepting new proposals to add to the 3,782 emojis currently out there

Unicode is responsible for ensuring that when you type a smiley face on an iPhone your friend on Windows or Android sees the same thing. While the designs are slightly different this is to ensure the same symbols always convey the same thing

Five top tips for proposing a new emoji 1. Check it has not been done before Look through the lists of previous emojis and applications to check yours is actually new. 2. Check it won't be disqualified Unicode won't accept flags, buildings, logos or a number of other categories. 3. Provide evidence Unicode needs to see that people are actually using the term your emoji covers. 4. Look for gaps Unicode wants emojis that fill gaps in existing sequences like card suits or zodiac animals. 5. Think about compatibility Think about how your suggestion combines with existing emojis to make new phrases or expressions. Advertisement

To make a submission all you need to do is fill out a Unicode Emoji Submission Form which you can find here.

However, if you actually want to get your submission accepted the first thing you need to do is make sure your idea is genuinely new.

Unicode maintains a list of all currently approved emojis but there is also a list of all the emojis that people have submitted in the past.

Unicode says they won't review anything that has already been declined in the last four years so you'll need to check your idea hasn't already been rejected.

Looking through the list of rejected ideas also gives a pretty good idea of what Unicode will and won't accept.

The rather too vague 'neurodiversity', the overly specific specific 'rye bread', as well all six distinct requests for 'cannabis leaf' were all rejected for various reasons.

Unicode also says it will automatically reject any 'logos, brands, other third-party IP rights, UI icons, signage, specific people, specific buildings and landmarks, deities'.

Keen emoji fans might have already spotted that the Tokyo tower emoji seems like a clear violation of these rules.

Unicode is aware of this inconsistency but says: 'Many historical emoji violate current factors for inclusion. Once an emoji is encoded it cannot be removed from the Unicode Standard.'

That means there's no point looking through the archives to find a loophole to justify your proposal.

But once you're sure that your proposal won't be rejected out of hand, it's now time to make your case.

With so many emojis already in use, your proposal needs to be carefully crafted to express something that none of the existing options can

To submit a suggestion you'll need to make a colour and black-and-white version of your proposal. You don't need to design it yourself but you do need to own all the rights to the image

If you're confused by the requirements just try and think about what gap your emoji will fill. Any new suggestions need to be able to expand the amount of things that people can say with emojis

The first thing Unicode needs is a name as well as a few colour and black-and-white images of your emoji.

If you're not that artistic it is okay to have someone else draw it for you but you do need to own all the rights to the image - so nothing lifted from Google images will do.

For the name, try to give something that is descriptive of the image rather than telling the user what the emoji would be for.

For example, Unicode says: 'Use a descriptive term, like "Smiling Face with Smiling Eyes and Hand Covering Mouth," rather than something prescriptive, like "Laughing Face".'

Next, the most important thing you can provide is some solid evidence that people are actually using the word your emoji captures.

Unicode requires that you submit screenshots from Google Trends to show that people might really want to use what you've created.

One of the most important things for a successful application is to show that people are using the phrase. Unicode requires screenshots from Google Trends like this to back up your claim

These don't need to be for the exact word which describes your emoji but can also be for related concepts that it might express.

In fact, if your proposed emoji has lots of potential uses or interpretations that can be a bit point in your favour.

For example, in the successful application for the broken chain emoji, searches for the term 'freedom' were used alongside searches for 'broken link'.

However, petitions and examples for social media will not be accepted since these can be 'too easily skewed'.

You'll also need to make a case for how your proposal can work alongside the thousands of existing emojis.

To boost your chances of success think about what else your emoji could be used to say. In this successful application evidence was used for the term 'broken chain' as well as for 'freedom'

That includes coming up with examples of how it could be used in a sequence to convey new meanings.

As an example, Unicode points out that the bin and flame emojis can be used to convey the phrase 'garbage fire'.

Unicode won't consider your proposal if could be conveyed using a combination of existing emojis, so think carefully if this is possible.

Try to think of it as creating a new word for the emoji language, if it doesn't give the ability to say anything new then it probably won't get accepted.

But if you've been through all the steps and checked your emoji meets all the criteria, the only thing left to do is submit before July 31 and hope to see your idea on a keyboard soon.
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The lift is one of the city's fastest, travelling at 30ft per second. Which means it takes one minute and 10 seconds to reach the check-in desk on the 103rd floor of the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, where you pick up your key and see the view for the first time.

At least that's the idea. But as the highest hotel in the world, it is so high that for much of my stay all I can see are clouds.

Still, it's quite a thrill, and explains why people pay around 380 ($480) a night for such an elevated perch above the twinkling skyline of Hong Kong's Kowloon region.

The hotel occupies floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), a glass beacon made possible only by the 1998 closure of an airport famous for requiring hair-raising descents, as planes passed between skyscrapers and towering apartment buildings.

The superlatives come thick and fast. The Ritz-Carlton has the world's highest swimming pool (at nearly 1,600ft or 490m), and its Ozone bar, at the top of the hotel, wears the title of 'Asia's highest rooftop bar' with pride.

Harriet Sime checked in to the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, which offers guests views from 1,600ft up

The hotel occupies floors 102 to 118 of the International Commerce Centre (ICC), a glass beacon made possible only by the 1998 closure of an airport famous for requiring hair-raising descents, Harriet explains

The hotel's floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the South China Sea and Hong Kong Island

The hotel is 46 floors higher than The Shard in London, which has a mere 72 floors, and is 505ft (153m) taller than the Eiffel Tower. I had arrived on the Airport Express train, which conveniently pulls into the basement of the ICC (though I'm an anomaly among other guests, who turn up in chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royces).

It's disappointing not to be roomed at the very top of the tower, but any grumbles are quickly diminished when I open the heavy door to my deluxe suite and step into a huge living room, with a desk, chaise longue and padded window boxes.

The angular floor-to-ceiling windows overlook the South China Sea and Hong Kong Island. Some of the skyscrapers look so small that you feel like picking them up and putting them in your pocket. After a quick shower following my 13-hour flight from London, I head to the pool and gym on the 118th floor to encourage an appetite.

Harriet reveals that the Ritz-Carlton has the world's highest swimming pool

A guest (stock photo) takes in the breathtaking view from the Ritz-Carlton pool

The hotel is 46 floors higher than The Shard in London , which has a mere 72 floors, and is 505ft (153m) taller than the Eiffel Tower

Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong are priced from 377 ($480) a night

I return two hours later to find that my view has been repainted by the clouds. They feel intimidatingly close - all I can see is white, as though I'm on a plane going through a storm.

Much of my day is spent exploring Hong Kong Island's bustling markets and back streets, which are full of locals and tourists. They queue outside tiny teahouses and noodle bars, while men push trolleys piled high with steaming dim sum.

That evening, I head to the 102nd floor of the hotel to Tin Lung Heen for dinner. 'Sorry about the view,' the waiter says as he takes me to my table - rain is dripping down the window. I can just make out some of the city's highest towers.

Next day at breakfast, I'm asked: 'How are you this morning, Mrs Sime?'

'On top of the world,' comes my reply. He doesn't pick up on my attempt at a joke, and before I know it, I'm being whisked 118 floors back down to earth - in more ways than one.

The Ozone bar, at the top of the hotel, wears the title of 'Asia's highest rooftop bar' with pride, notes Harriet

Guests arrive at the hotel via one of the fastest lifts in the city - which ascends at a rate of 30ft per second

Harriet quips that her stay leaves her feeling 'on top of the world', thanks not just to the views, but to the friendly staff and food

The pinnacle of the hospitality world: This picture shows the incredible view from Harriet's deluxe suite

Mouthwatering view: Harriet dines at the Tin Lung Heen restaurant on floor 102
Shocking photographs show how Kanye West bought and destroyed a $53million beachfront mansion designed by a world-famous architect and replaced it with his twisted designs.

The rapper purchased the sprawling Malibu home in September 2021 after it was carefully created by revered Japanese architect Tadao Ando.

Ando's designs are known for their pinpoint precision with a focus on glass exteriors which blend domestic life with nature.

But within a matter of months Ye - who has hit headlines for dressing his wife Bianca Censori in outlandish and flesh-baring outfits - took a sledgehammer to this vision and transformed it into a post-apocalyptic shell, causing its value to plummet $14 million.

'This is going to be my bomb shelter. This is going to be my Batcave,' Ye told one of the laborers employed to destroy the home from the inside out, as revealed in an interview with the New Yorker.

Ando's Malibu building now consists of several gaping hollows where bedrooms, kitchens and an avant-garde gallery used to offer expensive artwork, ornate marble fittings, opulent wooden cabinets, and stunning views of the ocean

The once-stunning white mansion - finished in 2013 - has been left abandoned without doors or windows.

It has also been stripped of plumbing and electricity and the clouded glass which once cast a pale light across the gallery has been completely gutted.

Ando's building now consists of several gaping hollows where bedrooms, kitchens and an avant-garde gallery used to offer expensive artwork, ornate marble fittings, opulent wooden cabinets, and stunning views of the ocean.

The blackened shell of the exterior perched atop stilts raising it from the golden sandy beach below now stands out starkly against surrounding homes.

With the help of Censori who hired some self-described 'gonzo' laborers from New Jersey, he set out to obliterate the mansion and create something befitting his 2010 album name, 'My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'.

Ye has long been interested in architecture, and Censori has a bachelor's and master's degrees in architecture from the University of Melbourne.

The rapper once invited people he described as 'architects and industrial designers who want to make the world better' to work with him on his rumored desert igloo-like developments called Yeezy home.

The Carnival artist, who bought the home for $57 million in late 2021, is asking at least $18 million less than what he paid, after gutting the mansion in a troubled renovation attempt

West and Censori are seen leaving Ty Dolla $ign birthday party in West Hollywood in April this year

The controversial rapper, who has since rebranded as Ye, was drawn to the home partly due to his appreciation for the globally-renowned Japanese architect who masterminded the mansion - Tadao Ando (pictured)

He also personally met with several of the world's most renowned architects, including David Adjaye, Toyo Ito, and Jacques Herzog, of the firm Herzog & de Meuron, according to the New Yorker.

And Ye has rapped about being 'in Japan with Tadao Ando.' In his days of dating Kim Kardashian, the couple visited the Chichu Art Museum designed by Ando n Naoshima.

An American real-estate agent who has met Ando recently told the Wall Street Journal 'it was like working with God'. This could have been part of the draw for Ye, who has previously compared himself to 'a god'.

In fact, Ye has cast parallels between himself and Ando, dubbing him 'the world's greatest living architect' and 'the Ye of al the architects'.

But architect Kulapat Yantrasast, who discussed the Malibu mansion with Ye, told the New Yorker: 'To be honest, he did not like the house - he did not like the interior'.

Ye and Censori set to work ordering laborers to dismantle the majestic wide staircases which served as the home's spinal chords, one indoors and one outdoors, separated by a glass wall, replacing them with - a foam slide.

The value of the 4,000 square foot three-story property has fallen from $53 million to $39 million under Ye's reign of terror.

'This is going to be my bomb shelter. This is going to be my Batcave,' Ye told one of the laborers employed to destroy the home from the inside out, as revealed in an interview with the New Yorker

The Grammy-winning artist's career has dipped amid a torrent of anti-Semitic remarks he's made since the fall of 2022. Pictured in March in LA

New Jersey man Tony Saxon was among the workers who they summoned to transform the property from an architectural feat into a cadaver of a home complete with Ye's 'batcave' bomb shelter.

The team started by dismantling the house's interior. Saxon told the New Yorker he worked such long days he found himself sleeping on a mattress on the floor inside, sustaining himself with Clif Bars and Red Bulls.

He was tasked with painting over the 'gorgeous black-and-white marble walls' and expensive wooden fittings with gray paint to match the concrete walls. Later, he was asked to rip out the wooden cabinets completely.

Saxon said he would sometimes be woken just hours into sleeping by a call from Censori tasking him with another job to be completed immediately.

On another occasion, she summoned him back to the home not long after he left it. 'I stink, I haven't showered for two days,' he recalled to the New Yorker. 'I'm a lunatic.'

He eventually met Ye, and though he's never heard his music because he prefers artists from the 1960's, Saxon said he warmed to him straight away.

So when Ye asked him to dismantle the rest of the home while praising the impressive stamina and skills he had shown so far, he agreed.

Saxon shared videos with the New Yorker showing him helping topple one of the chimneys, while another shows someone smashing the bathroom's marble walls with a hammer.

Along with another employee, Saxon also got to work smashing the glass balustrade with a sledgehammer and jackhammering a hot tub into oblivion.

'There was so much rebar in the concrete,' Saxon told the New Yorker. 'It was absolutely brutal.'

Ye also gradually tasked Saxon with completely gutting the house of any utilities - including the kitchen, bathrooms, AC, windows, light fixtures, heating, water and power - even removing the cables and wiring.

'He wanted everything to be his own doing,' Saxon told the New Yorker. Ye wrote to Saxon in one text: 'Let's gooooo . . . Simple fresh and cleeeeeean.'

Saxon said they agreed on a fee of $20,000 per week with additional funds to pay colleagues and buy materials. At this point, Ye was 44 and his wealth was estimated to be almost $2 billion.

The house was left in a skeletal state, with the surf of the nearby ocean audible through the holes where windows had once been. A dark blemish marks where a hot tub used to stand.

The standout feature is now Ye's 'Batcave' bomb shelter, and large imposing ramps where the stairways used to be.

Ye's Malibu neighbors told TMZ that his mansion was 'left to rot' and that they had not seen 'seen anyone around for many months'

The inside of the house appears to be crumbling and the metal railings are rusting after being exposed to the salt air, wind and water

The mansion has remained barren, as seen in new photos (pictured) The floor-to-ceiling windows with views of the sea have been removed, leaving that side open to all the elements

The Grammy-winning artist, whose career has dipped amid a torrent of anti-Semitic remarks he's made since the fall of 2022, brought Selling Sunset realtor Jason Oppenheim, 46, into the fold in his effort to sell the home late last year, according to TMZ.

Meanwhile, Saxon launched a lawsuit claiming he was never properly paid for his back-breaking work, which remains an open dispute.

The Malibu mansion now stands as an oceanside eyesore - and a reminder of a time Ye might prefer to forget.
H3rizon, the sensational girl group from Western Sydney, have shot to stardom after a decade of hard work and hustle.

The Filipino-Australian trio, consisting of Bernie, Tiara, and Gabby, have become an overnight sensation  but their journey to the top has been anything but easy.

Last October, H3rizon made history as the first-ever APAC [Asian and Pacific music] girl group to sign with a major US label and the first Australian girl group to land a record deal with Epic Records USA in partnership with RZ3 Recordings.

Meeting through local live gigs and Filipino community events, their journey is a testament to the power of perseverance and passion.

Speaking of their new single 'Soul Ties (Don't Give It Up),' produced by US music industry veteran Tricky Stewart, Tiara told Daily Mail Australia it's a 'very feel-good' song.

Western Sydney trio H3rizon, consisting of Bernie, Tiara, and Gabby, (pictured L-R) have become an overnight sensation  but their journey to the top has been anything but easy

'It's a very feel-good, pop, fun track about being soulmates. But your soulmate doesn't have to be just your lover; it can be your friends, your mum, your dad, your dog, your nan. It could be anything,' she said.

Bernie added: 'It's such an easy track to listen to and vibe to. That's why we feel like everyone can dance to it, everyone can relate to it.'

The trio still can't quite believe their luck working with industry legends.

'We get a bit of imposter syndrome sometimes,' Gabby told Daily Mail Australia this week when speaking of their success, 'Sometimes we think there's no way. Come on, that's fake'

'We get a bit of imposter syndrome sometimes,' Gabby laughed. 'Sometimes we think there's no way. Come on, that's fake.'

Bernie added: 'But then we remember how hard we worked to get to that position. It's such an amazing experience working with them because we learn a lot from them. They're such big names in the industry.'

She also revealed how the group are 'doing our own vocal arranging for all the tracks in our own ad-libs and everything, which we're so grateful for. Tricky let us take the reins.'

They also discussed their stint in Atlanta which was intense.

Gabby recalled, 'We were in Atlanta for about two and a half weeks, doing back-to-back studio time, like again, 20 plus hours in the studio every single day.'

'I think we cut about 14 or 15 songs in the two and a half weeks we were there. Then later on in the year, we ended up going to LA for about two and a half months where we signed our record deal with Sony.'

The girls were hands-on with their music. Bernie proudly stated: 'We're doing our own vocal arranging for all the tracks in our own ad-libs and everything, which we're so grateful for. Tricky let us take the reins'

On signing with Sony/Epic Records, Bernie reflects, 'Imposter syndrome! But at the same time, we're very proud of our heritage and where we come from, and very proud of the home we grew up in. Finally being signed was a dream of ours for five years.'

Tiara explains, 'We were working independently for five years, but we were working on our craft, and for them to finally see that and be like, 'we want to be on board with it,' it's like a dream come true.'

Even with their new-found fame, the hustle continues.

Bernie says, 'We're still doing the same hustle, doing our covers on social media, writing every day, putting out original music. It's still the same thing, but a whole new, different ball game.'

Their stint in Atlanta was intense. Gabby recalled, 'We were in Atlanta for about two and a half weeks, doing back-to-back studio time, like again, 20 plus hours in the studio every single day'

The trio's self-sufficiency is impressive.

Bernie elaborates, 'As an artist, you have to be really well-rounded. You have to navigate not just your own music with writing, that's just one part of being an artist. There are so many other parts: media training, dance training, heels training, singing training, social media training.

'We bulk ten pieces of content a week, posting twice every day. With all of our covers, we're a self-sufficient girl group. We produce everything ourselves. I do all the producing and mixing. They do all the video editing. We're doing it all within ourselves.'

Growing up in Western Sydney wasn't easy. Bernie shares, 'Where I'm from, I didn't really have access to a lot of resources for professional piano training or vocal training.

'I had to use social media and the music I liked growing up to teach me.'

Tiara added, 'I'd listen to Divas in Music like Mariah Carey and try to sound like her. I'd go on YouTube and learn piano from tutorials.'

'Western Sydney is such a close-knit community. Everyone's so welcoming. With us being Filipino, the Filipino community is massive. That's how we all met, through gigs in Western Sydney.'

Gabby and her bandmates grew up influenced by iconic R&B artists.

'I grew up listening to Divas like Whitney, Mariah, and Celine. Even groups like Boyz II Men and artists like Stevie Wonder,' Gabby says.

Bernie fondly recalls a highlight of their career, 'I cannot pick a favourite moment, but off the top of my head, meeting Coolio and performing on stage with him was amazing. We were on his last tour.'

Even with their new-found fame, the hustle continues. Bernie says, 'We're still doing the same hustle, doing our covers on social media, writing every day, putting out original music. It's still the same thing, but a whole new, different ball game'

The recording process was an eye-opener for the girls. Bernie explains, 'The recording process is something that we haven't really done before in our own studio.

'When we were recording in Atlanta for our EP, it was a whole new ball game. Even the studio had a different feel and vibe to any studio we attended here in Sydney.'

Tiara reveals, 'Usually when we record songs, we each select parts and sing them. But for every song that we did, we all sang the whole song from top to bottom, which is something we usually don't do. And Tricky was like, 'you all got it.'

Gabby shares a quirky tip they picked up during their gruelling sessions, 'One thing that's not music-related is the power of micro napping. When we're cutting two songs a day, it doesn't seem like it takes a lot of time, but we're in the studio like 21 hours a day, on average.'

Stream H3rizon's new single Soul Ties (Don't Give It Up) here.
At age 11 she became one of the youngest Oscar nominees in the history of the Academy Awards for her memorable role in 2002's Whale Rider.

And Keisha Castle-Hughes has managed to carve out a niche career in Hollywood in the 22 years since the classic family film first hit screens.

While the mother-of-two has never quite made the A-list of in-demand performers since her debut, the 34-year-old New Zealander has appeared in a string of TV cop procedurals like Manhunt and FBI: Most Wanted.

Still, Keisha's career has had its ups and downs, amidst personal battles including a struggle with bipolar disorder.

While Keisha is enjoying a relatively stable career now, she was once considered a troubled teen in the mid-to-late 2000s.

At age 11, Kiesha Castle-Hughes made history when she became of the youngest performers to ever be nominated for Best Actress for her role in Whale Rider. Pictured: Keisha in a scene from iconic family film which was released in 2002

She was even nicknamed 'New Zealand's Lindsay Lohan' by the tabloid press after being nominated for Best Actress for Whale Rider.

At the age of 14, following her nomination and the film's global success, Keisha became the breadwinner of her family.

Under significant pressure, she admitted to taking up smoking and drinking alcohol, as well as developing an eating disorder.

Since her head line making debut over twenty years ago Keisha has managed to carve out a substantial career in Hollywood

Three years after being nominated for an Oscar, Keisha became pregnant with her first child, Felicity, aged just 16.

In 2010, Keisha told the New Zealand Woman's Weekly that she had quit drinking, after previously being pictured leaving a support meeting for alcoholics.

Keisha hit another low in 2011 when she admitted to being in the vicinity of a 'physical fight' at an Auckland nightclub that started after a patron recognised her and made a 'derogatory' remark, according to the NZ Herald.

She said comments were made that were 'quite crude in regards to Whale Rider and they were definitely sexually slanted'.

After being arrested along with boyfriend Michael Graves, Castle-Hughes was eventually released without charges being filed.

While the mother-of-two has never quite made the A-list of in-demand performers, the 34-year-old New Zealander has appeared in prominent roles in hit shows like Game of Thrones and FBI : Most Wanted. (Pictured: Keisha in a scene from Whale Rider)

She later claimed she was not drinking on the night.

In 2014 she went public with her bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder is a brain disorder which causes unusual and often sudden changes in mood and energy levels.

After parts in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and The Nativity Story, she took a break from acting to concentrate on raising her daughter.

Keisha (L) hit a career peak as an adult when she was cast in Game of Thrones

Four years later, Keisha's career was back on track after she was cast as Obara Sand, the eldest daughter of the ill-fated Prince Oberyn in HBO's Game of Thrones.

Following her five episodes on the megahit she won plaudits for her role in the Discovery Channel's acclaimed 2017 series Manhunt: Unabomber.

In 2018 she returned Down Under to star in another hard hitting series for SBS, On the Ropes, in which the one-time 'sweetheart' played a tough boxer.

For over a decade Keisha has been based in Los Angeles and currently features in a prominent role in the CBS network drama FBI: Most Wanted (Pictured)

Shortly after Keisha returned to Hollywood to join the cast of the CBS network's hit series FBI.

She now stars in FBI spin off FBI: Most Wanted.

Reflecting on her career low points in 2012, Keisha said, 'By the time I was 14, I'd become the breadwinner for my whole family. Everything was about Keisha  it took me a long time to realise I was having my own problems.

'That was really hard for [my parents] to understand. Why I was having this seemingly charmed life while they were all at home not knowing if there was enough money for dinner? It tore my family completely apart.'

Keisha welcomed her second child Matilda with husband of three years Donny Grahamer in 2021.

She was previously married to Jonathan Morrison, from 2013 - 2016.

The father of her first child was Bradley Hull. Castle-Hughes and Hull broke up in 2010 after seven years together.
An embarrassed Bridget Jones tried to keep her big knickers hidden during a sexy encounter in the first movie of the popular series.

But in the latest instalment being filmed in London, her bohemian new neighbour positively flaunts them, as these photos show.

Australian actress Isla Fisher was seen last week filming scenes as the neighbour wearing a large pair of cream silk pants under a black sheer maxi skirt, a matching vest top and orange velvet coat.

The scenes for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy  the fourth and final film in the series  were shot on set in Hampstead, north London.

In an infamous scene in Bridget Jones's Diary in 2001, Bridget, played by Renee Zellweger, cringes and tries to cover up when Hugh Grant's character Daniel Cleaver discovers her knickers as the pair get frisky.

Knockout knickers: Actress Isla Fisher has been spotted flaunting her underwear while on set of Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy

The scenes for Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy  the fourth and final film in the series  were shot on set in Hampstead, north London

It's just pants! Isla flashes a smile at the photographers as she sees the funny side of her costume while filming in Hampstead, north London

Knicker no-no: In an infamous scene in Bridget Jones's Diary in 2001, Bridget, played by Renee Zellweger, cringes and tries to cover up when Hugh Grant 's character Daniel Cleaver discovers her knickers as the pair get frisky

Cleaver exclaims: 'Um, these are absolutely enormous panties.'

When Bridget curses, he says: 'No, no, don't apologise. I like them,' adding: 'Hello, Mummy. I'm sorry, I have to have another look. They're too good to be true.'

Ms Fisher, 48, who split from her comedian husband Sacha Baron Cohen earlier this year, will be seen along with Ms Zellweger and Grant reprising their roles in the new film next year.
Amanda Abbington has reportedly 'called the police after receiving death threats from trolls' as the bullying controversy surrounding Giovanni Pernice continues.

The BBC launched an investigation after Giovanni, 33, was accused of 'threatening and abusive behaviour' while working with celebrity contestants on Strictly Come Dancing, including Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore.

The actress, 50, then deleted her social media accounts last week, just hours after it was confirmed the professional dancer would not be returning to the series amid the alleged workplace 'misconduct'.

According to reports, Amanda had already been bombarded by 'unspeakable and incredibly threatening' messages from troll fans of Giovanni.

A source told The Sun: 'She has been worried about leaving the house to do simple errands like walking the dog or picking up groceries.'

Amanda Abbington has reportedly 'called the police after receiving death threats from trolls' as the bullying controversy surrounding Giovanni Pernice continues (pictured in 2023)

The BBC launched an investigation after Giovanni, 33, (pictured this month) was accused of 'threatening and abusive behaviour' while working with celebrity contestants on Strictly

They continued: 'At one point she was struggling to field the hundreds of messages from Giovanni supporters saying nasty things and threatening her safety.

'It was awful to cope with. The sheer volume was horrendous and the content was unspeakable and incredibly threatening. The police have taken the messages seriously.'

MailOnline has contacted Amanda Abbington's representative for comment.

Earlier this month, Amanda deleted her social media accounts after it was confirmed that Giovanni would not be returning to Strictly Come Dancing.

On the same day, fans were quick to notice the actress had removed both her X and Instagram accounts - probably in a bid to avoid the public backlash.

Professional dancers who will appear next season were announced on June 10 - with Giovanni's name absent amid a probe into alleged workplace 'misconduct'.

The BBC launched an investigation after the dancer was accused of 'threatening and abusive behaviour' while working with celebrity contestants on the show.

A male celebrity then reportedly joined the group of women making complaints about Giovanni's behaviour.

It has also been claimed that a professional dancer needed three months of therapy after starring on the show alongside Giovanni.

The actress then deleted her social media accounts last week, just hours after it was confirmed the dancer would not be returning to the series amid the alleged workplace 'misconduct' (pictured together in October 2023)

According to reports, Amanda had already been bombarded by 'unspeakable and incredibly threatening' messages from troll fans of Giovanni

The Sun reported that the unnamed fellow dancer suffered 'significant emotional distress' on the show, that required professional help.

Three women, including actress Amanda, have hired 700-an-hour lawyers at leading London law firm Carter Ruck to pursue claims against Giovanni and the BBC.

The dancer launched a fightback by hiring rival law firm Schillings. His case is being handled by Joelle Rich, 39, who represented Johnny Depp in his libel trial in 2020.

It was previously reported that the rehearsal tapes between Amanda and Giovanni will not be released to the actress after she demanded them to prove her claims of bullying.

Amanda was told they couldn't hand over the tapes to her because they feature a third person, Giovanni, not just her.

He is therefore entitled for private information or content about him not to be disclosed without his authorisation.

Amanda previously rubbished reports Giovanni had asked the BBC to record his rehearsals with the actress over growing concerns about her behaviour - claiming she had requested their dance practices to be filmed, not him.

She told The Daily Mail: 'I asked for them to be recorded, it was me. Giovanni is nasty. He was awful to a few of us, a group of us.

Amanda went on to describe how her life had been devastated by the experience, which has exploded since she quit the show abruptly in the middle of the last series.

In January, she claimed she had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after working with Giovanni, and later complained of sustaining a bruised foot in training.

'You don't understand how awful this all is,' she said. 'Giovanni's fans have started trolling me now. I have had to come off social media and I'm getting death threats.'

The actress also insisted that she had complained of Giovanni's behaviour soon into the series. 'I went to producers early on and told them about Giovanni,' she said.

And she lamented of the fallout: 'All of this because I didn't enjoy a television programme. I didn't enjoy it because of all of this.'

Amanda has led the charge in accusing him of 'difficult behaviour' during training and is currently speaking with the BBC to discuss possible workplace misconduct.

Despite the furore, head judge Shirley Ballas has stood by the under-fire pro and will join him in hosting a number of dance classes in London next month.

Named Ballando, the one day event is led by Shirley, Giovanni and Anton Du Beke as they share their expertise with fans.

No details of how Giovanni is alleged to have behaved have yet been released. But the BBC put out an unprecedented statement about the dispute.

A Strictly spokesman said: 'If a complaint is made to the BBC, we assess and take any necessary steps to establish the facts, whether there is a case to answer, and, if appropriate, what action should be taken.

'This is all within the context of the BBC having duties of care to everyone linked to a complaint  that applies to those that have raised the complaint and to those that have been complained about.

'Whilst we know our shows have been positive experiences for many of those who have taken part, we will always look at any issues raised with care, fairness and sensitivity to everyone concerned.'

Sources familiar with the situation say the BBC came under pressure from Amanda's team to say publicly that it was she who asked for the rehearsals to be taped.

It was reported that the rehearsal tapes between Amanda and Giovanni will not be released to the actress after she demanded them to prove her claims of bullying

A source said: 'It's terrible, really. Amanda wanted the BBC to set her record straight, to confirm her version of events.

'But of course they can't. It just shows that if she doesn't like what is being said, she shouts loudly about it.

Giovanni's absence from the lineup was revealed when the BBC shared the names of the professionals appearing this year.

This season will see the return of Amy Dowden, who was treated for breast cancer last year, alongside Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez and Luba Mushtuk.

Joining them on the dancefloor are Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.
He is best known for his portrayal of T-1000 in the Terminator film franchise.

But the bad cop persona didn't stop Australian fans from lining up to greet American actor Robert Patrick at the Supanova Expo in Sydney on Saturday.

The 65-year-old Hollywood star scrolled his autograph on everything from T-shirts to stock pictures of himself for his adoring sci-fi fans at the event.

He was also joined by former Home and Away star Lincoln Lewis, who couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he greeted fans.

The Aussie actor, 36, looked stylish in a white shirt as he sat on a table and signed pictures of himself.

Terminator's Robert Patrick greeted fans with Home and Away star Lincoln Lewis at Sydney's Supanova Expo on Saturday

The 65-year-old Hollywood star scrolled his autograph on everything from T-shirts to stock pictures of himself for his adoring sci-fi fans at the event

New Zealand actor Temuera Morrision also attended the star-studded expo.

The Aquaman star wore a black jacket and cap as he addressed fans on stage during the event.

Others stars headlining the Sydney expo included The Bionic Woman actress Linda Wagner, actress Kat Graham and Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor James Marsters.

He was also joined by former Home and Away star Lincoln Lewis, who couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he greeted fans

Supanova will also be held in Perth on June 29 and 30 before moving to Adelaide and Brisbane in November.

Next year in March, the convention will take place in Melbourne and the Gold Coast.

The convention is best known for its elaborate costume play - known as 'cosplay'.

Cosplay is a form of costume role play where people leave their regular personalities at home and embrace the costumes and characters from their favourite comics, movies and games.

The Aussie actor, 36, looked stylish in a white shirt as he sat on a table and signed pictures of himself
Call The Midwife co-stars Helen George and Olly Rix have reportedly 'drifted apart' with him going as far as to unfollow her on social media.

The actress, 40, who plays Nurse Trixie and the actor, 39, who stars as her onscreen husband Matthew Aylward, were said to be supporting each other as they navigated their respective splits.

It was revealed that Helen had split from her partner Jack Ashton in July 2023 after seven years together, whilst Olly separated from his girlfriend Natasha Fagri at a similar time.

In November she was snapped leaving Olly's home which sparked rumours of a growing connection between the pair.

Now it seem's Olly has unfollowed Helen on Instagram, although she still follows him.

Call The Midwife co-stars Helen George and Olly Rix have reportedly 'drifted apart' with him going as far as to unfollow her on social media (pictured in November)

The actress, 40, who plays Trixie and the actor, 39, who stars as her husband Matthew Aylward, were said to be supporting each other as they navigated their respective splits (pictured on the show)

A source told The Sun: 'They were there for each other in the wake of their splits.

'But it seems they are no longer close and have made this clear by removing each other on social media.

'Olly even went one step further and deleted a picture of him and Helen from Instagram.'

MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Helen George and Olly Rix for comment.

Olly was seen reuniting with his ex Natasha at a Notting Hill cafe in November, four months after it was revealed they had split.

The actor was pictured with his ex-girlfriend at the west London spot, just days after his on-screen wife Helen was spotted leaving his house.

The former couple, who split in July after seven years together, put on an amicable display as they greeted each other with a hug and chatted inside the cafe.

Olly left their meeting alone, holding a takeaway coffee in his hand and listening to his Apple AirPods.

It is unclear whether Olly and Natasha had arranged to meet or if they had bumped into each other by coincidence.

Now it seem's Olly has unfollowed Helen on Instagram, although she still follows him

A source told The Sun : 'They were there for each other in the wake of their splits. 'But it seems they are no longer close and have made this clear by removing each other on social media' (Helen pictured on Saturday at The Feathers Animal Ball)

They added: 'Olly even went one step further and deleted a picture of him and Helen from Instagram' (Helen pictured on Saturday)

It came after Helen was snapped leaving Olly's home last weekend, sparking rumours of a growing connection following their recent breakups.

They were said to be supporting each other as they navigate through their heartbreak.

Olly was spotted outside his home before returning with two coffees, with Helen emerging a few hours later.

An onlooker told The Sun on Sunday how Olly 'looked relaxed' and when Helen left the premises, she looked a 'little dishevelled'.

The sightings have fuelled speculation about a budding bond between the two co-stars who share a close connection, despite Olly's character reportedly being written out of the show.

An insider said: 'It's been a tricky year for both Helen and Olly. They have been spending a lot of time together on set, walking their dogs together and chatting a lot.

'They both have respect for each other as actors and they are supportive of each other and dedicated to their roles on the drama. The changes in their relationships have caused a lot of upheaval.'

A spokesperson for Helen said: 'Yes, she went to visit a friend for a cup of tea - like all friends do - and as we have always said, there is nothing more to this.'

Mail Online contacted Olly's representatives for further comment.

Olly split from his makeup artist girlfriend Natasha after seven years together in July after allegedly drifting apart due to work commitments.

Meanwhile, Helen split from her partner Jack Ashton the same month, after they first met on the set of Call The Midwife seven years prior.

She has played Trixie on the show since 2012, while Jack joined the series two years later as Tom Hereward.

The pair's characters embarked on a romance on screen and Tom proposed to Trixie, before she ended their relationship.

Olly split from Natasha after seven years together in July after allegedly drifting apart due to work commitments (pictured together)

Meanwhile, Helen split from her partner Jack Ashton the same month, after they first met on the set of Call The Midwife seven years prior (pictured together in 2022)

In real life, the couple were said to have fallen for each other after travelling to South Africa to film the show's 2016 Christmas Special.

A year later, they welcomed their first child Wren, before their second daughter Lark was born in November 2021.

In May 2021, Helen gave a rare insight into her relationship with Jack and told how both of them working in the same industry helped their romance.

The pair are now focusing on co-parenting their two children.

Call The Midwife is set in the 1950s and 1960s in London's East End - and focuses on a group of midwives in a nursing convent.
Michael J. Fox is paying tribute to his longtime love and wife Tracy Pollan on her 64th birthday.

The retired actor, 63, showed off his romantic side when he took to his Instagram page to share his loving and poetic message on Saturday, June 22.

'In every beautiful way, it's beautiful Tracy's beautiful day,' the former Family Ties star captioned his post.

'I love you and today will be magnificent. Always forever your Mike with so-much love. Happy birthday. It's gonna be an epic day.'

For the cover photo, Fox shared a black-and-white photo of his wife of 35 years all glammed up.

Michael J. Fox is paying tribute to his longtime love and wife Tracy Pollan on her 64th birthday

The second image was a sweet photo of the couple posing with their arms wrapped around one another during a recent beach trip.

The couple first met back in 1985 when Pollan was cast as Ellen, the love interest of Fox's character Alex P. Keaton, on the hit NBC sitcom Family Ties.

However, they didn't start dating until two years later, in 1987, when they reunited for the film adaptation of Jay McInerney's novel Bright Lights, Big City.

They ultimately were married in July 1988, at West Mountain Inn in Arlington, Vermont after less than two years together.

The couple are parents to four children: son Sam, 35, twin daughters Aquinnah and Schuyler, 29, and youngest daughter Esme, 22.

While the couple have shared their lives for more than 35 years and counting, Pollan previously admitted she didn't have a stellar first impression of Fox.

'I think I thought he was kind of full of himself,' Pollan recalled during an appearance on Inside The Actors Studio, as reported by Parade.

After she got to know him a little better, however, sparks flew.

The activist and retired actor showed off his romantic side when he took to his Instagram page to share his loving and poetic message on Saturday, June 22

The couple first met back in 1985 when Pollan was cast as Ellen, the love interest of Fox's character Alex P. Keaton, on the hit NBC sitcom Family Ties

'We started to work together, and I got a completely different impression and how completely opposite from that he wasjust funny and so smart, and just all of these other things came through those first two weeks we worked together,' she explained.

Life changed for the couple in a dramatic way when in 1991 Fox (born Michael Andrew Fox) was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.

He did not share his diagnosis publicly until 1998.

'One of the things I'll always love Tracy for is that at that moment, she didn't blink,' Fox recalled. 'She's there in the front lines with me every single day. She never pretends to know as much as I know.

'And the other thing Tracy does is, if there's something funny, let's get to the funny. We'll deal with the tragic later.'

Pollan has supported Fox every step of the way, leading to the launch of his Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to help fund Parkinson's disease research in the effort to find a cure.

More recently, the couple shared in the making and release of the Apple TV+ film, Still: A Michael J. Fox Story (2023), which won the award for Best Documentary Film at the National Board Of Review Gala, as well as earning seven nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards.

She also stepped out to support him at The Michael J. Fox Foundation's A Country Thing Happened On The Way To Cure Parkinson's events over the years.

The couple have been married since 1988 and share four children; seen in April 2024

Fox and Pollan, who have one of the most enduring romances in Hollywood, are often asked how they keep their marriage strong over the years and decades.

'It's interesting, being married for 35 years,' Fox shared. 'Yeah. I mean, the joke is you say I've been married 35 years, and it's [been] the best 35 years of my life so think about that one for a second.'

He added, 'It's great having a partner and having someone that knows you in a [certain] way when everyone in the world thinks they know you. [Only] one person actually knows you.'
Hannah Critchlow in The Guardian:

Since the sequencing of the human genome in 2003, genetics has become one of the key frameworks for how we all think about ourselves. From fretting about our health to debating how schools can accommodate non-neurotypical pupils, we reach for the idea that genes deliver answers to intimate questions about peoples outcomes and identities. Recent research backs this up, showing that complex traits such as temperament, longevity, resilience to mental ill-health and even ideological leanings are all, to some extent, hardwired. Environment matters too for these qualities, of course. Our education and life experiences interact with genetic factors to create a fantastically complex matrix of influence. But what if the question of genetic inheritance were even more nuanced? What if the old polarised debate about the competing influences of nature and nurture was due a 21st-century upgrade?

Scientists working in the emerging field of epigenetics have discovered the mechanism that allows lived experience and acquired knowledge to be passed on within one generation, by altering the shape of a particular gene. This means that an individuals life experience doesnt die with them but endures in genetic form. The impact of the starvation your Dutch grandmother suffered during the second world war, for example, or the trauma inflicted on your grandfather when he fled his home as a refugee, might go on to shape your parents brains, their behaviours and eventually yours.

More here.
Kim Kardashian flaunted her incredible curves in her latest Instagram glamour shots on Saturday.

The 43-year-old reality star looked angelic in a bodycon white strapless minidress by her clothing brand, SKIMS.

Her skimpy ensemble turned up the heat, showing off her chest and jaw-dropping figure.

Kim  who recently opened five SKIMS stores across the United States  let her long silvery-blonde locks cascade over her shoulders as she posed up a storm.

The Kardashians star paired the look with clear stacked bracelets and see-through heels.

Kim Kardashian flaunted her incredible curves in her latest Instagram glamour shots on Saturday

The 43-year-old reality star looked angelic in a bodycon white strapless minidress by her clothing brand, SKIMS

The ex-wife of Kanye West opted for a glam makeup look that included bold lashes and plump, glossy pout.

In other snaps, Kim posed by one of her luxury cars, displaying her hourglass figure as she stood with the driver's side door open.

Kim captioned the post with an infinity symbol and tagged the official SKIMS Instagram page.

The post was a hit with her 362million followers, racking up over 776k likes and 5.7k comments from supporters shortly after upload.

Fans rushed to the comments to pen their thoughts with one fan writing, 'Kim, I love these pics. There's something so refreshing and authentic about them and you look beautiful.'

'It's giving Kim Kardashian 2017 vibe so iconic,' another top comment with 4k likes read.

Back in 2019, the businesswoman joined forces with Swedish entrepreneur Jens Grede to unveil SKIMS.

The brand, which was recently valued at $4 billion, initially sold shapewear before branching out into loungewear, swimwear, and most recently, menswear.

SKIMS has a focus on body positivity and inclusivity across the brand and practice inclusive sizing.

Back in 2020, a year after being in business, Kim opened up to Bazaar about what inspired her to start the company.

In other snaps, Kim posed by one of her luxury cars, displaying her hourglass figure as she stood with the driver's side door open

Her skimpy ensemble turned up the heat, showing off her chest and jaw-dropping figure

The Kardashians star paired the look with clear stacked bracelets

The ex-wife of Kanye West opted for a glam makeup look that included bold lashes and plump, glossy pout

Kim captioned the post with an infinity symbol and tagged the official SKIMS Instagram page

'When I said I wanted seamless shapewear, everyone looked and thought that I was crazy. The thing that always bothered me [with other brands] was that there would be a seam up the front,' she explained.

'You would have this really tight dress and then see this seam, defeating the purpose of wearing something that is supposed to look like there is nothing underneath. I'm all about comfort and glamour at the same time.

'I always think you can do it all, so why not have everything that you need as far as your products?' Kardashian finished.
Rosario Dawson looked stunning as she was joined by Brie Larson as the pair led stars at Filming Italy Festival in Sardinia at the swanky Forte Village Resort on Saturday.

The American actress, 45, made a fashion statement in a pink, purple and red multicoloured co-ord featuring an oversized blouse and figure-hugging maxi skirt.

The Unstoppable star - who is an ambassador for the annual Italian film event - displayed her sense of style accessorising with just one maxi pendant earring which matched her outfit's palette.

Rosario added a pair of black strappy heels for the special night, and rocked a shimmery blue eyeshadow with a rouge glossy lipstick to finish off.

As her raven locks were styled into a perfect bob, the Kids sensation smiled with grace while in attendance.

Rosario Dawson looked stunning at Filming Italy Festival in Sardinia at the swanky Forte Village Resort on Saturday

Rosario made a fashion statement in a pink, purple and red multicoloured co-ord on Saturday

The Death Proof star was captured posing with fellow actress and Netflix sensation Carla Gugino.

The Night At The Museum star, 52, looked incredible in a black sheer lace top flashing her bra underneath.

She teamed it with a dazzling diamante pencil midi skirt and enhanced her slim frame with a pair of stappy heels.

Rosario was then captured radiating joy as she took to the stage to collect a prize for the night.

The New York-born star grinned from ear to ear as she lifted the award proudly, and stamped a smooch on the cheek of Italian film producer Tiziana Rocca.

Meanwhile Marvel alum Brie, 34, flaunted her slender physique in a classy black tiered gown featuring a mesh panel on her chest as well as patched floral embellishments.

The Room actress teamed the chic number with black open-toe heels with tiny bows, displaying a flawless white pedi.

She kept her jewellery to the minimum opting for small dainty earrings and a minimal but dazzling ring.

The stylish two-piece featured an oversized blouse and figure-hugging maxi skirt

The Unstoppable star - who is an ambassador for the annual Italian film event - displayed her sense of style accessorising with just one maxi pendant earring which matched her outfit's palette

She rocked a shimmery blue eyeshadow with a rouge glossy lipstick to finish off

As her raven locks were styled into a perfect bob, the Kids sensation smiled with grace while in attendance

The Death Proof star was captured posing with fellow actress and Netflix sensation Carla Gugino

The Night At The Museum star, 52, looked incredible in a black sheer lace top flashing her bra underneath

Rosario was then captured radiating joy as she took to the stage to collect a prize for the night

Rosario seemed over the moon as she lifted the gong

The New York-born star grinned from ear to ear as she lifted the award proudly, and stamped a smooch on the cheek of Italian film producer Tiziana Rocca

The Room actress teamed the chic number with black open-toe heels with tiny bows, displaying a flawless white pedi

She kept her jewellery to the minimum opting for small dainty earrings and a minimal but dazzling ring

The Hollywood star enhanced her natural looks with a lightning make-up, beaming cheerfully on the third day of the film festival which took place in a seaside location within Sardinia's southern coast, Santa Margherita Di Pula

Brie looked in great spirits and also posed alongside Tiziana, who looked glamorous in a black strapless maxi gown

The Fast X favourite stopped for a few shots on the star-studded red carpet and later on lived it up the her glory when she was awarded with a gong

The Captain Marvel sensation couldn't wipe a smile off her face as she headed to the stage to collect her well-deserved prize

The Hollywood star enhanced her natural looks with a lightning make-up, beaming cheerfully on the third day of the film festival which took place in a seaside location within Sardinia's southern coast, Santa Margherita Di Pula.

Brie looked in great spirits and also posed alongside Tiziana, who looked glamorous in a black strapless maxi gown.

The Fast X favourite stopped for a few shots on the star-studded red carpet and later on lived it up the her glory when she was awarded with a gong.

The Captain Marvel sensation couldn't wipe a smile off her face as she headed to the stage to collect her well-deserved prize.

Elsewhere at the event Bo Derek stunned in a black long-sleeve top and a sparkling gold pleated maxi skirt.

The American star, 67, sported chic flat sandals with her look as she took to the red carpet for a few snaps.

She was also seen posing with Game Of Thrones star Liam Cunningham.

Rocky IV star Dolph Lundgren was also one of the award recipients of the glitzy night, as he attended alongside his girlfriend Emma Krokdal.

The blonde beauty wowed in a dusty pink buttoned polo crop top and a silky tiered skirt with bejewelled strappy heels.

The Expendables star sported a smart beige suit co-ord and was captured lifting the gong on stage with pride.

Elsewhere at the event Bo Derek stunned in a black long-sleeve top and a sparkling gold pleated maxi skirt

The American star, 67, sported chic flat sandals with her look as she took to the red carpet for a few snaps

She was also seen posing with Game Of Thrones star Liam Cunningham

Rocky IV star Dolph Lundgren was also one of the award recipients of the glitzy night, as he attended alongside his girlfriend Emma Krokdal

The blonde beauty wowed in a dusty pink buttoned polo crop top and a silky tiered skirt with bejewelled strappy heels

The Expendables star sported a smart beige suit co-ord

He was captured lifting the gong on stage with pride

Inside the star-studded night he was also joined by his daughter Greta, 22, who looked incredible in a white frock mini dress and pointy black flats

Inside the star-studded night he was also joined by his daughter Greta, 22, who looked incredible in a white frock mini dress and pointy black flats.

The seventh edition of the film festival in the Italian island saw more familiar faces in attendance including A-listers as Harvey Keitel, Kate Beckinsale, John David Washington, Matt Bomer, and Colman Domingo.

This year, the festival attempted to make 'a major effort to attract talents,' said Tiziana, who is the marketing guru and former Taormina Film Festival chief who launched the Sardinia event seven years ago.
Aly Michalka and her husband Stephen Ringer arribed in Sydney on Friday after welcoming their first child - son Jack Francis - in April.

In the photos, Aly can be seen carrying little Jack in a snug baby carrier, ensuring the infant is comfortable and secure.

She opted for a casual yet stylish travel look, donning a cosy white sweatshirt and black leggings, paired with practical sneakers.

Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, highlighting her natural, makeup-free beauty.

A hint of motherly love was evident as she cradled her baby close, with a toy giraffe attached to the carrier to keep Jack entertained.

Aly Michalka and her husband Stephen Ringer in Sydney on Friday after welcoming their first child - son Jack Francis - in April

In the photos, Aly can be seen carrying little Jack in a snug baby carrier, ensuring the infant is comfortable and secure as they made their way through the terminal

Stephen, Aly's filmmaker husband, accompanied her, looking relaxed in a plaid shirt, beige hat, and glasses.

The couple, who married in 2015, have always kept a low profile, but their recent journey to Australia suggests an exciting new chapter for their family.

As Aly and Stephen navigated through the bustling airport, they appeared at ease, with Aly glancing around attentively while Stephen handled the luggage.

She opted for a casual yet stylish travel look, donning a cosy white sweatshirt and black leggings, paired with practical sneakers

Her hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail, highlighting her natural, makeup-free beauty

At one point her husband Stephen was seen offering his bride some juice

Stephen, Aly's filmmaker husband, accompanied her, looking relaxed in a plaid shirt, beige hat, and glasses

The Disney star is in Australia ahead of her appearance at Supanova Pop Culture expo taking place at Olympic Park in Sydney.

Aly rose to fame as one half of the pop duo Aly & AJ and starred in Disney's Phil of the Future.

She has since transitioned to a successful acting career, appearing in popular TV series and movies.

Aly originally began dating the cinematographer in 2012 after meeting on the set of Andy Landen's film Sequoia, which he DPed and she acted in.

The couple, who married in 2015, have always kept a low profile, but their recent journey to Australia suggests an exciting new chapter for their family
She's the fashionable Melbourne A-lister known for her flare for fashion.

But on Sunday, Bec opted to ditch the designer duds and slip her lithe frame into activewear to promote her fashion label Jaggad.

Bec, 41, looked sensational as she posed in a minuscule crop top and bike pants emblazoned with the brand name.

She opted to complete her look with a makeup free visage and white-framed cateye sunglasses.

Bec captioned the footage shared to Instagram: 'Melbourne winter. You bloody beauty.'

She's the fashionable Melbourne A-lister known for her flare for fashion. But on Sunday, Bec opted to ditch the designer duds and slip her lithe frame into activewear to promote her fashion label Jaggad. Pictured

Bec, 41, looked sensational as she posed in a minuscule crop top and bike pants emblazoned with the brand name

She opted to complete her look with a makeup free visage and white-framed cateye sunglasses. Bec captioned the footage shared to Instagram: 'Melbourne winter. You bloody beauty.'

It comes after Bec revealed the bizarre reason she is jealous of her dog.

Taking to her Instagram stories, the AFL WAG confessed that her dog Snoop has a better smile than she does.

Sharing a photo of her beloved pooch Snoop, she captioned the snap: 'Better teeth than mine @top.dogwalking always putting a smile on Snoop's face.'

The Judd family welcomed Snoop, a Rhodesian ridgeback, into their home last August.

The brunette beauty debuted the adorable pooch on Instagram and explained her family is 'officially in the dog season of our lives'.

'He's a Rhodesian ridgeback but a less common liver nose (brown) so is often confused with a Hungarian vizsla. Ridgebacks usually have a black nose,' she wrote at the time.

'The biggest physical differences of a Ridgey is the ridge of hair that runs down it's back and it will also grow to be a bigger dog than a Vizsla.'

It comes after Bec revealed the bizarre reason she is jealous of her dog

Taking to her Instagram stories, the AFL WAG confessed that her dog Snoop has a better smile than she does

Bec recently teased an exciting new career move

Bec recently teased an exciting new career move.

Speaking to Daily Mail Australia during a trip to celebrate Virgin Australia's new direct flights from Melbourne and Brisbane to Uluru, the model said she will soon be announcing a new chapter in her life.

'I've got some good things coming up. I can't say anything now, in another month or two,' she said.

'It will pretty much take up all my time. I won't have time for other things.'

Bec, who hosted the Channel Nine travel series Postcards from 2011 to 2020, also revealed why she's done with being a TV presenter.

'I couldn't do it with four kids because there is lots of travel. My life is a lot busier now,' Bec said.

'I don't think I could ever go back to TV, I have too many other good things going on.'

The social media star and businesswoman shares four children - daughter Billie, nine, son Oscar, 12, and twins Darcy and Tom, seven, with her ex-AFL star husband Chris.
Dave Fishwick has broken his silence after it was reported that he had signed up to this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

The Bank Of Dave inspiration, 53, was rumoured in May to have 'signed on the dotted line' for the 2024 competition.

But appearing on BBC Breakfast on Sunday, the community banker was cagey when asked about his reported appearance.

'No I can't,' he said, when he was asked by host Roger Johnson about whether he could dance.

'Strictly? It's been rumoured. It's been talked about a lot,' Roger said, before Dave flashed a smile and replied: 'I can't possibly comment, I would be in real trouble.'

Dave Fishwick broke his silence on BBC Breakfast on Sunday after it was reported in May that he had signed up to this year's Strictly Come Dancing

The Bank Of Dave inpsiration, 53, was revealed in May to be joining the cast for the 2024 dancing competition

'No I can't comment on that at all,' he added.

This is where you suddenly become the politician,' Roger said, before Dave replied: 'Listen no, I would be in so much trouble then, I really would.

'Theres rumours, there's definitely rumours. Big ones, yeah. I cant possibly comment at all.'

In what he reportedly described as making his 'dreams come true', Dave recently 'signed the dotted line to confirm his place after being a approached by BBC bosses earlier this year'.

Dave, who left school at 16 without any qualifications, has loaned more than 27 million to people and businesses since setting up a community bank.

According to The Sun, a source said: 'Dave is a real community hero and the best of British.

'Strictly think his inspiring back story will win him new fans on and shine a spotlight on the amazing work he has done for people and business in Lancashire.

'Dave has told his friends he has accepted and cannot wait to get started. For Dave it's a dream come true. He is a working-class man who did well for himself and decided to use his success to help others.'

But appearing on BBC Breakfast on Sunday, the community banker was cagey when asked about his reported appearance

And finally making his 'dreams come true', Dave recently 'signed the dotted line to confirm his place after being a approached by BBC bosses earlier this year'

Dave, who left school at 16 without any qualifications, has loaned more than 27 million to people and businesses since setting up a community bank

A source said: 'Dave is a real community hero and the best of British. 'Strictly think his inspiring back story will win him new fans on and shine a spotlight on the amazing work he has done for people and business in Lancashire.

His bank Burnley Savings and Loans, which is still going strong today, operated on a not for profit basis and all surplus money went to good causes.

From his desk at his small headquarters in Burnley town centre, Dave has loaned thousands of locals to cover everything, from funeral expenses to IVF.

The down to earth businessman's extraordinary life was recently captured in the recent biopic called Bank of Dave which trended number one on Netflix.

James Bond star Rory Kinnear played him in the feel good film which also starred Bridgerton's Phoebe Dynevor.

It's a captivating feel good story that caught the eye of Hollywood scriptwriters, who have turned Dave's battle with the banking giants into a big-budget biopic.

Speaking to the Mail Online previously, he said: 'People who rob banks go to prison, but banks who rob people get paid bonuses and get bailed out.

The down to earth businessman's extraordinary life was recently captured in the recent biopic called Bank of Dave which trended number one on Netflix (Rory Kinnear (centre) plays Dave)

'The truth is, we've been badly served by the banks in the past and we need change. Banks that are too big to fail are just too big to exist.'

'I like going home. I like my own bed, and being around family,' he says.

'When I've had a really tough day  and I've had plenty of tough days  I open my front door, I can smell apple pie, and my wife, Nicola, will have run me a bath with a bottle of beer there. What can be nicer? Burnley is where I'm from, where my pals don't care who I am, and rightly so.'
Dolph Lundgren looked in great spirits as he was joined by his family for the red carpet of Filming Italy 2024 on Saturday.

The Rocky star, 66, cut a dapper figure in a chic brown suit which he paired with a stylish black and white floral shirt.

The Swedish-American actor was joined by his wife Emma Krokdal, 27, as the two posed together at the event in Santa Margherita di Pula in Italy.

The Norwegian beauty looked stylish as she opted for a satin rose gold skirt which she paired with a cropped pink shirt.

Dolph's daughter Greta, 22, also accompanied her father as the pair posed together with their fists up.

Dolph Lundgren, 66, looked dapper in a chic brown suit as he was joined by his wife Emma Krokdal, 27, (L) and daughter Greta, 22, (R) at the Filming Italy Festival on Saturday

The pair posed together with their fists up as they showed off their uncanny resemblance

Greta, who Dolph shares with his first wife Anette Qviberg, opted for a simple white mini dress which she paired with some black pumps.

Dolph and Anette split in 2011 after tying the knot back in 1994. They also share daughter Ida, 28.

The star announced his engagement to Emma back in June 2020 and the couple tied the knot last July in their villa in Mykonos, Greece.

They previously told PEOPLE: 'We chose to celebrate our love by getting married at our villa in Mykonos with family and a few close friends. With both COVID and a long road of challenging medical treatments, we've had to push our marriage plans many times.

'We felt it was finally the right time to celebrate love, life and happiness - in the land of the Gods.'

Dolph later hailed Emma for being a 'wonderful' partner in his personal life and his professional life.

The actor revealed that they've recently worked on a number of projects together, and Dolph thinks they make a very good partnership.

He told Fox News: 'Emma is a great support. She's very clever.

The Rocky star cut a dapper figure in a chic brown suit which he paired with a stylish black and white floral shirt

He completed the look with some bright white trainers

The star announced his engagement to Emma back in June 2020 and the couple tied the knot last July in their villa in Mykonos, Greece (pictured in 2022)

'We're working on a comedy. She helped me on ['Wanted Man'] as well. She helps me with the script and in production and post-production - just giving me a second opinion.'

Back in February the pair officially became US citizens as Dolph told People: 'I've been in this country on and off for over 40 years now.

'I love America and the wonderful opportunities this country has given me. I'm proud to finally become a U.S. citizen and officially make this my home. It's about time.'

In photos shared to People, they were pictured during the ceremony raising their right hands as they swear an oath of allegiance to the US.

Dolph was also seen with an American flag and a document certifying his citizen status.
Austin Butler has created quite a career for himself in the past few years, and built quite a fan base, but the actor admits he still gets starstruck.

While promoting his latest film The Bikeriders, on Today, the Golden Globe winner, 32, told anchor Savannah Guthrie about one actor he was too shy to talk to after what could have been a spur of the moment meeting.

'I was just telling that story about getting starstruck by Ryan Gosling recently,' he said.

'It's when you don't expect to see somebody,' he relayed, adding, 'so I saw him outside of a hotel that I was staying in and I had to go in through another door, I couldn't say "hello."'

'I grew up admiring him so much, so.. I love that feeling,' the Dune: Part Two star admitted.

Austin Butler has created quite a career for himself in the past few years, and built quite a fan base, but the actor 32, admits he still gets starstruck. The actor has admitted in interviews that he is 'starstruck' by Ryan Gosling, 43

The naturally shy Elvis star opened up about his admiration for The Fall Guy star in an interview with BBC Radio One's The Story So Far.

He began by describing a recent encounter with three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep.

'I was very nervous, but somebody, Judd Apatow of all people, facilitated me being able to go up and say "hello" to her. And we talked for a while and she was so sweet.'

'You know, somebody who I've never met though is Ryan Gosling,' the Masters of the Air star admitted, 'and I really looked up to him a lot... I have so much respect for him.'

The former Disney star said he and Gosling, another alum of the Mouse House, 'had the same sort of trajectory of being very young.'

He explained that projects such as Blue Valentine and Lars and the Real Girl 'came out 'right at the time where I was kind of coming into a real appreciation of acting and films...It really impacted me.'

At the end of the interview, movie critic Ali Plumb said 'we're going to get you Ryan Gosling's phone number.'

'There you go,' Butler said, 'my heart just fluttered hearing you say that.'

In an interview promoting The Bikeriders, Butler told Today's Savannah Guthrie he saw Gosling outside a hotel both were staying in, 'but I had to go in through another door, I couldn't say "hello"' (Pictured in Los Angeles June 17)

Both Butler and Gosling are former Disney stars and 'had the same sort of trajectory of being very young' when they started acting

Butler who has several films in his queue, explained that Gosling's projects such as Blue Valentine and Lars and the Real Girl 'came out 'right at the time where I was kind of coming into a real appreciation of acting and films...It really impacted me.'

The versatile actor has several projects in his queue, including the recently completed Eddington, with Oscar winner Emma Stone and Pedro Pascal.

The plot for the film has been kept under wraps, so fans will have to wait until its expected 2025 release to learn more.

Butler has also signed on to star in the crime thriller Caught Stealing with director Darren Aronofsky.

He will also headline the action adventure City on Fire.
Kylie Jenner showcased her slim figure in a black leather co-ord as she arrived at the Ritz Hotel in Paris during Fashion Week on Sunday.

The reality star, 26, looked incredible in a strapless handkerchief MiuMiu crop top which she teamed with a matching pleated low rise knee length skirt.

She added a chunky tan suede belt to the bold ensemble and elevated her frame in a pair of stylish heels.

Kylie toted her belongings around in a large coordinated MiuMiu shoulder handbag and opted for a pair of chic sunglasses.

The mother-of-two styled her long dark tresses in a neat low bun and accessorised with two simple gold bracelets.

Kylie Jenner showcased her slim figure in a black leather co-ord as she arrived at the Ritz Hotel in Paris during Fashion Week on Sunday

The reality star, 26, looked incredible in a strapless handkerchief MiuMiu crop top which she teamed with a matching pleated low rise knee length skirt

The TV personality seemed in good spirits as she flashed her gorgeous smile to the waiting crowd of fans before entering the hotel.

It comes after Kylie promoted her clothing brand Khy shortly after her ex-boyfriend and baby daddy Travis Scott was arrested.

Just hours after her ex was arrested for disorderly intoxication and trespassing in Miami, the reality TV personality took to Instagram to share a clip of herself frolicking through a field.

She appeared to shrug off the drama as she posted a clip of herself in a sexy halter dress while revealing the upcoming release of her newest collection.

The father of her two children was arrested for a drunken disturbance and yacht fight.

Around the same time, he was seen jetting back to Los Angeles on a private plane after being booked and released in Miami Beach.

The former couple  who were in an on-and-off relationship for nearly five years before calling it quits in late 2022  share daughter Stormi, six, and son Aire, two.

On Friday morning, Jenner did not address the reports of her ex's arrest and shared a video of herself walking through a field during golden hour.

She added a chunky tan suede belt to the bold ensemble and elevated her frame in a pair of stylish heels

Kylie seemed in good spirits as she waved to waiting fans and toted her belongings around in a large coordinated MiuMiu shoulder handbag

In the clip, she modeled a plunging, halter minidress with a figure-hugging silhouette.

She was seen hanging up some other clothing pieces from the upcoming release of her newest collection.

The Kardashians star also shared a photo of two women, one of which may have been herself, walking through a scenic valley.

In the caption, she announced the release date for her seventh drop titled 'poplin' would be next week on June 27.
Ben Affleck was spotted without his wedding ring again on Sunday amid rumors of marital strife with Jennifer Lopez.

The 51-year-old Oscar winner  who recently shared an awkward air kiss with the Atlas actress  cut a casual figure in a plaid shirt and jeans as he enjoyed a lunch date with his daughter Violet, 18, in Los Angeles.

The matinee idol seemed in high spirits as he waited for a table at the popular Tasty Noodle eatery with his eldest child, whom he shares with ex Jennifer Garner along with their other children, Fin (formerly Seraphina), 15, and Samuel, 12.

Ben completed his look with Nike high-tops and a white T-shirt, staying close to Violet, who showcased her unique style in an embroidered vest and matching dress.

The ring-less outing comes as J-Lo has been enjoying a solo vacation in Italy as the divorce speculation ramps up.

Ben Affleck was spotted without his wedding ring again on Sunday amid rumors of marital strife with Jennifer Lopez

The 51-year-old Oscar winner cut a casual figure in a plaid shirt and jeans as he enjoyed a lunch date with his daughter Violet, 18, in Los Angeles

On Sunday, the superstar was spotted on a boat heading to the world famous Lo Scoglio restaurant in Nerano for lunch with friends.

She has spent the past few days in Italy and was recently spotted partying with pals on a boat in Positano, with onlookers claiming she looked 'in great spirits'.

In addition to taking in the stunning scenery around her, the mother-of-two, who shares her 16-year-old twins Max and Emme with ex-husband Marc Anthony, posed for selfies from various angles and even snapped a few of her famous derriere.

The fun-filled display came after a source told DailyMail.com that Jennifer is 'over' trying to fix her marriage to Ben.

An industry insider claimed that the pop star has reached her wit's end and no longer feels that she can do any 'more' to save the relationship.

A music industry source told DailyMail.com. 'Jenny has had enough and she really tried but she can do no more, it's not getting any better, it's worse.'

The insider add that the main reason JLo left her husband was because he was always 'grumpy and negative' like Oscar The Grouch from Sesame Street.

Jennifer is also said to be 'shocked' by the bad press she has been getting, which she believes is not fair.

The ring-less outing comes as JLo has been enjoying a solo vacation in Italy as the divorce speculation ramps up; seen in November 2023

She has spent the past few days in Italy and was recently spotted partying with pals on a boat in Positano, with onlookers claiming she looked 'in great spirits'

The source said: 'If people could see what she has really gone through they would be easier on her. Ben is a great guy but he can be grumpy and a downer.

'I think the world saw that in photos like when they were at the Grammys last year; he wouldn't smile. If they saw how it really was, they would not attack her,' said the friend of Jennifer.

'He chain smokes and cusses and seems irritated a lot of the time. Great director and actor, but not a lot of laughs with him, you know?' said the source. 'He is a wonderful father though.'

They added: 'She is really not used to this kind of bad feedback, but she will get over it. She will march on. 'Jennifer is a very smart and strong woman and she will bounce back, she always does!'

There have been many reports that Ben and Jennifer were set to announce their divorce last Friday, which is the norm among celebrities who are splitting.

When the source was asked about this they offered, 'I think they have wanted to wait until all the kids are out of school and done with school plans and all that before they make their big announcement. They are putting the kids first.'

And as far as how Jennifer and Ben are getting along these days, the insider said they are being 'cordial' with each other.

So what happened to the once jovial Ben who used to smile at fans and make out with Jennifer in public? The source points to the pressure in Ben's career.

'He is now filming Accounting 2 and the hours are really long, he is working hard at it and it's a lot to juggle with marriage and kids,' said the source. 'So sometimes he is not in the best mood.'

Meanwhile, Jennifer cleared her schedule this summer to give herself some downtime to re-examine her life.

An industry insider claimed that the pop star has reached her wit's end and no longer feels that she can do any 'more' to save the relationship; pictured in 2023

'She is living alone and not with Ben, I think everyone knows that already, so that is a major change for her and the kids,' said the pal. Indeed, Ben moved into a $100K a month rental near Garner months ago.

'Of course Jenny is sad, she loves Ben, but they are just too different, there is no give and take, there was no blending, they are just on separate tracks.'

The source added that Jennifer gave it her all: 'She really tried hard to make it work, and it just did not work.

'She invested a lot of time and energy, and I think he did the same. There is no one to blame here. It just was not in the cards. It is very hard for two massive stars to keep a marriage going, one has to give in, and in this case neither gave in.'
Kaley Cuoco and Tom Bateman were seen sharing a laugh while filming season two of their show, Based on a True Story, which was officially renewed in October.

The pair exuded happiness as they reunited for their hit Peacock series, which received good reviews from critics upon its release and a 78% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

For their scene, shot outside, the 38-year-old actress, best known for starring as Penny on The Big Bang Theory, wore an oversized white button-down, light blue pants and white sneakers.

Her golden blonde tresses were styled in a high ponytail and she opted to carry her essentials in a large brown leather tote bag.

Bateman, 35, cut a casual figure in a black Nike t-shirt, blue shorts and sneakers.

Kaley Cuoco and Tom Bateman were seen sharing a laugh while filming season two of their show, Based on a True Story, which was officially renewed in October

Based on a True Story stars Cuoco and Chris Messina as a couple who discovers their new family friend (Bateman) is behind a series of local murders.

The true crime-obsessed couple blackmails the killer into making a podcast with them, only to find themselves in a cat-and-mouse game.

Cuoco's season two return comes after she welcomed her first child with partner Tom Pelphrey, a daughter named Matilda Carmine Richie.

They previously marked the 'best year of our lives' as they celebrated Matilda's 1st birthday in March.

'Dada and I love you more than we could possibly ever explain,' the proud mom wrote. 'I cannot wait to see who you become, but for now, please stay my precious 1 year old forever.'

The Big Bang Theory alum previously opened up about leaving Hollywood for a 'more family-oriented' life on her ranch in Thousand Oaks, California.

'I wanted something away from LA. I love being an actor and I love the business, I really do, I've been in it my whole life,' she told People. 'I know nothing else for 30-plus years.

'But I knew I needed a special place that wasn't that and that felt more grounded, felt more real, felt more family-oriented because I do love that side of my life, but this is equally as important to me,' added Cuoco.

The pair exuded happiness as they reunited for their hit Peacock series, which received good reviews from critics upon its release and a 78% audience approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes

She bought the property for $6.4 million last year, shortly after the five-bedroom, seven-bath home was built new in 2023.

'I was like, "I want my own ranch. I want my own place,"' she told People. 'And I wanted a place for my family. My family's family and my child and my brain.'

Cuoco explained that she's still a 'California girl from Day One,' as she chose a place only an hour northwest of Los Angeles.

'No matter where I go in the world, this will always be the place I want to be,' she said.

Cuoco's season two return comes after she welcomed her first child with partner Tom Pelphrey, a daughter named Matilda Carmine Richie

She and Pelphrey, 41, were first romantically linked in May 2022, and she announced her first pregnancy later that year

The Big Bang Theory alum previously opened up about leaving Hollywood for a 'more family-oriented' life on her ranch in Thousand Oaks, California

The Flight Attendant actress most recently sold her sprawling Los Angeles mansion in Agoura Hills for $5.5 million, two years after buying the home from Taylor Lautner for $5.25 million.

She and Pelphrey, 41, were first romantically linked in May 2022, and she announced her first pregnancy later that year.

Cuoco was previously married to Karl Cook from 2018 to 2022 and Ryan Sweeting from 2013 to 2016.

Over her career, the actress has earned her nominations for Primetime Emmy Awards and Golden Globe Awards.

Her credits include The Big Bang Theory, The Flight Attendant, Charmed and the animated series Harley Quinn.
Neal H. Hutchens at The Conversation:

Editors of Columbia Law Review, a prominent journal run by students from the prestigious universitys law school, say the publications board of directors urged them on June 2, 2024, to refrain from publishing an article critical of Israel.

After the students published the article online the following day, the board, which includes Columbia Law School faculty members and alumni, had the law reviews website taken down.

The board soon relented and allowed the website back online on June 6, including the article in question. But it issued a statement accusing the student editors of failing to properly review the article prior to publication.

The student editors have rejected the assertions in the boards statement and say theyre on strike  refraining from some of their review duties  to protest the boards attempts to stifle them.

More here.
Warren Buffett has produced astonishing returns for his investors over the years.

Since taking over Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, he has returned 20 percent annual gains. That is double that of the S&P 500 in that time.

That been achieved by following the advice of his later partner Charlie Munger.

Back in the 1970s, he told Buffett buy 'wonderful businesses purchased at fair prices' - rather than buying a company that seemed cheap.

Along the years, these have been Apple, Bank of America, American Express, Coca Cola, Occidental and Chevron.

And they show up in Berkshire's portfolio as equity investments when buying parts of companies, as is the case with Apple.

Or they appear as wholly owned subsidiaries in the Berkshire conglomerate when he owns the whole company, such as Geico.

Warren Buffett's biggest stock purchase this year did not show up in his portfolio - because it was actually him buying up shares in his own company, Berkshire Hathaway

Other investors - big and small - closely watch his moves for clues.

As with all big institutional investors - like hedge funds and banks - Berkshire must reveal each quarter what they have bought and sold.

Rivals - plus smaller retailer investors managing their 401(K)s - closely watch his moves for clues.

In fact, Buffett made some big moves last quarter. He sold some Apple and bought a $6.7billion stake in Chubb. He also added to his already big stakes in Occidental and LIberty Media.

News of his investment in Chubb sent shares of the security company soaring - up 8 percent in minutes.

But two big purchases by the Oracle of Omaha didn't show up. It takes some detective work rooting through the earnings report.

Buffett purchased more of his favorite stocks. In fact, it is one he has bought in all of the last 23 quarters spanning back six years.

For January to March he bought back $2.6 billion worth of shares in his own company - Berkshire Hathaway shares. That is more than he spent on any other.

Shares are currently trading near an all-time high- meaning Buffett's decision to buy Berkshire Hathaway stock has paid off for shareholders.

Apple is often as Buffett's largest investment - but it is not anymore. Another asset has recently taken the top spot.

Berkshire holds $189 billion in cash and Treasury bills, compared to its $150 billion Apple stake.

Berkshire Hathaway invests in a range of companies

Warren Buffett, photographed here in 2019, advises people to say no. Experts say the advice is relevant at work and home too

Treasury bills, which are US government bonds maturing within one year, are where Buffett's parks cash while searching for good business or stock investments.

Meanwhile, Buffett once revealed his surprising secret to success.

'The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything,' Buffett famously said.

The Berkshire Hathaway boss has a net worth of $135 billion and is one of the most successful businessmen and investors of all time.

A key to his success is his ability to prioritize and use his time wisely - and that is the background to the seemingly controversial quote.

But being able to say 'no' to people and opportunities that don't directly benefit personal or professional growth is the best way to make use of limited time.

Saying no tactfully is tricky. Click here for a guide on how to do it.
A recent college graduate bought a home in Maine worth about $200,000 for just $540, as many Americans struggle in today's housing market.

Drake Zimba, 23, from Benton, recently closed on a three-bedroom duplex home on Gannett Street in Augusta that he intends to not only live in, but make a profit from.

The 'Investment Addict' graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute's Lally School of Management in 2023. By February he became a licensed Real Estate Broker and Sales Agent with Candor Reality after quitting his job at Bath Iron Works.

Zimba, who plans to make more than $23,000 a year in net operating income, was able to complete the affordable deal with the help of seller credits and first-time homebuyer programs- two strategies that many buyers are not aware of.

'I only knew about these programs three to six months before I got [the duplex]. I thought I was gonna have to shell out, you know, 10 grand or something,' Zimba told Bangor Daily News.

Drake Zimba, 23, from Benton, recently closed on a home in Augusta, Maine, worth about $200,000, for just $540

Zimba not only plans to live in the three-bedroom duplex home on Gannett Street, but also plans on renting out the two other bedrooms to make a profit

Zimba, who double-majored in business and management economics, did not originally plan on investing in a property so early in his life, but he was immediately drawn to the idea after his friend introduced him to his mentor Brett Brockway.

Brockway is the owner of Standard Management Company, a property management and redevelopment business, that helped kick start Zimba's journey as a new homebuyer.

Zimba was soon introduced to the strategy known as 'house hacking'- a way to generate income from your own home- by Brockway and a team of other professionals in the housing industry.

Along with his mentor, Deb Hacskaylo, Zimba's lender with Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp., and his agent, Max Hopper, taught him about the different programs that the young entrepreneur could qualify for.

'The state of Maine is just wonderful with all the different programs that they have to offer right now,' Brockway said.

'I dont think you need to be savvy. I dont think enough people know that you can do this.'

The family room area of the home (left). The kitchen in the three-bedroom duplex (right)

Maine's state housing authority offers a first home loan program called MaineHousing which helps first-time buyers get on track in the complex housing market.

The program offers fixed-rate mortgages below six percent, along with help on closing costs and down payments. Zimba said that the grants range from $5,000- $14,000.

To qualify for the MainHousing program Zimba said that recipients need to meet income requirements, have a credit score above 640, and need to live on the property.

Because he will live in just one of the three bedrooms in the house, Zimba plans to rent out the other two.

The monthly cost that future tenants will pay not only helped him secure a loan, but will help him pay off his mortgage and other expenses along the way.

In addition to the steal price on the home, Zimba also received $10,000 in seller's credits- when the seller chips in for closing costs- because the home needs to be renovated.

Zimba said that he had to fix the roof and siding on the home and the previous tenants took out all of the smoke detectors.

Zimba took advantage of a state housing program that assisted him in securing his first property by giving him grants toward the purchase

The average price of a home in Augusta is $274,967, which has increased 11.8 percent compared to last year, according to Zillow.

The cost of a home in the city is still about $129,000 cheaper than the average cost of a home in the state, estimated at $403,919, Zillow reported.

Aaron Chadbourne, president-elect of the Greater Portland Board of Realtors, told Bangor Daily News that what Zimba achieved isn't possible in certain parts of Maine.

'In some communities, there isn't a lot of multi-family housing stock to choose from,' Chadbourne revealed.

'In parts of central Maine, there are areas where theres not a lot of competition for houses, so its certainly something youre able to do.'

Chadbourne warned that with a house like Zimba's, which was built in 1900, buyers need to take into account preventative maintenance that will be required over the years.

'Its a great way for people that dont have the highest income to think about creative ways to unlock homeownership, because homeownership is really a pathway to creating,' he added.

Zimba's new home and career has left him feeling confident about his spending and saving, instead of just 'throwing money down the drain'

Zimba's new home and career has left him feeling confident about his spending and saving, instead of just 'throwing money down the drain.'

In the US, the price of the average home has jumped more than a third to $442,500 in the last five years. But the average size of those being sold has shrunk in the same period.

It means that buyers now need to pay 52.7 percent more than they would have in May 2019 for the same sized home, with a surge in working from home partly to blame.

The trend can be seen nationwide but the worst-affected city is New York where it has increased 84.7 percent.

Boston, Massachusetts, has also seen it jump 72.9 percent, while it has shot up 68.9 percent in Nashville, Tennessee.
The nexus between local politicians, law enforcement and illicit brewers makes mockery of prohibition laws in the State

Even as this column is being written on Friday at 1 pm, the death toll in Kallakurichi hooch tragedy has risen to 49 with doctors saying that more persons are expected to leave earth to meet their maker. It is only because of the unprecedented increase in the number of persons succumbing to the spurious liquor that this incident has come to national limelight. The truth is that many people lose their lives on a daily basis after the consumption of spurious liquor in Tamil Nadu. Chief Minister M K Stalin has declared a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of the deceased and this would help him to buy peace with the people. A commission of inquiry has been set up with a retired judge of the Madras High Court as chairman to find out the reason behind the liquor tragedy with instructions to submit a report within three months.

The relatives of the victims allege that the bootlegging is done with the patronage of the DMK MLAs and nobody can stand up to him. The MLAs representing Rishivandiyam and Sankarapuram constituencies (both belong to the DMK) are a law unto themselves.

Not even a flower shop will function here without the knowledge of the MLA. How can we accept that he did not know about illicit hooch being brewed here, according to K Ilavarasu (34), owner of a mobile phone repair shop in Karunapuram who has been quoted by a local newspaper.

R Perumal (35), a resident of Madhavcheri who lost his brother, says, Hooch will be brought in packets and sold at a common spot in the village. People from the Scheduled Caste community and Most Backward Class community buy them. When it comes to hooch, there is no rich or poor or dominant or oppressed caste. Police will come for inspection, but will silently leave after taking bribe.

Last year saw 17 persons getting killed in nearby Villupuram district after consuming spurious arrack brewed in the nearby hilly region. ResidenNot even a flower shop will function here without the knowledge of the MLA. How can we accept that he did not know about illicit hooch being brewed here, asks K Ilavarasu (34), owner of a mobile phone repair shop in Karunapuram.

R Perumal (35), a resident of Madhavcheri who lost his brother, says, Hooch will be brought in packets and sold at a common spot in the village. People from the Scheduled Caste community and Most Backward Class community buy them. When it comes to hooch, there is no rich or poor or dominant or oppressed caste. Police will come for inspection, but will silently leave after taking a bribe.

Residents of Karunapuram allege that a lethal cartel of police-DMK politicians-illegal brewers exist in the region. Those daring to complain against them are silenced once and for ever. Jungle raj prevails in this region, said a relation of one of the victims.

Prohibition has been found to be a total failure in Tamil Nadu. Dravidian politics thrived on the money generated by the sale of spurious liquor and to generate more money the State Government banned the manufacture and sale of arrack (the poor man's scotch). The daily wage earners toiling in the fields from day break to dusk get some relief when they consume arrack which was available at reasonably low rates. With the Government's decision to ban the production and sale of arrack, thousands of jobs along with the tax revenue from sale of the stuff was lost to the Government. Toddy tapping too has been banned in the State, home to the founders of the Dravidian movement who were not averse to the idea of sundowners.

By early 2000, the private retail outlets too downed the shutters and the public sector Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMC) took over the entire liquor trade in the State. The Government's was the last word on the brand to be consumed by the tipplers and this was a violation of fundamental right granted under the Constitution of India. Only the brands of liquor manufacturers who were willing to part with a fixed amount to the powers that be were allowed to be sold through the retail outlets.

The result was that the market was flooded with poor quality brands which charged premium rates. The daily wage earners were left with no options other than the bootleggers. Had the Government not banned toddy tapping and brewing of country liquor, the mass murders of the kind which we saw in Kallakurichi would not have happened. Period. The objective of this writeup is not to encourage people to take drinks. The illegal stuff that is brewed by bootleggers is made with toxic chemicals like ammonium sulfate and insects like centipedes. There was an instance in Kerala where arrack was made out of ethyl alcohol which was used for preserving dead bodies in medical colleges. Should we furnish more details?

(The writer is a special correspondent with The Pioneer; views are personal)
Boosting the morale of the security forces deployed on the counter-terrorism grid, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday directed them to hunt down the terrorists and those harbouring them.

Echoing similar sentiments, Director General of Jammu and Kashmir police RR Swain claimed terrorism in Jammu will be wiped out in the next three months. He said people who are harbouring foreign terrorists will be tried under the Enemy Agents Act which is a much harsher law than the UAPA.

Responding to the question from a media person, DGP said to dismantle the terrorist ecosystem in the Union Territory we are considering invoking the Enemies Agents Act. According to him, the stringent law permits life imprisonment or the death penalty for those found aiding or abetting Pakistani terrorists. The DGP hoped the decisive action would serve as a deterrent discouraging locals not to support foreign terrorists.

According to the latest assessment reports around 35-40 foreign terrorists are active in the region south of Pir Panjal in the frontier districts of Rajouri and Poonch.

These terrorists are mostly camping inside safe hideouts in small groups of two to three terrorists and executing terror plots at the behest of their handlers sitting across Pakistan.

Official sources revealed during the high-level security review meetings these measures were discussed in the backdrop of increase in terror strikes across the Jammu region.

Following these directions, the security forces have further intensified anti-terrorist operations to neutralise these foreign terrorists.

Additional troops have been mobilised on ground zero to beef up security ahead of the Amarnath yatra starting from June 29.

Meanwhile, addressing an attestation cum Passing out Parade of 16th BRTC Batch of J&K Police at Subsidiary Training Centre, Talwara, Reasi Lt-Gov Manoj Sinha said Terrorism is breathing its last and this has made our neighbor, the exporter of terror, desperate. The recent terror acts are a sign of our enemys desperation. We must hunt down the terrorists and their aides harboring them, he added.

Reiterating the resolve of the administration, police, and security forces to root out terrorism from J&K, the Lt Governor asked the recruits to work as a force multiplier in neutralizing the terror threats.

A total of 860 recruit constables of the border battalion took part in the parade upon completing their training.

hey were administered an oath to perform their duties with dedication and honesty.

Nine people, including seven pilgrims, were killed and 41 others were injured in the dastardly terror attack on a pilgrim bus in the Reasi district on June 9. Three back-to-back terror strikes followed in which two terrorists were eliminated and one CRPF jawan made the supreme sacrifice in the Hiranagar encounter.

Six soldiers were injured in the exchange of firing in the Chatergala area of Doda earlier this month.

Speaking on the emerging threats of drug trafficking, cybercrime and radicalization, he emphasized the need to ensure a high level of motivation and professionalism in the police to keep a step ahead of the adversaries.

I have great faith in the Jammu and Kashmir Police, army and our security agencies. They are not only responsive to the safety and urgent needs of citizens but also effectively tackling terrorism in cyberspace, Sinha said.

Director General of Police RR Swain also extended his wishes to the recruits and asked them to work honestly and dedicate themselves to the people's service.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday attacked the Narendra Modi government over the alleged irregularities in national competitive exams, including the NEET-UG, alleging that it has handed over the entire education system to the "mafia" and the "corrupt".

Her reaction came a day after the Union education ministry set up a panel to review the functioning of the National Testing Agency (NTA) -- the body responsible for conducting the tests -- and recommend exam reforms.

The Centre on Saturday also shunted out the agency's Director General Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into the irregularities in medical entrance exam NEET-UG to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

In a post on X, Priyanka Gandhi said the NEET-UG question paper was "leaked" while the NEET-PG, UGC-NET and CSIR-NET exams were "cancelled".

"This is the condition of some of the biggest examinations in the country today. Under the BJP's rule, the entire education system has been handed over to the mafia and the corrupt," the Congress leader said in her post in Hindi.

"The political stubbornness and arrogance of handing over the country's education and the future of children to greedy and sycophantic incompetent people has made paper leaks, cancellation of exams, disappearance of education from campuses and political hooliganism the identity of our education system," she said.

The situation has become such that the BJP government cannot even conduct one examination in a fair manner, Priyanka Gandhi alleged.

"Today, the BJP government has become the single biggest hurdle for the future of the youth. The capable youth of the country are wasting their precious time and energy in fighting the corruption of the BJP and the helpless Modi ji is just being a spectator," she said.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-PG, conducted for admission to postgraduate medical courses, was scheduled to be held on June 23 but was postponed as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of recent allegations on the integrity of some competitive exams, including the NEET-Undergraduate (UG).

The NTA on Friday announced the postponement of the June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-NET), citing unavoidable circumstances and logistic issues.

It came two days after the agency cancelled the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) within 24 hours of its conduct saying the integrity of the exam had been compromised, and a massive row on NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court.
The cybersecurity firm Kaspersky denied on Friday that it is a security threat after the US Commerce Department banned the use of its software in the United States. The Moscow-based company  whose CEO Eugene Kaspersky is Russian  said in a statement that the Commerce Departments decision would not affect its ability to sell and promote its cyber security products and training in the US. Kaspersky said the government had based its decision on the geopolitical climate and theoretical concerns rather than independently verifying if there was a risk.

The government says Kasperskys Russian connections mean the company poses an undue or unacceptable risk to US national security or the safety and security.

The company conducts much of its business in Russia and, as a Russian citizen who lives in that country, Eugene Kaspersky himself is subject to Russian law, the Commerce Department said in a decision dated June 14 that was posted on the Federal Register.

The department said it had considered Kasperskys objections to the initial findings of its investigation into whether its products or services posed a threat and found that the decision to ban its software was well supported. Aside from the companys obligation to abide by Russian laws and decisions, its software can be exploited to identify sensitive US citizens data and make it available to Russian government actors, the department said. The risks to US national security addressed in this Final Determination stem not from whether Kasperskys products are effective at identifying viruses and other malware, but whether they can be used strategically to cause harm to the United States, it said.

Kaspersky boasts one of the worlds most popular consumer antivirus products and a research unit widely respected for routinely exposing elite hacking groups.

In 2019, The Associated Press found that an undercover operative had targeted several cybersecurity experts in an apparent effort to gather intelligence about critics of Kaspersky.

The company says it cannot deliberately obtain sensitive data on Americans and that its operations and employees in Russia can only access aggregate or statistical data not attributable to a specific person.

It said the main impact of the US governments decision would be to benefit cybercrime, while also diminishing the freedom of consumers and organisations to choose the cyber protection they want.

We look forward to what the future holds, and will continue to defend ourselves against actions that seek to unfairly harm our reputation and commercial interests, it said.
Maureen Dowd in The New York Times:

Dont mellow my harsh, dude.

I was coming to talk to Sean Penn, the notorious Hollywood hothead who helped launch the word dude into the American bloodstream when he played stoner surfer Jeff Spicoli in the 1982 classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High. I was nervous because the Times photographer was already inside the Spanish-style ranch house with Penn, who has a history of throwing punches at paparazzi. I hurried past Penns three surfboards and silver Airstream in the front yard, half expecting to see the un-pacific denizen of the Pacific Coast wrestling on the floor with the photographer. Nah. Penn, in dark T-shirt, Columbia utility pants and sneakers, was charming, trailed by his adoring dogs, a golden retriever and a German shepherd rescue puppy. When I joked that I was relieved to see him treating the photographer sweetly, he laughed. When I did my 23andMe, he said, I thought I might be part Hopi because they dont like to be photographed.

Penn, a lifelong Malibu resident, pointed in the direction of his old grade school in the days of a more rural Malibu. He said he gets up at 5:30 a.m. and goes, barefoot, out to his wood shop. I even forget to smoke for five hours. As it turns out, Penn has finally mellowed.

At 63, the weathered, tattooed rebel with many causes is a certified humanitarian  riding the crest into dangerous crises around the globe and saving lives in New Orleans and Haiti after disasters  and a crusading documentarian. He started out making the documentary Superpower, thinking it would be a story of how Volodymyr Zelensky, a comedian, ascended to Ukraines presidency. But then Vladimir Putin pounced.

More here.
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You are here: China

Rescuers work in Sishui Town of Pingyuan County, south China's Guangdong Province, June 20, 2024. [Photo/Xinhua]

The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters dispatched a working team to flood-hit Hunan Province to provide disaster relief instructions, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Saturday.

Meanwhile, the headquarters maintained a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing and Guizhou.

The Ministry of Emergency Management urged efforts to promptly restore the roads damaged by flooding and make proper arrangements for resettling those affected by the disaster.

The ministry also asked local authorities to take precautions against potential flash floods and geological disasters caused by intense rainfall.
PICTURED ABOVE: Left to right, Mary Hurley, Department of Rural and Community Development (ROI), John Smith, Department of Communities (NI) William Ferguson, Derry City & Strabane Council, Seamus Cradden, Derry City & Strabane Council, Benny Barbour, Derry City & Strabane Council, Doreen Muskett, MBE, Northern Ireland Amenity Council.

The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Councillor Lilian Barr has congratulated Derry on scooping the title of Best Kept Large Urban Centre at the 2024 Irelands Best Kept Town Awards.

This is the first time Derry has taken the accolade and Mayor Barr paid tribute to all those who work so hard to keep the city at its best.

She said, This is a huge honour for Derry. I know countless people in our Grounds Maintenance and Street Cleaning teams work every day to keep our city looking so well. Keeping rubbish under control, tending to the flower displays and making sure our public facilities are clean and fit for purpose. This award is testament to all these people, and they should be very proud of the work they do. Derry is looking amazing.

The awards ceremony took place at Riddel Hall in Belfast on the 18th June 2024 and featured towns and cities from across the island of Ireland.

The annual celebration, which has been running since 1995 is part of the Tidy Towns and Best Kept initiative which recognises towns and villages across Ireland which consistently take pride in their surroundings, be it through enhancing their natural environment with flowers and foliage, maintaining the outward appearance of buildings and public facilities, or general cleanliness.

Doreen Muskett, MBE Chair of the Northern Ireland Amenity Council added, The competition is designed to reward those who take great pride in their communities and those who work tirelessly to make their surroundings a nice place to work, live and play in.

My sincere congratulations to all of this years awards recipients. The panel of esteemed judges from all over Ireland had a very difficult task in comparing and selecting the eventual winners, which is a testament to the stunning towns and villages that we are lucky enough to have here in Northern Ireland.

Other winners in Northern Ireland included Randalstown, Co Antrim, which not only earned the title of Best Kept Small Town but also the overall accolade of Irelands Best Kept Town. Meanwhile Malin in Co Donegal and Roscommon were also category winners as Best Kept Village and Best Kept Large Town respectively.

The event was also attended by Mary Hurley, Secretary General for Rural and Community Development (ROI), she said The all-island Best Kept Town competition is a great example of a positive cross-border initiative that recognises the community spirit and pride people have which brings great benefits to so many of our communities.

I wish to offer my warmest congratulations to all of this years winners as well as to all the nominees. It is inspiring to see the efforts made by all of the volunteers and local communities in the Supervalu TidyTowns competition and the Best Kept competition in Northern Ireland.
An innovative local initiative aimed at connecting older people on the train, has been recognised as a model of best practice by the Centre for Aging Better.

The Chat-Tea Train initiative, which started in October 2023, was led by Shona McEleney, a Social Work Assistant based at Glendermott Medical Practice. The Initiative, delivered by The Western Health and Social Care Trust (Western Trust) in partnership with the Derry GP Federation, saw over-60s taking the unique rail journey as part of Positive Ageing Month.

This week, Shona represented Derry and Strabane on the Centre for Ageing Better UK Wide Peer Call for Age Friendly Work.

The Peer Call is part of the Centre for Ageing Better UK Network, a charitable foundation funded by The National Lottery Community Fund and part of the UK Governments What Works Network, which aims to improve the design and delivery of public services.

Over 40 various Age Friendly cities and communities representatives from across the four nations attended the presentation, showcasing and recognising the achievements of Chat-Tea Train in the North West.

Pauline ONeill, Age Friendly Co-ordinator for Derry City and Strabane District Council, explained more: Locally we have many key partners from the community and voluntary sector as well as statutory partners, continuously delivering services to help build an Age-friendly movement and creating Age-friendly opportunities for this region to be a place to better place to age well within.

This was a great achievement for Shona and the Chat-Tea Train to be showcased through the Centre for Ageing Better UK Network and this model has been an interesting insight for many Age Friendly Communities across the UK to learn more.

The Centre for Ageing Better are pioneering ways to make ageing better a reality for everyone. They aim to inspire and inform those in power to tackle the inequalities faces by older people, as well as call out and challenge ageism in all its forms.

Speaking about her involvement in the project, Shona McEleney said: I am honoured and delighted to represent Derry and Strabane on the Centre for Ageing Better UK Wide Peer Call for Age Friendly Work. The Chat-Tea Train has been a hugely successful initiative which keeps getting bigger and better.

"The aim of these events is to help combat loneliness and isolation for our older people. There has been minimal cost as people who attend can make use of their Translink Smart Pass.

The feedback has been incredibly positive, and the wonderful stories of new friendships and connections made is truly humbling. We hope this initiative will continue to grow and benefit people in the North West for years to come.

"We are very grateful for the support of Derry City and Strabane Council and in particular Mark Montgomery from the North West Transport Hub who has been instrumental in the success of our Chat-Tea Train events. We look forward to welcoming passengers on board future Chat-Tea Trains.

It is envisaged another Chat-Tea Train will take place again in October 2024 for Positive Aging Month and this will be communicated through GP Practices closer to the time.
A Louth-based car dealer, Ali Fawad, and his former employer, Greenhill Motors of Boyne Business Park in Drogheda, have been convicted of knowingly selling a dangerous car without telling the consumer of the issues.

Mr Fawad was sentenced to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months, by Judge Eirinn McKiernan at Drogheda District Court on 18 June. The Judge fined Greenhill Motors 4,000 and ordered the company to pay legal costs of 4,500 plus VAT to the CCPC.

Commenting, Patrick Kenny, Member of the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission said,

It is illegal for a trader to mislead a consumer as to the condition of a car. This is compounded in this case as the trader also knew the car to be unroadworthy. This put the consumer, their family and other road users in danger.

"When buying a car, consumers should be able to rely on accurate information from car dealers on a cars history, condition and roadworthiness. The CCPC is and will continue to be very active in this sector. We encourage any consumer who believes that they have been misled by a motor trader, or indeed any trader, to contact us.

The CCPC prosecuted Mr Fawad and Greenhill Motors following an investigation which established that a car had been bought at auction. The dealer sold the car to a consumer who returned the car for a refund after a mechanic established it had serious mechanical issues. The dealer then sold the car to a second consumer who also experienced serious issues.

After paying an independent engineer to assess the car, the second consumer returned the car to Greenhill Motors and secured a full refund.

It is illegal for traders to give false or misleading information about the history of a car. Unless otherwise stated, a motor trader should take all reasonable steps to ensure a car is safe and roadworthy, including completing a car history check, before making a car available for sale.

While the law sets out the rules for traders, consumers should also take a proactive approach when buying a car and use the CCPCs online information and checklist to ensure they are getting what they pay for. Consumers who believe they have been misled by a trader can make a report to the CCPC helpline on 01-402 5555 or use the online contact form on CCPC.ie.

The case concerned the initial sale of a 2012 Mazda 6 from Greenhill Motors in August 2021. The vehicle had been purchased by Greenhill Motors at an auction in July 2021.

Following persistent problems, the consumer brought the car to a mechanic who said the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) was missing. He returned the vehicle and received a full refund.

In November 2021, another consumer purchased the same car from Greenhill Motors, having seen the car advertised on Donedeal.ie. This consumer bought the car following assurances that the car was in perfect condition, that it had not been a taxi and, that it had not been crashed.

About two weeks later, the consumer took the car to a mechanic who advised him that the car would not pass an NCT. After contacting Mr Fawad and paying an independent engineer to assess the car, the car was returned to Greenhill Motors and a full refund was secured.

At an inspection by the CCPC, Mr. Fawad responded to a series of questions and was subsequently interviewed under caution. He denied knowledge of the missing DPF and the deficiencies with the vehicle.

The CCPC alleged that Mr Fawad and Greenhill Motors had misled or deceived the consumer in relation to the risks presented by mechanical deficiencies relating to the car and the requirement to replace the DPF in breach of section 43 of the Consumer Protection Act 2007. Further summonses alleged that Mr Fawad and Greenhill Motors had sold a dangerous car contrary to Regulation 7(3) of the European Communities (General Product Safety) Regulations 2004.

Handing down the sentences, Judge Eirinn McKiernan underscored the dangers of selling defective vehicles and found that Mr. Fawad and Greenhill Motors did not act with the care and diligence required when selling the vehicle.

Greenhill Motors did not attend court.
The median house price for houses sold with the Dundalk Eircode A91 in April 2024 was 270,000, according to figures released by the CSO (Central Statistics Office), an increase of 5000 on the previous month.

Of the 47 houses sold in Dundalk in April, 18 were to first time buyer owner-occupiers; 25 to former owner-occupiers and 4 were to non occupiers.

Thirty-nine of these houses were existing builds while eight were new homes.

The median price of the new houses sold was 357,500 and the median price of existing houses sold in April was 260,000.

In Drogheda, the median price of residential properties sold in A92: Drogheda in April 2024, was 338,356.

Twenty-two of the houses sold were new houses and thirty-four were existing. The median price for the new houses sold was 375,000 while for existing houses it was 265,000.

Nationally, the national Residential Property Price Index (RPPI) increased by 7.9% in the 12 months to April 2024, with prices in Dublin rising by 8.3% and prices outside Dublin up by 7.6%.

In April 2024, 3,572 dwelling purchases by households at market prices were filed with the Revenue Commissioners, up by 9.5% when compared with the 3,262 purchases in April 2023.

The median price of a dwelling purchased in the 12 months to April 2024 was 335,000.

The lowest median price for a dwelling in the 12 months to April 2024 was 169,000 in Longford, while the highest median price was 624,999 in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown.

Commenting on the release, Niall Corkery, Statistician in the Prices Division, said:

Residential property prices rose by 7.9% in the 12 months to April 2024, up from 7.4% in the year to March 2024.

In Dublin, residential property prices saw an increase of 8.3%, while property prices outside Dublin were 7.6% higher in April 2024 when compared with a year earlier.
Clogherhead RNLI volunteers were called upon to assist the crew of a vessel which had become disabled off the north east coast near Clogherhead on Sunday.

The Irish Coast Guard requested that Clogherhead RNLI volunteers launch the Shannon class all-weather lifeboat at approximately 4.30pm to come to the aid of the crew on a vessel that had become disabled off the coast of Clogherhead.

Weather conditions were favourable at the time with calm seas and good visibility. It took seven minutes from launching on the beach for the lifeboat to reach the scene where the disabled vessel was. It had already been secured by tow to another vessel when they arrived.

Clogherhead RNLI was requested to accompany both vessels to the security of nearby Port Oriel Harbour, Clogherhead as a precaution which the crew duly did.

Speaking following the call out, Clogherhead RNLI Coxswain Gerald Sharkey said: "The vessels owners were correct to alert the Coast Guard when the boat became disabled.

"Situations like this can escalate very quickly. Happily, on this occasion, with the help of Clogherhead Coast Guard and the towing vessel, danger was averted and there was a safe and secure outcome for all concerned."
Independent Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick has hit out at the lack of available dental services in Louth saying that it is having a detrimental effect on local children.

Speaking in the Dail, Deputy Fitzpatrick said that he had lost count of the number of times he has heard of people going to Newry in the North or even abroad for dental treatment due to the cost and lack of availability.

He detailed the case of one of his constituents whose daughter got braces two years ago publicly through the HSE.

The orthodontist who was providing her with dental care quit in February and the child has gone from being seen every seven weeks to not being seen for the past four months, forcing her to look after her braces herself.

The mother inquired about the situation last week and was told there was nothing in the pipeline as regards interviews or potential replacements for the orthodontist in Louth, and even if one were appointed today, her daughter would not be seen for more than six months, according to Deputy Fitzpatrick.

At best, this child would be seen at the end of the year. Going private is not an option, as private orthodontists are either too busy or not taking referrals. This is one of many stories I have heard concerning children, he said.

He further said that he had been contacted by numerous concerned constituents who have been refused dental care at their regular practices due to their medical card status.

Constituents who are on the adult oral surgery list or who have a child on the paediatric special care waiting list have also come to my clinic, having waited an extraordinary length of time for their essential medical treatment.

Some children who should have been seen by HSE dental care services three times before the age of 12 years are only being seen by dentists for the first time when they are well into secondary school.

To put it in context, children are not being seen for the first of their three dental checks until they are 15 or 16 years of age. In parts of the country, there is a backlog of almost ten years in accessing the HSEs school dental screening services.

Due to the effective collapse of the dental treatment services scheme, oral diseases are becoming more common. As they share common risk factors with chronic diseases like heart disease, obesity and diabetes, this highlights the potential dangers to which delayed dental care can lead.

He went on to explain that although the Minister for Health approved new measures to provide expanded dental care services for medical card holders under the dental treatment scheme in April 2022, the Irish Dental Association has stated that many dentists have withdrawn from the scheme and that it is not fit for purpose, meaning that access to dental care is scarce despite having a medical card. The number of dentists providing treatment to medical card holders has more than halved.

He urged the Minister for Health and the HSE to urgently engage the providers and their representative bodies on putting an effective plan and resources in place, to ensure that the people of Louth and east Meath have timely and effective access to essential dental treatment.

Addressing the concerns raised by the Louth TD, Helen McEntee said that the area has received significant investment in recent years, with more than 200 million allocated every year for oral healthcare.

She claimed that last year, more than 154,000 additional treatments were provided under the dental treatment services scheme, with over 26,700 extra patients, compared with the year prior and that in 2022, the dental treatment services scheme was enhanced to reintroduce elements of preventative care.

She further stated that the Minister for Health is working to ensure that we can address any further backlogs as they arise.

Regarding the current scheme, the Minister has increased the fees that are paid to contractors for most treatments by between 40% and 60%. They are now aligned with other European countries. Many countries, especially in Europes southern and eastern regions, do not have such a scheme, particularly for adults, that is free at point of access.

There are particular challenges in Louth, especially as regards orthodontic care. Work is being done to try to address those challenges. Where orthodontist positions have not been filled locally, the HSE is seeking other orthodontists within the CHO 8 area to take on patients where there is space within their practices.

This has had a positive impact on reducing the waiting lists. There are full-time positions being sought, but other methods of recruitment are also underway, which will take a little longer. Every effort is being made to try to address what is probably one of the greatest challenges in Louth in terms of orthodontic care for young people and adults.

In reply Deputy Fitzpatrick asked the Minister to liaise with the Minister for Health to ensure the recruitment of an orthodontist in Louth as soon as possible while also ensuring adequate access to and funding of dental and aftercare services for children and medical card holders.

Minister McEntee said that the government was investing to tackle waiting lists and improve capacity, adding:

The Minister is working on an implementation plan for 2024 to 2026. It is being drafted by the Department of Health with the HSE and will be open for consultation and publication in quarter 3 of this year. Once it is published, I assume it will be supported by further budgetary measures to try to address backlogs and fill critical positions.
Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) was part of the multi-institutional team that recently received a HEA and National Forum award for Disciplinary Excellence in Learning, Teaching and Assessment (DELTA) as part of their collaboration on the Human Capital Initiative funded Virtual Labs project.

This award follows recent success at the 2024 Education Awards, where the consortium was recognised as the Best Collaboration Project. Dr Ronan Bree and Dr Bernard Drumm, both from the School of Health & Science, represented DkIT and the wider project team on the DELTA panel evaluation and both recently collected the awards along with members from across the consortium.

While Ben and Ronan have been involved as Academic Leads for the project in Dundalk, they are keen to recognise and acknowledge the wider group of local stakeholders who have been central to this success.

The Virtual Labs project focuses on creating a lab-based curriculum that develops transversal skills and is informed by feedback from a broad spectrum of stakeholders including students, staff, and robust partnerships with international edtech firms and regional enterprises from critical sectors such as Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical.

The teams work is designed to meet the demands of modern students embarking on a future career in STEM and enhancing engagement across various educational levels including level 7, 8, and level 9 programmes. The projects aim is to impact on students experience of science practical learning and has seen significant results. It has brought innovation and transversal skill development to the fore whilst working closely with enterprise partners.

Dr Bernard Drumm notes: The primary focus of our DkIT team and wider partners in this innovative project has always been on student needs. We wanted to explore how virtual laboratories, digital transformation and online learning could be used not only to implement new educational technologies, but to tangibly affect student engagement, learning, and employability. This DELTA award is a recognition of our student-centred, team-driven project in Dundalk and across our wider consortium, and we look forward to carrying this forward to future cohorts of DkIT learners"

Initiated in 2020, the project is a collaborative initiative among five higher education institutions  including Maynooth University (Lead), Technological University of the Shannon, Dublin City University, University College Cork along with DkIT. Receiving these national and high-profile awards recognise this projects significant contributions to the bio/chemical sciences education aimed at enhancing blended teaching and learning experiences and is funded through the Higher Education Authoritys HCI Pillar 3 programme.

Dr Ronan Bree was keen to highlight the wider teams input Credit to all the institutional teams and the core DkIT academic team Bernard and I are fortunate to be part of  which includes Dr Sinead Loughran, Dr Caoimhin Griffin and Dr Bridget Kelly - as well as our students, colleagues, and enterprise partners. These recent achievements have been years in the making, representing a wonderful team success for everyone associated with the project.

"They symbolise a strong example of teamwork in action, involving many functional across the colleges including academic, learning and teaching, finance, technical, IT, admin, marketing and senior management. This collaborative mindset across the partnership, combined with support from the HCI programme, has truly enabled the impactful success to date.
Justine McGuirk has been selected as the 2024 Louth Rose following a selection process that took place on Saturday, June 15th at The Gateway Hotel, Dundalk.

The event saw nine local entrants from Drogheda, Ardee, Collon, and Dundalk participate for the coveted title. The day was filled with plenty of fun with individual interviews in the morning, group interviews in the afternoon, and culminated in live stage interviews that evening.

The judging panel on the day consisted of Mark Irwin 2013 Internation Rose of Tralee Escort, Karol Ann Kenna 2008 Louth Rose and Natalie Kelly founder of the Drogheda Dolls.

Hosted by Ollie Turner from Galway Bay FM, the night was a spectacular celebration of local talent and community spirit. The event was supported by Cathal on sound and light, stunning floral arrangements from Blooms Florist Dundalk, makeup on the night was by Emily from EOB Make Up, hair styling by Clodaghs Hair & Beauty, and the whole night was captured by the amazing photographers Robert and Ross from Sky Lark Fotos.

The audience enjoyed a wonderful evening showcasing these incredible women of Louth and the passion and pride they have for their communities. Fun was had by all with plenty of great prizes for the best banners, Best Dressed Lady on the night Fiona Doyle and Best Dressed Gent James McMahon.

Justine McGuirk, a resident of Ardee originally from the vibrant town of Drogheda is a proud graduate of DKIT with a Bachelor's (Hons) in Health and Physical Education. During her studies, Justine discovered her passion for working with people with disabilities and has since been a dedicated advocate for their rights and abilities. She currently works as a day service supervisor, creating meaningful activities for those she supports.

In addition to her professional achievements, Justine is an active member of the Voices of the Boyne Choir, a social choir that celebrates the incredible talents of women across Louth.

Justine's positive and bubbly personality, coupled with her commitment to making a difference, perfectly embodies the spirit of the Rose of Tralee. Sponsored by Voices of the Boyne and Illuminated Skin, Ardee, she will represent Louth at the International Rose of Tralee Festival in Kerry from August 16th to 20th. Along with her fellow 2024 Roses, Justine will embark on a tour across Ireland, visiting various counties and attractions before arriving to Tralee.

Justine reflected on the past few days: I am truly overwhelmed by the outpouring of support I've received since being selected to represent Louth at this year's Rose of Tralee festival. The encouragement and kindness from my friends, family, and community have been incredibly heartwarming.

"I am filled with gratitude and excitement as I look forward to this amazing journey. Every moment of the selection process has been a joy, and that's thanks to the amazing Louth Centre Coordinator Clodagh, Emma Barry the 2022 Louth Rose, and the eight other incredible ladies who were up for selection. I am privileged to have been selected to represent us as a group and I hope to make you all proud.

The selection night also featured a charity raffle that raised nearly 1,000 for local charities chosen by the Rose entrants. The proceeds will benefit Drogheda Dolls House, Northeast Cancer Research & Education Trust, Maria Goretti Childrens Respite Centre, and Drogheda Womens and Childrens Refuge.

If you or your business would like to support Justine on her journey as the Louth Rose or should you wish to invite her to attend an event, please contact Clodagh Murray at the Louth Rose Centre by email at louthrosecentre@roseoftralee.ie or via the official Louth Rose social media pages.
The Townhouse invited local publicans, restaurants, suppliers, local businesses and chamber reps to the award-winning restaurant last Friday to hear all about their chef John Kenwright's efforts to represent Ireland in the World Paella Day Competition.

World Paella Day Competition 2024 invites chefs from around the world to enter the competition with their take on the traditional Valencian Paella dish.

Johns initial entry was a video explaining his credentials for representing Ireland on a global stage. This video has got him to the second from last stage and now as the only Irish chef to reach this stage he needs the town of Dundalk and the country of Ireland to get behind him and vote via social media.

John has been a passionate chef for over 20 years and has been fortunate enough to be able to open a restaurant in his home town of Dundalk five years ago.

John said he is committed to creating an accessible menu that showcases the wealth of local products on our doorstep. Hes forged great relationships with local suppliers in order to bring the freshest, most affordable products to his customers. He has a particular interest in Mediterranean flavours and this is reflected in his seasonal dishes on the menu.

And on Friday night local publicans, restaurants, suppliers, local businesses and chamber reps came together at the Townhouse to show their support for the award-winning chef in the World Paella Day Competition 2024.

We gave everyone a taste of just one of John's paella recipes that will feature on our special boards throughout summer.

There was a great buzz and enthusiasm from those who attended and all left with full bellys ready to spread to get behind

John in the voting, our only Irish representative and one of our own from dtown

Voting takes only a few minutes by clicking on the link on the Townhouse's social media stories @townhousedundalk, or you can find John's video on the World Paella Day Competition website and please dont forget to verify your email address.
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A SCULPTURE of a stone circle has been unveiled in one of the final acts of former lord mayor Kieran McCarthys time in office.

The circle is situated in the Peace Park on the South Mall and has been created as part of a collaboration between sculptor Tommy Lysaght and members of Cork Simon Community and Headway Ireland.

Former Lord Mayor Kieran McCarthy and former Lady Mayoress Marcelline Bonneau pictured with Headway and Simon Community volunteers Troy and Margaritte and Project Facilitator Tommy Lysaght at the official unveiling of 'Scenius' at the Peace Park in South Mall. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Mr Lysaght told The Echo the project, Scenius, had been about inclusion, connection, and community.

The word community comes from the Latin communitas, meaning public spirt, and that is what we were hoping to achieve with the work we did to create this stone circle.

I acquired the stones from the most westerly quarry in Europe, on Valentia Island, and one went to Simon House on the Victoria Rd, one went to Headway, which helps people with acquired brain injuries, on the Carrigrohane Rd, and one went to my studio in Crosshaven, he said.

Mr Lysaght explained that each stone bears different designs, with the Headway stone featuring zig-zag lines, representing the river and the sea, and facing the Lee, while the Simon stone features Ogham lettering meaning siochain, or peace, and facing down the South Mall.

The sculptor said his own stone features concentric circles, which were inspired by the ripple effect and represent the individual, the family, the community, and the country.

He said he had been involved in workshops at Simon and Headway and that both organisations did important work helping people who had survived acquired brain injuries.

There were 40 or 50 people involved in the project in total, with 12 people involved in carving the stones.

This project was funded by Cork City Councils placemaking fund, and the lord mayor very kindly facilitated its opening, Mr Lysaght said.

Mr McCarthy said the project had been a tremendous collaboration.

Its clearly been a labour of love by all involved, from sourcing the stones in Kerry, to bringing them here, preparing them, and erecting them.

Volunteers from Headway and Simon Community celebrate with Project Facilitator Tommy Lysaght in the unveiling of the three stone sculptures entitled 'Scenius' with Lord Mayor Kieran McCarthy at the Peace Park in South Mall. Picture: Howard Crowdy

There are multiple meanings attached to this sculpture and its a very significant addition to this historic corner of our city, Mr McCarthy said.

He said the unveiling had been one of three final acts in his lord mayoralty, all of them quite emotional.
SOCIAL DEMOCRAT councillor for East Cork Liam Quaide has expressed concern over issues around Owenacurra, a mental health centre in Midleton, which closed more than three years ago.

Mr Quaide and Neasa Hourigan, Green Party TD for Dublin Central met the recently-appointed HSE regional executive officer for the South West, Dr Andy Phillips.

They raised concerns about delays in the time-frame for commencement of a new build, 10-bedroom service on the grounds, which was moved from Q1 to Q4 of this year, and the lack of any interim provision for the broader client cohort in East Cork, beyond the six residents who have been accommodated locally.

A HSE spokesperson told The Echo the delay in commencing the new build was primarily caused by the fact that the facility had to be redesigned, due to the major flooding event which occurred in Midleton in October 2023.

The HSE is working through the updated design process so as to deliver the 10-bed, purpose-built facility which will include flood protection elements such as raised floor levels.

Mr Quaide and Ms Hourigan also highlighted the fact that repeated parliamentary questions are not being answered on where people with residential mental health needs from East Cork are being placed since the closure.

Mr Quaide said: This is key information relating to the fallout of the Owenacurra Centre closure and to the HSEs failure to provide a local interim replacement plan at the time or since.

He also raised ethical concerns about the transfer of residents to ward-based facilities.

Mr Quaide said that these were objectively inferior in respect of location, room occupancy, and Mental Health Commission compliance ratings, adding that these concerns were shared by a committee of the HSE board at a meeting in February 2023. He said residents who had strong family representation were able to stay in Midleton and are being accommodated locally, while other residents had concerning outcomes.

There is therefore an ethical concern, with information about ongoing placement of East Cork service-users being repeatedly withheld by the HSE in responses to parliamentary questions.

The HSE said: We make every effort to respond to all such questions from TDs and senators in a timely and comprehensive way.

We are very aware of our legislative obligations, and committed not just to meeting these obligations, but also to being open and transparent and we take our responsibilities to engage fully and openly with elected representatives very seriously.

As a general point, were not in a position to provide details about the treatment or placement of individual patients, particularly when patients could be identifiable.
IRELAND has literally the best offshore wind opportunities on the planet, according to a senior manager at a Cork company that is leading the way in renewable energy.

Cobh native Cormac Gebruers went to sea when he was a teenager, joining the merchant navy at 17, and he later served as head of college at the National Maritime College of Ireland.

Last year, he was appointed group external affairs manager at DP Energy, a Cork company that specialises in renewable energy and sustainable development.

Founded in Buttevant and headquartered on Horgans Quay, DP Energy has 30 years experience in the development, construction, and operation of renewable-energy assets and the company has developed over 1GW (gigawatt) of energy projects, the majority already built and operational. The company is led by mother-and-son co-founders, Maureen and Simon De Pietro.

DP Energy employs 60 people, 40 of them in Cork, and has an immediate pipeline of 7GW of both on- and off-shore wind and solar energy projects across Ireland, the UK, Australia, and Canada.

Mr Gebruers told The Echo that Irelands offshore energy potential is a gamechanger and will benefit the country as a whole, and our coastal communities in particular.

Ireland has been well ahead of the curve with onshore wind, initially, and there have been periods, recently, where about 40% of our total electricity generated has been from green energy, which is an amazing number.

We have been late coming to offshore wind, for two reasons, the first perhaps being sea blindness, where, despite it being an island, Ireland has not had a great history as a maritime nation.

I think, for that reason, we were slow to recognise the resource that is our maritime, generally, and, secondly, our planning systems are not good, particularly around building large infrastructure. Now, were not alone in that, but I think we are in a more difficult place than some countries, in terms of getting bigger national infrastructure projects built, and thats a serious national conversation I, personally, think needs to happen.

Despite that, Irelands renewable energy opportunities are second to none, he says.

We have, literally, the best offshore wind opportunities on the planet, ourselves and Scotland, because of where we are, on the eastern shores of the north Atlantic Ocean.

The recoverable energy that we can extract from offshore wind in Ireland is just huge. Government has a target to be generating about 37GW from Irish offshore wind by mid-century.

That is a gamechanger, because Europe is desperate for clean energy and we have way more than we will need. At the moment, Irish electricity use peaks around 6GW, and once we electrify everything, itll be around 12GW, and the Irish government has recently released an industrial strategy around offshore wind, which is basically how Ireland will benefit economically from this huge resource we have.

Mr Gebruers said offshore energy generation gives Ireland an opportunity to secure its economic future for good and for ever, and as someone who grew up in Cobh, he believes that offshore energy can be the saving of Irelands coastal communities.

Its going to revitalise offshore communities in a way that nothing else could. Its a huge opportunity, because its very serious money, and that money will go into our coastal communities. It can be a win-win. Its going to involve change, but change is coming one way or the other; climate change is on top of us. Ask the poor unfortunate people in Midleton.

Change is coming because of climate change, but this is a huge opportunity for Ireland, he said.
MANY homes around Cork Harbour have received a letter from An Bord Pleanala, indicating that the planning dispute which has been the battle of Cork Harbour for 23 years is entering a new phase.

Kevin McGettigan, executive officer at An Bord Pleanala, wrote to them regarding the proposed development of a resource recovery centre, including waste-to-energy facility at Ringaskiddy. This is the Indaver incinerator proposal, which is at the centre of what, most probably, is the longest-running planning controversy in the State.

In May 2001, Indaver announced its intention to build incineration facilities at Ringaskiddy in Cork Harbour. The description incinerator is widely used by the public.

CHASE (the Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment) has led legal and public opposition for over a fifth of a century. Its chairperson, Mary OLeary, told me: The letter that the community has received is the same letter as CHASE got in January 2024. It is simply Bord Pleanala fulfilling their obligations to inform the public that the case has been sent back to the Board by the High Court. We will have to await instruction from ABP as to what happens next.

Indavers application was so seriously flawed and in breach of National Planning Law and EU Directives, that we hope ABP will refuse planning permission, as recommended by the inspector following the oral hearing.

Indaver NV, trading as Indaver Ireland, headquartered in Belgium, with bases in Cork and Meath, said that it looks forward to actively engaging with Bord Pleanala during the next phase of the planning process for our Ringaskiddy Resource Recovery Facility.

On this latest development, An Bord Pleanala said: Given the passage of time, the applicant has been required to furnish further information in relation to effects on the environment of the proposed development.

The holding of an oral hearing will be at the discretion of the Board and will depend on applicants response to the further information request.

Checking the history of this long-running saga, I found in the Cork Open Research Archives a paper dating from January 2008: Learning Lessons from the Ringaskiddy Incineration Story, authored by Aodh Quinlivan and Timothy J McCarthy.

It summarised the situation after then six years of opposition: The unfortunate legacy is that the process  which began in Cork County Council and which will ultimately end in the courts  has, from a public participation perspective, failed to create trust, credibility and legitimacy. This realisation is exacerbated by a fragmented approach by the public bodies involved and a lack of co-ordination or joined-up thinking between them. Where you have fragmented responsibility you have no responsibility.

Comments of some politicians, still in office, then challenging community concern raise focus on what responsibility means!

Reaction of harbour residents to the latest development indicates battle positions being taken up again.

THE BEAUTY OF TRADITION

Cork Harbour was resplendent on Sunday with the sight of sail, from Optimist dinghies sailed by youngsters to traditional vessels, crewed by sailors of all ages in Crosshaven Traditional Sail.

The beauty of traditional boats in Cork Harbour. Picture: Bob Bateman

The weather was glorious after a disappointing cancellation on Saturday due to conditions unsuitable for sailing.

I met the crew of Barnabas from the Cornish Maritime Trust, the oldest boat, of 142 years after its voyage from Cornwall to Scotland, via Wales, to Cork to link the Celtic heartlands.

Barnabas from St Ives in Cornwall sailing in the Crosshaven Traditional Sail. Picture: Bob Bateman

They were delighted with the welcome they got in Crosshaven and won the trophy for the longest journey to the event.

En route, they encountered rough conditions for a while, but this great old boat, the only one of its kind from a Cornish fleet that once numbered a thousand, weathered them and arrived safely to make a great sight as she sailed in Cork Harbour.

DANGERS OF SAILING

Sailing is a great sport, for all ages, but an aspect emphasised by a Marine Casualty Investigation Board report in the past week repeats concern it has expressed previously about safety issues associated with watersports.

This investigation is into the grounding of the racing yacht, Jelly Baby, on Bull Rock at Weavers Point in the entrance to Cork Harbour on Sunday, October 24, 2021, during the RCYCs Autumn League.

It is 164-pages detailing how the incident developed from a problem encountered in sail handling while rounding a race mark. There were nine aboard, two jumped off into the water and were rescued.

The others got off after the yacht grounded. There were no injuries.

The boat was refloated, but declared a total loss by insurers. MCIB says it now sails on Belfast Lough.

The report refers to yacht racing as a dangerous leisure time activity and has made several recommendations to the Minister for Transport, the national sailing organisation and the RCYC about safety training for yacht crews.

The national organisation, Irish Sailing, has told the MCIB it will act on them because they have general wide application and potential lessons for other clubs, training centres, national and regional racing organisations throughout the country.

My PODCAST: tommacsweeneymaritimepodcast.ie

Email: tommacsweeneymarine@gmail.com

Read More Volunteers collect 66kg of litter at Cork beach clean-up
THE Justice Minister has said she would like more gardai in Cork, confirming a decrease in the number assigned to the county as of April of this year, compared to May of last year.

During a recent Dail exchange, Fianna Fail TD for Cork North West Aindrias Moynihan asked the minister about the number of gardai available to police Cork city and county, and whether this figure is adequate.

In response, Ms McEntee said that she would like to see more gardai in Cork and said that at the end of April 2024, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,275 Garda members were assigned to Cork.

Of these, 670 gardai were assigned to the Cork City division, 324 to Cork north division, and 281 to Cork west division.

A year ago, at the end of May 2023, 1,313 gardai were assigned to Cork, of whom 705 were assigned to Cork City division, 323 to Cork north division, and 285 to Cork west division.

Ms McEntee said she has been told by Garda authorities that 200 Garda staff are working alongside gardai in Cork, a total that has doubled since 2015.

Impact on the ground

Obviously, there has been a larger decrease in the numbers in the Cork City division, but as more new members come through Templemore and are assigned across the country, I can assume, and will expect to see, those numbers increase again, as is the case in other counties, Ms McEntee said.

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she has no doubt that as the numbers continue to increase, Cork will get its fair share.

The Minister said that nationwide, there are 1,000 fewer gardai than there should be, a result of the impact of the pandemic on recruitment, but said there is a recruitment campaign for the Garda Reserve this month, as well as recruitment campaigns for new Garda staff.

The rate of people leaving An Garda Siochana is still below the rates found in police forces in other jurisdictions, she said.

Mr Moynihan said this drop in Garda numbers is having an impact in Cork. The number of gardai in the city has gone down from 705 to 670 and the county divisions have lost gardai as well, Mr Moynihan said.

We see this impact on the ground and it is a great source of concern for many people, he said.

'Cork will get its fair share'

Questioning what efforts are being made to fill certain posts within An Garda Siochana in Cork, Mr Moynihan raised concerns about the length of time it takes to fill some posts, leaving communities exposed.

Competitions are run on an ongoing basis, Ms McEntee said in response to the deputy.

Panels are developed and then positions are filled. Where new Garda members go, or where serving members are redirected, must be a matter for the Garda commissioner.

My job is to ensure the Garda and its members have the resources they need, the support they need and, as far as I can ensure it, that more people are going through Templemore to train to become gardai and more civilian staff are being taken on.

She said she has no doubt that as the numbers continue to increase, Cork will get its fair share and that vacant posts will be filled shortly.
David Young, PA

Support for a united Ireland has not advanced one step in the quarter-century since the Good Friday Agreement, the leader of the DUP has insisted.

However, Gavin Robinson said unionists could not be complacent about the maintenance of the union, as he acknowledged the need to convince the growing number of non-aligned middle ground voters in Northern Ireland of the case for the constitutional status quo.

Mr Robinson also dismissed suggestions his party has recently performed a U-turn on its endorsement of the UK government deal on post-Brexit trade barriers, the Windsor Framework, which persuaded the DUP to drop its two-year protest blockade on powersharing at Stormont and return to devolution earlier this year.

Countering the accusations of flip-flopping levelled by political rivals, he argued that the DUP had never claimed the UK governments Safeguarding the Union command paper had resolved all the issues around checks and restrictions on goods moving from Britain to Northern Ireland.

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson pictured in the East Belfast constituency (Niall Carson/PA)

He insisted he had been consistent in characterising the deal as having made some progress to address his partys concerns over trade and sovereignty, but that more work was still required on outstanding issues.

Mr Robinson found himself unexpectedly elevated to the party leadership, initially on an interim basis, when his predecessor Jeffrey Donaldson stood down in March after being charged with historical sexual offences.

Mr Donaldsons case is now before the courts, and he has indicated he will contest all 11 charges facing him.

The barrister-turned-politician, who is hoping to hold off a challenge from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long to retain his UK parliamentary seat in East Belfast, said being thrust into the leadership role in such circumstances had created a new dynamic in his professional and personal life.

In a pre-election interview, Mr Robinson offered his view on the relative strength of the union between Britain and the North, given the turbulence created by Brexit and intensifying calls for a border poll from nationalists.

Asked to predict what the future might be for Northern Ireland in 50 years time, he replied: I hope it will be at peace with itself, but I can guarantee you itll be part of the union.

We can only look back over the last 25 years that despite the enthusiastic calls for a united Ireland from some, they havent grown the percentage share of nationalist support in Northern Ireland one bit in the last 25 years.

Sometimes they get a little bit of energy about what it is they have to say, but they can point to no tangible progress over the last 25 years at all.

And theres a growing and a burgeoning community within Northern Ireland who want to proudly speak of this place, speak of Northern Ireland, talk of it proudly as their home, somewhere they are proud to be from and they recognise the benefits of Northern Ireland being part of the United Kingdom.

So, Im very confident about our position, not only as unionists within Northern Ireland, but for the United Kingdom as a whole and the four constituent parts.

Indeed, the biggest threat to the Union in the last number of years has not been in Northern Ireland. Its been outside of Northern Ireland, and yet that is settled, you can see support for independence in Scotland dissipating. So, I think theres a strong and positive future for the Union in 50 years and beyond.

He added: I dont think there is any complacency at all, theres always a danger if you were to take your eye off the ball, but thats not what we present.

I think theres obviously a difference between political unionism and those who are pro-union, there is a difference with that, and theres a burgeoning centre that dont think every day about the constitutional question but are pleased and content to be in the union, recognise that the union works for them and though the last number of years have been politically fractious for a whole host of reasons, thats not our focus  our focus is about making sure that day, and daily we can highlight the benefits of being in the United Kingdom and strengthen and grow these bonds.

His downplaying of any risk to the union stands in contrast to one of the DUPs unionist rivals, the Traditional Unionist Voice party, which accuses both Mr Donaldson and Mr Robinson of botching negotiations to remove post-Brexit barriers on internal UK trade.

At his election manifesto launch on Friday, TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the Union had never been in a more perilous state as a consequence.

Mr Robinson railed against that sort of interpretation, and also rejected the narrative that he had performed a U-turn on endorsing the UK government command paper.

Were not having to counter any narrative, were going forward in this election with a very strong pro-Union message, recognising not only the delivery weve achieved over the last five years, but the opportunity for Northern Ireland to be strongly represented at Westminster, and thats resonating with people on the doors, he said.

They recognise that over the last number of years weve not only been able to identify the problems associated with Northern Ireland Protocol, but provide solutions.

And they recognise that we have made progress continually over cycle after cycle, and that that work remains an active part of what we are engaged with, and what we will deliver in the next parliament coming forward.

He insisted voters were crediting the DUP for making progress on changing the contentious EU/UK agreements that govern post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland  the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor, the Windsor Framework.

They recognise that whenever we were told we could achieve nothing on the Northern Ireland Protocol, we kept at it, he said.

Whenever we were told that the European Union wouldnt come back to the negotiating table, we kept at it and achievements we secured.

So, with the Windsor Framework, we said very clearly whilst there was progress, it wasnt sufficient to see restoration of devolution.

Gavin Robinson became DUP leader after the shock resignation of Jeffrey Donaldson (PA)

Back in January, we recognised that we had more progress, and it was sufficient to see the return of devolution, and I think that has resonated well.

Asked about the prospect of a Labour government in Westminster, and the potential for that to result in a closer UK relationship with the EU  something that may remove the requirement for some checks on trade travelling from Britain to the North  Mr Robinson said he needed more detail on what might emerge.

Its very important to recognise that irrespective of the government in London, we have worked positively for the benefit of Northern Ireland, he said.

And so, whilst weve had good relationships with the government that has been, we have good relationships with the opposition that has been, too.

And, if they are in government in the coming weeks, then well work with them positively for Northern Ireland, always looking at detail into what it is they wish to achieve and making sure that, irrespective of where they wish to bring this country, that it does not create, it does not strengthen, but it dilutes any of those barriers that were created as a result of the debates over the European Union in the last five years.

He added: If Labour form the next government, we will engage with them productively for the people of Northern Ireland, and study in detail and work with them collectively to our benefit here in Northern Ireland.
Ken Foxe

A government politician has called for a review of how expenses are paid to TDs and Senators because of an anomaly that sees politicians in the same constituency being paid more than 16,000 extra in travel and accommodation expenses.

Fine Gael TD Alan Farrell wrote to the Oireachtas Commission, the group that oversees the workings of Leinster House, saying the eye-watering difference was inherently unfair at best and scandalous at worst.

However, in response, the Clerk of the Dail Peter Finnegan, said the system of expenses was a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Minister Paschal Donohoe.

Under the rules for payment of what is known as the Travel and Accommodation Allowance, TDs living within 25 kilometres of Leinster House are paid 9,000-a-year to cover their costs.

However, for those living between 25 and 60 kilometres from their workplace, the allowance jumps by a massive 16,295 to 25,295.

The enormous discrepancy between the figures has meant that some politicians living in North County Dublin or commuter-belt towns in Kildare, Wicklow, and Meath are in receipt of the higher allowance.

A similar system exists for Senators where those living in the so-called Dublin Band receive 5,250 per year to cover the cost of travel and accommodation.

Those living in Band 1 however, and sometimes only 30 to 35 kilometres away from Leinster House, receive an annual payment of 20,795 under the Travel and Accommodation Allowance.

Mr Farrell wrote to the Oireachtas Commission last autumn ahead of the coming election and called for a fairer system following the next national vote.

He wrote: I believe all constituencies should be measured at a median point for all TDs, unless they live outside their constituencies.

Four days later, he received a response saying his letter would be shared with the Oireachtas Commission, but that expenses reform was not their responsibility.

The letter said: The regulations governing TAA [Travel and Accommodation Allowance] within constituencies are dealt with by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Any change along the lines suggested by you would be a matter for the minister.

Asked about the correspondence, Mr Farrell reiterated the points made and said he was disappointed that the Oireachtas would not take more responsibility for the expenses system.

He said: My point was that there should be a median point in every constituency and thats where measurements should be made. This is taxpayers money, and it should be accounted for appropriately.

[Under the system I suggested] if youre elected to a constituency, you would be paid the appropriate band rather than finding yourself on the Dublin Band while another colleague isnt, even where they are living only two or three kilometres away.

It isnt appropriate or fair. They choose to put themselves on it [the higher band]. They go home every night, and the electorate knows that. For the next election, it should be remedied.

He said he found the hands-off approach of the Oireachtas Commission slightly unusual.

They could say that this is a legitimate point. Could we look into that? It doesnt appear that was done, he said. They should take responsibility.
(Image: Courtesy Wikipedia)

The U.S. state of Louisiana will now require the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom, raising concerns over what was seen as a long-cherished separation of church and state.

Similar bills have been proposed in Texas, Oklahoma, and Utah, PBS reported on June 20.

"This bill mandates the displaying of the Ten Commandments in every classroom in public elementary, secondary, and post-education schools in the state of Louisiana," said the state Governor, Jeff Landry, a representative from the Republican Party.

"Because if you want to respect the rule of law, you got to start from the original lawgiver, which was Moses."

Landry is prepared to take the matter to the U.S. courts.

The conservative governor said the founding documents of the United States were based on "Judeo-Christian" principles.

"We've got it on our money; we've got it all over our Capitol. We've got it in the Supreme Court. It is those that want to extract that out of the foundation of this country that really and truly want to create the chaos that ultimately is the demise of this nation," he said.

In 1980, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that a similar law in Kentucky was unconstitutional.

Landry even bragged that he welcomed civil rights groups who have threatened to sue based on First Amendment violations, Raw Story reported.

"The First Amendment promises that we all get to decide for ourselves what religious beliefs, if any, to hold and practice, without pressure from the government," the group of civil rights organizations said in a statement.

"Politicians have no business imposing their preferred religious doctrine on students and families in public schools."

Though not explicitly stated in the First Amendment of the U.S. Constition, the clause is "often interpreted to mean that the Constitution requires the separation of church and state," wrote Hana M. Ryman and J. Mark Alcorn in an article for the Free Speech Center at Middle Tennessee State University.

The phrase dates to the early days of U.S. history, and Thomas Jefferson "referred to the First Amendment as creating a 'wall of separation' between church and state as the third president," according to Cornell University's Legal Information Institute, Raw Story reported.

"The term is also often employed in court cases. For example, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Hugo Black famously stated in Everson v. Board of Education that "the First Amendment has erected a wall between church and state," and "that wall must be kept high and impregnable."
(Military Religious Freedom Foundation)Michael "Mikey" Weinstein receives the Person of the Year Award in 2011 from Americans United Against for Separation of Church and State. Weinstein has fought strongly against proselytizing in the military. The Pentagon has brought him in as an adviser to help them develop a policy on religious tolerance. This has brought a strong reaction from evangelicals.

Most Americans oppose declaring Christianity, or any other religion, as official faith of the United States, results of a recent poll show illustrating that politics and religious affiliation are major factors in different approaches.

The United States Constitution's First Amendment states that the country shall have no official religion.

Christians continue to make up a large majority of U.S. adults  despite rapid decline of adherents in recent years.

At the same time historians, politicians and religious leaders continue to debate the role of religion in the founders' vision and of Christianity in the U.S. identity analysis published on Oct. 28 of a Pew Research Center shows.

Some Americans clearly long for a more avowedly religious and explicitly Christian country, a March 2021 Pew survey.

For instance, nearly one third say public school teachers should be allowed to lead students in Christian prayers, a practice that the Supreme Court has ruled unconstitutional.

About 20 percent say that the federal government should stop enforcing the separation of church and state (19percent) and that the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God (18percent).

That survey found that 15percent go as far as to say the federal government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation.

Pew notes, however, that the clear majority of Americans do not accept views for a narrowing of the gap between church and state.

'WRITTEN BY HUMAN VISION'

For example, just over two-thirds of U.S. adults (67 percent) say the Constitution was written by humans and reflects their vision, not necessarily God's vision.

And a similar share (69percent) says the government should never declare any official religion.

(Respondents were offered the opportunity to reply "neither/no opinion" in response to each question, and substantial shares chose this option or declined to answer in response to all of these questions, suggesting some ambivalence among a segment of the population.)

The survey finds that Christians are much more likely than Jewish or religiously unaffiliated Americans to express support for the integration of church and state.

White evangelical Protestants foremost among Christian subgroups supporting such a step.

In addition, Christians who are highly religious are especially likely to say, for example, that the U.S. Constitution was inspired by God.

Yet even among White evangelical Protestants (34 percent) and highly religious Christians (31 percent), fewer than half say the U.S. should abandon its adherence to the separation of church and state, respectively) or declare the country a Christian nation (35percent and 29percent).

Most highly religious Christians, are in favor of allowing cities to put religious symbols on public property, but far fewer support declaring U.S. a Christian nation

Politics also is a major factor in shaping approaches.

Republicans and those who lean toward the Republican Party are far more likely than Democrats and or those leaning to the party, to want to secure an official place for Christianity in the national identity.

However, for the most part, Republicans do not directly call for a preference for the integration of church and state.

Pew cites 58 percent of Republicans and Republican leaners say the federal government should never declare any religion as the official religion of the United States.

At the same time, a quarter of Republicans (26 percent) say that the government should declare the U.S. a Christian nation.

By comparison, among Democrats and those who lean toward the Democratic Party, 80 percent say the government should never declare any official religion, and just 6 percent want the government to declare the U.S. a Christian nation.

Still, more Republicans than Democrats say they want a prominent place for Christianity in U.S. national identity.
Sunday, June 23, 2024

Dram Shop law is a civil liability statute that holds commercial establishments accountable for the actions of their intoxicated customers. These laws are designed to ensure responsible alcohol service and prevent alcohol-related incidents by imposing legal responsibilities on businesses.

Key Takeaway

This article will explore the essential aspects of Dram Shop laws that businesses need to understand to uphold their legal responsibilities and ensure public safety. Establishments must be aware of the risks associated with serving alcohol irresponsibly, as they can be held liable for damages caused by intoxicated patrons.

Potential Consequences

Legal liabilities for damages caused by intoxicated patrons.

Penalties such as fines, license suspension, or revocation.

Reputational damage and potential loss of business.

Understanding these laws is essential for any establishment that sells or serves alcohol. By implementing responsible service practices, businesses can significantly reduce their risk of liability and contribute to a safer community. For more insights into Dram Shop laws and expert guidance on navigating them successfully, check out the informative articles on the Dram Shop Experts blog. Additionally, if you require immediate assistance or wish to consult a professional in this field, dont hesitate to contact the Dram Shop Experts directly.

Understanding Dram Shop Laws

Dram Shop laws are civil liability statutes aimed at holding establishments accountable for serving alcohol irresponsibly. Their primary objective is to reduce alcohol-related harm by incentivizing businesses to adopt responsible service practices.

Types of Establishments Covered

These laws apply to a wide range of establishments, including:

Bars

Restaurants

Liquor stores

Any other businesses that sell or serve alcohol

How Dram Shop Laws Work in Different Jurisdictions

Dram Shop laws vary by jurisdiction. Some states impose strict liability, meaning an establishment can be held liable regardless of intent or negligence. Other states require proof that the establishment knew or should have known that the patron was intoxicated.

For instance, some jurisdictions have implemented Texas Safe Harbor provisions which provide legal protection to establishments that meet specific training and operational criteria. Conversely, negligence-based jurisdictions focus on whether the servers actions were reasonable under the circumstances.

Understanding these nuances is crucial for compliance. Consulting experts like Silver Tree Gordon, who specialize in dram shop laws, can provide valuable insights into state-specific requirements and best practices.

Furthermore, its essential to mitigate risks associated with irresponsible alcohol service in your establishment. This includes being aware of potential liabilities related to nightclub negligence. By retaining a qualified expert witness like Preston Rideout, who specializes in providing testimony on nightclub negligence cases, you can ensure that your establishment is fully prepared to handle such risks effectively.

Key Principle of Dram Shop Laws

The main idea behind Dram Shop laws is to ensure that businesses are held accountable for the actions of their intoxicated patrons. In other words, if a customer drinks excessively at a bar and subsequently causes harm to themselves or others, the bar can be legally responsible.

Here are some crucial aspects of this liability extension:

Bars and restaurants must have the ability to identify when someone has had too much to drink and promptly cease serving them alcohol. These laws aim to discourage businesses from over-serving customers and instead encourage responsible drinking practices. The responsibility of the business extends beyond the premises  it includes situations like drunk driving accidents or altercations involving intoxicated customers.

To effectively recognize signs of intoxication, establishments that sell alcohol can seek guidance from experts in this field, such as Dram Shop Experts who provide valuable insights on alcohol intoxication identification.

Real-World Consequences

When a business serves alcohol to an obviously intoxicated individual, they can be held accountable for any subsequent harm caused by that person. Consider the following examples:

Drunk Driving Incidents: If an overserved customer gets involved in a car accident, the bar could face legal action from the victims. Violent Altercations: If a drunk customer initiates a fight or attacks someone, the establishment may also encounter legal problems.

Given these severe consequences, it is imperative for establishments to exercise caution when serving alcohol and ensure compliance with Dram Shop laws. This not only prioritizes public safety but also safeguards the interests of the business itself.

Additionally, businesses should familiarize themselves with resources such as Dram Shop Experts Privacy Policy, which outlines the protection of sensitive information, and consider consulting with professionals like Dram Shop Security Expert Kim Schioldan who can provide valuable expert witness testimony in cases related to Dram Shop laws.

Examples of Harm Caused by Intoxicated Patrons

Incidents involving intoxicated individuals can lead to severe consequences, including accidents, injuries, and fatalities. Here are some real-life scenarios that illustrate the potential harm:

Drunk Driving Accidents: One of the most common and tragic outcomes is drunk driving accidents. For instance, a case in California involved a bar being held liable after an intoxicated patron caused a fatal car accident shortly after leaving the establishment. Bar Fights and Assaults: Intoxication often leads to aggressive behavior, resulting in bar fights or assaults. A notable case in New York saw a nightclub facing significant legal repercussions when an overly intoxicated patron assaulted another guest, causing serious injuries. This highlights the importance of proper security measures and the need for Security Use of Force Dram Shop Expert Witness Testimony. Property Damage: Intoxicated patrons can also cause substantial property damage. An example from Texas involved a patron who, after being served multiple drinks despite showing signs of intoxication, vandalized nearby properties. Understanding Texas Dram Shop Law and Safe Harbor is crucial for establishments to avoid such incidents. Personal Injuries: Beyond third-party harm, first-party injuries are also significant. In one instance, an individual in Florida successfully sued a bar for serving him while visibly intoxicated, leading to his fall and subsequent injury.

These examples underscore the critical importance of responsible alcohol service in preventing harmful incidents. Establishments must be diligent in monitoring their patrons alcohol consumption to avert such situations.

Understanding these incidents highlights why compliance with Dram Shop laws is essential for both legal protection and community safety.

Ensuring Compliance through Responsible Alcohol Service

Training programs are crucial in promoting responsible alcohol service and reducing the risk of overservice situations. Well-structured training ensures that staff members understand not only the legal implications of overserving but also the practical strategies to avoid such scenarios. Key components of effective training include:

Recognizing signs of intoxication: Staff should be able to identify when a patron is becoming overly intoxicated.

Staff should be able to identify when a patron is becoming overly intoxicated. Understanding legal responsibilities: Employees must know the consequences of failing to comply with Dram Shop laws.

Employees must know the consequences of failing to comply with Dram Shop laws. Effective communication skills: Training should cover how to politely refuse service and manage difficult situations.

Practical strategies to prevent alcohol-related incidents include:

Adopting effective ID-checking procedures: Implementing rigorous age verification methods helps prevent underage drinking. Utilizing technology such as ID scanners can enhance accuracy.

Implementing rigorous age verification methods helps prevent underage drinking. Utilizing technology such as ID scanners can enhance accuracy. Offering non-alcoholic drink options: Providing a variety of non-alcoholic beverages encourages patrons to pace their drinking and offers alternatives for designated drivers and those who choose not to drink.

For establishments seeking expert advice on compliance, Dram Shop Experts offer valuable resources and expert witness testimony services. Their expertise in liquor liability and related cases is well-regarded, as evidenced by their disclaimer page.

To further assist establishments, Dram Shop Experts provide a comprehensive sitemap that outlines their available resources, including information on dram shop laws, liquor liability, and expert witness testimony services.

Maintaining these practices not only aligns with legal requirements but also fosters a safer environment for both patrons and the broader community.

Consequences of Non-Compliance

Its crucial to consistently adhere to Dram Shop laws in order to avoid legal issues and protect your businesss reputation. Failure to comply with these regulations can lead to significant consequences that have both financial and operational implications.

Key Penalties for Violations:

Fines:

Non-compliance may result in substantial fines, the amount of which varies depending on the severity of the violation and your location.

Repeated violations will attract even higher penalties, imposing a considerable financial burden on your business.

License Suspension or Revocation:

Authorities possess the authority to temporarily suspend or permanently revoke your liquor license, effectively prohibiting you from selling alcohol.

Losing your liquor license can be detrimental, directly impacting revenue generation and customer retention.

Legal Consequences:

If a customer causes harm due to intoxication from your establishment, you could face lawsuits from the victims.

Legal proceedings can be protracted and expensive, potentially resulting in settlements or judgments that exceed insurance coverage limits.

Reputation Damage:

Public disclosure of violations can severely damage your establishments reputation, leading to a loss of customers and eroded trust within the community.

Compliance is not just about avoiding punishment; it also involves creating a safe environment for customers and upholding industry standards. To gain further insight into responsible alcohol service and compliance training, you can explore resources provided by Dram Shop Experts, who specialize in this field. They offer comprehensive bartender training programs that can be invaluable for ensuring adherence to regulations.

The consequences of non-compliance far outweigh the cost of obtaining proper training and adhering to the rules. By taking proactive measures to safeguard your business, you are ensuring both legal security and long-term success.

The Role of Responsible Alcohol Service in Ensuring Public Safety

Responsible alcohol service practices are essential for creating a safer and healthier community environment. By adhering to Dram Shop laws, establishments can significantly reduce the risk of alcohol-related incidents that endanger public safety.

Here are some ways responsible alcohol service can help ensure public safety:

Preventing Drunk Driving: Ensuring patrons do not leave an establishment intoxicated is crucial. Providing alternative transportation options or encouraging the use of rideshare services can prevent drunk driving accidents. Reducing Violence: Overconsumption of alcohol often leads to altercations and violence. Training staff to identify and manage potentially aggressive behavior helps maintain a peaceful atmosphere. Healthier Choices: Offering non-alcoholic beverages and promoting moderate drinking habits contribute to the overall well-being of the community.

Incorporating these practices not only protects patrons but also fosters a sense of responsibility within the establishment.

Responsible alcohol service is key to creating a safe environment for everyone, as emphasized by Dram Shop Expert Preston Rideout, whose expertise includes Liquor Liability and Alcohol Service Expert Witness Testimony.

Adopting these strategies ensures compliance with legal standards while enhancing public safety, ultimately benefiting both the business and the community at large.

For additional resources on responsible alcohol service, visit Dram Shop Experts practice areas which cover Dram Shop Expert Witness Testimony, Liquor Liability & Alcohol-Related Injury Practice Areas.

These practices underscore the importance of a proactive approach in managing alcohol service, aligning legal obligations with a commitment to public health.

Balancing Alcohol Service and Accountability

Creating a culture within establishments where alcohol is enjoyed in moderation is key to balancing hospitality with accountability. Encouraging customers to make responsible choices can significantly reduce the risk of alcohol-related incidents.

Strategies for Fostering a Judicious Drinking Culture:

Educate Staff: Train employees to recognize signs of intoxication and intervene appropriately. This includes refusing service to overly intoxicated patrons.

Train employees to recognize signs of intoxication and intervene appropriately. This includes refusing service to overly intoxicated patrons. Promote Safe Drinking: Offer educational materials that highlight the dangers of excessive drinking and provide tips for consuming alcohol responsibly.

Offer educational materials that highlight the dangers of excessive drinking and provide tips for consuming alcohol responsibly. Provide Alternatives: Include non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, giving patrons options to pace their drinking or abstain altogether.

Include non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, giving patrons options to pace their drinking or abstain altogether. Set Clear Policies: Implement and enforce policies regarding the service of alcohol, ensuring all staff are aware of and adhere to these guidelines.

The goal is to create an environment where customers feel comfortable enjoying alcohol responsibly while establishments mitigate potential risks. To achieve this, it is beneficial to consult with an Industry Standard Bar Operations Expert who can provide valuable insights on maintaining industry standards in bar operations.

Adopting these practices not only complies with legal requirements but also fosters a safer community. To further enhance responsible service, it would be prudent to seek guidance from a Responsible Alcohol Service Dram Shop Expert Witness who can offer expert testimony on responsible alcohol service and its importance in preventing incidents related to alcohol consumption.

Conclusion

Upholding compliance with dram shop laws is not just a legal requirement but also an essential part of creating a safer community. Places that serve alcohol have a big responsibility to make sure they do it in a way that puts their customers and the publics well-being first.

Key takeaways:

Legal compliance helps avoid severe penalties, such as fines or license revocation. A genuine commitment to public health and safety promotes a positive image and builds trust within the community. Effective staff training and responsible service practices are essential in reducing risks associated with alcohol service.

Embracing responsible alcohol service means finding the right balance between being hospitable and being accountable. By doing this, places contribute to a safer environment where customers can have a good time while still acting responsibly.

For expert guidance on understanding and following dram shop laws, it may be helpful to reach out to professionals who specialize in this field. You can retain our team of Dram Shop Experts for specialized advice by calling (662) 466-6045, which includes Preston Rideout, Silver Gordon, or Kim Schioldan  all renowned experts in the field.

Furthermore, you can gain valuable insights from testimonials of previous clients who have benefited from our expert witness testimony. These testimonials demonstrate how our services have helped other businesses stay compliant with dram shop laws.

By incorporating these principles into their daily operations, establishments can ensure that they are not only meeting legal requirements but also actively working towards keeping the public safe.
Jonathan Majors faith has been tested but strengthened by his assault and harassment convictions.

Jonathan Majors faith has been tested but strengthened by his assault and harassment convictions

The Creed III actor, 34, is finishing a year of court-ordered domestic violence intervention program as part of his sentencing and reflected on his legal troubles while accepting the perseverance award at the 2024 Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards.

He said when picking up the trophy onstage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles on Friday (21.06.24): I reckon folks want to know about this last year. As a black man in the criminal justice system, I felt anger. I felt sadness, hurt, surprise.

When they snatched me up out of my apartment in handcuffs, I didnt feel like all that.

I didnt feel like Jonathan Majors... I felt like a little scared, weak boy. Despite the support and the evidence that was in my favour I knew s*** was bad. It was bad because of who I was and what I am.

Majors also admitted to his shortcomings in his speech, adding: We live in a world where men  black men in particular  are propped up as either superheroes or super villains.

But Ive come to realise, me, personally, I aint none of that.

Im imperfect. I have shortcomings, I acknowledge them. I love my craft.

Revealing how his faith has been both tested and has been strengthened by this testimony, he went on: Ive sat in that pitch black, and what Ive learned is that we catch a glimpse of light, you run as hard and as fast as you can towards it.

Jonathan also used his speech to thank his family, girlfriend Meagan Good and celebrities including Will Smith, Tyler Perry and Whoopi Goldberg for their support.

Addressing Meagan, 42, directly, he said: I love you with all my strength, with all my heart.

You done carried me so, so, so, so many nights.

Jonathan concluded by saying: I received this award not just as an acknowledgement that I have persevered, but as a command to be there for others and to help them win and if their trials come.

The fourth annual Hollywood Unlocked Impact Awards were hosted by Tiffany Haddish, with designer Christian Louboutin getting the Innovator Award and rapper Cardi B the Inspiration Award.

A jury found Majors guilty in December of one count of misdemeanour third-degree assault and one of second-degree harassment in connection to a 2023 altercation with then-girlfriend Grace Jabbari, 31, who testified as part of the trial.
South Koreas trade, industry, and energy minister Dukgeun Ahn met with Germany's vice chancellor and federal minister for economic affairs and climate action, Robert Habeck, on June 21 in Seoul. The meeting, attended by a German economic delegation comprising representatives from 13 German companies, focused on discussing global economic issues and bilateral cooperation measures aimed at enhancing future industrial competitiveness.

The discussions led to agreements on several key areas. Both countries will continue joint efforts in establishing standards and data sharing to facilitate the digital transition and accelerate the utilisation of industrial AI. The Korean-German Energy Partnership will be a platform for maintaining cooperation and understanding on energy policies. Additionally, the two nations will bolster their mutually complementary relations through joint R&D projects, particularly in the field of future mobility, South Koreas ministry of trade, industry, and energy said in a press release.

In his welcome address, minister Ahn highlighted the strong potential synergy between Korea and Germany in terms of industrial competitiveness, digital innovation, and decarbonisation, citing their robust manufacturing bases. With Germany being Koreas largest trading partner in Europe, both sides reaffirmed their close economic ties, especially considering the record-high bilateral trade volume achieved last year.

South Korea's trade, industry, and energy minister Dukgeun Ahn met Germany's vice chancellor Robert Habeck on June 21, 2024, in Seoul to discuss global economic issues and bilateral cooperation. They agreed on joint efforts in digital transition, industrial AI, and energy policy cooperation. They also plan joint R&D projects in future mobility.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DP)
Shatrughan Sinha has recently revealed that some "pre-wedding conflict" and "stress" about Sonakshi Sinha's wedding has been resolved. During a chat with Times Now, the veteran actor noted that the family is attending the wedding reception on June 23.









He also noted, "No one from my family said anything about a wedding. Some media outlets have just been presuming things. Too much attention is being given to something that is a private family matter.



Shatrughan Sinha further added that pre-wedding conflicts are also common, but their family is "okay" now. "Whatever the stress has been sorted, he said.

Clarifying his stance about attending the wedding, he quipped, "Just because she is Shatrughan Sinhas daughter, it doesnt mean Sonakshi cant have what she wants in life. Hum log bohot maza karenge June 23 ko (We will have a lot of fun on June 23.)"
LONDON, June 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- On Sunday 23 June 2024, Japan House London hosted a visit by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan to the cultural venue on Kensington High Street, in advance of the official start of his state visit to the UK.

The day after Japan House London's sixth anniversary, Director General & CEO Sam Thorne gave His Majesty a private tour of the current exhibition, the Shop, and displays of Japanese regional craft.

Beginning with a collection of woodcraft items made by skilled craftspeople using cedar and beech from Akita Prefecture, His Majesty was also introduced to products in the Shop sourced from the earthquake-stricken prefecture of Ishikawa.

Walking down the iconic steel spiral staircase that was handmade in Japan, the Emperor was taken next to the gallery to experience Japan House London's current exhibition, Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN. The exhibition explores Japan's exemplary design through the eyes of some of the country's top creators, from filmmakers and architects to fashion designers, who have each chosen their own 'design treasure'.

Director General & CEO Sam Thorne said: 'We are deeply honoured to have hosted His Majesty on the occasion of his state visit to the UK. His visit underscores the importance of Japan House London as the cultural home of Japan in the UK. It is a privilege to be able to celebrate and explore the rich cultural heritage and contemporary dynamism of Japan.'

Notes to Editors

About Japan House London

Japan House London is a cultural destination offering guests the opportunity to experience the best and latest from Japan. Located on London's Kensington High Street, the experience is an authentic encounter with Japan, engaging and surprising even the most knowledgeable guests. Presenting the very best of Japanese art, design, gastronomy, innovation, and technology, it deepens the visitor's appreciation of all that Japan has to offer. Last year, Japan House London marked five years of bringing the best of Japan to the UK and beyond. Part of a global initiative, there are two other Japan Houses, one in Los Angeles and the other in Sao Paulo.

The current exhibition, Design Discoveries: Towards a DESIGN MUSEUM JAPAN, runs until 8 September.

Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2445745/Japan_House_London.jpg

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India and Canada are observing the anniversary of the Kanishka bombing, one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in civil aviation history. The Montreal-New Delhi Air India Kanishka Flight 182 exploded 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at Londons Heathrow Airport on 23 June 1985, resulting in the deaths of all 329 people on board, the majority of whom were Canadians of Indian descent read more

An Air India airplane sits on the tarmac at Rhine Airport in Frankfurt, Germany, 26 May, 2000. File Image/Reuters

The 23rd of June, 2024 observes the anniversary of the Air India Flight 182 bombing, an event that remains one of the deadliest aviation incidents involving terrorism. Sunday marks 39 years since the Kanishka, a Boeing 747-237B, was destroyed by a bomb while en route from Montreal to London, with final destinations in Delhi and Mumbai.

The explosion, which occurred at 31,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, killed all 329 passengers and crew members on board. The incident was orchestrated by Sikh separatists seeking revenge for the Indian armys deadly 1984 assault on the Golden Temple in Punjab.

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The Kanishka bombing has resurfaced in discussions between Ottawa and New Delhi due to recent tensions between India and Canada. Last year, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement in the murder of a Sikh separatist leader in British Columbia, an allegation India has denied. This accusation has revived memories of the Air India bombing and its impact on Indo-Canadian relations.

On Wednesday, the Indian Consulate General in Vancouver stated Indias commitment to countering terrorism, stating, India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat.

A Memorial Service is scheduled at 1830 hrs on June 23, 2024 at the Air India Memorial at Stanley Park's Ceperley Playground area. @cgivancouver encourages members of the Indian Diaspora to join the event in a show of solidarity against terrorism. (3/3) @HCI_Ottawa pic.twitter.com/oQrr7ggomA  India in Vancouver (@cgivancouver) June 18, 2024

A memorial service is planned to mark the anniversary at the Air India Memorial in Stanley Park, Vancouver.

Indian-origin Canadian MP Chandra Arya also highlighted the enduring impact of the bombing, stating in the Canadian Parliament, Unfortunately, many Canadians are not aware that even today. The ideology responsible for this terrorist attack is still alive among few people in Canada.

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June 23, 2024 marks the 39th anniversary of the 1985 Air India bombing by Canadian based Khalistani terrorists. On Tuesday I made a statement in our parliament (text below).

Wherever possible, please attend the memorial services on June 23.

Ottawa: Air India Flight 182 Monument pic.twitter.com/xxGdSQwqme  Chandra Arya (@AryaCanada) June 20, 2024

He expressed solidarity with the victims families and condemned recent celebrations of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhis assassination, by Khalistani supporters.

What happened in 1985?

On 23 June, 1985, Air India Flight 182, named Kanishka, took off from Montreals Mirabel International Airport. The aircraft was bound for London Heathrow Airport before continuing to Delhi and Mumbai.

The passengers included 268 Canadian citizens, 27 British citizens, and 22 Indian nationals and others of undetermined nationality. At approximately 7:14 am GMT, a bomb placed in the cargo hold exploded off the coast of Ireland, near Cork. The wreckage fell into the ocean, and the black box was later recovered from a depth of over 6,700 feet.

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Bodies of the victims of the Air India jumbo jet which crashed 150 miles off the coast of Cork, Ireland are wrapped in shrouds on the floor of the Cork Regional Hospital, 24 June, 1985. File Image/Reuters

In a simultaneous attack, another bomb intended for an Air India flight to Bangkok exploded prematurely at Tokyos Narita Airport, killing two Japanese baggage handlers. This bomb was linked to the attack on Flight 182, indicating a coordinated effort.

What did the investigation find?

The investigation into the bombing was spearheaded by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), with assistance from international agencies such as the FBI and Irish police. Early evidence pointed to a deliberate act rather than mechanical failure, leading investigators to suspect a bomb.

A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police looks over wreckage of Air India Flight 182 that was bombed over the Atlantic in 1985 as it sits on display in an undisclosed location in Vancouver, British Columbia, 15 June, 2004. File Image/Reuters

The investigation revealed that the bombing was orchestrated by Sikh extremists in Canada, retaliating against the Indian governments Operation Blue Star in June 1984, which targeted Sikh militants at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Key suspects included:

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Talwinder Singh Parmar : Leader of the Babbar Khalsa, a Sikh militant group, Parmar was considered the mastermind behind the bombing. He fled to India in 1988 and was killed in an encounter with Indian police in 1992.

Inderjit Singh Reyat: An electrician involved in assembling the bomb, Reyat was arrested and convicted of manslaughter. He served a lengthy prison sentence and in 2003, pleaded guilty to aiding in the construction of the bomb that destroyed Flight 182.

Two bombs were placed in checked baggage at Vancouver International Airport, exploiting lax security measures. The luggage was transferred onto connecting flights without the passengers boarding them. One bomb detonated on Flight 182, while the other exploded prematurely in Tokyo.

What happened at the trial?

The prosecution lasted nearly twenty years, making it the most expensive trial in Canadian history, with costs approaching C$130 million. The judicial process was lengthy and complex.

In 2003, Members of Sikh terrorist organisation Babbar Khalsa, Ripudaman Singh Malik and Ajaib Singh Bagri were charged with murder and conspiracy. Their trial began in 2003 and lasted until 2005, ending in acquittal due to lack of evidence and issues with witness credibility. The acquittals led to public outrage and calls for a more thorough inquiry.

Then-Canadas Prime Minister Stephen Harper (2nd L) lays a wreath at a 25th anniversary memorial gathering at the Air India monument in front of Air India Victims Families Associations organiser Bal Gupta, Toronto mayor David Miller, and Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty in Toronto, 23 June, 2010. File Image/Reuters

In 2006, the Canadian government established a public inquiry led by former Canadian Supreme Court Justice John Major. Concluding in 2010, the Air India Inquiry highlighted several failures:

Intelligence failures : CSIS and the RCMP failed to share critical intelligence and did not act on multiple warnings about potential terrorist attacks.

Security lapses : Lax security protocols allowed the bombs to be placed on the aircraft.

Victims families: The report criticised the governments poor treatment of the victims families.

The final report made 64 recommendations to improve national security, intelligence sharing, and victim support. Then-Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a formal apology to the victims families.

What was the overall impact?

The bombing led to significant changes in global aviation security, including stricter baggage screening and passenger matching protocols, and the development of advanced explosive detection technology.

The bombing deeply affected the Indian and Sikh communities in Canada. Memorials and commemorations are held annually to honour the victims. The main memorial is in Toronto, with additional memorials in Vancouver, Ottawa, and other locations.

Then-Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur lay a wreath at the Air India memorial in Toronto, 28 June, 2010. File Image/Reuters

The pursuit of justice remains contentious. Despite some convictions, many believe the full extent of the conspiracy has never been uncovered. Efforts to improve national security and support for victims families continue, but the legacy of the bombing remains a sensitive topic.

The Air India Flight 182 bombing remains a tragic and pivotal event in aviation terrorism history. It exposed critical vulnerabilities in security and intelligence operations, leading to significant reforms. The incident also highlighted the importance of international cooperation in combating terrorism and supporting victims.

Also Read: Why Canada risks joining Pakistans dubious ranks by honouring a terrorist

The legacy of the bombing continues to influence policies and practices in aviation security and counter-terrorism efforts worldwide.

With inputs from agencies
North Koreas Kim Jong Un and Russias Vladimir Putin shared an embrace and signed a deal that made many sit up and take notice. The relationship between India and Canada continues to remain strained after its Parliament held a moment of silence to mark the one-year death anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. All this and more in our weekly roundup of world news read more

Russian president Vladimir Putin, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un shake hands after a signing ceremony of the new partnership in Pyongyang.

Much has happened in the world this past week.

The relationship between India and Canada continues to remain strained.

After Canadas Parliament held a moment of silence to mark the one-year death anniversary of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, the Indian Consulate General in Vancouver announced it would hold a memorial on 23 June to remember the victims of the Kanishka bombing.

Meanwhile, North Koreas Kim Jong Un and Russias Vladimir Putins continued their bromance  much to the discomfort of the West.

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The horrific death of an Indian farm worker in Italy  reportedly left for dead by the roadside with a limb severed  shocked many and brought into focus the appalling conditions that migrants face.

Nikhil Gupta, the suspect in the attempted murder plot of Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, has pleaded guilty in a US court after being extradited.

In Japan, a lethal infection known as Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS), which can kill within 48 hours, is on the rise.

Greece is witnessing a spate of tourists disappearing or turning up dead  and experts say extreme heat is to blame.

All this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from around the world

1. The embrace between Kim Jong Un and Vladmir Putin at Pyongyangs airport in the early hours of Wednesday set the tone for the Russian presidents trip.

This was Putins first trip to the Hermit Kingdom since 2000  which he made under Kims father  the first year of his presidency.

But it was the defence pact signed between the two countries the two nuclear powers that made so many sit up and take notice.

Though the text of the deal has not been released, Putin in a press conference afterwards made mention of mutual assistance in the event of aggression.

This piece examines what we know about the deal  and what we dont.

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2. It has been 39 years since the Kanishka bombing.

The incident, which occurred on 23 June, 1984, left 329 dead including two dozen Indians and many Canadians of Indian-origin.

Governments in Canada and India have changed, the main suspect is dead and another of the plotters who pleaded guilty to manslaughter has been released from prison.

The names of the victims of the Air India bombing etched into the Air India memorial in Vancouver. Reuters

But the wounds of the Kanishka bombing  for whom just one person was convicted by authorities in Canada  have never really healed.

3. Horrific. Gruesome. Barbaric. Brutal.

These are just some of the words used to describe the incident that took the life of Satnam Singh.

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Singh, an Indian migrant worker, lived and worked in the region of Latina in rural Italy.

Singh, whose arm was severed and his legs were crushed, was reportedly left on the side of the road by his boss.

He received no medical attention for an hour and a half. Singh was eventually airlifted to a hospital in Rome, but it was too late.

Sadly, Singh tale isnt an aberration.

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Thousands of other Indians, mostly Sikhs, live and work in Latina alone.

Across Italy, hundreds of thousands of migrant workers live in poor conditions and are at risk of being exploited by their bosses.

4. In the United States, Nikhil Gupta has pleaded not guilty in the murder plot against Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

Prosecutors have accused Gupta, 53, of working with an Indian government employee to direct the assassination plot against Pannun  a New York-based Sikh secessionist leader who advocates for the creation of Khalistan.

Guptas attorney, has claimed his client is being unfairly charged and that background and details may cast government allegations into an entirely new light.

Gupta, meanwhile, was produced in Manhattan federal court.

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The next hearing in the case will be on 28 June.

But who is Gupta? What do we know about the murder plot? And what happens next?

5. Its the stuff of nightmares  or a zombie movie.

A deadly infection that rots your flesh and leaves you dead in 48 hours.

Worse, its not as rare as it used to be.

Japan has already recorded nearly 1,000 cases of Streptococcal Toxic Shock Syndrome (STSS) in 2024  eclipsing last years tally.

The bacteria produce toxins that trigger a hyper-inflammatory response in the body, leading to rapid tissue necrosis, extreme pain, and shock.

Japans health ministry had recorded 977 cases of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (STSS), as of 2 June. Image used for representational purposes/Pixabay

It can swiftly enter the bloodstream and organs, causing multi-organ failure in a short period.

Aso the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states, Even with treatment, STSS can be deadly. Out of 10 people with STSS, as many as three people will die from the infection.

But why are cases on the rise in Japan? How is the government handling it? Can it spread to other nations?

6. Dreaming of a solo trip to Greece?

Youre not the only one.

But be warned  this past week has proved that going on solo trek in Greece in extremely hot weather can be lethal.

A person walks at the village of Rovinia on the island of Corfu. Reuters

At least half a dozen holidaymakers have been reported dead or missing over the past week as temperatures in the nation have spiked  developments that have left locals exasperated.

Heres what experts say what happens when humans are exposed to extreme heat and why you should observe caution.

7. No fakes please  were the United States.

Thats what US Customs and Border Protection (CPB) is saying.

A number of Indian students and tourists have faced the embarrassment of having their luxury items confiscated at the airport.

These include a 43-year-old teacher from Jharkhand was relieved of eight shirts, four sets of trousers, several pairs of socks and a pair of shoes  around Rs 30,000 worth of valuables.

Meanwhile, an Indian student said she lost Rs 50,000 worth of luggage.

So, what are the rules in the US? And what about other countries?

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Investigations by Canadian and Indian authorities concluded that the Air India Flight 182 bombing was orchestrated by Khalistani terrorists based in Canada, under the guidance of operatives active in Punjab. The extremist group Babbar Khalsa was identified as the mastermind behind the attack. Despite the passage of many years, the families of the victims continue to seek justice. read more

39 years ago, the world was shaken by one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the history of civil aviation. Air India Flight 182, traveling from Canada to India with a stopover in London, exploded mid-air off the coast of Ireland. All 329 passengers and crew aboard were killed in the tragedy. The explosion was caused by a bomb concealed in a suitcase, which was loaded onto the aircraft even though the person who checked in the luggage did not board the flight.

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Investigations by Canadian and Indian authorities concluded that the Air India Flight 182 bombing was orchestrated by Khalistani terrorists based in Canada, under the guidance of operatives active in Punjab. The extremist group Babbar Khalsa was identified as the mastermind behind the attack. The bombings were deemed an act of retaliation for Operation Blue Star in 1984, where the Indian military stormed the Golden Temple in Punjab to flush out terrorists.

Despite the passage of many years, the families of the victims continue to seek justice. Here, we provide a detailed account of the case, the subsequent investigations, and the ongoing trials.

Target: 2 Air India flights  IC 182 and IC 301

A member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police looks over wreckage of Air India Flight 182 that was bombed over the Atlantic in 1985 as it sits on display in an undisclosed location in Vancouver, British Columbia, 15 June, 2004. File Image/Reuters

The Montreal-New Delhi Air India Kanishka Flight 182 exploded just 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at Londons Heathrow Airport. Earlier that same day, another bomb detonated inside Tokyos Narita airport terminal. The explosive device had been checked onto a Canadian Pacific Airlines flight in Vancouver, intended for transfer to Air India Flight 301 bound for Bangkok. This bomb exploded prematurely during the transfer process, killing two Japanese baggage handlers and later investigations established that the case was related. It was known as the Kanishka case.

Bombs: In suitcases/baggage & explosion

Irish naval personnel collecting debris from the Kanishka bombing (Photo: AFP)

On June 22, 1985, a man identified as Manjit Singh checked in for a Canadian Pacific (CP) flight from Vancouver to Toronto at 3:30 p.m. UTC. He requested the agent to ensure his suitcase would be transferred to Air India Flight 182, which was scheduled to depart from Montreal the next day. Despite initial hesitation, because Singhs seat on the CP flight was not confirmed, the agent eventually allowed the bag to be checked through.

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On June 23, 1985, at 12:15 a.m., Air India Flight 182 took off from Toronto, heading to Montreal. After leaving Montreal, the flight continued towards Heathrow Airport in London, with a final destination in Ireland. The plane carried 329 individuals on board: 307 passengers and 22 crew members. Simultaneously, another one identified as L. Singh checked in for a CP flight from Vancouver to Tokyo, bringing one piece of luggage. This luggage was supposed to be transferred to Air India Flight 301, bound for Bangkok.

A suitcase containing a bomb had been checked into the CP flight in Vancouver to be placed on Air India Flight 301 to Bangkok. However, the bomb exploded prematurely while being transferred to the aircraft in Tokyo, killing two Japanese baggage handlers.

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Investigators determined that the bomb intended for Flight 301 detonated prematurely because the perpetrators failed to account for Japans non-observance of daylight saving time. Less than an hour after the Tokyo explosion, at 7:14 a.m., Air India Flight 182 disappeared from radar screens off the west coast of Ireland. A bomb hidden in a suitcase on board had exploded, causing the plane to break apart at an altitude of 31,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.

Ripudaman Singh Malik, left, leaves B.C. Supreme Court in 2005 after being acquitted in the 1985 bombing of Air India Flight 182. Reuters

Prime accused

Talwinder Singh Parmar: Talwinder Singh Parmar is alleged to have been the mastermind behind the bombing of Air India Flight 182, known as the Kanishka bombing. Hailing from Punjab, Parmar was a prominent member of the Babbar Khalsa, a terrorist organization based in Punjab. Operating from outside India, he was responsible for the funding operations of Babbar Khalsa. During his time abroad, Parmar established extensive connections with terrorists and other disaffected elements in Nepal and the eastern corridor of India.

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After returning to India, Parmar developed differences with Sukhdev Singh Dassuwal, the chief of Babbar Khalsa International, over operational strategies and was expelled from the organization in early 1992. Following his expulsion, Parmar founded a splinter group, Babbar Khalsa International (Parmar). Parmar was later killed by the Punjab Police in 1992.

Ajaib Singh Bagri: Ajaib Singh Bagri, a mill worker currently residing in Kamloops, British Columbia, has been identified as a key lieutenant to Talwinder Singh Parmar, the alleged mastermind behind the Kanishka bombing. Bagri is suspected to have played a significant role in fundraising for the Parmar faction of Babbar Khalsa, a terrorist organization. During his extended stay in Canada, Bagri cultivated close relationships with influential figures, which enabled him to maintain Babbar Khalsas status as a non-profit organization.

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In the mid-1990s, Canadian media reports about Bagris connections to terrorism prompted federal authorities to revoke Babbar Khalsas non-profit status. Recently, reports have emerged that Bagri registered around 200 new members for the British Columbia Liberals to challenge Gur Singh of the moderate faction. Bagri has also faced charges in connection with the 1988 attempted murder of Tara Singh Hayer, a Canadian Sikh journalist and editor of the Indo-Canadian Times. Hayer, a vocal critic of the Kanishka bombing suspects, survived the 1988 attack but was subsequently assassinated in 1998.

Inderjit Singh Reyat: An electrician, Inderjit Singh Reyat, was arrested in England on multiple charges, including weapons, explosives, and conspiracy. He was charged for making the bomb that detonated at Tokyos Narita Airport. The investigation revealed that the explosive device had been ingeniously concealed inside a Sanyo radio tuner. Tracing the origins of the radio, officers discovered it had been purchased by Reyat from a store in his hometown of Duncan, British Columbia.

Ripudaman Singh Malik: In 2000, police arrested Ripudaman Singh Malik, a wealthy Vancouver businessman on a number of charges including mass murder and conspiracy.

The investigations

Following the tragic Air India Flight 182 bombing, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) launched extensive investigations into the disaster. Early on, the RCMP conducted raids on the homes of Talwinder Singh Parmar and Inderjit Singh Reyat, arresting them on various weapons, explosives, and conspiracy charges. While police connected these arrests to the Air India bombing, the charges against Parmar were soon dropped due to insufficient evidence.

Inderjit Singh Reyat was convicted of unrelated weapons offenses and fined $2,000, with no proven connection to the Air India case established in court at that time.

Canadian investigators have long asserted that the bombings were orchestrated by Sikh separatists as retaliation for the Indian Armys deadly 1984 assault on the Golden Temple in Punjab. Parmar, the leader of the extremist group Babbar Khalsa, and Reyat, an electrician, were central figures in this investigation. Although Parmar was arrested, the lack of concrete evidence led to his release. Investigators later identified Parmar, who was killed by police in India in 1992, as the primary mastermind behind the attack.

The aftermath of the bombing saw Canadian authorities criticized for failing to prevent the attack and for their handling of the investigation. These criticisms culminated in a public inquiry, initiated by the Canadian government in 2006 and led by a former Supreme Court judge. The inquiry, which concluded in 2010, highlighted a cascading series of errors that contributed to what it called the largest mass murder in Canadian history.

The inquiry revealed that months before the bombing, an unidentified witness had alerted Canadian police to a plot to destroy a plane, a warning that was tragically not acted upon.

According to BCC, in 2000, a former Canadian secret services officer told a newspaper that he destroyed tapes with 150 hours of telephone calls made by Sikh suspects instead of handing them over to the RCMP as he feared it could reveal the identity of the informants.

A never ending trail

The British government granted Canada permission to charge Inderjit Singh Reyat in connection with the Air India bombing. Subsequently, Reyat faced formal charges for murder, attempted murder, and conspiracy in both the Air India bombing and the explosion at Narita Airport.

In 2000, the investigation took another significant turn when police arrested Ripudaman Singh Malik, a wealthy businessman from Vancouver, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, a mill worker from British Columbia. Both men were charged with multiple counts, including mass murder and conspiracy. However, after an extensive and costly trial that spanned nearly two years, they were acquitted in 2005. The judge cited factual inaccuracies and credibility issues with key witnesses as the basis for their acquittal. The verdict shocked many, leaving victims families devastated and in tears in the courtroom.

In the wake of the acquittal, opposition MPs demanded an inquiry into allegations that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) had obstructed the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation into the bombing.

In a dramatic turn during the trial, an FBI informant testified on March 1, 2004, that Bagri had confessed to his involvement in the bombings shortly after they happened, stating, We did this. However, the reliability of testimony was repeatedly challenged. One key Crown witness, whose identity remained protected, struggled to recall details of a visit with Bagri that was captured on CSIS surveillance tapes, responding I cant remember more than 20 times in a single hour of testimony.

As the trial progressed into its closing arguments on October 19, 2004, the defense for Malik and Bagri vehemently argued their clients innocence, asserting they had no involvement in the bombings of Air India Flight 182 or the incident at Tokyos Narita Airport. On March 16, 2005, Justice Ian Josephson of the B.C. Supreme Court acquitted both men, emphasizing that the Crowns key witnesses, who claimed to have heard the defendants confess, were deemed biased and unreliable.

RCMP documents also suggested that CSIS had ordered the destruction of wiretap recordings to hide the involvement of one of its agents, Surjan Singh Gill, who had infiltrated a group of Sikh extremists plotting the attack. Gill was allegedly instructed to withdraw from the operation just three days before Air India Flight 182 was bombed. According to various reports, a pivotal Crown witness testified that Malik had confessed to her about his role in the bombing. This witness detailed how she and Malik had developed a romantic relationship in the early 1990s, which brought her closer to the unfolding events surrounding the investigation.

In 2016, Reyat was released from a Canadian prison after serving two-thirds of a nine-year sentence - the next year, he was also allowed to leave a halfway house and live where he wanted to, a decision some experts criticised.

In 2022, Ripudaman Singh Malik was shot dead in his car in Surrey, British Columbia in what police described as a targeted killing - they arrested two men on charges of first-degree murder. Their motive isnt clear.

After trial inquiry

The Canadian government established an inquiry panel in 2006 following public outrage and demands for justice. The inquiry committee led by retired Supreme Court of Canada Justice John C. Major

Four years later, in 2010, Justice Major released his final report, which sharply criticized the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) for their mishandling of the investigation into the Air India bombing. The inquiry identified Talwinder Singh Parmar as the mastermind behind the tragic explosion of Air India Flight 182, which killed 329 people.

Following the release of the report, then Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a public apology to the families of the victims. He acknowledged that their legitimate need for answers and, indeed, for empathy, were treated with administrative disdain for many years. Harpers apology was a significant moment of acknowledgment for the victims families, who had long felt neglected and overlooked by the authorities.

Despite the decades that have passed since the bombing, the Canadian police reiterated on Saturday that their investigation into the Air India Flight 182 bombing remains active and ongoing. They described it as the longest and one of the most complex domestic terrorism investigations in Canadian history. This announcement came ahead of the 39th-anniversary memorial of the deadly bombing, underscoring the continued commitment to seeking justice for the victims and their families.

What happened to the Kanishka bombers?

Talwinder Singh Parmar  the mastermind of the bombing was shot dead in 1992 in Mumbai (then called Bombay). Some media reports said he had been in police custody before the said gun-battle that killed him.

Inderjit Singh Reyat  Sentenced initially for five years but after the Justice Major panel report, his jail term was increased to 30 years for perjury. He was released in 2016.

Ripudaman Singh Malik  was killed in July 2022 in Canada. His assailants were identified as Tanner Fox and Jose Lopez.

Ajaib Singh Bagri  was acquitted from all charges in 2016
Two CoBRA commandoes were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district read more

Two commandoes of the Central Reserve Police Forces (CRPF) CoBRA unit were killed on Sunday in a Naxalite attack in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district.

The commandoes were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) explosion in Sukmas Timmapuram village between Silger and Tekalgudem camps of security force, PTI cited the police as saying. The blast took place around 3 pm.

The CoBRA stands for Commando Battalion for Resolute Action. It is a jungle warfare specialist unit within the CRPF which is specifically tasked with operation against Naxalite guerillas in Central India.

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The attack took place at a time when an advance company of 201 CoBRA battalion was patrolling from Silger camp under as a part of its Road Opening Party (ROP) duty towards Tekalgudem, said a senior police officer to the PTI.

The officer said, Naxalites triggered an IED blast targeting the truck that claimed the lives of constable Shailendra (29), a resident of Uttar Pradesh, and driver Vishnu R (35) hailing from Kerala. The truck did not have any other occupant.

Reinforcements were rushed to the site after the attack was reported. A search operation has also been launched in the area.

Following the news of two fatalities, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said on X (formerly Twitter) that the martyrdom of the two soldiers will not go in vain. He further said that the Naxalites were resorting to such cowardly acts as they are being crushed by the ongoing anti-Naxal operations.

Received the sad news of the demise of 2 CoBRA soldiers in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Sukma district. I pray to God to rest the departed soul in peace and to give strength to their families. Naxals are frustrated with the ongoing anti-naxalite operation in Bastar region and have been committing such cowardly acts out of frustration. The martyrdom of the soldiers will not go in vain. We will not sit quiet until Naxalism is eliminated," said Sai in the post in Hindi.
The Delhi High Court had stayed the bail granted to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by the trial court read more

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal has moved to the Supreme Court to challenge the stay on his bail order.

Previously, the Delhi High Court on Friday had stayed the bail granted to Kejriwal by the trial court in the Delhi Excise Policy case. He is being prosecuted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on money laundering charges.

In the Supreme Court, the matter is likely to be mentioned before the vacation bench tomorrow, according to CNN-News 18.

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After the trial court granted bail to Kejriwal on Thursday, the ED challenged the order in the Delhi High Court. The ED argued that it was not allowed to make its due case in the trial court. The Delhi HC stayed the trial courts bail order until it passed an order on the EDs challenge. Then, after hearing the arguments, the HC reserved an order and said the stay on the trial courts bail order will remain in place until the HC pronounced its order for the EDs challenge.

In the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam, the ED had arrested Kejriwal in March. In May, he came out on bail for the duration of the Lok Sabha elections at the orders of the Supreme Court. After the campaigning ended on June 1, he was back in jail the next day.
Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him read more

JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna  the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women  was arrested on Sunday on charges of unnatural offences against him, police sources said.

He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and has been booked under different sections of the IPC, including unnatural offences. Suraj was questioned at CEN police station here overnight, before he was arrested, the sources said.

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A 27 year-old man had complained to the police that Suraj Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, sexually abused him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16.

Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against the JD(S) worker on a complaint by Suraj Revannas close aide Shivakumar.

Shivakumar had alleged that the party worker was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him.

It has been alleged that while the man demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna, later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

Surajs brother and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women and was arrested upon his return from Germany last month.

Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.

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Their father H D Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwals sexual assaults.
Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar will hold talks with his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the visit read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday arrived here to hold wide-ranging talks with his United Arab Emirates counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

Jaishankar visited the iconic BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi and then participated in the 10th International Yoga Day celebrations before the meeting with Al Nahyan, where the two leaders are expected to deliberate on the overall situation in Gaza besides bilateral relations.

Blessed to visit the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi today. A visible symbol of India-UAE friendship, it radiates a positive message to the world and is a true cultural bridge between our two countries, Jaishankar posted on X soon after the visit to the temple inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 14 this year.

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At the temple, the Minister interacted with the monks of BAPS, the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Sansthan, the organisation that built the temple on the land donated by UAE.

Situated on a 27-acre site in Abu Mureikhah near Al Rahba, the BAPS Hindu Mandir, the temple is a stunning display of craftsmanship.

Jaishankar then went on to inaugurate and participate in the 10th International Day of Yoga celebrations organised by the Indian Embassy in UAE held at the Louvre, Abu Dhabi museum premises.

The session lasted for almost 30 minutes with participants from a multitude of countries at the museum that regularly holds yoga classes for diverse backgrounds.

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankars visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will provide an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the UAE as well as regional and global developments.

During the visit, the External Affairs Minister will have a meeting with his UAE counterpart on wide-ranging issues of the partnership, the MEA said in a statement.

About 3.5-million-strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in the UAE.

The ties between India and the UAE have been on an upswing in the last few years.

Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

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Both countries signed a landmark comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 to boost economic engagement.

The trade pact provides numerous benefits, including the elimination and reduction of tariffs, fostering an open trade environment, and enhancing market access for service providers across various sectors.

The UAE is also among the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.
There is the standard Chinese style of wanting to hoodwink India before hitting, but now New Delhi appears to have realised it read more

If someone in Beijing still thought that they could continue with the habit of hunting with the hound and running with the hare in matters of bilateral relations with India, New Delhi has reiterated that it cannot continue anymore. India has reportedly declined the Chinese request to resume passenger flights, halted after the Galwan incident four years ago, until peace and tranquillity returned to the border.

It does not stop with the India-China border alone. During Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharifs recent visit to China, Beijing reportedly acknowledged Islamabads known position on J&K, earlier a full-fledged state in the Indian Union, now a Union Territory under the direct administration of the Centre, as ordained through a resolution passed by the federal Parliament.

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A joint statement issued at the end of Sharifs meeting with President Xi Jinping said that Islamabad briefed the Chinese side on the latest developments of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chinese side reiterated that the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is left over from history, and should be properly and peacefully resolved in accordance with the UN Charter, relevant UN Security Council resolutions, and bilateral agreements, it said further.

In New Delhi, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has promptly rejected the joint statement as unwarranted. As an MEA statement pointed out, The Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh have been, are, and will always remain integral and inalienable parts of India. No other country has the locus standi to comment on the same.

Twin-tracks, but

There are twin tracks in all these. On the one hand, through the Galwan episode, China under Xi has created a new normal for India to deal with while undertaking future negotiations for a border settlement. It is an old trick nations have played, but it is not working for China vis-a-vis India. It did not work in the past either, hence the 1962 war, which India faced without adequate military preparations.

Then there is the standard Chinese style of wanting to hoodwink India before hitting. In recent times, it has occurred in the form of Wuhan and Mahabalipuram informal summits between President Xi and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They were interspersed by Doklam and Galwan, thus showing up the Chinese Dragon for what it is.

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Hence, for China to expect a revival of normalcy, beginning with passenger flights, was too simplistic to assume. An economically stronger India with well-wired links to all other nations and blocs of the world has no reason to compromise, let alone go on its feet. Resuming broken ties without setting the Galwan issue to mutual satisfaction (read: Indias satisfaction) is just not going to happen. Even the resumption of the larger border talks, which anyway may not be on the top of Indias agenda, will have to wait.

Misleading Pakistanis

Likewise, mischief was all written over the China-Pakistan joint statement referring to Jammu and Kashmir. Successive governments have reiterated that the whole of J&K, including PoK and the areas that Pakistan gave away to China, are all an integral part of the Union. This position was formally presented to the world through a unanimous resolution of the Indian Parliament in the early nineties, when P V Narasimha Rao was prime minister. Successive governments and prime ministers have endorsed the same. They have had no choice, either.

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The mischief in the joint statement is in parts. The reference to UNSC resolutions et al is without context, hence incomplete. While ordering a plebiscite, the UNSC very long agowhen it commanded international moral authority in the post-War era, unlike nowhad resolved that Pakistan should vacate the PoK to begin with. The 1948 resolution also implied that the administrative control of the whole of J&K should rest in India.

By not acknowledging the last two parts of the UNSC resolution, Pakistan has been feeding chicken-feed to its population. Successive governments in Islamabad and the military headquarters in Rawalpindi seemed to have conspired together on this one pointto keep their own population ignorant and misled through the past seven decades.

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Bilateral, not trilateral

As the MEA statement indicated, though in a slightly different context, India has for long treated the external aspects of the Kashmir issue as a bilateral dispute between India and Pakistan. Through the Shimla Agreement signed by Prime Minister Zulfikhar Ali Bhutto in 1972, Pakistan agreed in writing to keep it bilateral. That was after the severe drubbing in the Bangladesh War only months earlier in 1971. Bhutto needed to sign on dotted lines if he had to obtain the release of the 92,000 Pakistani PoWsthe highest since the two World Warsand avert an impending street challenge to his leadership back home.

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Successive governments in New Delhi have remained steadfast in this approach. Even when some Western countries, starting with the US, began wanting to get involved, especially after the India-Pakistan nuclear weapons tests in 1998, if only to free the region of bilateral tensions, New Delhi stuck to the stand. It was so before it, and it has been so afterwards, too.

True, the Sino-Pak joint statement does not indicate that Beijing wants to get involved. But the very fact that China allowed itself to be led by a client state like Pakistan to dictate terms to Beijing, for them to include what should have remained a private discussion, even if taken up, does not speak well of the nations intention for reviving bilateral ties with India, beginning with passenger flights, for instance.

Sadly mistaken

Yet, more mischief is written all over the joint statement, for reasons that are not far to seek. In the early sixties, Pakistan handed over the Shaksgam tract to China for good, claiming ownership over the whole of the occupied region and hence seeking to assert such ownership through a bilateral transaction with a third country.

China wants to show that New Delhi would have to engage with both Islamabad and Beijing, as the latter too is in possession of land that formed a part of the PoK. The indication was that only a trilateral arrangement would work.

Leave aside the known Indian position on bilateral and trilateral approaches to problem-solving, there is also no great hurry for India to rush things up. Given the economic reality of our times, Pakistan is in no position to fight yet another war with India, either directly or through stealth. If PM Sharif thought that by kicking up new dust over Kashmir, once a perennial issue, he could divert his peoples attention away from the economic crisis and resultant restlessness nearer home, he may be sadly mistaken.

According to local media reports and admissions by some of Pakistans own politicians, the people are in no mood for political gimmicks of the past. If anything, there seems to be overwhelming admiration for India, which is larger in size and hence has problems in every way. Yet it has become the fifth largest economy in the world and is marching forward even faster.

Even anti-India nationalist Pakistanis seem to feel so when the comparison is between their economies and the resultant social development indices. It is not unlikely they too may protest if a dummy in Islamabad or a general in Rawalpindi wanted to fire at India from the shoulders of China. If nothing else, such a line of thinking is possible among Pakistanis, going by the unwarranted and misplaced reference to Kashmir in the joint statement.

Of course, the question remains. No one is talking about it yet, but what if a plebiscite were to be held in PoK? The greater chances are that the people would want to integrate with their Kashmiri brethren, and that too under the Indian Union!

The writer is a Chennai-based Policy Analyst & Political Commentator. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
America has repeatedly violated the UN Charter by eliminating high-value targets in drone strikes on foreign soil read more

Three weeks after he climbed out the kitchen window, the boy was outdoors with his cousinsteenagers like himlaying a picnic for dinner beneath the stars. It was then he would have heard the drones approaching, followed by the whiz of the missiles. It was a direct hit. The boy and his cousins were blown to pieces.  He was the third US citizen to be killed in operations authorised by the president in two weeks. The first was his father.

 Dirty Wars: The World is a Battlefield, Jeremy Scahill

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The boy Scahill mentions in his book was American citizen Abdulrahman Anwar al-Awlaki, the 16-year-old curly-haired, spectacled and goofy son of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-Yemeni jihadist preacher and the first US citizen killed by a Predator drone in Yemen in 2011.

The senior al-Awlaki, dubbed bin Laden of the Internet, was a prominent member of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and an online recruiter and spiritual motivator of terrorists who had called for jihad against the US.

Abdulrahmans death was either collateral damage or a case of mistaken identity as the Predator intended to target senior AQAP member Ibrahim al-Banna.

The US didnt care as usual. Abdulrahman and his cousins were mere numbers added to the piling civilian casualties in Americas targeted killings.

On December 27, 2019, Kataib Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terrorist group in Iraq, allegedly fired 30 rockets at the American K-1 Air Base in Kirkuk killing a US contractor and wounding several others. On December 31, the group instigated thousands to attack the US Embassy, in Baghdads Green Zone.

Two days later, on January 2, 2020, the Donald Trump administration hacked Kataib Hezbollah chief Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis and IRGCs Quds Force commander Qassem Soleimani to pieces with Hellfire R9X missiles

fired from MQ-9 Reaper drones near the Baghdad International Airport.

Imminent attacks or deterrence against attacks

America ordered the targeted killing of terrorists like Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Islamic State head Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, al-Awlaki and Soleimani because they either attacked the homeland and harmed American interests elsewhere or were an imminent threat to US interests.

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In al-Awlakis case, he was closely associated with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab (the Underwear Bomber), who tried to detonate PETN on Northwest Airlines Flight 253, en route to Detroit, on December 25, 2009, and US Army psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan, who shot 13 people dead at Fort Hood, Texas, on November 5 the same year.

Two 9/11 perpetrators, Nawaf al-Hazmi and Khalid al-Mihdhar, who hijacked American Airlines Flight 77, attended al-Awlakis sermons and met him when he was the imam of the Masjid Ar-Ribat al-Islami mosque, San Diego, California. His name also figured in several other terrorist attacks, including the 2005 London explosions and the 2010 Times Square attempted bombing.

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In a new audio message in March 2010, al-Awlaki called for jihad against the US. With the American invasion of Iraq and continued US aggression against Muslims, I could not reconcile between living in the US and being a Muslim, and I eventually came to the conclusion that jihad against America is binding upon myself just as it is binding on every other Muslim, he said.

Barack Obama okayed al-Awlakis killing despite the US and Yemen not being at war.

In Soleimanis case, most countries, including traditional American allies and rivals, were stunned and feared further escalation in West Asia.

Under the global glare, the US changed its justification for eliminating Soleimani twice.

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Immediately after the assassination, the Department of Defence (DoD) issued a statement saying that the US military has taken decisive defensive action to protect US personnel abroad by killing Qasem Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force, a US-designated Foreign Terrorist Organisation.

Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region, the US said adding that he also approved the attacks on the US Embassy in Baghdad that took place this week.

The most significant sentence in the statement was that the strike was aimed at deterring future Iranian attack plans.

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General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more...but got caught! He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number....  Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2020

A day later, on January 3, Trump said that Soleimani was assassinated because he was plotting  imminent and sinister attacks on Americans. On the same day, then-secretary of state Mike Pompeo also said that he was killed to prevent an  imminent attack.

However, on February 14, the White House sent a notice to Congress justifying the assassination to deter Iran from conducting or supporting further attacks against United States forces and interests.

US conscience awakens in Pannun plot

Last November, the Financial Times broke the news that the US foiled an Indian  conspiracy to assassinate India-designated terrorist and Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) general counsel Gurpatwant Singh Pannun on American soil.

Pannun, an American and Canadian citizen, became prominent in 2018 when he announced in London Referendum 2020 to liberate Punjab thats currently occupied by India.

He has been brazenly advocating the secession of an independent Sikh state, posting hate videos and speeches against India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, inciting violence against Indian High Commissions, consulates and Canadian Hindus, threatening India and trying to radicalise Sikhs.

The latest development in the alleged plot is the extradition of Indian national and co-accused Nikhil Gupta from the Czech Republic to the US. Gupta, arrested by Czech authorities when he travelled to Prague from India in June 2023, is lodged inside the Metropolitan Detention Centre, Brooklyn. He has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder-for-hire and conspiracy to commit murder-for-hire.

The Washington Post reported on April 29 that a RAW officer named Vikram Yadav, the main accused, undertook the operation, sanctioned by then-agency chief Samant Goel.

The sudden awakening of American conscience, especially Democrats, regarding the alleged Indian attempt to target Pannun is laughable.

According to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, a London-based nonprofit news organisation, between 2010 and 2020, US drones killed 8,858-16,901 people, including 910-2,200 civilians and 283-454 children, in minimum 14,040 strikes in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia.

Obama, a Democrat, ordered 10 times more drone strikes than his Republican predecessor George W Bush.

US attorney general Merrick Garland has said that the Justice Department will not tolerate attempts to silence or harm American citizens. FBI director Christopher Wray said, We will continue to work with our partners at home and abroad to protect our citizens and these sacred rights.

Five powerful Democratic senators, Jeff Merkley, Ron Wyden, Tim Kaine, Bernie Sanders and Chris Van Hollen, wrote a letter to secretary of state Antony Blinken seeking a strong diplomatic response and to ensure that all of those who were involved are held accountable.

Meanwhile, Pannun has been enjoying media attention and American protection. He dubbed the alleged plot as  transnational terrorism last November and a threat to the US sovereignty, freedom of speech and democracy.

India has denied the charges and Gupta is yet to be convicted. Last December, Modi told the Financial Times that if an Indian has done anything good or bad, we are ready to look into it. Our commitment is to the rule of law.

Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the Post report unwarranted and unsubstantiated imputations on a serious matter and said that an investigation of the high-level committee set up by the government of India to look into the security concerns shared by the US government is ongoing.

Our response to media queries on a story in The Washington Post:https://t.co/ifYYng7CT3 pic.twitter.com/LEIso6euN6  Randhir Jaiswal (@MEAIndia) April 30, 2024

Pannun is an imminent threat to India

The US has no qualms about targeting its enemies abroad but is trying to corner India in the Pannun case by highlighting his sacred rights.

The big question is if India did order the assassination, does the US, which is harbouring a terrorist and anti-India radical, have the right to protest after he threatened to bomb Air India (AI) flights?

Pannun has been holding Khalistan referendums, giving provocative and hate speeches against India and threatening its overseas diplomats.

In January 2021, SFJ announced a reward of $250,000 for anyone hoisting the Khalistan flag at the Red Fort on Republic Day and $350,000 for unfurling the flag at Parliament.

In July 2023, Pannun issued a threat to besiege Indian missions on Independence Day.

In September, Pannun threatened Canadian Hindus in a video and asked them to go back to India.

In the same month, Pannun threatened to divide India into pieces and said, Delhi Banega Khalistan.

In September-October, SFJ organised two referendums on the creation of Khalistan in Surrey, British Columbia, where tens of thousands of Sikhs voted.

In October, Pannun threatened Modi referring to the Israel-Hamas war. In a video, he said, People under illegal occupation from Punjab to Palestine will react. And violence begets violence.

In November, Pannun was seen in a video offering $100,000 for the arrest of Indian high commissioner to Canada, Sanjay Verma, for spreading false propaganda equating Boycott Air India with terror threat.

Founder of the outlawed #SikhsForJustice (SFJ) #GurpatwantSinghPannun has made yet another provocative statement against Indian diplomats in Canadahttps://t.co/4eFPVFkBus  News18.com (@news18dotcom) November 13, 2023

In the same month, Pannun threatened to blow up AI flights on the birth anniversary of late PM Indira Gandhi.

 Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun threatens to Blow-up an Air India flight on 19th Nov: Urges Sikhs to not travel by Air on that date.



A similar #Terroristattack was done on 23 June 1985 which killed 329 when Justin Trudeau's father was the prime minister of pic.twitter.com/9sERBopklw  The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) November 4, 2023

In the same month, the then-consul general of India in Vancouver, Manishs car was surrounded by Sikhs holding Khalistan flags and Pannun threatened him in a video.

In December, he released a video threatening an attack on Parliament on December 13, the 22nd anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack.

#Khalistan



Respected @POTUS @FBI @CIA @JoeBiden @USAndIndia @JustinTrudeau

Will you please ask your #American citizen what kind of response he (Gurupatwant Singh Pannu) is talking about ?



How will he shake the very foundation of the parliament of a democratic country ? pic.twitter.com/IRXeEyxD2H  Punjab Panther (@Punjab_panther) December 5, 2023

In January, he dared Modi to attend the Republic Day parade without security and threatened to assassinate Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

In 2020, India designated Pannun, who has 22 criminal cases and 3 sedition charges against him, a terrorist under UAPA. The National Investigation Agency and the Punjab Police are probing him in 35 cases.

Section 18 of UAPA applies to Pannun. Whoever conspires or attempts to commit, or advocates, abets, advises or [incites, directly or knowingly facilitates] the commission of, a terrorist act or any act preparatory to the commission of a terrorist act, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than five years but which may extend to imprisonment for life, and shall also be liable to fine.

Pannun also assured support for Pakistan after the Balakot airstrike and promised that pro-Khalistan Sikhs will stand shoulder to shoulder in thwarting any Indian attack on Pakistan.

A January 8 gazette notification issued by the ministry of home affairs lists a letter he wrote to then-Pakistani PM Imran Khan on February 27, 2019, and other anti-India acts committed by him and SFJ, which was declared an unlawful organisation in 2019.

The letter, with the subject Pro Khalistan Sikh Diaspora stands in solidarity with Pakistan, read: In the wake of Indian Prime Minister Modis growing jingoism after Pulwama attack and ensuing Balakot airstrike, we are writing to assure you that at this critical juncture, pro-Khalistan Sikhs from North America, Europe, Australia and elsewhere stand in solidarity with Pakistan 

Pannuns actions and open threats prove that he is an imminent threat to India, which has the right to take defensive action to deter him from indulging in anti-India activities and advocating secessionism further.

The US declared al-Awlaki and Soleimani specially designated global terrorists in 2010 and 2007, respectively, and neutralised them.

Similarly, India has the right to take action against a designated terrorist. The US has no right to target India if it takes action to stop a person who threatens to bomb AI jets and offers support to Pakistan to fight India.

Most US targeted killings are unlawful

International law does not explicitly define targeted killing. As per the general definition, intentional, premeditated and deliberate use of lethal force by States or their agents or by an organised armed group in armed conflict against a specific individual constitutes targeted killing. The primary justification for a targeted killing is the threat of terrorism.

In April 2010, Obama placed al-Awlaki on the Disposition Matrix, informally known as the CIA kill list, an information database developed the same year to track, capture or kill suspected US enemies.

The same year, in August, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR) filed a lawsuit challenging the Obama governments authority to kill US citizens located far from any armed conflict zone.

In Al-Awlaki v. Obama, the groups contended that both the Constitution and international law prohibit targeted killing outside of armed conflict except as a last resort to protect against concrete, specific and imminent threats of death or serious physical injury.

An extrajudicial killing policy under which names are added to CIA and military kill lists through a secret executive process and stay there for months at a time is plainly not limited to imminent threats, according to the lawsuit.

Following the elimination of al-Awlaki along with Samir Khan and later Abdulrahman, the ACLU and CCR filed another lawsuit in July 2012 challenging the killings.

In Al-Awlaki v. Panetta, they contented that the killings violated the Constitutions fundamental guarantee against the deprivation of life without due process of law and international law, incorporated through the Constitution. In April 2014, a federal district court in Washington, D.C. dismissed the case.

In June 2014, the 2nd US circuit court of appeals in Manhattan released a redacted memo in response to a lawsuit from the ACLU and The New York Times citing the controversial 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) law as the justification to kill al-Awlaki.

We believe that the AUMFs authority to use lethal force abroad also may apply in appropriate circumstances to a United States citizen who is part of the forces of an enemy authorisation within the scope of the force authorisation, the memo, written on July 16, 2010, read.

However, even before the memo was written, Obama had already authorised an unsuccessful drone strike on al-Awlaki less than a week after Navy SEALs killed bin Laden in Pakistan in May 2011.

In Soleimanis case, a UN report by Agnes Callamard, the special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, termed the killing unlawful.

Though Article 51 of the UN Charter says that nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a member of the United Nations until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international peace and security, it says members taking such measures shall immediately report to the Security Council.

Callamard argues that States who invoke Article 51 to justify targeted killings by drones or other tools owe the international community a thorough justification, not a cursory reportas in Soleimanis case. Such reports should include evidence of the imminence of an external threat and the proportionality of measures to be taken in response.

Soleimanis killing also violated Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, which says, All members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any State or in any other manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations.

The killing was the first known incident in which a State invoked self-defence as a justification for an attack against a State actor in the territory of another State, thus implicating the prohibition on the use of force in Article 2(4).

In this instance, the use of force by the United States was directed not only at Iran but also at Iraq. By killing General Soleimani on Iraqi soil without first obtaining Iraqs consent, the US violated the territorial integrity of Iraq.

Another example of the US violating Article 2(4) was the killing of bin Laden without informing Pakistan.

Moreover, Callamard said that the US didnt provide sufficient evidence of an imminent threat to life to justify the attack on Soleimani.

No evidence has been provided that General Soleimani specifically was planning an imminent attack against US interests, particularly in Iraq, for which immediate action was necessary and would have been justified. No evidence has been provided that a drone strike in a third country was necessary or that the harm caused to that country was proportionate to the harm allegedly averted.  No evidence has been produced that there was no time for the US to seek aid from the international community, including the UNSC, in addressing the alleged imminent threats, the report argued.

The US State Department, which expects accountability from the government of India based on the results of the Indian inquiry committees work [into the alleged Pannun plot], had accused Callamard giving a pass to terrorists.

The writer is a freelance journalist with more than two decades of experience and comments primarily on foreign affairs. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
There is no shortage of intellectuals, artists, writers and thinkers from around the world who acknowledge the greatness of Indias past in learning and culture. Higher education was implicitly a part of that great culture. It is worth citing some of those opinions.

While Mark Twain, the American writer, had many critical things to say about India, he had this to say about its historical contributions to world culture: India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great-grandmother of tradition. Our most valuable and most instructive materials in the history of man are treasured up in India only.

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If Mark Twain acknowledged Indias contributions to history, legend and tradition, the physicist Albert Einstein acknowledged that no scientific progress could have been made without the Indian contribution. He wrote: We owe a lot to the Indians who taught us how to count, without which no worthwhile scientific discovery could have been made.

Max Mueller, the German Orientalist scholar who translated numerous Indian texts from the Sanskrit language into English and German, famously said: If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed some of its choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on the greatest problems of life and has found solutions, I should point to India.

Mueller is also reported to have said that there was not a single thought that had arisen in the mind of anyone in the world that had not already been thought in India.

Romaine Rolland, the French scholar, had this to say: If there is one place on the face of earth where all the dreams of living men have found a home from the very earliest days when man began the dream of existence, it is India.

French scholar Sylvia Levi is fulsome in her praise when she writes: She (India) has left indelible imprints on one-fourth of the human race in the course of a long succession of centuries. She has the right to reclaim  her place amongst the great nations summarising and symbolising the spirit of humanity. From Persia to the Chinese sea, from the icy regions of Siberia to the islands of Java and Borneo, India has propagated her beliefs, her tales and her civilisation.

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The present relationship between India and China is fairly acrimonious. Well-read Chinese acknowledge that in cultural, educational and philosophical terms they were for many centuries under Indias dominance. Hu Shih, a former vice-chancellor of Beijing University and ambassador of the Republic of China to the US, summed up the relative contributions of India and China in the following words:

India conquered and dominated China culturally for twenty centuries without ever having to send a single soldier across her border.

Ironically enough, when the Indian defence minister Raj Nath Singh quoted Hu Shih in a speech, his remark greatly angered the Chinese owing to the current tensions between the two neighbours.

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Following centuries of colonial rule under the British, India became, in the words of the Nobel laureate V.S. Naipaul, a wounded civilisation. It has only now started to recover from the cultural wounds inflicted by the coloniser, and from having been reduced to an impoverished state. Till recently, India hasnt had the money to preserve its ancient heritage in the way that western nations have. This is changing now as GDP increases and more money can be allocated for the repair and refurbishment of ancient monuments. Nevertheless, outsiders are often wonderstruck by the land and its architecture. This is what Keith Bellows, former editorin-chief of the National Geographic Traveller, had to say:

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There are some parts of the world that, once visited, get into your heart and wont go. For me, India is such a place. When I first visited, I was stunned by the richness of the land, by its lush beauty and exotic architecture, by its ability to overload the senses with the pure, concentrated intensity of its colours, smells, tastes and sounds. It was as if all my life I had been seeing the world in black and white, and, when brought face to face with India, experienced everything re-rendered in brilliant technicolor.

Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge: The past, present and future of excellence in education, by Rajesh Talwar (Author)

Could the recent revival of Nalanda University be seen as symbolic of times to come?

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It gladdened my heart to note that while the old Nalanda was destroyed by a barbaric Muslim invader, the idea of a new Nalanda University was first mooted by a charismatic, visionary and immensely popular Indian Muslim. In 2008, Abul Kalam Azad, the President of India, made the suggestion while he was addressing the Bihar Legislative Assembly.

Around this time, Singapore approached India with the same suggestion. Occasionally, an idea flowers at the same time in different places, for reasons we do not fully understand.

What do we know about the Nalanda University? Nalanda was an architectural and environmental masterpiece. With eight separate compounds, ten temples, meditation halls, classrooms, lakes and parks, it had a truly impressive infrastructure for its times. The atmosphere, too, was such that learning could flourish. We do know that it had a nine-storey library that could put many modern libraries to shame. While it focused on Buddhist studies, students were also taught medicine, mathematics, fine arts, politics and the art of war. The university housed ten thousand students and two thousand professors, an impressive teacher-student ratio even by present-day standards. Possibly the greatest global university of its time, it attracted visitors and scholars from lands as distant as China, Korea, Japan, Tibet, Mongolia and other places in South East Asia.

The guru-shishya tradition in India goes back thousands of years. Could it be argued that before Nalanda there were, centuries earlier, large ashrams that also worked on the scale of a mini-university, providing education in many different fields? Certainly, Nalanda itself would not have arisen in a vacuum.

A critic may ask how it matters that India had great institutions of learning in its glorious past. The past is the past. Despite Indias civilisational head start, the Western world began to make progress and eventually not only overtook India but went so far ahead that today it appears impossible that India will ever catch up.

In response to such a criticism, I would say that the past remains of great significance. Knowing how things were at one time gives present-day Indians the confidence that they can do it again. This might seem strange or unscientific to those who are too prosaic in their thinking, but just as you never forget how to drive once you have mastered the skill, so also the Indian mind contains somewhere an unconscious memory of all its past achievements and greatness.

Although visitors came from many lands, it was predominantly the Chinese who left behind records of what they saw and heard. Today, when Indian students wish to know more about Nalanda, Taxila and other great Indian universities they must turn to what Chinese travellers wrote about them. Perhaps the Chinese have a better sense of history than the Indians.

What about Indians themselves? Did we not write about ourselves and our own institutions? It would be strange, if not inexplicable, if we did not. Probably such records were destroyed during the subsequent invasions and the destruction caused by invading armies from less civilised regions of the world. This was clearly the case with Nalanda, for instance, where fires from the burning of books in the library  one of the biggest in the world at the time  kept burning for three whole days.

It would seem that the Indians did not travel as much as the Chinese did. Was this because the Chinese institutions of learning were not as impressive as those in India? Such a view would flatter Indians, but let us try to be more critical in our thinking. A not-so-flattering explanation could be to argue that Indians were simply not as curious as the Chinese were. Yet this is a strange conclusion if we consider how closed China (and Japan) remained to the rest of the world for many centuries.

There is another, more plausible explanation. The biggest intellectual, philosophical and soft power export from India to China at the time was Buddhism. It was therefore natural for the Chinese, many of whom had converted to Buddhism, to go to India to visit sites where the Buddha had lived and preached and also, once in the land of his birth, to try to see how the institutions of learning operated at the source of Buddhism, the great world religion that had spread across most of China and large parts of Asia.

The above article is an extract from Rajesh Talwars book, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge: The Past, Present and Future of Excellence in Education (Bridging Borders publishers, Rs 350). Talwar has written on a variety of themes ranging from social justice to law and culture for international and national magazines, newspapers, and websites. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The dynamics of the present times expect an integrated approach as opposed to the current practice of a coordinated approach between defence and foreign ministries read more

With changing times, the roles of military and foreign diplomacy and their inter-linkages have emerged substantially all over the world, including in India. File Image

The Modi government 3.0 was sworn in on June 9, 2024. However, as the BJP did not get an absolute majority, it can be better called the NDA government. That notwithstanding, the continuation of a stable government for the third time in succession bodes well for the country, especially in the current day of geopolitical, geoeconomic, and technological turmoil taking place all over the world.

As a part of this continuation the key ministries have been retained by the previous ministers, including the Defence Ministry and the External Affairs Ministry.

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With changing times, the roles of military diplomacy and foreign diplomacy and their inter-linkages have emerged substantially all over the world, including in India. Most of the challenges in the conventional foreign diplomacy domain have substantial connect of defence linkages now. It is therefore essential that an integrated plan be prepared by the duo of Raksha Mantri (RM) and Foreign Minister (FM) to tackle the challenges, and that too in an early time frame. The way the events are unfolding the world over, more and more challenges are expected to knock on our doors. It will therefore be prudent to take early advantage of the existing challenges so that we are in a better position to handle future challenges.

Some of the challenges requiring urgent attention by the RM and FM duo are as follows:

Maintaining strategic neutrality between the US and Russia. This has succeeded despite our oil imports and the purchase of the S400 missile system from Russia. Oil imports suited the US and West due to the technical aspect of it becoming a new commodity after getting refined. India also succeeded in avoiding Countering Americas Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) sanctions by the US despite importing the S400 missile system from Russia. This kind of challenge will continue and will be impacted by the progress of the Russia-Ukraine war. A keen eye for monitoring is essential.

Best friend and worst adversary entered into a No Limit friendship. Russia has been the most supportive country to India so far, whereas China is sitting on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. In fact, Russia delayed the launch of so-called special operations against Ukraine after the conclusion of the Beijing Olympics, and Russian President Vladimir Putin selected China as the first country to visit after his current term of presidency started. Indian defence and foreign policies have to navigate through this newly emerged relationship between Russia and China. So far, Russia has not indicated any leaning towards China in the India-China relationship and has even allowed the export of Brahmos missile systems to the Philippines. A constant endeavour has to be made to ensure that the India-Russia relationship is not marred by the Russia-China relationship.

A strategic neutrality will also be required between Iran-Israel-Palestine issues due to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel. The continued action by Israel against Hamas, resulting in large-scale civilian casualties, is also going to be an uphill task, especially if this conflict further expands in West Asia. Our defence as well as foreign policies will be again under severe test.

Due to the signing of the Chabahar port agreement for 10 years of operation, Indian foreign policy has to also look at handling the avoidance of sanctions being threatened by the US on this account. Indian foreign policy might give a positive twist to Iran-US relations, more so after the accidental death of the Iranian president. All those countries that are directly or indirectly benefiting from this port have to leverage their collective strength, and India has to assume the leadership role.

Handling India-US relations with shifting shades of trust. Having included India in Quad, it has been missing from AUKUS and now from Squad as well. The flagship initiative of the Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology (iCET) is also not delivering the results as expected. The relationship will need careful handling, more so after the issue of the attempted killing of Pannun also surfaced, though the truth is yet to be known.

The Chinese pattern of encircling Taiwan is quite similar to that of Russia against Ukraine. The China-Taiwan conflict can move on an escalatory ladder at any time, which can be a challenge for Indian foreign policy handlers, as was seen recently when the Taiwanese President greeted the Indian PM. Not only this, but the biggest challenge for this duo is the China challenge knocking at our doorstep at the LAC in Eastern Ladakh.

Nepals claim of increased areas in the state of Uttarakhand, passing that as part of a parliamentary act, and printing of new maps on the currency are major areas of concern for this duo, as this appears to have a hidden hand of Chinese. The issue of Agnipath also needs to be looked at afresh; this is affecting bilateral relations. Excessive foot prints of China in Nepal are some of the issues our foreign policy has to handle, while the RM has to look at this as a new frontier emerging in the future.

The resurgence of radicalisation in Bangladesh, unsolved issues between us and Bangladesh, and growing Chinese footprints are also going to be major areas of concern. The continued presence of the Sheikh Hasina government in Bangladesh and her recent visit to India have a lot of positive contours that need to be fully leveraged, besides countering the growing Chinese influence.

Aggressive Chinese diplomatic engagement with Bhutan to resolve the boundary dispute without addressing Indian security concerns will be another major challenge. Our duo needs to be conscious of these and not take this relationship for granted, especially when a democratically elected government is in power in Bhutan.

The issue of the Maldives is well known. Indian foreign policy makers will need to handle this neighbour differently. New Delhi has continued to support the Maldives despite its anti-India stance, including sending back Indian defence personnel positioned for their own good. The visit of the Maldivian president on the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi indicates a positive shift.

The challenges illustrated are only some of those that are knocking on our doors vigorously, but the list has grown substantially. It is believed that our defence and foreign ministries are fully aware of these challenges, but what is more important is to have an integrated approach as opposed to the current practice of a coordinated approach.

The author Maj Gen (Dr) Ashok Kumar, VSM(R) is DG CENJOWS and author of books- China Betrays Again and Indian Churnings on the Global Stage. He tweets @ChanakyaOracle. The views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.
The Israel Defence Forces conducted airstrikes in four neighbourhoods in Gaza City, killing 39 people and injuring several read more

At least 39 people lost their lives after Israel conducted airstrikes in four neighbourhoods in the Gaza City. Palestinian officials confirmed the death toll and stated that rescue operations to search for survivors of the attack, trapped in the rubble, are still underway. Rescue groups in the conflict-stricken coastal enclave also stated that the death toll is most likely to increase.

Fadel Naem, director of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that more than three dozen bodies arrived at the hospital, immediately after the airstrikes. As per the reports, the Israeli bombardment struck the four neighbourhoods in Gaza Citys north, south, east and west.

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Not only this, a massive crater was reported in the densely populated Shati refugee camp in Western Gaza City. In a separate statement, Israel Defence Forces (IDF) maintained that its fighter jets struck two Hamas military infrastructure sites in the area of Gaza City, without elaborating.

Places of refuge come under the radar

The latest airstrikes came a day after 25 people died in strikes that rocked tents in the coastal enclave. The Jewish nation maintained that they are continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza and pushed ahead with their ground operation in Rafah.

However, the United Nations maintained that there is no place in Gaza which is safe and humanitarian conditions in the region are extremely dire. During the Friday strikes, 22 of the 25 people were working for the International Commission for Red Cross (ICRC).

The ICRC office in Gaza, which is surrounded by hundreds of displaced civilians living in tents, was damaged by nearby shelling in Gaza., the humanitarian body wrote on X, formally known as Twitter. Firing so dangerously close to humanitarian structures puts the lives of civilians and humanitarians at risk, the body furthered.

The ICRC office in Gaza, which is surrounded by hundreds of displaced civilians living in tents, was damaged by nearby shelling in Gaza.



Firing so dangerously close to humanitarian structures puts the lives of civilians and humanitarians at risk. https://t.co/SVrwaQ9cNV  ICRC (@ICRC) June 21, 2024

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Tensions in Lebanon and West Bank

On the same day, the IDF also conducted an Israeli strike in Lebanons eastern Bekaa Valley. They said that the strikes which took place on Saturday killed a member of the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, a Sunni Muslim faction closely allied with Hamas. The militant was the seventh killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

An IAF aircraft conducted a precise strike in the Beqaa area in Lebanon in order to eliminate Ayman Ratma, a central terrorist operative responsible for weapons supplies for the Hamas and Jamaa Islamiya terrorist organizations in Lebanon, as well as the development of terrorist pic.twitter.com/4sfWzi7a2K  Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) June 22, 2024

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Amid the chaos, the IDF also stated that an Israeli man was fatally shot in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya, the latest in the flare of violence in the region. While the West Bank is not involved in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, at least 549 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli fire since the war began.

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According to the data shared by the United Nations, Palestinians in the West Bank have killed at least nine Israelis, including five soldiers during the same period. It is also pertinent to note that Israeli nationals are prohibited from entering Qalqilya and other areas of the West Bank that fall under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

With inputs from the Associated Press.
Armed gangs in northwestern Nigeria have frequently raided communities in the northwest, kidnapping residents, students and motorists for ransom read more

At least seven people were killed and 100 kidnapped on Saturday night when gunmen attacked a rural community in Nigerias northwestern Katsina state, residents and police said on Sunday, the latest attack against residents in the north of the country.

Armed gangs, known locally as bandits, have frequently raided communities in the northwest, kidnapping residents, students and motorists for ransom.

Residents said gunmen on motorbikes arrived in Maidabino village in Danmusa local government area of Katsina, and started shooting sporadically, forcing residents to flee.

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Hassan Aliyu told Reuters by phone that the attack took residents by surprise and dozens of women and children were confirmed missing.

They killed seven people, including burning two children, Aliyu said. They spent more than six hours destroying our properties.

Auwalu Ismail, another resident, said the gunmen first blocked all roads leading to Maidabino before the attack.

They burnt down our shops, vehicles, and took away our livestock. They also kidnapped my wife and more than 100 women and children, he said.

Katsina state police spokesperson Abubakar Aliyu Sadiq confirmed the attack and the seven deaths but would not say whether anyone was missing. He said police were investigating.

The remaining men who did not flee are living in fear  and waiting to hear news about their abducted loved ones, said Muhammad Sani, whose sister was abducted.
Van Wassenhove contends that this situation led to moral harassment, causing isolation and a loss of professional purpose. Orange, meanwhile, denies discrimination, asserting it considered her medical condition and sought options for her return to work in an adapted role, but faced challenges due to her frequent sick leave read more

A French woman, Laurence Van Wassenhove, has filed a lawsuit against telecommunications giant Orange, claiming she was paid her full salary for two decades without being given any work.

In this bizzare legal battle, Van Wassenhove alleges that Orange sidelined her after she requested a transfer due to her disability. Diagnosed with partial paralysis and epilepsy, she joined Oranges predecessor, France Telecom, in 1993, initially working as a secretary and in human resources roles that accommodated her condition.

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In 2002, however, she requested a transfer within France, which was approved but allegedly not adequately adapted to her needs. Subsequently, Orange purportedly ceased assigning her tasks, despite continuing to pay her.

Van Wassenhove contends that this situation led to moral harassment, causing isolation and a loss of professional purpose.

Orange, meanwhile, denies discrimination, asserting it considered her medical condition and sought options for her return to work in an adapted role, but faced challenges due to her frequent sick leave.

Her legal team argues Orange failed to reasonably accommodate her disability, leaving her in a state of professional uncertainty.
The European Union (EU) has announced tariffs of up to 38% of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) read more

The European Union (EU) and China have agreed to hold talks about the tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

The EU and the West are concerned about the dumping of Chinese EVs in their markets which would adversely affect Western companies. They have said that China has made its EVs artificially cheaper by providing subsidies.

Over such unfair trade practices, the EU earlier this month announced that its slapping tariffs of up to 38 per cent on Chinese EVs. The tariffs will come into effect on July 4.

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The EU and China on Saturday, however, decided to hold consultations on the tariffs. The announcement of the consultations was made after EUs Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao held virtual talks on Saturday, according to Bloomberg.

Separately, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck also visited China on Saturday and met Wentao. After the announcement of the EU-China talks, Habeck said that this is a first step to avoid a tariff war.

One has to be very careful now, this is a first step and many more will be necessary, but at least this is a first step that was not possible before. Thats why tonight is a good evening if we want to try to maintain a level playing field and avoid a tariff war, said Habeck, as per Bloomberg.

Why did EU impose tariffs on Chinese EVs?

The EU and other Western nations like the United States have been concerned about the Chinese dumping of EVs, renewable energy goods like solar panels, and steel products in their markets. They say these products are artificially cheap because of subsidies, overproduction, and low domestic demand in China.

Previously, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen has said that China uses market distorting techniques in trade.

The EUs tariffs on Chinese EVs this month came after the bloc launched an investigation into the import of EVs last year. The two sides then went on a spiral of probes over trade and tariffs.

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While China launched a probe into the imports of European brandy, the EU launched an investigation into the imports of Chinese renewable energy equipment such as wind turbines and solar panels. Then, China barred European companies from getting contracts in China and the EU responded with another probe into the imports of medical devices from China.

Last month, the United States announced tariffs of 100 per cent on Chinese EVs. It further slapped tariffs on Chinese solar energy products, chips, and high-end batteries.
A report in The Daily Star said that Khaleda Zia, 78, was rushed to Evercare Hospital in Dhakain an ambulance around 3:30 am on Saturday as she suddenly fell ill at her residence, Firoza in Gulshan read more

Khaleda, who was the prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and then again from 2001 to 2006, fell ill while staying in Old Dhaka Central Jail, but no medical treatment was provided to her there, a BNP leader said

Accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of a personal political vendetta against her predecessor and political rival Khaleda Zia, a senior leader from her party on Sunday claimed she is on her deathbed as she has been deprived of advance medical treatment abroad.

A report in The Daily Star said that Khaleda Zia, 78, was rushed to Evercare Hospital in Dhaka in an ambulance around 3:30 am on Saturday as she suddenly fell ill at her residence, Firoza in Gulshan.

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Hasinas action is a result of personal political vendetta, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged and said, Its our misfortune that our leader Khaleda Zia is now in critical condition on her deathbed without receiving any (necessary) medical treatment (abroad). She was quickly admitted to the CCU, where her medical treatment began under the supervision of a medical board.

The BNP leader further alleged that Zia has been imprisoned for a long period due to the vindictiveness of the current oppressive fascist government, the news portal said.

Khaleda, who was the prime minister from 1991 to 1996 and then again from 2001 to 2006, fell ill while staying in Old Dhaka Central Jail, but no medical treatment was provided to her there, he said.
The centrist ruling coalition of French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to come third in the parliamentary elections, as per the survey read more

Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) is expected to be the largest party in French parliamentary elections (Photo: AFP)

The coalition of right-wing parties led by Marine Le Pen of National Rally (RN) party is set to emerge as the single-largest party in French elections, according to opinion polls published before the elections.

Following the rout in European Parliamentary elections this month, French President Emmanuel Macron called dissolved the French parliament and called snap elections. The elections will be held in two phases on June 30 and July 7.

As per all three polls published so far, the centrist coalition of Macron is set to lose and come to the third position.

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Marine Le Pens National Rally to be largest party

The polls conducted by Ipsos, Odoxa, and Opinionway-Vae Solis show that Marine Le Pens National Rally (RN)-led coalition will be the single-largest party.

The Ipsos poll showed that the RN coalition will win 35.5 per cent votes in the first phase of the elections on June 30, according to Reuters.

The poll shows that the left-wing coalition called the New Popular Front (NPF) will be second with 29.5 per cent of votes and Macrons centrists will come a distant third with 19.5 per cent votes.

As per the Odoxa poll, the RN coalition will win 33 per cent votes, the NPF 28 per cent, and Macrons centrists 19 per cent, according to Bloomberg.

As per the poll by Opinionway and Vae Solis, the RN-led bloc will win 35 per cent votes, the NPF 28 per cent, and Macrons movement 22 per cent.

Why are voters turning to Marine Le Pens National Rally?

The voters have found Marine Le Pens National Rally (RNP party most noteworthy on economy and public finances, according to the Ipsos poll cited by Reuters.

Of those surveyed, 25 per cent said the RN was most likely to take the right decisions on economic issues, 22 per cent for the NPF, and 20 per cent for Macrons alliance.

To counter the surge of RN, which has been dubbed as a far-right bloc, the left parties have come under a coalition named the NPF. Amid the surge of the right-wing bloc and the convergence of leftist parties, the centrists of Macron are staring at a rout.

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If the leftists or the right-wing bloc wins, then Macron will lose control of the French domestic agenda. In France, the president runs the defence and foreign policies whereas the rest of the domestic governance is with the prime minister which these elections will elect. Macron will remain president till 2027.

The French elections will take place in the shadow the surge of right-wing forces in major European countries. In the European Union (EU) polls this month, the right-wing parties made gains. The biggest upsets for the ruling centrists and leftists were recorded in France and Germany, which have also been seen as a referendum on domestic politics.
China has been renaming places not just within its own provinces, but it is also assigning its own names to places in Indias Arunachal Pradesh read more

India may be about to give China a taste of its own medicine  or so the messaging suggests.

Just like China assigns new names to places it claims as it own, such as Tibet and Indias Arunachal Pradesh, India may be about to assign new names to places in China-controlled Tibet.

Tibet is a historical and cultural region that was for long a buffer between India and China  until 1949-50. That was when the Chinese communist regime invaded the region and took over its direct control, beginning its ongoing repression of the natives. China not just occupied Tibet but also declared Indias Ladakh (part of the Jammu and Kashmir state at the time) and Arunachal as parts of Tibet and claimed as its own.

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While Tibets territorial claims do predate the Chinese takeover of the region, it was only after the communist regime took over the region that proactive steps were taken by Beijing to peddle a narrative to justify not just Tibets occupation but also claims on Ladakh and Arunachal.

In response to Chinas cartographic aggression, India has now planned to assign new names to two dozen places in Tibet, according to a report in The Diplomat.

The report says that New Delhi is convinced that the renaming is part of a Chinese campaign to boost its territorial claims  and scholars agree. Anushka Saxena, a China researcher at the Takshashila Institution, says China has adopted this strategy both internally and externally for a long time. She says the idea is to set the narrative that will boost Beijings version of history and territorial claims as these new names acquire mainstream usage over time.

Following the Chinese occupation, Tibet was renamed as Xizang and China started referring to Arunachal as Zangnan  southern Tibet.

China has indulged in the renaming exercise first and foremost to rewrite history to solidify claims over territories it says is disputed  even though they may not, in reality, be disputed. Secondly, the idea is to insert Chinese names in the usage of other countries and governments, so that associated territories only seem to be remembered as a part of the mainland. Thirdly, China also uses the renaming exercises as a response to actions that violate its so-called red lines, says Saxena, a China Studies Research Analyst with Takshashilas Indo-Pacific Studies Programme.

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Indeed, the Chinese renaming exercises in Arunachal have coincided with developments in the India-China relationship. The first such renaming happened in 2017 after the Tibetan leader the Dalai Lama, whom China considers a separatist, stayed in Arunachal for a week. The next three episodes happened after the India-China border crises of 2020 that witnessed a paradigm shift in Indias China policy.

China issued the first list of Chinese names for places in Arunachal Pradesh after the Dalai Lama visited the state in 2017 (Photo: CTA)

Following the Chinese incursions in Sikkim and Ladakh in 2020 and the Galwan Valley clash in which China killed at least 20 Indian soldiers, India went hawkish on China. It blocked Chinese investments, barred Chinese telecommunication giants from the rollout of the 5G network, banned Chinese apps, and pressured Chinese companies in the country to sell India units, aligned closer with the West, and indulged the Tibetans much more openly. These are too many red lines crossed for China.

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Is India really renaming places in Tibet?

From media reports and chatter in the commentariat, it appears that a plan may indeed be afoot.

The Diplomat, which first broke the story, said that the plan is the brainchild of the Indian Armys information warfare division. It said that the division consulted top research institutions like the Asiatic Society for the renaming exercise.

The plan has two parts, as per the report.

In the first part, the Indian names for places that China has assigned new names will be promoted to counter any narrative that China may want to peddle.

In the second phase, names of places inside Tibet in ancient Indian languages will be promoted to counter the names that China has imposed. The idea is to offer a strong counter-narrative to Chinese claims.

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Now Indias military has also finalised a list of 30-plus places in Tibet to be given new names, reclaiming from historical records their ancient names in Indian languages. This list, sources say, will soon be made public through media as part of a global campaign to offer a strong counter-narrative to Chinese claims on Indias Arunachal Pradesh state and other parts of the disputed border, said the report.

The Diplomat further reported that the renaming of places inside Tibet is part of a tit-for-tat response.

In May, China published a list of Chinese and Tibetan names for 30 places inside Tibet  the most immediate basis for the tit for tat response.

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Indias renaming exercise in Tibet may be tricky

While promoting Indian names for Indian places over the Chinese-imposed names is understandable, the assigning of Indian names to places inside Tibet may be tricky. For one, India does not claim Tibet as its own in any way. Even though India and Tibet have long had cultural and trade ties, Tibet was never part of India and was a separate entity.

Saxena of the Takshashila Institution says renaming is a very specific process of culturally and politically staking claim to a territory by referring to it by a name that was used to describe it in the past  which the current occupier has deposed and which needs to be restored. Since India is not staking a claim to Tibet, the exercise if it is indeed carried out is expected to be much more nuanced.

In renaming places controlled by another nation, the goal is to contend a rival nations claim to that territory and project your own sovereign authority. If the purported Indian list only highlights the old Tibetan names alongside the new Chinese ones, then it would not be right to say that it is re-naming. It will only be a re-minding exercise, says Saxena.

#VantageOnFirstpost: Former US House @SpeakerPelosi targeted Chinese president Xi Jinping after she met with the @DalaiLama in India's Dharamsala. While western democracies have sharpened their language on Tibet, India has been sending mixed signals. @Palkisu tells you more. pic.twitter.com/OlSmR5nAiG  Firstpost (@firstpost) June 19, 2024

The messaging to China with leaks about the reported renaming exercise is part of a sustained campaign to tell China that if you would not respect our sensibilities, we would not respect yours. But it does not mean India is rethinking the fundamentals of the Tibet question. The fundamentals are quite settled  both for India and even the Tibetans. India accepts the One China Policy and acknowledges Tibet as a part of China and the Tibetans in exile, including the Dalai Lama, call for a middle-path approach and real autonomy within China and not outright independence.

Earlier this week, a US Congressional delegation comprising House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi met the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government-in-Exile in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The visit had the approval from New Delhi and indicated that New Delhi is willing to flex its cards more as China continues to remain dismissive of Indian concerns and belligerent in staking its baseless claims. It is in this context that messaging regarding the reported renaming exercise should be seen.

Do names really matter though?

To find an answer to this question, look at the South China Sea  or the West Philippine Sea, the East Sea, or the Southeast Sea.

These names refer to the contested waters of the Western Pacific Ocean bordering the mainland of Southeast Asia. Geographically, these waters are bound within the Taiwan Strait to the northeast; Taiwan and the Philippines in the east; the island of Borneo in the southeast; and the Gulf of Thailand in the south.

The waters are one of the most contested in the world. While China claims all of it, Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam challenge the claim and advance their own claims. Chinas activities in the region are becoming aggressive by the day and the freedom of navigation is one of the most pressing issues in the region. The Chinese belligerence in the region is also central to the push of the Quad countries for a free, fair, and open Indo-Pacific region.

Just this week, Chinese coast guard personnel attacked the Philippine Navy in the region.

#VantageOnFirstpost: The situation in the South China Sea is heating up after a violent confrontation between the Philippine Navy and the Chinese Coast Guard.



The incident, which is by far the most dangerous escalation yet, has raised fears of a wider conflict in the region. pic.twitter.com/rd24oskYlx  Firstpost (@firstpost) June 20, 2024

The fact that the world today knows these waters primarily as the South China Sea is a testament to the power of nomenclature. To be sure, the case of the South China Sea is not the same as the Indian Ocean. While the usage of the Indian Ocean is not disputed, the usage of the South China Sea is but the word has still acquired widespread acceptance and China has used that acceptance to advance its claim.

Saxena tells Firstpost that China has used such names to its benefit both internally and externally. She cites that the Chinese name of Xinjiang, the region in Chinas west of native Uighur Muslims systemically persecuted by Beijing, has completely replaced the historic name of East Turkestan and now has mainstream acceptance  just like with the South China Sea.

Today, we see a similar occurrence in the South China Sea, which countries in the ASEAN would regularly say is actually the West Philippine sea, but the name South China Sea is so deeply ingrained in official lingo today, that it is what most of us refer to it as, says Saxena.

Even in what China calls East China Sea, the features are disputed to the extent that different parties refer to them with their own names. Japan refers to the three Pinnacle islands as Senkaku, Taiwan as Tiaoyutai, and China as Diaoyu.

Even though the wider world does not dispute the name, China has increasingly been rejecting the name Indian Ocean. China, along with Russia too in the recent past, has used the name Asia-Pacific for the region that India, the United States, and much of the world call Indo-Pacific.

So, using nomenclature for ones geopolitical gains and for staking claims is widespread in Chinas context, but it is not unique in the global context, says Saxena.
As per the latest reports, these aircraft ended up in Iran instead of reaching their final destinations, causing major concern among the Lithuanian authorities read more

Iran's aviation struggles to navigate through the economic sanctions from the West. Source: Reuters / Representational Image

Iran smuggled two aircraft that were flying out of Lithuania and heading to Sri Lanka and the Philippines. According to the Jerusalem Post, two Airbus A340s, leased by the Gambian company Macka Invest, were due to fly to South Asia in February.

As per the latest reports, these aircraft ended up in Iran instead of reaching their final destinations, causing major concern among the Lithuanian authorities. Interestingly, the aircrafts transponderswhich enable them to be identified on air traffic control radarswere turned off the moment it entered the Iranian airspace.

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Multiple Lithuanian news outlets suggested that one plane landed at the Mehrabad airport in Tehran and another at Konarak airport in Chabahar. The incident first came to light after a Lithuanian business news website, vz.lt published the shocking report.

Not the first time

With this, the Iranian aviation company, Mahan Air, now possesses the two aircraft as it continues to navigate through American sanctions.

After the report came to light, Aurelija Kuezada, director of Siauliai Airport revealed that a third plane was prevented from taking off because they " assume[d] that it could have landed in Iran as well."

Nothing could have prevented that, Kuezada continued, So, we just didnt let it go when we found out that the first plane had landed in Iran. the Lithuanian official added.

However, this is not the first time and unwantedly came under Irans possession. In December 2022, Iran International reported that four commercial Airbus A340 planes took off from Johannesburg and landed near Iran.

The places were en route Uzbekistan had shut off their transponders while it was near the Iranian airspace. In the same year, The Tehran Times reported that Iran is in need of at least 550 aircraft.

Why Iran is facing a paucity of aircraft, is because Economic sanctions have prevented the Middle Eastern nation from purchasing new planes. It is pertinent to note that the cost of Airbus A340 is over $150 million.

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With inputs from agencies.
The military said the conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the Israeli military and that the incident will be investigated and dealt with. The individual was transferred to medics for treatment, the military said read more

Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military jeep during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday.

A video circulating on social media and verified by Reuters showed a Palestinian resident of Jenin, Mujahed Azmi, on the jeep that passes through two ambulances.

The Israeli military in a statement said Israeli forces were fired at and exchanged fire, wounding a suspect and apprehending him.

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Soldiers then violated military protocol, the statement said. The suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle, it said.

The military said the conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the Israeli military and that the incident will be investigated and dealt with.

The individual was transferred to medics for treatment, the military said.

Reuters was able to match the location from corroborating and verified footage shared on social media that shows a vehicle transporting an individual tied on top of a vehicle in Jenin. The date was confirmed by an eyewitness interviewed by Reuters.

According to the family of Azmi, there was an arrest raid, and he was injured during the raid, and when the family asked for an ambulance, the army took Mujahed, strapped him on the hood and drove off.

Violence in the West Bank, already on the rise before the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, has escalated since then with frequent army raids on militant groups, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and deadly Palestinian street attacks.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism that the US would move quickly to unfreeze the supply of guns and ammunition from Israels main partner, which he claimed had decreased significantly in recent months read more

A day after tens of thousands protested against the government and called for the release of Hamas hostages, Israeli soldiers attacked Gaza once more on Sunday Image Courtesy AFP

Israels Defense Minister Yoav Gallant was on his way to Washington on Sunday for critical discussions about the intensifying cross-border tensions with Lebanons Hezbollah movement and the Gaza war, which has been going on since October 7.

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed optimism that the US would move quickly to unfreeze the supply of guns and ammunition from Israels main partner, which he claimed had decreased significantly in recent months.

The senior right-wing leader of Israel and US President Joe Biden have been at differences over the rising number of civilian deaths in Gaza. However, US officials claim not to have known what Netanyahu was alluding to on the arms issue.

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About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel, the Israeli prime minister informed his cabinet on Sunday. We received a plethora of explanations, but the fundamental circumstances remained unchanged."

In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future, he said, expressing hope that the matter would soon be settled.

A day after tens of thousands protested against the government and called for the release of Hamas hostages, Israeli soldiers attacked Gaza once more on Sunday.

On Israels northern border with Lebanon, where the army and the Iran-backed Hezbollah movement have been exchanging cross-border gunfire every day, tensions have also grown, raising the possibility of a full-scale conflict.

We are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon, and in additional areas, Gallant declared as he promised to discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon.

Our ties with the United States are more important than ever, he emphasized. The outcome of this battle depends on our discussions with US officials."
The ties between India and the UAE are on an upswing in the last few years.Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership read more

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar is travelling to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday to hold wide-ranging talks with his counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Besides bilateral issues, Jaishankar and Al Nahyan are expected to deliberate on the overall situation in Gaza.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said Jaishankars visit will provide an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of comprehensive strategic partnership between India and the UAE as well as regional and global developments.

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External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will pay an official visit to the UAE today, it said in a brief statement.

During the visit, the external affairs minister will have meeting with his UAE counterpart on wide-ranging issues of the partnership, it said.

The ties between India and the UAE are on an upswing in the last few years.Following the landmark visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UAE in August 2015, bilateral relations between the two countries were elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

Both countries signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in February 2022 to boost economic engagement.

The trade pact provides for numerous benefits, including the elimination and reduction of tariffs, fostering an open trade environment, and enhances market access for service providers across various sectors.

The UAE is also among the top four investors in India in terms of foreign direct investments in 2022-23.About 3.5 million strong and vibrant Indian community forms the largest expatriate group in the UAE.
Jaishankars comments came two days after India strongly objected to Canadian parliament observing one minute silence in memory of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in British Columbia in June last year read more

Jaishankar's comments recalling the bombing on its 39th anniversary came amid strain in ties between India and Canada over increasing activities of Khalistani extremists from Canadian soil Image Courtesy Reuters

The 1985 bombing of Kanishka flight is one of the worst acts of terrorism in history, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday.

Jaishankars comments recalling the bombing on its 39th anniversary came amid strain in ties between India and Canada over increasing activities of Khalistani extremists from Canadian soil.

The bombing of the Montreal-New Delhi Air India Flight 182 was blamed on Sikh militants in retaliation to the Operation Bluestar.

The external affairs minister said the anniversary of the bombing is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated.

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Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history, Jaishankar said on X.

Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 Kanishka who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families, he said.

The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated, he added.

The Kanishka flight exploded 45 minutes before it was to have landed at Londons Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985, killing all 329 people on board, most of them Canadians of Indian descent.

Jaishankars comments came two days after India strongly objected to Canadian parliament observing one minute silence in memory of Khalistan extremist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was gunned down in British Columbia in June last year.

In an unusual move, the Canadian parliament observed one minute silence to mark one year of the killing of Nijjar.

Nijjar, who was declared a terrorist by India, was shot dead outside a gurdwara in British Columbia on June 18 last year.

Meanwhile, paying homage to the victims of Kanishka flight bombing, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri wrote on X, This dastardly bombing on June 23, 1985 remains one of the most reprehensible acts of terror committed against India.

Actions anchored in such extremism have no place in a sane and civilised world, he added.

Unfortunately, the systems and mindsets that condoned the Kanishka bombing and subsequent acts of terrorism continue to find forces and sympathisers violating international norms and commitments to combat violent extremism and terrorism, Puri, a former diplomat, added.

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India has been insisting that the Canadian authorities must take action against those advocating violence.

The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus allegations in September last year of a potential involvement of Indian agents in Nijjars killing.

New Delhi rejected Trudeaus charges as absurd.

In a statement on Friday, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner David Teboul called the bombing the greatest terror-related loss of life involving and affecting Canadians in the countrys history as he offered deepest sympathies, understanding and support to the families of the victims.

Operation Bluestar was an India Army operation that was carried out in June 1984 to flush out militants, including their leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale from the Golden Temple in Amritsar.
Director General of Nigerias National Space Research and Development Agency, Mathew Adepoju confirmed that the African nation will be sending its first citizen to space. read more

As the arena of space exploration expands, the Nigerian government announced that it is planning to send the first citizen to space. According to Nigerian news outlet, Premium Times, the Director General of Nigerias National Space Research and Development Agency, Mathew Adepoju confirmed the news at a press conference in Abuja.

Adepoju said that the feat will be achieved in a partnership between his agency and the Space Exploration and Research Agency (SERA).

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This collaboration, which is coming to the country, marks a significant milestone in Nigerias 25th anniversary of Space Exploration journey and opens new opportunities for scientific research and technological advancement," the Nigerian official averred.

During the presser, Nigerias Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Uche Nnaji said that the partnership is expected to accelerate the nations technological advancements and also inspire a new generation of scientists and engineers.

How is Bezos involved?

Interestingly, US-based SERA has a partnership with Amazon founder Jeff Bezos Blue Origin. SERA will fund the seat on a Blue Origin flight to diversify the field of space exploration.

The partnership is part of a broader initiative with Blue Origin to send individuals from underrepresented nations into space. In the year 2022, the two agencies funded the seat of Victor Hespanha, a Brazilian engineer, to space.

SERAs co-founders Sam Hutchison and Joshua Skurla told Semafor Africa that the Nigerian citizen will be chosen according to a public online voting process.

The qualification to be part of the endeavour is that the Nigerian national has to be a healthy adult resident with basic English language-speaking abilities. People can nominate themselves for the race as well. The votes will be eventually verified using a blockchain system to ensure a fair selection process, the founders said.

Nigerias history of space exploration

It is pertinent to note that Nigeria has been actively pursuing space exploration since 1999, when it established NASRDA, and has launched five satellites since 2003. Three out of these five satellites are still in orbit and are being used to deliver vital services.

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The most recent among these satellites was the NigeriaSat-X which was the first one to be designed and constructed by NASRDA engineers, and more advanced models are in development.

The initiative also fulfils the promise made by the countrys former Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu in 2016, to send a Nigerian astronaut into space by 2030.

This would be a landmark achievement for Nigeria and Africa, which will encourage the rest of Africa to get involved, Felix Ale, a NASRDA spokesperson told CNN. The African nation is known for sharing space assets, such as providing satellite imagery to Mali, and has supported the idea of an African Space Agency.

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With inputs from agencies.
According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah Khan, the police had moved the suspect of the alleged desecration incident to the police station but a charged mob attacked the police station and took the suspect away read more

Videos making the rounds on social media show a mob circling a body on fire in the middle of the road, along with a large number of people outside a police station

A man was allegedly burned alive by a mob in a horrifying incident that happened in Pakistans Swat region due to accusations of violation of the Holy Quran.

According to ARY News on Sunday, police have detained 27 people, including two brothers.

The event happened on June 20 at Madyan, a well-known tourist destination in the Swat district that is situated 340 kilometers from Islamabad, the countrys capital.

According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah Khan, the police had moved the suspect of the alleged desecration incident to the police station but a charged mob attacked the police station and took the suspect away.

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People set fire to the police station and a mobile vehicle, the DPO said, adding that the suspect was torched.

Videos making the rounds on social media show a mob circling a body on fire in the middle of the road, along with a large number of people outside a police station. Dawn.comsrespondent has reached out to the police for confirmation of the footage, Dawn reported.

DPO Khan said a heavy police force was deployed in Madyan and was trying to control the tense situation.

Furthermore, the police teams are conducting raids for more arrests in the Madyan incident.

Earlier, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal condemned the lynching incident in Swat and called to stop this street justice.

Ahsan Iqbal during the budget debate in the National Assembly, called the incident horrific.

Ahsan said that parliament had to take stern notice of mob justice, as it had brought Pakistan to the brink of destruction.

We must take notice of this incident. We have now reached to a point where religion being used to justify mob violence and street justice, flagrantly violating the Constitution, the law and the state, he lamented.

At least 2,120 people are reported to have been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2022, as per Dawn.

Last month, police saved a Christian man from enraged people in Sargodha on allegations of desecration of the Holy Quran, He died nine days later due to his injuries.

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In 2022, a middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob over alleged desecration in a remote village of Khanewal district.
Vessels in and around the Red Sea have come under repeated attack for months by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen who say they are acting in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. The attack occurred about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy read more

A merchant ship was damaged by a drone attack in the Red Sea near Yemen early Sunday morning, though no injuries were reported, according to a British maritime security agency.

Vessels in and around the Red Sea have come under repeated attack for months by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen who say they are acting in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

The attack occurred about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy.

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The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call, said a bulletin from the agency.

Authorities are investigating, it added, offering no attribution for the attack.

On Saturday, the US Central Command, which has carried out retaliatory strikes against the Huthis over their attacks on shipping, said it had destroyed three nautical drones belonging to the group over the past 24 hours.

It also said the group had launched three anti-ship missiles into the Gulf of Aden, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.
The Russian state media reported that a church and synagogue were set afire in Dagestan provinces Derbent city and another synagogue was attacked in Makhachkala city read more

Three people have been killed in attacks in Russia's Dagestan province (Representative Photo: Reuters)

Over 15 policemen and several civilians were killed in attacks on a Christian church and two Jewish synagogues in Russias Dagestan province, according to Russian state media.

There were two separate attacks in the Dagestans provinces Makhachkala and Derbent cities.

The state-run RT reported that a church and synagogue were set afire in Derbent and another synagogue was set afire in Makhachkala. It further said the dead included two police personnel and a civilian.

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The attackers set the church and synagogues afire after exchanging fire with the police, said the report.

While RT did not name the synagogues attacked, it said the church attacked was Russian Orthodox Church Holiday - Holy Trinity.

The outlet shared the purported visuals of the site. It showed smoke bellowing from a building and gunshots could also be heard towards the end of the video.

Three Killed As Synagogue & Church Attacked In Southern Russia's Dagestan - Local Police



Sunday evening in Derbent & Makhachkala saw unknown assailants exchange fire with police, before setting fire to a church and synagogue in Derbent and a synagogue in Makhachkala.



Police pic.twitter.com/yrSYIZ8D5p  RT_India (@RT_India_news) June 23, 2024

What we know of the attacks?

The attackers opened fire at the church and synagogue in Derbent with automatic weapons at around 6 pm, The Moscow Times quoted officials as saying.

The paper reported that Father Nikolai, 66, was among those killed in Derbent. He was the priest at the church that was attacked. He died after being knifed.

While RT said the two of the dead were police personnel, The Moscow Times said one of those killed was a security guard.

The Russian authorities have dubbed the attacks as acts of terror, according to CNN.

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All the circumstances of the incident and the persons involved in the terrorist attacks are being established, and their actions will be given a legal assessment, said Russias investigation directorate, as per CNN.
The law criminalizes marrying girls under 18 years of age and also prescribes jail time to the offenders for up to 15 years read more

In a landmark decision, Sierra Leones parliament has approved a law regarding the abolition of child marriage in the country. The new decision is touted as a major victory in the African nation which is already reeling through a grievous economic crisis.

According to Africa News, the law criminalizes marrying girls under 18 years of age and also prescribes jail time to the offenders for up to 15 years. Child marriage has been one of the biggest problems in Central Western and Central African nations. According to UNICEF, one-third of all girls are married before their 18th birthday in the West African country.

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Sierra Leone itself is home to 800,000 child brides, 400,000 of whom were married before age 15, the UN body says.

A cause close to the countrys First Lady

Shortly after the historic law was announced, the First Lady of the Republic Of Sierra Leone, Fatima Maada Bio, took to X, formally known as Twitter, to express her delight over the matter.

Sierra Leones Parliament today unanimously passed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024, a crucial piece of legislation that I championed. This private members bill outlaws child marriage, a harmful practice that has long plagued the nation, the First Lady of the African nation wrote on X.

Sierra Leone's Parliament today unanimously passed the Prohibition of Child Marriage Bill 2024, a crucial piece of legislation that I championed.



This private member's bill outlaws child marriage, a harmful practice that has long plagued the nation.



The bill seeks to pic.twitter.com/vzpuqhkQu7  H. E. Fatima Maada Bio (@FirstLadyBio) June 20, 2024

We have the responsibility to protect our children from early marriage. I expressed heartfelt gratitude to the parliamentarians. Your dedication to this cause, despite the inevitable political differences that arise, is a testament to your shared belief in the importance of the early child marriage bill. This bill represents a significant step forward in protecting the rights of our next generation and a testament to the power of collaboration and shared purpose, she added.

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Bio has been one of the strongest advocates against the social evil that has decaying African society for decades and has been calling for women, girls, and gender equality issues from the grassroots level right to the United Nations.

Her flagship campaign Hands Off Our Girls has significantly reduced sexual and gender-based violence (SGVB), early marriage, teenage pregnancy and child trafficking in the country.

With inputs from agencies.
British hard-right leader Nigel Farage had said that the West provoked Russia into invading Ukraine read more

After the British hard-right leader Nigel Farage blamed the West for Russias invasion of Ukraine, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has compared him to the World War II-era British leader Neville Chamberlain.

Chamberlain, who was the PM of UK (1937-40), has been condemned over the decades over his policy of appeasing and accommodating Nazi German ruler Adolf Hitler with the doomed hope of avoiding a wider war in Europe.

Sunak has accused Farage of similar appeasement of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has said he is playing into his hands.

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This kind of appeasement is dangerous for Britains security, and for the security of our allies who rely on us, and will only embolden Putin further, said Sunak to The Sun on Sunday newspaper.

Echoing the remarks of former Conservative Secretary of Defence Ben Wallace and drawing a parallel between Chamberlain and Farage, Sunak added, Ben Wallace was right when he said Nigel is more Chamberlain than Churchill.

Chamberlain, as part of his appeasement and accommodative policy towards Hitler, struck a deal with a Nazi Germany that allowed Germans to invade Czechoslovakia in return of peace in our time. The deal eventually failed and Winston Churchill took over the government thereafter as the prime minister who has since been hailed as an icon for his leadership during the World War II.

Dangerous for British security

Sunak said that the appeasement of Putin by the likes of Farage is dangerous for the security of the United Kingdom.

Recalling crimes that Russia is accused of on British soil, such as the nerve agent poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Sunak said that appeasement of such a a country and its leader will only empower them.

This is a man who deployed nerve agents on the streets of Britain and is doing deals with countries like North Korea. This kind of appeasement is dangerous for Britains security, and for the security of our allies who rely on us, and will only embolden Putin further, said Sunak to The Sun.

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What did Nigel Farage say?

Farage had said that the West had provoked Russia into attacking Ukraine.

This is the line that Russia has peddled since the invasion of Ukraine and has been popular among the sections of Europes far-right which has surged in popularity in recent years.

In an interview with the BBC, Farage stood by a previous tweet that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a consequence of EU and NATO expansion.

Doubling down on his stand, Farage said, Why did I say that? It was obvious to me that the ever-eastward expansion of NATO and the European Union was giving this man [Putin] a reason to his Russian people to say theyre coming for us again, and to go to war. Weve provoked this war  of course its his fault  hes used what weve done as an excuse.

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Sunak was joined by the Labour Partys leader Sir Keir Starmer in condemnation of Farage. Karmer said that every person aspiring to be a British MP must acknowledge Putin as the aggressor of the Ukraine conflict. He dubbed Farages stand as disgraceful.

Anyone who is standing for Parliament ought to be really clear that Russia is the aggressor, Putin bears responsibility, and that we stand with Ukraine, as we have done from the beginning of this conflict. Parliament has spoken with one voice on this since the beginning of the conflict, said Karmer.
The inquiries heap further misery on Sunak, whose party has trailed Labour by about 20 points in the polls for nearly two years, making it odds-on to be dumped out of office after 14 years. Gove said that those involved in the betting scandal were sucking the oxygen out of the campaign read more

A senior UK minister has drawn comparisons between the ongoing election betting scandal and the Partygate scandal, following reports of another Conservative Party official coming under police investigation.

Nick Mason, the Chief Data Officer of the Conservative Party, is reportedly being investigated by the Gambling Commission for allegedly placing bets on the date of the upcoming general election before it was officially announced.

The widening scandal has further damaged Sunaks attempts to catch the opposition Labour Party, which is far ahead in opinion polls in the run-up to the election.

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The official was named by the paper as Nick Mason, chief data officer at the Conservative Party. Mason did not immediately respond to a request for comment. British newspaper Sunday Times cited a spokesperson for Mason as saying he denied any wrongdoing.

The Sunday Times cited a statement from the Conservative Party as saying Mason had taken a leave of absence. The party did not confirm this when contacted by Reuters.

As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons, a Conservative Party spokesman said.

The Gambling Commission has not confirmed the names of those under investigation. In a response to a request for comment on the Sunday Times report, a commission spokesperson said it would not provide details of its probe, including the identity of any individuals it is investigating.

Sunak said on Thursday he was incredibly angry to hear about the allegations against his party colleagues, calling them a really serious matter.

One of the Conservative candidates named in the scandal, Craig Williams, has already apologised for an error of judgment, and the partys director of campaigning Tony Lee has taken a leave of absence.

A police officer working in a special protection unit has also been arrested over alleged bets on the election date.

In response to the allegations, Housing Minister Michael Gove expressed concerns about the potential damage to the partys reputation, drawing a comparison to the Partygate scandal that led to former Prime Minister Boris Johnsons resignation in 2022.

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It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us Thats the most potentially damaging thing, said Gove, who is standing down this election after 14 years as an MP.

That was damaging at the time of Partygate and is damaging here, he added.

Prime minister Johnson was forced from office in 2022 following public anger at the revelations of parties held in Downing Street when the rest of the country was under lockdown during the pandemic.

Political bets are allowed in the UK, including on the date of elections, but using insider knowledge to do so is against the law.

The inquiries heap further misery on Sunak, whose party has trailed Labour by about 20 points in the polls for nearly two years, making it odds-on to be dumped out of office after 14 years.

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Gove said that those involved in the betting scandal were sucking the oxygen out of the campaign.

With inputs from agencies
Around 25% of all departures and 20% of all inbound flights were cancelled at the Manchester Airport from the power cut, as per a report read more

The Manchester airport in the United Kingdom has been in the grips of chaos as operations have been shut and passengers are left stranded.

The operations at the Terminal 1 and 2 of the Manchester airport have been shut as a significant power cut has struck the airport.

A distraught passenger described the scene at the airport as mayhem and added there was no communication with anyone.

It was mayhemAbsolutely no communication whatsoever. We had to look online to even find out about the power cut. Staff were stopping people entering the check-in area, but you couldnt get up to the staff to ask what was happening, said Nikita Pearson to the BBC.

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The airport authorities have said that the operations are expected to resume later in the day.

https://x.com/manairport/status/1804881290455355543

Even as the airport sounds hopeful, low budget carrier Jet2 has cancelled all flights from Manchester for the day. Other airlines affected are Virgin Atlantic and EasyJet.

https://x.com/jet2tweets/status/1804857062171591130

As per the figures carried by the BBC, 66 departures were cancelled today (25 per cent of all departures) along with 50 inbound flights (around 20 per cent of all arrival).

The report says that the authorities have told passengers who have already checked in that their flights would depart with delays, but some baggage may not be on board.
The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a major deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week read more

An F-18 fighter aircraft sits in the hanger of the Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, anchored in Busan Naval Base in Busan, South Korea. AP

A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier arrived Saturday in South Korea for a three-way exercise involving Japan as they step up military training to cope with North Korean threats, which have escalated following a security pact with Russia.

The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a major deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week.

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The agreement pledges mutual defense assistance in the event of war. South Korea says the deal poses a threat to its security and warned that it could consider sending arms to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion as a response  a move that would surely ruin its relations with Moscow.

Following a meeting between their defense chiefs in Singapore earlier in June, the United States, South Korea and Japan announced the Freedom Edge drills.

The Roosevelt strike group will participate in the exercise that is expected to start within June. South Koreas military didnt immediately confirm specific details of the training.

Rear Admiral. Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, said the exercise is aimed at sharpening tactical proficiency of ships and improving interoperability between the countries navies to ensure we are ready to respond to any crisis and contingency.

South Koreas navy said in a statement that the arrival of the carrier demonstrates the strong defense posture of the allies and stern willingness to respond to advancing North Korean threats. The carriers visit comes seven months after another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, came to South Korea in a show of strength against the North.

Following completion of the exercise, the Roosevelt strike group will leave for the Middle East to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

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The Roosevelt strike group also participated in a three-way exercise with South Korean and Japanese naval forces in April in the disputed East China Sea, where worries about Chinas territorial claims are rising.

In the face of growing North Korean threats, the United States, South Korea and Japan have expanded their combined training and boosted the visibility of strategic U.S. military assets in the region, seeking to intimidate the North. The United States and South Korea have also been updating their nuclear deterrence strategies, with Seoul seeking stronger assurances that Washington would swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to defend its ally from a North Korean nuclear attack.
Michael Campbell, currently Nicaraguas ambassador to China, will take on the additional role from his office in Beijing read more

Nicaragua has appointed an ambassador to Afghanistan, local media reported, in a rare move increasing ties with the diplomatically isolated Taliban regime.

Michael Campbell, currently Nicaraguas ambassador to China, will take on the additional role from his office in Beijing.

We thank the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, that people, that government, for the blessing they have given to our comrade Michael Campbell, Nicaraguan Vice President Rosario Murillo said Friday, according to the pro-government news outlet El 19 Digital.

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Since their 2021 return to power, Taliban authorities have not been formally recognized by any nation.

The Nicaraguan government did not mention recognizing the Taliban government in its announcement.

China also has an ambassador to Afghanistan without recognizing the Taliban.

The top diplomat from the United States is a charge daffaires, with Washington operating without a formal ambassador.

The Taliban apply a rigorous interpretation of Islam, leading to suppression of womens freedoms that the United Nations has described as gender apartheid.

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, in office since 2007, has governed via increasingly authoritarian practices, quashing presidential term limits and seizing control of all branches of the state.
 Flash

China stands ready for dialogue and consultations on electric vehicles (EVs) if the European Union (EU) is willing to sit down at the negotiating table with sincerity, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said Saturday.

Wang made the remarks during a meeting with German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, the Ministry of Commerce said in a press release.

China is willing to consider both parties' reasonable concerns to avoid the escalation of trade frictions in a rational and professional manner, Wang said.

China hopes that Germany will play a positive role in the EU, prompting the European side to meet China halfway, he told Habeck, who is also the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

If the European side adheres stubbornly to its wrong way, China will take necessary measures, including lodging a case under the World Trade Organization dispute settlement mechanism, to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests, Wang added.

Noting that Germany and China are supporters and beneficiaries of globalization, Habeck said the German government is deeply concerned about the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs, which will negatively impact Europe's green transition and consumer interests.

Habeck believes that imposing tariffs is the worst approach as it could lead to a vicious spiral of trade friction escalations, stressing that dialogue and consultations are the only way to solve problems.
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Secretary Blinken's Call with Mexico's Foreign Secretary-designate Juan Ramon de la Fuente

US Department of State

Readout

Office of the Spokesperson

June 21, 2024

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Matthew Miller:

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken spoke with Mexico's Foreign Secretary-designate Juan Ramon de la Fuente today to congratulate him on his appointment. Secretary Blinken reaffirmed the importance of the U.S.-Mexico relationship and our commitment to work closely with President-elect Sheinbaum's administration as equal partners to advance the values and interests of both our countries. The Secretary and Foreign Secretary-designate de la Fuente discussed our enduring partnership across the full spectrum of shared interests, including irregular migration, the threat of fentanyl, economic prosperity, climate change, and renewable energy.

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Yemen says USS Eisenhower hit by ballistic missiles

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Yemen's Army Spokesman Brigadier General Yahya Saree has said that the country's armed forces have carried out a missile attack on US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea.

In a statement on Saturday, the spokesman said that USS Eisenhower was targeted "directly" by several ballistic and cruise missiles.

In an unprecedented operation, the naval forces of the Yemeni army also targeted Transworld Navigator Ship in the Arabian Sea with several ballistic missiles, Saree said.

In both operations, the targets were hit directly and precisely, he added.

The spokesman stressed that the Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to carry out their military operations in support of the Palestinian people until the Israeli regime stops its aggression and lifts its siege of Gaza.

The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target hostile foreign military forces in the Red and Arabian seas in response to the aggression against Yemen, he added.

The Arab country, since mid-November, has been launching attacks on Israeli ships or vessels heading for ports in the occupied Palestinian territories in response to the war on Gaza.

Yemen has continued with its military operations against Israeli-linked ships in the high seas despite joint airstrikes ongoing by the US and the UK on Yemeni soil since mid-January.

The Arab country says the airstrikes are only aimed at giving more support to the Israeli regime.

9341**4194

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Lebanon's Islamic Group confirms martyrdom of its fighter in Zionist attack

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Lebanon's Political Party Al-Jamaa Al-Islamiya (Islamic Group) has confirmed the martyrdom of one of its fighters in an Israeli attack, saying that "the crime" will not deter the group from defending Lebanon and the Palestinian people.

The Islamic Group issued a statement on Saturday night, several hours after its fighter Ayman Hashem Ghatmeh lost his life in an Israeli attack in Western Beqaa District, Beirut-based Al Manar TV Network reported.

The group called the killing "a new crime" committed by the Zionist regime against Lebanese and Palestinian nations.

It emphasized that the killing will not deter the group from carrying out its duty in defending the Lebanese people in the south and people in Palestine.

Earlier on Saturday, Lebanese media reported that an Israeli drone had targeted a car in Western Beqaa District, leaving a Lebanese citizen dead.

Since the onset of the Gaza war in early October, the Israeli regime has been engaged in clashes with Lebanese groups at Lebanon's southern border.

The groups, which include the Hezbollah Resistance Movement, say that they aim to provide support to Gazans and their resistance fighters battling the regime.

The clashes however have intensified in the past few weeks, raising concerns over a full-blown war.

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Hezbollah targets Zionist military building in northern occupied lands

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- Hezbollah of Lebanon has carried out an attack against a building in northern parts of the Palestinian Israeli-occupied territories in which a number of Zionist soldiers had gathered, local media reported.

Al Ahd News cited a statement by Hezbollah on Saturday that the building has been targeted directly.

It said that the attack was in support of the Palestinian resistance in the Gaza Strip and in retaliation for recent Zionist strikes against villages in southern Lebanon.

There are also reports that a Zionist killer drone has targeted a vehicle in Khiara in Lebanon's West Beqaa District.

The Zionist Army has claimed that Ayman Ghatma, a senior member of al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya has been assassinated in the attack.

Al-Jama'a al-Islamiyya has not yet confirmed his assassination.

9341**2050

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Yemeni army releases video of 'Toufan-1' UUV

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Yemeni Army for the first time published video images of the "Toufan-1" unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV).

According to the Yemeni army, Toufan-1 carries a 150 kg warhead and has a speed of 35 nautical miles per hour.

High speed and ability in maneuvering and stealth are among the characteristics of the UUV.

It has been designed for fixed and mobile near-sea targets inside Yemen.

The Yemeni armed forces in support of the people of Gaza have targeted several Israeli ships or those carrying goods for the Zionist regime, which were heading to the occupied territories in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean, and the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

The Yemeni armed forces have vowed to continue attacking the Israeli vessels or those bound for the occupied territories and the ships of the coalition forces supporting the Zionist regime in the Red Sea until the Israeli regime stops its attacks on the Gaza Strip and killing the Palestinians.

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Hezbollah conducts 6 strikes against Israeli positions

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says its fighters carried out six attacks on military positions of the Israeli regime in northern occupied Palestine on Friday.

In a statement on Saturday, Hezbollah confirmed the six attacks but did not point to the potential casualties of the strikes.

The operations against Israeli military positions show Hezbollah's missile and drone power and warn the regime's senior commanders against any escalation in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Reserve General Itzhak Brik said on Friday night that any attack on Hezbollah would bring about a regional and widespread war.

He cautioned that the innovative plan proposed by the chief of staff of the Israeli army and the war minister to launch a comprehensive attack on Hezbollah would lead to a regional war on six fronts, ultimately leading to the destruction of Israel itself.

Following the onset of the Israeli onslaught on the Gaza Strip, Hezbollah started targeting Israeli military positions in the north of the occupied territories. The Zionist regime has responded by targeting residential areas in southern Lebanon, killing Hezbollah members and civilians.

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Netanyahu lying about Gaza civilian deaths: Hamas

ISNA - Iranian Students' News Agency

Sat / 22 June 2024 / 12:58

Hamas affirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that the ratio of civilian to combatant deaths in Gaza is one-to-one is a lie and an erosion of global public opinion.

Tehran -ISNA- In a statement, the Resistance movement stressed that the allegations are a continuation of the blatant deception that seeks to cover up the war crimes and genocide committed by the occupation army that are unprecedented in modern history.

The movement mentioned the daily reports published by the Health Ministry in Gaza and other documentation that prove that the vast majority of victims in the Gaza Strip were civilians, especially women and children, who were killed in reckless Israeli bombardments on their homes, hospitals, shelters, and more locations the occupation claimed were safe zones.

This comes after Netanyahu claimed, in a televised interview, that the ratio of civilian deaths in Gaza was one-to-one to that of Resistance fighters, which was the "minimum" in modern wars.

Israel might have violated fundamental principles in the laws of war and failed to identify Palestinian civilians from Resistance fighters several times throughout the war in Gaza, the United Nations' Human Rights Office stated on Wednesday.

End Item

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Peacekeepers in South Sudan sent to protect civilians from more communal violence: UN

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 09:58, June 22, 2024

UNITED NATIONS, June 21 (Xinhua) -- UN peacekeepers in South Sudan have intensified patrols in Tonj East to protect civilians and restore community confidence after inter-communal clashes, a UN spokesman said on Friday.

The UN Mission in South Sudan, known as UNMISS, also continues to engage with community members and leaders, particularly women, to understand their perspectives on the security situation and better tailor their responses, said Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Haq said the mission also reported challenges accessing Tonj East because of poor road conditions and heavy rains. The situation often complicates law enforcement in the area, but local authorities are determined to continue providing services to the affected communities.

He said UNMISS, in collaboration with the UN Development Programme, organized a two-day forum in Yambio. The forum brought together dozens of county commissioners, community leaders, youth and women representatives from Western Equatoria State to address persistent inter-communal conflict and violence.

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Yemeni forces launch attacks on commercial vessel, US aircraft carrier Eisenhower

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 5:26 PM

The spokesman for the Yemeni armed forces says the country's naval units have carried out two separate operations against a commercial vessel and the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza, and in response to the US and British airstrikes on Yemen.

Brigadier General Yahya Saree said in a video statement on Saturday that the forces had targeted Transworld Navigator bulk carrier in the Arabian Sea with a number of ballistic missiles.

He stressed that the maritime operation was carried out after its owner violated the Yemeni armed forces' embargo on the Israeli regime.

The Yemeni army's spokesman further noted that the country's naval units had also attacked the Eisenhower in the northern sector of the Red Sea with a number of ballistic and cruise missiles.

He stressed that the operation achieved its objectives successfully.

Saree noted that Yemeni naval units will continue their strikes in support of and in solidarity with Palestinians until the devastating Israeli onslaught against the Gaza Strip comes to an end, and the tight blockade on the coastal territory is lifted.

The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target any hostile foreign military vessel in the Red and Arabian seas in response to attacks on our homeland and in defense of our beloved nation, he emphasized.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7 after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

The Yemeni Armed Forces have said that they won't stop their attacks until unrelenting Israeli ground and aerial offensives in Gaza end.

Israel has killed nearly 37,600 people and wounded over 85,900 individuals in Gaza since October.

Leader of the Ansarullah resistance movement Abdul-Malik al-Houthi has said it is "a great honor and blessing to be confronting America directly."

The attacks have forced some of the world's biggest shipping and oil companies to suspend transit through one of the world's most important maritime trade routes. Tankers are instead adding thousands of miles to international shipping routes by sailing around the continent of Africa rather than going through the Suez Canal.

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EU decries Israel's shelling that killed 22 near Gaza office of Red Cross

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 5:01 PM

EU Foreign Policy Chief Josep Borrell has condemned Israel's deadly shelling near the office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in a designated "safe zone" in Gaza, calling for an investigation.

"The EU condemns the shelling which damaged the ICRC office in Gaza and led to dozens of casualties," Borrel wrote on X on Saturday.

"An independent investigation is needed and those responsible must be held accountable," he added.

The ICRC said late Friday that at least 22 people were killed when "heavy-caliber projectiles landed within meters of the office and residences of the International Committee of the Red Cross" in al-Mawasi, a coastal region west of Rafah.

"This incident caused a mass casualty influx at the nearby Red Cross Field Hospital, with the hospital receiving 22 killed and 45 injured, with reports of additional casualties."

The Red Cross facility has been also damaged by shelling, it said.

The organization also decried "these incidents that put the lives of humanitarians and civilians at risk."

According to witnesses and rescue workers, shelling had taken place at two locations in the coastal area, which is filled with makeshift tents.

Al-Mawasi had been designated as a humanitarian "safe zone" by Israel. Thousands of people had fled there following the regime's invasion of the southern city of Rafah in early May.

According to Oxfam, more than 1 million people have fled Rafah to the nearby areas of Al-Mawasi, Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis.

Israel's airstrikes have previously hit locations in the vicinity of al-Muwasi, a rural area where Palestinians have been living in desperate conditions.

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Iraqi resistance vows to assist Hezbollah if Israel attacks Lebanon

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 2:36 PM

Fighters from Iraqi anti-terror resistance groups have expressed their full solidarity with Hezbollah, stressing they will fight alongside their comrades in the Lebanese group in case the Tel Aviv regime decides to wage a new war on Lebanon.

Lebanon's Arabic-language al-Akhbar daily newspaper, citing unnamed sources at the Islamic Resistance in Iraq - an umbrella group of anti-terror fighters, reported that Kata'ib Hezbollah, Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada and Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba groups have announced their readiness to fight alongside Hezbollah to confront any possible Israeli aggression against Lebanon.

The sources added that the Iraqi resistance groups are awaiting Hezbollah's approval.

Kadhim al-Fartousi, the spokesman for the Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada anti-terror resistance group, stated that Hezbollah enjoys great prowess, powerful and effective weapons, and large numbers of fighters, which are sufficient to repel Israeli aggression irrespective of its extent.

"Should the need arise for Iraqi fighters in southern Lebanon, we will be the first to face up to the Zionist enemy's act of aggression [alongside Hezbollah]. This is a Muslim and Arab issue," he pointed out.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned that "no place" in the Israeli-occupied territories would be spared from the group's weapons in case of a full-blown war.

Nasrallah emphasized that an incursion into the Galilee region remains an option on the table should Israel invade southern Lebanon.

He also said they would attack any other country in the region that assisted Israel in the war effort, citing Cyprus, which has hosted Israeli forces for training exercises.

Hezbollah has been carrying out almost daily rocket attacks on Israeli positions in retaliation for the regime's aggression against Lebanon and in solidarity with Palestinians.

The genocidal war in Gaza has killed at least 37,551 Palestinians, predominantly women and children so far.

At least 455 people have also been killed on the Lebanese border, including more than 80 civilians, according to a tally by AFP.

Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts.

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June 21: 'Axis of Resistance' operations against Israeli occupation

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 11:25 AM

By Press TV Website Staff

Amid Israel's genocidal war on Gaza, which has killed at least 37,551 Palestinians so far, including around 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 Friday, June 21, are as follows:

Al-Qassam Brigades' operations on June 21:



- Targeted Israeli military gatherings infiltrating south of the Juhr Al-Dik area, east of the central Gaza governorate, with heavy-caliber mortar shells.



Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades' operations on June 21:



- Targeted Israeli military gatherings on the "Netzarim" axis with a number of 120-caliber mortars.

- Targeted a convoy of Israeli military vehicles on the axis of advance in the Saudi neighborhood in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, with several mortar shells.



Al-Quds Brigades' operations on June 21:



- Targeted the settlement of "Be'eri" in the Gaza envelope with a rocket barrage.

- Targeted the positions of Israeli soldiers and their military vehicles with a barrage of heavy-caliber and regular mortar shells in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip.

- Targeted an Israeli military command and control center as well as gatherings of soldiers and military vehicles at the "Abu Oreiban Site" on the "Netzarim" axis with mortar shells.

- Targeted an Israeli military helicopter with a "SAM 18" (Igla) rocket, east of the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, after it was returning from an operation to evacuate the dead and wounded in the Shaboura ambush.



Mujahideen Brigades' operations on June 21:



- Targeted the "Kissufim" military site east of the central Gaza governorate with a rocket barrage.



Al-Asifah Forces' operations on June 21:



- Targeted Israeli military forces stationed at the "Sofa" military site with a 107mm rocket salvo.



Martyr Omar Al-Qasim Forces' operations on June 21:



- Targeted the occupied city of Asqalan and the settlement of "Netiv HaAsara" with Al-Qasim rockets.

- Targeted the Karam Abu Salem military site and a convoy of Israeli military vehicles in the vicinity of the "Ker" Junction in the city of Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, with short-range missiles and mortar shells.

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Yemeni army releases for 1st time footage of drone boat strike on sea target

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 11:18 AM

The Yemeni armed forces have for the first time released footage of a drone boat and its strike on a sea target amid Yemen's months-long maritime operations against Israeli shipping in support of Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip.

The video published by the media bureau of Yemen's Operations Command Center on Saturday showed "Tempest 1" with a warhead weighing 150 kilograms and a speed of 35 nautical miles per hour.

Boasting high speed and ability in maneuvering and stealth, the Yemeni drone boat is designed for fixed and mobile near targets.

Yemen's military released on Wednesday the video of its recent attack on the vessel "Tutor" belonging to Evalend Shipping Co. S.A., a Greek company, using weapons such as drone boats.

The footage showed the vessel being struck by two drone boats while sailing in the Red Sea, which resulted in its sinking.

Explosions near ship off Yemen: Report

Britain's maritime safety agency, UKMTO, reported on explosions near a ship east of the Yemeni port city of Aden on Friday.

The agency, which did not identify the vessel, said the ship was able to continue its journey and "the crew are reported safe."

UKMTO provided no further details on the maritime incident.

Yemenis have declared their open support for Palestine's struggle against the Israeli occupation since the regime launched a devastating war on Gaza on October 7, 2023, after the territory's Palestinian resistance movements carried out a surprise retaliatory attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.

Yemeni Armed Forces have said that they won't stop their attacks until unrelenting Israeli ground and aerial offensives in Gaza end.

Israel has killed at least 37,551 people and wounded 85,911 others in Gaza since October last year.

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Hezbollah pounds multiple Israeli targets after assassination of member

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 7:21 AM

Lebanese Hezbollah resistance fighters have conducted a series of strikes against Israeli sites in the northern part of the 1948 occupied territories in response to the brutal aggression against Gaza.

The group announced in a statement that its fighters struck the Ras Naqoura base with a squadron of kamikaze drones on Friday, stressing that the unmanned aerial vehicles hit the designated targets precisely and inflicted casualties on Israeli forces.

It added that the aerial raid was carried out in reprisal for the Israeli act of aggression against Lebanon's southern village of Deir Kifa on Thursday, which targeted a car and killed a man.

Hezbollah forces also targeted Ruwaisat al-Qarn and Zibdin sites in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms with separate rocket barrages.

A series of other strikes by Hezbollah fighters targeted al-Samaqah and Ramtha outposts in the occupied Kfar Shuba Hills.

The resistance group also targeted an Israeli artillery position at the al-Zaoura site, hitting it accurately.

Hezbollah has been carrying out almost daily rocket attacks on Israeli positions in retaliation for the regime's aggression against Lebanon and in solidarity with Palestinians.

The genocidal war in Gaza has killed at least 37,431 Palestinians, predominantly women and children so far.

At least 455 people have also been killed on the Lebanese border, including more than 80 civilians, according to a tally by AFP.

Two Israeli wars waged against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006 were met with strong resistance from Hezbollah, resulting in the retreat of the regime in both conflicts.

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Iran: Israel will be the 'ultimate loser' in war with Hezbollah

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 2:01 AM

Iran has warned Israel about the consequences of waging an all-out war on Lebanon's Hezbollah resistance group.

Iran's mission to the UN said in a statement on Friday that Israel would be the "ultimate loser" of any military action against Lebanon.

"Undoubtedly, this war will have one ultimate loser, which is the Zionist regime. The Lebanese resistance movement, Hezbollah, has the capability to defend itself and Lebanon - perhaps the time for the self-annihilation of this illegitimate regime has come," Iran's mission to the United Nations said.

The statement said Hezbollah is capable of defending both itself and Lebanon.

It also warned that any action by Israel against Lebanon could plunge the region into a new conflict.

"Any imprudent decision by the occupying Israeli regime to save itself could plunge the region into a new war, the consequence of which would be the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure as well as that of the 1948 occupied territories," the statement noted.

The Israeli regime and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire along Lebanon's southern border almost on a daily basis since the Gaza onslaught began on October 7.

The tensions have flared over the past week especially after Israel killed a senior Hezbollah commander last week.

The exchange of fire has intensified following the Israeli assassination of senior Hezbollah commander Sami Taleb Abdallah.

The movement has retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets into the northern parts of the occupied territories.

Hezbollah says its operations are meant to support the Gaza resistance and to put pressure on the regime to stop the genocide in Gaza, which has so far left over 37,400 Gazans dead, most of them women and children.

On Tuesday, the Israeli army said it had approved plans for an attack on Lebanon, raising concerns that the regime might carry out threats that it will turn Lebanon into another Gaza.

On Wednesday, Hezbollah's Secretary-General Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah vowed that "no place" in the Israeli-occupied territories would "be spared our rockets" if a wider war began.

Nasrallah emphasized that an incursion into the Galilee region remains an option on the table should Israel invade southern Lebanon.

He also said they would attack any other country in the region that assisted Israel in the war effort, citing Cyprus, which has hosted Israeli forces for training exercises.

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Hamas: 'Priority is to stop Israel's criminal war' in Gaza

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 12:08 AM

The political bureau chief of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas has said that the priority is stopping Israel's criminal war against the Palestinian people.

Ismail Haniyeh said in a speech on Friday that the Palestinians will deal with any initiative that fulfills their demands to stop the war of genocide in Gaza.

Haniyeh confirmed that the movement is open to dealing with "any paper or initiative that provides the foundations of the resistance's position in the ceasefire negotiations."

He stressed that the resistance movement has "the priority of stopping this criminal war against our people, and considering common interests with the Axis of Resistance, whether in Lebanon and other fronts in Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and the components of the nation."

In his speech, Haniyeh addressed the latest developments in the political negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza.

He said Hamas has specific demands for a permanent ceasefire, complete withdrawal, reconstruction, prisoner exchange, relief for the Palestinian people and everything related to the siege.

Haniyeh added that these demands are the demands of his people, the resistance, and all the free people of the nation.

He warned that Israel's negotiating strategy is based on mobilizing regional and international pressure to pressure Hamas to accept the Israeli vision, which affects the foundations of Palestinian demands.

Haniyeh said that the US and its allies are backing the war in Gaza after the Zionist entity suffered an "earthquake" on the seventh of last October.

Haniyeh said that the ongoing Israeli war in the Gaza Strip for the ninth consecutive month is "not only managed by the occupation army but also by the American administration and its allies from Western colonial forces."

He revealed that US President Joe Biden personally chaired a meeting of the Israeli war council in a session that lasted seven hours to set goals for eliminating the Islamic resistance and Hamas, and changing the security and political reality in the Gaza Strip.

Haniyeh noted that Washington and its allies promptly moved to protect Israel because the attack on October 7 was an earthquake that shook the foundations and principles of the Zionist colonial project.

The Hamas leader said the US and Israel failed in the face of the steadfastness of the Palestinian people and their resistance.

While Hamas has demanded a lasting ceasefire, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched an offensive in the southern city of Rafah, which is home to around 1.5 million Palestinians who have been displaced due to Israel's ongoing genocidal campaign in the besieged territory.

Netanyahu attacked Rafah, despite strong concerns voiced by UN agencies and ally Washington for the safety of the civilians inside the city.

Israel waged its brutal war on besieged Gaza on October 7 after Hamas carried out a historic operation against the occupying entity in retaliation for its intensified atrocities against the Palestinian people.

Tel Aviv, however, has failed to achieve its objectives in Gaza despite killing at least 37,400 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

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What was Vietnam thinking, welcoming Putin?

Dubious decision-making in Hanoi suggests the 'securocrat' faction is calling the shots.

A commentary by David Hutt 2024.06.22 -- Why did Hanoi welcome Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, for a state visit this past week?

Sure, invite him. Allow Russian state media to speculate on a visit. Meet with his underlings. But to actually unfurl the red carpet for a leader whose global travel has been sharply curbed by an International Criminal Court arrest warrant ?

From geopolitical, domestic, economic, and ideological points of view, it makes little sense - unless the rising security faction is dictating what happens within the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Some 15 deals on economic, educational, and political cooperation were signed. But those items could have been agreed upon without Putin's presence. That was the smokescreen, however.

Russia was the largest provider of military equipment to Vietnam until 2022, but that was before it invaded Ukraine and depleted much of its arsenal.

Sales to Vietnam have tanked since. Nobody should look at how Russian equipment is faring in Ukraine and conclude, "I need some of that." However, that's apparently what the Vietnamese military is thinking.

According to a finance ministry document leaked to the media last year, Vietnam thinks it can buy weapons from Russia via payments to a joint Vietnamese and Russian oil venture in Siberia, which would allow it to avoid U.S. sanctions.

Missiles in mind

The New York Times cited a Vietnamese official saying the secret deal will be worth $8 billion over the next two decades. Some reckon this is now Vietnamese government policy, which might explain Putin's visit.

Some observers believe Hanoi wants aircraft and new naval vessels from Russia. Its navy badly needs an upgrade. And it really wants BrahMos cruise missiles developed by a joint Russian and Indian venture.

Beijing has apparently pressured Moscow not to sell to Hanoi. Given that Russia is now utterly dependent on China, it's unlikely that Moscow would agree to the sale.

Maybe Hanoi thought that by giving Putin some international publicity and support through the visit, Putin would return the favor with missiles. Maybe Hanoi thought it needed Putin to be there in person to drive a hard bargain: "If you don't give us what we want, we'll go to South Korea for military equipment."

But it's a risky business. It's hard to imagine the U.S. not responding to any such deal to buy Russian weapons, however cleverly it's designed to get around sanctions, with very forceful sanctions.

Indeed, it's hard to imagine this not impacting Vietnam's economy more generally. The economy isn't spectacular at the moment, and Hanoi really cannot afford to jeopardize relations with the U.S., its second-largest trade partner and primary export destination.

It certainly cannot afford to do so when Donald Trump, who famously remarked that Vietnam is the "worst abuser" of the U.S. on trade, could soon return to the presidency.

'Securocrats' in charge

But this risk-taking may be the consequence of the "securocrats" having taken over the Communist Party of Vietnam, having used party chief Nguyen Phu Trong's signature anti-corruption campaign to purge their rivals over the past 12 months.

Trong, now 80, did not look very well in his meeting with Putin. It's still uncertain if he'll make it to the next party congress in early 2026. My guess is that Trong is no longer the arbitrator he seemed to be until very recently.

In this vacuum, the "securocrats" - officials of the security ministry - have quickly forged a stranglehold over the party. After last month's changes to the Politburo, there are now just two economics-minded technocrats in the 16-member elite decision-making body, the lowest number in decades.

To Lam, the former public security minister and now president, is tipped to become the next party chief.

There is talk that the securocrats aren't yet finished purging the party of their economic-minded rivalsthose who would put up a fight within the party against any major military deal with the Russians.

Dinh Tien Dung, the Hanoi party chief and former finance minister, "resigned" this week and will likely soon exit the Politburo.

It was probably the securocrats who lobbied hard for the Putin visit to happen, silencing those who we know from leaks were dead against it.

Flow of information

The anti-graft campaign has certainly weakened the bureaucracy. Civil servants are so petrified of being reprimanded for potentially making mistakes, especially when it comes to using state money, that they've simply stopped making hard choices, leading to a bureaucratic slowdown and major problems in state capacity.

The bigger concern should be whether bureaucratic fear has also impacted the flow of information within the party. Are underlings still willing to give their superiors unwelcome but honest news?

According to Nguyen Khac Giang, of the ISEAS - Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, "the new [politburo] leaders...are more 'thinkers' than 'doers,' lacking significant achievements that justify their promotions. This reinforces the belief that in the uncertain context of the anti-corruption campaign, it is wiser for bureaucrats to play safe by doing less and surviving rather than taking risks."

Look north of the border and Xi Jinping, China's paramount leader, has fully centralized power and thoroughly purged anyone competent or honest from the bureaucracy. It's not that he has surrounded himself with "yes men"; It's that no one wants to give him information anymore.

The ministries and military have responded, in some instances, by simply stopping collecting data - like on youth unemployment. In other instances, they've gone gung-ho on "wolf warrior" diplomacy schemes without telling their superiors.

It has been reported that Xi only found out that China put that spy balloon above the United States in early 2023 after Biden informed him. Some ministry lackey had apparently decided it was a good idea and, with information no longer flowing upwards, took the initiative.

By the time Xi realized what was happening, America had collected so much data on to whom and how the balloon was transmitting data that it was arguably one of the biggest intelligence breakthroughs against China in decades.

In Hanoi for now, the securocrats are in charge, and appear to be listening to their "yes men".

The danger, looking a few years down the line, is whether the alternative factions become so weak and the entire bureaucracy becomes so fearful that unwelcome news no longer flows to the top.

David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and the Southeast Asia Columnist at the Diplomat. He writes the Watching Europe In Southeast Asia newsletter. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of RFA.

Copyright 1998-2024, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036. For any commercial use of RFA content please send an email to: mahajanr@rfa.org. RFA content June not be used in a manner which would give the appearance of any endorsement of any product or support of any issue or political position. Please read the full text of our Terms of Use.

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Romania to Launch Domestic Drone Production By Year-End

Sputnik News

20240622

CHISINAU (Sputnik) - Romania plans to design an indigenous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and open a center preparing drone operators this year, Economy Minister Radu Oprea said on Saturday.

"We are convinced that by the end of summer we will have a project plan ready for the Romanian drone. By the end of the year the plan will be implemented. Carfil, the company representing the state-owned Romarm, intends to open a center preparing UAV operators both for civilian and military purposes," Oprea was quoted by Radio Romania.

The Carfil company has signed an agreement with US Periscope Aviation to move the production of its drone from China to Romania, Opera added.

In May, Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said that the country was working on a drone production project as part of the army rearmament.

 Sputnik

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Israel, Lebanon's Hezbollah on potential 'knife edge of conflict'

By Dale Gavlak June 22, 2024

Fears are growing of the Gaza conflict widening to engulf Israel and its northern foe, the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah militia, after both sides claimed this week to be ready to go to war following an intensification of their cross-border attacks.

Israel's military said it has approved plans for an attack in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has threatened to carry out a war with "no red lines," although it said it would halt attacks if the Gaza war stopped.

Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the U.K., Prince Khalid Bin Bandar Al Saud, warned this week that failure to end the Gaza war and the broader Israel-Palestinian conflict would risk serious escalation not easily contained.

"At some stage we will hit a point where the conflict will spread, and it will become regional," he said at London's Chatham House.

"It's very important for everyone to recognize the danger that lies ahead," he said. "A regional conflict will not remain regional; it will become international very quickly. The reality is that if it continues along the path that it is going, [it] is much worse than what is happening on the ground today or any scenario from what will come from a deal."

U.S. President Joe Biden's envoy, Amos Hochstein, has tried to defuse tensions, warning that a "miscalculation, accident or errant missile" could cause the situation to spiral out of control.

Analyst Nicholas Heras of the Washington-based New Lines Institute told VOA that Israel and Hezbollah are currently "on a knife's edge of conflict," which could lead to an all-out war.

"Israel's objective is to eliminate Hamas control from Gaza and to force Hezbollah off of the Israeli border north of the Litani River in Lebanon," Heras said. "Hezbollah's goal, which is set by Iran, is to continue to apply increasing military pressure on Israel until the conflict in Gaza ends."

Hussein Ibish, an analyst with Washington's Arab Gulf States Institute, told the France24 satellite TV channel that "neither Hezbollah nor Iran want a war under current circumstances."

"The purpose of Hezbollah in the Iranian alliance is to be a deterrent against and a strategic response to an Israeli or American assault on the Iranian homeland, specifically on their nuclear facilities," Ibish said.

Still, should a war ignite between Israel and Hezbollah, Heras told VOA that there would be widespread ramifications.

"If there is a war between Hezbollah, and by extension Iran, in Israel, it would draw the United States in that war because the United States is so committed in terms of military assets to Israel's defense," he said. "And Iran is so committed to Hezbollah's defense because Hezbollah represents for Iran a key means to apply strategic pressure on Israel."

Heras predicts that the entire region would be drawn in and "that type of war could have shattering effects on global society."

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Russo-Ukraine War - 22 June 2024 - Day 850

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 Konstantin Malofeyev, the owner of the Russian nationalist TV channel Tsargrad is the sponsor of a nationalist student movement 'The Fraternity of the Academics'. This organization has cells in various Russian universities and adheres to a militantly imperialist outlook. The Fraternity believes that the 21st century could become a golden century of Russian culture with Russian ideological dominance on a global scale.

The Fraternity has organised military training and some members of the Fraternity have gone to fight in Ukraine (the movement is totally hostile to Ukrainian statehood).

The existence of this movement makes clear that there is a constituency in Russia for a more militant approach towards both the war on Ukraine and the West. This will likely have an impact on the generational turnover that is likely to take place in the Russian administrative elites over the rest of this decade.

The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that the Ukrainian military continues to decisively give an offence to the enemy's attempts to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him an effective fire effect, exhausting across the entire frontline.

Since the beginning of the day, there have been 133 combat clashes.

During the day, aviation, missile troops and artillery of the Defense Forces hit 17 personnel concentration areas, Russian control point, two PPOs, four ammunition warehouses, a REB station and one RLS.

Russian invaders launched five missiles using 20 rockets and 35 aviation strikes using 68 CABs on the territory of Ukraine, also launched 544 kamikaze drones. Along with that, Russia has fired more than 3,200 shelling on positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements with barrel and jet artillery, mortars, firearms and armaments of fighting vehicles.

In the Kharkiv direction, the occupiers throughout the day supported by aviation attacked near vovcans ka. Defense Forces units have successfully repelled two Russian attacks, with another confrontation currently underway. According to preliminary information, since the beginning of the day, of Russian losses, 64 occupants have been killed and wounded, two artillery systems and six vehicles have been destroyed. 35 personnel shelters and one place of ammunition storage were affected.

In the Kupyansky direction, Russian forces made 15 attempts to push Ukrainian units from occupied positions in the areas of settlements of Stelmakhivka, Sinkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Piescnna, Andriyivka and Myasozarivka. 12 Russian attacks were successfully repelled. A tense situation remains near Stelmahivka, where three combat clashes continue.

In the Lyman direction Russian zagarbniki eight times tried to advance in the areas of Nevsky, terniv and novosadovogo. Defenders of Ukraine repelled all Russian attacks.

In the Sivers komu direction, the setting of significant changes has not been experienced. Since the beginning of the day, the Russian occupiers have carried out ten assault actions in the areas of Verkhnyokamensky, Rozdolivka, Spirnogo and Viimka. Nine Russian attacks ended unsuccessfully, one battle is ongoing. The situation is under the control of Defense Forces units.

Four Russian attempts to approach Ukrainian positions near Grigorivka, Time Jar and Ivanivsky in the Kramatorsky direction failed. The battle is ongoing near Klishchievka.

The situation is tense in the Toretsky direction. Since the beginning of the day, the number of attempts of Russian occupiers to infiltrate Ukrainian defense positions has increased to 15. Supported by aviation, Russian forces attacked near Toretsk, Northern and New York. 11 assault actions of the Defense Forces units repelled, four confrontations are still ongoing. Ukrainian soldiers are making maximum effort to curb the Russian activity and its exhaustion.

The high intensity of combat is maintained in the Pokrovsky direction. The number of confrontations has increased to 44. With the support of all available means of fire effect (aviation, artillery, armaments of fighting vehicles, strike BPLA, FPV-drones and firearms) the garbniki continue to pressure on the fighting order of defenders of Ukraine near Oleksandropol, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvizhenka, Evgenivka, Sokola, Novoselivka the First, Novopokrovska and Karlivka. Ukrainian warriors have been defeated 32 Russian attacks, 12 combat clashes are still continuing.

The previous Russian losses amounted to 319 invaders killed and wounded. One tank, two combat armored vehicles, a cannon and a car were destroyed. The losses are in the making.

In the Kurakhiv direction from the beginning of the day, 15 boezitknen  took place. The Russian activity near Nevelsky, Krasnogorivka, Georgiyivka and Paraskoviyivka is preserved. 11 Russian attacks repelled, fighting continues.

In the direction of the pridniprovsk, six Russian assault actions did not have success. A loss of positions is not allowed.

In other directions, the situation remained without significant changes.

Ukrainian defenders confidently suppress the pressure of Russian occupation troops. Separately, the warriors of the 92nd OSHBR named after Koshovogo Ottaman Ivan Sirk should be noted, who bravely hold their positions, skillfully repel Russian attacks, effectively apply the tools of fire on live force and technique, causing the Russian occupiers tangible losses.

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Iran's Space Agency plans to launch 2 satellites in July

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Jun 22, 2024

Tehran, IRNA -- The head of Iran's Space Agency (ISA), Hassan Salarieh, has announced plans for two satellite launches in July.

Speaking to IRNA on Saturday, Salarieh said that the compatibility and joint testing of the satellites and their launchers are currently underway. However, he cautioned that such technical testing is highly "sensitive" and might lead to delays in the planned launches due to unexpected technical issues.

The official revealed that around 30 satellites are currently in the design and development stages, adding that such projects typically span a timeframe of around two years or more. Among the satellites in the works are Nahid-3, Pars-3, two radar satellites, Pars-2, and an upgraded version of Pars-1, he said.

The official expressed confidence that the Pars-2 satellite and the upgraded Pars-1 model will be unveiled and ready for launch this calendar year, which ends on March 20, 2025.

Salarieh also announced that Iran's first radar satellite project will be completed next year. Additionally, he said that the test models of Iran's first satellite system project named after the martyred anti-terror commander, Lieutenant General Qassem Soleimani, are in the final stages of development and will be ready to launch this year.

Emphasizing the importance of thorough testing, Salarieh stated that the ISA aims to achieve a 100% success rate before proceeding with any launch. He noted that even if the success probability is estimated at 99% during the testing phase, the agency will keep repeating the tests until a 100% confidence level is achieved before initiating the actual launch.

4353**2050

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China launches new astronomical satellite developed in cooperation with France

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 15:06, June 22, 2024

XICHANG, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China on Saturday launched an astronomical satellite, the result of nearly 20 years of hard work between Chinese and French scientists, to capture gamma-ray bursts which flicker like fireworks in the farthest reaches of the universe.

The satellite, the Space-based Multi-band Variable Object Monitor (SVOM), was launched by a Long March-2C rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, according to the China National Space Administration.

"We are looking forward to some important discoveries, such as the earliest gamma-ray bursts that occurred when the universe was still in its childhood, which will help us study cosmic evolution," said Wei Jianyan, who is SVOM's Chinese principal investigator and works at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' National Astronomical Observatories.

Gamma-ray bursts, usually very short in duration, are the most violent explosive phenomena in the universe after the Big Bang, and they occur during the collapse of massive stars or the merging of binary compact stars. The in-depth observation of and research on gamma-ray bursts will help us understand some of science's fundamental questions, Wei said.

The main scientific objectives of SVOM include searching for and rapidly locating various gamma-ray bursts, comprehensively measuring and studying the electromagnetic radiation properties of these bursts, studying dark energy and the evolution of the universe through these bursts, and observing electromagnetic signals associated with gravitational waves, according to Wei.

Bertrand Cordier, SVOM's French principal investigator who works at the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission, said, "By using the gamma-ray bursts as a tool to observe the early universe, we can observe maybe the first stars. This is very interesting because this is the only way to get information about the universe at this age."

Four scientific instruments are installed on the satellite, two of which have been developed by China and two by France. The four instruments can realize a large field of view and high-precision observation.

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Iran to launch two major satellites in coming weeks: ISA chief

Iran Press TV

Saturday, 22 June 2024 6:40 PM

Iranian Space Agency (ISA) chief says the country will carry out two major satellite launches in the coming weeks.

Hassan Salariyeh told the official IRNA news agency on Saturday that the launches are scheduled to take place in the calendar month to July 21.

Salariyeh said the ISA is carrying out compatibility tests between the satellites and launch rockets.

"The compatibility and joint tests between launches and carrying rockets are among important and sensitive issues which sometimes can face delays because of certain technical problems," he said.

The official said, however, that Iran will carry out the satellite launches after it is ensured of 100% success in the compatibility tests.

Iran has carried out successful satellite launches in recent years despite West's pressure and sanctions on the country's space sector.

Tehran has rejected accusations its satellite launches are a cover for its missile program with authorities stating that the satellites are used for various scientific and development purposes in the country.

Iran has also stated repeatedly that peaceful technological advancement in the aerospace field is the country's legitimate right.

In January, Iran simultaneously launched three satellites for the first time using a modern satellite carrier developed by the Iranian Defense Ministry.

The ISA-built Mahda satellite was unveiled during the launches.

It came more than a week after Iran launched its Sorayya satellite into orbit with a rocket designed and developed by the country's elite military force the IRGC.

Also in late February, an Iranian satellite was placed for a first time into an orbit of 500 kilometers. The Pars 1 research-sensing satellite was launched from Russia's Vostochny spaceport using the Soyuz rocket.

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Xi signals further military purges to eradicate corruption

By William Yang June 22, 2024

Speaking at China's first military political work conference in a decade this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping reiterated the need for the military to eliminate corruption and strengthen its loyalty to the Chinese Communist Party. He also warned of "deep-seated issues" in the military's politics, ideology, work style and discipline.

"The gun barrels should always be in the hands of those who are loyal and reliable to the party and there must be no place for corrupt elements to hide in the military," Xi said in his remarks, according to China's state broadcaster CCTV.

In a lengthy overview, Xi urged the military to enhance the thoroughness of its ideological transformation by following the Communist Party's theories, improving the leadership of party organizations, and eradicating conditions that may allow corruption to thrive.

Chieh Chung, a military researcher at the National Policy Foundation in Taiwan, said the remarks show that "Xi wants to emphasize the importance for the military to be loyal to the party and his leadership while signaling his concerns about how corruption affects the military" and its capabilities.

Xi "hopes the warnings can help accelerate the development of advanced technologies and equipment," Chieh told VOA by phone.

Since last July, China has ousted more than a dozen top military commanders, including former defense minister Li Shangfu, and leaders of the People's Liberation Army's Rocket Force.

While the Chinese government hasn't publicly linked their removals to corruption, some foreign media outlets and experts see their removal as part of the extended anti-corruption campaign Xi initiated since he came to power in 2012.

Reuters reported last September that Li was facing an investigation related to the procurement of military equipment.

The removal of top military leaders not only highlights the prevalence of corruption; it also raises other questions.

"Since corruption has hampered Russia's ability to supply its military in the Ukraine war, it raises the question of whether the Chinese military's capabilities have been compromised by corruption or not," Lin Ying-yu, a military expert at Tamkang University in Taiwan, told VOA by phone.

There is also a concern about the impact Xi's persistent attempts to eradicate corruption will have on the military internally.

"When a former defense minister can be abruptly removed from his position without any clear explanation, it will create a deep sense of fear within the military because no one knows when they might be the next one to be purged," said Su Tzu-yun, a military expert at the Taipei-based Institute for National Defense and Security Research.

Su said this is part of the Communist Party's strategy of "ruling with terror," which allows Xi to concentrate decision-making power on the top leadership within the party.

"While tackling corruption in the military is important to Xi, the anti-corruption campaign has become a political tool for him to consolidate his control over the military," Su told VOA by phone.

In January, the state-run People's Liberation Army Daily published an opinion piece that emphasized the importance of implementing Xi's instructions for the military and extending the party's governance to the grassroots level.

"By strengthening the supervision of military personnel, it builds a firm first line of defense for soldiers to comply with the rules and refuse to be corrupted," said the opinion piece run by the PLA Daily.

While Xi looks to consolidate control and build loyalty, both Chieh and Su see other potential side-effects such as the promotion of unqualified leaders and the impact that could have on the military's capabilities and readiness.

"When Beijing puts so much emphasis on loyalty to the party, it could reduce the military's combat capabilities and make the military huge but weak," Su said.

Xi's expressed desire to continue cracking down on corruption also means the Chinese military may need to go through a period of adjustment, Chieh said.

"Normally, the military's combat capabilities will decrease following several rounds of purges, so I expect the Chinese military to go through a tough period of adjustment and reorganization over the next few years," he told VOA.

And while top officials in the U.S. have repeatedly highlighted 2027 as the year that the Chinese military aims to possess the capabilities to invade Taiwan, Chieh thinks the purges and Xi's remarks at the political work conference suggest the PLA may be hard pressed to achieve that goal.

"Since the Chinese military's command system and the rocket force's capabilities may not have reached the goal set by the top leadership due to rampant corruption, I think this makes it even less likely for the Chinese military to have the capabilities required to invade Taiwan by 2027," he said.

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Transcript of Special Briefing by Foreign Secretary on State Visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India

India - Ministry of External Affairs

June 22, 2024

Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I welcome you to this special briefing on the ongoing visit of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh by Foreign Secretary Shri Vinay Kwatra. On the dais, we also have with us our High Commissioner to Bangladesh and also Joint Secretary looking after Bangladesh in the Ministry of External Affairs, Mr. B. Shyam, and High Commissioner Mr. Pranay Verma is also with us. With that, sir, the floor is yours.

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you very much and very good afternoon to the friends from the media. Thank you very much for coming this afternoon, for attending this special briefing on the ongoing state visit to India of the Honourable Prime Minister of People's Republic of Bangladesh, Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina ji. As you are aware, at the invitation of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of Bangladesh is visiting New Delhi on a two-day state visit that commenced yesterday.

On her arrival yesterday evening, Honourable External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar called on the Bangladeshi Prime Minister and this morning, as you would have all seen, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was accorded ceremonial reception at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This was followed by a visit to Rajghat to pay respects to Mahatma Gandhi and just now Prime Minister Modi and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have concluded extensive discussions both in the restricted and the delegation level format at the Hyderabad House just a while ago.

Later this afternoon, frankly, just in a short while, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also call on Honourable Rashtrapati ji and Honourable Uprashtrapati ji. The ongoing visit of the Bangladeshi Prime Minister is a part of our sustained high-level political engagement between the two countries. As you are all aware, Bangladesh Prime Minister was one of the international leaders who attended the swearing-in ceremony on 9th June of the Union Council of Ministers following the 18th Lok Sabha elections earlier this month. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's last state visit to India was in September 2022, which was followed by her visit as a guest country to participate in the G20 Leaders' Summit in September 2023.

I must also mention that this is the first incoming state visit in the current new term of this government. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was among the first leaders to congratulate Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji for his historic third term as the Prime Minister of India. These back-to-back exchanges between our two countries underscore the special nature of our relationship, our strategic partnership and the trust and the respect that the two Prime Ministers share with each other, hold for each other. In terms of substance of the discussions, the conversations between the two Prime Ministers covered a range of, pretty much the full range of our bilateral engagement as also issues of regional and global importance.

There was agreement by both leaders to give new direction, new impetus and provide new substance in strengthening our bilateral and sub-regional cooperation. In order to turn this relationship into transformational partnership and, as I said, give a new direction and new impetus, both leaders jointly agreed to the India-Bangladesh Shared Vision for Future: Enhanced Connectivity, Commerce and Collaboration for Shared Prosperity. This vision document of futuristic partnership between India and Bangladesh will also be shared in a short while with the media. This vision document seeks to realize our respective national development visions of Viksit Bharat 2047 and Smart Bangladesh vision of 2041.

Besides the vision document, two other futuristic and forward-looking documents have been agreed between the two sides. The first one of them is focused on digital partnership and is titled 'Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership' and the second one focuses on 'Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future'. As I said, these three vision documents will set the course for new areas of partnership between India and Bangladesh in months and years ahead. The two leaders also agreed to intensify engagement on counter-terrorism, counter-radicalization and peaceful management of our long land border.

In terms of bilateral partnership on the rivers management, common rivers and their suitable management is of utmost importance for India and Bangladesh. To this end, a joint technical committee to initiate discussions for renewal of Ganges Water Sharing Treaty of 1996 has been formed. Technical discussions on these will soon begin. We will also be undertaking conservation and management of the Teesta River inside Bangladesh with suitable Indian assistance. As you may all know, Bangladesh is a key part of India's SAGAR doctrine and the Indo-Pacific Vision. In this respect, the renewal of the MOU on maritime cooperation and blue economy that was signed and exchanged earlier today aims to develop our ocean-based blue economy and maritime cooperation. Similarly, the MOU on oceanography will establish framework for research in that area. The renewal of MOU on disaster management would help strengthen response and capacity building in this entire domain. We would also be focusing on the disaster risk reduction and management, which is one of the key pillars of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative. In the area of space, the two sides exchange today the MOU on space technology, which seeks to establish collaboration between the two sides for a launch of a jointly developed small satellite for Bangladesh on India's launch vehicle.

Defence cooperation also figured between the two leaders and they underscored the need and keenness to augment bilateral defence cooperation and to this end support plans for both modernization of Bangladesh armed forces and defence industrial cooperation between the two countries. Connectivity continues to remain one of the central pillars of India-Bangladesh partnership. We believe that connectivity can transform geographical proximity into new economic opportunities, not just between India and Bangladesh, but also for the entire region. In this respect, we are starting a new passenger train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata while trial run for a goods train on Bangladesh railway from a place called Gede-Darshana to Haldibari-Chilahati cross-border interchange point is planned for next month sometime. This will also help sub-regional connectivity with Bhutan.

We will also be starting another bus service, which will be between Kolkata and Chittagong. Indian assistance is also being announced for developing the inland container depot, ICD in Sirajganj. One of the key domains and sub-domains of connectivity remains linkages, network linkages between the two countries in the field of power. The first sub-regional power trade, as you all know, has been agreed with the decision to export 40 megawatts of power from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian grid. There has also been an agreement, as you will find in the documents, that would be made public to expedite construction of the 765 kilowatt high-capacity interconnection between Bihar and Assam via Bangladesh with suitable Indian financial assistance. People-to-people exchanges and our relationships is another key pillar of our partnership. To this end, as you would have heard the Honourable Prime Minister said in his remarks to the press, we would soon be putting the medical visas from Bangladesh to India into the e-medical visa category, which would give great fillip and will also be a huge convenience for those who would get benefit of this e-medical visa scheme. Also, to facilitate visa and consular services, both sides have agreed to open a new Indian Assistant High Commission in Rangpur. As regards other elements of people-to-people engagement, several other understandings in terms of human resource developments, training slots across different areas have been agreed between the two sides, which will be progressively put in place.

India is the largest market for Bangladeshi products in Asia, and in this respect we hope to commence CEPA negotiation at an early date and open also new border haats. You will find a mention of that in the vision document for the benefit of people living along the borders. Also, there have been two separate MOUs earlier today in the field of fisheries and health. These were documents that were earlier also signed and were renewed after the expiry of the previous agreements. Overall, ten agreements have been concluded today, whose list will be made available on MEA's website shortly. As you can clearly see that the visit, the discussions, the substance of the outcome between the two leaders has been very, very substantive and purposeful.

I would stop here and take any questions in this regard. Thank you. Just a word, since we are actually a bit behind schedule and we have an upcoming engagement, so we will only be able to take only one round of questions. Thank you.

Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: We are going to open the floor, but please keep your questions focused on the state visit. With that, we start from our left.

Ayanangsha Maitra: Sir, this is Ayanangsha Maitra. I am an independent journalist. Is there any discussion between the two state leaders on...?

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: I am sorry, I didn't get your name.

Ayanangsha Maitra: Ayanangsha Maitra. Is there any discussion between the two heads of state on BIMSTEC and number of items for more bringing under CEPA. Thank you.

Rishabh: Good evening, Foreign Secretary. Rishabh from Times Now. I just wanted to understand, we did discuss about the defence, academic defence MOU signed between the defence college and Mirpur College. But was there any discussion around the border situation between India and Bangladesh given that there have been a few here and there spurting violence along the border where BSF jawans have also been injured?

Sidhant: Hi Sir, Sidhant from WION. Sir, how much was there a discussion on the Rohingya issue and secondly, were there any concerns raised by India over the India out campaign in Bangladesh that has been led by certain elements?

Abhishek Jha: Sir, just wanted to add in this Rohingya, what's the kind of aid and assistance or humanitarian assistance India continues to supply to Rohingya? In the past, India used to send a lot of stuff, so if you would have some detail on that.

Ayushi Agarwal: Sir, this is Ayushi Agarwal from ANI. I just wanted to ask, was the recent killing of a Bangladeshi MP in West Bengal raised by the Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the talks?

Sridhar: Sir, you mentioned this technical team for the conservation and management of the Teesta borders. What is the status of this Teesta water dispute between the two countries and is it nearing resolution? Is there a road map for this? Thank you.

Manash: Sir, this is Manash from PTI. Taking forward the previous question on Teesta, so Prime Minister also in his statement mentioned that in fact a technical team will be sent to explore preservation and conservation of Teesta river. How significant is the project? As we understand, China was also very keen to have that project. I just wanted your comment on significance of the project.

Speaker: Good afternoon. India had given a submarine to Bangladesh in the recent past, very recent past. So as part of the aid to modernize the Bangladesh military, where more specific platforms for Bangladesh, you know, was it like agreed upon?

Sudhi: Sir, Sudhi Ranjan from Bloomberg, sir. Sir, if you could give us an understanding on the CEPA agreement and the talks and, I mean, you said it's likely to be concluded at an early date. Did the two leaders kind of put a date to it, sir?

Gautam: Thank you. My question is also related to Teesta, whether India has in principle agreed to be part with what is the plan of Bangladesh to develop and conservation of Teesta. Should we take it as an in principle consent? And second, can you elaborate on this railway MoU, what was the, we heard about it. Was there any MoU on railway cooperation?

Jaiprakash: Sir main Jaiprakash Dainik Jagran se. PM Hasina agle mahine china bhi ja rahi hain, kya prime minister Modi ke sath mei jo batchit hui hain usmai china ko lekar jo concern hain India ka uspar bhi koi baat hui hain?

[Question in Hindi: Approximate Translation] Sir, I am Jaiprakash from Dainik Jagran. PM Hasina is also going to China next month. Was there any discussion about India's concerns regarding China in the conversation of PM Hasina with PM Modi?

Tripathi Nath: Yeah. Thank you. Mr. Kwatra, my name is Tripathi Nath. I represent Strat News Global and the Daily Observer Bangladesh, which I write for some time. So I wanted to know, you mentioned the e-medical visa category. When is it going to get started? Because India is obviously a huge destination for Bangladeshis who come here for medical treatment. So how many Bangladeshis are likely to benefit? How many Bangladeshis are coming for medical treatment to India every year on an average?

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Thank you very much.

Let me start with the last question first, which is relating to the e-medical visas. I do not have precise numbers to share with you in terms of number of people who actually would be utilizing this particular service, but it is our understanding that there is a substantial chunk of current visa applicants from Bangladesh that prefer to come to India for medical treatment. The numbers could range anywhere between, I would say, 20% to 30% of the total number of applications that are received by our embassy in Dhaka. It's a fairly large number of people. More importantly, it's also a segment of people which we want to prioritize in terms of focus, mainly because these pertain to their medical needs. We have announced this decision today, as soon as the processes are put in place to start implementing the platform for the utilization of e-medical visa, they would be available to the applicants.

I will take all the questions relating to CEPA in one go. Number of items on CEPA that Mr. Maitra asked, Bloomberg wanted to know when the negotiation will be completed. If I recall correctly, I only said we hope to commence negotiations. So, the completion part is an assumption of 10 steps down the line perhaps. As I said, trade, connectivity, not just in terms of the infrastructure modalities that facilitate trade is crucial, but the number of tariff lines that get traded between the two countries and which actually constitute the bulk of the volume of India-Bangladesh bilateral trade are very crucial. In a CEPA negotiating framework, the expansion in the trade basket, what kind of tariff concessions do you provide to different HS code digits of different products, all these constitute a very important part of negotiations which would then be spread out across various chapters of CEPA negotiations. I think both sides have held initial technical discussions to better understand how they want to position the respective set of goods, perhaps even services and other trade facilitation-related measures in CEPA and I think once those initial lists have been analyzed in great details, as I said, the CEPA negotiations we hope would commence at an early date. Besides that, I should also mention about the new border haats which will be open for the benefit of the two people. Whether it is the number of items, their analysis, their positioning in the negotiations, the extent of tariff concessions that go into it or even the process of CEPA negotiations that Bloomberg referred to would get covered like this.

Yes, the two leaders did discuss the BIMSTEC engagement and it was discussed at length from the perspective and the principles of strengthening regional and sub-regional cooperation. Not just politically in terms of what India and Bangladesh can do in BIMSTEC but also across different economic and connectivity domains. BIMSTEC is very crucial because it links up the economic complementarities, even social complementarities I would say, of the region and bring them together into a convergence mode that actually strengthens not just cooperation among the BIMSTEC countries but also drives an impulse to the India-Bangladesh partnership.

With regard to your question on the border injuries that you mentioned, this is an issue which we take, we look at it with great sensitivity and we on our side have been taking all the requisite measures that are necessary to ensure that the fatalities are reduced and this even includes the use of non-lethal measures. But whenever our border security forces sometimes get attacked at close quarters in Indian territory by nefarious elements, then the measures in self-defence have to be taken and they do result sometime in unfortunate loss of life but what I want to mention is that we are very careful about it. We approach this matter with great sensitivity and we naturally do that with the expectation that the border guarding forces of both sides will take necessary measures on their respective sides to maintain the sanctity of the border so that such incidents do not happen and are prevented.

What was your question relating to the MOU? I did not get that one. I think you asked one more question.

Speaker: My question was actually that you answered sir, that we do understand about the MOU that has been signed academically but what the border issues discussed?

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: MOU on academics that's more of a fact. Again, I will take this Rohingya's bracket in a single shot to what Sidhant mentioned. Yes, the Rohingya issue was discussed. This is an issue which India and Bangladesh have discussed periodically at different levels of interaction. The spectrum in which these discussions take place is the one, of course, as you know, in the past also India has offered assistance to Bangladesh because that was your other point relating to the humanitarian assistance on Rohingyas. That is something which we have offered in the past. We will continue to work with Bangladesh closely on that. There are several aspects of Rohingya's challenge that Bangladesh faces, some of it also impinge on us, so those challenges also get discussed. How exactly should these concerns be reflected to Myanmar also comes up for discussions between India and Bangladesh. All this forms the spectrum of these discussions and some of the key elements of this spectrum were also discussed between the two leaders today.

Dekhiye pratyakshya anuvaad jo maine kaha hai shayad main nahi kar paunga lekin Rohingya ke mudde pe donon shirsh netaon ke beech varta hui hai aaj. Vigat mei bhi jab bhi donon deshon ke aadhikarigan milte hain, matrigan milte hain unke beech mei bhi Rohingya ko le ke varta hoti rahi hai aur us varta ka jo ek spectrum hai jisme ye varta hoti hai usme bharat aur bangladesh kis prakar se humanitarian kshetra mei Rohingyas ko le ke sehyog kar sakte hain, sehkarya kar sakte hain, uski baat hoti hai. Rohingyas ko le ke, unse judi hui chunautiyon ko le ke unki jis prakar ki aavashyakatayein hain unko le ke unke sambandh mei batchit hoti rehti hai. Aur Rohingya ke mudde ko kis prakar se bharat myanmar ki vartaon mei pradarshit kiya jaye, usko prakashit kiya jaye, us sambandh mei bhi varta hoti hai. To ye sab muddon mei jo bhi ahem mudde the donon netaon ne aapas ki varta mei discuss kiye the aaj.

[Answer in Hindi: Approximate Translation] Look, I may not be able to provide a literal translation of what I said, but there was a discussion held between the two leaders about the Rohingya issue today. In the past as well, whenever officials and ministers from both countries have met, there have been discussions about the Rohingya. The spectrum of these discussions have always included how India and Bangladesh can cooperate on humanitarian grounds regarding the Rohingyas. Discussions are held on issues related to the Rohingyas, their needs, and the ways to address them. There are also talks on how the Rohingya issue can be brought in the context of India-Myanmar discussions. All these significant issues were discussed between the two leaders in their meeting today.

The question, your question actually relating to the Bangladesh MP, as you know that the incident regarding the Bangladesh MP is currently under investigation and the law enforcement agencies from both countries are currently coordinating and necessary information is being shared in respect of the investigation and the government from our side is extending all possible support to the Bangladesh side as part of investigation. I don't think at this stage it would be correct for me to in any way prejudge what the outcome of those investigations would be.

I will take all questions relating to Teesta restoration project in one shot. As you rightly observed that technical team has been constituted essentially to look at the Teesta water restoration project, you asked as to what is the context in which this is discussed. Look, the principal context is what I mentioned in my opening remarks also, which is that the management of the shared water resources between the two countries is a very crucial matter. It is a very sensitive matter and both countries first of all look at it from that principle, that is on the common shared management of the water resources. Naturally, given that our close and friendly ties with Bangladesh, cross boundary river issues and Teesta is one of them becomes important. This is also a subject matter of discussion under the joint river commission between the two countries and these subjects do come up for discussions. In today's meeting between the two leaders, one of the subject matter in this which came up for discussion was the conservation of Teesta river, which requires a fair degree of I should say technical management. It is less about water sharing per se, it is more about the management of the water flows within Teesta river and as I said since the subject matter of that restoration is technical in nature, the understanding between the two leaders was that a technical team would undertake efforts to make progress on this.

I will take the question on the defence and the platform for the army equipment that you mentioned. As I said, one of the agreements has been between the two sides with regard to the academic exchanges at the level of the defence staff colleges between the two countries but the two sides in today's discussions also discussed how the entire spectrum of defence cooperation between India and Bangladesh can be strengthened, whether that relates to the modernization of Bangladesh army and that modernization includes capacity building for example, training facilities, exercises that the two countries can do, whether there are needs of equipment etc. of Bangladesh defence forces that the Indian side could fulfill. Both sides did hold extensive conversation on this and we hope to progress in them as we go forward.

With regard to the railways, I don't really recall the question, I think it was more on the specific question what was the railway MOU about. So the MOU for railway was on the connectivity between the two railways. As you know, there are already about six cross-border railway links but besides the importance of cross-border railway linkages, another crucial aspect of this railway connectivity is the transit that they afford between different parts of India through the territory of Bangladesh and the discussions today focused on that. The trial run that I mentioned to you, the points that I mentioned to you, forms part of that. And also this connectivity, how should I say, essentially strengthens a very large part of economic infrastructure within Bangladesh. So it's effectively a connectivity paradigm that actually benefits both the countries, both the societies, both the economies very, very extensively. The related point to that, which was partly figured in discussion, was the sub-regional transit that Bangladesh would get to Bhutan and Nepal. There is a part of it which already exists that would be further expanded and strengthened.

Dekhiye jahan tak aapka prashna tha china ki yatra ko le ke, bharat bangladesh ki varta, do shirsh netaon ke aaj ki varta mei jo kendrabindu the woh dwipakshiya sehyog pr kendrit the, us sahyog ki vyapakta ko badhane ke liye kis prakar ka sehkarya ho us par kendrit the. Is sahyog sehkarya mei donon deshon ke jo samrik hit hain, jo suraksha se jude hit hain, jo hamari chunotiya hain, un chunotiyon mei jo avsar nihit hain unpar kendrit the. Dwipakshiy varta ke mukhya mudde dwipakshiy sahyog pe jyada kendtrit the, na ki kisi tisre desh ki vartaon ko le ke kendrit the.

[Question in Hindi: Approximate Translation] Look, as far as your question about the visit to China is concerned, the discussions between India and Bangladesh during today's talks between the two leaders were focused on bilateral cooperation. The focus was on how to enhance the scope of this cooperation. Discussions were focused on strategic and security interests of both countries, the challenges we face, and the opportunities within those challenges. The talks were more centered on bilateral cooperation rather than on discussions about any third country.

Thank you very much. I think I have answered probably all the questions. Thank you very much.

Speaker: [Inaudible]

Shri Vinay Kwatra, Foreign Secretary: Look, essentially our effort in all the conversations that we have with Bangladesh is on the need to work together as much as possible, to essentially project the correct narrative of the relationship of the people of the two countries, of the societies of the two countries. And why do we do this? We do this because our relationship is historic, it is time-tested, it is deep-rooted, and it is important for people to realize that such campaigns which are done by isolated minority or vested interests are not factual, basically figments of imagination of people. And we will not spare any effort in continuing to ensure that people get to know the correct reality of the relationship, which is the deep, historic, positive connect between the people of the two countries, the systems of the two countries, and the societies of the two countries. Thank you very much.

Shri Randhir Jaiswal, Official Spokesperson: Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. With that, we come to the closure of this special press briefing by Foreign Secretary. Thank you for your presence and thank you, sir, for taking out time for the media. Thank you very much.

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SAMEER, MeitY AND MCTE, INDIAN ARMY FORGE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP FOR TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENT

India - Press Information Bureau

Ministry of Defence

Posted On: 22 JUN 2024 9:26PM by PIB Delhi

In a landmark event today, Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Indian Army and Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research (SAMEER), an autonomous R&D laboratory under the Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to advance collaboration in 'Next Generation Wireless Technologies for Indian Army'. The MoU was signed by Lt Gen K H Gawas, Commandant MCTE and Colonel Commandant Corps of Signals and Dr P H Rao, Director General SAMEER. The event was conducted in the esteemed presence of Shri S K Marwaha, Group Coordinator MeitY, and Maj Gen C S Mann, AVSM, VSM, Additional Director General of Army Design Bureau, Indian Army, reflecting the importance of this strategic initiative for the nation's defence and technological landscape.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in strengthening the Indian Army's technological capabilities which is aligned towards declared vision for 2024 as 'Year of Technological Absorption for Indian Army' by Chief of Army Staff

Today's MoU signing is expected to reinvigorate this collaboration, with plans to establish an 'Advanced Military Research and Incubation Centre' at MCTE. This centre aims to focus on Advanced Wireless Technologies for the Indian Army.

The partnership between SAMEER and MCTE is beyond an agreement and represents a shared commitment in exploring new technological frontiers, addressing modern battlefield challenges. Merging SAMEER's expertise in wireless technologies and MCTE's application skills in communications, electronic warfare, and cyber operations, the collaboration promises substantial advancements in defence and strategic sectors.

The key objectives of this partnership include:

Joint Research and Development . Collaborative projects will target deployable solutions, leveraging combined expertise in 5G, 6G, advanced cellular technologies, Software Defined Radios & Cognitive Radios, Satellite Communications, Antenna Design, Free Space Optics, and Tropo-scatter communications, as well as AI, Quantum, and military-specific chip design.

. Collaborative projects will target deployable solutions, leveraging combined expertise in 5G, 6G, advanced cellular technologies, Software Defined Radios & Cognitive Radios, Satellite Communications, Antenna Design, Free Space Optics, and Tropo-scatter communications, as well as AI, Quantum, and military-specific chip design. Incubation Centre . The centre will support the development of military-specific innovative solutions from conceptualization to large-scale production, involving MSMEs and start-ups.

. The centre will support the development of military-specific innovative solutions from conceptualization to large-scale production, involving MSMEs and start-ups. In addition, the MoU also aims at knowledge exchange, training and development aspects.

The collaboration between SAMEER and MCTE aims to enhance national security and technological infrastructure, with potential benefits that will not only be limited to military but will go much beyond. The advancements achieved could impact telecommunications, emergency response, and public safety, demonstrating a commitment to a holistic approach to national security.

The signing of this MoU marks a pivotal moment in the partnership between SAMEER and MCTE, signalling a future filled with innovation and collaborative success. This strategic alliance is poised to set new standards for cooperation between government R&D institutions and military educational bodies, driving significant technological progress.

During the MoU signing ceremony, Maj Gen C S Mann, AVSM, VSM, Additional Director General of Army Design Bureau elaborated the Indian Army perspective on absorption of niche technologies. He explained the efforts taken towards creating an ecosystem for development of various emerging technology-based solutions for military applications.

Shri S K Marwaha, Group Coordinator MeitY highlighted various MeitY initiatives for defence and strategic applications. He also elaborated the contributions of SAMEER and CDAC in strategic and defence sectors.

Dr P H Rao, Signatory of the MoU from SAMEER's side, gave the glimpses of volume of work of SAMEER in defence sector along with ambitious vision for the MoU to develop field deployable solutions for Indian Army, especially in critical technological domains.

Lt Gen K H Gawas, PVSM, VSM, Commandant MCTE and Colonel Commandant Corps of Signals, brought out the significance of the MoU and MCTE's expectations from the MoU to develop field deployable solutions in tactical battle area achieved through the collaborative efforts involving MCTE, SAMEER, academia, industry, researchers and startups coming together to develop the ecosystem with whole-of-nation approach. He expressed confidence that this partnership will pave the way for groundbreaking achievements and set a new standard for collaboration between government R&D institutes and military educational institutions and play an instrumental role in the national initiative of 'Atmanirbhar Bharat'.

*****

SC



(Release ID: 2028014)

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Iran: Statement by the Spokesperson on the sentencing of Narges Mohammadi

European External Action Service (EEAS)

22.06.2024

EEAS Press Team

Iranian human rights defender and Nobel peace prize laureate Narges Mohammadi has been recently sentenced to one additional year in prison.

Narges Mohammadi, is already jailed in Iran and is serving multiple sentences amounting to more than 10 years of imprisonment. She bravely continues to use her voice to protect human dignity and the rights of Iranians. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for "her fight against the oppression of women in Iran and her fight to promote human rights and freedom for all".

Fundamental rights such as freedom of expression must always be respected. The European Union calls on Iran to release Ms Mohammadi, taking also into account her health condition.

The European Union will continue to advocate for the respect of human rights in Iran and elsewhere and for the freedom of all of those who are - like herself - unjustly detained.



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Chinese rocket posed no threat passing over Taiwan: Defense ministry

ROC Central News Agency

06/22/2024 05:08 PM

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) A Chinese launch vehicle carrying a satellite flew over southern Taiwan Saturday afternoon, but it presented no threat to the country, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said.

The rocket was launched at 3 p.m. from Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan, China, and it had already left Earth's atmosphere when it passed over Taiwan, according to the MND.

The ministry said it had been closely monitoring the launch and tracking the real-time information, using its intelligence and surveillance systems, and had informed the Taiwan public on Friday of the imminent launch.

(By Sean Lin)

Enditem/pc

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Taiwan politicians bash China's death penalty threats

ROC Central News Agency

06/22/2024 10:00 PM

Taipei, June 22 (CNA) Politicians from Taiwan's ruling and opposition parties on Saturday expressed concern over a set of new guidelines in China, which allow a death sentence against people deemed as "diehard" advocates of Taiwan independence.

Speaking with reporters in Taipei, opposition Kuomintang Chairman Eric Chu () said China "has no jurisdiction over the Republic of China" (Taiwan).

He expressed concern over the heightened antagonism between Taipei and Beijing and called on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to "exercise restraint" and "replace confrontation with dialogue."

Chu's comments came a day after Chinese officials unveiled a set of new guidelines that would allow courts in China to try "Taiwan independence separatists" in absentia, according to China's state run Xinhua News Agency.

"Diehard" advocates of Taiwan independence who are convicted of inciting secession or committing other "serious crimes" may be sentenced to death, according to the new judicial guidelines, Xinhua reported Saturday.

The guidelines, which detail "the criminal nature of 'Taiwan independence' separatist acts, their criminal liabilities, and the procedure to impose penalties," can be regarded as "a refinement and supplement" to China's 2005 Anti-Secession Law, the Xinhua report said.

On Saturday, Celina Wu (), spokeswoman for the Taiwan People's Party, said the introduction of the new guidelines was an act of "intimidation."

The actions described in the guidelines would only exacerbate the antagonism between the people on the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and impede bilateral exchanges, Wu said.

Meanwhile, Kaohsiung Mayor Chen Chi-mai () of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party said China cannot exercise jurisdiction over Taiwan.

The Taiwanese people are protected by Taiwan's constitutional and democratic system, he said.

Beijing "lacks understanding" of Taiwan, where the people have freedom of expression and can freely voice support for either Taiwan independence or unification with China, Chen added.

(By Teng Pei-ju)

Enditem/pc

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China urges U.S. to stop arming Taiwan in any form

People's Daily Online

(Xinhua) 14:58, June 22, 2024

BEIJING, June 21 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese military spokesperson on Friday urged the United States to honor its commitment to not support "Taiwan independence" and stop arming Taiwan in any form.

Wu Qian, a spokesperson for the Ministry of National Defense, made the remarks in response to the newly approved U.S. arms sales to Taiwan worth about 360 million U.S. dollars.

"We firmly oppose such arms sales and have lodged stern representations to the U.S. side," said the spokesperson.

The fact that the ruling Democratic Progressive Party of the island attempts to seek "Taiwan independence" by force and the United States stubbornly aids separatism through arms sales poses the biggest threat to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, Wu noted.

He added that the People's Liberation Army will strengthen combat readiness across the board to smash all "Taiwan independence" separatist schemes.

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PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

ROC Ministry of National Defense

2024/06/22

PLA activities in the waters and airspace around Taiwan

1. Dateis

6 to 6 a.m. (UTC+8) Friday to Saturday, Jun. 21-22

2. PLA activitiesis

41 PLA aircraft and 7 PLAN vessels operating around Taiwan were detected up until 6 a.m. (UTC+8) today. 32 of the aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's northern, southwestern, and eastern ADIZ. ROC Armed Forces have monitored the situation and employed CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and coastal missile systems in response to the detected activities.



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Kyiv Reports 'Massive' Attack Targeting Energy Infrastructure; 3 Killed In Kharkiv

By RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service June 22, 2024

Ukraine's Energy Ministry and the national grid operator Ukrenerho say the country's battered energy infrastructure was targeted again in a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack early on June 22.

Separately, Mayor Ihor Terekhov said that at least three people were killed and at least 38 injured in a Russian bomb attack on a civilian site in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city some 30 kilometers from the Russian border.

"There are dead and wounded. The strike hit a residential building," Terekhov wrote on Telegram.

Regional Governor Oleh Synegubov said on Telegram that "doctors are fighting for the lives of four of the patients -- two women and two men, who are in serious condition."

The latest series of strikes damaged power transmission systems in the Zaporizhzhya and Lviv regions, Ukrenerho said in a statement on Telegram, adding that two employees needed hospitalization after sustaining injuries in the attack in the Zaporizhzhya region.

The Energy Ministry said that, because of the attack, the overhead power lines in eastern Ukraine were disconnected, which led to a decrease in energy supply in the region.

Ukrenerho said the attack was the eighth large-scale strike targeting the country's energy grid over the past three months.

Ukraine's military, meanwhile, said its air defense systems shot down 12 of 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia overnight.

Russia's Defense Ministry has not commented on the attack, which was the second one in as many days.

In the June 21 attack, five residents of the Donetsk region were killed and seven others were wounded, the head of the regional military administration, Vadym Filashkin, announced on June 22 on Telegram.

Over the past several months, Russia has systematically targeted Ukraine's critical energy infrastructure, causing enormous damage and triggering rolling blackouts affecting the civilian population.

According to estimates, about half of Ukraine's power-generating capacity has been destroyed.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskiy said in his nightly video address of June 22 that Russia has fired 2,400 guided bombs against Ukraine this month, including some 700 against Kharkiv alone.

The president repeated his constant plea for additional air defenses from his Western allies.

"We need strong decisions from our partners so that we can destroy Russian terrorists and Russian combat aircraft where they are," he said. "We are grateful for the approved [weapons] packages, but we need them in full supply and on the battlefield - without delays."

Zelenskiy said during a June 20 meeting with senior Ukrainian military officials that he hopes to develop a renewable energy infrastructure to offset the energy crisis caused by the Russian attacks.

In return, Ukrainian drones have struck deeper inside Russia, damaging energy facilities critical for Moscow's military effort, mainly oil installations.

On June 22, Russia's Defense Ministry said its air defense systems downed five Ukrainian drones over the Sea of Azov and the Bryansk and Smolensk regions. It did not say if the Ukrainian attack had caused any damage or injuries.

On June 21, Ukraine's military said its long-range attack drones had struck four oil refineries and radar stations inside Russia.

The claim could not be independently verified.

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/energy-strike-attack- zaporizhzhya-lviv/33004745.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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How Russia Exports Ukrainian Grain As Its Own: An Investigation

By Maksym Savchuk and Maksym Dudchenko June 22, 2024

Russian firms shipped tens of thousands of tons of wheat and peas out of occupied parts of Ukraine in 2023 to EU member Spain, NATO member Turkey, and Azerbaijan, the investigative unit of RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Schemes, and its partners have found.

Similar amounts of barley and corn reached Moscow allies Iran and Syria, which have an established track record of buying Ukrainian grain appropriated by Russia, Schemes, the Ukrainian hacker group KibOrg, the Belarusian Investigative Center, and Vyortska, an independent Russian-language media outlet, determined in an investigation based on official Russian documents and other sources.

At least 6.4 million tons of wheat alone were harvested from Russian-occupied Crimea and Russian-held parts of the Donetsk, Kherson, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhya regions in 2023, according to satellite estimates by NASA's Harvest program, which tracks food-security threats. SeaKrime, a nongovernmental Ukrainian project that tracks Russia's illegal grain shipments from Ukraine, has reported that 2 million tons of that harvest were shipped abroad from Crimea's ports.

Such sales undermine Ukraine's war-battered economy and provide Russia with revenue to finance the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now in its third year.

For 2023, Schemes and its partners documented Russian sales of nearly 35,000 tons of wheat, barley, corn, and peas from the Kherson region and Crimea at discounted customs rates.

Hacked documents from Kherson's occupation administrators, leaked Russian customs data, and information from the online trade database Import Genius confirmed the role of at least four Russian companies - Agro-Fregat, Pallada, Sim-Trans Group, and TD Fregat - in these transactions.

One of these companies, Pallada, has a remote connection to the general contractor for construction of a massive residential complex on Russia's Black Sea coast known as "Putin's palace."

Though Russian customs and occupation-administration documents show that the products came from the Kherson region and Crimea, rather than from Russia, whether the buyers ever questioned the origins of the products they were purchasing is unclear. None agreed to discuss the matter.

How It Works

The Kherson region, part of Ukraine's breadbasket, boasted a record harvest of 3.1 million tons of grain in 2021 - a bounty that attracted Russian firms once Russian forces occupied parts of the southern region in 2022.

Satellite data in 2022 showed trucks traveling from Kherson and the neighboring Zaporizhzhya region, also partially Russian-occupied, to Crimea for shipment abroad.

In 2023, Russian companies shipped an estimated 6.2 million euros ($6.7 million) worth of agricultural products from the Kherson region at discounted Russian customs rates or duty-free, according to Russian customs data and contracts from the occupation administration.

Volodymyr Saldo, an ex-mayor of the city of Kherson who is the top occupation official in the Russian-held part of the region, has the power to approve or reject the decisions of a commission that assigns these discounts.

In 2023, about a dozen Russian companies applied for the special rates.

The commission's decisions enabled Schemes and its partners to trace Russian companies' illegal sales of Kherson's agricultural products abroad.

European Union

Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the European Union has banned over 91.2 million euros ($97.6 million) worth of Russian imports but has avoided barring Russian-EU trade in food and health products "in order not to harm the Russian population," an EU explainer states.

That spells opportunity for Russia's Agro-Fregat, a wholesale agricultural exporter, whose train cars RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service has photographed in Crimea. In a 2022 article, Oleksiy Makeyev, a Ukrainian Foreign Ministry special envoy on sanctions, denounced Agro-Fregat, based in southwestern Russia's Rostov region, and seven other Russian firms for exporting "stolen grain" from Ukraine.

Peas also make up that portfolio. Russian export data shows that, in September 2023, Agro-Fregat sent, as part of a 4,500-ton shipment to Spain, nearly 2,674 tons of peas from the Crimean port of Sevastopol. Agro-Fregat has been receiving Russian quality certifications for Crimean peas since 2022, according to Russia's Federal Accreditation Service.

In 2022-23, Spain ranked as the second-largest importer of peas exported by Russia after Turkey, the Russian news agency Interfax reported.

A cargo manifest obtained by SeaKrime, a section of the Myrotvorets group, identified Agro-Fregat's Spanish customer as Cereales Y Harinas Garsan S.L., a company in Spain's southeastern city of Lorca that says it distributes foodstuffs to 12 countries.

Cereales Y Harinas Garsan did not respond to a request for comment. In a May 25 phone call with Schemes, Agro-Fregat CEO Dmitry Lapkin denied any knowledge of shipments from the Kherson region.

Turkey, Too

But Agro-Fregat routinely exports from the Kherson region: In June and July 2023, it requested permission from the commission to export 25,000 tons of wheat and meslin, a mixture of cereals and legumes, at discounted rates. The buyer, according to occupation administration documents, was the Turkish company Velar Tarim Sanayi ve Tic. A.S (Velar), headquartered in the city of Adana.

Turkey, which exports military goods to Ukraine, ranked in 2022-23 as the main importer of grain exported by Russia, according to agribusiness consultants APK-Inform.

At least 9,554 tons of the wheat and meslin for Velar, according to a Russian government itinerary confirmed by tracking by MarineTraffic, a shipping intelligence site, traveled on August 7, 2023, from Crimea's Sevastopol Bay to Russia's Port Kavkaz on the Kerch Strait on board the Alfa M, and thence, two days later, on to Turkey's Mediterranean port of Mersin on board the St. Olga.

Velar did not respond to questions about this shipment.

Azerbaijan

Turkey's South Caucasus ally Azerbaijan, which has close ties with Moscow, has described itself as "a loyal and dear friend to Ukraine." It also is a regular customer for Russian-expropriated wheat from Ukraine.

Wheat imports classified as Russian, in fact, narrowly outranked petroleum products in 2022 as Azerbaijan's main Russian import, valued at $294 million, according to the trade data site OEC.

The Moscow-based Sim-Trans Group describes itself as one of the top three wheat exporters to Azerbaijan. In 2023, it exported the ruble equivalent of just under $410,000 worth of grain, according to an official Russian foreign trade database, to the Baku-registered company Diba.

The origin of all these wheat shipments is unclear. But in 2023, Sim-Trans Group received permission from the commission to send Diba up to 2,200 tons of grain from Kherson, occupation-administration documents show.

Sim-Trans Group did not answer phone calls about this shipment. Diba did not respond to requests for comment.

Iran And Syria

One Russian company, Pallada, LLC, which sent at least 15,400 tons of Kherson barley under a discounted Russian customs rate in 2023 to Iran's Persian Gulf port of Bandar Imam Khomeini, has a distant connection to sanctioned Croatian businessman Kresimir Filipovic, who Russian media have reported was involved in the construction of a luxury estate in Gelendzhik on Russia's Black Sea coast that was allegedly built for Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Pallada was registered as a grain wholesaler in the southwestern Russian city of Rostov-on-Don a few weeks before the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Its minority owner is Megapolis-Invest, a Russian corporate management firm that previously controlled a company, Waveform Investments, formerly majority owned by Filipovic, according to the business database KonturFocus.

The independent media outlet Proyekt has identified a Filipovic-owned business, Velesstroi, as the general contractor for construction of "Putin's palace."

The extent of Filipovic's involvement in Pallada, if any, is unclear.

The firm's majority owner, according to the Russian business registry SBIS, is Sergei Kuznetsov, a 47-year-old Muscovite.

Kuznetsov did not respond to Vyorstka's May 31 question via Telegram about whether he is Pallada's nominal owner in favor of Megapolis-Invest and Filipovic.

Another Russian exporter, the Moscow-based TD Fregat LLC, also declined to comment. In May 2023, it received a customs-duty discount on 3,000 tons of Kherson corn as part of an 8,000-ton export from Crimea to the Syrian port of Latakia.

TD Fregat, which says it "specializes in complex operations in the grain industry," did not respond to a request for elaboration.

Written by Elizabeth Owen

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/energy-strike-attack- zaporizhzhya-lviv/33004745.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.

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Russian Forces Hit Ukrainian Energy Infrastructure and Western Weapon Depots Overnight

Sputnik News

20240622

Russia's Ministry of Defense reported that a Canadian-made Senator armored combat vehicle had been eliminated for the first time.

Russia's Armed Forces hit Ukraine's energy facilities supplying the defense industry overnight, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported on Saturday.

"In response to attempts by the Kiev regime to damage Russian energy facilities, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out a group strike tonight with long-range precision weapons from air and sea, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles," the ministry's summary stated.

It noted that the strike targeted Ukraine's energy facilities supporting the operation of the military-industrial complex, as well as ammunition and aviation weapon storage depots supplied by Western countries.

"The strike objectives have been achieved. All designated targets have been hit," the ministry added.

The Defense Ministry also reported that a Canadian Senator armored fighting vehicle operated by the Ukrainian Armed Forces was eliminated for the first time. Additionally, in the area of responsibility of the Vostok Battlegroup, the enemy lost over 140 soldiers.

"Units of the Vostok Battlegroup occupied more advantageous positions and inflicted damage on the personnel and equipment of the 58th Motorized Infantry Brigade of the UAF, the 102nd and 123rd Territorial Defense Brigades, and the 21st Brigade of the National Guard in the areas of Varvarovka, Novoivanovka in the Zaporozhye region, Prechystovka, and Neskuchnoye in the Donetsk People's Republic. The enemy's losses amounted to more than 140 military personnel and a Senator armored fighting vehicle of Canadian production," the ministry said.

In addition, the UAF lost four vehicles, a 155-mm FH70 howitzer of British production, a 155-mm M198 howitzer of US manufacture, and a Bukovel-AD electronic warfare station.

Menawhile, the Zapad Group of Forces has taken more advantageous positions, repelled two attacks, destroyed an ammunition stockpile over the past 24 hours, while Ukraine has lost up to 370 soldiers in clashes.

"The Ukrainian armed forces have lost up to 370 soldiers, two vehicles, one 122-mm D-30 howitzer. A field ammunition stockpile of the Ukrainian armed forces has been destroyed," the ministry said.

The Ukrainian armed forces have lost up to 590 soldiers in battles with the southern group of the Russian forces, up to 425 soldiers in battles with the central group of the Russian forces, over 140 troops in battles with the eastern group of the Russian forces, and up to 90 soldiers in battles with the Dnepr Group of Forces, the ministry added.

A Sputnik

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Russian Forces Strike Ukrainian Military Facilities, Depots Near Lvov

Sputnik News

20240622

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Strikes were delivered on military facilities and depots of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, where parts for aircraft were stored, in the Lvov region in western Ukraine, the coordinator of pro-Russian underground network in Nikolayev, Sergei Lebedev, told Sputnik.

Earlier, Lebedev reported damage to the energy infrastructure in the Lvov region, as well as in Vinnitsa, Khmelnytsky, Volyn, and Ivano-Frankovsk regions of Ukraine.

A critical energy infrastructure facility has been damaged in the Lvov region of Ukraine, the head of the regional military administration, Maksym Kozytsky, said on Saturday.

"The strike on a critical energy infrastructure facility in the Lvov region. The fire broke out, firefighters are working at the scene," he wrote on Telegram.

There has been no information of victims yet, Kozytsky said.

Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine in February 2022. The Russian armed forces started striking critical Ukrainian infrastructure on October 10, 2022, two days after a bombing attack against the Crimean bridge, which Russian authorities believe was carried out by Ukrainian security services. The strikes target energy, defense, military administration and communications facilities across the country.

A Sputnik

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We Are Working to the Maximum to Give Ukraine the Capability to Fully Respond to Russian Terror - Address by the President

President of Ukraine

22 June 2024 - 19:44

Dear Ukrainians!

Currently, in Kharkiv, the clearing of rubble at the site of the Russian bomb attack is still ongoing. Four guided aerial bombs hit the cityathis is calculated terror. One of the bombs destroyed a residential building in the central part of the city, near the bus station. As of now, more than 40 people in the city were reported injured. All are receiving necessary assistance. Three people in Kharkiv were killed by today's strikes. My condolences to their families and loved ones. The rescue operation is complicated due to the collapse of the building's structures. However, the rescuers from the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, local services, and everyone involved are doing everything possible to help people. Similarly, we are working to the maximum to give Ukraine the capability to fully respond to such Russian terror. Since the beginning of this June alone, Russians have used more than 2,400 guided aerial bombs against Ukraine already, about 700 of which were targeted at the Kharkiv region - against our positions, our cities, and communities in the Kharkiv region.

Such Russian strikes are also being carried out in the Donetsk region and other frontline and border regions - on a daily basis. Ukraine needs the necessary forces and means to destroy the carriers of these bombs, particularly Russian combat aviation wherever it is. This step is needed. I am grateful to all partners, grateful to America for a strong decision that helped us stabilize the situation in the Kharkiv border region - we gained the ability to destroy Russian missile launchers near the border and concentrations of Russian occupiers. Such decisions need to be continued. The significant reduction in Russian missile terror against Kharkiv and the region proves that it is entirely possible to protect our cities and communities from Russian bombs. That is why modern air defense systems for Ukraine - Patriots - and the acceleration of training of our pilots for F-16s, and, most importantly, the sufficient range of our weapons are truly necessary. Necessary for the protection of lives - and solely for this purpose. I thank everyone in the world who supports us in this. Russian terror must be defeated, and this is in the interest of everyone who wants to live in a world without war, which terrorists always spread whenever they are not defeated. Today, I heard reports from Commander-in-Chief Syrskyi and Ukraine's Defense Minister Umerov regarding the provision for our forces and supplies from partners. The Commander-in-Chief and the Minister also reported on their contacts with partners and our expectations. We are grateful for the approved packages, but we need them fully and on the battlefield - without delays. And everything we agreed upon with President Biden must be implemented.

I would also like to recognize the rescuers of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine - the entire staff of the Service, everyone who works to save as many lives as possible. In all regions, in every city. Thank you! Kharkiv region - Mykhailo Tebenev, Ivan Lobanov, Oleksandr Omelianenko, Oleksandr Mazur and Yuriy Matsayenko have particularly distinguished themselves these weeks. Thank you, guys! And also Kyiv region - fire and rescue units of the region - Yaroslav Brovchenko, Oleksandr Borozenets, Bohdan Kachenko, Serhiy Nedilko, Tymofiy Vyshnia. I thank you and all the employees of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine, all local services that work for people, every police officer and volunteer who helps.

And one more thing.

Donetsk region. Our warriors. Pokrovsk direction, Toretsk, Kurakhove, Kramatorsk. Very tough battles and dozens of Russian assaults every day. I am grateful to every soldier, sergeant and officer who defend our positions and hold back the occupier. I thank all our warriors for their strength!

Glory to Ukraine!

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NEW YORK, June 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --

WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces the filing of a class action lawsuit on behalf of purchasers of securities of UiPath, Inc. (NYSE: PATH) between December 1, 2023 and May 29, 2024, both dates inclusive (the Class Period). A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 19, 2024.

SO WHAT: If you purchased UiPath securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement.

WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the UiPath class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=19012 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than August 19, 2024. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation.

WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources or any meaningful peer recognition. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm has achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers.

DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, throughout the Class Period, defendants made materially false and misleading statements concerning the success of UiPaths turnaround strategy, which had been designed to accelerate growth. For instance, defendants represented that UiPath was executing against that strategy, and were seeing [the] results in the deal quality and the customer quality, asserted that our strategic investments in innovations and our go-to-market ecosystem positions us well for continued momentum, and that theres no doubt theres [been] better execution since the implementation of the turnaround strategy. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages.

To join the UiPath class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=19012 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action.

No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investors ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff.

Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/.

Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

-------------------------------

Contact Information:

Laurence Rosen, Esq.

Phillip Kim, Esq.

The Rosen Law Firm, P.A.

275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor

New York, NY 10016

Tel: (212) 686-1060

Toll Free: (866) 767-3653

Fax: (212) 202-3827

case@rosenlegal.com

www.rosenlegal.com
BOSTON, June 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Novotech, a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) specializing in partnering with biotech companies to expedite the development of cutting-edge therapeutics across all phases, has today published a leading industry report, Liver Cancer - Global Clinical Trial Landscape. Liver cancer is the sixth most diagnosed cancer worldwide and the third-most common cause of cancer-related deaths.



The report highlights the ongoing investment into liver cancer research globally and the significant treatment innovations that are designed to improve outcomes for patients.

The Novotech research analyst team provides these expert reports monthly, completely free of charge. These reports offer up-to-date insights into global clinical trial activity, revealing regions that experience the highest trial volumes and the factors behind these trends. They tackle the hurdles biotech firms face in specific therapeutic areas and discuss future paths in therapy and investment trends.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the predominant form of liver cancer, accounting for approximately 90% of all cases. HCC typically arises in individuals with chronic liver conditions such as hepatitis virus infection, cirrhosis, certain inherited liver diseases, or exposure to aflatoxins and affects men more than women.

The Liver Cancer - Global Clinical Trial Landscape report finds that Asia had the highest incidence, contributing approximately 600,000 cases, which represented over 70% of the global burden. Within Asia, China alone reported more than 360,000 cases. Europe reported about 88,000 cases, while Africa faced significant challenges with 73,000 cases. North America saw over 48,000 cases, predominantly from the United States.

The Novotech report shows theres a robust clinical trial pipeline for liver cancer, with over 1,700 trials initiated since 2018. Asia-Pacific and North America are at the forefront, contributing 55% and 24% respectively, followed by Europe at 16% and ROW at 5%, with Mainland China, South Korea, Spain and the United States emerging as top destinations for conducting trials.

These trials are across all phases, with a significant focus on early and mid-phase trials in Asia-Pacific and North America (Phase I and II), compared to Europe and the ROW which showed a lower overall number of trials. This data could suggest a difference in regional approaches to clinical research, possibly influenced by factors like funding, regulatory environments, and infrastructure.

Ongoing trials dominate globally, with Asia-Pacific leading again in ongoing and completed studies. North America and Europe closely follow, showing considerable activity in ongoing trials but fewer completed ones.

The treatment landscape for HCC is diverse and evolving. While surgical resection and liver transplantation offer the best long-term survival, many patients are unsuitable due to tumor size or liver conditions. Other treatments include traditional chemotherapy, targeted therapies like monoclonal antibodies and small molecules, and immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) or tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). First-line treatments often combine atezolizumab and bevacizumab, while second-line options include lenvatinib, sorafenib, regorafenib, and cabozantinib.

Key takeaways from the report are:

The drug development landscape includes approximately 70 drugs in preclinical stages, 23 in research, 51 in Phase I, 37 in Phase I/II, 66 in Phase II, 17 in Phase III, and 23 marketed drugs.

Due to its large population and lower volume of studies, the Asia-Pacific region has lower competing trial risk with a trial density 4 times lower than that of the US and about 2 times lower than Europe.

The funding landscape for liver cancer research shows substantial support, particularly through public and venture capital funding. The United States ($4,898 million) and China ($3,131 million) have seen significant venture capital investments in liver cancer research between 2019 and 2023.

Funding predominantly supports preclinical, Phase I, and Phase II stages, with lesser amounts for discovery, Phase III, IND/CTA filed, and marketed stages.

A SWOT analysis reveals strengths in multidisciplinary approaches and evolving therapies, but also highlights weaknesses like side effects and limited access to advanced treatments. Opportunities lie in precision medicine and immunotherapy, while threats include rising healthcare costs and insufficient funding for research.



Download the report here

About Novotech Novotech-CRO.com

Founded in 1997, Novotech is a global full-service clinical Contract Research Organization (CRO) focused on partnering with biotech companies to accelerate the development of advanced and novel therapeutics at every phase.

Recognized for its industry-leading contributions, Novotech has received numerous prestigious awards, including the CRO Leadership Award 2023, the Asia Pacific Cell & Gene Therapy Clinical Trials Excellence 2023, the Asia-Pacific Contract Research Organization Company of the Year Award since 2006.

The Company offers a comprehensive suite of services including laboratories, Phase I facilities, drug development consulting, regulatory expertise, and has experience with over 5,000 clinical projects, including Phase I to Phase IV clinical trials and bioequivalence studies. With a presence in 34 office locations and a dedicated team of 3,000+ professionals worldwide, Novotech is a trusted end-to-end strategic partner of choice.

For more information or to speak to an expert team member visit www.Novotech-CRO.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/f3310a56-88d7-4e4a-a0f5-8cc9bd2779ae
San Francisco, CA, June 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Singapore-based crypto financial research startup SoSoValue has closed a $4.15 million seed funding round led by HongShan, GSR Markets, Alumni Ventures, CoinSummer Labs, and One Piece Labs. Gitcoin Co-founder, Ethereum early investor, and founders of top Web3 and AI tech firms also joined the round.







With over 1.2 million organic registered users within five months of launch, SoSoValue is an innovative platform designed to empower every investor, from beginners to experts, with the resources they need to make informed investment decisions in the fast-paced world of cryptocurrencies.



This investment will propel the development of SoSoValues AI-driven data services and fuel the expansion of its global researcher's community. says co-founder Jivvva . SoSoValues goal is to level the playing field by providing equal access to top-notch data technology and insights.

About SoSoValue

Headquartered in Singapore, SoSoValue is an AI-driven investment research platform transforming how investors access and analyze cryptocurrency information. Dedicated to democratizing access to advanced data technology and insights, the company ensures all investors have equal opportunities. By harnessing advanced AI capabilities, SoSoValue offers comprehensive research tools, real-time analytics, and fosters a vibrant community for collaborative growth. Featuring innovative tools such as the Bitcoin Spot ETF dashboard, AI-powered news aggregator and Crypto Sector Index, SoSoValue has rapidly attracted over 1.2 million organic users within 5 months of its launch, establishing a significant presence in advanced financial markets.





Jiva Kwan

Co-founder

SoSoValue

contact@sosovalue.com












BELLEFONTE, Pa., June 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Dr. Wade Newman, a distinguished dental professional and devoted advocate of community service, announces the establishment of the Dr. Wade Newman Scholarship for Future Doctors. This prestigious scholarship, offering a one-time award of $1,000, is designed to support outstanding undergraduate students across the United States who are pursuing careers in medicine. The scholarship honors Dr. Wade Newman's legacy of dedication to healthcare excellence and humanitarian service, aiming to empower the next generation of medical leaders who demonstrate academic achievement, commitment to community service, and a passion for making a difference in healthcare outcomes.



Dr. Wade Newmans journey to dentistry was profoundly shaped by his experiences and early commitment to public service. A graduate of West Virginia University School of Dentistry and a former police officer, Dr. Wade Newman's career highlights include receiving prestigious awards for clinical and academic excellence. His transformative mission trip to Guatemala during dental school ignited his passion for humanitarian work, leading to his involvement in global initiatives such as Mission of Mercy and local programs like Give Kids a Smile.

In addition to his distinguished dental career, Dr. Wade Newman has served with distinction in the Air National Guard for over 20 years, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. His military service includes significant contributions to humanitarian missions, notably providing essential dental care to over 300 villagers in Africa.

"We are proud to launch the Dr. Wade Newman Scholarship for Future Doctors to support aspiring medical professionals who share my commitment to healthcare excellence and community service," said Dr. Wade Newman. "This scholarship represents our dedication to nurturing future leaders who will make a meaningful impact in healthcare."

The application deadline for the Dr. Wade Newman Scholarship for Future Doctors is April 15, 2025. The scholarship recipient will be announced on May 15, 2025. Eligible undergraduate students are invited to submit an essay (500-800 words) addressing a pivotal experience that influenced their decision to pursue a medical career and how they envision using their future medical career to improve healthcare outcomes. Essays should be emailed to apply@drwadenewmanscholarship.com.

For detailed information about eligibility criteria, the application process, and Dr. Wade Newman's inspiring journey, please visit Dr. Wade Newman Scholarship website.

About Dr. Wade Newman

Dr. Wade Newman is a highly esteemed dental professional and community leader dedicated to advancing healthcare excellence and community welfare. His career achievements include receiving numerous awards for clinical and academic excellence. With over two decades of service in the Air National Guard and impactful humanitarian missions worldwide, Dr. Wade Newman continues to inspire future generations through his commitment to service and compassionate care.

Contact Info:

Spokesperson: Dr. Wade Newman

Organization: Dr. Wade Newman Scholarship

Website: https://drwadenewmanscholarship.com

Email: apply@drwadenewmanscholarship.com
No decision about scrapping engine program says Briatore

Alpine's new F1 advisor Flavio Briatore is not denying that the team's manufacturer parent Renault could totally scrap its 2026 engine project.

Pierre Gasly, Spanish GP 2024

 Alpine

I don't comment on these kinds of rumours, team boss Bruno Famin told Canal Plus in Barcelona.

Briatore, the struggling Enstone based team's former ultra-successful boss, has been appointed by Renault CEO Luca de Meo to end the performance crisis.

I'm now looking at the whole situation now, the 74-year-old Italian told Sonntagsblick newspaper. "I'll quickly find out where the problems are.

I'm returning thanks to Luca. I wouldn't have done it with anyone who was previously at the top of the Renault group, Briatore also told La Gazzetta dello Sport.

He is one of the geniuses we exported from Italy, a fantastic person who wants results right away. He's not getting them and so he took someone who knows how to get results. More or less that's how the whole thing started.

Interestingly, on the demanding Barcelona layout, Alpine's woeful 2024 car suddenly performed better. Now we have to understand why, smiled Pierre Gasly.

I wish I could give you the answer, but I don't have it.

What is clear is that Renault has struggled to ever produce a competitive 'hybrid' engine dating all the way back a decade. And now, with the electric elements ramping up even more for the 2026 rules, there are rumours Alpine could simply become a Red Bull or Mercedes engine customer.

I will be the boss's advisor and will do whatever I can to help the team win races, said Briatore. Therefore I will do what I know how to do.

As for whether that might involve giving up the team's works engine status, however, he told La Repubblica newspaper: "There is no decision and no ongoing negotiations.

We are evaluating all options to become competitive again.

Team boss Famin, though, sounded furious to be asked about the swirling speculation.

We don't know who makes the rumours, but one thing is certain - they are extremely destabilising for the team, he said. We are looking for every opportunity to develop the team's performance as quickly as possible.

Briatore joined Famin and Renault CEO de Meo, meanwhile, in ruling out a team sale.

100 percent not, Briatore said in Barcelona.

One of Briatore's tasks will be to advise on the 2025 driver lineup, with Gasly likely to keep his seat.

As for the other seat, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher is hoping Briatore's old relationship with Michael Schumacher might give young Mick's chances of a race return a boost.

Flavio wants to see performance first, Ralf told Auto Bild. That is crucial. But it is certainly not a disadvantage that there are still good contacts with the family.

(GMM)
Sainz to choose between Williams and Audi next week

Carlos Sainz is now mere days away from announcing the identity of his new Formula 1 team for 2025 and beyond.

Carlos Sainz, Spanish GP 2024

 Ferrari

According to a source in the Spanish media, the departing Ferrari driver will not make his decision between Williams and Audi-Sauber on Sunday, Monday or Tuesday - but he will make it almost immediately after that.

I will notify my rivals who are affected by the decision, I'm a good guy, the 29-year-old smiled, after Kevin Magnussen earlier this weekend described Sainz as the cork in the bottle of the driver market stand-still.

I just need a couple of days at home, Sainz added.

Williams boss James Vowles has made a strong pitch to attract Sainz, reportedly offering him a four-year contract with plenty of driver-sided options and an attractive pay package.

But the long-term nature and pay structure offered by Audi-owned Sauber may be even more attractive.

He is one of the drivers we spoke with, Sauber team representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi told Sky Italia in Barcelona. "He could bring us talent, motivation and speed.

But for us, we need a driver who can make a long-term commitment. The decision is close, but it's not just Carlos, we've also spoken with other drivers.

It is believed Alpine's Pierre Gasly could be another option for Audi.

We want drivers who are with us from the beginning for this long journey, and obviously now the decision is getting closer. We need to start working on the car and next year's drivers is an important element, Bravi added.

"I think someone like Carlos, like Nico Hulkenberg who we have already signed, can bring us a lot, but there are also other drivers on the market with the characteristics we want.

So I don't only want to talk about Carlos because that would not be respectful towards all the other drivers we are talking about.

New Alpine advisor Flavio Briatore on Saturday indicated that the Renault factory team would be happy to re-sign Gasly, but the 28-year-old French driver is not quite ready to commit.

It is an ongoing process, said Gasly. The market is very clear right now. There are conversations and it is evolving. I don't want to talk too much until it is decided and announced.

Gasly is not ruling out that Alpine could make a big step forward for 2025.

If you look at McLaren or Aston, and everything they have done in recent years, changes for the better are possible, he said. "Each situation is unique.

I see many positive changes in the team and the factory, although they do not necessarily translate directly into better performance on the track.

Meanwhile, Mercedes boss Toto Wolff denies that Kimi Antonelli's F1 debut next year in Lewis Hamilton's place is set in stone.

There is no rush to put him in an F1 car, he told Sky Italia.

He is doing Formula 2, he is learning and he has been testing with us, but at the moment we still don't want to make a decision on the second seat for 2025.

(GMM)
The Guam Department of Agriculture announced the proposed creation of aquaculture division chief and aquaculture assistant chief positions in line with a recent executive order establishing the Division of Aquaculture.

Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero created a Division of Aquaculture within the Guam Department of Agriculture through an April 4 executive order.

The aquaculture industry involves the practice of farming fish and other aquatic organisms on Guam.

The proposed positions are essential to developing a program to establish and manage a sustainable aquaculture industry in Guam, Guam Department of Agriculture said in a release.

The positions are responsible for administering all programs and activities of the Division of Aquaculture to include the management of two sections which are the Environmental Protection and Restoration section and the Economic and Community Development section, the agency said.

In her executive order, the governor said Guam must take measures to ensure seafood security while implementing aggressive measures to preserve the health of the oceans, given the growing technical aquaculture advancements and practices, and the ever-increasing global demand for seafood.

Over 50% of the worlds seafood consumption comes from aquaculture, the governor said.

It is appropriate at this time to create an aquaculture division within the DoAG to ensure parity of this discipline with other agency objectives, by facilitating the allocation of necessary agency resources and personnel to related programs, and enable the DoAG to respond to opportunities for grant funding and programs, the governor wrote in her order.

The governor, in her order, also created an Aquaculture Advisory Board, which will advise the new division on the establishment and management of a sustainable aquaculture industry in Guam.

The boards membership will include the head/director/president or designee of the Division of Aquaculture, Division of Aquatics and Wildlife, Bureau of Statistics and Plans, Guam Economic Development Authority, Guam Environmental Protection Agency, University of Guam, Guam Community College; a representative of a Guam-based marine commercial fisheries organization, appointed by the governor; and three individuals who are active members of the aquaculture industry on Guam who shall be appointed by the governor.

The Department of Administration Classification Branch will post the proposed job specifications on the Department of Administrations website at doag.guam.gov for a period of ten workdays for comments.

Additionally, electronic copies have also been posted on the Department of Agricultures website under the announcements tab for a period of ten workdays.

Comments and questions may be submitted to the Department of Agriculture no later than July 5 via email at agriculture@doag.guam.gov or by phone at (671) 300-7965.
Residents will see more bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure along Route 10A after a $25 million grant was awarded to Guam, Del. James Moylan announced in a release.

Moylan announced on Saturday that the Department of Transportation awarded $25 million to Guam for the Route 10A Reconstruction and Complete Street Phase 1 Upgrade Project.

This is under DOTs Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity discretionary grant program for 2024.

The specific scope of the funding is to reconstruct, widen, and add bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure to approximately one mile of Route 10A between Route 1 and Guam International Airport.

We want to thank the Department of Transportation for this award, as any funding for infrastructure improvements for the island is not just welcome, but also much needed. Constructing and/or widening pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure is critical from a safety perspective, Moylan said in a release.

Moylan said the grant will complement the $140 million authorization for access roads which his office was able to secure under the National Defense Authorization Act.

Nearly $1.8 billion in authorized economic activity for Guam, including road repairs, is included in the fiscal 2025 National Defense Authorization Act, NDAA, that the House of Representatives recently passed.

These were among Moylans amendments to the 2025 NDAA, or the military spending legislation.

Looking forward to the various infrastructure improvements to continue, and working with local and federal partners to ensure this process continues regularly, Moylan said.
Hundreds of people braved the midday summer heat to enjoy the sights and sounds of the annual GALA Together with Pride Rainbow Carnival held Saturday at Skinner Plaza in Hagatna.

The event  perhaps the biggest event for the LGBTQIA+ community as they celebrate Pride Month  featured various amusement booths for kids and adults, while civic entities such as the Guam Behavior Health and Wellness Center, Alee Shelter and Prutehi Hao proudly displayed their partnership and support.

GALA Program Coordinator Hannah Mendiola said she was happy with the turnout.

Mostly because I see people coming in as they are, I see rainbows everywhere, people are getting their faces painted ... people are just having fun, she said. And we got a lot of great support.

An emcee and DJ setup, with the occasional batch of prizes given away from an ongoing raffle, kept the crowd engaged during the hottest part of the afternoon, and as things cooled down, the live band Crush commanded the attention of the lively crowd.

We are here as allies supporting the LGBTQ community, said Bianca DaSilva, who spread out a towel with family to enjoy the colors of the day. Its been great, everybodys welcoming. I like that every booth had stamps to get everybody involved.

Mendiola said that GALA was founded in 2008 and established as a nonprofit organization. Since then, theyve served about 10,000 clients with programs such as free monthly HIV/STI screening with Prutehi Hao, summer camps, after-school programs and substance abuse workshops, among their many programs.

For those that are looking for inclusion, people to lean on, community in the true definition of community, we hope we can help them see what businesses and nonprofit organizations support them, she said.

Mendiola thanked event sponsors Pay-Less Markets, Infusion Coffee & Tea, Kynd Tattoo, Hagatna Mayor John A. Cruz, Sinajana Mayors Office, Strike A Pose Photobooth, Crush, and Tohge.
The June legislative session is scheduled to start 9 a.m. Monday with a packed agenda of 23 bills and two resolutions.

The agenda includes two bills by Sen. Chris Duenas, that were pulled out of committee last week by a majority vote of Rules committee members, over the objection of oversight Chairperson Sen. Sabina Perez.

Duenas Bill 175-37 would authorize the use of a type 4 nitrate reducing system for waste disposal, including over the Northern Guam Lens Aquifer, the main source of the islands drinking water.

His Bill 51-37 would allow families to build accessory dwelling units or extra apartment-like structures beside their homes on lots that are zoned for single-family use.

Perez had declined to report the bills out of her committee citing the need for more information and discussion in particular, on the potential impact of the nitrate reducing waste disposal system on the northern lens aquifer, Guams main drinking water source.

In a public push to have the bills reported out, Duenas said the waste disposal system has been proven safe, and he had the backing of the Guam Association of Realtors and a group of homeowners who agreed that the legislation would help advance the construction of much-needed affordable housing.

A group of supporters packed the legislative hearing room during the Rules meeting, and watched as the members voted to pull the Duenas bills out of committee for placement on the June session agenda.

Among the other almost two dozen measures on the agenda are Sen. Chris Barnetts Bill 239-37 which severely increases the jail time and penalties for the illegal trafficking of the controlled substances fentanyl and methamphetamine.

Depending on the amount of drugs involved, those convicted could serve 30 years to life, and be fined up to $5 million as an individual and $25 million for a business.

Also scheduled to be discussed is Sen. Will Parkinsons bill, Bill 260-37, which would clear a hurdle that has stalled the opening of local cannabis businesses by exempting them from some of the testing requirements while there is no cannabis testing facility on island.

Another cannabis related bill, Bill 6-37, also by Parkinson, seeks to prohibit employers, landlords, colleges or government agencies from testing for marijuana as a condition of employment, housing, education or government services.

Vetoed bills

Several vetoed bills including Bill 185-37, which would put the site of a new hospital at Ypao Point, are on the session agenda.

The bill was passed in February, but Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero who has been pushing for a new hospital in the Barrigada/Mangilao area vetoed the measure.

Another bill, Bill 165-37, which would establish islandwide trash collection is also on the session agenda.

The governor vetoed the measure in May over concerns that the bill as written didnt fully address the concerns of residents who are unable to add an additional bill to their monthly budget.

During floor debate on the measure, several senators expressed reservations about mandating home garbage collection, especially for those households who use the solid waste transfer stations for disposal to save money.

The Guam Solid Waste Authority has said the increased customer base from mandatory collection would result in lowered residential fees, from $40 a month to $37.

But if a mandatory collection system is not implemented, GSWA plans to request a rate increase from the Public Utilities Commission.
Dave Lotz is a vocal advocate for protecting Guams unique heritage, a knowledgeable and long-time hiking enthusiast and environmental advocate, and critic of inept government. He has been a resident of Guam since 1970 and retired from the Guam Department of Parks and Recreation, Andersen Air Force Base Environmental Flight, and the National Park Service.




Haiti - Politic : Prime Minister Conille chaired an important meeting on security





On the morning of Saturday June 22, 2024, the Prime Minister, Garry Conille, chaired his first meeting of the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN) in which Me Carlos Hercule, the Minister of Justice and Public Security, Rameau Normil the new acting Director General of the Haitian National Police (PNH), as well as the Chief Inspector General Fritz Saint Fort.



Among the main points that were discussed: measures to curb the phenomenon of insecurity; banditry and crime; the restoration of a climate of peace and stability; strategies for regaining control of the entire national territory with a view to the free movement of people and goods, particularly in the metropolitan region of Port-au-Prince.



Today, I had a major meeting with the members of the Superior Council of the National Police (CSPN). We discussed the insecurity that is destroying our society. I would like to announce that the Government will take several urgent measures to send a clear signal to provide a response to this security crisis. Peace and stability must prevail throughout the country," Garry Conille



HL/ HaitiLibre


















Some creative jobs may go away because of AI, but maybe they shouldn't have been there in the first place, OpenAIs CTO Mira Murati said, according to a Business Today article. Mira Murati, CTO of OpenAI, (AFP)

Murati ignited a firestorm of a discussion with this remark during a recent visit to her alma mater, Dartmouth College, speaking on the future of artificial intelligence and its potential impact on society, at Dartmouth's Thayer School of Engineering, according to the article.

Murati's remark touched upon a deeply sensitive area in an era of rapid technological advancement, with the prospect of AI automating tasks traditionally performed by humans, particularly within creative fields, which has raised concerns about job security and the future of work, the article read.

Also Read | Understand your dopamine system for entrepreneurial success: Perplexity CEO

Collaborate and create?

Murati highlighted the collaborative nature of AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E, suggesting that these technologies, rather than replacing human creativity, actually serve to enhance and expand it, providing new avenues for artistic expression and problem-solving, according to the article.

"It's a tool, right?" she said. I expect that we will actually collaborate with it and it's going to make our creativity expand.

Also Read | Elon Musk believes in universal basic income (UBI) once AI takes over: His top 8 quotes

AI can teach

She also emphasized the potential for AI to democratise creativity, making it more accessible to individuals who might not have had the resources or training to pursue their creative aspirations in the past.

Whether it's creating new designs, whether it's coding, or writing an essay or concepts in topology, she explained, You can just learn about these things and interact with them in a much more intuitive way, and that expands your learning.

Also Read | Elon Musk reminds everyone he named OpenAI with a lot of good intentions

How to safely develop AI?

The discussion also delved into the ethics of AI development, with Murati acknowledging the importance of carefully managing AI systems, particularly as their capabilities advance, according to the article.

She stressed the need for a multi-stakeholder approach to regulation, involving collaboration between developers, policymakers, and the wider public, the article read.

She also highlighted the crucial role of organisations like OpenAI in driving research and proactively mitigating potential risks associated with AI.

"We're thinking a lot about this," she explained. "It's definitely real that you will have AI systems that will have general capabilities, connect to the internet, talk to each other, agents connecting to each other and doing tasks together, or agents working with humans and collaborating seamlessly."
With talks to upgrade the existing free trade agreement (FTA) moving forward between India and Korea, the department of commerce is engaging with different ministries, including heavy industries, steel, and chemicals, to prepare the offer list, an official said. Representational (Shutterstock)

Preparation of the list is part of the negotiations, which are underway, for the upgrade of the existing FTA between the two countries, dubbed as comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

The agreement was operationalised in January 2010. So far, 10 rounds of talks have been concluded.

The official said both sides have exchanged the request list and "are working on the offer list" and for that the commerce ministry is holding discussions with different ministries, including steel, heavy industries, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals.

Also Read | India's infrastructure investments to grow 15.3% over next five years: Morgan Stanley

What does India want?

India has sought greater market access for certain products such as steel, rice, and shrimp from South Korea with a view to boost exports of these goods, the official added.

India has flagged issues over Korean firms not buying Indian steel.

The exercise assumes significance as both sides have shared the hope that the CEPA upgradation negotiations would play an important role in strengthening and deepening economic cooperation between both countries.

How do such agreements work?

In such agreements, two or more countries either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods added between and ease norms to promote trade in services and boost investments.

Both sides review the agreement at a mutually agreed time period.

In general, such review or upgrade exercises include implementation issues, rules of origin; verification process and release of consignments; customs procedures; further liberalisation of trade in goods; and sharing and exchange of trade data.

Also Read | India needs to manufacture electronic components and not just assemble them: CII

India's trade deficit

India has also raised concerns on the growing trade deficit between the two countries. India's exports to Korea dipped to USD 6.41 billion in 2023-24 from USD 6.65 billion in 2022-23 and USD 8 billion in 2021-22.

The imports stood at USD 21.13 billion in the last fiscal as against USD 21.22 billion in 2022-23 and USD 17.5 billion in 2021-22.

According to economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's trade deficit with South Korea increased at a much higher rate compared to its trade deficit with the world.

It said India's trade with South Korea has shown significant changes in the periods before and after the implementation of the CEPA.

The average exports from India to South Korea before the CEPA (2007-09) were valued at USD 3.4 billion, while the average imports stood at USD 7.3 billion, leading to an average trade deficit of USD 4 billion.

Post-CEPA (2022-24), the average exports increased to USD 7.1 billion, and imports surged to USD 19.9 billion, resulting in a much larger average trade deficit of USD 12.8 billion, the GTRI report said, adding this indicates an increase in the trade deficit by USD 7.2 billion from the pre-CEPA period to the post-CEPA period, marking a 220 per cent increase.

Also Read | India's May exports up 9.1% y/y as outlook improves

Other challenges

Besides, it said Indian exporters are facing various non-tariff barriers in South Korea, including stringent standards, regulations, and certification requirements and these barriers make it difficult for Indian goods to penetrate the South Korean market.

"There are challenges related to gaining better market access for Indian agricultural products like shrimp, rice, steel, pharmaceuticals, and services in South Korea. Indian businesses seek more favourable terms to compete effectively in these sectors," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

There are concerns regarding the rules of origin provisions under the CEPA, which determine the eligibility of products for preferential tariffs, he said, adding that India aims to ensure that these rules are not overly restrictive and that they facilitate trade rather than hinder it.

According to the GTRI, India is looking for greater liberalisation in the services sector, including healthcare and information technology (IT), and easier access for Indian professionals and service providers in the South Korean market.

There is a need for mutual recognition of standards, qualifications, and certifications to facilitate smoother trade and investment flows between the two countries, it said.

It added that while India has granted significant tariff concessions under the CEPA, there is a push for South Korea to reciprocate with more meaningful concessions, especially in sectors where Indian products have competitive advantages.

"Addressing these issues is crucial for India to achieve a more equitable and mutually beneficial trade relationship with South Korea under the CEPA framework," Srivastava said.
India is set to resume wheat imports by lowering duties while also imposing import limits and making open market sales, three officials told Mint. This is an attempt to tame prices and boost supplies. Labourers filling wheat grains in gunny bags at the Bathinda grain market on Sunday (Sanjeev Kumar/HT)

The background

India, the worlds second-largest wheat producer, has a 44% duty on wheat imports, imposed six years ago, which effectively stopped shipments of the grain, according to the report.

If duty is reduced, allowing private wheat imports, international wheat will likely reach India via all major south Indian ports from 1 July, another official said.

Traders have been asking the government to relax import duties, so they can resume imports as international prices are low, the report read.

However, the matter is sensitive for farmers, with the government estimating wheat production for 2024-25 to be on par with last year at 112.9 million tonnes, according to the report.

The Centre closed wheat procurement at 26.6 million tonnes comparred to last years 26.2 million tonnes. The target was 31 million tonnes, the report read.

Also Read | India set for wheat imports after six years, to shore up reserves

The numbers

As per my understanding and discussions at the international grains council meeting last week in London, India might import a million or two tonnes of wheat to soften prices and keep a little extra for food security purposes, M.J. Khan, chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture told Mint. Given that wheat production estimates are at the same level as last year or a million or two less than that, it's better that the government allows private trade to import a couple of million tonnes of wheat by lowering duty.

If at all India imports, it is unlikely to be more than 3-4 million tonnes, one of the officials told Mint.

Open market sales

Additionally, 2.5 million tonnes of OMSS (open market sale scheme) is likely from July or August as per emerging requirements, one of the officials told Mint.

In the 2023-24 rabi season, the government released about 10.1 million tonnes of wheat under OMSS, the highest ever, the report read.

After NFSA (National Food Security Act) and other welfare schemes and buffer stock requirement, the government is estimated to have 8.2 million tonnes for OMSS, according to the report.

Also Read | National Porridge Day 2024: From purple yam to foxtail millet, 5 healthy and delicious porridge recipes you must try

How will prices be impacted?

Currently, the price of wheat imported at Kochi port in Kerala and Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu is $280-$290 ( 23,398 - 24,233) a tonne, with port handling and packaging costing another 1,500.

The price of wheat in key markets is in the range of 26,980 - 27,100 per tonne, while the minimum support price of wheat is 2,275 per tonne, according to spot traders, the article read.

All-India average price of the staple grain on Sunday was 31 a kg, a rise of 6.4% year-on-year and wholesale price was 27,720 per tonne, an increase of 6.6% on year, as per data from the consumer affairs ministry.

If the 44% duty is abolished, the effective price would be around 25,000 to 26,000 a tonne, according to the article.

Also Read | Govt may sell wheat to cool prices, Shah reviews food stocks

Stock limits

As for stock limits, the third official said, The permitted limit of 3,000 tonnes for wholesalers, 10 tonnes for retailers, 10 tonnes for each outlet and 3,000 tonnes at all depots for big chain retailers, 70% of monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months of the current financial year in the case of processors has been proposed."

In comparison, wholesalers in February were permitted to keep only 500 tonnes, retailers five tonnes, big chain retailers five tonnes for each outlet and 500 tonnes at all depots, processors 60% of monthly installed capacity multiplied by remaining months till April 2024, according to the article.

The annual wheat requirement for NFSA and other welfare schemes is 18.4 million tonnes and closing stock requirement by March 31, 2025 is 15.7 million tonnes, according to the report.

All three measures are in the pipeline as wheat prices tend to increase at the procurement season and peak in December-January.
Equipped with GPT-4o, the free version of ChatGPT can now access the internet and trawl through job listings, Business Insider wrote. The ChatGPT logo is seen in this illustration. (Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

How to make ChatGPT, your personal recruiter

Here's how to get ChatGPT to act as your personal recruiter, according to the Business Insider article.

Also Read | Elon Musk reminds everyone he named OpenAI with a lot of good intentions

1. Be exact and give ChatGPT a persona

Telling ChatGPT what persona to take on has been shown to improve results.

Jason Gulya, an AI council chair at Berkeley College, previously told Business Insider that the bot works best when you assign it a persona, such as a specific job role.

Beginning prompts with instructions such as "act as a professor" or "act as a marketing professional" followed by a description of the desired outcome improves its responses, according to the article.

2. Share your CV

It's important to share your qualifications with the bot so it can cross-reference your experience with the job requirements.

Including your CV in the first prompt, highlighting your most relevant experience, while also specifying that ChatGPT should only send job roles you are qualified for, is essential, according to the article.

Also Read | Tech Tonic | Wheres Ilya? He aims for AI smarter than humans, but not dangerous

3. Ask for clarification

Like any product that uses AI, ChatGPT can still hallucinate.

Hallucinations happen when AI-powered bots convincingly present factual errors as truth. Experts warn that this phenomenon could spread misinformation.

If you notice something amiss, it's worth asking the bot to check its own answers, and also to share links, so you can verify it on your own.

4. Advice for next steps

After finding a job, ChatGPT can also help job seekers through the application process.

Not only can the bot help with cover letters and tailoring a CV, it can also identify relevant people to contact about the role and draft a message.

The chatbot can also help manage expectations by analyzing job seekers' qualifications for various roles.

Also Read | The war for AI talent is heating up

The caveat

While ChatGPT is great for hunting jobs, experts believe relying on it too much, especially for the application process can be disadvantageous.

Shoshana Davis, a Gen Z career expert and founder of the career consultancy Fairy Job Mother, told CNBC Make It in an interview that Gen Z (Those born between 1996 and 2012) have become too reliant on AI tools like ChatGPT to generate cover letters and job application answers.

Davis explained that employers are getting hundreds of the exact same cover letters word for word, or answers to job application questions that are the same, and suspect that ChatGPT use is in play, the article read.

Michelle Reisdorf, district director at recruitment firm Robert Half, shared a similar view with CNBC Make It previously and said that AI is great for proofreading and enhancing what youve already written but its not a one-stop shop to generate the perfect resume.

Recruiters will be able to tell if youre not including specific details from your past jobs or writing in a personal, human voice, she added.

Also Read | OpenAI not being paid by Apple for ChatGPT integration into iOS: Report

So how can you actually use it?

Davis said she uses ChatGPT to help her structure documents, brainstorm ideas, and produce drafts but I never just type in a question and then copy and paste my responses.

In my opinion, you can use ChatGPT in the job search process but it should be used as a tool, not a replacement, Davis warned.
The Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC) has successfully sent 94 youths from the state to Slovakia under its overseas job initiative, state Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said on Saturday. According to Patil, these youths, including BE graduates and diploma holders, have now landed jobs abroad and started shaping their careers. Minister Sharan Prakash Patil said each candidate would earn 970 Euros (Rs.86,000) per month as salary.

The Minister who holds the skill development, livelihood portfolio, distributed flight tickets to the candidates in a send-off ceremony on Friday. He said the first batch was sent on June 5 and the next on June 20 while other batches on June 24 and July 1. The minister added that each candidate would earn 970 Euros (Rs.86,000) per month as salary.

READ | Prajwal Revannas brother Suraj booked in sexual assault case

The KSDC has also facilitated employment for 37 drivers in Hungary besides working out modalities for welders to secure jobs in Mauritius and continuing recruitment process for other technicians.

The KSDC Managing Director M Kanagavalli said they are trying to meet the human resources demand from Australia, Japan, Germany, Finland, Norway and other European and Gulf countries. Countries showing interest in skill manpower available in Karnataka have stressed that communication skills in English would be an added advantage.

READ | Karnataka clearance committee approves 64 industrial projects worth over 3,500 cr

Catering to the demand, the KSDC will soon start English language training at their skill training centres, Kanagavalli explained. After learning that Slovakia has elicited interest in recruiting over two and half thousand assembly line operators from the state, Patil directed the officials of his department to ink an agreement with the External Affairs ministry, the Ministers office said in a statement.

The department invited eligible candidates and started recruitment process and as part of this arrangement, a batch of 94 candidates, including 54 ITI and 31 diploma holders were sent to Slovakia, it added. All the recruited candidates were imparted free training at Toyota Kirloskar unit in Bidadi in Ramanagara district on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The training was funded entirely by the department as the candidates hailed from economically weaker sections, who otherwise would needed to pay 35,000 as fee.
A court here on Saturday remanded Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa to judicial custody in the Renukaswamy murder case till July 4. His four alleged accomplices too were sent to judicial custody. The actor was in the police custody since June 11. Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa in Bengaluru.(PTI)

The Special Public Prosecutor prayed the court for a direction to lodge the accused persons separately and in different jails across Karnataka, which was opposed by Darshans lawyers.

READ | Prajwal Revannas brother Suraj booked in sexual assault case

Darshan and his aides were taken to the central prison at Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru. A huge number of his fans gathered at the court and raised slogans in favour of Darshan.

The actor too waved at the them from the caged police van. Thirteen other accused, including the actor's friend Pavithra Gowda, were remanded to 14 days' judicial custody two days ago.

READ | Karnataka clearance committee approves 64 industrial projects worth over 3,500 cr

A total of 17 people are accused in the murder case. According to police sources, Renukaswamy, a fan of the actor, had sent obscene messages to Gowda, which enraged Darshan, allegedly leading to his murder.

Renukaswamy's body was found near a stormwater drain adjacent to an apartment in Sumanahalli here on June 9. According to the post-mortem report, Renukaswamy's death was caused due to shock and haemorrhage as a result of multiple blunt injuries sustained.
Even three days after registering an FIR in connection with an attempt to murder case over land dispute, the Patiala police are yet to arrest the accused who had opened fire at a family. No one was injured in the firing incident.

On June 19, around seven to eight armed men had forced their way into a house before they opened fire at the family therein. The police had registered an FIR under Sections 307, 336, 458, 506, 148 and 149 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 25 of the Arms Act.

As per the complaint of Manpreet Singh, a resident of Manjit Nagar of Patiala city, the accused had entered his house at around 11.30 pm on Wednesday. The FIR mentions no one was hurt in the firing but Manpreet was thrashed by the accused before they opened fire. The complainant mentioned that among the accused was son of his brother-in-law and there was a land dispute between both the families.

The accused have been identified as Karan Dullat, Gurjaypal Dullat, Sukhveer Singh, Gurtej Bhatti and some unidentified persons.

Pardeep Bajwa, station house officer, Tripuri, said, We have been conducting raids to nab the accused. None of the accused has been arrested so far. We are hopeful that we will soon arrest them.
A 50-year-old Barnala resident shot dead his daughter, mother and pet before killing himself on Saturday night, the police said. According to reports, the man was depressed.

According to the Barnala police, the man, said to be well off, first shot dead his 21-year-old daughter and then killed a pet dog. Thereafter, he killed his 85-year-old mother before killing himself with his licensed revolver. The police said the incident happened at around 6.30 pm on Saturday.

At the time of the incident, his wife had reportedly gone to a nearby market to fetch milk. Baljeet Singh Dhillon, station house officer (SHO), Barnala city, said prima facie it appeared that he had been suffering from depression and was even taking pills for treatment.

A forensic team has already taken samples from the crime scene. We will proceed further if the forensic reports reveal any suspicion of foul play. Until now, it appears that he first killed his family members and then committed suicide, the SHO said.

As per the police, the man first shot his daughter from behind while she was working on her laptop in her room. The CCTV footage reveals that he then shot the pet dog. He didnt stop there as he shot dead his mother before killing self. The entire incident took place within a few minutes, shows the CCTV footage.

The police said the deceased were cremated on Sunday after their postmortem examination. Family members said the 21-year-old girl had been studying in Canada. She had returned for holidays.
Deputy Prime Minister of Canada Chrystia Freeland was left stumped when a journalist posed a question to her on why Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was on the no-fly list and had his bank accounts frozen before his death, is now being honoured with a tribute in the Canadian Parliament. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland speaks at a press conference about changes to capital gains tax legislation, on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, June 10, 2024. REUTERS/Patrick Doyle (REUTERS)

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a journalist asked Freeland on the paradox of honouring Nijjar despite past government actions against him.

The journalist questioned the reason behind this sudden change.

Freeland responded, emphasising the recent solemn anniversary and condemning the murder of a Canadian on Canadian soil. She praised Prime Minister Justin Trudeaus stance post-assassination, calling it necessary but challenging.

I do want to start by saying that this week was a very sad and solemn anniversary of the murder. I was in the House of Commons, and I guess all three of us were (referring to the two men sitting beside her). It was important to have a moment of silence to recognise this was the murder of a Canadian in Canada on Canadian soil, and that is entirely unacceptable. Second of all, I do want to say I was very proud of the prime minister and of the strong position he took after the murder.

She further stated, It was the right thing to do, but it wasnt an easy thing to do.

Freeland reiterated Trudeaus commitment to equality under Canadian law and protection against threats, regardless of consequences. However, she evaded direct answers on why Nijjar was on the no-fly list, why his accounts were frozen, or the rationale behind Parliaments tribute to him.

The government of Canada will enforce our laws and protect all Canadians regardless of who is threatening them and what the consequences might be. Doing that was a big thing for the prime minister, and I think all of us should feel safer and more secure knowing that he will stand for Canadians and against the killers of Canadians no matter what, she said.

However, Chrystia Freeland avoided answering the question of why there was sudden support for Nijjar after his death when the same government had put restrictions on him when he was alive.

The minister even did not comment on why Nijjar was on the no-fly list, why his bank accounts were frozen, or why such a person was paid tribute in Parliament.

Hardeep Singh Nijjar, born in the Jalandhar, migrated to Canada in 1997 and worked as a plumber in British Columbia. Designated as a Khalistani terrorist by Indias National Investigation Agency (NIA), Nijjar was fatally shot outside a Surrey gurdwara on June 18 last year by unidentified assailants.
The West Bengal polices Special Task Force (STF) have arrested a youth with suspected link to Ansar Al Islam, a banned terror outfit in Bangladesh, from Kanksa in West Burdwan district, officials said. Police said that the accused Md Habibullah is a second-year college student of Computer Science. (Representative Image)

Sleuths, after preliminary investigations, said that the accused Md Habibullah was heading a module named Shahadat of the Ansar Al Islam. The banned terror outfit Ansar Al Islam has links with the Al-Qaeda.

One person has been arrested for having suspected links to a militant outfit. A few others were detained for questioning. Investigation is going on, said an officer.

In May this year, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), the anti-terrorism unit of Bangladesh police, arrested three members of Ansar al-Islams newly formed group Shahadat from Dhaka. Later two more members of the outfit were arrested from Bangladesh.

Habibullashs name cropped up during their interrogation. Being the amir (commander) of the Shahadat module, he was trying to spread the tentacles in West Bengal.

Police said that Habibullah is a second-year college student of Computer Science. Cops have seized his laptop and mobile phone.
An under-construction bridge collapsed in Bihar's East Champaran district on Sunday, officials said, with this being the third such incident in the state since Tuesday. The 16-metre-long bridge was being built over a canal by Bihar's Rural Works Department (RWD).

No casualty was reported in the incident that took place in Motihari, according to officials.

The exact cause is not yet known. It is a serious matter and a departmental inquiry has been ordered. We will take strict action against those found guilty, Dipak Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of Bihar's Rural Works Department (RWD), told PTI.

The district administration has already dispatched its senior officials. They have reached the spot. A detailed report is awaited, Singh added.

District Magistrate (DM) Saurabh Jorwal also said that the exact cause of the incident was being ascertained.

We have reports that a section of locals initially objected to the construction of some pillars of the bridge. Police are also looking into this matter, the DM stated.

The 16-metre-long structure, being built at a cost of 1.5 crore, would have connected Amwa village in Motihari's Ghorasahan block to other areas of the block. It was being constructed over a canal by the state government's RWD.

On the previous day, a newly constructed bridge, also built over a canal, came crashing down in the Siwan district. It connected villages in the Daraunda and Maharajganj blocks.

On June 18, another newly bult bridge, about 180 metres in length, collapsed in the Araria distrct.

In recent months, Bihar has seen several mishaps involving bridges  large and small  built over rivers and other water bodies. Though no such incident resulted in casualties, these have led to questions being raised on the quality of public works.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team from Delhi, investigating the UGC NET question paper leak case, was attacked and the glass of their vehicle was smashed by a group of villagers, who thought they were fake officials, when they reached Kasiyadin in Bihars Nawada district as part of their probe on Saturday evening, police said. The villagers also smashed the glass of the CBI teams vehicle. (Representative Image)

CBI teams rush to Gujarat, Bihar for NEET-UG leak probe

Police have lodged a case in this connection and arrested four persons, besides seizing two cell phones.

The four-member CBI team led by an inspector rank officer from Delhi had reached Rajauli in Nawada district on Saturday for investigating the UGC NET examination question leak case. Officials said the CBI team had reached the village looking for some suspects involved in the case based on the location of their cell phone numbers.

When the Rajauli police received information about the assault on the CBI officials, the station house officer (SHO) of the Rajauli police station, Rajesh Kumar reached the spot and pacified the villagers, following which the situation was brought under control.

The federal agency took up the UGC-NET probe a couple of days ago on the recommendation of the ministry of education (MOE), following discrepancies found in the examination.

NEET-UG: 17 candidates from Bihar, 30 from Gujarat debarred for malpractices

The investigation is going on. Persons involved in the case will be arrested, said a police officer. Police are tight-lipped about who were the suspects.

Rajouli SHO said, A CBI team reached Nawada on Saturday evening to investigate the UGC NEET paper leak case. Without informing the local police, they reached the village where they were attacked by villagers who thought they were fake CBI officers. As we came to know about the incident, police reached the spot and pacified people. An FIR has been lodged in this regard and we have arrested four persons in this connection.
Whats happening with the education system in India?, Do you find yourself asking this question? Given the trail of events that have followed over the past week, it would naturally leave any citizen in a state of disappointment, irrespective of whether he/she is a student or not. NEET PG postponement: Heartbroken students express their ordeal on social media. Section of the students was left questioning the authenticity of the order on Saturday night. (Representative image/Unsplash)

At a time when the country is already boiling over several exam-related issues such as the alleged paper leak case in NEET UG, cancellation of UGC-NET, and postponement of the CSIR-NET, the Centres sudden decision to adjourn the NEET PG exam has already added to the woes of citizens, especially students who prepared for the examination for months only to have been informed on the exam eve that the test has been postponed.

Now, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in its order said that the decision to defer the exams was taken as a precautionary measure considering recent allegations against the integrity of competitive examinations in the country. It added that a new date for the examination will be announced soon, the ministry said.

Also read: ABVP General Secretary on NEET-PG postponement: Govt should give reasons behind the step

The news about the postponement of NEET PG examinations came late in the evening, with most students already reaching their allotted exam cities. While a section of the students was left questioning the authenticity of the order, the confirmation that followed left the medical aspirants nearly heartbroken and baffled.

It took no time for students, parents, and experts to express total disappointment on social media. In fact, many took to X (formerly Twitter) to vent their emotions.

Also read: A day before NEET PG was postponed, NBE issued this warning to candidates

For instance, Dr Tanmay Motiwala shared that one of his juniors, who is also a mother, had travelled 200 kilometres along with her infant and family for the examination, but all efforts went in vain

Another user Dr Ishika Dogra said that she and her sister had travelled more than 200 km to reach the exam centre. They came to know about the postponement of exams just 9 hours before.

Rohan Kaushik, a user on X, also expressed his anguish on the postponement of exams.

There were others like Dr Rohan Krishnan, Chairman of the FAIMA Doctors Association, who in a video message uploaded on Saturday night said the last-minute cancellation of the NEET-PG examination was very sad, adding that all the candidates had reached their examination centers in various cities. I hope that the National Board of Examinations had concrete reasons to postpone this examination and they should come up with immediate answers, he said.

Likewise, words of consolation also poured in from doctors to cheer up fellow aspirants. Dr Shivam, a user on X, said that although whatever happened was extremely shameful and unfair, he urged aspirants to treat it as dark before the dawn, keep themselves away from distractions, and most importantly, keep calm.

It may be mentioned here that the NEET PG is the second national-level entrance examination to be postponed in June. On Friday, the NTA announced that the CSIR-UGC joint NET had been deferred due to unavoidable circumstances.

Also read: What is NEET PG and why did the centre postpone it? Explained

Earlier this week, another entrance exam conducted by the NTAUGC NET June 2024was cancelled on suspicion that the integrity of the examination might have been compromised. Later, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan revealed that the test was cancelled after it was revealed that the paper was leaked on Darknet.
Actor Anupam Kher has penned a note thanking the Mumbai Police for arresting the thieves who stole from his office. Taking to Instagram on Sunday, Anupam also posted a picture of the thieves along with the police. He also shared screenshots of his and police's posts on social media platforms. (Also Read | Mumbai Police arrest two in Anupam Kher office robbery case) Anupam Kher shared a post on Instagram.

Anupam shares post, thanks Mumbai Police

Anupam's note read, My heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the Mumbai Police for catching both the thieves who ransacked my office, stole my safe and the negative of #MaineGandhiKoNaiMara. The fact that it was done within 48 hours speaks of their amazing efficiency!! Jai Ho! (Folded hands, heart eyes and National Flag emojis)."

The photo showed the thieves standing with the cops in front of the police station. The caption read, "THANK YOU!! (Folded hands and heart eyes emojis) @mumbaipolice @cpmumbaipolice."

What Mumbai Police said about the thieves

Earlier, the Mumbai Police shared a post on Instagram. The caption read, "Investigating the complaint of burglary in Azad Nagar, Amboli Pstn officials using technical investigation methods, traced the two suspects within 24 hours. The investigating team also recovered the stolen property, which included a movie reel, cash and an iron vault."

As per news agency PTI, Majid Sheikh and Daler Bahreem Khan were taken into custody from the Jogeshwari area on Friday night for committing the crime. Police said the two were serial thieves and would travel to various places in the city by autorickshaws to steal.

About robbery at Anupams office

The two struck on Wednesday at Anupams office on Vira Desai Road in the Amboli area and took away negatives of a film produced by his company and 4.15 lakh. They also committed theft in Vile Parle that day, a police official said. A part of the property stolen was recovered from the duo.

Anupam had narrated the incident on X and Instagram. "Last night in my Veera Desai Road office two thieves broke two doors of my office and the whole safe from the Accounts Department (which probably couldn't break) and negative of a film produced by our company which was in a box, stole. Our office has got an FIR done. And police have assured thieves will be caught very soon. Because CCTV is seen sitting in auto with both the luggage. May God give them wisdom. This video was made by my officers before the police came!" his caption read.
There were diamonds everywhere

When asked what it was like to be at the Ambani pre-wedding event that took place in Jamnagar in March, Sara joked, They would serve us gold. Like, with our roti, we were eating gold. I swear, and there were diamonds everywhere.

She later clarified, It was nice, lovely, warm, hospitable event. I have gone to school with Anant, I have known Radhika growing up. It was very warm. The entire Ambani family, Nita Maam who was the chairperson of Dhirubai Ambani school, they are so warm and welcoming. I think everyone looks at them like, Ambani family, wow, gold. But there were real moments that stood out, like Nita Maam performing on-stage.

Sara attends Ambani pre-wedding events

Not just the Jamnagar event, Sara also attended the lavish pre-wedding cruise the Ambanis threw earlier this month. She was joined by friends for a day out in Rome, where they all posed in front of Trevi Fountain for a group picture. The actor also soaked up the sun during an outing in Cannes, France. Sara sported casual looks in the pictures that did rounds on social media. She was joined by numerous Bollywood celebrities like Ranveer Singh, Shah Rukh Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, Ananya Panday, Karan Johar and others.

Upcoming work

Sara will soon be seen in Anurag Basus MetroIn Dino with Aditya Roy Kapur as his co-star. She will also be seen in Abhishek Anil Kapur and Sandeep Kewlanis Sky Force with Akshay Kumar, apart from Jagan Shaktis Eagle with Tiger Shroff.
When we indulge in the whimsical world of cartoons, we're often captivated by characters whose voices seem to leap off the screen, personalities brought to life by skilled voice actors hidden behind the scenes. And there have been times in Hollywood when an actor bears an uncanny resemblance to the animated figure they embody, blurring the lines between fiction and reality in a way that both thrills everyone, from Robin Williams to Ed Asner. (Also read: #IndiaAtCannes: Indian animation gets a push at the Cannes Film Festival 2022) Rowan Atkinson voiced the character of Zazu.

In the vast expanse of the animated universe, there are those select few whose resemblance to their animated alter egos evokes a surreal resonance, proving that behind every great cartoon lies a voice that truly brings it to life.

Rowan Atkinson as Zazu

When The Lion King released on the big screen back in 1994, the film had a star-studded cast. The Oscar-winning film also featured Rowan Atkinson as the red-billed hornbill Zazu. People never thought that a bird could look almost identical to a human, but Zazu looks just like Rowan. Thats because of Zazus bushy eyebrows that resemble Rowan. In fact, some of his facial features closely resemble Rowans.

Rowan as Zazu.

Danny DeVito as Philoctetes

Danny DeVito has a very diverse acting career, and has a Disney title under his belt. He voiced the role of Philoctetes in the 1997 film Hercules. Philoctetes, aka Phil, is a half-human half-goat. The character is a short and round creature, bearing a resemblance to Danny.

Danny as Philoctetes.

John C. Reilly as Ralph

At the time of the release of Wreck-It Ralph in 2012, the Disney film went on to earn $471 million worldwide and got both -- Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. The character of Ralph was voiced by John C. Reilly. He and his character have a lot in common. Both are quite mischievous, with quirky smiles and rowdy hair.

John as Ralph.

Ed Asner as Carl

Ed Asner voiced the character from the Up movie. The Disney-Pixar film was a massive success, minting $731 million when it was released in 2009. It also secured five Academy Award nominations, including the one for the Best Picture.The film narrates the story of the main character, Carl, a 78-year old man who has lost his beloved wife. Both the character and the actor have a stunning resemblance. It is the thick white eyebrows, the square glasses, round noses and eyes which make Ed and Carl look similar.

Ed is no more.

Robin Williams as Genie

Robin Williams took on the role of Genie in Aladdin, which was released in 1992. At first, Robin was unsure of taking the role, but he changed his mind after the animators showed him a few clips of Genie. Leaving Genies blue skin, their facial features are similar such as round cheekbones, square jaws and huge smiles.
Suchitra Pillai has been in the industry for over three decades, and is enjoying a new phase of her career in the web space, with the recent success of her web show, Broken News 2, proving it. Now, the actor reveals she is happy to explore the OTT space as it comes with no ego hassles, which is not true for the world of Bollywood. (Also read: The Broken News season 2 review: Sonali Bendre is the beating heart of this captivating, incongruous newsroom drama) Suchitra Pillai was recently seen in the second season of Broken News.

The actor has made a name for herself in the industry with projects such as Red Alert, Hip Hip Hurray, Beintehaa, Rishta.com, and Cabaret Cabaret. She has appeared in Hollywood projects such as The Other Side of the Door and The Valley. When it comes to the web space, she has featured in diverse shows such as Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain, Made in Heaven, Betaal, Call My Agent: Bollywood, Bestseller, Rana Naidu, and Big Girls Don't Cry.

On career on OTT

Opening up about finding work on the web space, Suchitra says, It's wonderful. It's a resurrection for all of us. I haven't worked as much as I work since I turned 50.

I'm 53 now, but since I turned 50 I've worked so much more than I ever did when I was in my 20s. And it is thanks to OTT. The roles that I am getting, especially women oriented roles, each one has been a different role. It is different from the bad saas (mother-in-law), bad massi or maami that I used to play on TV. It gives me leeway to play with your talent, which is great, adds the actor.

On Broken News 2

She was most recently seen in the second season of Broken News, which also stars Sonali Bendre and Jaideep Ahlawat. The show was released in the month of May on Zee5.

She is happy that it has gotten a wonderful response, adding, It is great to be part of a show that people are respecting and enjoying. I'm glad to be part of the show There were no egos. There were no tantrums. It was not happening. So, it made it very easy for all of us to work together.

On ego hassles

In the interview, she points out that there was no ego hassles on the set of the OTT show. Does it mean that it is present on the Bollywood set?

Definitely there are. I have worked with the biggest stars when it comes to the movies, from Saif Ali Khan to Aamir Khan to Salman Khan. When you are working in Bollywood movies, there is a lot more ego hassles than when you are doing an OTT series, points out Suchitra, adding, I have not faced it directly when I was doing the movies. All my co-stars were warm, easy and easy to get along without any airs.

But that doesnt mean that it is not present, as she continues, I might not have faced it, but I have seen people throwing their weight around people.

I've seen it People having a diva attitude. I don't conform to those definitions. People turn around and tell me to have a diva attitude to avoid people walking all over you. To a point that is true. People tend to take you for granted a little bit, if you don't put your foot down about certain things, she states.

At this stage of her career, Suchitra has started voicing her opinion, and formed a name for herself as a credible senior actor in the business.

I won't take any sh*t from people. I will never change my attitude towards my work. It is a blessing to be where I am today, and to get the opportunities that I'm still getting. I have no regrets looking back. And there's a hell of a lot more to come from me, she exclaims.
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The first high-level dialogue under the China-Germany dialogue and cooperation mechanism on climate change and green transition was held in Beijing on Saturday.

Several key outcomes were announced following the dialogue. The two sides will initiate provincial-level cooperation on green transition and establish a working group on industrial carbon reduction.

The two countries will also collaborate on demonstration projects to enhance energy efficiency in key sectors, according to a statement released by China's National Development and Reform Commission.

China expressed readiness to further enhance cooperation with Germany on energy efficiency, the circular economy, industrial carbon reduction and energy transition during the dialogue.

Germany is willing to explore further collaboration with China in areas such as renewable energy, smart grid development, and the production of zero-carbon and low-carbon products, according to the statement.
Rising costs of film shoots have often come under the scanner with several filmmakers lamenting that actors need to be more considerate in terms of the fee they charge as well as the large entourage that accompany them everywhere. I find it astonishing that producers pick up these crazy tabs, says veteran actor Shabana Azmi, comparing the scenario with the West where the producers have control over who is required in the crew. Shabana Azmi speaks about actors and their large entourages these days.

Also Read: Nawazuddin Siddiqui slams actors for having big demands on sets: Some actors have five vanity vans, yeh paagalpan hai

She adds, In Hollywood, I have never seen anything like this except for personal trainers. The main dress designer, hairdresser and makeup artiste are all appointed by the producers team, [and no actor needs to bring their person staff].

Recently, film bodies including Indian Motions Pictures Producers Association and Producers Guild Association met with other film bodies and leading talent management agencies to discuss the movie budgets, which are going out of control. One of the main areas of concern was actors personal team size and the expenditure that the producers have to bear.

While for many mainstream actors, moving without their team feels unimaginable, Azmi recalls the time when she would travel in buses instead of luxury cars. During the 1970s and 1980s, I only had a three-member team -- a hair dresser, a make up artist, and the driver. In low budget films, we had nobody. At the most the unit makeup man and hair dresser, shares the actor, adding that in case of projects with a limited budget, I used my own clothes , used the units hair and make-up person and always stayed in the same hotel as the unit.

Also Read: Sonam Bajwa on rising production cost: I often do my own makeup, styling on set

In fact, the 73-year-old actor, who has been part of iconic films such as Arth, Khandhar, Masoom, Godmother among several others, goes on to recall an interesting incident from the shooting days of her 1983 film Mandi. I remember (late actor) Smita Patil and I had been given separate cars for the shooting of Mandi. In two days, we gave them up and travelled in the bus with all the actors because they were having so much fun while singing and playing silly games! she recounts, sharing another anecdote where she bought her director an air ticket when I realised he was travelling by train.

But that is not all, Azmi reveals that back in the day, even the producers had actors support, if anything went haywire. A couple of times, (late actor) Sanjeev Kumar and Shatrughan Sinha paid for the schedule, which was going to be cancelled because of funds shortage, she ends.
One terrorist was killed in the Uri Sector along the Line of Control (LoC) as part of an ongoing anti-infiltration operation, the Indian Army said on Sunday. The operation, codenamed 'Bajrang,' was launched on June 22 following specific intelligence inputs. Security force personnel during an encounter with terrorists in Baramulla district on Wednesday. (PTI / File Photo)

The identity of the killed infiltrator has not yet been disclosed. The operation is still underway, and further updates are expected as the situation develops.

Chinar Corps of the Indian Army announced the development on social media platform X, saying, One terrorist has been killed in the ongoing anti-infiltration Operation that was launched on 22 Jun in the Uri Sector; Operations are continuing.

The region has been a frequent site of skirmishes and infiltration attempts, making it a critical area for Indian security operations.

Read: Properties of 2 Pak-based terror handlers seized in Baramulla

Security forces on Saturday foiled the infiltration bid along the LoC in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district after they noticed suspicious movement in the Gohallan area, PTI reported on Saturday quoting officials.

On being challenged, the militants opened fire, inviting a retaliation by the Army, the officials said.

Earlier this week, two Pakistani terrorists associated with Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) were killed in an encounter with security forces in Baramulla district of north Kashmir. Two security personnel were also injured in the encounter which broke out in the Hadipura village of the Rafiabad area.

On Wednesday, specific intelligence was received through JKP that two terrorists were holed up in a house in the Hadipura village of the Rafiabad area. The Indian Army, JKP and CRPF launched a joint operation, swiftly cordoning off the area, after information on two terrorists holed up in a house.

"The killed terrorists have been identified as Usman and Umar, both of Pakistan origin and associated with LeT," Commander 7 Sector Rashtriya Rifles, Brigadier Deepak Mohan, told reporters in Rafiabad.

The army officer said the elimination of these terrorists marks another major success for the security forces.
Only 813 or 52% of the 1,563 candidates who were initially awarded grace marks in the National Eligibility Entrance Test-Undergraduate (NEET-UG) before they were withdrawn last week appeared for a retest on Sunday, the National Testing Agency (NTA) said, as affected students, who did not opt for a re-examination, were allowed to retain their actual scores without the grace marks. Students protest against NEET-UG retest in Rajkot on Sunday. (ANI)

NEET-UG: Perfect scorers say new exam tougher, unsure of topping it

While none of the two candidates from Chandigarh appeared for the exam, 219 out of 602 sat for the retest in Chhattisgarh, one (sole eligible candidate) in Gujarat, 287 out of 494 in Haryana and 234 out of 464 in Meghalaya.

The data was provided by NTA in a statement after the exam was conducted across seven centres in the five states and Union territory.

The retest for the 1,563 students was held days after the Centre scrapped the grace marks awarded to them, taking the first step in dispelling the chaos engulfing Indias premier medical entrance examination that threatens to jeopardise the futures of hundreds of thousands of children amid allegations of paper leaks. The grace marks were awarded to the candidates on account of loss of time during the May 5 exam.

On June 13, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it proposed to withdraw the scorecards issued to 1,563 students and allow them to either appear for a fresh exam or retain their actual scores without the grace marks.

The chaos over the crucial medical exam has sparked sweeping protests across India as thousands of students have hit the streets against this years examination process and opposition parties have called for scrapping of the examination and a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the allegations of paper leak.

However, a senior official in the Union education ministry, who did not wish to be identified, on Sunday said that incidents of malpractices are localised or isolated and it is not fair to jeopardise careers of lakhs of candidates who cleared the exam rightfully.

Last week, Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan rejected the allegations of paper leak and reiterated the governments commitment to safeguard the interest of students. On Saturday, the Centre removed NTA director general Subodh Kumar Singh and appointed IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola for the role. It also formed a seven-member committee to comprehensively review the structure, processes and working of the authority, which has come under criticism from various quarters after a slew of crucial national examinations involving the fates of millions of candidates were botched up. The panel will hold its first meet on Monday.

NEET-UG: 17 candidates from Bihar, 30 from Gujarat debarred for malpractices

Meanwhile, NTA debarred 17 students, who appeared for the medical exam on May 5 in Bihar, over suspicion of malpractices, following a report from the state polices Economic Offences Unit.

Asked if the students were involved in the alleged paper leak, the official cited above said: It is for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe now.
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday evening ordered a probe into the killing of two suspected poachers in Nagaons Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary by a forest guard. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo)

Sarma on Saturday evening wrote on X (formerly Twitter), Last night, individuals from Sutirpar village trespassed into Lawkhua-Burachapari Reserve Forest. During an encounter with patrolling forest guards, a guard opened fire in self-defence, resulting in the deaths of Samaruddin (35) and Abdul Jalil (40). I have directed the Chief Secretary of Assam to immediately constitute an inquiry to investigate the incident thoroughly.

The deceased were both residents of Dhingbari Chapari village in Juria.

According to Jayanta Deka, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO), Nagaon, the incident took place at around 1am on Saturday when a team of 15 suspected poachers entered the Charaihagi forest camp area in Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary.

They were fishing in Rowmari Beel, which was illegal, but the time of the act was more suspicious. We have a rhino population in Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary, and it was suspected that they had intentions to catch rhinos, Deka said.

According to the DFO, the forest guards came under attack from the alleged poachers after they went there to stop them, and in self-defence, a forest guard fired on them. They attacked our guards with machetes and other weapons and our guards had to use firearms in self-defence, Deka said.

According to the director of Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and Tiger Reserve, Sonali Ghosh, the forest patrolling parties on Rhino protection duty were attacked by 20 armed miscreants near Roumari Beel, under Gorajan Range of Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary.

When challenged, the intruders attacked the forest guards with sharp weapons, and the forest team opened fire in self-defence. Later, DFO, Nagaon and the superintendent of police reached the spot and the two fatally wounded intruders were taken to the Nagaon Civil Hospital, where they were pronounced dead, she said.

Nagaon superintendent of police (SP) Swapnaneel Deka said that the forest officials have lodged a first information report (FIR) at Juria Police Station against 15 unknown people.

We are yet to identify the accused. An investigation is going on, the SP said.

The KNP director said that the Roumari beel and adjoining grassland areas are one of the most prominent rhino habitats under Laokhowa Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary had a tragic past of rhino poaching, illegal fishing, hunting, and encroachment in the 1980s.

In the mid-1980s, around 45 rhinos were poached to local extinction. Miscreants are known to have attacked forest staff on multiple occasions. For the last two years, the forest department has strengthened the boundaries with additional forest frontlines and maintained a strong vigil. It is due to such interventions that 2-3 rhinos that had naturally migrated from Orang Tiger Reserve have moved in the Roumari landscape since October last year, Ghosh added.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has claimed that the Bangladeshi-origin minority community members overwhelmingly voted for the Congress in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, without considering the developmental work done for them by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state. Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma (File Photo)

Sarma alleged that the Bangladeshi-origin minority community is the only one in Assam which indulges in communalism, PTI reported.



The Bharatiya Janata Party-AGP-UPPL coalition won 11 out of 14 Lok Sabha seats in Assam, while the Congress won the remaining three.



ALSO READ: Himanta Biswa Sarma slammed for blaming religion in northeast election losses

"If we analyse the 39 per cent votes of the Congress, it is not spread across the state. Fifty per cent of it is concentrated in 21 assembly segments which are minority dominated. In these minority-dominated segments, BJP got 3 per cent votes," he claimed while speaking at the felicitation programme of the winning BJP candidates.



Continuing further, Sarma said,"This proves that Hindus do not indulge in communalism. If anyone indulges in communalism in Assam, it is only one community, one religion. No other religion does it."



ALSO READ: Himanta Biswa Sarma's sharp dining room jibe at Gandhi family: Sitting at same table

The Assam chief minister said that the minority-dominated areas have voted for Congress and did again, despite not having roads and electricity. He added that the BJP worked for the Assamese people and tribals but the Bangladeshi-origin minorities did not vote for the ruling party.

"Except in Karimganj, if we consider the centres with majority Bangladesh-origin people, 99 per cent of votes have gone to Congress. They (minority people) may be residing in houses given by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, availing electricity and sanitation facilities provided by Modi, but when they go to vote, they vote for Congress," PTI quoted Sarma as saying

Himanta Biswa Sarma said the Bangladesh-origin community will vote for Congress because they want to control Assam in the next 10 years.



The chief minister claimed that members of the community attacked a police station in Lakhimpur, a village in Barpeta and tried to encroach land in Kokrajhar when the BJP government was inactive since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in place.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday hit out at actor-politician Kamal Haasan for blaming the victims of the hooch tragedy that left at least 53 people dead, saying one has to be depraved to make such an outrageous statement. Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan.(ANI)

Speaking to reporters after the meeting the survivors, Kamal Haasan said the victims were "careless" and exceeded their limit.

Kamal Haasan, founder of Tamil Nadu-based Makkal Needhi Maiam, said there is "enough" liquor available in the states as liquor retail outlets of state-run TASMAC outnumber pharmacies.

"I cannot say I have no sympathies for these victims. But these victims will have to understand they have exceeded their limit, and they have been careless. They have to be careful, they have to take care of their health," Kamal Haasan said.

"It has to be occasional drinking, social drinking, if at all," he added. But they must understand that exceeding the limit in any form, be it sugar or anything, is bad. And this necessarily is bad.

Where is Rahul Gandhi?: Nirmala Sitharaman slams Congress on hooch tragedy deaths in Tamil Nadu

The MNM chief also said, "You cannot say that we will make it go away. It is there, it has to be run properly." "Kautilya Arthashastra talks about a spirit inspector called Suradaksha. So we have been systemising it. Now we will have to see that their (people, apparently) system survives alcohol," he added.

BJP's Amit Malviya accused Haasan of diverting blame from the Tamil Nadu government led by MK Stalin.

Kamal Haasan is actually blaming the victims of Hooch tragedy instead of holding the MK Stalin Govt responsible for the illicit liquor, which is freely available in TN, he posted on X.

One has to be depraved to make such an outrageous comment. But then what can one expect from I.N.D.I Alliance?

Kamal Haasan had defended Udhayanidhi Stalin over the 'Sanatana Dharma' controversy, saying" a young child (Udhayanidhi) was being targeted just because he spoke about Sanatana".

MNM had pledged "full support" to the DMK-led alliance during the Lok Sabha elections and contributed to campaign efforts in the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the solitary Puducherry segment.
The palatial bungalow built atop the picturesque beach-front Rushikonda Hills in Visakhapatnam by the previous YS Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government, has turned out to be a white elephant for the newly formed Andhra Pradesh government, headed by N Chandrababu Naidu. The Rushikonda Palace in Visakhapatnam is spread over 9.88 acres, and was reportedly built at a cost of  680 crore. (HT Photo)

The ultra-modern complex, spread over 9.88 acres and comprising seven blocks, was originally projected to be developed as a luxurious tourist resort. But, at the time of the palaces inauguration on February 29, then tourism minister RK Roja said it could be used for accommodating residence-cum-camp office of Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Apparently, Jagan wanted to shift his residence and office to the palace and operate from Visakhapatnam, which he declared as the executive capital of the state, once the YSR Congress Party returned to power for the second consecutive term in the assembly elections held in May.

However, the election results shattered Jagans plans to shift his residence to Rushikonda Palace. The YSR Congress Party lost power to the Telugu Desam Party-led National Democratic Alliance in the recent assembly elections. The YSRCP only got 11 out of 175 assembly seats, with the NDA winning the remaining 164 seats.

The palatial complex, which the common public could not get access to, came into the limelight on June 16, when local TDP MLA and former minister Ganta Srinivas Rao led a delegation of officials and media persons to Rushikonda to expose what is inside the buildings.

Its simply mind-boggling. The ultra-expensive facilities clearly indicated that Jagan wanted to rule the state like a monarch from this palace. This is certainly not meant for any tourists, Srinivasa Rao said.

Going by the visuals and details of the palace released by the TDP following the MLAs visit, the Rushikonda palatial complex looks much more than a five-star hotel.

Flooring with imported granite, 200 chandeliers, each costing up to 15 lakh, cosy interiors designed at a cost of 33 crore, imported furniture, spa, jacuzzis and spacious washrooms with commodes each costing 15 lakh, landscaping with exotic imported plants and grass, advanced sound system, a humongous home theatre screen, multi-hued illumination are among some of the features of this mansion.

The estimated expenditure to build the palace was around 500 crore. However, the total expenditure crossed 680 crore, including the cost of landscaping, illumination, roads and security arrangements, an official familiar with the development said on condition of anonymity. The total built-up area of the Rushikonda complex is 19,968 square meters, he said.

What will happen to the palace?

According to TDP official spokesman G Deepak Reddy, the palatial bungalow on Rushikonda hills is nothing but a white elephant for the government, as there is no way it can be used for official purposes or tourism purposes.

The newly-built palatial complex was built after demolishing an earlier tourism resort being run by the Andhra Pradesh Tourism Development Corporation (APTDC). The original resort had 58 rooms, a conference hall and a bar-cum-restaurant in a total area of 4,439 square meters.

It was the most sought-after tourism resort with a beautiful sea view. This was demolished by the Jagan government in the name of constructing a more luxurious tourism complex in 9.88 acres, the TDP leader said.

As per the environmental clearance given by the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) on May 19, 2021, which was reviewed by HT, the previous Jagan government had not mentioned it as a residential-cum-camp office of the chief minister, but only as a tourism project.

It said the proposed project would comprise private luxury villas, beach facing suites, master suites, guest suites, dining spaces, cafeterias, gymnasium, swimming pools, banquet halls, security spaces, front desk and back offices, services areas and kitchens. The remaining area will be used for parking and landscaping and future expansion, the MoEF said in its letter.

But what was actually built on Rushikonda was a residential-cum-official complex with just 12 rooms and the remaining being official chambers and conference halls. The previous government indulged in massive splurging of public money to construct a lavish bungalow and office for Jagan, Reddy said.

Since Naidu had declared Amaravati as the states, the new Andhra chief minister wouldnt be operating from Rushikonda Palace in Visakhapatnam. So, it cannot be continued as an official residence-cum-camp office of Naidu. It cannot be continued as a tourism resort either, as there are only 12 rooms and so, the resort is not financially viable, even if the tariff is fixed at 1 lakh per day, the TDP leader said.

In fact, the maintenance cost of the palace and the landscaping around it would cost a bomb for the government, he added.

Former minister from Visakhapatnam and YSRCP leader Gudivada Amarnath said the Rushikonda Palace was not a personal property of Jagan. The government is a continuous process. It is for the new government to use it appropriately, he said.

He suggested that the palace could also be used for accommodating VIPs like Prime Minister, President and any other foreign dignitaries whenever they visit Visakhapatnam.

However, Deepak Reddy said the Prime Minister and the President would stay in the guest houses of the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam due to stringent security reasons, not in beachfront palaces. Moreover, is it necessary to construct such an expensive palace for the VIPs who hardly come to Visakhapatnam, not even once a year? he asked.

The government also cannot lease it out to as a hotel, because of the less number of rooms. If they want to do any modifications in the palatial complex to create more rooms, they would have to demolish some structures again, which disturbs the entire ecosystem there, the TDP leader said.

State information technology minister Nara Lokesh said the government was seized of the Rushikonda palace issue. We shall take an appropriate decision soon on how to make use of the palace, he added.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing the Union Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) paper leak case was allegedly attacked by residents in a village in Bihars Nawada district, police said on Sunday, adding four people were arrested following a complaint from the federal agency. Aspirants search their roll numbers for seats before entering an examination center to appear in the UGC-NET exam.(PTI)

CBI team probing UGC-NET paper leak case attacked by villagers in Bihar

The incident occurred on Saturday evening when a four-member team of CBI from New Delhi led by an inspector-rank officer had gone to Kasiyadih village under the Rajaouli police station to investigate the UGC NET paper leak case. As soon as the team reached the village, local residents heckled the CBI sleuths and vandalised their vehicles suspecting them to be fake officers, a police officer said.

A CBI team reached Nawada on Saturday evening to investigate the UGC-NET paper leak case. Without informing the local police, they reached the village where they were attacked by villagers who mistook them for fake officers, Rajesh Kumar, station house officer (SHO), Rajouli police station, said. As we came to know about the incident, police reached the spot and pacified people.

Based on a complaint from the federal agency, local police arrested four people and registered a first information report (FIR) on charges of causing disruption in government work and assault, among others, Kumar said.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Nawada superintendent of police (SP) Ambrish Rahul said: The CBI team came without any information. We got a message around 4.30 pm (on Saturday) that a CBI team has been surrounded by local villagers and there has been exchange of blows. A local police team reached there in 8-10 minutes and took control of situation...

Another police officer said the CBI team had come to Nawada tracking some suspects based on the location of cell phone numbers allegedly involved in the UGC-NET paper leak case.

The investigation on the basis of mobile numbers is going on. People involved in the case will be arrested, the officer said, requesting anonymity. Police remained tight-lipped about the suspects the CBI team had come looking for in Nawada.

CBI registered an FIR into UGC-NET paper leak case on Thursday against unidentified people on the recommendation of the Union education ministry.

CBI teams rush to Gujarat, Bihar for NEET-UG leak probe

The UGC-NET, which determines the eligibility for the award of junior research fellowship and admission to PhD in Indian universities and colleges, was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on June 18 across the country. Around 900,000 students had appeared for the prestigious national exam held twice every year.

The very next day, however, the education ministry cancelled the exam saying the integrity of the exam might have been compromised, citing reports from cybercrime agencies.
Facing flak over discrepancies in competitive exams, the BJP-led Central government announced a flurry of decisions on Saturday to contain the damage wreaked by the row, including shunting the National Testing Agency's (NTA) chief, forming a panel to review the agency's functioning and handing over the probe into the alleged NEET-UG irregularities to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). National Students Union of India (NSUI) supporters stage a protest against ongoing NEET UG and NET examination issue, in Nagpur.(File)

The Central government also postponed the NEET-PG entrance exam. Last week, the government cancelled the UGC-NET exam after it found that its question paper had been circulated on the darknet and Telegram.

Also read: NEET fiasco is a test of the govts outreach skills

Here are 10 points on the NEET, NET row:

Fixing responsibility for the embarrassing row, the Centre on Saturday removed NTA director general Subodh Singh. He has been put on "compulsory wait" in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) till further orders. India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO) chairman and managing director, Pradeep Singh Kharola has been assigned the additional charge of the NTA till the appointment of a regular incumbent. NTA is the nodal agency that conducts a host of entrance exams every year, including UGC-NET and NEET. The Ministry of Education of the Central government formed a seven-member panel to review the NTA's functioning and recommend reforms for the body. The panel will be led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan. The panel includes former AIIMS Delhi director Randeep Guleria, Central University of Hyderabad vice-chancellor B J Rao, professor emeritus in the department of civil engineering at IIT Madras, K Ramamurthy. People Strong co-founder and Karmayogi Bharat board member Pankaj Bansal, IIT Delhi's dean of student affairs Aditya Mittal and Ministry of Education joint secretary Govind Jaiswal are also among its members. We stand for transparent, tamper-free and zero error examination. A panel has been formed on exam reforms, strict action has been taken against officials and the case has been handed over to CBI," said union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He added that the government will safeguard the interests of the students at any cost. The ministry pointed out that cases of alleged irregularities, cheating, impersonation and malpractices had been reported in the conduct of NEET-UG. It said to maintain transparency, the matter will be handed over to the CBI for comprehensive investigation. The union health ministry announced on Saturday night that it was deferring the NEET-PG entrance exam as a "precautionary measure" in the wake of the allegations of irregularities in several exams. The decision came a day after the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET was postponed. Pradhan, however, denied any leak of CSIR-NET paper and said the exam was postponed due to logistical reasons. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi claimed the education system has been ruined under the rule of Narendra Modi. "Now NEET-PG is also postponed. This is another unfortunate example of the education system that has been ruined under the rule of Narendra Modi. Now it is clear -- Modi, who used to silently watch the spectacle every time -- is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia," he wrote on X in Hindi. The allegations of discrepancies in NEET-UG cropped up after a whopping 67 medical aspirants scored full marks in one of the toughest exams in the country. Six of the students belong to a single centre in Haryana. There had also been uproar over granting grace marks to some aspirants. Over 1500 students have been given the option to appear for the exam again. Last week, the Bihar police detained six people in Deoghar in connection with the alleged NEET paper leak. It had arrested 13 people, including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu. The Central government has notified a law to curb malpractices and irregularities in competitive examinations. The law entails provisions of a maximum jail term of 10 years and a fine of up to  1 crore for offenders. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024 was approved by President Droupadi Murmu four months ago.

With inputs from PTI, ANI
The Union government on Saturday removed the head of the National Testing Authority (NTA), which has been at the centre of a storm that has singed the Narendra Modi administration after a slew of crucial national examinations involving the fates of some 3.5 million candidates were botched up. Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), students wing of All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) supporters staged a protest against recent scam in NEET and UGC-NET exam in front of Asutosh College in Kolkata, on Saturday. (Samir Jana/ Hindustan Times)

The announcement came hours after the government formed a seven-member committee to comprehensively review the structure, processes and working of the authority, and the education minister Dharmendra Pradhan stating that the top leadership was under the scanner.

The government on Saturday removed Director General (DG) Subodh Kumar Singh, assigning retired IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola, who is currently serving as the chairman and managing director of the India Trade Promotion Organization (IPTO), in his stead.

Assignment of additional charge of the post of Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education to Shri Pradeep Singh Kharola, IAS (KN:85) (Retd.), Chairman and Managing Director, India Trade Promotion Organization till appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the notification said. Placing the services of Shri Subodh Kumar Singh, IAS (CG:97), Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel & Training.

Pradhan reiterated comments he made earlier in the week to own up to what he described as institutional failure on the agencys part.

I have taken responsibility. In fact, NTAs top leadership is under several types of questions. But I have to safeguard students interest first. I am a custodian of their interests, he said on Saturday.

NTA conducts a bevy of higher education and research screening tests, but has in the last week been at the centre after the countrys crucial medical education screening test NEET was mired in allegations of leaked question papers, flawed scoring, and cheating, and another crucial examination for academic research recruitment was scrapped after its questions were leaked onto the dark web.

Students and political parties have held protests over the matter in recent weeks and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is expected to face heat from the Opposition in parliament that convenes next week.

Earlier in the day, the education minister named a seven-member that the committee to look into protocols, structure and the functioning of the NTA and recommend measures to fix it. Setting up of the high-level committee of experts is the first of a series of step to improve efficiency of the examination process, put an end to all possible malpractices, strengthen data security protocols and overhaul and reform the NTA, he said.

The panel will be led by former chairman of Indian Space Research Organisation K Radhakrishnan, who also chairs the board of governors of IIT Kanpur, and file a report within two months. Other members include former AIIMS Delhi director Randeep Guleria, Hyderabad University vice chancellor professor BJ Rao, IIT Madras professor emeritus Ramamurthy K, human resources consultancy People Strongs co-founder Pankaj Bansal, IIT Delhi student affairs dean professor Aditya Mittal, and education ministry joint secretary Govind Jaiswal.

Saturdays announcement comes a day after the NTA postponed the joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and University Grants Commission (UGC) National Eligibility Test (NET), adding more fire to the controversy over the alleged irregularities in NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) and UGC-NET, which too was scrapped on Wednesday, 24 hours after it was held.

Close to 3.5 million registrants are estimated to have been affected by the controversies relating to the three examinations, although as things stand, except for 1,563 students who took NEET, the results of the 2.4 million more that took the medical college entrance test stands.

Pradhan denied that the postponement of the CSIR-UGC-NET exam on Friday was because of a paper leak. There was no leak in CSIR-UGC NET, it was postponed because of logistic issues. There is also a retest of 1,563 NEET candidates tomorrow. For smooth conduct of the exam everywhere.

The key issue involves the leak of question papers for the medical college screening test NEET and the research fellowships qualifier examination UGC-NET, but also extends to wider logistical issues and cancellations.

The controversy began with this years NEET after allegations surfaced that in one centre in Rajasthan, students appearing for the Hindi medium test got question papers in English amid reports of torn OMR sheets and delay in distribution of question papers. A case was lodged in Patna, Bihar, over an alleged paper leak, after which the police arrested 13 people involved in solving question papers and supplying answers as part of a racket.

For weeks, protests swept across India and escalated after NEET results were declared and showed inflated marking and arbitrary allowance of grace marks. The Supreme Court, which allowed NTA to withdraw grace marks to 1,563 students and conduct a retest for them on June 23, is set to hear a raft of petitions on the issue on July 8.

Then, on Wednesday evening, the education ministry cancelled the UGC-NET examination, which was held with 908,580 candidates appearing at 1,200 centres. On Thursday, Pradhan said the agency that tracks cyber crime for the Union home ministry informed UGC at 3pm on Wednesday that a specific question paper of UGC-NET set was leaked on the darknet.

On the NTA, the ministry in a separate statement on Saturday said the committee will analyse the end-to-end examination process and suggest measures to improve efficiency of the system and to forestall any possible breach.

It will, it added, also conduct a thorough review of the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)/Protocols of the NTA, and suggest measures to strengthen these procedures/protocols along with monitoring mechanisms to ensure compliance at every level.

The organisational structure of the NTA will be reviewed, and the recommendations could look at the roles and responsibilities of functionaries at every level.

It will also assess the current Grievance Redressal Mechanism of the NTA, identify areas of improvement and make recommendations for enhancing its efficiency, the ministry said.

I want to reiterate that none involved or found responsible for any irregularity or discrepancy will be spared, Pradhan said on Saturday.

In an alleged case of paper leak during NEET-UG exam in Gujarat, a senior ministry official said that it was not a case of paper leak. It was a case of organised cheating and 30 students were found involved and they have been debarred, said the official.

Earlier, the NTA had said that it had debarred 63 students from across the country who were debarred from NEET-UG for using unfair means during the exam.

University Grants Commission (UGC) chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said the formation of the committee was a welcome step towards ensuring transparent, smooth, and fair conduct of entrance examinations. The committees emphasis on recommending reforms in the examination process, enhancing data security protocols, and improving the NTAs structure and functioning will strengthen our national entrance examination system. Protecting students interest and their future should be our priority, he said.

Opposition leaders on Saturday renewed attacks on the government, saying its decision to implement a law late on Friday to prevent the use of unfair means in competitive examinations was too little and too late.

On February 13, 2024, the President of India gave her assent to the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means), Bill, 2024. Finally, just this morning the nation has been told that this Act has come into force from yesterday, that is June 21, 2024, said Congress leader Jairam Ramesh.

Clearly this is damage control to deal with the NEET, UGC-NET, CSIR-UGC-NET and other scams, the Congress leader said and added that this law was needed. But it deals with leaks after they have occurred More important are laws, systems, processes, and procedures to ensure that leaks dont happen in the first place.
Delhi lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Sunday assured an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) delegation, that had met him over the water crisis in the capital, that he will try to resolve the issue. The L-G told the delegation that the solution lay in cooperation rather than blame game. Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Saturday had hit out at AAP-led city government over the water crisis.

The AAP MPs and MLAs who attended the meeting urged the L-G to request the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Haryana government for extra water for a few days till rain arrives, PTI quoted Raj Niwas officials as saying.



In a statement issued after the meeting, AAP said that the party delegation highlighted the shortfall of 113 million gallons per day of water from the neighbouring state to Delhi.



ALSO READ: Haryana reduced water supply after Atishi went on hunger strike: Delhi minister

According to an official, the Delhi L-G said that the sharing of Yamuna water between Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other neighbouring states was fixed by the Upper Yamuna River Board and will be renewed in 2025.



As per the report, Saxena spoke to Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini who assured the former that he would seriously look into the matter and try to help tide over the situation.



The L-G pointed that the top court advice that Delhi could approach Haryana for extra water on humanitarian grounds could fructify only in an atmosphere of cooperation and amicable dialogue, rather than by indulging in accusations, abuse and blame game," the official said.



ALSO READ: Our culture to provide water: Kejriwal's message from jail as Atishi on strike

The Delhi L-G also noted that not only Delhi's population but that of all states have increased proportionately and all were equally affected by the heat wave.

Saxena also reiterated that according to the Delhi government's own Economic Survey, unaccounted-for water was to the tune of 54 per cent while 40 per cent of water was wasted. He underlined that the Delhi government and Delhi Jal Board should address this issue.

The L-G on Saturday had lashed out at the city government, accusing its ministers of trying to turn the present water crisis into an opportunity to blame the neighbouring states.

He had alleged that the shrill discourse of the ministers of Delhi government had been distressing and questionable at various levels.
Chief Justice of the Manipur high court, Siddharth Mridul, has called the scale of violence in the state unprecedented, expressing dissatisfaction with the state governments selective compliance with court orders and the overall inadequacy in addressing the judiciarys security and infrastructural demands.

Siddharth Mridul (FILE)
Thiruvananthapuram, CPI central committee member and former Kerala Minister K Radhakrishnan on Sunday justified the Left Democratic Front's decision not to give the Devaswom portfolio, which had been handled by him, to party MLA O R Kelu. Ex-Minister Radhakrishnan rejects row over non-allocation of Devaswom portfolio for Kelu

Kelu will replace Radhakrishnan and take oath as a minister in the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet on Sunday evening at a special ceremony to be held at the Raj Bhavan here.

Radhakrishnan had resigned as Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Parliamentary Affairs and Devaswom after being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Alathur constituency.

Meanwhile, other political parties have criticised the Left government for not reportedly handing over the Devaswom portfolio to Kelu.

Talking to a television channel, Radhakrishnan said irrespective of portfolios, what is more important is his entry into the state cabinet as a minister.

"As far Kelu is concerned, it is for the first time that a person belonging to the tribal community is becoming a minister. We should see that merit first," he said.

He also said there might be differences in the portfolio but what is more important is that he could become a minister from Wayanad.

Radhakrishnan said newcomers should become capable of handling the portfolios assigned to them and the present portfolio is entrusted with Kelu with an expectation that he would handle it well.

A 54-year-old CPI leader from a tribal community in Wayanad, Kelu was recently recommended by the CPI state committee to be inducted as a minister in the LDF cabinet.

Although there is a clear indication that Kelu will get the portfolio of Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, sources said there would be a minor shuffle in the portfolios previously held by Radhakrishnan.

The Congress-led opposition UDF on Saturday said it was a wrong decision on the part of the LDF government to not give the Devaswom portfolio to Kelu.

Leader of Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan said Chief Minister Vijayan who rightly opposed the non-appointment of Congress MP Kodikunnil Suresh as pro-tem Speaker in the Lok Sabha, took a different stand when it came to Kelu.

"That is a wrong decision. The state government showed the same attitude in Kelu's case as the Centre did when it did not make Suresh, the senior most MP in the Lok Sabha, the pro-tem Speaker," he said.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
External affairs minister S Jaishankar visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE), one of Indias closest strategic partners in West Asia, on Sunday to assess bilateral relations and chart out new areas for cooperation. External affairs minister S Jaishankar. (File Photo)

Jaishankar would hold talks with his UAE counterpart Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan on a wide range of issues under the bilateral partnership, the external affairs ministry said in a brief statement.

This visit will provide an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of [the] comprehensive strategic partnership between India and UAE and regional and global developments, the statement said.

The Israel-Hamas conflict and its fallout on the extended region were expected to figure in Jaishankars discussions, people familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity.

The two sides elevated their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2015 and they signed a comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA) in February 2022. The trade deal is expected to increase bilateral trade in goods to $100 billion within five years.

Indias main exports to the UAE include precious metals, jewellery, minerals and refined petroleum products, food items such as cereals, sugar, fruits, vegetables, tea, meat and seafood), and textiles. Indias key imports from the UAE include petroleum and petroleum products, precious metals and chemicals. India imported 21,664 million tonnes of crude oil from the UAE in 2021-22.

Two-way trade increased from $43.3 billion in 2020-21 to $72.87 billion in 2021-22.

The UAE is also home to 3.3 million Indian nationals, one of the largest concentrations of expatriates in West Asia.
After the Centre announced the postponement of the NEET-PG 2024 examination scheduled on Sunday, some student bodies and doctors' associations expressed their discontent with the decision, saying that the education system of the country has been destroyed. They also demanded a high-level probe into the agency responsible for conducting the NEET-UG and NEET-PG examination. Students demanding retest for NEET examination (File Photo)

United Doctors Front Association's national president, Dr Lakshya Mittal said that the NEET-PG exam was cancelled just 10 hours before it was supposed to be conducted even when students travelled from all over the country to reach their centres. Mittal said that cancelling the exam at such a short notice was no less than "playing with the emotions of the doctors".

"NEET-PG exam, which was supposed to be held tomorrow, has been cancelled at the last moment... The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, in its press release, has mentioned that the exam has been postponed seeing its integrity and sensitivity... This is another scam after NEET-UG... Candidates have travelled across states and cancelling the exam 10 hours before it is scheduled is no less than playing with the emotions of the doctors," Mittal told ANI.

"The conducting authorities of both, NEET PG, as well as NEET UG, should be investigated... India's medical education system has been destroyed... CBI enquiry into the NEET-UG issue is a commendable step," he added.

Meanwhile, student body ABVP's general secretary, Yagyawalkya Shukla demanded answers from the Centre and the National Board of Education regarding the cancellation of the NEET-PG exam.

"If the National Board of Examination or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had any kind of suspicion, they should have brought forth everything in front of candidates with full transparency... Student bodies demand the government and the National Board of Education that the students have the right to know the reasons and circumstances behind the step," Shukla said in a video.

JNU Student Union (JNUSU) president Dhananjay said in a statement that the Centre has failed students by cancelling the exam hours before it was supposed to be conducted. "Students travel across cities to sit for this exam. This government has failed students on so many levels," he said.

FAIMA Doctors' Association's president, Dr Rohan Krishnan expressed his solidarity with the students, demanding an explanation from the Centre regarding the cancellation of the exam.

"The last-minute cancellation of the NEET-PG examination is very sad for all of us... All the candidates had reached their examination centres in various cities... I hope that the National Board of Examinations had concrete reasons to postpone this examination and they should come up with immediate answers. I request the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to come forward and tell me what was the reason for postponing the exam?... I want to assure the students that we stand with them and we will make sure that the next date is given with ample time," Krishnan said.

The health ministry on Saturday postponed the NEET-PG 2024 exam. The new date for the exam has not been announced yet. This comes weeks after the results of the NEET-UG 2024 exam sparked a major row over alleged irregularities in the marking system of the medical entrance test.

(With inputs from ANI)
Ahmedabad: The Gujarat police have busted a drug smuggling racket and seized hybrid ganja and other suspected drugs worth around Rs.3.50 crore concealed in items such as baby toys, diapers, books, chocolates, jackets, speakers, and vitamin candy, officials said on Saturday. Officials recover a huge packet of hybrid ganja from inside a toy (Twitter/@sanghaviharsh)

A first information report (FIR) has been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, said officials, adding that efforts are underway to apprehend five suspects based in New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Ahmedabad.

The contraband was found in parcels dispatched from the US, the UK, and Canada, police said.

According to officials, the drugs, hidden in couriers originating from these countries, were reportedly ordered through the social media platform Telegram and the dark web, with payments made in cryptocurrency deposited in foreign bank accounts.

A joint operation by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch and Customs Department on Friday led to the segregation of 58 suspicious parcels containing drugs such as hybrid ganja and kratom, according to a statement by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch.

The seized items include 11.6 kg of hybrid ganja, valued at Rs.3.48 crore in international markets, and 60 bottles of liquid kratom extract worth Rs.72,000, officials said/Sniffer dogs were used to identify the suspicious parcels.

Gujarat minister of state, home, Harsh Singhvi, praised the Gujarat police. Taking to X, he wrote, The Gujarat Police remains resolute in its commitment to dismantle drug networks across the state, ensuring a secure environment for all residents. Patting the back of dedicated police personnel whose diligence and efforts have contributed to the success of this operation.

The modus operandi involved peddlers contacting delivery agents to change the delivery address of the parcels after dispatch. Additionally, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch alerted Surat police, resulting in the seizure of drugs worth Rs.28 lakh in a similar operation, said officials.
AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed on Sunday that the BJP government in Haryana reduced water supply further, even after Delhi minister Atishi began her indefinite hunger strike demanding Delhi's fair share of water from the neighbouring state. Delhi health minister Saurabh Bharadwaj (HT Photo)

Bharadwaj alleged that the Haryana's BJP government is lying continuously. They are reducing water...After Atishi sat for protest, Haryana reduced at least 17 MGD (million gallons per day) more water...so now Haryana is giving 117 MGD less, ANI reported Bharadwaj as saying.

Taking a dig at the BJP, the minister said," A place which talks of one nation, one election, one team, the national capital is being deprived of water by the BJP govt in Haryana.

Meanwhile, Atishi's indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Bhogal, near Jangpura, entered its third day on Sunday. The minister said there is a huge water crisis in Delhi as the national capital does not have its own water, and all the water comes from neighbouring states.

The total water in Delhi is 1005 MGD. Out of which 613 MGD (million gallons per day) comes from Haryana but in the last 3 weeks, Haryana has reduced it. They are not giving water to Delhi, Atishi claimed in a video message released on her social media handle X (formerly twitter).

Explaining further, Atishi said that Delhi's water requirement is 1,005 million Gallons per Day (MGD), out of which 613 MGD comes from neighbouring Haryana.

She alleged that from the past three weeks, Haryana has reduced water supply to Delhi and is sending only 513 MGD of water. 1 MGD of water can serve 28,500 people so, if Haryana is sending 1000 MGD less water to Delhi, this is ultimately affecting around 28 lakh people, Atishi added.

The minister claimed that there is enough water in the HathniKund Barrage but "the gate from which water is released for Delhi has been closed and water is not being released from there."

Amid the water crisis in Delhi, people continued to form long queues at water tankers to meet their daily requirements. People in Mayur Vihar's Chilla Gaon and the residents of Geeta colony received water supply through tankers.

(With ANI inputs)
Guwahati, The flood situation in Assam continued to improve on Sunday as water level is receding fast across the state, officials said. Assam flood situation continues to improve; water receding fast

The India Meteorological Department's Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati has also not issued any warning except predicting some rains in Barak valley and a few districts of central Assam.

Meanwhile, a report by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority on Saturday night said that one person died at Gogamukh revenue circle of Dhemaji district.

With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood, landslide, storm and lightning has increased to 107.

The report said more than 8,40,000 people are hit due to the floods in Barpeta, Cachar, Chirang, Darrang, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karimganj, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sivasagar and South Salmara districts.

Cachar is the worst hit with nearly 1.5 lakh people suffering, followed by Dhubri with almost 1.27 lakh people and Nagaon with more than 88,500 people reeling under flood waters, it added.

The administration has been operating 221 relief camps and relief distribution centres across 13 districts, taking care of 72,046 displaced people at present.

The authority has distributed 616.49 quintals of rice, 111.65 quintals of dal, 32.16 quintals of salt and 2,956.25 litres of mustard oil among the flood victims of the state during the last 24 hours.

At present, 1,705 villages are under water and 39,898.92 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, the ASDMA said.

Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by flood waters in Barpeta, Dhemaji, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Cachar, Charaideo, Golaghat, Morigaon, Nagaon and Sivasagar.

At present, the mighty Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat, Tezpur and Dhubri.

Its tributaries Burhidihing at Chenimari and Disang at Nanglamuraghat are flowing above the danger levels.

The Barak river's tributary Kushiyara is also flowing above the danger marks at Karimganj town, ASDMA said.

On account of widespread flooding, over 5,03,400 domestic animals and poultry are affected across the state.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Silchar: Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma directed the officials and administration of the Cachar district to provide humanitarian aid to over 1700 residents who have taken shelter in the district escaping the violence in neighbouring Manipurs Jiribam. Displaced people from Manipurs Jiribam taking shelter in a camp in Cachars Lakhipur area (HT Photo/Sourced)

Thousands of people fled Jiribam in Manipur to neighbouring states, mostly Assam, following fresh incidents of violence.

Sarma conducted a video conference with Cachars district commissioner (DC), Rohan Kumar Jha, and superintendent of police (SP) Numal Mahatta and took stock of the situation. The meeting was attended by the chief secretary, the director general of police (DGP), and other senior officials.

After the meeting, the Assam chief ministers office wrote on X, HCM Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma held a Video Conference with DC Cachar and SP on the recent incidents in Jiribam, Manipur and instructed them to ensure peace and tranquillity is maintained in Cachar.

The CMO said that Sarma has instructed the officials to ensure that all humanitarian aid is provided to the people who have taken refuge in the district.

District commissioner Jha, after the meeting, told HT that at present, over 1,700 people from Jiribam are taking shelter in the district. He said that they are in constant touch with the officials of the Jiribam district, and multiple meetings were being conducted. On Sunday, another round of meetings will be conducted in the Lakhipur area of Cachar.

Following fresh incidents of violence in Manipurs Jiribam in the first week of June, a large number of locals started taking shelter in Assams Cachar district. According to the police, most of them are staying in the houses of their relatives and friends.

However, a few shelter camps were also created to shelter those who fled Jiribam. Assam police increased the security arrangements along the border with Manipur to ensure that no person is entering Cachar with arms.

Cachar SP Numal Mahatta said that people from different communities, including Kuki, Hmar, Naga and Meitei, have taken shelter in Cachar and to prevent further tension, additional security forces have been deployed.

We know there are tensions in our neighbouring state and we are allowing victims to take temporary refuge here on humanitarian grounds, but we will not allow them to create tension in our district, the SP said.

Since May 3 last year, Manipur has witnessed clashes between the two communities, Kukis and Meiteis, which has claimed at least 225 lives to date and uprooted around 50,000 people, many of whom are still residing in relief centres.
An argument between Mahant Raju Das, head priest of Ayodhya's Hanuman Garhi temple, and District Magistrate (DM) Nitish Kumar on Friday night, led to the removal of the former's police security gunner. Hanumangarhi temple priest Mahant Raju Das (File/ANI)

According to The Indian Express, heated exchange took place in front of Uttar Pradesh ministers Surya Pratap Shahi and Jaiveer Singh, tasked by the ruling BJP to find out the reasons behind the party's shock defeat in the Faizabad Lok Sabha constituency, under which Ayodhya falls, in the recent Lok Sabha polls.

On Saturday, the priest said he asserted at the meeting that the Ayodhya district administration was equally at fault over the BJP's loss, and party workers alone should not be held responsible for the defeat of Lallu Singh, the saffron party's two-term parliamentarian from the seat, against Samajwadi Party's Awadhesh Prasad.

It was around 11 pm when I had an argument with the DM, who, along with the SSP, left the meeting immediately. I stepped out after two minutes, only to find that the police gunner for my security was no longer there. I was informed that the gunner had been called back immediately, Mahant Das told the Indian Express.

He further stated that he will not write to any senior authority in this regard, and alleged that saints were being humiliated in the 'government of saints.'

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath also serves as the chief priest of the Gorakhnath Math.

On how the Ayodhya district was responsible for the BJP's loss, Mahant Raju Das claimed that just before the elections, the administration served notices to people, directing them to vacate their properties for redevelopment works, and this led to anger against the BJP.

The DM, on his part, maintained that the Hanuman Garhi head priest had been misusing the gunners by threatening people.

"He was given security on his request that he faces a life threat. Also, a process was already underway to remove his three gunners ever since we learnt that three criminal cases were lodged against Raju Das in 2013, 2017, and 2023. Two of the gunners had been withdrawn and the third has been withdrawn now, DM Nitish Kumar said.
India on Saturday signalled its interest in taking up the conservation of the Teesta river in Bangladesh, a $1-billion project being eyed by China, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladesh counterpart Sheikh Hasina unveiled a slew of initiatives to enhance cooperation in trade, digital issues and connectivity. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina at a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi, on Saturday. (Arvind Yadav/ Hindustan Times)

Hasina, who was among leaders of seven regional countries invited to the inauguration of PM Modis third term on June 9, returned to New Delhi within a fortnight as the first foreign leader to make a bilateral incoming visit. Officials from both sides said this reflected Indias continued focus on its Neighbourhood First policy and the importance of bilateral ties.

Following talks with Hasina, Modi told a joint media interaction that an Indian technical team will soon visit Dhaka for talks on the conservation and management of the Bangladeshi section of the Teesta, one of 54 rivers shared by the two countries.

Fifty-four shared rivers connect India and Bangladesh. We have been cooperating on flood management, early warning [and] drinking water projects. We have decided to start negotiations at the technical level for renewal of the Ganga Water Treaty of 1996, he said, speaking in Hindi and referring to a 30-year pact valid until 2026.

People familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity that Indias announcement regarding its interest in Bangladeshs long-pending plan to dredge and develop the Teesta river is significant in view of pressure from China over the project. Beijing has submitted a formal proposal for the project, with an estimated cost of $1 billion, while New Delhi has informed Dhaka about its concerns regarding the work being awarded to any Chinese firm.

With Hasina set to visit China next month, the people said Indias announcement will help her deflect pressure from Beijing over the project. Besides worries about water flow data and other information on the cross-border Teesta river being scooped up by China, India has concerns about Chinese personnel establishing a presence at the project site located near the chickens neck or narrow strip of land connecting the northeast to the rest of the country.

Foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra told a media briefing that the management of shared water resources is a crucial and sensitive matter.

He added: Naturally, given our close and friendly ties with Bangladesh, cross-boundary river issues  and Teesta is one of them  become important.

The two leaders discussed the conservation of the Teesta, which requires a fair degree of technical management, Kwatra said. Its less about water-sharing per se, its more about the management of the water flows within Teesta river, he said, adding the two leaders agreed that an Indian technical team will undertake efforts to make progress on this issue.

Modi and Hasina signed off on a joint document to guide relations in the coming years  the India-Bangladesh shared vision for the future: Enhanced connectivity, commerce and collaboration for shared prosperity  that is aligned with the Viksit Bharat 2047 and Smart Bangladesh 2041 visions. The two sides also unveiled two more joint documents detailed shared visions for a digital partnership and green partnership.

Today, we have prepared a futuristic vision for cooperation in new areas. The youth of both countries will benefit from consensus reached on cooperation in many areas such as green partnership, digital partnership, blue economy [and] space, Modi said.

We have kept in our focus connectivity, commerce and collaboration. In the last ten years, we have restored the [physical] connectivity that existed before 1965. Now we will emphasise more on digital and energy connectivity, he said.

Hasina, speaking in Bengali, said: In the whole world, we see war and conflict in different regions, but in our subcontinent, we have been able to sustain a wonderful friendly relationship.

She added, Even in our cooperation in socio-economic development, I think it was very important for us to get the help of a large economic power like India. It is because of our friendly relations that we have been able to make a lot of progress.

The two sides announced initiatives to boost connectivity, trade, commerce, and people-to-people exchanges. These include a new passenger train between Kolkata and Rajshahi, the seventh cross-border rail link; the trial run next month of a goods train on Bangladesh Railways from Gede-Darshana to Haldibari-Chilahati cross-border inter-change point; and a new bus service between Kolkata and Chittagong.

India will provide a grant for building an inland container depot at Sirajganj in Bangladesh, and there was a commercial agreement between the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and Bangladesh Bank for launching the Unified Payments Interface (UPI).

Following a tripartite agreement concluded last year, the export of 40MW of power from Nepal to Bangladesh through the Indian grid will begin soon. Bangladesh also joined Indias Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative.

In the field of people-to-people exchanges, India announced it will launch e- visas for medical patients from Bangladesh, and open a new assistant high commission at Rongpur, the fifth such mission in Bangladesh.

India will provide 350 training slots for Bangladeshi police officers, and the Muktijoddha Scheme for medical patients, with an upper ceiling of 800,000 per patient, was launched.

The two sides also signed five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) including one between the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe) and Bangladeshs ICT and telecom ministry for jointly developing a small satellite for Bangladesh and sending it into space on an Indian launch vehicle.

There were MoUs on maritime cooperation and the blue economy, railway connectivity, and cooperation on oceanographic research. The two sides further renewed three MoUs on cooperation in health, disaster management and fisheries.

Modi listed the achievements by the two sides in the past year  including the transit of cargo for Indias northeastern states through Bangladeshs Mongla port, commissioning of both units of the 1,320MW Maitree thermal power plant, and the launch of trade in Indian rupees  and said he and Hasina also discussed ways to strengthen defence cooperation, including the modernisation of Bangladeshs armed forces. We have decided to strengthen our engagement on counterterrorism, de-radicalisation and peaceful management of borders, he said.
Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh Information Technology and Electronics Minister Nara Lokesh on Sunday alleged that the former YSRCP government led by Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy had allocated 42 acres of land in 26 districts for building party offices. The IT minister alleged that these land parcels were allocated at a nominal cost of 1,000 lease for 33 years. "You allocated 42 acres of land in 26 districts for YSRCP at a meagre cost of 1,000 lease for 33 years," Lokesh said in a post on social media platform X. He also posted more than a dozen pictures of the alleged YSRCP offices under construction in various parts of the state. This development comes soon after it became public knowledge that a palatial mansion was allegedly built at a cost of 500-crore in Rushikonda, Visakhapatnam for Jagan Reddy, and that an under-construction YSRCP central party office in Tadepalli was recently demolished. The sea-view mansion, built with Italian marble, 200 chandeliers, 12 bedrooms, multi-hued illumination and other luxuries was allegedly meant to be the residence of the former CM. However, the recent transition of the state government from the YSRCP to the TDP brought the mansion into the national spotlight. According to Lokesh, the 42 acres of land, said to be worth about 600 crore could have easily funded land at the rate of one cent each for 4,200 poor people. Drawing a similar parallel, the TDP general secretary noted that the money spent on the Rushikonda mansion could have funded house construction for 25,000 people. The TDP on Sunday circulated 19 images of buildings under various stages of construction across the state, alleging that they were YSRCP offices. "With the demolition of the illegal structures constructed by the YSRCP in Tadepalli, several sensational facts have come to light. The senior officers are now studying the details of how the YSRCP has grabbed lands in prime localities at all 26 district headquarters, worth hundreds of crores , in the name of building party offices," a TDP statement said. According to the ruling party, the market value of land in these locations and the estimated expenditure on buildings could total up to 2,000 crore. Meanwhile, the YSRCP in a post on X also alleged that the erstwhile TDP government between 2014 and 2019 had allocated government lands worth "thousands of crores of rupees" to the ruling party at a paltry lease cost.

Jagans govt allotted 42 acres land for YSRCP offices in 26 districts: Nara Lokesh
Kozhikode in north Kerala, known for its rich cultural heritage, was on Sunday officially declared as India's first UNESCO 'City of Literature'. The state government also announced that from coming year, June 23 will be celebrated as the 'City of Literature' Day of Kozhikode

In October 2023, Kozhikode had earned a place in the 'Literature' category of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN).

State Local Self Government Department (LSGD) Minister, M B Rajesh, on Sunday in an official event here announced the achievement of Kozhikode which earned the place in the 'Literature' category of the UCCN.

Rajesh described Kozhikode as a city with a soul, characterised by humanity, harmony, a strong sense of justice and freedom of expression.

"These core values have given birth to the vibrant art of Kozhikode," Rajesh said.

The minister said the efficient functioning of the Kozhikode city corporation played a major role in bagging the 'City of Literature' tag from UNESCO after beating cities with rich cultural history like Kolkata.

The state government also announced that from coming year, June 23 will be celebrated as the 'City of Literature' Day of Kozhikode, a place known for literary greats like late S K Pottakkad and Vaikom Muhammed Basheer.

On this day, special awards will be announced in six categories, a statement issued by the LSGD said.

As part of the event, Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas unveiled the logo of the 'City of Literature' by UNESCO.

Rajesh visited the house of Jnanpith awardee M T Vasudevan Nair and handed over the Diamond Jubilee award instituted by the Kozhikode city corporation.

Known as the city of Zamorins once, Kozhikode, also known as Calicut during British rule, served as the gateway to the coast for many foreigners, such as Persians, Arabs, Chinese, and eventually Europeans, centuries ago.

The cradle of the freedom movement in Kerala, Kozhikode has also been an important destination for book festivals for many decades.

Kozhikode is a city where there are over 500 libraries functioning, and has been the base of literary activities of legendary Malayalam writer M T Vasudevan Nair for several decades.

Gwalior and Kozhikode from India are among the 55 new cities which have joined the UCCN. The new list was published on its website on the World Cities Day, which falls on October 31.

These new cities were acknowledged for "their strong commitment to harnessing culture and creativity as part of their development strategies and displaying innovative practices in human-centred urban planning", the UN agency had said in a statement.

While Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh made it to the coveted list in the 'Music' category, Kozhikode earned the place in the 'Literature' category.

These cities join the list of places which received tags from the UNESCO including Bukhara  Crafts and Folk Art, Casablanca  Media Arts, Chongqing  Design, Kathmandu  Film, Rio de Janeiro  Literature, and Ulaanbaatar  Crafts and Folk Art.

With the latest additions, the UCCN now counts 350 cities in more than a hundred countries, representing seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Art, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music.

The newly designated Creative Cities are invited to participate in the 2024 UCCN Annual Conference (July 1-5, 2024) in Braga, Portugal, under the theme 'Bringing Youth to the Table for the Next Decade', UNESCO had said in a statement.
BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday reinstated her nephew Akash Anand on the post of the party's national coordinator and announced him as her political successor. The decision was announced during a meeting of the party's office bearers in Lucknow. BSP supremo Mayawati with her brother Anand Kumar and nephew Akash Anand during party's office bearers' meeting to review results of general elections. (PTI)

In May this year, Akash Anand was removed from the post of national coordinator and as her successor. Announcing her decision, Mayawati had written on X that he was being removed from the posts till he attained political maturity.

In a series of social media posts on X in May, Mayawati had reaffirmed the party's commitment to the ideals of Dr BR Ambedkar and the ongoing movement for social change. She said Akash Anand was appointed as BSP's national coordinator and was declared her successor for providing momentum to this movement.

But in the larger interest of the party and the movement, he is being removed from both these important responsibilities until he attains full maturity, she had said.

Also read: Why Mayawati removed Akash Anand as her political successor: BSP leader's recent controversy

The decision to remove him had surprised the poll pundits. She had not assigned any reason for removing Akash Anand from the post.

Akash Anand became the national coordinator of the BSP in 2019 when Mayawati rejigged the party's organisation after cutting ties with the Samajwadi Party.

Akash Anand was named Mayawati's successor in December last year.

During the Lok Sabha election, Akash Anand was booked for violating the Model Code of Conduct for using objectionable language at a poll rally in Uttar Pradesh.

"This government is a bulldozer government and a government of traitors. The party that leaves its youth hungry and enslaves its elderly is a terrorist government. Taliban runs such a government in Afghanistan," the BSP leader had said.

Mayawati's BSP, which won 10 Lok Sabha seats in the 2019 general elections, failed to open its account in the 2024 general elections. Her former ally, Akhilesh Yadav's Samajwadi Party emerged as the single-largest party in Uttar Pradesh after winning 37 Lok Sabha seats.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked the central government over the postponement of the NEET-PG 2024 examination, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia. He also claimed that the BJP government is the biggest threat to the future of students. Congress leader and MP Rahul Gandhi (File Photo)

"Now NEET PG is also postponed! This is another unfortunate example of the ruined education system under the rule of Narendra Modi," Rahul Gandhi wrote on X in Hindi.

He called the BJP-led government at the Centre "incompetent".

"Now it is clear - Modi, who used to silently watch the spectacle every time, is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia. Narendra Modi's incompetent government is the biggest threat to the future of students - we must save the future of the country from it," he added.

The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare postponed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) examination, which was scheduled on Sunday. The ministry said that a fresh date for the examination will be announced soon.

"Taking into consideration, the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students," the ministry's statement read.

The National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for conducting the medical entrance exams, is facing criticism over the alleged irregularities over the conduct of the exams. A high-level committee has been formed by the Centre to suggest reforms in the examination procedure. The seven-member panel will be headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan.

The Centre also shunted NTA director general Subodh Singh and handed over the probe into irregularities in NEET-UG to the CBI.

(With inputs from ANI)
NEET 2024 Row highlights: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR on Sunday concerning irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, based on a complaint from the Ministry of Education. The CBI is also working to take over investigations and FIRs from other states related to the issue. Find the latest developments here...Read More

- The Centre removed Subodh Kumar Singh from his role as Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA) and placed him on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training.

- This decision follows rising controversy regarding alleged exam irregularities. Pradeep Singh Kharola has been assigned additional responsibilities as the Director General of NTA under the Ministry of Education.

- The Ministry of Education has formed a high-level expert committee to recommend reforms in the examination process, data security improvements, and NTA operations. The seven-member committee, led by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan, is expected to submit its report within two months.

- A stringent law has been enacted by the Centre to address malpractice and irregularities in competitive exams. Penalties include up to 10 years of imprisonment and fines up to 1 crore.

What exams have been affected so far?

NEET-PG 2024: The centre has postponed the exam, initially scheduled for today. A new date will be announced as soon as possible.

CSIR-UGC-NET 2024: Originally set for June 25 and 27, this exam has been postponed by the NTA due to "unavoidable circumstances" and "logistic issues." The new date has yet to be announced.

NET-UGC 2024: The Centre cancelled this exam, which was held on June 18, following reports of compromised exam integrity. A new exam date will be announced soon.

NEET-UG 2024: Controversy arose over grace marks awarded to students to compensate for lost time at six centres during the NEET-UG 2024 exam. The Centre later informed the Supreme Court that these grace marks would be scrapped and offered 1,563 affected students the option of a retest. According to news agency PTI, the retest is scheduled to be held today across seven centres.

What is the NEET-UG row?

- For weeks, thousands of students across India protested, demanding justice over allegations of paper leaks, inflated scores, and arbitrary grace marks.

- The NEET-UG examination took place on May 5 at 4,750 centres, with approximately 24 lakh candidates participating.

- The results, initially expected on June 14, were announced earlier on June 4.

- An unprecedented 67 students scored a perfect 720, six of whom were from a single centre in Faridabad, Haryana, which raised suspicions of irregularities.
Reacting to the postponement of NEET-PG 2024 medical exam, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attacked Narendra Modi on Sunday, saying the helpless prime minister has been watching the spectacle of the youth of the country wasting time and energy to fight BJP's corruption. In response, the Bharatiya Janata Party said the exams were being cancelled and postponed to prevent the Opposition from playing with the future of students. Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a press conference. (ANI file photo)

The verbal exchange erupted after the NEET-PG and CSIR-NET exams were postponed within days. Last week, the government cancelled the UGC-NET exam after its question papers were found circulating on the Internet.

The NEET-UG exam has also been under the scanner after a whopping 67 medical aspirants scored full marks in the entrance exam. Reports of paper leaks have also emerged from Bihar.

The Central government has ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the NEET and NET exams.

"Under BJP rule, the entire education system has been handed over to the mafias and corrupt people. The political stubbornness and arrogance of handing over the country's education and the future of children in the hands of greedy and sycophantic incompetent people has made paper leaks, cancellation of exams, disappearance of studies from campuses and political hooliganism the identity of our education system," Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wrote on X on Sunday morning.

Also read: NEET-UG controversy: Centre hands over probe to CBI, shunts NTA chief | 10 points

She said the BJP government isn't being able to conduct any exam in a fair manner.

"Today, the BJP government has become the single biggest obstacle in front of the future of the youth. The capable youth of the country are wasting their most precious time and all their energy in fighting the corruption of the BJP and helpless Modi ji is just watching the spectacle," she added.

Earlier, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi called PM Modi's government incompetent. He claimed PM Modi was helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia.

"Under BJP rule, students are forced to 'fight' against the government to save their future, not 'study' to make their career. It is clear now - Modi, who has been a silent spectator every time, is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia. Narendra Modi's incompetent government is the biggest threat to the future of students - we must save the country's future from it," he wrote on X.

Reacting to the Congress leaders' onslaught, BJP leader Amit Malviya claimed the NEET-UG paper leak row is linked to Congress ally RJD in Bihar.

"The NEET-UG paper leak is linked to Congress's ally RJD. To cover up this, you yourself were posting fake videos. The remaining examinations have been postponed so that the Opposition cannot play with the future of the students and use them for their dirty politics," he said.

13 people were arrested in Bihar over the alleged paper leak.

Meanwhile, NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto demanded education minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation.

The Central government on Saturday removed National Testing Agency (NTA) director general Subodh Kumar Singh from his post over the embarrassing controversy. Pradeep Singh Kharola has been appointed as the chief of the testing agency.

Subodh Kumar Singh has been placed on compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training.

The government has formed a seven-member panel, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, to recommend reforms in the functioning of the agency.

With inputs from agencies
The National Testing Agency (NTA) debarred 17 National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (undergraduate) or NEET-UG exam candidates who appeared in May 5 exam from centres in Bihar following detection of malpractice. Patna, Bihar, India -June .23, 2024:Police taking the accused of NEET paper leak case, arrested by EOU from Deoghar, to the court after medical checkup from Shastri Nagar LNJP hospital in Patna, Bihar, India, Sunday,23, 2024.(Photo by Santosh Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

Follow- NEET 2024 Row Live

A total of 63 candidates were debarred from all over the country over malpractices. Now 17 candidates from Bihar have been debarred for malpractices during the NEET examination. 30 candidates from centres in Godhra have been debarred, NTA said in a statement.

The NEET-UG exam, conducted on May 5 in OMR (pen and paper) format, has been marred by allegations of irregularities, including claims of discretionary grace marking, cheating, and impersonation. This has led to widespread demands from opposition parties and student groups for a retest.

To address the grace marking issue, on Sunday, the NTA conducted NEET-UG 2024 retest for 1,563 students who were awarded the marks. However, only 52 per cent i.e. 813 candidates took exam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a First Information Report (FIR) on Sunday following a complaint from the Union education ministry. The ministry alleged that "isolated incidents occurred during the exam in several states, prompting the FIR.

ALSO READ- Modi 3.0 rocked by back-to-back exam controversies: Which tests face scrutiny?

The CBI has deployed special teams to Godhra and Patna, where cases of question paper leaks were reported by local police. The agency intends to take over these investigations from the respective state authorities in Gujarat and Bihar.

The Bihar Economic Offences Unit (EOU) had arrested 13 people, including the prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, in connection with alleged paper leaks during the NEET-UG 2024 exam. Additionally, Bihar Police detained six more from Jharkhand's Deoghar district in connection with the case last Saturday.

No hacking of website: NTA

The NTA also dismissed the allegations of the portals being compromised, calling them "wrong and misleading."

"NTA website and all its web portals are fully secure. Any information that has been compromised and hacked is wrong and misleading," the NTA said in a post on X.
The six students from the same Haryana centre, who scored full marks in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) earlier, took a retest on Sunday and said they found the exam more challenging than the previous iteration, with four of them who spoke to HT saying they were unsure if they will be able to repeat their perfect scores. The cut off percentile for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test PG and NEET Super Speciality exams has been reduced by 15%, according to a Union health ministry statement.(Raj K Raj/HT file)

The six were part of a group that took the test at Bahadurgarhs Hardayal Public School and their results, a perfect 720/720, became controversial since all of them were at the same centre  raising fears of the possible use of unfair means  and all had attempted a flawed question that earned them up to 140 extra points in grace marks.

NEET-UG: 17 candidates from Bihar, 30 from Gujarat debarred for malpractices

Sundays retest was held for all 1,563, who were awarded those grace marks following a direction from the Supreme Court.

One of the students, a resident of Jhajjar, who was among the six, expressed frustration over the exams increased difficulty. The exam was tougher compared to previous years. The chemistry section was particularly challenging, and I could not finish it, leaving two questions unanswered, which will impact my overall percentage, he said. He now expects his score to drop to around 650.

He described the situation as one of those nightmares where achieving a perfect score and securing a direct medical seat could potentially lead to a lower ranking due to the exams difficulty.

Another top scorer, also from Jhajjar, was uncertain about achieving a perfect score again as well. I have performed well, but am not completely confident about scoring full marks. One of the major reasons was the tension and pressure that affected my performance and confidence, she said. She added that she would be content with an overall score of 700.

A third top performer from Jhajjar said that he found the physics and biology questions particularly challenging.

Despite this, he remained optimistic about his performance. I am not sure about my score yet, but I feel I did better than last time. Even without grace marks, I hope to be close to it, he said.

A 17-year-old resident of Kheri Hosdarpur village, who previously scored 720/720, also expressed dissatisfaction with his performance.

I am unsure about my score. Although I performed well, I anticipate a decrease due to the difficulty of the physics and chemistry sections, he said, asking not to be named.

He added that he would consider taking a gap year to prepare again if necessary.

The students appeared for the retest at two different centres in Jhajjar. Officials reported that 312 students took the exam at DAV Police School and 182 at Kendriya Vidyalaya.

Family members revealed that the decision to retake the exam was imposed under the threat of losing grace marks.

CBI officers probing UGC-NET paper leak attacked in Bihar

The mother of a top performer highlighted the undue pressure on the young aspirants, saying, Tough times have hit us, through no fault of our children.

Parents accompanied their children to the exam centres, anxiously waiting outside. The atmosphere was tense, with heavy police deployment and extra staff monitoring the exam centres. Union education ministry officials said later in the day that nearly half of the 1,563 students did not appear for the retest and their old scores will be retained but without the grace marks. Those who did take the test will be scored based on their performance on Sunday.
An ambulance in Odisha's Balasore district collided with a truck and caught fire on Sunday morning, leaving four people injured, according to a report by news agency PTI. Representational image: Odisha: Ambulance collides with truck and catches fire, four injured (HT File)

The ambulance was headed to the Balasore district hospital with a patient from Basta when the accident took place, according to the police. At 3:45 am, the ambulance hit a container truck from behind on NH-16 near Murkimundi Chhak in the Rupsa police station area, according to Odisha TV.

Read more: Odisha Diphtheria cases: Government intensifies surveillance after 6 die

As soon as the two vehicles collided, the ambulance caught fire. The patient and three other injured persons were rescued and admitted to Balasore district hospital.

The pharmacist of the ambulance suffered serious injuries and had to be sent to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack, for better treatment, according to PTI. All of those injured in the blaze are reported to be in critical condition.

Read more: Odisha: Curfew, internet shutdown extended in communal violence hit Balasore

According to OdishaTV, the truck driver absconded after the incident. The police are currently investigating his whereabouts. The truck was supposedly stationary when the accident happened. The driver of the ambulance was one of those injured, and is being treated at the Balasore district hospital as well.

Recently, in order to make sure patients receive proper and timely care, the Odisha government had announced that they would add 1,200 more ambulances to their fleet, over the next four years.

Read more: Three women labourers killed in landslide in Odishas Koraput

Medical facilities and ambulances in Odisha faced flak due to an incident earlier in the year, where a pregnant tribal woman had to be transported to the hospital by villagers carrying her, because an ambulance could not reach her.
The Karanataka police have filed a case against Janata Dal (Secular) leader Suraj Revanna, the brother of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, on sexual assault charges after a party worker filed a complaint against him, police officers familiar with the matter said on Saturday. Prajwal Revanna's elder brother Suraj Revanna,

According to officers, the case against Suraj was filed at the Holenarasipura Rural Police Station in Hassan after a JD(S) worker submitted a complaint to the director general of polices office, accusing the member of the legislative council (MLC) of sexually assaulting him.

Following the complaint, we filed an FIR under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 506 (criminal intimidation), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention), Hassan SP Mohammed Sujeetha said.

The FIR was lodged a day after the JD(S) worker was booked for allegedly trying to extort 5 crore from Suraj by threatening to file a false sexual assault complaint against him. According to the complaint, filed by Surajs aide HL Shivakumar, the JD(S) worker had met Suraj six months ago and again in June, seeking a job. Suraj said that it wont be possible for him to help the man get a job at present but it might be considered in the future, the complaint said, adding that the man then demanded 5 crore from Suraj and threatened to accuse the MLC of sexually assaulting him if the money was not paid.

Suraj rejected the allegations against him, calling them politically motivated. I absolutely reject these allegations. They are part of a political conspiracy. An FIR has also been lodged against the complainant. Let the truth come out. I have faith in the law of the land, he said.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote an emotional letter to the people of Wayanad, the constituency that he is giving up to represent Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad.(ANI)

Gandhi said that when he faced abuse on a daily basis, the unconditional love of the people of Wayanad protected him.

I was a stranger to you and yet you believed in me. You embraced me with unbridled love and affection. It didn't matter which political formation you supported, it didn't matter which community you were from or which religion you believed in or which language you spoke, Gandhi wrote in the letter.

"When I faced abuse day after day, your unconditional love protected me. You were my refuge, my home and my family. I never felt for even a moment that you doubted me," he added.

Rahul Gandhi won both the Wayanad and Rae Bareli constituencies in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections by a margin of over 4 lakh votes and 3.64 lakh votes. As per rules, he had to vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the results, which came out on June 4.

On June 17, the Congress announced that Rahul Gandhi will keep Rae Bareli seat while his sister, Priyanka Gandhi, will go for the bye-election in Wayanad. This will be her first electoral outing.

Also Read | The challenges before Priyanka Gandhi in Kerala's hilly Wayanad constituency

In Sunday's letter, Rahul said that it was truly a joy and an honour for him to be the voice of the people of Wayanad in the Parliament.

I will remember, the countless flowers and hugs you gave me. Each one given with such genuine love and tenderness. How can I ever forget, the bravery, beauty and confidence with which young girls would translate my speeches in front of thousands of people, he wrote.

Gandhi said that he is consoled by the fact that his sister Priyanka, will be there to represent Wayanad. The 54-year-old leader added that he is confident that she will do an excellent job of being their MP if given an opportunity.

Also Read | Priyanka Gandhis Wayanad candidature sparks mixed reactions among voters

I am also consoled because I have a loving family in the people of Rae Bareli and a bond that I cherish deeply. My central commitment to both you and the people of Rae Bareli is that we will fight and defeat the hatred and violence being spread in the country, the Congress leader wrote.

I do not know how to thank you for what you have done for me. For the love and protection you gave me when I needed it most. You are part of my family and I will always be there for each and every one of you, he added.
The Centre and the states decided at the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Council meeting on Saturday to provide tax relief to people visiting railway platforms, students staying in community hostels, apple growers, milkmen, households and the housing sector, besides introducing a slew of taxpayer-friendly measures while implementing stricter compliance to check fraudsters. Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman addresses a press conference after the 53rd GST Council Meeting, at the National Media Center in New Delhi on Saturday. (ANI)

After the 53rd meeting of the GST Council, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the federal body that met after October 2023 has actually taken a lot of decisions on trade facilitation, easing compliance burden and giving relief to taxpayers So this will benefit traders, MSMEs and taxpayers.

She said the Council has decided to exempt GST on accommodation services provided to students outside an education institution. Students residing within the campus of an institution are already exempted from paying GST. The exemption is conditional to the accommodation rent being up to 20,000 per person per month and the accommodation service being supplied for a minimum continuous period of 90 days (to avoid tax evasion by short-stay hotels classified as hostels).

In order to provide relief to the general public, the Council also exempted several services provided by the Indian Railways from GST. These are sale of platform tickets, facility of retiring rooms or waiting rooms, cloak room services and battery-operated car services. It also exempted intra-railway transactions from the ambit of GST, which will help in reducing operational costs.

In order to provide relief to milkmen, the Council made GST levy uniform on all types of milk cans (steel, iron and aluminium) irrespective of their use at 12%. Apple growers of J&K and Himachal Pradesh have been given relief as the GST rate on carton, boxes and cases of both corrugated and non-corrugated paper or paper-board has been reduced from 18% to 12%. Households will pay 12% GST on all types of solar cookers irrespective of single or dual energy sources, she said. The FM clarified that all types of sprinklers including fire water sprinklers will attract 12% GST, helping the housing sector.

This was the first meeting of the GST Council after the new government was formed at the Centre and ahead of the full Union budget, which is expected next month. Sitharaman said the Centre and the states discussed budget-related matters in the first half of Saturday while the second half was dedicated to GST-related issues. She chaired a pre-budget consultation with finance ministers of states and Union territories (UTs). The meeting was also attended by the CMs of Goa, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, and Sikkim as well as the deputy CMs of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana.

Addressing a press conference after the GST Councils meeting, Sitharaman said that the federal body recommended to roll out nationwide a biometric-based Aadhaar authentication system in a phased manner. This will strengthen the registration process in GST and will help in combating fraudulent input tax credit (ITC) claims made through fake invoices, she said. The Council has taken several (more than two dozen) measures for facilitation of trade, which includes extension of timelines and provisions to reduce tax litigation, she added.

Sitharaman said a group of ministers (GoM) under the chairmanship of Bihars deputy CM Samrat Chaudhary is working on overall rate rationalisation and its basic contours would be discussed in the next meeting of the Council. Meanwhile, in the 53rd meeting several other rate-related clarifications have been issued.

Other decisions related to changes in GST rates of goods included application of a uniform 5% integrated GST (IGST) rate on imports of parts, components, testing equipment, tools and tool-kits of aircraft to provide a fillip to MRO activities subject to specified conditions, the finance ministry said in a statement. It also extended IGST exemption on imports of specified items for defence forces for a further period of five years till June 30, 2029 making imports of such items cheaper. Similarly, IGST exemption on imports of research equipment imported under the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) programme was extended.

The Council also exempted compensation cess on supply of aerated beverages and energy drinks to authorised customers by unit-run canteens under the ministry of defence and provided ad hoc IGST exemption on imports of technical documentation for AK-203 rifle kits imported for the defence forces.

Pratik Jain, partner at PwC India, said the first GST Council meeting after the formation of a new government at the Centre seemed to have two key points -- ease of doing business and bringing certainty in the tax regime. Waiver of interest and penalty for past GST demands is a great step which would hopefully bring down the litigation to some extent. Sunset clause for anti-profiteering provisions will bring in much needed certainty for industry. Reduction in pre-deposit for filing the appeal also is an important one and would help the industry from cash flow standpoint, he said adding that it is one of the very positive and fruitful council meetings.

Pan-India implementation of biometric-based registration in a phase-wise manner would help weed out fake registrations and fake credits. This measure would nip in the bud any bogus registrations, said Abhishek Jain, indirect tax head and partner at KPMG.
A fresh spell of rainfall lashed parts of the national capital region on Sunday afternoon, bringing respite from the relentless heatwave battling the region for the past two months, ANI reported Rain lashed parts of national capital, bringing much needed relief from the intense heatwave sweeping the Delhi-National Capital Region (NCR).(Sanjeev Verma/HT Photo)

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) had forecast partly cloudy conditions for Delhi and parts of NCRover the weekend, bringing relief from simmering heatwave like conditions. Parts of Noida in Uttar Pradesh also received some rainfall.

Uttarakhand's capital Dehradun witnessed rainfall during the day.

The monsoon is expected to advance over several parts of North-west India. Conditions are favourable for further advance of Southwest Monsoon into some more parts of North Arabian Sea and Gujarat State said the IMD report.

An orange alert has been issued for Gujarat as the state is expected to receive isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall till June 24.

Delhi-NCR region is expected to receive monsoon rains around June 30.

But heat wave conditions very likely in isolated pockets of Punjab, Haryana, West Uttar Pradesh on 24th & 25th June and abate thereafter. the report added.

Several parts of Mumbai metropolitan area also received rainfall earlier on Sunday. Very heavy rainfall at isolated places is very likely over Mumbai till June 27, the report said.

The IMD predicted fairly widespread to widespread light to moderate rainfall accompanied with thunderstorm, lightning & gusty winds (40-50 kmph) over the next five days for Konkan, Maharashtra's Marathwada region and Gujarat.

Isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely over Gujarat and Maharashtra during next 5 days, the IMD report added.

A red alert has also been issued in Karnataka and Kerala by the IMD predicting thunderstorm and lightning with strong surface wind likely at isolated places. Heavy to extremely heavy rainfall has been forecast from June 25-27.

(With ANI, IMD inputs)
A 13-year-old boy apprehended for sending a hoax bomb scare to the Dubai bound flight from Delhi airport, confessed to the Delhi police that he had sent the mail just for fun, PTI reported. Hoax bomb threats to airports and hospitals have increased in recent times. (Representative image) (HT File)

The boy was allegedly influenced by the news of another teenager, who made a similar hoax bomb scare over a call few days ago, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani was quoted by PTI as saying.

The incident occurred on Monday when the Delhi airport received an email regarding bomb on a Dubai bound June 18 flight. An FIR was lodged, and investigation was launched. All the guidelines, protocols and SOPs were followed to ensure the safety and security of the passengers, the DCP said.



However, during investigation, the email was found to be hoax. The email-id traced to Pithoragarh in Uttaranchal, was found to be deleted immediately after sending the email, Rangnani said.

A police team apprehended the boy, who told them that his parents had given him a mobile for study purposes through which he sent the email and later deleted the ID. He did not share any information with his parents as he was scared. He was apprehended and handed over to his parents, the DCP added.

Hoax bomb threats to airports and hospitals have increased in recent times. On Tuesday, 41 airports, including those in Jaipur, Chennai and Varanasi received bomb threat over emails. This led to extensive anti-sabotage checks that lasted for hours, but all the threats were found to be hoaxes, HT reported.

On Saturday morning, an Air Arabia flight scheduled to leave for Sharjah from the Calicut International airport was grounded after receiving a hoax bomb threat.

Last week, around 60 hospitals across Mumbai also received hoax emails about bombs kept in their premises. Mumbai police said this included both private and public hospitals, and all emails were sent using Virtual Private Networks (VPN) to the hospital's public mail-id's.

Hoax bomb threats and messages disrupt flight schedules and also require a thorough inspection of all passengers, their luggage and the entire aircraft. Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had proposed a five-year flying ban for those found guilty of such acts, NDTV reported.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday faced backlash over his social media post taking a dig at examinations in Uttar Pradesh. Congress leader Shashi Tharoor (PTI)

Amid the ongoing controversy over paper leaks, Tharoor shared a viral post depicting an answersheet with a question, Uttar Pradesh kise kehte hain? (Define Uttar Pradesh.)

The answer reads, Woh pradesh jahan pariksha se pehle uttar pata chal jaaye use Uttar Pradesh kehte hain. (The state where answers are known before the exams is called Uttar Pradesh).

Read: Shashi Tharoor says this on debate over PM Modi and Rahul Gandhi's age

The Bharatiya Janata Party saw the social media post as an insult to people of Uttar Pradesh.

Responding to Tharoor's post, Union minister Jitin Prasada wrote, I dont see the humour in running down my state and its people by stereotyping them with such condemnable remarks. Such an insult to UP is deplorable and must be condemned in strongest words.

BJP spokesperson C R Kesavan called Tharoor a repeat offender and alleged that he had earlier insulted the people of northeast by ridiculing their traditional attire as outlandish.

To belittle a serious issue, implying that the state of UP is a state of cheaters is indefensible and unpardonable. Splattering fancy English words does not necessarily make one civil and dignified, he added.

Shashi Tharoor calls Rahul Gandhi Man of the Match, endorses him as Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha

Former Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who lost against Shashi Tharoor in recently conculded Lok Sabha elections from Thiruvananthapuram, said, Shameless crass politics of shaming other fellow Indians - thats the Congress way, ably demonstrated by this self-titled Global citizen.

Pointing to the recent controversy around Sam Pitroda's description of Indian nationals, he added, Runs deep in the Cong DNA, this type of superiority complex.

BJP leader and Rajasthan minister Rajyavardhan Rathore said, Shashi, you having to resort to frivolity!! And in doing so condemning people of an entire state? You dont see UP as yours, since you are deriding it.

When a person of your stature and intelligence mocks a State, why wouldnt others do? And then what!!

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma hit back at the Congress leader in what is popularly called Tharoorian English.

This gentleman frequently indulges in satirizing various cultures (first Northeast and now UP) with remarkably caustic words, wrote Sarma. He has succumbed to the beguiling whispers of lunacy, his mind adrift in the ethereal mists of derangement.
New Delhi, The Communist Party of India Liberation, the successor of the CPI , born out of the Naxalbari uprising, is sending two MPs to the Lok Sabha after a gap of 20 years, but the primary area of its politics remain the streets, General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said. Streets remain the main area of politics for CPI (ML) Liberation: Dipankar Bhattacharya

The CPI Liberation, which came into existence following a split in the CPI in 1973, fought the Lok Sabha polls as a part of the INDIA bloc, and won two seats in Bihar Karakat, won by Raja Ram Singh, and Arrah, won by Sudama Prasad.

In an interview with PTI editors at the agency's headquarters here, Bhattacharya said the MPs both farmer leaders and two-time MLAs in the Bihar assembly will raise the people's issues in Parliament.

"For us Parliament is not really the primary area of politics, our primary area of politics is out there on the street," Bhattacharya said.

"It is basically the struggles that we do outside. Part of it can be articulated and reflected there," he said.

The first CPI Liberation MP came from Arrah in 1989 as a candidate of the Indian People's Front , the mass front of the party at a time when it was still underground.

Subsequently, Jayant Rongai became a Lok Sabha MP from the Autonomous District constituency of Assam in 1991 and stayed on till 2004.

In 1991, 1996, and 1998, Rongai was elected as a candidate of the Autonomous State Demand Committee. In 1999, he fought as a Communist Party of India Liberation candidate.

"We had one MP from Bihar way back in 1989, and for us, that was quite a historic moment. We started participating in elections only in the middle of the 80s, till then we used to stay away from elections.

"By the middle of the 1980s we started realising that people that we fight for in terms of land struggle, wages, social dignity, these are people who also don't really have their voting right. They're a disenfranchised lot, especially landless Dalits and all," Bhattacharya said.

The party waged a fight for the voting rights of this lot and found success when, according to Bhattacharya, thousands of people in Bhojpur cast their votes for the first time in life.

"And at a heavy price. After polling was over, there was a massacre and 32 people were gunned down," he said.

Talking about his own association with the party, Bhattacharya said he was still in school in Alipurduar when the Naxalbari uprising took place. Discussions around it, and the wall writings he saw on his way to school, had an impact on the young leader.

"My father was working in the railways... In 1967, I used to study in class 1 in a primary school. When Naxalbari happened, it impacted us so much. There were all those wall writings, there were all those slogans. It generated a lot of queries in my mind. I was a very impressionable mind," he said.

Bhattacharya recalls the 1970s as the decade of liberation.

"By 72, when India was having the silver jubilee of Independence, this was happening. I used to ask my father why there is this question of again liberating India Because it's a free country. My father somehow never discouraged me in this discussion," he said.

According to him, 1977 was the most defining year, with Emergency lifted and a fresh sense of democracy restored.

"There was this whole feeling that we have got our democracy back," he said.

By the time he got enrolled at the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, he was already with the CPI.

"By 1979, I had almost kind of decided that this is what I'm going to do. I was still a student, I got my degree in 1984, but by that time, I was almost working like a full time worker of the party," Bhattacharya said.

The Naxalbari uprising, an armed peasant revolt in 1967 in the Naxalbari block of Siliguri subdivision of Darjeeling district, came at a time when realignments were happening within the Left in India and the Sino-Soviet split was most intense.

The uprising took place on March 3, 1967, when around 150 peasants armed with bows and spears, seized 11,000 kg of paddy and started seizing land.

Some leaders from the Communist Party of India , which had taken birth in 1964 after a split in the Communist Party of India , who supported the Naxalbari uprising, were expelled.

The ousted lot formed the CPI and Charu Majumdar and Saroj Dutta took its reins.

In 1973, the original Communist Party of India split, and the faction led by Vinod Mishra came to form the CPI Liberation.

Bhattacharya took over as the general secretary of the organisation in 1998.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday targeted the opposition INDIA bloc over its silence on the hooch tragedy in DMK-ruled Tamil Nadu in which more than 50 people have died so far. BJP MP Sambit Patra said the silence of Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and other leaders of the INDIA bloc over the issue is quite striking. Patra termed the deaths as murder, saying majority of the victims belonged to the scheduled castes. Kallakurichi: Family members stand next to patients admitted to a government hospital after consuming spurious liquor, in Kallakurichi, Friday, June 21, 2024. (PTI)

If more than 32 Dalits are killed in this country, I would call it a murder, this is not death, the BJP leader said at a press briefing.

So many parties are silent only because they think raising the issue is not in their political interest.

Families of Kallakurichi victims shattered, question availability of hooch

Here's all you need to know about the hooch tragedy:
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief Kamal Haasan on Sunday met victims of the Kallakurichi illicit liquor case, on Sunday. The actor-turned politician remarked that the victims in the case had been careless with drinking.



These victims will have to understand they have exceeded their limit and they have been careless. They have to be careful. They have to take care of their health, Haasan told ANI.



My request to government would be to create psychiatric centres which will counsel them... It has to be occasional drinking, social drinking if at all. But they must understand that exceeding limit in any form be it sugar or anything is bad, the MNM chief added. Tamil Nadu liquor case: Kamal Haasan meets victims, says they must be careful

Read more: TN Assembly: AIADMK members evicted for raising hooch issue, later allowed back

Haasan also added that there should be provisions to rehabilitate those who have been exceeding their limit when it comes to alcohol, My request to government would be to create psychiatric centres which will counsel them.

At least 53 people died and 193 were admitted in hospital in connection with the Kallakurichi hooch case, according to Tamil Nadu state officials on Saturday.

Read more: Kallakurichi liquor tragedy: Death toll rises to 53; ruckus in Tamil Nadu assembly

The case has caused backlash for the ruling DMK, with the Tamil Nadu Assembly calling for a discussion on the case and the supply of illicit liquor in the state.

Leader of Opposition in the state Edapaddi Palanisamy, stated that the lack of addressal of the case in the assembly was a murder of democracy.

The Tamil Nadu police has been cracking down on illicit liquor all over the state. At least 250 litres of hooch were seized and destroyed by the police in Tiruchirapalli district.

Read more: Families of Kallakurichi victims shattered, question availability of hooch

Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin announced on Friday that the government will be covering education and hostel expenses for children who lost parents in the tragedy.

The Tamil Nadu government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the tragedy. The inquiry will be led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas. He will submit a report within three months.

Currently, seven people have been arrested in the case and are being investigated by the CB-CID branch of Tamil Nadu police, according to the District Collector.
Agartala, The Tripura government has initiated an exercise to identify schools with a student strength of less than 50 and may merge them with nearby educational institutes, which have better enrolment, an official said on Sunday. Tripura govt to identify schools with below 50 students, may merge them with nearby institutes

The exercise, which has been taken up following the Centre's directive last month, is expected to be completed by the end of June, he said.

"As part of a plan to boost the learning system, the district education officers were asked to identify the government schools having a student strength of below 50 for merger with institutes having reasonably better enrolment," Officer on Special Duty , Education department, Kaliprasad Chakma told PTI.

The move is aimed at improving the student-teacher ratio, he said.

"After completion of the exercise, the government will consider all aspects and may merge these schools with ones situated preferably within 1 km or 1.5 km radius", he said.

According to Chakma, preliminary reports indicate that the state has 800 junior and senior basic schools with a student enrolment of less than 50.

In total, there are around 2,500 junior and senior basic schools in the state.

After the completion of the ongoing exercise, the department will seek the opinion of school management committees and local bodies and then submit a report to the government to make a necessary decision for the merger, he said.

"The objective of the move is to reorganise the student-teacher ratio at the primary level government schools. It has been found that three teachers are posted in a junior basic school which has only 13 students, while many schools are facing shortages of teaching staff. The problem of such distribution of teachers may be addressed by the exercise", he said.

Responding to the move, the state's youth Congress leader Md. Shajahan Islam alleged that the BJP-led double-engine government has been "forcing the poor students to get admission to private-run schools.

"The BJP government has failed to improve the education system in its six-year rule. We came to know that the education department has initiated a process to close down 160 schools in West Tripura district alone, citing less-enrolment. Where will the poor students go? The youth Congress strongly protest the move", he said.

CPI -backed Tribal Students' Union general secretary Sujit Tripura claimed that the government has been trying to shut down many schools in rural and tribal areas to deprive the tribal students of education.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Agartala: The Tripura police on Saturday rescued three minors, from Dharmanagar in North Tripura and brought them home in Khowai district, a day after they left their houses allegedly over a fight with their parents and later went missing. (Representative Photo)

Dharmanagar police said they were alerted by the Khowai police about the missing children, and accordingly, a search operation was launched at different areas of the subdivision, including hotels, railway station, and other places.

Police said the three minors, including one girl and two boys, were rescued from Latugao village near the Dharmanagar railway station with the assistance of a local.

In their preliminary enquiry, police found that the minors, who are school students, are also neighbours. Police said apart from one boy, the other two had a fight at their home and left.

They had planned to go to Guwahati from Dharmanagartwo of them were known to have domestic disputes with their parents, and the other boy just accompanied them. If they had moved to Guwahati, then it would be difficult for us to trace themwe handed them over to their parents after formalities, said Dharmanagar sub-divisional police officer Debasish Saha.

Police said that no case has been registered in this regard at Dharmanagar.
Raipur: Two jawans of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast in Chhattisgarhs Sukma district on Sunday, police said. (Representative Photo)

CoBRA is the elite guerrilla unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

Police said the incident took place at around 3pm when the security personnel were on road opening party (ROP) duty and were advancing from Silger camp towards Teklagudam camp. Both camps come under the Jagadonga police station area.

Police said that the Maoists planted the IEDs to target the security forces at the Teklagudam road.

The personnel of 201 CoBRA battalion were moving on a motorcycle and a truck when the blast took place. A jawan who was driving the truck and one another jawan (assistant driver) were killed in the blast, according to the statement issued by Bastar police.

The deceased CoBRA personnel were identified as Visnhu R and Shailendra.

More details of the incident are awaited and a team is bringing their bodies to the nearest camp, said police.
An Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) tribunal has issued show cause notice to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam or LTTE as part of a process to adjudicate the recently extended five-year ban on the Sri Lankan organisation. While extending the ban on LTTE on May 14, the MHA said in its notification that even after its military defeat in 2009, the organisation is clandestinely undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities and its remnant leaders are trying to resurrect it. (File Photo)

The tribunal at the Delhi high court, comprising justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, has given LTTE 30 days to reply to the notice as to why the organisation should not be declared as unlawful, according to the show cause notice issued on June 14, published by the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA).

LTTE can file its objections or reply to the show cause notice within 30 days.

While extending the ban on LTTE on May 14, the MHA said in its notification that even after its military defeat in 2009, the organisation is clandestinely undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities and its remnant leaders are trying to resurrect it.

The Central government is of the opinion that LTTE is still indulging in the activities which are prejudicial to the integrity and security of the country. Even after its military defeat in May 2009 in Sri Lanka, LTTE has not abandoned the concept of Eelam and has been clandestinely working towards the Eelam cause by undertaking fund raising and propaganda activities and the remnant LTTE leaders or cadres have also initiated efforts to regroup the scattered activists and resurrect the outfit locally and internationally, the MHA notification said.

The pro-LTTE groups/elements continue to foster a separatist tendency amongst the masses and enhance the support base for LTTE in India and particularly in Tamil Nadu, which will ultimately have a strong disintegrating influence over the territorial integrity of India, it added.

The ministry asserted that LTTE symapthisers living abroad continue to spread anti-India propaganda among Tamils holding India government responsible for the defeat of the LTTE, which, if not checked, is likely to develop a sense of hate among Tamil populace towards the Centre and the Indian Constitution.

The LTTE was formed in 1976 and emerged as one of the most lethal terrorist groups over the years.

India banned the LTTE after the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. Since then, the ban imposed on the group has been extended every five years.

To adjudicate the extended ban, the tribunal was formed on June 5.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has, in last few years, registered cases against LTTE, pro-LTTE groups or elements that indicate that outfit and its remnant cadres, followers and supporters are involved in various criminal activities, including smuggling of illegal drugs, arms for furtherance of objective of the outfit.

The terror organisation suffered a military defeat in 2009 in Sri Lanka following the killing of its chief Velupillai Prabhakaran.
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday hit out at Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, wherein more than 50 people have died and nearly 200 hospitalised. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

More than 200 people are still in hospital in a critical stage. 56 people have died and most of them are from the scheduled caste... I condemn the incident. I am shocked that the Congress has not uttered a word against this. In a state where licensed liquor is available from shops run by the government called TASMAC, Sitharaman told news agency ANI.



ALSO READ: They have been careless: Kamal Haasan on meeting victims of TN hooch tragedy

Despite that, in the middle of the city of Kalakurchi chemical-based illicit liquor is served... Where is the Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge?... Where is Rahul Gandhi?... He contests elections just because he is assured that he will win... When Dalits are dying because of spurious liquor, not a statement comes from Rahul Gandhi... I demand that this whole matter be given to the CBI for investigation, she added.



The Congress is a part of the ruling alliance with INDIA bloc partner Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu. The BJP has hit out at the opposition alliance, saying that it hopes the INDIA bloc leaders who have not spoken on the issue will at least show repentance by gathering near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Parliament complex and observing a moment of silence for the lives lost.



ALSO READ: Families of Kallakurichi victims shattered, question availability of hooch

More than 56 people have died... many are still critical. More than 40 of those who died consuming spurious liquor are Dalits. This is state-sponsored murder and I am surprised that the Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Sonia Gandhi, leaders of the DMK and those of other constituents of the 'INDI Alliance' are silent on it, BJP MP-elect Sambit Patra said at a press briefing.



The MK Stalin-led Tamil Nadu government had ordered a judicial inquiry into the tragedy. The inquiry will be led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas, who will submit a report within three months.
Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai on Sunday criticised lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena, alleging that the latter has become the spokesperson for the Haryana BJP unit. AAP leader Gopal Rai. (Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times)

I want to tell this to LG because he keeps on forgetting that he is not Haryana LG, but Delhi LG, Rai said during the indefinite strike of Delhi minister Atishi over the water crisis in the capital.

"Delhi L-G doesn't care about the plight of people here. It is shameful that Delhi L-G has now become BJP's spokesperson in Haryana," he added.

Rai's remarks come a day after Delhi LG VK Saxena attacked the Aam Aadmi Party-led city government, accusing its ministers of turning the water crisis into an opportunity' to blame neighbouring states.

The shrill discourse of the Ministers of the GNCTD over the last few weeks, has been distressing and questionable at various levels. Drinking water supply has become a challenge in the national capital. Political leaders of Delhi have turned a crisis into an opportunity for blaming neighbouring states, with the sole aim of gaining political mileage, Saxena said in a statement.

Also Read | Delhi Police deploys water cannon against BJP protesters over water crisis

Several parts of Delhi have been facing an acute shortage of water supply amid an unprecedented high summer heat for over 20 days.

The crisis in Delhi resulted from reduced water levels in the Yamuna River and technical issues at key water treatment plants. This disruption has left several areas with little to no water supply, forcing people to rely on tankers and borewells.

Also Read | Haryana reduced water supply after Atishi went on hunger strike: Delhi minister

The ruling AAP government has alleged that Haryana has not been releasing Delhi's share of water.

On Friday, Delhi water minister Atishi sat on indefinite fast over the water crisis in the national capital. She said that she had tried "everything" but was left with no choice but to sit on a fast when the Haryana government didn't agree to supply the required quantity of water.
The new Parliament, meeting today, will see a coalition government headed by the same team that wielded untrammelled powers during the past two terms because of having a formidable majority in the Lok Sabha. That situation has changed. A political party that does not have a majority of its own, will face serious challenges from the Opposition, and in exceptional situations, from its own allies. At times there may be a snap vote in the House, which can take the treasury benches by surprise.

The Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) who have been returned may harbour unpleasant memories: Mass suspensions, privilege cases, expulsions, and the denial of opportunities were common threads in the last House. With a formidable number on their side, the Opposition in the 18th Lok Sabha is likely to pose a major challenge to the government, and, in particular, the Speaker. The government will have to change the way it deals with the Opposition. With over 234 members arrayed against the treasury benches, disciplinary methods followed in the past can be counterproductive. The Speaker will have an unenviable task.

Parliament works with greater efficiency when there is consensus on major issues. In competitive politics, it is very difficult to always build a consensus. A formidable majority often breeds arrogance and an insatiable desire to rub the adversaries up the wrong way. The parliamentary system will shrink in such an environment, like plants in an extreme summer.

The millions who voted have conveyed an unmistakable message to the political class that crossing some lines has its perils. Winston Churchill famously said, At the bottom of all tributes paid to democracy is the little man walking into a little booth with a little pencil making a little cross on a little bit of paper  no amount of rhetoric or voluminous discussion can, possibly, diminish the overwhelming importance of the point. The overwhelming importance that Churchill referred to for the decision of those little men should not be lost on the leaders.

The question on everyones mind today is how the new Lok Sabha will be run. This House is almost evenly divided between the treasury benches and the Opposition. People who have enjoyed the comfort of a stable, huge majority may find this situation uncomfortable. But they will benefit if they look at the past.

The Indian Parliament owes much to Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister (PM), who nurtured the institution with care and passion. He would be present in the House during question hour on all days and intervene in debates whenever necessary, thereby creating a very healthy tradition. He sometimes supplemented the replies given by the ministers when he felt the House should be given more information and sometimes, corrected the ministers when he felt the correct angle of the issue was not being highlighted by them. He attended Parliament when important issues were discussed and, in fact, he requested the Speaker to give more time to the Opposition because he believed his party members only praised him and it was the Opposition that told him what was happening on the ground.

An interesting incident involving the first Speaker of the Lok Sabha, GV Mavalankar, is part of the institutional memory of the Lok Sabha and is discussed as a measure of the highest esteem in which Nehru held the office of the Speaker. Once, Mavalankar sent Nehru a slip of paper saying he would like to meet Nehru in his office. Instead, Nehru rushed to the Speakers chamber and told him that the Speaker, being the highest authority in Parliament, should never visit the PM. Nehru would meet the Speaker in his chamber whenever the latter sought his presence. This was his way of establishing good parliamentary traditions.

The smooth running of Parliament, at any time, is more likely if the House elects a wise Speaker and the government appoints a seasoned parliamentary affairs minister. While the Speaker has to ensure the timely completion of government business in the House, he is also supposed to protect the interests of the Opposition. A wise Speaker will conduct the House to the satisfaction of both sides of the House. The members of the Opposition benches should be able to leave the House feeling that the Speaker was fair to them.

The parliamentary affairs minister is the bridge between the government and the Opposition. In this context, old timers may remember K Raghuramaiah, the parliamentary affairs minister under PM Indira Gandhi (1969-76). Although she had a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha, Raghuramaiah would always be seen in the Opposition benches coaxing and cajoling the MPs to gain their support for running the House smoothly. Stalwarts such as AK Gopalan, Atal Behari Vajpayee, Hiren Mukerjee, Shyamnandan Mishra, Indrajit Gupta, Piloo Modi, Madhu Dandavate and Madhu Limaye, adorned the Opposition benches in those days. These great and often difficult men used to be brought around by a tactful Raghuramaiah

Dialogue between the government and the Opposition is essential for the smooth running of the House. Such dialogue smoothens the wrinkles in the relationship between the two sides. To listen to others and to try and convince them is the surest way to promote the democratic culture. Parliament is the most powerful platform, where this exercise is conducted. From the rough and tumble world of Indias electoral politics, the peoples representatives need to move into the realm of mutual respect.

Vajpayee, an outstanding parliamentarian for all times, used to say "vichaaron ka sangharsh (clash of ideas) is the essence of parliamentary democracy. All members of the House should keep this thought as the 18th Lok Sabha begins work.

PDT Achary is a former secretary general, Lok Sabha. The views expressed are personal
The provisional estimate of the real gross value added for the agriculture sector in the financial year 2023-24 (FY24) is just 1.4%. This has been attributed to the erratic monsoon last year, mainly on account of the El Nino effect.

Against this backdrop, the appointment of Shivraj Singh Chauhan as the new minister for agriculture has been widely welcomed: The reason is that the agriculture Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Madhya Pradesh, during his tenure as chief minister of the state from 2005-06 to 2022-23, witnessed an average annual growth rate of 7% against the all-India showing of 3.8%. Since agriculture is predominantly a state subject, the new agriculture minister will have to take the states along if much-needed reforms in the sector are to materialise. The agriculture sector needs to grow consistently at an annual 4%.

The ministry he presides over does not include the department of animal husbandry and dairying and department of fisheries. So, the fastest-growing and most promising sectors of the farm economy are not in his domain. However, he has the experience to influence the running of these two departments too.

As per the Situation Assessment of Agricultural Households and Land and Holdings of Households in Rural India, 2019, agri-households earned only 37% of their income from cultivation while 15% came from livestock activities and 40% from wages and salaries. So, the real challenge before the new agriculture minister will be increasing income from cultivation. The good news for him is that the monsoon this year is predicted to be normal. So, his first year in office may bring good tidings. There are three major areas in which his experience in Madhya Pradesh may prove useful.

There are numerous recommendations made by expert committees, including the Ashok Dalwai Committee, on doubling farmer income. Here are three important areas that Chauhan can focus on.

The first is to bring more area under irrigation. In 2015-16, the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) to expand the cultivable area under assured irrigation and use water more efficiently by following sustainable water conservation practices, among other goals. By December 2023, out of the 99 priority projects identified under the PMKSY-Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Programme in 2016, only 54 projects had been completed. Another 21 projects had recorded progress of more than 90%, while 13 others had recorded 80-90% progress. Chauhan has direct experience in pushing irrigation projects in his home state. It will be a significant contribution to Indian agriculture if he can work with the states and get the unfinished projects completed. An independent evaluation of all 99 projects may also help in ascertaining whether the command area in the completed projects has actually received water. This is necessary as the benefits to agriculture come only when irrigation water reaches the farms. For this, the completion of canal works is critical.

Micro-irrigation has largely remained confined to Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Chauhan must enhance the use of micro-irrigation techniques in central and north Indian states as well. This would not only help in the prudent management of precious water resources that can result in productivity gains.

For Punjab and Haryana, diversification from paddy to other less water-consuming crops has been under discussion for decades. If the new agriculture minister can convince the finance minister to support Punjab and Haryanas crop diversification incentive plan so that the area under non-basmati paddy is strategically reduced, it would be a landmark contribution to the countrys agriculture sector. Business as usual in Punjab and Haryana may be highly detrimental to the future of Indias food security.

The second area of importance is horticulture. Since the launch of the National Horticulture Mission (NHM) in 2005, Indias horticulture production has gone up from 170.8 million tonnes to 352.23 million tonnes. Madhya Pradesh has been a beneficiary of, and contributor to, the horticulture revolution in India. To illustrate, in 2004-05, it produced 0.535 million tonnes of onion which rose to 5.1 million tonnes by 2022-23. The state is the second-largest producer of onion after Maharashtra. Due to a crash in prices, MP experimented with a price deficiency payment scheme in 2018, which didnt prove successful. The biggest challenge in horticulture is the high fluctuation in prices and supply-chain losses. If these problems can be addressed, the consumption of fruits and vegetables can go up, and Indias exports in these agri-commodities can be more reliable. Farmers, too, can earn more than they do from cereals. The need for a robust cold chain network for perishable produce is well understood. But private investment in creating pre-cooling facilities is not adequate. This must be sufficiently incentivised.

The third area that Chauhan must make a priority is the threat from the climate crisis, which can lead to lower yields in several crops. To address this challenge, investment in research and development to generate climate-resistant varieties needs to be drastically raised, and farmers need to be made aware of the need to shift to these varieties. India spends just about 0.6% of agri-GDP on research. Investment in agri R&D under the Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) system boosted the countrys capacity in rice, sugar, grapes, pomegranates and onion. If self-reliance and food security are to be achieved for 1.6 billion Indians, higher investment in R&D, both by the government and the private sector, is a must.

Siraj Hussain is a former Union agriculture secretary, and Shweta Saini is an economist. The views expressed are personal
Abhishek Bachchan was recently in the news for purchasing six apartments for 15.42 crore in the Oberoi Sky City, a luxury project by Oberoi Realty in Borivali area of Mumbai. The Bollywood actor has bought a total of 4,894 sq ft of RERA carpet at a price of 31,498 per sq ft, according to the documents shared by Zapkey.com. The Bollywood actor has bought a total of 4,894 sq ft of RERA carpet at a price of  31,498 per sq ft, according to the documents shared by Zapkey.com.(HT Files)

What stood out in the deal was that out of the six apartments, two apartments measure 252 sq ft, two are spread across an area of around 1,100 sq ft (carpet) and the size of the remaining two is 1094 sq ft, the documents showed.

What is interesting about the transaction is that Abhishek Bachchan purchased two small apartments each measuring 252 sq ft that could probably be a studio apartment also known as 1 RK (room kitchen) apartment.

So why did the Bollywood star purchase a 252 sq ft apartment?

Often when developers purchase industrial land, one of the conditions that they have to meet to turn industrial land into residential use is to construct affordable apartments in a part of the project. That's the reason why several developers construct a mix of small and large apartments, architects told Hindustan Times Digital.

In the case of Oberoi Sky City project of Oberoi Realty, the company had acquired the 25-acre land parcel from Tata Steel Ltd for 1,155 crore at an e-auction in 2014, according to news reports.

The land in Borivali used to house Tata's steel wires manufacturing plant, which was shut in 2009 after the company moved operations to Tarapur in Maharashtra in 2008.

In the Oberoi Sky City project, a total 2,512 apartments worth 7,398 crore were sold between 2016 and 2024, according to the data shared by Zapkey.com, a real estate analytics firm.

Out of 2,512 apartments, 2,493 apartments worth 7,332 crore were sold by the developer and 19 apartments worth 66 crore were sold in resale transactions, the data showed.

In Oberoi Realtys Forestville project in Kolshet, Thane, the developer is constructing studio apartments along with 3,4 and duplex apartments, according to Maharashtra Real Estate Regulatory Authority (MahaRERA) declarations made by the developer.

Small apartments are often merged with bigger units and sold as jodi apartments

To meet government norms, to convert industrial land into residential use some developers construct an entire tower comprising small apartments, while others construct large 3 and 4 BHK apartments and sell them as jodi apartments by merging the smaller apartment with the bigger one, said a architect working with a leading real estate developer in Mumbai not wishing to be named.

"The reason why small and large apartments are constructed together and not in a separate tower is because developers do not want to mix gentry. These units are therefore constructed side by side and sold as jodi or in many cases sold separately and later merged by the homeowners," the architect added.

"The studio apartment (smaller apartment) can become an additional bedroom. Apartment owners utilize the space as a pooja room, study room, home office. The extra studio apartment can also be turned into a service entrance where a service room can be planned," the architect said.

However, in the case of Abhishek Bachchan, all six apartments were sold separately, according to the documents. A query sent to Oberoi Realty on the trend of two apartment formats - small and large- being constructed side by side did not get any response.

What is a jodi apartment?

A jodi apartment refers to one apartment merged with another. It gives homebuyers the flexibility to amalgamate two or more apartments. For example, homebuyers may purchase a 3 BHK and a 1 BHK instead of a 4 BHK. They may decide to buy a pair of 2BHK apartments instead of a 4 BHK and even a 3 BHK apartment along with a studio apartment.

Abhishek Bachchan has several apartments in his portfolio

The Oberoi Realty project in which Abhishek Bachchan has purchased the six apartments is not the first purchase by the Bollywood star.

He has invested in projects by the same developer earlier as well. Bachchan had in August 2021, sold an apartment in Mumbai for 45.75 crore in the project Oberoi 360 West by Oberoi Realty in Worli. The apartment was purchased by him in 2014 for over 41 crore.

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh also sold two flats in the Goregaon area of Mumbai for 15.25 crore. The two flats measuring 1,324 sq ft each were purchased by Singh in December 2014 for 4.64 crore each in Oberoi Exquisite, another project by Oberoi Realty.
Facebook parent Meta Platforms has discussed integrating its generative AI model with Apple's newly announced AI system for iPhones, according to the Wall Street Journal. Customers cheer as they enter Apple Inc.'s store during its opening in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Saturday, June 22, 2024. (Samsul Said/Bloomberg)

Apple has broader plans to incorporate technology from various AI companies into its devices. The Cupertino-based tech giant is also in discussions with Alphabet's Google, its long-time search partner, and other AI companies, including those in regions like China where OpenAI's ChatGPT is banned.

ALSO READ- Top 15 coolest launches at the Apple WWDC 2024: ChatGPT integration, Revised Siri, iOS18

At its developer conference earlier this month, Apple unveiled a range of AI features across its apps and operating systems, along with a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT technology into its devices.

ALSO READ- Using ChatGPT to find a job: What to do and what not to do

Apple said that its AI is designed with privacy "at the core," utilising a blend of on-device processing and cloud computing to enable these new capabilities.

AI startup Anthropic has been in talks with Apple to integrate its generative AI into Apple Intelligence, said the report, citing sources familiar with the matter.

ALSO READ- Apples new creative does the job by going too far

These discussions are still in progress and may not result in finalised agreements. However, successful deals would help AI companies achieve broader distribution for their products.

The financial details of these potential deals are unclear, but talks have included the possibility of AI companies selling premium subscriptions through Apple Intelligence.

Additionally, AI search startup Perplexity has also been in discussions with Apple about integrating its generative AI technology into Apple Intelligence.

ALSO READ- Tim Cook says he is 'very, very pleased' about how Apple is doing in India

Apple aims to differentiate itself from competitors like Microsoft and Google by emphasising privacy as a core feature.

(Inputs from Reuters)
NASA's official social media handles often share all kinds of interesting information about space. From purple aurora taking over Mars to amazing facts about the moon, asteroids and more, the space agency never fails to amaze us. Now, once again, they have caught the attention of the internet with a picture of a "space potato". Yes, you read that right. Phobos is the larger of Mars' two moons. (Instagram/@NASA)

While sharing the picture, NASA, the caption, informed, "Phobos is the larger of Mars' two moonsbut it's still only about 17 x 14 x 11 miles (27 by 22 by 18 kilometres) in diameter. Because Phobos is so small, its gravity isn't strong enough to pull it into a sphere (like Earth's Moon), giving it its lumpy shape. Phobos is also on a collision course with Marsthough it'll take a while to get there. It's nearing the Red Planet at a rate of six feet (1.8 meters) every hundred years. At that rate, the moon will either crash into Mars in 50 million years or break up into a ring." (Also Read: Purple lights on the red planet: NASA's MAVEN captures spectacular aurora on Mars. Watch)

They further wrote, "This image was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on our Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter, which has been studying Mars since 2006."

Take a look at the post here:

This post was shared two days ago on social media. Since being posted, it has gained close to four lakh likes. The share also has numerous comments. Many people were amazed to see the picture. (Also Read: NASA sheds light on the Whirlpool Galaxy through a series of unseen images. Seen the viral pics yet?)

Here's how netizens reacted:

An individual wrote, "Finally, we find a potato in space."

Another person added, "Very, very interesting."

"Can we turn it into space fries," commented a third.

Some other Instagram user posted, "Beautiful potato in the space."
Gunmen in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday launched attacks on religious buildings, killing at least seven police officers, a national guard officer and a priest, officials said. The agencies reported exchanges of gunfire in the centre of Makhachkala, a region with a long coastline on the Caspian Sea.

The attacks took place in Dagestan's largest city of Makhachkala and in the coastal city of Derbent, where gunfights were ongoing Sunday evening.

Russia's Investigative Committee said it had opened criminal probes over "acts of terror" in Dagestan, a largely Muslim region of Russia neighbouring Chechnya.

Dagestan's interior ministry said police had killed four of the gunmen in Makhachkala.

"This evening in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala armed attacks were carried out on two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a police checkpoint," the National Antiterrorism Committee said in a statement to RIA Novosti news agency.

"As a result of the terrorist attacks, according to preliminary information, a priest from the Russian Orthodox Church and police officers were killed."

In all, six officers were killed and another 12 wounded in the attacks, the spokeswoman for Dagestan's interior ministry, Gayana Gariyeva, told RIA Novosti.

The ministry later said a local police chief had died from his wounds.

Russia's National Guard meanwhile said one of its officers had been killed in Derbent and several others wounded.

In what appeared to be a new attack, the Dagestan interior ministry later said that in a village 65 kilometres (40 miles) from Makhachkala, called Sergokal, attackers had shot at a police car, wounding one officer.

The ministry spokesman also said a 66-year-old Orthodox priest was killed in Derbent.

- Synagogues on fire -

Dagestan's RGVK broadcaster named the priest as Nikolai Kotelnikov, saying he had served more than 40 years in Derbent.

Sunday is a religious holiday, Pentecost Sunday, in the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The synagogue in Derbent is on fire," the chairman of the public council of Russia's Federation of Jewish Communities, Boruch Gorin, wrote on Telegram.

"It has not been possible to extinguish the fire. Two are killed: a policeman and a security guard."

"The synagogue in Makhachkala has also been set on fire and burnt down," he said, adding that in Derbent, firefighters had been told to leave the burning synagogue over the risk that "terrorists remained inside".

"There is shooting in the streets around the synagogue,"he said.

The leader of Dagestan, Sergei Melikov, wrote on Telegram: "This evening in Derbent and Makhachkala unknown (attackers) made attempts to destabilise the situation in society.

"They were confronted by Dagestani police officers."

State news agency TASS cited a law enforcement source as saying the "gunmen who carried out attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent are supporters of an international terrorist organisation", without naming it.

Russia's FSB security service in April said it had arrested four people in Dagestan on suspicion of plotting the deadly attack on Moscow's Crocus City Hall concert venue in March, which was claimed by the Islamic State group.

Militants from Dagestan are known to have travelled to join IS in Syria, and in 2015, the group declared it had established a "franchise" in the North Caucasus.

Dagestan lies east of Chechnya, where Russian authorities battled separatists in two brutal wars, first in 1994-1996 and then in 1999-2000.

Since the defeat of Chechen insurgents, Russian authorities have been locked in a simmering conflict with Islamist militants from across the North Caucasus that has killed scores of civilians and police.
Rescuers in Switzerland have found the body of one of three people a day after they were swept away in a rockslide that hit their Alpine village following massive thunderstorms and rainfall, authorities said Sunday. The other two are still missing. This aerial photograph shows diggers clearing an area in the Graubunden (Grisons) canton in Switzerland after violent downpours caused floods and landslides(AFP)

One woman was pulled out alive from the rubble earlier on Saturday morning.

Today is a sad day, said Ignazio Cassis, member of the Swiss Federal Council, who addressed reporters Sunday after traveling to the region to show solidarity with the victims on behalf of the Federal Government.

The man's body was found in a nearby river, authorities said.

A team of 200 rescuers has been searching for the missing since Saturday with excavators, specially-trained search dogs, drones and army helicopters. But the likelihood of finding them alive is low, William Kloter from the Swiss police, who is heading the rescue operations, told reporters Sunday.

Search operations had to be halted during the night due to heavy rain.

The rockslide hit a group of three houses in the municipality of Lostallo in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubunden.

Swiss authorities also said that a segment of the A13 motorway leading to Italy had been completely submerged and destroyed by flooding. The major transit route will likely remain closed between the key San Bernardino Pass and Roveredo for several months.
Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man atop of the military vehicle during an arrest operation in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday, news agency Reuters reported. Israeli army straps Palestinian on military jeep during raid in Jenin, in this screengrab from a video, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, June 22, 2024. (REUTERS)

The report added that a video verified by Reuters and circulating on social media depicted a Palestinian resident of Jenin situated atop the jeep as it passed between two ambulances.

Israeli military's response to the viral video

The Israeli military said that the Palestinian man was injured during a counterterrorism operation carried out to nab wanted suspects. In a statement, the military explained that during an exchange of gunfire between soldiers and suspects, one of the suspects sustained injuries and was subsequently apprehended.

In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle, news agency AFP quoted Israel Defence Forces (IDF) the statement.

The military added the conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the Israeli army and that the incident will be investigated and dealt with.

The military further said that the individual was handed over to medical personnel for medical attention.

According to a Reuters report, the location was corroborated and verified through footage shared on social media, depicting a vehicle transporting a person tied atop a vehicle in Jenin. The date was confirmed by an eyewitness interviewed by Reuters.

The family of the wounded Palestinian man said he sustained injuries during an arrest raid. When the family requested an ambulance, the army took the man, fastened him to the hood of a vehicle, and departed.

Jenin has historically served as a stronghold for Palestinian militant factions, leading the Israeli army to frequently conduct raids in both the city and the neighbouring refugee camp.

How many deaths have occurred due to the Israel-Hamas conflict so far?

Violence in the West Bank, which had already increased before the Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, has continued to escalate. Palestinian officials report that at least 549 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza conflict started.

During the same period, attacks by Palestinians have resulted in the deaths of at least 14 Israelis in the West Bank, according to an AFP count based on Israeli official figures.

After the Hamas militant group launched an unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7 last year, which marked the beginning of the conflict resulting in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians in Israel, according to AFP.

Hamas militants took 251 Israeli hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 who the army says are dead.

Israel's military offensive in Gaza has since killed at least 37,551 Palestinian people, also mostly civilians, according to the health ministry of the Hamas-run territory.

(With inputs from AFP, Reuters)
It is being said that Meghan Markle will likely make millions from the first product of her new brand  American Riviera Orchard. The first product she is reportedly planning to launch under her lifestyle label is a bottle of rose. While Meghan did tease two other products from the brand earlier this year, the pink wine is expected to be the first item to be made available to the public. Meghan Markle could make millions from first product of her new brand (AP Photo/Sunday Alamba)(AP)

The Daily Mail reported that it makes infinite commercial sense for Meghans first product to be a wine, adding that product will likely help her earn a lot more money than her other products. As a product, wines are far more aspirationally marketable - not to mention financially lucrative  than humble jam, the publication stated.

Meghan previously hinted that she will be selling jams, and reportedly even sent samples to her celebrity friends like Mindy Kaling and Kris Jenner.

Meghan Markle is known to be fond of rose

The outlet reported that Meghan is known to be fond of rose, adding that back in 2016, this is what she drank while out on her first date with Prince Harry.

Like a good Cali influencer, she loves a glass of the pink stuff, and is also a fan of every Instagrammers favorite drink, a frose, which is made by freezing rose wine and blending it into a slushie with strawberries and some icing sugar, for extra sweetness, the publication wrote.

The publication suggested that Meghan might as well launch some drinkware to complement her rose launch. Its expected that other products in the initial tranche of releases will be drinking and serving ware, bar essentials and other products, related to hosting and entertaining, the outlet quoted insiders as saying. We can expect items in classic, but expensive, style.

However, Meghan has not yet shared any confirmation on the rose report. It has been reported that among other products, the Duchess of Sussex will include dog biscuits as part of the brand.

Meghan, however, is not the first celebrity to launch a wine. In the past, Cameron Diaz, Kylie Minogue, Brad Pitt and Francis Ford Coppola launched their own wines.
A merchant ship was damaged by a drone attack in the Red Sea near Yemen early Sunday morning, though no injuries were reported, according to a British maritime security agency. Yemens Houthi rebels have been firing barrage of drones and missiles targeting shipping in the Red Sea. (AP/File)

Vessels in and around the Red Sea have come under repeated attack for months by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen who say they are acting in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Read more: Yemen's Houthi rebels sink another ship in Red Sea, crew member feared dead

The attack occurred about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which is run by the British navy.

"The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call," said a bulletin from the agency.

Read more: Houthis On Rampage Despite U.S., UK Attacks; Another Ship Hit By Iran-Backed Group Sinks In Red Sea

"Authorities are investigating," it added, offering no attribution for the attack.

On Saturday, the US Central Command, which has carried out retaliatory strikes against the Huthis over their attacks on shipping, said it had destroyed three nautical drones belonging to the group over the past 24 hours.

Read more: Biden Struck By Houthi Fear? US Recalls Carrier Eisenhower Amid Relentless Attacks By Yemeni Rebels

It also said the group had launched three anti-ship missiles into the Gulf of Aden, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.
A Ukrainian missile attack on Sunday, on a city in the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula killed three people, including two children, and wounded over 100, officials said. Russia-Ukraine War: An aerial view of the city of Sevastopol after a missile attack struck the headquarters of Moscow's Black Sea fleet in annexed Crimea. (File image)(AFP)

Fragments hit beachgoers in Sevastopol after at least one missile was intercepted by air defences and exploded in the air, according to officials.

Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on Telegram that two children and one adult had died.

Also read | NATO chief warns China of consequences over support to Russia in Ukraine war

A Russian health ministry official told RIA Novosti news agency that 124 people were injured, including 27 children.

Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine used US-supplied weapons in the attack and accused it of using cluster munitions.

Sevastopol, a Black Sea port city and naval base on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, regularly comes under fire from Ukraine but Sunday's attack was unusually deadly.

Razvozhayev said the attack hit Uchkuyevka, an area with sandy beaches and hotels.

Videos posted on social media showed people running from the beach as explosions go off and people in swimming outfits carrying a stretcher. AFP could not verify their authenticity.

A local news channel on Telegram, ChP Sevastopol, cited witnesses as saying that an elderly woman was killed as she swam in the sea.

Terrorist act

The investigative committee, which probes major crimes, said it was opening an investigation into "a terrorist act".

The governor said Ukraine had launched five missiles which Russian air defences intercepted over the sea but fragments fell onto the shore area and shrapnel wounded people.

Razvozhayev said missile fragments hit beach areas in the north of the city and set fire to a house and woodland.

A Russian defence ministry statement said Ukraine committed a "terrorist attack on the civilian infrastructure of Sevastopol with US-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles loaded with cluster warheads".

The ministry said four missiles were downed and a fifth changed trajectory after being intercepted "with its warhead exploding in the air over the city".

Ukraine's military has not commented on the attack, which came a day after a Russian guided bomb strike on the city of Kharkiv hit an apartment building, killing two people and injuring more than 50.

On Sunday, another Russian strike hit a house in the city, killing one and injuring five, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said. Kharkiv mayor Igor Terekhov said three people were wounded by a separate strike on a children's educational facility.

A drone launched by Ukraine on Russia's southern Belgorod region on Sunday killed a man, the governor said.

Three Ukrainian attack drones struck Graivoron, near the border with Ukraine, said Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, with one hitting a car park near a multi-storey block of flats.

"A peaceful civilian was killed. The man died from his wounds at the spot" and three people were wounded, Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a social media post urged supporter countries to help Ukraine step up attacks on Russian soil.

"We have enough determination to destroy terrorists on their territory - it is only fair -- and we need the same determination from our partners. We can stop Russia," Zelensky wrote.
Former US President Donald Trump has been facing backlash after videos showing a large number of open seats and entire upper level sections completely empty during his rally at Temple University's Liacouras Center went viral on social media. Donald Trump walks offstage after speaking at a campaign rally at the Liacouras Center on June 22, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images via AFP)

Democratic Party activist Chris Jackson shared a video of Trump's Philadelphia rally on X, showing the upper seating tiers of the arena appearing empty.

Look at all those empty seats in Philadelphia. Old man can't even fill a high school gym anymore. Sad, he wrote.

Meanwhile, Peter Henlein posted the same clip as he captioned the video as: Here is a video of Trump at his rally tonight in swing state PA at Temple University's Liacouras Center, capacity 10,200. It's half empty. Zero attendees in the upper bowl.

Mocking Trump, he said, it is odd for a guy that brags about pulling 100k ppl in NJ and 30k in the Bronx.

One X user shared the video of the venue that was recorded before the rally started.

They got the entire back of the arena covered up with flags. The capacity at the Philly Trump rally is 10,206 and they're not getting anywhere near that.

Trump faced similar criticism for a rally in the South Bronx, New York, in May. Following the event, the former president's spokesperson stated that 25,000 people attended the rally, but several journalists independently refuted this claim.

Since assuming the Republican presidential nomination for 2024 in March, Trump has been trying to build support through his high-profile rallies across the country, ahead of his anticipated rematch with President Joe Biden in November. Pennsylvania is a pivotal swing state that voted for Trump over Hillary Clinton in 2016 and that Biden won in 2020.

Also Read: Rachel Morin murder: Donald Trump blasts Biden after illegal immigrant's arrest

Donald Trump blasts crooked Joe Biden

Trump spoke extensively about crime during his speech, stating that Philadelphia has suffered more than any other community under the Biden administration.

"Under Crooked Joe, the City of Brotherly Love is being ravaged by bloodshed and crime."

Compared to the same period last year, there was a reduction of fifteen percent in violent crime between January and March, according to FBI data. This included fall 26.4 percent fall in homicides, 25.7 percent in rapes, and 12.5 percent in violent assaults.

The first of two planned debates between Trump and Biden is expected to take place in Atlanta on June 27 in advance of the November 5 elections.

On Saturday, Jake Traylor of NBC News reported that Trump informed reporters that he had chosen his running mate. Trump reportedly stated that he would "most likely" attend the debate on Thursday with his vice presidential pick.
Shivon Zilis is an AI expert who has been associated with several projects of Elon Musk and is now the director of Neuralink.

Tech billionaire Elon Musk welcomed his third child with Neuralink executive Shivon Zilis earlier this year, according to recent reports by Bloomberg. The couple, known for their innovation in technology and business, chose to keep the arrival of their newest family member under wraps. The Tesla mogul already a father to twins Strider and Azure with Zilis born in November 2021, has not disclosed the total number of his children, although publicly he is known to have 11 kids.

Elon Musk welcomes third kid with Zilis: Report

Neuralink's director of special projects, Zilis, has not responded to questions from reporters about the recent report. If the story is true, it would mean Elon Musk has been blessed with another child, bringing his total number of children to 12. Public records show that Musk, who already has twins with Zilis, requested a court order to change the kids' last names to match his own, while also incorporating their mother's last name into their middle names.

Also read: Melania may choose Trump's running mate as she breaks cover in Manhattan; ex campaign aide claims

The announcement of the third child arrived just days after a Wall Street Journal report suggested that Musk had engaged in inappropriate relationships with female staff at SpaceX. A former employee of SpaceX stated that Musk often requested that she have children with him. Following her refusal and being turned down for a salary increase, she left the company with a substantial severance package.

How many kids does Elon Musk have?

Elon Musk has a large family, and although the exact number of children he has is not confirmed publicly, it is known that he has 11 children as of now. He has three children with musician Grimes (including Exa Dark Siderl, nicknamed Y, Techno Mechanicus, and X), and five children with his former wife, author Justine Musk (including twins Griffin and Vivian, and triplets Kai, Saxon, and Damian). Recent reports suggest he has fathered a third child with Shivon Zilis, an executive at his company Neuralink, in addition to the twins they already share. However, this hasn't been officially confirmed.

Also read: Jennifer Lopez starts impromptu dance party at Italian store; now everyone wants the dress named after her

Musk has consistently been vocal about the declining birth rates, viewing it as a big threat. In a previous interview, when questioned about his desired number of children, the Tesla owner remarked, "As many as I can spend time with and be a good father to." He has reportedly also encouraged his friends to have more children.
Florida rapper Julio Foolio, whose real name is Charles Jones, was shot and killed in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday, according to his attorney. The tragedy took place two days after he celebrated his 26th birthday. Florida rapper Julio Foolio was "kicked" out of an Airbnb where he was partying,(Instagram)

In Tampa, Foolio was staying at Holiday Inn hotel. The young musician was "kicked" out of an Airbnb where he was partying with his pals, when he was "basically ambushed," according to attorney Lewis Fusco, who spoke with News4JAX.

Foolio's girlfriend, Mani, announced his demise on social media. "Y'all took my boyfriend from me. I hate y'all & I won't be the only one crying," she wrote on X However, her account now seems to be private.

According to media reports, three people sustained injuries and one person was killed in the shooting incident outside a Tampa hotel. Foolio was identified as the deceased.

The injured were rushed to a hospital and they all are out of danger.

Know more about Foolio tragedy and police probe

According to the police investigation, Foolio and his friends started finding another location to continue their celebrations after cops arrived on the spot to stop the party after it got too rowdy.

Meanwhile, two cars were reportedly parked outside the hotel when several armed men arrived and started firing on Foolio's car.

What we have learned, and this is early in the investigation, two cars were shot at, Jonee Lewis, who works as a spokesperson for Tampa Police Department, told News Channel 8.

In a social media post, the rapper called his 26th birthday party the best birthday ever.

Was Foolio facing any life threat?

According to First Coast News, Foolio was a well-known member of the Jacksonville group KTA, which has a protracted conflict with rival gangs.

In 2023, the rapper was attacked by unknown assailants in a Jacksonville suburban neighborhood. He was shot in the foot, leaving him with a serious wound and multiple fractured bones.

Post the incident, he filed a lawsuit, claiming that UF Health nurse had jeopardized his safety by disclosing his movements.

During Foolio's brother's birthday party in 2018, his cousin and three teenagers died following a gang-related shooting, as per the authorities.

As of Sunday, authorities are still looking through hotel security footage and no suspect has been taken into custody.
A Nashville, Tennessee, woman has gone viral for her unfiltered bedroom advice. The now-global sensation appeared in a candid street interview with YouTubers Tim and Dee TV. Her bold declaration on how to make a man go crazy earned her the nickname of Hawk Tuah Girl. 'Hawk Tuah Girl' is the internet's latest viral sensation(X, formerly Twitter)

Who is the viral Hawk Tuah Girl?

In the clip of the interview, which has been making rounds on social media, the woman was asked the question, What's one move in bed that makes a man go crazy every time? To this, she replied, Oh, you have got to give it that 'hawk tuah' and spit on that thang, you get me? Her unconventional answer sparked discussion online, with netizens trying to figure out her identity.

While the exact meaning of Hawk Tuah remains a mystery, her answer ignited a meme fest online. Many began creating remix versions of the viral clip. Amid her new-found fame, she has garnered praise online for her interview, which was first shared on June 11. Since then, the video has been reshared across various social media platforms. However, despite netizens' efforts, her identity still remains a mystery.

ALSO READ: Taylor Swift calls out haters, debuts alleged Kim Kardashian diss track live at Eras Tour in London

A TikToker wrote, I was hoping I was the only one that fell in love with her but I think the whole world did. As her nickname ranked on top Google searches for weeks, many started selling Hawk Tuah Girl merchandise. In a shocking turn of events, a person even got the phrase tattooed.

The Hawk Tuah Girl also started trending heavily on X, formerly Twitter, where one user wrote, I think I found Bud Lights only chance at redemption! They need to hire this girl. Another quipped, Quite interesting how she united everyone.
The Boeing Starliners return to earth from the International Space Station has now been delayed for the third time, NASA announced on Friday, June 21. A new return date has not been revealed, however, this is the latest in several delays that were announced after the vehicle faced various issues on the way to the space station. Widespread concern as Boeing Starliners return delayed for 3rd time (REUTERS/Joe Skipper/File Photo)(REUTERS)

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams launched from Cape Canaveral on June 5. Subsequently, four helium leaks, and five failures of its 28 manoeuvring thrusters, were reported. Officials reportedly have a 45-day window to bring them back.

The spacecrafts return model is docked to the ISS Harmony module. However, officials warned that Harmony has limited fuel, which indicates that a return must be planned at the earliest. Initially, Wilmore and Williams were scheduled to return on June 13.

Amid widespread concerns over the safe return of the astronauts, with many publications claiming that the Starliner is stuck on ISS, some social media posts suggest that the situation is not that bad after all. X user Rebecca Regan, who appears to have direct knowledge of the situation, claimed that Wilmore and Williams are not stranded, as some reports have been claiming.

Here are some posts expressing concern:

Is the Starliner stuck in space?

No, Starliner is not stuck in space. No, Butch and Suni are not stranded. Weve got a good spacecraft and a happy and healthy crew. In fact, Suni gave our team a call this afternoon, showed us all around the space station and gave us a bit of encouragement to lift our spirits, Regan wrote on X.

In the thread, Regan quoted Mark Nappi, Starliner program manager, Boeing Commercial Crew, as saying, Starliner is performing very well and we are getting exactly what we wanted out of this flight test by learning things you can only learn in flight.

The crew has been incredibly supportive of this learning on orbit, working with the ground teams, to improve and sharpen the experience for future crews, Nappi added, according to Regan.

Starliner will come home with Butch and Suni after weve learned all we can on orbit, Regan added.

Echoing Regans comments. Space expert Jonathan McDowell told New York Post that the situation may not be as dangerous as some are perceiving it to be. You can lose a few thrusters and still be OK because there are many of them but still this is the propulsion system and you want to understand everything thats going on, he said. They want to be sure these smaller issues arent masking bigger ones.
Pro-Palestine demonstrators disrupted a joint rally held by Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vermont) on Saturday. U.S. Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-NY) speaks during a rally at St. Mary's Park on June 22, 2024 in the Bronx borough of New York City.(Getty Images via AFP)

Encouraging the demonstration at the rally, Within Our Lifetime wrote on X that THE BRONX STANDS WITH PALESTINE AGAINST SELL-OUT POLITICIANS WHO TRADE PALESTINIAN LIVES FOR VOTES.

In a thread, the pro-Palestine organisation said that endorsing Biden is endorsing the ongoing genocide in Gaza where over 45,000 Palestinians have been massacred in the past 8+ months. AOC has blood on her hands.

While mentioning that AOC will be in Las Vegas to campaign for Biden amid the "genocide of Palestine", it stated: "The Bronx will not give a warm welcome for endorsers of genocide and the movement will not accept Zionist sell-outs as our "allies"."

The group has received backlash over demonstrations against the Brooklyn Museum, which allegedly resulted in arrests on June 1 after the museum's artwork was allegedly vandalized. Additionally, the group has been connected to the targetting the prominent figures at the museum's residences, by pasting a banner outside the home of the Jewish director that addressed her as a white-supremacist Zionist.

Reacting to their protest against the museum, New York City Mayor Eric Adams wrote: This is not peaceful protest or free speech. This is a crime, and its overt, unacceptable antisemitism.

What happened during the rally?

AOC's campaign reports that 1,200 voters attended the rally on Saturday. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators, who were in attendance, shouted "Intifada, Intifada" and "Genocide Joe has got to go."

While carrying posters reading "For class war to free Palestine!," the protestors called Sanders and AOC "sellouts" for not offering enough support to Palestine, NY POST reported.

According to a video uploaded on X, after the rally, the demonstrators went to the campaign buses of the politicians and started writing on them with markers and putting stickers on the paneling.

In a video posted on X, Bowman can be heard saying to the crowd at St. Marys Park, People ask me why I got a foul mouth. What am I supposed to do? You coming after me. You coming after my family. You coming after my children. Im not supposed to fight back? As the pro-Palestine demonstration continued to interrupt the rally with chanting, he said, We gonna show them, who the f*** we are!

Bowman urged the throng to chant "ceasefire now" in reference to the conflict in Gaza. He attacked the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) group.

"We are gonna show f---ing AIPAC the power of the motherf---ing South Bronx," he stated. In wake of Bowman's criticisms of Israel, AIPAC recently launched a $14 million campaign to prevent him from being reelected.

The 16th congressional district in New York presents a challenging reelection campaign for Bowman. On June 26, he will square off against AIPAC-backed Democrat George Latimer. One of the main features of the race has been the difference in opinion between the two candidates about US assistance for Israel in its conflict with Gaza.

Sanders referred to the Bowman-Latimer contest as "one of the most important" elections in American history.

This election is not about Jamaal vs Mr. Latimer, this election is about whether or not the billionaire class and the oligarchs will control the United States government. And I look to you to know they wont, he stated.

Meanwhile, Ocasio-Cortez said at a Biden campaign rally in Las Vegas that people should support left-leaning issues, primarily abortion after the Dobbs ruling.

Four more years of President Biden versus Donald Trump is quite literally the difference between life and death, she asserted.
Federal authorities offered a reward for information about those responsible for igniting a pair of New Mexico wildfires that killed two people and destroyed hundreds of homes in the past week. In this photo provided by Pam Bonner, smoke rises from fires in Ruidoso, N.M., Monday, June 17, 2024. Thousands of southern New Mexico residents fled the mountainous village as a wind-whipped wildfire tore through homes and other buildings. (Pam Bonner via AP)(AP)

The FBI on Saturday offered up to USD 10,000 for information in connection with the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire in southern New Mexico, which forced thousands to flee.

An agency statement said it was seeking public assistance in identifying the cause of the fires near Ruidoso, New Mexico, that were discovered June 17. But the notice also pointedly suggested human hands were to blame, saying the reward was for information leading to arrest and conviction of "the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.

The South Fork Fire, which reached 26 square miles (67 square kilometres), was 26 per cent contained on Saturday, while the Salt Fire, at 12 square miles (31 square kilometres), was 7 per cent contained as of Saturday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre. Full containment was not expected until July 15.

Recent rains and cooler weather have assisted more than 1,000 firefighters working to contain the fires. Fire crews on Saturday took advantage of temperatures in the 70s Fahrenheit (21 to 26 Celsius), scattered showers and light winds to use bulldozers to dig protective lines while hand crews used shovels in more rugged terrain to battle the fires near the mountain village of Ruidoso.

Elsewhere in New Mexico, heavy rain and flash flood warnings prompted officials to order some mandatory evacuations Friday in the city of Las Vegas, New Mexico, and communities near Albuquerque, about 200 miles (320 kilometres) north of Ruidoso. Las Vegas set up shelters for displaced residents, and some evacuation orders remained in place there on Saturday.

Flash flood warnings were cancelled Saturday, though the National Weather Service said afternoon storms could produce excessive runoff and more flooding in the area.

The wildfires have destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,400 structures. Other fallout from the fires, including downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines, flooding in burn scars, continued to pose risks to firefighters and the public, according to a Saturday update from the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

Evacuations in areas near Ruidoso and road closures were still in effect. In Ruidoso, full-time residents will be allowed to return Monday, though everyday life won't return to normal.

You're going to need to bring a week's worth of food, you're going to need to bring drinking water, Mayor Lynn Crawford said on Facebook.

President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico on Thursday, freeing up funding and more resources to help with recovery efforts including temporary housing, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property and other emergency work in Lincoln County and on lands belonging to the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, met with Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, Crawford and Mescalero Apache President Thora Walsh Padilla on Saturday. These communities have our support for as long as it takes to recover, Criswell posted on the social media platform X.

Much of the Southwest has been exceedingly dry and hot in recent months. Those conditions, along with strong wind, whipped the flames out of control, rapidly advancing the South Fork Fire into Ruidoso in a matter of hours. Evacuations extended to hundreds of homes, businesses, a regional medical center and the Ruidoso Downs horse track.

Nationwide, wildfires have scorched more than 3,344 square miles (8,660 square kilometres) this year, a figure higher than the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre.
The bitterness between Prince Harry and Queen Camilla is not hidden from the world. While the queen has seemingly developed a good bond with Prince William and his wife, Kate Middleton, an insider claims that Camilla harbours a strong dislike for the Duke and has been actively limiting his interactions with ailing King Charles. According to the source, this strained relationship has led Queen Camilla to curtail the amount of time the cancer-stricken King Charles spends with his youngest son. Queen Camilla in Prince Harry and Meghan's wedding.

Queen Camilla dislikes Prince Harry

"Camilla dislikes Harry and doesnt want Charles to get stressed while hes undergoing treatment, so she tries to limit interaction, a source claimed as per OK magazine. However, several reports indicate that the King still desires to keep his youngest and his grandkids Archie and Lilibet in touch.

While the King wishes to mend fences, he's caught in a tough spot because Harry's actions have upset both William and Camilla. Reports say Harry's relationship with his stepmother has always been strained, and things got worse after his book Spare came out with critical and sensational remarks about the queen.

Also read: William and Kate to 'encourage' Charlotte and Louis to pursue non-working royal role after Harry

Harry thinks Princess Diana would have been proud of him

The world has always been aware of Harry's deep bond with his late mother, Princess Diana. Despite stepping away from his duties as a member of the royal family with his wife, Meghan Markle, in 2020, he has kept Diana's memory alive through his charitable efforts. It is said that the Duke believes Diana would have been in favour of him departing from the royal family. Harry was scarred by what his mother went through, and when he saw the same thing happening to Meghan, he knew he must act, an insider told Ok Magazine.

Hes certain his mother would have approved of him leaving the royal family. Diana had tried to do the same, and he thinks she would be proud of him and his new life, the source added.

Also read: Meghan Markle asked for 'free handbags and clothes' from Victoria Beckham, but request was denied because

King Charles wont forgive Harry for his attack on Camilla

Despite his desire to reconcile for the sake of his grandchildren, Charles, who is battling cancer, has found it difficult to forgive his estranged son. Criticism of Camilla in Harry's book and interview is cited as particularly unforgivable by royal author Christopher Andersen. Reports have surfaced indicating that Harry and Meghan Markle have tried to start discussions on peace with the royal family, but according to Andersen, these efforts have ultimately failed.

"I had complex feelings about gaining a stepparent who, I believed, had recently sacrificed me on her personal PR altar in a funny way," Harry claimed in his tell-all book. "I even wanted Camilla to be happy. Maybe shed be less dangerous if she was happy?" he added. Later, in his interview with Good Morning America, he is believed to have made the royals, especially Camilla, even more, furious after he called her the third person in his parents marriage, referring to King Charles' affair behind Princess Dianas back.
Houston, Amidst the scorching Texas heat, thousands of yoga enthusiasts gathered across the state to embrace the timeless practice of yoga during the month-long celebrations of the 10th International Day of Yoga 2024. Thousands participate in month long Yoga Day events in Texas, adjoining states

Organised by the Consulate General of India Houston and several partner organisations, the theme 'Yoga for Self and Society' underscored a shared pursuit of well-being and harmony.

From bustling urban squares to serene river walks and parks adorned with colourful mats, participants from diverse backgrounds united to explore yoga's transformative power.

The festivities, commencing on June 2 and continuing through June 29, is extending their reach beyond Texas, encompassing neighbouring states served by CGI Houston, such as Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

Interactive workshops, live demonstrations, and collective yoga sessions immersed participants in practices promoting peace, inner balance, and holistic wellness.

Techniques including relaxation, pranayama , and meditation showcased yoga's ability to rejuvenate both mind and body.

"In a gentle way, you can shake the world," Mahatma Gandhi's timeless wisdom resonated throughout, emphasising yoga's profound impact on individual health and community cohesion.

Organised by CGI Houston in collaboration with NASA, Space Center Houston, and Rasa Yoga, the culminating event on June 18th at NASA's Johnson Space Center was a pinnacle of unity and inspiration.

Against the backdrop of towering space shuttles, creating a cosmic backdrop symbolising yoga's rising popularity amidst the frontier of space exploration. This symbolic setting epitomised yoga's growing popularity and universal appeal.

Despite weather challenges, enthusiastic crowds gathered at iconic venues like the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial of North Texas in Dallas, Congress in Austin, Riverwalk in San Antonio, and Houston's NASA, India House, & Discovery Green.

Seasoned yoga instructors led sessions infused with meditation, dynamic exercises, and revitalising breathing techniques, fostering an atmosphere of renewal and community spirit.

D.C. Manjunath, Consul General of India in Houston, expressed boundless enthusiasm for the event's growing impact, highlighting significant participation and community engagement over the years.

Emphasising this year's theme of "Yoga for Self and Society," he highlighted collaborative efforts with various yoga organisations.

"It is clear that Yoga has become a unifying force, bringing together people across cultures and backgrounds. It is gladdening to see the youth participating in Yoga sessions with such zeal and dedication," remarked Manjunath.

Celebrated annually on June 21, International Yoga Day illuminates yoga's transformative benefits and captivates audiences worldwide. Beyond physical fitness, yoga fosters mental clarity, emotional resilience, and a harmonious society.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Former US President Donald Trump denounced highly overrated star Bill Maher by calling his show dead and slamming him for fake, loud and obnoxious laughter. Donald Trump has warned Republican colleagues from engaging with Maher and his show.(REUTERS)

This comes after ex-New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (D) and former Representative Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) appeared on Maher's show Real Time to warn netizens about Trump's potential return to the White House and discuss charges against the GOP leader.

Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, on Saturday, Trump wrote: Bill Maher, the highly overrated Star of the ratings challenged show with the Fake, Loud and Obnoxious laughter pouring out of your set every few seconds, even when nothing was said that was funny (which is most of the time!).

Continuing his tirade against Maher, the former President stated that he suffers from a terminal case of Trump Derangement Syndrome, sometimes referred to as TDS.

Cuomo and Maher discusses cases against Trump

Cuomo and Maher engaged in a discussion about their opinions that Trump's New York hush money case ahead of the presidential elections, stating that it not just politicised the legal system, but also benefited his campaign. Maher countered that the focus should have been on the former president's election interference cases.

If they had just heard the one about trying to overthrow the government of the United States. Thats the main thing! He tried to overthrow the government of the United States! And were never going to hear that, Maher stated on his show on Friday evening.

Trump is the kind of the guy: The more he goes to jail the more popular he becomes. It's like street cred he's like a rapper, he added.

Cuomo pointed to Kinzinger and remarked, "And good for you for January 6."

Cuomo agreed when Maher asserted that Trump's trial was the biggest fundraising bonanza ever. According to him, the former President was lagging behind Biden, but now he's pulled quite a bit ahead.

During his last tenure in Congress, Kinzinger was the part of the House Select Committee to probe the attack on the Capitol. He cut ties with Trump and the Republican Party following January 6, 2021 events.

Trump warns Republican leaders

Trump warned Republican colleagues from engaging with Maher and his show. Republicans should stop using him as a reference point, his show is dead!

Over the past few months, Maher has encountered opposition from both parties over his remarks made ahead of the 2024 elections.

Earlier this month, Maher predicted that Trump would be able to secure enough votes from Americans in November and declared that incumbent President Joe Biden was going to lose this year's presidential election.

Maher has been slamming both parties constantly since March, when he pledged to do everything within his power to avert a Trump election.
A Virgin Atlantic flight bound for San Francisco was forced to reroute after its windscreen cracked mid-air at 40,000 feet. The Boeing 787-9 aircraft suffered damage to the outer layer of the cockpit windscreen nearly three hours after it took off from Londons Heathrow Airport, the company said. A Virgin Atlantic's Boeing 787 flight was forced to reroute after its windscreen cracked mid-flight (REUTERS)

Boeing 787-9 aircraft reroutes after windscreen cracks mid-flight

The incident occurred when the plane did an about-face somewhere between Greenland and Iceland, per NY Post. Reports say the temperature outside was -58 degrees. As the flight was forced to turn around, the passengers made their trip to San Francisco the next day. No injuries were sustained at the time of the incident.

While the cause behind the damage to the May 27 flight was not clear, a spokesperson for Virgin Atlantic said that the aircraft's VS41s glass, made of multiple layers, was partly cracked. The spokesperson added that it was a non-structural, wear-resistant layer.

ALSO READ: Southwest Boeing 737 dives below 500ft over Oklahoma neighbourhood, triggers low-altitude alert

Following the mid-air scare, the airline assured that at no point was the safety of the aircraft, our customers or our cabin crew compromised, per the Evening Standard. The statement continued, The Captain made the decision to return to Heathrow, where we had the replacement parts and tooling in place to fix the issue and avoid further impact to our customers and our schedules.

We always work well above industry safety standards and the aircraft was back in service within 24 hours of the event. Wed like to apologise to the customers involved, for the delay to their journeys, the airline added.

The incident comes amid Boeing's series of mishaps. On Wednesday, a Southwest Airlines' Boeing 787 plane triggered altitude alarms while landing in Oklahoma City as it flew less than 500 feet over a residential neighbourhood. A similar incident took place a month ago when another Southwest aircraft bound for Hawaii dropped to just 400 feet above the Pacific Ocean.
A 32-year-old Indian student was reportedly killed in firing at a grocery store in Houston in the United States. Dasari Gopikrishna sustained critical injuries, while working at the billing desk, during a robbery incident at a gas station convenience store in Pleasant Grove, Dallas, on June 21. Dasari Gopikrishna, an Andhra Pradesh native from the Bapatla area arrived in the US just eight months ago.(X)

He was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries on Saturday while undergoing treatment.

Around 14 people were hit by gunfire, including 11 civilians, two law enforcement officers and the suspect, the police said in a statement, reported AP.

India's Consul General in Houston, D C Manjunath, who was in Dallas for a Yoga Day event on Sunday, confirmed to PTI that the incident was unrelated to a shooting in Arkansas, as previously reported by various sources.

Expressing condolences to Gopikrishna's family, Manjunath said, "We are deeply saddened to learn about the tragic demise of Indian national Gopi Krishna Dasari in a robbery shooting incident at Pleasant Grove, Dallas, TX, and are in touch with local family members."

Who was Dasari Gopikrishna?

Gopikrishna, an Andhra Pradesh native from the Bapatla area arrived in the US just eight months ago.

On June 21, a shooter opened fire at grocery store, where Gopikrishna was employed.

His family, residing in Yajali, Karlapalem mandal, Bapatla district, was devastated after hearing the news of his demise. He is survived by a son and a wife.

A video of the tragic incident went viral on social media, showing a man donning mask, shorts, and a cap firing at Gopikrishna before robbing money and some item from the store.

The incident has sent shockwaves among Indian population in Dallas and nearby areas.

Andhra CM extends condolences

On Sunday, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu expressed grief over the incident and mourned the demise of Gopikrishna.

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and assure them that the GoAP will extend every possible support to help bring him home. We firmly stand by the family and pray for them to find strength through this difficult time," Naidu wrote on X.

Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy, the former chief minister of the YSR Congress Party and a former chief minister of the state, has also expressed shock over his death. He has appealed to the Naidu government and the Ministry of External Affairs to support the deceased's kin unconditionally.

With cooperation from Indian associations, the Consulate is offering every assistance possible to enable Gopikrishna's corpse to be repatriated to India after completing all necessary procedures, such as death certificate and autopsy report.
Amid various speculations about who former president Donald Trump might choose as a running mate, sources have told CNN who the possible contenders could be. Trump is expected to reveal his pick for vice president at the Republican National Convention, which is just weeks away. Who will be Donald Trump's VP pick? (REUTERS/Tom Brenner)(REUTERS)

Trump has been busy, what with the hush money trial in New York in which he was found guilty. He is also battling three other legal cases. However, despite his legal woes, he has continued his campaign to win in the upcoming election.

NBC News' Jake Traylor said in a post on X that although Trump has already selected his running mate, he has not informed the person yet.

Heres a look at Trumps possible VP picks, as per CNN:

Dough Burgum

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum reportedly received vice-presidential vetting materials from the Trump campaign last month. He previously told CNNs Kaitlan Collins that the whole discussion about the veepstakes  is kind of a giant distraction.

(Trump) can win this election on his own, Burgum said, adding that the people of this country are focused on the issues and not on whos going to be the VP.

Marco Rubio

Six people familiar with the former presidents search for a running mate previously claimed that Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is being considered one of the most potential vice presidential picks. "It's pretty clear from Trump's orbit that Rubio is in play," said a veteran Florida GOP operative, according to NBC News. "It makes sense because he checks almost every box if they can get past both being from Florida."

J.D. Vance

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance entered the Congress with Trumps help. In 2022, the former presidents endorsement helped Vance win a contentious race. Vance has been an outspoken Trump supporter in Congress.

Tim Scott

Earlier this year, Trump said Tim Scott is a guy I look at on being asked on a radio show if the South Carolina senator could be his running mate. Scott suspended his presidential campaign days after the third presidential debate. He later endorsed the former president in New Hampshire, saying, We need a president who will close our southern border today. We need Donald Trump.

Elise Stefanik

House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik has now become one of Trumps strongest supporters in Congress, although she was a Trump sceptic during the 2016 campaign. On various occasions, Trump has asked donors and allies what they think about Stefanik as a potential vice president. Stefanik previously told CNN that she is proud to be a top surrogate and would proudly serve in a future Trump administration.

Ben Carson

Former Housing and Urban Development secretary Ben Carson, who is a retired neurosurgeon, did not exactly endorse Trump. However, he did offer a strong defence of Trump before he became president in 2017. People who think Donald Trump would be the worst thing that ever happened  you make a really big mistake by trying to thwart the will of the people, Carson before Trump was elected.

Carson turned down the then-president-elects offer to be his health and human services secretary, but went on to head the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He notably disagrees with Trumps stance on abortion, but is believed to be one of the candidates to have been given many levels of paperwork in the vice-presidential vetting process.

Byron Donalds

Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, a Trump loyalist and one of his most trusted surrogates, endorsed Trump over Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican presidential primary last year. The former president has often showered him with praises and public support. Donalds previously suggested that if he is elected vice president, he would be capable of assuming the commander in chief if necessary. I think that I have the ability to step in, Donalds said in June on NBCs Meet the Press. Im actually pretty intelligent.

Nikki Haley

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley became the last Trump opponent to stay in the GOP presidential race after everyone else suspended their campaigns. Earlier this month, on being asked if he would consider Haley as his running mate, Trump said he was very disappointed in her because she stayed too long.

Haley previously served as Trump's ambassador to the United Nations. She said on the trail in the past that she feels no need to kiss the ring. She did not immediately endorse Trump after suspending her campaign, but said Trump must earn the support of voters who supported her. However, last month she finally revealed that she would be voting for Trump.

Tom Cotton

Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton did explore a 2024 presidential run, but decided not to join the race following the 2022 midterms. The Afghanistan and Iraq War veteran was first elected to the US House in 2012 and then to the US Senate in 2014.

Earlier this year, Cotton said he had decided to run for Senate Republican conference chair, which happens to be the third-ranking leadership position in GOP leadership. He recently told NBC that any great patriot, if offered a chance to serve our country by the president, would have to consider it seriously.

Cotton, however, has confirmed that he has had no conversation with Trump or his campaign about the role or any position in his administration.

Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard ran as a Democratic presidential candidate back in 2020. However, in 2022, she left the party to become an independent. At the time, she alleged that her former party was under the complete control of an elitist cabal of warmongers driven by cowardly wokeness.

Gabbard in 2019 notably voted present on both articles of impeachment against Trump. However, in recent months, he has expressed her appreciation for the former president. Earlier this year, she said at a Conservative Political Action Conference that the Democrat elite and cronies are using our criminal system to prosecute Trump and undermine his support.
Russian President Vladimir Putin was seen waving goodbye to his friend and North Korean counterpart Kim Jong Un as he departed the country after concluding his state visit earlier this week. A video capturing Putin waving continuously from inside the plane as it departed Pyongyang has gone viral. A video capturing Putin waving continuously from inside the plane as it departed Pyongyang has gone viral. (X/BRICS News)

The BRICS News X handle shared the video, stating, Russia's President Putin waves goodbye to his friend, North Korea's Kim Jung Un. The video also showed Putin joining both hands, seemingly to signify the strong ties between the two countries.

The visit produced several viral video clips, including the ones mentioned above, capturing the world's attention as the two leaders met. Another video shows Vladimir Putin and Kim Jong Un taking turns driving an Aurus limousine.

A clip of Kim Jong Un inviting Putin to sit inside the designated car before him has also gained traction on social media. President Vladimir Putin driving North Korea's Kim Jong Un in a brand new Aurus Russian luxury car, the BRICS News X handle wrote.

Russia-North Korea sign new pacts

The new agreement signed by Putin with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un includes provisions for mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang if either nation is attacked, Associated Press reported. Putin also revealed for the first time that Russia might supply weapons to the isolated country.

He characterised the potential arms shipments as a countermeasure to NATO allies supplying Ukraine with longer-range weapons to strike Russia.

This new pact signifies the strongest connection between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.

Kim said the new pact elevated bilateral relations to the level of an alliance.

In contrast, Putin was more reserved, pointing out that the mutual military assistance pledge echoed a 1961 treaty between the Soviet Union and North Korea. This agreement was abandoned after the Soviet Union's collapse and replaced with a weaker version in 2000 during Putin's first visit to Pyongyang.

South Korea reacts

South Korea reacted to the Russia-North Korea pacts, saying it might consider sending arms to Ukraine, marking a significant shift in its policy. Until now, Seoul has only provided humanitarian aid to Kyiv, adhering to its long-standing policy of not supplying weapons to countries involved in conflicts.

Putin assured that Seoul had nothing to worry about, as the new pact only included military assistance in case of aggression and was intended to act as a deterrent to prevent conflict. He sternly warned South Korea against supplying lethal weapons to Ukraine, stating it would be a very big mistake.

If that happens, then we will also make corresponding decisions that will hardly please the current leadership of South Korea, he said.

When asked if North Korean troops might fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine under the new pact, Putin responded that there was no need for such an arrangement.

(With inputs from Associated Press)
The Veterans Services office hosts its annual picnic at Friday at the Greylock Club in North Adams.

North Berkshire Veterans Enjoy Summer Barbecue



The picnic includes food, beverages and gift cards and bags for local veterans and their families. NORTH ADAMS, Mass.  Friends, family, community organizers and leaders, and veterans from multiple generations gathered under the Greylock Club pavilion on Friday for the Veterans Summer Barbecue.

Even the nearly 90-degree heat didn't stop more than 50 people from attending the event to support the community's veterans and hear their stories.

"As we're here talking, you can hear the noise of people chatting. Sometimes, you go to these things, and it's a silent room. It's one way to beat the heat, for sure," Mitchell Keil, North Adams' veterans services officer, said.

Events like this give people the opportunity to learn about the history of veterans, which is especially important with the younger generation because history is not really taught anymore,

Travys Rivers, a city firefighter and veteran, said.

Rivers said about 100 people, including kids, came out on a Saturday morning before Memorial Day to put flags up at the graves of veterans

Opportunities to interact with the community's veterans and hear their stories, as well as seeing their graves respected, are important because it connects youth with the sacrifices made by veterans to maintain the freedom and way of life we enjoy today, he said.

When veterans return to civilian life, they recuse themselves because they feel like other people can't relate to the situations they have been in, Keil said.

With events like this, veterans rediscover the brotherhood that they built while in service, Rivers said.

They are able to swap stories and learn from each other's experiences and knowledge, Rivers and Keil said.

"So, getting everybody together for the camaraderie of it all, it's really important for everybody's physical and mental health," Keil said, who served with the Marines in Afghanistan.

Unless technology was part of their job in the military, some veterans won't know how to use pieces of technology that change every day, Rivers said. This is why the North Adams Veterans Services office is so important because they can help with that; the office also covers other North Berkshire communities and Dalton through a shared services program.

The younger veterans can also learn from the older ones by listening to their stories and experiences, Keil said, because the older veterans have a "lifetime of wisdom."

There has been a new push toward mental health that had not been at the forefront to help veterans and families deal with the after-effects of war, Keil said.

Now that everybody is starting to open up, the older veterans are, too. The younger generation of veterans can look at these experiences to give them insight into what and how they could live a better life with their families, he said.

The veterans office has held picnics in the past but Administrative Assistant Tina Samson said when it resumed as an annual event after the pandemic it was held in the memory of Michael Hansen.

The Hansen family donates to Veterans Services every year to make the picnic possible. Michael Hansen was an Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War who died in 2021.

"It's heartwarming. I think my brother would be blown away by [the picnic." Hansen's sister Pam Wilk said.

Hansen had moved to the Berkshires after being homeless in Virginia, and Wilk said she does not know what would have happened if it wasn't for the North Adams Veteran Services staff at the time.

"The help that he got from the Veterans [Services] was absolutely amazing. It made a huge difference in his life. When he passed, obviously, we had the money. I made donations to be given to the Veteran Services, and that's how the picnic started. That's where the money went to," Wilk said.

"They were calling it the Michael Hansen picnic. I asked him to stop because he's just one of many deserving veterans who should have a picnic."

The picnic grows every year, and they hope to continue to see it expand every year. People donate their time or gift baskets, gift cards, and other items, Samson said.

"It takes a village to do this for our veterans," she said.

The local Veterans Services office uses state Chapter 115 benefits to help low-income veterans who are struggling by providing financial support, food assistance, and filing federal U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs claims.

The North Adams office also has a food pantry that is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays for veterans.
Epson Philippines and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines, in their shared aspiration to making the Philippines a more food-sufficient nation, completed their joint initiative of empowering communities in Tarlac City to grow their own food through sustainable agriculture-based livelihood.

Epson Philippines employees kickstarted the project by building the foundation of the food shed in Barangay San Jose de Urquico in Tarlac.

Through the Food Shed Farming Enterprise Project, which was launched in 2023, Epson and WWF-Philippines have established two food sheds in Barangay San Jose de Urquico and Barangay Batang-Batang. The food sheds provided 60 households (30 households in each barangay) with local access to over 70 kilos of fresh vegetables, from eggplants, chili, and squash. The income generated from future harvests will be set aside as group savings. The project is supported by the Tarlac City Agriculture Office in the conduct of all activities, while the Barangay Captain and Kagawad Head of Committee on Agriculture will oversee the operation and management of the food sheds beyond the project term.

We are proud of our work in empowering local communities in Tarlac City with the help of WWF-Philippines, said Epson Philippines President and Director Masako Kusama. These initiatives, which enable communities to become more self-sufficient in their food supply through agriculture-based livelihoods, align with our overall vision of sustainabilitythat anyone, whether they be a business or a community, can operate sustainably, enabling both present and future generations to live securely.

Apart from the construction of the food sheds, 47 community members (20 from Brgy. San Jose de Urquico and 27 from Brgy. Batang-Batang) participated in training interventions on three areas, namely: 1) cultivating leafy and fruiting vegetables, 2) establishing effective financial management systems, and 3) value chain upgrading or market linkage.

Community members were educated on the value of saving and managing finances, as well as the concept of Group Savings and Loans Associations. The project also implemented capacity development and technology transfer on food shed farming systems, including an introduction to food security; requirements for establishing food sheds; soil sterilizing, seed sowing, and composting; integrated pest and disease management; nutrient management; Kratky hydroponics production; basic poultry management and husbandry; and proper harvesting and handling.

Epson employees were also engaged in the initiative, as it offered volunteerism opportunities, with over 180 employees participating through the construction of the food sheds or as attendees to WWF-Philippines Panda Talks sessions. The Panda Talks discussed topics on plastic pollution and waste management, as well as energy efficiency and conservation.

By having the means to grow fresh and local vegetables, communities have constant access to food at affordable prices and stable livelihoods. The initiative also enables intra-neighborhood access, which brings product prices down and reduces the carbon footprint associated with transportation and food loss.
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Fans and critics are tearing apart Netflixs latest hit movie Trigger Warning.

The film, which landed on Netflix on Friday (21 June), has shot straight to the No 1 spot in the streamers Top 10 movies in the UK list.

Trigger Warning stars Jessica Alba as Parker, a US Special Forces commando stationed overseas who is forced to return home when her father is killed.

Parker takes over the family bar in her hometown, where she finds herself caught up in a violent conspiracy as she investigates the circumstances surrounding her fathers mysterious death.

Trigger Warning is currently the number one film in the UK on Netflix, sitting in front of Jodie Comers thriller-drama The End We Start From and 24 Hours in Lidl  a behind-the-scenes documentary about the supermarket chain.

Despite earning the coveted top spot, however, Trigger Warning is receiving dismal reviews from all sides, with both critics and subscribers criticising the action flick.

As noticed by Screenrant, the film continues Albas unenviable Rotten Tomatoes streak of late. The actor, best known for films such as Honey (2003) and Fantastic Four (2005), has not achieved a score above 45 per cent in either audience or reviewer scores on Rotten Tomato since Stretch. The 2015 comedy, in which she starred pposite Chris Pine and Patrick Wilson, was well-received overall.

Three of Albas films in the last 10 years  Barely Lethal, Some Kind of Beautiful, and Killers Anonymous  have pulled in Rotten Tomato scores of less than 30 per cent. The latter pulled in a 0 per cent critic score based on nine reviews, and a 16 per cent audience score based on over 100 ratings.

( Netflix )

Unfortunately, however, TriggerWarning will do little to remedy the problem with Albas latest film achieving just a 25 per cent rating based on 20 reviews. It has achieved an even lower audience score of 19 per cent.

Writing on X/Twitter, one Netflix subscriber said: Trigger Warning is one of the most boring movies Ive seen all year, but its also far and away the dumbest! A film seemingly made to justify Netflixs ability to watch things at 1.5x speed.

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Someone else criticised the films writing, calling it one of the worst script [writing[ in a while.

( Netflix )

I watched Trigger Warning on Netflix last night, said a third person. Im a fan of Jessica Alba but that movie is really bad.

Top 5 worst movie [sic] ever, agreed another. Total waste of time. Thats a review. Meanwhile, others praised Albas acting ability and action sequences while still deriding the films plot and writing.

Some critics were less harsh than others, however, with The Guardian awarding the film three stars in a review titled: Jessica Alba returns in solid Netflix action vehicle.

Trigger Warning is available to stream now on Netflix.

If youre travelling abroad and want to stream Trigger Warning 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. Viewers using a VPN need to make sure that they comply with any local regulations where they are, and also with the terms of their service provider.
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Si King has said it wouldnt be respectful to continue The Hairy Bikers without his late co-star and friend Dave Myers.

Myers, whose many shows with King fused their love of cooking and motorcycles, died aged 66 in March this year after he was diagnosed with cancer in May 2022.

In his first sit-down interview since Myers death, King spoke with restaurant critic Jay Rayner at his cottage just south of Newcastle.

In the interview, which was published in The Observer on Sunday (23 June), King opened up about the loss of his friend  and also the subject of what he will do next.

The 57-year-old ruled out the possibility of continuing Hairy Bikers without Myers.

It cant be the Hairy Bikers 2.0, he said. Thats not going to happen. It wouldnt be respectful.

King went on to explain that he is not only mourning the death of his friend, but also the life and career that they shared together.

Theres obviously the sense of losing your best mate, he said. But theres also a sense of loss in that the experiences we had together cant go on.

open image in gallery Hairy Bikers Si King (left) and Dave Myers (Dominic Lipinski/PA) ( PA Wire )

The TV personality said that he has only recently, three months after Myers death, been able to grapple with the question of what is next for him career-wise.

He said: Its only in the past couple of weeks that Ive started to think about what I want to do. Ive spent all my life from very young thinking about what other people want and what their needs and aspirations are.

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So to be presented at my age with the question of what you really want to do is very difficult. We were a partnership, a double act.

He emphasised the importance of having a professional partner, stating: I need someone to play off. Im good at unpacking people. Im genuinely interested in peoples stories.

Asked by Rayner about the current television trend of celebrities fronting travelogues, King said: Its virtually impossible to think about that sort of thing at the minute.

open image in gallery Undated BBC handout photo of Si King and Dave Myers in their BBC cooking programme, The Hairy Bikers Go West ( BBC/South Shore Productions/PA Wire )

He continued: I dont think as a creative person you ever stop being creative. How can you retire from yourself? Do I want to do more books? Yes, I do. Do I want to make more programmes? Yes, I do.

King went on to express his sincere hopes that the fans he and Myers gained along the way will stick by him on his next journey.

It would be incredibly churlish not to say thank you to our fanbase, he said. I sincerely hope that whatever I do next they come with me and we start another journey together.

In April, over 6,000 bikers joined King for a ride-out tribute to Myers, which raised money for Cancer Research UK. The route began in Beverley in East Yorkshire, passed by the Whitby coast, and ended in Scarborough.

The duo made their debut as the Hairy Bikers on The Hairy Bikers Cookbook in 2004, and have presented numerous shows together over the years.

These include The Hairy Bikers Food Tour of Britain in 2009, The Hairy Bikers Cook Off in 2010 and The Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure in 2014.
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BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker has thanked listeners for their supportive messages as he deals with a terminal illness.

In 2019, the presenter, who has worked at the BBC since 1969, was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis  when the lungs become scarred and breathing becomes increasingly difficult. At the time, Walker was given a prognosis of two to five years, and he continued to present his radio shows from his home in Dorset.

The 79-year-old and his wife, Tiggy Jarvis, revealed earlier this month that doctors had told him to prepare to die at any time and that he had a finite amount of time left to live, which could range from weeks to six months.

During Sundays live instalment of his show Sounds of the 70s (23 June), Walker read out a message from a listener who thoughtfully suggested the song Youve Got A Friend as a show of support for the veteran radio DJ.

The listener, Jeanette Beale from West Sussex, said the most appropriate [song suggestion] is Youve Got a Friend sung by James Taylor or Carole King, or the two of them together, [because] youve been a good friend to all of your listeners, and were thinking of you and Tiggy at this time.

Walker remained in positive spirits despite the circumstances, and thanked Beale for her kind message before playing Kings 1971 version of the song.

open image in gallery Walker pictured in 2004 ( PA )

Walker, who also hosts the The Radio 2 Rock Show, needs round-the-clock care and is being looked after, full-time, by Tiggy.

Another listener wrote in to request the 1972 song The Rocker by the band Thin Lizzy on behalf of his wife, before explaining that she had helped him through a period of cancer recovery. After Walker read out the message, he was empathetic as he said: Well, I know all about that.

It was in honour of Carers Week earlier this month that the presenter and his wife opened up about Walkers terminal illness on BBC Sounds podcast, Walker and Walker: Johnnie and Tiggy.

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In it, Walker, who was previously cared for by Tiggy when he was diagnosed with cancer early on in their marriage in 2006, told his wife: Here we are at the end of my life when youre having to care for me all over again.

He said of Tiggy: You definitely saved my life when I went through cancer. Im positive I wouldnt have made it without you. Your love was just so sustaining, it gave me so much to look forward to. And your caring for me now makes my life so much better.

Tiggy said that she has required help in grieving the life that they share, stating: Its only by going to the doctors and going on antidepressants that I have kept going because I was crying every single day and I was overwhelmed.

open image in gallery Walker photographed in 2014 ( Mike Webster/Shutterstock )

She said they were told by a consultant that Walker should prepare to go at any moment, before adding: Equally, you might be around for six months.

The couple are joint patrons of Carers UK, a charity that supports people caring for loved ones or family members.

Walker now uses an oxygen machine for his IPS and told The Telegraph last month that he does panic occasionally when I cant breathe but clarified that he is not in pain.

He added that presenting Sounds Of The 70s gives him a purpose and that he believes he would die a lot sooner if he stopped doing the Sunday show.

Anyway, when you play records, you are bringing back memories for people as well as playing records that they love, he said.
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Meg Bellamy, who played Kate Middleton inThe Crown, has recalled being told she was too fat for the role by trolls online.

The actor, 21, netted the high-profile part in the sixth and final season of the Netflix drama, which portrayed a young William and Kate meeting at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and their subsequent courtship.

Bellamy played the young Princess of Wales opposite Ed McVeys Prince William and Luther Fords Prince Harry. For all three actors, it was their first major role on screen.

In an interview with the Mail on Sundays You magazine, Bellamy recalled discovering all this negative stuff about her body on the internet after she was cast as the princess.

The comments were mostly, Youre too fat to play Kate, she said.

Bellamy said that her experience online with the trolls gave her a glimpse into being a woman in this industry.

I thought, OK, thats a sign to distance yourself, because it doesnt mean anything, she said. You cant listen to that sort of stuff. Not least because most of it is written by internet trolls, or men called Gary who are holding a fish in their profile picture.

Despite facing trolls online, the actor reflects on her time on the show fondly, adding that she has had so many amazing things happen to her.

open image in gallery Kate Middleton ( Netflix/Getty Images )

She said of the trolls: Theyre the losers for saying that. Im living my best life over here.

That said, Bellamy said that she has tried to put the character behind her since wrapping filming on the show.

Elsewhere in the interview, she spoke briefly about the royals cancer diagnosis, stating: I so feel for her and for the family.

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open image in gallery Kate Middleton ( Malcolm Clarke/Shutterstock/ Justin Downing/Netflix )

The Princess of Wales announced in a video message last March that she was receiving cancer treatment after her diagnosis.

The Crown remains one of Netflixs biggest hits, with the first season starring Claire Foy and Matt Smith as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, respectively, earning rave reviews from critics and fans.

As the show went on, however, it courted controversy over its historical accuracy  and for covering events including the death of Princess Diana (played by Elizabeth Debicki).

Defending itself against the criticism, Netflix has previously said the series has always been presented as a drama based on historical events.

The show came to an end in December last year, with its final season. All six seasons are available to watch on Netflix now.
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The Indian government has sacked the head of the country's National Testing Agency following allegations of irregularities in competitive exams for higher education and cancellations that have sparked nationwide protests.

Subodh Kumar Singh was sacked on Saturday while the federal education ministry appointed a committee to review the agency's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

The National Testing Agency is an autonomous body under the education ministry tasked with conducting nationwide exams for college admissions and government teaching jobs, including the controversial NEET test for admission to medical colleges.

This years NEET saw thousands of candidates secure unprecedented high marks, sparking allegations that the exam paper was leaker.

Nearly 2.4 million students competed for just 110,000 seats in the fiercely competitive exam this year.

The results were declared on 4 June and at least 67 candidates shared the first rank, eight of them from one centre in the northern state of Haryana.

The marks given to some students did not add up and when this was pointed out, the agency said it had awarded grace marks for loss of time at the exam centres.

The award of compensatory marks was cancelled by the supreme court after several students filed pleas challenging the testing agencys decision.

The education ministry last week said it had sought a report from police about "certain irregularities alleged" in the conduct of the medical entrance exam. The government was "committed to ensure the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students" and the guilty would be punished, the ministry said.

The ministry has also cancelled an exam held earlier this week for admission to doctoral programmes and for appointment of college and university teachers, based on inputs from a government cyber crime team that the "integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised".

It said the countrys top investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, will look into the matter.

Another entrance exam for postgraduate programmes in medicine scheduled for Sunday was postponed indefinitely.

The main opposition Congress party, which made a strong comeback in the recent general election, said the "Narendra Modi government has ruined the country's education and recruitment system".

"There is huge pressure on our students. Theres largescale unemployment in the country," leading party member Rahul Gandhi said.

"The youngsters in India have no way through. The youth of India have nowhere to go. It's a profound national crisis."

The rate of unemployment among Indians aged 15 to 24 was 18 per cent last year, according to estimates by the International Labour Organisation, higher than in neighbouring Bangladesh and Pakistan.
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Actors Thomas Brodie-Sangster and Talulah Riley looked ecstatic as they tied the knot in a romantic wedding ceremony in Hertfordshire on Saturday (22 June).

Brodie-Sangster, 34, who is best known for playing the lovesick child Sam in the 2003 romcom Love Actually, and 38-year-old Riley, who played Annabel Fritton in the 2005 film St Trinians, had been dating for two years before they announced their engagement in July 2023.

In images obtained by The Sun, the pair were seen leaving St Georges Church, a stunning 14th-century church in Anstey, Hertfordshire. Riley is seen wearing a satin white dress with a voluminous skirt, and her hair scraped back into a neat bun, topped with a long, lace-trimmed veil. Meanwhile, Brodie-Sangster wore a colourful suit ensemble with pinstriped grey trousers and a floral waist jacket.

Both actors were seen grinning as the guests threw confetti while they held hands walking through the church yard and left in a carriage.

open image in gallery Brodie-Sangster and Riley met on the set of the Sex Pistols drama Pistol ( Getty Images )

The pair first met on the set of Danny Boyles Disney+ Sex Pistols drama Pistol in March 2021 before making their first public appearance together at the Baftas in March 2023.

Riley was previously married  twice  to Tesla and Space X CEO, billionaire Elon Musk, who she met at a London nightclub in 2008, shortly after his split from his ex-wife Justine Long. They married and divorced twice  first in 2010 to 2012, and then in 2013 to 2016.

When Brodie-Sangster announced their engagement, he shared a picture of them on a gondola, captioning the post: Happy to announce that Talulah and I are engaged. Love is all around X, in a sweet reference to the lyric sang by Bill Nighys character in Love Actually.

open image in gallery Brodie-Sangster in Love Actually ( Studiocanal )

Talulah confirmed their engagement on X, then known as Twitter.

Very happy to share that after two years of dating, Thomas Brodie-Sangster and I are engaged! she said.

open image in gallery Brodie-Sangster said Love is all around in engagement announcement ( Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images )

At the time, Musk replied to her announcement, tweeting: Congratulations! He also added a red heart emoji.

Brodie-Sangster has starred in Nanny McPhee, Maze Runner, Nowhere Boy, in which he played a young Paul McCartney, and Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens. He won a new legion of fans thanks to his recurring role as Jojen Reed in Game Of Thrones.

In the acknowledgements for Rileys book The Quickening, she thanks Musk for being the perfect ex-husband.

Hes a great friend. He looks out for me. We are in a happy place now, where were good to each other, which is really nice. I have here utmost love for him, she told The Independent in 2022.

open image in gallery Riley and Musk pictured in 2012, the year of their first marriage ( Getty Images )

She explained her decision to divorce and remarry Musk, saying that while it looked strange, the logic made sense at the time.

I suppose the reason to get remarried was just because it felt silly to be together unmarried after having been married. You know, its like a habit, she said.

Hes a great friend. He looks out for me. We are in a happy place now, where were good to each other, which is really nice. I have here utmost love for him.
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A prisoner who has served 18 years in prison after he was given a 23-month jail term has spoken of his desperation for a normal life as he makes his seventh bid to be freed from an indefinite sentence.

Wayne Williams was locked up aged just 17 for attempting to injure a police officer in a fight. He was told he must serve a minimum sentence of one year, 11 months and 20 days when he was handed an imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentence in 2006.

But he is still in prison 18 years later after a string of failed parole bids, as he battles fear, paranoia and loneliness under the inhumane sentencing policy, which has since been abolished.

Now 36, Mr Williams hopes he may finally win his freedom as he faces his seventh parole board review this summer, after the probation service said they supported his release.

In letters from HMP Wymott, seen by The Independent, he revealed the hell of his incarceration at the category C prison in Lancashire as he struggles with declining mental health.

Wayne, who grew up in a string of foster homes and secure units, said the IPP sentence is the hardest thing he has ever endured.

Campaigner Shirley Debono, 63, from Cardiff, has been supporting Wayne since his grandmothers death ( Shirley Debono/The Independent )

I feel that for the last 18 to 19 years Ive just been waiting, like Ive been in a queue and waiting for the line to reduce, but it never does, just going around and around in a revolving door, he wrote.

I have truly been through hell the last 10 to 12 years, where my mental health has slowly declined and my paranoia has gone through the roof. I no longer feel safe and I just live my life one day at a time, no planning, no hope and in a constant state of fear, paranoia, loneliness with no end in sight.

I feel that Im screaming at the top of my voice and everyone is ignoring me and conspiring against me so that I would kill myself.

IPP sentences  under which offenders were given a minimum jail term but no maximum  were scrapped in 2012 amid human rights concerns. But the abolition of the policy did not affect those already sentenced, leaving thousands of prisoners like Wayne languishing in jail for years beyond their original prison term.

He added: All of my current mental health issues have magnified and I feel that all my ill health has come from my IPP prison sentence. All I want to do is live some kind of normal life, have a relationship, have a family and live the rest of my life with some kind of normality.

Following the death of his grandmother, Waynes only family member, he has been supported by campaigner Shirley Debono, who founded the group IPP Committee in Action. Last year she counselled him through a 20-day hunger strike as he lost hope of ever being freed.

When he was really ill from not eating, I could hear the weakness in his voice, and I was saying to him Please, please eat something, Ms Debono told The Independent. Hes been in trapped in the system for so many years, when he gets out its going to be so strange for him.

She called for the Labour Party to act urgently to help IPP prisoners if it wins the election, after the flawed policy was introduced under New Labour in 2005.

They need to admit that they brought out this horrible, evil sentence back in 2005 and gave it to the wrong people, she said. They need to tell the public that they made a massive mistake and they put people in prison for years and years for minor crimes.

I know they want to be seen to be tough on crime, but they need to be seen to be fair as well. Theres no justice without fairness.

Another IPP prisoner, Thomas White, pictured with his son Kayden, escaped without serious injuries after he set himself alight in prison ( Margaret White )

The Independent has called for an immediate review of the sentences of almost 3,000 IPP inmates still languishing in prison  708 of whom have served more than 10 years longer than their original sentence.

Almost 90 IPP prisoners have died by suicide, as families and campaigners issue calls for a resentencing exercise.

Recent cases highlighted by this publication include that of Thomas White, who set himself alight after serving 12 years for stealing a mobile phone, and Yusuf Ali, who did not eat for 61 days as he lost hope of ever being freed from his IPP sentence.

Although recent reforms passed under the Victims and Prisoners Bill will reduce the IPP licence period from 10 years to three for offenders in the community, they will do little to help those who have never been released.

The prison service was approached for comment.

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.
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Labour MP Stella Creasy has issued a defiant message to vandals who attacked her constituency office, saying that they dont intimidate her.

Posting on X, formerly Twitter, the ex-shadow cabinet minister wrote: Message to whoever attacked my office last night. You dont intimidate me and you dont belong in the political process.

Same as those circulating malicious and false leaflets. Police already on this to find you  will press for the strongest penalties for such an anti-democratic attack and I know Walthamstow wont be cowed or influenced by your violence either.

Ms Creasy also posted pictures of the attack on her office in Walthamstow, northeast London, where she is hoping to retain the seat she has held since 2010 in the upcoming general election on 4 July.

The photos showed a window and glass door had several holes smashed into them, while there were cracks across the glass.

It is not the first time Ms Creasy has been targeted.

Last year, it emerged a vexatious complaint was made by a man online that saw her subjected to a social services investigation. Ms Creasy reportedly underwent a safeguarding review and was quickly cleared.

The man, who had no connection with the Labour MP or her two children, disagreed with her campaigning against misogyny.

Photos posted by Stella Creasy show damaged inflicted on her office in Walthamstow ( @stellacreasy/X )

Cracks were seen across the glass entrance to Ms Creasys office ( @stellacreasy/X )

The Metropolitan Police said the office on Orford Road in her constituency was targeted between 3.10am and 3.30am.

Detective Superintendent Dion Brown, one of the senior officers responsible for policing Waltham Forest, said: It is entirely unacceptable for the office of one of Londons prospective parliamentary candidates to be targeted in this way.

An urgent investigation is underway, and officers have attended the scene and are already following up active lines of enquiry, which will include full analysis of all available CCTV footage.

The other candidates standing in Walthamstow are: Imran Arshad, of the Workers Party of Britain; Mohammed Ashfaq, Independent; Dan Edelstyn, Independent; Sanjana Madan Mohan Karnani, Conservative Party; Martin Lonergan, Reform UK; Ruth Theresa Rawlins, Independent; Rosalinda Ayo Rowlands, Green Party; Nancy Taaffe, Trade Union and Socialist Coalition; and Rebecca Taylor, of the Liberal Democrats.
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An author was distraught after she was left abandoned on the tarmac alongside two other wheelchair users when a plane took off without them.

Liz Weir, who has a heart condition, was due to board an easyJet flight from Belfast International airport in Northern Ireland to Edinburgh on Friday, which was scheduled to leave at 1pm.

Ms Weir said she and the two other wheelchair users waited while passengers boarded the plane, but when she arrived at the steps to take her turn, the pilot gave a signal to suggest she could not do so.

The author, who was supposed to be hosting an event in the Scottish capital, told The Independent: I dont know where the fault lies in all this, but Id like to make sure others are not left in a similar situation.

Our boarding passes had been scanned, my checked bag was on board. They must have known we were coming?

open image in gallery EasyJet has apologised for the incident and said it is investigating to find out what happened ( Liz Weir )

You always say, Oh they wont go without us, but they actually did, they went without us and took my luggage as well, she told the BBC.

I was distraught because I needed to get on that plane in order to get to my gig last night, which of course I missed. People had bought tickets, and they were sitting there waiting for me, and I didnt make it.

A spokesperson for Belfast international airport said they were aware of the situation but that it was a matter for the airline.

EasyJet apologised for the incident and said it is investigating to find out what happened, adding that the three passengers will be compensated.

A spokesperson said: We are very sorry that flight EZY55 from Belfast to Edinburgh on Friday 21 June departed without three passengers who were being accompanied by the airports special assistance provider.

We have urgently raised with the provider and our ground-handling team to understand why this happened.

Our team looked after them throughout and provided them with refreshment vouchers while they waited for their new flight. We will also be processing the compensation they are due.
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The disappearance of British teenager Jay Slater captured the attention of the nation in the weeks since he went missing in Tenerife with thousands of pounds flooding into the GoFundMe to get him home more than doubling the target.

Now Spanish officials say the teenagers death was likely caused by trauma due to a fall in the rocky ravine near the village of Masca where his phone last pinged.

With the gruelling month-long search for Jay Slater coming to a tragic close people have been asking what the thousands of pounds raised by the family will be spent on now.

It came after GoFundMe had to suspend several fake fundraisers that cropped up in Jays name. Heres everything you need to know about it.

What is the official GoFundMe page?

The Official GoFundMe page was set up by Jays friend Lucy, who was the last person to speak to him on the morning he went missing.

In the description, she details the circumstances around his disappearance and the frantic phone call she had with him the morning he went missing.

He had attended the NRG festival with friends last Sunday but travelled to an Airbnb there during the early hours of Monday morning with two men he met at the festival - without realising the distance from his apartment in the tourist area of Los Cristianos.

At around 8.15am, Mr Slater called Lucy, who had been at the festival with him, to tell her he had missed his bus and was planning to make the 11-hour walk back to his accommodation.

The last known location of the apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, placed him on a path in the Rural de Teno National Park at 8.50am.

People can find the fundraiser, which has doubled the 30,000 target, here as the search continues.

Mr Slater disappeared while walking through rocky terrain last month (Family handout/LBT Global) ( PA Media )

What will money be spent on?

As the donations pour in, questions have been raised about what the money will be used for.

But Jay Slaters mother Debbie Duncan, 55, has now said the funds will go towards giving her son the send-off he deserves and bringing him home.

She said: Hello everyone, thank you for all of your kindness, support and condolences in light of the tragic news that Jays body has been found. We are overwhelmed with grief and are so grateful for your support.

The wonderful team from The Netherlands, Signi Zoekhondon, have remained in Spain all week and have continued to support us since Jay was found. They are due to fly home in the coming days and we are so appreciative of their dedication and support.

We would like to thank LBT Global for their support during this impossible time.

We are working with agencies to arrange Jays repatriation to the UK and the remaining funds, along with any future donations will be used to help with this if needed and to pay for Jays funeral costs back home. We want to give our boy the send-off he deserves so please do continue to share and support our fundraiser however you can.

General view of the area where Jay was found where his phone last pinged ( REUTERS )

What has GoFundMe said?

Nearly a dozen other GoFundMe pages supposedly set up for Jay were promptly shut down as suspected scams.

In a statement, a spokesperson said: Our hearts go out to Jay Slater, his family and everyone else concerned about his disappearance. All campaigns are under review and no money will be transferred unless we can verify it goes straight to his family.

At moments like this, we often see people set up campaigns to benefit strangers when they are moved to help. That is why we work with organisers to ensure any money donated goes to the right place.

GoFundMe has a dedicated Trust & Safety team reviewing all relevant fundraisers. In addition to the team of experts, we deploy proprietary technical tools and have multiple processes in place to verify the identity of organisers and the recipient of the fundraiser.

Before money is transferred, an individual or organisations information, including their banking information, must be verified.
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Rishi Sunak is under mounting pressure to intervene in the Tory general election betting scandal, with senior figures calling on him to act.

The prime minister has been urged to suspend all those under investigation from the party immediately and hold a Cabinet Office inquiry into the scandal.

Party chair Richard Holden, who is responsible for overseeing the Conservative general election campaign, has remained tight-lipped on the crisis.

Click here for our live coverage of the general election campaign

A former Tory minister and the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats are among those who joined the growing call for the people involved to be suspended.

Rishi Sunak has been urged to suspend all those involved in the scandal ( AFP )

Labours national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden wrote to the Gambling Commission asking the watchdog to release the names of all those being investigated.

As the deepening crisis threatened to derail the Tory election campaign for yet another week:

Sources close to Oliver Dowden confirmed that the deputy PM had not bet on the election, adding pressure on other senior figures to rule themselves out

James Cleverly did not deny that a cabinet minister was implicated, saying only not to my knowledge

Michael Gove likened the situation to Partygate, with voters seeing it as one rule for them and another for us

Labours Bridget Phillipson said there was genuine disgust among voters over the allegations

The number of Tories being investigated by the watchdog rose to four  two candidates and two officials

Anger grew that the police protection officer also accused has been suspended while Tory figures remain in post

Amid the growing fallout, former justice secretary Sir Robert Buckland told LBC he was dismayed by the scandal. Whatever the motivation of these people ... is this really what we expect? I think not, he said.

Asked whether he thought the PM should suspend those involved, he said: I do.

And former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng told GB News: Its childish and incredibly stupid. How did they think they wouldnt be caught? He pointed the finger at Mr Sunak, saying he is in charge so is ultimately responsible.

He went on: Sometimes it might be unfair, maybe he didnt know what was going on, but as the leader of an organisation, your character, your job is to impose some sort of discipline on the institution, and if things go wrong  I know its an old-fashioned view, and people dont really subscribe to it any more, but ultimately I think the leader bears responsibility for whats going on.

After a day of silence from the prime minister, Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper told The Independent: Rishi Sunak must personally intervene to order a Cabinet Office inquiry and suspend all those under investigation by the Gambling Commission.

Pat McFadden has urged the Gambling Commission to name those being investigated ( PA Wire )

People are sick and tired of this sleaze. Day by day, hour by hour, the Conservative government mire themselves in more of it.

In his damning letter to the Gambling Commission, Mr McFadden said: With postal ballots already being sent out, many millions of people will be casting their vote this week. They deserve to have all relevant facts about this scandal at their disposal when doing so.

I believe it is in the public interest that the Gambling Commission makes public the names of other figures you are investigating relating to this matter. There will be particular interest in whether any government ministers bet on the date of the election before it was called.

The Independent has revealed that an unnamed cabinet minister is believed to be among several figures being investigated, with numerous senior Tories ruling themselves out including Grant Shapps, Penny Mordaunt, James Cleverly, Mark Harper and Mr Gove.

Former chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has laid the blame at Rishi Sunaks door ( PA )

Over the weekend, the Conservative Partys chief data officer Nick Mason became the latest figure to be placed under investigation by the Gambling Commission.

He is the fourth named figure close to the party leadership to come under investigation by the gambling watchdog for allegedly betting on the timing of the election before the date had been announced.

The latest allegations were published by The Sunday Times, which claimed that dozens of bets had been placed by Mr Mason with potential winnings worth thousands of pounds.

Mr Gove said: The perception that we operate outside the rules that we set for others  that was damaging at the time of Partygate and is damaging here.

If youre in a privileged position, [close] to the prime minister, at the heart of a political operation, and you use inside information to make additional money for yourself, thats just not acceptable. So if these allegations are true, its very difficult to defend.

Home secretary Mr Cleverly said he would not defend any Tories found to have placed bets, but that it was a matter for the Gambling Commission to investigate.

He said: My understanding is that it is a small number of individuals involved, adding: There is an investigation by the Gambling Commission, and we have been told very, very clearly that we are not to discuss the investigations.

Several reports suggested that the commission was investigating many more individuals and had widened its inquiry to include potential bets by family and friends of those connected to the party.

An industry source told The Independent that the Gambling Commission had asked for details of all the bets made on a July election after 1 May, and that it is now combing through the data and picking off people from that.

The revelations are a fresh blow to Rishi Sunaks hopes of getting the Tory election campaign on track, after three other Conservative figures were caught up in the scandal.

Craig Williams, Mr Sunaks parliamentary private secretary, who is standing in Montgomeryshire, was the first Tory candidate to be publicly linked to the betting scandal.

Laura Saunders, who has worked for the Tories since 2015 and is standing in Bristol North West, and her husband Tony Lee, director of campaigning, are both being investigated.

Shadow education secretary Ms Phillipson described genuine disgust among voters over the general election betting.

She told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: People across the country will place bets, but I think there is genuine disgust amongst so many voters that what were seeing here is pretty shocking behaviour.

Rishi Sunak promised us that his government would be different; he hasnt acted against candidates concerned, he should suspend them, and  as Michael Gove has said  this just reminds people of the worst excesses of the Conservatives over the last 14 years.
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The man who could become the face of the greatest shock in British political history has claimed that whether he wins or not, there is a bubbling undercurrent of change in the electorate which means once safe Tory strongholds will fall.

Tom Wilson is the 29-year-old Labour candidate running against Rishi Sunak in Richmond and Northallerton who, according to polls last week, could be the first electoral king killer  in that he may be the first person to defeat a sitting prime minister in a general election.

He became a person of interest for the entire political establishment when an MRP poll last week suggested Mr Sunaks constituency was too close to call.

For everyone looking for the so-called Portillo moment of this election  named after the shock defeat of Michael Portillo in the 1997 Tory collapse  this looked unbeatable.

Tom Wilson met the prime minister briefly on Sunday, shaking hands while both out campaigning in the constituency ( Tom Wilson )

In his first major interview with a national newspaper, Mr Wilson told The Independent that the feedback he is getting on the doorstep in the Yorkshire constituency he grew up in suggests that the ultimate electoral shock may be possible.

But the fact that the Tories are reportedly sending extra bodies to help the prime minister hold on to a seat he won with a majority north of 27,000 in 2019 is a victory in itself.

It feels like years ago [when] I first made my application, Mr Wilson told The Independent. It was very much about making them work for it. And actually, weve already achieved that. So yeah, in that sense weve already won.

He laughed about the prospect of activists being bussed up from CCHQ in London to save the prime minister.

Theres rumours, isnt there? Im yet to see a bunch of suited types lost in the dales.

Tom Wilson is Labours candidate for Richmond and Northallerton ( Tom Wilson )

Theyre clearly restricting things to higher ground [with] the story about supposedly bringing resources out of seats with majorities of up to 7,000.

We have to treat that almost as a bit of a ruse. Theres no reason they necessarily are going to tell everyone that theyre doing this. We cant be complacent.

Mr Wilson met the prime minister briefly on Sunday, shaking hands while both out campaigning in the constituency. There was another awkward moment at a show where he was running an allotment stall while Mr Sunak was doing a tour.

I guess the first time I meet him properly will be at the count, he said.

Richmond and Northallerton is a vast, sprawling rural seat, the second biggest in land area in England. But what is going on there is reflected elsewhere in that suddenly Labour  always seen as an industrial or metropolitan party  is speaking to the rural vote as well.

Wilson with Labour activists at Catterick garrison ( Tom Wilson )

In Norfolk South West, Mr Sunaks predecessor Liz Truss is fighting for her political life and just last week the prime minister took his battle bus to Sir Geoffrey Coxs seat in west Devon which had a majority of more than 25,000. One of the MRP polls, in fact, had blue East Anglia painted almost entirely red last week.

Sir Keir Starmer has become the first Labour leader to don his wellies and tramp into Tory farmland territory proclaiming rural communities are in my DNA.

It is a change that Mr Wilson senses as well. He has found that there are deep concerns about services in traditional Tory heartlands like his constituency, not least the closure of a hospital which will force people to travel to Newcastle or Leeds for treatment. It perhaps sums up most of all why Labour is picking up votes in rural communities.

There is a bubbling undercurrent of quite poor people in vulnerable situations in this constituency  being rural magnifies every problem, he said.

Because not only have you got to worry about whether the ambulance can get to you on time, its also that youre so much further away from the hospital when you take a stumble or when an elderly relative lives in a tiny little village in the dales  theres a real concern there that theyre not going to get the treatment they need.

A local farmer puts Labour posters up on his barn to support Wilson against Sunak ( Tom Wilson )

And because its rural, you can't always guarantee that you can live near your family. And so theres, yeah, theres this huge discontent.

Mr Wilson said the surge in support for candidates like him is often based on hope.

People seeming to lose hope seems to be a running theme in this election, and being able to present your ideas for a kind of credible plan to help them directly, and just giving people that time, you can start to see people maybe rediscover a bit of that hope, he said.

After 4 July, Mr Wilson very much hopes that he will be the new MP for Richmond and Northallerton but admits he sometimes wonders if he is daydreaming.

Its quite incredible, isnt it? But if you get too lost daydreaming about it, then itll never happen.

The fact that it seems to be in the range of possibilities is motivating. Like I say, a lot of people have thoroughly been consigned to the Tories always winning, and now think that this is an opportunity for change, not just here in the prime ministers seat, but across the country.

No voter fits easily the kind of boxes or demographics that the national analysis of elections tends to put people into. Everyones their own individual, they all have their own priorities and their own issues.

The prime ministers campaign missteps have also had an impact on his local seat, not least the anger over him returning early from the D-Day commemorations with Catterick garrison based in the seat.

But for Mr Wilson, who works for the NHS, it was the way David Cameron and George Osbornes austerity in the coalition government thwarted his dreams of becoming a musician that got him into politics.

When I was a teenager I wanted to become a musician, first and foremost, and I was learning how to play the drums and bass guitar at a music centre in Darlington. But in the Cameron era the local council suddenly had a black hole of however many tens of thousands of pounds.

He became involved in a campaign to save the centre and when that was not possible it became a fundraising campaign with the local councillors across the board. Then it was very shortly after that that first I joined the Labour Party.

He has, though, very much got the election bug whatever the result.

Mr Wilson added: Ive really enjoyed it, naturally, the experience of being a candidate and talking to people, where they may open up to a candidate in a way that they dont open up to your average campaigner or your canvasser. It gives you such a window into peoples lives.
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Columbia University put three deans on leave after insensitive text messages surfaced, revealing a disrespectful exchange that took place during a discussion about antisemitism on campus.

A Columbia spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon that the three administrators had been placed on leave were Vice Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan Chang-Kim, Associate Dean for Student and Family Support Matthew Patashnick, and Dean of Undergraduate Student Life Cristen Kromm.

The messages were exchanged during a May 31 Columbia College reunion panel discussion called Jewish Life on Campus focused on the climate on campus since the October 7 attack. The New York City campus took center stage in the turbulent college protests that erupted across the nation over the war in Gaza.

As panelists, including the co-leader of Columbias antisemitism task force and the head of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, spoke about concerns they had about antisemitism on campus, the elite schools top administrators dismissed them, photos of the texts obtained by the Free Beacon reveal.

In one exchange, Patashnick allegedly wrote to Chang-Kim and Kromm: He knows exactly what hes doing and how to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential. Its not clear who the associate dean was referring to.

Chang-Kim replied: Double Urgh.

Josef Sorett, the Dean of Columbia College, informed his team today that three administrators have been placed on leave pending a university investigation of the incident that occurred at the College alumni reunion several weeks ago, the spokesman told the outlet.

Sorett reiterated his commitment to learning from this situation and other incidents over the last year to build a community of respect and healthy dialogue, the spokesperson added.

Sorett also took part in the text exchange, according to the texts obtained by the Free Beacon. Chang-Kim seemed to be sarcastically describing Cohen, the Hillel official, as our hero.

Sorett responded with, LMAO, which is short for laughing my a** off.

In another exchange, Chang-Kim reportedly fired off the text: Difficult to listen to but Im trying to keep an open mind to learn about this point of view. Sorett agreed, texting: Yup.

Columbia College is attending to this situation with the utmost seriousness, a spokesperson for Columbia College said in a statement to The Independent., adding that it will not be discussing the specifics of the matter while the universitys investigation is ongoing. The College remains focused on continuing to execute its mission in support of our community. We are committed to confronting antisemitism, discrimination and hate, and taking concrete action to ensure that our is a community of respect and healthy dialogue where everyone feels valued and safe.

In a statement sent to the Dean to the Columbia College Board of Visitors on Friday afternoon, Sorett said: I deeply regret my role in these text exchanges and the impact they have had on our community. I am cooperating fully with the Universitys investigation of these matters. I am committed to learning from this situation and to the work of confronting antisemitism, discrimination and hate at Columbia.

Sorett is cooperating with the investigation and he will be recused from all matters relating to the probe while continuing to serve as Dean of the College.

The controversy comes after Columbias student protests garnered national attention and the universitys president, Minouche Shafik, faced intense scrutiny over her handling of the demonstrations.

Shafik was criticized after she called the NYPD to intervene, resulting in the arrests of hundreds of students. She also came under fire for her response to concerns of antisemitism on campus during a heated congressional hearing.

Earlier this week, all criminal charges were dropped against dozens of pro-Palestinian student protesters arrested in April after occupying and barricading a building at Columbia University in New York City.
 Flash

A worker is busy at the Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO) in Manhize, Midlands Province, Zimbabwe, June 20, 2024. The DISCO, a subsidiary of the private company Tsingshan Holding Group in east China's Zhejiang Province, has started production of pig iron in Manhize, a town in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe, marking a milestone in the revival of the country's iron and steel industry. (Photo by Shaun Jusa/Xinhua)

The Dinson Iron and Steel Company (DISCO), a subsidiary of the private company Tsingshan Holding Group in east China's Zhejiang Province, has started production of pig iron in Manhize, a town in the Midlands Province of Zimbabwe, marking a milestone in the revival of the country's iron and steel industry.



"This really is a very joyous occasion to see the first stage of production of iron from Manhize," said Mines and Mining Development Minister Winston Chitando in an interview with Xinhua after touring DISCO's plant Thursday.

Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is the direct product of the blast furnace and yields steel, wrought iron, or high-purity iron when refined.

The production of pig iron, which commenced last week, sets the stage for steel billet production, which is expected to begin next month.

Chitando said DISCO is expected to produce 600,000 metric tons of carbon steel in the first phase of the project, rising to 1.2 million, then 3.2 million, and ultimately 5 million metric tons per year in the final phase.

He said the development is a testament to China-Zimbabwe cooperation. "Zimbabwe and China have got long-standing political relationships, and here we now have economic relationships cementing that political relationship."

Wilfred Motsi, project director for the Dinson Group, said the development marks a huge milestone in Zimbabwe's manufacturing industry.

"We are going back to our glory days when Zimbabwe was known as one of the industrial hubs in southern Africa because of the opening of the steel industry," Motsi said. "We are no longer talking about the steel industry being dead in Zimbabwe. Yes, some players were there, but (they) were producing at a small scale, but our coming in means that we have revived the iron and steel industry in Zimbabwe."
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An Arkansas shooting victim was fatally shot while tending to another victims gunshot wounds in the Fordyce, Arkansas supermarket shooting.

Travis Posey, 44, is accused of opening fire in Mad Butcher grocery store in the small Arkansas town, on Friday, June 21 at 11:38am in a massacre that killed four and left 10 others wounded, including the gunman.

During the incident, we observed the very best and very worst of humanity, Arkansas State Police Col Mike Hagar said at a press conference on Sunday.

He was referring to Callie Weems, 23, who was at the grocery store when the gunfire broke out.

Instead of fleeing the store, she rendered aid to the victim in one of the most selfless acts Ive ever seen, Hagar said. The shooter then fired at Weems. She later succumbed to her injuries, leaving behind her 10-month-old baby.

Callie Weems was killed in the Fordyce, Arkansas mass shooting ( Facebook )

Police are still unsure of Poseys motive. It was just a completely random senseless act, the colonel said.

He added that understanding the motive this will be the focus of their investigation. At this stage, it appears there was no personal connection between shooter and victims, but the victims were just targets of opportunity.

In the parking lot outside of the store, Posey was engaging shoppers and then entered the Mad Butcher and started firing indiscriminately at shoppers and employees, Hagar said.

The shooter had a 12 gauge shotgun, a pistol, as well as a bandelier with dozens of extra shotgun rounds on his person, Hagar said. Posey fired dozens of rounds  almost all of which were fired from the shotgun.

Posey was booked on Friday, not long after opening fire in the supermarket ( Ouachita County Jail )

The colonel added that Hagar has a limited criminal history, if any at all. The shooter was also injured in the exchange of gunfire with law enforcement  who responded to the incident within three minutes, Hagar said. Posey was treated for non-life-threatening injuries and was then taken to Ouachita County Detention Center.

Hagar said authorities intend to make sure he is held accountable for his despicable actions.

Posey faces four counts of capital murder  as well as additional pending charges. With the capital murder charges, the death penalty would be on the table, Hagar said.

The colonel called Fridays tragedy an example of unspeakable violence.

In total, in addition to the shooter, 11 civilians and two law enforcement officers were shot.

Police released Weems identity on Sunday morning, alongside the three other people who have since died: Shirley Taylor, 62, Roy Sturgis, 50, and Ellen Shrum, 81.

Four of those who were injured are still in the hospital, police said, including one woman in critical condition.

The three others were treated and released from the hospital on Friday. Police did not reveal their identities.
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Police announced that a fourth victim of the Fordyce, Arkansas shooting died one day after a gunman opened fire in a supermarket that left nine others injured.

Suspect Travis Posey, 44, faces four counts of capital murder  with additional charges pending  after he allegedly started shooting in Mad Butcher grocery store, the only supermarket in the small Arkansas town, on Friday, June 21 at 11:38am.

Fourteen people were struck by gunfire in total, including 11 civilians, two law enforcement officers and the suspect, Arkansas State Police said. Four of the injured have since died: Shirley Taylor, 62, Callie Weems, 23 Roy Sturgis, 50, and Ellen Shrum, 81.

Seven other civilians  five female victims and two male, ranging in age from 20 to 65  also suffered gunshot wounds. Four of them are still in the hospital, police said, including one woman in critical condition. The three others were treated and released from the hospital on Friday. Police did not reveal their identities.

Two police officers were also hit in the crossfire. Fordyce Police Officer James Johnson, 31, suffered a gunshot wound and was released from the hospital on Saturday evening, while Stuttgart Police Officer John Hudson, 24, received minor injuries.

Travis Posey was booked after opening fire on Friday at a supermarket ( Ouachita County Jail )

Posey, the suspect, was treated for non-life-threatening injuries after exchanging gunfire with law enforcement and was then taken to Ouachita County Detention Center.

The motive is still unknown for a shooting. Arkansas State Police are investigating the massacre  the second mass shooting in the state this month alone, Gun Violence Archive data shows.

The Flaming Pig BBQ in nearby Camden, Arkansas launched a fundraiser to assist in caring for these families who have suffered such a great loss.

Families of the victims have described who their loved ones were before a gunman took their lives.

The grieving daughter of Shirley Taylor told the outlet about her love of crocheting, her dedication to caring for her husband, her hardworking nature, and loveable personality.

Theres no words, Angela Atchley told THV11. She was my best friend. She was our family rock.

Roy Sturgis, 50, was killed in the Fordyce, Arkansas shooting ( Benton Funeral Home )

The 81-year-old Ellen Shrum also lost her life in the tragedy. One Fordyce resident wrote on Facebook that Shrum had owned a florist for years making beautiful arrangements, adding that Shrum was an amazing, kind-hearted soul.

Roy Sturgis was also killed in the massacre. Family, friends and neighbors described him in an online obituary. One elementary school classmate wrote that Sturgis was good man, hard worker, great father with a sweet face and cotton top hair. Another old friend remarked that Sturgis wasalways courteous and brave enough to speak out to any playground bully that crossed his or your path.

The tragedy also claimed the life of Callie Weems, a nurse and mother of a 10-month-old baby. Her relatives spoke to her character.

You can stab her in the back 17 times, Weems mother Helen Browning told NBC News, and shed still help you. Her stepfather called her the sweetest girl who was always worried about other people.

Callie Weems was killed in the Fordyce, Arkansas mass shooting ( Facebook )

Browning said she knew the gunman since he was a child, telling Fox 16: I just want to know why Joey Posey woke up this morning and decided he needed to go ruin families lives.

Shoppers said when they heard gunshots, they fled for the freezers, hiding there and keeping quiet to stay safe. My son about froze to death, one shopper told CNN, saying it felt like they were hiding in there forever.

Mad Butcher announced in a Facebook post that the store will be closed until after the investigation concludes: We are shocked and deeply saddened over the senseless act of violence that occurred yesterday at our Fordyce storeOur hearts go out to all of the victims, their families, and all those affected.
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Theres a wall at CrimeCon  the biggest true crime event in the country  that is plastered with the faces of hundreds of missing people. Some have been missing for months. But most have been missing for decades.

At last years CrimeCon in Orlando, Wilveria Sanders was there as a volunteer helping others. She stopped by the missing people wall to gaze at the familiar photo of her brother, Shelton Sanders, that has been circulating for more than 20 years.

Wilveria was only 11 when her brother, a USC-Columbia student, went missing in 2001 but she has vowed to find out what happened to him.

He was my whole world, she said. And he still is. I have dedicated my entire life to my brother and giving him a voice.

Earlier this month, Wilveria returned to CrimeCon, this year in Nashville, but this time she was there as an exhibitor  with a booth where she could tell Sheltons story.

The more information we put out there and the more public awareness there is, the closer I feel to getting justice for Shelton, she said. Our fight for Shelton is not over.

Shelton Sanders, a USC-Columbia student, has been missing since June 19, 2001. But his sister Wilveria Sanders has never stopped looking for him ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

At the booth next to hers was the family of Gabby Petitio, the 22-year-old who was killed by fiance Brian Laundrie in 2021 while they were on a cross-country road trip.

The Petitio family told Wilveria they remember seeing Sheltons picture at the previous event and asked for fliers and other material to hand out from their booth.

Theres a wall at CrimeCon  the biggest true crime event in the country  that is plastered with the faces of hundreds of missing people ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

Gabbys father had a few words of comfort for Wilveria.

Never give up hope, he told her.

What happened to Shelton?

Shelton Sanders was a student at the University of South Carolina in Columbia when he disappeared on June 19, 2001. He was 25 years old.

He was studying Administrative Information Management and also worked as a computer programmer for the schools Neuropsychiatry Department School of Medicine.

Wilveria said her brother had dreams of owning a consulting business and raising a family one day. But that changed on June 19, 2001.

The day began as normal with Shelton attending college classes. Before he drove home to Rembert, he joined his former college roommate, Mark Richardson, to reserve hotel rooms in Columbia for a bachelor party they were planning.

He called his mother around 8:30 p.m. to let her know that hed be home later, but he never showed up.

Wilveria said her brother had dreams of owning a consulting business and raising a family one day. But that changed on June 19, 2001 when he vanished ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

According to a Sumter County Sheriffs Department investigation, Shelton and Richardson were seen at Wellesley Inns & Suites in Columbia around 9:30 p.m., then at the Embassy Suites in Columbia at 9:51 p.m. and at the Residence Inn just after 10 p.m.  all in the downtown area of Columbia. They returned to Richardsons apartment between 11 and 11:30 p.m.

A neighbor would later tell investigators that it was around that time that they heard three gunshots coming from the area of Richardsons apartment. When they walked over to find out what happened, Richardson told the neighbor that everything was fine and that his car had just backfired, police said in reports at the time.

Richardson later told investigators that he and Shelton had gone their separate ways, and that Shelton had headed back to his home in Rembert.

His parents, Bill Sanders, a Sumter County Magistrate, and Peggy Sanders, became concerned when he wasnt home the next day and filed a missing persons report with the Sumter County Sheriffs Department.

A search was launched, but with no evidence, the case quickly turned cold.

Two years later, Sheltons white 1988 Oldsmobile Regency was found backed into a parking space at the Greenbrier Apartment complex in Columbia.

Richland County Sheriffs Department joined the investigation and Richardson, the last person to be seen with Shelton, was called in for further questioning.

Sergeant Shawn McDaniels, an investigator with the Richland County Sheriffs Department on the case, told Dateline NBC back in 2021 that Richardson made statements during that interview that led investigators to focus on him as their prime suspect.

New billboards were placed in Columbia, where he was last seen, and Greenville, S.C. ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

According to McDaniels, Richardson asked the investigators during the interview, Let me ask you a hypothetical question? Is there such a thing as an accidental death in the state of South Carolina? After he was told hed be given the opportunity to explain, Richardson also asked, How can I explain getting rid of a body?

McDaniels said Richardson refused to say anything else.

Investigators were able to place Richardson right where Sheltons car was found on the night he went missing with the help of phone pings.

We triangulated his cell phone records and we were able to, on the night that Shelton Sanders was last seen and heard from, we were able to put Mark Richardsons cell phone records right where the car was found, McDaniels said during the 2021 interview with Dateline.

No body, no crime

In October of 2005, Mark Richardson was arrested and charged with murder in connection to Sheltons disappearance.

In April 2008, he stood trial. But the jury was unable to reach a verdict, with seven jurors voting guilty and five jurors voting not guilty or undecided, and a mistrial was declared.

Wilveria told The Independent that the outcome was devastating for their family.

Its been 23 years of pain for us, 23 years of grieving and missing Shelton, she said. We just want answers.

There has not yet been a retrial as there was not enough evidence.

McDaniels spoke with WACH FOX News in 2022 about arresting Richardson and charging him with murder in 2005, and the frustration about seeing him released in 2008 after his trial resulted in a hung jury.

The most frustrating part started initially, when we had to deal with jurisdiction issues along with the Sumter County Sheriffs department, he said.

And whats frustrating is to build up enough evidence, strong circumstantial evidence, enough to get an arrest warrant, and to see that this case here was decided primarily on a jury that was racially divided.

The reward for information that leads to the whereabouts of Sheltons remains has doubled and the family is now offering $50,000 ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

He was the last person with him, he added. Gunshots were heard at his house by a credible witness. So, why would you need to explain that? All the evidence points to [Mark Richardson].

The Independent has reached out to Richardson for comment. He currently resides in Greenville, South Carolina, which is about 100 miles from Columbia.

Without further evidence, such as Sheltons remains, another trial or suspect is unlikely.

A sisters fight for justice

Wilveria is still on her mission to get justice for her brother.

Even if he is deceased, I still want to know where he is or what happened to him. Thats all I want, she said.

Shelton had been missing for about 10 years  and his case was turning cold  when she and her family took it upon themselves to be unofficial investigators.

They set up the Facebook page Finding Shelton Sanders, established a tip line, conducted interviews with local and national news outlets, increased their reward offer and continued to plead with anyone who has information to come forward.

Billboards were placed in Columbia, where he was last seen. Digital billboards were put in the area, as well as Greenville, earlier this week. A new website is expected in a few months time.

Wilveria is still on her mission to get justice for her brother. She is pictured here at the CrimeCon in Nashville. She also plans to attend the next one in Denver ( Provided by Wilveria Sanders )

At this point, were looking for a confession or his remains, she said.

Only then will we have closure.

The reward for information that leads to the whereabouts of Sheltons remains has doubled and the family is now offering $50,000.

I pray all the time for answers, Wilveria said.

But we havent given up hope  and well never stop fighting for justice for him.

Anyone with information about Sheltons case or the whereabouts of his remains is asked to call the Richland County Sheriffs Office at (803) 576-3000 or the Shelton Sanders information hotline at (803) 427-4209.
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The results of a DNA test on a strand of black hair could help uncover a mystery around the death of a 50-year-old Philadelphia woman who seemingly choked on a disinfectant wipe at a care facility offering intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Services.

On January 26, 2022, Cheryl Yewdall was found with her face on the floor, in a pool of urine, suffocating on a large disinfectant wipe at Merakey Woodhaven. She died five days later.

The medical examiners office couldnt figure out how the wipe had lodged into her trachea, leaving it an open question as to whether her death was an accident or a homicide. No one has been arrested in connection with Yewdalls death., but attorneys for her family filed a wrongful death lawsuit in August 2022.

But there was a clue discovered on a magnified photo of the wipe that could serve as a key piece of evidence to solve the mystery: a strand of hair.

More than two years after Yewdalls tragic death, on Friday, attorneys representing her family asked the court to order DNA testing on the hair, the Associated Press reported.

They are looking for answers as to whether the hair located on the wipe or the wipe itself contains any DNA not belonging to Cheryl Yewdall, said the filing, which was obtained by the outlet.

The lawyers attached photos, noting that Yewdalls hair was mostly gray.

Cheryls mom hired me to get justice for Cheryl, attorney James Pepper told the outlet. The DNA analysis of this previously unaccounted single strand of hair holds the promise of getting Cheryl that justice.

The 2022 complaint states that Yewdall needed 24-hour supervision, noting she suffered from severe mental retardation and cerebral palsy. The lawyers wrote that Yewdall had had no history of dysphagia, or swallowing difficulties.

She was just so sweet and innocent and helpless, and she depended on them to care for her and love her and be safe, Yewdalls mother, Christine Civatte, told the Associated Press after the lawsuit was filed. I just thought they would protect her.

Merakey has denied any responsibility in her death.
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Wearing cowboy hats bejewelled with Free Trump brooches and waving American flags, evangelical Christians promised to vote for Donald Trump at a key gathering on Saturday, saying that, while he is not perfect, hell do the right thing for America.

Trump was the keynote speaker at the Faith & Freedom Coalition in Washington, DC, a gathering of politically influential conservative Christian activists who campaign for strict abortion regulations and a tougher stance on the southern border.

There he called on his religious supporters to go to the polls in a speech that notably glossed over abortion, which has become a sensitive issue for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

Trump joined a slew of speakers including Republican senators, governors, and congressmen and women, among them newly-appointed Republican national committee chair Michael Whatley.

On stage, he drew cheers from the crowds as he applauded a divisive law signed in Louisiana this week requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom.

Has anyone read the Thou shalt not steal? I mean, has anybody read this incredible stuff? Its just incredible, Trump said to a room that erupted into ecstatic applause. They dont want it to go up. Its a crazy world.

Frank Collins and his son pray at the conference. Collins says he acknowledges Trump isnt a perfect person ( Bel Trew )

The day before, the former president had posted his enthusiastic praise for the new law on his social media network, writing in capitals: I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER.

In the audience, attendees acknowledged that Trump has been criticised for breaking commandments; there are the accusations that he committed adultery with Stormy Daniels and others, as well as his felony convictions in New York. But no one is perfect, they said. Weve all broken the Ten Commandments, havent we? All of us need Jesus, said Frank Collins, 69, a pastor who drove eight hours from Detroit with his 19-year-old son to hear the president speak.

Were not looking for a perfect person, but were looking for a person who has a heart for the American people and a heart for God. This is the man of the day. This is the man of the hour. And were praying.

Renata DaSilva, 49, a Brazilian-American Christian podcaster from South Carolina, echoed the sentiment. Im not voting for a pastor. Im voting for someone that leads the country, she said. Donald Trump is not perfect. Im not perfect. I dont think you are perfect... This perfect person does not exist.

On the sidelines of the conference, shortly after Trump spoke, a group who had flown in from Florida to join the convention said that evangelicals will stand behind him.

We are not looking for a preacher. Were looking for somebody [who is] going to do the right thing for America, Angelo Kelvin said. Evangelicals are going to answer his call to vote, he added as his friend shouted Amen! In the background.

However, Trumps repeated opposition to signing a nationwide ban on abortion, alongside his reluctance to overtly state his views on the issue, has created tensions between the former president and the conservative Christian movement he hopes will help return him to office.

A delegate prays at the Road to Majority conference. Many evangelicals are expected to support Trump once again in Novembers election ( Bel Trew )

In his speech on Saturday, Trump claimed credit for appointing three right-wing justices to the Supreme Court who helped overturn the Roe v Wade decision two years ago this Monday, eliminating the nationwide right to abortion. But he once again said that he preferred to leave the issue to individual states, in comments that received a tepid response from the crowd.

Weve gotten abortion out of the federal government and back to the states. The people will decide, and thats the way it should be, Trump said, as groups shouted No dead babies! in the background.

Like Ronald Reagan, I believe in exceptions for the life of the mother  rape and incest ... You have to go with your heart. You have to also remember you have to get elected, he added.

Republican chair Whatley, whose speech ended on his anti-abortion beliefs, defended Trump against accusations of evasion on the subject. President Trump has made very clear his position on abortion... Hes the most pro-life president that weve ever had, he added.

Trumps current reluctance to support a federal ban on abortion is a point of contention with his evangelical supporters ( Bel Trew )

Back in the conference hall, pastor Frank Pavone, 65 an anti-abortion activist and the national director of Priests for Life, told The Independent that he did not need Trump to be overtly vocal about his specific views but instead needed him to follow the conservative Christian agenda through facilitating legislation.

Were not looking for somebody who necessarily is going to live out our faith in all its particulars. Were looking for someone whos going to defend our right to live our faith, he said. Hes going to give us the freedom to live our faith.
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Khaki sleeves rolled up and safety goggles adjusted, Ron Hanks stares into the sight of a high-powered rifle before pulling the trigger on Colorados arid plains  ostensibly blowing up an office copier disguised as a voting machine in a video political campaign ad.

The attention-grabbing clip vaulted Hanks into headlines during his unsuccessful Senate campaign two years ago; now hes followed it up with equally hard-nosed, gun-themed and solemn campaign ads  as the combat veteran vies to fill the seat being vacated by MAGA firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Im the only conservative in this race, former Republican state representative Hanks tells The Independent. And Im the only conservative with a proven legislative record  look at my time in the state house, when I fought for the Second Amendment and I fought for election integrity and I fought for the unborn.

This is the candidate endorsed by the central committee of the state GOP in the race to replace Boebert in a district she nearly lost to a Democrat two years ago  and a district shes fled for a better shot at a seat across the state.

The brash congresswomans antics and increasingly outrageous scandals were largely blamed for her waning support among both CD3 Republican and unaffiliated constituents. Instead of endorsing a less controversial candidate upon her departure, however, the Colorado GOP has thrown its weight behind a veritable Boebert 2.0; Hanks is a self-described pro-Trump warrior, election denier and proud attendee of the Jan. 6 rally in DC. (He says, however, that he did not enter the Capitol.)

Boebert may have upped sticks to seek greener pastures eastward, but the brouhaha shes left behind is following her same fractious brand of rhetoric, drama and polarization  and thats just within her own party.

Despite the GOP endorsement of Hanks, the more staid establishment candidate  a Grand Junction attorney named Jeff Hurd with a slew of Republican old-guard endorsements  is polling far ahead. Both mens campaigns are gleefully attacking each other as the clock counts down to next weeks primary.

And not to be outdone, the Democrats are accused of meddling after a series of PAC-funded reversepsychology ads declared Hanks too conservative  in an attempt to appeal to the ultra-right base, secure Hanks the nomination and ultimately give Frisch a better shot in November. The strategy is presumably banking on the fact that the same voters who turned against Boebert will also find Hanks to be a distasteful choice.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert has for two terms represented Colorados 3rd congressional district, which included the town of Rifle, where she previously ran a gun-themed restaurant; she announced in December she was abandoning her re-election campaign and running across the state in CD4 ( AFP via Getty Images )

Colorados third congressional district, thrown headlong into the national spotlight four years ago when political neophyte Boebert unseated five-term Republican Scott Tipton in the primary, has been on a political rollercoaster ride ever since. Boebert made constant headlines  heckling the president at the State of the Union; getting groped in a theater; divorcing and then fighting with her ex-husband in public  before capping the drama with a surprise constituency switch.

Days after the December announcement that Boebert would now be running in CD4, Hanks threw his hat in the ring for her Western Slope seat. A combat veteran with 32 years of service, he doubles down on the same far-right views as Boebert but delivers them with expressionless solemnity, not finger-pointing shouts. Like her, he plays up his common-man roots.

When I wasnt working for the Air Force, I fracked in North Dakota, and I hammered iron and drove trucks with blue-collar America, he told constituents one week before the primary in a Tuesday night zoom town hall.

Im telling you, we can fix all of the ills on the backs of blue-collar America: the pipefitters, the welders, the cement men  you know, these are the people that are going to rebuild this country.

Hanks ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California in 2010 before the failed Colorado Senate campaign, but served as a state representative in Colorados House for District 60, encompassing his home in Fremont County  which is not in CD3.

He, like Boebert, is carpet-bagging.

Voter Roxie Geigle sits in the Mesa Count Republicans office in Grand Junction; she was sad to see Boeberts departure and feels Ron Hanks is the best candidate now for the district ( Sheila Flynn )

Hanks not living in the district didnt seem to matter to voters The Independent spoke with, particularly those who were sad to see Boebert go.

I dont think the Republicans here care one way or the other, as long as we get the representation, Roxie Geigle, wearing a red-white-and-blue cowboy hat and matching boot-shaped earrings, tells The Independent of Hanks district switch.

Hanks says that, while he may not hail originally from CD3, he won the district during his Senate attempt  and was quickly fielding phone calls asking him to run when Boebert bowed out.

Ten days before the primary, his supporter Geigle is sitting in the Grand Junction offices of the Mesa County Republicans, a space kitted out with Charlie Kirk pamphlets, Trump mugshot mugs for sale and God, guns and Trump paraphernalia.

A lot of people want Lauren Boebert back, but weve got to move on, and so were trying to find the best candidate to fill that position, she says. I do worry about somebody replacing her enthusiasm in Congress  that they wont match it. And the closest one I found is Ron.

Geigle, a 72-year-old retiree, volunteers with the party and is a Republican district captain but is speaking in her personal capacity as a voter. This is the first year the state GOP committee has broken with precedent and actually endorsed candidates, further stoking tensions and resentments within the party; it also put out a heavily Trumpleaning candidate questionnaire.

Party chairman Dave Williams, who is himself running for the congressional seat in yet another Colorado district, and another officer recused themselves from the endorsement choice, according to the statement  leaving the decision to just three other officials, it seems. Williams did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

Its not a surprise to see a split in the party between old-guard conservatives and more MAGA types; weve seen that in a lot of places and a lot of states, Seth Masket, director of the University of Denvers Center on American Politics, tells The Independent. But Wiliams is really sort of ramping up his power as state party chair to try and influence races  thats really unusual.

Warring factions within the GOP  both in official ranks and on the ground  have made people unwilling to talk about politics even within their own circles, say Geigle and office manager Karen Kulp.

We have families that are split; we have people that have been friends for years [disagreeing] .. all kinds of things happening, Kulp tells The Independent. Its been going on over here for a long time. You have your Never-Trumpers, and then you have us.

Hanks, according to the GOP committees endorsement last month, will secure the border, cut out-of-control taxes and spending, protect the unborn, defend the Second Amendment, and enthusiastically support our 2024 Republican Presidential nominee, President Donald J. Trump.

There are plenty of Republicans who dont embrace the Hanks style of conservativism, however  and the support behind Hurd would indicate that their numbers are significant. He has outpaced Hanks in both fundraising and the polls.

There is infighting within the Colorado state GOP  mirroring national trends  with splits between old-guard establishment Republicans and grassroots, MAGA supporters; at the Mesa County offices in Grand Junction, Trump paraphernalia is overwhelmingly on display ( Sheila Flynn )

A lot of the older generation is supporting kind of your Ron Hanks and America First movement, whereas young people are more, Lets take a step back, lets re-evaluate, says Mesa County Republican Austin DeWitt, 23, who supported Boebert in two elections but felt she spent too much time on national issues, not local.

Right now, I know a lot of young Republicans like myself  theyre saying the same exact thing: Ron Hanks just doesnt really have a young persons interest, and its more grassroots, America First, more going along the lines with the state party.

My priorities are, obviously, lets put the West Slope first.

He said he was supporting Hurd, whos put a plan forth and is not really engaging in any of the mudslinging.

Heavyweights like former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a former Colorado secretary of state and state treasurer, and two of Boeberts predecessors have also publicly given support to Hurd, labelled an empty suit by Hanks.

We know whos running him: Its the old retread establishment Republicans that are no longer in office that are looking for influence, Hanks tells The Independent.

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, in a scathing editorial last month, took aim at the state GOP shenanigans.

This is ludicrous, the paper wrote. The state party shouldnt be endorsing at all  allowing its party members to draw their own conclusions about who is best qualified. Instead, the party is endorsing candidates whose views most closely align with the MAGA-loving state party chairman  Ever since Lauren Boebert announced she wouldnt run to represent the 3rd CD for a third time, weve looked forward to a potential matchup between Adam Frisch and Jeff Hurd on the prospect that voters would have a choice between two qualified moderates.

Democrat Adam Frisch, who lives in Aspen with his wife and two children, positioned himself as a moderate in the race against Boebert and nearly beat her during the last election; he is likely to face either Hurd or Hanks ( Frisch Campaign )

The state GOP would rather see a matchup between Hanks and a Democrat, it wrote. It should be careful what it wishes for.

The strategy, it warned, could see the seat flip to Democrat for the first time since 2011  and that matchup does seem to be exactly what the Left wants  if the TV ads theyre funding are anything to go by. National Republican leaders, at least, are up in arms about them.

Accusing Frisch of gutter politics, the National Republican Congressional Committee has complained that Frisch was spending $115,000 in media markets ad that Rocky Mountain Values, a group bankrolled by the same donors as House Democrats nonprofit, has already spent $636,000 meddling in the primary.

One RMV-funded ad, for example, highlights how Hanks wants to crack down on immigration and laments: Ron Hanks and Donald Trump are just too conservative before finishing with a stark: Too conservative for Colorado.

When you have a Democrat start meddling in Republican elections and start paying all this money into a primary to support a certain candidate, that tells me right there that they believe he is the weaker candidate  in November, he could lose, voter DeWitt tells The Independent.

Rocky Mountain Values did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

Hanks, meanwhile, has been the target of attack ads funded by fellow Republicans, according to him. The advertisements call him a bullseye for liberals and a misfire for Colorado, accusing Democratic mega donors of propping up his campaign.

One week before the primary, Hanks huffed on Facebook about Speaker Mike Johnson and the CLF PAC ads to foolishly attack my 2A and pro-Trump creds.

I was AT Jan 6th, he added, also highlighting his pro-Second Amendment legislative efforts in the Colorado House.

In a zoom town hall later that night, Hanks directly addressed the divisions within the GOP and the attack ads, visibly annoyed.

If it sounds like a raw nerve, its because you thought you had some allies somewhere in your own damned party, he said. And we dont; we are largely here alone.

Just days before the election, Hanks tells The Independent that he feels there is a fight afoot for the heart and soul of the party, not just in Colorado but nationally.

This is now a fracture in the Republican Party between grassroots, who want limited government, and the establishment, who want a seat at the Democrats table, he says. And so this is the election to break this wide open. And Trump is doing that by being in the race.
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Lauren Ashley Simmons was heartbroken.

Simmons, a queer Black woman and labor organizer from Houston, watched her Democratic state representative break with her party and vote in favor of three Republican-led bills limiting rights for transgender teens and children. All of them became law.

Those laws supported by State Rep. Shawn Thierry put a target on some families that are already extremely vulnerable and dealing with so much, living in a state like Texas, Simmons tells The Independent.

To know that this Democrat representative for a big blue district in a pretty blue city turned her back  that betrayed and hurt me, she says. But then knowing that people had to leave the state, it really sent me over the edge.

So Simmons ran against her.

Thierry has represented the Houston-area district in the state House since 2017.

On May 28, Simmons defeated Thierry in a Democratic primary election with 65 per cent of the vote. Now the progressive candidate is widely expected to win in the mostly nonwhite and heavily Democratic-leaning district in Novembers general election.

Simmons will join an incoming class of other recently elected LGBT+ lawmakers preparing for a GOP-dominated body that routinely legislates against them and their families.

Something that Im focused on is thinking about all of the LGBT families whose very first interaction with the government was having to come to the Capitol to fight for their childrens lives, Simmons tells The Independent.

After you call your state representative, after youve written letters, after you travel to the Capitol, and have them deny your existence and treat you like you dont matter, what does that do? she says. We have a lot of work to do to heal some of those wounds.

Transgender rights advocates gather at the Texas State Capitol in Austin in 2023 ( Getty Images )

Nearly one-third of all state-level bills targeting LGBT+ Americans are coming out of Texas.

Lawmakers in the state  home to more than 30 million people  filed more than 140 bills threatening LGBT+ Texans in 2023, alarming civil rights activists to the point that they felt they needed to warn the United Nations about a looming human rights crisis in the state.

Texas Republicans outlawed gender-affirming healthcare for transgender teens, blocked trans college athletes from playing on teams that dont align with their gender, and banned broadly defined sexually explicit books from school libraries.

Thierry voted for all three.

This years elections in Texas also saw the election of the first-ever openly LGBT+ state senator, emergency room nurse and community organizer Molly Cook, who joins a small but growing body of LGBT+ lawmakers at the capitol.

Simmons never planned to run for public office. She grew up in a very, very typical middle class family, nothing too out of the ordinary, she says, until she became a mother at 19 years old.

She lost her safety net  turned down from public assistance, evicted from her apartment, forced to shoplift for food, and then arrested on charges for theft that were later dismissed.

Simmons got involved with community organizing groups and labor unions to help other Texans learn how to navigate the same system she endured, and to fight for better wages and working conditions for Black women in a state with some of the weakest worker protections in the country.

She organized with the Houston Federation of Teachers, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and became a staff steward for the Communication Workers of America Local 1180.

I love organizing in my community, helping people find solutions to problems, helping people realize their own power as an individual but also what it means to feel collective power, she says.

Supporters encouraged her to run after her viral opposition to Republican threats to public education, but Thierrys vote to deny affirming healthcare to young trans people was something of a last straw.

There are so many things that have not been addressed, she tells The Independent.

I think about Uvalde, or our state refusing to accept millions of dollars of federal funding to feed kids over summer, she says. Like, its so infuriating, because were targeting a small group of families who are trying to make the best decision for their kids while totally neglecting a myriad of issues.

Democratic House Rep. Jasmine Crockett decided to weigh in after Thierry dismissed Simmons supporters as the gay ones. Thierry claimed that her comments to the Houston Chronicles editorial board were taken completely out of context.

Thierrys supporters also put out yard signs accusing Simmons of supporting Black genocide and the castration and sterilization of young Black people. Thierry denied having anything to do with the signs but didnt denounce them.

Texas State Rep. Shawn Thierry attends a campaign event in Houston on May 11 ( AP )

Simmons has two children in Houston schools, including a child with a chronic health condition, and there is nothing I wouldnt do to make sure that my baby had access to the care that she needed, she tells The Independent.

There are families who are going to have to give up everything and leave this state, she says. Their lives have been upended by this. But I also thought about the people  even deeper in the margins who cant afford to do that. Like, what do they do?

Senate Bill 14, which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott last year, forces children off transition healthcare like puberty blockers and hormone treatments against the urgent guidance from major medical associations.

Many families with trans children are leaving Texas, unable to get the care they need, and forced to flee a state that is not safe for them, according to Emily Witt, senior communications and media strategist for the Texas Freedom Network and Texas Freedom Network Education Fund.

Fleeing your home is an enormous loss. The kind of community we see in Texas and the south in general cant always be found in blue states, Witt says.

Activists rally against anti-trans legisaltion at the Texas State Capitol in Austin in March 2023 ( Getty Images )

So-called book ban laws and policies across the country have taken aim at books and materials by and about LGBT+ people and Black history. Texas was no exception  House Bill 900 was labeled a blatant attempt to keep books out of students hands by the Childrens Defense Fund of Texas.

Whose stories are worth telling, and whose stories are a part of the American experience? Simmons asks. As a Black woman, as a queer woman, being able to read stories and see myself bigger than stories is very important to my own foundation.

More than 1 million students are enrolled in Houstons schools. The Texas GOPs 2024 platform calls for prosecuting educators and defunding schools and libraries that Republican officials believe are sexualizing children.

I dont think it meets the goal theyre trying to meet, Witt tells The Independent. Lauren Ashley Simmons is a pretty big emblem of that.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during the annual National Rifle Association meeting in Dallas on May 18 ( REUTERS )

Texas Republicans are expected to propose restrictions to gender-affirming care for trans adults and revive a so-called Dont Say Gay bill targeting state schools in 2025.

Why are they so focused on LGBTQ families? Simmons says. They are keenly and solely focused stoking as much fear in their base as possible so people will go out and vote out of fear.  Were supposed to be able to come together and pass budgets and legislation that make life better for everybody.

The upcoming legislative battle will be a fight, she says, but Im a union organizer. Im a labor organizer. Every fight is pretty much David and Goliath.
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With just days to go before Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off in the first presidential debate, Republicans are concerned about the possibility of the former president walking into a trap in front of a national audience.

Fearing a repeat of the chaos of the first 2020 debate in which Trump kept interrupting and speaking over both Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, senior party figures are urging him to stay calm and follow the rules.

The issue is clearly on the former presidents mind too, as he asked supporters at a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday (June 22) whether he should be tough and nasty or nice and calm and let Biden speak.

He may not have a choice as debate rules state that when one candidate is responding to a question, the others microphone will be muted.

Nevertheless, Trump is being urged to tone things down for the CNN-hosted debate on June 27, The Hill reports.

Allies hope he can avoid alienating independent and swing voters with his trademark bombastic and confrontational rhetoric and demeanor. If he can resist launching into a tirade and stay on the rails, he could come out on top.

The president meanwhile has to telegraph a message of stability and competence while reminding voters of the turmoil of the Trump administration and warning about what might come in a second term.

Bidens campaign frames Trump as obsessed with the past, not the future and willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power versus their focus on building a future for the American people.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden answers a question as President Donald Trump listens during the second and final presidential debate in the 2020 election ( REUTERS )

Indeed, that will likely sit squarely alongside the inescapable fact that the former president is now a convicted felon and is fighting three other indictments.

Speaking on Meet the Press on NBC on Sunday morning Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu said: I'll let the President say what he's going to say. But the fact of the matter is that the sky is blue sometimes and Donald Trump is a convicted felon.

Landrieu also said: People are going to know that he's a twice impeached convicted felon who has been found to have defamed somebody, sexually abused somebody and going bankrupt six times.

It is hard to imagine that this will not raise the ire of the former president.

Dont take the bait, Senator John Thune of South Dakota told The Hill. Demeanors important, tones important. I think you can be decisive and strong, as he is, but I think in many ways you want to give President Biden as much rope as possible because I dont think that probably is going to play well for him.

This is why you play them, right? The debates are going to be important as they always are, he continued.

If [Trump] comes in there and just shows strength and leadership but maintains a calm demeanor and lets Biden go, it goes well for him.

This is the first time since televised debates began in 1960 that the first face-off has occurred before either partys convention.

In going early in the election season, both candidates have an opportunity to get their message out to Americans who may not have yet engaged in the election. There is also a significant block of voters who are turned off by the advanced age of both candidates, so capability is key.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, once a fierce Trump critic and now one of his staunchest allies said: The main focus is going to be: is Biden capable?

Trump and Biden will square off in the first presidential debate in Atlanta on June 27, 2024 ( AP )

If I were President Trump, I would talk about right track, wrong track, he continued. I dont think he needs to be overly aggressive. Just make the case that if you think were on the wrong track, youre right.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia observes: I think theyre going to be looking for other cues in terms of: is President Biden capable of answering all the questions relevantly, and is President Trump within the rails?

Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote in The Wall Street Journal: Mr Trump cant come off as unhinged or enraged. The words rigged election shouldnt pass his lips. He has to keep his cool and cant make it all about himself.

NBCs Peter Alexander also asked South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem whether Trump should avoid personal insults during the debate.

I dont think that he has to ... get personal. ... Hes going to have so many good things to talk about, she said.

One potential Trump running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, recognizes the importance of the debate but is confident that the former president can stick to a theme that appears to resonate with many voters.

I think its going to be a good night, but its a very important night, Vance said. He just has to make his case to the American people. Theres a very clear contrast between how things were under him and how things were under Biden. He just, I think, has to hit that theme and thats what well do.

The debate will be hosted by CNNs Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta on Thursday at 9pm est  there will be no studio audience and moderators will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion.

Both candidates agreed to accept the rules and format of the debate, as outlined in letters sent to the campaigns by the network in May.

The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time.

Both candidates agreed to appear at a uniform podium, with Trump to the left and Biden to the right as determined by a coin flip. Politifact has debunked an online rumor that the Biden team asked for the candidates to be seated.

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.

No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage. Candidates will simply be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

The Independent will be covering the debate live as well as the build-up and post-game analysis.
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Donald Trumps campaign is walking back a promise from the former president that he would automatically give green cards to all overseas students studying in the US once they graduate.

Speaking on The All-In Podcast on Thursday, Trump said: What I want to do, and what I will do, is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country.

That move wouldnt only apply to graduates of four-year universities either, Trump clarified.

That includes junior colleges too. Anybody graduates from a college  you go in there for two years or four years. If you graduate, or you get a doctorate degree from a college, you should be able to stay in this country.

The campaign is now emphasizing a strict vetting process as part of the plan after the idea received immediate pushback.

Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian told The New York Post that it was a cockamamie proposal.

If someone earns a PhD at a university in a hard science, I personally will drive to their house and give them a green card, Krikorian said.

The issue is any foreign college graduate, even from a bogus two-year masters program or gender studies, would get a green card.

Fox News reports Chris Chmielenski, president of the conservative Immigration Accountability Project, as saying that the plan would reduce wages for all Americans, increase job competition, particularly for recent college graduates, and pose a national security threat.

US immigration policy must serve the interests of all Americans, not the interests of elite business leaders who seek cheap labor.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to media outlets: President Trump has made it clear that on day one of his new administration, hes going to shut down the border and launch the largest mass deportation effort of illegal aliens in history.

She also said that Trumps green card proposal would also include an aggressive vetting process that would exclude all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters, and public charges.

Leavitt continued: He believes, only after such vetting has taken place, we ought to keep the most skilled graduates who can make significant contributions to America. This would only apply to the most thoroughly vetted college graduates who would never undercut American wages or workers.

The former president made the comment after one of the podcasts hosts, investor Jason Calacanis, asked him: Can you please promise us you will give us more ability to import the best and brightest from around the world to America?

Trump expressed his frustration over how some US graduates leave the country and start businesses in China or India because theyre unable to obtain visas to stay.
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Karl Rove says Donald Trumps conviction in his New York hush money trial is indeed having an impact on polling.

Speaking on Fox News on Saturday, the veteran Republican strategist said that the numbers show voters are moving away from the former president now that he is a convicted felon.

Rove was asked about the latest polling by Paul Gigot, host of The Journal Editorial Report and the editorial page editor of The Wall Street Journal.

Gigot asked about the most recent Fox News poll, which this week enraged Trump by showing President Joe Biden with a two-point lead nationally, and whether he agreed it was connected to the felony conviction.

I agree, replied Rove revealing a small whiteboard with the latest polling figures. In fact, take a look at the evidence.

He then walked Gigot through polling since June 1, the day after the guilty verdict, and chronologically showed a changing trend from Trump being up by one or two points to Biden being up by the same amount.

In fact, if you look at the RealClear Politics national average, which is 11 polls  its Trump up by one half of one per cent, said Rove.

Assuming that weve continued to see close numbers, were likely to see that lead dissipate because the most recent polls have had Biden ahead.

Karl Rove reviews the latest polling on Joe Biden and Donald Trump since the latters felony conviction ( Fox News )

The latest Fox News head-to-head poll has Biden at 50 per cent and Trump at 48 per cent.

Since May, the poll has seen a three-point change in the presidential race, as Trump was ahead by one point last month.

Biden is also leading by one point ahead of Trump, 43 per cent to 42 per cent, in the expanded Fox News poll that includes five presidential candidates, including Robert F Kennedy Jr, who received 10 per cent, and Jill Stein and Cornel West, who both got two per cent.

The survey also revealed that some voters may be becoming more positive about the US economy, as around one-third of voters, 32 per cent, said that the economy is in excellent or good shape, the highest the poll number has been during Bidens presidency. The previous high was 30 per cent.

However, the majority of respondents, 56 per cent, are still pessimistic about the state of the economy.

A furious Trump raged at Fox News on Truth Social, writing in part: The latest Fox News poll is TRASH! They used a biased, Democrat-leaning sample of voters, polling more Biden 2020 voters than Trump 2020 voters to skew the results in favor of Crooked Joe. I am leading BIG in virtually every other poll, including in all of the key battleground states.
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Donald Trump says he has chosen his running mate for Novembers presidential election.

The all-but-certain Republican nominee told NBC News reporters Jake Taylor and Dasha Burns ahead of a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday (June 22) that he has picked his potential vice president.

The only thing is that he did not say who it was and also revealed that he hasnt told the individual in question or anyone else.

In my mind, yeah, Trump said when asked if hes decided.

Asked if his pick knows its them, Trump responded, No, nobody knows.

Whoever it is will reportedly be at Thursdays first presidential debate against Joe Biden, hosted by CNN in Atlanta.

That does not mean that we will find out who his running mate is that night as Trump has said previously that he may make the announcement at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in mid-July.

Speculation about who the former president would pick to join him on the 2024 Republican ticket amped up after vetting materials were sent to contenders.

A source told The Hill that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and JD Vance of Ohio received vetting requests.

Recent reporting suggests that Rubio has risen to the top of the list, but Burgum has also been touted as having the best odds at being picked  and has been one of the most active surrogates for Trump  with Scott coming in with the second-best odds.

However, a New York Post report quoted a source as saying the South Carolina senators star has become less bright and he is unlikely to be picked.

Who will Trump pick as running mate? ( Getty Images )

Officials working for Trumps campaign had hoped that Scott could bring in Black voters.

The source told the Post the senator might not resonate with the Black community in a way thats worth putting him on the ticket. Still, Scott could see himself as a member of the former presidents Cabinet.

A couple of people speculated that the contenders personality could be one of the reasons why he might not be chosen.

One person told the outlet: I suspect his biggest issue is that hes just not very good on TV.

Other names in the mix include Florida Rep Byron Donalds, former Trump Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and New York Rep Elise Stefanik.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was once seen as a contender until publishing a book that included an account of how she executed her dog.

Asked on Sunday mornings edition of Meet the Press by NBCs Peter Alexander whether she had received any vetting paperwork, Noem responded: No, I haven't received any paperwork. No. I haven't. I've had conversations with the president, and I know that he is the only one who will be making the decisions on who will be his vice president.
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After several unsuccessful attempts, a pet called Wild Thang was finally crowned the worlds ugliest dog.

The loll-tongued Pekingese, who is eight years old and from Coos in Oregon, won the gong at this years contest held in California on Friday.

The majority of competitors at the 2024 event, in Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, were rescue dogs.

Wild Thang was diagnosed with canine distemper - which prevented the growth of his teeth and caused muscular disorder in his leg - as a puppy.

His owner Ann Lewis, will receive $5,000 (almost 4,000) and the pair will appear on NBCs The Today Show.

Wild Thang with his owner Ann Lewis after scooping the $5,000 prize ( EPA )

The Worlds Ugliest Dog contest has been running for 50 years according to its website, and speaks to the importance of advocating for the adoration of all animals and the benefits of adopting.

Rome, a 14-year-old pug, took second place on the podium, just ahead of Daisy Mae, a white-coated mixed-breed in third.

Chinese crested mixes, pug mixed breeds and a Brussels-griffon/pub mig named Freddie Mercury were among the other contestants.

A panel of judges chose the winner, with members of the public allowed to vote online for the peoples choice award, which went to 14-year-old pug Rome.

The judges included Gadi Schwartz, NBC News correspondent; Linda Witong Abrahm, a human rights activist; and Fiona Ma, Californias state treasurer.

The events website reads: The annual Worlds Ugliest Dog Contest is not about making fun of ugly dogs, but having fun with some wonderful characters and showing the world that these dogs are really beautiful!
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Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church, and a police post in Russias North Caucasus region of Dagestan, killing at least 20 people in what seemed to be coordinated attacks on several places of worship in Russias southernmost province of Dagestan.

At least 15 police officers were among the dead, alongside a 66-year-old Orthodox priest, a security guard and three other civilians.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks in the volatile North Caucasus region, according to the regions interior ministry.

This is a day of tragedy for Dagestan and the whole country, Sergei Melikov, governor of the Dagestan region, said in a video published early on Monday on the Telegram messaging app.

Mr Melikov also said that at least six militants were killed following the attacks.

The interior ministry, quoted by Russian news agencies, said four gunmen had been shot dead as the incidents unfolded. A local official said another had been killed during a shootout at a church in Dagestan's capital of Makhachkala, where the Orthodox priest was killed.

The reports said one officer was killed when shots were fired at a synagogue and a church in Derbent, home to an ancient Jewish community in the South Caucasus and a Unesco world heritage site.

Unidentified people fired at a synagogue and a church with automatic weapons, the interior ministry said. One police officer was killed and one injured.

The synagogue was on fire after the attack, Russian news agencies said.

Conflicting reports suggested that the attackers then fled in a car, although an unofficial channel on the Telegram messaging app, Mash, said gunmen were barricaded in a building in Derbent.

On Monday, Dagestan began three days of mourning for the dead. Flags were be lowered to half-mast and all entertainment events have been cancelled from 24 June to 26 June.

Russias National Anti-Terrorism Committee said in a statement that a Russian Orthodox Church priest and police officers were killed in the terrorist attacks.

A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church named the priest as Nikolai Kotelnikov in a post on Telegram, saying he was brutally murdered.

Attack on a Jewish synagogue and an Orthodox church in Russias Dagestan ( Supplied )

At least one other police officer was killed in an exchange of shots at a police post in Makhachkala, about 75 miles north of Derbent on the Caspian Sea coast.

Mr Melikov told reporters: We understand who is behind the organisation of the terrorist attacks and what goal they pursued. He did not provide any more details.

In Israel, the foreign ministry said the synagogue in Derbent had been burned to the ground and shots had been fired at a second synagogue in Makhachkala. The statement said it was believed there were no worshippers in the synagogue at the time.

Derbent, located in the South Caucasus, hosts a historic Jewish community and is recognised as a UNESCO world heritage site.

Russian authorities have pointed to militant Muslim elements in previous incidents in the region.

Last October, after the war in Gaza broke out, rioters waving Palestinian flags broke down glass doors and rampaged through Makhachkala airport to look for Jewish passengers on a flight arriving from Tel Aviv.

Between 2007 and 2017, a jihadist organisation called the Caucasus Emirate, and later the Islamic Emirate of the Caucasus, staged attacks in Dagestan and the neighbouring Russian republics of Chechnya, Ingushetia and Kabardino-Balkaria.

Dagestan, bordering Georgia and Azerbaijan, is predominantly Muslim and situated in southern Russia.

In April, Russias FSB security service arrested four people in Dagestan suspected of involvement in the attack on Moscows Crocus City Hall venue the previous month.

More than 140 people were killed in that attack, which was claimed by the Islamic State group.
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Fireworks launched from a yacht have allegedly sparked a forest fire in Greece, leading to the arrests of 13 crew members and passengers.

The blaze on the island of Hydra on Saturday burned part of its only pine forest in the remote area of Bisti. However, firefighters managed to get the flames under control early in the day.

The 13 arrested will appear before a prosecutor on Sunday, the Greek fire department said in a statement, which did not identify the people or the yacht.

It also released a photograph of a yacht with a fire blazing in the background, although it is unclear whether this was the vessel allegedly involved in the incident.

The arrests come after allegations that the forest fire was sparked by fireworks launched from the yacht on Friday night, an official with knowledge of the issue told Reuters, adding the people were arrested at an Athens area marina.

Hydra, southwest of Athens in the Saronic Gulf, is popular among foreign visitors and those travelling on yachts.

"We are outraged," Hydra mayor George Koukoudakis told state TV. "If it's true, it is something that really saddens me."

Hundreds of firefighters struggled on Saturday to contain dozens of wildfires fanned by gale-force winds on two Greek islands and in other parts of Greece, as authorities warned many regions face a high risk of new blazes.

Local residents look on as another wildfire burns in the village of Kalfas in southern Greece on Saturday ( Reuters )

More than 30 firefighters backed by two aircraft and five helicopters were battling a wildfire burning on the island of Andros in the Aegean, away from tourist resorts, where four communities were evacuated as a precaution.

"More firefighters [are] expected on the island later in the day," a fire services official said, adding there were no reports of damage or injuries.

Wildfires are common in Greece, but they have become more devastating in recent years amid hotter and drier summers which scientists link to climate change. A wildfire near Athens last week forced dozens to flee their homes, which authorities said they believed was the result of arson as well as the hot, dry conditions.

Meteorologists say the latest fires are the first time that the country has experienced "hot-dry-windy" conditions so early in the summer.

A local resident holds bottles of water next to a wildfire burning in the village of Latas, in southern Greece, on Saturday ( Reuters )

"I can't remember another year facing such conditions so early, in early and mid-June," meteorologist Thodoris Giannaros told state TV.

On Friday, a 55-year-old man died in hospital after being injured in a blaze in the region of Ilia on Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, as several fires burned on Greece's southern tip.

Several hundred firefighters have been deployed to battle more than 70 forest fires across the country since Friday. High winds and hot temperatures will extend the risk into Sunday, the fire service said.

Earlier on Saturday, firefighters tamed a forest fire on the island of Salamina, in the Saronic Gulf west of Athens, and another about 30 kilometres east of the capital.

After forest fires last year forced 19,000 people to flee the island of Rhodes and killed 20 on the northern mainland, Greece has scaled up its preparations this year by hiring more staff and stepping up training.
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The Ministry of Defence has published a myth-busting video denouncing the idea that Nato is encircling Russia, just a day after Nigel Farage doubled down on his claims that the West had provoked Vladimir Putin into invading Ukraine.

In a 31-second clip posted on X, formerly Twitter, the MoDs video presented the idea that Nato is encircling Russia as a myth, before writing that Russia is the largest country in the world and that it is hard to encircle a country with 11 time zones.

Only 11 per cent of Russias land border is shared with Nato countries, a message in the video showed.

Mr Farage, the Reform UK leader, has come under fire from figures across the political spectrum for his comments about the culpability of the West for Putins war.

His remarks were aired in an interview he did with BBC Panorama on Friday and reinforced by a comment piece he wrote on Saturday backing his claims. Mr Farage also stated the view immediately after the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

Though he did not use the word encircle during either the interview or the comment piece, Mr Farage did claim several times that the ever-eastward expansion of Nato had been used as an excuse by Putin to launch the largest land war in Europe since the Second World War.

It was obvious to me that the ever-eastward expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving this man a reason to his Russian people to say, theyre coming for us again and to go to war, he said during the interview aired on Friday.

A day later, he wrote in The Telegraph: What I have been saying for the past 10 years is that the West has played into Putins hands, giving him the excuse to do what he wanted to do anyway.

He did not offer an alternative solution to the way the last decade has been handled, prompting former UK defence minister Ben Wallace to describe Mr Farage as a pub bore who has no grasp of the complexity of finding international solutions to problems.

While Moscow quickly endorsed Mr Farages comments, politicians in Westminster slammed the Reform UK leader as a mouthpiece for Putin.

UK prime minister Rishi Sunak, speaking after Mr Farages BBC interview, said the Reform UK leader was completely wrong and playing into Putins hands.

Former prime minister Boris Johnson accused Mr Farage of a morally repugnant repetition of Putins justification for the invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Johnson, who has championed the UKs support of Ukraine, accused the Reform UK leader of spreading Kremlin propaganda.

Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody poked the bear with a stick, Mr Johnson said. The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country.

They were perfectly entitled to seek both Nato and EU membership. There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine  both in 2014 and 2022  and that is Putin. To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putins lies.

Mr Farage, a well-known supporter of former US president Donald Trump, who himself is publicly sceptical of Nato, did not mention that the bloc can only accept nations that request to join, as opposed to expanding into countries that have not requested membership.

Mr Farage also did not say that both Sweden and Finland, Natos latest two members, decided to join only after Putin ordered the full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

Finnish ex-Prime Minister Alexander Stubb said joining the alliance was a done deal for his country only as soon as Russian troops invaded Ukraine. Their membership more than doubled the Russian border with Nato.

For Sweden, their decision to join ended more than two centuries of neutrality, such was the threat posed to them by Russia.

And Ukraine applied for Nato membership only after Putin illegally annexed four regions of south and eastern Ukraine in September 2022, though they had been promised eventual membership during the 2008 Bucharest summit in Romania

Since 1949, NATOs membership has increased from 12 to 32 countries through 10 rounds of enlargement.
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A Liberia-flagged container ship was damaged in an aerial drone strike allegedly carried out by the Houthis in the Red Sea, in the latest attack by the Yemini group targeting the vital maritime corridor.

The attack on the China-bound vessel took place off the coast of Hodeida city around dawn on Sunday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, led by the British navy, said. It said the ship sustained damage but the mariners on board "were reported safe". It did not elaborate on the extent of the damage, but said an investigation was ongoing.

The strike came after aircraft carrier USS Dwight D Eisenhower left for home following an eight-month deployment leading the American response to the Houthi attacks. The carrier will be replaced by USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is expected to arrive after a scheduled exercise in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Houthis have been targeting ships associated with Israel in the Red Sea since the start of the war in Gaza.

They claim the attacks are aimed at stopping the war by extracting an economic price from Israel and its Western allies.

The attacks have led to a drastic reduction in shipping through the route crucial to Asian, Middle Eastern and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will go on as long as Israel continues with its assault on Gaza.

The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting cargo vessels so far, killing at least four sailors, and fired missiles and drones at Western warships sent to deter them. They have seized a vessel and sunk two since November.

A campaign of airstrikes led by the US military has targeted the Houthis since January, with the latest round of strikes on 30 May killing at least 16 people and wounding over 40, but it has failed to stop the attacks.

Two days before they allegedly hit the China-bound ship, the Houthis targeted a commercial vessel in the Gulf of Aden with anti-ship ballistic missiles but caused no damage.

The vessel reported two explosions off its port side and a third one later, the Joint Maritime Information Centre led by the US said.

The US Central Command on Saturday said its forces destroyed three Houthi uncrewed surface vessels in the Red Sea.

Additional reporting by agencies.
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Israeli soldiers strapped an injured Palestinian man to the bonnet of their vehicle during a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday, inviting condemnation over their use of people in the occupied territories as a human shield.

A video circulated on social media showed a wounded Palestinian man, identified as Mujahed Azmi, lying on the bonnet of a military jeep as it drove past two ambulances.

The Israeli military confirmed that the incident had taken place and said that the soldiers had violated protocol after they were fired at during the raid.

During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended, the military claimed in a statement, referring to Mr Azmi. In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the military, it said, adding that the incident would be investigated.

Mr Azmis family claimed that they had asked for an ambulance for the injured man, but the soldiers strapped him to their jeep and drove off. He was eventually transferred to the Red Crescent for treatment.

The incident occurred on the same day that a 12-year-old Palestinian boy succumbed to his wounds after being shot by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank, Haaretz reported. The child was shot in the torso during clashes in the city of El Bireh last week.

Israeli soldiers fatally shot two Palestinian men they alleged were militants in Qalqilyah city on Saturday. An Israeli man in his sixties was also shot dead in the same area, reportedly by Palestinian militants.

Violence in the occupied West Bank had been rising before 7 October and has sharply escalated since, with frequent raids by Israeli forces on suspected militants, rampages by Jewish settlers in Palestinian villages, and deadly Palestinian street attacks.

The Israelis have killed at least 480 Palestinians in the West Bank since the war in Gaza began, according to the UN.

Israelis protest in Tel Aviv on Saturday demanding a hostage swap and the removal of the Netanyahu government ( Anadolu via Getty )

Israel launched its war on Gaza after Hamas stormed southern Israel and killed around 1,200 soldiers and civilians before taking some 250 people hostage. Israel responded by bombarding and invading the territory, killing more than 37,400 Palestinians so far and displacing nearly the entire population of 2.3 million.

The latest round of Israeli bombardment on Sunday killed at least 39 Palestinians across northern Gaza, according to Palestinian and hospital officials in the Hamas-run territory. Rescue workers were scrambling to find survivors beneath the rubble.

Fadel Naem, director of al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, said that more than three dozen bodies had arrived at the facility.

Israel said on Saturday that its fighter jets had struck two Hamas military sites in the Gaza City area, but did not elaborate further.

The killings came just a day after at least 25 people were killed in Israeli strikes on tent camps housing displaced Palestinians, and 50 wounded, near the southern city of Rafah.

As Israel continued to pound Gaza, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv calling for new elections and for Benjamin Netanyahus government to bring the hostages home. Among the protesters were the parents of Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier who marked her 20th birthday in captivity.
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A woman is demanding answers from American Airlines after she says she managed to track down her missing luggage to a Hollywood homeless encampment.

Aunny Grace said her travel nightmare began at Dallas Airport on May 29 when her flight was delayed.

American Airlines left thousands of people stranded in the airport overnight for days, actually, said Grace.

open image in gallery ( NBC4/Supplied )

She then spent the night in Dallas Airport as she waited to board her flight home to Hollywood Burbank Airport, and was told that her luggage would be delayed.

However, she later discovered her luggage at a homeless encampment near the corner of Santa Monica Boulevard and Western Avenue, she said.

Grace was able to track her luggage down thanks to an Apple AirTag inside her suitcase, but now she wants to know how it ended up there.

open image in gallery Aunny Grace, who lost her luggage in Hollywood ( NBC4 )

It went to Denver, then Denver back to Dallas, and then eventually, five days later, it made its way back to Burbank, Grace told NBC4, adding that after five days, she was delivered the wrong suitcase.

She said she was initially told that her luggage was fine and that it had been delivered to her home in Hollywood, But her AirTag told a different story.

open image in gallery Grace said at the airport, some of the bags are out in the open, making it easy for anyone to grab them ( NBC4 )

When the carrier called me, he said he was at my house. I looked and I saw my AirTag twinkling down Western Avenue very slowly, like no direction, really, Grace said. I knew intuitively something was wrong. Something was way off.

Sometime between midnight and 7 a.m., my bag wound up in Homeless Town Hollywood, she added.

Grace then decided to travel to the location of her AirTag where she found her luggage. But her nightmare wasnt over yet.

When she found her suitcase, she discovered it had been opened and that everything had been taken out.

open image in gallery Graces missing luggage ( NBC4 )

Im just crying, grabbing my stuff, she said. I had jewelry, medicine, bags I bought from Bali in Peru. My toiletry bag was flipped upside down, completely empty. Makeup bag, empty. This homeless man just ransacked through my stuff.

Grace was able to retrieve her belongings after she and a friend paid the homeless man, she told NBC4. She has now filed a police report, and has also contacted American Airlines, who she said told her they would reimburse up to $1,700 for her items, well below what she says was worth more than $6,300.

As she was searching for her items, she noticed other bags as well.

I saw suitcases with American Airline tags on them, said Grace.

She added that the homeless man told her he had bought her suitcase down the street.

I want to know: How did my suitcase go from the Burbank Airport to a homeless encampment in Hollywood on a corner of Western and Sunset? said Grace.

She went on to explain that at the airport, some of the bags are out in the open, making it easy for anyone to grab them.

The bags that are delayed, they remove them from the carousel line, and they bring them to the office. So you have the bags in the office, and then you have the rest of them are just outside, she told NBC4.

Following the incident, American Airlines released a statement on Tuesday which read: We strive to ensure that our customers checked luggage and other items arrive at their destinations on schedule and in their original condition. We are investigating what occurred here and, in the meantime, a member of our team is in contact with the customer to apologize and resolve the issue, KABC reported.

But Grace says she is still not satisfied with the airlines response.

Its going to keep happening until someone takes responsibility. This has to be placed on the responsibility of the airline, said Grace.

The Independent has contacted American Airlines for comment.
A humpback whale tangled in a thick rope and towing buoys off the coast of Australia was freed by rescuers on Friday, 21 June, after a two-day operation.

The huge marine mammal was first spotted off Batemans Bay on the coast of New South Wales on 13 June, Sea World Foundation said.

It was then seen again off Sandon Beach and tracked to Yamba, before being spotted five miles east of Angourie.

Rescuers had to wait for better light before spending three hours removing the rope and buoys so the animal was able to swim away on its northern migration with a companion.
Rescuers searching for missing British teenager Jay Slater have focused their efforts on outbuildings near to where his phone last pinged in Tenerife.

On Sunday, 23 June, Spanish authorities circled two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park.

Guardia Civil officers appeared to solely focus on one area after days of searching for the 19-year-old in the village of Masca and the surrounding landscape.

Mr Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, disappeared following an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus and was last heard from on Monday morning.

He had attended the NRG music festival on the island with two friends before he went missing.
Gabina VOA is designed to be an infotainment youth radio show broadcasting to Ethiopia and Eritrea in the Amharic language. The show brings varied perspectives on issues concerning young people in the Horn of Africa region. Gabina in the Amharic language is a front-row taxi ride.
Kharkiv buildings were reduced to rubble and at least three people were killed in a Russian bombing attack on Ukraines second city, on Saturday afternoon (22 June), Volodymyr Zelensky said.

One of four aerial bombs hit a five-story residential building, according to officials.

Fourty-one people were being treated in hospital, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said.

The Ukrainian president urged Ukraine's allies to bolster its air defences in an address after the attack.

In his nightly video address, Mr Zelensky added that Russian forces had used more than 2,400 guided bombs on Ukrainian targets in June alone, with about 700 aimed at Kharkiv.
Company submitted planning application to Louth County Council

Hilton Foods, the London-listed meat-processing group, has moved to extend its facility in Drogheda.

If successful, the move will add 60 jobs to its 280-strong workforce in Ireland.

Last week, Hilton Foods submitted a planning application to Louth County Council seeking to extend the factory.

The group said in documents that there was an urgent need for this expansion due to increased orders placing added pressure on the facility.

Hilton Foods plans to increase its staff numbers by 60 from the current level of 280

A timely planning permission will ensure the business can create additional storage capacity for the Christmas rush in 2024 with added production capacity coming online in 2025, the planning statement said.

Hilton Foods presence in Drogheda has had a significant impact on the local economy, providing jobs and supporting local suppliers.

"The companys commitment to high standards in food processing and packaging has also set a benchmark in the industry, contributing to the overall quality and safety of meat products available.

The planning statement added that, if successful, Hilton Foods planned to increase staff numbers by 60 from the current level of 280. The new staff will be employed in production.

The potential expansion in Drogheda comes two years after Hilton Foods announced it was going to cut a quarter of its workforce at the plant. At the time, it had decided to cut 77 jobs from the facility.

In April, the Sunday Independent reported that Hilton Foods was planning to invest in the Drogheda facility.

Hilton Foods revealed its Drogheda plans to investors during a call with analysts discussing the companys results.

In response to a question on capital expenditure, chief financial officer Matt Osborne said the group had the opportunity to expand capacity in Ireland.

He said it needed the capacity to help support demand from Tesco and Dunnes.
Review is aimed at maximising returns and group CEO has failed to rule out exits in places where it cannot do so

Chief commercial officer John Moane is due to take over as BWG boss

CEO of Spar's Irish subsidiary BWG Leo Crawford is to step down at the end of the year

A sale of Spars Irish business is understood to have been ruled out despite the boss of the South African convenience retail giant saying exits from Europe could be on the cards.

In a call, Angelo Swartz, group chief executive officer of The Spar Group, told analysts the Johannesburg-listed business was carrying out a review of its European operations  including Ireland. He also said the head of its Irish subsidiary, BWG Group boss Leo Crawford, was retiring at the end of the year.

On the review of its European operations, which also includes its Swiss business, Swartz was asked if The Spar Group could completely exit from the continent. While he said there was no indication of a complete exit from Europe, he failed to rule out exits should it find it cant increase returns.

CEO of Spar's Irish subsidiary BWG Leo Crawford is to step down at the end of the year

I think from an executive director point of view, we need to make sure that we maximise the return on capital allocated, and thats really the point of the review, he said. That doesnt imply necessarily [that Spar] will buy itself an exit from the market.

It also talks to taking decisive action in each of those markets to drive up return. I think that can be demonstrated in the Swiss business where we are seeing a substantial increase in operating profit, and were going to continue to drive that.

Having said that, if we  if our view is that we cant increase return to significantly above our working weighted average cost of capital, exits arent off the cards either, he added.

However, senior sources with knowledge of the matter have told the Sunday Independent that Spars Irish operations under the BWG Group are not being considered for any potential sale.

BWG has over 1,000 Spar, Eurospar, Mace, Londis and XL stores

The source added that the South African group had no interest in selling the Irish business as it was operating significantly above Spars working weighted average cost of capital, which can be used to help value a business.

The Irish operations have been performing strongly, said the source, and the business was safe as houses.

The Spar Group owns BWG, which has built a substantial business with over 1,000 Spar, Eurospar, Mace, Londis and XL stores.

The Spar Group first invested in BWG when it paid 55m for an 80pc stake in 2014, with shareholders in BWG sharing significant payouts worth tens of millions of euro when selling the remainder of their shares in recent years.

Spars results presentation included a timeline of key priorities and has a target for its Europe strategic decisions to be completed by next June. Spar is also in the process of exiting its Polish operation.

Chief commercial officer John Moane is due to take over as BWG boss

Swartz discussed the increase to the minimum wage in Ireland and its effect on the business. He added that the Irish operation had reacted swiftly and put in place measures to cut costs.

Separately, Swartz told analysts that BWG CEO Leo Crawford was set to retire from the business at the end of the year. He added that John Moane, BWGs chief commercial officer, would be appointed as the new CEO.

In correspondence seen by the Sunday Independent, Crawford shared his plans with retailers and business partners earlier this month.

Crawford wrote that Moane would be appointed interim CEO designate from October 1 and take over as group CEO at the beginning of next year. He is to remain on the board as a non-executive director.
In addition to its purchase of the opulent Philip Treacy-designed property, the group has also earmarked a site for a second NYX hotel in Dublin

'Ireland is a really strong market for us and for some time,' said Leonardo Hotels CEO Jason Carruthers (above). Photo: Douglas O'Connor

A view of the Grand Salon from a catwalk at the g Hotel in 2007 with views across Lough Atalia. Light installation by Tom Dixon. The room's oyster and silver tones are enhanced by thousands of Swarovski crystals. Photo: Paul McErlane/Bloomberg News

Galways Celtic Tiger-era g Hotel has been bought by fast-growing European hotel group Leonardo which bought the former Jurys Inn chain here in 2017 and is in the hunt for more Irish properties.

The five-star g Hotel was originally designed by milliner-to-the-stars Philip Treacy and opened its opulent doors at the height of the boom back in 2005.

While the original backers ended up with debts in Nama, the business has carved out a strong niche and brand.

The hotel has 101 bedrooms and a spa and caters for events of up to 300 people and its 18,000sq ft ground floor extends across three lounges.

The hotel went through a 1m refurbishment in recent years.

'Ireland is a really strong market for us and for some time,' said Leonardo Hotels CEO Jason Carruthers (above). Photo: Douglas O'Connor

The g Hotel will retain its brand and join the Leonardo Limited Edition collection of individually branded hotels, which includes The Dilly, London, The Grand, Brighton, Hotel Gotham, Manchester and The Midland, Manchester.

Leonardo, owned by Israeli billionaire David Fattal, will take over the running of the hotel from current operator Choice Hotel Group in the first of two deals it has lined up in Ireland this summer.

Leonardo was tight-lipped on the price. When the Galway hotel was last sold in a 2019 deal, investment firm Alanis Capital paid more than 40m, according to reports at the time.

Leonardo is also set to close a second significant acquisition of a well-known Dublin hotel in the next six weeks, according to Leonardo Hotels UK & Ireland CEO Jason Carruthers.

That second hotel is being earmarked by the group to become Dublins second NYX hotel.

Terrace in The Dilly, London

After buying the Jurys chain in 2017, the groups has spent the past two years rebranding it.

Ireland is a really strong market for us and for some time, weve been looking for additional opportunities there.

"So to be able to make this acquisition with the g Hotel  and another acquisition coming in a number of weeks  we are delighted about that, he said.

Galway is a great city and we already know it really well because we operated the Jurys Inn, now the Leonardo, there, Carruthers told the Sunday Independent.

The city has got a really good mixture of arts, culture, history and outdoors. It has a huge domestic following in Ireland and operates at really high occupancies.

The exterior of the 'g' Hotel. Photo: Paul McErlane/Bloomberg News

Its great that we can retain the name of the hotel because it has a really strong resonance in Ireland, he said.

In January, Leonardo opened a 175-bedroom NYX hotel in Dublins Portobello following a 31m investment.

The location [of NYX Portobello] is great, said Carruthers. Its ramped up very, very quickly. Weve been able to hit high 90s in terms of occupancy for the next three months.

"And the next step is well be completing another deal in Ireland in the next six weeks.

Carruthers said Leonardo had been looking for some time for further opportunities in key Irish cities.

Dave Murray, senior director of CBREs hotel team advised on the deal.

The completion of the sale of the 5-star g Hotel is a great result for both our client, Alanis Capital and the purchaser Fattal Hotel Group and the G is a great fit for Fattal, who already have a very successful portfolio in Ireland," he said.

The sale is the first transaction of scale for a trading hotel in Galway for 7 years and demonstrates the strong appetite from hotel investors for opportunities in Galway city. Trading performance in Galway has improved considerably in the last 2 years and as a result numerous hotel groups are looking to enter the market," he said.
Plus, what to do when your bank manager doesnt follow Revenue rules

Q An auctioneer told me I could get a house built in my garden, so I hired a draughtsman to design it and to submit plans to Dublin City Council.

Planning was rejected, so the draughtsman submitted the plans to An Bord Pleanala, saying it would take six months to get a decision.

After six months, I found out that planning had actually been rejected after three days  and An Bord Pleanala had returned the plans, along with my 250 fee, to the draughtsman.

The draughtsman withheld this information and my money, and Ive been unable to contact him since August.

I paid him 3,750 and am still repaying a loan for that amount. I didnt get a written contract or a receipt. What are my options?

Margaret, Dublin

A When you hire a draughtsman, youre buying their services, and consumer laws give you strong rights when you buy a product or service. When you agreed to pay the draughtsman for his work, you entered into a contract with him.

Contracts can be written or verbal, but youre always in a stronger position when you have it in writing.

Even though your agreement was verbal, this is still a legal contract

Under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) 2022, services supplied must comply with the terms in the contract, with any description or advertisement of the service, and with any statement from the trader.

Even though no contract was signed and your agreement was verbal, this is still considered a contract and you have the right to have the issue resolved if youre unhappy with the work or completion of the job.

Contact the draughtsman formally, in writing. Explain the issue and how youd like it resolved.

Depending on what was agreed, you could argue that there was a breach of the CRA  the service supplied wasnt carried out with reasonable care and skill.

Ask to be reimbursed part of what you paid for the service, or for the contract to be terminated and that you be given a full refund.

If hes unwilling to give a full or partial refund, youll need to take further action.

We note youve paid the draughtsman 3,750. If youre willing to accept a partial refund, you can take the matter to the Small Claims Court, bearing in mind that you cant claim for more than 2,000 and that theres a non-refundable fee of 25 to file a claim.

It is, however, an inexpensive way to resolve disputes without needing a solicitor.

Alternatively, you could consider taking formal legal action and seeking independent legal advice. If you feel that this could be a matter involving fraud, contact your local garda station and report it.

Issues around contracts can be complex, so if you need further clarification, please call the CCPC consumer helpline on (01) 402 5555 or visit ccpc.ie.

My bank manager is being obtuse. Photo: Getty

Im Dirt exempt, but my bank branch refuses to accept the paperwork

Q Im exempt from paying Dirt and submitted DE1 forms to my credit union without any issue. But when I went to my bank, the staff  on the managers instructions  refused to take my forms.

I phoned the bank customer service line and was told the forms should be accepted.

I went back to the branch again  but they still refused to take them. I then called customer services while I was at the branch and was told that if the manager refused again, there was nothing they could do.

I explained my predicament to Revenue but the short answer from them was to leave forms at the bank. Can you help?

James, Dublin

A It sounds like youre doing everything right.

The DE1 form is the correct form to mark an account as exempt from Dirt and this form should be handed directly into your financial institution.

Perhaps the branch manager is unaware of the specific circumstances in which you are exempt?

I recommend you now bypass the branch entirely and submit the form to your banks head office, explain what happened, and ask for support in requesting that the branch manager accepts your form.

You should also consider making a formal written complaint

I dont know your personal circumstances, but vulnerable customers must be provided with reasonable and enhanced customer supports under the Central Banks Consumer Protection Code.

This includes additional services such as a dedicated phone line, priority hours in-branch, or dedicated support units. Check what your bank offers and consider reaching out to them this way, if appropriate.

You should also consider making a formal written complaint if youre not satisfied with how your bank dealt with this situation.

Include your account number and set out the facts, the relevant dates, and the names of people you dealt with. Outline the solution you want and attach copies of any relevant documents, making sure to keep the original documents.

If the bank doesnt respond to your complaint or youre not happy with the outcome, you can complain to the Financial Services and Pensions Ombudsman (FSPO), which is an independent and free service.

You can submit a complaint online, call (01) 5677000, or email info@fspo.ie.

Grainne Griffin is director of communications at the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission. You can send your questions to g.monaghan@independent.ie
An Garda Siochana has changed its policy on how it manages far-right protests at politicians homes, in the wake of growing concerns over the tone of some of the gatherings.

The arrest of three men on Thursday over the alleged harassment of Taoiseach Simon Harris at his Wicklow home in recent weeks marks a new departure for gardai, sources acknowledge.

We do not consider them protests, we consider them gatherings

It is intended to send a message to far-right protesters  that targeting politicians at their family home is no longer fair game and could amount to the criminal offence of harassment.

This is a change in policy by the senior garda management team, who have growing concerns about an increase in protesters gathering outside the homes of politicians.

We do not consider them protests, we consider them gatherings. These individuals are there to harass and intimate politicians, their families and their neighbours in their private homes. It is not just Simon Harriss home that has been targeted.

The message now is if you gather outside a politicians private home, you could face arrest for alleged harassment. Itll be a matter for the DPP whether it does amount to harassment  and this will be something of a test case, said the source.

The three men arrested over the alleged harassment of the Taoiseach are all Dubliners aligned to two anti-immigration protest groups. Two are from Clondalkin and the other is from Leopardstown.

They wouldnt have been out of place at an IRA parade

The trio, two in their 40s and one in his 30s, gathered outside the Taoiseachs home either last Friday or on May 2. They were masked and acted in a intimidatory manner, said a separate source.

They looked like a paramilitary group, with their faces masked and carrying Tricolours. They wouldnt have been out of place at an IRA parade.

"There are paramilitary connotations with masked protestors, added the source. But we were still able to identify them, which took some work.

More arrests are expected in the probe, which is being led by gardai based in Wicklow, assisted by the Special Detective Unit, which investigates security threats to the State.

A number of electronic devices have been seized as part of the operation, including laptops and mobile phones.

These will be examined by gardai to establish what role those arrested had in organising the gathering at the Taoiseachs home and other anti-migrant demonstrations.

Gardai said the men were arrested under the Non-Fatal Offences against the Person Act as part of ongoing investigations into the alleged harassment of an elected official.

Section 10 of the act makes it an offence to harass someone by intentionally or recklessly seriously interfere with the others peace and privacy or cause alarm, distress or harm to the other.

The offence is punishable at District Court level by a 1,500 fine or up to 12 months in jail  but more serious offences prosecuted in the Circuit Court can result in sentences of up to seven years in prison.

The homes of Integration Minister Roderic OGorman and People Before Profit-Solidarity TD Paul Murphy have also been targeted.

Earlier this year, the home in Co Meath where Justice Minister Helen McEntee lives with her husband and young child had to be evacuated following a bomb scare, which turned out to be a hoax.
Doctors said they gave up trying to solve problems. Picture posed

Hospital doctors are consistently stonewalled and ignored by management and it is putting patients at risk, a damning report says.

Junior doctors and consultants interviewed for the newly published paper spoke of managers passing the buck while others reported getting so frustrated with futile battles that they gave up trying to address problems.

In the study, funded by the Health Research Board, researchers warned barriers that prevent doctors communicating, and managers listening to and engaging with, the issues arising within the hospital pose a clear patient safety risk.

Doctors talk of burnout, deep frustration and hierarchical and inaccessible management systems in the paper.

Theres a lot of passing the buck, like, Oh no, thats not my job, its her job. And shes in for three hours on a Wednesday every third month. So then you just give up, one doctor said.

Another said: Ive raised concernsbut it only seems to make us more stressed, angry. And then we give up.

I asked for support, but unfortunately that wasnt forthcoming

The study said the culture described by the doctors causes feelings of powerlessness and meaninglessness, loss of hope, emotional separation, and emotional damage.

One doctor said: The lack of feedback on the issues I was havingI just felt I couldnt cope. I asked for support, but unfortunately that wasnt forthcoming. The stress got too much for me.

Another said: Very frequently what were asking for is not something thats exoticwe frequently feel were not doing what is standard of care. One doctor reported feeling like we are constantly battling the hospital.

The study, headed by Dr Niamh Humphries, got first-hand reports from 14 junior doctors, 13 consultants, and one specialist working in hospitals nationwide in the second half of 2021.

Eight were male and 20 were female, while 19 worked in major cities and nine worked in rural or regional hospitals.

Two of the doctors raised the issue of a lack of a paper trail when it came to raising issues.

[Management] generally never put anything in email. Also never acknowledge letterssame everywhere Ive worked, a hospital doctor said.

Another added: Emails go ignored in an effort to force us into contacting them by phone so that there wont be any paper trail of the issues we raise.

The study, titled They Say They Listen. But Do They Really Listen?, has just been published in the Health Service Management Research journal.

It is part of a four-year study of hospital doctors experiences at work in Irish hospitals, the Hospital Doctor Retention and Motivation (HDRM) project.

In the report, doctors observed that there was not a listening culture in the hospital where they worked.

Consultant meetings, theyre like a transistor radio built for transmission, not reception, a doctor said.

Another said: We get emails from [management]telling you the hospital is severely overcrowded, prioritise dischargesIf those people were actually in the stressful position of having to handle that, they would feel it differently, but they dont, so they tune out.

They cannot be surprised when the hospital doctor morale is low and or when exit rates increase

In the experience of one doctor, it was difficult to know or find out who even to contact in many instances.

Another reported: You have an issue, and somebody says, Take it to your clinical director. And its like, Well, who would that be? [We] dont know who the clinical director is.

In cases where they could report a concern, some hospital doctors were met with silence.

Yesterday one of the [junior doctors] was talking to me about an issue that had arisen in their training. They put in feedback in April and had [by October] never received any feedback back, a doctor said.

Another revealed: I emailed HR [human resources] two or three times about it, no message back at all. The only reason Ive heard anything about it is because Im on [a] committee.

In the report based on interviews with clinicians working in fields including surgery, psychiatry, and emergency medicine, a hospital doctor remarked that management had no clue how hard it can be on the ground.

A theme that emerged was hierarchical styles of management in hospitals.

A doctor said: Theres clear space between stated goals of the [managerial] staff and stated goals of the clinical staff at consultant level.

Dr Humphries, a senior lecturer at the RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences, said the findings highlighted the need for healthcare managers and policymakers to listen to frontline doctors.

If they dont begin to act on the concerns raised by hospital doctors, they cannot be surprised when the hospital doctor morale is low and or when exit rates increase, either via increasing rates of doctor emigration or doctors opting for early retirement and or reduced working hours, she added.
Digitised system would see an end to proof of payment appearing on car windscreens. Photo: Collins/file photo

Car tax, insurance and National Car Test (NCT) discs will be digitised at the same time, with plans to do so being explored by Government officials.

Operators in the insurance sector believe car documentation is likely to go paperless from the start of 2026, although no formal plans have been announced.

Officials at the Department of Transport said they are progressing proposals that would also bring an end to paper-based roadworthiness discs for commercial vehicles (CVRT). They expect to put a timeline on the plans later this year.

The current paper-based system is considered dated, but insurers say the successful rollout of a digitised system depends on gardai being able to rely on the Irish Motor Insurance Database (IMID) to prevent evasion rates increasing.

Digitisation by 2026 would see the final tax discs being issued next year  consigning to history the task of removing them from their perforated certificates.

Paper discs verifying tax, insurance or NCT/CVRT have become an unnecessary imposition

New correspondence shows Car Rental Council of Ireland CEO Peter Boland wrote to officials at the Department of Transport in February to express support for the removal of paper discs from windscreens.

Paper motor tax discs, along with paper insurance and NCT/CVRT discs impose significant administrative and cost burdens on car-rental companies operating in Ireland and have a significant impact on our customer service levels, Mr Boland said.

With the rollout of automatic number-plate recognition and the establishment of the Irish Motor Insurance Database  including the National Fleet Database to which our members contribute  paper discs verifying tax, insurance or NCT/CVRT have become an unnecessary imposition.

Today's News in 90 Seconds- Sunday June 23

Keith Walsh, assistant secretary general at the Department of Transport, told Mr Boland he is very keen to digitise all three, and at the same time, according to emails released under freedom of information. This would replicate systems across Europe. The UK removed paper-based tax discs 10 years ago.

Insurance Ireland, which represents a majority of companies in the sector, said it believes a paperless system will bring about greater efficiency, accessibility, security and sustainability.

The removal of paper discs means people will be unable to evade detection with fake certificates. However, Insurance Ireland chief executive Moyagh Murdock said a modernised system will need to be underpinned by sufficient technology and resources for An Garda Siochana.

While the department would envisage going paperless as of January 1, 2026, consideration must be given to ensure that the IMID is fully implemented and that An Garda Siochana can be fully reliant on the IMID before removing the requirement for paper-based discs, said Ms Murdock.

The timelines of these two initiatives  digitisation of insurance discs and the implementation of the IMID  must be carefully considered.

She said insurers are already at an advanced stage in providing insurance details electronically to gardai and the Department of Transport.

Cost savings and environmental impact assessments have not been completed

The removal of discs would eliminate some costs for insurers. However, Insurance Ireland warned enforcement to prevent uninsured driving, and a potential tendency to try to avoid detection, would offset any financial gains.

There would be understandable concerns that uninsured driving could rise, Ms Murdock added. Ireland already has an unacceptable level of non-compliance of uninsured driving which is out of kilter compared to other EU states and the UK.

A spokesman for the Department of Transport said the project is at an early stage, adding that cost savings and environmental impact assessments have not been completed.

However, he did confirm that the elimination of paper discs for motor tax alone is expected to generate significant savings in administration costs related to printing and postage.

He added: With the advance of automatic number-plate recognition technology and increasing data-sharing between relevant bodies, visual checks by gardai are already being replaced by roadside, camera-based identification of non-compliant vehicles.
Tom McDonnell has stated he believes women need to breed more

One of Irelands new Independent councillors is due to be sentenced before the criminal courts later this year for breaking the back windows of another mans home in Blackrock, south Co Dublin.

Tom McDonnell, from Lakeside Park in Newbridge, Co Kildare, filled the countrys last council seat during the recent local elections.

The builder and father of five, who co-founded Eire Saor in Newbridge, was elected to Kildare County Council on June 12.

Mr McDonnell was later forced to defend remarks he made following his election, in which he called for women to breed more. He has also since denied that his political ideology is far-right.

The Sunday Independent understands that Mr McDonnell (61) is awaiting sentencing before Dun Laoghaire District Court for damaging windows at the rear of a house in Rockville Crescent, Blackrock, Co Dublin, belonging to a named individual, intending to damage such property or being reckless as to whether such property would be damaged contrary to Section 2 (1) Criminal Damage Act, 1991, according to court records. The criminal damage occurred on September 6, 2022.

The case will next be heard on October 7. A probation report is awaited before sentencing at a further date, court records state.

When contacted by this newspaper and asked about the criminal case and his forthcoming sentencing, McDonnell replied no comment.

McDonnell gained a measure of notoriety when he said Irish people were in danger of dying out

In an interview with the Sunday World last weekend, he explained that he wanted to apologise for how he phrased certain views. He said he has no problem with mixed-raced relationships as most black women have fine bodies.

McDonnell added that he believes a secret cabal of Khazarian Jews are running the world and are trying to flood Europe with immigrants as part of a plot to replace Irish people.

He had gained a measure of notoriety when he said Irish people were in danger of dying out.

In last weekends newspaper interview, he said he regretted using the word breeding, adding that he comes from a farming background.

I used the term breeding. It was caught on microphone, he said. Will you say that I apologise to the women of Ireland  I meant to say to have more babies. Thats an apology to the people of Ireland.

He said a lot of women and lefties didnt like what he said but that others think he is talking sense.

McDonnell said he would like to see a 17,000 tax-free allowance extended to women after having their first child, with the amount increasing to 25,000 for the second child. We need to produce more children of our own origin, of our own people, he said.

McDonnell, who said he is planning to run in the general election, has been at the centre of numerous protests about the housing of refugees in Kildare. However, he insisted he has nothing against immigrants and that his own sons have emigrated. Some of my loveliest friends are black, he said.
The former children's ICU nurse is pleading with parents to follow her advice to keep your kids as safe as possible on Australia's roads.

Mother-of-two Beki Giunta is urging parents to follow her advice and keep their kids in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible. Source: Instagram

An Aussie mother-of-two has issued a desperate warning to parents to keep their children in rear-facing car seats for as long as possible in a bid to save lives. Beki Giunta, who worked as a registered nurse in a childrens intensive care unit, says shes seen some pretty awful stuff that continues to haunt her which is why shes pleading with mums and dads to follow her advice.

Dont be tempted to turn [children to forward-facing car seats] because they cry, its not worth it, the 33-year-old told Yahoo News Australia, adding that doing so could literally kill them.

If you get into a collision, the impact on the child can be about four times greater, she claimed, and that "can result in spinal decapitation. However experts disputed the precise claim to Yahoo.

Instead the Queensland mother, who has a 16-year-old and three-year-old child, recommends keeping children rear-facing until they are at least four years old which is at odds with governmental advice. In Queensland, children are allowed to be in forward-facing restraints from six-months-old, however the recommendation is to keep kids in rear-facing seats for as long as their size allows.

Government guidelines allow children to be in forward-facing car seats from six months but the Queensland mother says that should be much longer. Source: Kidsafe

The fact that there is zero education on car seat safety is my biggest issue, Giunta said. There is no care from our government to prevent death in a car for a child. They recommend six to 12 months to turn a child when that could literally kill them. The awareness needs to spread.

Giunta, who issued the warning in a TikTok video which has since been watched some 90,000 times, is also pleading with parents to prioritise quality car seats. When youre pregnant, spend the most amount of your baby money on a car seat that will last them until they are four years old or more rear-facing, she urged.

Why rear facing car seat can help in the event of a crash

Professor Julie Brown heads the injury program at the George Institute for Global Health at UNSW, and is also the co-director of the Transurban Road Safety Centre at Neuroscience Research Australia (NeuRA).

She says while the best practice absolutely is to keep a child rearward facing for as long as possible, its not for the reason Giunta stated.

There's no difference in the mass of a child if they're rearward-facing or forward-facing, she told Yahoo News Australia. The child's mass doesn't change, and the force [during a crash] is about the mass of the child. The force will be applied to different parts of the body, but itll be the same level of force.

The reason that rearward-facing is a good thing for young children is because the way restraints work is they tie you or couple you tightly to the car and that will reduce the force.

Professor Brown explained the restraint applies a force to the body and when you're rearward-facing in a frontal crash, the force is distributed over a larger part of your body then when you're facing forward without the seat protection.

Restraints are designed to apply that force to the strongest parts of the body, she said. So generally the message about staying forward-facing for as long as children fit in a rearward-facing restraint is a good one and aligns with best practice advice.

As Kidsafe also notes, infants and young toddlers have relatively large heads and weak necks which put them at particularly high risk of serious injuries. "Rearward facing child car seats provide the required head and neck support that a child needs," the organisation states.

Reminder to parents to tighten car seats

There is another reason to keep kids in rear-facing car seats, according to Professor Brown, and its got to do with oversight.

In frontal car crashes, rear-facing car seats are a little bit more forgiving for errors in restraint use, she said.

So if the harness isn't as tightly secured as it should be in a rear-facing restraint, its not as big a problem in a frontal crash, and we do have lots of problems with errors in use. So I think a more important message to all parents, regardless if their children are forward-facing or rear-facing, is that its really critical that the restraint is used as it is intended.

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Sean McGovern profile: Rise of Dubliner to top of Kinahan cartel was surprise to gardai who knew him
Education Minister Norma Foley has been key to progress Leaving Cert reforms aimed at allowing students demonstrate skills without relying solely on Junes final exams. Photo: Gerry Mooney

Reforms come into effect for students entering fifth year in 2025. Picture posed

University staff developing new Leaving Cert science subjects have distanced themselves from crucial syllabus changes over concerns about inequality and poorly resourced schools.

It raises serious questions about the Governments ability to reform biology, chemistry and physics exams by introducing a continuous assessment model to ease pressure on students.

Three academics who worked on the development of new courses in these subjects said they could not support plans for students to carry out research investigations worth 40pc of their final grade.

They recommended reducing the proposed continuous assessment component for biology, chemistry and physics to 20pc.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) published draft plans for these subjects earlier this year which are due to come into effect for students entering fifth year in September 2025.

Further clarification is needed regarding resources and measures to prevent widening the social divide between secondary schools in Ireland

Muriel Grenon and Veronica McCauley of the University of Galway and University College Corks Declan Kennedy represented the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on NCCA panels responsible for biology, chemistry and physics changes.

We cannot see how the proposed additional assessment component model is feasible without huge investment in our school science laboratories and the employment of laboratory technicians, they wrote in a submission to the NCCA.

The submission, which was published by the IUA, said the academics wished to dissociate themselves from the implementation of the new subject specifications.

Education Minister Norma Foley has been key to progress Leaving Cert reforms aimed at allowing students demonstrate skills without relying solely on Junes final exams. Photo: Gerry Mooney

It said further clarification regarding resources and measures to prevent widening the social divide between secondary schools in Ireland was needed from the Department of Education.

Education Minister Norma Foley has been key to progress Leaving Cert reforms aimed at allowing students demonstrate skills without relying solely on Junes final exams.

However, doubts have been raised about the science reforms recently.

The Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) dissociated itself from the proposed science syllabuses as it is unhappy the NCCA did not share files from public feedback with groups developing the new subjects.

Representatives for physicists, science teachers and academics at other universities also raised concerns around a shortage of laboratories and lab assistants in needed to help students carry out continuous assessment work.

The NCCA said the IUA nominees made helpful contributions during consultations on the development of the subject specifications.

A spokesman said the NCCA approved the specifications last Wednesday before these were sent to Ms Foley for approval.

Implementation and resourcing is beyond the remit of the NCCA and our focus is solely on putting in place the best curriculum possible, he said.

The Department of Education said officials were examining how schools could be best supported when introducing the new science subjects.

This will include considering any resource and facilities needs ahead of the introduction of revised specifications, a spokeswoman said.

The introduction of the revised science specifications will also be accompanied by a strong package of supports for teachers.

Ahead of the introduction of the revised science specifications, comprehensive teacher professional learning supports will be provided by Oide, the integrated professional support service.
Public transport fares have risen as part of the first phase of an overhaul by the National Transport Authority (NTA).

Short journey fares on Luas and Dublin Bus services increased on Sunday while rises on Iarnrod Eireann services come into effect on Monday.

Leap Card fares have risen from 1.30 to 1.50, while cash fares are up from 1.70 to 2. This means Leap Card users will now pay 15pc more, while those paying in cash will pay 17.5pc more.

The NTA has said the increases had been brought in as part of a balancing of public transport fares and that some passengers had been overcharged on certain routes while others had been paying too little.

A new flat 1.50 Leap Card charge will apply on regional bus services in towns including Athlone, Balbriggan, Carlow, Clonmel, Drogheda, Dundalk, Kilkenny, Navan and Sligo. The cash charge for these bus services will be 2. Commuters in towns such as Athlone and Carlow were previously paying 1.10 and 1.35.

Cash period tickets for Luas and rail services in Dublin  paper tickets allowing multiple trips or multiple day travel  have been discontinued, with passengers being encouraged to make the switch to Leap Cards.

Increases across the public transport network were first announced in January as part of a phased plan for fares in 2024. NTA chief executive Anne Graham said the changes aimed to address anomalies in the current fare system.

No change will be made to the TFI 90-minute fare, charging Leap Card users 2 and allowing free transfer between Luas, Dublin Bus, Dart, commuter rail and Go-Ahead Ireland services.

The 90-minute fare had been a huge success, the NTA said. It has also contributed to the increase in passenger numbers recorded across the citys network.

Phase two of the fare overhaul will take effect later this year and includes a significant reduction in Leap Card multimodal caps and Leap travel credit being brought in at rail stations in the Dublin commuter area.

Changes to fares would aim to make fares more equitable and easy to understand, the NTA said.

Fares will be judged on a cost per kilometre travelled basis, measured by the distance between the start and end of the journey as the crow flies.

Dublin and the surrounding counties will get the changes first before they are extended across the rest of the country during the year.

Two new zones will be brought in around Dublin and the commuter counties, a Dublin City Zone stretching around 23km from the city centre and a Dublin Commuter Zone that extends out to 50km.

The new zones will replace the old Short Hop Zone applied by Irish Rail and the Eastern regional fare zone applied by Bus Eireann.

Overall, the fares changes are not projected to increase fare revenue but represent a rebalancing of fares so that they are fairer and more consistent across the board, the NTA said in its announcement.

Phase two of the plan is expected to be in place by the end of September.
A former Blackrock College student has been arrested while on the run in Spain in connection a 6 million drugs haul.

Ryon Fitzpatrick (34) can be seen being arrested by police after he was traced to the Costa Blanca, where he was living under a fake name.

Despite an affluent upbringing, Fitzpatrick has been described as a mid-level member of a crime gang involved in international drugs trafficking.

Before going on the run in Spain, Ryon Fitzpatrick was a well-known face on Dublins social scene and organised party events at Dublin clubs in his 20s.

The huge haul of drugs that were found by gardai

He has been the director of two companies over the years, including an events promotion company which he set up in 2015, and a construction firm in 2018.

The events company has since dissolved, while the construction firm has not filed any accounts since the drug bust in 2020.

Today's News in 90 Seconds- Sunday June 23

This week, he was jailed for six-and-a-half years over the cannabis haul, which was seized in north county Dublin in October 2020.

Fitzpatrick claimed that he amassed a drug debt in the lead-up to the 2020 seizure, which resulted in his involvement in the crime.

Gardai found the drugs in a van full of shoe-boxes and arrested Fitzpatrick along with two English criminals.

He was driving an accompanying lookout car which was following in convoy with the van.

He was arrested and questioned but later released without charge while a file was prepared for the DPP. The court heard how Fitzpatrick subsequently fled to Spain, where he was using a false identity.

A warrant was issued for his arrest and Spanish cops apprehended him in Teulada, near Benidorm on the Costa Blanca last year.

Spanish Cops said they moved in on him after an anonymous tip-off and he tried to avoid arrest by showing a fake ID.

He was extradited back to Ireland last December and pleaded guilty to the drugs charges.

In court, Fitzpatricks address was given as Cookstown Road, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow  one of Irelands most exclusive addresses.

Ryon is a relative of hotelier and ex-property magnate Patrick Fitzpatrick, who made millions during the Celtic Tiger. Patrick Fitzpatrick and his family have no involvement in criminality.

Following the financial crash, Patrick ended up owing millions to NAMA before availing of bankruptcy in England in 2012.

Accomplice Anthony Kinghorn

In 2020, Patrick hit the headlines when a businessman claimed in the High Court that he had hired veteran criminal Martin the Viper Foleys firm to collect a disputed debt.

John Kieran Brennan, from Bunclody, Co. Wexford, secured a temporary injunction after several persons that he claimed work for Foleys firm arrived at his home.

The court was told that Mr Fitzpatrick has alleged that he was owed money by Mr Brennan, who refuted the claims.

Mr Brennan claimed the men linked to Foley threatened both him and his family, demanded that he pay Mr Fitzpatrick and said they would return later to get the money.

Ryons court appearance this week was not the first time he has fallen foul of the law.

He has 13 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences, but at the age of 20 he was convicted over an incident where he viciously assaulted a teenager and smashed a bus shelter.

The victim and a friend approached a bus stop near Foxrock Church on the Stillorgan Road in Dublin October 26, 2009 and saw three men standing there.

He recognised Fitzpatrick, who produced a steel extendible baton, pushed it in to his chest and told him to sit down.

Fitzpatrick and the other men then told the two teenagers that they should know their place before smashing the glass of the bus shelter with the baton.

When the teenager stood up to protest the treatment of his friend, Fitzpatrick began hitting him with the baton.

The attack only stopped after a girl intervened and got Fitzpatrick away from the victim.

Fitzpatrick was given a four-month suspended sentence for the attack. At the sentence hearing, Judge Martin Nolan said that it appeared that Fitzpatrick had pulled his life together in the aftermath of the offence.

However, in reality Fitzpatrick got further involved in crime.

In court this week, John Fitzgerald SC, defending, said Fitzpatrick fled to Spain because he was under threat.

He said he built a new life for himself over there, was working and was in a relationship.

He said Fitzpatrick grew up in a household with material advantages, but that his home life was characterised by alcohol and violence. He started taking drugs as a teenager and engaged in self-destructive behaviour.

Gardai believe that Fitzpatrick was at around the mid-level of a criminal gang which operated internationally.

Ryon Fitzpatrick being arrested by Spanish police

The drugs had come into the country in a shipment from Bilbao, Spain, and were intercepted by customs officials, the court heard. Gardai arranged for a controlled delivery of these drugs to a legitimate logistics centre in Dublin, which was put under surveillance.

The court heard that Fitzpatricks co-accused  Anthony Kinghorn and Mark Nesbitt  travelled to Ireland from the UK and were seen by gardai leaving the logistics centre in a van on the day in question. They were accompanied by Fitzpatrick, who was driving a car.

Gardai stopped the men just as they were about to enter a derelict field in Swords. A total of 304 kilos of cannabis were found in shoe-boxes in the back of the van, with an estimated street value of 6,080,000.

Fitzpatrick was also found to have a small amount of cocaine in his car, as well as three phones  one of which was encrypted with an app that criminal gangs use to communicate, the court heard.

Kinghorn (now 51), of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, London, England, pleaded guilty and was jailed for eight years in 2021. Nesbitt (now 53) of Whitefield House, Cecil Crescent, Hatfield, Hertfordshire in the UK was found guilty by a jury following a trial in 2022 and was also jailed for eight years.

Spanish authorities arrested another Irishman who they say is a dedicated drug trafficker on the Costa Blanca in February.

Police believe that the 26-year-old, who was arrested in the Alicante town of Rojales, was part of a British-led gang that had been sending large quantities of cannabis to Ireland through the post.
An Garda Siochana made a formal apology to Justice Minister Helen McEntee after providing incorrect data about policing that massively inflated the number of officers serving in her constituency.

The department was left embarrassed, was forced to withdraw the information and to apologise to the TD it was provided to, while two investigations ended up being launched into how the figures could have been so wrong.

In a letter to Ms McEntee, the Department of Justices head of transparency personally apologised and said staff had been snowed under trying to respond to parliamentary questions they had received.

The letter explained they had asked gardai for the latest manpower figures on April 17, but were not provided with them until six days later, the day the response was supposed to be issued to Sinn Feins Darren ORourke.

Due to the relatively late receipt of this data and the volume of [questions] to be cleared  the question was not approved by the secretary general and ministers adviser until after 10pm that night. The response contained an error, the departments head of transparency wrote.

The senior official explained that the data appeared to suggest there were 155 gardai in Ashbourne, Co Meath, in the heart of Ms McEntees constituency, a sudden jump of around 30.

The letter said a technical error had meant all probationer gardai who had just graduated from Templemore had incorrectly been allocated to either Ashbourne or to Balbriggan, Dublin.

It also said Ms McEntee, and the secretary general of the Department of Justice should have been told much earlier of the mistake.

Given the potential for reputational damage to both the minister and the department, such a matter should have been, but was not, notified directly to both minister and secretary general.

My sincere apologies for this  our processes have been reviewed to ensure that, in the event of any future errors which raise the risk of reputational damage to the minister or Department, both offices will be notified immediately.

Department officials said they needed to be cautious of using any numbers from gardai for March until they were certain of their accuracy

The documents explained how gardai had also said sorry for the fiasco over the figures.

The letter said a formal apology had been issued by An Gardas Chief Corporate Officer and that the force had committed to investigating what had happened and to ensure there would not be a repeat.

Ms McEntee was told figures provided by the gardai would now go through extra checks over and above what was already happening.

The minister was assured that any data that showed an increase or decrease of above 10pc would require a mandatory clarification from the force before being published by the department.

Officials also planned to meet with gardai to see if there was anything that could be done to improve their current or future processes.

The letter concluded by saying: I apologise for the issues set out... and trust that the above will provide some reassurance that system changes are being implemented.

In internal discussions, department officials said they needed to be cautious of using any numbers from gardai for March until they were certain of their accuracy. One email said: All responses re: garda figures should only refer to figures as of the end of February 2024.

Asked about the error, a spokesman for the Department of Justice said figures on garda strength were provided to them by gardai and published in the interests of transparency.

He said: As identified [in the FoI records released], an administrative error led to the supply of incorrect figures to the department.

These figures were subsequently published and used in a parliamentary response. Both An Garda Siochana and the Department of Justice took steps to rectify the incorrect publications, and as elucidated in the documents provided... measures have been put in place to strengthen the procedures in both An Garda Siochana and the department.
A diver who died off the coast of Donegal on Saturday has been named locally as Patrick Doran.

Mr Doran, who was in his 40s, was originally from Leitrim village in Co Leitrim.

He was one of more than 100 divers from across the country who took part in a planned two-day event organised by the Donegal Bay Sub Aqua Club.

The event, the North West Dive Rally, had planned a number of dives on Saturday and Sunday at Malin Beg and Sliabh Liag.

However, around midday on Saturday the alarm was raised after two divers got into difficulty.

A major search and rescue operation was launched which was co-ordinated by the Malin Head Coastguard Station.

The operation involved a number of agencies including the Killybegs Coast Guard, An Garda Siochana, the National Ambulance Service, shore crews and also the Rescue 118 helicopter.

Today's News in 90 Seconds- Sunday June 23

Hope turned to despair, however, when one missing diver was recovered from the sea and pronounced dead at the scene.

A second diver who was also missing managed to get to the surface.

He was treated at the scene and immediately rushed to University Hospital in Galway for treatment.

The man, who is in his 60s, was treated for decompression sickness known as the bends.

The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the local community of south Donegal.

Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council and local Killybegs-based county councillor Niamh Kennedy said her heart "missed a beat" when she heard of the tragedy.

She said: When you live in a coastal area you are always wary of the dangers the sea poses and unfortunately tragedy has visited us once more.

"It is only when a tragedy like this visits your community that you realise how dangerous the sea really is. My heart missed a beat when I heard this awful news.

"Our hearts go out to this man and his poor family and all that they are going through. We pray for them and we pray for the second man who was thankfully rescued and we hope that he will make a full recovery.

"My thoughts too are with the Donegal Bay Sub Aqua Club who hosted this event and we hope that they are not suffering too much."

Councillor Kennedy also paid tribute to all those who took part in the search and rescue mission.

She added: "We have to pay tribute to all these volunteers who risk their own lives in these circumstances and every time something tragic like this happens.

"We sometimes forget about them when tragedies happen but we would be lost without them and I want to pay tribute to each and every one of them who was there yesterday."

The GAA club of which the late Mr Doran was a member this afternoon paid tribute to the married father of three.

St. Marys GAA Club, Kiltoghert said he was a true Gael, loyal friend, and loving family man.

An online tribute from the club also remembered Mr Doran's family at this time.

Paddy was born in Sheafield, with his brothers and sisters, Anna Marie, James, Colm, Richie, Dearbhla and Melissa, outside Leitrim Village, to Bridie and the late Jim Doran, another great St. Marys Kiltoghert man. He received his education in Leitrim Village NS and Carrick-on-Shannon Vocational School before studying engineering at third level.

Paddy married his childhood sweetheart, Siobhan Moran, Drumsna, and settled in Finisklin, Effrinagh, where they were blessed with three wonderful children Emmet, Caoimhe and Eibhlin.

Paddys involvement with Saint Marys Kiltoghert goes right back to his childhood, where he represented the club and won titles at every underage grade. He not only represented the club with distinction, but also represented Leitrim at U-16, U-18 and U-21. His love of sport extended beyond football and he played hurling, soccer, basketball, and athletics.

"Paddy continued to play for Saint Marys Kiltoghert into adulthood, winning medals at intermediate and senior levels. He captained the intermediate winning team of 1995. He was also selector in 2000. One of Paddys proudest achievements was that of player manager of the championship wining junior B team of 2006. Theres many a man around the county who still grimace at the mention of his name as they recall being on the receiving end of one of Paddys legendary shoulder tackles.

Like his father before him, Paddys role in the club extended beyond his playing days. He accepted numerous officer roles within the club, most noticeably that of PRO. During the dark days of covid, Paddy brought a ray of sunshine into our lives as he was pivotal in the live streaming of championship matches into our living rooms while games were played behind closed doors. Who could forget the sideways stream from Pairc Naomh Mhuire. He revelled in the teasing he got from that one!

Always one for the underdog, Paddy ensured that the club always entered third and fourth teams where possible and took on managerial positions to ensure their success.

"Paddy was more than a club member, the club was a part of him. There was nothing Paddy would not do to ensure we all got the club he felt we deserved. From committees, to officer roles, to donning a high-vis vest to ensure everyones safety on match day, Paddy was always there.

His straight talking, no nonsense, man of action approach endeared him to all who met him. His sad passing leaves a void in our club and our lives which will never be replaced.

"We know our huge loss is shared with other clubs, especially Leitrim Gaels, with whom Paddy shared a wide circle of friends.

Words cannot describe the heartbreak we feel for his loving wife, Siobhan, his children Emmet Caoimhe, and Eibhlin, his mother Bridie, his brothers, sisters, extended family, neighbours and many many friends, and to you all, we extend our deepest sympathies.

A decision to cancel the rest of the weekend diving event was taken immediately after the tragedy.

A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said that the Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) in Malin had responded to a diving incident in Teelin at around 12.20pm yesterday.
Neighbours who lived near horse abattoir exposed on RTE documentary made repeated reports of animal cruelty

Thin doesnt come close to describing the condition of some of the horses. The two I complained about, every bone in their body was visible. They were just skeletalSenior Department of Agriculture vet who accused public of jumping on the bandwagon following animal welfare expose is listed as a steward for the Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board

John Joe Fitzpatrick, who runs the abattoir shown in disturbing documentary; and, inset left, stills from last weeks RTE Investigates programme

Maeve Sheehan Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 03:30

Neighbours living beside the equine abattoir at the centre of an investigation into animal cruelty and criminality have accused the Department of Agriculture of minimising their complaints about neglect of horses.
Dublin Central TD Neasa Hourigan has joined the race to become deputy leader of the Green Party, joining Minister of State and Dun Laoghaire TD Ossian Smyth, who declared last week.

It follows leader Eamon Ryan signalling his intention to leave politics, with current deputy leader and Media Minister Catherine Martin saying she would not seek reappointment as deputy leader.

Minister Ossian Smyth attended the launch in Dublin (Brian Lawless/PA)

The TD lost the party whip after she voted against the Government in the Dail in a bid to retain a ban on evictions, but she is now seeking to rejoin the party.

So far, two TDs  Integration Minister Roderic OGorman and Minister for State at the Department of Agriculture Pippa Hackett  have declared they will run for the party leadership. Mr Ryan has said he will not run again at the next general election, but has said he would continue to serve at Cabinet should the new leader wish him to.

In a message on social media to party members, Ms Hourigan declared her intentions, saying: For any of my Green Party members out there - I have decided to throw my hat into the ring for the Deputy Leader election happening on July 13.

In the past I've been chair of the policy council, a City Councillor, a TD and deputy chair of policy council. I think the next year is going to be an exciting and challenging time in Irish politics and I'd like to put our excellent Green Party policies right at the heart of it.

"If you haven't already nominated someone I'd appreciate your nomination. The deadline is close of business Monday... I hope you will consider supporting me.

Green Party TD Neasa Hourigan

Ms Hourigan is originally from Limerick and was elected to the Dail in 2020.

In an opinion piece in todays Sunday Independent, Ms Hourigan warned those on the left to be wary of those with a right-wing agenda who appeal to common sense, rather than relying on evidence-based policy.

"The trope of common sense, the battle cry of every populist who claims to speak for the people, is that somehow there are obvious solutions to complex problems within society if only we could get out of our own way and implement them, she wrote.

She added: Whats really happening here is an attempt to reframe more extreme views  on climate, migration  as representative of the norm or the centre, thereby legitimising previously unacceptable views as desirable.

And she said: The centre may tie itself in knots calling for an end to partisan squabbling, to end the Punch and Judy political showboating in favour of real solutions, but its often difficult to ascertain what is actually being proposed.

Where is the clarity of vision for what our country will look like in 10 or 15 years in relation to housing, health, disability and climate. This is where the left can show strength and leadership. This is where they, in fact, agree. The strength on the political left is in direct opposition to common sense politics. It is numbers, research, finance, relentlessness, tenacity, science and evidence.
Candidates applying for jobs in the public sector complained of age discrimination, being penalised for excessive sick leave and difficulties in the online application process.

The public appointments service Publicjobs said they had received eight formal complaints from people unhappy about how a job competition was managed last year, with all eight of those investigated and later dismissed.

The service said there were a further 12 customer feedback issues, mostly around difficulties in applying for jobs or misleading information about advertised posts.

There were two other complaints managed by Publicjobs, with one person saying they wanted a formal review of a decision that found their Irish was not good enough for a job. Their complaint was investigated but the decision to exclude them was unchanged.

Another wrote of unfair and inequitable treatment during the recruitment process, but they were also unsuccessful in their appeal and the matter was dismissed.

Eight higher-level, or so-called Section 8, complaints were made to Publicjobs with one person unhappy they did not meet eligibility requirements for age feeling this was discriminatory.

Another was unsatisfied they didnt make a shortlist and said the decision was unfair and a breach of a fundamental right. In one case in November, a candidate on a panel was removed from consideration for a post due to [the] amount of sick leave recorded on their file.

Other complaints were received from individuals who were unsuccessful following an interview or missed out on a shortlist. However, all eight of the Section 8 complaints were dismissed following investigation by Publicjobs.

All complaints were fully investigated and either dismissed or managed accordingly

There were issues, too, with the sometimes laborious process of uploading material to the public jobs application website, with one person saying they could not manage to attach more than one document.

Another claimed it made no sense that the online verification process could only be done using a PC or laptop, and that it was not possible with a phone, notebook, or tablet.

Other complaints received by Publicjobs included one about conflicting information over an application for An Garda Siochana and another about an inadequate and misleading job description for an advertised role.

Publicjobs received one complaint from a person who felt it was unfair to make them fill in a health questionnaire for review by the chief medical officer before being considered for a post.

A spokeswoman for Publicjobs said they had managed more than 65,000 job applications last year with 54,000 assessments and nearly 18,500 interviews having taken place.

All complaints were fully investigated and either dismissed or managed accordingly. Complaints are dismissed based on the investigation finding no evidence of a breach of the [public service appointments] code of practice or the respective guidelines, she said.

Publicjobs is committed to ensuring recruitment to the civil and public service is underpinned by best practice at all stages of the recruitment, assessment, and selection process.
Young woman attacked by Private Cathal Crotty is blown away by support as thousands protest nationwide for change in law

The judge who handed down a suspended sentence to a soldier who beat a young woman unconscious in an unprovoked attack in Limerick city is to retire in the coming days.

Victim Natasha OBrien told the Sunday Independent she hoped judge Tom ODonnell walks away from his career with a sense of utter disgrace and shame for not jailing Cathal Crotty (22) over that violent attack that left her unconscious, with a broken nose, concussion, swelling and bruising to her head following the assault in May 2022.

The case, which caused national outrage and sparked demonstrations, highlighted how brutal the criminal justice system treats victims of violent crime, Ms OBrien said.

What happened to me in that courtroom, it left me with the same feeling as I had when I was attacked two years ago. What the justice system did to me was just as brutal, she said.

Natasha O'Brien addresses a protest in Limerick. Photo: Eamon Ward

But this has become way bigger than one man, my perpetrator, and way bigger than me. At this point its not even about whether the DPP appeals the sentence. Its the law that needs to change.

This is not about justice for me, its about justice for other victims. This needs to stop. I found my attacker on social media and then I had to face him in court and bare my soul. I hoped and expected that he would not get away with it. But he could and did, like many others. The way victims are treated in court, its just heartbreaking.

Crotty, of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, received a three-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay 3,000 in compensation after he pleaded guilty to carrying out an unprovoked attack on Ms OBrien on OConnell Street, Limerick, in May 2022.

Hours after the assault, he boasted on Snapchat about the incident, saying: Two to put her down, two to put her out.

Crotty now faces a Defence Forces disciplinary process, which could possibly result in his dismissal.

Cathal Crotty was given a suspended sentence

Ms OBrien was walking home after work with a friend on the night she was attacked by Crotty. The young soldier was shouting homophobic slurs at another man on the street when he was asked to stop by the victim and her friend.

I just politely asked him to stop and he turned towards me and attacked me. The vicious, sinister look in his eyes, the pure rage. Ill never forget it. He relentlessly beat me until I lost consciousness, Ms OBrien said.

Crottys friends, who were not members of the Defence Forces, walked away. Ms OBriens friend screamed for help until a man ran to their assistance.

Asked if she believed her attacker was genuinely remorseful, after this was relayed in court through his lawyer, Ms OBrien said: Ive no way of knowing if thats genuine. Im sure its been a wake-up call for that individual. But its not about that individual.

Its about the harm it did to me and all like me who dont receive justice. There are an awful lot of people like me. And the general public have had enough. Im so blown away by the support and Im happy that my horrific ordeal has paved the way for this.

My life will never be the same again. But Ive always stood up for whats right. In a sad way, Im grateful. I cannot describe how traumatising it is, to be told I should be happy that there was a guilty plea.

My mental health is for ever affected. Ive symptoms of PTSD that will stay for ever. That man attacked the wrong person. Because Im not going to take it lying down. Ive survived to tell the tale and I will tell it.

It seems theres a deep-rooted culture of violence and misogyny in the Defence Forces, unfortunately

The 24-year-old recalled how, in the aftermath of the attack, she and her friend scrolled through social media until they tracked down Crotty. She recognised him instantly.

We scanned and scanned all platforms until we found him. Ill never forget the awful moment of seeing him in uniform and seeing hed undergone special combat training.

She passed the information to gardai, who were already investigating.

When I found out that he was in the Defence Forces, no one was surprised. It seems theres a deep-rooted culture of violence and misogyny in the Defence Forces, unfortunately.

Thats a problem, for some of its members. Its sad, really, that my close friends who I told werent surprised to hear my attacker was a soldier.

Women of Honour, a support group for those who have suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of members of the Defence Forces, has offered its support to Ms OBrien.

People attend a protest in Limerick. Photo: Eamon Ward

A spokeswoman said it has been contacted by numerous members of the public who say they have been attacked by people in the Defence Forces.

Weve had a lot of people in similar situations to Natasha contact us. Part of the reason he [Crotty] got away without a jail sentence is because is he a member of the Defence Forces, a spokeswoman said.

His behaviour was excused because hes a member of the Defence Forces. She is most welcome to contact us and discuss her case, if she so wishes. It could form part of the tribunal.

A tribunal of inquiry into the handling of a range of abuses in the Defence Forces was announced on Thursday. The bravery shown by Natasha OBrien is inspirational and we are so grateful to her for speaking out as she has, the group said.

She has shown the power a single voice can have, with the national anger to what she has experienced palpable. The sad truth is that this case is not unusual. We know there are so many more who have suffered abuses and been let down as she has, but have been forced into silence or simply ignored.

With the tribunal, we now have an opportunity to join all of our voices together in an ultimate show of strength and resilience against a culture that excuses the inexcusable, condones and even rewards violence and discrimination with no real appreciation or recognition of the price paid by victims.

Ms OBrien said she absolutely agreed with Women of Honour about issues within the Defence Forces and intended to contact the group to discuss her case. She said taking legal action against her attacker was very far from my mind, but events in recent days proved people in Ireland have had enough.

If I was to take a case, which is not what is on my mind, it would be against the Department of Justice for failing to protect me, she said.

This is about so much more now. This is about a much-needed change in the law, minimum sentencing for a violent attack, so that it doesnt matter if youre in the Defence Forces or whatever your job, it doesnt mean you get away with it.

Im not looking for justice for me, thats gone, but we need better now in Ireland because without change, there will be no peace.
Moves comes as a new code is set to compel video-sharing sites and social media firms to operate effective age-verification systems. Photo: Stock image/Getty

Social media companies will have to display tobacco-style warning labels on their apps under proposals put forward by the Government this weekend to clamp down on harmful content and the viewing of harmful content online.

Education Minister Norma Foley has asked the Online Safety Commissioner to consider the move as a new code is brought forward compelling video-sharing sites and social media companies to operate effective age-verification systems to protect children from harmful content.

This new code has been designed to deal with cyberbullying, promotion of self-harm and suicide as well as the promotion of eating and feeding disorders.

The code recognises self-declaration age-verification systems currently in use are not fit for purpose.

However, proposals put forward by Ms Foley would go a step farther and lead to warnings appearing on screens once a social media site or app is opened.

I believe that such warning labels should be introduced by social media platforms based in Ireland, given the growing international research about the risks that social media can pose to children and young people, Ms Foley told Online Safety Commissioner Niamh Hodnett this weekend.

It is true that some young people may disregard any warning labels that are displayed on social media apps, just as some people disregard the health warning labels on packets of cigarettes.

"But these warning labels will still serve a purpose in reminding young people and parents about the risks of social media use.

It would be very useful to have them in place for young Irish people who use popular social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat and X.

Ms Foleys proposal mirrors a call last week from one of Americas most senior health officials.

Research shows 46pc of teenagers think social media made them feel worse about their body image

US surgeon general Vivek Murthy linked social media use to the increased risk of children experiencing anxiety and depression symptoms.

He cited a 2019 study which showed children spending more than three hours per day on social media may be at higher risk of certain mental health problems.

Separate research shows 46pc of teenagers think social media made them feel worse about their body image.

A study here shows 13-year-olds are almost twice as likely to be at risk of depressive symptoms compared to a decade ago. Girls are especially at risk according to the Growing Up in Ireland project which compared surveys of teens born in 1998 and 2008.

Mr Murthy has stated that there is evidence from tobacco studies that warning labels can increase awareness and change behaviour, Ms Foley said.

Further research will be required to prove definitively [whether] the time spent on social media is a key contributory factor to a greater risk of depression among Irish teenagers now.

"However, I believe that we must act now in accordance with the precautionary principle.

A draft of Coimisiun na Means new online safety code calls on platforms to step up their age verification methods. Considerations for future technology changes means the code stops short of outlining suitable age-verification methods.

Ms Foley welcomed the code in her letter to Ms Hodnett this weekend.

I believe the code, with its provisions on age verification, will play an important part in reducing the risk of online harm to children and adults, she added.
Colin Murphy: Eamon Ryan sowed green shoots of change across Irelands political landscape

Minister surpassed all expectations to place his partys policies at heart of conversation

Eamon Ryan navigated the white heat of a global financial crisis with skill

Colin Murphy Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 03:30

As Ireland teetered on the brink of bankruptcy in early 2009, Eamon Ryan made a decision some colleagues would find unsettling: he started writing everything down.
Green Party, like all the soft left, has a distinct market. Any new coalition might be less than sum of its parts

The first strategic decision the new leader of the Green Party will have to make is how to approach the next election.

Will the party go to the country as one of a set of government parties seeking re-election? Or will it form part of the soft-left alliance being touted by Labour?

Its decision will have some impact on the timing of the election, for if the decision is to pursue a left alliance, then the party should start to distance itself from the government partners, perhaps even confecting a rupture that might see an election before a budget is passed?

Eamon Ryan was not one for this type of politics. If those on the rural right hated him for being effective in driving his preferred policies, the left saw him as a sell-out for his pragmatic willingness to compromise.

At the time the Government formed almost four years ago, Catherine Martin challenged Ryan for the leadership of the party.

She would have been the most likely to pursue a shift away from the government parties. Martin has proved chronically indecisive in government and her handling of the RTE crisis was inept, so maybe she thought her leadership might harm the Greens.

The two contenders, Roderic OGorman and Pippa Hackett, seem less likely to cause a split in the government, though OGormans leadership of the heavily defeated referendums would hardly give confidence in his campaigning abilities.

But nor are they likely to want to face the country in an alliance with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail. The likely outcome of that might be that Green candidates eliminations provide some votes for the bigger parties in later counts.

In the aftermath of the local and European elections, Labour, which seems to think it did well  expectations were obviously low  has been talking up the idea of a left alliance if not a full-blown merger.

That took a blow last week when the party pulled out of a progressive alliance that might have run Dublin City Council.

Deputy Green Party leader Catherine Martin. Photo: Mark Condren

The Popular Front of left parties that was formed in the French elections to confront the immediate threat of the ethnonationalist RN party points to problems with such alliances. They only seem to form in reaction to a threat, not to deliver a positive agenda. And within days of it being formed, there were divisions as one populist left party tried to remove some members of the alliance.

In Ireland, theyd have to decide first who goes in. It would probably be just the Greens, Social Democrats and Labour. The other parties on the left are too far left, such as PBP, so neither side would want it.

Although it claims to be left-wing, many would be sceptical of whether Sinn Fein is really that committed to anything but a united Ireland.

Would the three small social democratic parties really want to align with a party associated with historical human rights abuses? Certainly, its votes in the Dail and European Parliament suggest its commitment to green issues is flimsy.

In any case, would those parties want to align with a much larger party where they might just be sweeper candidates to help elect Sinn Fein candidates?

Then theyd have to think what form the alliance would take. Would it have a name on the ballot paper?

There is a reason why large companies such as Procter and Gamble have many brands of essentially the same washing powder. It might be more efficient for there to be one.

But while the Greens, Labour and the SocDems might be ideologically similar, each appeals to different markets. A merger under one brand would be less than the sum of its parts.

It would also be unnecessary. Such alliances are usually needed where the electoral system biases against small parties. But Irelands is pretty forgiving.

An alliance commanding 30 seats might be able to deliver more than where one part of it is picked off and played against the other

Where the party has a strong candidate in a local area, even very small parties can do well. We saw in the European elections that voters of these parties already tend to transfer to each other anyway.

Where such an alliance might make a difference is in its approach to government.

An alliance commanding 30 seats might be able to deliver more than where one part of it is picked off and played against the other. Within government, it would be treated as an equal partner to the bigger parties rather than something that should be thrown some crumbs.

It would also mean that each of the parties would be more willing to form part of a government, knowing their main rivals for votes are also coming in.

But theres the rub. For this to work, there needs to be a leader of the alliance in government. In Spain, where such an alliance was tried, the grouping is unravelling because it quickly became seen as the personal vehicle for the woman who put it together and led it.

Given the SocDems have so far shown less enthusiasm for government than the other two, it could be that decision that would drive the alliance apart.
Farm manager pardoned by President Michael D Higgins was framed for the killing of unmarried mother-of-seven Moll McCarthy in November 1940

An unexpected bond had developed between MacBride the sophisticated lawyer with his fancy French accent, and the plain-spoken hurling-mad Tipperary farm worker.

A drawing of the gap between two fields where Harry Gleeson first encountered the body of Moll Carthy. Illustration: Fiona Aryan

The home of Moll Carthy who was murdered in November 1940. Taken from 'Hanged for Murder  Irish State Executions' by Tim Carey, published by The Collins Press

Part of the guilty verdict document signed by the foreman of the jury Joseph Fahy, showing the strong recommendation to mercy. Courtesy National Archives

Farm worker Harry Gleeson who was wrongly convicted of murdering Moll Carthy in 1940 and hanged in 1941

The long saga that saw Tipperary farm manager Harry Gleeson hanged for the murder of his neighbour Moll McCarthy in 1940 took a major step nearer closure yesterday when the Department of Justice told his family his remains had been identified in an unmarked grave in Mountjoy Prison.

Gleeson was formally pardoned by President Michael D Higgins in 2015, and the family, led by Kevin Gleeson, grandnephew of Harry, have been campaigning for the return of his remains for reburial in his home place, Holy Cross, in Co Tipperary.

Yesterday, the Department of Justice told Mr Gleeson his granduncles remains had been positively identified in a burial area within the prison, family sources confirmed. Arrangements for a long-delayed homecoming and family funeral will now be finalised.

On Thursday morning, November 21, 1940, Harry Gleeson was doing the rounds of his uncles farm at New Inn in Co Tipperary, making sure no sheep had escaped overnight.

As he approached a remote field, he saw a body on the ground with a little black dog crouched on top of it. The dog began to growl.

A drawing of the gap between two fields where Harry Gleeson first encountered the body of Moll Carthy. Illustration: Fiona Aryan

As Harry had taken dogs with him on his rounds and they were not on leashes, he backtracked to the farmhouse and asked Bridget Caesar, his uncles wife, what he should do.

Go straight over to the garda station immediately and report what you saw, she told him, and he did.

Barely five months later, Harry Gleeson was hanged in Dublins Mountjoy Prison and buried there in an unmarked grave.

He had been convicted of the murder of his neighbour, mother-of seven Mary McCarthy, known locally as Moll Carthy.

A strikingly handsome redhead, she lived in a nearby cottage with six of her children, none of whom had the same father. Her last child had died recently in infancy.

Old IRA members set fire to the thatch on Molls cottage. But Moll was a fighter, and she stood her ground

Moll and Harry had much in common. Both were in their 40s and neither had much stake in society. He was working for nothing for his childless uncle John Caesar in the hope of inheriting his farm.

Moll had no job, no husband, just a rundown cottage with a couple of goats and hungry mouths to feed. Harry was a blow-in  local people resented the fact that his uncle, who came from Holycross, had outbid them for the farm they thought rightfully belonged to New Inn.

Holycross is barely 15 miles from New Inn, but it could have been on another planet.

That was bad enough, but Molls way of making a living to feed her growing brood, which included providing sex for local men, outraged respectable folk. They prevailed on parish priest Fr Edward Murphy to name and condemn her from the pulpit.

When that didnt send her packing, they persuaded gardai to seek a court order to have her children taken away because she was neglecting them. In court, Judge Sean Troy sent for the children. After questioning them, he decided they were not being neglected and dismissed the charges.

So when church and state failed to deal with the problem that was Moll, another power was invoked. In republican Tipperary, the IRA was still a strong force. Old IRA members set fire to the thatch on Molls cottage. They also burned down a nearby shed, lest she move into that.

But Moll was a fighter, and she stood her ground. She claimed compensation for malicious damages and was awarded 25. Defiantly, she sent her children to Knockgraffon National School where they sat on benches alongside their legitimate half-brothers and sisters.

Moll noticed that when collecting their offspring from school, some mothers were looking very hard at Molls children.

What are ye all lookin at? she demanded. My kids are every bit as good as yours, havent they got the same fathers?

Harry Gleeson in front of a horse and cart

A kind of uneasy peace prevailed after a local landowner, Anastasia Cooney, made a very public visit to Moll, bringing gifts for her and the children. She was the first respectable woman in New Inn to do so.

Anastasia Cooney had driven ambulances in France during World War I and her concern for Moll and her children was a clear message to hostile neighbours  back off. Meanwhile, Molls children were growing up and the two eldest were getting work on local farms.

Then, in 1939, Moll became pregnant again. The father, Patrick Byrne, was a neighbour who had also fathered her first son, also Patrick. Byrnes farm adjoined John Caesars, as did that of his in-laws, the OGormans. A little girl was born, Molls seventh child. The infant was sickly and lived for only a few months.

The world outside New Inn was changing. A long-feared resumption of war between Britain and Germany became reality in 1939. Taoiseach Eamon de Valera, rather than risk provoking the IRA, opted for neutrality.

Many republicans wanted Ireland to take Germanys side. De Valera, who had come to power with the support of the IRA, needed to keep a close rein on his former allies. In republican heartlands like south Tipperary, neutrality required keeping the IRA activists on side lest they join the war on Hitlers side.

Sergeant Anthony Daly was posted to New Inn garda station with a brief to watch IRA veterans like Jack The Boss Nagle and his sidekick, Thomas Hennessy. Better to know what the lads were up to, better too that they knew they were being watched. Sadly for Moll and her children  and for Harry Gleeson  the lads had unfinished business.

The presence of Moll and her fatherless brood was a continuing affront to local moral sensibilities. Sergeant Daly visited Molls cottage on the afternoon of Wednesday, November 20.

Later that evening, Moll put on what little bits of finery she had and made her way to a disused farmhouse nearby  Lynchs farmhouse, to meet a man, she thought. She met four: Nagle, Hennessy, Byrne and his brother-in-law Pak OGorman. In that farmhouse, a shot from OGormans gun killed her.

Her body was dumped on Caesars land, where Gleeson would find it the following morning, her little black dog crouched on her chest.

When Harry Gleeson ran in the door of New Inn garda station the following day to report his dreadful find, Daly already knew Moll was dead. That morning we knew, he admitted, many years later in a drunken session in the Reynard public house in New Inn.

Part of the guilty verdict document signed by the foreman of the jury Joseph Fahy, showing the strong recommendation to mercy. Courtesy National Archives

Garda perjury and a hostile judge duly delivered a conviction, and less than six months later, Harry Gleeson was hanged, on April 23, 1941  despite the jurys strong recommendation for mercy.

The news that the government had rejected the 7,000-signature petition pleading that Harry Gleeson be saved from the gallows brought lawyer Sean MacBrides involvement in the case to an end, or so he thought.

Then the day before Harry was hanged, a message came from Mountjoy Prison.

The condemned man wanted to speak to him one last time. MacBride went to the prison. Was he about to hear a deathbed confession?

Nothing of the sort. MacBride found Harry Gleeson calm and reflective. Since they first met barely four months previously, an unexpected bond had developed between the sophisticated lawyer with his fancy French accent and the plain-spoken hurling-mad farm worker.

The finger of suspicion had been pointed at Gleeson, a blow-in from another part of Co Tipperary, and he was quickly, far too quickly, many felt, tried, convicted and sentenced to death by hanging. Now he was about to die.

The two men briefly discussed practical matters, Gleesons property  he had very little  and other details.

Gleeson told MacBride not to worry about him, he was prepared for death, better prepared than most because he knew it was coming and he had made his peace with God.

MacBride got up to leave. Gleeson also stood up and said: The last thing I want to say is that I will pray tomorrow that whoever did it will be discovered, and that the whole thing will be like an open book. I rely on you then to clear my name. I have no confession to make, only that I didnt do it.

Back in his car, MacBride took out his fountain pen, and wrote down Gleesons last instructions to him. That was Tuesday, April 22, 1941. Gleeson was hanged the next day and buried in an unmarked grave in Mountjoy Prison. Sean MacBride died in 1988.

An unexpected bond had developed between MacBride the sophisticated lawyer with his fancy French accent, and the plain-spoken hurling-mad Tipperary farm worker.

On April 1, 2015, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald announced an official pardon for Harry Gleeson.

In the intervening years, the torch of Gleesons innocence passed on to a faithful few supporters. In 1990, Bill OConnor, a friend of Harry, published privately The Farcical Trial of Harry Gleeson and it circulated around south Tipperary. Although amateurishly written, it highlighted glaring faults in the prosecution case against Gleeson.

A more considered work  Murder at Marlhill  by barrister and historian Marcus Bourke, was published in 1993.

It seemed Gleesons innocence would finally be established. Bridget Caesar, wife of Harrys uncle John Caesar, enlisted Noel Davern, a local Fianna Fail TD, to the cause. For a while they appeared to be making progress , but completion of that task would fall to another generation.

A petition to save Harry Gleeson signed by his uncle John Caesar

Meanwhile, Marcus Bourke, who remained unhappy that his book had not brought about a pardon for Gleeson, had signed a note identifying Pak OGorman as the man who fired the fatal shot. Bourke had not named the four men responsible for the murder in his book.

The accusation note lay unnoticed in the trial file held in the National Archives until I found it in 2012 when researching my book, The Framing of Harry Gleeson. Bourke told me he was going to name the murderers when writing Murder at Marlhill, but yielded to local pressure to remove them.

In 2012, Harrys nephew Tom Gleeson and his son Kevin, solicitor Emma Timoney  grand-daughter of Joseph Timoney, a solicitor who defended Harry  and others got together under the chairmanship of Sean Delaney from Borrisoleigh, a Gleeson cousin.

Delaney and his wife Mary founded the Justice for Harry Gleeson group. They put together the case for Harrys innocence with help from the Innocence Project, a group of law students at Griffith College, Dublin.

Their efforts were rewarded in 2015 when President Michael D Higgins formally announced Harry Gleesons pardon, the first to be awarded posthumously to one hanged for murder.

Kieran Fagan is the author of The Framing of Harry Gleeson
The highly anticipated end of year concert for the school instrument scheme and orchestra took place in the JCSP library in Enniscorthy Community College recently.

Deputy Principal Tina Merriman welcomed parents, family, and friends to the event that showcased the immense talent developed at the school through this scheme.

The night began on a traditional note with Irish trad music provided by Megan Dagg on tin whistle and Shannon Murphy on fiddle while Kayla Murphy performed a collection of her RIAM piano pieces in a stylish display of different genres.

Students of assorted instruments, clarinet, flute, cello and piano, performed with accompaniment provided by their teacher James Warren. This was then followed by the violin students accompanied by their teacher Emer Collins. The participating musicians ranged from promising 1st year beginners right up to accomplished RIAM Grade 5 performers.

The whole group then assembled together as an orchestra to play pieces from the recent In Harmony performance in the Opera House by the Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB.) The student body, conducted by Ms. Bridin Kelly, showed expertise in playing popular pieces such as John Williams Star Wars, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones (arranged by Liam Bates) and Jupiter by Holst.

Vincent Kennedys Sunny Day in Fethard-on-Sea reminded the audience that summer is well and truly here. Second year Katie Bradley sang Totally Devoted to You from Grease while the school band Under Construction  Ric Jones ,Andrew Kehoe and Jack Redmond - ran through the Jungle in the famous protest song by Creedence Clearwater Revival to make for a truly electric event.

There were also awards given out on the night chosen by both Mr Warren and Ms Collins. Mr Warren presented awards to; Caoimhe Creavin (5th yr) for cello, Kayla Murphy (2nd yr) for clarinet, Ruby OBrien (3rd yr) for flute, and Farhan Muhammad Khan (2nd yr) for piano.

While Ms Collins presented awards for violin to: Erin Jones (1st yr) for Best Beginner and Shannon Murphy (3rd yr) for Overall Winner. Other awards included: Kirsty McInerney for trumpet, Ric Jones for guitar, Jack Redmond for bass and Andrew Kehoe for percussion.
Creative Places Enniscorthy is introducing an exciting roster of creative courses targeted towards young people in the month of June.

Creative Places is a national programme for areas in Ireland that have not received benefits from sustained investment in the arts sector. The Enniscorthy branch is led by the Wexford Arts Centre, the Presentation Arts Centre, and a community steering committee.

The Night Belongs to YOU-th is designed to be a new and unique project that develops the large amount of talent growing within and outside the town. Participants will be working with world-renowned artists, theatre designers and makers Mary Doyle, Bill Wright, Lynn Haughton, Fintan Kelly to create a showcase to celebrate midsummer Saturday 22 June from 7pm-9pm.
The pupils of 2nd, 3rd and 4th class with one of the signs they made for the bake sale.

Monaseed National School raised 1,000 at their annual bake sale recently for music lessons with Sinead Tobin and GAA goals for the students area of the playing field.

2nd, 3rd and 4th class students along with their teacher Mr OSullivan organised the bake sale and spent time making posters and flyers as well as baking and selling the cakes on the day.

They loved it, the build up to it was brilliant. They spent a lot of time preparing for their baking and learning about the measurements. They got a lot of support at home as well from their parents who bought the ingredients, said Principle of Monaseed National School, Maire Coates.

Pupils from the school as well as people from the wider community turned up on the day to support the bake sale which ran from 8:30a.m. until 11a.m. "It was well supported and there was a lovely atmosphere too, said Maire.

To top it all off, 3 year old Toby McDonald went home 327 richer as he won the schools annual Split the Pot. We do split the pot once a year on the day of the bake sale. Everyone puts 5 in an envelope to enter and then the winner gets 50 per cent of the money and 50 per cent goes towards the school. Its always one of the kids that wins it! said Maire.
Co Wexford will receive 88M of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan

Almost 5,000 Wexford properties in its Fethard and Monamolin deployment areas can now order a high-speed fibre broadband connection.

ALMOST five thousand rural Co Wexford properties in the Fethard-on-Sea and Monamolin areas can now connect to the high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home National Broadband Ireland (NBI) network.

NBI has been delivering the new future-proofed, high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home network under the National Broadband Plan on behalf of the Government.

The areas cover the rural surrounds of Hook Head, Duncannon, Cahore Point and Ballycanew.

24,000 premises in Co Wexford are included in the States Intervention Area, which will see NBI deliver minimum speeds of 500 megabits per second to homes, businesses, farms, and schools. As the biggest investment in rural Ireland since rural electrification, Co Wexford will receive 88M of Government investment under the National Broadband Plan.

There are 3,040 homes, farms and businesses near Cahore Point and Ballycanew in the Monamolin deployment area that can now order high-speed fibre broadband through the NBI network. Similarly, 1,936 premises in NBIs Fethard deployment area, which includes Fethard and Duncannon, can also place an order and connect.

National Broadband Ireland is calling on people living in nearby areas to visit nbi.ie/map/ and enter their Eircode to see if they are ready to connect.

Works have already been completed in other parts of Wexford and there is a total of 15,946 premises that are available to pre-order or order high-speed, reliable broadband across the county with 5,175 connections made so far.

Chief Executive Officer, National Broadband Ireland, Peter Hendrick, said: We are thrilled to announce that almost two-thirds of Wexford premises can now order high-speed broadband services through the National Broadband Ireland network. This good news comes as rural communities in our Fethard and Monamolin deployment areas can now avail of fibre broadband. Connecting to our network will enable users to experience the life-changing benefits that high-speed broadband provides.

Presently, almost 16,000 homes, businesses and farms in Co Wexford can order high-speed fibre broadband to connect to the National Broadband Network. This now includes almost 2,000 premises in Fethard, over 3,000 premises near Monamolin, over 3,800 premises in Wexford town, almost 3,300 premises in rural areas around Rosslare and over 4,500 premises near Ballycarney.

As a wholesale network operator, NBI does not sell fibre broadband directly to end users, rather it enables services from a range of broadband providers or Retail Service Providers (RSPs). As a wholesale provider, NBI will make the new Fibre-to-the-Home network available to all RSPs operating in the Intervention Area.

Some 72 RSPs have already signed up to sell services on the National Broadband Ireland network and 68 are certified as ready to start providing connections as of today.
Some of the participants at the River Slaney Participation Workshop in the Riverside Park Hotel, Enniscorthy.

The Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) facilitated a conversation on public participation in water catchment management in the Riverside Park Hotel in Enniscorthy on Monday.

LAWPRO is a national shared service working on behalf of the 31 local authorities in Ireland coordinating efforts to achieve good water quality across the country.

Representatives from the Enniscorthy Tidy Towns, Wicklow Uplands Council, The Slaney Rivers Trust, The Ahare River and Biodiversity Development Group, Coastwatch, Myshall Nature/Myshall Muintir Na Tire, Wexford PPN, Soul Sanctuary Wexford, Wexford Naturalists Field Club, Tirlans dairy suppliers, Enniscorthy Failte, Enniscorthy Tidy Towns, Slaney River Trust- Fisheries Consultant, Myshall Nature/Myshall Muintir Na Tire, Sustainable Enniscorthy, Author- Gorey, Teacher & Angling Club, Slaney River Trust CLG, Protect Moylisha Hill as well as private individuals took part.

These community groups met to discuss and co-design a community forum model for Ireland, focused on improving local water quality and ways to actively engage communities in the river basin management process. This is part of a wider initiative across the country to develop a model for community and public participation as part of the next River Basin Management Plan, which will be published shortly.

The River Basin Management Plan is Irelands roadmap for restoring and protecting water quality, across the 46 river catchments in Ireland. The River Slaney catchment was chosen as one of five pilot areas to have a focus group discussion and was selected on account of its geography and the wide range of sectors and industries operating within it.

Speaking at the workshop Dr. Fran Igoe, Regional Coordinator with LAWPRO said: Today is part of a wider process of developing a public participation process for Irish rivers that reflects the aspirations of community groups. This River Slaney workshop will inform that process and we are delighted with such a great turnout.

There were some questions specific to the Slaney concerning water quality challenges posed by different sectors including agriculture. This offered the opportunity to raise awareness of the new 60m Farming for Water EIP project and Tirlans Farming for Water Slaney project. Both of these initiatives were recently launched and pay farmers for work to improve water quality and complement each other.

The need for a good uptake of measures by farmers and landowners and integration of the two projects to achieve the best water quality outcomes was emphasised. Other issues raised at the workshop were captured with a view to addressing in more detail at a later stage.

A working group will take the workshop feedback and information and prepare a report which will be brought forward, along with the other pilot outputs to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for consideration during implementation of the next River Basin Management Plan.
Show off those gnashers with this affordable selection in dental care

Soooo, Ive started my Invisalign journey as they call it on social media. Basically all my teeth have decided to move around as I am an old vumman now, as Marian Keyes says.

I needed to get it sorted so I decided to go to Seapoint Dental Clinic as my mum and brother both went there and were very happy, plus I did my research and only heard good reports.

The actual process of getting fitted for the clear plastic braces was very easy. A dental nurse called Beth put me at ease and Dr Jim Griffin examined me thoroughly and said that I was suitable.

I got my trays and theres an app to go with them so off I started on my journey. Im not gonna lie, I found it a lil hard to get used to leaving them in for 22 hours/day and only taking them out to eat, drink and brush my teeth. I was just getting the hang of it when I got the worst cold, and was feeling so sorry for myself that I forgot all about them for two weeks. Im back using them again (sorry, Dr Griffin!) and Ill keep you all posted.

All that focus on teeth has led me to oral beauty this week. Jo Browne Bamboo Toothbrush, 7.95, brownthomas.com, is made from Moso bamboo and the bristles are made from nylon 6, which is free from Bisphenol A, a chemical produced in large quantities in the production of polycarbonate plastics. Its estimated that 3.6 billion plastic toothbrushes are used worldwide every year, and around 80pc of these end up in the sea where they pose a hazard, so bamboo toothbrushes are a winner in my eyes.

Prebiotic Breath Drops, 12.95, polishedlondon.com

As well as my teeth looking well, I also like having minty-fresh breath and am currently enjoying Polished Londons Prebiotic Breath Drops, 12.95, polishedlondon.com. The drops are infused with apples and peppermint, and theyre formulated using inulin, which nurtures gut health, and prebiotics to help the microbiome.

Novomins Vitamin D3 Gummies, 18, dowlingspharmacy.ie

I was really interested in trying the Novomins Vitamin D3 Gummies, 18, dowlingspharmacy.ie, as they bolster bone and muscle health, boost your immune system and keep your vitamin D levels topped up. They are devised by Dr Peter McQuillan, a celebrity dental surgeon who specialises in the process of nutrient absorption through the mouth. They bring you a high-strength burst of vitamin D3 in a lovely mango flavour, and are a great way to ensure you get your daily dose of sunshine, even when the sun is scarce. Always consult your GP before beginning supplements.

And finally, Im giving a big toothy grin to Spotlight Oral Care Ultra Teeth Whitening Strips, 44.95 for a 14-day treatment, spotlightoralcare.com. Spotlight was founded by sisters and dentists, Lisa and Vanessa Creaven, who aim to provide the best clinically-proven and earth-kind oral care products possible. They have reformulated their strips to make your at-home experience even better, plus they protect enamel.

Three of the best Lip balms

Laneige Dreamy Lip Kit, 20.70, spacenk.com

1 Laneige Dreamy Lip Kit, 20.70, spacenk.com If you have a tween in your life then youll be familiar with this brand. The four lip sleeping masks designed to nourish the lips are in yummy berry, mango, sweet candy and peach iced tea flavours.

asap Hydrating Lip Balm, 19, asapskincare.ie

2 asap Hydrating Lip Balm, 19, asapskincare.ie This balm by Australian cosmeceutical brand asap contains niacinamide to deeply moisturise lips and alpine rose to help reduce cold sore occurrence as well as spf15 for those sunny summery days.

The Ordinary Squalane + Amino Acids Lip Balm, 11.40, theordinary.com

3 The Ordinary Squalane + Amino Acids Lip Balm, 11.40, theordinary.com This brand new lip balm softens and hydrates dry lips through the use of biomimetic amino acids and squalane. It can also be applied to your cuticles and elbows, leaving skin soft and nourished.

Trionas budget friendly beauty buys
Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak vow to fix delays to Windrush scandal compensation scheme

Emigrants from West Indies in 1950s were victims of botched UK immigration policy

Rishi Sunak on campaign trail in London yesterday. Photo: PA

Claudia Savage and David Lynch Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 03:30







British prime minister Rishi Sunak has said the Home Office is working hard on the compensation scheme for the Windrush scandal, as Keir Starmer called for reform to the department to ensure injustices are put right.
Israeli soldiers strapped an injured Palestinian man to the bonnet of their vehicle during a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday, drawing condemnation for using people in the occupied territories as human shields.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

A woman is currently in the intensive care after she was attacked by wolves at a park close to Paris city in France, media reports said.

She was reportedly jogging in the park.

They say that early on Sunday the 36-year-old victim - who was staying at a lodge within Thoiry park - strayed into the main safari zone, which is reserved for cars, BBC reported.

Three arctic wolves attacked her and was reportedly suffered bites on her neck, back and a leg.

Thoiry is one of the popular wildlife parks in France.

Some 800 animals roam free in the park and visitors are allowed to watch them from the safety of the vehicles.

Park authorities did not comment on the matter so far.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

Chandigarh: The students, who were supposed to take the NEET-UG exam retest in Chandigarh, did not turn up, even as all the arrangements were made on Sunday, media reported.

Invigilators were present, police were deployed, and metal detectors were installed, yet the two students scheduled to write the retest at Chandigarh's St Joseph's Senior Secondary School remained absent, reported NDTV.

St Joseph's Senior Secondary School in Sector 44, Chandigarh, is one of seven centers chosen by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for the re-examination of 1,563 candidates.

These candidates, as per the Centre's submission to the Supreme Court, were granted grace marks due to disruptions during the May 5 exam. After mass outrage, these grace marks were rescinded, but candidates were given another opportunity to sit for the test.

The NEET exam controversy

The controversy arose when 67 students achieved perfect scores of 720 in the NEET-UG exam.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) said this happened as some candidates were awarded grace marks due to a faulty question and logistical delays in paper distribution at some centers.

However, a Bihar Police investigation revealed that the exam paper had been leaked to a select group of candidates.

The NEET-UG exam, taken by nearly 24 lakh aspiring medical students, was held on May 5, and the results were released on June 4.

Despite the NTA's efforts to manage the situation, allegations of a widespread leak continued with protests and legal actions nationwide.

The Supreme Court also got involved, slamming the NTA for its handling of the issue.
Photo courtesy: Video grab

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid rich tributes on the death anniversary of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee, who advocated and fought for the cause of "one nation, one leader, one law, and one emblem" and the integrity of India.

A firebrand politician, barrister, and an esteemed academic, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee breathed his last on June 23, 1953, in Kashmirs Srinagar where he was kept in custody in a cottage.

The Prime Minister said that Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee's glowing personality will continue to guide future generations.

The Prime Minister said in a X post, "Respectful tributes to the great son of the nation, renowned thinker, and academician Dr. Syama Prasad Mookherjee on his martyrdom day. He dedicated his life to the service of Mother India. His powerful personality will continue to inspire every generation of the country."

Tributes to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his Jayanti. He is widely respected for his contribution to Indias development particularly in sectors such as commerce and industry. He was also known for his scholarly nature and intellectual prowess. pic.twitter.com/jcmgH3Lz6L  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 6, 2022

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was born on July 6, 1901. His father, Ashutosh Mookerjee, was a judge at the Calcutta High Court.

At the age of just 33, Dr. Mookerjee became the Vice-Chancellor of Calcutta University. During his tenure, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore delivered a convocation speech at Calcutta University in Bengali.

Dr. Mookerjee became India's first Minister for Industry and Supply (now known as the Minister of Commerce and Industries) in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet.

Hindu rights and partition of Bengal

In 1937, under the Government of India Act of 1935, provincial elections were held, and no party secured a majority in Bengal.

The Congress emerged as the largest party, while the Muslim League and Krishak Praja Party also won substantial seats.

However, it was the Muslim League that managed to form the government in Bengal.

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee (Image Courtesy: wikipedia.org)

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee strongly opposed the policies of the Muslim League government at that time.

The government introduced the Calcutta Municipal Bill in the Bengal Assembly, which provided for separate electorates for Muslims. The bill was vehemently opposed by Dr. Mookerjee.

In 1941, the Muslim League government fell, and Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee formed a coalition government with Fazlul Haq in Bengal.

In this government, Dr. Mookerjee became the finance minister. At the time of independence, it seemed that the entire Bengal might become part of East Pakistan. Therefore, he demanded the partition of Bengal based on the majority Hindu population.

During this time, he remained firm in his movement for the rights of Hindus. Dr. Mookerjee believed that if the entire Bengal went to Pakistan, attacks on Hindus would increase in Muslim-majority areas.

He felt it was necessary to partition Bengal to retain the Hindu-majority western part in India. To garner support for this cause, Mookerjee undertook several tours and organized Hindu conferences in all regions of the state.

Following this, Bengal was partitioned, and due to his efforts, the entire Bengal did not become part of Pakistan. If this had not happened, West Bengal would have become a part of Bangladesh (then East Pakistan) today.

Kashmir issue and fight for "one nation, one leader, one law, and one emblem"

Following a disagreement with Nehru over the LiaquatNehru Pact, Mookherjee resigned from his cabinet position. In 1951, with support from the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, he established the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, which later evolved into the Bharatiya Janata Party.

After the country gained independence in 1947, and the Constitution was implemented in 1950. Following this, the then Congress government added Article 370 to the Constitution. At that time, Dr. Mookerjee was the Minister of Industry and Food in the government.

However, he strongly disagreed with the intentions of the government and resigned from his position.

As a votary of "one nation, one leader, one law, and one emblem", he launched a movement to remove Article 370 from Kashmir, citing it as a cause to protect the nation's honour and integrity. He demanded that the same laws and regulations to be applied in Kashmir as in other parts of the country.

Death

After his resignation, he was heading to Kashmir. When he entered Srinagar on May 11, 1953, Sheikh Abdullah's government arrested him.

Two of his associates were also arrested. At first, they were sent to Srinagar Central Jail, but later moved to a cottage outside the city.

He remained in custody for more than a month, and during this time, his health continued to deteriorate.

On June 22, 1953, Dr. Mookerjee experienced breathing distress and was shifted to a hospital, where he was found to have suffered a heart attack. The very next day, the Kashmir government announced that Dr. Mookerjee had passed away from a heart attack at 3:40 a.m. on June 23.
Photo Courtesy: Avishek Mitra/IBNS

Amid ongoing diplomatic tension between India and Canada over the Khalistan issue, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday observed the 39th anniversary of the Kanishka bombing and said the day is a reminder of why terrorism should never be tolerated.

"Today marks the 39th anniversary of one of the worst acts of terrorism in history," Jaishankar posted on X.

"Pay my homage to the memory of the 329 victims of AI 182 Kanishka who were killed this day in 1985. My thoughts are with their families. The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated," he said.

The Indian Embassy in Canada also paid tribute to the victims of the bombing incident and posted on X: "India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat."

"June 23, 2024 marks the 39th Anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka), in which 329 innocent victims including 86 children, lost their lives in one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in the history of civil aviation," the Embassy said.

"A Memorial Service is scheduled at 1200 hrs on June 23, 2024 at the Air India Flight 182 Monument at Commissioners Park, Dows lake, Ottawa. The High Commission encourages members of the Indian Diaspora to join the event in a show of solidarity against terrorism," the post further said.

According to reports, the Indian consulate in Vancouver is observing a memorial service at the Air India Memorial at Stanley Park's Ceperley Playground area.

The consulate in Toronto is going to observe a memorial service at South Lawns, Queens Park.

Nijjar row:

Meanwhile, triggering tension between the two nations, the Canadian Parliament last week observed a minutes silence in memory of Khalistani separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar.

India has lodged a strong protest with the Canadian High Commission in Delhi opposing the organization of the Citizen's Courts by Khalistani activists in Canada.

We have strongly protested at the Canadian High Commission here. Such courts or gatherings are not helpful at all. We have strongly taken it up with them and asked them to take appropriate action in the matter, said Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), told ANI.

We have been repeatedly calling upon the government of Canada to take action. Political space provided to extremist anti-India elements and those advocating violence must stop and they must take action, Jaiswal said.

Nijjar, 45, was shot dead in June last year outside a gurdwara in Surrey, a Vancouver suburb with a large Sikh population.

A few months later, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau alleged Indian government involvement, triggering a diplomatic crisis with New Delhi.

Kanishka Bombing

On June 23, 1985, Air India's 'Kanishka' Flight 182, which was travelling from Montreal to New Delhi, was destroyed in a mid-air explosion, resulting in the loss of 329 innocent lives.
Image: Nawada Police X screenshot

Nawada, Bihar/IBNS: A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team probing the UGC-NET paper leak was attacked by people in a village in Bihar's Nawada district on Saturday late afternoon, the police said on Sunday.

Nawada Police in a video posted on X handle said the CBI team was attacked by some villagers who surrounded them and beat them up around 430 pm on Saturday when they reached the Kasiyadih village of Rajauli area of the district for the investigation. Their vehicle was damaged too.

Police said the CBI officers were rescued by the local police as they reached the spot swiftly and the CBI team in the police station lodged a complaint of violence and obstruction of official duty. Four people were arrested later.

The CBI team had gone to the spot on the trail of some suspects involved in the UGC NET question paper leak case.

Reports said the UGC-NET exam paper was sold on the darknet for INR 6 lakh.

While the government transferred the investigation into the NEET-UG exam leak to the CBI, the federal agency is also probing the UGC-NET exam, which was held on June 18 this year and cancelled two days later on June 20, citing that its "integrity was compromised". The CBI registered an FIR in the matter.

Even as the controversy over NEET threatens to reach a boiling point, the Ministry of Education has cancelled the UGC-NET exam, conducted by the National Testing Agency, just a day after it was held.

Over 9 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, which is held for Assistant Professor recruitments in universities and colleges as well as to determine eligibility for junior research fellowships.

In a statement, the Education Ministry said the June exam of the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) was conducted on Tuesday in OMR (pen and paper) mode in two shifts across the country.

"On 19th June, 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) received certain inputs from National Cyber Crime Threat Analytics Unit of Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs on the Examination. These inputs prima facie indicate that the integrity of the aforesaid examination may have been compromised," it said.

The ministry said it was announcing the cancellation "to ensure the highest level of transparency and sanctity of the examination process".

There have been reports of the paper of the examination being leaked, but this was not confirmed by the ministry. It said only that the matter had been handed over to the CBI.

The UGC-NET is conducted twice every year, in June and December.
Photo Courtesy: PIB

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and her Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina announced the launch of a new train service between Rajshahi and Kolkata.

They also launched a new bus route between Chittagong and Kolkata.

Hasina was the first foreign leader to visit India since Narendra Modi took oath as Indian PM.

Hasina visited the nation from June 21 to June 22.

Earlier this month, Hasina visited India to attend the oath-taking ceremony of Narendra Modi.

Modi returned to power for a record third term in the world's largest demoncracy following a staggering seven-phased election.

This year, Hasina returned to power in Bangladesh for the fourth straight term.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

The Israel Defense Forces on Saturday targeted a Hamas military site in Gaza's Shati camp with several media reports claiming senior commander of the group Raad Saad was the target of the attack.

Saad was reportedly the head of the Hamas operations.

The death of Saad has not been confirmed by Israel or Hamas.

The IDF said fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in Gaza City  in Shati and in the Tuffah neighborhood. The statement was unusual in that the army does not regularly announce specific strikes unless they are on a high-value target, reported The Times of Israel.

The Israeli military said it would share further details later.

Saad is considered to be among Hamass top military brass in the Gaza Strip, serving as chief of the terror groups operations division. His death would mark the most significant killing of a Hamas commander in months, since the assassination of Marwan Issa, the deputy commander of the terror groups military wing, in March, reported The Times of Israel.

Gaza is a world of devastation and still in the grip of war after nearly nine months of conflict, UN humanitarians, who just back from the enclave, reported on Friday, as they described widespread destruction and stories of pregnant mothers forced to request preterm C-sections out of desperation and fear.

The population has been almost entirely dispossessed of the means and capacities to ensure food security, shelter, health, and livelihood, said Maryse Guimond, UN Womens Special Representative for the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Women were asking me, When can we go back to our homes? Each displacement has brought more loss and fear.

Dignity, privacy gone

Speaking to journalists in Geneva via video, veteran humanitarian worker Ms. Guimond described seeing people crammed into makeshift shelters and lacking even the most basic essentials. At one school-turned-shelter run by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), there are only 25 toilets for the 14,000 people seeking safety inside the compound and the 59,000 others camping outside, she noted.

Pointing to the enormous problems of access to Gazas last functioning hospitals today, Dr Rik Peeperkorn from the UN World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the enclaves health workers, obstetricians and doctors now treat far higher levels of low birthweight babies than before the war.
WPLG Local 10

Early Friday morning, someone went to a long-vacant parking lot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and stumbled across dozens of cybertrucks, and apparently, the urge was too great to deface. Dozens of new and unsupervised cybertrucks were graffitied with the phrase "F*ck Elon."

Cybertrucks, as polarizing as they are, always garnish a lot of attention; this time, it did not play in Telsa's founder Elon Musk's favor.

The Fort Lauderdale police did not respond to Road & Track's request for a comment on this vandalism. It was, however, shared with the local NBC affiliate that, in total, 34 Cybertrucks were vandalized, and they are actively investigating the vandalism.

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The trucks were parked off Route 1 in the neighborhood of Victoria Park in an area with no security or cameras. Every Cybertruck is fitted with nine cameras, but it's unclear if the crime was caught on tape.

It's unknown what type of paint was used to write the message, but because the factory standard Cybertrucks are always stainless steel, the graffiti was able to be easily wiped off, and no permanent damage was done.



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Cancer drugs worth Rs. 360 million have been stolen in a Pakistani hospital, media reports said.

According to reports, the incident happened in the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK).

In this regard, the Eidgah police, on the complaint of Medical Superintendent (MS), Syed Muhammad Khalid registered a theft case on June 20, 2024 against two grade 16 employees of the health department, reported The Express Tribune.

It has been mentioned in the case that two health department employees, have conspired to sell 76,000 tablets, used for cancer treatment, the newspaper reported.

The two employees were identified as Niaz Ahmed Khaskheli and Iqbal Ahmed Chana.

The MS informed the police that the cancer medicine, stolen in a period from February 17 to September 29, 2023, included 76,000 tablets of Elbonix 50mg and Palbonix 125mg, the value of which is Rs360 million, the newspaper reported.

The health department has dismissed Iqbal Chana and Niaz Khaskheli from their service.
Photo Courtesy: Unsplash

Amnesty International has asked Pakistani authorities to ensure there must not be growing attack on Ahmadiyya community members in the country.

The organization asked authorities to uphold their right to freedom of belief and religion in the lead up to, during and after the Muslim religious holidays such as Eid ul-Azha.

The human rights organization documented 36 cases of arbitrary arrests and detention in addition to dozens of cases of police harassment of Ahmadis, as well as orders barring religious rites by members of the minority group, from 10 to 19 June.

Several attacks on Ahmadi places of worship also took place, with the authorities failing to ensure the safety and security of members of the community, read the website of the organisation.

These incidents of human rights violations by district administrations across Pakistan have demonstrated a pattern that Ahmadis remain one of the most systematically discriminated communities in Pakistan. Authorities must end the growing attacks on Ahmadis. They must respect, protect, promote and fulfil the human rights of the members of the community, said Livia Saccardi, Deputy Regional Director for South Asia at Amnesty International.

At least 36 cases of arbitrary arrests and detention of Ahmadis to prevent them performing the religious rites of sacrificing animals were reported in the province of Punjab.

Speaking to Amnesty International, a 60-year-old man from the Ahmadiyya community in Punjab province said that the police entered his house without lawful authority by scaling the walls as his family were sacrificing a goat on the first day of Eid. The Ahmadiyya community faces threats every year, but this year has been unprecedented. They took eight of my family members into custody, including my sons, nephews and brother-in-law simply because we were practicing our faith within the four walls of our home. A sense of fear pervades (the lives) of all Ahmadis in my locality, many have been arrested, he said.

Amnesty International has reviewed 11 First Information Reports (FIRs) which were filed against at least 14 members of the Ahmadiyya community on 17 and 18 June in the Punjab cities of Toba Tek Singh, Gujranwala, Sheikhupura, Sargodha, Khushab and Gojra. These FIRs contain charges under the draconian blasphemy laws of the Pakistan Penal Code which Amnesty International has been advocating to be repealed. Several of these FIRs are based on complaints filed by affiliates of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), a party known for fueling hate speech and violence against religious minorities in Pakistan.

On 10 June, the Deputy Commissioner in Chakwal issued orders enabling the preventive detention of three Ahmadi men for 30 days on the basis that they might perform the ritual of sacrificing an animal on Eid. The men were released two days later after agreeing to sign an affidavit, as shared with Amnesty International by their lawyers, that they would refrain from performing the ritual. Similar orders were issued by the Sialkot district administration to detain and prevent 16 Ahmadi men from observing religious rites during Eid under the guise of maintenance of public order.

Attacks on Ahmadiyya religious sites

In the early hours of Eid day, 17 June, a violent mob of around 150 people attacked the Ahmadiyya place of workshop in Kotli, Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir. The assailants opened fire and subsequently destroyed the minarets and arch of the building.

On 12 June, 17 graves of the Ahmadiyya community were desecrated in Basti Shukrani, Bahawalpur district, Punjab. Members of the community alleged that the local TLP chapter was responsible for the desecration. These violent attacks came in the aftermath of the religiously motivated killing of two Ahmadi men in Saad Ullah Pur, Mandi Bahauddin on 8 June by a teenage student from a local madrassah.

Religious groups have been issuing open threats for weeks leading up to Eid and despite a notification from the Ministry of Interior to provincial Inspector Generals and Chief Secretaries instructing an increase in security for Ahmadiyya places of worship, we have seen that the police and provincial governments have acted in extrajudicial ways across the country. It is clear that there is a lack of ownership of Ahmadis as citizens of Pakistan, said Mahmood Iftikhar, a Pakistani lawyer and human rights activist.
Actress Sonakshi Sinha is prepared to tie the knot with actor Zaheer Iqbal after years of dating. According to Iqbal Ratansi, the father of the groom Sonakshi would not be converting and the marriage will be civil. Zaheer's father shared details about the wedding while speaking to the Free Press Journal. He said, "It will have neither Hindu or Muslim rituals. It will be a civil marriage.

Will Sonakshi Sinha convert to Islam after marrying Zaheer?

When asked about the rumors that Sonakshi will convert to Islam, Zaheer's father responded as follows: She is not converting and that is for sure. Theirs is a union of hearts and religion has no role to play whatsoever.

He also told FPJ, I believe in humanity. God is called Bhagwan by Hindus and Allah by Muslims. But at the end of the day, we are all human beings. My blessings are with Zaheer and Sonakshi.

Also read: Ahead of rumoured wedding, Sonakshi Sinha spends quality time with Zaheer Iqbal and his family

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Sonakshi Sinha and Poonam perform pooja

Actor Sonakshi Sinha and her family held a puja ceremony at Ramayana, her family's Mumbai home, before her marriage to Zaheer Iqbal. On social media, a number of images and videos featuring the future bride and her parents, seasoned actors Shatrughan and Poonam Sinha, surfaced. For the occasion, Huma Qureshi arrived at Ramayana along with her brother Saqib Saleem.



Also read: Is Sonakshi Sinha pregnant? Pakistan journalist Umair Sandhu makes a shocking claim

For the unversed, a wedding invite had gone viral a few days ago and it mentioned that Sonakshi and Zaheer will marry on June 23, 2024.

Their wedding invite also mentioned, The moment where go from being each others rumoured girlfriend and boyfriend, Sonakshi said, before Zaheer added, To being each others definite and official husband and wife. Finally! This celebration will not be complete without you so drop whatever youre doing on the 23rd of June and come party with us. See you there."

For more news and updates from the world of OTT, and celebrities from Bollywood and Hollywood, keep reading Indiatimes Entertainment.
There's no denying that an Ivy League degree can catch an employer's eye. However, attempting to achieve this through questionable methods guarantees a negative reaction. Parminder Singh, Chief Operating Officer of Tatler Asia and former managing director at Google, has highlighted a concerning trend in hiring: the embellishment of academic credentials, which Singh calls 'degree dramatizing.'

This deceptive practice is raising eyebrows and sparking discussions in professional circles.

Parminder Singh/ LinkedIn

Also read: Want To Study In An Ivy League College? Here's All You Need To Know



What is 'degree dramatizing'?

Parminder Singh took to LinkedIn to share a striking encounter during an interview: "'Harvard Alum,' read the candidate's CV I was interviewing. There were no other details about his educational background. When I asked what he studied at Harvard, he replied, 'A Course on Entrepreneurship.' When I inquired about the duration of the course, he said it was four weeks. I couldn't help but form the impression that he's prone to exaggeration, which immediately raised a red flag for me."

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The candidate's response prompted Singh to caution about what he terms 'degree dramatizing.'



Singh emphasised the distinction, stating, "A paid short term course is a good addition to the CV but it doesn't quite qualify you as a 'Harvard Alum'. In fact, Harvard University's website explicitly defines who qualifies as a Harvard Alum," adding, "Being an alum of a premier institute implies undergoing a rigorous selection process and spending a considerable amount of time with individuals who have undergone a similar process."

moneycontrol

Highlighting the broader implications, Singh remarked, "Employers value honesty above all else. By attempting to take a shortcut like this, you risk coming across as duplicitous. It's simply not worth it. Integrity is far more valuable than any Ivy League degree."



Also read: Indian Students In The US, Including Those In Ivy League Colleges, Are Struggling To Find Even Internships: Here's Why



How people reacted

Recruiters' comments show different views on exaggerating academic credentials on LinkedIn and in CVs.

One recruiter acknowledged Parminder Singh's stance, stating, "Very nicely called out Parminder! Linkedin is making this worse - they add the most recent education experience on the headline. I had to actively go in and change what shows up on my page to revert it back to the full time MBA school, vs the short term program I did at LBS. But agree that stating Harvard Alum on a CV for doing short term course is a different level! The case you called out is not just a red flag, its a glaring fog horn!"

Another commenter highlighted broader trends of misrepresentation, citing examples like "Award Winning Speakers" and "LinkedIn Top Voice," where individuals inflate their achievements beyond their actual significance. They critiqued such practices for distorting credibility.

Representative image/ blog.goinglobal.com

However, a different perspective surfaced, suggesting a nuanced view of the situation.



This commenter pointed out two conflicting viewpoints: from the recruiter's perspective, the mention of Ivy League status may initially attract attention and lead to shortlisting, benefiting both parties in securing an interview. From the candidate's perspective, leveraging the "alum" statushowever obtainedaims at maximising opportunities in a competitive job market. They implied that colleges also play a role in promoting these short-term programs as pathways to prestigious affiliations desired by recruiters.

The debate ultimately hinges on where the line should be drawn between strategic marketing of one's qualifications and outright misrepresentation.

What's your take on the situation?

For more information on exams, results and careers, please visit Indiatimes Education.
An 8-year-old Pekingese dog has recently caught the spotlight, but not for any grand achievement. Instead, this furry friend has found fame in a rather humorous way that's been making waves in the news.

Also read: Meet Viatina, Worlds Most Expensive Cow At Rs 40 Crore, With Roots Of The Breed In India



Wild Thang/ Instagram

Meet Wild Thang, the 8-year-old Pekingese from Coos Bay, Oregon, who recently clinched the coveted title of 'World's Ugliest Dog' at the 2024 Worlds Ugliest Dog Contest on June 21.



Known for participating in the contest multiple times, Wild Thang finally took the top spot after securing second place three times in previous years.

Competing against seven other unique canines at California's fairgrounds, Wild Thang's distinctive appearance and undeniable charm won over the judges.

Wild Thang/ Instagram

Sponsored by Mug Root Beer, the competition not only brought fame but also a substantial cash prize.



Wild Thang bagged $5,000 (Rs 4,17,750 INR) for the win, while the second and third place winners received $3,000 and $2,000 respectively.

Adding to the accolades, Wild Thang will be featured on a limited-edition can of Mug Root Beer.

Wild Thang's journey to stardom has been quite the tale.

Wild Thang/ Instagram

Born in Los Angeles, his early life was marked by adversity when he contracted distemper as a puppy from a rescue foster, tragically losing his companion to the disease.



Despite enduring permanent dental damage and a unique paddling motion in his right leg, Wild Thang has overcome these challenges to become a symbol of resilience and health advocacy in the pet community.

With an engaging Instagram presence, Wild Thang continues to charm and inspire followers while promoting the importance of pet vaccinationsa mission close to his heart.

For more news and current affairs from around the world, please visit Indiatimes News.
Ratan Tata, an awardee of the Padma Bhushan and Padma Vibhushan, is a name synonymous with business success, philanthropy, and humanity. His legacy is built not only on his remarkable business acumen but also on his qualities of kindness and empathy. Ratan Tata is a true gentleman, and his life is a testament to the values he holds dearly. This 86-year-old business tycoon has shown time and again that he is much more than an industrialist, offering valuable life lessons that inspire us to be better human beings. Here are some touching instances that prove Ratan Tata's true gentlemanly nature.



Humility in the Face of Criticism

One of the most touching instances of Ratan Tata's humility is when he responded to a comment on his Instagram post. After reaching one million followers, he posted a heartfelt thank-you note. Among the comments, a follower called him "Chhotu," which means "small" in Hindi. The comment drew criticism from others who found it disrespectful. However, Ratan Tata defended the follower, appreciating her heartfelt note and asking others to treat her with respect. His response demonstrated his humility and ability to rise above petty criticisms, truly embodying the spirit of a gentleman.



Ratan Tata's Kindness to Stray Dogs at Taj Hotel Mumbai

Street dog finds refuge at Taj Mahal Hotel

A heartwarming picture of a stray dog peacefully sleeping at the entrance of the Taj Mahal Hotel in Mumbai has gone viral. The image was initially shared on LinkedIn by Rubi Khan, an employee of the hotel.



Also Read: Ratan Tata Once Skipped His Meeting With King Charles For This Heartwarming Reason



Rubi Khan discovered that Ratan Tata had given strict instructions to treat stray dogs well if they entered the hotel premises. She shared her experience in a LinkedIn post, expressing surprise at seeing the dog so comfortable at the luxurious hotel.

Her post, highlighting Ratan Tata's compassion, received over 8,000 likes on LinkedIn.

Ratan Tata, a known animal lover and advocate for animal rights, has also ensured that the Tata Group headquarters in Mumbai, known as Bombay House, has a dedicated section for the care of stray dogs in the area.

Working as an Employee in His Own Company

Proud Moment! Tata To Manufacture Jaguar Land Rover In India For The First Time

Despite being offered a high-paying job at IBM, Ratan Tata chose to work as an employee in his own company, Tata Steel, during its struggling days in Jamshedpur. This decision was driven by his desire to gain hands-on experience and understand the business from the ground up. Ratan Tata's willingness to work alongside his employees, regardless of his position, showcases his dedication and commitment to the growth of his company and his humility as a leader.



Advocating for Employees During the Pandemic

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ratan Tata strongly urged companies not to lay off employees. In an interview with Your Story, he criticized companies for their knee-jerk reaction to the pandemic and highlighted that laying off staff was not a solution. He expressed hope that companies would learn from this experience and handle future crises more thoughtfully, ensuring the well-being of their employees. Ratan Tata's advocacy for employees during such challenging times underscores his compassionate leadership and concern for people's livelihoods.

Also Read: Why Ratan Tata doesn't feature among the world's richest people



Sitting Next to His Driver

Ratan Tata is known for his humility and down-to-earth nature. He often sits next to his driver, enjoying the ride without any airs of superiority. On occasions when his driver is unavailable, Ratan Tata himself takes the wheel. This simple yet profound gesture reflects his respect for every individual, regardless of their role, and his belief in equality and humility.

Promoting the Welfare of Abandoned Pets

A well-known dog lover, Ratan Tata often uses his influence to promote the welfare of abandoned pets. He once posted pictures of an abandoned dog on his Instagram, requesting his followers to help find it a home. By setting such an example, Ratan Tata encourages others to show kindness towards animals. His actions reflect his compassionate nature and his commitment to making the world a better place for all living beings.

Supporting Families Affected by the 26/11 Attack

Ratan Tata's compassion was evident when he personally visited the families of 80 employees affected by the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. The Tata Group not only supported these families but also covered the education expenses of their children. Ratan Tata's efforts to provide emotional and financial support during such a difficult time highlight his deep sense of responsibility and empathy.

Kneeling for a Photograph

Ratan Tata 'Man Of Golden Heart' | linkedin

In 2012, during an induction event for new joiners at the TAS leadership program, Ratan Tata surprised everyone by kneeling down for a group photograph with the front row. His witty remark, "Please be quick. I can't kneel down for that long," added a touch of humour to the moment. This act of humility and approachability left a lasting impression, reinforcing his image as a leader who values and respects everyone.



Also Read: Meet Shantanu Naidu, Ratan Tatas Young Assistant And Millennial Friend



Ratan Tata may not be the richest man, but he is undoubtedly one of the greatest, winning hearts with his actions. His humility, kindness, and empathy make him a true gentleman. Ratan Tata has shown that being on the Forbes list does not define a person's richness; their actions do. Through these instances, Ratan Tata has proven time and again that true greatness lies in the simplicity and humanity one exhibits.

For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here


A three-man armed robbery gang has killed the National Chairman, Retired Members of Nigerian Armed Forces (REMNAF), Brig. Gen. Harold Udokwere (retd.).

Udokwere was killed during an attack on his house located in the Kubusa area of the Federal Capital Territory on Saturday.

Abiodun Durowaiye-Herbert, Chairman of the Board of Trustee, REMNAF, in a chat with Punch said the robbers came around 3am.

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They came around 3am. Where he lived had been attacked before. His house is about the last in that estate and the back of the house is directly facing the expressway. I know they couldnt have gained access through the main gate because their security is tight. The day we went, they made several calls before we were allowed in.

They once came to steal his generator and Amair conditioners last year through the fence. That place is very open. That is the place they might have come through. He was such a gentleman and he doesnt talk much.

They took everything and they still killed him. I dont know why people are like that. He relocated to the area last year because of traffic. They were living in Kurudu, he said.

Air Commodore S.A Zakari(retd.), National Assemblys Sergeant-At-Arm, also confirmed his death in a statement.

Zakari, quoting the late generals wife, said the robbers asked for her jewellery and took his husbands pistol, adding that she heard gunshots afterwards.

The statement read, Brig Gen H Udokwere rtd N/5575 15th Regular was attacked early morning at home in Abuja.

According to the wife, three suspected armed robbers attacked the Generals house at No 1 Sanga Street, Sunshine Homes by Kabusa Junction at Lokogoma Abuja. She also said that was the third time they were attacked.

READ ALSO: FCT Police Apprehend Six Suspects Over One Chance Robbery, Recover Weapons

She also said the robbers asked her for her pieces of jewellery and took his pistol. She further stated she heard gunshots.

Zakari added that the late generals neighbour said the armed robbers injured one of the estate guards.

The statement added, According to Pastor Awe, his neighbour, the robbers injured one of the estate guards. That one was taken to the jospital at Abacha Barracks along with Brig Gen H Udokwere rtd N/5575, the victim. While the injured guard was being treated at Abacha Barracks Hospital, the General was referred to the National Hospital Abuja.

Air Cdre MM Igho informed Air Cdre SA Zakari rtd of the incident at 0810 hrs. Zakari dashed to NHA to support the family. Zakari met Pastor Awe (the neighbour) with the victims wife, son and other neighbours. Air Cdre Zakari was told Gen Udokwere was dead and the corpse was at the National Hospital morgue.

He also said he had met with the late generals wife to console her and reported the incident to Maj. Gen. Okereke.

Zakari met the wife, calmed her down and reported the issue to Maj Gen Dr Okereke. The Comd NAOWA Hospital sent an ambulance to retrieve the body of the late General Udokwere to NAOWA Hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Gen Hashim, the neighbour, has taken the family to his house for his wife to handle Mrs Udokwere. However, Mrs Udokwere insisted she must see her husband. Contact was made with the Cse Mates (NDA 15th Cse) and Brig Gen KA Kareem was tasked to visit the family which he did.

The family will decide the next line of action regarding the funeral, the statement added.

A statement by SP Josephine Adeh, spokesman of the Police Command equally confirmed that the armed robbery attack resulted in the untimely demise of one Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere (rtd.) on June 22, 2024, at approximately 03:00 a.m

Expressing profound condolences to the bereaved family, CP Benneth Igweh assured the family and the public of swift justice, with every effort in conduit to ensure the perpetrators of the atrocious act are apprehended and brought to justice.

Furthermore, the commissioner of police reaffirms the unflinching commitment of the command to amplify the security landscape of the nations capital, by continually adapting strategies to effectively combat evolving criminal activities.

Updates on this matter will be provided in due course.


Two former staff of Union Bank in Makurdi, Benue State, have been nabbed for the alleged stealing of N4,199,500 belonging to a deceased customer of the bank.

They were arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday in Makurdi.

According to a Saturday statement issued by the agencys Spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, in Abuja, the suspects are identified as Idah Ogoh and Agbo Okwute.

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Oyewole disclosed that the criminal activity of the suspects was uncovered after the family of the deceased approached the bank for probate processing and subsequently petitioned the EFCC.

The statement read: Their arrest followed a petition against them by the bank on fraudulent debits on a deceased customer, Emmanuel Azer Agennas account.

Their dealings were uncovered when the family of the deceased approached the bank for the balance on the account of the deceased for probate processing.

READ ALSO: Unknown Gunmen Kidnap Catholic Priest In Zamfara

The family disputed the balance given to them by the bank and subsequently sent a complaint to the bank regarding unauthorised debits on the account.

Oyewale said, based on their complaints, the bank carried out an internal investigation and its findings revealed that a debit card was procured on the deceaseds customer account on May 10, 2023.

He said that the debit card was procured by Ifah Ogoh, one of the banks Sales and Service Associates which was authorised by the bank on the same date.

Further findings by the bank showed that the procured card by Ogoh was handed over to another Sales and Service Associate, Agbo Okwute, who eventually delivered the card to an accomplice for transfer and withdrawal of funds from the account of the deceased.

Several withdrawals were allegedly made by the suspects through the accomplice.

The suspects would be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded, he added.


The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has cracked down on a syndicate of fake State House staff who allegedly swindled unsuspecting job seekers of millions of naira.

Dele Oyewale, the Commissions spokesperson, confirmed the arrest of five suspects in Abuja on Saturday.

According to Oyewale, the suspects  Augustine Umogboi, Eleojo Idakwo, Kingsley Onuh, Omata Sunday, and Eljayon Nigeria Limited  were arrested separately following investigations into petitions from victims who were promised lucrative jobs in various Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs).

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The suspects allegedly posed as high-ranking officials, promising victims jobs as Director-General in prominent organizations, including the Ministry of Communication, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and other ministries.

READ ALSO: EFCC Arraigns Gombe Govt Official For Obstructing, Destroying Investigation Materials

The suspects modus operandi involved using different account numbers from various banks to receive money from their victims.

The victims, in their petitions to the EFCC, narrated their harrowing experiences, which led to the arrest of the suspects.

Besides, they had different account numbers of different banks through which they were receiving the money amounting to N22,350,000 from different victims.

Umogboi was arrested on June 16, Idakwo was arrested on April 30, 2024, while Onuh was arrested on April 3, he said.

The EFCC however assured that the suspects will be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria has declared war on extortion and illegal acts by some touts who frequently lurk around Nigerian airports.

Mrs. Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director of FAAN, made the announcement while addressing with press at her Lagos office on Saturday.

Kuku stated that she had acquired information on the activities of touts bothering and extorting unwary passengers at airports.

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She committed to crack down on offenders of such illicit actions, underlining her commitment to ensure a seamless and enjoyable experience for passengers.

The FAAN boss also declared that the agencys Director of Special Duties, Henry Agbebire, will lead a committee in the fight against the alleged criminals.

Kuku also pledged to work with all government entities working at airports to ensure compliance with anti-touting and anti-extortion policies.

She also stated that to guarantee the zero-tolerance policy, magistrate courts would be formed at international airports to speed the legal procedure for punishing criminals.

READ MORE: UPTH Clarifies Burna Boys Charity, Says Not All Patients Bills Were Paid

The task force has been mandated to enforce discipline among airport staff and maintain a culture of professionalism at all levels.

In addition, dedicated phone lines and QR codes will be set up to provide passengers with a means of providing feedback on their airport experience.

All airport personnel must prominently display their on-duty cards and name tags for easy identification and accountability.
Kanayo O. Kanayo, a veteran Nollywood actor, has stated that he intends to continue acting even after reaching the age of 90.

The actor mentioned this in a teaser for the upcoming episode of The Honest Bunch podcast, co-hosted by Nedu, Husband Material, and Deit Cole, which was posted on Instagram on Saturday.

The 62-year-old expressed concern that untalented people, particularly women, are acting out of desperation, endangering the film business.

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Many girls are desperate to act. You dont come to Nollywood to learn how to act. Acting is in-built. If its not in you, go and sell crayfish.

Let us run some people out of the [movie] industry. I want a situation where at 70, 75, 80, 90, I will still be acting, he said.

The renowned actor also said that drug abuse and homosexuality have overtaken Nollywood.

Kanayo began his acting career in 1982, appearing in projects by the Nigeria Television Authority.

READ MORE: Davido Slams Dammy Krane With Law Suit Over Malicious Tweets

He made his movie debut in 1992 with the movie Living in Bondage.

He has appeared in more than 200 films.

Watch him speak below


Spokesperson of Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano State, Dawakin-Tofa Bature, says the ongoing emirship tussle in the State is a fight to the finish.

He disclosed this on Arise Televisions Newsnight, on Friday while speaking on the tussle between the dethroned 15th Emir, Ado Bayero and the 16th, Muhammadu Lamido Sanusi.

According to him, the state government will pursue the case vigorously.

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Reacting, Bature said the federal high court lacks the jurisdiction to try the case.

We have filed an appeal at the appeal court and for that reason, the judge of the high court decided to stay the proceeding and transferred the case to his counterpart of court three of the same federal high court in Kano.

So, therefore, we are now waiting for the appeal. We will appeal this case up to the supreme court. This is an interlocutory appeal.

READ ALSO: Emirship Tussle: We Cant Evict Ado Bayero  Kano CP Replies Gov. Yusuf

First, we are challenging the jurisdiction of the federal high court to entertain issues related to chieftaincy affairs because constitutionally, issues to do with chieftaincy affairs lie with the state high court.

We have instituted two cases before the state high court in Kano and they came almost in conflict with the two cases at the federal high court.

So, therefore, we will pursue this case vigorously, and it is a fight to the finish, he said.

A Federal High Court in Kano had on Thursday nullified all actions of the state government repealing the Emirates Council Law of 2019.

In his ruling, Muhammad Liman, the presiding judge, said the defendants were aware of an interim order previously granted by the court but ignored it and implemented the law.

On May 23, the Kano House of Assembly passed the amended bill, which Yusuf signed into law.

The law repealed the 2019 version, which divided the Kano emirate into five jurisdictions and was relied upon to dethrone Sanusi as emir in 2020.

On the same day the law was repealed, Sanusi was reinstated as Emir of Kano by kingmakers and the governor.

Aggrieved, Aminu Babba Dan Agundi and Sarkin Dawaki Babba of the Kano emirate approached the court to restrain the respondents from enforcing, implementing, and operationalising the law that reinstated Sanusi.

Liman however ordered the defendants to suspend and not give effect to the Kano State Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024, as they affect all offices and institutions of the Emirate Council created according to the provisions of the Kano State Emirate Council Law, 2019.


President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has declared that civil servants who relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning must refund the wages they received during the period.

This was disclosed at the 2024 Civil Service Award and Gala Night, the climax of the week-long 2024 Civil Service Week, held at the Abuja Continental Hotel on Saturday.

During the media parley to mark the 2024, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan had shared the revelation regarding employees who had relocated abroad, said that measures have been taken to address this issue.

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The President who gave the order said, During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept abreast of the weeks activities and was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service regarding employees who relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning.

READ ALSO: Dont Allow Power Drunk Politicians Push You Into Rivers Crisis  PDP Chieftain Warns Tinubu

It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

He said that the Nigerian Civil Service cannot just be a workplace where anything is possible, where workers violate rules without the fear of punishment or repercussion.

He insisted that we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected. Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch.

The civil service of any nation is too important for such misconduct to take root or be tolerated.

The Civil Service is the bedrock, the engine, the locomotive of government, which is necessary for the government to deliver public goods to citizens. As politicians, we are no more than drivers of the locomotives that you provide.


The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), on Saturday, warned Nigerians against the activities of some unauthorised websites harvesting peoples data.

The websites are idfinder.com.ng, Verify.ng, championtech.com.ng, trustyonline.com, and anyverify.com.

The NIMC gave the warning in a statement signed by Kayode Adegoke, its head of corporate communications.

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Paradigm Initiative, a pan-African social enterprise, had on June 20 raised alarm over its discovery of the sale of National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and other personal data of Nigerians on a website for as low as N100.

According to the organisation, a website known as AnyVerify.com.ng was discovered to be involved in the commercial distribution of personal and private data of Nigerians.

Paradigm Initiative added that several unauthorised websites are claiming to hold and provide access to sensitive personal and financial data of Nigerian citizens for as little as 100 Naira.

This alarming development presents a major breach of the fundamental rights to privacy, a breach of data privacy rights, and poses significant risks to individuals and the national economy, the firm had said.

Reacting to the report, the commission said AnyVerify.com.ng and other aforementioned websites are data harvesters and unauthorised to access or manage sensitive data.

READ ALSO: Many Nigerians Have Been Scammed  NIMC Arrestsi Syndicate Registering Citizens With Fake NINs

The agency also denied the exposure of sensitive data of Nigerians as alleged and reported.

The commission, at this moment, assures the public that the data of Nigerians has not been compromised, and the Commission have not authorised any website or entity to sell or misuse the National Identification Number (NIN) amongst all the identities stated in the report.

NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services these websites offer and should not give their data as they are potentially fraudulent and data provided by the public on such websites are gathered and stored to build the data services they illegally provide.

Consequently, the public should know that the commission has taken robust measures to safeguard the nations database from cyber threats- a secure, world-class, full-proof database is in place.

The commissions infrastructure meets the stringent ISO 27001:2013 information security management system standard, with annual recertification and strict compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Law, the statement read.

The Commission also advised Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorised and phishing sites, stressing that licensed partners or vendors are not authorised to scan or store NIN slips but to verify them through approved channels.

This poses the danger of data harvesting and comprises individual data.

The Commission reaffirms its commitment to upholding ethical standards in data protection in line with federal government directives and data privacy regulations, it added.

NIMC also said it is currently working closely with security operatives to apprehend elements masquerading as online vendors, and make them face the full wrath of the law.

The agency urged the public to remain vigilant against false information and rely on verified sources for accurate updates.
A yet to be identified Police Inspector has been killed by a naval officers in Okokomaiko area of Ojo Local Government Area in Lagos State.

The Inspector and four of his colleague were said to be on routine patrol along Igbo-Elerin area of Ojo when the incident occurred.

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According to Daily Trust, trouble started after the policemen accosted a commercial motorcycle rider and his passenger along Igbo-Elerin over traffic offence.

The commercial motorcycle rider, who was dressed in mufti, was carrying a passenger when the policemen stopped the bike.

The rider and his passenger who claimed to be naval personnel allegedly resisted arrest.

An eye witness, Shola Shodiya, said the Okada riders and his passenger allegedly engaged the policemen in a heated argument.

It later degenerated into a fight between the policemen and the rider who later turned to be naval personnel, he added.

READ ALSO: FCT Police Apprehend Six Suspects Over One Chance Robbery, Recover Weapons

Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, who confirmed the incident said a report was received at Okokomaiko Police Station around 4.30pm on Saturday from some members of the public that some policemen who were on routine patrol along Igbo-Elerin, tried to impound a motorcycle riding against traffic at Beno filling station.

He said the two men in mufti, who claimed to be naval officer, resisted the arrest.

Other naval personnel on uniform arrived the scene and supported their colleague in the attack. While one Inspector slumped and was unconscious, the naval officers, absconded from the scene.

The inspector was rescued and was rushed to an hospital in the area, where he was confirmed dead. The body has been deposited at the Idi-Araba Mortuary, Yaba, for autopsy. Investigation is ongoing, he added.
A deadly illegal operation on Wednesday has left two Lagos State Taskforce officers in detention and facing disciplinary punishment.

The Lagos Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, stated this in a post on the X platform on Saturday, in response to viral footage showing some motorbike riders repeatedly running over a body in Lagos.

Hundeyin claimed that the officers were performing an illegal duty and had taken citizens with them.

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However, the situation worsened when motorbike riders attacked the group, killing one of the civilians.

READ MORE: UPTH Clarifies Burna Boys Charity, Says Not All Patients Bills Were Paid

Hundeyin wrote, Two police officers attached to the Lagos State Taskforce on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, went on illegal duty, taking some civilians with them to shore up their numbers.

They came under attack from motorcycle riders, resulting in the death of one of the civilians.

He also noted that disciplinary proceedings against the already detained police officers have begun, and that a search for their civilian accomplices is ongoing.

Investigations have commenced to identify, arrest, and prosecute the perpetrators of this dastardly act, he added.
Unknown Gunmen suspected to be bandits have kidnapped the parish priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church Damba, Gusau, Zamfara State, Revd. Fr. Mikah Suleiman.

It was gathered that the Acting Chancellor of the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, Revd. Fr. Nuhu Iliya, confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday.

Nuhu said: With sadness in our hearts, we write to inform the general public of the kidnap of one of our priests, Revd. Fr. Mikah Suleiman.

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This sad event occurred in the early hours of today, Saturday, 22nd June 2024 in the Fathers rectory. Fr Mikah is the Parish Priest of St. Raymond Catholic Church Damba, Gusau, Zamfara State.

READ MORE: Bandits Attack Zamfara Village; Kill Seven Policemen, 12 Villagers

Speaking further, Revd Nuhu urged Christians to pray for the quick and safe release of the cleric.

He said: We invite all Christs faithful and all men and women of goodwill to earnestly pray for his quick and safe release.

We equally commend him to the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Priests, for his speedy release from the hands of his abductors.

Also confirming the unfortunate incident in a statement made available to newsmen, the spokesperson of Zamfara State Police Command, Yazid Abubakar, said that Father Mikah was kidnapped around 3:00 am on Saturday at his residence in the Damba area of Gusau.

He said: Yes, the incident happened early hour of today, the Reverend Father was kidnapped in his residence, we were not informed when the incident happened but what I gathered was that the man stays alone not in the church.

He added that the Command had deployed a Police tactical squad to the trail of the kidnappers, in a bid to rescue the priest.

We have deployed our Tactical squad to go after the kidnappers with the aim of rescuing the victim unhurt.


Just as workers in the university system have threatened to embark on another industrial action, students and parents have pleaded against the closure of Universities.

They however called on the academic, non-academic workers and the government to find a way out of their face-off.

According to them, incessant closure of universities is one of the reasons the schools are not faring well in global rankings.

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The students spoke under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) and the parents under the auspices of the National Parent Teacher Association of Nigeria, NAPTAN.

The National President of NANS, Lucky Emonefe, in a chat with Vanguard as published on Sunday, noted that students were always bearing the brunt in cases of industrial actions by university workers.

Government should listen to the lecturers and university workers generally. Some of the things the lecturers are complaining about are genuine.

Look at the issue of the composition of Governing Councils for higher institutions in the country, many people who have no job being put into such positions were included. Such sensitive positions should be for technocrats in the education sector and academicians.

Why would the government not honour an agreement it willingly entered into. Honour an agreement you signed.

READ ALSO: Strike: Avoid Another Nationwide Crisis  Lagos ASUU Warns Tinubu

However, I would appeal to ASUU members to also give room for mediation and negotiation because in the long run, all parties would still come to the table to talk. Let the parties give room for negotiation and mediation. Students are always at the receiving end of such fight between the sides and nobody wants to waste his or her precious time, he said.

Deputy National President of NAPTAN, Adeolu Ogunbanjo, said government should honour its promise to the workers.

Government should pay them and fulfil their obligations. When they went on strike the other time, part of what was agreed to making the workers suspend their action was that nobody would be victimized on account of the strike.

So, if you are not paying them their dues, are you not victimizing the workers? If ASUU goes on strike, SSANU and NASU do so, the university system would collapse. The other time parents had to keep their children at home for about a session, that is not good for the system.

Look at the recent global ranking of universities, the best ranked university in the country was in about 1,000th position. All these incessant stikes are parts of the poor ranking of our universities. Government should just be alive to its responsibilities and avert another round of industrial disharmony,  he noted.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) recently threatened to embark another strike, following the inability of the government to meet some of their demands.

Similarly, non-teaching staff under the umbrella of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Allied Institutions, (NASU), are also demanding the payment of their withheld salaries.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has revealed why he visited former president, Muhammadu Buhari.

Atiku, a former Vice President, visited Buhari at his Daura residence in Katsina State on Saturday.

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It was gathered that Senator Aminu Tambuwal, the immediate past Governor of Sokoto State, alongside other PDP stakeholders accompanied Atiku on his visit.



In a post via X, Atiku revealed that he visited the former Nigerian leader to pay Sallah homage.

He wrote: Accompanied by some stakeholders of our great party, the PDP, we visited the Daura residence of former President Muhammadu Buhari to pay a courtesy call and offer Sallah homage.

READ ALSO: Court Orders Final Forfeiture Of Over N12.18bn Properties Linked To Emefiele

In a statement by Atikus Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, the former Vice President led other stakeholders of the party to the Daura residence of former late governor of old Kaduna State, Alhaji Lawan Kaita on a condolence visit over the loss of the matriarch of the family.



He said the visit, which was greeted with warm reception of Atiku across major townships of the Daura Emirate also saw the former Vice President paying similar courtesy visits to the the Emir of Daura, HRH Alhaji Farouk Umar Farouk and Buhari.

According to Ibe, Atiku also paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Katsina, HRH Abdulmumini Kabir Usman.

He stated that the visit was meant for Atiku to express his love for Katsina State in particular and to familiarize with distinguished personalities of the Daura Emirate.

The meeting of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to Katsina State today is essentially a continuation of his courtesy visits since the end of Sallah celebrations and, especially to condole with the family of his late old friend, Mallam Lawan Kaita, Paul Ibe said.

The visit to Buhari comes few days after Atiku paid a similar visit to former Military President, Ibrahim Babagida and former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, in Niger State.

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Officers hug outside of Temple trauma and emergency center in Philadelphia on Saturday, June 22, 2024. An officer was involved in a shooting near 3637 F St. Read more

A 31-year-old Philadelphia police officer was shot and critically wounded Saturday night during a car stop in the citys Kensington section when a gunman opened fire, police officials said.

He was one of at least eight officers who have been shot in the city in the last eight months.

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Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said at a briefing that two suspects were in custody, including the person they believe was the shooter. The other suspect is believed to be a girlfriend of the suspected shooter, according to two sources.

The shooting happened around 7:30 p.m. on the 3500 block of F Street and comes just a few days after the city announced that it was nearly tripling its police presence in Kensington.

At an emotional briefing at Temple University Hospital where the victim was being treated, Bethel said that the shooter fled from the vehicle and fired three shots at the officer, who was struck in the neck. His partner returned fire, Bethel said.

The officer, whose name was not released, has been on the force for 6 1/2 years, said police officials, who offered few details of the incident.

Mayor Cherelle L. Parker described him as a husband and father.

Bethel said 75 to 100 officers had gathered in a hospital auditorium and we held hands, and we prayed for our officers.

Today, I ask the people across the city of Philadelphia to pray for our officers.

The victim became at least the eighth Philadelphia police officer to be shot since October, including Officer Richard Mendez, who was fatally wounded that month at Philadelphia International Airport while investigating a suspected car break-in.

Also in October, three officers were shot and wounded in the citys Rhawnhurst section while responding to a report of a domestic shooting.

In January, another officer was shot and wounded in a Fairhill convenience store. Two other officers were wounded in incidents that month.

Staff writer Chris Palmer contributed to this article.

An earlier version of this article provided an incorrect timeline of officer shootings.
Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel asked Philadelphia to pray for the officer shot in Kensington Saturday night during a traffic stop. Read more

A 36-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder of a law enforcement officer after officials said he shot a Philadelphia police officer in the neck, leaving him critically wounded, during a traffic stop in the citys Kensington section Saturday night.

Ramon Rodriguez Vazquez, of Kensington, was arrested just hours after police say he shot the officer. The 31-year-old, six-and-a-half-year veteran of the force remained in critical condition, fighting for his life, at Temple University Hospital on Sunday night.

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Officials on Sunday announced that Vazquez is facing more than a dozen charges, among them two counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault on an officer, as well as illegal gun possession, evading arrest, tampering with physical evidence, and related crimes.

He also was charged with burglary, kidnapping, and related offenses after police said he broke into a nearby home and barricaded himself inside, attempting to avoid arrest after the shooting.

Vazquez was ultimately arrested at that house on Schiller Street around 10 p.m. Three others who police said were in the car at the time of the traffic stop, including Vazquezs girlfriend, were also taken into custody, though its not clear whether they will face charges.

The wounded officer has not yet been identified. The husband and father is on life support, on a breathing machine, fighting for his life, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker posted on X, formerly Twitter.

He is one of at least eight officers who have been shot in the city in the last eight months.

Police Commissioner Kevin Bethel said that the incident happened during a traffic stop on the 3500 block of F Street about 7:30 p.m. During a search of the car, police noticed a gun holster. Vazquez then fled, police said, turning and firing three shots at the officers. The one officer was struck, and his partner returned fire, Bethel said.

During an emotional media briefing at the hospital, Bethel said nearly 100 officers had gathered in a hospital auditorium where they held hands, and we prayed for our officers.

Today, I ask the people across the city of Philadelphia to pray for our officers.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said in a statement that he and his wife were joining in those prayers.

His family is in our thoughts  as are his fellow officers, who were forced to rush one of their own to the hospital last night, he said. Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day. Were forever grateful for their service and sacrifice.

The sentiment was echoed by Council President Kenyatta Johnson who said, in part: Every time a Philadelphia police officer starts his/her shift, they face danger, stress, and trauma as they protect the citizens of our city.

Temple University Police Association, the officers union, called the shooting a tragic night  for our brothers and sisters with PPD.

The shooting happened just as Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was holding a campaign rally at Temple Universitys Liacouras Center. During the rally, he condemned violence in general in the city, promising to send federal law enforcement if elected.

The shooting also came on the heels of the citys announcement that it would nearly triple its police presence in Kensington.

 READ MORE: Kensingtons police force will triple this week, and more arrests are on the horizon: Theres no playbook for this

Among other police who have been shot since October is Officer Richard Mendez, who was fatally wounded that month at Philadelphia International Airport while investigating a suspected car break-in.

Also in October, three officers were shot and wounded in the citys Rhawnhurst section while responding to a report of a domestic shooting.

In January, another officer was shot and wounded in a Fairhill convenience store. Two other officers were wounded in incidents that month.

But the city overall has had significantly lower levels of gun violence this year, according to an Inquirer analysis. Shootings are down in nearly every neighborhood of the city.

Staff writers Anthony R. Wood, Michelle Myers, and Jesse Bunch contributed to this article.
A 21-year-old Temple University student has been charged with the murder of his girlfriend, also a student at the North Philadelphia school, city police said Sunday.

Tymir Lackey, of Philadelphia, also was charged with recklessly endangering another person and tampering with/fabricating physical evidence in the death of Milan Jones, 20, also of Philadelphia, according to police and court records.

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Police responding to a call for a medical emergency shortly after 4 a.m. Saturday found Jones on the second floor of a residence in the 1400 block of Willington Street, several blocks south of the Temple campus.

 READ MORE: Temple student dead in apparent homicide

She had apparent blunt force trauma and was pronounced dead at the residence, police said. Lackey, who was enrolled in Temples College of Liberal Arts, was arrested at the scene. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 8, according to the criminal court docket.

Lackey has been placed on immediate suspension from Temple, the university said in a statement Sunday.

Jones was a third-year nursing student at Temple whose loss has left those who knew her on campus in mourning.

The loss of this promising young woman is a tragedy that will deeply impact her fellow students and our faculty and staff, said the universitys statement from president Richard M. Englert, provost Gregory N. Mandel, and Jennifer Ibrahim, dean of the College of Public Health. She enjoyed helping and caring for others, and her decision to pursue a career in nursing reflects just that. There is no doubt that she had a very bright future ahead of her 

The university is offering counseling and other support to the campus community and it also noted resources for those dealing with domestic violence, including the Wellness Resource Center, tuwellness@temple.edu, or 215-204-8436, Temples Title IX Coordinator, titleix@temple.edu, or 215-204-3283, and the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). It also noted that additional information is included on the Health and Well-being divisions website.

Domestic violence is abhorrent in all its forms, the university said in its statement. If you or anyone you know needs help, there are campus and national resources available to support you or the people you care about. Your safety and well-being are paramount.

Temple said that city police are leading the investigation with support from Temple police.
A 20-year-old female Temple University student was killed in an apparent domestic homicide early Saturday morning, according to the Philadelphia Police Department and a statement from the school.

Police said 22nd District officers responded to a call for medical assistance in the 1400 block of Willington Street, several blocks south of the Temple campus, at 4:04 a.m. Saturday. They found a woman suffering from apparent blunt force trauma, who was pronounced dead at 4:12 a.m., police said.

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A 22-year-old man was arrested at the scene of what police said was a homicide domestic in nature. Police did not release his identity or that of the victim.

In a statement issued later Saturday, Temple University said it was deeply saddened to confirm the death of a student. Temple would not identify her, saying her family and friends were still being notified of her death.

Our thoughts are with the students family, friends and the entire Temple community in the wake of this senseless tragedy, the Temple statement read.

The university added that support services are available for Temple faculty, staff, and students who may be affected.
Nearly a year after the Philadelphia School District voted to begin the charter revocation process for Franklin Towne Charter High School  the high-performing Northeast Philadelphia school accused of rigging its lottery to keep out certain students  the effort remains held up in Common Pleas Court.

District officials, seemingly frustrated by the slow pace of what was supposed to be an emergency relief hearing, have appealed the matter to Commonwealth Court. But Franklin Towne lawyers hold that the district is attempting to appeal the non-appealable, and are seeking both sanctions for what it calls a frivolous move and to kill the appeal.

The backdrop

The contentious matter centers on Franklin Townes alleged lottery fixing. A whistleblower told The Inquirer that Franklin Towne officials deliberately shut out students from certain zip codes and siblings of some students with academic and behavioral challenges. District officials found evidence of possible lottery manipulation dating back at least four years.

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One school board member noted that Franklin Towne was being called out for blatant racist practices that they have been on alert for for quite some time, and just choose to ignore.

Last August, the school board voted to begin charter revocation proceedings against Franklin Towne.

That doesnt mean the school would close, but it would trigger a formal district hearing, with witnesses and evidence before a hearing officer, and would require the school board to take another vote on whether to close the school after a hearing report was compiled.

Board officials have publicly said that the end goal of the revocation vote is not necessarily closing Franklin Towne  which has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as an academically exemplary school. Instead, under Pennsylvania law, a nonrenewal vote is the only move officials have that allows for a public fact-finding examination of serious allegations of impropriety.

In October, just before Franklin Townes hearing was supposed to begin, the school sued the district, charging that the hearing officer it planned to use was biased, claims it said were bolstered by an independent examination of the districts charter authorizing practices conducted after a group of Black-led charters said they were treated unfairly because of racist practices.

That report found no overt racism, but did suggest that the district stop using Rudy Garcia to run its charter hearings because this practice has created the appearance of an improper bias toward the Board of Education and has resulted in a lack of trust in the system from the charter school sector.

Garcia had been set to preside over the Franklin Towne revocation hearing.

Later, Franklin Towne added further charges to its claim, challenging as unconstitutional the portion of Pennsylvania law under which the district sought to revoke the charter.

Common Pleas Court Judge Anne Marie Coyle has held four hearings on the matters since October. After the latest hearing, Coyle, who herself has sat on a charter school board, said she would issue a ruling by Aug. 9.

Peng Chao, chief of the districts charter office, board president Reginald Streater, and Franklin Towne lawyer Mark Seiberling declined to comment for this story.

From a hearing

Coyle, in a March hearing, questioned Streater on the witness stand.

Assuming for the moment that there was a gerrymandering of lottery picking of students, can you tell me, please, why would that cause a concern? Coyle said, according to court documents.

That lottery fixing would be a problem, Streater said, because the board takes any allegations that there may be inequitable treatment of students very seriously, number one. Number two, if a school was breaking or seen as breaking the law, not acting within the spirit of charter law, its our duty as the authorizers in Philadelphia to get to the bottom of it.

Pennsylvania law says students must have an equal chance at admission to charter schools.

Coyle in January ordered all revocation proceedings formally put on hold until her ruling is issued.
Abortions in Pennsylvania among out-of-state residents rose 41% in 2022, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned longstanding abortion protections. Read more

The phones at one of the Pennsylvania abortion clinics closest to the Ohio border started ringing off the hook two years ago, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned decades-old national abortion protections.

Ohio quickly enacted a near total abortion ban. And at the Allegheny Reproductive Health Center in Pittsburgh, just over 40 miles from the Ohio border, demand for abortion services surged overnight. The abortion clinics call volume shot up 10 times the norm, and it treated three times as many patients.

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We had been preparing for this, knowing it was going to get bad, said Sheila Ramgopal, a doctor and the CEO of Allegheny Reproductive Health Center in Pittsburgh. And we were still not ready.

Pennsylvania, where abortion remains legal through the 23rd week of pregnancy, has become a critical access point for a growing number of patients in the middle of the country, where services are increasingly restricted.

Abortions in Pennsylvania among out-of-state residents rose nearly 41% in 2022, driven largely by patients from Ohio and 20 other states that restricted access after the Supreme Courts decision, according to the latest available data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Two years later, clinics here are continuing to adapt to an evolving abortion landscape. State abortion bans led about 171,000 people to travel outside their home state for an abortion in 2023, according to a new report from the Guttmacher Institute, which tracks national trends in abortion services.

The abortion landscape has been changing really fast and it has caused big shifts in travel, said Isaac Maddow-Zimet, a data scientist with the Guttmacher Institute.

 READ MORE: Pa. abortion providers braced for a surge in patients before Roe v. Wade was overturned

Increase in abortion services

There were 34,838 abortions in Pennsylvania in 2022, a 15% increase over 2018.

The vast majority of abortions were among Pennsylvania residents. Out-of-state residents accounted for 3,311, or 9.5%, of abortions in 2022.

The increase in abortions is partly due to clinics expanding services, providers said.

Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA, which operates clinics in Philadelphia, hired more doctors and added appointment days to accommodate more patients after the 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

Prior to Dobbs, we had a dearth of abortion providers, said Dayle Steinberg, CEO of Planned Parenthood Southeastern PA. So many have responded to the cause and the need.

 READ MORE: Four Philadelphia abortion providers talk about what drives them

Planned Parenthood Keystone, which operates clinics in York, Harrisburg, Allentown, and Wilkes-Barre, also added another day for in-person appointments and expanded its telemedicine services. Its Warminster location is closing at the end of June as services shift to the nearby Bensalem clinic.

More out-of-state patients

Pennsylvania saw a sharp increase in out-of-state abortion patients in 2022. The number of out-of-state residents treated at Pennsylvania abortion clinics shot up 41% from 2021 to 2022.

Clinics in Western Pennsylvania, particularly those in Pittsburgh, were hardest hit by the influx of out-of-state patients.

Allegheny Reproductive Health Center in Pittsburgh increased its staff by 30%, extended clinic hours, and added more service days in anticipation of more patients.

It wasnt enough, Ramgopal said. The clinic could normally see patients within a week of calling for an appointment, but after Ohio banned abortion, patients were waiting up to a month for an appointment.

Pittsburgh-area patients drove to Allentown, Harrisburg, or Philadelphia, where wait times were shorter, Ramgopal said.

Everyone was suffering, Ramgopal said.

Ongoing policy changes

Patients who cant access abortion care in their home state often seek services at the next-closest clinic.

A majority of out-of-state patients who sought care in Pennsylvania in 2022 were from Ohio, Delaware, and West Virginia.

The flow of patients from Ohio to Pennsylvania began to subside last November, when voters approved a ballot initiative to protect abortion rights under the state constitution, Ramgopal said.

But as more states restrict abortion, patients are increasingly traveling greater distances.

Pennsylvania clinic leaders said they expect to see more patients from Florida, where a ban on abortion after the sixth week of pregnancy went into effect in May.

And in many cases, they cross multiple state lines. Patients as far away as Texas, where nearly all abortions are banned, are flying to New York, New Jersey, and elsewhere in the Northeast for abortion services, said Maddow-Zimet, the Guttmacher data scientist.

At a certain point its not a question of driving distance, but where can I find a place to stay? Where can I get the cheapest flight? he said.
Former President Donald Trump, holding a framed photo of himself, greets customers and staff at Tony & Nick's as rapper QT-7 Quanny (second from right) looks on Saturday in Philadelphia. Read more

Official records are wanting, but on a grill-hot Saturday, Donald J. Trump may have become the first presumptive presidential nominee in American history to have purchased cheesesteaks from three different South Philly purveyors.

Perhaps thats not too surprising, given that the steaks  or stakes  are so high in Pennsylvania in presidential campaigns.

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En route to a rally at Temple University on Saturday, Trump chose Tony & Nicks on Oregon Avenue in deep South Philly for a steak break.

Thats the original location of Tony Lukes, a 30-year fixture, but the name was changed to Tony & Nicks following the family feud that inspired an IRS tax-fraud case.

Last year, Trump made an orchestrated visit to Pats King of Steaks after leaving a Moms for Liberty summit. While there, he was joined by members of Moms for Liberty as well as the Black Conservative Federation.

Pats, of course, is the longtime neighbor and rival of Genos, and perhaps the Republican nominee wanted to be sure to cover his bases.

Genos happened to be his choice during the 2016 campaign.

Genos was the center of controversy two decades ago when owner Joey Vento, who died in 2011, put up a sign insisting that customers order in English.

Regarding Saturday, it was unclear whether Trump ordered his steak wit or witout.

Philadelphia cheesesteak consumption (or, at least, purchase) has become a staple of presidential politics, and that likely has everything to do with the electoral value of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, which has been a jump ball in recent elections.

(And when was the last time you heard of candidates ordering a New Jersey pork roll?)

When he was a candidate, Democrat Barack Obama visited South Philly in April 2008 but begged off on eating a cheesesteak. He returned in 2010 as President Obama and did buy one at Reading Terminal Market.

Perhaps the most famous cheesesteak campaign occurred in 2002 when Sen. John Kerry had the audacity to order one with heretical Swiss cheese at Pats.

Our food critic Craig Laban wrote, the Massachusetts Democrat may as well have asked for cave-aged Appenzeller.
It is essential, Ed Rendell writes, that the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence's signing includes activities that go beyond the traditional historic district and highlight the diverse people and places of Philadelphia. Read more

Nearly 250 years ago, Philadelphia was at the center of a global change, and the beating heart of a brave and humbling experiment: the birth of America and one of the worlds first representative democracies.

Now, 248 years later, we stand on the precipice of a grand anniversary of that experiment, with American democracy in the crosshairs at the same time were gearing up for the semiquincentennial in 2026. And as it was 250 years ago, Americas survival, growth, and continued prosperity are up to us  the people.

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As the former mayor of Americas birthplace and governor of our pioneering commonwealth, I am proud to lend my support to the Peoples Commemoration for the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, led by Philadelphia250.

Created to celebrate the city we love as the birthplace of America, the fundamental importance of democracy, and the value of local engagement, the Peoples Commemoration is of the people, by the people, and for all people.

As a city of neighborhoods, there are so many stories to tell. So many people who have wisdom and insights to share. So many treasures and hidden gems within our neighborhoods that people dont know about or havent seen.

We want every Philadelphian  and that means you  in every corner of the city to be able to participate through activities that go beyond the traditional historic district, that highlight the diverse people and places of Philadelphia.

To help make sure of that, weve created an advisory committee composed of civic and community leaders representing neighborhoods across the city, who will spotlight what makes each area distinctive and ensure a broad range of voices are heard.

The year 2026 will be filled with big and exciting and wonderful events. And this special occasion also must celebrate the stories, the icons, and the multilayered histories that make Philadelphia  and America  so remarkable.

We want to welcome everyone  those of us lucky enough to live here and those who will come and visit  to all the destinations within our destination. But we cannot do it alone.

Just as Philadelphia was the center of the celebration for the bicentennial and the bicentennial of the Constitution, so it is with the 250th. And we look to the city, the commonwealth, and Washington to step up and help us ensure a year of success for 2026.

Philadelphias history is American history. It is not all worthy of celebration. These 250 years were fraught from the beginning with contradiction and injustice  toward Black and brown people, toward Native Americans, toward women and the LGBTQ community  and those transgressions have lingering consequences that still resonate today. That reality must be recognized.

So, while there is much to celebrate, there is still much more work to do, challenges and inequities to overcome. The only way to make that happen is to participate and to make your mark on this once-in-a-generation opportunity for our city and country, to make changes that will ensure the nation will be a more perfect union, and that our democracy will survive and flourish.

Ed Rendell served as the 96th mayor of Philadelphia (1992-2000) and the 45th governor of Pennsylvania (2003-2011).

Getting involved

Here are just a few ways to add your voice to the semiquincentennial celebration. For more information, visit the Philadelphia250 website: www.philadelphia250.us

Tell us whats distinctive about your neighborhood

What do you love about your block or neighborhood? Share how you show up for your neighborhood, and how your community should be showcased. Create a video, audio note, or love letter for 2026 that will be posted across our channels and inspire others.

Serve on the Community Advisory Council

Lend your voice to advise and spread the word about the awesome opportunities of the 250th anniversary coming to the people and neighborhoods of Philadelphia. The council is a reflection of Philadelphias diversity, creativity, and passion, committed to empowering the citys current and future changemakers to listen, learn, and lead within the community advisory network.

Leave a legacy

Turn your organizations passions into lasting legacies by making a 250th Legacy Pledge. A Legacy Pledge is a measurable goal that addresses an important need in Philadelphia, furthers your organizations passions and strategic goals, and can be accomplished by July 4, 2026  when your impact is celebrated.

Volunteer

Become a part of our volunteer corps. Spread the word about citywide happenings, volunteer at our community outreach events. Multilingual applicants are welcome as we seek to represent the diversity of the city.

Learn more in a virtual chat

Join Philadelphia250s virtual office hours to answer your questions related to how individuals and organizations can get involved. Our monthly online meetups feature Q&A sessions to help you figure out the best way to plug into the celebrations across the city.
Ukraine's head of military intelligence, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, prefers to operate in the shadows  in military operations as well as at his desk. Read more

KYIV, Ukraine  There have been at least 10 Kremlin attempts to kill one of Ukraines most admired heroes, the legendary head of military intelligence, Kyrylo Budanov.

Russian agents have blown up his car. They even poisoned his wife.

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She survived. He pledged revenge.

When I met the spy chief in his darkened office recently, during a rare interview with a foreign journalist, I asked whether the Russians are still trying to kill him. The poker-faced Budanov shrugged. Its normal, he said.

Then, allowing himself a half-smile, the lieutenant general added: Lets put it this way: Since we are talking with you now, it means they are not succeeding.

There are good reasons why the Kremlin will continue to try.

Budanovs spy agency, known as HUR, has carried out some of Ukraines most stunning military successes, including long-range drone strikes inside Russian territory. Meanwhile, the agencys Magura sea drones  a game-changing Ukrainian invention  have helped push most of the Russian fleet out of its main Black Sea harbor in occupied Crimea and back to ports on the Russian mainland.

 READ MORE: I am in Ukraine to see if the war vs. Russia is still winnable | Trudy Rubin

These gains are probably Ukraines most important victories in the last year  and could lead to more surprising maritime successes to offset the stalemate on land.

HUR headquarters is located on an isolated peninsula that juts into the Dnieper River. Inside a grim, gray, low-rise block, Budanovs office is barely lit. He prefers to operate in the shadows  in military operations as well as at his desk.

Behind that book- and paper-laden desk hangs a large painting of an owl sinking its claws into a bat. The HUR adopted the owl as its symbol in 2016, two years after Moscow invaded Crimea, to troll the Russians. Owls are a predator that devours bats, and the bat is the symbol of the special operations unit of Russias military intelligence agency.

On a nearby table, a set of polished metal chess pieces shines through the gloom, as if to warn that Budanov is poised to out-strategize Moscow.

Appointed to his post four years ago, the 38-year-old spymaster has been known to lead his men on daring raids into enemy territory. He is a pirate who loves operations, an admirer told me. He is also famous for his tight lips.

But in our interview, Budanov spoke openly about the need to expand drone attacks inside Russia and to make it impossible for Moscow to hold on to Crimea. And he was frank about the challenges Ukraine faces  including the continued need for U.S. weapons and the possibility of an election victory by Donald Trump.

Striking back

Asked whether Ukrainian troops could stop the current Russian offensive in the east, where Moscow has been making small but steady territorial gains, Budanov spoke plainly.

The good news is that no Armageddon will emerge, he told me. The bad news is that the situation is quite difficult. It will remain like this for at least one month, and will not become easier.

Moscow is expected to pound Ukraine as hard as it can in the lead-up to the 75th anniversary NATO summit in mid-July in Washington, and before the U.S. delivers more of the artillery shells and other critical supplies that were held up by Congress.

The Kremlin has been trying since the war began to take control of the entire eastern Donbas region. We will do everything possible to prevent them, and to minimize the Russian successes, Budanov said.

However, when I inquired whether Ukraine could hold one of the most hotly contested eastern towns, Chasiv Yar, which sits on high ground that bars a Russian advance across flatter steppes and toward large industrial cities, his reply was cryptic: I will refrain from response.

When I subsequently traveled to the Chasiv Yar area, the situation did not look good, and there was great bitterness among the troops over the many lives lost because Ukraine ran out of artillery shells and other vital supplies while Congress dawdled over whether to provide additional military aid.

Now, more artillery shells are arriving slowly, from the U.S. and Europe. For sure, weapons delivery is faster than it was several months ago, Budanov allowed, but Ukraines needs are very high, which is why it has been strategically important for us to have the deliveries renewed. Still, there is a question of volume.

Manpower is also a critical problem for Ukraine, with Moscow prepared to grind its troops up like meat while much smaller Ukraine is anxious to preserve its soldiers.

Budanov believes the answer to Russias superiority in manpower is battlefield technology, in which Ukraine has become a global leader, replacing humans on the battlefield whenever possible with new variants of drones and electronic warfare. Technologies will have quite a significant meaning in this war, he predicted, so that we dont fight the war until the last citizens left.

Technology is key to one of Budanovs most intensive projects: taking the war to Russia with long-range drones.

I am a fan of this, the intelligence chief said with an intensity that broke through his laconic style. I have been advocating this since the very first days of the war, saying openly that so long as the war is contained on our territory, it will not affect Russia.

That is why since spring 2022, we have started to conduct significant operations on Russian territory, and we will go further the more resources we have for this. And Russia has started to feel it.

 READ MORE: Ukraines volunteer spirit buoys its fight against Russia | Trudy Rubin

In other words, Vladimir Putin can no longer pretend to his people that this war doesnt affect them.

It is still not critical for Russia at this stage, but it has led to the situation when the average citizen in the European part of the Russian Federation for sure knows and feels that the war is ongoing and has experienced some of the explosions himself. It influences, even on a small scale now, their morale.

Budanov later publicly confirmed that the night after my interview last week, Kyiv launched a swarm of at least 70 drones on Russias Morozovsk airfield, located about 150 miles from the front lines and home to dozens of Moscows vaunted Sukhoi Su-34 fighter bombers. HUR has also been involved in attacks by long-range Ukrainian Liutyi airplane drones that have destroyed dozens of Russian oil refineries.

A White House warning to Kyiv not to hit refineries makes no sense since they are a legitimate war target. These attacks may not turn the war around, the intel chief admitted, but he believes they can affect Russias economy and psychological state, which in turn affects the military component. HUR has announced that it considers any Russian military target within a 500-mile range fair game.

Shifting policy

I asked about the usefulness of President Joe Bidens shift in policy to allow U.S. weapons to be used to hit sources of Russian fire just across the border from the major city of Kharkiv.

It will ease our lives, said Budanov, but he added that if Kyiv were permitted to use U.S. weaponry to the whole so-called operational depth in Russia that we can reach, of course, it will be easier for us.

Budanov believes that the Crimean Peninsula  captured by Moscow in 2014 and turned into a huge military base that controls most of Ukraines southern coast  can be cut off from resupply and forced into submission.

Gen. Ben Hodges, former commander of U.S. Army Europe, has long argued that this would be the key to putting Putin on the defensive. I share the opinion of Gen. Hodges, absolutely, said the Ukrainian spy chief. So we need to do everything to implement it.

 READ MORE: U.S., allies must stop playing Patriot games with Ukraine | Trudy Rubin

HURs Ukrainian-made Magura drones have already been used to destroy several Russian ships and force them to relocate from Crimea. They are already trapped near Novorossiysk port, Budanov said. We just need to make sure that all the remains of the fleet are pushed back to the territory of the Russian Federation. There have been no combat ships left in the Black Sea for a long time.

Next step is to cut all resupply for Russian forces in Crimea, including Putins pet project, the Kerch Bridge.

Budanov has already been arrested in absentia by Moscow for his agencys role in seriously damaging the bridge in 2022, apparently with a truck bomb. He considers that an honor.

He believes that long-range ATACMS missiles, which Biden finally delivered to Ukraine in recent months, could ultimately take out the bridge. Those who claim ATACMS arent powerful enough to do the job are mistaken, he said. They should read the technical manuals. The only question is their quantities, but principally speaking, these missiles will allow us to fulfill such a mission.

Budanov scoffs at the idea that Moscow would use tactical nuclear weapons if control of Crimea were threatened, a fear Putin constantly fans. The Ukrainian believes he understands Putins mindset and limitations.

First of all, I know what is really happening out there. Secondly, I know the real characteristics of Russian nuclear weapons. What use would it have? We dont have big concentrations of troops for which such nuclear weapons would be appropriate.

And to break holes in our defense lines is possible with conventional means of warfare. Besides, using nuclear weapons would lead to big political risks for Putin.

I would add that Putins redlines on Crimea have been crossed many times when Ukraine fired British missiles at bases there, and nothing has happened. If there is any chance to convince Putin he cant win, it may lie with making Moscows hold on Crimea untenable.

As for Budanov, he sees no point in peace talks, because we have no option but to get back what was occupied. Otherwise, the state of war will go on forever.

A bigger problem may be Trump, who keeps repeating he would cut off military aid to Ukraine if reelected. Budanov remains sanguine at the prospect of a Trump win in November.

I have a calm attitude to the possibility of Trump coming to power, he said. Your elections are very unpredictable. If you analyze his public speeches, he has changed his position several times. And the power of your system is that it doesnt allow one individual to make decisions unilaterally.

In the end, I believe in the USA and that we will reach victory together. And here I am stressing, together! This is what I would like to finish with.

Indeed, as Ukrainian officials are starting to hedge their bets about a Trump win, I cant help thinking that Budanov might be one Ukrainian who could appeal to Trump as a derring-do military figure who wins and can show exciting video of the new style of drone warfare.

Before I left, I asked Budanov: If I come back in a year, will things be better?

I will refrain from replying, he said. This is a very philosophical question.

His reply reminded me of the famous social media video in which he stares at the camera in silence for 32 seconds. Then, three words flash on the screen in Ukrainian: To be continued.
WASHINGTON  The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress, nearly 60 Democrats skipped his speech nine years ago, calling it a slap in the face to then-President Barack Obama as he negotiated a nuclear deal with Iran.

With Netanyahu scheduled to address U.S. lawmakers on July 24 and his government now at war with Hamas in Gaza, the number of absences is likely to be far greater.

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Congressional Democrats are wrestling with whether to attend. Many are torn between their long-standing support for Israel and their anguish about the way Israel has conducted military operations in Gaza. More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that triggered the war, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run territory. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures.

While some Democrats are saying they will come out of respect for Israel, a larger and growing faction wants no part of it, creating an extraordinarily charged atmosphere at a gathering that normally amounts to a ceremonial, bipartisan show of support for an American ally.

I wish that he would be a statesman and do what is right for Israel. We all love Israel, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said recently on CNN about Netanyahu. We need to help them and not have him stand in the way of that for such a long time.

She added, I think its going to invite more of what we have seen in terms of discontent among our own.

Tensions between Netanyahu and Democratic President Joe Biden have been seeping into the public, with Netanyahu last week accusing the Biden administration of withholding U.S. weapons from Israel  a claim he made again Sunday to his Cabinet. After the prime minister leveled the charge the first time, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We genuinely do not know what hes talking about. We just dont.

The invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to Netanyahu came after consultation with the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. As of now, no meeting between the leaders during Netanyahus Washington visit has been scheduled, this person said.

Netanyahu said in a release that he was very moved by the invitation to address Congress and the chance to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the representatives of the American people and the entire world.

Republicans first floated the idea in March of inviting Netanyahu after Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States, gave a speech on the Senate floor that was harshly critical of the prime minister. Schumer, D-N.Y., called the Israeli leader an obstacle to peace and urged new elections in Israel, even as he denounced Hamas and criticized Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Republicans denounced the speech as an affront to Israel and its sovereignty. Johnson spoke of asking Netanyahu to come to Washington, an invitation that Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York ultimately endorsed, albeit reluctantly. Pelosi, who opposed the invitation to Netanyahu in 2015 when she was Democratic leader, said it was a mistake for the congressional leadership to extend it again this time.

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who attended the 2015 address as a House member, said he saw no reason why Congress should extend a political lifeline to Netanyahu.

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it would be healthy for members of both parties to attend. I think that a lot of Americans are getting a one-sided narrative, especially the younger generation, and I think its important they hear from the prime minister of Israel, in terms of his perspective, said McCaul, R-Texas.

Interviews with more than a dozen Democrats revealed the breadth of discontent over the coming address, which many feel is a Republican ploy intended to divide their party. Some Democrats say they will attend to express their support for Israel, not Netanyahu.

New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has an obligation to attend because of that position.

It should not have taken place, he added. But I cant control that. And I have to do my job.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who leads the Sente Foreign Relations Committee, has signaled he will be there. Cardin said that what hes looking for in Netanyahus speech is a type of message that can strengthen the support in this country for Israels needs, but also lay the groundwork for peace in the region.

Other Democrats are waiting to see whether Netanyahu will still be prime minister by the time he is supposed to speak to Congress.

There have been open signs of discontent over the handling of the war by Netanyahus government, a coalition that includes right-wing hard-liners who oppose any kind of settlement with Hamas.

Benny Gantz, a former military chief and centrist politician, withdrew from Netanyahus war Cabinet this month, citing frustration over the prime ministers conduct of the war. On Monday, Netanyahu dissolved that body. Meantime, a growing number of critics and protesters in Israel have backed a cease-fire proposal that would bring home hostages taken by Hamas.

Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said he stands with those who hope that hes not prime minister by the time late July rolls around. I think that he has been bad for Israel, bad for Palestinians, bad for America. But, he added, he believes it his job to show up when a head of state addresses Congress, even if its someone who I have concerns about and disagree with.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., attended the 2015 speech and described it as among the most painful hours he has spent while in Congress. He plans to boycott unless Netanyahu became a champion for a cease-fire.

A large portion of the Congressional Progressive Caucus  lawmakers who are among the most critical of Israels handling of the war  is expected to skip. Among them is Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the caucus, who told The Associated Press that it was a bad idea, to invite Netanyahu.

We should be putting pressure on him by withholding offensive military assistance so that he sticks to the deal that the president has laid out, she said.

Netanyahus visit is expected to draw significant protests and some members of Congress are planning an alternative event.

Rep. Jim Clyburn said he is in the early stages of bringing like-minded people together to exchange ideas about a path forward for Israelis and Palestinians that includes a two-state solution. The senior Democrat from South Carolina was a vocal critic of Netanyahus 2015 address, which he and several prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus viewed as an affront to Obama.

I just think that, rather than just say, Im not going to go, Im going to stay way, I am saying Im going to stay away with a purpose, he said. Im not going to listen to his foolishness. But here are some ideas that we have that might be a way forward.
Brooke Johnson of North Jersey lifts up her 8-months-old daughter Elaina Dixon at Sunset Beach in Cape May on Friday, a great place to be during a heat wave. Read more

It was at 2:47 p.m. Saturday that the National Weather Service declared that a watch now was an excessive heat warning for the Philadelphia region, and by then that was a declaration of the obvious.

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The heat index had soared into triple figures, and although no measures of temperature and atmospheric moisture can capture precisely how we feel, Saturday was beyond argument the most sultry afternoon of the year. The temperature reached 98, the highest reading since August 2022. The morning low, 75, tied the 114-year-old record for the highest minimum temperature for a June 23.

After what is likely to be another record-warm morning, forecasters say Sunday is shaping up to be Saturdays evil twin with highs again well into the 90s, with 100-plus heat indexes.

But it may come with one important difference, said Ray Martin, a lead meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly: Widespread showers are expected in the afternoon and evening.

While that sizzling sound you heard Saturday may have been one of those random raindrops landing on a hot sidewalk near you, the storms missed just about every square block of the region.

Real relief is forecast to build in Monday afternoon with the passage of a front, but not until another overnight warming record is likely Monday morning, and health experts say that is more concerning than the attention-getting triple-digit numbers.

Sunday would mark the sixth consecutive day of 90-plus temperatures, and Monday, the sixth straight morning on which the temperature failed to drop below 71.

Cumulative heat inside homes without air-conditioning can be life-threatening for the elderly and physically vulnerable, health officials warn. Not only does it make sleeping difficult, the lack of cooling allows the inside temperatures to rise rapidly when the sun comes up.

All that takes a dangerous physical toll. Biologically, you dont have that reprieve, said Martin.

Official lows early Sunday and Monday may go no deeper than the upper 70s, but Martin pointed out that would be at Philadelphia International Airport.

In the city, where tree canopies are wanting and buildings and paved surfaces have been sunning themselves and storing heat, chance are that the temperatures wont drop below 80.

Thats why we encourage people to seek out air-conditioning, even if just for a few hours per day, to lower their body temperature, said Health Department spokesman Jim Garrow.

That advice may be especially important Sunday, when the heat and sultriness are forecast to qualify as extreme and rare, ranking a 4 on the 1-to-4 hazard scale on the National Weather Services experimental HeatRisk scale.

Similarly, Sunday is expected to rank as extreme, the highest level on the three-tiered heat ranking system developed by Applied Climatologists Inc., said company president Laurence Kalkstein, a climatologist and heat-mortality specialist. The extreme level continues Monday on the Kalkstein scale, given the steamy morning temperatures.

Kalkstein helped Philly and the weather service develop heat-response programs in the deadly 1990s.

Some aspects remain, including the operation of the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging heatline  215-765-9040  which will be in operation from 8:30 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. through Sunday, along with common-sense advice, such as checking in on elderly neighbors.

Federal officials have credited Phillys heat wave-response system with saving lives. About 10 times as many people died of heat-related causes in the 10-year period ending in 2002 as have died in the last 10 years in total.

So far, no heat deaths have been reported this year.

It will get better, but dont expect snow

After a cold front passes through the region, conditions should improve through the day Monday although a seventh consecutive 90-plus high is likely.

The big thing on Monday will be the humidity coming down, said AccuWeather meteorologist Ryan Adamson.

Tuesday, the high may not reach 90, but Wednesday is expected to be a virtual rerun of the stickiness that the region has experienced this weekend.

Friday, the humidity is expected to be quite low, he said, adding, compared to what weve been through, its going to feel quite nice.
Fibre broadband network operator Siro has called for a taskforce to be established in order to properly prepare for when the old copper wire is to be switched off permanently.

The communications regulator ComReg has already approved commencement of the switch-off, with the EU Commission proposing that all copper broadband be shut down by 2023.

However, Siro has warned that everyday items such as home security alarms, health security monitors, emergency phones, and retail point-of-sale terminals could all be impacted by the switch-off.

The company has called for an integrated and joined-up approach to the copper broadband switch-off to ensure that those still dependent on the wire experience minimal disruption.

Chief commercial officer at Siro Ronan Whelan said the process of transitioning away from copper broadband will take place over several years but it will impact hundreds of thousands of householders and businesses.

Its vital we start preparing for it now, particularly to ensure minimal end-user disruption.

Mr Whelan said a stakeholder taskforce is needed to quantify the scale of the transition and to plan what needs to happen.

He said along with telecom companies and the Government, the taskforce must also include business groups, security and alarm companies, as well as community representatives.

The copper wire network is managed by Eir, which wants to migrate away from the legacy connections so that it does not have to maintain two separate networks.

In November last year, ComReg published a framework which would enable the company to switch off the remaining copper network.

Even though fibre is being rolled out to replace the old copper wire, ComReg estimated at the time that 1.8m premises still have a copper connection.

The process of switching off the old copper wires has already commenced in the UK and is set to be switched off by December next year.

The majority of copper broadband is already switched off in the Netherlands, France, Spain, Sweden, and Estonia.
Eddie Vedder showed support for assault victim Natasha O'Brien on Saturday evening as Pearl Jam played Marlay Park on Saturday night.

Touring the release of their Dark Matter Album in April, the Seattle band took to the stage in Dublin at around 8pm.

Addressing the crowd about half way through their set, frontman Vedder raised the protests in Dublin, and across the country, which saw thousands of people gather in solidarity with Ms O'Brien who was viciously assaulted by a soldier in Limerick.

Protests were organised across the country after Cathal Crotty, a serving member of the Defence Forces, walked free from court after he was given a three-year suspended sentence for attacking Natasha OBrien.

Protesters gather in Dublin in solidarity with Natasha O'Brien who was attacked by Cathal Crotty, a serving member of the Defence Forces, who walked free from court after he was given a three-year suspended sentence for attacking Natasha O'Brien. Picture: Cate McCurry/PA Wire

"It's been brought to the forefront, which is a very positive thing," said Vedder.

"About women's rights, women's safety and some equality would be nice too."

Vedder said it was heartening to see so many men protesting in support of Ms O'Brien and called on the Irish judiciary to protect women.

"You know, there was lots of good men walking in the march too," he said.

"We gotta ask these judges too to protect our sisters, our daughters, our mothers, our wives.

"And it might be a good idea to have some more female judges too," Vedder added, before the band broke into their song Better Man.
With childcare costs being anything but realistic and affordable and also from a lone parents perspective over the years, I couldnt justify the amount you have to pay and the juggling involved, so you can work.

It always felt like you were working to pay for the childcare and would be rarely left with any spare money.

Yes, the social side to working is important but it is mentally draining running from A to B for school collections, the stress when you see phone calls from schools that the child/children are unwell etc. So, how are you supposed to hold down a full-time/part-time job and really what companies are willing to employ you so you can have this flexibility?

Because of these motives, I studied instead for the reason that there was better flexibility to ensure I was there for school collections etc. Over the years, while at home, I completed a journalism degree and also two Post Grads in learning and teaching and in business, innovation and entrepreneurship.

This helped me build my confidence to look into becoming self-employed and starting my own copy/content writing business. Up until this point, I was on a lone parents social welfare payment to keep my head above water. I decided to drop this allowance and get help with my business idea.

I heard about the Back To Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme (BTWEA) and signed up. They directed me to Dun Laoghaire Rathdown Southside Partnership where I was assigned to Helena ONeill, Research, Evaluation & Social Enterprise Project Leader. Helena helped me with my business plan, pricing and the world of business. It took 12 months to get everything in place and ready to go.

There was a lot of paperwork involved but Helena helped me every step of the way. If you can find the right supports and information, this is the right starting point for any business idea.

When I initially approached Helena, my idea was for a course in community centers to support and help other people like me, stuck at home but wanting to learn. This was the year before the pandemic. On Helenas advice my course title needed to be modified. Covid came and my course became an online interview series talking to individuals in every sector and ideally it was a way for me to network safely and online.

This interview in time, became my first book and also a video series, which is still ongoing today. I pivoted my idea like so many had to do and luckily it all went to plan. My content writing business began in 2020.

Samantha Kelly, Social Media Consultant & Brand Ambassador for the Backing Business community with Virgin Media Business

Samantha Kelly

Similar to my own story, Samantha Kelly is now a Social Media Consultant & Brand Ambassador for the Backing Business community with Virgin Media Business. Samantha was on a carers allowance for her daughter and remembers going into her local Intreo office to sign off this allowance.

She says, There was a certain feeling of joy when I went into the social welfare office to sign off. I was on carer's allowance for my daughter who has hearing difficulties and I said thank you to the lady behind the desk. The lady looked quite shocked but I told her I was grateful for the help they had given me and told her about my ambition for my business. I had been relying on social welfare for a few years now and it was only because I had decided to start a business that I was able to sign off now.

Samantha had also researched the BTWEA scheme and began her business from this scheme. She shares, When I decided to start my first business I went on the Back To Work Enterprise Allowance which decreases each year to get you used to standing on your own two feet. It felt good after all this time to be independent but it was hard work. I wasnt afraid of hard work at all but childcare had always been a barrier to work especially with my daughter needing extra care and appointments etc.

I noticed that I would lose certain perks as time went on, especially when it came to doctors visits. But I really wanted to feel like a useful member of society and on social welfare I really didnt feel like I was useful. I didnt like the stigma attached to being reliant on social welfare and was determined not to be poor anymore.

I worked really hard, sometimes over 12 hours a day as I work online and I learned as much as possible while the girls were asleep so I could perfect my craft which is social media consultancy and marketing strategy. I followed people who I admired and who had been successful and I became successful myself by following simple steps: Work hard, Grab opportunities, Be kind, Help others, Keep learning and Dont give up.

When you begin a business, the feeling of isolation and loneliness come back as reminders of being a lone parent. Instead of it becoming a negative factor, Samantha built a new supportive community online.

She said, It was a lonely road on social welfare but I learned the value of having a community around me so I implemented the same strategy around my business and created communities of business owners around me too. This has led to opportunities I could never have dreamed of including speaking on stages at events and summits, travelling to speak at international conferences and also appearing on TV.

I am very driven so I really dont know how I coped when I was on social welfare but I know I definitely wasnt happy. I am much more content now knowing that I have achieved everything myself through sheer courage, determination and hard work. I think if you find something you love to do and if people are willing to pay you for it whether its a service or product - then turn it into a business.

My advice is the same, no idea is a bad idea once you ask experts for advice and also seek professional guidance. I listened to everyone. I knew, to learn, you need to listen. By being at home, I was unknowingly picking up project management and cognitive skills including patience, listening, negotiating and many more. Tracy Gunn also believes nothing is wasted from being a stay-at-home parent.

Tracy Gunn, co-founder of Platform55

Tracy Gunn

Tracy Gunn is co-founder of Platform55, a HR platform that transform how companies support modern families, with solutions for Employees, Leaders and HR. Tracy says, Returning to work after extended leave can be daunting for many people. Initial feelings of excitement can quickly be replaced with doubt and anxiety  which can lead to someone questioning if theyre doing the right thing in going back to work. Its important to acknowledge that these conflicting emotions are completely normal, and that after a few weeks, things settle down as you find your feet.

Whatever your reason for stepping away from work, remember all the positives that this experience has given you  the skills youve learnt or the personal development youve undergone. For example, raising a family isnt easy  and the skills of multi-tasking, negotiation, organisation and remaining calm whilst everything is chaos around you are all skills that are directly transferable into the workplace. So, Id encourage people to own their break from work.

To build confidence, Id also recommend surrounding yourself with a strong network. Think about who can support you in different ways e.g. support at home and with childcare; technical support  who can give you a crash course in technology and answer your questions; emotional support  we all need a shoulder to cry on at times; a champion who will boost your confidence and remind you just how fabulous you are and your accountability partner  the person who will nudge you along and make sure you take action rather than just talking about what you need to do.

And finally, get a grip on guilt. We often hear from returners that they feel guilty about returning to work and the impact this will have on their family. Try to reframe these feelings and look at the positives, like being a role model for your children, or being financially independent.

Also, work gives us so much more than just financial reward, it can give us a great sense of purpose. Its okay to say youre looking forward to going back to work.

So, dont be hard on yourself, making a choice to stay at home is a privilege but you can use this time wisely by studying, research and preparing, and then you can re-enter the world of work, as soon as you are ready.
Support for a united Ireland has not advanced one step in the quarter century since Northern Irelands peace agreement, the leader of the DUP has insisted.

However, Gavin Robinson said unionists could not be complacent about the maintenance of the Union, as he acknowledged the need to convince the growing number of non-aligned middle ground voters in Northern Ireland of the case for the constitutional status quo.

In a pre-election interview with the PA news agency, Mr Robinson also dismissed suggestions his party has recently performed a U-turn on its endorsement of the British government deal on post-Brexit trade barriers that in January persuaded the DUP to drop its two-year protest blockade on powersharing at Stormont and return to devolution.

Countering the accusations of flip-flopping levelled by political rivals, he argued that the DUP had never claimed the Safeguarding the Union command paper had resolved all the issues around checks and restrictions on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson pictured in the East Belfast constituency (Niall Carson/PA)

He insisted he had been consistent in characterising the deal as having made some progress to address his partys concerns over trade and sovereignty, but that more work was still required on outstanding issues.

Mr Robinson found himself unexpectedly elevated to the party leadership, initially on an interim basis, when his predecessor Jeffrey Donaldson stood down in March after being charged with historical sexual offences.

Donaldsons case is now before the courts, and he has indicated he will contest all 11 charges facing him.

The barrister-turned-politician, who is hoping to hold off a challenge from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long to retain his parliamentary seat in East Belfast, said being thrust into the leadership role in such circumstances had created a new dynamic in his professional and personal life.

In his interview with PA, Mr Robinson offered his view on the relative strength of the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland  given the turbulence created by Brexit and intensifying calls from within nationalism for a border poll.

Asked to predict what the future might be for Northern Ireland in 50 years time, he replied: I hope it will be at peace with itself. But I can guarantee you itll be part of the Union.

We can only look back over the last 25 years that despite the enthusiastic calls for a united Ireland from some, they havent grown the percentage share of nationalist support in Northern Ireland one bit in the last 25 years.

Sometimes they get a little bit of energy about what it is they have to say. But they can point to no tangible progress over the last 25 years at all. And theres a growing and a burgeoning community within Northern Ireland who want to proudly speak of this place, speak of Northern Ireland, talk of it proudly as their home, somewhere they are proud to be from and they recognise the benefits of Northern Ireland being part of the United Kingdom.

So, Im very confident about our position, not only as unionists within Northern Ireland, but for the United Kingdom as a whole and the four constituent parts.

Indeed, the biggest threat to the Union in the last number of years has not been in Northern Ireland. Its been outside of Northern Ireland. And yet that is settled, you can see support for independence in Scotland dissipating. And, so, I think theres a strong and positive future for the Union in 50 years and beyond.

He added: I dont think there is any complacency at all, theres always a danger if you were to take your eye off the ball, but thats not what we present.

Gavin Robinson speaking during a DUP meeting in Lisburn

I think theres obviously a difference between political unionism and those who are pro-Union, there is a difference with that. And theres a burgeoning centre that dont think every day about the constitutional question but are pleased and content to be in the Union, recognise that the Union works for them and though the last number of years have been politically fractious for a whole host of reasons, thats not our focus  our focus is about making sure that day and daily we can highlight the benefits of being in the United Kingdom and strengthen and grow these bonds.

His downplaying of any risk to the Union stands in contrast to one of the DUPs unionist rivals, the Traditional Unionist Voice party, which accuses both Donaldson and Mr Robinson of botching negotiations to remove post-Brexit barriers on internal UK trade. At his election manifesto launch on Friday, TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the Union had never been in a more perilous state as a consequence.

Mr Robinson railed against that sort of interpretation, and also rejected the narrative that he had performed a U-turn on endorsing the Government command paper.

Were not having to counter any narrative, were going forward in this election with a very strong pro-Union message, recognising not only the delivery weve achieved over the last five years, but the opportunity for Northern Ireland to be strongly represented at Westminster, and thats resonating with people on the doors, he said.

They recognise that over the last number of years weve not only been able to identify the problems associated with Northern Ireland Protocol, but provide solutions.

And they recognise that we have made progress continually over cycle after cycle, and that that work remains an active part of what we are engaged with, and what we will deliver in the next parliament coming forward.

He insisted voters were crediting the DUP for making progress on changing the contentious UK/EU agreements that govern post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland  the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor the Windsor Framework.

They recognise that whenever we were told we could achieve nothing on the Northern Ireland Protocol, we kept at it, he said.

Whenever we were told that the European Union wouldnt come back to the negotiating table, we kept at it and achievements we secured.

So, with the Windsor Framework (agreed in 2023), we said very clearly whilst there was progress, it wasnt sufficient to see restoration of devolution.

Gavin Robinson became DUP leader after the shock resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson following his arrest and charging on historical sexual offences (PA)

Back in January (with the Safeguarding the Union command paper), we recognised that we had more progress, and it was sufficient to see the return of devolution. And I think that has resonated well.

Asked about the prospect of a Labour government in London, and the potential for that to result in a closer UK relationship with the EU  something that may remove the requirement for some checks on GB to NI trade  Mr Robinson said he needed more detail on what might emerge.

Its very important to recognise that irrespective of the government in London, we have worked positively for the benefit of Northern Ireland, he said.

And so whilst weve had good relationships with the government that has been, we have good relationships with the opposition that has been, too.

And, if they are in government in the coming weeks, then well work with them positively for Northern Ireland, always looking at detail into what it is they wish to achieve and making sure that, irrespective of where they wish to bring this country, that it does not create, it does not strengthen, but it dilutes any of those barriers that were created as a result of the debates over the European Union in the last five years.

He added: Im somebody who always look at detail on this. Broad brush (comments on EU relations from Labour to date) and people are campaigning at the moment. Thats the poetry; we need to look at the prose.

And, so, if Labour form the next government, we will engage with them productively for the people of Northern Ireland, and study in detail and work with them collectively to our benefit here in Northern Ireland.
Gardai investigating a series of incidents of violent disorder in Dublin's Phoenix Park have arrested a male teenager.

It was claimed in the Seanad earlier this week that three gay men were hunted down by a group carrying knives while walking in the Park on Monday, June 17.

Having initially investigated the allegations, a search of the area was undertaken by gardai.

Following on from further enquiries, gardai identified a suspect.

The man, aged in his late teens, was arrested on suspicion of committing an offence contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, 1997 and is detained at a garda station.

He has been charged and will appear before the courts tomorrow morning, Monday 24th June 2024.

Investigations are ongoing.

A spokesperson said: "An Garda Siochana takes any crime or incident, with a hate motivation, seriously, and incidents reported to us are professionally investigated.

"An Garda Siochana appeals to anyone with direct knowledge or who has been a victim of such an incident in the area to contact An Garda Siochana either at Cabra Garda Station on 01 666 7400, the Diversity Unit at the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau on 01 666 3150 or through an advocacy group.

"Following the reports of this alleged incident, An Garda Siochana through the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau and Community Policing Unit in Cabra Garda Station has been in contact with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups."
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said her party will dust ourselves off after it failed to reach its electoral ambitions in the recent local and European elections.

Ms McDonald said Sinn Fein got a knock after the party put in a poor performance earlier this month.

Sinn Fein, who was widely seen as the government in waiting, suffered a major setback when its support dropped well below what was projected.

Ms McDonald said the party has started a review into what went wrong in its electoral campaign, particularly as parties prepare for a general election which could take place later this year.

Sinn Fein President Mary Lou McDonald after speaking at Bodenstown cemetery, Co Kildare, for the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration (Damien Storan/PA)

We know political struggle isnt easy. Things dont always go the way you want, Ms McDonald told the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration in Co Kildare.

This is a party built on incredible sacrifice and on that enormous reservoir of courage, resilience and hope that sees us through the tough times.

We had a knock at the recent local elections.

The result didnt match the scale of our ambitions. But its how we respond to setbacks that determines the future.

We will come back now with determination and belief.

Were often at our best when our backs are to the wall, when the going gets tough and when our political opponents write us off with glee. Let them.

The match is not over. The story is not finished.

Theyve not reckoned with our strength, our resilience, our togetherness.

Hundreds of thousands of people across Ireland vote for Sinn Fein.

They believe in us, they have put their faith in us, they want us to stand up for their rights, for their future, for a better, fairer Ireland.

My message to people is simple. Sinn Fein has heard you. I have heard you

We cannot and we will not let them down. Our job now is to dust ourselves off, to go back out and deliver for those who know that change is possible.

She said that the Irish public have a choice at the next general election.

More crises, more failure, more of the same under Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, or a government for real change led by Sinn Fein, she added.

We will approach this election with real purpose, confidence and energy.

My message to people is simple. Sinn Fein has heard you. I have heard you.

We will now work even harder to deliver the Ireland you deserve  a society and a nation that has the backs of ordinary people.

The next opportunity to advance our vision of a new Ireland is happening now.
On June 13, 2013, Colin Bell received the phone call every parent dreads.

His son Kevin, who had been living in New York for 10months, had just been killed in a tragic accident after being hit by two cars. It was a Saturday night.

Any child dying is traumatic for parents, but doing so over 5,000km from home only adds layers of anxiety to an already incredibly fraught situation.

The next 72 hours for Colin and his family passed in a haze, but concluded with young Kevins body being brought back to Newry, Down, on the Wednesday.

By any standard, the speed of his repatriation was remarkable. When his son finally arrived home, Colin described the calmness that accompanied him.

He would come to understand that the relief of having his son at home was a luxury amidst the profound grief, and one that was down to the remarkable mobilisation of community.

Kevin was killed at 2.45am on a Sunday. His postmortem took place on a Sunday afternoon. He was a member of Armagh GAA club in New York. Those boys picked up my wifes cousin Nessa and drove her all around the city, taking her everywhere she needed to go to speak to whomever needed to be spoken to about Kevins body.

She did an incredible job, demanding to see the right people and not leaving until she got answers. Because of everything they did, Kevins body was released to the undertakers in New York on the Monday. [He was] on a plane home to us by the Tuesday night.

The moment Kevin was carried into our house, he brought with him a calmness. He was home. He was safe

While Colin readily admits the efforts of Kevins community of friends and family in New York were vital to his speedy repatriation, what unfolded around Newry in the hours after his sons death blew him away.

Whenever news broke of Kevins death, the community reacted in a way I could never have imagined. In the space of a week, there was something in the region of 150,000 raised by people all across Newry and South Armagh  just to bring Kevin home.

Of course, it didnt take anything near that. We had this money which wasnt ours, and we needed to decide what to do with it.

It didnt take long.

About a week after they buried their son, Colin and his wife Eithne heard of a young man from Carryduff who was tragically killed in Thailand.

The Bells called his parents and offered to pay for their sons repatriation.

A week later, another tragic death of a young Sligo man saw them do the same for his family  using the funds raised for Kevin to fly another body home from the US.

Week on week, the Bells heard stories of families who, like them, were suffering the sudden loss of a loved one overseas and faced the intimidating prospect of organising the return of a body as they tried to process their grief.

Colin made phone call after phone call, explaining to these strangers that they understood their pain and they were willing to help with the financial burden.

It took a year for the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust to become a registered charity in Northern Ireland. Throughout that time, the Bells continued to assist families.

Sadly, tragedy was to visit their door for a second time. Eithnes nephew Paul was killed in San Francisco, in another hit-and-run, only eight months after Kevins death.

It prompted Colin to retire from his job as a PE teacher and devote his time fully to the foundation

After gaining recognition as a charity in the South, the Department of Foreign Affairs saw to it that every embassy across the world had the number of the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust.

In its 10 years of existence as a charity, the numbers have been staggering.

The trust has now repatriated 1,860 loved ones to their families in Ireland from the likes of Australia, Argentina, South Korea, Canada, Ecuador, Cambodia, India, and Uganda.

The current rate of repatriation stands at approximately 25-30 loved ones back to Ireland per month.

Its crazy to think, Colin said, that after 1,800 repatriations, none of them were as straightforward as our Kevins. There just so much to consider. We see it as our job to ease the burden on families so suddenly hit by grief.

Kevin Bell died in an accident in New York. The community rallied around his parents to help repatriate his remains to Newry, Down.

While the support the Bells offered in those early days was purely financial, the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust now does so much more in terms of easing the burden of bureaucracy.

Stephanie [not her real name] lost her father suddenly while on holiday in Spain.

You go into such shock, its difficult to think straight, she said. We were so consumed by what had just happened, it was impossible to think of what to do next. I wasnt aware of the foundation. A friend called to sympathise, and told me to get in touch. Even then, I couldnt imagine the charity could do so much, so quickly.

Given our experience in so many different countries over the last 10 years, we have established a comprehensive list of preferred undertakers pretty much everywhere, Colin said.

This means that, no matter the circumstances of death, regardless of jurisdiction, the charity can negotiate on the families behalf and guide them through the process.

Everything they did, Stephanie said, from the sensitivity they showed handling the very first phone call, to telling us where there was an internet cafe close to our hotel to print out the necessary forms, it was all such a relief. What rarely gets mentioned, too, is their professionalism.

You are so overwhelmed in those early days after a loss. We wouldve been absolutely lost without Colin and his team. After the first phone call, we didnt worry about any of it. You cannot put a price on that peace of mind.

With such a turnover of families to help, the Bells long exhausted the initial 150,000 that was raised by their local community to assist them with bringing Kevin home.

The charity has evolved so much that those that the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust has helped often fundraise and give back, meaning other families can benefit the same way they did

One of the earliest families we helped raised so much money after, it was part of our thinking in establishing the foundation, Colin said, though there is no expectation for anybody that avails of support to give back in any way.

We receive no State funding. This is a family run charity with one full-time employee. The fundraising is so important, and people do incredible work.

Without exception, everybody I spoke to who received help from the charity was moved by the unconditionality of the support. Money was never mentioned, nor was giving back.

From the first phone call to last, the only priority was returning the body of a loved one in the most empathetic, expedited way possible.

The charity says repatriations can cost up to 20,000 depending on the circumstances of the death, local charges, and hospital release fees. Liaising with local authorities is vital, not to mention a healthy relationship with the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Last month, Eithne and Colin Bell were hosted by Tanaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheal Martin at a reception in Iveagh House.

Mr Martin presented the Bells with a sculpture from artist Kevin Casey, titled Homecoming, which symbolises the hand of friendship provided by their charity to families across the island in their time of need.

The solace and support the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust provides to bereaved families during the repatriation cannot be overstated, Mr Martin said.

For Colin Bell, the core to everything the charity does is simple: Community.

I genuinely believe this only works because we are Irish

The model has been tried in so many other countries, but has failed because that sense of community doesnt exist the same way.

The Irish respond in a very different way to bereavement. Our default setting is to help.

We didnt ask anything from anybody when Kevin died. Yet, straight away, unbeknownst to us, people were organising table quizzes in Newry to help us.

Thats the spirit of what we are trying to do.
The recent local elections are a real-time example of why we need gender quotas.

Despite a record number of women running for office, only 26% of newly elected councillors are women, the same percentage as the outgoing cohort.

Women make up more than half of the population, but they are just a quarter of our elected leaders in local government.

And not only has progress stalled, in many areas, its going backwards. There are 13 councils with less than a fifth of female representatives.

In Donegal, only 8% of local politicians are women, with Mayo, Longford and Carlow only barely getting above 10%.

Areas that had previously come close to gender parity, such as Dublin City Council and Dun Laoghaire Rathdown have dropped to 40% and 33% respectively, showing a decline in the progression of gender balance at local government level.

Our democracy is strongest when diversity and equality are embedded in our political representation.

Women have had to overcome significant historical disadvantages in securing representation and great success has been achieved. But in 2024, women continue to be grossly under-represented in local politics, especially women from minority and marginalised backgrounds.

A new report commissioned by the National Womens Council and carried out by Pauline Cullen and Claire McGing highlights the barriers which prevent women from entering politics to begin with, and the gendered challenges which they continue to face when they are successfully elected.

The report, 'Beyond the Dail: Access, Representation and Retention in Irish Local Government', was based on a survey carried out with women councillors serving in local government since 2019, including women co-opted into councillor positions.

For example, women councillors often work a triple shift, combining care responsibilities with paid employment and public representation.

Significant safety concerns arising from online and offline abuse, and a lack of support and action in handling such abuse deters many women from running again.

Women on average carry out 21.3 hours per week  the equivalent of a part-time job  on unpaid care, compared to a mans average of 10.6.

Coupled with this uneven distribution of care work is a public services crisis, from a lack of reliable, affordable childcare to inadequate systems and supports to care for family members.

This perfect storm of inequality means womens lives are dominated by caring for others, in a way that mens lives are not.

For many women, this is not a choice they make, its a result of embedded sexism in our society.

Not only do we need a shift in care, we need to reform local government to create new structures that recognise care and so that those who are elected can reasonably expect to balance work and life commitments.

From National Women's Council research, the low pay of council work has disproportionate effect on younger women, lone parents, working-class women, those with a disability, Traveller and migrant women.

Efforts to achieve gender parity and greater diversity in local government have failed to address the issue of low pay.

Full-time work for part-time pay is not only unfair, it actively ensures women from marginalised backgrounds cant participate in local government.

We wont change the diversity of local government if the position is only accessible to those with enough wealth and security to take the financial hit of doing the job.

Political parties must actively support women candidates at local level.

Women dominate the community and voluntary sector in Ireland, providing them with invaluable knowledge and lived experience of the needs of their communities, especially for marginalised and disadvantaged groups.

These women must be supported by political parties to stand for election and selecting women for co-option, ie the process of filling a seat when it becomes vacant.

Political parties must also put women forward for election, in winnable seats.

Its not enough to say they support gender equality; they must demonstrate this by ensuring gender diversity of candidates being run in constituencies and allocating resources to women candidates to get them elected.

In the recent local elections, the two largest political parties  Fianna Fail and Fine Gael  failed to achieve gender balance with their candidate selection (25% and 29% respectively).

These parties won the largest amount of seats in the election, with the lack of gender balance now reflected in the councillors elected.

We cant achieve equal representation in local government if we dont have balance at the candidate selection stage.

Gender quotas are successfully implemented at national level, its now time to do the same at local level. Co-option is also an entry route for women into local government, making the re-election process more feasible because the person is already known by the community.

Following the 2019 local election, an additional 75 women were made local councillors through co-option.

Its a proven, effective way of increasing participation and diversity in local government.

We need diversity of experience, we need the representation of diverse women, we need equality and fairness enshrined in our local government.

We need the full participation of women in politics and, to counter-act this historic and ongoing imbalance, we need gender quotas at local level.
Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel if the simmering conflict escalates into a full-blown war, officials with Iran-backed factions and analysts say.

Almost daily exchanges of fire have occurred along Lebanons frontier with northern Israel since fighters from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip staged a bloody assault on southern Israel in early October that set off a war in Gaza.

The situation to the north worsened this month after an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel.

Houthi fighters march during a rally of support for the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and against the US strikes on Yemen outside Sanaa in January (AP Photo, File)

Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border.

Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan fought together in Syrias 13-year conflict, helping tip the balance in favour of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Officials from Iran-backed groups say they could also join together again against Israel.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech on Wednesday that militant leaders from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries have previously offered to send tens of thousands of fighters to help Hezbollah, but he said the group already has more than 100,000 fighters.

We told them, thank you, but we are overwhelmed by the numbers we have, Mr Nasrallah said.

Mr Nasrallah said the battle in its current form is using only a portion of Hezbollahs manpower, an apparent reference to the specialised fighters who fire missiles and drones.

But that could change in the event of an all-out war. Mr Nasrallah hinted at that possibility in a speech in 2017 in which he said fighters from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be partners of such a war.

Officials from Lebanese and Iraqi groups backed by Iran say Iran-backed fighters from around the region will join in if war erupts on the the Lebanon-Israel border. Thousands of such fighters are already deployed in Syria and could easily slip through the porous and unmarked border.

Destroyed houses in Khiam, a town near the Lebanese-Israeli border, that was hit by Israeli air strikes on Friday (Hussein Malla/AP)

Some of the groups have already staged attacks on Israel and its allies since the Israel-Hamas war started October 7. The groups from the so-called axis of resistance say they are using a unity of arenas strategy and they will only stop fighting when Israel ends its offensive in Gaza against their ally, Hamas.

We will be (fighting) shoulder to shoulder with Hezbollah if an all-out war breaks out, one official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq told The Associated Press in Baghdad, insisting on speaking anonymously to discuss military matters. He refused to give further details.

The official, along with another from Iraq, said some advisers from Iraq are already in Lebanon.

Eran Etzion, former head of policy planning for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute on Thursday that he sees a high probability of a multi-front war.

He said there could be intervention by the Houthis and Iraqi militias and a massive flow of jihadists from (places) including Afghanistan, Pakistan into Lebanon and into Syrian areas bordering Israel.

Daniel Hagari, Israels military spokesman, said in a televised statement this past week that since Hezbollah started its attacks on Israel on October 8, it has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and drones toward Israel.

Hezbollahs increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a wider escalation, one that could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region, Mr Hagari said.

Israel will continue fighting against Irans axis of evil on all fronts.

Hezbollah officials have said they do not want an all-out war with Israel but if it happens they are ready.
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China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the European Commission, agreed on Saturday to start consultations on the issue of the European Union's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

The consensus was reached during talks between the two officials via video link, the ministry said in a press release.
A pro-independence leader in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia was transferred to a prison facility in mainland France to await trial on charges relating to two weeks of unrest in May that left nine people dead, the public prosecutor in the territory said.

Christian Tein, an Indigenous Kanak leader of the pro-independence party known as The Field Action Co-ordination Unit, was flown to mainland France overnight on Saturday along with six other activists, prosecutor Yves Dupas said in a statement.

The seven Kanak activists were transferred to pre-trial detention on a specially chartered plane because of the sensitivity of the procedure, Mr Dupas said.

Two weeks of unrest in New Caledonia left nine people dead and significant destruction in the archipelago with decades of tensions between those seeking independence and those loyal to France (Ludovic Marin/AP)

Moving the detained activists into custody 17,000km (10,500 miles) away from their homeland would allow the investigation into their alleged wrongdoings to continue in a calm manner and without any pressure, he said.

The Kanak people have sought for decades to break free from France, which first took New Caledonia in 1853.

Violence flared on May 13 in response to attempts by French President Emmanuel Macrons government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia.

France declared a state of emergency two days later, rushing hundreds of troop reinforcements to help police quell the revolt that included shootings, clashes, looting and arson.

The prosecutor did not name the other six detained activists who were transferred to mainland France.

Reports in French media suggested that the pro-independence groups communications director, Brenda Wanabo, and Frederique Muliava, chief of staff to the president of New Caledonias Congress, are among them.

The violence led to nine deaths and widespread destruction of shops, businesses and homes.

Violence flared after French President Emmanuel Macrons government planned to change voting rights in New Caledonia, a plan that has since been suspended (Luca Bruno/AP)

On Wednesday, 11 Kanak activists were arrested in a broad police raid targeting the Field Action Co-ordination Unit. The detentions were part of an ongoing police investigation launched on May 17, just days after protests against the Paris-pushed voting reform turned violent.

On Saturday, the activists appeared in front of the investigative judge. They face a long list of charges, including complicity in attempted murder, organised theft with a weapon, organised destruction of private property while endangering people and participation in a criminal group with an intent to plan a crime.

In the past seven months, Teins Field Action Co-ordination Unit has organised major, peaceful marches in New Caledonia against the French authorities and the Paris-backed voting reform that Kanaks fear would further marginalise them.

With France now plunged into frenzied campaigning for snap parliamentary elections, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the changes to voting rights in New Caledonia.

Tein and nine other pro-independence leaders were placed under house arrest when the violence started.

French Interior and Overseas Territories Minister Gerald Darmanin said last month that Teins party was a small group which calls itself pro-independence, but instead commits looting, murder and violence.

The National Council of Chiefs of the Indigenous Kanak people rejected allegations that the group was involved in the deadly violence.

Grand Chief Hippolyte Sinewami-Htamumu expressed full support for the pro-independence group, which has mobilised more than 100,000 people of all ages and from all backgrounds in peaceful protests in recent months in the capital, Noumea, and throughout the island.

Tein was among pro-independence leaders who met with Mr Macron during his whirlwind trip to New Caledonia last month to calm the unrest.

After the meeting, the Kanak leader appealed to protesters to remain mobilised (and) maintain all (forms) of resistance to achieve their main objective, which he said was, full independence.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III, Napoleons nephew and heir. It became an overseas territory after the Second World War, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.
By Ian Parmeter, Australian National University | 

(The Conversation)  Among the many sayings attributed to Winston Churchill is, Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.

This sentiment seems appropriate as Israel potentially appears ready to embark on a war against the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz said this week a decision on an all-out war against Hezbollah was coming soon and that senior commanders of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) had signed off on a plan for the operation.

This threat comes despite the fact Israels war against Hamas in Gaza is far from over. Israel has still not achieved the two primary objectives Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu put forth at the start of the conflict:

the destruction of Hamas as a military and governing entity in Gaza

the freeing of the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas (about 80 believed to still be alive, along with the remains of about 40 believed to be dead).

Why Hezbollah is attacking Israel now

Israel has cogent reasons for wanting to eliminate the threat from Hezbollah. Hezbollah has been launching Iranian-supplied missiles, rockets and drones across the border into northern Israel since the Gaza war began on October 8. Its stated purpose is to support Hamas by distracting the IDF from its Gaza operation.

Hezbollahs attacks have been relatively circumscribed  confined so far to northern Israel. But they have led to the displacement of some 60,000 residents from the border area. These people are understandably fed up and demanding Netanyahus government takes action to force Hezbollah to withdraw from the border.

This anger has been augmented this week by Hezbollah publicising video footage of military and civilian sites in the northern Israeli city of Haifa, which had been taken by a low-flying surveillance drone.

The implication: Hezbollah was scoping the region for new targets. Haifa, a city of nearly 300,000, has not yet been subject to Hezbollah attacks.

The most far-right members of Netanyahus cabinet, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, have openly called for Israel to invade southern Lebanon. Even without this pressure, Netanyahu has ample reason to want to neutralise the Hezbollah threat because residents of northern Israel are strong supporters of his Likud party.

US and Iranian interests in a broader conflict

The United States is obviously concerned about the risk Israel will open a second front in its conflicts. As such, President Joe Biden has sent an envoy, Amos Hochstein, to Israel and Lebanon to try to reduce tensions on both sides.

In Lebanon, he cant publicly deal directly with the Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, because the group is on the US list of global terrorist organisations. Instead, he met the long-serving speaker of the Lebanese parliament, Nabih Berri, who as a fellow Shia is able to talk with Nasrallah.

But Hezbollah answers to Iran  its main backer in the region. And its doubtful if any Lebanese leader can persuade it to desist from action approved by Iran.

Irans interests in the potential for an Israel-Hezbollah war at this time are mixed. It would obviously be glad to see Israel under military pressure on two fronts. But Iranian leaders see Hezbollah as insurance against an Israeli attack on its nuclear facilities.

Hezbollah has an estimated 150,000 missiles and rockets, including some that could reach deep into Israel. So far, Iran seems to want Hezbollah to hold back from a major escalation with Israel, which could deplete most of that arsenal.

That said, although Israels Iron Dome defensive shield has been remarkably successful in neutralising the rocket threat from Gaza, it might not be as effective against a large-scale barrage of more sophisticated missiles.

Israel needed help from the US, Britain, France and Jordan in countering a direct attack from Iran in April that involved some 150 missiles and 170 drones.

Lessons from previous Israeli interventions in Lebanon

The other factor  especially for wiser heads mindful of history  is the countrys previous interventions in Lebanon have been far from cost-free.

Israels problems with Lebanon started when the late King Hussein of Jordan forced the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), then led by Yasser Arafat, to relocate to Lebanon in 1970. He did that because the PLO had been using Jordan as a base for operations against Israel after the 1967 war, provoking Israeli retaliation.

From the early 1970s, the PLO formed a state within a state in Lebanon. It largely acted independently from the perennially weak Lebanese government, which was divided on sectarian grounds, and in 1975, collapsed into a prolonged civil war.

The PLO used southern Lebanon to launch attacks against Israel, leading Israel to launch a limited invasion of its northern neighbour in 1978, driving Palestinian militia groups north of the Litani River.

That invasion was only partially successful. Militants soon moved back towards the border and renewed their attacks on northern Israel. In 1982, then-Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin decided to remove the PLO entirely from Lebanon, launching a major invasion of Lebanon all the way to Beirut. This eventually forced the PLO leadership and the bulk of its fighters to relocate to Tunisia.

Despite this success, the two Israeli invasions had the unintended consequence of radicalising the until-then quiescent Shia population of southern Lebanon.

That enabled Iran, in its early post-revolutionary phase under Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, to work with Shia clerics in Lebanon to establish Hezbollah (Party of God in Arabic), which became a greater threat to Israel than the PLO had ever been.

Bolstered by Iranian support, Hezbollah has become stronger over the years, becoming a force in Lebanese politics and regularly firing missiles into Israel.

In 2006, Hezbollah was able to block an IDF advance into southern Lebanon aimed at rescuing two Israeli soldiers Hezbollah had captured. The outcome was essentially a draw, and the two soldiers remained in captivity until their bodies were exchanged for Lebanese prisoners in 2008.

Many Arab observers at the time judged that by surviving an asymmetrical conflict, Hezbollah had emerged with a political and military victory.

For a while during and after that conflict, Nasrallah was one of the most popular regional leaders, despite the fact he was loathed by rulers of conservative Sunni Arab states such as Saudi Arabia.

DW Video: What a war between Israel and Hezbollah would mean

Will history repeat itself?

This is the background to discussions in Israel about launching a war against Hezbollah. And it demonstrates how the quote from Churchill is relevant.

Most military experts would caution against choosing to fight a war on two fronts. Former US President George W. Bush decided to invade Iraq in 2003 when the war in Afghanistan had not concluded. The outcome was hugely costly for the US military and disastrous for both countries.

The 19th century American writer Mark Twain is reported to have said that history does not repeat itself, but it often rhymes. Will Israels leaders listen to the echoes of the past?

Ian Parmeter, Research Scholar, Centre for Arab and Islamic Studies, Australian National University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Ann Arbor (Informed Comment)  Saturday evening witnessed the biggest Israeli demonstrations against the government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu since the outbreak of war on October 7, 2023, according to the Israeli press as summarized by Al Jazeera. Some 150,000 are said to have rallied in Tel Aviv alone. They demanded that the prime minister resign.

Some demonstrators actually set a fire in front of the headquarters of the ruling Likud Party, which Netanyahu heads.

The first nine months of 2023 saw regular massive rallies against Netanyahu and his cabinet, which includes elements that are the Israeli equivalent of neo-Nazis. The horrid Oct. 7 attacks by Hamas caused Israelis to pull together and the demonstrations ceased for a long time, with a war cabinet having been formed that included opposition members. Earlier in June, however, Benny Gantz resigned from the war cabinet, essentially a government of national unity, and Netanyahu has now dissolved it. Gantz, a retired general, leads the centrist opposition National Unity Party.

On Saturday Gantz joined in a demonstration in the town of Kiryat Gat in the Southern District, demanding a hostage deal.

Some of the renewed opposition derives from Netanyahus refusal to cease bombing Gaza long enough to conclude a hostage exchange agreement with Hamas. The terrorist organization continues to hold an estimated 120 Israelis who were taken hostage on October 7, a mixture of civilians and military, of men and women, and of Israelis and guest workers (some from Thailand).

The families with members who remain prisoners in Gazas tunnels have concluded that there is not hope of a hostage deal as long as the current extremist government remains in power. At a news conference near the Ministry of Defense in Tel Aviv, hostage families announced that Netanyahus government has to fall before the hostages can be brought out.

Channel 13 carried an interview with hostage families who asserted that Netanyahu does not want a hostage deal because he knows that their return would signal the fall of his government.

Al Jazeera English Video: All of the rats in the Knesset: Mass antiwar protest in Israel

Netanyahu is on trial for corruption and were he to lose the position of prime minister and become a civilian again, the trials would go forward and he could be jailed. One of his predecessors as prime minister, Ehud Olmert, went to prison for corruption. The Israeli prosecutors and police dont play.

President Joe Biden told an interviewer that it would be legitimate to suspect that Netanyahu carries on the nine-month Gaza campaign because he wants to remain in power.

Warrants have been sought against Netanyahu for war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

Netanyahus maximalist goal of destroying Hamas was brought into question this week by military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, who said, Hamas is an idea, Hamas is a party, it is embedded in the hearts of people. Whoever thinks that we can make Hamas disappear is mistaken. It is the Muslim Brotherhood, which has been in this area for a great many years. He said the most you could do is set up an effective rival to it that would provide aid to people and then publicize that this alternative, not Hamas, was doing effective charity work.

Hagari said that anyone who spoke about destroying Hamas was deceiving the public.

That assertion seemed to many observers a not very veiled reference to Netanyahu.

Yediot Aharanot columnist Nadav Eyal wrote in mid-June, The IDF believes that the tactical achievement allows Israel to pass a phase, and in fact to end the war in Gaza through an agreement to return the kidnapped. The end of the war is not the end of the fighting, say security officials, the intelligence will continue to flow and so will the possibility of attacking from the air or from the ground. [Google translate.; h/t for cite BBC Monitoring.]

This increasing split between the extremist government, with its fascist elements that insist on a forever war in Gaza, and the Israeli officer corps, is momentous and perhaps gives the protesters hope.

However, in a parliamentary system Netanyahu can stay in power until 2026 as long as his coalition retains a majority and he can avoid a vote of no confidence. Israeli civil society is too weakened by decades of Likud Party Neoliberalism to intervene effectively.
Despite the efforts of the Council of Guardians, the race to replace Raisi will still be competitive.

By Abolghasem Bayyenat | 

( Foreign Policy in Focus )  Iran is set to hold extraordinary presidential elections in about two weeks following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash in northwestern Iran last month. Out of a list of 80 presidential nominees, the Council of Guardians, which is in charge of vetting presidential and parliamentary nominees, has approved the credentials of six, mostly conservative, candidates. The Council has barred several prominent political figuresformer president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, former parliament speaker Ali Larijani, and former reformist vice-president Eshaq Jahangirifrom the race. Despite disqualifying many serious presidential hopefuls, the Council of Guardians electoral engineering has not rendered Irans presidential election entirely meaningless. Although a far cry from a level playing field, the ballot allows for some level of political competition, so that many Iranian voters can find their next-to-favorite candidates in the race.

Three of the existing six candidates on the ballot can be considered serious contestants or frontrunners, representing different segments of Irans political landscape. The current parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf is a pragmatic conservative politician with decades of mostly executive political career, such as a Revolutionary Guards commander, police chief, Tehrans mayor, and parliamentary speaker, under his belt. Saeed Jalili is a former chief nuclear negotiator under Ahmadinejad and a current appointed member of Irans Supreme National Security Council, who can be identified as an ideological conservative politician. Being a relatively new public political figure, Jalili lacks Ghalibafs executive political credentials but curries favor with puritan revolutionary fringes of Irans conservative political camp. Finally, Masood Pezeshkian is a long-time reformist member of the Iranian parliament and a former health minister under reformist president Mohammad Khatami. Being a low-profile and non-charismatic reformist politician, Pezeshkian faces an uphill battle to mobilize his reformist bases in the upcoming election.

Given that none of the presidential candidates enjoys overwhelming public support, the election is likely to lead to a runoff between two of the three frontrunners. Ghalibaf appears to wield an edge over his other two main competitors as he enjoys backing among mainstream conservative political groups and non-ideological grassroots as his recent election as parliament speaker also testifies. Jalili, by contrast, represents a fringe segment of the conservative political camp and appears too revolutionary for traditional conservatives political taste.

In the absence of any broad-based mobilization of reformist and secular bases of the Iranian electorate, Pezeshkian is also unlikely to mount an effective challenge to Ghalibafs electoral ambitions. Although many reformist political groups and politicians, including former reformist president Mohammad Khatami, have declared their support for Pezeshkian in recent days, given the disillusionment of many reformist and secular voters with Irans political and electoral systems in recent years, they will not likely turn out in high numbers at the polls. The barring of key reformist and centrist politicians from the race by the Council of Guardians has further alienated many citizens from the upcoming elections. Pezeshkians ethnic Azeri affiliation is also not expected to translate into any significant voter mobilization since ideological and political divisions are far more salient than ethnic cleavages in Iranian national elections. This is mainly due to the fact that, as in most other Iranian provinces, ethnic and political cleavages do not reinforce each other in Azeri-speaking provinces, a fact that diminishes the political salience of ethnicity in Iranian national elections in those areas.

Al Jazeera English Video: Iran presidential candidates discuss economy in first of five televised debates

Although Ghalibaf enjoys better odds of winning Irans upcoming presidential race in a possible runoff, the election outcome is in no way predetermined, and there are real chances of electoral surprises down the road, given the changing momentum of electoral campaigns as Irans past elections have proven. Apart from which candidate is more likely to win the upcoming election, a more important question may be what implication the electoral victory of each of the three frontrunners entails for Irans foreign policy, especially its position on its contested nuclear program.

In the absence of other favorable conditions, a change in Irans executive chief alone does not bring drastic reorientation in Iranian foreign policy. Given the fragmentation of Irans political system, diffusion of political power among various power centers, the balancing role and special authority of Irans supreme leader, and the need for consensus-building among key national political authorities on pivotal foreign policy issues, continuity rather than revolutionary change is more the norm within Irans political system.

However, when other favorable conditions are present, a change in executive leadership can be a catalyst for major foreign policy change in Iran, as the electoral victory of Hassan Rouhani in 2013 and the successful conclusion of Irans nuclear talks with the West in 2015 suggest. As a moderate and pragmatic politician who enjoyed the political support of reformist and centrist political groups and figures, Rouhani ran on an electoral platform of settling the international dispute over Irans nuclear program and securing the removal of economic sanctions on the country. As such, the foreign policy preferences of an Iranian president and his supporting coalition can make all the difference when it comes to assessing the implications of a change in executive leadership for Iranian foreign policy. Among the current frontrunners, Saeed Jalili is considered least amenable to a compromise on Irans core foreign policy interests. This can be inferred not only from his foreign policy views and national identity conceptions but also his stewardship of Irans nuclear talks from 2007 to 2013.

As a reformist candidate, Pezeshkian is in principle most open to compromise on Irans foreign policy disputes. Much like other Iranian moderate and reformist politicians, he is expected to advocate a more prudent and less confrontational foreign policy in tune with reformist politicians balanced conception of the ideological, economic, and national security interests of the state.

Since he is a pragmatic conservative politician, Ghalibafs foreign policy preferences fall between the two extremes of ideological conservatives and moderate reformists. He does not advocate the strategic reorientation of Iranian foreign policy as a reformist politician might do. But he would also not be as uncompromising and inflexible as an ideological and revolutionary conservative politician. On a personality level, throughout his political career Ghalibaf has presented himself as more of a realistic problem-solver than a political ideologue. Given his personality and political worldview as a pragmatic conservative politician, Ghalibaf is expected to be open to tactical leniency on specific foreign policy issues without challenging the strategic orientation of Iranian foreign policy at large. These foreign policy orientations are more in harmony with the preferences of Irans supreme leader and the national security establishment than those of a reformist and an ideological conservative president as the history of Irans foreign policy making over the past several decades has demonstrated.

Overall, given that other necessary conditions for a major foreign policy shift are currently not present, whichever of the three frontrunner presidential candidates wins Irans upcoming election, Iranian foreign policy will remain roughly the same in the foreseeable future, though perhaps with some tactical leniency and stylistic changes. Via Foreign Policy in Focus

Abolghasem Bayyenat is currently a Farzaneh family postdoctoral fellow in Iranian studies at the University of Oklahoma. Previously, he was a postdoctoral fellow in nuclear security at Harvard University. He wrote his doctoral dissertation on the dynamics of Irans nuclear policymaking at Syracuse University.
Kim Ji Won officially kicked off her fan meeting tour in Seoul, and made her fans proud for doing these!

K-pop Star Kim Ji Won? 'Queen of Tears' Actress Leaves Fans Screaming for Her Idol Skills

"Queen of Tears" star Kim Ji Won met her fans during the kick-off of her tour in Seoul on June 22.

There, she left her Korean fans in awe of her skills apart from acting.

Surprisingly, Kim Ji Won has showed off her singing and dancing skills during her first fan gathering, following the successful conclusion of "Queen of Tears."

Kim Ji Won turned into an idol and her transformation left fans and netizens in awe.

Hyping up the crowd, she wowed them with a lively cover of 2PM's "My House," with complete choreography. The actress said that she chose the song to warmly welcome her fans as if inviting them into her own home.

Short clip for Kim Jiwon - MY House pic.twitter.com/mpXoQ54Syd   (@callmed91) June 22, 2024

Her confidence and skillful dance moves were so evident that the attendees could hardly believe this was her first big stage performance of this kind.

But there's more!

The "Descendants of the Sun" star proved she can also sing by serenading her fans with some of the popular love songs abd drama soundtracks.

She sang "From The Bottom of My Heart" by Kim Nayoung, which is also an OST from "Queen of Tears," LEE HI's "ONLY," and SNSD Taeyeon's "Can You Hear Me."

Kim Jiwon was listening to Taeyeon's Can You Hear Me while filming The Heirs to immerse herself in the character & sang the OST at her fanmeeting# # @TAEYEONsmtown



pic.twitter.com/HHkjSHVa79  TAEYEON UPDATES (@309KTYSS) June 22, 2024

Each song highlighted a different facet of her vocal talent, proving she is a multi-talented artist.

Fans Get Glimpse of Kim Ji Won's Preparation for Her Performances

Knowing the fans' demands, they received adorable photocards of Kim Ji Won, a gesture that added a personal touch to the event.

The trending star even gave a sneak peek of the hard work behind her performance by sharing a behind-the-scenes video. The clip showcased her recording songs and diligently rehearsing choreography, giving fans a glimpse of her dedication and effort.

now this is what you call RARE photocard because we rarely get a selca from jiwon pic.twitter.com/e6ZpvUx5qe  hyunwoo's 35th cow (@soohyunscow) June 22, 2024

As clips and snippets from her performances circulate online, Kim Ji Won's unexpected talents have garnered widespread praise. Many fans have gone to X-sharing videos that are amassing thousands of likes and views, expressing their admiration for the actress' versatile skills and newfound stage presence.

Following her Seoul event, Kim Ji Won is expected to head to Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Manila, Macau, Bangkok, and Jakarta for her next stops.

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.






Friday, June 21, 2024  Activist Comrade Israel Joe has advised men to avoid broke, lazy and jobless ladies looking for men to bill.''

Avoid broke, lazy and senseless ladies carrying only bwest and butts looking for men to bill, he wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday.






Friday, June 21, 2024 - A Chinese migrant, who was wanted for murder in Los Angeles, was caught and arrested while trying to sneak back into the US, according to Homeland Security sources.

The migrant, Junnan Ge, was arrested in the San Diego area on June 14 with a large group of migrants who turned themselves in to border agents in the hopes of being allowed to enter the country, sources told The Post.

Border agents ran background checks during the arrest and discovered that Ge, 37, had a warrant dating back to 2004 from Los Angeles for allegedly killing another person.





Ge also crossed the border in 2011 after the alleged murder. However, its not clear whether he was released into the US or removed from the country at the time.

Border agents have told The Post that their vetting procedures are neither exhaustive nor foolproof and agents know they have released bad actors into the US without knowing it.

Still, they have been able to catch 587 illegal migrants with warrants and more than 10,000 people convicted of crimes since October 2023, according to federal data.




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has expressed concern that his key supporters backing his efforts for Mount Kenya unity are facing targeted intimidation.

Addressing a church gathering in Ruiru, Gachagua reiterated that his attempts to unify leaders and residents of the central region have met significant challenges.

He highlighted receiving reports of leaders aligned with him being pressured to sever their ties with him.

"Some are being intimidated, they are being coerced, and some are also being threatened.

"If you call for unity you shall not have projects.

"If you are seen with the deputy president things will never be the same," he said.

However, he dismissed his critics, emphasizing that criticism and unwarranted motives have been inherent in Kenyan politics since independence.

He reaffirmed that his advocacy for the one man, one vote, one shilling principle remains steadfast and unstoppable.

"I want to confirm that the unity of the mountain is unstoppable. It is complete. The remaining task is to unite one per cent of other dissenting leaders."

In the move to woe unity from other leaders outside Mount Kenya, the DP expressed his interest in working closely with Wiper Party Leader Kalonzo Musyoka.

In the most unlikely event, the three political bigwigs including Democratic Action Party leader Eugine Wamalwa backed his unity quest.

The second in command called on other leaders to follow suit and unite other regions.

During his unity call, he hinted at establishing new political partners in readiness for possible political realignments.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, June 21, 2024 - Hollywood legend, Donald Sutherland has passed on at the age of 88.

Sutherland who appeared in classics like "The Dirty Dozen," "M*A*S*H," "Animal House," "Hunger Games" and many other films, died on Thursday, June 20, in Miami, Florida after a long illness. No cause of death was shared, and the exact details of his passing weren't disclosed either.

His son, Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed the news on Instagram. He wrote;

"With a heavy heart, I tell you that my father, Donald Sutherland, has passed away. I personally think one of the most important actors in the history of film.

"Never daunted by a role, good, bad or ugly. He loved what he did and did what he loved, and one can never ask for more than that. A life well lived."





The late actor was a father to 5 children, including CAA Media Finance exec Roeg Sutherland.

Born in New Brunswick, Canada, Donald studied drama and engineering at Victoria University in Toronto. He later abandoned his engineering aspirations by moving to London, where he enrolled at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art.

In the mid-'60s, Donald broke into the British acting scene, appearing in a number of TV series including "The Saint," "The Sentimental Agent," and others. He then became a staple in war films, thanks to his breakthrough roles in "The Dirty Dozen," "M*A*S*H" and "Kelly's Heroes."

Donald soon became a Hollywood staple with his most notable credits including "Klute," "Don't Look Now," "The Day of the Locust," "Fellini's Casanova," "Invasion of the Body Snatchers," "Ordinary People," "JFK," "Six Degrees of Separation," "The Italian Job," and "Pride & Prejudice."

Donald was married 3 times over his lifetime, with his 3rd marriage to actress Francine Racette lasting over 5 decades. The legendary actor is survived by his aforementioned wife, kids, as well as four grandchildren.




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - Kimilili MP Didmus Barasa is lucky to be alive.

This is after he escaped public lynching after angry residents cornered him at a funeral for voting YES to the contentious Finance Bill 2024.

Barasa was forced to seek refuge after angry protesters in Bungoma stormed a burial he was attending.

The chaos ensued after Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha stood to address the congregation of which Barasa was part.

However, Nakhumichas speech was momentarily cut after a group of armed locals began shouting at Didmus who was seated at the front.

The event quickly turned chaotic after the locals surrounded the MP, seeking to eject him from the event.

While expressing their rage, the residents accused the legislator of betrayal by voting in favour of the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

However, Barasa's bodyguards who were on high alert quickly intervened and flanked the MP to protect him from public outrage.

Upon intervention, Barasa hesitantly rushed out of the event and made cover inside his vehicle even as residents followed him to beat him up.

Barasa was part of the 204 Members of Parliament who voted 'YES' to the contentious bill despite a public call for the legislators to reject it.

The Bungoma incident comes a day after residents in Bondo, Siaya County stormed MP Gideon Ochandas office after he voted in favour of the bill.

While carrying a brown coffin, the locals marched up to the lawmaker's office and began to demand his resignation.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, June 21, 2024 - Africans on X are discussing migration to the West and how it affects men.

It began when an African woman did a video claiming that her husband was asking her to pay him a huge sum for relocating her abroad.

Some male users defended his action and said the money is supposed to be insurance in case of eventualities.

One man then narrated how his uncle's life changed adversely after marrying a Ghanaian woman and taking her to Italy.

He tweeted: "Ma uncle has been in Italy for over 40 years. He came to pick his wife from Ghana go norrr, less than 5 years the woman divorce am make the government take ein house give the woman.

Now hes renting. Now the woman lives in HIS house with another man.




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - Firebrand Kenyan lawyer Miguna Miguna has joined millions of Kenyans in mourning the death of 29-year-old Rex Kanyike Masai.

Rex was shot by a rogue police officer on Thursday when he was protesting against the Finance Bill 2024.

In a statement, Miguna condemned the police, saying Rex's death was cruel and inhumane.

While demanding justice for the youthful posters, Miguna warned of the mother of all battles, arguing that Rex's death must not be in vain.

"This is cruel and inhumane. The barbaric Kenya Police have murdered Rex Kanyike Masai, but he remains a hero and leaves a legacy of courage.

"We demand #Justice4RexKanyike.

"His death must not be in vain. Freedom Fighters: prepare for the Mother of All Battles!" Miguna said.

Dubbed the Day of Rage GenGen-Z and millennials have called for a total shutdown of the country on Tuesday to mourn Kanyike and other demonstrators who were killed by police last week.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 23, 2024  President William Ruto will never have any peace again. This is after the National Council Churches of Kenya (NCCK) okayed the ongoing anti-finance bill protests that have rocked the country.

According to the NCCK Chairperson, Machakos branch, Festus Malua, Zakayo has no choice but to come down.

The council now calls upon the state to relook at the entire bill.

"Let Kenyans picket. Every person has the right, peacefully, unarmed, to assemble, demonstrate picket or to present petitions to the public authorities," Malua stated.

In a joint call to rally behind those who are rejecting the bill, the church is deeply concerned about how the police employed excessive force to restore order during the demonstrations.

This comes a day after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecution (ODPP) gave the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA) three weeks to conclude investigations into the death of a Gen Z protester by the name Rex Masai, who was shot on Thursday within the CBD during the Anti-Finance Bill protests.

Similarly, the Catholic Diocese of Murang'a under Bishop James Wainaina has echoed similar sentiments.

Wainaina urged the police to exercise restraint against using excessive force while restoring order during demonstrations or protests.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, June 21, 2024 - There was wild jubilation among members of the LGBTQ community after a top Namibian court on Friday, June 21, struck down the countrys colonial-era laws criminalising same-sex relationships.

The high court in the capital, Windhoek, declared the crimes of "sodomy" and "unnatural sexual offences" as "unconstitutional and invalid" in a ruling hailed by LGBTQ rights groups.

"We are not persuaded that in a democratic society such as ours it is reasonably justifiable to make an activity criminal just because a segment, maybe a majority, of the citizenry consider it to be unacceptable," the judges wrote.

The judgement overturns laws dating back to 1927, which Namibia inherited from the colonial era but maintained after gaining independence from South Africa in 1990.

"Because of this decision, I no longer feel like a criminal on the run in my own country simply because of who I am," Friedel Dausab, the activist who brought the case, said.

London-based Human Dignity Trust called the ruling "historic".

"LGBT Namibians can now look to a brighter future," said its chief executive, Tea Braun.

The United Nations AIDS program, UNAIDS, said the ruling marked a "significant victory for equality and human rights".

"This decision is a powerful step towards a more inclusive Namibia," said Anne Githuku-Shongwe, UNAIDS regional director for East and Southern Africa.




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - The organizers of the ongoing demonstrations in Kenya have urged parents and guardians nationwide not to take their children to school on Tuesday next week.

Speaking during an X space session where over 55,000 Gen-Z and Millennials met on Saturday, the organizers said 25 June 2024 will be a public holiday to celebrate Rex Kanyike and Evans Kiratu, who were killed by rogue police officers on Thursday during the Anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests.

Kindly we want to urge our parents to be patient as we correctify the governance issues in our country and we humbly request them to keep their children home on Tuesday because we dont want our uneducated police to kill them like Kanyike and Kiratu, said one of the contributors of on the platform.

President William Ruto and Roads and Transport Cabinet Secretary, Kipchumba Murkomen were among government officials who had sneaked into the platform to hear what the Gen-Zs were discussing.

However, the two exited the platform fast after realizing that the youths had decided and they were not afraid or looking back.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 2023 - President William Ruto seems to have panicked over the ongoing Anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests organized by Gen-Z and some millennials.

This is after he was spotted lurking on a social media page that was discussing the way forward as GenZ prepares for the 'Week of Rage' to compel the government to drop the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

Over 55,000 Gen Z and millennials gathered on Twitter Space to discuss critical political matters, particularly the Finance Bill 2024.

Ruto, as his profile stayed on the platform for a little while, was the subject of discussion, with almost all speakers admonishing him over his style of leadership.

The speakers strongly admonished Ruto for supposedly overseeing maladministration and complained about the exploitation of lowly Kenyans grappling with the high cost of living.

However, Ruto's profile disappeared shortly after, indicating his panic upon realizing that many Kenyans, especially young people, were against his leadership.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 23, 2024  President William Ruto has turned to Azimio Leader Raila Odinga for help as Gen Zs threaten to overthrow his government with protests over the contentious Finance Bill 2024.

This comes amid a serious revolution by Gen Zs who have vowed to make Rutos life a living hell if he does not do away with the bill.

In a statement, Ruto, through Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, implored Raila Odinga to rally his members in support of the bill.

According to Cherargei, Raila should show gratitude to Ruto for supporting his AU Chairmanship bid by rallying his troops in support of the contentious bill.

"We are asking Raila to show respect and gratitude. We need these taxes to fund crucial initiatives, including your campaign for the African Union," stated Cheragei.

At the same time, the outspoken senator also accused Azimio of funding the nationwide protests that erupted on Tuesday and Thursday.

However, reports suggest that the demonstrations are neither organized nor funded by any political party.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - For the past two days, the National Police Service has conducted swoops and raids in various Nairobi estates, attempting to arrest the organizers of this week's anti-Finance Bill 2024 protests, which have shocked the presidency to the core.

Some social influencers, led by content creator Billy Simani, popularly known as "Crazy Nairobian," have been arrested and questioned about the organizers of the demonstrations that have left the government rudderless and exposed.

Other social media users and bloggers have been threatened by rogue police officers demanding they name their sponsors.

But many of them are telling the police that the demos are organized by the late billionaire, Jacob Juma.

Juma was assassinated in May 2016 and senior government officials were linked to his death.

Juma had been involved in several high-profile legal cases against the government over failed business deals.

Before his death, he had warned that there was a plot to kill him and even named a senior government official who wanted to send him to his maker.

The Kenyan DAILY POST




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - In what can be described as a show of ignorance and incompetence, government spokesman Isaac Mwaura has accused some Western countries of sponsoring the ongoing demos against the Finance Bill 2024 in the country.

According to Mwaura, those sponsoring the protests are unhappy with President Willia Ruto's recent stand on international matters.

Mwaura pointed out that Ruto's recent statement regarding Russia's invasion of Ukraine is one of the reasons foreign powers were funding the demos

He also claimed Rutos efforts to end reliance on the United States dollar as the main currency for international trade were another reason powerful foreign countries were sponsoring the protests.

"Our president has said a lot of things on the international front, including climate change. He has rallied the whole of Africa to come together, and maybe some people are not happy, Mwaura said.

The other day he talked about the Russian invasion and how it has disrupted Kenya's access to grains and wheat, some people are not happy with that.

"He has been calling for a change in the financial architecture; they dont want us to get out of that slavery," Mwaura added.

Mwaura didnt know that the demos are not funded by anyone but are sponsored by the late billionaire, Jacob Juma!!

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, June 21, 2024 - A father who killed his 5-year-old son after an argument with the child's mother over his paternity was found guilty by the South Gauteng High Court in Johannesburg, South Africa on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Ronald Ngobeni, 29, was found guilty of killing Khayone Rivoningo Capu in Tembisa on October 7, 2022.

National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesperson, Phindi Mjonondwane, explained that on the day of the incident, Ngobeni went to Ivory Park where his son had been living with his mother and grandparents.

He asked his grandparents to go with the boy to the mall where he would buy him clothes and return him later.

However, Ngobeni had other plans. He brutally killed his son and buried him in a shallow grave.

Police launched an investigation after the grandparents reported the child missing. Ngobeni fabricated a story about leaving the child with a vendor, but the vendor denied any involvement, said Mjonondwane.

His decomposed body was eventually found on October, 16 in a shallow grave under a bridge. He had a fatal head injury.

In court, Ngobeni refused to reveal how he had killed the boy.

However, he testified that he killed him because he was angry at his mother and grandmother after they insulted him and told him that the boy was not his child.

He added that the paternity issue caused a lot of fights. He said that at one point they told him that he should kill the child if thats what would make him happy.

Ngobeni said he did exactly as he was told.

The case was postponed to July 15 for mitigation and aggravation arguments.






Sunday, June 23, 2024 - As the debate on the controversial Finance Bill 2024 rages on, a section of UDA politicians faced the wrath of Gen Z influencers during a debate on X Space dubbed Good Morning Kenya: Where is Crazy Nairobian?

Among those who joined the X Space was President William Ruto, Transport Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Senate Majority leader Aaron Cheruiyot, former Nairobi Governor Mike Sonko, State House blogger Dennis Itumbi among others.





However, the President left almost ten seconds after he joined.

Other notable figures in Government who followed the space include Government Spokesperson Isaac Mwaura, and his Deputy Gabriel Muthuma.

Majority of them were kicked out leaving Sonko and the influencers to continue with the debate although Sonko didnt participate in the debate despite being invited to speak.

The discussion was started after police arrested at least five content creators led by Bill Simani alias Crazy Nairobian over claims they had abused some MPs who voted Yes for the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

Murkomen was confronted by the lot after he was invited to speak on issues affecting Kenyans, when one of the hosts, Osama Otero asked, Where is Billy? Thats what we want to hear.

A co-host on the space then told Murkomen that since he had said he was on there to listen to the people, he should tell his 'people' to release Billy.

Youve said you are not aware of it, so tell your people to let go of Billy unconditionally. Billy has done no crime and if they are charging him let them forward the chargesheet, we just need Billy released, he said.

In response, Murkomen said that he was ready to help them if at all they needed his help in finding Billy.

No problem. If you need my help, Im ready.

Murkomen added, I have heard you and I will pass the message to the relevant authorities.

Crazy Nairobian went missing on Friday and his whereabouts remained unknown, but he was released on Saturday after police succumbed to pressure from the public and the Law Society of Kenya.

The space was hosted by the X Influencer Sir-Rap-A-Lot (@Osama_otero), who facilitated the conversation that provided a platform for the youth to express their thoughts and worries on the Finance Bill 2014.




Sunday, June 23, 2024 - Former Kiambu Governor, Ferdinand Waititu, has broken silence after the son of Attorney General Justin Muturi was abducted on Saturday night by suspected state operatives.

Speaking at a church function, Waititu claimed that Muturis son was abducted probably because his father refused to do something dirty that the state wanted.

He said Muturi is a man of integrity, adding that he always stands with the common citizens.

Waititu urged Kenyans to vote out the Kenya Kwanza regime in 2027.

Hii ni serikali ya mateso. Waende nyumbani, he said.

Muturis son, Leslie, was abducted while leaving a club in Lavington.

His car was blocked by masked men dressed in combat.

He was forced out and put into a different car which drove off immediately.

In a video that circulated online on Saturday evening, Embakasi North MP Mark Mwenje alleged that Leslie, whom he described as his friend, was taken out of his car by police officers by the roadside.

Mwenje claimed that they were driving in different cars alongside their other friends in Nairobis Kilimani area when the alleged police stopped Leslies car and took him away in a Land Cruiser.

Ferdinand Waititu says Justin Muturis son was abducted probably because Justin Muturi refused to do something they wanted pic.twitter.com/CXr48uBxmx  Cyprian, Is Nyakundi (@C_NyaKundiH) June 23, 2024

The Kenyan DAILY POST.




Sunday, June 23, 2024  President William Rutos allies have told off Ge Zs for threatening and intimidating MPs who voted in support of the controversial Finance Bill 2024.

This follows outrage by Kenyans, especially young people, calling for the ouster of all MPs who voted YES to the Finance Bill.

The leaders allied to Ruto have defended their decision to support the bill, denouncing calls to oust the Kenya Kwanza MPs for doing the right thing.

Leading the charge, Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot sharply criticized opposition legislators from Raila Odingas Azimio for opposing the bill.

Speaking in Kericho County, Cheruiyot urged MPs who voted in favour to stand resolute and not succumb to intimidation as the bill heads to the committee stage for amendments.

"Those MPs who voted in favour of the Finance Bill, let no one threaten you.

"You stood with the future of this country, ensuring our young people will not face the same debt battles we are grappling with now.

"You are laying a strong foundation for a self-reliant nation," asserted Cheruiyot.

Echoing Cheruiyot's sentiments, Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei also addressed the fallout from the National Assembly's vote to advance the Finance Bill 2024 to the Committee of the Whole House.

He implored opposition leader Raila Odinga to rally his members in support of the bill, citing gratitude for President Ruto's support of Odingas bid for the AU Commission.

"We are asking Raila to show respect and gratitude. We need these taxes to fund crucial initiatives, including your campaign for the African Union," stated Cherargei.

The Kenyan DAILY POST






Friday, June 21, 2024 - An American man who recently visited West Africa has said that people in the part of the world, are starting to live better lives than those in America, and he gave reasons.

The man, who is a real estate investment adviser, explained that it is better to be doing well in Africa than to be doing well in America.

He said those who are well-to-do in Africa enjoy a better quality of life and own things in their name.

On the other hand, those in America who seem to be doing well are drowning in debt and most of the things they own have not been fully paid for.

He said it felt like a culture shock when he returned to America after visiting Africa.

"If you're doing really well in your life, it is better to be doing really well in Africa than it is to be in America," he said.

He said that rich people in Africa are a lot more relaxed, generous, and can take time off work for leisure.

However, the rich people in America can't because once they do, the bills pile up.

He said, "It shows kind of why I feel West Africa is the future because here people are putting up an appearance of being rich, well-to-do, but it's fueled by debt and it's fueled by them working two jobs.

"Your husband and wife are both working high-paying jobs, 50 hours a week each and doing all of that just to create this facade.

"Whereas in West Africa, once these guys have made it, they're living good lives, they're having that balance of life, and they're not killing themselves."

Watch the video below.






Friday, June 21, 2024 - The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced a resurgence of cholera cases in several regions of the world, with almost 195,000 cases and over 1,900 deaths reported in 24 countries since the start of this year.

This was revealed in a statement on Thursday, June 20.

WHO announced that its Eastern Mediterranean Region reported the highest number of cases, followed by the African Region, the Region of the Americas, the Southeast Asia Region, and the European Region.

WHO, in the statement also disclosed that there are no reported cases in the Western Region.

The UN health agency said it exhausted its global stockpile of Oral Cholera Vaccines (OCV) by March but was able to exceed the emergency target of five million doses in early June for the first time in 2024.

Yet, the supply of the vaccine does not equate to its demand.

WHO reported that since January last year, 16 countries requested 92 million doses of OCV almost double the 49 million produced during that time.

WHO, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF), and other partners are working together to use resources to find long-term solutions for cholera.

WHO also announced on Thursday that Chad successfully eradicated sleeping sickness as a public health problem.

WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus also applauded the Government and people of Chad for eradicating the gambiense form of human African trypanosomiasis, (also known as sleeping sickness).

I congratulate the government and the people of Chad for this achievement.

It is great to see Chad join the growing group of countries that have eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease (NTD), he said.
Labor shortages have become a pressing concern across the health care sector, with the nurse staffing crisis looming large over hospitals and health systems nationwide.

A report from the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission illuminated the severity of the workforce challenges, revealing a doubling of vacancy rates for registered nurses in the states hospitals from 2019 to 2022. Despite concerted efforts, the problem persists, with health systems still resorting to costly pandemic measures to fill staffing gaps, including offering temporary nurses wages nearly 90 percent higher than those of employed nurses.

In the face of these daunting challenges, the imperative for innovative solutions has never been clearer. Addressing the nurse staffing crisis requires fundamentally reevaluating traditional assumptions, particularly regarding how hospitals utilize registered nurses (RNs). At Emerson Hospital, where I work, we undertook just such a transformative approach, demonstrating the power of proactive and creative thinking in ensuring sustainable patient care.

From the start, two things were clear. First, no cadre of registered nurses was waiting to rush to our open positions. We needed to work with what we had. Second, we needed a long-term solution.

We started at the most basic level: looking at the day-to-day work of our nurses and where we could provide opportunities to free up some of their time. We immediately recognized the tremendous volume of daily tasks nurses are charged with, tasks that dont require an RN. That led us to our next revelation  we could use the traveler nurse market to our advantage. Leveraging the traveler market of acute care LPNs (versus higher-cost RNs), we tested several new models of care through a blended approach. RNs and LPNs worked in various teams through this model to deliver care. Their goal was to allow the RNs to practice to the highest level of their license while reducing task-based work.

It worked, but we were still at the whim of outside vendors. So, we went a step further down our talent supply chain.

Knowing that our new solution would eventually be pressured by the market, we saw the imperative of creating our own pipeline of health care workers.

We launched a new partnership and placement program with local high schools, creating pathways for aspiring health care professionals to enter the field and contribute to the future of nursing. Those partnerships are connecting local students with good jobs, and they are building our future workforce.

As we confront the complexities of the nurse staffing crisis, it is imperative that we continue to challenge conventional assumptions and embrace innovative approaches to workforce management.

All of our programs may seem simple, but their impact is tremendous. The transformative potential of rethinking established norms and forging new pathways toward a sustainable future for health care delivery is within reach.

Mark Mahnfeldt is a health care executive.
Two women were injured in a hit-and-run incident in Newry, police have said.

Officers were called to an incident after they received a report that a white BMW X5 was stolen from outside a house in the Dublin Road area of Cloghoge on Sunday morning.

A PSNI spokesman said: It was reported that the homeowner found the front door of their house open shortly before 10am, with the car keys and other items taken.

We believe this may have occurred shortly before 7.30am.

Officer later received a report that two women were struck by a white BMW X5 in the Martins Lane area of Newry at around 8.25am.

Police said the vehicle then made off and one of the women, aged in her 60s, was taken to hospital for treatment for her injuries.

Officers remain at the scene of the road traffic collision, conducting inquiries.

They have appealed to anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the Dublin Road area of Cloghoge around 7am this morning, or who witnessed the road traffic collision in the Martins Lane area to contact them on 101.

We would also appeal to anyone who seen a white BMW X5 acting suspiciously in the Newry area to contact us, the spokesman added.
The leader of the Green Party in Northern Ireland has defended his decision to run in the Westminster elections only months after he became a senator of Irelands Parliament.

Mal OHara, who is running in the North Belfast constituency, said there would be no problem in him taking the seat if he was voted in on July 4.

The former Belfast City councillor was elected as a senator in the Republic of Ireland in April after he replaced Senator Niall O Donnghaile of Sinn Fein.

Mr OHara said that while he knew the General Election would happen this year, he said that Rishi Sunak surprised many when he called it so early.

Ive just had my feet under the table at the Seanad. We are moving forward with law, legislation, attempts to make positive changes for people right across the island, he told BBCNI Sunday Politics show.

I think in North Belfast, the Greens wanted me to stand as the most high-profile member and to offer people an alternative on a unique policy plan.

Asked if he would take his seat if successful in next months elections, Mr OHara said: Yes, if the people of North Belfast chose me. I think we have a number of Seanad and TD (Dail) by-elections after the results of the European Parliament (election).

If I was to be successful in North Belfast, that would be no problem with me taking the seat and a by-election being held.

I think people will want to see me standing as offering a unique policy platform. Were talking about issues that others are not.

Were talking about a wealth tax. Greens across the UK are suggesting thats a way to fix our broken public services.

That means the richest 1%, those worth more than 3.4 million, need to pay a little bit more on taxation, which means we can rebuild public services, build social housing to avoid the housing crisis in the UK and of course then fund the climate transition to net zero society.

Mr OHara also refused to back either of the Green candidates running to take the partys leadership role in the Republic.

Earlier this week, Green leader Eamon Ryan said he was resigning from his role.

It spawned a leadership contest within the coalition party where Integration Minister Roderic OGorman and Senator Pippa Hackett, who holds the title of Minister of State at the Department of Agriculture, have emerged as contenders.

With new leadership and new energy coming into the party, nominations are open until 9pm tomorrow night for deputy leader and leader, Mr OHara added.

Well see who the runners and riders are on, and we have over 600 members who will be able to vote.

Historically, I havent endorsed either as leader or deputy leader and Ill probably maintain that should that candidate field become clear by Monday.
Since the backlash over Vice-Chancellor Jan Thomas cancelling Don Brashs speech to the Politics Society, Massey University has tried to claim it had nothing to do with his views, and it was purely because of concerns over security.

Documents released under the OIA show this to be a blatant lie.

On the 9th of July at 10.37 am the Massey Manawatu Politics Club informed the VC of events with Don Brash, Simon Bridges and Chris Bishop. She was invited to attend as an observer. The invite said the structure is informal, more a one to one chat over the experiences and future aspirations of the politicians.

That same day at 4.05 pm the VCs assistant tells the VC she isnt free on any of those dates/times.

Jan Thomas replied:

She labels Brash as racist and asks what restrictions they have to stop him. She regards using university facilities as being tactic endorsement of his views (which is ridiculous) and states that a te tiriti led university cant be seen to be endorsing racist behaviours.

She asks for advise on what they can do to manage or minimise.

The next day she again e-mails:

Here she asks for options on now allowing the event on campus. Again she labels Brash racist (for opposing race based seats!) and says she wants to cut it off at the pass somehow.

She ironically worries about media coverage if they ban Brash, which she did.

On the 11th of July a staffer says there are no grounds to say no:

So the staffer tells the VC that there are no grounds to decline the event and doing so would be seen as restricting free speech. She knew this and did it anyway!

The VC responds:

Here the VC ask for mechanisms that can be used to stop the event such as financial agreements with clubs and societies.

We also get an insight into their views in this e-mail from a staffer:

So this staffer thinks free speech is just a shield used by colonial racists and conservative commentators. Hunt that fascists down. They must be silenced.

And here we have the smoking bullet on 13 July:

Here the VC says allow Brash to speak will clash with the te Tiriti led ambition and affect their Maori colleagues. She asks if funding can be used to pressure the student associations. And she concludes:

She says explicitly she wants it stopped.

There is no doubt that Massey University is lying and treating us as fools when they now try and claim it was purely about security. They have become a university without integrity and without free speech.

And here she talks about refusing entry:

And all this is before any security issues were raised.

The OIA release shows that Massey University has leadership that is hostile to free speech and believes that anyone who has a view different to them on the Treaty of Waitangi has no place at Massey University.

Is this a university you want to study at?

Is this a university you want to donate money to?

Most of all the OIA release shows how dishonest they have been. It was always clear that the security concerns were a trojan horse. But these e-mails shows that the VC was determined to cancel the events weeks before any security issues were raised.

The Council of Massey University should be very concerned about the reputation of Massey.

UPDATE1: I cant see any way out of this for Massey while the VC continues. She appears to have lied to the chair of her own academic board. This is what the academic board chair e-mailed colleagues:

Distinguished Professor Sally Morgan Chair of Academic Board Meeting with the Vice-Chancellor. In light of the public accusations that Massey University is not committed to the Principle of Free Speech, I asked to meet with the Vice-Chancellor in my capacity as Chair of Academic Board, to gain reassurances that this is not the case, and to discuss the recent controversy caused by the cancellation of the Don Brash lecture which was to be hosted by the Students Political Club. I did this because I wanted to fully understand the facts of the case and what, if any, impact it might have on the business of the Board. I was not finding the public debate and the emotional speculation on social media and in the press very helpful and needed to know more before I could happily form an opinion. The Vice-Chancellor agreed to meet me and to answer my questions. She began by assuring me that she was committed to free speech and the notion of the University as well-informed and scholarly, Conscience and Critic of Society. I asked the Vice-Chancellor how long she had been aware of Dr Brashs proposed lecture before she took the decision to cancel the lease of the room to the students. She told me that she had been aware of the event for many weeks and had been invited to attend. The students had also informed her that their planned programme of talks would include politicians from all New Zealands major political parties. My understanding from what Professor Thomas told me, is that she had not considered cancelling the event at any point during that period, because she had no pressing reason to do so. She did not deny that she does not agree with Dr Brashs views, but she pointed out that she had not at any stage banned him from campus nor insisted that the students disinvite him. Professor Thomas told me that the situation changed when she was shown a thread on social media where there was a discussion of a plan to violently disrupt the talk, making mention of bringing a gun. I can confirm that I have seen a screen-capture of the comments. A gun was indeed mentioned. It was not something that I, if I found myself in her position, would be able to take lightly. The Vice-Chancellor told me that, in the light of the concern for the physical well-being of the community, her office arranged a meeting with the Police. The Police were not able to respond as quickly as the Vice-Chancellor had hoped and so she took the decision to cancel the lease on the room in order to ensure the safety of students and staff, and indeed Dr Brash himself. At the end of my discussion with the Vice-Chancellor I felt reassured that the Brash talk was cancelled for legitimate safety reasons, not as a deliberate suppression of free speech, and Professor Thomass decisions were made with integrity, based on the information she had to hand at the time. I came away thinking that Professor Thomas did not find herself in an easy situation, and that her decision was not an unequivocal assault on free speech as it has been characterised. I felt that the worst that might be levelled at her was that she had been over-cautious in the face of threats of violence. This seems to me to be an operational matter, not an academic one.

The parts in bold are clearly shown to be false by the e-mails released under the OIA. The Vice-Chancellor has lied to the Chair of Masseys own Academic Board. She said she had not considered cancelling the event at any point during that period when in fact she started to look at ways to cancel it within hours of being told about it.

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Welcome words: The city is not looking at emergency demolition. We are looking at emergency stabilization. The words come from Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown, speaking on the immediate fate of two historic buildings in downtowns Cobblestone District, at 110 and 118 South Park Avenue. They both date from the 19th century, with 110 dating to the pre-Civil War era. On Tuesday, a fire of unknown cause inflicted even more damage on these long-suffering structures.

Yes, it is good news that the City of Buffalo will, for once, be working with preservationists and historians to save Buffalos heritage. If only this were always the case. An even more fervent wish is that negligent owners like Darryl Carr, who has failed to maintain these buildings for more than 10 years, werent allowed to get away with such flagrant disregard of the citys historic built environment.

The Cobblestone District has both local and national historic preservation designations; the local designation had been in place 15 years before Carr bought the properties. He knew what he was getting into.

In successive court appearances that go back to at least 2011, Carr has been repeatedly ordered by Housing Court Judge Patrick M. Carney to fix and mothball these buildings, but the owner has ignored every court order  with impunity.

In December, 2022, the City of Buffalo took the unusual step of initiating eminent domain proceedings so that it could force the sale of the buildings. It was right to do so. It makes no sense to leave these properties in this uncaring owners hands any longer.

Now, with the eminent domain legal proceedings making their way through court  Carr has an appeal in process  the buildings are in a more precarious state than ever before. Thankfully, the city means business. As the News Mark Sommer reports, Brown is working with architect Steven Carmina, developer Sam Savarino, Preservation Buffalo Niagara and others to discuss next steps for the historic structures.

These are the right people to work with. They have combined expertise and experience that stretches the length and breadth of Western New York, with many successful rehab/reuse projects accomplished along the way. If Carr had brought these experts in earlier on in the process  Savarino offered to buy and rehab the buildings years agowe wouldnt be where we are now.

The hope is that eminent domain will be upheld and plans for rehabbing and reusing the structures can proceed. Despite their dilapidated state, there is great potential here for creating a heritage tourism destination.

These buildings saw the heyday of Buffalos bustling harbor scene and they lend authenticity to the popular Canalside and Cobblestone area. They would surely be of great interest to tourists and locals, if fixed up. There is still an opportunity to bring the properties into positive territory and the city is to be commended for holding firm to a preservation mission.

Would it be too much to hope that this example could lead to an ongoing plan for preservation that might avoid such last-gasp efforts? Its long past time for a survey and catalog of Buffalos historic properties, noting especially those on or eligible for the National Historic Register and those in imminent danger. Demolition practices and laws should be compared with whats worked well in other cities around the country. There should be policies that help make sure buildings just dont get to this point.

Its been a rough week. The city lost a cultural icon and beloved local watering hole, the Old Pink at 223 Allen Street to fire early Monday morning. On Tuesday, many of the same firefighters from the Allen Street battle were on the scene in the Cobblestone District, where another part of Buffalos heritage was threatened.

Whatever happens, we owe these firefighters our thanks. Gratitude is also due to those who are fighting to save Buffalos history for future generations.

Whats your opinion? Send it to us at lettertoeditor@buffnews.com. Letters should be a maximum of 300 words and must convey an opinion. The column does not print poetry, announcements of community events or thank you letters. A writer or household may appear only once every 30 days. All letters are subject to fact-checking and editing.
North Korea is expected to hold a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) this week to review policy performances in the first half, amid attention over whether it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty signed with Russia.

In May, the WPK's politburo decided to hold a plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee in late June to review progress in its economic and other projects in the first half, without disclosing other details, such as the date of the meeting.

North Korea usually holds a party plenary meeting for a few days in June. But the upcoming gathering draws more attention due to the possibility that it could discuss detailed measures to expand cooperation with Russia following its signing with Moscow of the treaty of comprehensive strategic partnership.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday and clinched the sweeping treaty that calls for providing military assistance without delay if either comes under attack.

Article 4 of the 23-point treaty could be seen as warranting automatic military intervention in the event of aggression on either country. That would amount to the restoration of a Cold War-era alliance for the first time in 28 years since a mutual defense treaty was scrapped in 1996.

The treaty also indicates North Korea and Russia could join hands in resisting international sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. Article 16 of the treaty calls for both sides to oppose "unilateral coercive measures of an extraterritorial nature."

The new pact specifies science and technology, space, the peaceful use of nuclear power and artificial intelligence as among the areas for cooperation. This raises concerns that North Korea and Russia's cooperation in such fields could assist the North's development of weapons of mass destruction banned under U.N. sanctions.

Whether North Korea would ratify the treaty at the WPK meeting will also garner attention. Under the North's constitution, an "important treaty" can be ratified or scrapped solely by its leader Kim, though the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the North's parliament, approves ordinary treaties.

After this week's party plenary meeting, North Korea is widely expected to hold a key session of the SPA in a bid to revise the constitution. The North's leader earlier called for revising the constitution to define South Korea as the North's "primary foe" and clarify its territorial boundaries, including the maritime border.

Experts said at this week's WPK meeting, Kim may issue a message critical of the United States and South Korea over the allies' joint military drills scheduled for August.

Seoul and Washington plan to stage the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) in August, which the North has long denounced as a rehearsal for northern invasion.

Separately, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Saturday in a show of force against North Korea's military threats. The U.S., South Korea and Japan will hold their first-ever trilateral multidomain exercise later this month. (Yonhap)
News / National

by Staff reporter

The Carter Centre, an international NGO monitoring elections, was recently de-registered by the Zimbabwean government. Now, it is reportedly considering an alliance with the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) to continue its activities in Zimbabwe. However, the government has warned that such a partnership would be illegal.Foreign organizations in Zimbabwe must be registered with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare and fall under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Once de-registered, these organizations cannot legally partner with any local entities.Deputy Chief Secretary George Charamba emphasized that local organizations should verify the status of foreign entities with relevant authorities before collaborating. He warned that partnering with de-registered organizations breaches national security laws. Local entities must ensure that foreign partners are properly cleared and registered to avoid conflicts with the government.ZESN executive director Ms. Rindai Chipfunde-Vava denied any current collaboration with the Carter Centre, stating that they only met during the election observation period. The Carter Centre and other Western observer missions were previously accused by the government of having a predetermined negative assessment of the harmonised elections.
By Yi Whan-woo

Jung Hee-chan, an instructor at Korea Customs Services (KCS) Detector Dog Training Center, describes the partnership between a handler and a sniffer dog at the KCS as close enough to sense and share each others emotions just through the leash.

And building such partnership did not happen overnight, Jung underlined, stressing it owes to nearly 40 years of skills and expertise passed on through generations of detector dog trainers after Korea received six bomb-sniffing dogs donated from the United States in preparation for the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

"And I am grateful to all these devoted trainers who have served before me, as the KCS's detector dog training is highly recognized in the world, and it makes me proud to serve the country and its people," he told The Korea Times in a telephone interview last week.

Jung referred to the World Customs Organization designating the KCS Detector Dog Training Center in 2021 as the hub of K-9 training in the Asia-Pacific region.

Also, Korea donated sniffer dogs to Thailand in 2023, marking the first case of such a donation in its history.

Under the circumstances, Jung, 31, having served for almost six years at the KCS, represents a pool of young handlers who have successfully absorbed the skills and expertise the KCS has accumulated over the past decades.

The agency currently has 96 sniffer dogs, which are mainly tasked with narcotic detection, while explosives detection also remains crucial.

Fifty-six of the 96 dogs are based at Detector Dog Training Center. The other 22 are at Incheon International Airport, while the remaining dogs are assigned at other Korean air and sea ports of entry, including Gimpo, Pyeongtaek, Gimhae, Daegu, Gunsan, Gwangju and Jeju.

Of the 96, Jung's partner Aero, a labrador retriever, detected 1 gram of cocaine hidden inside the wallet of a passenger who was entering Incheon International Airport from the U.S. in October 2023.

Such a dose of cocaine, according to Jung, is highly undetectable, especially as the suspected smuggler had the wallet under a pile of other travel items in the luggage he was carrying.

"My partner previously detected drugs numerous times, but even so, finding a tiny dose of cocaine made me think again about how advanced the KCS is in training dogs to utilize their acute sense of smell," Jung said.

Asked about the advantage of having a dog as a partner at workplace instead of a human, he answered "being able to work in harmony as if we were a single entity."

"I don't necessarily make an order to Aero, as in a vertical relationship between a guardian and a pet as well as a superior and a subordinate, because we've been together for years, and we understand what we want instantly," he said.

"The fact that a detector dog spends most of its life with a handler before retirement also means handlers treat their partner in a respectful and thoughtful manner."
By Lee Kyung-min

Hana Financial Group Chairman Ham Young-joo met with Alex Heath, head of Australia's Climate and Energy Division under the Commonwealth Treasury, in the latest efforts to identify joint green investment and business opportunities with investors in Oceania, the group said Sunday.

The meeting came during Ham's three-day visit to Australia from Wednesday to Friday. It was his first investor relations activity in Oceania organized at the request of Hana's major institutional equity investors keen to understand the group's global environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) growth initiatives. The back-to-back meetings followed one in Hong Kong.

Foreign investors, Hana said, showed interest in Korea's Corporate Value-up Program, a financial drive of the Yoon Suk Yeol administration to reinvigorate the stagnant local equity market defined by chronic undervaluation.

The two discussed green finance investments mediated by Australia's Clean Energy Finance Corp., the world's largest green bank. A green bank is a financial institution, typically public or quasi-public, that spearheads public-private partnerships to advance clean, innovative financing techniques and market development.

Heath assessed Hana Financial's ESG management highly, both in Korea and overseas.

The group's climate change action plans were in line with global ESG drives, she said, a feat highlighted further by its efforts to tackle Korea's low birthrates and youth unemployment as well as social responsibility programs to aid the underprivileged.

Of significant note is the Sydney branch of Hana Bank, the group's bank subsidiary, as recognized by the government of Australia as well as market participants at large for leading ESG finance.

The branch's sustainability-linked loans, green loans and renewables investments are practices exemplary of sustainable financial services, she said.

The Sydney branch is a participant in Australia's government-led Smart Meter Project whereby meters will be replaced with remote control electronic systems to bolster energy efficiency and save costs.

Hana Financial has, she added, made great strides in climate change responses and ESG practices, achieving nearly 45 percent of its medium- to long-term strategic goals in just three years after the declaration of the group's carbon neutrality objectives.

"We hope Hana Financial, a major global financial market player in Australia, will continue to fortify investments and cooperation opportunities with Australia," she said.

Ham in response said the group is "committed to collaborative efforts to advance carbon neutrality and value creation."
Korea's car exports are forecast to reach a record high this year, driven by solid demand for eco-friendly models and sport utility vehicles, an industry association said Sunday.

According to the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association (KAMA), the country's car exports are projected to grow 5.4 percent on-year to $74.7 billion in 2024, an all-time high.

The amount is expected to come to $98 billion if taken together with expected auto component sales in the global market.

During the first five months of this year, car exports rose 4.7 percent on-year to $30.8 billion, a record figure for any cited period ever, government data showed.

"Car exports are expected to enjoy solid growth in the second half, led by strong demand from the North American market and the rising popularity of domestic makers' SUVs and hybrid models," the report read.

KAMA chief Kang Nam-hoon called for efforts to maintain the stable labor-management relationship, the introduction of flexible working systems and policy support to ensure stable shipments amid geopolitical instability to continue the export growth momentum.

But domestic sales of cars are expected to fall 5.9 percent on-year to 1.65 million units in 2024 on weak domestic demand and a high base effect.

Domestic production is forecast to inch down 0.1 percent to 4.24 million this year, according to the report. (Yonhap)
Korea's top 4 conglomerates take up 40% of GDP in 2023
Two major hospitals run by the Seoul city government are forecast to suffer losses of nearly 90 billion won ($71.9 million) this year due to the prolonged walkout by trainee doctors, officials said Sunday.

The two municipal hospitals, Seoul Medical Center and Boramae Medical Center, are projected to suffer 89.7 billion won in losses combined this year if striking trainee doctors do not return to work and their operation disruptions continue through the year-end, according to the city government.

Trainee doctors nationwide have walked off the job since late February in protest of the government's increase of the medical school admission quota that aims to address the shortage of doctors.

Of 203 doctors at Seoul Medical Center, 22 percent were trainee doctors, and the proportion at the Boramae hospital came to 33.9 percent.

The walkout caused the operation of their hospital beds to drop by more than 20 percent each, and the number of outpatients in the Boraemae hospital fell more than 10 percent.

The city government said it plans to inject 45.6 billion won to support them in an effort to prevent the medical service vacuum from worsening.

The hospitals activated an emergency management mode and have implemented cost-cutting measures.

"The decision to inject the city budget was inevitable to ensure that they provide necessary medical services for citizens. We will work hard to persuade trainee doctors to end their strike," an official said.

Despite strong opposition from doctors, the government late last month finalized an admissions quota hike of some 1,500 students for medical schools, marking the first such increase in 27 years. (Yonhap)
Yearly accomplishments shed light on innovative public service delivery around world

By Lee Hyo-jin

A total of 15 government and local authorities worldwide, including the Seoul Metropolitan Government, will be honored with the 2024 United Nations Public Service Awards (UNPSA) for their innovative public service delivery.

Launched in 2003, the annual awards promote effectiveness, transparency and inclusiveness to achieve the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It highlights the creative achievements and contributions of public institutions addressing the social, economic and environmental needs of society.

Throughout the past two decades, the awards have gathered more than 500 global initiatives, showcasing the vital role of public service innovation in promoting sustainable development and inclusivity.

This year's awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, the last day of the U.N. Public Service Forum, which Korea will host from Monday to Wednesday. The forum will be held in Songdo, Incheon, bringing together government officials and academia to discuss ways to transform and innovate the public sector, focusing on digital transformation and artificial intelligence.

The UNPSA organizers announced the list of winners, Sunday.

The awards will be presented in three categories  innovation in public institutions, gender-responsive public services and tackling climate change.

Below are 10 winners and five honorable mentions that have implemented new solutions to provide services to the public while advancing SDGs.

Innovations in public institutions

Sao Paulo City Hall in Brazil is among the five winners in the innovation in public institutions category, recognized for its Libras Intermediation Center (CIL), which helps deaf people communicate in Brazilian Sign Language (Libras) when accessing municipal public services.

Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action was awarded for its BQ-Portal, an online work and knowledge-sharing platform that pools relevant information on foreign professional qualifications and vocational training systems.

Additionally, Latvia's State Chancellery received an award for its unified portal for the development and agreement of draft legal acts. This e-government system manages draft legal acts from initial conception to adoption and provides a centralized platform for all government agencies and enables consultation of draft acts by stakeholders.

The Western Cape Government of South Africa was recognized for its citizen-centric digital transformation, which allows citizens to access government services through digital infrastructure projects like free public Wi-Fi hotspots and broadband at schools, libraries and hospitals.

Thailand's Chulalongkorn University, in collaboration with various government departments, was honored for its Academic Insight into Action for Pandemic Response, through which it managed to develop a new system for early detection of disease outbreaks based on wastewater analysis.

Three honorable mentions in this category include Colombia's High District Counseling Office for ICT's User Experience Improvement in Care Blocks, the Provincial Government of Manabi in Ecuador for Manabi 2030 Collaborative Innovations, and the e-Government Authority of Tanzania for e-Mrejesho, a platform that centralizes the process of receiving citizen complaints, inquiries and feedback.

Gender-responsive public services

The Seoul Metropolitan Government of Korea was the sole winner in the gender-responsive public services category. It gained recognition for its comprehensive policy to combat digital sex crimes, consisting of three specific strategies, including a one-stop support system for victims.

This initiative was launched in response to the "Nth Room" case revealed in March 2020, in which hundreds of women and girls were coerced into making sexually exploitative photos and videos sold to at least 60,000 people.

The comprehensive response plan consists of four stages: prevention via education and public campaigns, creation of an early intervention process for timely reporting and response, support for victims through counseling and recurrence prevention by providing counseling for perpetrators.

Three honorable mentions in this category are Salvador City Hall of Brazil for "Marias in Construction," which helps women who have been victims of violence enter the job market, focusing on civil construction; Indonesia's Semarang City Government for its innovative approach to equal rights for maternal and child health; and the Portuguese Ministry of National Defence's Action Plan, which institutionalizes a gender perspective within national defense.

Tackling climate change

Three winners were recognized in the special category of tackling climate change.

Indonesia's Ministry of Environment and Forestry was awarded for its Vulnerability Index Data Information System (SIDIK), which provides data and information on climate vulnerability and risks down to the village level throughout Indonesia.

Jordan's Greater Amman Municipality was honored for its urban regeneration project aimed at improving living conditions in disadvantaged areas in Amman. The project pilots the introduction of green infrastructure elements in selected sites in East Amman to enhance residents quality of life through community participation in the research, design, and management of the new or revived green infrastructure networks.

Portugal's Lousa Municipality received an award for its See H2O initiative, which implements a new vision for water management in an urban context. This municipal strategy aims to add value to water resources throughout the urban cycle in a town located on the periphery of Lisbon.
With just 6 years left until 2030 SDGs deadline, role of governments and public services are becoming more important, says Ban Ki-moon

By Lee Hyo-jin

The upcoming United Nations Public Service Forum will be an opportunity for Korea to showcase the exemplary cases and innovative achievements of its public services, according to former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

"In recent years, Korea has emerged as a leading country in government innovation, including the development of digital government. Among U.N. member states, Korea has established itself as a model country for disseminating exemplary administrative practices," Ban said during a recent interview with The Korea Times.

He mentioned that Korea ranked third in the 2022 U.N. E-Government Development Index (EGDI), remaining in the top three for the seventh consecutive time since 2010 in the biennially announced index.

Korea will host the 2024 U.N. Public Service Forum from Monday to Wednesday in Songdo, Incheon, west of Seoul. This is the first time in five years since the 2019 session in Azerbaijan that the forum will be held in person, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Under the theme "Fostering Innovation Amid Global Challenges: A Public Sector Perspective," the upcoming forum will gather international leaders to discuss and celebrate advancements in public service.

"The world, including our country, is still not free from the aftermath of COVID-19. We are facing increasing instability and uncertainty due to severe climate change-related disasters, the war in Ukraine, geopolitical conflicts in various regions and deepening economic inequality," the former U.N. chief said.

"Amid these challenging circumstances, the significance of this forum lies in discussing the role and necessity of government in achieving a sustainable future through innovation in public administration."

Ban also noted that the event will provide momentum to address Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17  revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.

"In particular, with just six years remaining to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the role of government and the purpose of public services are becoming increasingly important. There is a strong global demand to redefine the future and role of public administration," he said.

"The climate crisis is exacerbating rapidly, and billions of people around the world are suffering health, food, water and migration crises, and losing their cultural identity... No matter how powerful or resourceful one may be, they cannot do it alone. We need to strengthen global partnerships. We need all hands on deck."

On that note, he emphasized that Korea should continue to increase its commitment to official development assistance (ODA), saying, "Korea rose from the ashes of the Korean War thanks to aid from the United States and European nations. It is the only country in the world that transitioned from a recipient to a donor country."

Ban found it encouraging that the Yoon Suk Yeol administration has notably increased the ODA budget.

The Korean government set this year's budget for ODA at a record high of 6.3 trillion won ($4.7 billion), a 31.1 percent increase from the previous year, in line with efforts to take full responsibility and play a leading role as a global leader. The budget has been divided among nearly 2,000 ODA projects through 47 government agencies, including humanitarian crisis response projects in countries affected by war and disasters, infrastructure-related assistance and health care assistance.

The former U.N. secretary-general also expressed hopes that the upcoming U.N. Public Service Forum will shed light on the growing importance of women and youth empowerment in the public service sector.

"Womens empowerment was one of my top priorities when I was serving as the secretary-general. I made tremendous efforts to break the glass ceiling for women," he said. "I still remain a vocal advocate for women's rights and gender equality. In my view, women are highly creative, have great potential and possess a strong sense of duty."

During his tenure, he successfully advocated for the creation in 2010 of U.N. Women, a major U.N. entity that consolidates the international organization's work in achieving gender equality. Ban's advocacy for womens rights and gender equality was further demonstrated in 2014 when he appointed Maj. Gen. Kristin Lund as the Force Commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force in Cyprus, the first female commander of a U.N. peacekeeping force.

Ban also highlighted the critical importance of youth empowerment.

"Currently, young people around the world are in a very unstable environment politically, economically and socially. They place high value in 'fairness' and 'balance between work and life,' but we are not seeing drastic changes in public administration and corporate cultures," he said.

"The growth and advancement of young people are critical elements for enhancing national competitiveness and providing vitality to society as a whole. I believe that the government should implement proactive and continuous policies to help young people solve real-world problems, plan their futures. I hope these topics are discussed extensively at the forum."
A prominent U.S. expert has made an emphatic call for the Group of Seven (G7) to consider its membership expansion to include Korea, touting the Asian democracy's "trustworthiness," performance and potential role to add diversity to the club of the world's leading industrialized nations.

Victor Cha, senior vice president for Asia and Korea Chair at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the case, stressing the need for G7 leaders to pursue "serious" reforms to enhance the group's capabilities, effectiveness and legitimacy.

His call came as the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol has sought Korea's role as a "global pivotal state" to contribute more to address a growing list of global issues in tune with the country's enhanced global stature.

"The G7 must transform from an old boys club of financiers chatting about monetary policy to a coalition of action-oriented, like-minded partners inspired to sustain the rules-based international order by addressing issues ranging from Ukraine to digital security," Cha said in an opinion piece that he contributed to Yonhap News Agency on Saturday.

"To do this, G7 leaders must consider serious reforms that enhance the group's capabilities, effectiveness, and legitimacy. Expanded membership to include Korea would be an important step in the right direction," he added.

His op-ed came after the leaders of the G7  Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the United States  held a summit in Italy earlier this month.

Yoon was not invited there as the host country, which has sole authority on the guest list, focused on migration among other main issues. He attended the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, last year.

"But it is self-evident that Korea should not only be invited to the G7, but also that it should become a permanent member," he said.

Cha corroborated his case for Korea's entry into the G7 forum, cataloguing a series of examples that highlight South Korea's growing capacity and role on the global stage.

In particular, he cited a recent CSIS report that shows Seoul can contribute to the G7's expanded agenda of global issues, including economic security, digital competitiveness, climate change, food security, nonproliferation and Ukraine.

"Korea is ranked above Italy and just below Japan in total performance," he said, citing the report. "On digital competitiveness, Korea is ranked higher than all G7 members except the U.S. and U.K. And on Ukraine, Korea last year was one of the largest suppliers of humanitarian assistance."

Cha also said that Korea offers the combination of "trustworthiness" and "effectiveness," which G7 leaders value as the hallmark of their group.

He then pointed out that Korea's status meets the G7 "bar."

"Korea's is an advanced industrialized democracy, an OECD member, and is the first former aid recipient to become a member of the OECD's donor club," he said, referring to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Cha also said that Korea would add "diversity" to the G7 forum in "numerous ways."

"The inclusion of more views from Asia is critical to the future of the G7 if it is to be a leader in global affairs," he said. "The entirety of the vast region of Asia is currently represented by only one country, Japan."

He noted that Japan is the "outspoken" opponent against Korea joining the G7.

"The reasons for this opposition are unclear," he said. "It stems not just from the desire to hold the sole seat from Asia, but also a sense of entitlement as historically, the region's sole great power." (Yonhap)
Korea, the United States and Japan plan to hold their first industry ministerial meeting in Washington this week to discuss ways of strengthening three-way cooperation on supply chains and economic security, Seoul's industry ministry said Sunday.

Korean Industry Minister Ahn Duk-geun, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Japanese Trade Minister Ken Saito are scheduled to hold the industry ministerial talks in Washington on Wednesday, the first of its kind, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.

The envisioned meeting comes after President Yoon Suk Yeol, U.S. President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida agreed to launch a new commerce and industry ministers' meeting for annual consultations during a summit at Camp David in Maryland in August last year.

"The three sides plan to discuss ways of enhancing economic security in the region and industrial cooperation. They will also launch a trilateral business meeting platform to be led by economic organizations of the three nations that aims to enhance cooperation among private sectors," the ministry said in a release.

During his planned visit to the U.S., Ahn will also hold one-on-one talks with Raimondo and other senior industry and energy-related officials there to discuss how to work more closely on supply chains of major industry materials and items, as well as on such advanced industries as semiconductor and bio sectors, it added. (Yonhap)
Experts call for rational response to Kim-Putin military pact

By Lee Hyo-jin

The idea of South Korea developing its own nuclear weapons is resurfacing among some U.S. pundits in light of the strengthened military partnership between North Korea and Russia.

However, while local analysts describe this as highly unlikely, they are skeptical about whether the growing camaraderie between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin is significant enough to push South Korea to withdraw from its decades-long commitment to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), a move that would likely draw major international sanctions.

Allison Hooker, former senior director for Asia at the National Security Council under former U.S. President Donald Trump, suggested, Friday, that the deepening military relationship between Moscow and Pyongyang might prompt Seoul to consider pursuing its own nuclear weapons.

"I think we cannot rule out the possibility that South Korea might move more rapidly toward its own nuclear program. We need to determine how we feel about that within the U.S. and the alliance context as well," Hooker said during a webinar hosted by the Asia Society Policy Institute.

Her remarks came a day after Republican Senator Roger Wicker called for redeploying U.S. tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea, reiterating a proposal he floated in late May.

"With our allies South Korea, Japan and Australia, we should discuss nuclear burden-sharing agreements. Its time for them to step forward and join us in nuclear burden-sharing," Wicker said Thursday on the Senate floor, as he spoke about the latest Kim-Putin summit.

Wicker added, "We should also explore redeploying American nuclear weapons back to the region to keep North Korea and China in check."

Yang Moo-jin, president of the University of North Korean Studies, dismissed these proposals as unrealistic.

"Do the Americans really mean it? Does the U.S. truly want Seoul to obtain its own nuclear weapons, which would decrease U.S. influence on the Korean Peninsula? I don't think so," Yang told The Korea Times, Sunday, adding that such statements from U.S. pundits seem to be bluffs aimed at Russia and China.

Cho Han-bum, a senior researcher at the Korean Institute for National Unification, described discussions about South Korea going nuclear as an "overreaction" to the military pact signed by Putin and Kim.

During a summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday, the two leaders signed a new comprehensive partnership agreement, which includes a clause for mutual assistance in the event of aggression against one of the parties.

South Korean officials have strongly protested the North Korea-Russia military pact, stating that the deal poses a threat to its security. They also warned that Seoul might consider sending arms to Kyiv in response to Russia's military support to North Korea.

"It is true that security threats have worsened after Russia and North Korea  both nuclear-armed countries  signed the military agreement, which adds to the U.S.' security burden," Cho said.

"But the idea of South Korea obtaining nuclear weapons is merely rhetoric lacking feasibility."

The researcher explained that even if the United States brings South Koreas nuclear armament to the U.N. table, the other four U.N. Security Council members Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom  are unlikely to consent. Also, a nuclear-armed South Korea would likely trigger a nuclear domino effect in East Asia, prompting similar discussions in Taiwan and Japan, a scenario that the international community would not support.

"Neighboring countries, including South Korea, should respond rationally to what could eventually become Kim Jong-un's one-sided love for Russia depending on the course of the war in Ukraine," Cho said, stressing that Kim's offerings to Putin are limited to ammunition and some other weapons.

"Even if North Korean troops are deployed to the war in Ukraine to support Russia, they are likely to be assigned to rebuilding infrastructure in Russian-occupied regions rather than participating in frontline battles."

South Korea's intelligence agency said Saturday that it is closely monitoring the possibility of North Korean troops being deployed to the Ukraine war.

Seoul is planning to flex its military muscles with its allies in the wake of the Pyongyang-Moscow military partnership.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt arrived at a naval port in Busan on Saturday in a major show of force against North Korea's evolving threats and deepening military cooperation with Russia. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is expected to participate in a South Korea-U.S.-Japan trilateral military exercise, dubbed Freedom Edge, which will take place later this month.
Donning pitch-black gear, a team of South Korean commandos calmly swarmed into an indoor training ground after blasting through the front door with a detonating cord.

The troops swiftly formed into smaller groups to clear multiple rooms and fire upon nine mock targets, neutralizing the simulated terror threat in less than two minutes.

The counterterrorism exercise took place as part of a series of special operations demonstrations for a group of reporters Thursday at the Army Special Warfare Command's training range in Gwangju, 32 kilometers southeast of Seoul.

While the session largely centered on the unit's counterterrorism capabilities, they included other special operations exercises, highlighting the command's primary focus on deterring North Korean threats.

In another demonstration, six commandos jumped out of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter at around 5,000 feet (1,524 meters) above the training ground, softly parachuting onto a target area to demonstrate their airborne infiltration capabilities.

Troops can jump from an altitude of up to 25,000 feet, with the drops reaching speeds as fast as 60 kph, one of the command's soldiers said, noting their gear, including the parachute, weighs about 50 kilograms.

The drills came amid renewed attention on Seoul's deterrence capabilities in the face of growing security uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula over deepening military ties between Pyongyang and Moscow.

On Wednesday, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty calling for mutual assistance if either is attacked as they held a summit in Pyongyang.

The pact also calls for expanding cooperation in various fields, such as space, the peaceful use of nuclear power, and science and technology, raising concerns such efforts might assist Pyongyang's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programs.

Thursday's training underscored the role some special forces play in one of the pillars of Seoul's "three-axis" deterrence system against the North's evolving nuclear and WMD threats  Korea Massive Punishment and Retaliation.

The operational plan is designed to incapacitate the North's leadership in the event of its use of nuclear or other weapons of mass destruction by utilizing the military's strategic strike capabilities.

According to Seoul's Defense White Paper, the military is seeking to expand the "all-weather" infiltration and strike capabilities of special warfare units as part of efforts to ensure KMPR capabilities.

The specific role of special forces in the KMPR has been shrouded in secrecy, with Pyongyang often reacting angrily to combined special operations exercises between South Korea and the United States.

In April, North Korea staged a simulated nuclear counterattack drill in protest against a series of joint drills between the allies, including an airborne infiltration exercise that the South described as being designed to eliminate an unspecified target.

When asked about the so-called decapitation mission, Lt. Gen. Kwak Jong-keun, the unit's commander, declined to comment but noted that his troops are not training with "specific targets" in mind.

"We need to acquire a readiness posture to complete our given mission," he said. "That is why we train and why we should acquire necessary equipment and supplies."

Kwak emphasized the need for state-of-the-art equipment, stressing its importance to improve training and boost readiness.

Established in 1958, the Special Warfare Command has strengthened its capabilities over the decades with the introduction of new equipment and facilities to train troops in realistic scenarios.

At the Gwangju training range, the unit held aircraft hostage rescue drills, utilizing a real-size mock passenger plane, during which troops entered the aircraft to overpower a group of terrorists.

The unit operates an indoor skydiving wind tunnel to simulate high-altitude jumps at its headquarters in Icheon, 58 kilometers southeast of the capital.

As part of efforts to further bolster airborne infiltration capabilities, South Korea approved a 3.7 trillion-won ($2.66 billion) plan last year to buy special operations helicopters from overseas by 2031.

"Compared to training an infantry soldier, it is really difficult to produce one special operations personnel," Kwak said. "My goal is to train them in the hardest way possible to make them win in combat." (Yonhap)
National security adviser Chang Ho-jin said Sunday that South Korea will not be bound by anything with regard to its assistance to Ukraine if Russia provides North Korea with precision weapons.

Director of National Security Chang made the remark during a TV appearance, underscoring the point that Seoul's decision on whether to provide weapons to Ukraine depends on how Russia's military cooperation with North Korea goes.

"I would like to emphasize that it all depends on what Russia will do," Chang said on KBS TV. "Will there be any line remaining for us if Russia gives precision weapons to North Korea?"

Chang's remark means South Korea could provide lethal weapons to Ukraine if Russia crosses the line.

South Korea has said it will reconsider its position of not supplying weapons to Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that commits each other to mutual defense and military technology cooperation.

Putin has since warned Seoul's weapons provision to Ukraine would be "very big mistake."

Chang said not only South Korea, but also Russia should make efforts to improve bilateral relations.

"If they want to restore and move Korea-Russia relations forward, I would like to reiterate that the Russian side should think carefully," he said. (Yonhap)
Competition for ruling party leadership heats up

By Kwak Yeon-soo

Han Dong-hoon, the former interim leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP), who has maintained a low profile since the party's defeat in the April 10 parliamentary elections, announced his bid for party leadership Sunday, pledging to seek to reestablish a horizontal party-government relationship.

The PPP plans to hold a national convention on July 23 to elect a new leader.

Han emphasized his intention to establish a more equal relationship between the party and the government. He noted that, up to now, the party has been unable to voice even reasonable criticisms of the government's policy or political decisions.

"I will reestablish party-government relations in a horizontal way," Han said. "The party should faithfully cooperate with the government, but I will not mind providing reasonable checks, criticisms and suggestions for change when necessary."

He also promised to regain the conservative party's public reputation and reform the party.

"I will rebuild the party that understands the needs and expectations of the public, supporters and members. I will seek closer cooperation between the party and the government," Han said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul.

"I will use the experience of (an election) defeat for the foundation for change and victory."

Han, a former prosecutor and President Yoon Suk Yeol's first justice minister, became the conservative party's interim leader in December and led the tough election campaign to help the party regain voters' trust. Despite such efforts, the party won only 108 seats out of the 300-member National Assembly, and Han stepped down shouldering responsibility for the defeat.

On the same day, Rep. Na Kyung-won and former Land Minister Won Hee-ryong, who lost to Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) Chairman Lee Jae-myung in the parliamentary elections, also announced their candidacy for party leader.

Na emphasized her experience as a five-term lawmaker, while Won stressed his ability to communicate smoothly with the presidential office.

Branding herself as the right person to reform the party, Na said, "As a lawmaker, I have managed to stay out of factional conflicts within the party. I will pour out all my wisdom, strategy and experience to bring conservatives back to power. There is no time for trial and error. I can turn the Yoon administration into success. We will overcome difficulties and find solutions to problems. We will go together."

Won said he can guide the party to victory as "one team."

"The party-government relationship can be established only if there is trust. I have trust in President Yoon and vice versa," he said. "I will convey the sentiments of the party and the public to the president without hesitation and share the result with citizens. I will cooperate but not kneel down."

Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun, another five-term lawmaker, announced his bid Friday, making the election a four-way race. Yoon has appealed to traditional conservative supporters, saying, "The party leader should be someone who has fought and won against the DPK and has a deep trust with the president and can speak up about various issues."

Han had clashed with Yoon over politically sensitive issues in the run-up to the elections, including how to handle allegations surrounding first lady Kim Keon Hee that she received a luxury bag as a gift in 2022.

Han has been garnering unabated support from conservative supporters. In a Gallup Korea poll of 1,008 adults on June 14 and 15, which surveyed the popularity of potential candidates for the PPP's new chairperson, Han received 59 percent support, followed by Na at 10 percent.

Rep. Ahn Cheol-soo and former PPP lawmaker Yoo Seong-min, who were viewed as potential competitors, have ruled themselves out of the post. Ahn said he would not run for the party leadership, adding he would focus on more urgent tasks.

"I will not run for party leader. I have concluded that it is a meaningless challenge," Yoo wrote on Facebook, Friday.

The hopefuls were divided over a special counsel probe into allegations that the Yoon administration influenced the military's investigation into the death of a Marine last year. The DPK has been pushing the bill unilaterally despite a boycott from the PPP and a presidential veto.

Han said the PPP should push for the bill to clear doubts on the government's alleged interference in the military's probe.

Na and Won said they may discuss the bill once the ongoing investigations by the Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials are finalized.

The bill sought to launch an independent counsel investigation into the government's alleged interference in the military's investigation of the death of Marine Cpl. Chae Su-geun during a flood rescue operation in July 2023. The DPK and minor opposition parties suspect that the allegations may involve high-ranking government officials, potentially including the president himself.
Climate crisis looms as heat waves predicted to multiply amid rising greenhouse gases

By Jung Da-hyun

This June has seen a record number of heat wave days, surpassing even the infamous heat of 2018, previously considered the highest on record. While the onset of the monsoon season will abate the early heat wave temporarily, even more intense heat is expected in July and August.

According to data from the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), the number of heat wave days from June 1 to 20 this year was 2.4, already quadrupling the average for the month between 1991 and 2020. During the record-breaking summer in 2018, it recorded 1.5 heat wave days.

Heat wave days are defined as when the daily maximum temperature reaches 33 degrees Celsius or higher.

In 2018, the heat wave intensified after a brief monsoon season, with July and August recording 15.4 and 14.1 heat wave days, respectively.

The summer of 1994, previously the second-highest record for heat waves, saw 0.9 days in June, 17.7 days in July and 9.8 days in August. The heat extended to September, recording 1.2 heat wave days.

The KMA attributes this year's early heat wave to a migratory anticyclone resulting in clear skies and increased solar radiation. Additionally, warm and humid southwesterly winds contributed to the rising temperatures.

The early summer heat wave is expected to subside temporarily with the onset of the monsoon season. The monsoon began in Jeju on Wednesday and extended to the southern part of the country on Sunday.

The KMA forecasts that next week's temperatures will range from 18 to 24 degrees Celsius in the mornings and 25 to 31 degrees during the day. These temperatures are expected to be similar to or slightly above the average, which typically sees lows of 18 to 21 degrees and highs of 25 to 29 degrees.

However, following the monsoon season, an even more intense heat wave is anticipated, surpassing the heat wave experienced in June.

Korea's summers typically heat up in June, slow during the rainy season and then peak with a full-fledged heat wave from July to August. It is predicted that this early summer heat wave is just the beginning of a particularly hot season this year.

In addition, while June's heat is characterized as a dry heat due to a migratory anticyclone, July and August are expected to feel like a sauna because of the hot and humid air brought by the North Pacific anticyclone.

According to the KMAs long-term forecast, there is a 50 percent chance that the average temperatures will exceed the norm in June and August this year. For July, there is a 40 percent chance that temperatures will be similar to or higher than the average.

Meanwhile, a recent forecast indicates that escalating levels of greenhouse gases are intensifying the heat wave conditions. The KMA projects that the number of heat wave days in Seoul could soar to nearly 110 days by the second half of the 21st century.

By utilizing climate change models and greenhouse gas data, the KMA is assessing potential scenarios across 17 cities and provinces.

Without significant reductions in emissions, a scenario suggests an alarming rise in heat waves. Specifically, from 2081 to 2100, Seoul could experience an average of 109.8 heat wave days, compared to the current average of 11.3.

Furthermore, the city's nighttime temperatures are anticipated to transform drastically, with tropical nights increasing to an average of 96.1 days during the same period, marking an 8.5 times rise from the current 11.3 days.

The average annual precipitation in Seoul is also anticipated to rise by 252.3 millimeters to 1,521.9 millimeters, up from the current 1,269.6 millimeters.

KWeather, a private meteorological company, expressed concerns about the rapid degradation of Korea's climate, which is changing since last year at a faster pace than many organizations predicted.

As of 2022, Korea has become the world's 13th-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. It highlighted the critical need for comprehensive actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, such as expanding renewable energy sources, increasing planting trees.
By Lee Sang-min

June 23 is recognized as Public Service Day by the United Nations.

To commemorate the day, the U.N. has been holding the United Nations Public Service Forum every year since 2003. The forum, the most prestigious international event in the field of public service where global leaders get together, will take place in Songdo, Incheon, for three days from June 24 to 26. About 2,000 people, including high-ranking officials from more than 100 countries, will take part in the forum.

The theme of the 2024 United Nations Public Service Forum will be Fostering Innovation Amid Global Challenges: A Public Sector Perspective.

The world is facing an era of unprecedented hyper-uncertainty and complex crises. Difficult tasks such as disaster risks caused by extreme climate events like scorching heat, heavy rain, cold waves as well as escalating international disputes and trade conflicts, lie ahead. Expectations and anxiety coexist regarding the drastic changes the progress of new technologies such as artificial intelligence will bring.

Nothing is more important than the role of public service in solving the new problems facing humanity and creating a sustainable future.

The United Nations Public Service Forum contributes to helping the world move in a better direction by sharing each countrys experience and know-how in overcoming crises through ceaseless innovation, strengthening cooperation and solidarity in the international community. The U.N.s selection of Korea as the venue for the first face-to-face forum after COVID-19 is a testament to the international communitys expectations of Koreas high international status and leading role.

Koreas public service innovation is recognized worldwide.

Korea has topped the OECD Digital Government Index two consecutive times and ranked first in public data evaluation four consecutive times. The Ministry of the Interior and Safety is operating digital government cooperation centers in eight countries, including Serbia and Tunisia, to help their digital innovation in the public sector and actively supporting government innovation and digital capacity building in developing countries in cooperation with the U.N. and other international organizations.

Also, there have been growing requests to dispatch a "pan-government public service cooperation team" that makes it possible to share Koreas public service innovation cases with foreign governments.

In March this year, the team visited Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Italy to introduce Koreas digital platform government and broaden export routes for Korean companies. The United Kingdom and Korea are the only countries to have chaired Digital Nations, a gathering of leading countries in digital government, more than twice.

The Yoon Suk Yeol administration is in the process of completing a digital platform government where artificial intelligence and data are utilized to accurately identify policy demands and public and private sectors provide customized and preemptive administrative services together.

This forum is intended to share the vision for a digital platform government with many countries and explore future development plans. The vision and best examples to be presented by innovative leaders from around the world will serve as nourishment for our public service to leap forward. I sincerely hope that it gains the publics interest and that they participate in the 2024 United Nations Public Service Forum, a venue for sharing and solidarity for the future of public service around the world.

Lee Sang-min is the minister of the interior and safety.
Steps needed to make hallyu-driven tourism boom sustainable

Korea owes a lot to hallyu, or the Korean wave. The countrys meteoric rise as one of the popular tourist destinations has been possible thanks to the global sensation of K-pop and Korean dramas.

The role of global superstar groups like BTS and BLACKPINK cannot be overstated in triggering Koreas booming tourism sector. Unbeknownst to themselves, globally popular K-pop bands have played roles as self-appointed goodwill ambassadors to promote tourism in Korea.

The resilient tourism sector is a boon for the economy. According to the World Travel & Tourism Councils 2024 research, the tourism sector in Korea accounts for 4.3 percent of the nations economy. The figure, however, is relatively low compared with European countries. According to Statista, the share of travel and tourisms total contribution to the GDP in the United Kingdom is 9.5 percent, and that for Germany stands at 8.8 percent, more than double Koreas 4.3 percent. Korea still has a lot to do to be on par with these heavily visited European countries to attract more inbound tourists.

Koreas emerging tourism sector, driven mainly by hallyus global fandom, has become food for thought for policymakers. They need to think deeply about its possible impacts on the nation when charting strategies and action plans to upgrade the tourism sector to the next level.

Being part of a fandom is an affection-driven collective action. Collective action is a double-edged sword. Like hallyus global fandom, collective action can create a lot of loyal followers who love Korean culture and are eager to explore it.

At the same time, however, collective action can be a source of concern when it takes the form of a boycott. People team up, arm in arm, to demand other individuals or companies change their ways.

If not properly responded to, collective actions like boycotts can, in the worst-case scenario, trigger the downfall of companies or individuals. Collective action can be a boon or a curse.

The recent social media-based boycott Korea movement supported by some Thai tourists presents the worrisome development of collective action. The campaign is regrettable because Thailand is one of the Asian countries where hallyu has a strong presence.

It was reportedly launched by some disgruntled Thai tourists who were denied entry into Korea. They accuse Koreas immigration service of being overly strict when screening tourists to decide whether they should be allowed to enter or not, encouraging fellow Thai people to look to other countries like China and Vietnam as their tourist destinations.

According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), the number of incoming Thai tourists between January and April this year dropped 21 percent from the same period of last year, and this makes Thailand the country that sent the third-largest number of tourists among Southeast Asian countries. Last year, around 380,000 Thais visited Korea, making Thailand a country that sent the second-biggest number of tourists to Korea in the region. The sharp decrease in the number of Thai tourists is in stark contrast with the surge in overall inbound tourists to Korea. According to the KTO, 4.86 million tourists visited Korea between January and April, up 87 percent from the previous year.

Immigration officers are responsible for screening criminals, potential illegal immigrants and would-be terrorists in the guise of tourists to prevent them from entering this country. This is their job. It is their discretion to decide whether certain tourists should be let in or not, and they are trusted to do their job faithfully. Therefore, blaming hard-working immigration officers for a tourism backlash in Thailand is not fair.

But policymakers need to come up with appropriate measures to respond to the disgruntled Thais and explain to them what happened and why that happened.

They also need to chart detailed strategies to sustain the resilient tourism sector so that the hallyu-driven tourism boom doesnt end up being a short-lived phenomenon.

Last week, the government unveiled a set of measures to attract more tourists to Korea. The government mulls streamlining the screening process at ports of entry, increasing the number of staff responsible for issuing and handling visas and extending the maximum period of stay for visitors to Korea on tourist visas. On top of these measures, the government should also pay greater attention to making the hallyu-driven tourism boom sustainable and respond effectively to a backlash like the anti-Korea campaign in Thailand. Otherwise, the hard-won tourism boom triggered by hallyu could be short-lived.
By Mark Peterson

One of the projects Im working on these days is a documentary film about a Utah National Guard battalion that fought several major battles in the Korean War and yet returned home miraculously with no fatalities. Ive written about the 213 Field Artillery Battalion here before, but today, I thought Id bring you up-to-date on what we are finding in our background research for the film.

Lately, weve been looking at the enemy  the Chinese unit that was so beaten up by the Utah National Guard. In one battle, the Second Battle of Gapyeong, on May 26, 1951, the Utah battalion, actually two batteries of the battalion, faced a surprise attack from a Chinese division, or at least a regiment or two of that division, maybe 4,000 soldiers. There were 240 on the Utah side, and though greatly outnumbered and caught off-guard by the surprise attack in the middle of the night, and though they had to fight with their small arms and machine guns  they couldnt use their artillery in those close quarters  the Utah soldiers were able to kill 350 Chinese and capture 831 prisoners, without a single fatality on the Utah side  the Miracle of Gapyeong.

In doing the research on the film, we were struck by the statement of one of the Utah soldiers in regard to the Chinese prisoners. He said they had called the Chinese by a pejorative word and dehumanized the enemy  which is common in war. But he said when they took the prisoners, they looked at their belongings and found many had a wallet with pictures of family at home. There was a mother, father, brothers and sisters and sometimes a picture of a girlfriend. The Utah National Guard soldier said, They were just like us.

This was a rare touch of humanity amid the chaos and violence of war. They are just like us. A true revelation.

In looking at the unit from which most of the soldiers were captured we found remarkable parallels in the Chinese unit and the Utah unit. The Chinese division was the 180th. They were from rural Sichuan province, western China. Utah is in the western United States and is rural.

The Chinese unit was mobilized in October 1951. The Utah National Guard was called up, mobilized, in October 1951. The Chinese unit was sent from Sichuan to Hubei for training in preparation for entering the Korean War. The Utah unit was sent to Seattle for training to go to Korea. The Chinese unit appeared on the north of the Amnok River in January 1951. The Utah unit arrived in Busan in January 1951.

Then, as part of the Chinese Spring Offensive, also called the Fifth Offensive, the Chinese 180th Division and several other divisions of the 60th Chinese Army met in combat in April and May of 1951. The Chinese broke through the defenses set up by the ROK 6th Infantry Division, north of Gapyeong in late April. The Chinese were trying to retake Seoul  they had taken Seoul in January and lost it in February. Gapyeong was the easternmost of four natural avenues into Seoul. And though the Chinese broke through, they could not make the right-hand turn into Seoul but rather pushed a little further south, crossing the Bukhan River, where, in May, they were met by the ROK 6th Division and several U.N. units and severely beaten up.

The defeat of the Chinese Army at Mount Yongmun, southeast of Gapyeong, is one of the great stories of victory by the ROK forces and the U.N. Forces. The 6th Division, which had collapsed and ran in April, was able to reconstitute itself and gain reinforcements such that it was they who led the charge against the Chinese in May. The story of the Sixth Division is one of the great stories of the Korean War. The defeat of the Chinese forces at Mount Yongmun in May marked the last great effort of the Chinese in the war. Thereafter, they made no other significant attacks until one last futile effort in July 1953, just before the armistice was signed.

It was retreating Chinese forces that ran into the 213th Field Artillery Battalion of the Utah National Guard. Fighting for their lives, they must have fought harder than in the thrust of the first invasion. Though retreating, they had seen many comrades fall and knew that they must fight or die when they ran into the 213th. However, the boys of the 213th fought ferociously through the night so that by morning light, many of the Chinese were killed, and one escaping group faced fire in the path of its retreat. They had to put up their hands and hope they could survive as prisoners  831 of them.

It was these prisoners, who, opening their belongings and revealing pictures from home that made the Utah soldier say, Theyre just like us. A touch of humanity amidst the brutality of war.

Mark Peterson (markpeterson@byu.edu) is a professor emeritus of Korean, Asian and Near Eastern languages at Brigham Young University in Utah.








By Park Jae-hyuk

KG Mobility is facing difficulties in obtaining the trademark rights for its Korean name, not just for its English name and the three-letter acronym, "KGM," according to the nation's intellectual property office, Sunday.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) notified the carmaker on June 17 of the reasons for refusing the registrations of the company's name written fully in Korean and the one that combines "KG" written in the Latin alphabet with "Mobility" written in Korean.

The main reason for its refusal was a Turkish trademark troll, Cihan Turan, who had registered "KG Mobility" in the European Union in March last year when KG Group decided to rename SsangYong Motor to KG Mobility after the chemical giant acquired the debt-ridden carmaker in 2022.

Because KIPO prioritized Turan's applications based on the Paris Convention, the Korean firm was not allowed to secure the trademark for its English name last September.

"This applied trademark is similar to another person's trademark applied earlier, in terms of name, concept and designated goods," KIPO said in documents sent to KG Mobility.

Due to the dispute, KG Mobility has advertised its vehicles here and overseas by using "KGM" as an alternative to its full name.

However, the firm failed to register the KGM trademark in Turkey, one of its most important export markets. The Turkish Patent and Trademark Office refused the registration of KGM, because the Turkish government-run General Directorate of Highways, which is written as "Karayollari Genel Mudurlugu" in Turkish, had already been using the same acronym.

Even in Korea, the trademark for KGM is also under KIPO review, following an objection filed last year by KTM, an Austrian motorcycle manufacturer, which says consumers are likely to be confused by the two similar acronyms.

KG Mobility was reportedly asked by Cihan Turan to pay a significant amount of royalties. In addition, another trademark troll named Erhan Turan registered the "kg mobility" trademark in Turkey in January last year.

The company has said that there will be an amicable agreement, denying the possibility of the trademark dispute affecting its exports.
By Lee Min-hyung

LG Group Chairman Koo Kwang-mo visited the United States to seek future growth engines in artificial intelligence (AI), bio and clean technologies, a preemptive move to boost the firms group-wide competitiveness in the emerging tech areas, the company said Sunday.

According to LG, Koo traveled on business to the U.S. state of Tennessee and Silicon Valley, California, the countrys tech hub, for four days from June 17. The trip was to inspect the firms manufacturing facilities for consumer electronics and battery cells.

Koo was also briefed on the current status of investment in the next growth areas. Earlier, LG identified the three tech areas as its major growth drivers. Koo visited the headquarters of LG Technology Ventures in Silicon Valley to monitor its investment portfolio and share strategies to strengthen LGs core competitiveness in the tech areas.

LG Technology Ventures operates a fund worth 1 trillion won ($718.9 million). The venture capital arm has invested in around 80 startups and funds worth 500 billion won not just in Silicon Valley, but in other countries, such as Canada and Israel. The company placed almost half of the investment in AI, bio and clean technology companies.

We need to build a virtuous cycle by continuously developing new business models, Koo said. Toward the end, we have to set more successful examples, so more startups and partners seek ties with LG. But the key to unwavering success lies in creating differentiated values for customers.

He also visited offices of promising AI startups there to be updated on the latest tech advancements. In particular, Koo paid keen attention to a complete AI value chain during a visit to the headquarters of Figure AI, a humanoid robot startup there. He also met with Tenstorrent CEO Jim Keller to exchange views on the AI chip industry, as its usage is rapidly expanding in a number of tech sectors, encompassing consumer electronics, vehicle components and telecommunications.

Before visiting Silicon Valley, he visited Tennessee to inspect manufacturing facilities there. LG identified the U.S. state as its key base to tap deeper into the North American market. In 2018, LG Electronics completed the construction of its consumer electronics plant there.

Starting from March this year, a joint venture between LG Energy Solution and General Motors also started operation for their second factory in Spring Hill in the U.S. state. LG Chem is also scheduled to mass-produce cathode materials for electric vehicles at its factory there from 2026.

LG needs to strengthen our product portfolio, build tight supply chains and drive innovation in manufacturing processes to overcome any possible changes in trade policies and logistics environments, Koo said.
Investigations into AliExpress, Temu, YouTube to be finalized in July

By Lee Min-hyung

Fair Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Han Ki-jeong has reiterated the regulator's willingness to sanction Coupang, citing the need to build a fair trade ecosystem in the online platform market despite strong backlash from the e-commerce firm.

He justified the FTC's latest decision to impose fines of 140 billion won ($100 million) on the nation's largest e-commerce firm, saying it was inevitable not just for the fair competition ecosystem but for the benefit of customers.

"The sanctions were to establish a fair transaction order and boost customer benefits," he told reporters during a press conference Friday. "It was executed in accordance with the law and principle."

After the FTC slapped the highest-ever fines on a retail player here, some critics said it was too harsh, as most other e-commerce players engage in similar sales practices as conducted by Coupang.

Coupang was fined amid allegations that the firm manipulated its in-app algorithm to boost sales of its private-branded products.

Coupang maintains it is innocent, saying it intends to file administrative litigation against the commission. The company says its competitors also carry out similar sales practices to chalk up more sales for products under their private brands.

"We will send Coupang a resolution which proves the firm's illegality and contains details on the firm's prohibited practices," Han said.

Regarding concerns over possible reverse discrimination against the home-grown player, the head of the watchdog also said an investigation is underway into overseas e-commerce firms  such as AliExpress and Temu  which sparked a series of controversies for inappropriate sales activities here.

"The FTC is investigating overseas platform firms without any discrimination," he said. "We are looking into whether AliExpress and Temu breached the nation's electronic commercial law. Major competition authorities in the United States and Europe also take stern legal actions against any foul play by platform firms."

According to the FTC, the investigation into the Chinese e-commerce firm will be finalized by the end of July.

Han also hinted at heavy punishment for Google Korea over its alleged breach of fair competition here. The company is suspected of cross-selling its YouTube Music service when selling its YouTube Premium subscription service.

"We will closely inspect the case by analyzing whether the sales practice hampered fair competition in the nation's music streaming market," he said. "The FTC will finish its ongoing investigation into the company in July and take stern action in the event of a violation of local law."
A Russian-installed official said on Saturday that Ukrainian attack drones again struck Enerhodar, a town near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station, after drones earlier in the week hit two of the town's electric substations.

Eduard Senovoz, the top official in Enerhodar, said on Telegram that two drones exploded on Saturday in a residential area and a resident was hurt. Another drone was downed.

In attacks on Wednesday and Friday on Enerhodar, a few kilometers (miles) from the nuclear plant, he previously said one of Enerhodar's substations was destroyed, while the other was damaged. Power was cut to most residents.

An official at the occupied Zaporizhzhia station, Europe's largest nuclear plant with six reactors, had initially reported that it was unaffected by those military actions.

But the Russian management of the station said on Telegram on Saturday, before the latest drone strikes, that some "infrastructure facilities" including the transport department and print shop experienced disruptions following the attacks earlier in the week.

Nuclear safety measures remained fully operational, it said.

Ukrainian officials have made no comment on the incidents and Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attacks exposed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's disregard for nuclear safety.

"In view of the Zelenskyy regime's total inability to negotiate anything, our country will take all necessary measures to deny the Kyiv regime all means of carrying out such strikes," Zakharova said on the ministry's website.

Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in the early days of the February 2022 invasion, and Moscow and Kyiv have since routinely accused each other of endangering safety around it. It produces no electricity at the moment.

Russian news agencies quoted Yevgeny Yashin, director of communications at the Zaporizhzhia station, as saying the damaged substation in Enerhodar could be repaired.

Russia launched mass attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the first winter of the conflict and resumed a long series of attacks in March.

Kyiv says the renewed attacks have knocked out half of Ukraine's energy-generating capacity and forced blackouts.

Russian missiles and drones damaged energy facilities in southeastern and western Ukraine on Saturday, wounding at least two energy workers and forcing record electricity imports, officials said.

Ukraine has stepped up its use of drones this year to attack Russian oil facilities. (Reuters)
At least 39 people were killed by Israeli strikes across northern Gaza on Saturday, as rescue workers scrambled to find survivors beneath the rubble, according to Palestinian and hospital officials.

Fadel Naem, director of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that more than three dozen bodies arrived at the hospital. The Palestinian Civil Defense, an emergency group active in Gaza, said its emergency workers were digging for survivors at the site of a strike in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City and that it had pulled several dozen bodies from a building hit by an Israeli strike in an eastern neighborhood of Gaza City.

Israel said Saturday that its fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in the Gaza City area but did not elaborate further.

The deaths come a day after at least 25 people were killed in strikes on tent camps and 50 wounded near the southern city of Rafah. Israel said Saturday that it was continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza and has pushed ahead with its invasion of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from fighting elsewhere. Most have now fled the city, but the United Nations says no place in Gaza is safe and humanitarian conditions are dire as families shelter in tents and cramped apartments without adequate food, water or medical supplies.

A separate Israeli strike Saturday in Lebanons eastern Bekaa Valley killed a member of the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, a Sunni Muslim faction closely allied with Hamas, according to the group. The member was the seventh killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the war began.

The Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7. when Hamas militants who stormed southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage. Israel has responded by bombarding and invading the enclave, killing more than 37, 400 Palestinians there according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

Also Saturday, Israels army said an Israeli man was fatally shot in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya, where Israeli forces fatally shot two militants Friday, the latest flare of violence in the territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.

At least 549 Palestinians in the territory have been killed by Israeli fire since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which tracks the killings. Over the same period, Palestinians in the West Bank have killed at least nine Israelis, including five soldiers, according to U.N. data.

Israeli nationals are prohibited from entering Qalqilya and other areas of the West Bank that fall under the under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

In April, the death of a 14-year-old Israeli settler sparked a series of settler attacks on Palestinian towns in the territory. The army said a Palestinian was later arrested in connection with the killing.

On Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a 12-year-old Palestinian boy died from his wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Ramallah last week. Commenting on the shooting, the Israeli army said its forces raided al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah to arrest a suspect Friday and then opened fire on a group of Palestinians who were pelting them with stones.

Israel said Saturday that it was investigating a separate incident into conduct of its soldiers after a video surfaced online showing an injured Palestinian being transported on the hood of an Israeli armored car in the northern West Bank. The army said the man in the video was a wanted suspect and injured during an exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces near the city of Jenin. The man was being transported to a Red Crescent ambulance situated nearby, it said. The army said the conduct in the video didn't conform to the values of the army.

Anger across the country is growing at the government's handling of the war in Gaza and the hostage crisis.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv calling for new elections and for the government to bring the hostages home. Among the families were the parents of Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier who marked her 20th birthday in captivity. (AP)
Russian authorities said four people died in Ukrainian drone and missile attacks on Sunday, a day after Russia's bombing of Ukraine's second largest city of Kharkiv killed three people and left dozens in hospitals.

Three people  including two children  were killed by falling debris when five Ukrainian missiles were shot down in Sevastopol, a port city in Russia-annexed Crimea, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the city's Moscow-installed governor. Close to 100 people were injured, he said.

One person was killed and three injured in Russias Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, when three Ukrainian drones attacked the city of Grayvoron, regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Air defenses overnight shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over Russias western Bryansk, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Tula regions, the Russian defense ministry said Sunday. No casualties or damage were reported.

The attacks came after Russia struck Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon with four aerial bombs, hitting a five-story residential building and killing three people. Regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov said that 41 people were still being treated for injuries on Sunday.

In a video address following the attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukraines partners to bolster its air defenses.

Modern air defense systems for Ukraine  such as Patriots, accelerated training of our pilots for F-16s and, most importantly, sufficient range for our weapons  are truly necessary, he said.

Two people were wounded by falling debris when two Russian missiles were shot down over the Kyiv region overnight, Ukraines Air Force Commander Lt. Gen. Mykola Oleschuk said.

Regional Gov. Vadym Filashkin of Ukraines partly occupied Donetsk region said that Russian attacks on Saturday killed two people and wounded four. (AP)
After Melania Trump missed key events in her husband's presidential bid earlier this year  from the kickoff of the 2024 election in Iowa to Donald Trumps Super Tuesday victory party  reporters asked the former first lady whether she planned to hit the campaign trail. Her response: Stay tuned.

But since making that comment in March, after she and Donald Trump voted in Florida's primary, Melania Trump has largely refrained from public appearances. The few exceptions have included a couple of fundraisers in April and their son's high school graduation.

The former first lady noticeably did not accompany the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on any of the days of his more than monthlong hush money trial in New York. She was not there last month for the guilty verdict or the following day for his remarks at Trump Tower. She also did not appear June 14 at a 78th birthday party organized for Trump by his fan club, or at any of the campaign rallies he has held in recent months.

Her absence during the trial and for other important moments is unusual, said Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University who studies first ladies. But Jellison said maybe it should not come as a surprise as Melania Trump seems reluctant to follow the traditional public role of a politician's wife. As first lady, she also kept a low profile and she was not a regular presence on her husbands losing 2020 presidential campaign.

But everything the Trumps do seems to be against the standard playbook of how candidates and spouses behave," Jellison said.

Melania Trump's behavior deviates from how other politicians have relied on their spouses. Sometimes male politicians turn to their wives to try to reach out to female voters. Candidates also may be joined by their spouses as a way of giving voters more of a sense of what the candidate is like outside the political arena.

During this year's GOP primary, for example, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wife, Casey DeSantis, traveled with him, granted interviews and formed a coalition named Mamas for DeSantis before he suspended his bid for the nomination. Vivek Ramaswamy's wife, Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy, also was on the campaign trail, often appearing along with their two young children to talk about the importance of family.

The Associated Press reached out to 15 people who have been in major fundraisers or in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate recently. None said they had encountered Melania Trump on the Florida property.

Her office has not responded to several requests for comment. Her only public statement of late came two days after the Florida Republican Party announced with fanfare that son Barron Trump, 18, was chosen as a state delegate for the Republican National Convention and her office said he could not make it , citing prior commitments.

Reporters at the New York courthouse during Trumps felony trial repeatedly asked him, Wheres Melania? but he never answered. Trump allies cited their sons school calendar as the main reason for her absence without denying it was a delicate time for the family.

Trumps attorney, Todd Blanche, was asked whether there were talks about her accompanying him to court.

That wasnt a discussion that I wanted to have, Blanche responded, speaking to Miami trial attorney David Oscar Markus for his For The Defense podcast. "This was a tough case because of the nature of the charges, the evidence that came in, the history, how long it had been.

Some of the testimony aired how Trump allegedly had sex with porn actor Stormy Daniels in July 2006, about four months after Melania Trump had given birth to Barron; Trump has denied Daniels' claim. Trumps former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen testified that Trump did not appear to care about how the story of an encounter he was looking to bury would hurt his marriage as much as he cared about it damaging his 2016 presidential aspirations.

But Hope Hicks, Trumps 2016 campaign communications chief, testified that Trump was concerned in 2016 about how a story related to Playboy model Karen MacDougal would be viewed by his wife and wanted her to make sure newspapers were not delivered to their residence.

Melania Trump did not post anything on her social media accounts after her husband was convicted on 34 felony counts. That's in contrast to Trump's elder sons, who quickly condemned the verdict. Daughter Ivanka Trump posted on Instagram a photo of her as a toddler with a younger Trump and the message I love you dad. Tiffany Trump, his younger daughter, accompanied him to the courthouse last month for the trial's closing arguments.

I think its very hard for her," Trump said about his wife, in an interview with Fox News after the verdict. "I mean, shes fine. But, you know, she has to read all this crap.

Despite her absence on the campaign trail, Trump often mentions her and shares conversations between the two, showing supporters that she is still involved behind the scenes by offering feedback to the former president.

Larry Snowden, president of the Club 47 fan group, said he last saw the former first lady at a February gala hosted by the Trumpettes, a group of female supporters. He said he has never had a one-on-one interaction with her, but that when he saw her there, she was so charming.

She was so happy, and she was smiling and accommodating anyone that wanted to come up and shake her hand or anything," Snowden said.

Snowden said he does expect Melania Trump to show face throughout the campaign and to make key speeches, but that he also thinks that the former president would continue to be very protective of her. (AP)
The European Union is seeking security and defense industry partnerships with Japan and South Korea aimed at joint development of military equipment, the Nikkei reported on Sunday, citing a senior EU commission official.

These would mark the EU's first such security and defense-related collaboration with Asian nations, the Japanese business newspaper said in a report from Brussels that did not identify the official.

The bloc hopes to reach a ministerial-level agreement with Japan by year end, which could help the EU fund joint projects managed by Japanese and European companies, the Nikkei said.

Representatives of the Japan's foreign ministry and the South Korean and EU delegations in Tokyo were not immediately available for comment on the report on Sunday.

Japan, despite a constitution that renounces war, says it faces "the most severe and complex security environment since World War Two". In recent years it has boosted its defense industry in its largest postwar military expansion, expressing concern about threats from Asia neighbours China and North Korea.

Tokyo signed a treaty last year to establish a program to develop an advanced fighter jet with Britain and Italy.

This month Japan started talks with the United States on forging deeper defence industry collaboration under the U.S.-Japan Forum on Defense Industrial Cooperation, Acquisition and Sustainment, established in April by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Joe Biden.

Japan-U.S. discussions have so far focussed on naval repairs in Japan that could help free up U.S. yards to build more warships, but cooperation could be extended to aircraft repairs, missile production and military supply-chain resilience.

Tokyo seeks to counter Chinas increasing maritime assertiveness and has expressed concerns over any potential instability in the Taiwan strait.

It has sought deeper defense cooperation with the U.S. and the Philippines, and last week conducted a maritime exercise with the U.S., Canada and the Philippines in the South China Sea, where China's expansive claims conflict with those of several other Asian nations. (Reuters)
Easton, Pennsylvania is home to many. Its a place where many work, go to school, raise children, and live their lives. They pass by the same buildings, trees, streams, and hills each day in the city they live in.

Some may take special notice of this architecture and these landscapes, looking at Easton as if through a window. Well, in this case, through a canvas.

Though Julio Rodrigues is currently a resident of Forks Township, hes lived in and traveled around the country and internationally. He sees each place where hes lived for its landscapes and buildings. Putting these scenes together with paper, watercolor paint and brushes is one of greatest passions.

Rodrigues, a retired electrical engineer, has had a passion for watercolor painting ever since he was a child. He was born in Portugal, and spent all of his childhood years drawing and painting. He lived in Portugal until he came to New Jersey in 1978, when he was 21 years old. Besides Portugal and New Jersey, he has lived in Memphis, Tennessee; upstate New York; and Elizabeth, New Jersey.

A painting of the College Hill Presbyterian Church by Julio Rodrigues.Courtesy of Julio Rodrigues

Rodrigues enjoys painting buildings and landscapes, especially places he has lived in or visited.

I focus on places where theres some kind of connection between me and that particular place. I dont really do a lot of imaginary scenes, he said. So its all based on places that I know that Ive been to.

He first discovered Easton because he had family that lived in Elizabeth, including his parents. After living in Memphis and New York, Rodrigues retired and decided he wanted to live closer to his family. Though lower taxes made the border city of Easton more desirable, there was something different about it versus his previous towns of residence.

A painting of the Bayou in Easton by Julio Rodrigues.Courtesy of Julio Rodrigues

He said living in Tennessee for 19 years, which is close to the Mississippi River, meant a lot of flat landscapes, something he found boring as a painter. When he came to Easton with his family, he said he enjoyed the unique setting.

I liked the historic architecture. I like the setting of the city where you have one river flowing into another, and Bushkill Creek also, Rodrigues said. I love the hills and the bridges. Its something that I find very beautiful, so I enjoy all that compared to the place where I used to live. Its a lot more interesting.

When it comes to art, he will often drive and take pictures, then come back to those pictures and choose one to create a painting. He said he is very careful to only use his own photos, with a few exceptions, such as people asking him to paint certain scenes.

A painting of Pearly Baker's by Julio Rodrigues.Courtesy of Julio Rodrigues

Some spots in Easton he has painted include College Hill Presbyterian Church, the strip downtown with the Bayou restaurant, The Governor Wolf Building, Pearly Bakers, Trinity Episcopal Church, First United Church of Christ in Easton, and an aerial view of the city showing the free bridge.

He has painted local scenes in each place hes lived. He especially loved to paint scenes in Portugal. When it comes to Easton, he believes hes found a good place for his family to settle.

Now that Rodrigues is retired, he is able to devote more time to his hobby. He owns and runs an Etsy shop where he sells his artwork. He started the shop when he lived in Tennessee after a friend suggested it.

A painting of the Governor Wolf Building by Julio Rodrigues.Courtesy of Julio Rodrigues

It was always a hobby. I never rely on this as a source of income, but after a while the paintings started accumulating in my drawers. [Selling the paintings] seemed like a good idea, Rodrigues said. Its more of the satisfaction of knowing that someone likes your work enough to shell out hard earned money for it.

He not only enjoys it for himself, but he gets to share his hobby with others.

Im doing something that I love, and now I have the time to do it, Rodrigues said. Im not a professional painter. I never was. But its very rewarding when you see that people love the results of your work.
 Flash

Has Sam Ath, undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Information of Cambodia, offered insightful perspectives on the role of international media in bridging cultural exchanges and fostering cooperation between China and ASEAN countries in an exclusive interview with China.org.cn at the 2024 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum.

Has Sam Ath, undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Information of Cambodia, delivers a speech at the 2024 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum, June 21, 2024. [Photo courtesy of China International Communications Group]

Has highlighted Cambodia's steadfast commitment to advancing media cooperation with China and ASEAN, stating: "Amity is the spirit of friendship and goodwill which binds us together, while innovation propels us forward. Together, we can create a vibrant media landscape that reflects our common values, celebrates diversity, and promotes mutual respect."

He emphasized Cambodia's strong media cooperation with China, saying "The Ministry of Information of the Kingdom of Cambodia will continue enhancing the existing media cooperation for the development of both countries."

Has Sam Ath, undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Information of Cambodia, gives an exclusive interview to China.org.cn during the 2024 ASEAN-China Media Cooperation Forum, June 21, 2024. [Photo by Liu Caiyi/China.org.cn]



Discussing the challenges and opportunities presented by digital transformation and artificial intelligence, Has acknowledged that while these advancements bring unprecedented opportunities, they also pose significant challenges, including the spread of fake news and disinformation. "As responsible media professionals, we must navigate these waters with unwavering integrity," he urged, stressing the need for ethical journalism and rigorous fact-checking.

He also addressed the importance of media literacy in empowering informed audiences. He shared Cambodia's "Say No to Fake News" campaign, aimed at educating the public about discerning credible sources.

Has emphasized the diplomatic role of media in shaping perceptions and nurturing understanding between nations, suggesting joint productions, cultural exchanges, and collaborative storytelling initiatives to deepen connections between ASEAN countries and China.

"Media plays a vital diplomatic role, shaping perceptions and fostering understanding," he said. "Let us build bridges that withstand geopolitical currents, promoting mutual understanding and goodwill."

He called for innovation and collaboration in the media sector, encouraging new technologies like virtual reality and data journalism to drive progress while maintaining a commitment to accuracy and integrity. "Together, we can shape the future of media, adapting to evolving audience preferences while maintaining our commitment to accuracy and integrity," he stated.

Furthermore, he highlighted the importance of amplifying the voices of marginalized communities, such as those in rural areas and minority groups. "Media should amplify voices that often go unheard," he said. "In doing so, we contribute to a more inclusive and compassionate media landscape, fostering empathy and understanding."

Has urged participants to engage actively in the forum's sessions and forge lasting partnerships, concluding, "Our collective efforts will determine the trajectory of ASEAN-China media cooperation. Let us embrace amity, innovation, and the shared future we envision."
French Toast (Soleil Trop Chaud)

The English Beat - Wha'ppen?

Monkey Murders

The English Beat - Wha'ppen?

Let's Go Crazy

The Clash - Sandinista!

Help Me Somebody

Brian Eno & David Byrne - My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts

Kasongo Boogaloo

Ricardo Lemva & Makina Loca - Isabela

Una Tarde en Mariquita

Alice Russell & Quantic - Look Around the Corner (with Combo Barbaro)

Dubbing My Friends

The Loving Paupers & Victor Rice - The Ghost of Ladders - The Ghost of Ladders

Pica O Dedo

Africa Ritmos - Angola Soundtrack

Angolamania

Mendes Brothers - Cabo Verde

Fuguei na Escola (Para Jogar a Bola)

Teta Lando - Angola, Soundtrack 2 (Hypnosis, Distortions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978)

Snipes

Dicanzas Do Prenda - Angola, Soundtrack 2 (Hypnosis, Distortions & Other Sonic Innovations 1969-1978)

Its All In Your Mind

Hermanos Gutierrez - Sonido Cosmico - Sonido Cosmico

Fahari Yetu

The Zawose Queens - Maisha - Maisha

Abet Wubet

Gigi - Illuminated Audio

Astral Traveling

Pharoah Sanders - Thembi

Everymorning I Meditate

Lars Bartkuhn - Nomad - Nomad

Buho (feat. Maitara)

Savan - Antes del Amanecer - Antes del Amanecer

Guadeloupe, ile de mes amours

Erick Cosaque - Cosaque 1978

Paumalu

Mike Cooper - Rayon Hula (15th Anniversary Edition)

Kokoke Nalu

Mike Cooper - Rayon Hula (15th Anniversary Edition)

Boogaloo del Perro

Enrique Delgado Y Los Destellos - Gozalo - Bugalu Tropical Volume 2

Baby Boogaloo

Nilo Espinosa Y Orquesta - Gozalo!: Bugalu Tropical

What We Learned That Night In Vera Cruz And How We Applied It

Kip Hanrahan - Exotica

A Bailar Tomason

Gran Afro Cuban Orchestra de Generoso Jimenez - Generoso Que Buen Toca Usted

Pueblo Nuevo

Buena Vista Social Club - Buena Vista Social Club

Le reel de Pointe-au-Pic

La Bottine Souriante - Anthologie - Anthologie

Oriza

Les Kings - Tumbele! Afro & Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74

Dima Bolane

Le Ry-co Jazz - Tumbele! Afro & Latin Sounds from the French Caribbean, 1963-74

Homenaje a los Ambajadores

Les Ambassadeurs - Haiti Direct - Big Band, Mini Jazz & Twoubadou Sounds (1960-1978)

La Bamba

Milton Nascimento - Miltons

Kele Mou Bana

Don Pullen and the African-Brazilian Connection - Kele Mou Bana

Beginnings

Astrud Gilberto - Talkin' Verve: Astrud Gilberto
A man was injured early Sunday after being struck by gunfire in Bethlehem, city police said.

Shots rang out shortly before 4:15 a.m. Sunday in the 1300 block of Fritz Drive, police said.

Bethlehem Police Capt. Nicholas P. Lechman said investigators found a man with a gunshot wound to the body and provided first aid until the arrival of Bethlehem Emergency Medical Services.

The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment, where he remains in critical condition, Lechman said.

Currently, city police have no suspects in custody and are seeking any witnesses.

Those with information on Sundays shooting are asked to call Bethlehem Police at 610-865-7000 or email BethlehemPolice@bethlehem-pa.gov.

Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory, which will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday, plus the threat for severe thunderstorms remains for most of the Lehigh Valley.

Meteorologists say dangerously hot conditions will continue Sunday, with daytime heat index values up to 103 degrees for Northampton County and Lehigh County in Pennsylvania; and Warren County in New Jersey, as well as the surrounding counties of Monroe, Carbon, Berks, western Chester and Western Montgomery, as well as Upper Bucks in Pennsylvania; and Sussex and Morris counties in New Jersey.

Residents are encouraged to drink plenty fluids; stay in air-conditioned rooms; and stay out of the sun, as well as check up on relatives and neighbors, the weather service said. Young children and pets should not be left unattended vehicles as car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes, forecasters say.

Additionally, those who do venture outdoors should take extra precautions. The weather service recommends wearing lightweight and loose fitting clothing; trying to limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening; and taking action when spotting symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly said theres an additional is threat of severe weather Sunday and into the evening.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely, mainly after 5 p.m.,. with increasing clouds, forecasters say. The chance of precipitation is 60% with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. The high temperature is forecast to reach 94 degrees with heat index values as high as 101 degrees.

More showers and thunderstorms continue in the forecast for Sunday evening. The chance of precipitation then is 70% with new rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms. Itll be mostly cloudy with a low temperature of 70 degrees, according to the weather service.

AccuWeather is predicting gusty thunderstorms Sunday afternoon, bring the possibility of flooding downpours, hail and damaging winds. Sunday evening, AccuWeather predicts, will be humid with a heavy thunderstorm, followed by another passing shower late. Theres the additional threat for more flooding downpours, hail and damaging wind gusts Sunday evening.

There will be a break from the very high temperatures Monday, with both weather agencies predicting a high temperature forecast near 81 degrees. Tuesday is expected to be warmer, with meteorologists from both weather agencies predicting a high temperature near 89 degrees, before falling to a low temp around 67 degrees by evening.

The next chance for rain is expected Wednesday. Theres a chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly after 2 p.m. with the chance of precipitation at 40%, according to the weather service. The high temperature is forecast near 93 degrees by the weather service and 92 degrees by AccuWeather.

Wednesday evening also is expected to bring a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 8 p.m. Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday. Theres another chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 a.m. Thursday, the weather service says.

The low temperature is forecast around 70 degrees Wednesday evening, with the chance of precipitation at 70%, the weather service says.

Current radar:

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
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All roads this month lead and point towards the highlight of the Flat Season at the end of this month and the Curragh Racecourse with the Kildare Derby Festival arranging some great events all that week to celebrate the best of all things equine.

One of the not to be missed events is the Irish Derby Breakfast with Michael Kinane on the Wednesday before the Irish Derby festival 26th June.

Event MC Robbie Irwin will interview the legendary Michael Kinane about the famous horses, jockeys, owners and trainers who won the Irish Derby during his career in the saddle including his back-to-back wins on Galileo and High Chaparral in the setting of Lilywhites Lounge, overlooking the Flat Rath gallops with a continental breakfast provided for all guests. Breakfast with tea & coffee served from 9.15am. Guests will also receive a complimentary general admission ticket for racing on Friday evening, 28th June.

Another great event being organised by the Curragh Racecourse is a Curragh Gallops Tour with John Oxx with breakfast afterwards at Orby's by Lucy on the Thursday 27th June. Join retired Curragh trainer, Mr John Oxx, for an early morning bus tour of the Curragh gallops, followed by a full Irish breakfast with tea/coffee at Orby's by Lucy. This is a rare opportunity to tour the Curragh gallops early in the morning during the build up the Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival in the company of trainer of Irish Derby winners, Sinndar and Alamshar, as well as World Champion racehorse, and now leading stallion, See The Stars. Parking Opens at 6.30am, gallops tour at 6.45am - 8.00am followed by breakfast at Orby's By Lucy at 8.00am. Orby's By Lucy is situated at the main entrance to the Curragh Racecourse.

All details of the Kildare Derby Festival events on www.thoroughbredcountry.

ie/kildare-derby-festival/
The man who tragically drowned off the south west Donegal coast on Saturday has been named locally as Leitrim native Patrick Doran.

Mr Doran was one of over 100 divers taking part in the North West Dive Rally at Teelin.

The planned two-day event was plunged into shock and sadness at around noon on Saturday.

A search operation was launched after two divers were reported as missing.

The body of Mr Doran, aged in his 40s and a native of Leitrim Village, was recovered from the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

Mr Doran was a diving enthusiast and regularly took part in similar events.

A second diver, a man aged in his 60s, was rescued from the water and is currently receiving treatment at Galway University Hospital.

The local coroner, Dr Denis McCauley, has been notified of Mr Doran's death and a post-mortem will take place in the coming days.

The Coast Guard's 118 Rescue helicopter, based at Strandhill in Sligo, was dispatched to the scene.

A crew from the Killybegs Coast Guard also attended in their Delta RIB after being tasked by the Malin Head Coast Guard, who coordinated the operation.

Local gardai and other emergency services assisted.

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport told Donegal Live that the Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) in Malin co-ordinated a response to a diving incident that was reported off Teelin at 12.20pm.

A spokesperson said: The co-ordinated response involved the Sligo-based Rescue 118 helicopter, Killybegs Coast Guard Boat & Shore Crews, the National Ambulance Service and An Garda Siochana.

One male casualty (in his 40s) was pronounced dead at the scene and a second male casualty (in his 60s) was airlifted by Rescue 118 to Galway University Hospital (GUH) where he is receiving care.

Organisers of the North West Dive Rally immediately called off the remainder of the competition.
French gendarmes stand guard in front of the courthouse, where eleven independentists, including one of the leaders of the pro-independence CCAT movement, face court for their involvement in last month's spate of deadly unrest, in Noumea in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia on June 22, 2024. THEO ROUBY / AFP

Seven independence activists linked to a group accused of orchestrating deadly riots last month in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia have been sent to mainland France for pre-trial detention, a local prosecutor said Sunday, June 23.

"This transfer was organized during the night by means of a plane specially chartered for the mission," Yves Dupas, the prosecutor in the territory's capital Noumea, said in a statement. The seven were sent to mainland France, he added, "due to the sensitivity of the procedure and in order to allow the investigations to continue in a calm manner, free of any pressure."

Among the seven detainees was Christian Tein, head of the pro-independence group CCAT, who was charged Saturday over the recent violence in which nine people died, including two police. Authorities did not immediately specify what charges Tein faces.

His lawyer Pierre Ortent said Saturday he was "stupefied" that his client was being sent to France, 17,000 kilometers away, accusing magistrates of "answering to purely political considerations." France's government repeatedly accused Tein's CCAT of orchestrating the violence, a charge the organization has denied.

Read more Subscribers only New Caledonia: The three years that built up to the current crisis

Riots, street barricades and looting broke out in New Caledonia in May over an electoral reform that would have allowed long-term residents to participate in local polls. Hundreds more were wounded, and around 1.5 billion euros of damage was inflicted during the unrest.

The archipelago's Indigenous Kanaks feared the move would dilute their vote, putting hopes for eventually winning independence definitively out of reach. The reform was suspended when President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections.
A MAN who died while working on the roof of a farm fell more than seven metres to his death.

Pat Cotter from Rockhill, Bruree, had more than 35 years experience as a roofer and steel fabricator.

On December 13, 2022, he was working on a roof for a farm extension for Brian Coleman in Locknagrour, Bruree. Mr Coleman was the first to see Mr Cotter lying on the ground of the cattle shed.

He told the Limerick Coroners Court at Kilmallock Courthouse that he got an awful fright. He was moving...I was very worried.

Mr Coleman told the inquest: I knew him a long time, he was excellent at his job.

Mr Coleman's brother Edward rang 999 and then they called their neighbours.

An off-duty firefighter and his wife, who is a nurse, Donal and Edel Scully, both neighbours of the Colemans were among the first people on the scene.

They detected a faint pulse and began chest compressions, before getting a defibrillator from Banogue.

READ ALSO: Hollywood power couple apply for planning at 1m luxury Limerick home

Edward Coleman told the court that he had tea with Pat and then ten minutes later, he walked through the shed and Pat was on the roof laying sheeting.

I came back no more than three minutes later and he was on the ground. I shouted for Brian, rang 999, saw blood from Pats mouth - in my mind it was clear he had fallen from a height, he told the inquest.

He said: When the air ambulance came, I knew it wasnt good, I got an awful shock - one minute I was talking to him and I turned my back and he was gone.

Health and Safety Authority (HSA) inspector Jean Ryan told the coroner that Mr Cotter, who was 57-years-old, fell approximately 7.2 metres onto concrete and that he fell through an open section of the roof.

She said there were no barriers or controls in place to prevent a fall and that the injuries from the fall were fatal.

At the time, there had been frost and ice.

Ms Ryan agreed with the coroner that this is dangerous work and said: Working from a height would be deemed very hazardous, it would be necessary to make appointments, so someone is supervising the work.

The inquest heard that the post mortem found that Mr Cotter died from internal blood loss, due to multiple injuries including a head injury.

A jury of two women and four men delivered a verdict of accidental death and recommended that ongoing education and information campaigns continue to explain the HSA regulations to relevant stakeholders.

Limerick Coroner John McNamara sympathised with the family and friends of Mr Cotter and said: He was clearly a skilled and experienced workman and no doubt well known in his area of expertise. I can see the profound impact on Pats family, the Colemans and Im sure all of the neighbours and friends.

Inspector Gearoid Thompson who was on the scene himself on the day of Mr Cotters death sympathised with the family, saying it was a very tragic event that he saw first hand.

In January of this year, Brian Coleman was fined 2,500 as Lacknagrour Farm Limited, in Kilmallock District Court for breaching health and safety regulations.

The breach was for failing to appoint in writing a competent project supervisor for the construction stage of the project.
MEMBERS of the Defence Forces wearing their uniforms are not welcome to participate in Limerick Pride on July 13, reads a statement by festival director, Lisa Daly.

It follows the conviction on Wednesday of Cathal Crotty, aged 22, of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha for assaulting Natasha O'Brien, 24, in 2022. Mr Crotty boasted on Snapchat hours after the assault, "Two to put her down, two to put her out".

Ms OBrien and her friend were walking home when they told a group of men, one of whom was Mr Crotty, not to use a homophobic slur which was shouted at a man on Limericks OConnell Street.

Ms Daly, in the statement, said the judge granted the attacker a three-year fully suspended sentence and ordered him to pay 3,000 compensation to the victim.

"Thats not justice! Limerick Pride Festival would like to send a strong message that the Defence Forces are not welcome to participate in Limerick Pride on July 13. Pride is and always will be a protest!

"We are very aware that there are many in the Defence Forces who are strongly against what has happened and many who are a part of our community who serve them too. If you identify or are allies, then you are more than welcome to attend and enjoy the day with family and friends but without uniforms or banners.

"Like our counterparts in Dublin, we are aware that there are huge numbers of our Defence Forces and Court Services personnel who are decent and hard-working, and they will always be welcome at Pride  but as our priority is to respond to calls from the wider LGBTQI+ community, we have asked they do so unbranded, if they choose to come this year," reads the statement.

READ MORE: Pearl Jam rock star speaks out in support of Limerick assault victim

The committee has voted all in favour of this decision and statement.

Ms Daly said they have heard many stories about homophobia from their local community over the last number of months, which is concerning.

"The message sent out very clearly from this case to the LGBTQ+ community both locally and nationally, is very disappointing.

"We ask that all departments educate and bring more awareness to their staff members regarding Pride and the LGBTQI+ community.

"This year marks 50 years since the first ever Pride movement in Ireland. While we have come a long way since then we still have so much more to do, unfortunately we are not equal.

"The LGBTQI+ community has shown its solidarity and resilience together for many years and will continue to do so taking to the streets on Saturday, July 13 as we march proudly to this years Limerick Pride theme, I am what I am.

"From all the Limerick Pride committee, we are sending you all lots of love. Happy Pride!" concludes the statement by Ms Daly.

If you have been affected by this story or are looking to reach out to someone for support, advice or just to talk, there are numerous services available for LGBTQ+ people, many of which offer instant messaging support:

GOSHH, Samaritans, SpunOut.ie, LGBT Helpline, The Switchboard Dublin, Lesbian Line, Belong To, TENI, LGBTQI Pavee Point Aware, Pieta House, Jigsaw, Mental Health Ireland. They have also added a tab to their website limerickpride.ie of LGBT services.
A teenager has been arrested by gardai investigating violent disorder incidents in Phoenix Park last week.

The man, aged in his late teens, will appear in court on Monday.

On Monday, June 17, at approximately 11.30pm, gardai received an anonymous call relating to an incident in Phoenix Park and attended the area.

A search of the area was conducted but no one made themselves known to gardai.

Following further enquiries, gardai identified a suspect.

The man was arrested on suspicion of committing an offence contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, 1997 and detained at a garda station in north Dublin.

He has been charged and will appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice tomorrow morning. Gardai said that investigations are ongoing.

In a statement, a garda spokesman said it takes any crime or incident with a hate motivation seriously and incidents reported are professionally investigated.

An Garda Siochana appealed to anyone with direct knowledge or who has been a victim of such an incident in the area to contact them either at Cabra station on 01 666 7400, the Diversity Unit at the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau on 01 666 3150 or through an advocacy group.

Following the reports of this alleged incident, gardai said it has been in contact with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups.
The Adani Group plans to invest 25,000-27,500 crore (about $3 billion) to set up its first pumped-storage hydropower (PSH) facility, according to two people aware of the conglomerate's plans. PSH produces electricity by moving water between two reservoirs at different elevations.

Under the plan, Adani Green Energy Limited (AGEL) will set up PSH capacity of 5 GW in the next five years. "We will eventually increase this to 25 GW, which will take the groups total green-energy capability to 70 GW," one of the people cited above said on condition of anonymity.

To start with, the group will set up PSH generation facilities in four states  Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, they said.

"This will require an investment of 25,000-27,500 crore, based on the current costs. Some of the required reservoirs and separate elevation facilities have already been put in place," said the second person.

The development comes as the Adanis look to gain an edge in the country's fast-growing clean-energy industry, where top business groups such as Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries, Tata Group, Vedanta Group and JSW Group are pumping in billions of dollars in renewable energy projects including solar, wind, PSH, green hydrogen, etc.

In PSH itself, several other companies are already in the fray including Tata Power, NTPC and JSW.

Adani Group has so far focused on solar and wind energy generation in its clean energy business. As of now, the group's target of 45GW clean energy has been raised to 50GW by 2030 following the PSH move. It already has 11GW clean energy under operation, in addition to 15.25 GW thermal power plants in seven states.

An email sent to Adani Group's spokesperson remained unanswered.

What's the plan?

"The financial closure for commissioning 3.5 GW of PSH capacity has already been done," said the first person. The two people added that the 5GW target will be funded by issuing new shares and raising debt, and that the group has already begun basic construction work for the first 500 MW PSH project in Andhra Pradesh, which will be commissioned in FY27.

Typically, infrastructure assets are funded with debt and equity in the ratio of 70:30. For funding Adani's green energy projects of 11 GW in the next two years, including the latest one based on PSH, the equity portion of financing will come from promoter infusion and internal accruals, according to the two persons cited above.

While AGEL generated 3,400 crore of free cash flow to equity in fiscal 2024, the Adani family has committed investments of 9,350 crore in AGEL, of which 25% is already infused and the balance 7,012 crore will be exercised during the current financial year, which can fund about 5.5 GW capacity, according to the two persons.

For the the debt funding, in FY24, AGEL commissioned about 3 GW, with a credit revolving facility of $1.6 billion, which has been increased to $3.4 billion now, by a consortium of 25 international and domestic banks, which if utilized, is sufficient to develop 6-8 GW, the two people added.

Once the assets stabilize, the facility is refinanced with a long-term dollar bond. The idea is to issue bonds with fixed coupons and with a long-term amortization structurewhere the cashflows are fully aligned with debt servicing. AGELs RG1 dollar bond issued in March 2024, received a seven-times participation from international investors," said the second person.

India's PSH Push

As India, the third largest emitter of carbon dioxide after China and the US, moves on its renewable pledge of net zero by 2070, PSH is emerging as a big part of this push.

In January, the government cleared eight PSH projects worth 81,981 crore in five states, according to the ministry of environment, forest and climate change or MoEFCC.

Adani Group's closest rivals Tata Power, NTPC and JSW have already announced plans to enter the PSH space. The Ahmedabad-based conglomerate's capex target, though, is the highest.

Also read: Norway fund giant Norges cuts off Adani Ports

On 19 February, a report in The Economic Times quoted Tata Power CEO Praveer Sinha saying that the company was looking to set up 2.8 GW of PSH capacity by FY29 with an investment of 15,000 crore.

In November 2023, a Moneycontrol report said state-run NTPC Ltd had identified at least nine states where it planned to build PSH units with a total installed capacity of 14 GW.

In December, the government had cleared Greenko Energys proposal for a 3.66-GW PSH project in Uttar Pradeshs Sonbhadra district according to MoEFCC.

Two projects in Chhattisgarh with a capacity of 1.2 GW each, by Sterlite Grid and Gandhwani Energy, have also received recommendations. Another 2.22 GW project by Oju Subansiri Hydro Power Corporation in Arunachal Pradesh and a 1.5 GW project by JSW Energy in Maharashtra have also received clearance, according to MoEFCC.

A 1.2 GW project by Non-conventional Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd in Annamayya district has been given terms of reference (ToR) clearance, while the company's 1 GW project in YSR district, which will be operational in three to four years, has received environmental clearance, according to MoEFCC.

What is PSH?

PSH is a type of hydroelectric energy storage that comprises two water reservoirs at different elevations. Power is generated when water moves from one reservoir to the other through a turbine. When there is a surplus of electricity available, typically during off-peak hours or from solar and wind energy, the power is used to pump water from the lower to the higher reservoir.

This type of energy generation is fast catching on with power companies because it is capable of supplying electricity around the clock, unlike solar and wind.

The reservoirs essentially act as batteries, saving costs and boosting margins, which is why both public and private companies are keen to set up or ramp up their PSH capacities.

According to experts, closed-loop pumped storage hydropower systems have the lowest global warming potential across energy storage technologies.

A March 2023 report by JM Financial Institutional Securities Ltd. says, "We estimate that a PSP (pumped storage plant) project can generate 13.4% IRR assuming a levelised tariff of 7.5/kWh and pumping cost of 3/kWh, which can further increase with incentives. We believe PSP will be the frontrunner in the energy storage space over the next decade and offer a $10 bn-12 bn opportunity for utilities, EPC and capital good players over a decade such as NTPC, JSW Energy, Tata Power, Greenko, NHPC, SJVNL, Adani Green, L&T, Siemens, and Voith."

According to the Central Electricity Authority (CEA),the on-river PSH potential in India is about 103 GW. Out of 4.75 GW of such plants installed in the country, 3.3 GW are working in pumping mode, and about 44.5 GW projects are at various stages of development.

A November 2023 Teri paper suggests PSH should be a priority in this decade to facilitate the achievement of Indias ambitious goal of having 500GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030.

According to CEA, as of April 2024, India has a total installed power generation capacity of 442.86 GW, of which 191.68 GW is from renewable sources. The share of variable renewable energy is expected to increase to 35% by 2030 as per CEA.

Within the renewable space, the total installed hydro capacity is 52 GW currently in India, as per CEA.

Importantly, according to a 17 June report by energy research firm Rystad Energy, as South East Asian countries look to transition from fossil fuels to clean energy, PSH capacity in Southeast Asia is likely to increase from about 2.3 GW at present to 18 GW by 2033 at an expected investment of $12-70 billion. Currently, fossil fuels account for 64% of Southeast Asias power generation.
Eurostat made a comparison between three indicators used in establishing the standard of living in 36 European countries: GDP per capita and the level of Actual Individual Consumption (AIC) balanced by the relative level of prices.

Thus, in 2023, Luxembourg and Ireland recorded the highest values of GDP/capita, being 139% and 111% above the EU average. Bulgaria is at the opposite end of the ranking, with a GDP/capita of only 64% of the EU average.

Romania came to be on a par with Poland concerning GDP/capita, with 80% of the EU average.

Results were more homogeneous in the case of actual individual consumption (AIC), but with significant differences between EU member states.

Romania is at 89% of the EU average in terms of actual individual consumption, one percentage point above Spain which is at 88% of the EU average.

The chart below shows states where GDP/capita is higher (or at least equal) relative to actual individual consumption:

Luxembourg recorded the highest level of AIC per capita in the EU, 38% above the EU average, as well as the highest price level, 52% above the EU average.

It was followed by EFTA (European Free Trade Association) country Norway, with an AIC/capita of 26% above the EU average.

While Luxembourg and Ireland stood out among EU states in terms of GDP, this was less obvious in the case of AIC.

This is owed to cross-border workers contributing to the GDP in Luxembourg, while their consumption expenditure is recorded in the national accounts of their country of residence. Ireland, with the second highest GDP/capita in the EU, recorded an AIC/capita 6% below the EU average.

As with the volume index of GDP/capita, the countries ranking concerning the volume index of AIC/capita shows a relative stability between 2013 and 2023. Luxembourg had the highest volume index among EU countries throughout the period, while Hungary and Bulgaria alternated their bottom positions.

EFTA country Norway and EU member states Ireland, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands and Sweded had more than 20% above the EU average price levels.

Belgium, Austria, Germany and France were the other EU member states with price levels above the EU average.

Romania has the lowest price level in the EU

Italy, Spain, Estonia, Cyprus, Malta and Slovenia had a prices level less than 10% below the EU average, followed by Portugal, Greece, the Czech Republic, Latvia and Slovakia, with less than 20% below the EU average.

Lithuania and Croatia had a price level less than 30% below the EU average, followed by Hungary, Poland and candidate country Serbia, with price level less than 40% below this average. Candidate states Albania and Montenegro, followed by EU member Bulgaria, candidate countries Bosnia and Herzegovina had levels between 40 and 50% of the average. Candidate countries North Macedonia and Turkey had price levels 53% and 62%, respectively, below the EU average.

Romania had price levels between 50 and 60% of the EU average.

Exchange rate stability supported Romanians consumption

Exchange rates are crucial in determining prices levels and, subsequently, exchange rates shifts often have a large impact on prices levels development over time.

In fact, several of the major changes of prices levels analyzed between 2021 and 2023 can be at least partially explained by the fluctuations of a countrys currency against the euro. In 2022 and 2023, the national currency of Turkey recorded a large depreciation against the euro.

The Czech Republic registered the highest increase in price levels between 2021 and 2023.

Romania benefited from an almost fixed exchange rate, which kept prices relatively low compared to other countries, especially since we are a net importing country:

These figures show that, firstly and not at all surprisingly, price dispersion has been far less acute in the Euro zone than in the EU as a whole and in the group of 36 countries (which may be partially impacted by the volatility of exchange rates). Secondly, price levels have converged for all 36 countries over this period of three years.

***
In its hustle to catch up on AI, Apple may be turning to a longtime rival: Meta.

Facebooks parent has held discussions with Apple about integrating Meta Platforms generative AI model into Apple Intelligence, the recently announced AI system for iPhones and other devices, according to people familiar with the matter.

Meta and other companies developing generative AI are hoping to take advantage of Apples massive distribution through its iPhonessimilar to what Apple offers with its App Store on the iPhone.

A latecomer to generative AI, Apple has developed its own smaller artificial-intelligence models but has announced it will turn to partners for more complex or specific tasks. When Apple Intelligence was unveiled earlier this month at the companys Worldwide Developers Conference, OpenAIs ChatGPT was announced as the companys first partner.

We wanted to start with the best," said Apple software leader Craig Federighi, noting that ChatGPT represents the best choice for our users today." He also said Apple wanted to integrate Googles Gemini as well.

In addition to Google and Meta, AI startups Anthropic and Perplexity also have been in discussions with Apple to bring their generative AI to Apple Intelligence, said people familiar with the talks.

If Apple strikes deals with partners beyond OpenAI, Apple said customers could choose which external AI models they want to use in addition to Apples internal systems.

The discussions with Meta highlight the unlikely alliances that are forming between major technology companies in the artificial-intelligence era. OpenAIs tech is set to be embedded in Microsoft and Apple devices. And an Apple and Meta deal would be noteworthy given how much the two companies have been at loggerheads over other emerging tech issues.

In its talks with other AI companies, Apple hasnt sought for either party to pay the other, the people said. Instead, the AI companies can sell premium subscriptions to their services through Apple Intelligence. As it does on its app store, the iPhone maker would keep a cut of subscription revenue from its devices.

The discussions havent been finalized and could fall through. Even though deals with Apple would help AI companies obtain massive distribution of their products, it is unclear how much of a financial windfall it would be.

OpenAI will be offering a free version of ChatGPT through Apple Intelligence, but users can also link a premium ChatGPT account to their Apple device.

While ChatGPT usage is expected to double with the Apple partnership, OpenAIs infrastructure costs are expected to grow 30% to 40%, said Gene Munster, a longtime Apple analyst and managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management. Munster expects 10% to 20% of Apple users will opt into paying for a premium AI subscription to a product like ChatGPT. That could mean billions of dollars for AI companies that integrate successfully with Apples new platform.

Distribution is hard to get," Munster said. The beauty of what Apple has built is that youve got this engaged distribution at scale."

A partnership with Meta would help elevate the stature of its efforts in the tech industrys AI race and represents a rare olive branch between the social-media giant and the iPhone maker. Meta launched Llama 2, its large language model, in July 2023, and in April, the company released the latest versions of its AI models, called Llama 3. While Llama has gained support and adoption within the tech industry and among startups, a deal with Apple would represent a major victory for Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg and his companys AI division.

Tensions between the two companies have persisted for more than a decade. Most notably, Apple in 2021 introduced privacy changes to its mobile devices that Meta later said would cost it $10 billion in lost revenue in 2022. In April, Meta published instructions encouraging advertisers to use a workaround to avoid paying a 30% service charge to Apple for boosted posts," a form of advertising that the two companies bickered over for years, The Wall Street Journal has reported.

By holding discussions with a range of AI companies, Apple is able to avoid becoming overly reliant on OpenAI. But it remains to be seen how open Apple will make its new AI platform available to these external AI companies. These AI deals take time because for now they have to be struck on a per-company basis, unlike the App Store where an established process exists in which developers can more freely submit their apps for Apples approval before showing up in its digital storefront.

Apples Federighi said it makes sense for the company to offer numerous AI options because users will prefer different models for different tasks, such as creative writing or researching medical information. People are going to want to draw on that kind of expertise that might not be part of our core," he said at the developers conference earlier this month.

News Corp, owner of the Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, has a content-licensing partnership with OpenAI.

Write to Salvador Rodriguez at salvador.rodriguez@wsj.com, Aaron Tilley at aaron.tilley@wsj.com and Miles Kruppa at miles.kruppa@wsj.com
New Delhi:A Bengaluru-based Indian technology company is among at least 10 firms from several countries against whom Japan has imposed sanctions for allegedly helping Russia evade punitive economic measures.

The actions against the companies including asset freeze and export bans were announced by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The other companies belonged to China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the United Arab Emirates.

The West and its allies have imposed strict punitive trade and economic sanctions against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.

Japan has introduced punitive measures under the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, the Japanese foreign ministry said in a statement.

It named the Indian company in the list of firms which will be facing sanctions from the Japanese government.

Last week, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said at the G7 summit in Italy that his government is imposing sanctions on companies and groups which are helping Russia evade economic sanctions.

The G7 grouping has imposed a series of punitive sanctions against Russia including asset freeze for its invasion of Ukraine.

Japan has already imposed punitive measures on a number of Russian companies.

Also Read | Ukraine sends over 30 drones into Russia after bombing of Kharkiv leaves 3 dead
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced several significant measures during the 53rd GST Council meeting held on Saturday, June 22, 2024. The session, chaired by Sitharaman and attended by state finance ministers, focused on tax amendments, Aadhaar biometric integration, and exemptions in railway services. Here are the key takeaways:

Aadhaar-based biometric authentication There is going to be a rolling out of biometric-based Aadhaar authentication on an all-India basis. This will help us to combat fraudulent input tax credit claims made through fake invoices in the cases, announced Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. This initiative aims to enhance tax compliance by curbing fraudulent practices such as fake invoicing.

GST rate on milk cans A uniform GST rate of 12% was announced for all milk cans, regardless of whether they are made of steel, iron, or aluminum. This measure is expected to standardize the tax treatment of these products.

Petrol and diesel under GST The central government reiterated its intent to bring petrol and diesel under the GST regime, pending consensus among states on the applicable tax rate. This move is seen as a step towards uniform taxation of fuel across the country.

Indian Railways services The council granted a GST exemption on platform tickets, aiming to ease the financial burden on passengers. This decision is part of broader efforts to make railway services more affordable.

Reduction in GST for carton boxes The GST rate on various types of carton boxes was reduced from 18% to 12%. This change is intended to benefit both manufacturers and consumers by lowering the overall cost of these essential packaging materials.

Exemption for hostel accommodation Services related to hostel accommodation outside educational institutions were exempted from GST up to 20,000 per person each month. This exemption is designed to make hostel accommodation more affordable for non-student residents.

Central support and conditional loans to states During her address, Finance Minister Sitharaman emphasized the Union Governments commitment to aiding states through timely tax devolution, Finance Commission grants, and GST compensation settlements. She highlighted the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment, noting that while most loans are unrestricted, a portion remains conditional on states implementing citizen-centric reforms and specific capital projects across sectors. Sitharaman encouraged states to leverage these loans by fulfilling the stipulated criteria.

Extension of GSTR 4 filing deadline for small taxpayers In order to help small taxpayers, the Council recommended extending the time limit to furnish the details and the returns in the form GSTR 4 from 30th April to 30th June. This will apply for returns for the Financial Year 2024-25 onwards, the minister added.

Waiver of interest and penalties for non-fraudulent cases Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that the GST Council has recommended waiving interest and penalties for demand notices issued under Section 73 of the GST Act. This waiver applies to cases that do not involve fraud, suppression, or misstatements.

New monetary limits for filing appeals Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman further announced that the GST Council has recommended setting monetary thresholds for filing appeals by the department in various courts. To reduce government litigation, the council has recommended a monetary limit of 20 lakh for the GST Appellate Tribunal, 1 crore for High Court, and 2 crore for the Supreme Court for filing appeals by the department, she stated.
New Delhi: The upcoming Union budget may propose to issue sovereign green bonds worth about 25,000 crore-  30,000 crore as a part of the borrowing schedule for FY25, and a large chunk of it is likely to be sold during the second half of the year, two people aware of the matter said.

Proceeds from the sale will finance sustainable infrastructure projects.

Read | Budget 2024: Fiscal assistance tops states wish list This is seen as evidence of the governments commitment to scaling up green finance initiatives.

"The borrowings made through green bond instruments during the ongoing fiscal (FY25) will be higher than last year, as there is a demand for sustainable bonds in the market," said the first person mentioned above, requesting anonymity.

The centre is likely to raise about  25,000 crore- 30,000 crore from green bonds as a part of the borrowing calendar for FY25, the person added.

Interest in green bonds on the rise Amid pressing issues like climate change and other environmental challenges, green bondsfixed-income investments used to fund projects with a positive environmental impacthave found interest among investors to align their financial goals with their values and contribute to positive change.

During FY23, the government raised about 16,000 crore through sovereign green bonds, which was hiked to about 20,000 crore in FY24.

The anticipated increase to 25,000-30,000 crore for FY25 underscores the governments commitment to scaling up green finance initiatives, said the person.

Also this | India to seek three-year carbon tax exemption for MSMEs in trade talks with EU So far, the government has decided to raise 12,000 crore from the sale of green bonds during H1, FY25.

Interestingly, the budget for FY24 made no mention of green bonds. However, the government later included a phased 20,000 crore green bond plan for the second half of the borrowing calendar.

Of this, bonds of 5,000 crore with a tenure of five years were sold in November 2023, and  10,000 crore worth of bonds with a tenure of 30 years in two tranches of 5,000 crore each were sold across January and February 2024; bonds worth another 5,000 crore were sold by March.

India's inclusion in JP Morgan index "Several factors are driving this increased target. Indias recent inclusion in the JP Morgan bond index fund is expected to attract substantial interest from foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in long-term sovereign green bonds. Additionally, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has permitted FPIs to invest in these bonds via the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC), further boosting market confidence," said Venkatakrishnan Srinivasan, managing partner at Rockfort Fincap Llp, a financial advisory firm.

Last September, JP Morgan said it would add 23 Indian government bonds to its widely tracked emerging market debt index beginning 28 June 2024, while Bloomberg Index Services had in March said it would include 34 Indian government bonds in its Emerging Market Local Currency Index from 31 January next year.

Interestingly, the government did not accept bids in the sovereign green bond auction of 6,000 crore held on 31 May, despite receiving bids totalling  12,677 crore.

"It is assumed that the government found the greenium (premium for green bonds) unsatisfactory. Additionally, election-related spending restrictions played a role in this decision. Similar constraints led to the cancellation of treasury bill auctions during the election period," added Srinivasan.

Cost advantage For green bonds to support borrowing plans, they need to offer a cost advantage over conventional bonds, especially considering their eco-friendly label, said the second person mentioned above, who didn't want to be named.

"It is prudent to raise money via the green bonds route, only if it provides an advantage over similar issues of conventional bonds. If conventional bonds yield 7%, green bonds should be at a discount and shouldnt have more than 6.7%-6.8% yield to be feasible," the person said.

The yield on the Indian 10-year government bond settled at 6.973% on 21 June.

Also this | Centre announces infrastructure projects, farmer support as part of 100 day programme The 10-year yield has fallen to a near-one-year low due to the record surplus dividend transfer by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to the government, sparking hopes of the Centre lowering its fiscal deficit and borrowing.

A finance ministry spokesperson didn't respond to emailed queries.
The drug regulator has found 50 lifesaving medicines, including those used to control fever and seizure, to be of sub-standard quality across India.

The long list of such drugs includes Paracetamol 500 mg, Telmisartan anti-hypertension drug, Cuftin cough syrup, Clonazepam tablets used to manage seizures, anti-pain relief drug Diclofenac, multi-vitamins and calcium tabs.

Henna misbranded Also, the drug regulator has found that commonly applied Henna mehndi is also of poor quality and misbranded as per provisions laid down under the cosmetics category.

This comes even as Indias pharmaceutical sector is under a scanner after cough syrups made in the country were linked to the deaths of children overseas.

According to a Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO) drug alert for May, the drug samples were picked from Waghodia (Gujarat), Solan (Himachal Pradesh), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Haridwar (Uttarakhand), Ambala, Indore, Hyderabad, and Andhra Pradesh among other states.

Paracetamol 500 mg. tablets, which have been found to be sub-standard, are manufactured by Askon Healthcare based in Ujjan, Madhya Pradesh. The firm, on its official website claims that it has been manufacturing pharmaceutical finished dosage form.

Phone calls and email queries sent to the Askon Healthcare remained unanswered.

DCGI list Other medicines on the list of DCGI include lactulose solution used to treat constipation, anti-hypertension drug Telmisartan and Amlodipine IP tablets, Dexamethasone SodiumPhosphate Injection I.P used to manage auto-immune dieaseas and serious infections and Clonazepam TabletsI.P.0.5mg which used for treating neurological complications.

The drug samples were examined at both Central and state laboratories.

Earlier in February, the Drug Controllers General of India (DCGI) Rajeev Raghuvanshi instructed states/UTs to keep a strong vigilance and surveillance on the quality of drugs available in the market by doing random sampling of the medicines.

This initiative is helping to create a monthly database of spurious and substandard medicines and keep a check on manufacturers.

Health minister JP Nadda directed officials to ensure the safety and quality of medicines in the country.
New Delhi: The Centre may propose a global trade promotion body focused on boosting MSME exports in the upcoming Union budget, three people aware of the development said. The move comes on the backdrop of India's rising trade deficit and the urgent need to boost exports, the people said on condition of anonymity.

The new global trade promotion organization (GTPO) is being conceptualized on the lines of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Australian Trade and Investment Commission (AUSTRADE), and will have branches in major economies.

Focused towards MSMEs There has been a demand and also a consideration for a trade promotion body that would have offices abroad and work hands-on in terms of promoting exports for MSMEs who do not the economic muscle to promote their goods and establish a market abroad on their own, said one of the people cited above.

Another person said that although there are sector-specific trade promotion bodies in the country along with the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), they do not have a robust presence globally and mostly work out of India.

Read | Centre announces infrastructure projects, farmer support as part of 100 day programme The GTPO is aimed to help small businesses with registration, licensing, and certification required for exports of goods and services to different developed and developing economies, and creating business opportunities for them in coordination with India's consulates abroad.

It will work like a one-stop solution for MSME firms. The commerce ministry is hoping that it will play a key role in reducing trade deficit by encouraging MSME exports, the third person said, adding that it would also help smaller business participate in global exhibitions, trade shows and buyer-seller meets.

Queries sent to the ministries of commerce, MSME and finance remained unanswered till press time.

Budget 2024: Fiscal assistance tops states wish list Such a trade promotion body with its branches in other countries is key for the country's MSMEs, Vinod Kumar, president of India SME Forum said. "It would be apt if such a body is given a target to increase India's exports to $1 trillion."

India's merchandise exports in the just-concluded financial year (FY24) fell by 3.11% to $437.06 billion as against $451.07 billion in FY23, as per commerce ministry data.

The trade situation The country's merchandise trade deficit widened to a seven-month high in May, but largely due to a surge in imports. The deficit stood at $23.78 billion in May, up 5.5% year-on-year and up 24.5% from April.

Merchandise exports increased to $38.13 billion in May, up from $34.95 billion in May 2023 and $34.99 billion in April.

Imports, however, saw a sharper rise, reaching $61.91 billion in May, up from $57.48 billion in May 2023 and $54.09 billion in the previous month.

Why MSMEs are important MSMEs are a key constituent of the Indian exports ecosystem, contributing about 45% to the country's total exports, according to a Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI) report. They also account for around 38% of India's manufacturing output.

MSMEs also contribute about 27% to India's GDP and employ more than 110 million people, making it the largest employer after agriculture (about 148 million employed, according to GTRI).

A NITI Aayog report on MSME exports released in March this year said: "Exports represent an enormous and under-utilized opportunity for the MSME sector. Sectors where Indian MSMEs can participate and compete in export markets include handicrafts, handloom textiles, ayurveda and herbal supplements, leather goods, imitation jewellery and wooden products. Globally, these sectors constitute substantial markets exceeding $340 billion, whereas their domestic market is considerably smaller."

Read | Centre likely to increase interest-free loans to states Noting that over time, small firms have encountered difficulties in tapping into export markets due to the inherent obstacles posed by economies of scale, the report said that it's more challenging for small enterprises to enter foreign markets, adhere to compliance requirements, achieve cost-effective production, and efficiently manage logistics for clients.
India is set to resume wheat imports by lowering the duty on inbound shipments while also imposing stock limits on the grain, three officials said, in a new attempt to tame prices and boost supplies.

Additionally, the government is planning to kick off open market operations sales.

India, the second-largest wheat producer worldwide, has a 44% duty on wheat imports, imposed six years ago, which effectively stopped shipments of the grain.

Traders have been asking the government to relax import norms so that they can resume imports at a time international prices are low on account of a glut in Russian production.

However, the matter is sensitive for farmers and any duty cuts would have to be mindful of that.

Read | Centre weighs stock limit on tur, chana to tame prices If at all India imports, it is unlikely to be more than 3-4 million tonnes, said one of the officials cited above.

The government estimates wheat production in the 2024-25 season to be on par with last year at 112.9 million tonnes.

If duty is reduced, allowing private wheat imports, international wheat will likely reach India via all major south Indian ports from 1 July, the other official said.

And this | Cabinet approves increase in MSP of 14 kharif crops for 2024-25 season Currently, the landed price of wheat at Kochi port in Kerala and Tuticorin port in Tamil Nadu is $280-$290 ( 23,398- 24,233) a tonne and port handling and packaging cost is another 1,500.

If the 44% duty is abolished, the effective price would be around 25,000 to 26,000 a tonne. Conversions are as per 23 June currency value.

The domestic price of wheat in key mandis is in the range of  26,980-27,100 per tonne and the minimum support price of wheat is  2,275 per tonne, according to spot traders.

As per data from the consumer affairs ministry, all-India average price of the staple grain on Sunday was 31 a kg, a rise of 6.4% year-on-year and wholesale price was 27,720 per tonne, an increase of 6.6% on year.

Also this | Govt misses wheat procurement target for second consecutive year, procures 26.6 mt28.7% lower than target As per my understanding and discussions at the international grains council meeting last week in London, India might import a million or two tonnes of wheat to soften prices and keep a little extra for food security purposes. Given the fact that wheat production estimates are at the same level as last year or a million or two less than that, it's better that the government allows private trade to import a couple of million tonnes of wheat by lowering duty, M.J. Khan, chairman of the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture said.

Last year production was significantly down by 3.8 million tonnes. Because of this, the government might take an extra cautious approach in terms of wheat. Buffer stocks are sufficient and above the reserve requirement; but to soften prices and as an extra precautionary measure, there's a possibility of a couple of million tonnes of wheat being imported.

As for stock limits, the third official said, The permitted limit of 3,000 tonnes for wholesalers, 10 tonnes for retailers, 10 tonnes for each outlet and 3,000 tonnes at all depots for big chain retailers, 70% of monthly installed capacity multiplied by the remaining months of the current financial year in the case of processors has been proposed."

As per February stock limits, wholesalers were permitted to keep only 500 tonnes, retailers 5 tonnes, big chain retailers 5 tonnes for each outlet and 500 tonnes at all depots, processors 60% of monthly installed capacity multiplied by remaining months till April 2024.

And this | Wheat procurement surpasses last years figures, hits 26.3 million tonnes "Additionally, 2.5 million tonnes of OMSS (open market sale scheme) is initially likely from July or August as per emerging requirements, the third official said.

The Centre closed wheat procurement at 26.6 million tonnes against last years 26.2 million tonnes and the target of 31 million tonnes. After NFSA and other welfare schemes and buffer stock requirement, the government is estimated to have 8.2 million tonnes for OMSS. In the 2023-24 rabi season, the government released about 10.1 million tonnes of wheat under OMSS, the highest ever.

The annual requirement of wheat for NFSA and other welfare schemes is 18.4 million tonnes and closing stock requirement as of 31 March 2025 is 15.7 million tonnes.

All three measures are in the pipeline as prices of wheat generally tend to increase at the procurement season and peak in December-January.
Indias aviation market continues to draw interest from global stakeholders as top executives see the potential to unlock demand in metros and tier-2 cities on the back of a strong air-travel sentiment and a fast-growing economy.

The cumulative order for more than 1,600 aircraft by IndiGo, Air India and Akasa since 2023 is expected to further expand Indias international footprint, and domestic carriers have often highlighted the role of tier-2 and tier-3 markets in this trajectory. Now, global airlines are also lining up to tap the potential in smaller cities.

Last week, Etihad launched four weekly flights to Jaipur. And Saudi carrier Riyadh Air, which is set to launch in 2025, has also firmed up plans to begin flights to India by 2026. So far, the airline has ordered 39 Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with an option for 33 more.

India is in our top three target markets of the world; it is a massive opportunity. We see potential and opportunity in the secondary cities. We have also seen affluence increasing  people have more money to travel. The future is very clear, Jonathan Pollard, chief commercial officer of London Gatwick Airport told Mint.

The airport, which currently serves 24 Air India flights a week, has also begun talks with Indias largest airline IndiGo, which placed an order for 30 wide-body aircraft in May. We are aware of IndiGos wide-body order. Naturally we will be making a case to IndiGo and others who have the capacity, to fly to London. The team has also engaged extensively with Air India to understand what capacity may be available for flights to Gatwick, he added.

Aviation sector has soared since covid India's international aviation market has received a major boost in recent times thanks to aggressive expansion efforts by carriers such as IndiGo, Air India and Vistara since covid-related restrictions were eased in March 2022.

According to data from the Airports Authority of India, the number of international airports in the country rose from 35 in March 2019 to 40 by March 2024. International traffic at Indian airports increased 22% year-on-year to 69.64 million passengers in FY24 while domestic traffic grew nearly 14% to 306.8 million.

Adam Boukadida, Riyadh Air's chief financial officer, said, India is an important market for us. We will use both wide-body and narrow-body aircraft for this market. For us, partnering with Indian carriers will also be important for depth of network so we will be partnering with Indian airlines to connect more cities. We hope to connect India within 12 months of our launch so it should happen during 2025-26."

Chai Eamsiri, chief executive of Thai Airways International, said, "In terms of the number of cities we service, India is our biggest market. We already fly to all the major cities and have a plan to operate in secondary cities. We have to wait for the new narrow-body aircraft for that.

Also read: International airlines see scope in India as aviation hub
There was hot girl summer and short king spring. Now, tis the season for finance bros.

Men working in finance are the latest public fascination. Khrystyna Komarovska, a social-media manager who recently moved to New York, hit the streets in May with a cardboard sign advertising her search for one.

Theyre hardworking and theyre smart," she said in an interview. Its my type."

Wearing pearls and a black suit, her long blond hair in loose curls, Komarovska brandished the sign listing three, very specific criteria.

It all started with a TikTok video by 27-year-old Megan Boni, known as Girl On Couch. Her April post, amassing about 49 million views, features a singsong message: Im looking for a man in finance. Trust fund. 65." Blue eyes."

DJs remixed Bonis audio. Thousands of social-media users created videos with the sound or riffed on the phrasemaking it a front-runner for TikToks song of the summer.

Boni, meanwhile, struck a deal with Universal Music Group. Versions of her Man in Finance" song are now on Spotify, including a release with David Guetta, a top name in dance music.

Finance bros, the world seemed to declare, are back.

Maybe it will make finance guys cool again," said Jamaine Cook, 32, who works in private equity in Chicago.

A question of supply and demand

Wall Street men havent always enjoyed rosy reputations. They get dunked on for their Patagonia vests and occasionally vilified in popular culture, especially after the 2008 financial crisis. But bright college graduates still vie for positions, driven by the promise of big paychecks and bonuses. Others just want to court them.

Boni said she made the original video as a satire of women with impossible dating standards, not because shes particularly interested in dating a man in finance.

I wanted to make fun of single people, including myself," she said.

The state of dating faces enough criticism online that it trended well before Bonis satire. Matches from apps often dont lead to committed relationships, and Gen Z is experiencing swipe fatigue." Still others embrace being a stay-at-home girlfriend as an online persona, rejecting girlboss aspirations for a softer life funded by a rich boyfriend.

A man fitting the songs exact requirements proves elusiveif he exists at all. Only 5% of men in the U.S. stand at around 62" or taller, according to National Center for Health Statistics estimates. Roughly 5% of employed American men work in business and financial operations, according to a Labor Department survey.

Jack Wells, a 29-year-old financial specialist in New York, matches most of the description. He has blue eyes and is 63," but doesnt have a trust fund. Many friends from his hometown in Texas have sent him the Man In Finance" videos.

Its funny," he said. For now."

Focusing solely on superficial features such as height, eye color and job title is a recipe for disaster, according to Devyn Simone, a matchmaker at Three Day Rule and Tinders resident relationship expert. But she understands why women consider money in dating. After all, she said, choosing a partner is among ones biggest financial decisions.

I by no means judge a woman who wants someone who is financially stable and accomplished."

Lets make some money together

For writer and comedian Rohita Kadambi, the Man in Finance" song evoked a specific person: Cousin Greg from HBOs Succession."

While Kadambi herself isnt seeking a finance bro, she gets why others might pursue a wealthy partner. Were in a cost-of-living crisis," she said.

Her suggestion? If youre looking for a man with a trust fund, hes probably in art school."

Skylar Romines, a business adviser in Orange County, Calif., had different requirements, posting on X that shes looking for a man in finance who stands 510," is 93 and lives in Omaha. In other words, Warren Buffett.

Dont take me on a date," Romines said. Lets make some money together."

Influencer Seerat Saini amended Bonis song to fit the description of a man who is South Asian, like herself. In her video, she said shes looking for a brown king with a big ring.

I was all with it until I heard blue eyes, " she said of the original song. Whats wrong with brown eyes?"

As someone who has dated men in finance, Saini offered a word of caution about the industry, whose employees who regularly clock 100-hour weeks. Youre literally never going to see him," she said.

Man In Finance," the song, meanwhile, resonates everywhere. In London, flash mobs of men in matching slacks, button-ups and vests danced around the city to promote the song.

We just KNOW theyre all proficient in Excel," commented Microsoft 365s official TikTok account.

Adam Lyons, a professional dancer performing on the West End, choreographed the flash mob for Universal. As a tall man with blue eyes, he performed front and center.

Its the most honest song which has been released in a long time," Lyons said. No one wants to go on a date and split the bill. You want to be wined and dined by a man in finance."

Boni, the Man In Finance" creator, said she has received a flood of direct messages from men in finance shooting their shot. My DMs are full of men providing me with their eye color and height."

She hasnt had time to date since her song blew up. She quit her job selling wholesale-sports apparel and now has a talent manager. Recently, she flew to Las Vegas to perform with Guetta.

My life was flipped upside down," Boni said. Im just focused on my career and making my own trust fund eventually."

Write to Hannah Miao at hannah.miao@wsj.com
New Delhi: At a closed-door gathering in Bengaluru on 14 June, Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) chairman S. Somanath said that the fledgling domestic space industry needs to create an internal demand and market."

Somanaths statement underlined the ongoing plight that industry stakeholders feel could see the Indian space economy underperform against revenue projections, and in turn, also hamper early-stage private space startups.

Stating that demand for space launches will not come from outside," Somanath, who is also the secretary in the department of space, said at the gathering that at the moment, there is no demand" for Isros workhorse rocket, the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). The latter conducted three commercial launches in each of the past two years for various central government divisions and agencies. Nearly six months into 2024, Isro has not conducted a single commercial launch mission for any Indian entity.

Also read | Satellite services to lead India to $13bn space economy by 2025

To be sure, a commercial launch pertains to satellites that are not built by Isro for scientific research purposes.

This has created an issue. Back in October 2022, consultancy firm EY India and industry body Indian Space Association (Ispa) projected that Indias private space economy will be valued at $13 billion by the end of calendar year 2025. In October last year, government-affiliated space promotions body Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (In-Space) put out a decadal vision, wherein it projected the value of the local industry, including orders from within India as well as from outside, at $44 billion by 2033.

In December last year, the department of space valued Indias space market at around $8 billion. This accounted for around 2% of a global $400 billion space industrya figure that In-Space expects to balloon to 8% within the next decade.

While 2033 still remains far away, industry stakeholders believe that both the above-mentioned projections are well off-target. The reason for this is an apparent change to the way space projects were allocated in India.

Until last year, space missions in India for Isro worked on a supply-driven model, wherein Isro would create supply by building a rocket based on funds issued to it from the ministry of finance. This central issuance model worked well purely because any government-affiliated body under any ministry could simply ask for satellite launch capacity aboard an Isro rocket depending on their need. Now, this model has moved to a demand-driven model, wherein Isro would supply rockets only based on the demand that they see from the market," said Narayan Prasad Nagendra, chief operations officer at Dutch space firm Satsearch.

Also read | Can Indian space startups wow Musk with indigenous tech?

Nagendras assessment is on point. A senior official close to developments at Isro told Mint on condition of anonymity that the demand-driven model in question has created conflicts in terms of how government bodies pursue space missions. No global space economy has ever been successful without the government being the primary customer for public as well as private sector firms. In India, government departments and agencies under various ministries are conflicted regarding the allocation of funds to Isro, which is creating this said demand shortage in the market. In short, there is no single body with budget allocation available to enable commercial space projects within Isro," the official said.

Expanding government expenditure in the space sector will be key to Indias space sector reaching its target. One ideal global precedent lies in the USwhere Nasa, its central space agency, outsourced various space launch vehicle construction and multiple other services to private companies such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin and SpaceX. India, with a young space sector that was thrown open to private players only in 2020, will look to emulate the USbut government contracts will be key, experts said.

Nagendra and the official mentioned above both said that In-Space, on this note, should be the ideal regulatorbut as of today, does not have an allocated budget to work with. Pawan Goenka, the In-Space chairperson, could not be reached for a comment.

Isro did not respond to an emailed query from Mint.

A second senior executive at one of Indias top space firms told Mint on condition of anonymity that in a second closed-door meeting, the Isro chairperson underlined to investors that rocket launch services are largely loss-making in nature, further compounded by a paucity of demand. It is because of this that the internal demand generation process needs to be ramped up, the executive said.

Space Industry Challenges

Startups, too, are getting affected. Anirudh Sharma, co-founder and chief executive of Peak XV-backed space mapping firm Digantara, said, Getting satellite orders from other countries could have multiple regulatory challenges for a space company to navigate. The US is a key example of such regulatory challenges. That is one of the reasons why our domestic space economy can never grow unless our own governments divisions create demand for upstream markets. In the long run, this can help private startups as well in terms of orders, scale and funding."

As the Indian market is slow to grow, Digantara is soon set to expand its official presence in the US, in hopes of better commercial prospects.

A third senior executive aware of developments at Indias most heavily-funded space startup, Skyroot Aerospace, said that the company plans to host only one launch mission by the end of 2024. In February this year, In-Spaces annual launch schedule had stated an expected four launch missions by Skyroot Aerospace by March 2025a figure that two industry officials said is now entirely unlikely to be achieved.

The executive close to Skyroots plans told Mint that while the companys conversations with global clients have progressed since there is interest in finding an affordable satellite launch operator servicing the most popular lower orbits beyond Elon Musks SpaceX, It is also very important to strategically grow internal demandboth from private firms and the government sector, to further boost the market opportunity."

Going forward, industry stakeholders said that it would be crucial to address these shortcomings, if India was to even reach a cumulative space economy valuation of $4 billion within the next decade. Satsearchs Nagendra said that to effectively resolve this, India would need a strategic autonomy to set a roadmap for the space industry as well as budgetary autonomy to take actions that achieve the roadmap and strategic goals."

Nagendra also underlined Japans space model as one that India should look to emulate, in turn handing more finances and agency to In-Space. Japan has a startups initiative programme, as well as a second programme that allows space companies to get contracts to build technologies, and then be a space services provider. They are also pairing large companies with smaller ones, which is supporting a good pace of developmentwherein the confidence and stability of large corporations combine with niche innovations of smaller companies."

The country also has several industry officials on an advisory board of its prime minister, in order to give its central government innovative thinking towards opening up the sovereign purse for the space sector," he added.
The Virginia Board of Education took another step on Friday to clarify how schools will be rated and student performance measured to better determine how to direct state resources.

The board, on the superintendents recommendation, approved four performance descriptors: Distinguished, On Track, Off Track and Needs Intensive Support.

Schools considered distinguished are those that exceed the states expectations for growth, achievement, and readiness, while needs intensive support schools are those that significantly do not meet any of the states expectations.

The on-track and off track descriptors mean schools are either meeting or not meeting expectations. However, questions surfaced on where the terms came from, the benchmarks, and the descriptions behind the labels.

Under the proposed plan, Virginia will begin collecting data for the new performance framework starting in August. Results will be released during the 2025-26 school year.

Board President Grace Creasey, a Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointee, said the department will do more work to flush out the descriptions as the revision of the states accreditation system moves forward.

I would like to remind us that the purpose here is transparency and understanding on behalf of not just people in schools, not just those of us sitting here in this room, not people who do education every day, said Creasey on Friday. This is for people to understand who are parents and families; and so while were deciding what the main categories are, these descriptors have yet to be fully baked at this point.

Earlier in the process of revising the accreditation system, the board considered two different measures to track academic performance: an achievement index and an overall school rating, which raised concerns about the potential impact on low-performing schools and efforts to recruit teachers and influencing parents to seek other school choices for their children.

Since April, teachers, parents, students, and education leaders have told the board they support using category descriptions instead of an A-F rating scale.

The category descriptors are part of a larger plan by Youngkins administration to overhaul the existing accountability system, which focuses on accreditation and measures schools based on academic achievement, performance gaps, student attendance and graduation and dropout rates, and factors like building safety, student-teacher ratios and licensure.

Schools are then labeled accredited, accredited with conditions or not accredited.

Members of the administration and the board have criticized the current system for being vague and failing to address declines in student performance in subjects such as math and reading.

The administrations process includes splitting up the states accreditation system into two parts: an accreditation system, to assess whether schools meet all requirements laid out in state laws and regulations; and an accountability system, to provide timely and transparent information on student and school performance.

Under the new system, schools will be rated based on students success, measured by their mastery of subjects and academic growth.

Stakeholders and the board are split on the weight factors totaling the overall score for each school level.

Earlier the board expressed that mastery is important to make sure students thoroughly understand the concepts before graduating to the next grade level. Others have urged the board to keep mastery and growth at an equal weight.

The overall score for elementary schools consists of three weight factors: 65% mastery, 25% growth, and 10% readiness.

In middle schools, the performance score is weighted 60% mastery, 20% growth and 20% readiness; high schools performance score is weighted 50% mastery, 35% readiness and 15% graduation.

VDOE staff said the performance descriptors would be in addition to the three federally required support and improvement identification categories: Comprehensive, Targeted and Additional Targeted. The designations are given to schools because a specific group of students may need assistance in catching up to the instruction.

Schools identified as comprehensive receive full federal support for the entire school, compared to targeted schools, which receive support for low-performing subgroups.

This is all about providing a holistic picture to the public thats more transparent, more clear about where schools are performing across all the indicators in the system, said Anne Hyslop, director of policy development for All4Ed.

Last year, the department contracted with Hyslop to work on changes to the accreditation system along with Chad Aldeman, the Edunomics Lab policy director at Georgetown University.

Board member Anne Holton, former state secretary of education and an appointee of Democratic Govs. Terry McAuliffee and Ralph Northam, was the lone vote against accepting the recommendation, saying she needed more information about the descriptors.

There are at least a dozen significant decisions, including one of the most important decisions of these where the lines are going to be drawn that we havent made yet, even though were implementing the system starting with the school year that starts in six weeks, Holton said.

She added that shes concerned that the proposed accreditation system has not been fully thought out and will have unintended consequences on teachers, families and our neediest students.

This story was originally published in the Virginia Mercury.
Nanda Devi is one of the most storied mountains in the world, so it stands to reason that over the years, an extensive amount of literature has been written on it. Although not exhaustive, here are seven books that will enrich your understanding of Nanda Devi, both the mountain and the goddess.

Nanda Devi, Eric Shipton.

Nanda Devi (1936) by Eric Shipton

The earliest and the best book on the mountain is also a classic of travel writing and mountain exploration. Shipton recounts the entire 1934 adventure, including the summer entry and exploration of the Nanda Devi Sanctuary, the groups monsoon exploration of the Kedarnath-Badrinath watershed and the further explorations and climbs in the sanctuary in the autumn. Shiptons wide-eyed wonder and romantic fervour lights up the narrative.

Also Read Looking for Nanda Devi: Remembering the iconic 1934 Himalayan expedition

The Ascent Of Nanda Devi, Bill Tilman.

The Ascent Of Nanda Devi (1937) by Bill Tilman

This is Tilmans more businesslike account of summitting Nanda Devi, where he led a joint-English-American team and, alongside Noel Odell, successfully completed the ascent of the mountain. Despite Tilmans wry self-deprecation, it still remains a heartfelt and important travel narrative.

Shipton & Tilman: The Great Decade Of Himalayan Exploration, Jim Perrin.

Shipton & Tilman: The Great Decade Of Himalayan Exploration (2014) by Jim Perrin

In the 1930s, Shipton and Tilman were the dynamic duo of Himalayan climbing, cocking a snook to the British climbing establishment, and leading small, mobile and thoughtful exploratory expeditions in Garhwal, the Everest region and the Karakoram, among others. The writer and climber Jim Perrin gives a fine account of their partnership despite their very different personalities, and provides a great insight into the 1934 Nanda Devi expedition.

The Nanda Devi Affair, Bill Aitken.

The Nanda Devi Affair (1994) by Bill Aitken

Bill Aitken came to India in the early 1960s to lead the Gandhian life, fell in love with Garhwal (and a Garhwali), and Nanda Devi, and never left. As the title suggests, this book is a love letter to both the hill communities and especially to Nanda, the mountain and the goddess. Aitken has spent decades travelling to the sanctuary, traversing local trails across Uttarakhand and visiting most of the important cultural spots associated with the worship of Nanda Devi. If you want to truly understand the goddesss cult, as it exists in the liminal space between the sublimity of natural grandeur and personal devotion, this is the book for you.

Also Read The great Everest mystery: 100 years of the dissapearance of Mallory and Irvine

Across Peaks & Passes In Kumaun Himalaya, Harish Kapadia

Across Peaks & Passes In Kumaun Himalaya (1999) by Harish Kapadia

One of Indias best mountaineers and mountain writers, the Piolet dOr winning Kapadias Across Peaks & Passes is an essential series of mountaineering books covering the great range. A few interesting chapters in the Kumaon book cover Nanda Devi, including Kapadias own climbs in the sanctuary as well as a very useful index of the major climbs in the sanctuary since the 1936 ascent.

Nanda Devi: A Journey To The Last Sanctuary, Hugh Thomson.

Nanda Devi: A Journey To The Last Sanctuary (2004) by Hugh Thomson

Travel writer Hugh Thomson was a part of a special expedition that was allowed to enter the Sanctuary in 2000, alongside such mountaineering luminaries as George Band and Indias own legendary Colonel Narinder Bull Kumar, along with Eric Shiptons son John. The book is a breezy travelogue, which also covers the history of mountaineering in the area, along with the story of the Nanda Devi nuclear fiasco.

Also Read How the CIA lost a nuclear device in the Nanda Devi sanctuary

Changabang, Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Balwant Sandhu and others

Changabang (1975) by Chris Bonington, Doug Scott, Balwant Sandhu and others

The 1970s was the heyday of climbing in the sanctuary, though not all expeditions targeted Nanda Devi. In this case, it was an Indo-British expedition led by the redoubtable mountaineer Chris Bonington, which was attempting to climb Changabang, the shining mountain, a spectacularly striking tooth of polished granite, 22,520ft high, in the north-west of the sanctuary. Although it is hard to get the book in print nowadays, its worth the try, as it faithfully captures the Himalayan climbing counterculture of free spirited mountaineers working with small teams, the true inheritors of Shiptons own irreverence.
"Are they saying we are drinking substandard tea?" said Manoj Archibald, a planter from the Nilgiris, last week. He was sharing an ad that promoted whole leaf teas while deriding CTC (crush, tear, and curl) and dust teas. When tea brands promote whole leaf as the better tea, couldnt they do so without putting down other teas, he wanted to know. Not long after that conversation, I read about Assams Hookhmol Tea fetching record prices of 1,500 a kilo at the Kolkata tea auction for their CTC tea, achieving speciality status average prices at auction for Assam CTC is under 300/kilo.

This got me thinking about our perception of tea, and the contradictory world of leaf tea and CTC drinkers. Its hardly a great divide. I often seek leafy teas but they just wont do for my first cup, which is milk tea made with CTC. Culturally, we are CTC drinkers. And the numbers dont lie eitherover 80% of the tea we make and consume is CTC.

Also read: 7 books for the chai nerd

In 2009, Dibrugarh-based Bhaskar Hazarika started Hookhmol Tea, making only CTC. His teas have consistently topped the charts at the weekly tea auctions at Guwahati and Kolkata. He lists three attributes as necessary for tea qualitydiscipline, which is the ability to drive a huge work force to pluck every single tea bush within seven days; knowledge in growing and making tea; and art, for both passion and skill to make a delightful cup of tea.

This is as true for CTC as it is for any other tea. But consider that the CTC machine itself came into the picture in the 1950s and gained wider use by the 1970s. For a price-sensitive new India, cost remained a factor and the CTC production enabled it by facilitating large volume production. Our per capita income remained very low for many decades after independence," says Hazarika. Maybe to cater to that need, companies gave up on discipline and art to bring down the cost. The only way to reduce cost was to cut corners. People started associating low quality with commercially produced cheap commodity black CTC tea because that was the only tea we Indians used to drink."

The mass production commoditised black tea and impacted our view of it. And of course, that unfortunate naming of the finest particles as dust grade. It has suffered in reputation, being more prone to adulteration.

Says Archibald, Dust tea has a higher surface area compared to whole leaf tea, which leads to quicker extraction of caffeine, polyphenols, and other compounds during brewing." It brews quickly, produces a strong flavour and colourtwo attributes that many tea drinkers seek in their tea.

Its easy to take the CTC tea for grantedtheres so much of it around. We seek it for strength rather than flavoura tea to knock all sleep out of you. Maybe if we just shift our perception of the CTC tea, we will find so much more to appreciate.

TEA TAKES

Hookhmol, Halmari, Koliabor, Goodrickes Khaas from Assam; Darmona and Homedale from the Nilgiris.

Tea Nanny is a fortnightly series on the world of tea. Aravinda Anantharaman is a Bengaluru-based tea blogger and writer who reports on the tea industry. She posts @AravindaAnanth1 on Twitter.

Also read: How climate change affects tea
A 32-year-old female client recently said she feels lonely at work. Im swamped with multiple projects and responsibilities. At the same time, I feel disconnected and isolated at work. Before the pandemic, there was a predictability with everyone coming to work, water cooler conversations and fewer meetings online. Now things seem to have shifted, everyone seems to be in a rush. Even when we come to office on the same day, a lot of conversations happen online, everyone has lunch at their own time. This seems to be impacting my engagement and motivation.

This that has been coming up in therapy sessions over the last few years. The hybrid, remote working situation and our dependence on technology for meetings and catchups seem to be associated with the loneliness that employees experience. According to Gallups State of The Global Workplace Report 2024, Globally, one in five employees report experiencing loneliness a lot of the previous day. The report points out that loneliness is experienced more by employees below the age of 35.

This research data along with the evidence I see in therapy sessions is a wake-up call for us all of us. While we try and address this, we need to remember that there is research data at a global level that indicates that individuals are feeling lonely in their personal life too, in the context of friendships and community.

Also read: Saving water is an alarm call we must heed every day When employees experience loneliness at the workplace, it impacts their sense of belonging in the organisation. This in turn affects productivity, attrition and workplace motivation. Feelings of social isolation can also cast a shadow on peoples capacity to trust others as well as their own threshold when it comes to stress tolerance and patience. As a result, collaborative work that hinges on interdependence also suffers.

Many clients have said their real exhaustion comes from a lack of social connections at the workplace and feeling lonely as they navigate difficult work situations. Whether its challenging situations or moments of celebration, not feeling seen and heard can lead to a feeling of isolation and disconnection.

If companies can mindfully attend to what employees are feeling and devise ways to reduce loneliness, then its a win-win for everyone. The process would allow for better mental health for the employees and also contribute to organisational health.

Also read: From road rage to anxiety  Understanding noise pollutions impact on health The first step is for organisations to take cognisance of the short-term and long-term impact of loneliness on employees. Whether through surveys or individual check-ins, organisations can find ways to get a sense of what employees are experiencing. I believe that managers who are empathetic and invested in employee well-being are generally aware of these signs, some of which are visible.

Training managers when in psychological safety, mindfulness and empathy can help organisations reach out to employees in a timely manner. Research has shown that when employees feel they can ask questions, take interpersonal risks, ask for help and feel supported, they are less likely to feel lonely. Building a culture of psychological safety where reaching out and vulnerability are welcome allows employees to foster deep bonds with one another.

This combined with a companys attempt at creating systems and practices that allow employees to build community on a weekly or a monthly basis also helps. One client talked about a manager who started a reading club and a running circle. This became an opportunity for employees to connect on topics beyond work and opened up scope for fun.

We need to remember that a culture that helps employees feel included and experience social connection allows for greater productivity and engagement.
There is something about the photograph Bandages-Bullets #1 that makes you keep coming back to it. At first, it seems like an image of a series of rolled bandages arranged in rows. When observed carefully, the visual of soiled bandages starts looking (remove) resembling rows of bullets. And thats exactly the message that multidisciplinary artist Baptist Coelho hopes to impart to the viewers. The photograph captures a paradoxical relationship between the bandages as tools of healing, and bullets as instruments of war," writes Coelho as the description of the work.

This photograph is part of the artists ongoing multimedia series,Bandages-Bullets,and was developed during his year-long residency at the In Flanders Fields Museum, Ypres, starting in 2022. It was shown until last week at Coelhos solo exhibition,It still hasnt ended, at the Batiment IV, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg. Preparations are afoot to take this travelling show to other cities in Europe.

Bandages-Bulletscarries forth the artists ongoing engagement with the paradox of war and the everydayits lasting imprint on histories, cultures and personal lives of soldiers. Coelho,born in Mumbai and currentlyliving and working between Ypres and Paris, explores different facets of this idea through installation, photos, sculpture, print, drawing, collage, audio/video and performance.

His exploration of war in everyday life started in 2007 when he returned to India after a Masters in Arts from the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design, UK. He had been asked to respond to the idea of The Peace Project by the Museum of Contemporary Art, Denver, US. The exhibition, through installations and performance art, explored issues of overpopulation, pollution, war and more, which threatened the idea of peace," states a 2016-article in Mint. As part of that, he created537, a set of white gauze bandages rolled and assembled together. Using bandages as a metaphor, Coelho is trying to heal the pain and wounds of the soldiers posted in Siachen," it further stated.

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Siachen has been a constant presence in his work. He started going to Ladakh in 2007 and with each trip, he tried to get closer to the glacier by navigating remote villages in the Nubra valley. He wanted to broaden his understanding of the conflict that takes place in Siachen, the coldest battlefield on earth located at 5,753 metres, by speaking to the locals, travellers and officers. This has resulted in a large body of work created over time. While some of it was shown at theTraces of War exhibition at Somerset House, London in 2016, a vast series of both recent and previous multimedia works were exhibited at It still hasnt ended. These artworks reveal the paradox of heroism when confronted by brutally cold climates, and the perils of uncertain border tensions. The title of the exhibition is inspired by the new eponymous artwork, which explores the past and current conflict, through fabric and food  worn and consumed by Siachen soldiers," states the exhibition note.

In Coelhoswork, oral histories, letters, archival material and testimonies play an important role. He collects histories wherever he goes. For instance, he referred to the testimony of Sachin Bali, an ex-Siachen officer who lost six fingers and three toes to frostbite in Siachen in 2003.

Those who want to delve deeper into Coelhos artistic process, and the connections he makes between war and healing to create critical points of view, can now read a monograph published by the In Flanders Fields Museum in 2023. This publication not only offers an overview of his works from 2006 till today, but also contains ten essays by academics, curators, historians and a mountaineer. Edited by Cecile Bourne-Farrell and Dominiek Dendooven (BE), and assisted by Paul Griffiths (UK), the monographthe first for Coelhois available for sale at the museums webshop.

It was published on the occasion of his year-long residency and exhibition, Agar is dharti tay koyi jannat hai, o ay hi hai, ay hi hai, ay hi hai at the museum from 15 July 2022 to 8 January 2023.

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The monograph features 56 works, including those based on exchanges of letters between soldiers and families. For the Siachen Glacier project, I had various conversations with former army officers. At the British Library in London, I started looking at Indian soldiers presence in the World Wars based on reports of letters exchanged between them and their families. Various artworks look at how thoughts and day-to-day conversations were recorded in these letters," says Coelho in an email interview. The artist would then improvise on these recorded exchanges, read between the lines and find discreet critical points of view. He even developed a sculptural work, Out there, nothing survivesa cold play unitwhich created a narrative around an officer posted in Siachen through objects found on the glacier. In the travelling exhibition and the monograph, you will see sculptural works made with coarse bandages, socks, uniforms and thermal garments converted into parachutes. These chronicle the everyday life of soldiers," elaborates Coelho.

In one of the essays in the monograph, titled Baptist Coelho: The Figure of the Soldier and the Everyday in Locations of War", Vivienne Jabri, a professor of international politics in the Department of War Studies at Kings College London, writes that Coelhos works are not linear narratives of such hostile locations. And though constructed with care and empathy, there is no sentimentality here, nor the desire to shock an audience into judgement, variously of the soldier or the wars and conflicts in which soldiers carry out their duty," she states.

Jabri further adds that the artists dialectical imaginary is certainly evident as is his critical sense of history and its power to inscribe the subject; the soldier evoked in his installations, the artist himself, the viewer invited into the existential spaces that Coelho makes available in the gallery space. His art is anti-heroic and in being so focused on the routine and the everyday, as indicated at the outset. The lens shifts from the battlefield as an extraordinary event to the battlefield in its everyday and the routine," she writes.

Coelho first visited the In Flanders Museum in 2016, which was housed within a cloth hall destroyed in the First World War. Between his visits in 2016 to 2022, he started to have a dialogue with the artworks housed within. I wanted to see how a contemporary artist could enter into a conversation with a historical museum," he says. This resulted in a project, Approximately 74,187, which is a series of proposed artworks that responded to many aspects of the museum displays from start to finish. 10 artworks were planned to be positioned within the permanent displays and the red vitrines to be edited from time to time. Due to technical constraints, the project wasnt realised as a whole apart for one artwork titled Wreath #1. Within the museum, one can see a display of the various objects that belonged to soldiers from the colonial forces. Within one of the red vitrines I placed, Wreath #1, which is a made of bandages and sharp metal blades. It questions the invisibilisation of the sacrifice made by these soldiers in the World Wars," elaborates Coelho.

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The museum also has elaborate country-specific displays of soldiers uniforms from the various Western nations, which participated in the war.But where are such detailed uniform displays of soldiers from the colonies?" he asks. So, he created The cold was terrible not being able to sleep on the ground in the open, which is a green kurta placed on stand. One arm of the shirt and two epaulettes are covered with numerous steel pins, like needles pierced from the inside and protruding outwards to form a very emphatic and unsafe surface", says the artist.Towards the end of the museums display, the artist placed photographs, which is part of his series, Camouflage. Here four photographs are seen lying flatnext to objects belonging to soldiers, scattered across the battle landscape.

In the essay featured in the monograph, titled The Silent Change. India, Europe, and the First World War, Dominiek Dendooven, a former researcher and curator at the In Flanders Fields Museum, sheds light on this aspect of Coelhos practice. He writes about the trauma and sense of alienation that Indian soldiers faced when sent to the western front and confronted with an industrialised war fought with modern machinery.

Finally, finding themselves in an entirely unfamiliar landscape, often utterly destroyed, and surrounded by a completely different culture, where no one spoke their mother tongue, can only have made the feeling of alienation total. These are aspects that intrigued Baptist Coelho in his practice as an artist, and certainly during his residency at the In Flanders Fields Museum in Ypres," he writes.

During his tenure as an artist-in-residence, Coelho searched for archival material and records about Indian soldiers, who participated in the war more than 100 years ago. And this also resulted in the large-scale work, Agar is dharti tay koyi jannat hai, o ay hi hai, ay hi hai, ay hi hai, which when translated into English, reads as If there be paradise on earth, it is this, it is this, it is this. Baptist worked with the sharp, the cold, and the hard materials that are reminiscent of trench warfare. By constantly reworking and adding items to his artwork and for making interventions in the permanent exhibition of the In Flanders Fields Museum, a makeshift studio was set up in a hidden corner of the museum. His work of reflection was confronted with the historical material from Dominique Faivres collection: kukri, khaki shirt, metal pot and plate, gauze bandage, broaches and a translation booklet that was supposed to enable communication between Indians and Westerners," writes Dendooven.

Letters play an important role not just in Coelhos work but also his life. I had a lot of pen friends and have always liked the idea of writing letters," he says. So in Blueys, a mixed-media installation, he used handwritten and printed letters exchanged by a British soldier with his wife and children during his posting in Iraq in 2003. These are juxtaposed against the language cards issued by the British government to this soldier, with a limited set of Arabic words that would assist in communicating with the local Iraqis. The words in these language cards are stilted and lack emotion. They are mere SOS words to be used in an emergency. Now compare that to the free-flowing language that we use while communicating with our loved ones, as can be seen in the letters. The letters between the couple speak of loneliness, love, fear," Coelho had said in a 2016-interview to Mint.

He feels that an artist needs to constantly reflect on past and present happenings while hoping for the future. Every artist has their own way of coming to terms with this. There is no fixed rule on how one should react, contemplate or confront situations. Having said that, it is important for artists to be critical and voice their point of view. While there are a lot more democratic platforms to voice ones opinion, there is also a rising level of censorship and blocking. It is a maze that we are in today, and artists need tocreatively and criticallynavigate that," says Coelho.
Veteran actor Annu Kapoor issued a detailed statement to address and clarify misunderstandings on his Who is Kangana remark. The controversy began when Kapoor, during a press conference for his film 'Hamare Baarah,' expressed unfamiliarity with Kangana Ranaut's identity.

In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), veteran actor Annu Kapoor addressed the recent controversy and stated that he does not engage with movies, TV, OTT platforms, news channels, or newspapers. He also acknowledged that some might consider him foolish for this, but he maintained that being uninformed is not a crime. Kapoor emphasized his respect for women, his disconnection from mainstream media, and clarified that any offense caused was unintentional.

He wrote, "Dear Sister Kangana, I am extracting some meaning from the answers to the questions posed by the media, so I thought I should clarify some facts."

Every woman is respectable and worthy to me, so I can never disrespect any woman. Not knowing the system or laws of any country can lead to mistakes and punishment, but not knowing a particular person, place, or thing is not an error or a crime.

He added, Therefore, respected sister, I do not know you, hence you will not include this in the category of disrespecting women's dignity. When the media asks questions, understand that they want the spice of current affairs, which they got from my frankness. I have no connection with politics and religion and since I have nothing to do with religion, I have no connection with unrighteousness either."

Also Read | Kangana Ranaut gifts new house in Chandigarh to cousin Varun Ranaut

Further adding, he said, "I am a very small and humble person, I have no special qualities. I neither thought nor said any wrong or derogatory words. I am responsible for what I speak and I am not responsible for what others understand.

In the end he apologised saying, But still, if you have become angry with anything I have said, please forgive me. May you achieve success in your goal. I wish the same good wish for all of us to be more aware of our duties than our rights.

What did Annu Kapoor say about Kangana ? During a press conference for his film 'Hamare Baarah,' when he was asked about the slapgate incident, he said, Yeh Kangana ji kaun hain? Please batao na kaun hain? Zaahir hai aap pooch rahe hain toh koi bahut badi heroine hongi? Sundar hain kya?[(Who is this Kangana? Is she a big heroine? Is she beautiful?]

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Kangana's response on this The actor-turned-politician responded swiftly through her Instagram Stories and questioned, Do you agree with Annu Kapoor ji that we tend to hate a successful woman, hate her more if she is beautiful and hate her even more passionately if she is powerful? Is it true?

Also Read | When Kangana Ranaut supported Will Smith for slapping Chris Rock

Kangana Ranaut slapgate The backdrop to this controversy involves an alleged incident at Chandigarh airport on June 6, where Kangana Ranaut was reportedly slapped by a CISF woman constable while preparing to board a flight to Delhi for a meeting of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). An FIR has been registered against the constable under IPC sections 321 and 341, although no arrests have been made as of yet.
Days after the collapse of a newly constructed bridge in Araria, another bridge collapsed on Saturday in Bihar's Siwan district. The damage to the 30-year-old bridge caused panic in the nearby areas; however, no one was injured in the accident.

Also Read | Bihar Teacher Eligibility Test exam postponed, new dates to be announced soon

A probe has been launched to investigate the case, an official told Indian Express. Notably, this is the second such incident of the bridge collapse. The first one took place in Bihar's Araria district on June 18. The 30-year-old bridge connected Ramgarha panchayat's villages of Darounda block to the main area. Commuters had to face problem in travelling because of the bridge collapse.

Second bridge collapse in a week in Bihar The bridge was located over a canal and it caved in at around 5 am, District Magistrate Mukul Kumar Gupta, told PTI. The bridge was thirty years old and was built with contributions from the then Maharajganj MLA Uma Shankar Singh.

"Nobody was injured in the incident. It was a very old structure and apparently, pillars caved in when water was released through the canal. We are trying to ensure that until it is restored, residents of affected villages face as little inconvenience as possible," PTI quoted the DM.

Bihar bridge collapse video The second bridge collapse incident led to a massive social media outrage. Several social media users raised questions against the Nitish Kumar-led JDU government, and many shared visuals of the bridge collapse online.

Locals claim the bridge was built way back in 1991 with contributions from the then Maharajganj MLA Uma Shankar Singh, Daraunda BDO Surya Pratap Singh told PTI.

The previous bridge collapse incident sparked a massive political controversy and raised questions about the development works being undertaken in the state. The Rural Works Department has begun an internal inquiry into the matter and has also initiated action against officials concerned with the road project linked with the previous incident.

Araria Bridge collapse in Bihar Earlier in the week, on Tuesday, June 18, a newly constructed bridge over the Bakra River in Pararia village in the Araria district collapsed. The bridge, which connected Araria's Sikhti and Kursakatta, was washed away before its inauguration. The video of the bridge collapse depicts the bridge falling within seconds and reducing to debris.
Two members of the Central Reserve Police Force's CoBRA unit lost their lives when Naxalites detonated a truck with an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday, according to police reports.

The Naxalite explosion occurred around 3 pm near Timmapuram village, situated between the Silger and Tekalgudem security camps, more than 400 km away from Raipur, the state capital, as reported by a senior police official.

An advance team from the 201st unit of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) commenced a patrol from the Silger camp within the Jagargunda police station's jurisdiction, as part of their Road Opening Party duties en route to Tekalgudem.

The security personnel were in a truck and on motorcycles, he said.

Naxalites triggered an IED blast targeting the truck that claimed the lives of constable Shailendra (29) and the vehicle driver Vishnu R (35), he said.

After being alerted about the blast, more forces were rushed to the spot and the bodies were being evacuated from the forest, he said.

A search operation is underway in the area, he added.

Another encounter between security forces and Naxalites is underway in the forests of village Amjhar and Muhkot of Khallari police station area since afternoon.

According to Dhamtari SP Anjaneya Varshney, many Naxalites have been possibly injured in the encounter.
Jammu:Locals who are found supporting foreign terrorists will be dealt under the Enemy Agents Ordinance, which is much harsher than Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police RR Swain said on Sunday.

The Jammu region will be cleared of all foreign terrorists within the next few months, he claimed.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the police chief said the National Investigation Agency has taken over the investigation in the June 9 terror attack on a pilgrim bus in Reasi district.

He said police here had also arrested six people in connection with the firing incident in Kathua district on June 12 and the case was handed over to the State Investigation Agency.

Ten people, including seven pilgrims, returning from Shiv Khori temple and a CRPF jawan were killed and scores of others injured in four terror incidents between June 9 and 12 in Reasi, Doda, and Kathua districts. Two Pakistani terrorists were also killed in one of the encounters in Kathua.

"Locals found supporting foreign terrorists will be dealt with by the enemy agents ordinance which carries a minimum sentence of life imprisonment or death. This act, introduced to counter Pakistani raiders or invaders in 1948, is much harsher than UAPA," the DGP said.

He said the foreign mercenaries have no locus standi to be here and that they only come to kill civilians, trigger civil strife, destabilise the government, and force their ideology on the people.

"These fighters do not fall in the purview of investigation and only deserve kinetic action  I have always said that we will win this fight with the help of the people, with village defence guards, special police officers and in support of central armed forces," he said.

Swain said terrorism was wiped out from Jammu in 2005, 10 years after it spread its tentacles to the region, and vowed to eliminate it again. "We are determined and confident of eliminating all the terrorists within the next two to three months."

He said special courts will be set up for trials of those arrested under Enemy Agents Ordinance.

"There are two angles to it  one is, all I have to prove is that there was a foreigner and the person has assisted him," he said.

Asked about the presence of Pakistani regulars among the terrorists operating in Jammu region, he said, "It hardly makes any difference. It is a matter of tactics, for us he is an enemy whether he has come from a uniformed background, a jail or a terror factory."

He added, "We will try to minimise such losses with the help of training, determination and tactics. We will defeat the enemy and if they think we are shying away just from the fear of losses, they are mistaken."

Asked about the terror attacks in Jammu region, he said police have made six arrests from Kathua and also made a breakthrough by arresting a conspirator in the Reasi terror attack case.

"Reasi terror attack case was handed over to NIA and similarly, the Kathua case was given to SIA. We actively consider handing over terror attack cases to professional agencies so that the investigation is carried out in a sustained way to unveil the conspiracy, identify those who facilitated, aided and abetted the crime and bring the culprits to book," he said.
Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party chief and actor Kamal Haasan on Sunday met the victims of Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy, and said that drinking has to be occasional.

The death toll in the tragedy has increased to 56.

These victims will have to understand they have exceeded their limit, and they have been careless. They have to be careful. They have to take care of their health, said Haasan.

The actor-turned-politician requested the government to create psychiatric centres which would counsel the victims.

It has to be occasional drinking, social drinking if at all, said Haasan, adding, They (victims) must understand that exceeding the limit in any form, be it sugar or anything, is bad...

Meanwhile, BJP's Amit Malviya accused Haasan of diverting blame from the Tamil Nadu government led by MK Stalin.

Kamal Haasan is actually blaming the victims of Hooch tragedy instead of holding the MK Stalin Govt responsible for the illicit liquor, which is freely available in TN, he posted on X.

One has to be depraved to make such an outrageous comment. But then what can one expect from I.N.D.I Alliance?, said Malviya.

BJP questions INDIA bloc silence The Bharatiya Janata Party (MP) from Puri Sambit Patra questioned the silence of INDIA bloc leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi over the issue.

More than 56 people have died and many of them are critical, still about 200 people are admitted to the hospital. This is such an important issue, and I am surprised that Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK and all the people of the INDIA alliance are silent on this issue, said Patra.

He added that if more than 32 Dalits are killed in this country, he would call it a murder. This is not death.

Also Read | Kallakurichi hooch tragedy: Three accused sent to judicial custody till July 5

Death toll increases  A total of 216 patients were admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu.

 Most deaths occurred at Kallakurichi Medical College, where 31 people are dead and 108 are alive.

 Tamil Nadu government had ordered a judicial inquiry led by retired Madras High Court judge Justice B Gokuldas.

 Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin has announced an ex-gratia payment of 10 lakh to the kin of each deceased.
The Ministry of Education entrusted the matter of alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) Examination 2024 to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a comprehensive investigation.

Here are the top ten updates:

1. The Ministry of Education delegated the investigation into purported irregularities in the NEET (UG) Examination 2024 to the CBI for a thorough and extensive inquiry.

2. NTA conducted the NEET(UG) Examination on May 5, 2024 in OMR (Pen and paper) mode. Certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/impersonation/malpractices have been reported. For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, after a review has decided to entrust the matter to the CBI for comprehensive investigation, the government said.

3. Central Government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in public examinations and to provide for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto, the government said.

4. The Centre further said, The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual/ organization found to be involved will face strictest action.

5. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns.

6. Earlier on June 13, NTA informed the Supreme Court that the scorecards of 1,563 candidates who received "grace marks" in the NEET-UG 2024 exam would be cancelled and these candidates were given the opportunity to take a re-examination on June 23, with results scheduled to be announced before June 30.

7. The Ministry of Education said it has constituted a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols and the functioning of the NTA.

8. The 7-member committee, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months. In order to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA, the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education constituted a High-Level Committee of Experts to make recommendations on reform in mechanism of examination process improvement in data security protocols and the structure and functioning of National Testing Agency, the ministry said.

9. In response to criticism regarding alleged inconsistencies in competitive exams, the Centre took action by removing Subodh Singh, the Director General of the National Testing Agency (NTA), on Saturday. They also transferred the investigation into irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam to the CBI. Pradeep Singh Kharola, currently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), has been entrusted with additional responsibility as the head of the NTA until a permanent replacement is appointed.

10. Earlier on Friday, Bihar Police detained six additional individuals from Jharkhand's Deoghar district in relation to the purported leak of the NEET paper within the state. Earlier last month, the Economic Offences Unit had already apprehended 13 individuals, including the main suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, in connection with the alleged paper leak. The EOU is also exploring the possibility of conducting narco analysis and brain mapping tests of the accused, sources told PTI.
Virginia is giving the public an online eye on more than 100,000 permits issued by state agencies, with an expansion of a web site launched earlier this year.

The move  key to Gov. Glenn Youngkins push to streamline state regulatory processes  means the public can track applications for permits from agencies that focus on preventing pollution, promoting public health, maintaining and building highways as well as those managing parks, tidal waters and fisheries and energy.

The Virginia Permit Transparency site, permits.virginia.gov, includes basic information about the applicant, the type of permit sought and the location where the applicant wants to work.

It also details the several steps the agencies follow in their review and updates the status of the permit request. It also shows how long each step of the process takes.

Giving the public access to track the process has cut average processing time for permits by 70% at the Department of Environmental Quality, which developed the pilot program for the permit transparency site, the governors office said.

The expansion of the Virginia Permit Transparency website reaffirms our ongoing commitment to enhancing government transparency and ensuring it serves all Virginians effectively, Youngkin said.

The latest expansion of the VPT website innovates the permit application process by prioritizing accessibility and efficiency. It enables agencies to monitor the duration of each step and identify opportunities to expedite the permitting process for Virginians, he added.

Reeve Bull, director of the Office of Regulatory Management, said the site brings an unprecedented level of transparency to the permitting process.

People can search for permits by the agency handling them, the locality they affect and the date they were filed. Searches by regulatory program and permit type are also possible.

DEQ created its pilot for the system in 2022. The agency and the Virginia Marine Resources Commission and Department of Energy were the first to post data on the permit transparency website earlier this year. The expansion brings permits from the Department of Health, Department of Transportation and Department of Conservation and Recreation online.

These 6 agencies issue more than 100,000 permits every year.

DEQs pilot has won several awards, and the governors office said it believes no other state government or federal agency offers anything as comprehensive.

Shortly after taking office, Youngkin set a goal of cutting the states regulatory burden by 25% by the end of his term.

Early efforts have cut the time proposed regulations spend in the governors office for review from roughly 240 days to just under 14.

Other early efforts have seen the Department of Environmental Qualitys rewrite of some 11,600 pages of manuals for stormwater management, to produce a document thats now about 1,800 pages.

With that, the manual has boosted its list of best management practices from 54 to 77  detailing options localities and developers can use to meet state goals for keeping rainfall from picking up pollutants and carrying them to Virginias streams, rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

A lot of what DEQ did was weeding out old guidelines in the manual that were superseded by more recent language.

Much the same happened at the Board of Education, which retired some 38 obsolete guidance documents, some 22% of its total.

All state agencies have plans in place to cut regulations by 15% by the end of this year and 25% to hit Youngkins goal for the end of his term.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination, which was initially scheduled for Sunday.

The exams, slated for 23 June, will be rescheduled, with a new date to be announced soon.

The ministry informed in an official release that it has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, scheduled to be held on 23rd June 2024. The fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest.

Govt playing with emotions of doctors Criticizing the scheduled exam's cancellation, Dr. Lakshya Mittal, National President of the United Doctors Front Association, likened it to playing with the emotions of the doctors. He expressed deep concern, asserting that India's medical education system has been severely undermined.

"The NEET-PG exam, which was supposed to be held tomorrow, has been cancelled at the latest... In its press release, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare mentioned that the exam has been postponed, seeing its integrity and sensitivity... This is another scam after NEET-UG... Candidates have travelled across states and cancelling the exam 10 hours before it is scheduled is no less than playing with the emotions of the doctors," Mittal told ANI.

Moreover, the PG candidates criticised the last-minute decision and called it unserious.

MBBS students at PGMIS Rohtak expressed solidarity with NEET UG aspirants whose exams were postponed, emphasizing the shared journey through years of hard work via the NEET exam. They conveyed their empathy, stating, It is heartbreaking to witness their efforts go to waste. We stand united with all aspirants and urge the government to address this matter seriously. Concerned about the potential consequences, they added, If undeserving candidates become doctors, it could harm everyone.

NEET PG aspirants traumatised A user on X expressed concern over the sudden postponement of the exam, noting that it will leave students traumatised. They questioned the decision, highlighting the potential emotional impact on students faced with the abrupt delay of crucial exams like NEET PG, stating, Nobody seems to care about the impact on students.

On the postponement of the NEET-PG exam, a candidate said,  ...NEET-UG exam's paper got leaked, NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before, NEET-SSC exam date has not been announced yet. This shows how much govt is concerned about the health sector. The Union Health Minister and Union Education Minister must apologise for what they have done...students and doctors have travelled a long way for the exam and come here, they have incurred a lot of expenses. On an average, 10,000 was the expenditure. Govt must reimburse these expenditures.

Jyoth Chouhan, a candidate, says,  NTA informed at the last moment, 10 hours before, that the exam has been postponed. They should have announced that at least a few days ago if they had to reschedule. They didn't distribute exam centres properly, candidates got very far away places as exam centres. Students from Vadodara had exam centres in Nashik and Madhya Pradesh. And then when they reached there, they were informed that the exam had been postponed. All are having great difficulties.

In another post, a user wrote, Ive driven 300 km for my wifes NEET PG exam. My mother accompanied us, and she was feeling nauseous during the entire journey. After going through so much trouble, we just learned that NEET PG was cancelled just 11 hours before the exam.

The user added, I know a student who travelled from Qatar only to attend NEET PG. She just landed and is in shock.

The user then expressed disappointment and asked, Is this how any government behaves? Will they pay us for our financial and mental troubles? Why is the government so insensitive to the problems of the common man? Why cant the government conduct any exam without any discrepancies?

Shuffling bureaucrats is no solution The NTA, responsible for conducting the NEET-UG exams, is under fire amidst allegations of irregularities in the examination process. The controversy has sparked widespread protests nationwide, with demonstrators and political parties calling for the dissolution of the NTA.

In response to criticism, the Centre removed Subodh Singh, the Director General of the NTA, on Saturday. Pradeep Singh Kharola, currently serving as Chairman and Managing Director of the India Trade Promotion Organisation (ITPO), has been entrusted with additional responsibility as the head of the NTA until a permanent replacement is appointed.

However, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge slammed the Centre's approach of shuffling bureaucrats and said that it does not address the fundamental issues plaguing the education system, which he claims has deteriorated under the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"In the NEET Scam, the buck stops at the doorstep of the top echelons of the Modi Government. Shuffling the bureaucrats is no solution to the endemic problem in the Education system rotted by the BJP. NTA was projected to be an autonomous body, but in reality, was made to serve the devious interests of the BJP/RSS," Kharge posted on X.

The Ministry of Education has formed a high-level committee comprising experts tasked with proposing reforms to enhance the examination process, strengthen data security protocols, and improve the NTA's operational efficiency.
Karnataka MLC Suraj Revanna, who was arrested earlier today for the alleged sexual abuse of a 27-year-old male Janta Dal (Secular) party worker, had reportedly promised the victim a job and a high political stature "if he agreed to be with him", according to the FIR.

Suraj Revanna is the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women.

During the alleged assault, Suraj had also told the victim that the sex would be "better next time" since it was just the first time the 27-year-old was having sex with him.

Also Read | CID to probe sexual abuse case against Suraj Revanna, father alleges conspiracy

The MLC, according to news agency PTI report citing police sources, was arrested in Hassan on charges of "unnatural offences".

Here are the horrific details of the JD(S) worker's ordeal at Suraj Revanna's farmhouse in Gannikada on June 16 that the FIR unravels: Suraj invited the 27-year-old to his farmhouse on June 16 and asked him to come between 6:00 pm to 6:15 pm. At the appointed time, the victim reached Suraj's farmhouse.

According to the FIR, Suraj directed the JD(S) worker to shut the door as he entered the room. Without warning, the MLC placed his hands on the victim's shoulders, then caressed his ears before kissing him.

The subtle advance escalated quickly as Suraj bit the party worker's lips and promised him career support if he consented to be with him.

On protesting the advances, Suraj threatened to kill the victim as he invoked the Revanna family's influence. The MLC then dragged the victim to his bedroom, where he hugged him tightly, bit his cheeks, and touched his private parts.

The assault continued as Suraj Revanna forced the party worker into unwanted physical acts, engaging in oral and anal sex despite the latter's clear discomfort and pleas for cessation, the FIR stated.

Suraj Revanna has tried rationalising the sexual assault by saying that it would get easier with time as the victim cried and begged him to stop.

According to the FIR, Suraj then kissed the victim and assured him of help in growing his political stature, and that he would get him a job. However, Suraj said that all these things would only happen if the victim would obey him at all costs and meet him whenever he wished to and respond to his messages properly.
Suraj Revanna, JD(S) MLC who has been arrested on charges of sexually abusing a male party worker, has been remanded him in judicial custody for 14 days by a magistrate court judge on Sunday.

Earlier today, the case investigation was transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Subsequently, Suraj was moved from Hassan to Bengaluru and presented before the judge of the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (ACMM) at his residence.
The case of alleged sexual abuse of a male party worker against the arrested JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was on Sunday handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Suraj Revanna is the brother of ex-Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna.

Prajwal Revanna is in police custody over allegations of sexually abusing several women.

Suraj was booked under various sections of the IPC, including 'unnatural offences', after a 27-year-old man complained that Suraj Revanna sexually abused him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16, reported PTI.

The case has been registered at Holenarasipura Rural Police Station in Hassan district.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that the case is being handed over to the CID. A series of similar cases were given to CID, this is also being given to CID.

A complaint has come, based on it whatever action needs to be taken in accordance with law is being taken, PTI quoted Parameshwara as saying, on Suraj Revanna alleging a conspiracy.

The Home minister added that other than that he doesn't know about any political conspiracy that he has alleged."

Before his arrest, Suraj was also questioned at Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) crime police station in Hassan overnight.

Reports said that Suraj was also taken to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) for medical examination.

Also Read | Prajwal Revanna case: Karnataka HC grants anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna

Meanwhile, JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna termed the allegations against his son Suraj as a conspiracy and said he has faith in God and the judiciary.

H D Revanna said he will tell everything when the time comes and won't fear such conspiracies.

"I won't react to anything. Let the (CID) do it (investigation). Who said don't (investigate)? I won't say anything on this. I have respect for the judiciary. I know what's happening in the state," PTI quoted Revanna as saying.
Congress parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor's latest social media post jibing at examinations in Uttar Pradesh has stirred a political controversy. Amid the ongoing row over irregularities in exams like NEET, UGC-NET, etc., the Thiruvananthapuram MP shared a viral photo that apparently targeted Uttar Pradesh because of frequent exam paper leaks in the state.

Also Read | Shashi Tharoor urges govt to postpone June 23rd NEET-PG exam

The viral image showed a witty answer to the question, Uttar Pradesh kise kehte hain?. The answer to the question generalised the exam paper leak situation in the state.

Woh pradesh jahan pariksha se pehle uttar pata chal jaaye use Uttar Pradesh kehte hain. (The state where answers are known before the exams is called Uttar Pradesh)," read the answer. Soon after Shashi Tharoor shared the image on his social media account, several politicians and leaders began targeting the Congress leader for his mentality and for demeaning people of north India.

Soon after sharing the post on social media, Shashi Tharoor received massive backlash from BJP leaders and other politicians. Regarding Throor's X post an attempt to shame other fellow Indians, BJP leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar wrote,  Shameless crass politics of shaming other fellow Indians - thats the Congress way, ably demonstrated by this self-titled Global citizen.

"It was just a few months ago, another of Cong "global citizens" Pitroda described Indians as Africans, Chinese, Middle eastern etc. Runs deep in the Cong DNA, this type of superiority complex," former union minister added.

Chandrashekhar lost to Shashi Tharoor in Kerala's Thiruvananthapuram constituency by over 16,077 votes in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Union minister Jitin Prasada called Tharoor's comments an insult to the people of Uttar Pradesh and condemned his pos in strongest words.

Also Read | Shashi Tharoors former aide arrested in gold smuggling case at Delhi Airport

I dont see the humour in running down my state and its people by stereotyping them with such condemnable remarks. Such an insult to UP is deplorable and must be condemned in strongest words," wrote Jitin Prasada.

Calling An Era of Darkness author a repeated offender, BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan alleged that Tharoor has earlier insulted the people of northeast by ridiculing their traditional attire as outlandish. He also mentioned that splattering fancy English words does not necessarily mean one is civil and dignified.
Days after deciding to retain Raebareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh and leaving Wayanad seat in Kerala for sister Priyanka Gandhi to contest, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has written a letter to the people of Wayanad.

In the recently held Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi won from both Wayanad and Raebareli seats he contested. However, since the candidate has to quit from one of the seats if wins from two seats, Rahul Gandhi decided to resign from Wayanad seat.

Following that, the Congress party announced that Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will make her electoral debut by contesting the Wayanad bypoll.

Gandhi's letter comes just a day ahead of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha.

Also Read | Karnataka lodges FIR on YouTuber for Rahul Gandhi video; BJP flays Congress govt

In a letter to people of Wayanad, Gandhi said that they must have seen the sadness in his eyes as he stood in front of the media and told them about his decision.

The Congress leader added that when he faced faced abuse day after day, the unconditional love protected him. You were my refuge, my home and my family. I never felt for even a moment that you doubted me.

Further, Gandhi added that though he is sad, he is consoled because his sister Priyanka will be there to represent them. I am confident that she will do an excellent job of being your MP if you decide to give her the opportunity, Gandhi said in a letter.

The Congress leader stated that he doesn't know how to thank them for what you have done for him.

Here's full text of Rahul Gandhi's letter

Dear sisters and brothers of Wayanad,

I hope you are well. You must have seen the sadness in my eyes as I stood in front of the media and told you about my decision.

So why am I sad?

I met you five years ago. The first time I visited you I came asking for your support. I was a stranger to you and yet you believed in me. You embraced me with unbridled love and affection. It didn't matter which political formation you supported, it didn't matter which community you were from or which religion you believed in or which language you spoke.

When I faced abuse day after day, your unconditional love protected me. You were my refuge, my home and my family. I never felt for even a moment that you doubted me.

I will never forget what I saw during the floods. Family after family who had lost everything. Life, property, friends all gone and yet not one of you, not even the smallest child had lost your dignity.

I will remember, the countless flowers and hugs you gave me. Each one given with such genuine love and tenderness. How can I ever forget, the bravery, beauty and confidence with which young girls would translate my speeches in front of thousands of people.

It was truly a joy and an honour to be your voice in Parliament.

I am sad, but I am consoled because my sister Priyanka will be there to represent you. I am confident that she will do an excellent job of being your MP if you decide to give her the opportunity.

I am also consoled because I have a loving family in the people of Rae Bareli and a bond that I cherish deeply. My central commitment to both you and the people of Rae Bareli is that we will fight and defeat the hatred and violence being spread in the country.

I do not know how to thank you for what you have done for me. For the love and protection you gave me when I needed it most. You are part of my family and I will always be there for each and every one of you.
Top news of the day: On 23 June, a series of events are set to take place right from politics to business. Kejriwal approaches SC against Delhi high court's stay on trial court's order granting him bail in ED case. CBI registered an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination 2024. The case of alleged sexual abuse of a male party worker against the arrested JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was handed over to the CID.

Arvind Kejriwal approaches Supreme Court against Delhi high courts stay on bail Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday approached the Supreme Court against Delhi high court's stay on trial court's order granting him bail in ED case linked to alleged liquor policy scam. Read more

Centre likely to issue green bonds worth over  25,000 crore in FY25 New Delhi: The upcoming Union budget may propose to issue sovereign green bonds worth about 25,000 crore- 30,000 crore as a part of the borrowing schedule for FY25, and a large chunk of it is likely to be sold during the second half of the year, two people aware of the matter said. Read more

DCGI finds Paracetamol among 50 medicines to be substandard The drug regulator has found 50 lifesaving medicines, including those used to control fever and seizure, to be of sub-standard quality across India. The long list of such drugs includes Paracetamol 500 mg, Telmisartan anti-hypertension drug, Cuftin cough syrup, Clonazepam tablets used to manage seizures, anti-pain relief drug Diclofenac, multi-vitamins and calcium tabs. Read more

Suraj Revanna sexual abuse case: Arrested JD(S) MLC case handed over to CID; father H D Revanna alleges conspiracy The case of alleged sexual abuse of a male party worker against the arrested JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was on Sunday handed over to the CID. Suraj was booked under various sections of the IPC, including 'unnatural offences', after a 27-year-old man complained that Suraj Revanna sexually abused him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16. Read more

NEET-UG 2024 row: CBI registers FIR in connection with irregularities in exam The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday registered an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG examination 2024, reported PTI citing officials. Meanwhile, several students aspiring to make career in the medical field appeared in the NEET-UG 2024 re-examination held today. Read more

Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy: Kamal Haasan bats for 'psychiatric counselling' of victims, drinking has to be occasional Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) party chief and actor Kamal Haasan on Sunday met the victims of Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy, and said that drinking has to be occasional. The death toll in the tragedy has increased to 56. Read more
A debate broke out on a social media platform X after a CEO from Gurugram posted a screenshot of a whopping amount of electricity bill he paid recently.

Jasveer Singh, who identified himself as the Co-founder and CEO of Hood App, paid 45,491 to Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN).

Responding to a query by one of the X users about whether the bill was for the period of one year, the CEO responded saying, It's a 2- month bill.

Also Read | Watch: Cop injured in Gurugram protest after factory bus runs over worker

Jasveer said that the amount he paid was for residential usage and not commercial.

"Paid the electricity bill, now thinking of switching to candles," said Jasveer, sharing a screenshot of PayTM through which he paid the bail.

However, within a few hours of the post made on X, over 1,500 people had commented on it.

One user responded saying candle are even costly.

An X user also asked the CEO to opt for Solar. "Solar lagvalo.. We got it 3 years ago and are damn satisfied with our almost zero bill now; in this AMD city heat of 40-45."

Looking at the amount paid, another user said he was struggling to pay a 2,000 bill.

Another X user questioned about the size of the house and appliances being used.

"So- size of your house? ACs, lights etc. etc-washing machine, dryer etc etc - if you consume electricity units you will have to pay that much- and you didnt specify two months, you conveniently ignored that!"

She also advised him to minimize electricity consumption or else cough up the money! No point putting it out on social media & sensationalizing!

"That's massive to be honest. What do you have at your house ? Industrial grade Aircon?," asked one of the X users.
On this day, June 23: Several incidents and events occured on this day in the past. From the tragic 1985 crash of an Air India Boeing 747 into the Atlantic Ocean, which killed all 329 people on board, to the 1994 release of the film "Forrest Gump," starring Tom Hanks as a simple yet kindhearted soul; here's a look at key events on June 23.

Air India 'Kanishka' Flight 182 bombing 23 June 2024 marks the 39th Anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka), where 329 innocent victims, including 86 children, lost their lives in one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in the history of civil aviation. Air India's Flight 182, named 'Kanishka', was en route from Montreal to New Delhi when it exploded 45 minutes before its scheduled landing at London's Heathrow Airport on June 23. According to reports, Sikh militants were held responsible for the bombing, which was believed to be an act of retaliation for 'Operation Bluestar'a 1984 military operation to remove militants from the Golden Temple. Earlier on June 22 this year, the Canadian Police said that investigations into the bombing of the Air India Flight 182 remain "active and ongoing." In a statement on Friday, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner David Teboul said, "The Air India investigation is the longest and certainly one of the most complex domestic terrorism investigations that the RCMP has undertaken in our history," Teboul said. Our investigative efforts remain active and ongoing.

UK voting to leave EU in 2016 In 2016, Britain voted to leave the European Union after a bitterly divisive referendum campaign, toppling Prime Minister David Cameron, who had led the campaign to keep Britain in the EU.

Forrest Gump released in 1994 In 1994, the movie Forrest Gump, starring Tom Hanks as a simple yet kindhearted soul who had serendipitous brushes with greatness, was released by Paramount Pictures. The film won six Academy Awards in 1995, including Best Picture, Best Director for Robert Zemeckis, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects. The film also received Golden Globe Awards for Best Motion Picture  Drama, Best Actor for Tom Hanks, and Best Director for Robert Zemeckis. Additionally, it won BAFTA Awards for Best Special Visual Effects in 1995, as well as a Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Also Read | Is Income Tax Payers Association of India a good option? Netizens react

Dr. Jonas Salk died in 1995 In 1995, Dr. Jonas Salk, the medical pioneer who created the first effective polio vaccine, passed away at the age of 80 in La Jolla, California.
Amid speculations of Prince Harry's return to the UK after a possible reunion with his brother Prince William, a royal expert has expressed that it is not the sole responsibility of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to end the feud with the Royals. It would be unfair to put the sole responsibility on the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to improve their sour relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales, reported The Sun, referring to a royal expert.

It would not be entirely fair to place the sole responsibility of mending the relationship on The Duke and Duchess, The Sun. Different royal experts continue to give their opinions on the ongoing family feud between Prince Harry and Prince William. Recently, Royal Expert Richard Fitzwilliams had suggested an easy way for Prince Harry to mend his troubled ties with Prince William. Fitzwilliams had suggested that a public message of support would have been a perfect way for Prince Harry to attempt to improve ties with his elder brother.

A birthday message to Prince William from Prince Harry would have been a first step to end the family feud. However, another insider had presented a different opinion. In an interview with The Sun, the insider underlined that the relationships are reciprocal.

Earlier, UK Mirror had reported that Prince Harry is likely to reunite with his family in the United Kingdom. The development is expected to be followed after making peace with brother Prince William, driven by "pressure" from King Charles.

According to the news report, the long bitter feud between the two brothers could end because of King Charles, who wants to spend more time with his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lillibet, a royal expert Tom Quihnn told UK Mirror, hinting at a possible reunion of Prince Harry and William in future.
In a shocking incident this week, new Tesla's Cybertrucks ere widely reported to be vandalized at a parking lot in Florida with expletives written against CEO Elon Musk.

According to a report by NBC Miami, a total of 34 vehicles were vandalized in the parking lot with the expletititves written against Musk around them. While citing local authorities, the report suggested that all of these vehicles were in perfect condition on Thursday night, but they were defaced by Friday morning.

The video of these defaced vehicles in a parking lot was also shared on Instagram with a user by the username onlyindade. The video reveals many Tesla Cybertrucks lined one after the other with the same expletive message against Elon Musk.

A recent report by Electrek had revealed that Tesla has temporarily paused Cybertruck deliveries owing to issues with vehicle's windshield wiper motor. The publication also states that it could be a reason for many Cybertrucks to be held together in such numbers at parking lots.

Notably, the Tesla Cybertruck deliveries began earlier this year, more than 4 years after the EV pickup truck was first introduced by Elon Musk.

In other related news, Tesla shareholders had recently supported a historic $56 million pack package for CEO Elon Musk while also going in favour of relocating the company's legal domincile from Delaware to Texas.
Britains Labour opposition reaped at least 14 times more in large donations than Prime Minister Rishi Sunaks Conservative Party in the second week of campaigning for the general election.

Official figures from the Electoral Commission showed Keir Starmers Labour hauled in 4.3 million , excluding public funds, in the week to June 12. That compared with 300,000 for the Conservatives and 335,000 for Liberal Democrats.

Nigel Farages right-wing Reform UK took in 742,000, mainly from its chairman Richard Tice.

Sunaks party is trailing by more than 20 points in opinion polls less than two weeks before the July 4 election. Data on donations shows the people supporting the opposition, including David Sainsbury, the former chairman of the supermarket chain that bears his name.

Lord Sainsbury as hes known gave 2.5 million to Labour. Others who backed the opposition include former Autoglass Ltd. boss Gary Lubner and hedge fund manager and long-time Labour donor Martin Taylor, who gave 900,000 and 700,000 respectively.

The Conservatives have struggled to raise funds, with the largest donation in this round coming from a Conservative fundraising lunch which raised 50,000 for the party.

Reform received over twice as much as Sunaks party, 500,000 of which came from Tices company Britain Means Business Ltd. British businessman David George Plumer Lilley gave Reform 100,000.

Farages announcement he would stand as parliamentary candidate has boosted Reforms takings. Other Reform UK donors included:

The figures are not an exhaustive total of sums received by the parties as only donations of more than 11,180 in value are reported.
In the early 20th century, Thomas Midgley Jr, a chemist, introduced tetraethyl lead to gasoline, promising to revolutionize the automobile industry by reducing engine knock. It seemed like a miracle solution at the time, and Midgley was hailed as a hero.

However, the dark side of this innovation soon became apparent as leaded gasoline caused widespread environmental damage and severe public health issues, including brain damage in children. This tragic episode reminds us that what initially appears to be a groundbreaking solution can have unforeseen and devastating consequences.

In our quest for cleaner energy, we have turned to ethanol, championing it as a green alternative to fossil fuels. On the surface, it seems like a perfect solutionrenewable, ostensibly cleaner and easily integrated into our existing fuel infrastructure. But as we delve deeper, we must ask ourselves if ethanol is truly the environmental saviour its touted to be, or are we being misled by yet another green mirage?

There are six main issues with mandating ethanol as fuel.

First, the life-cycle energy demand for ethanol production from sugarcane stands at 4.99 megajoules per litre. Although ethanols energy return on investment (EROI or the ratio of energy obtain to whats spent on obtaining it) is 4.26, it pales in comparison with other biofuels.

Its modest EROI indicates that ethanol production is not as energy-efficient as it might seem. Studies have shown that sugarcane cultivations energy-intensive nature, coupled with ethanols processing needs, significantly undermines its net energy balance.

Second, according to a study published in Elseviers Bioresource Technology journal, ethanols carbon footprint (CF) at 0.295kg CO2 equivalent per litre is lower than that of fossil fuels, but it may be misleading to call it eco-friendly. The production process involves significant emissions and its transportation and processing stages add to this carbon load.

Third, the most alarming, is the water footprint (WF) of ethanol: 1,344 litres per litre of ethanol produced. Indias heavy use of groundwater for sugarcane irrigation worsens the blue water footprint, posing a major opportunity cost. This misallocation threatens water security and jeopardizes food security. We thus face a dire trade-off between energy and basic human needs.

The high WF contrasts with countries like Brazil, where sugarcane cultivation is primarily rain-fed, resulting in a lower WF. In India, where freshwater resources are already scarce, using such a colossal volume of water for ethanol production is unsustainable and borders on the reckless.

Fourth, Indias agricultural policy has long been dominated by rice and wheat because of the need to procure these two crops for the public distribution system. However, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is now championing a crop diversification programme under the RKVY-Raftaar scheme in Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh.

This initiative aims to shift crops from water-intensive paddy to sustainable alternatives like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri-cereals and cotton, addressing the countrys pressing need for water conservation. Yet, the recent push for enhanced ethanol production threatens to undermine this progress.

Also read: Why ethanol blending in petrol might not work for India

Ethanol production is inherently problematic, as it can lure farmers back into cultivating water-intensive crops, creating a paradox that could undo our efforts to diversify and conserve water.

Fifth, intensive sugarcane farming, characterized by monoculture practices, frequent tilling and the heavy use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, significantly degrades soil health and agricultural productivity over time. Monoculture reduces biodiversity, which is essential for maintaining soil structure, while frequent tilling unsettles the soil, making it prone to erosion. The heavy irrigation required for sugarcane leads to waterlogging and soil compaction, further exacerbating erosion.

Sixth, diverting agricultural land for biofuel production poses significant risks to food security. Farm-land diversion can push up food prices by constraining supply. When agricultural land is repurposed for growing biofuel crops like sugarcane, corn or soybeans, it directly reduces the area available for cultivating food crops.

This competition for land use can lead to decreased food crop production. According to the International Food Policy Research Institute, the expansion of biofuel production has led to significant land use changes, often at the expense of food crops, resulting in reduced food supplies and increased prices.

With less land dedicated to food crops, the overall supply of food grains and other essential crops decreases. As a result, the supply-demand gap widens, leading to higher food prices. The World Bank reported in 2010 that food prices are seen to spike during rapid biofuel expansion, making it harder for low-income households to afford basic necessities.

This price volatility is compounded by the fact that biofuel crop prices are influenced by both food markets and energy markets, making them more susceptible to fluctuations in oil prices and policy changes in the energy sector.

Thus, we must exercise caution before pressing the acceleration pedal on ethanol. Ethanols promise as a green fuel might mask dire consequences. Lets not repeat historys mistakes.

These are the authors personal views.
The NEET "paper leak" case took a political turn earlier this week after Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha said the NEET-UG 2024 exam issue was connected with RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. Since then, the opposition has waged a war of words and counter-allegations as it raised concerns over the future of lakhs of student put on stake after the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 exam.

Bihar is among the states where there are allegations of question paper leak in the NEET-UG exam 2024. The Bihar Police is actively probing the case. The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police had last month arrested 13 people, including prime suspect Sikandar Yadavendu, in connection with the alleged paper leak in the NEET-UG 2024 exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), PTI reported.

The NEET row The alleged irregularities in this year's NEET-UG 2024 exam came to light after 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history. Six of them were from a centre in Haryana.

Moreover, it was alleged that grace marks contributed to 67 students sharing the top rank. The National Testing Agency (NTA) had earlier said the changes made in NCERT textbooks and grace marks for losing time at the examination centres were some of the reasons behind the students scoring higher marks.

How NEET row took a political turn A. Bihar Dy CM alleges Tejashwi Yadav link

One June 20, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sinha linked the alleged NEET 'paper leak' matter to "Tejashwi Yadav's personal secretary Pritam Kumar". He alleged that Kumar got a room booked for Sikander Kumar Yadavendu, one of the accused in the "paper leak" case.

Sinha claimed that Tejashwi's secretary, Pritam Kumar had called a guest house worker of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to book a room for Yadavendu. He said that the word "Mantri" was used for the former Deputy CM Yadav.

Sinha also sought a clarification from Tejashwi Yadav regarding whether Pritam Kumar is still his Personal Secretary and who is Sikander Yadavendu.

"When Lalu Prasad Yadav was jailed in Ranchi, Sikander Kumar Yadavendu used to be at Lalu's service. He was a Junior Engineer in the irrigation department. They play with the future of the people. They do scams when they are in power and they try to influence the appointment process," Sinha alleged.

B. RJD links accused with Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, posts picture

In retaliation to Sinha's claim, the RJD released an undated picture showing another Bihar's Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary, puportedly with co-accused Amit Anand.

Tejashwi Yadav's political party captioned the photo, saying, The main accused in the NEET exam paper leak scam with the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

The so-called powerful minister, who was felicitated by the accused, has deleted all his photos with him from his social media handles. But don't worry, we have them all. Send this to your worried counterpart the other deputy CM, the party's post read.

Mint could not independently verify the charges.

In another tweet, the RJD alleged, The #NEET paper was leaked in the three states governed by BJP , Bihar, Gujarat and Haryana.

How Tejashwi Yadav responded Tejashwi Yadav broke his silence on the allegations made against him and said that the BJP wanted to "divert the attention" from the kingpin, so they dragged his name.

He said the BJP "can call the PS or PA anyone for probe." He said, They want to divert the issue from the kingpin...Those who want to drag my name or my PA's name, this will not benefit anyone...

He demanded the NEET exam to be cancelled immediately. "The engineer who is talked about could be a beneficiary but Amit Anand and Nitish Kumar are the masterminds of the paper leak," he added.

Steps taken by govt so far On Saturday, the education ministry notified a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the NTA.

Also Read | Centre brings into force stringent law to curb irregularities in exam

Also, the NTA Director General, Subodh Kumar Singh, was removed from the post on Saturday. Singh's services were put on a "compulsory wait" in Department of Personnel and Training, the government said in a letter. India Trade Promotion Organisation Chairman and MD Pradeep Singh Kharola was assigned additional charge of NTA DG.
Karnataka Police on Sunday arrested Janata Dal (Secular) MLC Suraj Revanna, brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexual crimes.

As per the reports, the arrest follows a case filed by a JD(S) worker at Holenarasipura police station in Hassan district on Saturday, accusing Suraj of sexually assaulting him at his farmhouse on June 16.

The complaint was filed by a party worker under sections 377, 342, and 506 of IPC.

Suraj Revanna, on the other hand, has denied the allegations, claiming that the individual filed a false complaint against him after he refused to pay 5 crore.

"The FIR read that Suraj Revanna after noticing the work of him ((the complainant) in Lok Sabha polls had sought his number and had asked him to meet him whenever he's free. Suraj Revanna allegedly asked him to come to his farm at Gannikada village in Hassan. After he (the complainant) reaches the farm, Suraj asks him to enter his room and lock it from the inside, when he does so, Suraj allegedly sexually harasses him and later promises him to help him move up in politics. When he resists, Suraj threatens him with dire consequences and tells him to come to the farm whenever he calls him," the FIR read.

He said in the complaint that on June 17, the complainant sent a text to Suraj Revanna's close aide, Shivu, about the incident and told him that Suraj had ruined his life.

"But Shivu allegedly threatened him not to make the issue public and said that they would offer him 2 crore for it and a job. Scared for his life, he left for Bengaluru on 19th June (Wednesday) and met the DG and gave a written complaint. Following this, the Holenarasipura Rural police station has called him today to register the complaint. The complaint was registered this evening," it read.

Suraj Revanna, the son of JD(S) MLA HD Revanna and elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, has been arrested by Karnataka Police in connection with a sexual assault case.

This development follows closely after Prajwal Revanna's recent arrest and subsequent judicial custody over allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections.

Prajwal Revanna was arrested upon his return to India at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and was initially remanded to SIT custody until June 10, following extensions by the court.
Chennai: Sathyanarayana Rao, 26, a native of Guntur in Andhra Pradesh, has been fascinated by large machines since childhood. His family was poor but that did not stop him from achieving his dream of becoming an engineer. Five years on, however, the biggest machine he has operated is the two-wheeler he rides as a messenger for a chilli trader in Guntur. I am exhausted trying to get a job that suits my education," he says, wiping the sweat off his brow on a hot summer afternoon in May. Rao says the 10,000 he earns as an errand boy" is just enough to keep his family going. Not surprisingly, the educated, underemployed young man is frustrated and angry. And he is not alonea multitude of disgruntled youth across the country find themselves in a similar predicament.

Writing in Mint recently, Nitin Pai, co-founder of public policy think tank Takshashila Institution, said India needs to create 20 million jobs a year to gainfully employ its people. It is not that the Indian economy, which is growing at a rapid pace, is not creating jobs; the unemployment rate for people aged 15 years or above dipped to 3.1% in 2023 from 4.2% in 2021, according to the Periodic Labour Force Surveys data. But the economy doesnt seem to be creating enough jobs in line with demand, according to some observers.

Did this issue cost the BJP its majority and force it to form a coalition government? It may well have. According to the World Inequality Lab, the gap between the haves and have-nots has widened during the last decade, through the two terms of the NDA government. The richest 1% of the population now owns 40% of the countrys wealth. Worse, the bottom 50% own just 6.4% of the wealth.

View Full Image The gap between the haves and have-nots has widened during the last decade. (Mint)

There are variations even among the middle classes. It is unusual to see car makers growing faster than two-wheeler makers in a developing country like India. But that is what happened in the years following the pandemic, epitomizing the skewed, K-shaped consumption in key parts of the economy as inequality exploded.

However, many experts are of the opinion that the NDA governments economic management has delivered. Indeed, BJP leaders take pride in claiming that the growth in the last nine years has pulled 248 million people out of multi-dimensional poverty.

By investing heavily in capital expenditure, economists say, the government has laid the foundation for sustained and fast-paced economic growth. Spending on welfare schemes, though significant, has been tightened and delivery is better, while subsidies are better directed, they argue. Most of all, there is a belief that the formalization of the economy has gathered pace thanks to the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and that the philosophy of less government, more governance has begun to take root. The divestment of loss-making Air India is cited as a case in point here.

The richest 1% of the population now owns 40% of the countrys wealth. Worse, the bottom 50% own just 6.4% of the wealth.

But the electoral outcome has raised questions over the efficacy of this economic approach. While the pundits were touting the countrys strong economic growth and India becoming the fastest growing large economy in the world, the electorate had little interest in macro-level numbers. The message from the micro leveldown on the groundwas clear: More than welfare, people want jobsgood jobs that pay more than the minimum wage.

Simply put, the mandate has made it clear that the government needs to tweak its policies and ensure that Indias economic growth is more equitable and broad-based. And so, as Prime Minister Modi commences his record-equalling third term, sans an outright majority, the NDA government's economic management needs to be modified.

Sustaining Growth

View Full Image C. Rangarajan, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India. (HT)

Without growth, equity will be a distant dream. Without equity, growth cannot be sustained," says C. Rangarajan, former governor of the Reserve Bank of India and former chairman of the Prime Ministers Economic Advisory Council. India, at the moment, has got the first part right, say experts, noting that it is growing at a pace that is the envy of other large economies. In 2023-24, it clocked GDP (gross domestic product) growth of 8.2% on top of the strong 7% growth in 2022-23.

Data shows that Indias growth has been powered predominantly by the governments massive capital expenditure (capex) post-covid. In 2018-19, the central governments capex was just 3 trillion, or 1.6% of GDP. As per the 2024-25 interim budget, it will be 11.11 trillion, or 3.4% of GDP. A revival in exports (merchandise exports touched a new peak in FY23) and private consumption, though skewed, accelerated economic growth.

Modi 3.0s immediate priority will be to sustain this pace of growth and that is not going to be easy. The 8.2% growth registered in 2023-24 is a flash in the pan and cannot be maintained. An average 7% GDP growth would be ideal," says Rangarajan. In 2024-25, it may slip further.

Madhavi Arora, lead economist at Emkay Global Financial Services, estimates Indias economic growth will fall to 6.5%.

Slowing manufacturing, a not-too-exciting consumption story, where private consumption growth is the lowest in 20 years excluding the pandemic years, a high base effect and cyclical headwinds are the contributing factors," she explains. The cyclical headwinds include slowing exports, tighter lending standards and commodity prices no longer being low.

Reform Limitations

While economists have called for the next generation of reforms to accelerate economic growth, the compulsions of coalition politics could limit such ambitions. Big-factor market reforms like land, labour, agriculture and capital could take a backseat. So will privatization and asset monetization," says Arora.

Instead of wasting its energy on big-ticket reforms that are difficult to pull off in a coalition era, economists say Modi 3.0 should restrain its impulses and focus on less contentious but more effective policies.

There are a lot of reforms that can be executed to provide wings to the economy. Coalition partners will have no issues with them," says Sunil Kumar Sinha, senior director and principal economist, India Ratings.

These include financial sector reforms, judiciary-related changes, improving the dispute settlement mechanism, which can free up a lot of locked-up capital, and so on, says Sinha.

Growth with Equity

G. Sundaramurthy, a 42-year-old native of Pollachi in Tamil Nadu, was happy working in one of the many small-scale industrial units in nearby Coimbatore. Lack of formal education prevented him from getting a formal job in one of the large industrial units that dot the city. In the last five years, he has changed jobs multiple times as the units he worked in were forced to shut or downsize their operations. Sundaramurthy, in other words, is a victim of the formalization of the economy.

In India, the formal sector has never created the jobs that the economy needs. Typically, it is the unorganized sector that did this," says Sinha. In agriculture, 92% of the jobs are created in the unorganized sector. In industry and services, 73% of the jobs that are created are informal. The government and private sector account for only 27% of the jobs, notes Sinha.

The BJP government strongly believed in organizing the informal sector and such a move, it felt, would go a long way in plugging the leaks in tax mobilization and contribute to economic growth. Policymakers either did not factor in the impact of formalization on job creation or assumed the expanded formal economy would create the necessary jobs. A series of measures by the government, such as demonetization and the introduction of GST, left the informal sector reeling, leaving small entrepreneurs and workers like Sundaramurthy in the lurch. The covid pandemic only served to exacerbate the situation.

In India, the formal sector has never created the jobs that the economy needs Sunil Kumar Sinha

Between 2017-18 and 2022-23, the footprint of the unorganized sector in the gross output of the economy fell by almost two percentage points, from 34.9% to 33%," points out Sinha. Some jobs may have disappeared. The organized sector, to some extent, filled the vacuum left by the informal sector, but it never created that many jobs," he says. In fact, he argues, the formal sector, which is driven by cost competitiveness, can never create as many jobs as the unorganized sector. Its focus has been and will be to increase productivity by reducing labour per output unit.

While formalization of the informal sector is the way forward as it leads to better quality jobs, where workers will get better pay and social security, a labour surplus market such as India should make the transition (from unorganized to formal) in a measured manner, especially at a time when a large number of youth are entering the workforce, say experts. Having rushed through this process, India appears to be struggling.

Government officials that Mint spoke to, who did not want to be identified, accepted that this is a problem. The only way to correct this situation is to strike a balance, say economists. The informal sector should also be supported in a big way. The government has come up with Mudra Loans and a few other schemes, but they have not been enough. Much more needs to be done," said one economist.

Fiscal Consolidation

Another facet of the NDA government's economic management is its penchant for fiscal consolidation. Prior to the pandemic, the government had brought the fiscal deficit down to 3.4% of GDP, the closest in years to the target of 3% set under the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act way back in 2003. Covid put paid to any plans for a further reduction.

The fiscal deficit ran up to 9.2% in 2022-21. The Modi government brought it down to 5.8% in 2023-24 with a plan to reduce it to 5.1% by 2024-25. This has been possible partly due to revenue buoyancy and more importantly, due to aggressive reduction of unwanted revenue expenditure and better targeting of welfare schemes and subsidies. Ten years ago, the revenue expense as a proportion of total expenditure was 89%. In 2024-25, it will be just 77%," says Emkays Arora.

Would the electoral outcome have perhaps been different if the government had eased up on fiscal consolidation and spent more on people struggling at the bottom of the pyramid? Sixty-three-year-old M. Ayyanar, from Andipatti, a town in South-West Tamil Nadu, certainly thinks so. He is trying hard to sell the cucumbers grown on his small farm outside the towns bus stand. Ayyanar plies an autorickshaw, but the Tamil Nadu governments decision to offer free bus rides to women has hurt his business significantly. He barely makes money to cover his fuel costs and is deep in debt, having borrowed money to fund his daughters marriage and pay for the education of his son, who remains unemployed. I agree there are many welfare schemes, and they help my family immensely. But we are still struggling to lead a decent life," he says.

Sathyanarayana Rao, G. Sundaramurthy and M. Ayyanar are the faces of Indias rural distress. Modi 3.0 will have to keep them front and centre in framing its economic policies. Fortunately, the government has the fiscal headroom for spending more. The Reserve Bank of India has just given it a 2.1 trillion dividend bonanza, equivalent to 0.4% of GDP. Will the government go for it? Its first budget next month will offer a clue.
MOSCOW  The Idaho Democratic Party spent the first day of its state convention building the party platform detailing its priorities.

Hundreds of Democrats from across Idaho traveled to Moscow for the 2024 Idaho Democratic Party State Convention.

More than 300 delegates elected at the May 23 Democratic presidential caucus gathered at the University of Idaho for the two-day conference, and will choose delegates to attend the Democratic National Convention and approve the party platform, according to the party website.

The convention was kicked off Saturday with a breakfast hosted by the LGBTQ Democratic Caucus of Idaho. Many workshops and committee hearings were held, including a platform committee hearing and presentations on economic messaging and fundraising.

Events will continue today, such as a state central committee meeting, service project and others. The party platform will be accepted and delegates will be selected that evening.

Officials workshopped the party platform Saturday afternoon. Guided by Sen. Melissa Wintrow, D-Boise, a session was held to receive input from Idaho Democrats on the partys values.

Ada County Democrat Terri Pickens, a member of the party platform committee, said the Democratic Party believes in expanding access to affordable healthcare, tackling climate change and fostering an economy that works for everyone.

The party, Pickens said, aspires to raise the minimum wage and promote workers rights. Its dedicated to protecting and expanding civil rights and social justice, supporting LGBTQ rights, womens reproductive rights and criminal justice reform, she added.

Democratics also advocate for sensible gun control measures and comprehensive immigration reform, Pickens said, while also providing Idaho students with a quality education, protecting natural resources and strengthening the nations democracy.

Honor Harris, of Ada County, said the party should focus on defending the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, which is really under fire right now. She noted there are people working to rewrite documents quintessential to democracy.

Lets face it, Harris said. Theres a possibility we could lose it.

Jim Fabe, of Blaine County, said democracy is dependent on people having sufficient income, basic housing, and access to food, energy and healthcare. He said the country should work toward supporting citizens basic needs so they can become educated voters.
The man who tragically drowned off the south west Donegal coast on Saturday has been named locally as Leitrim native Patrick Doran.

Mr Doran was one of over 100 divers taking part in the North West Dive Rally at Teelin.

The planned two-day event was plunged into shock and sadness at around noon on Saturday.

A search operation was launched after two divers were reported as missing.

The body of Mr Doran, aged in his 40s and a native of Leitrim Village, was recovered from the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

Also read: One man dead and another hospitalised after Donegal diving tragedy

Mr Doran was a diving enthusiast and regularly took part in similar events.

A second diver, a man aged in his 60s, was rescued from the water and is currently receiving treatment at Galway University Hospital.

The local coroner, Dr Denis McCauley, has been notified of Mr Doran's death and a post-mortem will take place in the coming days.

The Coast Guard's 118 Rescue helicopter, based at Strandhill in Sligo, was dispatched to the scene.

Also read: Idyllic Mayo setting as Longford couple exchange wedding vows in beautiful ceremony

A crew from the Killybegs Coast Guard also attended in their Delta RIB after being tasked by the Malin Head Coast Guard, who coordinated the operation.

Local gardai and other emergency services assisted.

A spokesperson from the Department of Transport told Donegal Live that the Irish Coast Guard Marine Rescue Sub Centre (MRSC) in Malin co-ordinated a response to a diving incident that was reported off Teelin at 12.20pm.

Also read: ALERT: Food safety group issues urgent warning about bread sold in Dunnes and Tesco

A spokesperson said: The co-ordinated response involved the Sligo-based Rescue 118 helicopter, Killybegs Coast Guard Boat & Shore Crews, the National Ambulance Service and An Garda Siochana.

One male casualty (in his 40s) was pronounced dead at the scene and a second male casualty (in his 60s) was airlifted by Rescue 118 to Galway University Hospital (GUH) where he is receiving care.

Also read: Very special occasion as popular Longford couple celebrate 50th wedding anniversary

Organisers of the North West Dive Rally immediately called off the remainder of the competition.
There was a burst of colour through the streets of Longford last Saturday as the county town celebrated Pride.



The Longford Pride parade, which started at Connolly Barracks, slalomed through town under the guiding eye of marshal Rebecca Tallon de Havilland.



The jubilant gathering was just part of a day that included discussion and live music.



It was very successful. We've been absolutely buzzing since, organiser Caroline Lewis said of the day.

WATCH | An explosion of pride, colour and samba beats at Longford's first ever Pride Parade



Providing a safe, positive and visible space for members of the LGBTQIA+ community in Longford and helping to celebrate diversity, inclusion and equality was the raison d'etre for the Pride day.



Caroline is the Bula Bula samba band leader. The drum collective provided the soundtrack for the parade.



When organising the event Caroline was struck by the level of support for the project: Businesses and companies readily came on board and offered to host things. A lot of people attended the early drag brunch in Take Two restaurants, it was fully booked out.

PICTURES | Pride, colour and samba beats at Longford's inaugural Pride Parade



That was a lot of fun. The town was electric. I just noticed there was a buzz in the town for the whole day. We had people coming off the train and up the streets with flags, dressed for the parade.



Traditionally confined to big cities, Ireland has seen a massive growth of Pride events and festivals in rural towns over the last few years. Traditionally taking place in June or July.



As well as the drag brunch and parade Longfords first Pride festival included street music entertainment and a dedicated evening festival club.

PICTURES | Glittering gala dinner as Longford Town FC proudly celebrate centenary



A less obvious event was the craft fare: I think all the crafters were really, really happy with the success of it. Pig Market Lane was busy all day. There was food, crafters and music.



Caroline was particularly happy with the contribution of the collective: Bula Bula Samba played fantastically. Everybody came together, pulled their socks up and really just had fun. We were laughing the whole way. It was just such a good vibe. And the streets were packed.

PICTURES | Very cool - Longford's Food Dudes honoured at presentation ceremony



The Longford Pride organiser said that the LGBTQIA+ community were well supported: There were family members there, dressed up and waving flags, faces painted and hair with ribbons. People made such an effort to support the participants.



On Saturday night the Pride Party was in The Spiral Tree: Lots of people joined the Pride Party. Everybody was so supportive and the party vibe was absolutely fantastic. We stayed there till the wee hours in the morning.

Also read: Two great concerts planned as part of Longford's Camlin Keys Festival in July



Caroline was overwhelmed by the support of the public: I walked around the town with Rebecca as we went to various things. Men and women came up to her, people in their 60s, 70s, 80s, and wished her the best of luck.



The event organiser said the day was only possible thanks to the support of a number of organisations and the voluntary work of everyone involved: Longford Pride was supported by County Longford Arts Service, Creative Ireland  Longford, Cruinniu na nOg and funding from An Post.

Also read: Hothouse Flowers bloom at intimate gig in Longford's mystical Shawbrook Forest





We also had great support from Eddie Valentine in the Spiral Tree and from Louis Herterich. There were many others who got behind Longford Pride to make it a success.
Stand on the shore of Lake Lenore and watch the shallows long enough, and youll spot the shape of a trout, swimming like it has somewhere to be.

Then youll see another. And another. Maybe a big group of them, their colors contrasted against the drab brown of the lake bottom.

The fish are Lahontan cutthroat trout, a species native to the Great Basin of California, Nevada and Oregon. They have been stocked in this lake in the lower Grand Coulee for decades because theyve adapted to live in salty, alkaline water. Those conditions kill other trout species, but the Lahontans thrive in them, which is why they can be seen cruising the shallows all spring.

On a sunny day in late March, some of the cruisers ended up in gillnets. Mike Schmuck, a fisheries biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, along with colleagues and volunteers, had set a series of nets the day before to trap the fish for a study of their movements.

When they pulled the first net into the boat, they saw more than 50 fish, each with red cheeks and a trademark slash on their jaw. Some were almost white, while others were dark.

Each one received a tag, placed behind the dorsal fin. Its the third year WDFW has put tags in the fish, part of an effort to track the relative abundance of the fish in the lake over time.

Its an effort that Schmuck is hoping will help change the reputation of Lake Lenore, a long, narrow lake along Highway 17 that many anglers have filed in the not-what-it-used-to-be category.

Schmuck doesnt see why. There are plenty of fish  his rough estimate is 12,000 to 15,000 adults, and many more juveniles  and he sees them all over the lake.

But he doesnt see many anglers on the 1,670-acre lake. The day he was pulling nets, there were just a few anglers on the north end, and none anywhere else. This week, on days he drove through, he only saw a few on the south end.

There could be so much more pressure on this lake, Schmuck said. The fish are everywhere.

The word is getting out a little bit, said Darc Knobel, the owner of the Desert Fly Angler in Ephrata, and the fishing seems to be good.

Were on the right track, Knobel said. I think that pressure is definitely starting to pick back up and people are starting to know about it.

Lenore is the second-to-last lake in the chain that begins at Dry Falls, just past Coulee City. The chain was formed thousands of years ago, when catastrophic flooding reshaped the scablands. Below Dry Falls, it left a deep and beautiful gorge with several depressions that were filled by springs and became lakes.

The spring water bubbles out of basalt, and as a result has some level of salt in it, said Victor Baker, a geology professor at the University of Arizona who has studied the area for decades. As the water moves through the chain of lakes, some of the water evaporates. Salt doesnt evaporate, so the water thats left behind becomes saltier.
Boston Animal Control is still searching for a cow that was on the loose in the citys Roslindale neighborhood Saturday evening.

The brown and white cow was first spotted at the intersection of Stella and Harding Road, Boston Animal Control wrote in a Facebook post Saturday evening. Animal control officers responded, but the cow managed to evade capture and disappear into a nearby wooded area.

Officers canvassed the area, but were unable to locate the cow again, the department wrote. The cow was still at large as of Sunday afternoon.

Residents who see the cow are asked to refrain from chasing or trying to capture it, Boston Animal Control said. Instead, they should report any sightings by calling (617) 635-5348.
A woman has died as a result of a four-alarm house fire in Georgetown that broke out Saturday night, according to officials.

Georgetown firefighters responded to the fire at 238 East Main St. around 10:50 p.m., the Georgetown Fire Department said in a press release. At the scene, they discovered heavy flames shooting 20 feet up in the air from the roof of the two-and-half-story single-family home.

Firefighters soon learned that three of the homes residents were able to escape unharmed, but that a woman was still inside, the fire department said. Firefighters entered the home and soon found the woman on the second floor.

They carried the woman out of the home through a second-floor window, and she was brought by ambulance to Anna Jaques Hospital in Newburyport with serious injuries, the fire department said. She was later declared dead.

Firefighters battled a four-alarm fire at 238 East Main St. in Georgetown Saturday night.Georgetown Fire Department

A second alarm was struck shortly before 11 p.m., and two more soon followed as the fire spread rapidly, the fire department said. With the help of firefighters from 13 additional departments, the fire was brought under control around 12:45 a.m. Sunday.

The home was deemed a total loss, but the American Red Cross is helping its now-displaced residents, the fire department said. Georgetown firefighters and the state fire marshals office are investigating what caused the fire.

No further information about the fire or the woman who died has been released.
Good Sunday morning, all. Congratulations on surviving a week that included an epic heat wave and the Celtics victory parade.

If youve been understandably sequestered in a dark room, with the air conditioning blasting, and regarding the headlines in much the same way Prometheus faced the day (New liver, same eagles, as they say.), heres a look back at the political news you might have missed over the last seven-ish days.

Weve got bills

Any hope that the majority-Democrat state Legislature would get an approved state budget onto Gov. Maura Healeys desk before the new fiscal year starts on July 1 pretty much has evaporated.

On Thursday night, Healeys office sent out a terse, two-sentence email letting everyone know that the Democratic governor had filed a $6.9 billion short-term spending bill to keep the wheels of government turning until July 31.

In a letter to legislative leaders, Healey urged lawmakers to get the funding bill onto her desk no later than Monday.

Last week, senior lawmakers appeared cautiously optimistic about getting a compromise spending plan to Healey by-ish the deadline-ish.

The two chambers each have approved spending plans coming in at around $58 billion. A joint House/Senate conference committee has been working since to iron out the differences between the two chambers proposals.

House Speaker Ronald Mariano, D-3rd Norfolk, told reporters last week that talks between House and Senate negotiators were very advanced.

We all want the same thing. So its just a question of working out the details and making sure that no one feels that their issue [is] short-shrifted, the Quincy Democrat said.

Speaking to reporters on Thursday, Senate Ways and Means Committee Chairperson Michael J. Rodriques, D-1st Bristol/Plymouth, appeared ready to settle in for the long haul.

Nights, weekends, holidays are all workdays for us, the upper chambers lead budget negotiator said, according to Politico.

And for those of you playing along at home, its been 14 years since the executive and legislative branches managed to pass an on-time budget, according to State House News Service.

So send us your over/unders for this year, please.

U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren joined the Latino Economic Development Corporation on April 26, 2024 in Springfield. (Jim Kinney/ The Republican )The Republican

More money, lots more problems

Reminding us once again that political campaigns consume cash the same way the rest of us consume oxygen, Democratic U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warrens reelection campaign tried to scare some coin out of her supporters last week.

The villain, in this case, is a new right-wing Super PAC with ties to former President Donald Trump and outgoing U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Warrens campaign wrote.

Its allies include Big Oil and Big Pharma, both of whom Warren has managed to annoy during her time on Capitol Hill.

That means its likely the Senate Leadership Fund, which has ties to McConnell and the allied American Crossroads.

As Politico reports, its spending gobs of cash to knock off Democratic Senate incumbents, including U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio.

Defeating us in Massachusetts would virtually guarantee a GOP-controlled Senate, Warrens campaign wrote in its email. And national Republicans are desperate to take power so they can enact their radical agenda, from banning abortion nationwide to slashing taxes for billionaires and giant corporations  We have to fight back.

Warren will face whoever emerges from a three-way Republican primary this fall. Recent polling shows that itll be an uphill fight for the eventual GOP nominee.

But forewarned and forearmed, and all that.

They said it

Black babies have 2.4 times the overall infant mortality rate and are nearly four times more likely to die from low birth weight complications compared to white babies. Now, I dont say this to claim an issue that absolutely affects women of all races. I say this to inform you of the harsh realities that I once was ignorant of that has now affected me to my core.

 State Rep. Chris Worrell, D-5th Suffolk, speaking during floor debate last week on an omnibus maternal health bill. Worrell spoke to his House colleagues about the pregnancy loss he and his wife endured just two weeks before a planned gender reveal party

(The Oregonian photo)Mark Graves/The Oregonian

Dont Let the Door Hit You Dept.

Is the Bay State losing its rich people because of its more than-year-old Millionaires Tax?

While there hasnt exactly been a tidal wave of departures, a trade group for accountants warned last week that some of the states very wealthiest citizens are, indeed, heading for the lifeboats.

Two-thirds of respondents to a poll by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants said that at least one high-income client had skedaddled, State House News Service reported.

Nine in 10 respondents to that same poll said that high earners were considering leaving the state, and that just about two-thirds (64%) said the states 4% tax on earnings above $1 million was a factor in their relocation deliberations, the wire service reported.

The top destinations for those who were leaving  or thinking about it  were New Hampshire, Florida and Texas, the trade group said.

Watch for that cross-border beef to escalate ...

On the calendar

Set your alerts now. On Monday, the state Senates Ways & Means Committee will release a member poll on the chambers version of the housing bond bill, with a vote likely to follow on Thursday, according to a spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka, D-Middlesex/Norfolk.

The long-awaited vote comes after the state House gave its approval earlier this month to a $6.5 billion housing bill.

That bill, its worth noting, came in more than $2 billion above the $4.1 billion housing bond bill that Gov. Maura Healey proposed last fall.

State House watchers had been wondering when the Senate would take up the proposal  especially since formal sessions end for the year on July 31.

Turned up to 11

If there is a song that sounds like summer and isnt Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter, then its This Girl, a 2016 jawn by Kungs vs. Cookin on 3 Burners. Every time I hear it, I feel like I should be outside someplace, preferably with a pool, and most likely grilling. So heres your Sunday soundtrack.

Your Sunday long read:

Yes, MBTA riders have it tough, what with constant line closings, slow zones, shuttle buses and the like. But give thanks that, last week, your train didnt go through New Yorks Penn Station.

There, the thousands of New Jersey Transit and Amtrak commuters who pass through its doors daily, faced a hellacious commute, according to NYMags Intelligencer.

No spoilers: But the cause should ring familiar for T strap-hangers.

Thats it for this week. See you all back here next week.
On Sunday at 4:07 p.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated tornado watch in effect until 8 p.m. for Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex and Worcester counties.

Tornado watches and warnings: What you need to know

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the distinction between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Here's a breakdown:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation.

It's your cue to review and discuss your emergency plans, check your supplies, and locate your safe room.

While it doesn't indicate an imminent tornado, it's a heads-up to be prepared to take swift action if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Tornado Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center and often encompass a broad area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.

This is the real deal  there's an immediate danger to life and property.

Your response should be quick: seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, find the nearest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or by trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the difference between these two alerts is essential in staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger approaches.

Prepare for a tornado

Stay weather-ready:

Keep an eye on the weather forecast to stay informed about tornado risks. Tune in to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio for updates on tornado watches and warnings

Sign up for alerts:

Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems. Some places have outdoor sirens, while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications.

Create a communication plan:

Create a family emergency plan that includes a designated meeting place and important contact information. If your home lacks a basement, identify a nearby safe building, like a church or a relative's house, that you can reach quickly.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

Practice your plan:

Conduct regular family drills for severe thunderstorms so everyone knows what to do when a tornado threat arises. Ensure that all family members are aware of the safe location to seek shelter, and don't forget about your pets if time permits.

Prepare your home:

Consider reinforcing your safe room for added protection. You can find plans for fortifying an interior room on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Help your neighbor:

Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

What to do when a tornado strikes

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

Remain vigilant and stay updated by listening to local news broadcasts or a NOAA Weather Radio for tornado watches and warnings.

At home:

If you are at home and a tornado warning is issued, make your way to the basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Don't forget to ensure the safety of your pets if time allows.

At work or school:

If you are at your workplace or school, adhere to tornado drill procedures. Move promptly and calmly to your designated tornado shelter, avoiding large open areas like cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums, and steer clear of windows.

Outdoors:

If you're outdoors and a tornado is approaching, seek immediate shelter inside a sturdy building. Sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe. If there's time, make your way to a secure structure.

In a vehicle:

Being inside a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best course of action is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car while covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek safety in a low-lying area such as a ditch or ravine.

Remember, acting swiftly and following safety protocols are essential for your well-being when a tornado is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
Guided nature walk planned for Friday at Chief Timothy Park

Naturalist Michelle Schmidt, of Lewiston, will lead a guided nature walk through Chief Timothy Park west of Clarkston at 10 a.m. Friday.

The Asotin County Library program will focus on the flora and fauna of the area and Schmidt will share ecological insights and help participants foster a deeper connection to the natural world.

Adventure seekers of all ages are welcome, but children ages 13 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Those interested can meet at the main parking lot near the swimming beach. Participants are advised to check in at the parks entrance station and tell park officials they are there for the Asotin County Library Nature walk. The entrance fee will be waived for participants.
On Sunday at 7 p.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated tornado watch in effect until 8 p.m. for Berkshire County.

Tornado watches and warnings: What you need to know

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the distinction between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Here's a breakdown:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation.

It's your signal to review your emergency plans, ensure your supplies are in order, and identify your safe room.

While it doesn't mean a tornado is imminent, it's a heads-up that you should be ready to act quickly if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Tornado Watches are issued by the Storm Prediction Center and often encompass a broad area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

A Tornado warning means a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.

This is the real deal  there's an immediate danger to life and property.

Your response should be quick: seek shelter in an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, seek the nearest substantial shelter and shield yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or by trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the difference between these two alerts is essential in staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger approaches.

Get ready for tornadoes

Be weather-ready:

Check the forecast regularly to see if you're at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Sign up for notifications:

Know how your community sends warnings. Some communities have outdoor sirens. Others depend on media and smartphones to alert residents of severe storms capable of producing tornadoes.

Create a communication plan:

Have a family plan that includes an emergency meeting place and related information. If you live in a mobile home or home without a basement, identify a nearby safe building you can get to quickly, such as a church or family member.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

Establish a communication plan:

Conduct regular family drills for severe thunderstorms so everyone knows what to do when a tornado threat arises. Ensure that all family members are aware of the safe location to seek shelter, and don't forget about your pets if time permits.

Prepare your home:

Consider reinforcing your safe room for added protection. You can find plans for fortifying an interior room on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Extend a helping hand:

Encourage your loved ones to prepare for the possibility of tornadoes. Take CPR training so you can help if someone is hurt.

Tornado survival guide: Immediate actions for your safety

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

Stay vigilant and stay informed by tuning in to local news broadcasts or using a NOAA Weather Radio to receive updates on tornado watches and warnings.

At home:

If you find yourself under a tornado warning while at home, head to your basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Ensure your pets are safe if time permits.

At work or school:

If you are at your workplace or school, adhere to tornado drill procedures. Move promptly and calmly to your designated tornado shelter, avoiding large open areas like cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums, and steer clear of windows.

Outdoors:

If a tornado is on its way, seek shelter inside a solid building immediately. Sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe places to be.

In a vehicle:

Being in a vehicle during a tornado is highly unsafe. Your best option is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching shelter is not possible, either stay inside your car, covering your head, or abandon the vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.

Always keep in mind that taking swift action and following established safety procedures are crucial for your well-being when a tornado threat is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
NORTHAMPTON  A crowd of 40 to 50 people commemorated the second anniversary of the Supreme Court Dobbs decision ending universal access to abortion in the United States with a demonstration in front of City Hall in Northampton. Women and men, including a group called The Raging Grannies, rallied to call for legislation to reassert a womans right to personal decision-making in her health care.

Organized by Indivisible Northampton-Swing Left Western Mass, demonstrators decried the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Center decision released formally on June 24, 2022. The decision had been leaked to a news organization a month earlier.
On June 19, 2024, Intersolar Europe 2024 kicked off in Munich, Germany, with Eenovance making a grand appearance, showcasing a comprehensive range of product solutions, including residential energy storage solutions, industrial and commercial energy storage products and solutions, as well as integrated industrial and commercial solutions.

At the exhibition, we unveiled two newly upgraded residential energy storage products, the MANA 5.12 Ultra and the Chakra 2.5-H Pro. The MANA 5.12 Ultra boasts flexible scalability, supporting up to 15 battery packs in parallel, with 100% DOD (Depth of Discharge), Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) battery cells, and 6000 charge-discharge cycles. The Chakra 2.5-H Pro features a 2.5kWh modular design, with each cluster capable of holding up to 10 battery packs and supporting up to 4 clusters in parallel. It offers intelligent maintenance, supporting remote monitoring and upgrades, and a plug-and-play installation process that eliminates the need for external wiring.

To cater to the diverse needs of customers, Eenovance presented two industrial and commercial energy storage products and technologies, the RT 5.12-H and the G-Power 5.11 MWh. These are suitable for various application scenarios such as photovoltaic and wind power energy storage, as well as energy storage power stations. The RT 5.12-H is a small-scale industrial and commercial energy storage high-voltage battery product with a 5.12kWh modular design. Each cluster can accommodate up to 12 battery packs, supporting up to 4 clusters in parallel. It offers one-touch switching, automatic ID allocation, and convenient fast-plug connectors for wiring. The G-Power series is Eenovances new generation of string-based containerized energy storage system developed for power generation and grid-side energy storage applications. The system utilizes a 20-foot standard container, integrating batteries and string inverters (PCS). Each container offers 2.5MW/5MWh capacity, boasting deep integration, safety, reliability, and intelligent efficiency.

Europe is one of Eenovances strategic markets, and we are committed to long-term development, contributing to the energy transition in Europe. We have established a subsidiary in Cologne, Germany, radiating our high-quality products and services to neighboring countries and regions, achieving long-term win-win outcomes with customers and partners.

Eenovance looks forward to exploring energy storage technology trends with global customers and partners in the future, supporting the development of global photovoltaic and energy storage, and jointly creating a better green energy future.
Did You Know?

Small amounts of infectious H5N1 virus remained in raw milk samples with high virus levels even when treated at 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds (one of the standard pasteurization methods used by the dairy industry). #BirdFlu #H5N1 #BirdFluOutbreak #AvianInfluenza

Small amounts of infectious H5N1 virus remained in raw milk samples with high virus levels even when treated at 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds (one of the standard pasteurization methods used by the dairy industry). #BirdFlu #H5N1 #BirdFluOutbreak #AvianInfluenza

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Does H5N1 (Bird Flu Virus) Pose a Threat to Humans?

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CDC A(H5N1) Bird Flu Response Update June 21, 2024



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H5N1 Influenza Virus Detected in Raw Milk

  Trusted Source

Infectious H5N1 influenza virus in raw milk rapidly declines with heat treatment



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Avian Influenza (H5N1): A Public Health Concern

CDC A(H5N1) Bird Flu Response Update June 21, 2024 - ( https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-06212024.html) Infectious H5N1 influenza virus in raw milk rapidly declines with heat treatment - (https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/infectious-h5n1-influenza-virus-raw-milk-rapidly-declines-heat-treatment)

Cows at the US dairy farms have tested positive for the bird flu (H5N1) virus in recent months, report public health experts.The influenza A (H5N1) virus, commonly known as, is widespread in wild birds worldwide and has been circulating in US poultry since 2022, reports Xinhua news agency. However, the situation escalated in late 2023 when the virus is believed to have jumped from birds to dairy cows at a Texas farm. This was followed by a human infection in April linked to exposure to infected cattle.To date, three human cases of infection have been reported, bringing the total number of US H5N1 cases to four, including one case in 2022 linked to poultry exposure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) (). The virus had been confirmed in at least 115 dairy herds across 12 states as of Thursday, according to the latest tally posted on the US Department of Agricultures Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website.In a new study funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), researchers found "small, detectable amounts of infectious (H5N1) virus remained in raw milk samples with high virus levels" when treated at 72 degrees Celsius for 15 seconds -- one of the standard pasteurization methods used by the dairy industry, according to an NIH press release last week ().The CDC noted that while the current public health risk is low, it is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures. But public health experts have paid attention to the governments slow response and inadequate testing."Failures in testing continued. This was a serious problem in the early months of COVID-19 , in mpox , and now with H5N1. There will be future disease emergencies -- we have to do better," wrote Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist, on social media X on Thursday. Gronvall, an associate professor at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, called for a public-private partnership between the government, test developers, and clinical laboratories to streamline testing rollout and information sharing at the beginning of an event.The World Health Organization considers Avian Influenza (bird flu) a public health concern, as these viruses, including the H5N1 strain, can result in mild to severe illness and death and have the potential to mutate to become more contagious, says the organization on its website. While infections have been confirmed in cattle across the country, only 45 individuals have been tested for novel influenza A since March, with 550 under monitoring, according to the CDCs latest update on June 14. Aside from the limited availability of bird flu tests, experts said the low trust of farm owners and farm workers towards the government also makes it difficult to detect potential cases."The United States response to H5N1 -- bird flu -- has taken too long, showing how risky gaps in coordination and trust can be," wrote Tom Frieden, former director of the CDC, in an analysis published by CNN."Trust toward the United States government is low, especially among rural Americans who are on the front line of these outbreaks," added Frieden, president and chief executive of Resolve to Save Lives.Many dairy farm workers in the United States are undocumented immigrants or migrants who may distrust the government or be hesitant to miss work if they test positive, CDC Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah told Axios in a Tuesday report. Despite the allocation of federal funds to incentivize farm cooperation, no farms have enrolled in the voluntary on-site milk testing program, according to the US Department of Agriculture.Source-IANS
Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

APA Dr. Trupti Shirole. (2024, June 23). Japan's Innovative Approach to ADHD Parenting . Medindia. Retrieved on Oct 10, 2024 from https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/japans-innovative-approach-to-adhd-parenting-216145-1.htm.

MLA Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Japan's Innovative Approach to ADHD Parenting". Medindia. Oct 10, 2024. <https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/japans-innovative-approach-to-adhd-parenting-216145-1.htm>.

Chicago Dr. Trupti Shirole. "Japan's Innovative Approach to ADHD Parenting". Medindia. https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/japans-innovative-approach-to-adhd-parenting-216145-1.htm. (accessed Oct 10, 2024).

Harvard Dr. Trupti Shirole. 2024. Japan's Innovative Approach to ADHD Parenting. Medindia, viewed Oct 10, 2024, https://www.medindia.net/news/healthwatch/japans-innovative-approach-to-adhd-parenting-216145-1.htm.
In this column, Ive long tried to make sense of how otherwise decent people can support someone as caustic and vulgar as Donald Trump. Even as his rhetoric becomes increasingly authoritarian, violent, apocalyptic, and incoherent  even as his words and actions run contrary to everything his supporters once claimed to hold sacred  theres been no wavering in support.

It's easy to conclude that Trump supporters have been conned or that they simply prefer the ennobling alternative reality of Trump World to the intractable challenges of their lives. However, Id like to take a break from trying to understand MAGA through my liberal lens and instead make an honest effort to understand my Trump-supporting neighbors on their own terms.

To that end, Im posing the following questions to Trump supporters, along with enough context to explain why I feel the need to ask. If you are a Trump supporter, I invite you to respond, either in a letter to the editor or in an email to me personally. (Address is at the bottom.) I hope to compile what I learn in a future column. Angry rants and personal attacks will be ignored. Here we go:

1. What do liberals fail to understand about Trump supporters? What are the principles and values that drive you? What is your vision for a better America?

2. Trump and his supporters often refer to liberals as crazy, anarchist, radical, and even evil, and insist were out to destroy America. Why do you believe this? What is it that you find so threatening about liberals and Democrats? And where do we fit in your vision for Americas future?

3. That Trump lies constantly is well-documented. What he says frequently contradicts his own statements, logical consistency, and observable reality. The same can be said of right-wing news sources like Fox News, who paid a $787 million settlement for lying about there being fraud in the 2020 election. Why do you trust people who you know will readily lie to get what they want?
ROTHBURY, MI - Totems are seemingly everywhere at Electric Forest and each one is unique.

It is a way festival-goers can express themselves and an even better way to spot their friends in a sea of people.

Totems have been popular at festivals for years, but many have banned the creative pieces because they can block the audiences view of the stage. Thats not the case at Electric Forest, the popular music festival that draws people from all over the country to rural West Michigan.

RELATED: Welcome to the rain forest. Subtronics, Lszee blow the treetops off a muddy late night of Electric Forest

Electric Forest has adopted some rules when it comes to totems. They cannot be taller than 7 feet, and festival organizers suggest that they are constructed of light materials, no sharp ends or something that could injure someone.

In addition, no threatening messages are allowed on totems at Electric Forest.

MLive multimedia specialist Joel Bissell has been on scene all week snapping photos of the most creative totems, an essential part of Electric Forest culture. You can click here to see the full gallery.

The types of things featured on totems are elaborate and varied. Sometimes theyre random; other times theyre closely calculated and thought out, but all of them show the spirit and creativity of those who carry them with pride.

Electric Forest, a multi-genre music festival, is scheduled to conclude on Sunday, June 23.

The four-day festival was expected to draw about 50,000 people to the festival grounds at the Double JJ Resort in Rothbury.
GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MI  Two people were injured in a crash after their vehicle struck an electrical pole, causing the vehicle to catch fire, Michigan State Police said.

Troopers were near Cass Road, north of Dendrinos Drive, in Garfield Township around 12:15 a.m. on Saturday, June 22, when they noticed a damaged electrical pole. A vehicle was on its side with the engine compartment engulfed with flames, police said.

Troopers and Grand Traverse County sheriffs deputies extinguished the fire and saw two people  one was unresponsive  inside the vehicle.

The driver, a 28-year-old Northport woman, was responsive and one passenger, a 35-year-old Traverse City man, was unresponsive upon contact.

Due to the electrical pole being snapped in half and wires hanging approximately six feet off the road, troopers were unable to reach the occupants of the vehicle.

First aid was given to the driver by troopers until they were extracted by the Traverse City Fire Department. The Northport woman was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening.

The Traverse City man was also transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Police said alcohol is believed to be a factor in the crash, which remains under investigation.
UPDATE: Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard released additional details Sunday afternoon about the fatal shooting: Deputy killed in line of duty was ambushed while pursuing stolen car, sheriff says

OAKLAND COUNTY, MI  Police departments across the state of Michigan are mourning the loss of a sheriffs deputy who was killed in the line of duty.

An Oakland County sheriffs deputy was killed Saturday night, June 22.

The deputy was following a stolen vehicle in the Detroit area when at least one person inside the vehicle opened fire, fatally striking the deputy.

RELATED: Oakland County sheriffs deputy killed in line of duty

Departments from all over Michigan shared condolences on social media.

Please pray for his family, both blood and blue. Our deepest condolences to his family and the Oakland County Sheriffs Office, the Holly Police Department wrote on Facebook.

We extend our deepest condolences to the family of an Oakland County Sheriffs Office deputy who tragically lost his life in the line of duty last night. Rest easy brother, the Lapeer County Sheriffs Office shared on social media.
A historic building in downtown Owosso has switched ownership. The historic Armory building at 215 N. Water St. has come under the stewardship of a Detroit-based real estate holding company. This sale marks a new era for the Armory, a longstanding pillar of the community in Shiawassee County. | Photo provided by The ArmoryThe Armory
GRAND RAPIDS, MI  Population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau give a look at what communities in Kent County are growing, and which have lost population.

The numbers, which reflect estimated population changes between 2022 and 2023, show Grandville had the biggest growth, adding an additional 829 residents. It was followed by Wyoming, whose population expanded by an estimated 796 residents.

Overall, Kent was among 54 of Michigans 83 counties that saw population growth in 2023, gaining 2,434 residents. Statewide, Michigans population was estimated at 10 million people, up less than 1% from the prior year.

Because the numbers reflect year-to-year change, the population adjustments in most communities are relatively small. On a percentage basis, only two communities saw increases of 1% or more: Wyoming at 1% and Grandville at 5.2%.

Grand Rapids saw a slight population drop.

The estimated number of residents living in the city fell to 196,608, down 0.3% from the prior year. In raw numbers, that equated to a loss of 584 residents.

Overall, of the 35 cities, townships and villages in Kent County, eight communities lost population. However, some of those losses were very small. Bowne Township and the Village of Caledonia lost just one resident.

This map shows how the population changes look across Kent County:

Heres a list showing the population changes in all of Kent Countys 35 cities, villages and townships between 2022 and 2023.

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Choice is on the ballot, Slotkin says as she campaigns for U.S. Senate in Grand Rapids

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JACKSON COUNTY, MI  Bugs, animals and plants live among the woods and tall grass in Diana and Michael Arnolds backyard in southeastern Jackson County.

While riding through the mowed trails on their utility vehicle, its hard to miss the sounds of flowing streams, buzzing bees and a deer they call Doe-Doe jumping through the hills. The land is where all these critters call home, and it just happens to be on a rare ecosystem known as a prairie fen.
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One of the key features of Illow is its ability to simplify the compliance journey for businesses by offering support for various regulations and providing expert guidance through a free 10-minute call with their experts. Additionally, Illow offers features such as Google Consent Mode v2 implementation in less than 2 minutes, cookie categorization, periodic scans, WordPress and GTM integration, roles and permissions management, and global compliance support.

For agencies looking to streamline their operations and ensure compliance across multiple domains, Illow offers a range of agency features such as banner customization, widget integration, multilanguage support, cookies and privacy policies management, consent log, and Fines Protector to safeguard against potential fines.

Businesses can also stay updated on the latest news in the privacy world through Illows content hub, which includes resources on making websites compliant with specific laws such as Quebec 25 Law, GDPR, and more.

Overall, Illow is a versatile tool that caters to businesses of all sizes and industries looking to simplify their privacy compliance efforts and ensure adherence to regulations worldwide.

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The National Weather Service has issued a beach hazard statement for part of the Lake Michigan shoreline, advising residents to stay out of the water.

The advisory is in effect until 5 p.m. Sunday, June 23, for Muskegon, Ottawa, Allegan and Van Buren counties.

High wave action, strong currents, and dangerous swimming conditions are expected. Piers may be heavily swamped by waves, meteorologists said.

Strong currents can pull swimmers into deeper water and high waves can sweep people off piers.

The National Weather Service is advising residents to remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions and do not venture out on piers.

Want more Muskegon-area news? Bookmark the local Muskegon news page or sign up for the free 3@3 Muskegon daily newsletter.
Former Detroit Tigers left-handed reliever Chasen Shreve has signed a minor-league deal with the New York Yankees, according to the New York Post.

Shreve, who turns 34 next month, had been pitching for the Texas Rangers Triple-A affiliate since signing a minor-league deal with the defending American League champions in February.

Shreve signed with the Tigers as a minor-league free agent and won an Opening Day roster spot in 2023. He posted a 4.79 ERA in 41 2/3 innings with the Tigers, striking out 42 and walking 12.

The Tigers released him on Aug. 11, 2023, clearing a spot for newly acquired lefty Andrew Vasquez.

Shreve signed with the Cincinnati Reds on a minor-league deal seven days later and was selected to the big-league roster on Sept. 2. He was released again 10 days after that, just as the Reds were opening a series at Comerica Park.

Shreve has played parts of 10 seasons with seven big-league teams, including four years with the Yankees from 2015-2018.
FRANKFURT -- The host nation looks to head into the knockout stage of UEFA Euro 2024 on a high note, while another team is simply trying to punch their ticket to the Round of 16 on Sunday, as Germany takes on Switzerland.

Watch UEFA Euro 2024 on FuboTV (7-day free trial)

Germany became the first team to punch their ticket to the Round of 16 after winning their first two matches, hammering Scotland before taking down Hungary, outscoring their two opponents 7-1 over that span. The host country looks like a strong force, as expected, and really has the edge over their opponents thus far.

On the other side, Switzerland is in a good spot, but is not completely out of the woods. Despite picking up a win over Hungary during Matchday 1, they only picked up a point against Scotland last Wednesday. For the Swiss, in order to advance to the knockout stage, they just have to draw or beat Germany to ensure second place in Group A. However, a loss to Germany would open the door for Scotland, granted they would have to beat Hungary by six goals in order to steal second from Switzerland.

Germany has dominated the neutral county over the years, coming into Sunday with a 35-8-9 record against Switzerland. Yet, the Swiss did hold Germany to a pair of draws in their last meetings during the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League season.

UEFA EURO 2024: GROUP A

Switzerland (1-1-0) vs. Germany (2-0-0)

When: Sunday, June 23

Time: 3 p.m. ET

Where: Frankfurt Arena (Frankfurt, Germany)

Channel: FOX

Stream: FuboTV (Free Trial), Sling, DirecTV Stream

Follow UEFA Euro 2024 here
Emperor Naruhito and his wife began a week long trip to Britain on Saturday, during which they will visit Oxford University where they both studied and attend a banquet with King Charles, but no formal meeting with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is scheduled.

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako depart from Japan for a state visit to Britain. Photo from Imperial Household Agency Instagram

Naruhito and his wife, Empress Masako, had been due to make the visit in 2020 when Queen Elizabeth was still alive but it was postponed because of the Covid pandemic.

Their first overseas trip together after Naruhito's enthronement was to Elizabeth's funeral in 2022. Ahead of this state visit the 64-year-old emperor spoke of the kindness the British royals showed him when he arrived in Britain to study in the early 1980s.

He recalled how the late queen had invited him to Buckingham Palace for tea, which she made herself.

"I have fond memories of the heartwarming hospitality I received from her majesty the queen and the royal family, making me feel like I was part of their family," he told a news conference in Tokyo.

Naruhito was greeted by officials on his arrival at London's Stansted airport on Saturday afternoon.

The emperor's trip is the third state visit of Charles' reign, and the first since it was revealed earlier this year that the British monarch had been diagnosed with cancer.

Ahead of the visit, Naruhito said he was grateful the king would host them despite his illness, and he also sent good wishes to Charles' daughter-in-law Kate, wife of heir Prince William, who is having preventative chemotherapy treatment for cancer.

"I understand that they are both going through a hard time, but I pray that their treatment will go smoothly and that they will have a speedy recovery," he said.

The official reason for the trip is to celebrate the long ties between the two royal families, and to demonstrate the deep relationship between the two countries.

The Japanese royals are also using it as a chance to return to Oxford where they both studied at separate times, while Naruhito will visit the River Thames flood barrier which he researched while at university.

The visit clashes with campaigning for the British election on July 4, and a Japanese foreign ministry official said there were no plans for a meeting with the prime minister.

The official state elements of the trip begin on Tuesday when Prince William will formally greet the emperor, before a grand carriage procession along The Mall to Buckingham Palace where there will be a state banquet.

During the trip Naruhito will also privately visit St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle to lay a wreath at the tomb of Queen Elizabeth.
China Eastern Airlines on Friday reopened its passenger flights between central China's transportational hub Wuhan and Singapore as a new visa-free policy has boosted travel demands.

The route, connecting Wuhan Tianhe International Airport and Singapore's Changi Airport, will see three round-trip flights every week on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.

China Eastern Airlines first launched the air route between Wuhan and Singapore in 2012, but the red-eyed service was suspended two years later amid low demands.

In February, China and Singapore implemented a mutual 30-day visa-free travel policy, leading to a growing flight demands between the two countries.

According to the airlines, the booking rate of flights from Wuhan to Singapore has reached 80 percent recently.
Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, delivers a speech while attending the second Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Air Silk Road" Forum for International Cooperation with Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, in Luxembourg, June 20, 2024. (Xinhua/Shen Hong)

Visiting Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang and Luxembourg's Deputy Prime Minister Xavier Bettel have agreed that their two countries should work together to enhance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The two leaders made the remarks when attending the second Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Air Silk Road" Forum for International Cooperation here on Thursday.

Ding, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, recalled that in June 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed supporting the construction of the "Air Silk Road" between the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou and Luxembourg. The chair's statement of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in October 2023 announced that the second Zhengzhou-Luxembourg "Air Silk Road" International Cooperation Forum would be held.

The forum here is a practical action to implement the consensus reached by leaders of the two countries to deepen the Belt and Road cooperation, holding significant importance, Ding noted.

Ding also said that over the years, both countries have upheld the Silk Road spirit and achieved remarkable results in the construction of the "Air Silk Road," establishing an aerial bridge of connectivity and making it a landmark project of the Belt and Road cooperation.

Looking to the future, China stands ready to work with Luxembourg to build a more efficient aviation transportation system, forge closer economic and trade cooperation, and develop diverse and interactive cultural exchanges to boost the high-quality development of the "Air Silk Road," Ding added.

Noting that China is further deepening reform comprehensively and promoting high-quality development through high-level opening-up, Ding stressed that China's door to the world will only open wider, offering broader market opportunities for all countries and bringing more chances for win-win cooperation.

"We welcome the active participation of all countries, including Luxembourg, in the Chinese modernization process, sharing the fruits of China's reform and development to achieve common development and prosperity," he said.

For his part, Bettel said that the "Air Silk Road" between Luxembourg and Zhengzhou has become an important link in strengthening bilateral relations.

Highlighting that during the COVID-19 pandemic, this route transported a large amount of Chinese medical supplies, strongly supporting Luxembourg and other European countries in overcoming the pandemic, Bettel said Luxembourg is ready to take this forum as an opportunity to closely cooperate with China in various fields under the BRI framework.

After the forum, Ding and Bettel jointly visited the achievements exhibition of the "Air Silk Road."
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang (R) receives Turkmenistan Ambassador Parakhat Hommadovich Durdyev (Photo: VNA)

Hosting Turkmenistan Ambassador Parakhat Hommadovich Durdyev, Hang proposed the two sides continue to promote exchanges and contacts at all levels in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks to enhance mutual trust and understanding, and create a basis for expanding cooperation in economics, tourism, education - training, and energy.

The two sides can consider the possibility of negotiating and signing an agreement on visa exemption for holders of diplomatic and official passports to facilitate delegation exchanges and bilateral contacts, she suggested.

Parakhat Durdyev pledged to consider and propose to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Turkmenistan measures to strengthen cooperation in areas the two countries have strengths and demand, such as trade, investment, information technology, agriculture, oil and gas, tourism, and education and training.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Thi Thu Hang receives Icelandic Ambassador Thorir Isben (Photo: VNA)

Receiving Icelandic Ambassador Thorir Isben, Hang agreed with the need for the two sides to intensify political and diplomatic cooperation and mutual consultations at multilateral forums and the United Nations.

Appreciating Iceland's role in negotiating a Free Trade Agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), she suggested Iceland pay attention to promoting bilateral trade, and encourage more Icelandic enterprises to do business and invest in Vietnam.

She also proposed studying and promoting collaboration in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, high technology, renewable energy, education - training, tourism, and culture.

Thorir Ibsen affirmed that Iceland values cooperation with the Asian region, including Vietnam.

He proposed the two sides continue to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on clean energy cooperation signed during the President of Iceland's visit to Vietnam in 2015; and create favourable conditions for large Icelandic businesses in the geothermal field to operate in Vietnam; effectively implement cooperation in such traditional fields as fisheries, education - training, culture and tourism; and expand it to new ones like gender equality, science and high technology./.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 24. On June 21, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan Fariz Rzayev took part in the High-Level Conference of the OSCE Malta Chairmanship on Climate Change, the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry said, Trend reports.

The conference discussed the impact of climate change on security in the OSCE region, the current situation and the possibilities of jointly combating climate change. Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister Fariz Rzayev said that Azerbaijan was also affected by climate change. It was noted that Azerbaijan supports the decision of the OSCE Ministerial Council adopted in Stockholm in 2021 to strengthen cooperation in combating the challenges caused by climate change; our country is actively participating in several regional OSCE projects.

It was stated that the territories of Azerbaijan, liberated from many years of military occupation, will be transformed into green energy zones, where the concepts of smart village and smart city will be applied. This will contribute to efforts to combat climate change.

Noting that 2024 has been declared the Year of Solidarity for a Green World in Azerbaijan, the deputy minister said that in November this year our country will also host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29).

During the conference, Deputy Minister Fariz Rzayev also met with OSCE Secretary General Helga Schmid.
Samir Jain is a Jaipur-based astrologer who has over 28 years of experience in the field of Astrology, Numerology, Palmistry and Vastu Shastra. He is also an expert in Jain Temple Vastu and Jain Jyotish. For more details, visit planetsastro.com, call/WhatsApp +91 8696930617 or email jainksamir@gmail.com.
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. The junior badminton tournament "Serbian Youth International 2024" was held in Novi Sad, Trend reports via Idman.biz.

The Azerbaijani national team won 1 gold, 2 silver and 1 bronze medals in the competition.

Melek Tehmezli finished the group stage with 2 victories in the individual competition of badminton players under 9 years of age, and continued the successful series in the semi-finals. Melek Tehmezli, who defeated the Cypriot badminton player at the end of 3 sets in the decisive match, won the gold medal.

Omer Teymurlu advanced to the finals in the individual competition of under-13 boys badminton players. Omer, who won 4 victories in this category, lost to his Hungarian opponent in the final and won the silver medal.

Azerbaijan's representatives also won a silver medal in the doubles competition of boys under 13 years of age. Omer Mehdi-Omer Teymurlu tandem, who started the fight in the 1/8 finals, advanced to the final thanks to 3 consecutive victories. Our badminton players lost to the Hungarian badminton players, one step away from the gold medal, and placed second in the final ranking in this category.

Ismayil Garayev and Hasan Mammadov won a bronze medal in the doubles competition of boys under 11 years of age.

Azerbaijan's junior badminton players, who regularly participate in several international tournaments throughout the year, will participate with a large team in the traditionally held "Serbian Youth International" tournament from 2022. Our junior badminton players, who won a bronze medal in the tournament 2 years ago, won 1 silver and 2 bronze medals at the "Serbian Youth International" tournament in 2023.
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Buck stops at top echelons of Modi govt in NEET 'scam': Cong
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NEET-UG exam row: CBI takes over probe into irregularities, FIR registered against unidentified persons
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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Visa will keep supporting women entrepreneurs in Azerbaijan, senior director, regional manager of Visa in the country Nurlan Hajiyev told Trend.

According to him, in the near future, the company plans to implement a new project in Azerbaijan as part of the She's Next Empowered by Visa global initiative to support women entrepreneurs.

"The initiative hit the ground running in Azerbaijan in 2021 and struck a chord with Azerbaijani women right off the bat. In the same year, the first wave of the program was implemented. Over 1,000 Azerbaijani women attended educational webinars on various topics useful for running a business. In 2022, we expanded the initiative by holding the Visa Elevator Pitch Day contest.

More than 600 female entrepreneurs and women planning to start their own businesses applied to participate. The contest finals were very touching, and the emotions were hard to describe: all participants presented well-developed, important, and inspiring projects.

Cash awards were given to two contest winners so that they could grow their enterprises. In the near future, we plan to launch the third wave of the She's Next Empowered by Visa initiative in Azerbaijan," Hajiyev said.

The regional manager of Visa in Azerbaijan also shared other opportunities for entrepreneurs that the company provides.

"Today, She's Next digital community platform from Visa is available to women entrepreneurs from the countries of Eastern and South-Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and the Caucasus. This is an excellent platform that unites entrepreneurs and women leaders and provides them with tools for networking, sharing experiences, and expanding their businesses internationally," he added.

According to the senior director and regional manager of Visa, the platform has over 1,000 active users today.

To note, Visa (NYSE: V) is a global leader in the digital payments industry. Visa processes payment transactions between consumers, businesses, and financial and government institutions in more than 200 countries and territories. Visa's mission is to unite the world through an innovative, convenient, reliable, and secure payment network to promote consumer well-being and business and economic prosperity.
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NEET row: NTA DG shunted out; Centre orders CBI probe, sets up high-level panel for exam reforms
June 23, 2024 / 22:07 IST

Congress MP Shafi Parambil on the NEET-PG issue, says, "Even the LKG exams have more credibility than this. The government's involvement in this is not at all neat and clean... This is the most heinous crime a government can do against the future of a country... This is done on the basis of merit. You cannot leak these question papers because those people who come out of these exams are considered to be our future doctors and engineers... The minister is not taking responsibility. Nobody is stepping down. They are just watching the game from the gallery. Even the enquiry is declared now because of the pressure from the families and the political parties... The government wants nothing to come out of this... Who is responsible for this?... Why is the PM still silent on this?... Why is the PM not acting promptly..."
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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, June 23. Turkmenistan plans to become the chairman of the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) in 2025, Trend reports.

According to an official source, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov at the next online meeting of the government of the country announced proposals for Turkmenistan's chairmanship in SPECA in 2025, the preparation of an appropriate Concept and Action Plan.

The Minister stressed that Tajikistan's chairmanship in this program ends in 2024.

"As you know, since 1998 there has been a Special UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA). Over the past period, Turkmenistan has repeatedly chaired this Program, successfully held its meetings and economic forums. Our state was also among the first to come up with concrete proposals to improve SPECA's activities," Meredov said.

Meanwhile, the UN Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) is an initiative aimed at supporting sustainable development and economic integration in the region.

It covers countries such as Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and aims to strengthen their economic potential through supporting infrastructure projects, developing trade and investment, improving natural resource management and promoting social inclusion.

The program promotes the creation of favorable conditions for sustainable economic growth, promotes cooperation between the countries of the region and provides support for achieving sustainable development goals.
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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, June 23. In order to implement the Framework Agreement on simplification of procedures for cross-border electronic commerce in the Asia-Pacific region, Turkmenistan plans to create a working group, Trend reports.

According to an official source, this was stated by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Rashid Meredov at a government meeting on June 21.

"As you know, in 2022 our country joined the Framework Agreement on simplification of procedures for cross-border electronic commerce in the Asia-Pacific region. In order to implement this agreement, it is planned to create a working group, to which it seems advisable to invite representatives of the Ministry of Justice and the State Customs Service of Turkmenistan as members," Meredov said.

After hearing the report and noting the importance of further developing partnership with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov gave the Deputy Prime Minister and the Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs relevant instructions.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan focuses on improving infrastructure, improving legislation and strengthening international cooperation to create favorable conditions for the development of the digital economy and the expansion of international trade.

These efforts are aimed at improving the accessibility of electronic platforms and digital services for businesses and consumers, which helps to increase the competitiveness of local enterprises in the international arena.
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ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, June 23. Turkmenistan to increase the scale of elevator production due to the growth of new houses being built, Trend reports.

ccording to the official source, this was announced by Deputy Chairman of the Government of Turkmenistan Baymyrat Annamammedov at a meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers held on June 22.

He noted that due to the increase in the number of residential buildings and modern facilities for various purposes being built in Turkmenistan, taking into account the increasing need for elevators, the organization of their production is planned in the country, as well as the creation of a special enterprise for the repair and maintenance of elevators.

At the same time, Annamammedov reported on the comprehensive steps being taken by the Ministry of Industry and Construction Production in order to fulfill the instructions previously given by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov to establish the production of import-substituting products.

"As a result of the work carried out by the Ministry, proposals have been received to create a joint venture, and an analysis of the relevant technical characteristics is currently being carried out," he said.

Meanwhile, Turkmenistan is actively developing new enterprises and promoting an import substitution policy in all sectors of the economy.

The country encourages private investment, provides tax incentives, and implements advanced technologies to reduce dependence on imports and increase export potential. These measures are aimed at diversifying the economy, creating jobs, and ensuring sustainable economic growth.
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By John Helmer, the longest continuously serving foreign correspondent in Russia, and the only western journalist to direct his own bureau independent of single national or commercial ties. Helmer has also been a professor of political science, and an advisor to government heads in Greece, the United States, and Asia. He is the first and only member of a US presidential administration (Jimmy Carter) to establish himself in Russia. Originally published at Dances with Bears.

A new lawyer appeared in a London court on Friday claiming to represent Sergei (lead image, left) and Yulia Skripal. Jack Holborn, a barrister specializing in what he calls human rights, told Lord Anthony Hughes, who is conducting a public inquiry into the alleged Novichok death of Dawn Sturgess in 2018, that the Skripals should not be called to give evidence or testify in the case.

Holborn claimed the Skripals are fearful for their security. No security measures are perfect, he said.

Holborn has not been in contact with the Skripals, however. He refuses to answer questions put to him on what visual contact or other communications he has had with either Sergei or Yulia Skripal.

Instead, he was told what to say at the hearing by the law firm of Kingsley Napley which the British government is paying to show that the Skripals are participating in the Novichok case.

The spokesman for Hughes and the inquiry was asked to explain Holborns presence in court for the first time on Friday. She was also asked what authority the Skripals had given Holborn to represent them. The spokesman answered: Kingsley Napley has been designated as the recognised legal representative of the Skripals under r[ule] 6 of the Inquiry Rules 2006. By rule 8, the recognised legal representative may appoint a team to assist them and Kingsley Napley have accordingly instructed counsel to appear on their clients behalf.

In other words, there has been no contact between the lawyers who say they represent the Skripals, and the Skripals themselves. The judge and government are refusing to give evidence that Sergei Skripal is alive, and that Yulia Skripal is not in prison.

The problem for the British Government is that if the Skripals are allowed to give live evidence at the Hughes inquiry, there is no telling what they may say to contradict or discredit the six-year official narrative of the Russian Novichok attack in England.

For the transcript of the three-hour hearing in the High Court on June 21, click to read. For the archive of the Hughes inquiry, including earlier hearings and submissions, click on the website. Another preliminary hearing is likely in September before the open hearings commence on the scheduled date of October 28.

The lawyer for the inquiry, Andrew OConnor KC, told Hughes on Friday morning this was a difficult question as to whether either or both of Sergei and Julia Skripal should give oral evidence. He also acknowledged there was the same problem in revealing what the Skripals have already said. In the case of the Skripals, the transcripts of their police interviews have not yet been provided to CPs [Core Participants] but will be very shortly.

In fact, the Skripal transcripts will be so redacted, the officials and lawyers admitted in court, it is uncertain what the Skripals believe had happened to them, and why. Release of the redacted Skripal transcripts from March of 2018 risks being contradicted by fresh written statements to the Hughes inquiry from the Skripals, so that form of testimony is also being barred.

Since March 4, 2018, when the Skripals slumped unconscious on a Salisbury town bench and were kept in hospital under police guard, three British prime ministers  Theresa May, Boris Johnson, and Rishi Sunak  have continued the story that three Russian military officers attacked the Skripals with a Novichok nerve agent they had brought by plane into England, and sprayed on to the door handle of Sergei Skripals home; that was several hours before he and his daughter showed symptoms and collapsed.

The British have presented no evidence of Novichok on the Skripal home door handle; in the blood, skin, and urine testing of the Skripals in hospital; or in subsequent inquest and court proceedings.

The alleged Russian attack weapon  a perfume bottle atomiser  did not materialize for months until July 2018, when police claim to have found it on a kitchen bench in the home of another alleged victim, Dawn Sturgess, ten days  repeat ten days  after exhaustive police searches of the house had failed to find it. The last Sturgess case report, dated in March when Hughes held his previous preliminary court session, can be read here.

Sergei Skripal has not been seen in public since the day of the alleged Novichok attack, March 4, 2018. He has not been heard on the telephone by family members in Russia since June 26, 2019. Yulia Skripal was last seen in a government-directed interview at a US bomber base in England in May 2018; her last telephone call to Russia was heard on November 20, 2020. The Skripals have not been seen or heard from since.

The full story of what happened and didnt happen, and of the coroners court and High Court hearings which have followed since 2018, has been documented in the book published in 2020; then in reports of the ongoing cover-up by a retired Appeal Court judge, Lord Hughes.

Adam Chapman, a solicitor at the Kingsley Napley firm, had said nothing during the Hughes proceeding which preceded the June 21 session; read for details here.

Lawyers for the government (left to right): Jack Holborn, barrister for the Skripals instructed by Adam Chapman (centre), a solicitor paid by the government to represent the Skripals; and Cathryn McGahey KC, the barrister for the Hone Office and intelligence and security services, MI6 and MI5. Holborn describes himself as the go-to junior for various government departments and private clients. He has been vetted by the government for work on the Attorney-Generals panels. These are 400 junior counsel who undertake civil and EU work for all government departments.

The discussion of the Skripals was opened on Friday by Michael Mansfield KC. He represents the Sturgess family and is seeking a multi-million pound payment from the government, alleging it failed to protect Sturgess from the Russian attack. The fact is, he told the judge on Friday, that both the Skripals were interviewed extensively at separate times in the same month [March-April 2018]. We dont have any of the interviews. It makes it very difficult to  well, you can see where its going. So we dont have any of the interviews.

Mansfield meant to include interviews of the Skripals by the police, as well as by the secret services, MI6 and MI5.

Lord Hughes avoided the MI6 interviews. Referring only to the police, he asked What about the interviews with the Skripals: why havent they been disclosed yet? Replying for the Home Office and the secret services, Cathryn McGahey KC was evasive. The texts have gone for checking, she said. Hughess question has to go to the Skripals representatives and to the police and to your team, McGahey added.

Hughes replied that he accepts that state secrecy must cover much of what the Skripals reportedly said in their interviews in 2018. He omitted to ask if the Skripals have said anything on the record in the intervening six years when the Russian Embassy in London has repeatedly requested consular access to its nationals, and been refused.

Given the surrounding circumstances of the Skripals, Hughes said in court on Friday, there is quite a lot of material thats subject to a restriction order, but we know what that is. What is left which isnt classified, the judge added: I want to know, please [sic], from in fact both those parties and you, Mr OConnor [lawyer for the inquiry], a similar deadline for the service of the duly redacted Skripal interviews.

Mansfield for the Sturgess family then said he wants to know what the Skripals have said which might benefit the familys claim that the British government had been negligent in protecting Sturgess from the Novichok when the alleged Russian attackers had been under close surveillance from their arrival in the UK.

Mansfield claimed he wants to know what the Skripals have said about the time leading up to the alleged attack on March 4, 2018, and the record of surveillance around Sergei Skripals government-supplied safe house, as well as his own security records. So the weekend itself, and of course ending up with the door and the door handle. Then the final stage is, we say  which is important, and perhaps it comes before those two stages  and that is preventability. We say there are a lot of questions that arise out of that.

The police interviews with the Skripals have not been identified in court with dates or locations. Although they were officially represented by a lawyer in London for a High Court hearing on whether blood testing might be carried out when they were reportedly unconscious in hospital, Mansfield doesnt say if the Skripals were represented by a lawyer when they were being interviewed. He carefully avoided mention of interviews with the Skripals which have been carried out by other government agencies, including MI6 and MI5.

Mansfield reassured the judge and the governments lawyers in court that he wants to do no more than cherry-pick the Skripal interviews with the police. He doesnt want them to face cross-examination in the open inquiry, which is scheduled to start on October 28. Besides the security aspect, they [the Sturgess family] are also aware of the trauma for the Skripals of having to come and give evidence of something they have already been through, which is pretty horrific by anybodys standards, to ask them to do that. So they [the Sturgess family] are not anxious to have them called; they are, in a sense, protective of them.

The judge then asked Holborn to speak for the Skripals. A line does have to be drawn somewhere, he began. Then he drew the line the British government is insisting on  nothing from the Skripals since the police interviews of six years ago, and nothing in the transcripts which the government doesnt want to be known publicly. In short, a gag.

Our primary position, Holborn went on, is that you [Hughes] will have sufficient  and of course you have seen the police interviews  to say we definitely dont need them. But my fallback position is definitely: yes, it is no more than keeping it open  THE CHAIRMAN: All right. MR HOLBORN:  until the family are able to frame what questions they actually need to ask in light of the transcripts, which we suspect [sic] will provide a great deal of information.

Holborn was conceding he hasnt read the Skripal interviews himself.

He then told the court he doesnt want the Skripals to say anything for themselves. I would otherwise flag three limited points, the first of which is: no security measures are perfect.

THE CHAIRMAN: Yes. MR HOLBORN: The second of which, which the family have very fairly acknowledged, is the distress to the Skripals of giving evidence. The third of which is the point made in our most recent submissions that perhaps the issue of preventability may be better addressed by other core participants and really isnt obviously a matter on which the Skripals can necessarily give the most helpful evidence, bearing in mind a lot of it will presumably relate to the aftermath of the incident.

By family, Holborn was referring to the Sturgess family. He did not mean, and he has made no contact with the Skripal family in Russia.

The recent submissions Holborn says he has made to Lord Hughes remain secret. They have not been disclosed publicly on the inquiry website.

About distress and preventability, Holborn was lying. When they were last free to speak, neither Sergei nor Yulia Skripal showed distress over what has happened; they did reveal they had to talk quickly and in secret to avoid MI6 surveillance of their telephones. In the earlier interviews Sergei Skripal reportedly gave Mark Urban, an MI6 placeman at the BBC, he implied there was much he might tell about the MI6 net which was covering him until the Salisbury incident.

Holborns representation in court for the Skripals was so short, he omitted to say that they had told him anything ahead of his appearance before Hughes on June 21.

The judge then asked the Home Office lawyer Cathryn McGahey KC to respond. She confirmed there is a gag on the Skripals, and that this has been accepted in Holborns secret submission to the inquiry. HMG [Her Majestys government] supports the submissions made by Mr Holborn on behalf of the Skripals, she claimed before gagging herself. There is no more I can say in open session. The safety of the Skripals is paramount.

She then told the judge not to call the Skripals to testify either in writing or in open hearing. Even if they were to be called, McGahey said, different considerations may very well apply to different topics, and the topic of preventability [read MI6] is one which will almost certainly be fraught with difficulty, unless there were very strict control over the questions. And most of the material is likely to be closed anyway.

No questions are to be allowed for the Skripals; no answers from them, either.

Hughes said he proposed to come to a decision in secret. My inclination is to await the disclosure of the interviews in particular, and any other material which comes with it, before making any final decision about the Skripals.

Hughes has refused to say in open court that he has verified the Skripals are alive and free to instruct lawyers to represent them. Holborn also refuses to confirm that his clients are alive. He was asked by email four questions to clarify whether Holborn is representing the Skripals or the government which is paying his fee.

Holborn has not responded.
District Judge overseeing Trumps classified docs case was pressured to step down

A pair of federal judges in South Florida reportedly encouraged District Judge Aileen Cannon to step aside from the criminal prosecution of former president Donald Trump when the case was first assigned to her last year.

This is according to a New York Times report, which maintains that the judges peers had serious reservations about her suitability to oversee the criminal case against the former president for the way he handled classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.

One of the judges in question is the Southern District of Florida chief judge Cecilia M. Altonaga. The other federal judge was not identified in the report. Both judges reportedly got in touch with Judge Cannon by phone to try to convince her to step down.

The unnamed judge reportedly told her that a judge who was based closer to a district courthouse in Miami might be a better fit, especially considering that it already had a secure facility suitable for holding highly classified information; Judge Cannons federal courthouse is two hours away in Fort Pierce and did not have a secure facility when she was assigned the case, although one has been built in the meantime.

After this outreach effort failed to yield the desired outcome, Judge Altonaga stepped in with a call of her own in which she argued that judging the case would be bad optics for Cannon considering her previous actions during the criminal investigation of Trump that led to his indictment. This was a reference to the public backlash she faced over how she handled Trumps lawsuit challenging the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago, which some believe showed bias in favor of Trump.

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.

She has also been accused of slowing down the pace of the case to such an extent that a trial before the election seems extremely unlikely; the NYT complains that if Trump takes office again, he could simply order the Justice Department to drop this case if it hasnt started before then.

Critics also note that she was nominated by Trump when he was president to serve as a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District Court of Florida in 2020, representing a potential conflict of interest; she was confirmed, however, by a 56-21 vote.

As Judge Cannons handling of the case has come under intensifying scrutiny, her critics have suggested that she could be in over her head, in the tank for Mr. Trump  or both, the NYT states.

Mainstream media wasn't worried about bias when judge was anti-Trump

However, the mainstream media didnt seem to have much problem with the judge on another recent Trump trial, Justice Juan M. Merchan. The New York judge presided over Trumps criminal trial related to alleged hush money. Merchans daughter is the president of a business that represents Democrat politicians known as Authentic Campaigns and has connections to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, among others.

Given Judge Merchans daughters clientele  and the vast sums of money that these individuals have raised and will continue to raise off of President Trumps charges  Judge Merchans daughter stands to benefit the more legally imperiled President Trump is, wrote House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik in an ethics complaint against the judge, noting that the conflict easily met the legal conditions requiring recusal.

However, the Times passed this off as just another stalling tactic to help Trump rather than the very real problem it was, writing: The repeated attempts reflect the former presidents long-running effort to delay all four of his criminal cases past Election Day. Stalling is one of Mr. Trumps favored legal tactics, and he uses it liberally in Manhattan, as well as in the three other cities where he faces criminal charges, the publication noted.

Sources for this article include:

NYTimes.com

NYTimes.com

FoxNews.com
Ecuador suffers nationwide BLACKOUT sparking widespread chaos

A "failed transmission line" caused the entire nation of Ecuador to lose power this week.

The government says decades of underinvestment caused the nationwide blackout, which plunged some 18 million people into total darkness for several hours.

Roberto Luque, Ecuador's public works minister, announced that the outage started around 3 p.m. local time at the 230,000-volt Milagro-Zhoray connector where it quickly spread across the grid. By about 6:40 p.m., responders were able to restore service to about 95 percent of the country.

Between 3 p.m. and 6:40 p.m., traffic chaos was reported in larger cities like Quito and Guayaquil. The subway system in Ecuador's capital also suspended operations while schools in larger communities temporarily switched to remote learning out of concern for student safety.

?? - A widespread power blackout is reported in Ecuador after a "cascade disconnection" in the CENACE (Ecuador's National Centre of Energy Control) systems. In Quito, massive traffic jams are reported after public transport and traffic lights were shut down | @Florian99815909 pic.twitter.com/ImKo4140Qo  Faytuks Network (@FaytuksNetwork) June 19, 2024

#BREAKING : A nationwide blackout in Ecuador caused the subway to collapse, leading to a dangerous situation for passengers. The power outage forced people to evacuate and walk through subway tunnels in complete darkness. ?? #Quito #Ecuador #Blackout #Subway pic.twitter.com/kz06dLZaUO  upuknews (@upuknews1) June 19, 2024

(Related: New York's "zero emissions" energy plan for 2040 will likely result in blackouts across the Empire State and perhaps elsewhere throughout New England.)

Ecuador needs an energy boost

The worst blackout in Ecuador since October 2016, the outage is the result of about 20 years' worth of insufficient funding in the energy sector, according to Luque. In 2004, a program was launched to help improve Ecuador's energy grid, but Luque says it was never properly implemented.

"For years, we did not invest in these systems," Luque told the press at a briefing. "And today, we are experiencing the consequences."

The emergency situation resulted from an unusual and rare set of circumstances, Luque continued, exposing the true fragility of Ecuador's energy infrastructure. Luque would like to see more backup thermal power plants and renewables to boost his country's energy stability.

Back in April, President Daniel Noboa declared an energy emergency due to a drought that impacted Ecuador's hydroelectric generation capacity. Now, the problem is too much precipitation after heavy rains washed out sediment and threatened to damage energy turbines at Coca Codo Sinclair and Agoyan.

"The facilities, which account for about a half of the country's electricity output, had to be shut down," reported RT.

In the comments, someone chided Luque for suggesting more "renewables" as part of the solution to Ecuador's problems rather than simply better maintaining the country's existing energy infrastructure and increasing baseload capacity, "be it coal, gas, hydro, or nuclear generation."

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.

"You can never run a stable national power grid with unstable, not so 'renewable' generation," this person added. "That failed transmission line, disrupted the grid's stability, and the fluctuating frequencies is the reason why the generators shut down, one after the other."

Another noted that the same situation is occurring in South Africa, and will soon hit the United States in places like California that are trying to shift to renewables and electric vehicles (EVs) despite its "outdated power grid."

"Well, this certainly makes it all the harder to try to track the flow of immigrants through Ecuador," wrote another, offering a more conspiratorial angle to these latest developments south of the border.

"This is part of a much larger campaign to call for taxpayers to bail out private companies that can't manage their property according to a normal business model," wrote another.

"Too bad they don't say the same thing about homeowners: 'Sure, your roof just collapsed. That's not your fault! Collective underinvestment is the real culprit!'"

The entire world is on a crash course towards collapse due to "green" tyranny and other globalist depopulation schemes. Learn more at Collapse.news.

Sources for this article include:

RT.com

NaturalNews.com
TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, June 23. Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover volume amounted to $26.7 billion from January through May 2024, Trend reports.

According to the data from Uzbekistan's Statistics Agency, this is 3 percent more year-on-year ($25.9 billion in JanuaryMay 2023).

The largest trade turnover volume was recorded with China ($5 billion) during this period. Russia ranks second with a total trade turnover volume of $4.7 billion, followed by Kazakhstan ($1.5 billion).

Uzbekistan's exports reached $10.8 billion from January through May 2024, while imports amounted to $15.9 billion.

Among the country's regions, the city of Tashkent accounts for the largest amount of trade turnover, at $10.4 billion, followed by the Tashkent region ($2.2 billion) and the Andijan region ($1.7 billion) during this period.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's foreign trade turnover volume reached $20.9 billion from January through April 2024. This figure shows a 6 percent growth year-on-year ($19.7 billion in JanuaryApril 2023).

The country's exports amounted to $8.5 billion from January through April 2024, while imports totaled $12.4 billion.
Hezbollah leader warns Cyprus against helping Israel

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah issued a stern warning to Cyprus regarding its involvement with Israeli forces and asserted the organization's preparedness for a potential full-scale conflict with Israel.

Nasrallah's remarks came during a televised address following a memorial service for Hajj Sami Taleb Abdullah, a senior Hezbollah commander killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Lebanon earlier that week.

"The enemy knows it must expect us on land, in the air, and at sea," said the cleric. "If war is imposed upon us, the resistance will fight without constraints, rules, or limits. There will be no place safe from our missiles and drones." (Related: Hezbollah chief to Israel: 'You have lost the war.')

Characterizing the current tensions as the most significant since Israel's declaration of independence in 1948, Nasrallah pointed to ongoing skirmishes near Galilee since October, following Israel's conflict with Hamas in Gaza. These clashes have led to displacement on both sides of the border.

Nasrallah claimed Hezbollah possesses detailed intelligence on Israeli defenses, referencing recent drone footage of Haifa's port as evidence. He highlighted Hezbollah's ability to strike deep inside Israel using a range of weapons, including undisclosed capabilities, alongside a substantial arsenal of drones and rockets.

In an unprecedented move, Nasrallah issued a direct warning to Cyprus, cautioning against facilitating Israeli operations. He alleged Israel's contingency plans to utilize Cypriot airfields should its bases be compromised by Hezbollah attacks, suggesting any collaboration with Israel could draw Cyprus into the conflict.

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.

Responding to Nasrallah's statements, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed finalizing operational plans for a potential offensive in Lebanon. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz emphasized the potential for a shift in rules of engagement with Hezbollah, warning of severe consequences for Lebanon if conflict escalates.

Israel's last major conflict with Hezbollah in 2006 saw a ground offensive into southern Lebanon, resulting in significant casualties and no clear military gains.

Nicosia remains committed to peace and stability in the region

Situated approximately 250 kilometers (155 miles) from Lebanon's coastline, Cyprus has recently intensified defense cooperation with Tel Aviv, including joint military drills and numerous arms procurement agreements.

Despite not being a NATO member, Cyprus underlines its commitment to regional peace and stability, a stance emphasized by Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides in response to recent tensions.

Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the University of Cyprus, Christodoulides highlighted Nicosia's role as a humanitarian facilitator, particularly recognized in the Arab world. He emphasized that his country maintains open diplomatic channels with both Beirut and Tehran, underscoring its commitment to dialogue and diplomatic solutions.

Addressing Nasrallah's statements urging Lebanon to open a sea route toward Cyprus for Syrian migrants seeking refuge in Europe, Christodoulides reiterated the country's position of non-involvement in military conflicts. He stressed that while such statements are concerning, they do not reflect Nicosia's policy or actions.

The cleric's call last month has sparked regional discussions about migration and maritime policies, highlighting Cyprus' strategic position as the EU's closest member state to the Middle East and its implications for regional stability.

Head over to WWIII.news for similar stories.

Watch this video of Hezbollah's drone reconnaissance operations over Israel's northern region and its military bases.

This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Hezbollah's "initial" response to assassination of top-ranking Hamas leader involved striking Israeli intelligence base with more than 60 rockets.

Lebanon's Hezbollah says it is "prepared and ready" to join the war against Israel.

Hezbollah strikes Northern Israel with four rockets, destroying key IDF base.

Israel vs. Hezbollah: A new war will consume the entire Middle East.

Israel cannot beat Hezbollah, DIA's secret assessment concludes.

Sources include:

RT.com

POLITICO.eu

Brighteon.com
Mission creep: How the police state acclimates us to being modern-day slaves

Like the proverbial boiling frogs, the government has been gradually acclimating us to the specter of a police state for years now: Militarized police. Riot squads. Camouflage gear. Black uniforms. Armored vehicles. Mass arrests. Pepper spray. Tear gas. Batons. Strip searches. Surveillance cameras. Kevlar vests . Drones. Lethal weapons. Less-than-lethal weapons unleashed with deadly force. Rubber bullets. Water cannons. Stun grenades. Arrests of journalists. Crowd control tactics . Intimidation tactics. Brutality.

(Article by John & Nisha Whitehead republished from Rutherford.org)

This is how you prepare a populace to accept a police state willingly, even gratefully.

You dont scare them by making dramatic changes. Rather, you acclimate them slowly to their prison walls. Persuade the citizenry that their prison walls are merely intended to keep them safe and danger out. Desensitize them to violence, acclimate them to a military presence in their communities, and persuade them that only a militarized government can alter the seemingly hopeless trajectory of the nation.

Its happening already.

Yet were not just being acclimated to the trappings of a police state. Were also being bullied into silence and subservience in the face of outright injustice and heavy-handed political correctness, while simultaneously being groomed into accepting government tyranny, corruption and bureaucratic ineptitude as societal norms.

What exactly is going on?

Whatever it is, thisthe racial hypersensitivity without racial justice, the kowtowing to politically correct bullies with no regard for anyone elses free speech rights, the violent blowback after years of government-sanctioned brutality, the mob mindset that is overwhelming the rights of the individual, the oppressive glowering of the Nanny State, the seemingly righteous indignation full of sound and fury that in the end signifies nothing, the partisan divide that grows more impassable with every passing dayis not leading us anywhere good.

Certainly, its not leading to more freedom.

This draconian exercise in how to divide, conquer and subdue a nation is succeeding.

It must be said: the various protests from both the Right and the Left in recent years have not helped. Inadvertently or intentionally, these protests have politicized what should never have been politicized: police brutality and the governments ongoing assaults on our freedoms.

We may be worse off now than we were before.

Suddenly, no one seems to be talking about any of the egregious governmental abuses that are still wreaking havoc on our freedoms: police shootings of unarmed individuals, invasive surveillance, roadside blood draws, roadside strip searches, SWAT team raids gone awry, the military industrial complexs costly wars, pork barrel spending, pre-crime laws, civil asset forfeiture, fusion centers, militarization, armed drones, smart policing carried out by AI robots, courts that march in lockstep with the police state, schools that function as indoctrination centers, bureaucrats that keep the Deep State in power.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

How do you persuade a populace to embrace totalitarianism, that goose-stepping form of tyranny in which the government has all of the power and we the people have none?

You persuade the people that the menace they face (imaginary or not) is so sinister, so overwhelming, so fearsome that the only way to surmount the danger is by empowering the government to take all necessary steps to quash it, even if that means allowing government jackboots to trample all over the Constitution.

This is how you use the politics of fear to persuade a freedom-endowed people to shackle themselves to a dictatorship.

It works the same way every time.

The governments overblown, extended wars on terrorism, drugs, violence, illegal immigration, and so-called domestic extremism have been convenient ruses used to terrorize the populace into relinquishing more of their freedoms in exchange for elusive promises of security.

Having allowed our fears to be codified and our actions criminalized, we now find ourselves in a strange new world where just about everything we do is criminalized.

Strangely enough, in the face of outright corruption and incompetency on the part of our elected officials, Americans in general remain relatively gullible, eager to be persuaded that the government headed up by their particular brand of political savior can solve the problems that plague us.

We have relinquished control over the most intimate aspects of our lives to government officials who, while they may occupy seats of authority, are neither wiser, smarter, more in tune with our needs, more knowledgeable about our problems, nor more aware of what is really in our best interests.

Yet having bought into the false notion that the government does indeed know whats best for us and can ensure not only our safety but our happiness and will take care of us from cradle to gravethat is, from daycare centers to nursing homeswe have in actuality allowed ourselves to be bridled and turned into slaves at the bidding of a government that cares little for our freedoms or our happiness.

The lesson is this: once a free people allows the government inroads into their freedoms or uses those same freedoms as bargaining chips for security, it quickly becomes a slippery slope to outright tyranny.

Nor does it seem to matter whether it's a Democrat or a Republican at the helm anymore. Indeed, the bureaucratic mindset on both sides of the aisle now seems to embody the same philosophy of authoritarian government, whose priorities are to milk we the people of our hard-earned money (by way of taxes, fines and fees) and remain in control and in power.

Modern government in generalranging from the militarized police in SWAT team gear crashing through our doors to the rash of innocent citizens being gunned down by police to the invasive spying on everything we dois acting illogically, even psychopathically. (The characteristics of a psychopath include a lack of remorse and empathy, a sense of grandiosity, superficial charm, conning and manipulative behavior, and refusal to take responsibility for one's actions, among others.)

When our own government no longer sees us as human beings with dignity and worth but as things to be manipulated, maneuvered, mined for data, manhandled by police, conned into believing it has our best interests at heart, mistreated, and then jails us if we dare step out of line, punishes us unjustly without remorse, and refuses to own up to its failings, we are no longer operating under a constitutional republic. Instead, what we are experiencing is a pathocracy: tyranny at the hands of a psychopathic government, which operates against the interests of its own people except for favoring certain groups.

So where does that leave us?

Having allowed the government to expand and exceed our reach, we find ourselves on the losing end of a tug-of-war over control of our country and our lives. And for as long as we let them, government officials will continue to trample on our rights, always justifying their actions as being for the good of the people.

Yet the government can only go as far as we the people allow. Therein lies the problem.

We are fast approaching a moment of reckoning where we will be forced to choose between the vision of what America was intended to be (a model for self-governance where power is vested in the people) and the reality of what it has become (a police state where power is vested in the government).

This slide into totalitarianismhelped along by overcriminalization, government surveillance, militarized police, neighbors turning in neighbors, privatized prisons, and forced labor camps, to name just a few similaritiesis tracking very closely with what happened in Germany in the years leading up to Hitlers rise to power.

We are walking a dangerous path right now.

No matter who wins the presidential election come November, its a sure bet that the losers will be the American people.

Despite what is taught in school and the propaganda that is peddled by the media, the 2024 presidential election is not a populist election for a representative. Rather, its a gathering of shareholders to select the next CEO, a fact reinforced by the nations archaic electoral college system.

Anyone who believes that this election will bring about any real change in how the American government does business is either incredibly naive, woefully out-of-touch, or oblivious to the fact that as an in-depth Princeton University study shows, we now live in an oligarchy that is of the rich, by the rich and for the rich.

Be warned, however: the Establishmentthe Deep State and its corporate partners that really run the show, pull the strings and dictate the policies, no matter who occupies the Oval Officeis not going to allow anyone to take office who will unravel their power structures. Those who have attempted to do so in the past have been effectively put out of commission.

Voting sustains the illusion that we have a democratic republic, but it is merely a dictatorship in disguise, or what political scientists Martin Gilens and Benjamin Page more accurately refer to as an economic elite domination.

In such an environment, the economic elite (lobbyists, corporations, monied special interest groups) dictate national policy. As the Princeton University oligarchy study indicates, our elected officials, especially those in the nations capital, represent the interests of the rich and powerful rather than the average citizen. As such, the citizenry has little if any impact on the policies of government.

We have been saddled with a two-party system and fooled into believing that theres a difference between the Republicans and Democrats, when in fact, the two parties are exactly the same. As one commentator noted, both parties support endless war, engage in out-of-control spending, ignore the citizenrys basic rights, have no respect for the rule of law, are bought and paid for by Big Business, care most about their own power, and have a long record of expanding government and shrinking liberty.

Were drowning under the weight of too much debt, too many wars, too much power in the hands of a centralized government run by a corporate elite, too many militarized police, too many laws, too many lobbyists, and generally too much bad news.

The powers-that-be want us to believe that our job as citizens begins and ends on Election Day. They want us to believe that we have no right to complain about the state of the nation unless weve cast our vote one way or the other. They want us to remain divided over politics, hostile to those with whom we disagree politically, and intolerant of anyone or anything whose solutions to what ails this country differ from our own.

What they dont want us talking about is the fact that the government is corrupt, the system is rigged, the politicians dont represent us, the electoral college is a joke, most of the candidates are frauds, and we as a nation are repeating the mistakes of historynamely, allowing a totalitarian state to reign over us.

We the people have a decision to make: do we simply participate in the collapse of the American republic as it degenerates toward a totalitarian regime, or do we take a stand and reject the pathetic excuse for government that is being fobbed off on us?

Never forget, as I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People and in its fictional counterpart The Erik Blair Diaries, that the lesser of two evils is still evil.

WC: 1958

Read more at: Rutherford.org
IDF admits that Hamas CANT BE DESTROYED

The Israel Defense Forces' (IDF) admission that Hamas can't be destroyed appears to widen its rift with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who is dead-set on eradicating the group.

IDF spokesman Adm. Daniel Hagari made this admission before Israeli TV on June 19. He disclosed: "The idea that we can destroy Hamas or make Hamas disappear is misleading to the public. What we can do is grow something different, something to replace it, [and] the politicians will decide [on that matter]."

Netanyahu's office pushed back on Hagari's comments, noting that the IDF is "committed" to the cause of eliminating Hamas  formally the Islamic Resistance Movement. It said: "The security cabinet headed by Prime Minister Netanyahu defined the destruction of Hamas' military and governmental capabilities as one of the goals of the war."

According to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), "the exchange was an illustration of months of tensions between Netanyahu and the countrys military leadership, who argue that Hamas could only be defeated if Israel replaces it with another governing authority in Gaza. The prime minister has said repeatedly that he won't accept an end to the war without the group's eradication as a military and governing power."

Retired IDF Gen. Israeli Ziv, a veteran of multiple wars, said tensions between the Israeli military and security establishment and Netanyahu are at a record high.

"[Both] the IDF  and the security echelon [feel] that we exhausted the purpose of the war. We reached the maximum tactical peak that we can achieve," he remarked. "As long as Rafah was there, they could say, 'Finish the job.' OK, it's finished now."

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The Operation Al-Aqsa Flood attack on Oct. 7, 2023 left about 1,200 people dead and 250 taken captive, according to Israeli authorities. Tel Aviv then launched an attack on the Gaza Strip soon after, killing more than 37,000 people  most of them civilians, according to Palestinian authorities.

Dispute between IDF and Bibi partly rooted in how Hamas defeat is defined

The WSJ pointed out that the dispute between the prime minister and the IDF centers, in part, on how officials define a defeat of Hamas. As of writing, the military had dismantled two of Hamas' four battalions in the southern city of Rafah and seized most of it. (Related: Benny Gantz RESIGNS from Netanyahu's war cabinet over failure to achieve "true victory" over Hamas.)

According to an Israeli military official, the IDF deems a battalion "dismantled" when its command structure and ability to carry out organized attacks are eliminated  not just simply when all its fighters are eliminated.

"We are getting close to finishing the job defined by the government," the military official said. "[But] we'll reach a point when we're just fighting guerrilla warfare, and that could take years."

According to military analysts, Hamas' militia forces are likely to survive the Israeli military operation even in Rafah. This is partly because the IDF's approach leaves many lower-ranking Hamas fighters in place. The group's top leadership in Rafah including Yahya Sinwar have also eluded Israeli forces throughout the war.

For his part, Netanyahu has rejected a series of proposals for possible alternatives to Hamas. These include a proposal from Washington to bring in the Palestinian National Authority, which governs the Occupied West Bank. Another proposal from the Arab world for a Palestinian unity government that would include Hamas has been taken off the table.

Ultimately, the WSJ pointed out that some military analysts have questioned whether installing a new government in the Gaza Strip was ever possible  given that Hamas has managed to survive the IDF's military assault.

Visit IsraelCollapse.com for similar stories.

Watch Scott Ritter explaining how Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is destroying Israel below.

This video is from the What is happening channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Biden administration considering direct negotiations with Hamas for release of remaining American hostages if current talks with Israel fail.

Despite the Israeli offensive, Hamas militants are now returning and regrouping in northern Gaza.

Netanyahu forgets Israel fostered the rise of Hamas.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

Brighteon.com
Israeli military approves plan for invasion of southern Lebanon and new offensive against Hezbollah

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Northern Command has approved a plan to invade southern Lebanon in a bid to curtail Hezbollah's increasingly successful strikes against military sites in northern Israel.

Hezbollah has been targeting Israeli military sites in northern Israel since Oct. 7 in solidarity with Palestinians and in a bid to divert Israeli military resources away from Gaza, resulting in an ongoing tit-for-tat of fire across the border. (Related: Hezbollah strikes several Israeli army bases, key defense factory.)

While both sides have been reluctant to turn the ongoing hostilities into a larger conflict, the two sides are increasingly signaling their intent to expand the fighting.

Israel's military establishment feels the need to retaliate after Hezbollah released evidence of one of its drones conducting a surveillance operation over major northern Israeli cities, including the port city of Haifa, the third-largest city in Israel  after Jerusalem (including occupied East Jerusalem) and Tel Aviv.

The nine-minute drone footage over Haifa was filmed in the daytime and showed both civilian and military areas, including malls, residential quarters, an alleged weapons manufacturing complex and IDF missile defense batteries.

"[Hezbollah Leader Hassan] Nasrallah boasts today about filming the ports of Haifa, operated by international companies from China and India, and threatens to attack them," responded Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz on X, formerly Twitter, insinuating that an attack on Haifa would receive international condemnation.

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.

"We are very close to the moment of decision to change the rules against Hezbollah and Lebanon. In an all-out war, Hezbollah will be destroyed and Lebanon will be severely hit," Katz warned.

Hezbollah will cease attacks if Israel stops killing Palestinians

The Israeli military later confirmed through a statement from Maj. Gen. Ori Gordin, commander of the Northern Command, whose operational territory includes the entirety of northern Israel and the front line with Hezbollah, that the IDF has approved plans to mount a large-scale ground assault across Israel's northern border and into much of southern Lebanon.

"As part of the situational assessment, operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon were approved and validated, and decisions were taken on the continuation of increasing the readiness of troops in the field," said Gordin.

Yossi Kuperwasser, former head of research for the IDF's Military Intelligence Directorate, added that the Israeli military's approval of operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon is "part of the efforts to send a message to Hezbollah to scale down their activities and show readiness to move forward to some sort of settlement."

Hezbollah has noted that it has carried out more than 2,100 military operations against Israel since the beginning of Tel Aviv's war in Gaza in October. Reports indicate that Hezbollah has launched more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank munitions and explosive or suicide drones at Israel since the conflict began.

Official casualty reports indicate that more than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, including some 300 Hezbollah fighters and around 100 civilians, including journalists and paramedics. In Israel, 17 soldiers and nine civilians have reportedly been killed.

The cross-border conflict has also displaced 90,000 people in southern Lebanon and 60,000 people in northern Israel.

Nasrallah has indicated in multiple previous statements that Hezbollah will only stop its attacks against Israel if it halts its invasion of Gaza, which has already killed over 37,000 Palestinians.

Kuperwasser similarly indicated that Israeli intelligence suggests that Hezbollah's increasing attacks on Israel in recent weeks were to force it to agree to a ceasefire and to end the alleged genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. In this sense, the hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah are still part of a "controlled escalation."

Meanwhile, the United States has been working overtime in an attempt to avert a broadening of the conflict. Amos Hochstein, an Israeli-born U.S. diplomat who has been working since late 2022 to get Hezbollah and Israel to agree to cease the conflict, recently visited Lebanese officials in Beirut and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem to find a diplomatic solution to the cross-border fighting.

"The situation is serious," said Hochstein. "We have seen an escalation over the last few weeks, and what President Biden wants to do is to avoid a further escalation to a greater war."

Watch this clip discussing how Israel is warning Hezbollah of the possibility of "all-out war," including a possible invasion of Lebanon.

This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

COLD-BLOODED MURDER: Palestinian civilians were shot execution-style during Gaza hostage rescue operation.

U.S. support helped Israel carry out deadly Nuseirat massacre during hostage rescue operation.

Yemen's Houthis attack bulk carrier in Red Sea with suicide drone boat  first time in this conflict.

Biden administration considering direct negotiations with Hamas for release of remaining American hostages if current talks with Israel fail.

Israeli government spends $2 million on covert social media influence operation targeting U.S. lawmakers, American populace.

Sources include:

WSJ.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.com
Gearing up for WWIII? Putin suggests sending missiles to North Korea

Russian President Vladimir Putin reasserted his country's right to provide arms to its allies, including possibly sending long-range missiles to North Korea

Putin, who spoke with reporters in Hanoi following meetings with Vietnam's communist leadership, answered a question regarding his previous suggestion that Moscow could send weapons to the West's adversaries in response to the United States and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization members greenlighting the use of Western-supplied weapons against strikes deep within internationally recognized Russian territory.

"We do not rule out supplying weapons to other countries, including the Democratic People's Republic of Korea," said Putin. "Let the West think where they might end up." (Related: Putin threatens to station missiles close to the U.K. after Brits supplied Ukraine with long-range missiles.)

The prospect of Russia providing arms to North Korea  and closer ties between the two nations  would be a lifeline for Pyongyang, which has been shunned by most of the Western world for its development of ballistic and nuclear missiles in defiance of United Nations sanctions.

"I said  including Pyongyang  that we then reserve the right to supply weapons to other regions of the world. Taking into account our prior agreements with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, I do not exclude this either," said Putin.

Putin noted that Russia is considering modifying its doctrines regarding the use of nuclear weapons, as he claims the Western world appears to be working on manufacturing low-yield atomic bombs to lower the nuclear threshold.

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.

"We don't need a first strike," he said, referring to Russia's "no first use" policy of only launching nuclear strikes if an adversary attacks first. "Our return strike is guaranteed to destroy any attacker."

Russia, North Korea sign strategic partnership treaty

Putin was at Hanoi meeting with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un to sign a strategic partnership treaty. The treaty commits each side to providing immediate military assistance to the other in the event of armed aggression against either one of them.

The Russian president said Moscow expects its cooperation treaty with North Korea to be a valuable deterrent against perceived Western aggression against Pyongyang. However, he immediately added that there was no need for North Korea to send its soldiers to the frontlines in Russia's ongoing special military operation in Ukraine.

"Regarding the possibility of somehow using each other's capabilities in the conflict in Ukraine, we are not asking anyone for this, no one has offered us this, therefore there is no need," said Putin.

Ukraine and the U.S. both claim that North Korea is already aiding Russia's war effort by providing Moscow's troops with significant quantities of North Korean-manufactured artillery shells and ballistic missiles, accusations which both Kremlin and Pyongyang have denied.

Putin also used the opportunity to warn South Korea against supplying weapons to Ukraine, in light of the new mutual defense pact he and Kim signed.

"In connections to sending lethal weapons to combat zones in Ukraine, this would be a very big mistake. I hope this will not happen," Putin warned. "If it will, then we will take the according decision that the current South Korean leadership will probably not like."

This remark also comes as South Korea sees major growth in international military sales. However, the prospect of South Korean armaments making their way to Kyiv has been a matter of debate in recent weeks due to it contradicting Seoul's longstanding policy of not selling arms to active combat zones.

Watch this episode of "TruNews" discussing Putin's cultivating closer ties with the United States' adversaries, including North Korea.

This video is from the TruNews channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Naval showdown near Cuba as U.S. sends submarine to Guantanamo Bay day after Russian fleet arrives in Havana.

Russia considers stationing ballistic missiles south of the U.S. border after declaring Mexico a military ally.

Russia warns all airfields hosting Kyiv's F-16 fighter jets are legitimate targets  even if they aren't in Ukraine.

Russia: U.S. could face FATAL CONSEQUENCES for allowing Ukraine to use American weapons to strike Russian targets.

Ukraine official says British long-range missiles are already being used to strike Russia.

Sources include:

RT.com

AlJazeera.com

Brighteon.com
Ukraine unleashes KAMIKAZE drone boats against Russian ships in the Black Sea

Ukraine is upping its unmanned warfare game with its release of kamikaze drone boats designed for use against Russian ships in the Black Sea.

Ukrainian officials announced the Stalker 5.0 drone boat during the Black Sea Security Forum (BSSF) held in the Ukrainian city of Odessa on June 14 to 16. It boasts a 60-horsepower speedboat engine that allows it to race at speeds of 46 miles per hour over the sea. Officials also touted the unmanned watercraft's operational range of 372 miles.

The Stalker drone boat can carry explosive payloads of up to 150 kilograms and also features a "logistical mode." But the drone boat isn't just for kamikaze missions as it can transport food, water, military equipment and medical supplies for remote areas.

It can also be utilized for coastal patrols and surveillance. A Starlink satellite internet terminal and high-definition cameras installed on the drone boat provide the operator with a real-time video stream.

According to Great Game India, the Stalker 5.0 drone boat signals Ukraine's strategy to challenge the dominance of the Russian Black Sea Fleet. It also pointed out that the drone boat, alongside Kyiv's rapid development of maritime drones, poses a significant threat to Russian maritime security.

Officials also told participants of the BSSF that the Kerch Bridge, which spans five meters long and 1.2 meters wide, can be targeted using this unmanned watercraft. The bridge connects the annexed Crimea region to mainland Russia, and has been a target of Ukrainian attacks.

Moreover, they also mentioned that the drone boat's logistical mode would prove very helpful to Ukrainian forces on the right bank of the Dnipro River. Resupplying Ukrainian marines with conventional boats as they try to retain the Krynky bridgehead has become more difficult, according to the Telegraph.

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Russian Navy suffers losses to Ukrainian drones

Ukrainian drone warfare on the Black Sea forced the Russian Navy to evacuate, but not without its finest warships being sunk in the process. The battleships were sunk by a combination of unmanned drones operated by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Main Directorate of Intelligence, the latter under the Ukrainian Ministry of Defense (MOU).

Great Game India cited two examples of Russian Navy warships that were sunk by Ukrainian drones. The Sergey Kotov warship, which entered service in 2022, was allegedly hit by an explosive kamikaze sea drone strike in March. It sunk close to the port town of Feodosia in Crimea.

Meanwhile, the missile ship Ivanovets was likewise sunk by Ukrainian sea drones. A video clip released by the MOU showed the ship under fire in Crimea.

But the SBU's experimental drone strike on the Kerch Bridge last July, which resulted in a massive explosion, nevertheless remains the most notable example of Ukrainian drone warfare. The security service used a Sea Baby drone equipped with up to 850 kg of explosives, approaching the bridge in the dark before smashing into it and launching flying debris into the air. Videos released by the SBU and other Ukrainian sources showed the extent of the attack, which caused a massive explosion.

But the Russians were quick to adapt following the drone attack. Russian coastal targets were surrounded by newly developed drone models, with some equipped with mobile Grad rocket launchers. The Kerch Bridge was also reinforced with atypical defenses, including layers of netting and floating booms, in the expectation that these measures might deter drone strikes in the future. (Related: 6 NATO members attempting to build an ANTI-DRONE WALL along border with Russia.)

Check out DroneWatchNews.com for more stories about the use of drones on the battlefield.

Watch this clip of Ukrainian drones using flamethrowers on Russian ships in the Black Sea.

This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com.

More related stories:

Ukraine's experimental DRONE BOATS strike two Russian Navy ships in Crimea.

REPORT: Ukraine abducts wounded Russian soldiers using giant drones with pincers.

Ukrainian KAMIKAZE DRONE sets off explosion, crashing into Russian airbase and damaging supersonic bomber.

Sources include:

GreatGameIndia.com

MSN.com

Brighteon.com
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported a new attack on a ship off the coast of Yemen, Trend reports.

"UKMTO has received a report of an incident 65 nautical miles west of the Al Hudaydah, Yemen," the report says.

It is noted that authorities are investigating the circumstances of the incident.

Vessels are advised to exercise caution and report any suspicious activity to the UKMTO.

Details of the incident, which the UKMTO classifies as an attack, were not provided.
WTA Tour: Gauff, Kalinskaya advance in Berlin after Jabeur, Sabalenka retire

W

orld No.2 Coco Gauff advanced to her second semifinal in Berlin Ladies Open after No.10 Ons Jabeur retired with illness. Gauff edged Jabeur in a tightly contested a 68-minute set, winning 7-6(9). After dropping the opening set, Jabeur was assessed by the trainer and doctor and retired.

It was a disappointing end for Jabeur, who gamely saved a total of 10 set points to take Gauff to the brink in the first set. The American saved two set points in the tiebreak but ultimately prevailed to advance to her third career grass-court semifinal.

"I was happy with how I was able to play," Gauff was quoted as saying by WTA Tour in a report on its website. "Of course, I send my best wishes to Ons. It's not the way you want to finish a match, especially with someone who is so nice on and off the court."

Gauff will face fifth seed Jessica Pegula in the semifinals. Pegula closed out her rain-interrupted quarterfinal against Katerina Siniakova to win 7-6(2), 3-6, 6-3 and advance to her first grass semifinal of her career.

Jabeur's was the second retirement of the day in Berlin. No.24 Anna Kalinskaya advanced to her first grass-court semifinal after No.3 Aryna Sabalenka retired due to a shoulder injury. Earlier in the week, reigning Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova (right hip injury) and No.4 Elena Rybakina (abdominal pain) also retired mid-match.

Kalinskaya led 5-1 in the first set before the reigning Australian Open champion decided not to continue. Sabalenka called a medical timeout to have her shoulder and neck area assessed and treated at 4-1, and tried to play through the injury. But after another game, the No.2 seed made the decision to retire. It is the first injury retirement of Sabalenka's WTA Tour career.

 WTA Tour: Gauff, Kalinskaya advance in Berlin after Jabeur, Sabalenka retire

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UP CM for reduction in stamp fee on rent agreements

U

ttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has said that an online system for stamps and registration is crucial for ease of living and better record and data management.

He directed that preparations should be made regarding this as soon as possible and a draft should be readied and presented.

According to an official statement, the Chief Minister also directed the reduction of the stamp registration fee for rent agreements of residential, non-residential, and commercial properties.

He suggested creating different brackets for this and simplifying the agreement process.

He emphasised that the entire system of codification, e-registration, and e-filing under the Online Registration Rules 2024 should be transparent.

E-registration should be carried out through government agencies and RERA-approved builders.

Additionally, the work of e-filing should be done through bank file 6 (1), rent agreements of up to 12 months, and any documents under Sections 18 and 89 of the Registration Act 1908.

Chief Minister Adityanath said that in Phase 1 of e-registration, government agencies, including development and industrial development authorities, should approve sale deeds, agreements and lease deeds.

"Presentations and approvals should be managed by the nodal officers of these government agencies. Additionally, the photos and signatures of the parties involved should be captured digitally or electronically. The Registrar Officer will complete the registration based on the electronically transmitted data from the above process," he added.

The Chief Minister said that in Phase 2 of e-registration, it should be extended to RERA-approved institutions for sale deeds, agreements and lease deeds.

"The photos and signatures of the parties involved should be captured digitally or electronically. Under the process, registration should be done by the registration officer based on electronically transmitted data," he added.

Yogi Adityanath highlighted that currently, physical presence at the registry office is mandatory for registration, which inconveniences citizens and consumes valuable time.

 UP CM for reduction in stamp fee on rent agreements

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BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. The death toll in the Gaza Strip has reached 37,598 since the beginning of October 2023, the enclaves Health Ministry said, Trend reports.

During the same period, 86,032 people were injured.

A combined attack was carried out on Israel on October 7, 2023. From the beginning, a massive rocket attack began from the territory of the Gaza Strip, followed by the penetration of militants by land, water, and air.

Israel declared a state of war after a massive rocket attack from the Gaza Strip. Moreover, Israel Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced a mass gathering of reservists.
At least 20 students fell ill after drinking water from a tank in their school in Jharkhands Latehar district on Saturday, an official said.

When they were taken to a local health centre, doctors said the condition of the children was stable.

The incident happened at Upgraded Primary School at Duru, around 80 km from the state capital Ranchi.

After having their meal, the children went to drink water from the tank in the school. After some time, several students started vomiting and complained of uneasiness, a teacher of the school said.

Some students said there was a foul smell in the water.

The students were brought to the local community health centre where they were examined.

Doctors said their condition was stable.

The Chandwa Block Development Officer Chandan Kumar said the water sample had been taken for examination.

Kumar also visited the community health centre to enquire about the health conditions of the students.

Stay ahead with all the exam results updates on News18 Website.
NEET UG 2024 Latest News: After Bihar and Gujarat, Police Find Maharashtra Connection The Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a Zilla Parishad school teacher from Latur in Maharashtra and registered a case against four persons after it emerged that a racket was being operated to help NEET students willing to pay money to crack the exam, police said on Monday. The four persons against whom a case was registered by the Nanded ATS unit include two teachers from Latur, a man from Nanded, and a resident of Delhi. An FIR has been registered against Sanjay Tukaram Jadhav and Jalil Khan Umar Khan Pathan, both teachers from Latur, Iranna Mashnaji Kongalwav from Nanded and one Gangadhar, a resident of Delhi under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, reported PTI.

NEET UG 2024 Latest News: CBI Team Reaches Godhra to Probe Irregularities A CBI team has reached Gujarats Godhra today, June 24, to investigate alleged irregularities in the NEET UG held on May 5. A case was registered by the Godhra police on May 8 under various Indian Penal Code sections, including criminal conspiracy, cheating, and criminal breach of trust, for allegedly trying to help 27 candidates clear the medical entrance exam for a sum of Rs 10 lakh each, reported PTI. The Gujarat police arrested five people after the district collector received a tip-off that some persons were involved in malpractice, as per the FIR registered on May 9. Among the people arrested were a principal and school teacher of Godhra.

NEET-UG Row: Over 2 Dozen Students Detained During March to Parliament Over two dozen students, have been detained while protesting against NEET UG irregularities and cancellation of UGC-NET exams here at Jantar Mantar today, June 24. Some of them were NSUI members. Ahead of the protest, police barricaded the area to prevent students from taking out their march. Heavy deployment of Delhi police including paramilitary forces was made at the site. They were detained by the Delhi police and taken to different police stations, since no permission was granted for the march, an officer said, reported PTI.

NEET UG Latest News: What Happened at a Centre at Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan? According to NTA, at the Girls Higher Secondary Model School in Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, a mix-up occurred where the Centre Superintendent mistakenly distributed Hindi medium question papers to English medium candidates and vice versa on the NEET UG May 5th exam. This error led to agitation among some candidates, who left the centre with the question papers despite staff efforts to stop them. These papers were circulated on social media around 4:25 PM, creating a false impression of a leak. However, all centres were under CCTV surveillance, preventing external access once the exam began. The affected candidates retook the exam with the correct papers on the same day.

NEET UG Latest News: Paper Leak Has Become a National Issue, Says Chandrashekhar Azad VIDEO |Today, youth are unemployed, theres high inflation, and no means of earning in rural areas. Paper leak has become a national issue, whether it is the NEET exam or any other exams. Steps to resolve it must be taken. We will work towards the development in rural areas as pic.twitter.com/71gToBpl7J  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 24, 2024

NEET UG Latest Updates: CBI Likely to File Multiple FIRs For Destruction of Evidence CBI is likely to file multiple FIRs in connection with the matter to probe the destruction of evidence, and also register disproportionate assets (DA) cases against some of those accused who are public servants, an EOU officer told PTI.

NEET UG 2024 Latest Updates: Congress Says No Action Against NTA Chairman The Congress has alleged that there has been no action against the chairman of the National Testing Agency (NTA) P K Joshi, who is holding interviews for the appointment of VCs and Directors of premier educational institutes across the country, reported PTI. Should NTA/PK Joshi be allowed to be part of any such selection exercise during the ongoing inquiry on the multiple paper leak episodes? Khera asked.

NEET 2024: Who Can Leak Paper? In paper leak cases, the roles of many people are under suspicion. They are called suspects. When the investigation begins, they are the first ones to be questioned. During the investigation of the paper leak case in many states, the role of several people is suspicious including employees of the printing press where the paper (which was leaked) was printed, coaching centres that grow their business by showing great results, education consultants who are in contact with the students, etc.

NEET UG Paper Leak Scam: Where Do Papers Get Leaked From? The big question is how does any paper get leaked. You must have often heard that before the exam, the paper is kept under very tight security. Papers till the board exam are stored in a room with CCTV and locks. The printing presses around the examination center are closed but still the papers get leaked. How does that happen? 1- Most of the papers are leaked from the printing press. This is where most people come in contact with the papers. The needle of suspicion first turns towards the people working here. 2- Bank locker (or wherever papers are kept) because here also there is third party involvement. 3- Strong room of the commission conducting the examination. 4- Examination Centre. 5- Controller of Examinations.

NEET 2024 Latest Updates: Number of Seats Across Medical Colleges Over 13 lakh candidates out of around 25 lakh qualified for the NEET-UG this year. The top one lakh candidates are spread across 4,500 centres all over the country. As per stats, nearly two-thirds of the qualified students are from rural or semi-rural areas. They will compete for around 1.8 lakh MBBS/dental seats. The re-test results are expected to be released on June 30 and the counselling will begin on July 6.

NEET 2024 Latest Updates: CBI Team Reaches EOU Office in Patna A CBI team from Delhi reached the office of the Economic Offences Unit (EOU) in Patna on Monday morning in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case. The EOU, which had been investigating the matter until the Centre ordered a probe by the CBI, has arrested 18 people in connection with the case, officials told PTI.

NEET 2024 Latest Updates: CBI to Take Over Paper Leak Cases in Bihar, Gujarat Bihar and Gujarat governments issued notifications on Sunday to transfer cases of NEET-UG paper leaks registered by their police to the CBI, paving the way for the central agency to take over the probe.

Student Expresses Anger As NEET-PG Entrance Exam Gets Postponed: 'You Have The Audacity' Students from across the country were left dismayed when NEET PG 2024 was unexpectedly cancelled just 12 hours before its commencement. A video now doing rounds online features a student condemning the Ministry of Education for ruining the lives of young studentsread more Student reaction after NEET #ExamCancelled pic.twitter.com/s9ApEGxoiG  Siddharth (@SidKeVichaar) June 23, 2024

NEET UG 2024 Latest Updates: What is The Centre's Committee Meeting All About? Who Are Part Of It? Who are part of the seven-member panel? The seven-member panel includes former AIIMS-Delhi director Randeep Guleria, University of Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor BJ Rao, professor emeritus in IIT-Madras Department of Civil Engineering K Ramamurthy, People Strong co-founder and Karmayogi Bharat board member Pankaj Bansal, IIT-Delhi Dean of Student Affairs Aditya Mittal and Education Ministry Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal. The panel is led by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan. What is the committee meeting all about? The panel will make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the NTA exam process, improvement in data security protocols, and the structure and functioning of the NTA. The committee is slated to submit its report within two months. The reforms that recommended will be implemented by the next exam cycle. The panel will also look into the exam calendar and make suggestions, a source told PTI.

NEET UG 2024 Latest Updates: Who is Prime Suspect, Prasad Yadvendu? A DA case may be registered against arrested accused Sikander Prasad Yadvendu, a junior engineer in Danapur Town Council, as he reportedly acquired huge assets that are disproportionate to his known source of income, an officer told PTI. A native of Samastipur, Yadvendu has a history of involvement in criminal activities. Before becoming a junior engineer in 2012, he worked as a contractor in Ranchi. He was previously implicated in an LED scam worth Rs 3 crore. He has served a jail sentence for his role in that case, the officer said.

What's Wrong With the NTA? Moving NEET-UG Under It Was the First Mistake, Say Officials Insiders and former officials say the National Testing Agency lacks a robust mechanism to handle large examinations like NEET-UG wherein more than 20 lakh students sit for an exam in a single day. Shifting online exams like UGC-NET to the pen-and-paper mode was another mistake, they addread more

NEET UG Row: CBI Team May Take Those Arrested in Bihar to Delhi for Questioning A CBI team is expected to visit Patna today, June 24, and is likely to take those arrested in the NEET-UG paper leak case to Delhi for questioning, officials told PTI. The Bihar polices Economic Offences Unit (EOU) of the Bihar Police has arrested 18 people in connection with the case so far. The CBI team is also expected to collect all evidence from EOU. All those arrested are in judicial custody in Patna, and the CBI team may take them to Delhi for detailed interrogation by obtaining transit remand from a court here, an official said. The CBI may also file multiple FIRs in connection with the NEET UG paper leak case.

NEET UG Latest News: Total 110 Students Debarred Form Exam NTA debarred 63 students in Bihar for using malpractices in the exam. It debarred 30 students from Gujarats Godhara and 17 from Bihar. Based on the inputs received, 17 candidates who appeared from centres in Bihar were debarred. This takes the number of total candidates debarred from the exam this year to 110, an NTA official told PTI.

NEET UG Latest News: CBI Files FIR The CBI had filed an FIR in the NEET-UG case on Sunday under section 20-B (criminal conspiracy) and section 420 (cheating). Furthermore, the Bihar and Gujarat governments also issued notifications on Sunday to transfer the probe to the CBI. Last month, Bihar Polices Economic Offences Unit arrested 13 people, and five more people were held on Sunday.
From UPSC Civil Services to SSC recruitment exams, from college admissions to group discussions, general knowledge questions mark a significant part of almost every exam. For candidates preparing to crack an exam or those who need to get their news in a compact form, News18 offers a weekly column  GK Capsule. While we provide you with a weekly news wrap, to get more information on a specific topic or an exam, reach out at @news18dotcom.

Current affairs are an important component of the syllabus for various competitive exams. Familiarity with current events might help you in both the preliminary and main exams for UPSC CSE and other government admission tests. From the Centres measures to curb malpractices in entrance exams to the Hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu, take a look at what happened in the country this week:

Centres Anti Paper Leak Law amid NEET and UGC NET controversy

Amid growing controversy over the alleged discrepancy in NEET UG 2024 and UGC NET exams, the central government notified the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Methods) Act, 2024. The act aims to curb paper leaks and other unfair practices in various national exams including UPSC, SSC, NEET, JEE, and CUET. According to the provisions of this Act, anyone found guilty of a paper leak or tampering with answer sheets faces a minimum three-year jail sentence, which can be increased to five years, and a fine of up to Rs 10 lakh. The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Methods) Act, 2024, came into force on June 21.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals bail in liquor policy case

Delhis Rouse Avenue court on June 20 granted bail to Aam Aadmi Partys national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case connected to the alleged liquor policy scam. The court ordered Kejriwal to furnish a Rs 1 lakh bail bond. The bail decision, however, was put on hold by the Delhi High Court after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenge.

MSP for 14 kharif crops approved by cabinet

Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led central government approved hiked Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for 14 kharif season crops during the first meeting of the Union Cabinet and the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on June 19. Announcing the decision, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that the Cabinet has approved an increase in the MSP for paddy from Rs 117 to Rs 2,300 per quintal for the 2024-25 season.

Expansion ordered for Varanasi airport

The Union Cabinet has given a green signal to the Airports Authority of Indias (AAI) expansion plans for Varanasis Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport. The proposed plan entails the construction of a new terminal building, an apron extension, a runway extension, a parallel taxi track, and other related works. The estimated cost is stated to be about Rs 2869.65 crore.

Kanchanjungha rail tragedy

A cargo train rammed into the stationary Sealdah-bound Kanchanjungha Express in West Bengals Darjeeling district on June 17, killing at least nine people and injuring 41 more. The accident occurred near Rangapani station, 30 km from New Jalpaiguri station. Railway Board Chairperson Jaya Varma Sinha stated that the initial investigation suggested that it was a human error that led to the accident. The official added that the crash happened because the freight train ignored the signal.

Tamil Nadu Hooch Tragedy

The death toll from the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadus Kallakurichi area has risen to 48. Over 100 victims of the tragedy are receiving treatment at various hospitals. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has announced a compensation of Rs 10 lakh for families of 34 people who died after consuming illicit arrack. The Tamil Nadu Police has arrested four persons in connection with this case. Stalin has also ordered officials to create a one-man committee, to give recommendations on how to prevent future events and investigate the causes of the fatalities.

Stay ahead with all the exam results updates on News18 Website.
Arvind Kejriwal has been granted bail by a trial court on money laundering charges but the Delhi High Court has put on hold his bail until it hears the matter next week linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenged the trial courts order on the ground that the court had failed to apply the twin test for granting bail under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Kejriwal has been in jail since March 21, and was granted bail for a brief period to campaign in the Lok Sabha election held last month.

What are the conditions for bail under PMLA?

Offences under the stringent PMLA are cognisable and non-bailable. The Section 45 of the PMLA deals with the twin conditions of bail. The first condition is that the person has to prove in court that he or she prima facie is innocent of the offence. Secondly, the accused should be able to convince the judge he would not commit any offence while on bail.

The section makes it mandatory to hear the public prosecutor in all bail applications, and when the prosecutor opposes bail, the court is required to apply a twin test.

The burden of proof is entirely on the jailed accused, who would be often weak to fight the might of the state. The twin conditions make it almost impossible for an accused to get bail under the PMLA.

Similar provisions are mentioned in other laws that deal with serious offences  Section 36AC of The Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940, Section 37 of The Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985, and Section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), No person accused of an offence punishable under Chapters IV (Punishment for Terrorist Activities) and VI (Terrorist Organisations) of this Act shallbe released on bail or on his own bond unless the Public Prosecutor has been given an opportunity of being heard, or if the court is of the opinion that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusationis prima facie true.

What are the legal challenges to the twin test?

In the 2017 ruling in Nikesh Tarachand Shah v Union of India, a two-judge bench struck down the twin bail provision as unconstitutional, citing it failed the tests of reasonable classification. Reasonable classification is a feature of the right to equality, which is a fundamental right.

But the provision was adopted back by Parliament through the Finance Act, 2018. It was challenged by various high courts later.

In 2022, the Supreme Court heard a batch of petitions in Vijay Madanlal Choudhary v Union of India. Petitioners argued that the reasoning in Nikesh Tarachand Shah was still valid, even if Parliament reinstated the law. However, a three-judge Bench rejected the previous ruling. The Bench disagreed with the observations in Nikesh Tarachand Shah. It stressed that the perception of Parliament regarding the seriousness of money-laundering and its threats to national sovereignty and integrity.

Experts have questioned the logic of comparing money laundering cases with anti-terror and narcotic laws. The government, however, has argued that person involved in money laundering are influential, intelligent, and resourceful, and the crime is committed with full pre-meditation, which ensures that offence is not detected and even if it is detected, investigation agency cannot trace the evidence.

Current Position of the Law

One major challenge to the amendment on bail in the Vijay Madanlal Choudhary ruling involves whether these amendments can be passed through the Money Bill route.

A larger Bench of the SC is set to review if laws like the Aadhaar Act and service conditions for Tribunal members can be passed this way, though the Bench is yet to be constituted.

Although the Supreme Court has agreed to review its ruling in the Vijay Madanlal Choudhary case, the decision remains valid as no stay has been issued. The ruling mandates that the twin test must be strictly applied by all courts, including special and constitutional courts, for both regular and anticipatory bail.

Despite this, an accused can still be eligible for bail under Section 436A of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). It allows for the release of those who have served half of their maximum sentence.

How Kejriwal was Granted Bail

The bail was given by a vacation judge in the Rouse Avenue Court upon furnishing a bail bond of Rs 1 lakh on June 20. The ED requested the court to defer signing of the bail bond by 48 hours so that the order may be challenged before the appellate court. However, the court rejected the plea and asked for production of the bail bond before the duty judge on June 21. The trial court then challenged the order for immediate hearing.

Kejriwals counsel Vikram Chaudhri had told the court that the case against him was based entirely on the statements of people who were not only tainted but had also been arrested and subsequently promised bail for supporting EDs case.

Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, who was appearing for the ED, told the court that the agency was not conducting an investigation in the air but possessed concrete evidence, as quoted by The Economic Times.
Nearly 86 people have been admitted to hospital in the UK as a result of E. Coli outbreak, which has been linked to salads containing lettuce. There are 256 confirmed cases of the E. Coli infection across the UK, according to health officials.

Food manufacturers have recalled sandwiches, wraps, salads and rolls in supermarkets and retail chains over fears that they are linked to the outbreak.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has said lettuce is thought to be the likely source of the outbreak. All the recorded cases involve Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O145 (Stec), as mentioned by The Guardian.

What is E. Coli?

According to the Cleveland Clinic, E. coli (Escherichia coli) is a group of bacteria that normally resides in the gut (gastrointestinal/GI tract) of healthy people and animals. The strains that inhabit the intestine are generally harmless and even aid in digestion. However, under certain conditions, some strains of E. coli can cause illnesses such as diarrhea, stomach cramps and a high fever.

The Shiga toxin-strain of E. coli (STEC) is a bacterium known for causing severe foodborne diseases, including food poisoning. In the current outbreak, all recorded cases involve STEC, with young children, elderly people, and those with underlying conditions in their immune systems at the most risk.

The UK sees about 1,500 cases of STEC annually, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).

How Does E. Coli Spread?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), E. Coli is transmitted to humans primarily through consumption of contaminated foods, such as raw or undercooked ground meat products and milk. Faecal contamination of water and other foods, as well as cross-contamination during food preparation (with beef and other meat products, contaminated surfaces and kitchen utensils), can also lead to infection.

It is often spread by close contact with an infected person, as well as direct contact with an infected animal or its environment.

An increasing number of outbreaks are associated with the consumption of fruits and vegetables (including sprouts, spinach, lettuce, coleslaw, and salad) whereby contamination may be due to contact with faeces from domestic or wild animals during cultivation.

How is Lettuce Leading to Infection?

There are three ways by which lettuce leaves can become contaminated with E. Coli. According to a crop science expert, Professor Jim Monaghan, at Harper Adams University, as quoted by SkyNews, E. coli essentially wants to be inside the guts of warm-blooded animals. Pathogenic strains can be found in 10-15% of dairy herds, meaning that a minority of manure is contaminated with E. coli.

These leaves get contaminated by manure. In cases of indirect contamination, the bacteria can enter the soil or water and then can be transferred to the lettuce.

According to US government regulators, greens and lettuces pose a particular food safety risk. According to one Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) analysis, leafy vegetables were responsible for 22% of foodborne illnesses between 1998 and 2008 in the US.

What are the Symptoms?

Some of the symptoms that a Shiga toxin-producing strain of E. coli include bloody diarrhea, harsh stomach cramps, vomiting and a fever.

The UKHSA said hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) may occur up to two weeks after the start of the diarrhoea while adding, If your symptoms do not go away or you develop easy bruising, feel you are passing less urine than usual or your urine is pink/brown in colour, please urgently seek medical advice as these symptoms could indicate the start of HUS and you may need further tests.

Further complications could include thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, which is when blood clots form throughout the body as a result of the illness. Some patients may also develop hemolytic uremic syndrome, which is linked to kidney failure and can cause life-threatening complications.

How Can It be Treated?

There is no particular treatment for a STEC infection, which typically resolves on its own within about a week, according to CDC. However, managing symptoms involves staying well-hydrated since diarrhoea can quickly lead to dehydration. Its crucial to avoid antibiotics as they can heighten the chances of developing complications like HUS.

How to Reduce Risk?

 Wash your hands properly

 Cook meat thoroughly

 Keep raw meats separate from cooked ones, and sanitise cutting boards after cutting up raw meats

 Enjoy pasteurised dairy and juices, not raw milk

 And wash produce before you eat it

 Wash leafy greens like spinach properly as they are prone to picking up bacteria that might run off from cattle farms
Two farmers died on Sunday and as many were injured when a courier van collided with their tractor-trolley here, police said.

Circle Officer Nilesh Mishra said the farmers were headed for the Devchara market on their tractor-trolley loaded with chilli when the accident occurred outside Bhamora police station.

He said Rajveer (52) and Shishpal (65) fell from the tractor-trolley after the collision and were run over by the courier van. They died on the spot.

Chaman Maurya and Jahoor Ahmed were severely injured and hospitalised, the police officer said.

The driver of the courier van fled the spot, leaving his vehicle behind, police said, adding that efforts are on to nab him.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Courts stay on the operation of his bail order granted by the trial court in the money laundering case pertaining to the liquor policy scam.

The matter is likely to be mentioned before a vacation bench of the top court on Monday.

The Delhi High Court on Friday had granted an interim stay on the trial courts bail order to AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case regarding the alleged liquor policy scam.

I am reserving the order for two to three days. Till the pronouncement of the order, the operation of the trial court order is stayed, a vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said.

The Delhi HC had also issued notice to Kejriwal seeking his response to the Enforcement Directorates plea challenging the trial courts June 20 order by which he was granted bail. The court had further said it was reserving the order for 2-3 days to review the entire record.

On Thursday, Delhis Rouse Avenue court had granted bail to Arvind Kejriwal on a bail bond of Rs 1 Lakh, which was to be furnished before the duty judge the next day.

The ED had sought a stay on the order and asked the court to give 48 hours to sign the bail bond so that the order could be challenged in the higher court.

However, after the judge said there would not be any stay on the order, the probe agency moved to the Delhi High Court to put a stay on the bail order on Friday morning.
A 27-year-old JD(S) worker told police that Karnataka MLC Suraj Revanna forced him to have sexual intercourse with him and said it will be better next time after repeatedly assaulting him at a farmhouse in Hassan districts Gannikada on June 16.

Suraj, who is the brother of rape-accused former MP Prajwal Revanna, was arrested on charges of unnatural offences on Sunday, following which the case was transferred to the CID. According to a report published by India Today, the FIR in the case is a graphic description of the horror the JD(S) worker went through during the alleged sexual assault, in which he was forced to perform anal and oral sex.

The FIR stated that Suraj promised a job to the JD(S) worker if he agreed to be with him and said since this was their first time, the experience will be better next time.

What happened at the farmhouse?

Suraj invited the JD(S) worker to the farmhouse and asked him to arrive around 6 pm. Once the victim entered the room, Suraj asked him to shut the door and approached him without warning, the FIR said. He placed his hands on the victims shoulders, caressed his ears and kissed him, the FIR added.

In the FIR, the victim said the situation quickly escalated and he could not appropriately respond as he was overwhelmed with fear. He said he protested at the MLCs actions and asked him to stop, but he threatened to kill saying he comes from a politically influential family.

The victim told police that he was promised a flourishing career if he agreed to be with him. Soon after, the FIR said, the victim was dragged to the bedroom where Suraj tightly hugged him tightly, bit his cheeks and started touching his private parts.

Despite his pleas to stop, the victim was forced into anal and oral sex, following which he finally begged Suraj to stop. But, the JD(S) leader continued with the assault and told him it will become easier with time, the FIR stated.

Suraj also told him that if he obeys him and continues to meet him when asked to, he will have a promising political career and also get a job. The MLC also asked the victim to apologise for not responding well and to message him once he returned home.

According to the FIR, the party worker went into depression after the incident and narrated his ordeal to Shivakumar, a close aide of Suraj. The victim had met Suraj when he came to Kollangi village in Hassan district during the Lok Sabha elections. They both exchanged numbers and Suraj told him that they could meet later, the FIR said.

What is Suraj Revanna saying?

Suraj, who is the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and nephew of Union minister HD Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. He alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

On June 21, police registered a case of extortion against the JD(S) worker on a complaint by Shivakumar to whom he had narrated the incident of sexual assault. The aide alleged that the party worker was trying to extort money from Suraj by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him.

It has been alleged that while the man demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj, later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

What happens next?

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said the case is being handed over to the CID, adding a series of similar cases were given to CID, this is also being given to CID. Regarding a complaint by Suraj Revanna, he said, Whatever action needs to be taken on that, will be taken.

On Suraj alleging a conspiracy against his family, Parameshwara said, Complaint has come, based on it whatever action needs to be taken in accordance with law, is being taken. Other than that I dont know about any political conspiracy that he has alleged.

Police sources said the JD(S) leader was questioned at Cyber Economic and Narcotics (CEN) crime police station in Hassan overnight, before he was arrested this morning. He was later taken to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) for medical examination, they said.

The case against the MLC was registered under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening (June 22).

(With PTI inputs)
A 60-year-old man allegedly strangled a woman, cut her up and dumped the body parts in two different trains after a failed attempt to rape her at Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh. He was arrested on Sunday after police found the knife used in the crime along with other evidence, police said.

According to police, the accused dumped the womans body parts in the Indore-Nagda and Indore-Dehradun passenger trains. The hands and legs were found in a train in Rishikesh on June 10, while the rest of the body was recovered from another train a day before on June 9, police said.

Police said the 37-year-old victim was missing from her home as she had left after a fight with her husband on June 6. The accused, identified as Kamlesh Patel, lured her to his house when she was sitting at a railway station, police added.

The woman had left her home on June 6 after a fight with her husband. The woman was sitting at Ujjain railway station to go to Mathura when Patel lured her to his house and spiked her food with sleeping pills. He tried to rape her but she got up and raised an alarm, railway superintendent of police Santosh Kori said.

He added: Patel strangled her, cut her body into pieces and placed it in the Indore-Nagda and Indore-Dehradun passenger trains. The hands and legs were found in a train in Rishikesh in Uttarakhand on June 10, while the rest of the body was recovered from a train in Indore on June 9.

Kori said the womans relatives filed a missing person complaint in Bilpank police station in Ratlam district on June 12, almost six days after she left her husband.

(With PTI inputs)
The police on Sunday confirmed the NEET-UG 2024 paper leak in Bihar, saying the question papers were received by the accused at Learn Play School that was used as a safe house by the accused. The economic offences unit said this is the work of an organised interstate racket operating out of Bihar.

According to police, the accused, Chintu, who was arrested from Devghat was also present at the playschool when the question papers were received. He got the solved question papers on the mobile phone, police said.

Police said Chintu received the solved question paper on his mobile phone on the morning of May 5, the day of the examination, and took printouts of it via a WiFi printer. The students were made to memorise the question paper, they added.

The Bihar police said it was well-planned as a drop-off point was made 2 km from the playschool and the students were brought to the playschool in taxi cabs.

The economic offences unit (EOU) has found the roll numbers of at least 15 students, who were present at the playschool of which four have been questioned.

The question paper received by the accused came from Oasis Play School in Hazaribagh, police said. There is evidence of tampering in the packaging of the question paper, they added.

Police have recorded the statements of those working in the State Bank of India, Hazaribagh, and also Blue Dart courier services.

Earlier in the day, the CBI filed an FIR in connection with the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam on a reference from the Union education ministry, amid countrywide protests and litigation by students for a probe into paper leak allegations.

Officials said the ministry alleged in a complaint, now part of the FIR, to the agency that certain isolated incidents took place in a few states during the conduct of the examination. The CBI plans to take over the investigation of these cases registered by the police in Gujarat and Bihar.

Steps are being taken to take over cases registered by state police, an official said.

The CBI action came a day after the ministry announced it will hand over the probe into the alleged irregularities to the central agency, a demand raised by a section of protesting students. The ministry of education has requested the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes and middlemen, a CBI spokesperson said.

According to the officials, the role of public servants, if any, connected with the conduct of the examination and also into the entire gamut of events, and the larger conspiracy will also be under the scanner. They said the CBI registered a fresh case against unidentified persons under IPC sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) among others.

(With PTI inputs)
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. More than fifteen police officers were casualties of the militant attack in Dagestan, according to regional head Sergey Melikov, Trend reports.

"Over fifteen police officers have fallen victim to today's terrorist act while safeguarding the peace and tranquility of Dagestan," he stated in a video posted on the Telegram channel.

The attack also claimed the lives of several civilians, including Father Nikolay, who had served in the Orthodox church in Derbent for over forty years, he added.

June 24, 25 and 26 have been declared days of mourning in Dagestan.

23:00 (GMT +4) Nine people died as a result of militant attacks in Makhachkala and Derbent, the Muftiate of the Republic of Dagestan said, Trend reports.

The victims of terrorist attacks that were monstrous in their cruelty were law enforcement officers, clergy, and ordinary citizens. The death toll reached nine people, seven of them were law enforcement officers. 25 people were injured," the statement said.

21:59 (GMT +4) Six police officers were killed and 12 wounded after a militant attack in Dagestan, the Main Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia for the region said, Trend reports.

At the moment, according to available information, 6 police officers have been killed and 12 wounded. The militants are being detained," the statement said.
A team from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the UGC-NET paper leak case was attacked in Bihars Nawada on Saturday. Four persons were arrested by police in connection with the incident on a complaint filed by the central probe agency, officials said.

The CBI on Thursday had filed an FIR in the UGC-Net exam paper leak case under sections of criminal conspiracy and cheating a day after the Centre had ordered the cancellation of the said examination amid serious questions on the integrity of the exams.

VIDEO | A CBI team, probing the UGC-NET paper leak case, was attacked in Bihars Nawada earlier today. More details awaited.(Full video available on PTI Videos  https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) (Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/DccOYgnVaD  Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) June 23, 2024

The incident took place on Saturday evening when a CBI team had gone to Kasiadeeh village. A mob gathered around the CBI vehicles and heckled the officers, officials noted.

A call was made to the local police station and force from Rajauli police station was dispatched to the scene, following which an FIR was filed by the local police against the accused on charges of causing disruption in government work and assault, among others.

The local police arrested four persons allegedly involved in the attack and they were sent to judicial custody, a PTI report said.

The Union Education Ministry had handed over the matter to the CBI for probe on Wednesday.

Education Ministry Joint Secretary Govind Jaiswal had said that prima facie the government felt the exam had been compromised.

No complaints were received but the inputs we received from agencies indicated that the integrity of the exam has been compromised. The action was taken suo motu to safeguard the interests of the students, Jaiswal had said.

9 lakh students had participated in the UGC-NET exam that the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted on June 18. The ministry saw that there was a chance that the examination had been compromised. The ministry has decided to cancel the examination. The next date will be declared soon. The matter has been referred to the CBI, he had added.

The NET exam was cancelled amid allegations of question paper leaks in states like Bihar and other irregularities in the prestigious NEET examination.
Anupam Kher took to Instagram to pen a heartfelt note for the Mumbai Police after they nabbed the two thieves who broke into his office earlier. Anupam said that the thieves were caught within 48 hours and this is a testament to the Mumbai Polices efficiency.

My heartfelt gratitude and appreciation for the Mumbai Police for catching both the thieves who ransacked my office, stole my safe and the negative of #MaineGandhiKoNaiMara. The fact that it was done within 48 hours speaks of their amazing efficiency!! Jai Ho!

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anupam Kher (@anupampkher)

For the unversed, Anupam Kher recently fell prey to a robbery in his office. He posted a video on his X platform showing that thieves broke into his office on Veera Desai Road, Mumbai, on Thursday, June 20, 2024. They stole a safe containing cash and film negatives. In a recent development, the Mumbai Police have arrested two men in connection with the theft.

ANI tweeted that Majid Sheikh and Mohammad Daler Bahrim Khan were arrested for the theft. The police reported that Rs 4.15 lakh in cash was stolen from Anupam Khers office. Mumbai: Two people  Majid Sheikh and Mohammad Daler Bahrim Khan  arrested by Oshiwara Police for committing theft at the office of actor Anupam Kher. Both of them are serial thieves and commit thefts in different areas of the city, ANIs tweet read.

Two unidentified persons broke into the office of Bollywood actor Anupam Kher and stole the negatives of a film produced by his company and Rs 4.15 lakh in cash, police said on Thursday. The incident took place on Wednesday night at the actors office on Vira Desai Road in Amboli area, said an official. It came to light around 9.45 on Thursday morning when the office staff arrived and found the locks broken, he said.

Kher himself narrated the incident in posts on his official X handle and Instagram page. Last night in my Veera Desai Road office two thieves broke two doors and stole the entire safe from the accounts department (which they probably couldnt break) and the negatives of a film produced by our company which was in a box. Our office has filed an FIR, the 69-year-old actor wrote in Hindi, without mentioning the name of the film whose negatives were stolen.

CCTV footage outside the building showed the duo leaving in an auto rickshaw, Kher added, stating that may God give them good sense (`sad-buddhi). The First Information Report was registered at Amboli police station under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and probe was underway, the police official had earlier said.
Sonakshi Sinha was spotted for the first time on her wedding day. The actress, who is set to marry Zaheer Iqbal on June 23  Sunday, was seen out and about in Mumbai on the same day. It seems like the wedding ceremony hasnt taken place yet. In a video shared by Instant Bollywood, Sonakshi was seen what seems to be Shatrughan Sinhas house Ramayan.

In the video, Sonakshi was seen speaking with a family member. The bride wore a white short kurta which she styled with a pair of denim pants. She was also seen carrying a handbag. Check out the video below:

Meanwhile, another video has surfaced online claiming that Sonakshi is set to wear a white ensemble for the ceremony. The dress is said to have been sent by Zaheer Iqbal. Watch the video below:

Ahead of her wedding, Sonakshis parents hosted a puja on their place. Videos and photos from the puja surfaced online and went viral.

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are getting married after dating for seven years. The couple is said to be getting their wedding registered on Sunday morning. The event will be an intimate affair with only family members and close friends in attendance, The Indian Express reported. The actress father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha was upset that she had not kept him informed about her wedding plans. But he eventually gave her his blessings.

Shadiyan sab ke ghar hoti hain. Pre-wedding conflicts are also common. We are all okay now. Whatever the stress has been sorted, he told Times Now before adding, Koi wand nahi hai. Yeh sab hota hi hai har shaadi main. Just because she is Shatrughan Sinhas daughter, it doesnt mean Sonakshi cant have what she wants in life. Hum log bohot maza karenge June 23 ko.
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha and actor Zaheer Iqbal are tying the knot today, June 23, 2024. The couple, who have been together for seven years, will be celebrating with a host of Bollywood celebs today. Ahead of the wedding, Zaheer was seen at a mosque near his and Sonakshis new residence in Bandra West, signifying an important moment before their civil marriage. The soon-to-married actor likely visited the mosque to offer prayers and seek blessings, as per Zoom.

Following their civil ceremony, they plan to celebrate with close friends and family at Mumbais popular Bastian restaurant. The couple shared a digital wedding invitation featuring a QR code that leads to an audio message inviting guests to their special day. They jokingly requested guests to avoid wearing red.

To ensure the event proceeds smoothly, the Mumbai Police have increased security around the venue. After the civil marriage, a grand reception is anticipated, with many Bollywood celebrities expected to attend.

In a recent interview, Zaheers father shed light on their marriage when he told Free Press Journal, It will have neither Hindu nor Muslim rituals. It will be a civil marriage. Zaheers father further dismissed reports claiming Sonakshi might convert to Islam after her wedding. She is not converting and that is for sure. Theirs is a union of hearts and religion has no role to play whatsoever, he said and then added, I believe in humanity. God is called Bhagwan by Hindus and Allah by Muslims. But at the end of the day, we are all human beings. My blessings are with Zaheer and Sonakshi.

News18 Showsha has also exclusively learnt that Sonakshi and Zaheers wedding wont really be an intimate affair as it will see some of the biggest names in Bollywood gracing their big day to shower blessings and love on the couple. A source close to the couple told us that actors Aayush Sharma, Huma Qureshi and Varun Sharma are likely to attend the wedding. Besides this, Salman Khan has also been sent an invitation. Sonakshi has also invited her Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar co-stars including Fardeen Khan, Taha Shah Badussha, Aditi Rao Hydari and Sharmin Segal Mehta among others.
After seven years of dating, Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal have finally tied the knot! They said I do in an intimate ceremony surrounded by close friends and family. Salman Khan, Sonakshis first co-star, attended her wedding reception in style. The Bollywood superstar made a grand entry to the bash at midnight amidst high security.

In a video, shared by Voompla on Instagram, Salman was seen avoiding paps as he straightaway went inside an elevator with his security after entering the venue. He looked dashing in a black tuxedo. The actor refused to do the red carpet despite multiple requests from the paps and made a quick exit from the reception without posing for them.

Salman Khan and Sonakshi Sinha share a special connection that began with the blockbuster film Dabangg, where Sonakshi made her Bollywood debut opposite Salman. Their on-screen chemistry as Chulbul Pandey and Rajjo won hearts instantly, setting the stage for Sonakshis successful entry into the industry. Beyond the silver screen, Salman Khan has been a mentor and supporter for Sonakshi Sinha, guiding her through her early career and offering valuable advice. Their association has extended to multiple sequels of Dabangg, where Sonakshi reprised her role alongside Salman, further cementing their bond both professionally and personally.

Off-screen, Salman and Sonakshi share a warm rapport, often seen together at events and social gatherings. Their camaraderie continues to be loved by fans, who eagerly wait their collaborations and cherish their memorable moments together in films to come. Interestingly, Zaheer and Sonakshi first clicked at a bash hosted by none other than Bollywoods bhaijaan, Salman Khan. From buds to lovebirds, their relationship bloomed into something truly magical. Making their grand entrance as a couple at Aayush Sharma and Arpita Khans Eid bash in 2023 had heads turning.

Sonakshi Sinha has also made her first appearance post-wedding with Zaheer Iqbal, stunning in a beautiful traditional red silk saree. She accessorised with a striking beaded green and gold necklace, matching drop earrings and red bangles. Her hair bun was adorned with a garland of jasmine tied around it. Sporting winged eyeliner and a blush pink lip colour, Sonakshi beamed with joy on her special day. She also sported sindoor and held Zaheer close. The groom complemented her look in a white kurta and jacket. They happily posed as man and wife for the paps at the wedding reception.
Bollywood actress Sonakshi Sinha and actor Zaheer Iqbal are tying the knot today, June 23, 2024. The couple, who have been together for seven years, will be celebrating with a host of Bollywood celebs today. Ahead of the wedding, the brides father, Shatrughan Sinha, made his first appearance ahead of the wedding ceremony, arriving at the venue in a car. As soon as he stepped out, paparazzi huddled around his car, eager to capture the moment. They congratulated him on his daughters wedding, to which he responded with a warm smile. He graciously accepted their well-wishes, waving to everyone and thanking them for their kind words. Dressed in a black kurta and a blue embroidered stole, he looked dapper and delighted on the special occasion. Check out the video right here:

Following their civil ceremony, they plan to celebrate with close friends and family at Mumbais popular Bastian restaurant. The couple shared a digital wedding invitation featuring a QR code that leads to an audio message inviting guests to their special day. They jokingly requested guests to avoid wearing red.

To ensure the event proceeds smoothly, the Mumbai Police have increased security around the venue. After the civil marriage, a grand reception is anticipated, with many Bollywood celebrities expected to attend.

In a recent interview, Zaheers father shed light on their marriage when he told Free Press Journal, It will have neither Hindu nor Muslim rituals. It will be a civil marriage. Zaheers father further dismissed reports claiming Sonakshi might convert to Islam after her wedding. She is not converting and that is for sure. Theirs is a union of hearts and religion has no role to play whatsoever, he said and then added, I believe in humanity. God is called Bhagwan by Hindus and Allah by Muslims. But at the end of the day, we are all human beings. My blessings are with Zaheer and Sonakshi.
The priest who performed the pre-wedding rituals of Sonakshi Sinhas wedding was mobbed outside Shatrughan Sinhas house, Ramayan. In a video shared on Instagram, the priest was seen struggling to take his vehicle out because the paparazzi surrounded him and bombarded him with questions. Overwhelmed by the attention, the priest tried to leave the spot as soon as possible.

In the video shared by Voompla, the priest was asked various questions about the wedding. However, the priest replied he is not allowed to share any information about the wedding yet. Abhi kuch nahi bata sakte, he told the paparazzi. He added that the pre-wedding puja was performed successfully and that he would join the family on Sunday, June 23, for the wedding ceremony. Watch the video below:

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are getting married after dating for seven years. The actress father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha was upset that she had not kept him informed about her wedding plans. But he eventually gave her his blessings.

Shadiyan sab ke ghar hoti hain. Pre-wedding conflicts are also common. We are all okay now. Whatever the stress has been sorted, he told Times Now before adding, Koi wand nahi hai. Yeh sab hota hi hai har shaadi main. Just because she is Shatrughan Sinhas daughter, it doesnt mean Sonakshi cant have what she wants in life. Hum log bohot maza karenge June 23 ko.

It is the wedding reception that we are all attending on the evening of June 23, he said. No one from my family said anything about a wedding. Some media outlets have just been presuming things. Too much attention is being given to something that is a private family matter, Shatrughan added.

Sonakshi and Zaheer will get married on Sunday. On Sunday evening, the couple is hosting a wedding party in Shilpa Shettys restaurant, Bastian. The list of invitees includes Salman Khan, Honey Singh, the cast of Heeramandi, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Daisy Shah and Poonam Dhillon among others.
Zaheer Iqbal is all set to marry Sonakshi Sinha. The actor was spotted hours before his and Sonakshis wedding ceremony on Sunday, June 23. A video has surfaced online showing the actor making his way out of his house and heading toward the wedding venue. He waved at the cameras before he jumped into his car. The actors car was soon surrounded by paparazzi.

While Zaheer smiled for them, he leaped from his seat out of concern for the paparazzi standing in front of his car. Gesturing them to be careful, Zaheer signalled that he will meet the cameramen at the wedding venue. Watch the video below:

A source informed The Indian Express that the wedding registration will take place at Zaheer Iqbals residence. It seems like the couple is not hosting a Nikkah or a Hindu-style wedding ceremony. Instead, after their marriage is registered, Sonakshi and Iqbal will be hosting a wedding party. The bash will take place at Shilpa Shettys famous restaurant, Bastian.

DJ Ganesh confirmed that he will be playing at Sonakshi and Zaheers wedding party. Speaking with Dubai Brew, he said, Sonakshi has a private reception at Bastian at Dadar. I think theres a 1,000 people invited. So, I think it will have full-on Bollywood mix-off till 4 in the morning.

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are getting married after dating for seven years. The actress father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha was upset that she had not kept him informed about her wedding plans. But he eventually gave her his blessings.

Shadiyan sab ke ghar hoti hain. Pre-wedding conflicts are also common. We are all okay now. Whatever the stress has been sorted, he told Times Now before adding, Koi wand nahi hai. Yeh sab hota hi hai har shaadi main. Just because she is Shatrughan Sinhas daughter, it doesnt mean Sonakshi cant have what she wants in life. Hum log bohot maza karenge June 23 ko.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BJP) chief Mayawati reinstated her nephew Akash Anand as the partys national coordinator and announced him as her successor on Sunday.

Mayawati has reinstated Akash Anand to his post and made him the National Coordinator, BSP leader Sarwar Malik said confirming the development.

#WATCH | Former Uttar Pradesh CM and BSP chief Mayawati holds a meeting with party workers in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/b5bBrDlesv ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2024

Calling him not fully mature, Mayawati on May 7 announced the removal of Anand from his role as national coordinator and also her political successor. Akashs campaign events were also cancelled.

Who Is Akash Anand?

Akash Anand started his political journey in 2017 at the age of 22. He holds an MBA degree from London.

In June 2019, during BSPs national executive meeting, Anand assumed the role of the partys national coordinator.

The 29-year-old was designated as Mayawatis political heir in December last year.

Call For Leadership Change In BJP?

The exact reason for the move remains unclear but it came soon after he was booked by the Sitapur police in Uttar Pradesh, along with other party members, for allegedly violating the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) during the Lok Sabha Election 2024 after made derogatory remarks against BJP.

However, after a series of setbacks, especially the debacle during the Lok Sabha polls, the BSP cadres had been seeking a change in leadership for the partys survival.

Quoting the party cadres, a report by news agency IANS said that BSP performance deteriorated after Akash Anand was restricted from campaigning.

The BSP has won no seats in the Lok Sabha elections and is left with just one seat in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. Its status as a national party is also at risk. This is the partys worst electoral performance since its inception in 1984.

The party has been steadily tumbling down after the 2012 Assembly polls but Mayawati is not bothered. There has been no discussion at any level in the party and everything  from crucial decisions about alliances to ticket distribution  is decided by her, except the blame for the defeat. If the BSP has to survive, there is a need to effect a change in the leadership at the earliest so that we can regain lost ground in the 2027 Assembly elections, the report quoted a former party coordinator as saying.

A former BSP MLA said that the party leadership had forced a majority of the party leaders to seek options in other parties and had expelled the remaining leaders.
Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Sunday drew flak over his social media post in which he mocked competitive examinations in Uttar Pradesh amid recent incidents of paper leaks.

Tharoor shared an image depicting an answer sheet with a question, Uttar Pradesh kise kehte hain? (Define Uttar Pradesh.) The answer to the question reads, Woh pradesh jahan pariksha se pehle uttar pata chal jaaye use Uttar Pradesh kehte hain. (The state where answers come out before the exams is called Uttar Pradesh).

BJP leaders reacted to the post and slammed the Congress leader for his condemnable remarks stereotyping the state.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to microblogging site X and wrote, This gentleman frequently indulges in satirizing various cultures (first Northeast and now UP) with remarkably caustic words. He has succumbed to the beguiling whispers of lunacy, his mind adrift in the ethereal mists of derangement.

Minister of State (MoS), Commerce and Industry Jitin Prasada called Tharoors remarks for Uttar Pradesh deplorable. I dont see the humour in running down my state and its people by stereotyping them with such condemnable remarks. Such an insult to UP is deplorable and must be condemned in the strongest words, he wrote in an X post.

BJP leader Rajeev Chandrashekhar called Tharoors post a shameless crass politics of shaming other fellow Indians

BJP spokesperson CR Kesavan called Shashi Tharoor a repeated offender and said that implying UP is a state of cheaters is indefensible and unpardonable.

Shashi Tharoor is a repeat offender who had earlier gravely insulted our North East brothers and sisters by ridiculing their traditional attire as outlandish. To belittle a serious issue, implying that the state of UP is a state of cheaters is indefensible and unpardonable. Splattering fancy English words does not necessarily make one civil and dignified, Kesavan said.

BJP leader Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore accused Shashi Tharoor of not seeing UP as his own and, therefore, deriding it.

Shashi, you having to resort to frivolity!! And in doing so condemning people of an entire state? You dont see UP as yours, since you are deriding it. How I see Kerala is its my state, its my people. Bright, young, dynamic Keralites have served with me in the Army and rubbed shoulders with me in Team India. When a person of your stature and intelligence mocks a State, why wouldnt others do? And then what!! an X post by Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. The Israeli Air Force carried out strikes on dozens of militant targets in the Gaza Strip, the press service of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) says, Trend reports.

According to the information, the army continues operations and is fighting in the Rafah area in the south, as well as in the central part of the Palestinian enclave.

"Over the past 24 hours, the Israeli Air Force has carried out strikes on dozens of terrorist targets in the Gaza Strip, including military targets, militants and their infrastructure," the statement says.

It is reported that the IDF continues targeted operations in the Rafah area, where tunnels and underground terrorist infrastructure have been discovered over the past 24 hours.
With the arrest of another member of HD Revannas family on charges of sexual abuse, the political legacy of the elder son of former Prime Minister and Janata Dal Secular (JDS) patriarch HD Deve Gowda seems to be tainted.

HD Revanna spent 10 days in jail after being accused of kidnapping and sexually molesting a house help. His wife, Bhavani, recently managed to get anticipatory bail from the Karnataka High court in a case of kidnapping a woman, who filed a First Information Report (FIR) alleging that Bhavanis son Prajwal sexually assaulted her. Revannas son and Hassan MLC Suraj is the latest member of the Gowda family to be arrested in an alleged sexual assault case, after his brother Prajwal, who is under police custody for multiple FIRs of rape. Suraj has been accused of forced unnatural sex" with a party worker.

ALSO READ | JD(S) at Crossroads: Kumaraswamy Switches from Safe Mode to Save Mode amid Family Feud, Revanna Row

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLC Adagur H. Vishwanath, who was the state president of the JDS in 2018, but stepped down due to internal differences, called the arrests of the Revannas a sign of karma". Deve Gowda is the Dhritarashtra in the family. He turns a blind eye, and only cares about furthering the political future of his family and not the people who have brought him to this position."

Political analysts say the JDS family is certainly in turmoil. Sandeep Shastri pointed out that while there may be a debate about whether the cases are true or false, the fact that members of a particular political family are being targeted remains significant. There can be no smoke without fire, and the fact that they have enjoyed power and position for very long, in the process developing many friendships, alliances as well as earning enemies and brickbats, now comes home to roost," said Shastri.

He added that there seems to be a consolidation of circumstances where different members of the family are alleged to be involved in certain practices, and their political opponents will try to take advantage. The whole game of seeking political advantage is not the cause, but a consequence," he added.

SURAJ REVANNAS CASE

The Karnataka police booked Suraj and his close aide Shivakumar after an FIR by a JDS party worker, alleging that the MLC forcefully stripped and sexually assaulted him on June 16 at a farmhouse in Gannikada village in Hassan. He alleged that Suraj asked him to meet him whenever hes free" and messaged him on WhatsApp.

The complainant recounted his horror to the police, stating how he had been given an appointment with the MLC as he wanted to work for the party. Upon reaching the farmhouse at the appointed time, he was asked to close the door and sit. In graphic detail, the complainant mentioned how Suraj caressed him and began fondling him, despite his repeated protests.

ALSO READ | Suraj Revanna, Brother Of Controversy-Hit Prajwal Revanna, Arrested For Alleged Sexual Assault On JD(S) Worker

Promising him a bright career in the party and full support, the survivor was allegedly dragged onto the bed, sexually assaulted and forced to participate in anal and oral sex. I fell at his feet, begged him to leave me alone, said I was not comfortable, but he said it would get better with time and that all those who want to grow have to go through such things in life," said a detailed complaint letter that was sent by the survivor to the Karnataka Home Minister and Director General of Police (DGP). After a medical examination of the survivor and other mandatory checks, the complaint was converted into an FIR, which led to the arrest.

The survivor had messaged Suraj on June 17, the night after the alleged assault, that his life had been ruined by his forced sexual act and that he was extremely hurt and upset. In the exchange of messages, he said that he had confessed to his family what took place between them and since then has been scared to go back home.

SURAJS AIDE SHIVAKUMARS ROLE

The survivor had also messaged Shivakumar separately and asked him to provide support. The aide is said to have met the survivor around midnight, asked him to accept compensation and cautioned him against filing a police case against Suraj or face death.

A series of phone calls and messages, including one from Suraj, pressured the survivor to accept Rs 2 crore and a job offer for his silence. He was warned about going to a hospital for treatment and was told that the aide would come with him and pay his bills. He refused the offer and, fearing for his life, fled to his paternal uncles house. The survivor was tracked down on June 9 and again threatened by Shivakumar to accept the offer or face a case of extortion. This was the case of extortion that Shivakumar filed on June 22 against the survivor and his brother-in-law. In a counter-complaint, the survivor accused Suraj of sexually assaulting him.

ALSO READ | Raped, Kidnapped My Elderly Mother; Forced Me to Have Sexual Relations: 2 New FIRs Against Revanna, Prajwal

Somehow, during the course of the meeting, the survivor managed to leave the place without being noticed and fled to Bengaluru. He filed a complaint with the Karnataka Home Minister and DGP with photographs of both Suraj and Shivakumar.

Surajs aide claimed in his FIR that the survivor tried to befriend Suraj by becoming a member of the Suraj Revanna Brigade and later threatened to accuse Suraj of sexual assault, initially demanding Rs 5 crore. Shivakumar claimed that later the amount was reduced to Rs 2 crore, but the MLC did not budge as the claims were false.

The Hassan police then filed a case against the survivor and his relative under Indian Penal Code sections 384 (extortion), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention). Both Shivakumar and Suraj have now been arrested.

PRAJWALS CASE

Prajwal was arrested on May 31 after three women filed FIRs against the former Hassan MP, stating they were sexually assaulted multiple times by the leader. Pen drives containing over 2,000 clips of various women in compromising positions, which the survivors claim were forced as they were blackmailed and threatened, were circulated across Hassan district just days before the seat went to polls during the Lok Sabha elections.

PARTY LEADERS MUM

As a political party, the JDS has decided to react only after the investigation into the case is completed. Speaking to News18, JDS MLC and spokesperson TA Saravana said that the party core committee will soon sit down to decide on the actions to be taken against Suraj Revanna. This is a political conspiracy against the JDS. Our opponents are targeting Hassan and are coming out with such unsavoury and filthy allegations, which we will wait for the law to address and give us justice," he said.

ALSO READ | Come Back To India And Face The Law, Or Face My Anger: Deve Gowdas Warning To Grandson Prajwal Revanna

Saravana added that the senior JDS leaders are upset with the developments and have been observing how the Gowda familys political opponents are targeting each member one by one, starting with Prajwal.

We believe in God, the legal system and our leader Deve Gowda ji. He is right now going through unbearable pain to see what is happening within his family. Lets wait and see how the investigation progresses," Saravana said.

Still under shock and fearing being targeted or facing the wrath of the Revannas, JDS party workers have been largely mum about the issue.

However, after much persuasion, a JDS local leader opened up to News18, saying, This is definitely a major sign of the end of the Revanna familys political future. The truth is being unearthed, and the filth and horror of the family, which kept a firm control over Hassan, is now out in the open. We only hope the victims get justice."

KARMA, SAYS BJP MLC

Calling the arrests of the Revanna karma", Vishwanath said there was no political conspiracy to finish the Revanna legacy.

There is no political conspiracy against them. These are the fruits of their karma. Time brings out all truth; lets wait and see what happens."
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday claimed that members of the Bangladesh-origin minority community overwhelmingly voted for the Congress in this Lok Sabha election, without considering the developmental work done for them by the BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the state.

He also alleged that it is the only community in Assam which indulges in communalism.

Speaking at a felicitation programme of winning candidates of the BJP and its allies at the partys state headquarters here, he said the ruling alliance garnered nearly 47 per cent of the votes polled, while Congress and its allies bagged 39 per cent of the votes.

The BJP-AGP-UPPL coalition won 11 out of the 14 Lok Sabha seats in the state, with Congress bagging the remaining three.

If we analyse the 39 per cent votes of the Congress, it is not spread across the state. Fifty per cent of it is concentrated in 21 assembly segments which are minority dominated. In these minority-dominated segments, BJP got 3 per cent votes, he claimed.

This proves that Hindus do not indulge in communalism. If anyone indulges in communalism in Assam, it is only one community, one religion. No other religion does it, the CM asserted, without naming any sect.

He said that the minority-dominated areas may have no roads, no electricity, but they have been voting overwhelmingly for Congress and did so again.

In contrast, though BJP has been working for the Assamese people and tribals, these communities have not voted 100 per cent for the saffron party, he added.

Except in Karimganj, if we consider the centres with majority Bangladesh-origin people, 99 per cent of votes have gone to Congress, he said.

They (minority people) may be residing in houses given by (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi, availing electricity and sanitation facilities provided by Modi, but when they go to vote, they vote for Congress, Sarma claimed.

He maintained that the Bangladesh-origin community will vote for Congress because they want to control the state in the next 10 years.

Sarma alleged that the members of the community attacked a police station in Lakhimpur, a village in Barpeta and tried to encroach land in Kokrajhar when the BJP government was inactive since the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) was in place..

When BJP government will not be there, one can only imagine how many such attacks will happen, he added.

The CM said the BJP and its allies had won 92 out of 126 assembly segments in this Lok Sabha election, which was the highest ever for any ruling alliance in the state.

This time, we got 47 per cent votes. Our target will be to get 50 per cent of the votes in 2026 state polls, the BJP leader added.

Sarma asserted that BJP is into politics for nation building and will continue to work for development of all parts, irrespective of whether its candidate had won or not from those areas.
The election of the speaker on June 26, as well as discussion over paper leak allegations in NEET-UG and UGC-NET and a row over the appointment of the pro-tem speaker will likely dominate the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha beginning Monday. Newly elected MPs will take oath on the first day of the session, while President Droupadi Murmu will address a joint sitting of both the Houses on June 27.

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has said he will personally raise the issue of paper leak in the two all-India examinations in Parliament and the opposition will put pressure on the Centre to ensure justice for students. The row over appointment of BJP leader and seven-term MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker is likely to cast a shadow over the session, as the move has drawn flak from the opposition that alleged Congress MP K Suresh was overlooked by the government.

Parliamentary affairs minister Kiren Rijiju said Mahtab has had seven uninterrupted terms as Lok Sabha MP, making him eligible for the post, while Suresh lost elections in 1998 and 2004. He said this makes his current term as the fourth straight one in the lower house. Earlier, he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1999, he added.

Lok Sabha MPs from the INDIA bloc will also assemble in the Parliament complex in the morning and march to the House together on the first day, sources said. The MPs will gather near Gate No 2 of the old Parliament building, where the Gandhi statue once stood, a senior opposition party leader said.

What will happen on Day 1?

Murmu will administer the oath to Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker of the Lok Sabha at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. The BJP leader will then reach Parliament House and call the Lok Sabha to order at 11 am. The proceedings will begin with MPs observing a moment of silence on the occasion of the first sitting of the 18th Lok Sabha, followed by Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh placing on the table of the House the list of the members elected.

Mahtab will then call upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take oath as member of the House. He will then administer oath to the panel of chairpersons appointed by the President to assist him in carrying out the proceedings of the House till the election of the Speaker on June 26.

The President has appointed Suresh (Congress), TR Baalu (DMK), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (TMC) to assist Mahtab in administering the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the Lok Sabha.

After the panel of chairpersons, the pro-tem speaker will administer the oath/affirmation as Lok Sabha members to the Council of Ministers. The members from states, in alphabetical order, will take oath or make affirmation over the next two days.

What will happen on the rest of the days?

The election to the post of Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on June 26 and the prime minister will introduce his council of ministers to the House soon after.

The President is scheduled to address a joint sitting of both houses on June 27. The debate on the Motion of Thanks to the Presidents Address will begin on June 28. Modi is expected to respond to the debate on July 2 or 3.

Both the Houses are expected to go into a brief recess and reassemble on July 22 for the presentation of the Union Budget.

What is the row over Mahtabs appointment?

The NDA government and the INDIA bloc have continued to spar over the issue of Mahtabs appointment. Rijiju has accused the Congress of resorting to lies while the opposition has threatened to refuse to join the panel of chairpersons in the House.

The Congress had alleged that the government violated procedures and conventions in ignoring Suresh. Opposition sources said Suresh, Baalu and Bandyopadhyay may not join the panel of chairpersons to assist Mahtab in administering the oath to the newly elected MPs.

Suresh said his claim to the post of pro-tem speaker was overlooked as he is a Dalit, remarks scoffed at by Rijiju. Spokesperson of the BJP, Shehzad Poonawala said the Congress had deliberately insulted a tribal parliamentary affairs minister by lying on the issue of pro-tem speaker.

Congress has always insulted tribals. They called Droupadi Murmu ji rashtrapatni and they even abused her, Poonawala said.

Rijiju said he may be the first tribal to occupy the post of parliamentary affairs minister but he will not be intimidated by the threats and lies of the Congress. I will be bound by rules and will strictly follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi jis mantra of sabka saath sabka vikas, he said.

Earlier, Congress leader KC Venugopal had described Suresh being overlooked as an attempt at destroying parliamentary norms. I have said this before and say this now, the battle for saving our democracy and constitution isnt over yet, Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray said in a post on X.

D Raja, CPI general secretary, said even after a serious reprimand by the people by cutting the BJP to size, they have not understood the seminal importance of democracy, consultation, parliamentary norms and opposition for the country.

However, the totalitarian BJP cannot see an opposition member even as speaker pro tem and, thus, appointed a turncoat BJP MP to the post, Raja said.

What is the NDA strategy for the first Parliament session?

To plan the floor strategy for the Parliament session, defence minister Rajnath Singh had chaired a meeting of senior ministers. Murmu is scheduled to spell out the NDA governments vision for the next five years during this session.

The meeting was attended by Union ministers S Jaishankar, Manohar Lal Khattar, Bhupender Yadav, Piyush Goyal, Dharmendra Pradhan, Kiren Rijiju, Annapurna Devi, Rajiv Ranjan Singh Lalan and Chirag Paswan.

Rajnath Singh is learnt to have sought inputs from the senior ministers, including NDA partners Lalan Singh of the JD(U) and Paswan of the LJP(RV), for the presidents address. They deliberated upon the possible candidates for the post of Lok Sabha Speaker and Deputy Speaker.

The JD(U) has said it will support the BJP nominee for the Speakers post, while another key ally TDP has sought a consensus candidate for the coveted post. The opposition INDIA bloc has sought the Deputy Speakers post for its nominee, while the BJP is mulling giving the post to one of its alliance partners.

What are the INDIA blocs plans?

The united march by the INDIA MPs from a spot where the Gandhi statue once stood will be a significant part on the first day of the session. This statue, which was a popular protest site for MPs in the Parliament complex, was recently relocated along with 14 other statues. All these were installed in one area, Prerna Sthal.

A senior opposition leader said some MPs will hold copies of the Constitution and walk down to the Parliament building. Several opposition parties have claimed that the mandate of 2024 Lok Sabha elections was against the ruling BJP, even though it was able to form a government with support of NDA allies. The bloc has also claimed that people backed the opposition parties to save the Constitution.

The Congress, which has held protests across the country over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET, will also focus on raising the issue in Parliament. Party president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that under the BJPs rule, the education mafia has a free hand to indulge in corruption.

Seventy papers have been leaked in seven years and the future of two crore youth has been ruined. The NEET exam paper leak scam is a symbol of the Modi governments utter indifference towards the youth, he said.

Kharge said his party will raise the voice of the youth strongly. Slamming the Centre over the alleged irregularities in NEET, Gandhi shared a video of his meeting with a group of aspirants and their parents amid the ongoing exams row. His sister and Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also launched a scathing attack on the government over exam paper leaks, saying the issue has become a national problem.

(With PTI inputs)
Madhya Pradesh Cabinet Minister and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kailash Vijayvargiyas close aide, Monu Kalyane, has been shot dead in Indore.

According to sources, around 2 to 3 am, two motorcycle-borne assailants gunned down BJP youth leader Monu Kalyane near the Chiman Bagh crossroad while he was putting up posters for a BJP rally.

Indore ACP Vinod Dixit said, The situation is still tense near the Chiman Bagh crossroad where BJP leader Monu Kalyane was shot in the chest by two assailants. We have deployed forces to keep the situation under control.

The accused, Arjun and Piyush, allegedly approached Monu asking for someones phone number while he was overseeing last-minute preparations for a rally that was scheduled for 5 pm.

As Monu looked at his phone to find the number, the attackers opened fire, killing the youth leader on the spot. Police found two shell casings at the scene. Bystanders attempted to catch the assailants, but they fired into the air and escaped.

The youth leaders supporters later tracked down the accuseds houses in the neighbouring MG Road area and set them on fire. They also vandalised vehicles parked nearby.

Meanwhile, minister Vijayvargiya expressed grief and instructed police to take strict action against the accused.
The Karnataka Police on Sunday arrested JD(S) MLC and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowdas grandson Suraj Revanna in connection with the alleged sexual assault case lodged by a party worker. He was sent to 14 days judicial custody in the case.

An FIR against Revanna was lodged on Saturday night after which he was summoned to the police station for questioning on charges of unnatural offences against him.

He was questioned at Holenarasipura Rural police station for several hours following which he was arrested. Suraj was booked under IPC Sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Karnataka Home Minister G Parmeshwar said Suraj Revannas case will be handed over to CID.

Suraj Revanna (37) is the elder brother of former JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who has been arrested in connection with the sex video scandal. His father JD (S) MLA HD Revanna was jailed and out on conditional bail in a kidnapping case linked to the sex video scandal. His mother Bhavani Revanna is facing an investigation in a kidnapping case and was recently granted conditional bail from the court.

Case Against Suraj Revanna

A JD(S) worker named Chethan K S (27) had complained to the police that Suraj Revanna sodomised him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada in Holenarasipura Taluk on June 16 evening.

The victim alleged that he had met Suraj Revanna at a function organised by him.

Impressed by his organisational skills, Suraj Revanna allegedly shared his mobile number and started sending endearing messages with love symbols.

He was asked to meet him at his farmhouse where he was allegedly sexually abused.

Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj has categorically refuted the charge. Instead, he has alleged that Chethan filed a false complaint to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

Case Against Victim

The Karnataka Police have also filed an FIR against two persons on charges of extortion following allegations of sexual abuse against Suraj Revanna after the JD(S) leaders aide Shivakumar filed a case against the victim and his kin at the Holenarasipura police station.

Shivakumar said in the complaint that false allegations were made against Suraj Revanna to extort money. The complaint claimed that the accused had threatened Suraj Revanna with lodging a case of sexual abuse if he failed to pay Rs 5 crore.

The police have registered a case under IPC Sections 384 (extortion) and 584 (criminal intimidation).
The market for human-sized sex dolls has been expanding for quite some time now. However, the advancement of large language models has ushered in new developments in the sex-bot market and it appears that China is pioneering in the field. Many Chinese companies are employing ChatGPT-like technology in sex robots to develop extended conversational abilities, both vocal and in terms of body language. Starpery Technology, a major producer of sex dolls, used their own large language model to enhance their sex dolls. These dolls, available in male and female models, will hit the shelves as soon as August. Other Chinese companies like WMdoll and EXdoll also plan to launch similar products.

In a conversation with the South China Morning Post, Starpery Technology CEO Evan Lee said, The new generation of sex dolls, powered by AI models and equipped with sensors, can react with both movements and speech, significantly enhancing user experience by focusing on emotional connection rather than just basic conversational abilities. Traditional sex dolls are supported by a metal skeleton and have a silicone exterior. These robots have simple responses and lack expressions.

Another development in Chinas sex doll market is that companies are now focusing on the domestic market by making dolls that cater to Chinese beauty standards. Reportedly, despite having conservative social values, sex doll sales in China are more than collective sales in several Western countries.

What makes China a pioneer in the sex robot market is not just their early adoption of new technology but also an effective supply chain. According to the South China Morning Post, a sex doll from Chinese brand Starpery is priced at $1,500 (approximately Rs 1.2 lakh), while a similar doll produced by Abyss Creations in the United States starts at $6,000 (approximately Rs 5 lakh).

Evan Lee described the low-cost manufacturing advantage and said, The supply chain in Guangdong is complete, and manufacturers respond quickly to market demands. New technologies can usually be seen in products, the following month it shows up somewhere else.

There are many ethical considerations that crop up around the humanoid robot industry. Many believe that AI-driven sex robots can reinforce harmful attitudes regarding consent and propagate negative gender stereotypes. Another criticism is that many people can be further isolated from society as they become overly dependent on AI companions for emotional and sexual fulfilment.
Millions of webpages, databases and servers operate around the clock over the vast expanse of the Internet. The visible" Internet, also known as the surface web or open web, refers to websites that are easily accessed by search engines like Google and Yahoo. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg. So the question arises what completes the gigantic iceberg of the Internet? The answer is the Dark Web. Many of us link it to the unsettling areas of the internet where fraudsters and other criminals lurk.

Ryan Montgomery, a renowned ethical hacker and cyber security expert, who has uncovered many internet predators in the past, shared some perspectives on the subject. He explained about the dark web and its activities in detail on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast.

The ethical hacker clarified that the dark web actually isnt an open black market, marketplace, or anything else that people usually expect it to be.

Upon successfully connecting to the dark web, you still need to know the location of these horrible websites."

Once youre connected to the dark web you still need to know where to go to visit these horrible websites. Imagine a very long string of letters and numbers and the website instead of .com it would be .onion," he said.

As he puts it, you have to view such websites using the Onion Routerwhich you can download from the TOR websiteinstead of a standard browser.

Ryan continues by explaining that you next need to visit something called the Hidden Wiki, which would display all the various types of websites along with links to them.

He revealed that there are links to several sorts of websites, all of which are full of horrible" websites that do horrible things." Theres counterfeit money, theres fake IDs," he said.

The hacker claimed that while he has occasionally been forced to search the dark web for predators and paedophiles," this is not always the case.

Watch the video here:

According to Ryan, these individuals frequently use their phone number, which can be traced back to them, their normal email address, or an IP address that has been used for several emails. They also sometimes use their face as their profile picture.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Sunday paid tribute to the victims of the Air India Flight 182 Kanishka bombing, in which 329 people lost their lives almost four decades ago.

The Montreal-New Delhi Air India Kanishka Flight 182 exploded before it was slated to land at Londons Heathrow Airport on June 23, 1985. The blast killed all 329 people on board, most of them Canadians of Indian descent. In a post on X, Jaishankar said, The anniversary is a reminder why terrorism should never be tolerated.

What Happened on June 23, 1985

On June 23, 1985, Air India Flight 182, operating as Kanishka, was blown up by a bomb mid-air while en route from Montreal to London. The explosion claimed the lives of all 329 passengers and crew aboard, making it one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in Canadas history. The tragedy occurred 45 minutes before the aircraft was scheduled to land at Londons Heathrow Airport.

A bomb, concealed in a suitcase checked into cargo during a stopover in Vancouver, exploded above the Atlantic Ocean in Irish airspace. The explosion happened as Air India Flight 182 was cruising at an altitude of 31,000 feet. According to BBC, only 131 bodies were retrieved from the sea.

About an hour before Air India flight 182 was downed, a bomb detonated inside Tokyos Narita airport terminal. The explosive had been placed in a bag and checked onto a Canadian Pacific Airlines flight from Vancouver, destined for Air India Flight 301 bound for Bangkok. The blast occurred during the transfer to the aircraft at Narita, resulting in the deaths of two Japanese baggage handlers. Investigations linked both bombings collectively termed the Kanishka case.

Who Was Responsible?

The bombing was attributed to Sikh extremists seeking retribution for Operation Bluestar, a military operation by the Indian government aimed at flushing out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, in 1984. Members of the Sikh terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa had targeted the flight.

In the aftermath of the bombing, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) launched an extensive investigation, which has been described as one of the longest and most complex domestic terrorism probes in Canadas history. Investigations into the bombing of the Air India Flight 182 remain active and ongoing, the Canadian police said this week, ahead of the deadly bombings 39th-anniversary memorial.

In a statement on Friday, RCMP Assistant Commissioner David Teboul called the bombing the greatest terror-related loss of life involving and affecting Canadians in the countrys history as he offered deepest sympathies, understanding and support to the families of the victims. The Air India investigation is the longest and certainly one of the most complex domestic terrorism investigations that RCMP has undertaken in our history, Teboul said. Our investigative efforts remain active and ongoing, he said. Asserting that the impacts of the bombing have not diminished with time he said that the trauma it caused has impacted generations.

Suspects

Months after the Air India explosion, Talwinder Singh Parmar, leader of the Babbar Khalsa, and Inderjit Singh Reyat, an electrician, were arrested by the RCMP. Parmar, previously sought by India for extradition in the early 1980s, was released due to a lack of evidence. Investigators later concluded Parmar orchestrated the attack, confirmed when he was killed by Indian police in 1992. In 2000, Ripudaman Singh Malik, a prominent Vancouver businessman, and Ajaib Singh Bagri, a British Columbia mill worker, faced charges including mass murder and conspiracy.

However, a lengthy trial concluded in 2005 with their acquittal, citing errors in facts and witness credibility issues. The verdict left victims families devastated. Reyat, meanwhile, stood as the sole convicted individual linked to the aviation terror attack. Initially jailed in the UK in 1991 for his role in the Tokyo bombing, he later pleaded guilty to manslaughter in connection with Flight 182 in 2003, resulting in an additional Canadian prison sentence. His subsequent conviction for perjury during Malik and Bagris trial led to further incarceration.

Memorial

Each year, on the anniversary of the bombing, memorials are held across Canada to honor the memories of those who perished aboard Flight 182. Cities like Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa host ceremonies to remember the victims and offer solace to their families and friends. This year, the Consulate General of India has planned a memorial service to mark the anniversary of the bombing. India stands at the forefront of countering the menace of terrorism and works closely with all nations to tackle this global threat, the Consulate General of India in Vancouver posted on X on Tuesday.

23 June 2024 marks the 39th Anniversary of the cowardly terrorist bombing of Air India flight 182 (Kanishka), in which 329 innocent victims, including 86 children, lost their lives in one of the most heinous terror-related air disasters in the history of civil aviation, it said. The memorial is scheduled on June 23 at the Air India Memorial at Stanley Parks Ceperley Playground area in Vancouver.
China could potentially isolate Taiwan through a maritime quarantine strategy amid the escalating tensions in the maritime boundary separating the two, according to the Washington-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

This approach, highlighted in a report published on June 5, would involve Chinas coast guard and maritime militia imposing restrictions on Taiwans ports, aiming to disrupt vital supplies without declaring outright war. Its seen as a gray zone tactic, falling short of a full blockade.

What Is The Quarantine Strategy?

The strategy seeks to exert pressure on Taiwan while avoiding direct military confrontation with the United States, which supports Taiwans defence. Experts warn that such actions could strain international relations and impact global trade, given Taiwans significant role in semiconductor production and its economic ties with China.

The political and operational goals of a quarantine are not to completely seal Taiwan off from the world but to impose a system of controls over the islands maritime and/or air commerce. In a quarantine, key necessities like food and medicine could continue to flow into Taiwan, enabling China to assert that its law enforcement operation is imposing no hardship, the CSIS report said. It added that a quarantine could target the delivery of specific goods, such as shipments of US weapons to Taiwan A key goal of the quarantine approach is to obtain compliance from international companies and other countries to demonstrate Chinas power over Taiwan, the report added.

The report underlines Beijings ongoing efforts to assert control over Taiwan, which it claims as its own territory despite never having governed it. This move comes amid heightened tensions in the region, with Taiwan maintaining unofficial relations with major Western democracies. Chinas ability to sustain such a quarantine, and the potential economic and political repercussions, remain key concerns. Critics argue that the strategy could push Taiwan towards declaring independence, a move Beijing has threatened to oppose with force.

War games

Beijing views democratic Taiwan as part of its own territory and has refused to renounce using force to unify with the self-ruled island one day. It has stepped up pressure on Taiwan in recent years and held war games around the island last month following the inauguration of its new leader Lai Ching-te. Beijing has branded Lai a dangerous separatist and has not conducted top-level communications with Taiwan since 2016. It continues to maintain a near-daily presence of naval vessels and warplanes around Taiwan.

According to state media outlet Xinhua, China on Friday announced the inclusion of the death penalty for particularly serious cases among judicial guidelines on criminal punishments for diehard supporters of Taiwanese independence. Beijing had released a notice about punishing Taiwan independence diehards for splitting the country and inciting secession. It said the notice specified the death penalty for ringleaders of independence efforts who cause particularly serious harm to the state and the people.

Taiwans Defence

Taiwan hit back swiftly, saying Beijing has no legal jurisdiction at all over Taiwan and that the rules had no binding force on our people. The actions of the Beijing authorities will only provoke confrontation between the peoples across the Taiwan Strait and are not conducive to positive developments in cross-Strait ties, the islands Mainland Affairs Council said in a statement.

Taiwans annual war games this year will be as close as possible to actual combat, no longer just putting on a show to score points but aiming to simulate real fighting given a rapidly rising enemy threat from China, a senior official said. Taiwan starts its five-day Han Kuang exercises on July 22. A senior Taiwan defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to be able to speak more freely, said there was an urgent need to rethink how the drills were conducted.

In recent years, the enemy threat has changed rapidly, the official said. Our defence combat plan must also be continuously revised on a rolling basis, and the urgency of comprehensive combat training is becoming more and more important. Elements that were mostly for show, like rehearsal drills, have been cancelled, while this year there will be nighttime exercises and, unusually, the capital Taipei will be included too, the official said.

(With agency inputs)
A drone attack damaged a merchant ship in the Red Sea near Yemen early Sunday morning, though no injuries were reported, according to a British maritime security agency.

Vessels in and around the Red Sea, which is vital to world trade, have come under repeated attack for months by Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen. The rebels say they are acting in support of Palestinians during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

The attack occurred about 65 nautical miles (120 kilometres) west of the Yemeni port city of Hodeida, said the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), which is run by the Britains Royal Navy.

The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system (UAS), resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call, said a bulletin from the agency.

Authorities are investigating, it added.

Later on Sunday, UKMTO said it received a distress call from a second vessel, this one off Yemens southeastern coast, that had suffered flooding that cannot be contained, without specifying what caused the incident.

This has forced the master and crew to abandon the ship. They have been recovered by an assisting ship, UKMTO said in an incident report, adding that the flooded vessel remains adrift.

On Saturday, United States Central Command, which has carried out retaliatory strikes against Huthi targets over their attacks on shipping, said it had destroyed three nautical drones belonging to the group over the previous 24 hours.

It was determined these systems presented an imminent threat to US, coalition forces, and merchant vessels in the region, Central Command said.

It also said the rebels had launched three anti-ship missiles into the Gulf of Aden, but no injuries or significant damage were reported.
BAKU, Azerbaijan, June 23. Two Orthodox churches, a synagogue and a traffic police post in Makhachkala and Derbent were attacked, the National Anti-Terrorism Committee said, Trend reports.

As the committee reported, after the attack, a priest and police officers were initially killed.

The press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for Dagestan reported that after the shelling of the traffic police post in Makhachkala, the clash with unknown persons continues on Magomedgadzhiev Street.
Israeli troops tied a wounded Palestinian to a military vehicle during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin, the army said Sunday, admitting that soldiers had violated operational procedures.

Footage of the incident, which occurred on Saturday, has gone viral and shows a man strapped horizontally to the bonnet of a military jeep as it passes through a narrow alley.

Medics identified the Palestinian as Mujahid Raed Abbadi, 24, who told AFP he lives in the Jenin refugee camp.

The military said a Palestinian man was wounded during a counterterrorism operation to arrest wanted suspects in the area of Wadi Burqin, between the town of Burqin and Jenin.

During an exchange of fire between troops and militants in Burqins Jabriyat neighbourhood, a Palestinian was wounded and apprehended, the military said in a statement.

The statement referred to him as a suspect, but did not specify any accusations against Abbadi, who medics told AFP was being treated at Jenins Ibn Sina hospital, and not in Israeli custody.

The military said: In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

He was later transferred to the Palestinian Red Crescent for treatment, it said.

The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF (military), the statement said.

The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.

Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on the rights situation in the Palestinian territories, suggested the troops were using Abbadi to shield themselves from gunfire.

#HumanShielding in action, Albanese wrote on social media platform X, sharing footage of the incident.

At the hospital, Abbadi said he was hit and wounded as he stepped out of his uncles house in Jabriyat.

I tried to withdraw and get inside the house, but they started shooting, hitting him in the hand, Abbadi told AFP in his hospital bed.

Stomped my head

He said he fell to the ground in an area behind the military jeep and was hit once more, with a bullet penetrating his leg.

According to Abbadi, rescuers or medics were unable to reach him for more than two hours as he lay on the ground.

I started crawling trying to escape as fighting continued around him, he said, before the Israeli troops noticed him.

When they (the soldiers) arrived they stomped on my head and hit my face, my injured leg and hand, Abbadi recalled.

They were laughing and playing while they hit me.

The soldiers lifted him and threw him on the ground before tying him to the bonnet of the jeep, he said.

Bahaa Abu Hammad, the doctor treating Abbadi at Ibn Sina hospital, told AFP that he has burns on his back from neck to lower back from being tied to the military jeep in the scorching summer heat.

Jenin has long been a stronghold for Palestinian militant groups, and the Israeli army routinely carries out raids in the city and an adjacent refugee camp.

Violence in the West Bank, which had already surged before the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, has only escalated since.

At least 553 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war broke out, according to Palestinian officials.

Attacks by Palestinians have killed at least 14 Israelis in the West Bank over the same period, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures.

The Gaza Strip has been gripped by more than eight months of war since Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

Militants took 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 the army says are dead.

Israels military offensive on Gaza has since killed at least 37,598 people, also mostly civilians, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.
The Israeli military on Sunday admitted its soldiers had violated operational procedures when they tied a wounded Palestinian man to a military vehicle during a raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

It said the Palestinian was wounded during a counterterrorism operation launched in the area of Wadi Burqin to apprehend wanted suspects. During an exchange of fire between troops and militants, one of the suspects was wounded and apprehended, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said in a statement.

Viral Video

Footage of the incident, which occurred on Saturday, has gone viral and shows a Jenin resident strapped horizontally to the bonnet of a military jeep as it passes through a narrow alley. The Palestinian was identified as Mujahid Fayyad from the Jabriyat neighbourhood, located between the town of Burqin and Jenin.

In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle, the statement said. The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF (military), it added.

The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly, the military said, adding that the wounded man was transferred to the Palestinian Red Crescent for treatment. Fayyad is currently being treated at Jenins Ibn Sina hospital. Jenin has long been a stronghold for Palestinian militant groups, and the Israeli army routinely carries out raids in the city and adjacent refugee camp.

Violence in the West Bank

Violence in the West Bank, which had already surged before the Israel-Hamas war broke out on October 7, has only escalated since. At least 553 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli troops or settlers since the Gaza war broke out, according to Palestinian officials. Attacks by Palestinians have killed at least 14 Israelis in the West Bank over the same period.

The Gaza Strip has been gripped by more than eight months of war since Hamass unprecedented October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, according to Israeli official figures. Militants took 251 hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza, including 41 the army says are dead. Israels military offensive on Gaza has since killed at least 37,551 people, according to the Hamas-run territorys health ministry.

(With agency inputs)
Pro Khalistani Canadian lawmaker Jagmeet Singh on Sunday remembered the victims of the Air India Flight 182 Kanishka bombing, in which 329 people lost their lives in 1985 and advocated working towards a more peaceful world. We will not let hate win, Singh wrote in an X post.

39 years ago, 329 lives were lost in the Air India Bombing, and communities were forever changed. I extend my condolences to the families who lost loved ones. Today we remember those who were lost and honour their memory by working together to build a more peaceful world. We will not let hate win, Singh said.

ALSO READ: Remembering Air India Kanishka Bombing 39 Years Later: What Happened On June 23, 1985?

39 years ago, 329 lives were lost in the Air India Bombing, and communities were forever changed.I extend my condolences to the families who lost loved ones. Today we remember those who were lost and honour their memory by working together to build a more peaceful world. We  Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) June 23, 2024

Who Is Jagmeet Singh?

An accomplished lawyer and a human rights activist, Jagmeet Singh is the leader of the NDP party. He had been practising as a criminal defence lawyer in Brampton before entering politics.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh supported Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in the 2021 Canadian Federal Election to form the government. As per the agreement between the Trudeau-led Liberal Party and Singh-led NDP, Trudeaus Liberals pledged support to the left-leaning NDP on various issues.

Air India Kanishka Flight 182 Bombing on June 23, 1985

On June 23, 1985, a bomb exploded on Air India Flight 182, operating as Kanishka while en route from Montreal to London. The blast killed all 329 people on board, most of them Canadians of Indian descent. The tragedy occurred 45 minutes before the aircraft was scheduled to land at Londons Heathrow Airport.

Who Was Responsible For Air India Kanishka Flight 182 Bombing?

The bombing was attributed to Sikh extremists seeking retribution for Operation Bluestar, a military operation by the Indian government aimed at flushing out militants from the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab, in 1984. Members of the Sikh terrorist outfit Babbar Khalsa had targeted the flight.
President Ferdinand Marcos said Sunday the Philippines will not be intimidated by anyone after a violent clash between the Filipino navy and the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea.

The confrontation took place Monday off Second Thomas Shoal as the Chinese sailors foiled an attempt by Philippine forces to resupply marines stationed on a derelict warship that was deliberately grounded atop the disputed shoal in 1999 to assert Manilas territorial claims.

It was the latest and most serious incident in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to nearly all of the strategically located waterway.

We will never be intimidated or oppressed by anyone, Marcos said in a speech during a visit to the headquarters of the Philippines South China Sea forces on Palawan island, the closest major landmass to the shoal.

Marcos awarded medals to 80 sailors who took part in the resupply mission, urging them to continue to fulfil your duty of defending the nation even as he said the situation has become dangerous.

Second Thomas Shoal lies about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from Chinas nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

A Filipino sailor lost a thumb in the clash with Manila also accusing the Chinese coast guard sailors of wielding knives, sticks and an axe and stealing or damaging their equipment, including guns and inflatable boats.

Beijing insisted its coast guard behaved in a professional and restrained way and blamed Manila for the clash.

In previous confrontations Chinese forces have used water cannon and military-grade lasers and collided with Filipino resupply vessels and their escorts.

We have never, never in the history of the Philippines, yielded to any foreign power, Marcos said to applause, while pledging to continue to exercise our freedoms and rights in support of our national interest, in accordance with international law.

Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence.

The confrontation is fuelling growing concern that the dispute could drag in the United States, which has a mutual defence pact with Manila.

The Philippine government said this week that it does not consider Mondays clash as an armed attack that would trigger a provision in the treaty for Washington to come to Manilas aid.

However, Manila says it was also concerned Chinese forces would launch a similar attempt to dislodge a small Filipino military garrison on Second Thomas Shoal.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to skip the upcoming Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Kazakhstan next month, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Modi has decided not to travel to Kazakhstans capital, Astana, for the summit-level talks scheduled on July 3-4. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar instead is set to represent India at the SCO meeting, which will witness the attendance of leaders from China, Russia, and Pakistan.

The Prime Ministers decision not to attend the SCO summit in the central Asian country next month is attributed to the upcoming Parliament session, scheduled from June 24 to July 3. During this session, key events such as the Speakers election and the Presidents address to both Houses are planned.

PM Modis presence is anticipated for the debate on the motion of thanks to the President in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, scheduled between July 2 and 4. Originally formed in 2001 by Russia and China, the SCO is a regional organization focused on security and economic cooperation across Eurasia. Its full members include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, India, and Pakistan, with Iran and Belarus set to join this year.

The meeting hosted by Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is expected to include Russias Vladimir Putin and Chinas Xi Jinping. On Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked about Indias participation in the SCO. In response, he said that the details of the visit were not yet finalised. Last years summit meeting was hosted virtually by PM Modi. The SCO meeting marked Indias first such summit as the host.
The consequences of the destruction of the Shahed-136 kamikaze drone depot in the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation by Ukrainian defenders have been published online. The arrivals on the night of June 21 also damaged the accompanying infrastructure of the enemy facility.

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In addition, instructors and cadets were hit. The satellite footage that recorded this was published by the OSINT analytics channel Oko Gora.

It is noted that they confirm the destruction on the night of June 21 of the places of storage and preparation for the use of Shahed-136 attack UAVs (Russian name "Geranium-2"). The training buildings, control and communication centers of these drones in the Krasnodar Territory of the Russian Federation were destroyed and damaged.

Two days ago, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine confirmed that the operation was conducted by the Defense Forces in cooperation with the Security Service of Ukraine.

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For his part, the author of the satellite footage suggested that a Neptune missile had hit the Russian facility.

"The quality of the picture is terrible, but even so, in addition to the burnt field, you can see the damaged building (probably a barracks) that was hit... Not only the barracks was destroyed, but also the semblance of some kind of warehouse, probably from Shahed-136," he commented.

In addition to the means of destruction, qualified instructors who trained personnel to service UAV launches and cadets who were trained to strike at the territory of Ukraine using these unmanned systems of Iranian origin were neutralized.

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Earlier, OBOZ.UA's sources indicated that the training ground of the 167th Training Center was hit near Yeysk, Krasnodar Territory, Russia: explosions followed by detonation were heard there.

According to other reports, the barracks of the 726th Training Center of the Russian Air Defense Forces (military unit 33859) in the village of Vorontsovka, Yeysk district, was hit by an unidentified missile: at least nine occupants were killed.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, on the night of June 20, the Ukrainian Defense Forces hit a fuel and lubricants w arehouse in the Tambov region of the Russian Federation and the Enemskaya oil depot in the Republic of Adygea. Subsequently, the defenders sent "cotton" to a number of other refineries, radar and electronic warfare installations of the occupiers near Bryansk and in Crimea.

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Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
Suspicious deaths in an idyllic seaside community and detective work that points to poison sound like themes from a classic murder mystery. But the victims in this Maine whodunnit were trees that stood in the way of a wealthy family's oceanfront view of Camden Harbor, allegedly felled by well-heeled killers who, while ostracized and publicly shamed, remain free. To make matters worse, the herbicide used to allegedly poison the trees leached into a neighboring park and the town's only public seaside beach. The state attorney general is now investigating, per the AP.



The players: Amelia Bond, former CEO of the St. Louis Foundation, which oversees charitable funds with more than $500 million in assets, brought the herbicide from Missouri in 2021 and applied it near oak trees on the waterfront property of Lisa Gorman, wife of the late Leon Gorman, LL Bean's president and grandson of LL himself, per a pair of consent agreements with the town and the state pesticide board. Bond's husband, Arthur Bond III, is an architect and the nephew of former US Sen. Kit Bond. Their summer home, owned by a trust, is situated directly behind Gorman's home, farther up the hill.
The reported rape of a 12-year-old Jewish girl in a suspected antisemitic attack has sent shockwaves throughout France and brought concerns about antisemitism to the forefront of campaigning for legislative elections. The anti-immigration National Rally party, which has tried to shed historical links to antisemitism, is leading in pre-election polling and has its first real chance of forming a government, if it comes out on top in the two-round elections that end July 7. It would be the first far-right force to lead a French government since the Nazi occupation, the AP reports.

Far-left figures, meanwhile, have faced accusations of antisemitism linked to their response to Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the ensuing war. Concerns came to the fore after two adolescent boys in a Paris suburb were given preliminary charges this week of rape and religion-motivated violence, according to prosecutors. Jewish leader Elie Korchia told French broadcaster BFM that the girl is Jewish and that the word Palestine was mentioned during the attack. The prosecutor's office did not specify the girl's religion or release her identity, as is standard practice for hate crimes in France. Hundreds of people gathered Thursday evening around the Bastille monument in Paris to protest antisemitism, in the second straight night of demonstrations.

Politicians from all sides were quick to comment on the attack, notably after a surge in antisemitic acts in France since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal wrote on the social media platform X that the girl was "raped because she's Jewish," while President Emmanuel Macron called on schools to hold a "discussion hour" on racism and antisemitism. Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, said that if elected, he would "fight the antisemitism that has been plaguing France since Oct. 7." Leftist leader Jean-Luc Melenchon denounced "antisemitic racism," though the France Unbowed party he formerly led has faced accusations of antisemitism linked to the Israel-Hamas war. Arie Alimi of the League of Human Rights called for a united front against the far right.

(More France stories.)
Police said a fourth victim has died a day after a shooter opened fire at an Arkansas grocery store , sending panicked bystanders scrambling for cover. The person died Saturday evening, Arkansas state police said in a statement, listing 11 civilians and two law enforcement officers shot. The dead were identified as Shirley Taylor, 62; Callie Weems, 23; Roy Sturgis, 50; and Ellen Shrum, 81"all civilians," according to the statement. The wounded range in age from 20 to 65, police said. Four were still hospitalized, including a woman who was in critical condition, the AP reports.

The wounded agents were identified as Fordyce police officer James Johnson, 31, who was released from a hospital Saturday evening, and Stuttgart officer John Hudson, 24, whose injuries were said to be minor. Police identified the suspect as Travis Eugene Posey, 44, of New Edinburg, and said he will be charged with four counts of capital murder. Posey also was wounded, in an exchange of gunfire with police, officials said. He was treated, then taken into custody. Police have not released information about a possible motive.

The shooting took place around 11:30am Friday at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles south of Little Rock. Roderick Rogers, a member of the city council, said he called the sheriff when employees at his restaurant nearby notified him of the shooting. When he arrived, he saw people running for cover in every direction, even one running to the hospital nearby. "People were just jumping into cars to get to safety," Rogers said Friday. Images from reporters on the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the store's window and spent shell casings strewn throughout the parking lot.

(More Arkansas stories.)
A federal judge in Montana has sentenced an 88-year-old man to two years in prison for his role in two Billings bank robberies in August. Steven Whitecloud is to serve the sentence in a Bureau of Prisons medical facility, KXLF reports. US District Judge Susan Watters also ordered Whitecloud to pay $3,092 in restitution and be placed under supervised release for three years after his prison sentence ends. He pleaded guilty to bank robbery in February, the US attorney's office said. Whitecloud also was convicted of bank robbery in 2008.

A codefendant, Patrick Justice, also has been convicted and sentenced to two years in prison. Whitecloud admitted suggesting to Justice that they rob two banks and acting as the getaway driver. Justice went to a teller's window at a US Bank, presented a note demanding money, and fled. He did the same at a Wells Fargo branch four days later, prosecutors said, with the note this time suggesting he was armed. Police arriving at the Wells Fargo saw a vehicle matching a description of the getaway car in the first robbery, per NBC Montana. They arrested Whitecloud and Justice after a pursuit. (More bank robbers stories.)
Fairbanks, AK (99701)

Today

On and off snow showers this evening. Breaks in the overcast later. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%..

Tonight

On and off snow showers this evening. Breaks in the overcast later. Low 24F. Winds light and variable. Chance of snow 30%.
The most realistic date for Ukraine's accession to the European Union is 2030. By that time, negotiations on our country's accession to the bloc should be completed.

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This opinion was expressed by Volodymyr Khandohiy, President of the Ukrainian Foreign Policy Association, on the air of Espresso. He referred to the messages coming from the EU.

"I don't like to set time frames for Ukraine's accession to the EU. However, from the messages coming from the EU, we can conclude that negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the European Union will be completed in 2030. There are statistics on how long it took countries to go through the preparatory period for joining the EU," the diplomat emphasized.

He reminded that Finland, Sweden and Austria are the record holders. At the same time, in some countries, negotiations on EU accession lasted for years. That is why, in his opinion, a more realistic date for Ukraine is 2030, but, Handogiy emphasized, these are only forecasts.

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The diplomat noted that Ukraine has to work hard during the EU accession negotiations.

"I think it would be a big mistake if we set a deadline for the end of negotiations on Ukraine's accession to the EU. We have a lot of work to do. We need to start moving in this direction and take our time," he said.

As reported by OBOZ.UA, Ukraine has set a record by going from applying for membership in the European Union to starting negotiations in just over two years. This is faster than any other candidate country in history, said Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune  www.newsofbahrain.com

Report by P Unnikrishnan

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Tribune, Mr. Basim Mohamed Al Saie, Chairman of Bahrain Flour Mills Company, addressed the recent controversy surrounding the increase in flour prices.

As parliamentarians prepare for a special session to discuss the matter, Mr. Al Saie provided insights into the reasons behind the price adjustments and clarified issues of misinformation.

Misrepresentation and Sensationalism

Mr. Al Saie refuted allegations circulating on social media and some news outlets that the prices of all flour types have increased.

These allegations are untrue and unfortunately misrepresented. They have been made without a clear understanding of the matter, he stated.

Mr. Al Saie emphasized the importance of accurate reporting, urging those who publish news and stories, especially on social media to present all facts comprehensively rather than creating sensationalism.

No Increase for Controlled Markets

Mr. Al Saie highlighted that there has been no price increase for subsidized controlled markets, which include traditional bakeries and food outlets.

The recent price adjustment only affects subsidized uncontrolled markets such as restaurants, hotels, and other commercial food establishments.

These establishments are selling their products at a premium rate, so this price change will have a minimal impact on their costs, he explained.

For instance, the cost of flour in croissants, cakes, and other premium baked goods is less than 5% of the total cost, so the price change will not be significant for this segment of the market.

Operational Challenges and Modernization Efforts

Located near the port in Mina Salman, Bahrain Flour Mills faces logistical challenges due to the ports shallow waters, which restrict large vessels from docking.

Established over 50 years ago, the mill has undergone a few modernization over the years to meet demands. For the current and latest expansion decisions to modernize and expand were made in 2019, but the arrival and installation of new equipment were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mr. Al Saie explained. Despite these challenges, the company ensured a seamless transition without disrupting the market supply.

The capacity expansion was completed in March this year, and this additional capacity will allow the company to meet the market need and growth of the market and demand for flour.

Financial Sustainability and Local Employee Welfare

The modernization efforts, costing around six million dinars, have financial implications, including depreciation costs that affect the companys bottom line. Mr. Al Saie stressed the importance of economic sustainability: The company cannot operate at a loss and put itself in a distressed situation. We have commitments to the government, stakeholders, and the entire country.

He also noted that 83% of the companys workforce are Bahrainis, and the company invests in upskilling and training to groom the next generation of leaders, ensuring good salaries and career development opportunities. Succession planning is a major target and responsibility for us in the board.

Subsidies and Market Dynamics

The government subsidizes a significant portion of the flour prices, which remains unaffected for traditional bakeries. However, for uncontrolled markets which are still subsidized, the price increase aligns with regional standards.

Our prices are still lower than other regional markets, Mr. Al Saie noted. We use Kuwait as a benchmark since it has the lowest subsidized price in the region, and the wheat used in Bahrain and Kuwait is identical, making it a fair comparison.

Preventing Abuse and Ensuring Transparency

Mr. Al Saie addressed issues of misuse where subsidized flour is repackaged and sold at higher prices, or some people who are profiteering by selling subsidized flour products in the black market.

He mentioned that the Ministry of Industry and Commerce has been informed of such abuses.

To prevent this, Bahrain Flour Mills has implemented a new system requiring users to log in and purchase flour online, ensuring better tracking and reducing misuse.

This system is vital for us to know our customers and monitor trends in use and consumption, he added.

Future Investments and New Mill Plans

The company plans to build a new mill, requiring an estimated investment of 50 million dinars.

The new facility will enhance capacity, allowing for better storage and product diversification. The technology will enable the production of various flour types and support local industries, including poultry farms.

Quality and Expertise

Mr. Al Saie dispelled misconceptions about the quality of their wheat: We purchase some of the finest wheat with the highest protein content from Australia.

He emphasized the importance of improving baking processes to maximize product quality especially among traditional bakeries and highlighted ongoing efforts to work with customers, especially traditional bakeries, to enhance their baking techniques.

He assured that the price increase would not significantly impact consumers, as controlled market prices would remain unchanged.

He reiterated the companys commitment to quality, financial sustainability, and the well-being of its employees and customers, while continuing to serve the Kingdoms food security needs.
TSMC (Taiwan semiconductor) has a major multi-year plan to create rectangular substrate (510 millimeters by 515 millimeters) with over triple the usable area of current round wafers. The rectangular shape means there would also be less unused area left over at the edges. this means less waste because of the rectangular shape and lower costs and higher volume by tripling the size.

The idea behind the new approach is to use rectangular panel-like substrates, rather than the conventional round wafers used today, allowing more sets of chips to be placed on each wafer.

The study is still in its early stages, but it represents a significant technical shift by TSMC, which previously viewed the use of rectangular substrates as too challenging. To make the new method work, TSMC and its suppliers would have to devote a significant amount of time and effort to development as well as upgrade or replace numerous production tools and materials.

TSMCs advanced chip stacking and assembly techniques  used to produce AI chips for Nvidia, AMD, Amazon and Google  employ 12-inch silicon wafers, the largest available. The chipmaker is expanding its advanced chip packaging capacity in Taiwan to keep up with runaway demand. The expansion in Taichung is mainly for Nvidia, sources briefed on the matter said, while its Tainan expansion is for Amazon and Amazons chip design partner Alchip.

For AI computing chips like Nvidias H200 and B200, using state-of-the-art chip production alone is not enough. Advanced chip packaging technology called CoWoS, chip-on-wafer-on-substrate pioneered by TSMC, is also necessary. For B200 chipsets, for example, CoWoS makes it possible to combine two Blackwell graphic processing units and connect them with eight high bandwidth memories (HBMs), enabling fast data throughput and accelerated computing performance.

But as chip size grows to accommodate more transistors and to integrate more memory, the current industry standard  12-inch wafers with an area of approximately 70,685 sq. millimeters  may not be efficient enough for packaging cutting-edge chips in a couple of years.

For example, only 16 sets of the B200 can be built on a single wafer, and that is assuming the production yield is 100%, according to chip industry executives. About 29 sets of the earlier H200 and H100 chips can be packaged on one wafer, according to an estimate by Morgan Stanley.

The trend is certain. The size of the package will only grow bigger [as chipmakers] squeeze more computing power out of chips used for AI data center computing, one chip executive told Nikkei Asia. But this is still at an early stage. For example, the coating of photoresists in cutting-edge chip packaging on a new shape of substrate is one of the bottlenecks. It takes the deep pockets of chipmakers like TSMC to push equipment makers to change equipment designs.
On the morning of June 23, the aggressor country Russia launched Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukraine, which led to an air raid alert in almost all regions. The enemy targets were moving from the south towards the north and west.

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The Armed Forces of Ukraine reported the danger. Explosions were heard in the capital region: air defense was activated, two targets were shot down, and there was damage due to falling debris.

The alert spread from the south to the west of Ukraine starting at 04:46. The enemy targets flew across Mykolaiv region in the direction of Kropyvnytskyi region, entering the airspace of Cherkasy, Kyiv and Zhytomyr regions.

The Kyiv Regional Military Administration confirmed the work of air defense in the region. They asked not to film or post the work of our defenders online.

"Explosions are heard in Kyiv, air defense forces are working in the region and in the capital. Stay in shelters!" added Kyiv Mayor Vitaliy Klychko.

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Monitoring channels reported the downing of an air target in the Kyiv region. At the same time, enemy missiles continued to move to Khmelnytskyi region and further west.

The missile attack lasted for about an hour: the air alert was canceled after 05:40. The commander of the Ukrainian Air Force, Mykola Oleshchuk, reported the destruction of two Kalibr missiles over Kyiv region. The enemy launched three cruise missiles from the Sea of Azov.

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Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv Regional Military Administration, said that as of 08:00, two people had sought medical attention for minor injuries during the Russian missile attack.

As a result of the falling debris in one of the settlements, six high-rise buildings and more than 20 private houses were damaged. Windows and balconies were smashed, facades and roofs were cut.

The buildings of gas stations, pharmacies, businesses, an administrative building and three cars were also damaged. Operational services on the ground continued to record and eliminate the consequences of the attack.

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Only verified information is available on OBOZ.UA Telegram channel and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
New military aid packages coming to Ukraine from allies and partners are gradually closing the gap between the capabilities of Ukrainian and Russian forces. However, our country still needs more air defense systems and long-range weapons.

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This was stated by First Deputy Minister of Defense of Ukraine Lieutenant General Ivan Havryliuk. He noted that military assistance from the United States has already significantly enhanced the capabilities of the Armed Forces.

Havryliuk emphasized that the new batches of weapons and equipment will help to reduce the offensive potential of the Russian army faster.

"Despite the powerful pressure of the Russians, the introduction of new reserves, superiority in artillery, equipment, soldiers, and dominance in the sky, the Defense Forces manage to deter the aggressor and inflict significant losses in manpower and equipment. New military assistance packages from the allies are gradually narrowing the gap between the capabilities of Ukrainian and Russian forces," he said.

The lieutenant general also reminded that during the 23rd meeting in the Ramstein format, agreements were reached to provide Ukraine with additional air defense systems and missiles. He emphasized that strengthening Ukraine's air defense is a priority.

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"We are grateful to Germany and Italy, which are already providing us with new systems," he added.

Havryliuk also emphasized that the speed of decision-making in times of war is extremely important, and any delay only increases the cost of war.

In addition, he emphasized the need to destroy enemy aircraft in their places of stationing, launchers, arsenals with bombs, missiles and logistics bases of the Russian army, where they form strike groups, refuel, replenish ammunition.

"To implement such tactics on a wider scale, we need more different long-range weapons. More high-precision and long-range weapons in the arsenal of the Defense Forces will allow us to compensate for Russia's numerical superiority in artillery, armored vehicles, and manpower," Havryliuk summarized.

Earlier, it was noted that the United States allowed the Ukrainian Armed Forces to use American weapons up to 100 kilometers deep into Russian territory. This means that the main airfields from which guided bombs are launched against Ukraine cannot be hit.

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It has also become known that the occupying forces have suspended their military operations in the Kharkiv region. In addition, the Russians are forced to withdraw their units for manning due to heavy losses in personnel.

Recently, the United States has authorized the Ukrainian Armed Forces to strike with American weapons at all targets dangerous to Ukraine "anywhere" in Russia. Now we are talking not only about enemy forces on the border of Kharkiv region.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!
A Jersey Shore amusement pier was briefly evacuated Saturday evening due to a police investigation reportedly related to a person with a gun.

Surfside Pier in North Wildwood, part of the Moreys Piers and Amusement Parks chain, was shut down temporarily but reopened, according to local police.

North Wildwood police did not return a request for comment Sunday, but 6ABC Philadelphia reported the evacuation was due to a man brandishing a gun before being taken into custody.

It was unclear if the man was charged with any crimes. No one was injured, police told the television station.

Photos shared online show police officers walking around the pier during the investigation.

The issue was resolved, and Surfside Pier was quickly reopened with the full support of the police, Moreys Piers said in a statement. Our guests continued to enjoy the pier the rest of the evening.

Will Morey, the Cape May County commissioner who owns the amusement park franchise, told NJ Advance Media the park was shut down for 45 minutes to an hour as a precaution by police. Officers were investigating an area of the beach nearby.

About 750 people were inside the park at the time, Morey said.

The pier is maybe best known for being home to The Great NorEaster Roller Coaster. A beachfront water park is also at the piers end.

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Eric Conklin may be reached at econklin@njadvancemedia.com.
The National Weather Services excessive heat warning continues through 8 p.m. Sunday for most of New Jersey, plus the threat for severe thunderstorms remains for the majority of the state.

Meteorologists say dangerously hot conditions will continue, with daytime heat index values up to 110 degrees for portions of central, northern and southern New Jersey, as well as southeast Pennsylvania and portions of Delaware. The excessive heat warning additionally was expanded to include Hunterdon County.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly said there is a threat of severe weather Sunday for much of the state, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware and eastern Maryland. The severe thunderstorm risk additionally has increased with a Slight (Level 2) Risk. The threat for thunderstorms is the greatest between 2 p.m. to 11 p.m., forecasters say.

Meteorologists said damaging winds could cause tree damage and downed power lines. A few brief tornadoes cannot be ruled out either, especially along and west of the Interstate 95 corridor. Heavy rain could result in localized flash flooding, making travel difficult. Some roads may become impassable, especially in low-lying and poor drainage areas, the weather service says.

Sunday will be partly sunny with a highs in the mid-90s, though highs are expected to climb to 98 in Southwestern New Jersey, according to the weather service.

Meteorologists say dangerously hot conditions will continue Sunday, June 23, 2024 with daytime heat index values up to 110 degrees for portions of central, northern and southern New Jersey, as well as southeast Pennsylvania and portions of Delaware. The excessive heat warning additionally was expanded to include Hunterdon County. National Weather Service

Residents are encouraged to drink plenty fluids; stay in air-conditioned rooms; and stay out of the sun, as well as check up on relatives and neighbors, the service said.

Young children and pets should not be left unattended vehicles as car interiors can reach lethal temperatures in a matter of minutes, forecasters say.

The chance of precipitation is 60% with new rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms, according to the weather service.

There will be a break from the very high temperatures Monday, with a high near 82 temperature of degrees.

Tuesday is expected to be warmer, with meteorologists predicting a high temperature near 89 degrees for most of the state, before falling to a low temp around 69 degrees by evening.

The next chance for rain is expected Wednesday. Theres a chance of showers and thunderstorms mainly after 2 p.m. with the chance of precipitation at 30%, according to the weather service. The high temperature is forecast near 95 degrees for most of the state.

Current radar:

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Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com.
I write this column on the last full day of spring, on the third day of an extreme heat wave. Each day, I got several texts alerting me to Extreme Heat. The Star-Ledgers front-page headline, How extreme heat can affect your commuter train, explained how Amtrak had overhead wire problems, which set off a chain reaction delaying other transit systems. And a major work widely documented how changing climates affect our brains.

But, sadly, the climate deniers are out in full force. Florida Gov. and failed GOP presidential primary candidate Ron DeSantis downplayed the connection between extreme floods in southern Florida and climate change, saying, We dont want our energy policy driven by climate ecology.
By Declan OScanlon

The budget that well pass next week in the state Legislature wont be made available in time for anyone to assess whats really in it, or even reveal how some spending items got there. But it will unquestionably demonstrate one critical thing: The Murphy Administration will go down as a historically tragic missed opportunity. All may seem well in the coal mine, but the poor canaries futures arent looking good.

Lets take a look at where the budget stands today, under a governor who fiddles as the fiscal house smolders.

Gov. Murphy says were in great shape. He puffs up anemic rating agency upgrades from corporations, which are as credible now as they were back in 2008  when they gave mortgage-backed securities great ratings just before mortgages started wildly defaulting. On average, they increased our state rating one notch higher than it was when the governor assumed office, and it remains the second-lowest rating in the country -- the same ranking as the day he showed up.

The ratings, and the governors chest-pounding, are delusional. Both assume taxpayers pockets are inexhaustible and dont realistically address the peril ahead.

The terrifying fact is that we have a $4 billion structural deficit, despite being flush with cash  thats spending $4 billion more what we can expect in tax revenue, even when the economy is strong.

Heres the breakdown: A $2 billion surplus is being spent on a one-time basis, and another $1 billion is available for the budget on a one-time basis from a massive tax increase dedicated to other purposes in the future. Also, $600 million currently dedicated to debt reduction is propping up general budget spending on a one-time basis. And finally, theres another $400 million in assorted one-shot revenues.

Voila! Thats $4 billion of spending from disappearing revenue.

This is before restoring essential spending that the Governor pretended to cut, such as services for the developmentally disabled, those with physical handicaps, people with mental health challenges, sexual assault victims, the elderly, etc.

And we can anticipate a toxic appendage of unexplained and unjustified pork that the Democrat Legislature demands every year.

Extrapolating that $4 billion structural deficit against our quickly depleting surplus -- going from $8 billion to $6 billion just this year  and this budget is charged with foreboding. It is a house of cards built on an active fault line.

Size doesnt matter. Well, at least not when it comes to state budget surplus in the face of gross imbalances. Sure, you want a surplus substantial enough that it can help sustain services should there be a sudden economic downturn. But other factors are as much, if not more, important than a states surplus.

A $5 billion surplus with a structurally sound budget is much more preferable than a $10 billion surplus and a $5 billion burn rate. The former can go on forever. The latter will quickly cause inordinate pain to those dependent on state services and the taxpayers who fund those services. This is the situation the Murphy administration will leave us in.

It didnt have to be this way.

We could have used the last six years  and all the economic breathing room we had from the billions of dollars in federal pandemic aid, plus billions more in unnecessarily borrowed money -- to restructure our budget and enact reasonable reforms that could have slashed billions off that structural deficit.

It was a unique opportunity that we will never see again, but Trenton squandered it. Trenton could have worked with public workers to enact pension and health benefits reforms that would help restore COLAs faster for modest pensioners and saved money for both workers and taxpayers.

We also had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reform our school funding formula -- still giving more money to school districts that needed it, reducing cuts to those facing them, and lopping off at least $1 billion from our structural deficit. But the Governor added $3.5 billion to what was already collectively the most expensive school system in the country.

By fully funding the flawed and unsustainable 15-year-old formula -- rather than reform it  Gov. Murphy blew a historic opportunity to right our fiscal ship. It is a tragedy of titanic proportions.

Republicans have, and will, continue to relentlessly fight for sound fiscal policies  we invite you to read our detailed solutions online. The governor and Democratic-led Legislature have dug the hole much deeper during this administration, but Republicans wont give up the fight to restore New Jerseys economic health.

Sen. Declan OScanlon represents the 13th legislative district in Monmouth County.

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For those who know George Norcross, his decision to sit in the front row during the press conference announcing his indictment was vintage stuff. Hes a bully, suffering from acute testosterone poisoning, and he was determined to stare down Attorney General Matt Platkin, man to man.

I want Matt Platkin to come down here and try this case himself! Norcross boomed afterward. Because hes a coward because he has forced people in this building to implement his will.

You can almost see the spittle forming at the corners of his mouth. Platkins indictment quotes Norcross cursing and threatening anyone who dares oppose him in the race to cash in on the huge tax breaks for Camdens redevelopment, the heart of this indictment.

This is a guy who has never pretended to play fair. A secret recording released in 2005 captured Norcross threatening to castrate a political enemy, to steer government contracts to donors, and to arrange no-show jobs for obedient allies.

Hes an easy man to dislike, even if you havent had the honor to be on the receiving end of his obscene rants, as I have, several times.

And yet, Im not celebrating the moment. Im worrying. About three things.

For one, its not clear that Platkin will win this case. Federal prosecutors in Newark and Philadelphia have put wiretaps on Norcross several times, as early as 2016 and as recently as 2019, looking into these same tax breaks. According to Platkins indictment, Norcross was committing felonies throughout that period.

So why didnt the feds indict Norcross & Co.? They have much deeper experience prosecuting corruption, as Sen. Robert Menendez can tell you. They have the FBI doing the legwork. And according to every lawyer on the planet, federal prosecutors are a more skilled group than state prosecutors. Platkin himself has almost no experience in this line of work.

Plus, this one is not simple. There are no bars of gold and bundles of cash, no Mercedes parked in the garage. Its a sprawling case that spans years, covers several different real estate deals, and as one former prosecutor put it, there is no connective narrative and no single witness to act as the jurys tour guide through the 111 pages of evidence.

That means Norcross team of defense lawyers, the best money can buy, will have plenty of targets in their search for weak spots that might sow reasonable doubt. There is bullying, no doubt. But did he cross the line into criminal conspiracy?

Whats being alleged here, its a wild story, a fanciful story woven together, a concocted criminal enterprise, said Kevin Marino, one of the Norcross defense attorneys. I dont see a single allegation here that rises to the level of criminal activity.

And failed prosecutions are not just a waste of time and money; they are profoundly unfair to the accused, who hemorrhage money and time, despite their innocence, and often see their careers derailed.

You dont have to like Norcross to believe that prosecutors should fire only when theyre pretty damn sure they can hit their targets. In this case, Im hearing lots of whispered doubts about that, even from those who dont like the guy.

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Second, I worry about the impact on Camden. Because Norcross may play a filthy game of politics, but he gets the job done, and he gives a damn about Camden. He led the effort to reform the citys schools, bringing in the countrys best charter school systems, and helping the district make substantial progress on test scores and graduation rates, while cutting the suspension rate in half. He engineered a takeover of the citys notoriously ineffective police department by Camden County in 2012, leading to reductions in murders, rapes, and every type of crime. The crime rate is now lower than its been in 50 years.

Granted, Camden still struggles on every front. But without Norcross strong hand, will progress continue?

Finally, this indictment wounds the gubernatorial campaign of Steve Sweeney, a childhood friend and close ally of Norcross. Sweeney was the most effective legislator of our era, hands down. Hes a centrist who led the effort to reform pension and health benefits for public workers in 2011, a courageous move that saved taxpayers billions of dollars. But he championed a long menu of liberal reforms as well, pioneering the offshore wind effort, and teaming up with progressives like former Sen. Loretta Weinberg regularly.

We had our brawls, Weinberg told me last year. But look, Steve Sweeney combined the best of things when he was Senate president. He was a pragmatist, and without him I could never have gotten through the legislation Im most proud of in my career. Im talking about non-disclosure agreements, pay equity, womens reproductive rights, marriage equality  all of those things were done when he was Senate president. People use to make fun of us as the odd couple, but he was a great partner and a great advocate. And when we disagreed, it never became personal.

Democrats have an impressive crew of potential candidates next year, but Sweeney knows Trenton better than any of them, both the policy and politics. But his ties to Norcross have always dogged him outside of South Jersey, and that will be much worse now. Google pictures of Norcross, and the changes are good youll see Sweeney standing next to him. Thats not going to play well with progressive voters in a Democratic primary.

So, sure, if you hate Norcross, enjoy the moment. Who doesnt like to see a bully get knocked down?

But Im not celebrating. Im worrying.

More: Tom Moran columns

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or (973) 986-6951. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

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NEW YORK  It goes without saying the Yankees will be looking for offense while Giancarlo Stanton nurses his hamstring back to health. Question is: where will the run production come from?

Stanton, after all, was on track for a 40-home run, 100-RBI season before suffering yet another leg injury on Saturday. He was placed on the 10-day IL on Sunday morning.

General manager Brian Cashman decided to roll the dice on former-Met J.D. Davis, who was acquired from the As moments before the start of the Yankees-Braves series finale at the Stadium.

Davis played with the Mets from 2019-2022, but had been designated for assignment by both the Giants in spring training and the As last week.

Davis was batting .236 for Oakland and is a career .259 hitter. He can play either one of the corner infield positions, but will also be an option at DH during Stantons absence.

To complete the trade, the Yankees sent infielder Jordan Groshans to the As.

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Bob Klapisch may be reached at bklapisch@njadvancemedia.com.
It can cost up to $215,000, require up to two years of recovery and have serious side effects. Still, there are men whose height anxiety leads them to cosmetic surgery geared towards becoming taller.

Im just so sick of people telling me, Youre too short to play the lead. Those words came from the mouth of actor and comedian Rich Rotella, and were published in an interview with People magazine. In the United States, he became well-known for being, at 38 years old, the first public figure to undergo one of the most controversial, under-the-radar and questionable operations in modern medicine: so-called cosmetic height surgery via bone elongation. Rotella is now working on a documentary that will be released in coming months on his experience with a leg-lengthening operation that promised he would grow by 3.25 inches.

In interviews with various media sources, Rotella explains that this was born out of a simple, long-held desire. I think anyone who is 58 or taller might have a hard time understanding why someone would voluntarily break their legs to become taller, he says. In 2020, Rotella began looking for a permanent solution after using lifts in his shoes for decades. He came across the YouTube channel Cyborg4life, on which a man named Victor Egonu explains his experience with the procedure. Some of his videos have been seen 150,000 times. Rotella decided to send Egonu a message in hopes of collaborating with him on a documentary about the experience. That project is currently underway.

Rotella put his trust for the operation in Dr. Dror Paley, of the Orthopaedic & Spine Institute in West Palm Beach, Florida, whose track record of carrying out more than 25,000 such operations inspired trust in the comedian. Rotellas operation cost $107,000 and may increase his height from 55 to 58 by the end of the process. Along the way, he spent more than a year in recovery and had to break both his legs.

Dozens of patients, largely men between 20 and 45 years old who stand between 49 and 57, write to Doctor Javier Downey every day out of desperation. They want to be taller. Downey is a specialist in orthopedic surgery and traumatology at his Downey Institute in Sevilla, Spain. His most popular procedure is that of height increases. Discover how to become 6.3 inches taller, reads an English language translation of his website.

On the site, one can also read comments from men who dont care that they have to break their leg bones to achieve their dream of increasing their height by a few inches. I would like to undergo this surgery because I am not satisfied being 49, it affects my emotions. Everyone laughs at me. The doctor explains to EL PAIS that their motivation is clear: Short men suffer from low self-esteem. A man always wants to be taller than his partner, he says, although this attitude may be changing. Downey decided to open his clinic in Spain in 2019 after studying in the United States and seeing the success that the procedure was having there. I decided to bet on health tourism, which is on the rise. Many people come from abroad to be treated here, and cosmetic height surgery wasnt going to be an exception, he says.

How tall do you want to be?

The surgerys not new: operations to increase height have been carried out for decades, but always in the case of people who suffered from illnesses like achondroplasia, poliomyelitis, or who had been injured in accidents. What is relatively new is the desire to undergo one of the most difficult surgeries with the longest-lasting recovery period without suffering from one of these indicating health conditions, but simply a desire to look differently, an urge akin to wanting a hair, breast or penis implant.

Treatment begins with a question: how tall do you want to be? Once thats settled, the patient has to submit to a psychological evaluation. There are moments in which the surgery can be very stressful, and before undergoing it, they have to know what they are going to run into and have good psychological support, says Downey.

Every centimeter lengthens the recovery process by a month. During the recovery process, the patient cant walk or put weight on their feet. Complete rest, says the doctor. The price of the surgery goes from $53,700 to $215,000, depending on the increase in height. For example, if a person wants to grow six inches, theyll have to undergo two procedures during an average time period of two years and pay $215,000 at the Downey Institute. Its a surgery that is in reach of very few people, recognizes the specialist. Many people ask about the operation, but hardly anyone has the resources to pay for it. Over the last year, the doctor has carried out four of these operations.

The main part of the surgery consists of breaking the bones in the legs. An electromagnetic lengthening pin is inserted into the femur. The bones are hollow tubes, so you have to go through the bone. The bone is then cut, the nail is inserted, and it is fixed near the knee and hip with two screws. Once the nail is fixed, after a week, the lengthening process begins with a machine that emits electromagnetic waves that cause the screw to unscrew and increase its length, says the doctor. Once the desired length is reached, the bone begins to heal.

Orthopedic surgery and traumatology specialist and member of the European Board of Orthopedic Surgery Juan Arnal explains: Its quite uncommon to carry this out in both legs. Usually it is performed to correct lower limb dysmetry, which means that the patient has one leg longer than the other when their hips are at the same level.

Still, in the United States, the procedure has become part of the turbulent world of cosmetic surgery, and the fever to gain a few extra inches is starting to spread internationally. Arnal has seen more and more patients at his hospital in Madrid ask about the surgery. Its on the rise, there are more and more people without any kind of pathology who are interested in undergoing this operation simply to increase their height, he says.

The procedure is still in its early days of international acceptance, however. If a person is short, first its important to find out if they have some kind of hormone deficit or if they can be treated in a less aggressive manner, Arnal says. Its a very aggressive process, the patient loses a lot of blood. You run a lot of risks in terms of the bones, and the fractures can heal incorrectly, which can cause serious problems, he continues.

For anesthesiologist physician David Callejo, the surgery, if not todays motivations to attempt it, is old news. The lengthening of bones has been performed for a long time, but now people are attempting it for cosmetic reasons. The procedure has become simpler with the magnetic pins, and beauty standards are putting more pressure on men and their height.

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In 2021, the Nicaraguan government of President Daniel Ortega and his wife  Vice President Rosario Murillo  opened the doors of the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport to the massive arrival of charter flights. These planes have been transporting new arrivals into Managua, the capital.

The first individuals came from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Curacao and Haiti. Today, however, there are passengers from countries such as Suriname, Libya, Morocco, Uzbekistan, India and Tajikistan.

For these migrants, Nicaragua is the first stop on their journey to the United States. This arrival point allows them to avoid passing through the dangerous Darien Gap.

According to a calculation by The Inter-American Dialogue  a DC-based think tank  more than 1,000 flights carrying migrants landed in Managua between May 2023 and May 2024.

The majority of the users of this migratory springboard  enabled by the Ortega-Murillo regime  are Cuban and Haitian, or they hail from African and Asian countries. Through an investigation into taxes and unofficial charges, EL PAIS has discovered that Nicaraguas ruling Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) has found a lucrative business in the transportation of migrants. However, the United States government has begun to see this flow as a threat to its national security. In November 2023, the State Department launched a new visa restriction policy against owners, executives, and/or senior officials of companies providing charter flights into Nicaragua designed for use primarily by irregular migrants to the United States.

Washingtons policy was expanded in February 2024, due to the growing trend [of] charter flight companies [that] have been offering flights and charging extortion-level prices. If the restrictions previously only applied to air transportation, from that month onwards, the Biden administration also applied them to sea and land transportation. And, on June 13, the State Department announced that it was imposing visa restrictions on an executive of a charter flight company, without detailing the name of the sanctioned person, nor the company in question.

During the first two weeks of June, U.S. authorities captured eight suspected terrorists from Tajikistan in New York City, Philadelphia and Los Angeles. Sources from the security agencies  cited by NBC News  claim that the detainees have possible links with the terrorist organization Islamic State (ISIS). But the most striking thing about the case is that the alleged suspects entered North American territory through the southern border during the year 2023.

Daniel Ortega in Caracas, Venezuela, on April 24. Leonardo Fernandez Viloria (REUTERS)

Human-trafficking?

The Ortega regime has ignored warnings from Washington and continues to engage in human-trafficking. Manuel Orozco  a migration expert and analyst at The Inter-American Dialogue  tells EL PAIS that he has managed to track 1,150 charter and pseudo-commercial flights landing in Managua between May 2023 and May 2024. He estimates that an average of 200 passengers per flight entered through Augusto C. Sandino International Airport: that is, around 200,000 people in that 12-month period.

For example, in less than a month  between May and June 2024  three charter flights carrying migrants arrived in Managua from Tripoli. The planes  Boeing 777-200s  were operated by the airline Ghadames Air Transport. This company doesnt offer direct flights to the Nicaraguan capital, meaning that these flights were private. Furthermore, their arrival at the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport was never recorded by the National and International Airport Management Company (EAAI).

Previously, in December 2023, a plane from Dubai  with Managua listed as the final destination  was detained at the Chalons-Vatry Airport, in France. There were 276 passengers of Indian nationality on board, of the total of 303 passengers who planned to land in Managua. The charter was detained by the French authorities, following a complaint about alleged human-trafficking. Twenty-five of the passengers subsequently requested political asylum in France, but two were detained because thousands of dollars in cash and passports belonging to other migrants were found on them. The French authorities version of events is that Indian citizens hired smugglers to reach the United States, using Nicaragua as a shortcut.

Apart from Cubans, Haitians and individuals from African nations, in recent months, hundreds of migrants of other nationalities have been seen leaving Managua bound for the southern border of the United States, crossing through Central America. According to data from the National Migration Institute of Honduras (INMH), in 2023 alone, at least 373 citizens of Tajikistan entered Honduran territory through the Nicaraguan border. Between January and May 2024, another 73 Tajiks entered Honduras through the same route. Before 2022, Honduras never registered the entry of any citizens of this nationality.

Haitians wait to board a charter flight to Managua, from Port-au-Prince international airport, in October 2023. Odelyn Joseph (AP)

Orozco explains that another way to visualize or measure the irregular migratory flow is by observing the difference between the numbers of passengers who arrive in Managua and subsequently leave. The difference is negative, he notes. In 2023, 890,000 passengers landed in Nicaragua. [This includes] 650,000 foreign tourists who landed by air. In the same year, 570,000 passengers left. The average stay of an international tourist [in Nicaragua] is seven days. Therefore, theres a deficit of at least 80,000 people who dont return [to their home country] by air.

The migration experts also notes that more than 890,000 people landed in Nicaragua that same year a country where emigration is at its highest level.

Political analysts (consulted by EL PAIS on the condition of anonymity) agree that the Ortega-Murillo regime is likely part of an international human-trafficking network. Others  such as Arturo McFields, the former Nicaraguan ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS)  argued in an opinion article that Daniel Ortega should be listed as being part of an international network of human traffickers.

The Nicaraguan dictatorship not only doesnt stamp the passports [of the migrants]... it doesnt even provide receipts [for the charges], only accepting cash from irregular migrants. The advertising on social media in Africa and Haiti to travel to the United States via Nicaragua is widespread. This makes us suspect that Ortega isnt acting alone, McFields denounced.

Provoking the United States

For his part, Orozco states that one of the objectives of the Ortega-Murillo regime is to provoke the United States by increasing the burden on U.S. authorities, as an influx of migrants arrive at the southern border. This is a difficult issue for the Biden administration in an election year.

Ortega said that they were going to send migrants to the United States. So, the motivation is fundamentally political and ideological, due to the hatred that Ortega has for the U.S. Now, the implications are substantial. One of them is the threat to the security of the United States  national security  since the control that Nicaragua has over who is arriving from those [countries] is minimal they can arrive [in Managua] with false passports, or they can be terrorists, Orozco explains.

The researcher from The Inter-American Dialogue adds that the U.S. authorities are studying the various options they have before they proceed. One involves taking action that goes beyond the levying of sanctions. What the U.S. government is trying to determine at this moment is the level of complicity that Nicaragua has in the entire process of [the human-trafficking] business. And, if they detect that Nicaragua isnt only facilitating charter flights, but also that theres a national network intended to transfer these people to third countries, then youre really confirming not only [the co-optation] of a state, but rather a criminal state thats very efficient, Orozco argues.

When irregular migrants enter the Augusto C. Sandino International Airport, officials charge them each an amount of between $150 and $200 (in cash) to allow them entry. However, theres no paperwork processed for the collection of the fee. Everything is done without leaving behind a record of the payments, according to testimonies collected by EL PAIS.

Upon leaving the airport, irregular migrants depart for Honduras. A report by the media outlet Divergentes revealed that dozens of taxi drivers gather daily outside the airport terminal, offering to take the new arrivals to Honduras. $50 and (Ill) take you to Honduras, the transporters say, in broken English. The taxi drivers assure EL PAIS that they operate with the permission of the airport authorities, to whom they pay a fee to operate at the site.

In 2023, the Ortega-Murillo regime collected over 1.6 billion cordobas (equivalent to around $43.5 million) by collecting fines from migrants heading to the United States. The de facto fee is hidden under the category of other service fees. These fees represented 64.3% of the income of Nicaraguas General Directorate of Migration and Immigration (DGME) in 2023, according to a report published in April 2024.

The independent Nicaraguan media outlet El Confidencial notes that the DGME has reported a sustained increase in the collections of other service fees. No details are offered regarding the origins of these funds.

This increase has also coincided with the passage of thousands of migrants to the United States, as well as the opening of Nicaragua to citizens of Cuba, Haiti and various African nations, who use the country as a springboard to reach U.S. territory. The 2023 amount represents a record in the collection of these fines. Its also the first time that the [amount] of one billion cordobas ($27 million) was exceeded. In 2022 and 2021, [Nicaraguan authorities] pocketed 966 million and 608 million cordobas, respectively, the outlet reports.

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Manuela, who is now 31 years old, was in a long-distance relationship with a man named Alejandro for four years. During that time, they were able to keep the passion and desire alive between their homes in Barcelona and Bogota thanks to long and intense sessions of what we call sexting. For those who, in 2024, are still unaware of this fine art, it consists of producing and sending content, primarily messages, photographs and videos, of a sexual or erotic nature, completely voluntarily and privately to another person, using a smartphone or other technological device, explains Laura Cuesta, professor of digital strategy and social media at Madrids Camilo Jose Cela University. But its possible for sexting to be much more than that. A good sexting session, says those who practice it, should never be free of quality narrative. Using a little imagination and pushing yourself to describe desires and fantasies to the other person makes the difference between the pure and simple exchange of images and sexting understood in a broader sense, says Manuela.

These sessions between her and Alejandro, who, like the other sexters consulted for this article, declined to give their real names, always began with the same ask: What are you wearing? That was the starting point for very explicit photos, videos and paragraphs of text on what they imagined doing to the other when they were together again, a way to pass the time until everything they were conjuring could become reality. The conversations usually kept Alejandro awake on the other side of the world, and distracted Manuela during her university classes. I remember there was a time when I couldnt go a day without having virtual sex with him. I was so turned on by the fact that I had the power to make him horny from a distance with just a photo, she says. First Id kiss you on the neck, and from there, Id start to go down your back with my tongue, sighs one of the messages that they exchanged.

Jimena, who is 29 years old, says she is a sexting fanatic. She has no boundaries when it comes to sex. The only rule is that both parties must feel comfortable. There has to be a lot of trust and intimacy. I always try to hide my face and tattoos in the photos I send. Also, I make sure my partner also sends me intimate photos. Manuela agrees, and adds, I love to do it as foreplay. It revs up your desire and when it finally comes time to meet up, it makes it more exciting, she says. The two women often pair their sexting sessions with their partners with sex toys to reach climax.

Educator Monica Ojeda Perez has carried out a Spanish language study of the phenomenon whose title, translated to English, is On sexting, the exchange of sexual content through the internet during adolescence, that concludes that sexting has positive consequences for long-distance relationships and help to strengthen passion. But, as anything else, it depends on how you use it. Its important to be conscious of how easy it is to share such content. The possibility of it being seen by other people is what sets off alarm bells when it comes to these practices, which are considered risky.

Alicia, who is 28 years old, says that for her, sexting is a game that has to have three ingredients: trust, motivation and desire. A lot of desire. Its getting easier and easier to sext with someone because there are less and less taboos. Also, there are a ton of applications now that allow you to do it safely. For me, the matter of security is an issue, she says. Ana uses tools like Telegram and Facebook Messenger, which have an option to send messages that self-destruct five seconds after being red and images that can only be seen once. Recently, social media platforms like WhatsApp have incorporated a function to share ephemeral photos and videos that are erased from the other telephone when the receiving party sees them. That partially eliminates the risk of sharing from the app, though it does not preclude the other person from taking screenshots.

Spain is one of the countries in which sexting is most popular, according to a study carried out by Pantallas Amigas (an internet safety organization whose name means Friendly Screens in English). Though the practice does not differ between sexes, it seems that men are much more active than women when it comes to sending photos, at a ratio of four to one, states the report. The reason, experts explain, is that there is a sexual double standard. This means that the same sexting behavior is judged much more harshly when it is practiced by women as compared to men.

Twenty-nine-year-old Daniel says that for him, sex is freedom and it has no limits. I dont mind sending anything. Im proud to do it. Although, I always try to not be invasive. During his six-year relationship with Maura, he says that his favorite thing was when he was at work and she sent him an intimate photo. That mental aspect of sex and stimulation was really good for our sex life, he says. Alex says the same thing. The 28-year-old thinks sexting is essential in relationships, more so if they are long-distance. You get to know yourself better on a sexual level, you create more confidence, desire, new stimulation and many times, you dare to say or ask for things that would embarrass you in person. None of the men interviewed for this article considered it important to hide their faces in the photos they sent.

For psychologist and director of Bandaria Psicologia, Aida Lopez Gomez, sexting can be a very interesting practice within a relationship if both people feel comfortable doing it. It can positively influence the libido and help them to enjoy communication about sexual and affective needs, she says. Erotically charged messages can act as stress relief, they help to build up confidence between the couple and the link serves as part of the preliminaries for sexual contact. It favors disinhibition. Nonetheless, the expert warns that sexting has its drawbacks and can lead to risky situations. According to an analysis published at the end of February by the magazine JAMA Pediatrics, a considerable number of young people under the age of 18 participate or have participated in sexting practices at some point; specifically, one in every seven (15%) have sent sensitive material and one in every four (27%) have received such content.

Revenge porn: from Olvido Hormigos to the Iveco case

When material that is shared while sexting is resent or shared without the victims consent in an intent to damage their reputation, its called revenge porn. Unlike countries such as Spain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Sinapore, and the United Kingdom, the United States has yet to pass federal laws against such violations, though many states have done so.

Spanish lawyer Marisa Herrero-Tejedor Albert, who is a partner at AVERUM Abogados, says that in Spain, the case that marked the turning point in such legislation was that of television personality Olvido Hormigos, whose former partner shared one of her intimate videos. Hormigos reported him, but the case was delayed until the following year because the law at the time said that the recording had to have been obtained illicitly and she had sent it to him willingly. Still, this created a before and after. In 2015, the penal code was changed due to this case, and expanded to include unauthorized sharing of intimate images, even when they were initially obtained with the consent of the affected person, says the lawyer. The 2019 case of vehicle manufacturer Iveco, in which Veronica, a 32-year-old woman and mother of two children, committed suicide after her intimate video was shared with more than 200 of her coworkers at the firm, moved the Spanish public. At that time, there was a general outcry for harsher punishments because, as activists explained, the impact of such violations can be quite serious. Although its hard to believe, the case was filed and Iveco didnt even conduct an internal investigation. With its human resources department refusing to comment publicly or apply its sexual abuse protocol to the situation, the company abandoned the victim and looked the other way when it came to a crime involving 200 of its employees. Every one of them had shared the intimate images of the dead woman without her consent.

When Manuela and Alejandro broke up, she asked him to delete everything he had received from her on his smartphone. I know he didnt do it, and sometimes it scares me what could happen if his phone gets stolen and they do something with my photos. I trust him, but you never know, she says.

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The U.S. Senate has overwhelmingly endorsed a proposal, championed by U.S. Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., that opens the door to a potential new energy source that produces no greenhouse gases or radioactive waste.

The Fusion Energy Act, co-sponsored by Young, codifies the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) regulatory authority over commercial fusion energy systems to streamline the creation of clear federal regulations that support the development of commercial production facilities.

Fusion energy has the potential to produce abundant clean electricity without harmful byproducts by mimicking the way the Sun generates energy.

Though there currently are no fusion reactors consistently generating power that exceeds the reactors' energy inputs.

Nevertheless, Young is optimistic a tailored NRC regulatory framework geared toward supporting the growth of the emerging commercial fusion energy sector will help spur innovative developments in fusion energy generation.

"I am pleased the Senate passed this important bill to help advance fusion energy, which has the potential to usher in a new era of energy production in America," Young said.

"By establishing a clear regulatory framework, our legislation would improve the research and development of fusion capabilities, enabling commercialization and reaffirming American leadership in innovation and technology."

The legislation also requires the NRC to study and report to Congress within one year options for licensing commercial fusion machines, including streamlining considerations.

It was approved 88-2 in the Senate as part of the Fire Grants and Safety Act, after previously passing the House, 393-13.

Every Indiana lawmaker, including Northwest Indiana U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, supported the measure, except for the three who missed the vote: U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, the Republican nominee for Indiana governor; U.S. Rep. Jim Banks, the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate; and U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, D-Indianapolis.

Democratic President Joe Biden soon is expected to sign the proposal into law.

Gallery: Get to know these new Indiana laws that took effect July 1 Beekeeping Biomarker testing Bobcat hunting Boundary marker Contraceptives Digital currency Dog sales Drink server Driver safety Drones Food and beverage tax Foreigner land acquisition Gary gun lawsuit Green alert Guardian ad litem Happy hour Intellectual diversity Lake Michigan Mixed beverages Penal facilities Phones in schools Psilocybin Public access counselor Reading Regional planning Religious instruction Sanctuary cities State superintendent Thirteenth check Virtual revenge porn Website age verification Wetlands Xylazine
The popular dessert shop and delicatessen Butterfingers, a Region staple, has arrived in Crown Point after more than a decade of keeping an eye out for potential locations near the Old Lake County Courthouse Square downtown.

The longtime institution in Munster and Highland opened inside the Bee & Me Local Market at 213 N. Main St. after ironing out a hiccup with permitting that forced it to briefly close after opening the first time.

Kristin Swanson and Mike Lieberman own Butterfingers, which has been in business for 35 years.

"We've been looking for a third location for 10 years and found a place in Crown Point. We wanted to be close to the square," Swanson said. "We finally were able to find a place with more a downtown feel. We have a coffee bar with couches where people can eat at tables. It has a downtown feel."

Butterfingers' new location is just a few blocks north of the square.

"People walk over after dinner at Station 21 to get dessert," Swanson said. "We don't have a ton of parking but that never seems to be an issue. People park and walk over. We've had overwhelming support for Crown Point. People thank us for coming here. They've said the nicest things."

The new location has a different feel from the Butterfingers in Highland and Munster, which people have to drive to, she said.

"This has more of a city feel," she said. "People are out walking around the square. They don't just drive there, get stuff and leave. People are walking. They sit and have coffee and get dessert."

Butterfingers occupies a restaurant space in a boutique with a modern rustic look, with exposed brick, marble, velvet and pink and grey tables.

"It has a very downtown feel," she said. "It's kind of like we're in the city."

The new location in Crown Point is full-service with the same menu as Munster and Highland, she said. All the food is made in the Highland kitchen and brought over three times daily.

Bestsellers include the chicken salad, the double chocolate mousse cake, tuna salad, seafood salad, carrot cake, banana cake, barbecue beef and bruschetta. It offers catering, such as for birthday parties and other social gatherings with three to four days notice.

"We get special orders for cakes and sandwiches. It's a big part of our business," she said.

Customers can pick up catering orders in Highland or Crown Point.

"We take orders in Munster but ask customers to pick them up in Highland since it's so close," she said. "But Crown Point is 25 minutes away so we'll drive the orders down there."

Many Crown Point residents are glad to have Butterfingers closer to home. Some customers used to live in Highland or Munster while others work nearby and say they pick some up after work and like having it closer to their house so they don't have to travel as far.

Butterfingers has interest in Valparaiso but has no plans to open a fourth location anytime soon, Swanson said. It focuses on quality control, which is what has made it such an enduring institution.

"Our consistency is what's made us so popular for the last 35 years. We always made the same products in the same way. We don't have different chefs making the items on some nights so the orders taste totally different. We keep the kitchen very small, have a great team and only let certain people make certain dishes so it tastes the same every time. We want it to always taste and look the same. We've been around for more than 30 years because of our consistency. That's why we've been around for so long."

Butterfingers will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

For more information, call 219-213-2713, visit butterfingersbakery.com or visit Facebook and Instagram.

Coming soon

Kin Khao Thai & Sushi Bar plans to open a second location in Pines.

The Asian restaurant is now remodeling the former Dark Star of the Dunes roadhouse at 3860 W. Dunes Hwy., which has a Michigan City address but is in the nearby town of Pines in Porter County. It's extensively renovating the dimly lit bar and grill that hosted live music like the NWI Jazz Conclave and served lake perch, calzones, buffalo chicken eggrolls, black and bleu pizza and other varied cuisine.

It will be three times as large as Kin Khao Thai & Sushi Bar's current location at 1202 Formula Drive, Valparaiso. Owner Richard Kolasa said he planned to drop the sushi and focus on just Thai food at the flagship Valparaiso restaurant when the second location opens in Pines.

The original Valpo restaurant will become known as just Kin Khao Thai while the Pines location and future locations will carry on the full Kin Khao Thai & Sushi Bar name, continuing to offer the same sushi menu.

"There are too many sushi places in Valpo," he said.

Most customers are just ordering Thai food in Valparaiso, Kolasa said. But there's more demand for sushi in the area of Pines and Michigan City, he said.

Kin Khao will offer the same sushi menu in Pines, including top sellers like the Dragon Roll, Playboy Roll and Green Bay Roll.

"We'll also have street food Thai like pho, Ramen noodles, curries and fried rice," he said. "There will be some new variations on the menu. We're revamping and expanding the menu."

It will keep the bar and have a three-way liquor license. The drink menu will focus on beer and sake.

Kin Khao will offer dine-in, takeout and delivery in Pines.

The goal is to be open this summer.

Kin Khao is looking at a potential third location in Northwest Indiana.

"In the past few years, numerous mayors have reached out to us about opening in their towns," he said. "The Michigan City mayor reached out to us about coming closer to town and we did. We expect a lot of Michigan City traffic at the new location."

Kin Khao is now scouting out potential spots for a third location.

"We're authentic cuisine," he said. "We get customers from Detroit, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and other states."

For more information, visit kinkhaothaiandsushi.com.

Open

By The Lake Resale is selling vintage items in downtown Whiting. Owner Carolyn Elders opened the resale shop at 1438 119th St. "The inventory is always changing," she said. "Every day I bring in a little of this and a little of that."

By The Lake Resale stocks clothes, shoes, purses, hats, sunglasses and antiques, such as rooster and chicken lawn ornaments.

"We have some stuff on the higher side like expensive shoes and expensive pictures," she said.

Elders is an Indiana native who was born and raised in Hammond and graduated from Hammond Tech and Purdue University.

"I enjoy the area quite a bit," she said. "I love the lake and there's nothing better than to have a shop so close to it. It's always been a dream of mine to have a storefront. I like to recycle, to fix things and sell them."

By The Lake Resale also offers services like fixing jewelry and changing watch batteries.

It's a place for treasure hunting, Elders said.

"I like odds things," she said. "We have things like Nutcrackers from England and oddities where we don't know where they come from. We're trying to give things a second life to reuse, recycle and resell them. We try to offer reasonable prices and a big variety of things. I like a variety just for the shopping experience."

She liked the quaintness, retail mix and walkability of Whiting's downtown.

"I like how the stores are so in sync with each other whether it's the Garage Mahal or the car show," she said. "It's a nice clean town. Everything is so fresh and clean."

Current inventory includes an autoharp, specialty knives, a deer foot, summer hats, other summer clothes and a "really nice leather jacket." There's a fitting room to try things on.

"We've got some weird stuff right now," she said. "We invite people to stop in and go on an adventure. We're very convenient on 119th Street."

Open

El Jimador took over the former Santiagos Mexican Restaurante space in downtown Porter, expanding into Porter County.

It's a local chain of Mexican restaurants with locations in Griffith, Merrillville, Hobart, Cedar Lake and Crown Point. It bought Santiagos at 124 Lincoln St., which closed after more than 30 years last year after the longtime owners opted to retire.

The menu includes tacos, fajitas, burritos, tortas, seafood, steaks, enchiladas, tostadas, flautas, sopes, tamales, gorditas, chile relleno, guacamole, nachos and queso fundido.

El Jimador #5 is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

For more information, call 219-926-6518 or visit www.eljimador5in.com.

Coming soon

Bozovich Wellness Center Chiropractic Care and Nutrition is moving to a new location half a mile away just off Indian Boundary Road and Indiana 49.

The chiropractor at 705-3 Plaza Drive, Chesterton is moving from the west side of the highway to a new spot on the east side of the highway in the The Galleria of Chesterton at 761 Boundary Road.

Merrillville-based Commercial In-Sites brokered the deal.

"Dr. Tiffany Bozovich has over 15 years of experience providing the highest level of conservative treatments, service and care and delivering alternative therapies to help patients out of pain and back to wellness," Commercial In-Sites said in a news release. "Her goal is to educate patients on how to stay healthy and pain free without medication or surgery."

For more information go to bozovichwellness.com or call 219-250-2242.

Open

Mattress By Appointment opened in Crown Point.

The mattress store opened at 1461 E. Summit St. It operates by appointment, allowing customers to browse on a first-come, first-serve basis and get personalized attention

Mattress By Appointment is a great addition to Crown Points expanding retail market. Its a unique concept that changes the way you traditionally find your perfect mattress," said John OMalley of Crown Point-based Latitude Commercial, which represented the retailer in the transaction.

Closed

Tacos My Fren, a Mexican restaurant that's been in LaPorte for more than a decade, canceled plans to open a second location at 621 Franklin St. in downtown Michigan City.

Michigan City denied it a permit.

"This decision arose simply because the premises where we intended to open the restaurant had a refrigerator and freezer," the business posted on social media. "Despite claims that I cooked there, our loyal customers know that all our food is prepared in our trucks."

Tacos My Fren has a location at 204 Lincolnway, LaPorte and also operates a food truck. It specializes in authentic Mexican fare, including tacos, burritos, tortas, tamales, huaraches, quesadillas, flautas, sincronizadas and elote. It offers chicken, chorizo, shrimp, al pastor and other types of tacos.
Thomas and Sharon Brazil were sitting in their car late Friday morning in front of the only grocery store in Fordyce, Ark., discussing what they wanted to buy to put on the grill that night. Then they noticed a man with a gun approaching them.

He looked at them, Mr. Brazil said, and he shot. Mr. Brazil, a 65-year-old minister, was shot in the forehead above his right eye. Ms. Brazil suffered cuts from broken glass. They went to the hospital but both survived. They were among the lucky ones.

All told, the police said that the gunman killed four people and injured nine after he opened fire at the Mad Butcher grocery store. On Saturday, this town of 3,400 people, about 70 miles south of Little Rock, was only beginning to absorb the impact of the bloodshed, as a few details began to emerge, including a fourth victim who died in the evening.

I just dont have the words, said Kasey Langley, whose daughter owns a flower shop a few doors down from the Mad Butcher. I woke up this morning thinking it was all a dream. This didnt happen, but it did.
In the In Times Past column, David W. Dunlap explores New York Times history through artifacts housed in the Museum of The Times.

This July, The New York Times will honor the Declaration of Independence as it has for 102 years: with a full-page tribute to the founding document.

The custom actually stretches back further, to the first full year when the newspaper was under the control of the publisher Adolph S. Ochs (1858-1935). On July 4, 1897, The Times printed a full-page facsimile of the declaration. The documents squarish shape fit almost perfectly on the 16-inch-wide Times page.

For the next 25 years, The Times fidgeted with the format. The version published on July 4, 1915, was a facsimile, but much smaller in size. The version on July 4, 1920, printed during the Democratic National Convention, bore the headline Americas First Platform. That text was typeset instead of being reproduced as a facsimile.
In Brooklyn, a State Assembly race has attracted the involvement of marquee figures like Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader, and Letitia James, the New York State attorney general.

In East Harlem, race and ethnicity have cast shadows over another contest, with the question of whether the neighborhood should be represented by a Latino. And in Westchester County, a Democratic primary fight has included ugly accusations of lies, betrayal and purloined emails.

If there was any illusion that Democrats in New York would play nice until Novembers all-important general election, these contests for the Assembly in Tuesdays primaries suggest otherwise.

At the heart of many of these contests lies a long-simmering tension between institutional and progressive Democrats that has come to dominate many debates inside the State Legislature, including those involving housing and criminal justice.
Man, I hit a wall, Lauren Boebert said, sounding ready to pack it in.

Hovering near the back of a high school cafeteria in Otis, a tiny speck of a town in eastern Colorado, the uber-MAGA congresswoman had just wrapped up her third candidate debate/forum in three days. It was after 10 p.m., and she still had ahead of her a two-hour drive home, along with a packed weekend of campaigning for Tuesdays primary election, which will determine her political fate. She scanned the room, clearly in no mood for more handshaking  no matter how much she needed the votes. The high-octane culture warrior, it turns out, has an off switch.

Im going to sneak out of here, she told me.

The event hadnt gone too badly, but it didnt lend itself to the far-right trolling and bomb throwing she excels at, either. Hosted by a local farm bureau, the discussion was about agriculture and energy policy, and Ms. Boebert and the other five Republicans in the primary had been warned to keep it civil.

Not that there had been much of an audience to play to, with only five dozen or so people and a dearth of reporters on hand. Even when Ms. Boebert got in a dig at President Biden or the weaponized federal government, the low-energy crowd wasnt feeling it. Her go-to zinger  My least favorite product thats made in China is Joe Biden  drew barely a chuckle.

As the hour had grown late, the congresswoman repeatedly tripped over her tongue, at one point joking that it would be great if anyone had some coffee, praise the Lord. That phrase is like a verbal tic for her, used frequently, less as an exclamation than as a filler or a bridge, especially at awkward moments. And one of the surprises during my time with Ms. Boebert was how many awkward or uncertain moments she seemed to have  at voter events, in debates or simply standing unnoticed in a crowd.
Tens of thousands of meteorites have been found on Earth, but a vast majority remain shrouded in mystery. These rocks come from space, of course, but pinning down their exact origins, in the solar system or even beyond, is difficult without knowing their flight paths.

But now, researchers believe they have connected a meteorite discovered in the Austrian Alps decades ago with bright flashes of light from a space rock hurtling through our planets atmosphere. Its rare to link a meteorite with its parent fireball, and these results demonstrate the usefulness of combing old data sets, the research team suggests. Their findings were published in the journal Meteoritics & Planetary Science in May.

In 1976, Josef Pfefferle, a forest ranger, was clearing the remnants of an avalanche near the Austrian village of Ischgl when he noticed an odd-looking rock. He brought the fist-size black stone back to his house and put it in a box.

Thirty-two years later, Mr. Pfefferle heard a news story about a meteorite discovered in Austria and wondered if his weird rock might also be from space. He decided to bring his rock to a university to be analyzed.
Apple, Microsoft and Google are heralding a new era of what they describe as artificially intelligent smartphones and computers. The devices, they say, will automate tasks like editing photos and wishing a friend a happy birthday.

But to make that work, these companies need something from you: more data.

In this new paradigm, your Windows computer will take a screenshot of everything you do every few seconds. An iPhone will stitch together information across many apps you use. And an Android phone can listen to a call in real time to alert you to a scam.

Is this information you are willing to share?

This change has significant implications for our privacy. To provide the new bespoke services, the companies and their devices need more persistent, intimate access to our data than before. In the past, the way we used apps and pulled up files and photos on phones and computers was relatively siloed. A.I. needs an overview to connect the dots between what we do across apps, websites and communications, security experts say.

Do I feel safe giving this information to this company? Cliff Steinhauer, a director at the National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit focusing on cybersecurity, said about the companies A.I. strategies.
Parts of the Upper Midwest remained under flood warnings on Sunday after days of heavy rain caused major flooding, leaving at least one person dead in South Dakota and forcing evacuations and water rescues across the region.

Flood warnings were in place for rivers in parts of Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin. A flood warning means that flooding is imminent or already occurring.

In South Dakota, torrential rain fell across the central and eastern parts of the state for three days. One person died as a result of the severe weather, Gov. Kristi Noem said at a news conference on Sunday. She did not provide any details about the person or the circumstances of the death. Several rivers in the state broke water-level records, and the Big Sioux River was projected to set a record of 42.2 feet on Monday afternoon, Ms. Noem said.

Officials were calling for voluntary evacuations in Dakota Dunes, a community of about 4,000 people near the bank of the river, and were planning to close a stretch of Interstate 29 on Sunday evening so that they could build a levee across the highway, she added. This is probably the first time weve seen this kind of rainfall come this quickly, Governor Noem said.
The intense and unusually early heat wave that has blanketed much of the Northeast for the past week continued on Sunday to scorch New Jersey, where excessive heat warnings or heat advisories were in effect in most of the state, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures throughout the region were more than 10 degrees above average on Sunday, according to Joe DeSilva, a meteorologist with the Weather Service. Trenton, the state capital, reached 98 degrees  just two degrees shy of the citys hottest recorded temperature, last logged in 1952, he said.

The worst of the sweltering heat should be over by Sunday evening, Mr. DeSilva said, though temperatures were expected to remain in the 80s in the coming week.

Officials in numerous communities urged residents  especially older people, homeless people and those with chronic health conditions  to prevent heat-related illness by staying hydrated, using air-conditioning, limiting strenuous physical activity and wearing loose, light-colored clothing. Pet owners should also monitor their animals for signs of overheating, such as excessive panting, drooling and lethargy, officials said.
In 2021, retired Gen. Michael T. Flynn, Donald J. Trumps first national security adviser, became chairman of a 75-year-old nonprofit organization  the kind of small charity where chairmen typically work for free.

But Mr. Flynn received a salary of $40,000, for working two hours per week.

The next year, he got a raise: $60,000, for two hours.

Mr. Flynns charity also paid one of his brothers, two of his sisters, his niece and his sister-in-law. By the end of its second year, his nonprofit group, Americas Future Inc., was running in the red, burning through reserves  and still paying $518,000, or 29 percent of its budget, to Flynns.

Since leaving the Trump administration under an ethical cloud, Michael Flynn has converted his Trump-world celebrity into a lucrative and sprawling family business. He and his relatives have marketed the retired general as a martyr, raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for a legal-defense fund and then pocketing leftover money. Through a network of nonprofit and for-profit ventures, they have sold far-right conspiracy theories, ranging from lies about the 2020 election to warnings, embraced by followers of QAnon, about cabals of pedophiles and child traffickers.
On the worst nights, when the thudding bass from a nearby nightclub rattled his windows and drowned out the sound on his TV, the noise in John Heaneys home in Providence felt more like an intruder than a nuisance.

Its a true violation because you cant stop it, he said. Its like someone has a key to your house, and they can come in whenever they want.

Driven to activism, Mr. Heaney, a retired software engineer, joined a small group of residents in the Rhode Island capital who have lobbied city officials in recent years to crack down on excessive noise. Their campaign, known as the Providence Noise Project, has won vocal support from Mayor Brett Smiley, a Democrat who took office last year. But it has also raised complicated questions about noise, including what to do when not everyone agrees its a problem, and how to fairly enforce limits.
A woman in Texas was charged with attempted capital murder after she tried to drown a 3-year-old girl in an apartment complex pool after making racist comments, officials said.

Mustafaa Carroll, the executive director of the Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, said at a news conference on Saturday that the girl was attacked by a white woman who made the comments to the girls mother, who was wearing a hijab, a head scarf worn by Muslim women.

Mr. Carroll called on national and state law enforcement officials to open a hate crime investigation into the attack, which took place on May 19 in Euless, Texas, a suburb of Dallas and Fort Worth.

Witnesses told detectives that the woman, Elizabeth Wolf, 42, had tried to drown a child and had argued with the childs mother, the Euless Police Department said in a news release.
Extreme heat is scorching cities across the United States this week  and those dangerously high temperatures can make it hard to sleep.

Studies show that extreme heat can affect both how much you sleep and how good that sleep is, said Chad Milando, a research scientist at the Center for Climate and Health at the Boston University School of Public Health. He and other experts said the people who are most vulnerable to poor sleep during a heat wave are low-income families who dont have air-conditioning in their homes, as well as older adults or people with underlying health conditions that make them more susceptible to heat-related illness.

Thats why when temperatures rise, its essential to have a plan to keep cool when you sleep.

How Heat Affects Sleep

The bodys core temperature naturally drops during sleep, but hot environments can prevent the body from properly cooling. Studies also suggest that lower ambient temperatures signal to your body that its time to rest.

If the temperature in your bedroom is too high, it may be difficult to fall asleep, and you may wake up more frequently throughout the night, said Dr. Michael Irwin, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. You may also get less restorative sleep, he added.

To help your body regulate its temperature, your bedroom should ideally be between 65 and 68 degrees Fahrenheit, said Rebecca Robbins, an assistant professor of medicine in the sleep medicine division at Harvard Medical School. If your room is far hotter, you may wake up throughout the night, particularly during the stages of sleep when its not possible for the body to regulate its own temperature, she said.

When exposed to extremes, were likely to wake ourselves up in order to shiver or wake ourselves up in order to sweat, Dr. Robbins said.

Set Yourself Up for a Good Nights Rest

There are steps you can take to sleep better during a heat wave, beyond just turning on air-conditioning, experts said.

Sleeping well at night starts with staying hydrated and cool during the day, Dr. Milando said. Drinking plenty of water when it is hot outside ensures that your body has enough fluid to cool down. When youre dehydrated, you sweat less, and it becomes easier to overheat.

You can also keep your home cooler by closing your blinds or curtains to filter out direct sunlight, experts said. Keeping air circulating in your bedroom can also help. If you dont have an air-conditioner, install a fan in an open window, which will help bring in the cooler air from outside, Dr. Robbins said.

To lower your body temperature before bed, place a damp rag on your forehead, Dr. Irwin said. The moisture in that rag is going to evaporate across the night, he said. But avoid ice packs, experts said, since placing them on your skin for too long can damage skin or cause frostbite.

Dr. Robbins recommended sleeping under a thin top sheet, which can promote airflow and make it easier to stick out your limbs out from under the sheet when you feel too warm. Pajamas should also be thin and loose to avoid trapping in heat. But when its extremely hot, it might be a good time to try your birthday suit, Dr. Robbins said.

If you are struggling to sleep peacefully during a heat wave, resist the urge to toss and turn in bed  itll only make you hotter, Dr. Robbins said.

Try not to kick yourself for being awake, which we can all do, she said. Maybe get up, use the bathroom, try to keep the lights low, and then come back to your bedroom when youre tired and get into bed when you are ready to sleep.
The dissidents lone regret after his 200-mile escape across the Yellow Sea was not taking night vision goggles.

Nearing the end of his jet ski journey out of China last summer, Kwon Pyong peered through the darkness off the South Korean coast. As he approached the shore, sea gulls appeared to bob as if floating. He steered forward, then ran aground: The birds were sitting on mud.

I had everything  sunscreen, backup batteries, a knife to cut buoy lines, he recalled in an interview. He was prepared to signal his location with a laser pen if he became stranded and to burn his notes with a lighter if he were captured. He also had a visa to enter South Korea, and had intended to arrive at a port of entry, he said, not strand himself on a mud flat.

It wasnt enough.

Mr. Kwon, 36 and an ethnic Korean, had mocked Chinas powerful leader and criticized how the ruling Communist Party was persecuting hundreds of pro-democracy activists at home and abroad. In response, he said, he faced an exit ban and years of detention, prison and surveillance.
Gunmen attacked synagogues and churches in two cities in southern Russia on Sunday, killing multiple police officers and a priest, in an apparently coordinated assault that underscored Russias vulnerability to extremist violence.

Officials said six of the gunmen were killed after shootouts in the two cities, Makhachkala and Derbent, in the predominantly Muslim region of Dagestan on the Caspian Sea. Wielding rifles and Molotov cocktails, they attacked a synagogue and a church in each of the two cities, according to the authorities and religious organizations.

Sergei Melikov, Dagestans governor, described the attack as the latest assault on our fraternity, on our multiethnic unity.

The precise death toll was not immediately clear. Mr. Melikov said that more than 15 police officers fell victim to todays terrorist attack, without specifying how many of them were killed and how many were wounded.
The southern Israeli city of Netivot, a working-class hub for mystical rabbis about 10 miles from the Gaza border, escaped the worst of the Hamas-led attack of Oct. 7, a fluke many residents ascribe to miraculous intervention by the Jewish sages buried here.

Nevertheless, many here seem to show little concern about the suffering now of the Palestinian civilians  practically neighbors  across the fence in Gaza.

Michael Zigdon, who operates a small food shack in Netivots rundown market and had employed two men from Gaza until the attack, expressed little sympathy for Gazans, who have endured a ferocious Israeli military onslaught for the past eight months.
Israeli troops tied a wounded Palestinian to the top of a military vehicle on Saturday morning during an operation in the occupied West Bank, a scene that was captured on video and quickly went viral, prompting outrage and the promise of an investigation by Israels military.

Israeli soldiers raided Wadi Burqin, a Palestinian town on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Jenin, on Saturday morning to arrest Palestinians suspected of involvement in militant groups. Jenin, a longtime stronghold for loosely organized armed groups, has experienced repeated crackdowns by the Israeli military over the past few months.

A firefight broke out between Palestinian militants and Israeli soldiers, the military said. Israeli troops arrested a Palestinian injured in the shooting. The mans family later identified him as Mujahid Ballas, 22, a resident of Jenin.

In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle, the Israeli military said, adding that such conduct does not conform to the values of its army.

Although the Israeli military said it would investigate, human rights groups have regularly criticized the countrys military-justice system, which they say rarely indicts or convicts those accused of inappropriate violence against Palestinians.

The troops handed over the wounded man to the Palestinian Red Crescent for medical care, the Israeli military said. Mr. Ballas had been shot in the leg and arm, and his skin had burns from lying on the vehicles hood in the scorching sun, said his father, Raed Ballas.

These people have no limits, he said, referring to the soldiers who tied up his son.

Mujahid Ballas was visiting his uncles house to play cards during his weekend holiday, his father said. He denied his son was involved in any militant activity, pointing to the fact that the Israeli security services had ultimately released him after the raid.

If they had the slightest cause  they would not have let him go, Raed Ballas said.

Violence in the occupied West Bank has increased in the eight months since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 that set off the war in Gaza. More than 500 Palestinians and 12 Israelis have been killed in the territory, according to the United Nations, and thousands of Palestinians have been arrested in near-nightly Israeli raids.
KYODO NEWS - Jun 23, 2024 - 19:56 | All, Japan, World

Okinawa on Sunday marked the 79th anniversary of the end of a fierce World War II ground battle between Japanese and U.S. troops that claimed over 200,000 lives.

A memorial service, attended by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, was held at the Peace Memorial Park in Itoman, the site of the final stage of the battle, where the names of 181 people were added to the list of the war dead inscribed on monuments, bringing the total to 242,225.

The fighting from March through June 1945 took a heavy toll on the local civilian population, with one in four of the Japanese southern island prefecture's residents killed.

Okinawa remained under U.S. administration until 1972 and has continued to host the bulk of U.S. forces in Japan.

In his address at the ceremony, Kishida acknowledged that Okinawa's residents "bear the heavy burden of having a concentration of U.S. bases" in their prefecture, pledging to do his best "to ease that burden."

But Kishida's remarks come as the central government pushes ahead with its plan to move U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma from a densely populated area in Ginowan to the coastal area of Henoko in Nago, both on Okinawa's main island.

In January, the state began construction work on a part of the relocation site despite strong local opposition. Anti-base sentiment runs deep due to noise, pollution, and a number of high-profile crimes committed by American service members.

Japan has also been strengthening its defense capabilities in the prefecture as tensions grow with China over Taiwan and the nearby Senkaku Islands, a group of uninhabited islets controlled by Tokyo and claimed by Beijing, raising concern among Okinawans that their region could again become the front line in a conflict.

In March, Japan deployed its first surface-to-ship missile unit on Okinawa's main island amid China's increasing maritime assertiveness.

"The rapidly expanding presence of (Japan's) Self-Defense Forces in the prefecture, along with the tragic memories of the Battle of Okinawa, have left residents extremely concerned," Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said in his address at the ceremony, echoing remarks he made the previous year.

Many people visited Itoman park from the morning onward to remember family members who lost their lives in the battle.

Kiku Nakazato, a 90-year-old survivor, said her parents were killed in front of her eyes during a bombardment by a U.S. warship when she was 11.

"I cannot forget it even now. War must not happen again," the resident of Ginowan said, as she traced the names of her parents inscribed on one of the monuments at the park and prayed.

Related coverage:

U.S. Marine commandant says littoral regiment to be set up on Guam

1st batch of Marines from Okinawa to have 100 members: Guam governor

Bloc backing Okinawa's anti-U.S. base governor fails to win majority
KYODO NEWS - Jun 23, 2024 - 11:00 | All, Japan, World

The Japanese head of the International Criminal Court has urged Japan to "immediately take action" to introduce domestic legislature to join a U.N. treaty to punish genocide, saying she feels "embarrassed" her country has yet to do so.

"It is inadequate...that Japan has not established domestic laws to punish war crimes or crimes against humanity," ICC President Tomoko Akane said at a recent press conference in Tokyo. She is the first Japanese to lead the independent judicial body, which is based in The Hague.

Akane expressed disappointment over Japan's slowness in signing the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, lagging behind its Group of Seven peers.

The treaty, adopted by the U.N. General Assembly in 1948 in response to the Holocaust, requires signatories to prevent and to punish acts of genocide, including by enacting relevant legislation and punishing perpetrators.

Ratified by 153 U.N. member states, it has drawn attention amid the ongoing Israeli-Hamas war and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

"Against the backdrop where a large majority of the world, not just major powers but North Korea and China, have joined the convention, even my colleagues at ICC ask me why Japan has not, and I sometimes feel embarrassed," Akane said.

Japan is a member of and the largest financial contributor to the ICC, which operates on the principle of complementing national criminal systems rather than replacing them. It prosecutes cases only when member states are unwilling or unable to genuinely carry out investigations and prosecute the perpetrators.

Akane expressed worries about impunity for perpetrators of war crimes in the event they were to enter Japan.

The Japanese government has been cautious about signing the Genocide Convention, saying it needs to deepen discussions with ministries and agencies concerned about revisions to domestic legislation required for its ratification.

Akane assumed the post of ICC president in March for a three-year term. As an ICC judge, she was involved in issuing an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin last year following his country's invasion of Ukraine. In retaliation, she has been put on Russia's wanted list along with other ICC officials.

In May, the ICC's chief prosecutor applied for arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and senior leaders of Palestinian militant group Hamas, with the focus now on whether court judges will give a nod to the application.

The move to bring Netanyahu to the ICC over Israel's conduct of its war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip has drawn a strong rebuke from Israel and the United States, both of which are not ICC members.

At the June 14 press conference, Akane said she cannot comment on specific cases, noting that the court's judges work independently from prosecutors. But she added that she is aware that the court is under political pressure.

Such pressure can be "deterred by creating an environment that the ICC is an independent and impartial court whose judicial decisions should be respected," she said, emphasizing that Japan, which "advocates for the rule of law, has a prominent role to play."

Related coverage:

Putin cannot escape justice for crimes in Ukraine:Int'l Criminal Court head

Int'l Criminal Court picks Japan's Akane as president for 2024-2027 term
KYODO NEWS - Jun 23, 2024 - 10:00 | Japan, All

The Japanese government plans to popularize the use of online birth registration from fiscal 2026 at the earliest, no longer requiring physical submission of necessary documents to a municipal government.

The country's family registration law requires a birth registration document along with a doctor-issued birth certificate to be submitted to local governments within 14 days of birth.

Currently, the Justice Ministry only allows online birth registration when submitted with a digitally signed birth certificate. Due to the additional complexity of processing documents with digital signatures, no municipalities have accepted digitally signed birth certificates, effectively requiring all birth registration papers to be submitted or mailed to local government offices.

Under the new system, local governments will be able to receive birth certificates in a digital form directly from medical institutions starting as early as fiscal 2026.

From August, the Justice Ministry will allow online birth registration via a central government website while eliminating the digital signature requirement and allowing parents of newborns to upload a photo of the birth certificate as long as governments of their municipalities have a system in place to accept it.

Some municipalities are expected to start accepting digitally sent birth certificates immediately following the regulatory change.

About 20 percent of responses in a survey conducted last year by the Children and Families Agency on the burden of childbirth were related to the registration procedure, and there were many voices calling for the introduction of electronic submission.

In December, the Digital Agency advocated for the promotion of online birth registration in its interim report on digital administrative reforms.

Related coverage:

Japan's fertility rate, number of births hit record lows in 2023

Japan enacts child care law to tackle declining birthrate
Chinese martial arts enthusiasts practice at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)

BAGHDAD, June 21 (Xinhua) -- In a Wushu club located in the city of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq's semi-autonomous Kurdistan region, over 100 local Chinese martial arts enthusiasts clad in traditional training attire are diligently practicing Wushu routines, with each strike executed with power, precision, and a thunderous short yell "he-ha."

Despite the midsummer heat of Sulaymaniyah, where the temperature has soared to above 40 degrees Celsius, their passion for Wushu burns even hotter.

Amidst the intense training, Burhan, the founder of this Wushu club, weaves through the lines of students, correcting and guiding their techniques.

Like many foreign enthusiasts of Chinese Kung Fu, Burhan's fascination was sparked by Bruce Lee's movies. He devoured books, bought DVDs, and sought local masters, starting his martial arts journey at the age of eight.

As he delved deeper, his interest in Chinese culture grew stronger. "To master Chinese martial arts, one must understand the culture and philosophy behind it," Burhan explained.

"Just like an Arab proverb says, 'Seek knowledge even if you have to go as far as China.' the same applies to Wushu," he added.

In 2011, Burhan embarked on a journey to China's Henan Province to pursue his Chinese Kung Fu dream. This dream-fulfilling journey provided Burhan with comprehensive Wushu training and a deeper understanding of the cultural logic and traditional spirit behind various Chinese martial arts styles.

"Shaolin Kung Fu emphasizes both internal and external cultivation, Tai Chi embodies the wisdom of conquering the unyielding with the yielding, and Wing Chun balances both hardness and softness. Every move in Chinese Wushu embodies the essence of ancient Chinese philosophy," Burhan said.

Over the following years, Burhan returned to China multiple times for advanced training. In 2017, he established the Shaolin Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, where he not only teaches Chinese Wushu but also introduces Chinese culture to numerous Iraqis.

The school has since enrolled over 3,000 Iraqi Wushu enthusiasts, ranging from children to elderly adults.

Soran, a 59-year-old Wushu lover, said that his 15-year Wushu journey made him realize that the essence of Chinese Kung Fu is not about fighting but about challenging one's inner fears.

"Learning Wushu has deepened my understanding of Chinese culture. The purpose of Wushu is not to dominate or intimidate others but to cultivate confidence, independence, and a strong character with a large heart and tolerance," Soran said, adding that this aligns with China's image in the international arena.

Seventeen-year-old Daniel, who was born in China's Shenzhen and lived in China for five years before returning to Iraq with his parents, often reminisces about his childhood in China.

"I always sought ways to reconnect with my memories of China, and then I found this Wushu club. It has reconnected me with China. Although learning Wushu is challenging, it has taught me discipline and the perseverance to never give up," Daniel said.

Burhan is pleased to see that so many Iraqis have developed a strong interest in China's development and culture through Wushu. In his view, Chinese Kung Fu is not only a bridge connecting China and Iraq but also a window for Iraqis to understand Chinese culture.

"The Chinese often say 'making friends through martial arts,' which reflects the broad-mindedness of Chinese civilization towards cultural exchange," Burhan said.

"Wushu not only strengthens the body but also brings people's hearts closer. Despite the great distance, Iraq and China have become closer with the help of Wushu," Burhan said. 

Chinese martial arts enthusiasts practice at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)

Chinese martial arts enthusiasts practice at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)

Chinese martial arts enthusiasts practice at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)

Burhan (front) demonstrates Wushu movement at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)

Burhan (back) corrects a student's Wushu movement at a Wushu club in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, June 12, 2024.(Xinhua/Duan Minfu)
The Oregon Ducks start the 2024 season Aug. 31 at home against Idaho. The Oregonian/OregonLive will count down the days with mini-profiles of prominent former and current Ducks whose jersey numbers correspond with the days remaining until the opening kickoff.

Today, No. 69: Offensive lineman Bo Thran.
Amid the exploding fentanyl crisis and growing anger over Measure 110s failed drug decriminalization experiment, Oregon legislators threw counties a lifeline. With House Bill 4002, lawmakers re-established drug possession as a crime, adding back some of the accountability levers that had been missing. But legislators also emphasized the need to keep a health-first focus, urging counties to adopt alternative pathways that would deflect drug users to treatment rather than send them through the criminal justice system.

Unfortunately, Multnomah County officials seem intent on going down with the ship. Led by Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson, a small group including outgoing District Attorney Mike Schmidt and Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrisey ODonnell, has been privately meeting to draw up plans for a deflection program in advance of HB 4002s Sept. 1 effective date, as The Oregonian/OregonLives Noelle Crombie reported. What theyve come up with, however, smacks of a Measure 110 redux that fails to emphasize either treatment or accountability.

A central piece of the strategy? Give those caught with drugs the choice of being arrested or being taken to a drop-off center where they can just walk away after check-in  no sign-up for treatment necessary. Its as if weve learned nothing from escalating fentanyl deaths and the ineffective approach embedded in Measure 110. In that program, drug users were given citations that could be erased if the person called a hotline to be connected with screening services  a step few took.

Multnomah Countys plan doesnt skimp on just accountability - it also lacks any specificity about what treatment services could be available, who will provide them and even where the currently non-existent drop-off center would be built. It also falls far short of providing the evidence-based solutions that Vega Pederson, Schmidt and Morrisey ODonnell outlined in a letter to legislators expressing their commitment to develop a deflection system. And under the countys current plan, repeat offenders can choose the drop-off option over and over again, and still avoid criminal prosecution without committing to treatment.

Deflection success does not require proof of an assessment or specific follow up steps be reported to the criminal justice system, Alicia Temple, Vega Pedersons policy adviser on HB 4002, wrote in an update to commissioners last month.

Success should require actual success. This plan has failure written all over it.

Sadly, at this point, should anyone be surprised that the countys definition of success is so unambitious and underwhelming? This countys leadership has dithered for years on addressing critical behavioral health needs, such as building a sobering center to replace one that closed more than four years ago. The countys recent 90-day fentanyl emergency began with a muddled set of objectives and ended with a murky impact on an overdose crisis that has only intensified. In budget discussions, health officials cautioned that their plans for the coming fiscal year would likely temper, but not reverse, the countys surge in fentanyl deaths  which has already hit 179 confirmed or suspected fentanyl overdose deaths this year. And health officials responses as a whole reflect what Commissioners Sharon Meieran and Julia Brim-Edwards have persistently highlighted  the lack of a coordinated, outcome-focused strategy for bringing the services, leadership and urgency that the county is obligated to provide. Unfortunately, that helter-skelter approach is showing up in the lack of preparation for HB 4002.

County spokesman Ryan Yambra, responding on behalf of Vega Pederson and Schmidt, noted that the group is continuing to develop its plans and is working with law enforcement to make sure they can intervene and confiscate drugs as part of the increased authority granted by HB 4002. While a key factor in the overall change in drug possession response, however, the county should be focusing first and foremost on making sure it has a coordinated program to get drug users into programs starting Sept. 1.

Yambra said that as planning continues, elements of the deflection program  including what is ultimately required by those sent to the drop-off center  can change. Change should begin with expanding the group involved in its development. Key elected officials including District Attorney-elect Nathan Vasquez and the other four members of the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners have not been invited to participate, despite requests by some to be involved. And oddly, the county failed to resend an invitation to Portland Police Association president Aaron Schmautz after initially emailing him at an outdated account.

Including their input makes sense not only because they will be held accountable by the public for the program, but also because they bring highly relevant experience and ideas. Unfortunately, Vega Pederson in a board meeting last week sought to dismiss Meierans and Brim-Edwards push for additional involvement, asserting that updates and some planned discussions in the future are sufficient. Meanwhile Schmidt, through a spokeswoman, made plain that he does not see a role for Vasquez in shaping the program he will inherit in January. If DA Schmidt needs input from members of his team as it relates to drug crimes and deflection, he will seek it out, as he routinely does. At this point, Nathan has his job to do as a Senior Deputy, and DA Schmidt has his job to do as the elected DA, Schmidts spokeswoman, Elizabeth Merah, wrote.

With just over two months left before drug possession is recriminalized, Vega Pederson should commit to sharing more information with the public beyond the limited opportunities that the county has scheduled so far. The first is an online-meeting Monday that the public can watch in which the group will brief local public safety organizations about the developing plan. The second is a board meeting scheduled for July. Considering the high-level of public interest in Measure 110 and the rollback, elected officials owe the public far more chances to learn  and give feedback  on the program they are setting up.

But the county should not ignore the opportunity and obligation that HB 4002 presents. Leaders need to show they are up to this challenge  or step aside and let others take over.

-The Oregonian/OregonLive Editorial Board

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Angus Duncan

Duncan is former chair of the Northwest Conservation and Power Planning Council and a member of the WestTEC Regional Engagement Committee. He lives in Portland and central Oregon.

A Washington Post headline last March warned ominously: Amid explosive demand, America is running out of power.

Well, maybe.

Pacific Northwest utilities are nervous, anticipating more freezes and heat domes that stress an electricity infrastructure on which our livelihoods, and sometimes our lives, depend. They see demand increases doubling and maybe doubling again. They remind themselves of the 2021 Texas winter blackouts, that caused the deaths of at least 246 people  and possibly hundreds more.

There are solutions, in abundance. Theres ample wind and solar to meet our energy and climate needs. Developers are eager to build.

But theres a problem: how to connect all that Great Plains wind and Southwest solar to Northwest homes and businesses.

Nationwide, says the federal Energy Department, well need double todays transmission capacity  the lines carrying electricity from power sources to homes  by 2035, and more by 2050, to meet rising demand (while offsetting coal and gas plant closings) with new connections to clean energy sources.

In the Northwest, this amounts to way more than a tweak to present transmission deployments. Fact is weve neglected transmission investments for years. While the Bonneville Power Administration, our largest regional grid operator, has upgraded many of its lines, since 1990 it has added fewer than 400 line-miles to its 15,000 mile high voltage system.

We dont need just more miles of lines. We need a strategy for linking new resources and energy storage nodes to growing loads. We need more interconnectedness and more power exchanges across that grid to meet reliability and carbon emissions standards cost-effectively.

Trading power across the grid is nothing new. Our utilities have been doing it for years across BPAs multi-state transmission grid. Weve sent Northwest hydropower south to cool Californias hot summer days; theyve returned the power to warm our colder winters. Lately, theyre sending us their over-generation of solar power at bargain prices.

In todays grid, power needs tend to cluster, surging here and deflating there at different times. That diversity is a strength provided we can connect the waxing and waning clusters together. Think how lights turn on in evening hours first on the east coast, later in the west as darkness crosses time zones.

To continue leveraging these differences in supply and usage across all the western states, well need more and larger transmission lines. Well need more  and more efficient  energy storage to leverage the mismatch between the hours that customers need power and when the wind blows or the sun shines. We need these capabilities urgently.

But there are challenges.

In the early days of electricity, we sited lines with little attention to environmental, cultural or community concerns. Today these lines must navigate an extensive web of accommodations and obstacles that have grown up to protect those (wholly legitimate) concerns. A new high-voltage power line can now take a dozen years or more to be approved when residents or other members of the public raise objections along the proposed route. We need to treat these concerns with due respect, but we also have to weigh local interests against the value of having an efficient, available, affordable, reliable  and timely  power system that also enables progress to a zero-carbon energy supply. If we fail to build these lines, we are choosing to feed our energy demand with existing dirty coal and gas.

From which threat is it more important to protect an endangered habitat: that new power line, or the climate change that will ensue if we fail to decarbonize? Well need to navigate between these outcomes to meet our need for more, cleaner electricity, faster.

Our first option should always be acting locally to minimize the need for new transmission; thus, adding solar to our rooftops and high efficiency heat pumps in our basements to heat water and to warm (and cool) our homes. We can turn our driveways into energy storage sites by plugging our electric vehicles into the grid to back up the local utility.

Our next option is to use the existing transmission system more efficiently by upgrading existing lines to carry more juice within the same physical footprint. Technology is giving us lines that can double or triple the throughput on a given link.

But make no mistake: we will need new long distance transmission lines. We need to protect community, cultural and natural values while moving decisions along at an accelerated pace, ensuring: that the proposed new lines are ones we need; that they sit as lightly as possibly on the landscape; and that the public is fully involved in the discussion of where they will go.

Theres another complication. As western utilities seek reliability, lower carbon and costs in a more integrated and unified west-wide grid, BPA may upend the effort by choosing instead to join a separate power market operated from Little Rock, Arkansas. That could split the west down the middle into two power markets and operators, sacrificing efficiency, value and effective access to renewable generation.

Such a lamentable choice makes it all the more necessary for Oregon to be working with other western states, and without delay, to address the transmission gap.

Two key efforts are underway in which Oregon and its utilities participate. The Western Transmission Expansion Coalition of utilities, states, stakeholders and others is developing 10- and 20-year transmission plans including near-term expansion steps. The Westwide Pathways Initiative, prompted by western states utility regulators, is standing up a multi-state market across which power surpluses and shortages can be traded efficiently.

Both these efforts are crucial to western electricity reliability and efficiency. Both need to proceed with urgency.

Electricity is at an inflection point globally and locally, a point that holds promise and worrying concerns in equal parts.

The concerns are: fossil fuels hang on too long and were deep in the climate soup anyway; or the fossil plants close while electricity demand is spiking and were unprepared.

The promise is of ample, reliable electricity free of greenhouse gases and climate peril and lower cost than the old fossil sources. Its power we need for our home-heating, egg-frying, computer-activating, car-driving lives. Add data centers that service the Internet, enable online shopping, stream movies. Add tech manufacturing and even Bitcoin mining.

We can do this. Utilities and energy practitioners are seriously engaged. But its a real horserace between the worst outcomes and the best.

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ISLAMABAD, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, led a CPC delegation to visit Pakistan from June 20 to June 22.

During the visit, Liu met with leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, and Chief of Army Staff Asim Munir, as well as with people of all social sectors in Pakistan.

The CPC senior official also attended the China-Pakistan Political Parties Forum and the third meeting of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) Political Parties Joint Consultation Mechanism and delivered a speech.

Both sides agreed that China and Pakistan are all-weather strategic cooperative partners and the two countries' friendship is unbreakable.

The two sides agreed to implement the new important consensus between the leaders of the two countries, strengthen inter-party exchanges, deepen exchanges and mutual learning on governance experience, promote high-quality joint construction of the CPEC, and promote the building of an even closer China-Pakistan community with a shared future in the new era. 
The city of Tigard has promoted interim Police Chief Jamey McDonald to the permanent position as chief.

McDonald, 53, replaces Kathy McAlpine, who retired as chief in January 2024, when McDonald rose to the interim post.

McDonald joined the Tigard Police Department as a patrol officer in 2001 after a career in private business.

He worked as a school resource officer early in his tenure with the police department and rose to sergeant in 2010, lieutenant in 2014 and commander in 2016, when he earned $154,000 annually.

As Tigards police chief, Mcdonald will be paid $181,200. McAlpine salary at the time of her retirement was $179,100.

The city of Tigard has promoted interim Police Chief Jamey McDonald to the permanent position.Tigard Police Department

Tigard City Manager Steve Rymer, who promoted McDonald to the permanent position, said he was impressed by McDonalds forward-thinking leadership during his time as interim chief, according to the press release.

McDonald, through the spokesperson, deferred an interview until July 1. This is not a role I take lightly, and I recognize the responsibility that comes with this position, he is quoted as saying in the announcement. As your Chief, I will continue to prioritize transparency, engagement and professionalism at all levels within our department, to best serve the needs of our growing community.

The department has just under 100 officers.

In 2021, a Tigard police officer fired on a 26-year-old man in a mental health crisis, killing him. In 2022, the city settled a lawsuit with the family of the man, Jacob Macduff, for $3.8 million. A 2023 review of the fatal shooting by Tigard police criticized the suburban police departments initial investigation of the killing as biased and unprofessional.

McAlpine, the former chief, now works for the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training, the states police certification agency, as its director of professional standards.

 David Nunez covers breaking news and public safety for The Oregonian/OregonLive. Reach him at 503-294-7607 or dnunez@oregonian.com.

Our journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber today at OregonLive.com/subscribe.
Two teens went missing in the waters off Jacob Riis Park in Queens, New York, on Friday evening, just moments after lifeguards had gone off duty.

Witnesses reported seeing a massive wave engulf the boys, aged 16 and 17, who have not been identified. Despite the swift response from the FDNY, who received an emergency call shortly after 6:00 p.m., the teens never resurfaced.

Rescue teams, including marine units and fire boats, scoured the waters for nearly five hours. On Saturday morning, drones and helicopters from a nearby airfield joined the search.

NYC Beach Incident

NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry expressed the gravity of the situation, noting it as a parent's worst nightmare.

In his statement, Daughtry stated that the team believes it might have been a riptide that caused the disappearance of the teenagers. However, he reveals the investigation is still ongoing.

Daughtry took to X, formerly Twitter, to update the public: "Earlier today, our NYPD officers frantically raced to the waters near Jacob Riis Park, where two kids entered and, unfortunately, have yet to return."

The commissioner revealed that numerous agencies responded to the incident including the Our Harbor and Aviation Units, TARU Drone Team, and Community Response Team who have partnered with FDNY, U.S. Park Police, OEM, and U.S. Coast Guard in efforts to bring the two teens missing.

He then added that a parent's worst nightmare is also the agency's worst nightmare.

Tragic Loss in Florida Waters Due To Deadly Rip Currents

The same day, a separate incident in Florida claimed the lives of three young men, further underscoring the dangers of rip currents.

The Bay County Sheriff's Office identified the victims as Harold Denzel Hunter, 24, Jemonda Ray, 25, and Marius Richardson, 24, all from Birmingham, Alabama. The men, who had just arrived with friends for a beach trip, were caught in a rip current at around 8 p.m. while swimming.

Sheriff Tommy Ford described the desperate efforts to rescue the men, which involved the U.S. Coast Guard, Bay County Emergency Services, and other agencies. Despite more than two hours of intensive search and rescue operations, all three men died after being pulled from the Gulf of Mexico and receiving medical care.

Ford expressed his sorrow, announcing with a heavy heart that the community had lost three tourists due to the incident. He added that he saw locals and members of the community gather at the beach yesterday to come together and aid the search.

The U.S. Coast Guard's Panama City station has since urged both locals and visitors to exercise extreme caution in Gulf waters, noting that rip currents can appear suddenly and pose a significant risk even on seemingly calm days.

Read Also: Pennsylvania Couple Drowns in Florida Rip Current While on Vacation with Children

Coast Guard Issues Warnings

These incidents come amid a particularly deadly week for swimmers along the East Coast and the South. Earlier, a Pennsylvania couple drowned at Stuart Beach on Florida's Hutchinson Island after being caught in a rip current.

The National Weather Service has issued a high-risk alert for rip currents along Florida's Gulf beaches, warning of "life-threatening rip currents" and dangerous surf conditions.

In response to the multiple tragedies, the U.S. Coast Guard announced on Saturday that it had suspended its search for the missing teens off the coasts of New York and New Jersey after covering more than 600 square miles.

Jonathan Andrechik, commander of the Coast Guard's New York sector announced that the decision to suspend a search is always difficult and weighs heavily on all involved. Andrechik added that along with their partner agencies, they have conducted an exhaustive search.

With at least 11 fatalities attributed to rip currents as of June 9, the National Weather Service continues to stress the importance of beach safety and awareness.

These recent tragedies highlight the unpredictable and often deadly nature of rip currents, underscoring the need for vigilance among swimmers and beachgoers alike.
Although I no longer possess public political opinions or interests, Im reliably informed that a national election is approaching in the United States of America. In fact, Ive actually seen apparent political news coverage. (And somebody to whom Im as close as anybody possibly can be really, really, really liked this article.) But I have a complaint about how political issues are covered, at least in this country:

Almost all of the coverage is analogous to the coverage that we might see for a horse race. Whos ahead? Whos behind? How will this new policy affect Politician As standing among ambidextrous brown-eyed Zoroastrians in Ohio? How much has Politician Bs recent fumbling of a question about transgender dung-beetle conservation hurt her lead with unemployed Orthodox Jewish stamp collectors in rural New Mexico? There is  if you pay attention  relatively little notice given (i.e., almost none) in the mainstream cable and broadcast news venues to actual substantive questions (e.g., What ought our policy be toward Chinas maritime aggressiveness? Would raising the minimum wage actually help or hurt marginal workers? Should we do anything about entitlement reform, or should we merely kick that can down the road yet again? Is it just and fair to decree blanket forgiveness of student loans? Is it elitist and unjust to tax the 62% of Americans who lack college degrees in order to heavily subsidize graduate tuition at public law schools and business schools that will likely make their graduates wealthy?) If I cared at all about such issues, it would be quite disappointing.

In my experience, it has long been the assumption that ancient seafaring was mostly confined to sailing along the coasts. Unless they were blown off course, ancient sailors, it was thought, would essentially hug the shoreline, traveling from one port to another.

That always seemed dubious to me. After all, it was along shorelines that most small islands were to be found, along with rocks and shoals and reefs and barely submerged near-islands. In other words, shorelines could be treacherous whereas (in certain respects, at least) the open sea offered fewer potential hazards. Moreover, hugging the shoreline from, say, Rome to Beirut or from Athens to Alexandria, would inescapably mean much longer sailing distances than would traveling in a more direct route. Further, with tools and technology that were essentially no more developed than they were for the ancient Mediterranean, such voyagers as the medieval Vikings and Polynesians indisputably covered enormous distances across open oceans, both Atlantic and Pacific.

It seemed to me, in other words, that, at least for larger ships attempting to travel between distant points, there must likely have been at least some open-sea voyaging. But maritime archaeology in deep-water areas, as opposed to shallow coastal areas, has been difficult to impossible. Certainly, recently and even now, systematic archaeological surveys of deep sea bottoms would be prohibitively expensive. Which means, of course, that most finds of undersea wrecks are likely to occur along shorelines  thus seeming to reinforce the assumption that that is where ancient mariners preferred to sail. And obviously, too, just as today, shipping would tend to cluster near ports and towns on the shore, precisely as it does today. Flying across the sea, one sees tankers and large fishing vessels and cargo ships and passenger liners bunched up near shorelines and only very rarely further out into the open sea. For one thing, the open sea has a far greater surface area.

So this discovery has caught my interest for reasons that should be readily apparent: Newly discovered 3,300-year-old shipwreck changes the understanding of sailing in ancient world

One might say, of course, that I have a bit of a religious dog in the fight, given my belief in the trio of ancient transoceanic migrations described in the Book of Mormon. And perhaps I do  but not necessarily. The Jaredite and Nephite voyages seem to have occurred under divine guidance and inspiration; the Liahona, I presume, was not standard-issue navigating technology. I dont think that Im required to assume that the Book of Mormons oceanic crossings simply grew out of acquaintance with then-existing seafaring culture, although they may well have been influenced by available knowledge; neither the Nephites nor the Jaredites were peoples with a tradition of seafaring.

And it came to pass that they did worship the Lord, and did go forth with me; and we did work timbers of curious workmanship. And the Lord did show me from time to time after what manner I should work the timbers of the ship. Now I, Nephi, did not work the timbers after the manner which was learned by men, neither did I build the ship after the manner of men; but I did build it after the manner which the Lord had shown unto me; wherefore, it was not after the manner of men. (1 Nephi 18:1-2)

And we know essentially nothing of the Mulekite migration.

Im quite clear about the fact that my reports from the Christopher Hitchens Memorial How Religion Poisons Everything File dont  they cant  begin to exhaust that inexhaustible fountain of horrors. Still, even if I cant do everything I can at least do something. Here is a selection of some new items from the Hitchens File:

And, finally, there is this superb, inspiring 26-minute video from my friend Kirk Magleby that is absolutely crammed full to overflowing with appalling corporate crimes and repulsive financial abominations taken directly from the Hitchens File. I strongly encourage you to set aside the time required and watch it: The Churchs AMAZING NEW Humanitarian Initiative. Heck, Kirk even briefly takes a moment to praise the much-maligned and heavily-criticized investment managers at Ensign Peak Advisors. Can you even imagine such a thing?
Big things going on in Unitarian Universalist world.

And I find it time for some reflection.

The UUA I belonged to as a working minister between when received my first call to a parish in 1991 and 2016 when I officially retired, was framed by a document called the Principles and Purposes.

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote

The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

The living tradition which we share draws from many sources:

Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life;

Words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love;

Wisdom from the worlds religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life;

Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to Gods love by loving our neighbors as ourselves;

Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit.

Spiritual teachings of earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature.

Grateful for the religious pluralism which enriches and ennobles our faith, we are inspired to deepen our understanding and expand our vision. As free congregations we enter into this covenant, promising to one another our mutual trust and support.

This statement was enshrined as article 2 of the denominations bylaws. It was repeatedly asserted that this document is not a creed. Rather it was meant to be a snapshot of the general consensus view of the disparate spiritual and even anti-spiritual folk who chose voluntarily to gather as members of this band, itself the blending of two historic American Christian denominations, the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. It also was meant to provide a broad sense of what Unitarian Universalists were about in this world.

In practice, of course, it became a quasi-creed as soon as it was officially voted on in 1985. And as such was subject to constant critical examination, with various people adding in their personal qualifications, and sometimes dissent, and occasional ridicule. Over the years I witnessed proof texting and recitations of how someone was in violation of the P&Ps and what that meant with a lot of heat. Usually something bad. Just like with my orthodox Christian friends and their official and presumed forever creeds.

Among the differences between our article 2 and creeds was how it was supposed to be reviewed periodically. Whatever, the intention. We didnt very much. And with one modification, the addition of a source, and one failed attempt to spiritualize the language of the 7th principle, it stood basically the same for some thirty-nine years, fully encompassing my twenty-five years as a UU minister.

Its elasticity and two of the principles taken together formed the lattice work for my own work. I was one among a band who referred to themselves as first and seventh principle preachers. The first principle asserting the worth of all people, the second providing a context of radical interdependence. As a Mahayana Buddhist profoundly sympathetic to the western religious tradition, the Enlightenment, and much of the modernist project, it worked. I had my various personal caveats. But it worked.

I wove my ministerial life guided by it and I believe I served many hearts better than not.

I remain grateful.

And as of June 22nd, 2024, it is gone. Replaced by the final vote of the General Assembly of the UUA with a new article 2.

Love is the power that holds us together and is at the center of our shared values. We are accountable to one another for doing the work of living our shared values through the spiritual discipline of Love.

Justice: We work to be diverse multicultural Beloved Communities where all thrive. We coveanant to dismantle racism and all forms of systematic oppression. We support the use of inclusive democratic processes to make decisions within our congregations, our Association, and society at large.

Equity: We declare that every person is inherently worthy and has the right to flourish with dignity, love, and compassion.

Transformation: We adapt to the changing world. We covenant to collectively transform and grow spiritually and ethically. Openness to change is fundamental to our Unitarian and Universalist heritages, nevere ocmplete and never perfect.

Pluralism: We celebrate that we are all sacred beings, diverse in culture, experience, and theology. We covenant to learn from one another in our free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We embrace our differences and commonalities with Love, curiosity, and respect.

Interdependence: We honor the interdependent web of all exist4ence. With reverence for the great web of life and with humility, we acknowledge our place in it. We covenant to protet Earth and all beings from exploitatioin. We will create and nurture sustainable relationships of care and respect, mutuality and justice. We will work to repari harm and damaged relationships.

Generosity: We cultivate a spirit of gratitude and hope. We covenant to freely and compassionately share our faith, presence, and resources. Our generosity connects us to one another in relationships of interdependence and mutuality.

There was a desire on the part of the authors to not have a hierarchy of values. Specifically they wanted to avoid any kind of numbering or even an exact ordering. So it is presented as an image with Love in the center and the values noted at points around Love.

Thats not really how our brains work. And even before final adoption, people have found an acronym, JETPIG. It invites images and mascots already beloved of children and youth in my congregation. I admit Im less enthusiastic, always a critic of our inclinations away from dignity and mystery. Indicative of my continuing disconnections, no doubt. No tradition fits everyone perfectly, even for people like me, for whom even a bad fit, it still fits better than with any other community. Similar, I guess, to my views about democracy.

All that said, its an interesting document. One, like the Principles and Purposes that can easily be dismissed for various reasons, were always accused of vacuity. It has some problematic elements. And at the same moment it touches some very important points for a meaningful life in our time and place. Me, I love that love at the center. Vague, difficult, and inviting into some authentic depth. In a very real sense this is a claiming of our Universalist heritage as the heart of what the Unitarian Universalist Association is about. And, Im all in for that.

When I first saw the earliest draft my first thought was, Oh, my. Theyre going to try for religion. I might not be enthusiastic with the process, but Im all in for the result. Religion, yes. Love, absolutely!

I have no doubt it is already a creed for some among our little band. Im sure an enterprising artist is composing a calligraphed version suitable for hanging in public spaces even as I write these words.

Me, I like it. Mostly. Which is what I could say about the earlier P&Ps, as well. I tended to three in my professional life, the 1st and 7th I mentioned, as well as the 4th, focusing on a free and responsible search for meaning

Im glad the interdependent web is still there. I wish the references to ecology, as important as they are, were a separate listing. For me the interdependent web speaks to something that includes an ecological consciousness in the physical care for the planet sense. But it is, for me, vastly more, and its mildly unfortunate its tethered to a task, a noble task; but in a way that can narrow what the interdependent web is. On the other had words like reverence work for me, deeply

Quibbles. In the last, quibbles.

Love after all. Thats the bottom line. And its a wonderful bottom line.

And

I realize that with this my own part in the pageant of Unitarian Universalism has been marked out, perhaps not frozen in amber, but marked out as being encompassed entirely within that earlier article 2. So, I have a personal thing going on. A letting go. A pretty deep letting go.

And. Well

All things pass.

The UUAs article 2 is dead.

The UUAs article 2 is voted and alive.

May it live as long as it serves the hearts and needs of the community.

Love.
An Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a self-proclaimed chief and businessman to 15 months imprisonment for a fraudulent land transaction.



Nii Kotey Susubribi, also known as Nii Isaac or Kotey Nii Quaye, who claims to be the chief of Abehenase, near Amasaman, was found guilty of charges including threats of death and fraudulent transactions.



The court, presided over by Evelyn Asamoah, sentenced him accordingly. The convict shed tears as he awaited police officers to escort him to prison to begin his sentence.



The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong, stated that the first complainant, Alfred Agbosu, was a businessman residing at Achimota, while the second complainant, Freeman Kofi Owusu, was a businessman living at New Achimota, Accra.



ASP Frimpong explained that in 2003, Mr Agbosu, the first complainant, purchased 1.869 acres of land at Abehenease from the Amah Asor family, which was lawfully presented by the accused person's late elder brother, Kotey Nii Kwei.



The prosecution mentioned that Mr Agbosu subsequently obtained Land Title Certificate No. GA 22047 dated December 2005 covering the land.

According to the prosecution, Mr Agbosu built two single rooms on a portion of the land and gave it to his caretaker, Korsi Tondey.



Ownership



The court was informed that Mr Agbosu had never been harassed until February 21, 2015, when the accused person, now a convict, began interfering with Agbosu's land, claiming ownership of the same land.



The prosecution stated that in March 2015, the convict and his group of thugs consistently threatened Mr Agbosu's caretaker, Korsi Tondey, to vacate the land or face death.



"The caretaker, fearing for his life, packed his belongings and left the land. The accused person then fraudulently sold a portion of the land to unsuspecting members of the public, including the second complainant, Freeman Kofi Owusu, for GHc42,000."



The prosecution added that a search obtained from the Land Registration Division of the Land Commission in Accra confirmed Mr Agbosu's title to the land.

Source: GNA









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Member of Parliament for Lower Manya Krobo Constituency, Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi together with the Constituency Chairman in the area, Hon. John Atteh Matey joined Mr. Thomas Ayisah at Piengwa Osiekuse Durbar ground to celebrate his birthday with widows.



They gave away rice, cooking oils, and assorted drinks to over four hundred and fifty widows at the Piengwa Osiekuse Durbar ground.



Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi later led the team to Odumase to donate rice and cooking oils to forty widows.



Another donation, including toiletries, tissues, washing powder, soap, detergents, and mineral water, was made to enhance the activities of the Atua Government Hospital Children's Ward staff and patients.



Further, they proceeded to Nectar Foundation (Orphanage Home) at Nuaso New Town to donate another set of Rice, toiletries, tissues, washing powder soaps, and detergents.



The last donation was made at Nuaso Pentecost Church where over a hundred widows in the constituency benefitted from cash donations.



The beneficiaries of these goodies used the opportunity to thank and pray for Mr. Thomas Ayisah, the birthday celebrant together with Hon. Ebenezer Okletey Terlabi for this kind gesture shown them.



In 2022, Agazy Homes CEO Thomas Ayisah donated some medical equipment and paid some patients' bills at the Tema General Hospital of the Greater Accra Region to mark his birthday.



The renowned CEO has played a significant role in developing the human and capital resources of the good people of Tema and its environs by providing infrastructural development such as affordable homes, good roads and also helping to provide employment for the youth.

Source: Peacefmonline.com









Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority.

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The Okyenhene Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin is calling on the State to pay teachers a well deserving remuneration for their hardwork.



According to him the role of the teacher in a comprehensive quality education cannot be over emphasized.



He said teachers need to be motivated well to give up their very best even though they're doing well under the current circumstances.



Addressing a durbar of the Chiefs and people of the Benkum division of Akyem Abuakwa State at Begoro, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin called on the government to act fast on teacher remuneration.



He acknowledged that the free Senior High School Education introduced by the Akufo-Addo government is one of the biggest investments which affords every Ghanaian child a free education to the secondary school level.



However, Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin underscores the importance of addressing some few challenges hindering the success of the program.



He advocates for enough classroom, furniture, beds and other facilities that would make learning more convenient for the school children.



Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin called on the Government to motivate teachers and pay them well.



"The future of our children is dependent on quality education and skills development. Today, every Ghanaian child has the means to free SHS education. We must note that, it's not just about passing through the school. There must be quality education. If you provide all the amenities and you don't pay the teacher well, it affects the children's education," Okyenhene stressed.



Be A Servant Leader



Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin also called on leaders to serve in humility and respect.



According to the Okyenhene, throughout history, there is no single rich or great leader who died and was buried with his riches but the lives that they impact lives on till eternity.



"There is no rich man in the world who has been buried with his fleet of cars or houses. The memories they leave in the lives of others and their communities rather stays for life," Osagyefo noted.



He added that a great leader is the one who leaves an indelible legacy for generations unborn.



"There is power in humility, there is authority in humility, we don't use power to enrich ourselves, we use power to serve diligently. The greatest currency is humility and service," he said.



The Benkum Divisional durbar is the second out of the five divisional royal durbar's schedule to be held in honor of Okyenhene's 25th Anniversary celebration on the accession to the Ofori Panin stool under the theme: "25 years of Sustainable Leadership and Service to Humanity".



History of The Benkum Division:



Benkum is the second largest division within the Akyem Abuakwa State structure. It has over 300

towns and villages.



Within the Akyem Abuakwa state hierarchy, the Benkumhene otherwise known as the Fanteakwahene is the commander and chief of the left wing of the army with his permanent residence at Begoro, the capital of the division.



The Benkum Division occupies a very large area of land. It was the bastion of the western division of the Akyem Abuakwa Army.



In ancient times, the Western part of Akyem Abuakwa state was more exposed to hostile states than any other division.



The Benkum Division shares borders with Asante, the Kwahu, the Akwamu, Krobo and parts of the Volta Region.



The Benkumhene dress and coronet the same as Nifahene. Both are equal in rank.



In parades, the Benkumhene is the third to the Adontenhene.



The Benkumhene belongs to the Royal Asona clan.



The principal chiefs in this division are the Odauhene of Osenase and Otwereso.



He is equal in rank to the Benkumhene and share all things equally.



The Benkumhene and Begorohene however takes precedence in all matters, civil and military and he is the acknowledged head of the division.



The rest are chief of Apinaman, the chief of Osino, otherwise known as Mumuadu Sei, the chief of Suhum, Amanase, Sawirako, Apedwa among others.























Source: Peacefmonline.com









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The federal government is selling three ageing presidential jets to reduce excessive spending on fleet maintenance, according to The Cable.



This decision follows the recommendation from the House of Representatives Committee on National Security and Intelligence, which advised purchasing two new aircraft for the president and vice president. Shehu Buba Umar, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, also supports this recommendation.



Selling the three aircraft will halve the current presidential air fleet, which currently includes six airplanes and four helicopters. The fleet, managed by the Presidential Air Fleet (PAF) under the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), includes a Boeing 737 Boeing Business Jet (BBJ), a Gulfstream G550, a Gulfstream GV, two Falcon 7x, and one Challenger CL605.



Insiders revealed that at least half of the fleet comprises unserviceable or failing aircraft, prompting the need to dispose of those that are more burdensome. The jets marked for sale are the presidents designated Boeing 737 BBJ, one Gulfstream, and a Falcon 7x.



The government has appointed US-based airline marketer JetHQ as the broker for the sale. An exclusive marketing agreement has been signed, allowing JetHQ to value and market the aircraft. Proceeds from the sale will be used to procure a new jet for the fleet, with an ongoing search for a cost-effective option.



We noted the lawmakers' report and recommendation. However, we cannot afford to buy two aircraft simultaneously, even with the sales. The approval now is to find one affordable jet, supplementing with the sale proceeds, a senior fleet management official said.



It was also gathered that JetHQ has submitted three bids from buyers to the NSA for consideration. We received two offers for the BBJ and one for the Falcon X. However, the NSA insists on pressing for a better deal rather than rushing into a bad one, a PAF official involved in the process stated anonymously.



Zakari Mijinyawa, a spokesman for the NSA, confirmed the ongoing disposal process without providing further details.



The condition of the presidential air fleet has been a recent topic of concern, with safety issues raised about the aircraft transporting Nigerian leaders. The presidents BBJ has been under maintenance since March, necessitating the use of other fleet aircraft.



In April, President Bola Tinubu had to use a commercial aircraft to attend the World Economic Forum in Riyadh after the plane he traveled with to the Netherlands developed a fault.



Around the same period, Vice-President Kashim Shettima was seen arriving in Ogun State in a chartered aircraft. In early May, Shettima aborted his trip to the United States mid-air due to an engine fault in the aircraft transporting him.



For his recent trip to South Africa, Tinubu had to use a private airplane, a situation some diplomatic experts believe could negatively affect Nigeria's image on the global stage.



While federal lawmakers and some Nigerians support purchasing new aircraft to address these issues, others argue that it would be insensitive given the current economic hardship. However, lawmakers emphasize that the safety of all citizens, including the president and other government officials, should be a top priority for all Nigerians.













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Armored fighting vehicles face other challenges when operating in urban combat. They are exposed to snipers or anti-tank teams operating from elevated positions on rooftops or accessing underground shafts too close for the crew to respond. In these conditions, technology must augment situational awareness, allowing the crew or defensive systems to focus on the most relevant threat. These capabilities are already operational with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).

360 armor protection is a must, and several companies are addressing this requirement with new protection systems. Active protection systems, like Rafaels Trophy and Elbit Systems Iron-Fist, combine radar and Electro-optical sensors, high-performance processors, and different effectors, from explosively formed projectiles through blasts to lasers to destroy incoming projectiles. The latest enhancements introduced with these systems include dual-sensor capability (radar+EO) and top attack engagements being considered by the developers of both systems. However, APS adds considerable weight to the vehicle and requires a substantial base armor for optimal function.

Other systems include passive systems, like the Hedgehog top-side and flexFence counter-RPG armor, added to the base armor. Both are offered by Plasan. These statistical protection means can reduce the probability of penetration by up to 80 percent compared to base armor.

Another essential is peripheral vision. Unfortunately, transparent armor provides such capabilities at a substantial weight penalty. Nevertheless, modern vehicles require transparent armor as base armor to ensure situational awareness, driving, and crew performance. Such systems are provided by OSG.

Imco, a supplier of electrical and electronic systems for AFVs, offers a Situational Awareness Video System (SAVS Ai) that provides 360 surveillance and protection for combat vehicles. and transforms situational awareness and decision-making capabilities. The system integrates cameras, sensors, an advanced video matrix, an AI application for real-time sensor data analysis, and multiple user displays, enabling commanders and crew members to maintain complete situational awareness in all combat situations.

Some of these combat vehicles also employ the Vehicle Control Module (VCM) system produced by the company. The system collects data from onboard systems, including the engine, transmission, tracks, etc., and interprets and provides an overview of the vehicles status, ensuring optimal performance and reduced wear and downtime by recommending proactive maintenance activities.

Such powerful processing systems require high-performance data communications operating at low latency and high bandwidth to ensure real-time operations. Digital backbone (DBB) services, such as the AITECHs DBB, provide such services. Such systems are implemented in Active Protection Systems (APS), advanced mission computers, rapid sensors, and data processing & transfer. The DBB provides a seamless integration of high-speed, reliable, and secure connectivity between electronic systems. Time-sensitive networking (TSN) and L3/Ethernet connectivity enable data to pass easily between endpoints and networks. This application is suitable for critical time-sensitive traffic, with low to mid latency. A modular solution aligned with SOSA technical standards and Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) architecture. Among the products and systems are GPUPU-based systems leveraging the latest NVIDIA processors, facilitating AI and Edge processing applications.

Peripheral vision is a new function that has received dramatic new meaning in recent combat. Edge 360 is a peripheral vision system developed by Axon Vision that has already been implemented in several AFVs. The system enables the vehicle commander to operate continuously with closed hatches while providing complete situational awareness from close range in a single view. Leveraging the power of machine vision, this simplified user interface reduces the cognitive load and required attention while maximizing the vehicles lethality and survivability. Automatic detection, recognition, and tracking of static and dynamic targets (Action recognition). The modular system contains AI clusters (Day/Night Camera, GPU, and AI algorithm) and a central processing unit. Real-time video communication distribution system with very low latency. Decentralized embedded GPUs architecture combined with central processing capabilities. The system also provides Distance estimation using EO and TI sensors.

Another company providing is Maris Tech. The system integrates five peripheral cameras, ensuring no blind spots. All cameras are monitored simultaneously and in real-time by a powerful yet compact AI processor, utilizing low-power, high-performance AI processors from Hailo AI. The system enables the crew to receive alerts of potential threats in their surroundings and act against them. The system employs an edge processor that processes the video streams from the cameras with AI to detect and alert of nearby objects and suspicious actions. All images are displayed on a central screen, which can also be integrated into the platforms network. The system provides powerful threat detection, alerts, and precise responses to dismounted threats. Suitable for urban combat and can be integrated into a wide.

System services are extended beyond peripheral situational awareness by leveraging the powerful AI edge processing capabilities. For example, Axon-Visions EdgeSight and AI-NGCV SmartScopes empower commanders and gunners of combat vehicles to Use the Axon-Vision open architecture software SDK to connect and integrate with the sight and existing communication solutions like BMS.

AI functions help commanders perform terrain analysis, enabling smart scanning for targets on a large area while simultaneously keeping track of visible targets. Once targets are acquired, Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) is performed to recognize targets, their attributes, and context (person on the roof, car in the field, person near treeline). Then, target data is sent to the main gun, weapon station, or external effector for engagement. Once targets are referred from another observer system, AI helps in rapid reacquisition between scopes. Using appearance, location, and intuitive UI for target acquisition and re-identification reduces the risk of errors in matching targets between sensors. When several effectors are available for engagement, AI may assist in selecting the weapon with the optimal results based on weapon and projectile optimal fire doctrine for each target and its context and location.

Further Reading:
LONDON, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The Conservative Party of the United Kingdom (UK) has been hit by several allegations that top members placed bets on the general election date, scheduled for July 4, dealing a fresh blow to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is struggling to regain the trust of the public.

Nick Mason, the Tory Party's chief data officer, has taken a leave of absence while being investigated by the Gambling Commission for allegedly betting on the timing of the election with inside information before the date was announced, UK media reported on Sunday.

Several other Conservative figures have already been involved in the scandal. Tony Lee, the party's director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders are under investigation, along with Craig Williams, Sunak's parliamentary private secretary. A police officer in Sunak's close protection team is also being looked into over allegations.

A spokesman for the Gambling Commission said it was "investigating the possibility of offenses concerning the date of the election" and "the commission cannot provide any further details at this time."

The main opposition Labour Party branded the fresh allegations "utterly extraordinary." "Rishi Sunak promised integrity, professionalism and accountability, instead his weakness means he has overseen the same sleaze and scandal that have come to epitomize the last 14 years of Tory government," a party spokeswoman said, urging Sunak to suspend all those implicated in the betting scandal.

Sunak said he was "incredibly angry" to learn of the allegations and promised to "boot out" anyone found to have broken gambling laws.

Asked at a special election edition of BBC's Question Time, the prime minister said, "It's a really serious matter - it's right that they're being investigated properly by the relevant law enforcement authorities."

Sunak's solemn words seem to fail to assuage the voters' anger. The latest poll by Sky News showed that Labor leads over Conservatives by 21 points.

The fury over the political betting also revealed a little-known sector of the UK's gambling industry.

Compared to the amount wagered on sport, which was 25 billion pounds (about 31.6 billion U.S. dollars) last year, political betting takes much smaller in the gambling industry. However, it has grown fast, especially ahead of snap elections like this time.

In 1997, bookmakers estimated that up to 10 million pounds (about 12.6 million dollars) would be bet on the UK general election. One anonymous political betting expert said a UK election would be worth multiples of that now, in "tens of millions."

Bookmakers have capitalized on punters' growing appetite for political betting, with some offering a market on the results for all UK's 650 constituencies up for grabs in the general election, as well as for political events around the world.

Observers pointed out that while betting odds might to some extent affect the outcome of political events like the elections, a major concern remains that political betting is open to cheating.

In theory, those who bet on the date of the election with inside information could fall under the criminal offense of cheating under the Gambling Act 2005.

The latest incidents have undoubtedly further tarnished the image of the Conservative Party, following a string of Tory scandals including bullying, sexual misconduct and "partygate," dealing a further blow to Sunak.

For Tories, the betting scandal is as bad as "partygate," said Michael Gove, UK's secretary for leveling up, housing and communities.

"It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us," said Gove, a senior Conservative, "That was damaging at the time of Partygate and is damaging here."

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson was forced to step down in mid-2022 after support for him evaporated over the "partygate" scandal. Revelations of him and his employees reveling in booze-fueled parties in 2020 and 2021 at Downing Street infuriated the British public. 
TAIPEI, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people attended a ceremony worshipping Fuxi, the mythical ancestor of the Chinese nation, in New Taipei City in Taiwan on Friday.

The event took place simultaneously with a similar ceremony held on the same day in Tianshui in northwestern Gansu Province, where Fuxi is believed to have been born.

This is the 11th year for people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait to hold worshipping ceremonies for the legendary figure simultaneously since the first such ceremonies were held in 2014.

During the event, which was held at Xianse Temple in New Taipei City, representatives from various sectors in Taiwan completed the processes of welcoming the deity, offering incense, bowing, and sending off the deity, following ancient rituals.

Lee Chien-lung, the chief officiant of the ceremony who is also in charge of Xianse Temple, expressed the hope that such events should be carried on to promote the integrated development and spiritual harmony between the two sides of the Strait.

"Holding such a grand and meaningful worshipping ceremony for Fuxi allows for deeper cultural exchanges across the Strait," Lee said.

In Chinese mythology, Fuxi is generally believed to have composed a calendar, invented "Bagua," or "Eight Trigrams," and taught people about hunting, fishing, and domestication. 
A video has gone viral showing a lighthearted moment between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un during Putin's visit to North Korea.



The clip captures the two leaders engaged in a polite standoff, each urging the other to enter their vehicle first.



The footage, widely shared on social media, depicts the leaders standing beside a black car, motioning for one another to step in first. The courteous exchange lasted several moments before President Putin eventually entered the car, followed by Kim Jong-Un, who entered through the opposite door.



The incident sparked a range of reactions online. Some speculated about potential mistrust between the leaders, with one social media user commenting, "The fact that both of them may be suspecting the other put something in the car." Another user humorously remarked, "Even Putin was like, 'I'm not going to argue with this guy.'"



However, many interpreted the exchange as a sign of mutual respect. One netizen noted, "Mutual respect! Men extend respect to each other not out of fear or favor but deep understanding of duty and responsibility. Aura for Aura indeed."



This visit marks President Putin's first official trip to North Korea since 2000. According to RT, Kim Jong-Un welcomed Putin to Pyongyang with an elaborate ceremony, featuring a military orchestra playing the national anthems of both countries and a salute of artillery fire.



Watch the video below;

VIDEO: Putin and Kim Jong-Un on who enters the car first. pic.twitter.com/WrQXEIK1FK  The Spectator Index (@spectatorindex) June 18, 2024









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The Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, demonstrated his expertise in finding sustainable solutions to Ghana's energy needs on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, when he addressed questions from Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding power rationing and electricity cuts experienced in some parts of the country a couple of weeks ago.



Dr. Prempeh, affectionately called Napo, told legislators at a plenary sitting that the energy sector under his watch had not plunged into crisis, warranting load-shedding due to power outages.



He explained that the power outages experienced two months ago were not due to a power crisis but rather unforeseen factors such as rapid population growth and increased business setups.



For instance, Dr. Prempeh noted that areas like East Legon, initially planned as residential districts, have transformed into business hubs, overloading existing power lines and transformers.



This surge in demand, combined with an unexpected gas leak at Cen Power resulting in an instant power loss of 340 Mega Watts and maintenance at Amandi Power Plant, led to power outages. GRIDCo also requested emergency outages in some areas, exacerbating the situation.



These incidents were unplanned, making it impossible for the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to announce a scheduled load-shedding program, he emphasized.



"Mr. Speaker, a myriad of factors caused power outages in different parts of the country at different times. ECG couldn't have announced a load-shedding program because most incidents were unplanned," he noted.



Dr. Prempeh made these remarks in response to an urgent question from the NDC MP for South Dayi, Rockson-Nelson Etse Dafeamekpor, on behalf of the NDC MP for Tamale North, Alhassan S. Suhuyini, who was absent. Dafeamekpor asked if the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) had been load-shedding power and if not, why the power outages occurred.



Despite providing clarity, some Minority MPs pressed for more information on the current power situation, as the original question referred to the situation two months prior. Dr. Prempeh maintained that the ECG is not undertaking a scheduled load-shedding program but will address any challenges that arise to ensure stable power distribution.







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Harrisburg police shot and wounded a man Saturday late afternoon during a felony traffic stop, according to the district attorney.

The shooting was reported at 4:44 p.m. near the intersection of 19th and Derry streets.
As incredible as it may seem, last week two of our congressional representatives joined with Marjorie Taylor Greene, R,-Ga., and 43 other Republicans to stop funding NATO, the major multilateral bulwark against further Russian aggression in Europe.

Retired Brig. Gen. Scott Perry, R-10; and James Joyce R-13, distinguished themselves and embarrassed us by this public acknowledgement that they do not support NATO. The military alliance was created at the end of World War II to maintain peace on a continent that has seen the ravages of two major wars, the loss of countless lives and now Ukraines valiant struggle against invading Russia.

We are so lucky to be represented by these patriots.
An updated severe thunderstorm warning was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday at 7:48 p.m. in effect until 8:15 p.m. for Philadelphia County.

Residents should be prepared for wind gusts of up to 60 mph.

"At 7:48 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located over Audubon Park, or over Gloucester City, moving east at 40 mph," says the weather service. "Damage to roofs, siding, trees, and power lines is possible."

Locations impacted by the warning include Philadelphia, Camden, Gloucester City, Cherry Hill, Evesham, Mount Laurel, Deptford, Voorhees, Lindenwold, Bellmawr, Woodbury, Riverside, Palmyra, Magnolia, Westville, Woodbury Heights, National Park, Beverly, Brooklawn and Audubon Park. This includes the following highways: New Jersey Turnpike between exits 3 and 4. Interstate 95 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 15 and 26. Interstate 76 in Pennsylvania between mile markers 349 and 351. Interstate 76 in New Jersey between mile markers 0 and 3. Interstate 295 in New Jersey between mile markers 23 and 43. Interstate 676 in New Jersey between mile markers 0 and 4.

According to the weather service, "For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Torrential rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways."

Preparing for approaching lightning: Expert safety advice

Lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times each year, with the bulk of these electrical discharges occurring during the summer months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 individuals annually, as reported by the weather service. The risk of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw near, reaching its peak when the storm directly looms overhead. However, it gradually recedes as the tempest moves away.

To guarantee your safety in the midst of a thunderstorm, take into account the following recommendations:

1. Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's crucial to have a lightning safety plan in place.

Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's an indication that lightning is nearby.

Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

2. Indoors safety measures:

Once you're indoors, avoid using corded phones, electrical devices, plumbing fixtures, and stay away from windows and doors.

Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

3. Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn't available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.

Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.

If you're with a group, ensure individuals are spread out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.

Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no alternative exists, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. Remember that a tent offers no protection against lightning.

Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. While water and metal don't attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, vigilance and preparedness are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the chances of lightning-related accidents and prioritize your safety.

Mastering wet roads: Safety tips for heavy rainfall

Heavy rainfall may lead to flooding if prolonged or if there is excessive runoff. Excessive runoff can be a result of saturated ground and/or rainfall intensity. Follow these recommendations from the weather service to stay safe in heavy rain:

Beware of rapid water flow:

In heavy rain, refrain from parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a grave danger.

Maintain safe driving distances:

The two-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Extend it to four seconds to ensure safe spacing in adverse conditions.

Reduce speed and drive cautiously:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stay toward the middle lanes - water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility

Turn on your headlights and be careful of other vehicles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they are especially difficult to see through rain-spattered windows.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The initial half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mixture of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Heavy rain can overload the wiper blades. When visibility is so limited that the edges of the road or other vehicles cannot be seen at a safe distance, it is time to pull over and wait for the rain to ease up. It is best to stop at rest areas or other protected areas.

If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
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BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- China stands ready for dialogue and consultations on electric vehicles (EVs) if the European Union (EU) is willing to sit down at the negotiating table with sincerity, Commerce Minister Wang Wentao said Saturday.

Wang made the remarks during a meeting with German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck, the Ministry of Commerce said in a press release.

China is willing to consider both parties' reasonable concerns to avoid the escalation of trade frictions in a rational and professional manner, Wang said.

China hopes that Germany will play a positive role in the EU, prompting the European side to meet China halfway, he told Habeck, who is also the Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

If the European side adheres stubbornly to its wrong way, China will take necessary measures, including lodging a case under the World Trade Organization dispute settlement mechanism, to firmly defend its legitimate rights and interests, Wang added.

Noting that Germany and China are supporters and beneficiaries of globalization, Habeck said the German government is deeply concerned about the EU's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese EVs, which will negatively impact Europe's green transition and consumer interests.

Habeck believes that imposing tariffs is the worst approach as it could lead to a vicious spiral of trade friction escalations, stressing that dialogue and consultations are the only way to solve problems. 
Eric Trump went on Fox News and already started to make excuses for his dad potentially losing a presidential debate to President Biden.

Eric Trump tried to claim that his father who holds roughly one campaign event a week is everywhere then spoke about the debate on Fox Newss Sunday Morning Futures:

Make no mistake, this is still CNN, right? This is Jake Tapper. Jake Tapper has compared my father to Hitler. Jake Tappers a guy who would yell at his control room saying turn this man off a when my fathers giving press conferences. I can tell you who these people are. You know who they are, youve seen them before. I saw them as as I walked into a courtroom every day where theyre sitting there with grins on their face, I mean, just ear to ear smiles, right? So understand that hes not just going to be debating Joe Biden, hes going to be debating CNN.

I was a guy who never missed a debate, I went to every single one of them. Go back to CNN debates in the primaries in 2016, right? It was the same thing. It was attack after attack. They cant help themselves. And you better believe that Bidens going to be getting a lot of, you know, a free pass and, you know, you better believe that theyre going to hit my father.

One other thing I need to mention, Maria, its pretty telling of president who has to go to Camp David, in the middle of the woods, and lock himself effectively in a bunker for an 8-day period of time because his policies are so bad that he has to figure out some way to polish them up and try and frame them with all of his top advisers. And I can tell you my fathers not doing that. My fathers on the right side of these issues and 10 days or 8 days in the woods at Camp David to try and explain yourself not American people, Im not exactly sure if thats a big, you know, showing of confidence.

Video:

Eric Trump attacks Jake Tapper, CNN, and criticizes Biden with a claim that doing debate preparation is a bad thing, "It's pretty telling of a president who has to go to camp David, in the middle of the woods, and lock himself effectively in a bunker for an 8-day period of time." pic.twitter.com/gvAj5QX6cJ  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 23, 2024

Eric Trumps comments werent about his dads policies or even Bidens policies. Eric Trump ranted about the debate moderator to suggest that the presidential debate will be rigged against Donald Trump.

The problem is that Trump agreed to attend the debate. Trump agreed to who the moderators would be, and Donald Trump agreed to the debate rules.

There have been reports that Donald Trumps debate prep consists of Republican senators verbally briefing him on policy.

This was a meltdown by Eric Trump and an attempt to pre-explain why Donald Trump is likely going to do so badly in Thursdays debate.
Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) was asked about Biden and law and order on Fox News Sunday, and he flipped the script on Trump and the GOP.

Shannon Bream asked Coons, So you talk about law and order. Will this president respect what comes from this court with respect to presidential immunity, with respect to January 6th or does he pick and choose the decisions he likes from the Supreme Court?

Sen. Coons answered, Look, I think theres a sharp contrast between former president trump and president Biden in terms of their respect for the rule of law and how they approach both law enforcement and our legal system. Former president trump was in a courtroom in New York where he attacked the prosecutor, the jury, the whole process so many times that before he was ultimately convicted by a jury of his peers of 34 felonies he was subject to a gag order. President Biden we saw evidence of this this past week, his son son was convicted here in a court in Wilmington, Delaware and he did not ever attack or criticize or question the judge, the prosecutor, the jury, the process.

Video:

Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) turns around a Fox News Sunday question about Biden and the rule of law, "His son (Biden) was convicted here in a court in Wilmington, Delaware and he did not ever attack or criticize or question the judge, the prosecutor, the jury, the process." pic.twitter.com/QWzNHx9ixt  Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) June 23, 2024

Trump thinks that law and order is his big issue strength, but when a candidate has been convicted of 34 felonies, talking about law and order isnt such a great idea.

Fox News Sunday tried to push a false equivalency about the two candidates, and Sen. Coons turned it around to make the point that the real law and order candidate is President Biden. The candidate who refuses to respect the law and judicial process in this country is Donald Trump.

The law and order argument may end up backfiring and hurting the Republican Party if Donald Trump is their messenger.
The U.S. eventing teams preparation for the Summer Olympics in France included a gathering at Stable View near Aiken for a mandatory outing during the Summer Horse Trials.

Even though Boyd Martin didnt win in the advanced division, he still was pleased with the performances of the two horses he rode June 21 and 22.

A bigger challenge is on the horizon at the Palace of Versailles outside of Paris, so continuing to lay a foundation for success at the Olympic eventing venue was more important than a victory in South Carolina.

We just ticked another box, said Martin on June 22 after touring the cross-country course twice, first aboard Fedarman B and later on Commando 3.

Both horses gave me fantastic rides in all three phases (of the competition), so Im just very, very pleased with the form they are in, and Ive still got some time to get them a little bit more fit, Martin added.

Plans call for him to be aboard Fedarman B in the Olympics, and they finished sixth in the advanced division with a combined score from dressage, show jumping and cross-country of 47.0.

Martin and his direct reserve, Commando 3, were fourth in the final standings with a score of 39.4.

(In eventing, the rider and horse with the lowest score wins.)

During the winter, Martin, who is based in Pennsylvania, trains at Stable View. He is on his fourth U.S. Olympic team, and he described the chance represent this country again in 2024 as huge.

Will Coleman, who previously was an Olympian in 2012, finished second in the Summer Horse Trials advanced division on Off The Record with a score of 37.4 and third aboard direct reserve Diablo with a score of 38.8.

I thought it was a nice, necessary outing, Coleman said. It went well for us. It was an opportunity for us to get in some more schooling, and it wasnt really any different than what we do to get ready for any big event.

Coleman also talked about what it was like to be an Olympic team member for the second time.
BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters dispatched a working team to flood-hit Hunan Province to provide disaster relief instructions, the Ministry of Emergency Management said Saturday.

Meanwhile, the headquarters maintained a Level-IV emergency response to flooding in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Hunan, Chongqing and Guizhou.

The Ministry of Emergency Management urged efforts to promptly restore the roads damaged by flooding and make proper arrangements for resettling those affected by the disaster.

The ministry also asked local authorities to take precautions against potential flash floods and geological disasters caused by intense rainfall. 
A high-profile hearing on Capitol Hill last week into safety lapses at Boeing Co. shed more light on production problems at the planemakers 787 plant in North Charleston, including falsified inspection reports that were first detailed last month.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat and chair of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs investigations subcommittee, called the falsified reports a violation of the companys agreement to avoid criminal prosecution for a pair of 737 Max crashes that killed 346 passengers and crew members in 2018 and 2019.

Boeing, in that 2021 agreement, paid a $243.6 million penalty and vowed it would implement and enforce a policy to prevent any violations of U.S. fraud laws  allegations the Justice Department leveled at the aerospace giant after the crashes for failing to disclose problems with a flight control system.

A series of safety failures, including a door plug that blew out of an Alaska Airlines jet while in flight in early January, prompted the subcommittees investigation, and Blumenthal has said the findings point to ongoing violations of Boeings deferred prosecution agreement. The Justice Department is investigating whether to proceed with criminal prosecution.

I think the evidence is near overwhelming to justify that prosecution, Blumenthal said.

Whos to blame

With Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun in the witness seat last week, Blumenthal chided the company over its response to the falsified inspections, asking why the blame is being pinned on a single employee rather than a corporate culture that allowed it to happen in the first place.

In effect, Boeing blamed the employee, Blumenthal said, referring to a letter Boeing sent to the Federal Aviation Administration, which opened an investigation into the matter last month.
If you have a hummingbird feeder in your yard, youre probably enjoying watching the hummers sipping nectar to fuel up for their long migration south in the coming weeks. But did you know that nectar makes up only a small percentage of a hummingbirds diet? Up to 80% of it comes from insects Read moreCommentary: Protect insects, protect birds
PR-Inside.com: 2024-06-23 18:18:45

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 23, 2024 / Hagens Berman urges Globe Life Inc. (NYSE:GL) investors who suffered substantial losses to act now by submitting your losses here.Class Period: May 8, 2019 - April 10, 2024Lead Plaintiff Deadline: July 1, 2024Website: www.hbsslaw.com/investor-fraud/gl Contact An Attorney Now: GL@ hbsslaw.com Phone: 844-916-0895Globe Life Inc. (GL) Securities Class Action and Activist Short Sellers' Investigative Reports:McKinney, Texas-based insurance giant Globe Life is facing a multi-pronged crisis, grappling with explosive allegations of fraud at its American Income Life (AIL) subsidiary, a federal investigation, and a new securities class action lawsuit.The lawsuit, filed on behalf of investors, alleges that Globe Life made misleading statements and failed to disclose crucial information concerning potential widespread insurance fraud at AIL and a pervasive culture of sexual harassment.The fraud began to emerge on Apr. 11, 2024, when short-seller Fuzzy Panda Research issued a scathing report accusing AIL of rampant fraudulent practices. The report, based on interviews with former executives and agents, outlined concerning misconduct:Issuing policies for deceased or fictitious individuals to inflate business metrics.Forging signatures on policy documents, compromising operational integrity.Unauthorized withdrawals from customer bank accounts.Generating fake policies using fictitious accounts to meet performance targets.Fuzzy Panda further implicated AIL leadership, alleging fraudulent practices escalated under CEO Steve Greer (appointed 2017) and President Dave Zophin (joined in 2018). Their interviews suggest AIL sales teams wrote over $200 million in fraudulent annual life insurance premiums.The report also unearthed a potential $43 million bribery and kickback scheme orchestrated by Globe Life executives. The alleged scheme involved concealing ownership of an insurance licensing testing vendor (Xcel Testing) and directing recruits to use their services for licensing exams.These allegations triggered a significant stock price plunge, with Globe Life shares dropping $55.76 (roughly 53%) on April 11.Further complicating matters, the company disclosed a Department of Justice (DOJ) probe into AIL's business practices, specifically sales tactics used by agents, in late April. Subpoenas were reportedly issued in late 2023, raising concerns about potential wrongdoing.Adding to the turmoil, another short-seller, Viceroy Research, commenced a ten-part investigative report series targeting Globe Life on April 30. The initial report detailed:Extensive background checks on AIL's top-performing agents revealing allegations of kidnapping, assault, and child grooming.A high number of fraud accusations against AIL and its agents, often surfacing in wrongful termination or sexual harassment/assault claims.How AIL's operational methods impact churn rate, structural cash flow issues, employee misclassification risks, and the use of offshore captive reinsurers for potential liquidity against impaired assets."We're looking into whether Globe Life may have concealed widespread fraudulent business practices at AIL," said Reed Kathrein, the Hagens Berman partner leading the investigation.If you invested in Globe Life and have substantial losses, or have knowledge that may assist the firm's investigation, submit your losses now If you'd like more information and answers to frequently asked questions about the Globe Life investigation, read more # # #About Hagens Berman Hagens Berman is a global plaintiffs' rights complex litigation law firm focusing on corporate accountability through class-action law. The firm is home to a robust securities litigation practice and represents investors as well as whistleblowers, workers, consumers and others in cases achieving real results for those harmed by corporate negligence and fraud. More about the firm and its successes can be found at hbsslaw.com . Follow the firm for updates and news at @ClassActionLaw.Contact:Reed Kathrein, 844-916-0895SOURCE: Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP
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Presenting a New Innovation in the Field of Spinal Rehabilitation at Physiowell DubaiDUBAI, ARAB EMIRATES / ACCESSWIRE / June 23, 2024 / Physiowell Dubai is dedicated to implementing cutting-edge rehabilitation methods, assuring our patients receive unparalleled care. Our recent addition of the Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit serves as a non-surgical back pain treatment committed to spine and DISC health rehabilitation and enhancement. This innovation enables us to revolutionize how we administer spinal decompression therapy while also offering back pain relief in Dubai for patients suffering from DISC conditions such as herniation, degeneration and others.Intelligent Decompression Therapy Vertonex for back pain and disc treatmentWhat is Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit?Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit is an advanced medical tool that softly stretches the spine. This lifting of pressure on spinal discs and nerves creates negative pressure which effectively retracts herniated discs while simultaneously improving nutrient exchange to speed up recovery.Benefits of Vertonex Decompression TherapyA variety of spinal conditions can be effectively treated with Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit:Discs that are herniated Facet syndrome Chronic back pain Lumbar spine decompression and cervical spine decompressionIncorporating Biofeedback Technology for TreatmentConventional methods of spinal decompression may include surgical interventions, such as discectomy, laminectomy, or spinal fusion, which are invasive procedures aimed at relieving pressure on the spinal cord or nerves. However, by utilizing advanced biofeedback technology, Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit implements sensors on the patient to ensure maximum tensile force is being implemented without harming the spine and achieving optimal efficiency. With this live data stream, and the ability to target specific points in the spine, the treatment can include decompression force like to other in the market, specifically decompressing the disc region with the underlying condition.Typical Session Structure and LengthA session of Vertonex therapy typically ranges from 30 to 45 minutes as patients lie in a relaxed state on the table while their spine is gently stretched using the device. The patient's treatment plan, designed based on their condition and progress, generally comprises multiple sessions spanning several weeks.Possible Side Effects and ContraindicationsAlthough Vertonex is generally safe for most patients, those with particular health conditions like severe osteoporosis or recent spinal fractures may not qualify. It's essential to seek advice from Physiowell's medical expert to assess eligibility.Holistic Approach to Patient Care and RecoveryPhysiowell utilizes Vertonex Decompression Unit as a vital element in our all-inclusive rehabilitation programs. To ensure comprehensive treatment, we combine this innovative therapy that works as one of the best herniated disc treatments in Dubai, with regenerative spine therapy and exercises focused on spinal mobility restoration. Our objective is to promote lasting recuperation and enhance the overall well-being of our patients' spines.ConclusionAt Physiowell Dubai, we prioritize delivering top-notch care to our patients. Our rehabilitation schemes reflect our determination towards introducing exceptional healthcare remedies and supporting continued spinal wellness for Dubai residents, as evidenced by the employment of the Vertonex Intelligent Decompression Unit.Contact InformationZafer ElKhatibCEOinfo@ physiowell.ae +971(4)2692121SOURCE: Physiowell DubaiView the original press release on newswire.com
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NEW YORK, NY / ACCESSWIRE / June 23, 2024 / Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC, a nationally recognized law firm, notifies investors that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Harbor Diversified, Inc. ("Harbor Diversified" or "the Company") (OTC: HRBR) and certain of its officers.Class Definition:This lawsuit seeks to recover damages against Defendants for alleged violations of the federal securities laws on behalf of all persons and entities that purchased or otherwise acquired Harbor Diversified securities between May 10, 2022 and March 29, 2024, inclusive (the "Class Period"). Such investors are encouraged to join this case by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/HRBR Case Details:According to the Complaint, Harbor Diversified describes itself as "a non-operating holding company that is the parent of a consolidated group of subsidiaries, including AWAC Aviation, Inc. (AWAC'), which is the sole member of Air Wisconsin Airlines LLC (Air Wisconsin'), a regional air carrier. Harbor is also the direct parent of three other subsidiaries: (1) Lotus Aviation Leasing, LLC (Lotus'), which leases flight equipment to Air Wisconsin, (2) Air Wisconsin Funding LLC (AWF'), which provides flight equipment financing to Air Wisconsin, and (3) Harbor Therapeutics, Inc. (Therapeutics'), which is a non-operating entity with no material assets." The Complaint alleges that Harbor Diversified made materially false and/or misleading statements because the Company misrepresented and failed to disclose the following adverse facts pertaining to the Company's business, operations, and prospects, which were known to Defendants or recklessly disregarded by them. Specifically, Defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that:(1) Harbor Diversified's financial statements from May 9, 2022 to the present were misstated due to improper revenue recognition;(2) Harbor Diversified lacked adequate internal controls; and(3) as a result, Harbor Diversified's statements about its business, operations, and prospects were materially false and misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis at all times.The truth began to emerge, according to the Complaint, on March 29, 2024, when Harbor Diversified filed with the SEC a current report on Form 8-K in which it announced that certain of its previously-issued financial statements would need to be restated as a result of improper revenue recognition. Further, Harbor Diversified disclosed a material weakness in its internal controls that has the company's management evaluating "appropriate remediation actions." On this news, according to the Complaint, the price of Harbor Diversified stock fell by $0.28 per share, or14.25% , to close at $1.73 on April 1, 2024.Therefore, the Complaint further alleges that as a result of Defendants' wrongful acts and omissions, and the precipitous decline in the market value of the Harbor Diversified's common shares, investors have suffered significant losses and damages.What's Next?A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to review a copy of the Complaint, you can visit the firm's site: bgandg.com/HRBR or you may contact Peretz Bronstein, Esq. or his Client Relations Manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC at 332-239-2660. If you suffered a loss in Harbor Diversified you have until July 8, 2024, to request that the Court appoint you as lead plaintiff. Your ability to share in any recovery doesn't require that you serve as lead plaintiff.There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.Contact:Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller 332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says the data of Nigerians has not been compromised despite controversial websites like anyverify.com selling such data which NIMC and other government-authorised agencies collected.

An investigation by a digital social enterprise, Paradigm Initiative, detailed how the website provided access to the private information of Nigerians for a token.

This alarming development presents a major breach of the fundamental rights to privacy, a breach of data privacy rights and poses significant risks to individuals and the national economy, Paradigm Initiative wrote on X.

In its response to the apparent data breach, NIMC, which issues the national identity number and handles Nigerias national database, blamed the violation on the carelessness of Nigerians who upload their personal data to such websites.

NIMC advises Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorised and phishing sites. This poses the danger of data harvesting.

NIMC urges the public to disregard any claims or services these websites offer and should not give their data as they are potentially fraudulent and data provided by the public on such websites are gathered and stored to build the data services they illegally provide, NIMC wrote in a Saturday statement by its Head of Corporate Communications, Kayode Adegoke.

AnyVerify.com.ng has since gone offline, although Paradigm Initiative says it archived all the information on the website.

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Experts weigh in

Cyber security experts say NIMC may be wrong on its stand that visitation of rogue websites is the sole reason for the data breach.

In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, a cyber security expert, Oluwafemi Obadare, stated that the likely situation is that authorised partners compromised NIMCs database.

Mr Obadare explained that while the data of unsuspecting visitors to certain sites can be easily harvested, it is impossible to obtain a large volume of data through phishing alone.

In as much as it is possible for websites to harvest data of users based on what some users posted and put on the internet, getting that volume of data cant be from just data harvesting alone, he explained.

My assumption is that it is likely there is a gap from any of the authorised partners that have legitimate access to these confidential data, he added.

For years, Nigeria has grappled with the issue of data security and data breaches.

Earlier in the year, the National Commissioner, the Nigerian Data Protection Commission (NDPC), Vincent Olatunji, confirmed that the commission was investigating 17 major cases of data breaches and violations in the country.

For Adedeji Adedoyin, another cyber security expert, the problem of illegal access and sale of private data of Nigerians is a very serious situation with dire consequences for Nigerias national security.

The exposure of our national database from NIMC to illegal data merchants on the open web is a clear breach of national security and puts innocent citizens at a global risk.

This incident is not just a technical failure; it represents a significant lapse in safeguarding the personal information of millions of innocent Nigerians, he stated.

Strengthening data laws

The 1999 constitution (as amended) recognises privacy as a fundamental human right and guarantees the protection of citizens, their homes, correspondence, telephone conversations and telegraphic communications.

This birthed the enactment of the Nigerian Data Protection Act (NTDA) 2023 and the establishment of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission. Among other things, the commission is responsible for regulating the deployment of technology and organisational measures to facilitate data protection.

The NTDA provides guidelines on the management of personal data to institutions and agencies of government, such as the National Identity Management Commission, which handles the national database of Nigerians.

Section 26 (1) of the National Identity Management Commission Act 2007 makes it unlawful for the commission to give out information about Nigerians contained in the database except for reasons bothering National security.

No person or body corporate shall have access to the data or information contained in the Database with respect to a registered individual entry except with the authorisation of the Commission and only if: (a) an application for the provision of the information to that person is made by or with the authority of that individual; or (b) that individual otherwise consents to the provision of that information to that person, the Act stated.

Mr Adedoyin believes the government should enact stronger data laws and hold both private and public institutions accountable for incidents like these.

Government urgently needs to strengthen data protection protocols, create a more formidable cyber defence network, rapidly improve cyber response and embark on a national citizen awareness to help citizens better understand how to protect themselves, he said.

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BEIJING, June 22 (Xinhua) -- In the midst of a powerful typhoon and turbulent waves, a 12-megawatt wind turbine operates steadfastly, harnessing nature's force to generate clean energy.

This impressive sight unfolded on the screens in the laboratory of Mingyang Smart Energy Group Co., Ltd., a new energy company headquartered in Zhongshan City in south China's Guangdong Province, as researchers simulated the operation of wind turbines under typhoon conditions.

Typhoons are frequent along the southeast coast of China, posing a significant challenge for wind power facilities to avoid damage while generating more power during these storms.

"In the field of new energy, achieving typhoon-resistant wind power is akin to a 'moon-landing' challenge that needs to surmount very tough technical barriers," said Zhang Chuanwei, chairman of Mingyang Smart Energy.

Drawing from extensive operational data in typhoon zones, the company's research and development team conducted detailed analyses of wind speeds, directions and turbulence. "These insights have been integrated into our turbine designs, ensuring that they can endure typhoons while maximizing energy production," Zhang explained.

By 2023, more than 2,000 smart wind turbines manufactured by the company were deployed in China's typhoon-prone regions. When super typhoon Saola swept Guangdong Province last year, the company's self-developed offshore wind turbine in Zhuhai City successfully withstood winds exceeding magnitude 17, continuing uninterrupted operation.

In addition to typhoons, Mingyang Smart Energy has pioneered innovative solutions to harness wind energy under extreme conditions. These include segmented fan blades for mountainous Guizhou Province and specialized models to withstand sandstorms in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

China's goals of achieving carbon peak by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2060 underscore the critical role of science and technology in balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability.

Companies like Mingyang Smart Energy exemplify this effort, leveraging advanced technologies to drive clean energy initiatives.

In Fuyuan County in southwest China's Yunnan Province, digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI) have revolutionized wind farm operations.

A sophisticated control system, integrated with 3D simulations and real-time data analytics, has enabled remote monitoring and proactive maintenance of 135 wind turbines of Yunnan International Power Investment Co., Ltd.

"Previously, on-site inspections were necessary, but now, automated systems issue alerts for potential issues," said Peng Yiheng, a staff member of the wind farm, highlighting the transformative impact of intelligent systems on wind energy management.

According to data released by the National Development and Reform Commission, over the past decade, China's energy consumption per unit of GDP and its carbon dioxide emissions have decreased by 26.2 percent and 34.4 percent, respectively. Its installed capacities of wind power, photovoltaic power and hydropower have all ranked first in the world, marking a historic advance in green, low-carbon and high-quality development.

Building upon these remarkable strides in reducing energy intensity, the Chinese government has continued to roll out new measures to encourage industries to undergo a green and low-carbon transition. Experts anticipate that it will trigger a sci-tech revolution marked by decarbonization and promote a series of major sci-tech innovations.

According to Zhang Yongsheng, head of the Research Institute for Eco-civilization, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, with breakthroughs in big data and AI technology, China will fully unleash the huge potential of green development and continue to create miracles in green growth.

"China is an important force in promoting renewable energy," said Zhang Jian, vice president of the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development, Tsinghua University.

"With its technology, cost and scale advantages, China is well-positioned to lead efforts in combating climate change and promoting energy transformation in the future," Zhang added. 
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) on Saturday said the Obiafu/Obrikom/Oben (OB3) gas pipeline will be completed by August.

Olufemi Soneye, the chief corporate communications officer of NNPC Ltd, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Soneye said the Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd, Mele Kyari, disclosed this during an inspection tour of the OB3 pipeline River Niger crossing operation at Aboh, Delta State, on Saturday.

This is a major project of monumental value to our country. What this means is that this is the only way we can deliver the gas revolution. I am very happy and convinced that, latest by the middle of August, we will complete this project. I have been assured of that by the project team, Mr Kyari said.

We will see about 2.2 billion standard cubic feet of gas coming into our network. We believe that this will give our country a breathing space of demand, I am sure we can catch up with that kind of demand in the next one and half years. We are happy that this will give us the platform to unleash the gas revolution in our country.

The $700 million OB3 gas pipeline project being built by NNPC Ltd has been under construction for years and has missed several deadlines.

In December 2016, reports said it was 80 per cent completed.

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The pipeline was initially intended to be completed by the end of 2017 but technical challenges, including horizontal drilling under major rivers, complicated work, according to reports.

In 2018 it was reported that rain and flooding delayed the construction of the pipeline, and that the new expected date of completion was second quarter 2019.

Since then, other factors like the Covid-19 pandemic and general slowdown due to changes in contracting agreements, have been blamed for the inability of the project to come onstream.

In February, the Nigerian government said the gas pipeline would be completed by March 2024.

On Saturday, NNPC Ltd said it is set to deliver the gas pipeline project in yet another major step towards boosting nationwide gas supply to drive industrialisation and economic growth.

Also speaking on the project, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, expressed satisfaction with the pace of work at the OB3 River Niger crossing operation, describing it as Renewed Hope at work.

I was here last year and I saw the work that was going on. There was a promise that it would be completed by December last year. I took it with a doubt. But today, from what I can see, I am confident that by July or August it will be completed and it will be commissioned by the President, Mr Ekpo said.

On her part, the Special Adviser to the President on Energy, Olu Verheijen, said she was looking forward to the completion of the project having been assured by the technical team that the right technology has been found to resolve the complex challenges of the River Niger crossing.

As the minister and other speakers have said, we are looking forward to having this project deliver prosperity to Nigerians in the form of electricity and other areas, she said.

The Managing Director of Tunnel Service Group (TSG), one of the contractors for the project, Ingo Justen, who was present to supervise the project, according to the statement, expressed confidence that the current technology being applied in the execution of the project would lead to its speedy conclusion.

The gas pipeline

By design, the OB3 gas pipeline, according to NNPC Ltd, is the inter-connector which links the Eastern gas pipeline network to the Escravos-Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS) in the West and the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) Pipeline in the North.

The NNPC Ltd said the River Niger crossing operation had been the major impediment to the completion of the strategic OB3 gas pipeline for over three years due to the failure of the various technologies deployed to achieve the construction of the 48-inch pipe under the river bed between Ndoni in Rivers State and Aboh in Delta State.

However, with the adoption of the Micro-Tunnelling/Direct Pipe Installation technology, the national oil company said the new contractors, Messrs HDD Thailand/Enikkom and Tunnelling Services Group (TSG), are making progress, with about 860 metres out of the 1,800 metres achieved so far.

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The Vice President, Oil and Gas, at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), Devakumar Edwin, has accused International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Nigeria of doing everything to frustrate the survival of Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals.

Mr Edwin said the IOCs are deliberately and wilfully frustrating the refinerys efforts to buy local crude by jerking up high premium price above the market price, thereby forcing it to import crude from countries as far as United States, with its attendant high costs.

Speaking to a group of energy editors at a one-day training programme, organised by the Dangote Group, Mr Edwin also lamented the activity of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in granting licences indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.

The Dangote Industries official said, The Federal Government issued 25 licences to build refinery and we are the only one that delivered on promise. In effect, we deserve every support from the Government. It is good to note that from the start of production, more than 3.5 billion litres, which represents 90 per cent of our production, have been exported. We are calling on the Federal Government and regulators to give us the necessary support in order to create jobs and prosperity for the nation.

According to him: While the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are trying their best to allocate the crude for us, the IOCs are deliberately and willfully frustrating our efforts to buy the local crude. It would be recalled that the NUPRC, recently met with crude oil producers as well as refineries owners in Nigeria, in a bid to ensure full adherence to Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligations (DCSO), as enunciated under section 109(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

*It seems that the IOCs objective is to ensure that our Petroleum Refinery fails. It is either they are deliberately asking for ridiculous/humongous premium or, they simply state that crude is not available. At some point, we paid $6 over and above the market price. This has forced us to reduce our output as well as import crude from countries as far as the US, increasing our cost of production

It appears that the objective of the IOCs is to ensure that Nigeria remains a country which exports Crude Oil and imports refined Petroleum Products. They (IOCs) are keen on exporting the raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for their countries, adding to their GDP, and dumping the expensive refined products into Nigeria  thus making us to be dependent on imported products.

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It is the same strategy the multinationals have been adopting in every commodity, making Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa to be facing unemployment and poverty, while they create wealth for themselves at our expense. This is exploitation  pure and simple. Unfortunately, the country is also playing into their hands by continuing to issue import licences, at the expense of our economy and at the cost of the health of the Nigerians who are exposed to carcinogenic products.

In spite of the fact that we are producing and bringing out diesel into the market, complying with ECOWAS regulations and standards, licences are being issued, in large quantities, to traders who are buying the extremely high sulphur diesel from Russia and dumping it in the Nigerian Market. Since the US, EU and UK imposed a Price Cap Scheme from 5th February, 2023 on Russian Petroleum Products, a large number of vessels are waiting near Togo with Russian ultra-high sulphur diesel and, they are being purchased and dumped into the Nigerian Market.

In fact, some of the European countries were so alarmed about the carcinogenic effect of the extra high sulphur diesel being dumped into the Nigerian Market that countries like Belgium and the Netherlands imposed a ban on such fuel being exported from its country, into West Africa, recently. It is sad that the country is giving import licences for such dirty diesel to be imported into Nigeria, when we have more than adequate petroleum refining capacity locally

Belgium and Netherland had in May adopted new quality standards to halt the export of cheap, low-quality fuels to West Africa, harmonising its standards with those of the European Union. These measures synchronise fuel export standards with the European domestic market, specifically targeting diesel and petrol with high sulphur and chemical content. Historically, these fuels, with sulphur content reaching up to 10,000 ppm, were exported at reduced rates to countries like Nigeria and other West African consumers.

Belgiums Minister of Environment, Zakia Khattabi, announced that his country followed the Netherland, which in April 2023 also prohibited the export of low-quality petrol and diesel to West Africa via the ports of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. Khattabi emphasised that the Netherlands decision to restrict dirty fuel exports had redirected the trade to Belgium, now used by oil producers and traders to export gasoline with excessively high levels of benzene and sulphur.

For far too long, toxic fuels have been departing from Belgium to destinations including Africa. They cause extremely poor air quality in countries such as Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon and are even carcinogenic, said Ms Khattabi.

In September 2017, an investigation by an international organisation, Public Eye, revealed that polluted and toxic fuels were being exported on a large scale from the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam for export to African markets. As much as a quarter of the petrol and diesel available in West Africa originates from the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp. These fuels contain sulphur and other pollutants, such as cancer-causing benzene, in quantities up to 400 times the limits permitted in Europe. The Netherlands and Belgium were enjoined to enforce regulations to shield millions of Africans from exposure to toxic fuels.

The Dangote Refinery official said the decision of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), in granting licenses indiscriminately for the importation of dirty diesel and aviation fuel has made the refinery to expand into foreign markets.

The refinery, he said, recently exported diesel and aviation fuel to Europe and other parts of the world.

The same industry players fought us for crashing the price of diesel and aviation fuel, but our aim, as I have said earlier, is to grow our economy, Mr Edwin said.

He noted that because the refinery meets the international standard as well as comply with stringent guidelines and regulations to protect the local environment, it has been able to export its products to Europe and other parts of the world.

While appealing to the Federal Government and the National Assembly to urgently intervene for speedy implementation of the PIA and to ensure the interest of Nigeria and Nigerians are protected, he said: Recently, the government of Ghana, through legislation has banned the importation of highly contaminated diesel and PMS into their county. It is regrettable that, in Nigeria, import licences are granted despite knowing that we have the capacity to produce nearly double the amount of products needed in Nigeria and even export the surplus. Since January 2021, ECOWAS regulations have prohibited the import of highly contaminated diesel into the region.

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Nigerias Aviation Minister, Festus Keyamo, has said his ministry and other relevant agencies would soon unveil practical steps being taken to address begging and extortion across airports in Nigeria.

In a statement posted on his official X page on Sunday, the Minister explained that he has received several complaints about the menace of begging and extortion at the countrys international airports by a few unscrupulous persons.

He said his phones are beeping every minute with messages about these (begging and extortion) incidents from well-meaning Nigerians.

Just to set the records straight, most of the agencies involved in this menace are not under the control of the Aviation Ministry, though they are stationed at our airports, Mr Keyamo said.

The Minister said he has been working closely with other ministers and agencies to proffer solutions to the problems.

We are all working under the coordination of the National Security Adviser, who called a meeting a few days ago on this issue, and we shall soon unveil practical steps being taken to stem this ugly tide. We thank Nigerians for their eternal vigilance on this issue, Mr Keyamo said.

Concerns

A common sight at the arrival and departure lounges of major airports in Nigeria are government officials (Customs, Immigration, NDLEA, etc) seeking kickbacks from departing or arriving passengers.

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In other places, the premises of major airports in the country are occupied by unauthorised traders  from those selling Kilishi (dried beef ) to several others hawking items such as padlocks and related items.

While these activities and the continuous alleged unprofessional actions from some government officials stationed at the airports continue to raise safety concerns, many Nigerians believe that the airport environment will be safer for travellers if these issues are properly addressed.

Meanwhile, a PREMIUM TIMES investigation in 2018 also revealed how poor airport facilities are fueling touting, hawking and other illicit activities across major airports in the country, thus posing safety concerns.

Reactions

On Sunday, many Nigerians on the X platform reacted to the Ministers statement and called for an urgent implementation of the measures being put in place to address the incidents of begging/extortion at the airport.

Whatever practical stem that is agreed upon by the NSA and the concerned ministries and agencies heads should permanently put a stop to the embarrassment called begging and extortion at our airports, a commentator, Mr Ebony(@donald_segun), tweeted.

In his reaction, another X user, Adewale Damilare (@dammygtnet), said, If this is solved, the majority of the issues being faced in our international airports will go. Some will even want to punish you for not parting with your money. It is really disturbing. Almost every point you reach, na so so begging Maka, why

The worst is Enugu airport. The Bambiala in the airport from Customs to immigration is unbearably embarrassing, says @MaduabuchiDr in another tweet.

On his part, an X user @Okwudilidave said, Its widespread across all sectors, not just at airports. You can observe it in banks, whether you are entering the banking hall or using the ATM, even in eateries, and more.

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The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, on Sunday, announced that the first commercial transaction from Nigerian gold bars has resulted in a substantial increase of over $5 million in Nigerias foreign reserves assets.

Mr Alake disclosed this in a statement posted on his X handle on Sunday.

The minister explained that he recently presented the first batch of gold bars under the National Gold Purchase Program (NGPP) to President Bola Tinubu.

He explained that the programme aims to increase the countrys reserves and boost the value of the naira.

He noted that the gold bars were sourced from artisanal and small gold miners and refined by an agency of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development Fund while noting that it injected around N6 billion into the rural economy.

I am pleased to report that the National Gold Purchase programme, which aims to increase our countrys reserves and boost the value of the naira, is making significant progress.

Recently, I had the honour of presenting the latest gold bars to HE President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The bars were sourced from artisanal and small gold miners and refined by an agency of our Ministry, the Solid Minerals Development Fund. They have met the London Bullion Market Association Good Delivery Standard and will soon be sold to the Central Bank of Nigeria to strengthen our foreign reserves, Mr Alake said.

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According to him, this marks the first commercial transaction under the National Gold Purchase Program (NGPP), a centralised off-take scheme supported by a decentralised aggregation and production network of artisanal and small-scale miners and cooperatives.

Furthermore, I am proud to announce that this first commercial transaction has resulted in a substantial increase of over US$5 million in Nigerias foreign reserves assets, the refinement of over 70 kilograms of gold to the London Bullion Market Good Delivery Standard, and the successful aggregation of locally mined gold, injecting around NGN 6 billion into the rural economy, he said.

The gold bar

The gold purchase scheme began under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018.

The scheme, according to the then Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Kayode Fayemi, included equipping the artisanal miners, provision of extension services and off-take of all gold produced by participants in the scheme.

The scheme was referred to as the Presidential Artisanal Gold Mining Development Initiative (PAGMDI), and some of its purchases would be sold to the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The initiative aims to increase Nigerias reserves and boost the value of the naira against other currencies.

In 2020, the then Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, was at the State House in Abuja to present gold bars mined in the state to Mr Buhari.

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After a 30-year-long feud, veteran actor Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande) and prolific filmmaker Tunde Kelani have finally reconciled.

This significant event, which took place on 13 June, was made possible by the intervention of the Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II). The reconciliation sets the stage for the upcoming stage adaptation of the 1993 hit film Ti Oluwa Ni Ile.

The Ooni of Ife, Adeyeye Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), entrusted Dotun Taylor, his Asoju Asa Oodua and head of Aroba Groove, an international artistic organisation, to facilitate reconciliation.

In a heartwarming display of unity and hope, both parties set aside their differences, attributing the past feud to royalty issues from the 1993 hit film Ti Oluwa Ni Ile.

They thanked the Ooni for his intervention and acknowledged Mr Taylors pivotal role, which marked a significant moment in Nigerian film and theatre history.

Bolatito Adebola, Mr Taylors media aide, revealed this in an interview on Sunday.

Initially written in 1987 and transformed into a cinematic gem in 1993, TI OLUWA NILE captivated audiences with its themes of intrigue and justice.

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Baba Wande played the lead role in the 1993 movie, released through Mainframe Films and Television Productions. The iconic film, released in three parts, was Mr Kelanis directorial debut and remains one of the best-selling Yoruba movies ever.

Mr Taylor said the resolve to end the feud highlights the importance of cultural diplomacy in addressing conflicts and promoting national unity.

Mr Kelani and Baba Wande are involved in the stage adaptation of Ti Oluwa Ni Ile dubbed ASIYANBI: TI OLUWA NI ILE.

It is an initiative of Mr Taylors AROBA GROOVE, a production company he founded that says it wants to make history with this iconic performance.

Olive branch

Mr Taylor said the reconciliation move would ensure the seamless production of the stage adaptation scheduled for the last quarter of 2024 and enable the new generation to learn from the rich history of the Yoruba culture.

The play will be staged in major cities in Nigeria, the UK, and the USA.

The cast includes Kareem Adepoju (Baba Wande), Aisha Lawal, Ozain, Lekan Agba Inaki, Jude Chukwuka, and Dele Omo Woli.

Baba Wande reminisced about their early days, saying, Tunde Kelani is my friend, and we will continue to work together to grow our beloved industry and Yorubaland.

Mr Kelani echoed similar sentiments, This peace initiative is a reminder that our work is appreciated, and we are being watched. I thank the Ooni for his intervention and assure you of my full support for the production of ASIYANBI, the TI OLUWA NILE stage adaptation.

Following a teaser released, Aroba Groove has announced that drama enthusiasts can look forward to a treat from October as the ingenious production tours cities nationwide and abroad.

Mr Taylor said the Ooni chose him to facilitate the reconciliation between Mr Kelani and Baba Wande due to his experience as a cultural ambassador and passion for promoting Nigerian culture and the arts.

Growing up, I had a deep appreciation for the film industry, and when I became a culture ambassador, the Ooni of Ife praised the significance of the film Ti Oluwa Ni Ile.

He said: After moving to Hollywood, I realised the cultural significance of stage acting and decided to bring this concept back to Nigeria. Through my company, Aroba (meaning history in Yoruba), we aim to showcase the rich history of Nigerian film and theatre, starting with successful Nollywood films like Ti Oluwa Ni Ile.

We will adapt it for the stage, featuring fresh talent, including popular social media influencers who have proven their acting craft, a testament to Nigerian arts and culture vibrancy and diversity.

Following the successful reconciliation, Mr Taylor praised the exemplary leadership displayed by Mr Kelani and Baba Wande, citing their willingness to put aside differences as a valuable lesson for the industry and beyond.

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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday, visited former President Muhammadu Buhari in the latters home town, Daura, Katsina State.

Atiku was accompanied by former Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, a former National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ibrahim Tsauri, and some party supporters.

They arrived at the Katsina Airport at about 11.25 a.m. before moving to Daura to meet with Mr Buhari.

Atiku, who was the PDP presidential candidate in the 2023 election, also paid a condolence visit to the family of late Sade, father to the Managing Director, NNPC Trading Limited, Lawal Dade.

He thereafter visited the Emir of Daura, Umar Farouq, and condoled with him over Mr Sades demise.

After the visits, Atiku told journalists in Katsina that he was in the state to condole with the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir-Usman, over the death of his son, Abdullah Abdulmumini.

He said he also condoled with the family of a former Governor of the defunct Kaduna State, Lawal Kaita, over the death of his widow, Yelwa Lawal-kaita.

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Atiku explained that he visited Mr Buhari and the Emir of Daura to congratulate them for the successful celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir festivity.

On the leadership crisis in the Katsina State chapter of the PDP, the former vice president said the forthcoming party congresses will resolve it.

There will soon be congresses, so, people will elect whom they want to be their party leaders, he said.

Meanwhile, a press statement from the Atiku Media Office on Saturday said the visit was meant for the former vice president to express his love for Katsina State in particular and to familiarise with distinguished personalities of the Daura Emirate.

The meeting of His Excellency Atiku Abubakar to Katsina State today is essentially a continuation of his courtesy visits since the end of Sallah celebrations and, especially to condole with the family of his late old friend, Mallam Lawan Kaita, the statement signed by Atikus media adviser, Paul Ibe, said.

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Plans have been concluded by the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) to pay out a total of N35 billion in fees and monthly upkeep allowances to 70,000 applicants who are already successful in their loan applications, PREMIUM TIMES learnt.

The successful applicants, who are students of federal government-owned tertiary institutions across the country, were drawn from the pool of 120,000 applicants who sent in their applications as of Friday, 21 June.

Sources confirmed that the successful candidates can check their dashboards on the agencys portal to know the status of their applications.

Though the spokesman for NELFUND, Nasir Ayitogo, said he could neither confirm nor deny the information when our reporter reached out to him on the phone for confirmation, other highly placed sources within the agency confirmed the development.

Mr Ayitogo, however, said the agency was working hard to fulfil its mandate of bringing smiles to the faces of indigent Nigerian students, who he said are eager to benefit from the initiative as approved by President Bola Tinubu.

The sources said each applicants status is expected to show the processes of verification up till when approved or denied, and when the funds are eventually disbursed.

Funds distribution

According to multiple sources within the agency, the various applicants will have their fees charged by their institutions paid directly into the institutions bank accounts.

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The fees to be paid, according to these sources, will be the total of fees payable by students based on their courses of study which could include other sundry fees such as departmental levies, laboratory fees, and health insurance fees, among others.

One of the sources, who does not want to be quoted for lacking the authority to speak on the matter, said: What is clear is that when the fees for these 70,000 applicants were summed up, they amounted to N35 billion and this will be paid this week.

The applicants will also receive a monthly allowance for their upkeep.

The sources said the school fees will be paid to different institutions only at the beginning of the sessions, so the funds wouldnt be paid for all at the same time.

N20,000 monthly stipend

Sources have also confirmed that the agency has concluded plans to pay N20,000 every month to all the successful applicants for every year of their studentship.

This amount will total N240,000 per year, but to be qualified in the next year, the applicant will have to reapply because it is a refundable loan and not a gift, another source said.

The source clarified that whether the beneficiaries schools are in session or not, the N20,000 upkeep allowance will be paid every month to allow for their upkeep even while at home.

More applications being evaluated

Meanwhile, the sources confirmed that a total of 50,000 additional applications are already currently being evaluated for possible consideration, noting that the agency receives an average of 1500 applications per day.

These 50,000 applications for the second batch of the applicants from the federal institutions that are currently being reviewed. As soon as the verifications of their details, including their studentship, and details of guarantors, among others, are confirmed, their fees will be paid, and allowances forwarded to them.

Portal to open for state-owned institutions

The agency had earlier confirmed that applicants from tertiary institutions owned by the state governments across the 36 states of the federation will be onboarded beginning from Tuesday, 25 June while also announcing that it would publish the full list of institutions that have submitted their complete students data for the Student Verification System (SVS) portal on 24 June.

The agency announced this on its X handle in a statement signed by Mr Ayitogo, who said the list will comprise both state and federal institutions to ensure transparency and to encourage due access and participation in the scheme, of both undergraduate applicants and tertiary institutions in this critical exercise.

It is commendable that many federal institutions have already completed the exercise having been the first wave, whilst the process of uploading the data to NELFUND SVS is currently ongoing for the state-owned institutions, the statement noted.

The agency said for applicants to access the fund, the individuals details must feature in the data set sent by the institution to the NELFUND SVS, where it claims automatic applicant verification can take place seamlessly.

NELFUND

The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) was created by the Access to Higher Education Act, which President Bola Tinubu signed.

The Fund is tasked with handling all student loan requests, grants, disbursement, and recovery of the loans.

The Fund is being funded from multiple streams and will engage in other productive activities. It will also be funded through donations, gifts, grants, endowments, and revenue accruing to the fund from any other source, according to the Act.

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The Lagos State Government has clarified its position on the cause of the cholera outbreak currently ravaging the state.

News reports had earlier suggested that the consumption of an unregistered tiger nut drink reportedly sold in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state was responsible for the outbreak.

The reports referenced an interview the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Kemi Ogunyemi, had with The Punch Newspaper.

However, in his reaction to the report, the Director of Public Affairs at the states Ministry of Health, Tunbosun Ogunbanwo, said Ms Ogunyemi did not disclose any conclusion of the states investigations into the causes of the outbreak.

Mr Ogunbanwo, in a telephone interview with PREMIUM TIMES Saturday night, said Mrs Ogunyemi was misrepresented. He said various possible sources, including the tiger nut drink, were being investigated to determine the cause of the outbreak.

Tiger nut as major denominator

In the interview, Mrs Ogunyemi classified a tiger nut drink reportedly consumed by many of those who presented cholera cases in Eti-Osa Local Government Area as a significant denominator, noting that most of them confirmed they took the drink before presenting cases of diarrhoea and other cholera symptoms at the hospitals.

Mrs Ogunyemi said in the interview: So when we noticed an increase in cases in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos specifically, we went there to investigate. We carried out a survey and found that the common denominator, which was one of the deadly factors, was a tiger nut drink. People who came to the hospitals all identified that they had drunk tiger nut drink. We couldnt just take their word for it, so we had to take that drink and test it to see what was in it. We immediately sent people out to look for those selling it so we could take a sample.

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We found empty bottles with a name on them, but we discovered that it wasnt even registered with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, the regulatory body that ensures the safety of consumables. There was a phone number and a name on the bottle, and we started tracing. We did contact tracing, similar to what we did with COVID-19. We combed the area to ask people where they got the drinks from. We couldnt find any full bottles. We only found empty ones, which were of no use because we could not test them. The phone number on the bottle was not reachable. From our investigations, we realised that the beverages were not registered, so the producers hadnt gone through the processes to ensure that what they were producing was safe for the public to consume. We traced it to that.

But Mrs Ogunyemi added that since cholera is a water-borne disease, the government has continued to test the water, food, and stool of patients who present the symptoms, particularly those who had not taken antibiotics before approaching hospitals.

Backstory

Lagos, Nigerias commercial capital, has, within the last couple of days, been ravaged by a cholera outbreak that has claimed more than 20 lives from almost 500 suspected cases.

The states Commissioner for Health, Akin Abayomi, on Saturday morning, announced an increase in the number of fatalities recorded from the disease, noting that cases have been recorded across 20 Local Government Areas (LGA) in the state.

Before now, rumours had spread through the city, especially on social media, that the rampaging disease could be linked to the consumption of tiger nut drinks. The state immediately dispelled the rumour, insisting that investigations were still ongoing to unravel the causes of the development.

However, the Saturday reports suggested that the state had confirmed the cause of the disease.

Govt reacts

In his reaction, Mr Ogunbanwo said no state government official had made such a claim with a tone of finality.

He said: Neither the Special Adviser on Health to the Governor nor any official of the state government gave any of such conclusion. What the SA said was that the state is investigating everything including water, food and drinks. There is no conclusion yet.

Cholera surge

In her interview with Punch newspaper, Mrs Ogunyemi noted that the disease spread further across the state during Eid festivities.

She said more people showed up at hospitals with diarrhoea and vomiting following the celebrations, while some died as a result of a delay in getting medical help.

Mrs Ogunyemi noted that the first symptom of the disease is usually abdominal pain, followed by diarrhoea. Other symptoms may include fever, vomiting, and muscle pain.

However, we anticipated an increase after the Ileyah celebrations, which indeed happened. Unfortunately, we also had an increase in deaths.

From our history, we realised they had diarrhoea and vomiting for the past two or three days, but they never came to the hospital. They were probably treating themselves locally, which we advise against. Thats how we know. Were hoping for a decline as we continue our efforts in the community, she said.

She warned the public to desist from self-medication and rather report to a medical centre upon noticing symptoms of the disease.

Data on disease

Lagos Island, Eti-Osa and Kosofe LGAs had the highest number of persons who reported to the hospital upon noticing symptoms of cholera.

Suspected Cholera cases in Lagos rose to 423 after the state recorded an additional six new infections on Thursday, 20 June.

The state authorities released the new data only 24 hours after it previously announced an increase in fatalities recorded from the disease.

Currently, 24 deaths and 35 confirmed infections out of 417 suspected cases have been recorded across 20 LGAs, including Eti Osa.

Aside from Eti Osa, cases have been reported in Agege, Badagry, Ikeja, Mushin, Ajeromi-Ifelodun, Epe, Ikorodu, Ojo, and Alimosho.

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Eight internet fraudsters have been sentenced to jail by the Federal High Court, Calabar, Cross River State.

The convicts are Abasiofon Daniel Essien (otherwise known as Jason Momoa), Gideon Junior, Edikan Ubong, Harrison Chiemelie, Ndifereke Umoh, Christopher Promise, Effiong Wisdom and Godswill Nsikan.

They were prosecuted by the Uyo Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the anti-graft agency said in a statement on Saturday.

Charges

The eight were charged separately for criminal impersonation, identity theft and obtaining by false pretence. All of them pleaded guilty, according to the statement by the EFCC.

One of the charges against Mr Essien reads: That you, Abasiofon Daniel Essien (aka Jason Momoa) sometime in 2023, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honorable court did take possession of $300 (Three Hundred US dollars) intentionally, knowing that the money formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act to wit: Identity theft and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act 2022 and punishable under the Section 18 (3) of the same Act.

One of the charges against Mr Wisdom reads: That you, Effiong Wisdom M (aka Pamela Randy) sometime in November 2023, in Nigeria, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable court did fraudulently present yourself as Pamela Randy to Michael Moore on the social media platform: Facebook/Instagram with intent to gain advantage for yourself did take possession of the sum of $170 (One Hundred and Seventy United States Dollars) knowing that the money formed part of the proceed of an unlawful act to wit: impersonation thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition and Prevention) Act 2022 and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the same Act.

The prosecution counsel, Khamis Mahmud had tendered the fraudsters confessional statements and incriminating contents of their mobile phones to the court as evidence and urged the court to convict and sentence them accordingly.

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Conviction, sentencing

The judge, Rosemary Oghoghorie, convicted and sentenced them to two years imprisonment each.

Justice Oghoghorie gave Umoh, Promise, Chiemelie and Nsikan the option to pay a fine of N2 million each while Junior, Essien and Ubong were given the option to pay a fine of N1.5 million each. Wisdom was given the option to pay a N1 million fine.

In addition, Essien, Junior, Ubong and Chiemelie are to restitute $100, $300, $170 and N140,000.00 respectively to their victims, while Umoh, Promise, Wisdom and Nsikan will restitute $70, $140, N100,000.00 and Nsikan $50 respectively to their victims.

Furthermore, they forfeited their phones, which were the tools of their crimes, to the government.

All the convicts were arrested by operatives of the Uyo Zonal Command of the EFCC.

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The Government of Cross River has declared a total suspension of logging activities in all parts of the state.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) of Cross River, Anthony Owan-Enoh, on Saturday and made available to journalists.

The state government had earlier introduced a permiteeship system, which empowered the states forestry commission to give permits to loggers to fell specific trees.

However, this has not worked, as illegal logging has continued in the state, even in areas under government protection, such as parks.

The SSG said, In spite of the forbearance by government on the activities of timber loggers in the state, government notes the persisting refusal and or neglect to keep to the terms stipulated by government for the felling of trees.

Consequently, Gov. Bassey Otu has suspended further logging activities in the state.

Security agencies are to arrest offenders and confiscate any log and machinery deployed thereto.

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Mr Owan-Enoh called on the players in the timber logging trade to contact the states forestry commission for further guidance.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the rainforest in Cross River, which accounts for about 50 per cent of the surviving rainforest in the nation, is under serious threats from human activities such as farming, illegal logging and illegal mining.

(NAN)

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BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Heavy rainfall has impacted several provinces in China, including Hunan, Anhui and Guizhou, affecting tens of thousands of people.

In central China's Hunan Province, a landslide in Douxi Village, Xinhuang Dong Autonomous County, claimed eight lives on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, Hunan provincial meteorological bureau raised the emergency response level of meteorological disaster from level III to level II. Meteorological departments at all levels are required to closely monitor local weather conditions as well as the water levels of rivers and reservoirs across the province.

The local meteorological authority said that northern and central Hunan will continue to experience persistent heavy rain and torrential downpours in the coming week, with risks of floods, geological hazards and urban waterlogging.

From 8:00 a.m. Saturday to 8:00 a.m. Sunday, widespread rainfall swept areas south of Hefei, the capital city of Anhui Province. Some regions also experienced heavy rain and torrential downpours, according to the provincial emergency management department.

To date, more than 30,000 residents from dangerous areas have been evacuated in advance, and more than 4,000 people trapped by the floods have been rescued.

As of 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, five rivers in Anhui had exceeded warning levels. More than 200 tourist attractions have been temporarily closed.

In southwest China's Guizhou Province, heavy rainfall since Friday has affected 213,300 people across 41 counties, the provincial flood control and drought relief headquarters said on Sunday.

So far, nearly 7,000 residents have been evacuated to safety and almost 1,000 people have been relocated.

Local meteorological departments forecast that Guizhou will continue to experience heavy rainfall until the end of June.

Currently, various regions in Guizhou, including the severely impacted Zhijin County in Bijie City, are actively engaged in emergency rescue and disaster relief efforts.

Meanwhile, China's meteorological and water resources authorities on Sunday evening warned of impending mountain torrents in some regions.

From 8 p.m. Sunday to 8 p.m. Monday, mountain torrents are likely to occur in parts of Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Hunan, according to an orange alert issued by the Ministry of Water Resources and the China Meteorological Administration.

The two departments also issued a red alert for mountain torrents in the western part of Zhejiang and the northeastern part of Jiangxi.

Mountain torrents could also be triggered by temporary heavy downpours in other areas, the alerts said.

China has a four-tier, color-coded weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 
President Bola Tinubu has directed that all civil servants who are drawing salaries from the government after relocating abroad should be made to refund the money.

The president also directed that the culprits supervisors and department heads be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud while they were in charge.

Mr Tinubu gave the directive on Saturday at the award night organised by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), to commemorate the 2024 Civil Service Week.

The event was also to honour some outstanding civil servants in core ministries.

Represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, the president expressed dismay over the ghost workers attitude.

During my recent visit to South Africa, I kept abreast of the weeks activities.

I was particularly struck by the revelations shared by the Head of the Civil Service, regarding employees who had relocated abroad while drawing salaries without formally resigning.

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It is heartening to hear that measures have been taken to address this issue, but we must ensure those responsible are held accountable and restitution is made.

The culprits must be made to refund the money they have fraudulently collected.

Their supervisors and department heads must also be punished for aiding and abetting the fraud under their watch, Tinubu said.

He reiterated that the government would take appropriate measures to ensure they were punished and the money refunded to the government treasury.

The president acknowledged the challenges in the civil service sector and reiterated his commitment to address them for optimal performance.

Our administration acknowledges the challenges the civil service is facing.

I want to give you the assurance that we are committed to ensuring the welfare and development of all civil servants to deliver optimal performance for the growth of our nation.

Over the past year, I have provided all the necessary support to the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to ensure the continued stability of the civil service.

I also supported the office in implementing far-reaching policies and reforms capable of improving efficiency and service delivery, the president said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports other activities to mark the night were the presentation of the top three prizes to the winners and an additional N500,000 cash prizes to 40 workers.

Making the presentation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, the HOCSF announced the top three prizes won by three lucky officers at the event.

The Star Prize is a Brand New 2023 JAC JS4 Luxury Model SUV; the second is a 2 Bedroom semi-detached bungalow; and the third top prize is a serviced plot of land measuring 400sqm.

I am also pleased to announce that the Nigeria Customs Service has graciously committed to donating 6 Toyota Camry Cars in support of the 2024 Civil Service Week.

The office has started receiving the vehicles, and these will be presented as prizes to the next set of runner-up best-performing officers, she said.

NAN reports that Mercy Ilori, an official of the Ministry of Transportation, won the star prize.

She appreciated Mrs Yemi-Esan and the federal government on behalf of other awardees for the gesture and the honour done to them.

(NAN)

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The combined operatives of the Nigerian Embassy and a Senegalese-based NGO have, in an overnight operation, rescued 24 Nigerian girls who were subjected to sexual exploitation in the Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions of Senegal.

The acting Ambassador of the Nigerian Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, Salihu Abubakar, disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Dakar on Sunday.

According to him, the girls, mostly under-aged, ranging between the ages of 11, 13 and 24, are being trafficked to Senegal through Cotonou, Republic of Benin, via the Mali to Senegal border for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Tamaccounda and Kedougou Regions.

These girls and many more are being trafficked to Senegal, through Cotonou, Benin Republic via Mali to the Senegal border for prostitution, the diplomat said.

Mr Abubakar said preliminary investigation revealed that most of the girls, who were school dropouts were from Edo and Delta, adding that a few of them were from Imo and Abia while two others were from Plateau.

He, however, said of the 24, 22 were already repatriated weeks ago while the two other ladies were repatriated to Nigeria on Saturday and had landed in Nigeria safely.

The diplomat could not immediately give the details of the health status of the victims and other information regarding the time they spent while undergoing sexual exploitation in Senegal.

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The envoy said that the successful repatriation of the girls to Nigeria was a clear indication of the strengthened international cooperation in combating human trafficking between the embassy and the Senegalese-based NGO, Free the Slaves (La Lumiere in French).

Our main goal and number one priority is to discourage the trafficking of our Nigerian girls to any part of the world for prostitution under any disguise, Mr Abubakar said.

(NAN)

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The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State have asked the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to order police operatives to vacate local government council secretariats in the state immediately.

The unions stated this in Port Harcourt on Friday after an emergency joint state administrative council meeting, Punch newspaper reported.

The commissioner of police in Rivers State had ordered operatives to take over the 23 local government council secretariats in the state after violent clashes between supporters of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and those of his predecessor, Nyesom Wike which resulted in the death of two persons, including a police officer.

Supporters of Governor Fubara had stormed council secretariats in the state and demanded council officials vacate office following the expiration of their three-year tenure.

However, the former elected officials, particularly chairpersons of the council, who are loyal to Mr Wike, now FCT minister, had refused to vacate office, a development that triggered violence, prompting the police intervention to prevent further breakdown of law and order.

The police, which had since Wednesday, taken over the council secretariats, said they would not withdraw their operatives until the Court of Appeal delivers judgment on the matter.

The Chairperson of NLC in the state, Alex Agwanwor and that of TUC, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, in a joint statement after their meeting on Friday, said workers have been denied access to the council for days now, causing loss of man-hours.

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The unions said they are in support of the four-day ultimatum issued by the Rivers State President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, Clifford Paul, calling on the police to vacate the councils or face protest.

The councils-in-session commend the men and officers of the Nigeria Police force on its pro-activeness in maintaining law and order in the heat of recent political upheavals.

However, the councils-in-session frowns seriously at the sealing of the 23 Local Government Councils Secretariat by men and officers of the Nigeria Police force for the reason of maintaining law and order, thereby locking out our members from performing their statutory duty.

Given the actions of the Nigeria Policemen, the quantum of man-hour loss since the occupation of the security agencies across the 23 Local Government Councils is irrecoverable, and the attendant consequences of putting people off their job with no alternative means of engagement in the society are far too weighty to contend with in the instant case.

Consequently, the councils of both NLC and TUC call on the Inspector General of Police to immediately direct the Commissioner of Police Rivers State Command to allow legitimate workers of the various Local Government Councils to access their offices, the unions said.

The unions in the state described as self-seeking the call for the declaration of state of emergency in the state by Tony Okocha, the chairperson of the caretaker committee of All Progressives Congress in the state.

The councils-in-session unanimously condemn in strong terms the purported call for a State of Emergency in Rivers State by some supposed political leaders of the State which in all ramifications do not wish Rivers State People well. While we appreciate peoples right to self-opinion, it is also important not to allow self-centeredness to override our sense of reasoning.

The entire workers of Rivers State are hereby put on red alert of possible actions to protect and defend the interest of Rivers State workers, the unions said.

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About 50 members of the House of Representatives have written a letter to President Bola Tinubu, seeking the release of the incarcerated leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Ikenga Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing Ideato Federal Constituency, stated in a message sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday that the lawmakers are seeking the release based on Section 174 of the 1999 Constitution, which gives the Attorney General of the Federation the power to discontinue cases based on public interest, the interest of justice and the need to prevent abuse of legal process.

Mr Kanu, who is leading a secessionist campaign for the creation of the Biafra Republic from Nigeria, is being tried at the Federal High Court in Abuja over his separatist campaigns. He recently told the court that he was seeking an out-of-court settlement with the government.

In the statement, Mr Ugochinyere said the lawmakers, who represent different political parties and geopolitical zones, believe that Mr Kanus release is an important step to restoring peace in the South-east.

He said the letter, dated 19 June 2024 and signed by the 50 lawmakers, was addressed to President Tinubu.

Although Mr Ugochinyere claimed that 50 lawmakers signed the letter, he provided the names of 44 signatories.

PREMIUM TIMES randomly selected some of the names to confirm whether they signed the letter. Many could not be reached.

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However, Muhammed Jagere, a PDP lawmaker from Yobe State, confirmed the authenticity of the letter to this paper during a phone call, stating that he was one of the lawmakers who signed the letter.

In terms of political parties, 23 members of the Labour Party signed the letter, ten members of the PDP, nine members of the ruling All Progressives Congress, three APGA members, and one NNPP member.

An excerpt of the letter provided by Mr Ugochinyere reads:

Your Excellency, we are concerned members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with a strong belief and trust that the Renewed Hope agenda of His Excellency and the various positive reforms will be seen and felt by all. It is against this backdrop that we, the undersigned, hereby beseech Your Excellency to direct the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi SAN, to invoke his powers of nolle prosequi under the provisions of Section 174(1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and Section 107(1) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, and cause the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from detention and discontinue his trial, which we collectively believe is long overdue and would be instrumental in opening the door for much-needed conversations surrounding peace, reformation, and inclusivity, as well as addressing the issues that led to the agitations, especially at this time when Nigeria is going through several constitutional reforms.

Your Excellency, we resolutely believe that this singular act can serve as a pivotal gesture towards national unity as it would address some of the political, security, and economic concerns in the region. It would encourage stakeholders from the South-East to engage more actively in the national discussions on the Renewed Hope agenda, thereby promoting inclusivity and addressing long-standing grievances. This we believe will also help in dismantling the apparatus of violence and restiveness that has plagued the region, allowing for a focus on economic growth and development. Also, it is coming at a time when the nation-state is under enormous pressure, including but not limited to unemployment, insecurity, hunger, and poverty, thereby de-escalating tension from all sides.

Moreover, we as key actors in the Renewed Hope agenda of Your Excellency are not unmindful of the fact that Your Excellency has extended this gesture through the office of the Attorney General in the charge involving Omoyele Sowore wherein he was charged with treasonable felony in Charge No. FHC/ABJ CR/235/2019, Sunday Igboho, etc. All these recorded tremendous successes, especially the crisis within the North-Central, North-Eastern, and South-South regions, not forgetting peace efforts in the Niger Delta region, which have helped in so many ways. The establishment of the North East Development Commission, Ministry of the Niger Delta, Niger Delta Development Commission, Presidential Amnesty, Various Host Community Laws, etc., were all commitments to show good faith to the plight of the people as well as resolving regional conflicts.

It is therefore our conviction that fixing the challenges in the South-East would go a long way in changing the narrative and showcasing your commitment to upholding the principles of the rule of law, justice, and fairness, which are the bedrock of our democracy. It would also set a precedent for addressing issues through dialogue rather than prolonged political-cum-judicial persecution and a brass show of executive lawlessness. We, therefore, implore Your Excellency to adopt this approach, save the South-East, and pave the way for a national conversation to restore, safeguard, and better the resources and economic activities in the South-East. The primary responsibility of the government is the protection of lives and property. Facilitating the release of Nnamdi Kanu would demonstrate a commitment to upholding the principles of justice and fairness, which are the bedrock of our democracy.

Your Excellency, the benefits of such a bold and compassionate act are manifold. It would pave the way for peace initiatives, economic revitalisation, and a renewed sense of belonging among the citizens of the South-East. It would also enhance your administrations legacy as one that prioritises national unity, peace, and progress. We are hopeful that you will consider this request with the gravity it deserves and take the necessary steps to bring about a new era of peace and inclusivity in Nigeria. Thank you, Your Excellency, for your attention to this important matter, and we look forward to a positive response.

Here are the 44 names listed in the statement by Mr Ugochinyere

Mr Ugochinyere

Aliyu Mustapha (PDP, Kaduna)

Midala Balami (LP, Borno)

Afam Ogene (LP, Anambra)

Dominic Okafor (APGA, Anambra)

Etanabene Benedict (LP, Delta)

Shehu Dalhatu (APC, Katsina)

Chinedu Martins (PDP, Imo)

Matthew Nwogu (LP, Imo)

Muhammed Jagere (PDP, Yobe)

Peter Aniekwe (LP, Anambra)

Koki Sagir (NNPP, Kano)

Amobi Oga(LP, Abia)

Gwacham Chinwe (APGA, Anambra)

Uchenna Okonkwo (LP, Anambra)

Abdulmaleek Danga (APC, Kogi)

Osi Nkemkama (LP, Ebonyi)

Mark Useni (PDP, Taraba)

Alexander Mascot (LP, Abia)

Philip Agbese (APC, Benue)

Ginger Onwusibe (LP, Abia)

Zakari Nyampa (PDP, Adamawa)

Jamo Aminu (APC, Katsina),

Emeka Obiajulu (LP, Anambra)

Nnabuife Chinwe Clara (LP, Anambra)

Ukodhiko Jonathan (PDP, Delta)

Akingbaso Olarewaju (PDP, Ondo)

Lilian Orogbu (LP, Anambra)

Marcus Onobu (PDP, Edo)

Chinedu Obika (LP, FCT)

Billy Osawaru (APC, Edo)

Ojuawo Adeniyi (APC, Ekiti)

Ngozi Okoli (LP, Delta)

Ezechi Nnamdi (LP, Delta)

Alozie Ikechi (LP, Abia)

Nkwonta Chris (PDP, Abia)

Paul Nnamchi (LP, Enugu)

Chidi Obetta (LP, Enugu)

Chinedu Okere (LP, Imo)

Uguru Emmanuel (APC, Ebonyi)

Joseph Nwaobasi (APGA, Ebonyi)

Anayo Onwugbu (LP, Enugu)

Chimaobi Atu (LP, Enugu)

Umeha Cyriacus (LP, Enugu)

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You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:3)

I went to buy blank videotapes in a van that had Christian VideoNet emblazoned on both sides. Immediately I came out of the van, an Indian man engaged me in a friendly conversation. Soon he was talking to me about Our Lord.

My immediate reaction was: Which Lord is this man talking about? What makes him think that my Lord is his Lord?

My thinking was that whatever Lord this friendly Indian man was talking about; it cannot be my Lord Jesus Christ.

My new Indian friend kept on chatting, and he was curiously smiling at me. And then it hit me. When I think Indian, I think Hindu. But this Indian man was not a Hindu. That was what he had been trying to communicate to me. This Indian man was a Christian.

Forgive me for having such a one-track mind. On an earlier occasion, I had met another Indian man. He was clearly not a Christian, but I soon got the impression that he was in the marketplace for a new religion. He did not wait for me to witness to him. Having seen the insignia on the van, he wanted me to tell him about Christianity. But then he had some vital questions he wanted cleared up right at the beginning.

Your religion, he asked, does it allow you to drink alcohol?

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Yes, I replied expansively, we even drink wine in church.

Wonderful, wonderful, said my Indian friend, brightening up. Then he asked: How many gods do you have?

I was a bit slow on the uptake and did not quite understand what he was getting at. What do you mean how many gods do I have? I asked incredulously.

Yes, yes, the man replied, without any hint of mischief. How many gods do you have?

I have only one God, I said marvelling at him.

And then I understood why. He was shopping for another god. This man was quite simply a god collector.

Only one? he asked in disbelief. You have only one God?

Well, yes, I replied, now defensive. I have only one God.

The man shook his head in a way that said eloquently: Forget it. What is the point of a religion where you only have one God? That is simply too risky. What if He happens to be busy at any given time?

Dear Reader, how many gods do you have? Do you even know all of them? Many of us do not even realise that we serve other gods. Our predicament is similar to that of the biblical nation of Israel:

They feared the LORD yet served their own gods  according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away. (2 Kings 17:33).

He is the God who took us out of the land of Egypt. He parted the Red Sea and we walked through on dry ground. 600 Egyptian chariots and horses chased us when God delivered us from Egypt and Pharaoh. And yet all of them ended up at the bottom of the Red Sea.

So why would we, after such a glorious experience, trust in the same horses and chariots which brought the Egyptians to grief?

The message should be clear: God saves by faith alone. He who has Jesus has all the protection he needs. He does not need chariots and horses. God says:

I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen. (Hosea 1:7).

Nevertheless, the Bible records that Solomon had 1,400 chariots and 12,000 horsemen. (1 Kings 10:26).

My nephew had an urgent question to ask me. Uncle Femi, he said, does God not like His children to save money?

He had been having some difficulty with the Holy Spirit. Every time he built up a tidy nest egg, the Lord would come up with a project that would wipe it all out. He was becoming frustrated. He just did not seem to have any money put away for the rainy day.

God does not like His children to rely on money, I said to him. He wants His children to depend solely on Him. It would appear that, in your case, when you build up a savings you start to rely on the money, instead of relying on God.

You can put burglar-proofing on your door but do not rely on it. It can be cut like paper. You can buy life insurance policies but do not put your hope in them. The insurance company itself can collapse. You can not have a godfather. Neither can you have a sugar daddy. And you can never go to Egypt for help. (Isaiah 31:1).

So, tell me please: how can we fight Goliath if we have no weapons? Do not even bother trying to put on the armour of Saul. The weapons of our warfare are not man-made, but they have divine power to pull down strongholds. (2 Corinthians10:4).

How would we kill Goliath? Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit, says the Lord. (Zechariah 4:6). How would we pay our school fees? How would we meet our life partners? How would we get promoted in our jobs? Neither by might nor by power but by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus revealed to us that God is spirit. This means He is invisible and immaterial. He is not flesh and blood. Since God is a spirit, worship must be spiritual. Once we make an image, it is no longer spiritual worship. Therefore, God insists that we make no likeness of Him.

The LORD spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words but saw no form; you only heard a voice. (Deuteronomy 4:12).

Once we have to relate to something physical, be it a rosary or a beautiful carving of Jesus, it is no longer spiritual worship; it is physical worship. Note that the children of Israel worshipped the brass serpent that Moses made, calling it Nehushtan. (2 Kings 18:4).

Christianity is not the service about an altar of stone or wood but about the human heart and life. It is not the service of Sunday best clothes, but of the garment of praise (Isaiah 61:3) and the robes of righteousness. (Isaiah 61:10). It is not the service of drums, saxophones, and organs, but of making melody in our hearts to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19).

Spiritual worship means keeping oneself unspotted from the world by living holy godly lives. (James 1:27).

But frankly, faith is a big problem for a lot of Christians. It is so unreal. We want a God we can see: a God we can touch. And so, we make a calf and say it is the God that brought us out of Egypt. But we just made the calf, so how can it be God? Or, we want a king like all the others. But is God not our king? No! We want a king who is flesh and blood.

And so, we not only weary men but we also weary God as well. We provoke the Holy One of Israel to anger. God says: Samuel, tell them what a king will do to them. Tell them a king will sell them and their children into slavery.

But we are not impressed. It does not matter. We still want a king. Everybody else has one, and we would like to be like everybody else.

The man who looks unto the hills is the man who does not know God. The man who looks unto the hills is the man who does not know where his help is going to come from. He has many gods and so many helpers. But the man who has God knows his salvation is coming from the only true God.

Truly, in vain is salvation hoped for from the hills, and from the multitude of mountains; truly, in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. (Jeremiah 3:23).

Even the psalmist who was initially looking to the hills soon realised the error of his ways:

My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:2).

Our help does not come from the lord who is the Governor of the Central Bank. It does not come from the lord who is the Managing Director of First Bank. It comes from the Lord of all lords and the King of kings: The Lord who made heaven and earth.

Sometimes we pray just to fulfil all righteousness. And after we have prayed, we come back to our senses and have panic attacks.

Joys son was going back to the United States from Nigeria. He had an American passport and a Nigerian passport simultaneously. He came in with his Nigerian passport, which meant he did not have a Nigerian visa. But if he tried to leave with his Nigerian passport, they would require him to show a visa for his destination, the United States. That would mean he would have to show his American passport.

But dual nationality had been suspended in Nigeria. If he showed his American passport, they would ask him how he got into the country without a Nigerian visa.

It was a Catch 22 situation. Joy took the matter to God and asked for His help. Then she went to the airport with her son. But on getting there she had a panic attack. She started looking for other gods to help her. Perhaps there was someone she knew who could help her? Perhaps if she spoke politely to the immigration official he would overlook the matter? Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.

But what does the word of God say?

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7).

But Joy was anxious about everything, and she had no peace. Finally, the Holy Spirit spoke: Did you not ask me for help? So why are you still anxious?

Suddenly, she stood there in the middle of the airport terminal apologising to the Holy Spirit. She had scarcely finished praying her apologies when someone called her name.

Professor Ogwu, is that you? She looked up to see this distinguished military officer standing in front of her with a big grin on his face.

What are you doing here? he asked.

My son is travelling to the United States.

Where is he? the man asked taking charge.

He took charge so completely that he ushered him past immigration and literally onto the plane. Problem solved.

When Joy told her husband what had happened, he was unimpressed. It was just a coincidence, he insisted. Coincidence my foot! God is not a coincidental God.

Faribisala@yahoo.com; www.femiaribisala.com

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Historically, mental health in Nigeria has been shrouded in misconceptions and stigma. Traditional beliefs often attribute mental illness to spiritual or supernatural causes, leading to discrimination and marginalisation. While modern treatment approaches have emerged, challenges persist in accessing quality mental health care in many regions of the country, particularly in suburban and rural settings. The negative impact of untreated mental health disorders in Nigeria is profound.

Mental disorders are among the ten global causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. In Nigeria, mental health often takes a back seat, despite its profound impact on individuals, families, and communities. About 20 per cent to 30 per cent of Nigerias population is affected by one or more mental disorders, which are often associated with poor awareness, misconception, stigmatisation, socioeconomic factors, and limited healthcare systems. It is usually easy to see mentally challenged individuals, both children and adults, roaming the streets of Nigeria, unkempt, with no food, shelter and families, or government caring for them, as against what is obtainable in developed countries. Nigeria, as of 2022, with a population of 218.5 million people, lacks comprehensive statistics on the general mental health care population, highlighting the urgent need for advocacy and awareness on this issue.

As it may be, the burden of drug abuse is on the rise and becoming a public health concern, with a bidirectional relationship between drug use and mental health issues exacerbating the problem. Nigeria, which is the most populous country in Africa, has developed a reputation as a centre of drug trafficking and usage, mostly among the youth population. According to the 2018 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) report, Drug Use in Nigeria  the first large-scale, nationwide drug use survey in the country  one in seven persons (aged 1564 years) used at least one drug in the preceding year. In addition, one in five individuals who had used drugs in the past year was suffering from drug-related disorders. Drug abuse has been linked to numerous criminal offences, including theft, burglary, sex work, and shoplifting.

Understanding the reasons why people indulge in drug abuse in Nigeria may guide the development and implementation of targeted interventions for reducing its burden. According to studies and research, the commonly reported reasons are to increase physical performance, derive pleasure, enhance sexual performance, enable relaxation/sleep, as experiment/out of curiosity, to keep awake, relieve stress and anxiety, assuage the depression of unemployment, and give temporary lifts out of frustration and economic hardship, etc. Regardless of any justifiable reason for drug abuse, it still has a huge impact on mental health, which refers to our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act, while influencing our ability to handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health disorders span a wide spectrum, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These conditions can affect people of all ages and backgrounds. In this article, we will be exploring the current state of mental health in Nigeria, its negative impact, and the factors hindering the accessibility and availability of mental health resources, alongside mental health advocacy in the country.

Historically, mental health in Nigeria has been shrouded in misconceptions and stigma. Traditional beliefs often attribute mental illness to spiritual or supernatural causes, leading to discrimination and marginalisation. While modern treatment approaches have emerged, challenges persist in accessing quality mental health care in many regions of the country, particularly in suburban and rural settings. The negative impact of untreated mental health disorders in Nigeria is profound. It can lead to impaired functioning in daily life, an increased risk of substance abuse, higher rates of physical health problems, social stigma, and an economic burden due to misdiagnosis, mismanagement, healthcare costs, insurgency, and high crime rates; all of which impact the nations overall productivity. Therefore, for national progress, it is crucial to understand the challenges that contribute to mental health crises in the country.

Common Challenges Hindering Mental Health Care in Nigeria

Stigma and Discrimination: Widespread stigma surrounding mental illness prevents many from seeking help or disclosing their conditions to others for the fear of being humiliated. In some societies, there is a strong stigma attached to mental illness, leading to shame and the fear of judgment. Turning to religious institutions can seem more acceptable and less stigmatising than admitting to a mental health issue and seeking medical help.

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Lack of Awareness: There is a general lack of awareness and understanding of mental health issues, thereby perpetuating stigma and hindering early intervention. In 2019, a survey on mental health in Nigeria, by Africa Polling Institute (API) and EpiAFRIC, showed how the awareness about it is low in the country, with most respondents who are conscious of having mental health disorders, recognising these as essentially caused by drug abuse, the possession of evil spirits and sickness of the brain, while majority of the patients are however taken to prayer houses for spiritual interventions.

Limited Access to Care: Inadequate resources, including the limited availability of mental health professionals and facilities, contribute to limited access to care mental health issues, particularly in rural areas. Nigeria, with over 200 million people, has only eight federal neuropsychiatric hospitals, with fewer than 300 psychiatrists in them, accounting for a ratio of about 700,000 people per psychiatrist (1:700,000), most of whom are urban-based, and because of poor knowledge of mental disorders at the primary health-care level, caring for people with these illness is typically left to family members. This can be attributed to the shortage of mental health professionals, inadequate funding, and poor infrastructure, leading to insufficient and often inaccessible services for the population.

Creating green spaces in Nigeria can greatly improve mental health by integrating natural green areas into city plans or modifying existing plans. These could be in the form of parks, man-made lakes, ponds, lake fountains, etc. Natural settings such as these have been proven to reduce stress as they encourage exercise, promote social connections, boost brain function, clean the air, support therapy, and help people cope better, making cities healthier and more supportive.

Religious and Cultural Beliefs: These can significantly influence the attitudes of individuals toward seeking mental health care. In many cultures and religions, mental health issues are often seen through a spiritual lens rather than a medical one. This can lead to the preference for seeking help from religious houses and leaders, instead of health facilities. While religious and cultural contexts are important and can offer support, relying entirely on them for mental health care can hinder timely and effective treatment, potentially worsening the individuals condition.

Insufficient Funding: Mental health services in Nigeria receive inadequate funding, leading to a lack of infrastructure, research, and training programmes. Nigeria faces a significant shortage of trained mental health personnel, with only a few hundred psychiatrists and an even smaller number of clinical psychologists, welfare officials, and social workers, for its large population. The government has made some efforts to support mental health professionals through initiatives like the Mental Health Act of 2021, but challenges remain regarding the quality of training and resource allocation.

To address mental health issues in Nigeria, a few things have to be put in place:

Recommendations

Access to Care: This can be achieved by allocating increased funding for the construction and renovation of mental health facilities, practicing a planned preventive maintenance culture in the facilities, and ensuring they are adequately equipped and staffed. The government can also allow mentally challenged individuals to access quality free medical treatment. Mental health services could be integrated into every primary and tertiary healthcare setting, while comprehensive and multidisciplinary care is provided. This can be achieved by training primary care providers in mental health diagnosis and treatment, and by ensuring that mental health services are available at all private and government healthcare centres.

Public Awareness Campaigns: These are to reduce stigma, and develop culturally sensitive mental health policies and programmes that would go a long way in stimulating the populace on the importance of mental health care and inform on the negative impacts of not seeking appropriate care. The Nigerian government at the federal, state, and local government levels, in conjunction with the private health sector and other interest groups, can achieve this by partnering with media outlets, community leaders, leaders of faith-based groups, and healthcare professionals, to share accurate information about mental health and promote positive narratives.

Social Media Anti-stigma Campaigns: In addition to public awareness campaigns, these sort of campaigns can also be effective in improving mental health by teaching people the facts virtually, clearing up wrong ideas, and encouraging them to get help when necessary, thereby reducing discrimination and creating a supportive community. These efforts can also lead to better policies, the training of health workers, and involvement of community leaders in making the talk about mental health normal. According to research published in the National Library of Medicine in 2020 by Dr K Latha of the Department of Mental Health Education and others, using social media platforms to conduct mental health campaigns is an effective initiative, as one can reach out to many people within a short time frame. With the help of technology, participants could easily participate in the campaigns. There is an increasing trend in mental health awareness through the effective use of digital media as information dissemination platforms.

Environmental Modifications: Creating green spaces in Nigeria can greatly improve mental health by integrating natural green areas into city plans or modifying existing plans. These could be in the form of parks, man-made lakes, ponds, lake fountains, etc. Natural settings such as these have been proven to reduce stress as they encourage exercise, promote social connections, boost brain function, clean the air, support therapy, and help people cope better, making cities healthier and more supportive. A study by Greenhaven Landscape in 2020 found that the negative ions produced around waterfalls and fountains are known to be therapeutic, and they help regulate sleep patterns and mood, reduce stress, and boost immune system function.

In addition, the Nigerian government at all levels can revitalise historic natural sites like the Yankari game reserve, Obudu Cattle Ranch, and pleasure parks, that not only serve as tourism centres but also green spaces for therapeutic purposes.

Integrating culturally sensitive medical care with spiritual support could provide a more holistic approach to mental health, rather than discouraging people from seeking help. Seeking medical help while waiting upon the Lord for healing is a great step towards combating mental health issues. Religious leaders can also educate mentally challenged individuals and their families to visit mental health facilities for tests and treatment.

Religious and cultural beliefs: Integrating culturally sensitive medical care with spiritual support could provide a more holistic approach to mental health, rather than discouraging people from seeking help. Seeking medical help while waiting upon the Lord for healing is a great step towards combating mental health issues. Religious leaders can also educate mentally challenged individuals and their families to visit mental health facilities for tests and treatment. In Nigeria, some religious leaders, after praying for their sick members, should encourage them to get proper medical help. Research published in MDPI by Dr Rene Hefti shows that mental health care programmes that integrate spiritual issues, range from short-term psycho-educational groups to open-ended discussions of religious issues and the way they relate to mental health concerns. Programmes illustrate possible forms of integration. For psychotherapy, the Probst study, as well as the Azahr study, indicate that the outcome in religious patients can be enhanced by integrating religious elements into therapy and that this can be successfully done by religious and non-religious therapists alike.

Mental Health Advocacy Policies

Parity Laws: These help solve mental health cases by ensuring that health insurance covers mental health treatment, making it more accessible and affordable for everyone. By this, all mentally challenged individuals will receive quality medical care and wont have to roam the streets anymore. These laws exist in the United States, as well as in countries such as Chile, Colombia, and neighbouring Ghana, etc. Where they are trying to push for equality for mental illnesses and addiction treatment, a common barrier to overcome is clauses on pre-existing conditions that deny health insurance coverage.

Policy Development: HR can develop policies and procedures that prioritise employee mental health, such as flexible work arrangements, mental health leave, and employee assistance programmes. These policies provide employees with resources and support to manage their mental well-being.

Community Engagement: Community-led efforts will spread awareness about mental health and offer support by encouraging communities to tackle stigma, provide resources, and create caring environments for people dealing with mental health issues.

Rights Protection: Rights Protection policy helps mentally challenged individuals in Nigeria by ensuring they receive equal access to healthcare, education, and employment opportunities, while protecting them from discrimination and abuse. It also promotes public awareness and provides legal recourse, thereby enhancing their quality of life and integration into society.

By prioritising mental health advocacy and policy reforms, Nigeria can work towards breaking the silence surrounding mental illness and building a more inclusive and supportive society for all.

Levi Judith Chinwe writes from Port harcourt Nigeria, a biomedical engineer, mental health enthusiast and an entrepreneur.

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A civil society organisation (CSO), Independent Hajj Reporters (IHR), has commended the Kaduna State Pilgrims Welfare Agency for refunding $50 to its pilgrims that paid for Hadaya. The refund to the pilgrims arose from the downward price review the agency got from the company that it engaged to slaughter animals on their behalf.

The announcement of the refund was made recently by Muhammad Rabiu Dabo, a board member of the agency who chaired the Hadaya Committee. Mr Dabo, a retired Air Vice-Marshall, also disclosed that the pilgrims will either be paid in Saudi Arabia or Nigeria, depending on their preferences.

IHR in a statement on Sunday in Makkah said the transparency exhibited by the Kaduna agency was commendable especially coming at a time of too much secrecy surrounding the issues of payment of Hadaya services by pilgrims and its execution from some states.

Pilgrims deserve to know how much was expended on the Hadaya project on their behalf whether it is less or higher than what they are charged by the committee sets up by States Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Boards  such will create atmosphere of trust and confidence in the minds of general public and prospective pilgrims.

We are aware that some states charged higher than Kaduna State to undertake Hadaya for their pilgrims, but we have yet to hear of any form of public announcement on how much was involved or refund, IHR said.

The CSO said the Kaduna officials deserve commendation particularly because, it realised that about 700 pilgrims who initially paid for the Hadaya ahead of their trip to Saudi Arabia are the ones to be refunded after foreign exchange differentials.

We urge all officials to emulate the example set by Kaduna State and refund pilgrims if there is any downward review of the price of rams purchased for their pilgrims. Doing so will earn you rewards more than you can imagine, IHR added

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Some armed persons attacked Sunshine Homes estate in the Nigerian capital, Abuja, during which they killed a retired brigadier general, Uwem Udokwere, the police have announced.

Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh said the attack occurred at about 3 a.m. on Saturday.

In response to the tragic and unprecedented attack at Sunshine homes estate by armed robbers, resulting in the untimely demise of one Brigadier General Uwem Harold Udokwere (rtd.) on June 22, 2024, at approximately 03:00 a.m, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, Benneth Igweh has promptly ordered a thorough and discreet investigation into the circumstances surrounding this regrettable event.

Expressing profound condolences to the bereaved family, CP Benneth Igweh assures the family and the public of swift justice, with every effort in conduit to ensure the perpetrators of the atrocious act are apprehended and brought to justice, Ms Adeh, a superintendent of police, wrote.

PREMIUM TIMES reports that Sunshine estate is in the Lokogoma area of Abuja, close to the city centre. It is largely occupied by middle-class people including senior government officials.

The latest incident adds to the concerns about insecurity in the Nigerian capital where there have been cases of kidnappings in different communities.

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Two brothers have been killed after a boat capsised at Kippo village of Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State.

Habibu Wushishi, the director of media and strategy at the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management in the state, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Minna.

Mr Wushishi, who said the incident occurred at 10 p.m. on Thursday, 20 June, added that the deceased were fishermen.

The deceased fishermen were on board fishing on the River Niger when the boat capsized due to the heavy rainfall and windstorm.

One of the bodies has been recovered while search and rescue operation is ongoing to recover the body of the other victim, he said.

Mr Wushishi also disclosed that bandits had simultaneously attacked Lanta, Tunga, Dnakau and Juweedna villages in Erena, Shiroro local government area of the state.

He said the incident occurred at about 5:30 p.m. on 20 June

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

The commissioner explained that the bandits rustled many cows and sheep and destroyed many houses, rendering over 600 persons homeless.

He said the displaced persons from the affected villages were currently taking refuge at Erena and Kuta Internally Displaced Persons camps. (NAN)

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Troops of 6 Brigade Nigerian Army and Sector 3 Operation Whirle Stroke (OPWS) have arrested a man allegedly posing as an army recruitment officer in Taraba State.

Olubondunde Oni, the acting assistant director of information of the brigade, disclosed this in a statement he issued on Sunday in Jalingo.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspect, Young Danladi, was allegedly attempting to scam innocent Nigerians aspiring to join the army.

Mr Oni, a lieutenant colonel, said the arrest followed a visit by the Commander of the Brigade, Kingsley Uwa, a brigadier-general, to the recruitment centre at 114 Battalion Jimilari, to assess the ongoing exercise.

The imposter was arrested yesterday, June 22, while making attempts to collect money from aspiring recruits and promising them guaranteed entry into the Nigerian army.

The swift action of the troops thwarted his plans, protecting the candidates from falling victim to his fraudulent act.

During his visit, Uwa assured the candidates of a fair and transparent recruitment process.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

We are committed to maintaining a level playing field for all candidates; our recruitment will solely be on merit, and we will not tolerate any fraudulent activities, Oni said

Mr Oni added that the brigade commander, who told the candidates that the recruitment was voluntary and free, warned them not to give money to anyone promising to help them pass the screening.

 I commend the vigilance of the troops for the arrest of an imposter because the integrity of the recruitment process is a top priority for the army.

The suspect will be handed over to the relevant authorities for further investigation and prosecution.

 I urge all candidates and the public to report any suspicious activities related to the recruitment exercise to the authorities.

This will help ensure that only the most qualified candidates are inducted into the Nigerian army, Mr Oni quoted the commander.

(NAN)

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MOSCOW, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Two people, including a two-year-old child, were killed and 22 others injured in a Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol, city governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said Sunday.

Among the injured, two are children, Razvozhayev said on his Telegram channel, adding that some of them have already been taken to hospital.

Earlier in the day, Razvozhayev said 14 people were injured in the Ukrainian attack. 
The police have taken over the security of the main palace of the Emir of Kano, where local hunters had guarded the reinstated Lamido Sanusi.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how the hunters, known locally as Yan Tauri, were drawn from across the state and deployed to the palace. Tbis followed a rumour that federal authorities planned to relocate Aminu Ado-Bayero amidst the emirship tussle.

Mr Ado-Bayero, who was removed by the state government last month, is guarded by federal security agents at the Nasarawa mini palace.

PREMIUM TIMES observed Sunday evening a team of security agents taking over the main emirs palace, the Gidan Rumfa, where the hunters were playing card games and carrying out other activities.

The police spokesperson in the state, Haruna Kiyawa, could not be immediately reached Sunday evening to comment on the development. But a security source at the palace told PREMIUM TIMES they have sacked the hunters.

Did you need me to tell you that they (hunters) are no longer here? You can see it yourself; everyone has found his way, a police officer at the palace said.

Residents of the area also told our reporter that the hunters withdrew from the palace between Saturday and Sunday morning following a court ruling that invalidated the reappointment of Mr Sanusi as emir on Thursday.

Some of them left behind their machetes to conceal their identity after they were asked to vacate the palace or face the wrath of the security agents, one of the residents said.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the court voided Mr Sanusi reappointment and asked the state government to halt the implementation of the Kano Emirate Council (Repeal) Law, 2024.

Article Page with Financial Support Promotion Nigerians need credible journalism. Help us report it. Support journalism driven by facts, created by Nigerians for Nigerians. Our thorough, researched reporting relies on the support of readers like you. Help us maintain free and accessible news for all with a small donation. Every contribution guarantees that we can keep delivering important stories no paywalls, just quality journalism. SUPPORT NOW x Do this later

The judge, Abdullahi Liman, ruled that the reappointment of Mr Sanusi was null and void because the government disobeyed the courts earlier order restraining it from taking further action on the new emirate council law of the state.

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Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria Elected First and Second Vice Presidents on Final Day of USCM's 92nd Annual Meeting

KANSAS CITY, Mo., June 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) voted to elect a new leadership team and approved a slate of policy resolutions that will serve as the official platform of the organization and guide its advocacy agenda for 2025, a vital window following the presidential and congressional elections in November. The business meeting marked the close of USCM's 92nd Annual Meeting, which convened nearly 200 mayors from across the country in Kansas City, Missouri.

Columbus (OH) Mayor Andrew Ginther was elected by his fellow mayors to serve as the next President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. President Ginther, who will serve a one-year term, addressed the Conference and spoke about his commitment to bipartisanship and to using the united voice of mayors to solve big problems, such as housing and public safety. See his full remarks here.

"What defines mayors and this organizationperhaps above anything elseis that we put solutions before partisanship," said President Ginther. "We don't have time for petty politics because people just expect us to get things done. And when we work together, when we bring more people to the table, all things are possible."

"The nation's challenges are big enough that they require the collaboration of leaders in both parties, and that commitment to bipartisanship is something that Mayor Ginther is eager to continue for the Conference during his term. Mayors are rightfully eager for it," said Tom Cochran, USCM CEO and Executive Director. "Mayor Ginther knows what this Conference can achieve when everyone works together and calls on their federal representatives to do so as well. Cities and their residents will be better off thanks to Andrew Ginther's leadership at the U.S. Conference of Mayors."

Alongside Mayor Ginther, mayors elected Oklahoma City (OK) Mayor David Holt to serve as USCM's First Vice President and San Diego (CA) Mayor Todd Gloria was elected USCM Second Vice President. The Conference also named new Trustees and Advisory Board Members.

New USCM Trustees are as follows:

Arlington (TX) Mayor Jim Ross

(TX) Mayor Cleveland (OH) Mayor Justin Bibb

(OH) Mayor Phoenix (AZ) Mayor Kate Gallego

These mayors, in addition to the current elected top leaders and past presidents, make up the USCM Executive Committee.

New USCM Advisory Board Members are as follows:

Beaverton (OR) Lacey Beatty

Columbia (MO) Barbara Buffaloe

(MO) Barbara Buffaloe Columbia (SC) Daniel Rickenmann

(SC) Hartford (CT) Arunan Arulampalam

(CT) Noblesville (IN) Chris Jensen

Pensacola (FL) D.C. Reeves

(FL) D.C. Reeves Tigard (OR) Heidi Lueb

Troy (MI) Ethan Baker

A major component of today's meeting was also the consideration and adoption of policy resolutions. Throughout the Annual Meeting, the standing committees of the Conference met to propose and advance resolutions on a wide range of priorities for American mayors. Of particular emphasis today, the full Conference adopted strong policy on combating gun violence, addressing the mental health crisis, and continuing to improve cities' affordability and quality of life. Other policies were adopted on issues including climate change, energy, housing, transportation, and the economy. The resolutions adopted today now make up the official policy of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and can be found here.

Finally, Long Beach, CA was announced as the host city for the 2026 Annual Meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, and Providence, RI will host USCM's 2027 Annual Meeting. As previously announced, next year's Annual Meeting will be in Tampa, Florida.

About the United States Conference of Mayors -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

SOURCE U.S. Conference of Mayors
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Ankara, June 23 : Turkish authorities have brought under control an agricultural fire that killed 12 people and wounded 78 others in southeastern Turkey, the media reported.

The fire started on Thursday night as a stubble fire in cultivated areas spanning the Cinar district of Diyarbakir province and the Mazidagi district of Mardin province, according to Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya's statement as reported by Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

Fueled by strong winds, the fire rapidly engulfed a large area before being brought under control by firefighters, said Yerlikaya on Friday.

Authorities have launched an investigation into the cause of the fire, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on the social media platform X on Friday.

Deputy Interior Minister Munir Karaloglu said that a total of 15,100 decares (about 1,510 hectares) of land was affected by the fire.

More than 5,000 acres of land affected by the fire were unharvested barley and wheat fields, Karaloglu added.
Baghdad, June 23 : An Iranian-backed Iraqi Shia militia has said that one of its fighters was killed in a US airstrike two days ago in eastern Syria.

The militia, named Kata'ib Sayyid al-Shuhada affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is an umbrella body for Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, said in an online statement on Saturday that one of its fighters Abdullah Razzaq al-Safi was killed Friday night in a US airstrike on his vehicle while patrolling areas near the Iraqi-Syrian border.

The US Central Command and the international coalition did not comment on the aerial bombardment, which allegedly occurred on Friday night in the Albu Kamal area of Syria's Deir al-Zour province, Xinhua news agency reported.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, confirmed that an unknown airstrike targeted positions held by Iranian-backed militias in the Albu Kamal area, killing an Iraqi fighter of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and wounding two others.
Gaza, June 23 : At least 42 Palestinians were killed in Israeli airstrikes on residential houses in two areas of Gaza City, according to Palestinian security and medical sources.

"About 18 were killed and dozens of others wounded in al-Shati refugee camp after the Israeli warplanes attacked a residential square," Palestinian medical sources told Xinhua news agency on Saturday.

The medical sources noted that the number of victims was likely to increase as the civil defence teams were still trying to pull out the victims from the rubble, adding that the residential square had become "a huge amount of ruins".

Palestinian security sources said that Israeli warplanes launched several raids on the al-Shati refugee camp, destroying seven inhabited homes, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Saturday, at least 24 Palestinians, including women and children, were killed during Israeli airstrikes on houses in the al-Tuffah neighbourhood in the northeast of Gaza City, the Hamas-run government media office said in a press statement.

The Israeli army said on Saturday in a press statement that its warplanes had attacked two Hamas military infrastructure sites in Gaza City.

According to the Times of Israel, the Israeli army targeted Raed Saad, a senior commander of Hamas in Gaza. So far, there has been no official Palestinian confirmation of his death.

Saad, identified as a chief of Hamas operations, was reportedly believed to have been at Gaza City's al-Shifa Hospital during an Israeli raid in March, although he was not found there at the time.

Israel launched a large-scale war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023, after Hamas carried out a military attack on Israeli towns near the Strip, killing about 1,200 and capturing around 250 others.

The health authorities in Gaza said in a press statement that as of Thursday, the Palestinian death toll from Israeli military operations has risen to 37,431 people, with 85,653 others wounded.
Moscow, June 23 : Russia will give an adequate response if the US closes Russia's visa centre, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

"In case such measures are implemented, the Russian side will give an adequate response," the diplomat said on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told media that the US had notified the Russian side that both offices of the Russian visa centre in Washington and New York were closed, Xinhua news agency reported.

The US was also depriving Russian diplomats' right of tax exemption in the country.
Sanaa, June 23 : Yemen's armed Houthi group has said in a statement that it had launched ballistic missiles at the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in northern Red Sea.

"The missile force in our armed forces carried out an operation targeting the American aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea with several ballistic and cruise missiles, and the operation achieved its goals successfully," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said on Saturday in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

However, there is currently no evidence to confirm that the aircraft carrier was indeed attacked, Xinhua news agency reported.

This is the second claimed attack by Houthis targeting the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the Red Sea in less than a month. The first attack against the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was on May 31, in which the US military didn't comment.

Sarea said that the militant group also attacked the merchant vessel TRANSWORLD NAVIGATOR in the Arabian Sea with ballistic missiles, as a response to what Houthis called the vessel owner's violation of their entry ban to Israeli ports.

The statement threatened more such strikes "until the (Israeli) aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted".

Earlier on Saturday, fighter jets of the US-British coalition conducted four airstrikes against Houthi targets northwest of Yemen's Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, according to the Houthi al-Masirah television.

Hours before the coalition airstrikes, the UK Maritime Trade Operations reported explosions in the vicinity of a merchant vessel 126 nautical miles east of Yemen's southern port city of Aden. There were no reports of casualties or damage.

The Houthi group, which controls much of northern Yemen, began in November last year to launch anti-ship ballistic missiles and drones targeting what they said were Israeli-linked ships transiting the Red Sea, to show solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

In response, the US-British naval coalition stationed in the waters has since January conducted air raids and missile strikes against Houthi targets to deter the group, but this only led to an expansion of Houthi attacks to include US and British commercial vessels and naval ships.
Baghdad, June 23 : Seven Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in two airstrikes on their hideouts in Salahudin province, north of Baghdad, the Iraqi military said.

Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi warplanes carried out two airstrikes on IS hideouts and a tunnel used by the extremist militants in a mountainous area in the northeastern part of the province, according to a statement on Saturday from the Security Media Cell, a media outlet affiliated with the Iraqi Joint Operations Command.

According to initial reports, the airstrikes resulted in the killing of seven IS militants, including a leading figure, the statement said, without specifying the timing of the bombings, Xinhua news agency reported.

The security situation in Iraq has improved since the defeat of the IS in 2017.

However, IS remnants have sneaked into urban centres, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians.
BAGHDAD, June 23 (Xinhua) -- A Shiite militia in Iraq on Sunday claimed responsibility for joint drone attacks with Yemen's Houthi group on five ships in Haifa port in northern Israel and the Mediterranean.

The militia, known as the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, said in an online statement that its fighters carried out two joint operations with the Houthi group by launching drone attacks on four ships in Haifa Port and the "Shorthorn Express" ship in the Mediterranean as it was sailing to Haifa Port.

The militia claimed the attacks were carried out "in solidarity with the people of Gaza" and vowed to continue targeting "the enemy's strongholds."

The statement did not provide any additional details about casualties.

Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea confirmed the joint attacks in a statement, stressing that the "two operations successfully achieved their goals, and the strikes were precise and direct."

Since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7, 2023, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has launched multiple attacks on Israeli and U.S. bases in the region. 
Cairo, June 23 : The Egyptian government is set to ban the operation of 16 travel agencies for arranging "fraudulent" Haj trips to Saudi Arabia for unregistered pilgrims.

At a Haj deaths crisis unit meeting held on Saturday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said he has ordered the license of these agencies to be revoked and those involved persons and entities transferred to public prosecution, according to an Egyptian cabinet statement.

The statement did not detail which agencies or concerned persons were behind organising such trips through fraudulence or other illicit means for unregistered pilgrims to Mecca, Xinhua news agency reported.

Madbouly updated that among more than 50,000 registered Egyptian pilgrims, a total of 31 people with "chronic diseases" were confirmed dead.

The move came amid media reports of more than 600 deaths among unregistered Egyptian pilgrims during their performance of Haj over the past week under the extreme heatwaves in the Saudi city. The temperatures there at times hit 51 degrees Celsius.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told the meeting that the crisis was most deadly to unregistered pilgrims, claiming that the tourism companies transporting them "did not provide any services".

He noted that his Ministry would continue to coordinate with the Saudi authorities to find missing Egyptian pilgrims as soon as possible and ensure the home return of all Egyptian pilgrims.

Haj, a pillar of Islam, is annually performed in Mecca by crowds of pilgrims from all over the world.

The number of pilgrims has exceeded 1.8 million this year, according to Saudi authorities.
Tunis, June 23 : The death toll among Tunisian pilgrims who performed Haj in Saudi Arabia has risen to 53, the media reported.

"Until this Saturday, the number of Tunisian pilgrims who died in holy places in Saudi Arabia while performing the Haj rituals, increased further from 49 to 53," said the report.

The Tunisian diplomatic mission in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah are currently coordinating to monitor the situation of Tunisian pilgrims who are missing, deceased, or hospitalised in Saudi Arabia, according to the report.

On Friday, Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked Ibrahim Chaibi, the Minister of Religious Affairs, without specifying the reason for the dismissal, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chaibi headed the official Tunisian delegation to Saudi Arabia during this year's Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The delegation was tasked with supporting and assisting Tunisian pilgrims during the Haj.

Chaibi attributed the loss of human life to factors, including extreme temperatures, surpassing 50 degrees Celsius, a significant presence of elderly pilgrims, and a high number of pilgrims with pre-existing illnesses.

Haj, a key pillar of Islam, is annually performed in Mecca, by pilgrims from all over the world. The number of pilgrims exceeded 1.8 million this year, according to Saudi authorities.
Washington, June 23 : A prominent US expert has made an emphatic call for the G7 to consider its membership expansion to include South Korea, touting the Asian democracy's "trustworthiness," performance and potential role to add diversity to the club of the world's leading industrialised nations.

Victor Cha, senior Vice President for Asia and Korea Chair at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), made the case, stressing the need for G7 leaders to pursue "serious" reforms to enhance the group's capabilities, effectiveness and legitimacy, Yonhap news agency reported.

His call came as the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol has sought South Korea's role as a "global pivotal state" to contribute more to address a growing list of global issues in tune with the country's enhanced global stature.

"The G7 must transform from an old boys club of financiers chatting about monetary policy to a coalition of action-oriented, like-minded partners inspired to sustain the rules-based international order by addressing issues ranging from Ukraine to digital security," Cha said in an opinion piece that he contributed to Yonhap news agency on Saturday.

"To do this, G7 leaders must consider serious reforms that enhance the group's capabilities, effectiveness, and legitimacy. Expanded membership to include Korea would be an important step in the right direction," he added.

His op-ed came after the leaders of the G7 -- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Britain and the US -- held a summit in Italy earlier this month.

Yoon was not invited there as the host country, which has sole authority on the guest list, focused on migration among other main issues. He attended the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, last year.

"But it is self-evident that South Korea should not only be invited to the G7 but also that it should become a permanent member," he said.

Cha corroborated his case for South Korea's entry into the G7 forum, cataloguing a series of examples that highlight South Korea's growing capacity and role on the global stage.

In particular, he cited a recent CSIS report that shows Seoul can contribute to the G7's expanded agenda of global issues, including economic security, digital competitiveness, climate change, food security, non-proliferation and Ukraine.

"South Korea is ranked above Italy and just below Japan in total performance," he said, citing the report.

"On digital competitiveness, Korea is ranked higher than all G7 members except the US and the UK. And on Ukraine, South Korea last year was one of the largest suppliers of humanitarian assistance."

Cha also said that South Korea offers a combination of "trustworthiness" and "effectiveness," which G7 leaders value as the hallmark of their group.

He then pointed out that South Korea's status meets the G7 "bar".

"South Korea is an advanced industrialised democracy, an OECD member, and is the first former aid recipient to become a member of the OECD's donor club," he said, referring to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

Cha also said that South Korea would add "diversity" to the G7 forum in "numerous ways".

"The inclusion of more views from Asia is critical to the future of the G7 if it is to be a leader in global affairs," he said.

"The entirety of the vast region of Asia is currently represented by only one country, Japan."

He noted that Japan is the "outspoken" opponent against South Korea joining the G7.

"The reasons for this opposition are unclear," he said.

"It stems not just from the desire to hold the sole seat from Asia, but also a sense of entitlement as historically, the region's sole great power."
Deoria, June 23 : Uttar Pradesh Minister and Nishad Party President, Sanjay Nishad's speech created tension in Bithalpur village under Rudrapur police station of Deoria district on Saturday as he reached the village with hundreds of supporters to condole the death of Deepu Nishad, 25.

The Minister blamed the police for their inaction in arresting the accused named in FIR lodged by Ramavati Devi, the mother of the deceased.

Deepu Nishad had been missing since June 14. His body was recovered on June 15.

The situation took an ugly turn when the Minister was expressing his displeasure and a mob considered to be members of the Nishad Party broke the furniture and motorcycle of the village head and his brothers named in FIR.

Sub-Divisional Magistrate Ratnesh Tiwari appealed to the Cabinet Minister to help in maintaining peace.

Meanwhile, enraged over the attack on the house of the village head, hundreds of villagers and supporters of the village head shouted slogans against the Minister and came face-to-face.

The Minister was forced to make a hasty exit and local police officials informed Deoria Superintendent of Police (SP) Sankalp Sharma, who also requested the Minister to move out of the village.

The Minister departed from the village and the situation was brought under control.

Sanjay Nishad, later, said he had reached the village to ensure justice for the victims.

Deoria SP on the phone had assured him of the arrest of the accused.

The Minister said that some local officials were providing patronage to the accused who were on bail in another case.

He added that the matter would be raised before Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

Meanwhile, security around the village has been increased given the proposed visit of the fact-finding committee of the Samajwadi Party on Sunday.

Circle Officer, Rudrapur, Anushman Srivastav, said that following the complaint of Ramavati Devi, the police had registered a case against the village head Chandra Bhan Singh and his brothers and initiated an inquiry.
Suva, June 23 : Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged communities and stakeholders to work together to create opportunities for all young school-leavers, adding that being a school dropout should not carry a stigma.

According to Rabuka, more than 18,000 young people in Fiji leave schools every year, out of which around 14,000 are men who could enter the job market, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.

The formal sector can only absorb 7,000 to 8,000 jobseekers each year, he said as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Rabuka said Fiji is experiencing rural-to-urban migration, which has added further pressure on employment opportunities.

"But the government is passionate about creating a society that embraces young people, recognising that the young people matter in taking the next nation forward," he added.

Youth aged between 15 and 24 represent nearly 30 per cent of Fiji's social population, according to the Prime Minister.
Seoul, June 23 : South Korea's car exports are forecast to reach a record high this year, driven by solid demand for eco-friendly models and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), an industry association said on Sunday.

According to the Korea Automobile and Mobility Association (KAMA), the country's car exports are projected to grow 5.4 per cent on-year to $74.7 billion in 2024, an all-time high.

The amount is expected to come to $98 billion if taken together with expected auto component sales in the global market.

During the first five months of this year, car exports rose 4.7 per cent on-year to $30.8 billion, a record figure for any cited period ever, government data showed, reports Yonhap news agency.

"Car exports are expected to enjoy solid growth in the second half, led by strong demand from the North American market and the rising popularity of domestic makers' SUVs and hybrid models," the report read.

KAMA chief Kang Nam-hoon called for efforts to maintain the stable labour-management relationship, the introduction of flexible working systems and policy support to ensure stable shipments amid geopolitical instability to continue the export growth momentum.

However, domestic sales of cars are expected to fall 5.9 per cent on-year to 1.65 million units in 2024 on weak domestic demand and a high base effect.

Domestic production is forecast to inch down 0.1 per cent to 4.24 million this year, according to the report.
Srinagar, June 23 : The dead body of a terrorist was recovered by the security forces on Sunday during the ongoing anti-infiltration operation in J&K's Uri sector.

"A dead body of the terrorist was recovered today while the search for the other dead terrorist is going on," an official said.

He said that the operation is still going on in the area.

At least two terrorists were killed after a group of intruding terrorists were challenged by the security forces on the LoC in the Uri sector on Saturday.

The official said that the dead bodies of the two terrorists could not be recovered on Saturday as they were lying close to the LoC.
New Delhi, June 23 : The Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE), Indian Army and Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering & Research (SAMEER) have forged a strategic partnership to strengthen the technological capabilities of the Indian Army.

The MoU plans to establish an 'Advanced Military Research and Incubation Centre' at MCTE, to focus on advanced wireless technologies for the Army, according to the Ministry of Electronics & IT.

SAMEER is an autonomous R&D laboratory under the IT Ministry.

The key objectives include joint research and development towards leveraging combined expertise in 5G, 6G, advanced cellular technologies, software-defined radios and cognitive radios, satellite communications, antenna design, free space optics, and tropo-scatter communications, as well as AI, Quantum, and military-specific chip design.

The MoU was signed by Lt Gen K H Gawas, Commandant, MCTE; Dr PH Rao, Director General, SAMEER, in the presence of senior officials.

"This initiative marks a significant milestone in strengthening the Indian Army's technological capabilities which are aligned towards the declared vision for 2024 as 'Year of Technological Absorption for Indian Army' by the Chief of Army Staff," the IT Ministry said.

The partnership between SAMEER and MCTE represents a shared commitment to exploring new technological frontiers and addressing modern battlefield challenges.

As part of the MoU, an incubation centre will support the development of military-specific innovative solutions from conceptualisation to large-scale production, involving MSMEs and start-ups.

In addition, the MoU also aims at knowledge exchange, training and development aspects.

"The collaboration between SAMEER and MCTE aims to enhance national security and technological infrastructure, with potential benefits that will not only be limited to the military but will go much beyond," said the IT Ministry.
New Delhi: The terrorist attack of Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the unending retaliatory military action of Israel in Gaza where nearly 33,000 Palestinians, including a vast number of civilians, have been killed has expectantly seen Islamic radical forces rallying behind Hamas and stepping up their offensive against the US and other close allies of Israel.

Significantly, the Ayatollah regime in Iran -- because of its political and ideological opposition to the US -- is firmly backing Hamas notwithstanding the fundamental Shia-Sunni contradiction and even joining up with the China-Russia axis to add a new factor in the Cold War that was developing between the US on one hand and the said axis on the other.

Iran's enmity towards the US has become far deeper ever since Major General Qasem Soleimani heading the Quds Force of Iran was assassinated in a US operation in January 2020.

In April 2022, an Iranian government official in Tehran was charged by the US with the attempt to hire a hitman to assassinate US National Security Advisor John Bolton.

Broadly speaking the current profile of Islamic radical outfits indicates that while Al Qaeda is operating from its strong base in Afghanistan and Yemen, the competitive force of ISIS is strong on its turf in Iraq and Syria -- an offshoot of ISIS called Islamic State a" Khorasan Province (ISIS-K) is active in Afghanistan and Pakistan too.

Al Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) was the first to call for retaliatory violence in support of Hamas. There is already a war-like situation in many regions of the Muslim world between the US and Islamic radicals, and the Intelligence agencies of the US have warned the country of plans of radical forces to stage a spectacular attack of the kind the US had encountered on 9/11.

In the meanwhile, hundreds of ground operations and air strikes on ISIS targets have been carried out by US Central Command (CENTCOM) in Iraq and Syria in recent months.

Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray reported to the Senate Intelligence Committee in December 2023 that in the wake of the October 7 attack of Hamas on Israel, a threat to the US from foreign terrorists had risen to a new level.

He feared that infiltrators through the country's southern border could plan a 9/11 type of coordinated attack.

General Michael Erik Kurilla, Chief of CENTCOM, earlier warned that the Middle East and South Asia were throwing up Islamic radical forces -- Al Qaeda, ISIS and ISIS-K that had the capability of attacking the US.

In April this year, President Biden ordered that under the Foreigners Intelligence Surveillance Act, the administration could compel US Telecommunications and Internet providers to turn over communications of foreigners outside of the country which passed through the US.

Developments in the Middle East where Israel, Saudi Arabia and Iran are the key players establish the trends of a steady spread of radicalisation in the Muslim world, rise of terrorism propelled by faith and an increase in the incidence of suicide bombing.

Faith-based terror has acquired a global dimension for, besides the Middle East, West Africa and the Afghanistan-Pakistan belt of South Asia have emerged as the breeding grounds for terror outfits.

The phenomenon of 'lone wolves' and determined small cells out to get to the US, is also coming into full play.

Islamic radical forces consider the US as their prime enemy -- they carry the historical memory of the 19th century Jehad of Wahhabis against the British -- and they are inclined to target close friends of the US and Israel too.

Iran, a fundamentalist Shia state, is hostile to US and Israel and is against Saudi Arabia as well.

While India has handled the Middle East countries well, it has to be especially careful against the machinations of Pakistan in the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan and the former's known potential for setting the radical outfits upon India.

The US is vulnerable to the manoeuvrings of Pakistan which pretended to act as the bridge between the US and Taliban but India should be able to educate US policymakers on the danger that the two democracies faced from radicalised forces in the Muslim world.

The two recent incidents of ISIS-sponsored terror attacks -- one in Iran and the other in Moscow have to be correctly viewed so that there was no misreading about the choice of targets made by radical Islamic forces.

Two suicide bombers of ISIS-K attacked the huge crowd assembled at the death anniversary of Major General Soleimani at Kerman in Iran in January 2024 killing 103 persons.

ISIS-K struck again in March 2024 at a concert on the outskirts of Moscow causing the death of 145 persons and injuries to 550 others.

The attack in Iran was reportedly in retaliation against the large-scale killing of ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and was driven also by the deep-seated antipathy of Sunni extremists towards Shias.

In Syria, Iran supports President Bashar Al Assad, who is an Alawite, while ISIS is opposed to him.

As regards the ISIS attack in Moscow, it is a fact that Russia was on the side of the Syrian President against the Islamic State but more than that the provocation for ISIS came from the Russian repression of the Islamic population -- with Russia maintaining a strong security presence on the southern periphery -- and President Putin's aversion to any advance of radicalisation in Central Asian regions.

For ISIS, Russia was no different from the US-led West.

The ISIS offensives in Iran and Russia mark the global rise of radical Islamic forces and their impact on the geopolitics of our times.

Unless countered by well-thought-out measures, faith-based terrorism rooted in the call of Jehad -- that had a natural appeal in the Muslim world -- would grow, particularly because in fundamentalist Islam there was no distinction between religion and politics. This primarily posed a threat to the democratic world at large.

India and the US representing the two largest democracies of the world fully share the concern arising from the spread of radicalisation in the Islamic world and the consequent threat of terrorist violence posed by it.

There are widespread protests in the US and elsewhere against the loss of civilian life in Gaza and these can have the effect of fuelling the expansion of Islamic radical forces.

The world community must intervene to contain the damage caused by the Israel-Hamas confrontation and work to pause the Israeli operations in Gaza, securing the release of all hostages and advancing the long-term solution based on the 'two states' formula in Palestine.

The gains of the US initiative about the Abraham Accord between Israel and the UAE-Saudi Arabia combine have been overrun by the developments that followed the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

US interest in the Middle East fostered through Saudi Arabia is matched by the Russia-Iran collaboration that has been elevated to a strategic level as is evident from the supply of Iranian drones to Russia for use in the Russia-Ukraine military conflict.

The superpower rivalry in the Middle East is in a way being used by the Islamic extremists and radical forces to further their objectives.

Comprehensive measures are needed to counter radicalisation to preserve universal peace against the rise of faith-based violence.

Terrorism is resort to covert violence for a perceived 'political cause' and 'cause' requires commitment dictated by 'motivation'. In Islam 'faith' can be the source of a very strong motivation that does not look back.

Conflicts in the name of religion therefore have to be avoided at all costs in the interest of global peace.

The key to this is working for the advancement of democracy everywhere.

India has a special responsibility in the matter considering its rise in recent years as a world power whose voice of reason and sanity commanded attention.

This country has proven beyond doubt that electoral democracy built on 'One man One vote' is the most sustainable form of government. It has countered the narratives of 'majoritarianism' and 'diminished secularism' by establishing that so long as the state followed the policy of development of all without community discrimination and did not carry a denominational stamp on governance -- like what was done in our neighbourhood -- secularism is built into the foundations of the state.

A diverse nation like India has to be governed with strong hands which is not to be confused with 'authoritarianism'.

Also, valid initiatives to remove regional disparities and promote nationalism are a part of democratic governance.

A healthy democracy combines growth with special attention to the poor of all communities and knows how to reconcile a free market economy with the features of a welfare state.

India has been setting an example of practising the call of 'vocal for local', providing a favourable investment climate and encouraging global competitiveness.

The demand on the handling of international relations in the face of an ever-changing geopolitics has been met successfully by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government which opted for bilateral and multilateral relationships based on mutual interests in security and economy and a declared commitment to global peace and human welfare.

While India is doing well abroad, a developing challenge to its internal security in the form of radicalisation needs to be met in time.

Communal divide can lead to communal militancy and this in turn can be exploited by inimical forces within India and outside to whip up faith-based terrorism. This happened not too long ago in the past when SIMI, the outfit created by Jamaat-e-Islami at Aligarh, joined up with OIC-linked international organisations like the World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) and International Islamic Federation of Student Organisations (IIFSO) and went on to produce Indian Mujahideen (IM) that was suspected to be involved in terrorist acts like the 2005 Delhi bombings and 2008 Bangalore serial blasts.

It is necessary to put politics done in the name of minorities on a discount and encourage all communities to come under the umbrella of India's nationalism that granted them full political rights and freedom of worship.

(The writer is a former Director of the Intelligence Bureau. Views are personal)
Seoul, June 23 : North Korea is to hold a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK) this week to review policy performances in the first half, amid attention over whether it would discuss follow-up measures to implement a new partnership treaty signed with Russia.

In May, the WPK's politburo decided to hold a plenary meeting of the party's Central Committee in late June to review progress in its economic and other projects in the first half without disclosing other details, such as the date of the meeting, reports Yonhap news agency.

North Korea usually holds a party plenary meeting for a few days in June. However, the upcoming gathering draws more attention due to the possibility that it could discuss detailed measures to expand cooperation with Russia following its signing with Moscow of the treaty of comprehensive strategic partnership.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit in Pyongyang on Wednesday and clinched the sweeping treaty that calls for providing military assistance without delay if either comes under attack.

Article 4 of the 23-point treaty could be seen as warranting automatic military intervention in the event of aggression on either country. That would amount to the restoration of a Cold War-era alliance for the first time in 28 years since a mutual defence treaty was scrapped in 1996.

The treaty also indicates North Korea and Russia could join hands in resisting international sanctions against Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs. Article 16 of the treaty calls for both sides to oppose "unilateral coercive measures of an extraterritorial nature."

The new pact specifies science and technology, space, the peaceful use of nuclear power and artificial intelligence as among the areas for cooperation. This raises concerns that North Korea and Russia's cooperation in such fields could assist the North's development of weapons of mass destruction banned under UN sanctions.

Whether North Korea would ratify the treaty at the WPK meeting will also garner attention. Under the North's constitution, an "important treaty" can be ratified or scrapped solely by its leader, Kim, though the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA), the North's parliament, approves ordinary treaties.

After this week's party plenary meeting, North Korea is widely expected to hold a key session of the SPA in a bid to revise the constitution. The North's leader earlier called for revising the constitution to define South Korea as the North's "primary foe" and clarify its territorial boundaries, including the maritime border.

Experts said at this week's WPK meeting, Kim may issue a message critical of the United States and South Korea over the allies' joint military drills scheduled for August.

Seoul and Washington plan to stage the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield (UFS) in August, which the North has long denounced as a rehearsal for a northern invasion.

Separately, the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Saturday in a show of force against North Korea's military threats. The US, South Korea and Japan will hold their first-ever trilateral multidomain exercise later this month.
by Jian Ping

CHICAGO, June 22 (Xinhua) -- With lion dancers and crowds cheering to the rhythm of drumbeats along the Chicago River, the first qualifying race of a dragon boat competition kicked off early Saturday, filling the air with chants and laughter.

Thirty-seven teams from the greater Chicago area converged at the Ping Tom Memorial Park in Chicago's Chinatown for the 24th Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy, marking the event's largest turnout since its inception in 2000.

"It's fun and also supports the community," Diana Talph, 43, from the Bank of Montreal team, told Xinhua. A four-year veteran of the race, Talph appreciates how it brings together people from different parts of the community.

"Once in, many of us return to participate again," she said.

Saad Elkhelfi, 24, a fellow team member, echoed her sentiments, noting that this was his second year participating.

Peter de Jong, 56, of the Century 21 team, highlighted the communal pride associated with the event, as proceeds benefit local literacy programs.

"It's a chance to give back to the community," he said.

All profits from the race will be donated to several Chinese schools within the community.

"The annual dragon boat race is one of my favorite events," said Jimmy Lee, president of the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, the event's organizer. "It celebrates our culture and brings our communities together."

The dragon boat race is a key tradition of the Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Duanwu Festival, which commemorates Chinese renowned patriotic poet Qu Yuan, who was also a minister of the State of Chu during the Warring States Period (475 B.C.-221 B.C.).

This year, the festival fell on June 10.

Each year, the dragon boat race in Chicago's Chinatown is attended by more than 10,000, Lee said. "People come to watch the race and go to Chinatown to enjoy the food with their families and friends."

Brendan Chandler, a 41-year-old resident of Naperville, a suburb west of Chicago, learned about the race early Saturday morning. He and his wife drove over to watch it with their two daughters, aged 11 and 7.

"We've heard about dragon boat races before but have never been to one," he said, seated on the riverbank lawn. The family planned to explore Chinatown's shops afterward.

"Chicago's Chinatown is an economic engine in our community, with small businesses taking up 99 percent of its entities," Lee said.

While attracting visitors to Chinatown, events like this, alongside the Chinese New Year Parade also expose younger generations of Chinese origin "to our traditional culture and heritage," he added.

Throughout the day, spectators were treated to performances including Sichuan-style face-changing, traditional Chinese music, and martial arts, in the lead-up to the final races. 
New Delhi, June 23 : As the world celebrates International Women in Engineering Day on Sunday, meet Chennai-born triplets Dhanushree, Dhanush, and Dhanuja who share a love for engineering that is more common than their biology.

International Women in Engineering Day is observed every year on June 23 to celebrate the achievements of women engineers as well as to raise awareness on closing the gender gap in the sector.

More than being bound by blood, the triplets are classmates of the B.Tech programme at Sona College of Technology, Salem, who love discussing the intricacies of mechanics like Ackerman steering geometry, Beale number, Cotter pin, and damping ratio.

The triplets were born to businessman B Murugan and K Kamala, a government employee, in a nondescript Chidambaram town, in Tamil Naduas Cuddalore district.

Call it a quirk of fate, they were born on Engineers' Day (September 15), the birthday of Sir M Visvesvaraya, one of the most renowned engineers in the country, whose legacy left a lasting impact on India's infrastructure and engineering education.

From their early childhood, Dhanushree, Dhanush, and Dhanuja picked up the importance of education and the courage to pursue their dreams.

With their commendable scores in Class XII, the triplets secured admission at Sona College of Technology. Yet financial adversity scuttled their dreams of becoming engineers.

To provide them with a good education, the parents relocated to Salem and had to reestablish their business.

Dhanush loves electronics and is pursuing his dream of becoming a software developer. In addition to mechanical engineering Dhanushree and Dhanuja are also pursuing a credit course in Japanese.

"Dhanuja and Dhanushree are very attentive in the class and participate in discussions. They made friends with classmates quickly and often helped them in their studies. Dhanuja has a natural flair for singing," said B Renuga, Head of Department for the first-year students at the college.

Dhanuja, the youngest among the triplets, is excited about getting the highest score not only among the siblings but the entire class.
Amaravati, June 23 : The war of words between the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) intensified on Sunday after demolition of the latter's central office in Guntur District and notices to two more offices in Visakhapatnam.

While YSRCP has termed the action of the NDA government-led by TDP as political vendetta, the latter defended its action on the ground that the party offices were being built 'illegally'.

Launching a fresh attack on YSRCP, state minister and TDP General Secretary, Nara Lokesh on Sunday posted on his 'X' handle pictures of YSRCP offices being built at various places in Andhra Pradesh and alleged that the previous government led by former Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy allotted 42 acres in 26 districts for 33 years for a nominal lease of Rs.1,000 per acre.

"Jagan, is Andhra Pradesh your grandfather Raja Reddy's property," asked Lokesh, who is son of Chief Minister and TDP President, N Chandrababu Naidu.

Lokesh alleged that Jagan was constructing 'palaces' with Rs.500 crore 'looted' from the people.

"On these 42 acres worth more than Rs. 600 crore, grabbed for your land thirst, 4,200 poor can be given house sites. With Rs.500 crore being spent on your luxurious palaces, houses can be constructed for 25,000 poor," posted Lokesh.

"What is this madness for palaces? Is there no end to your thirst for money," asked Lokesh.

The TDP alleged that Jagan Mohan Reddy built 'palaces' for himself in nine cities including Hyderabad and Bengaluru and he was now building 'palaces' for his party offices with public money and without approvals from authorities concerned.

It alleged that 42.24 acres of government land in 26 districts was allotted for YSRCP's offices for a 33-year lease at a nominal cost of Rs.1,000 per acre.

"The value of the 42.24 acres land is Rs.688 crore while more than Rs.500 crore of public money is being spent to build these palaces," it said.

The TDP claimed that permissions were not taken for YSRCP offices, except in Prakasam District.

The YSRCP has hit back at the ruling party, reminding it that between 2014 and 2019, the TDP government had allotted government lands in 10 districts on lease for 33 to 99 years for Rs.1,000 per acre.

"If you do it, it's politics and if we do, it's land grabbing," reads a post on YSRCP's official handle on 'X'.

"Have you not issued a GO and built TDP offices across the state," the Opposition party asked.

It claimed that the land for NTR Bhavan (TDP office) in Hyderabad was also allotted in the same way.

Alleging that its central office, which was nearing completion, was demolished in an act of political vendetta, YSRCP said if its government had resorted to a similar act, no TDP office would have remained in the state.

The under-construction office building of YSRCP at Seethanagaram of Tadepalli Mandal in Guntur District was demolished by the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority (APCRDA) and Mangalagiri Tadepalli Municipal Corporation (MTMC) authorities in the early hours of Saturday.

The APCRDA had issued a notice on June 10 to the YSRCP for taking up construction on the 'illegally occupied' land of 870.40 square meters within the boat yard compound of the irrigation department.

The APCRDA stated that the previous government leased the two acres of land, which was a boat yard and water body, to the YSRCP on lease at Rs 1,000 per acre, per annum for 33 years for their party office.

It was also alleged that the party undertook construction without getting approvals from the irrigation department and the MTMC.

The YSRCP had filed a writ petition in the High Court, seeking orders to the CRDA and MTMC not to take any coercive action against the building structure, until hearing was completed.

Claiming that the High Court had ordered a halt on any demolition activity, the Opposition party has slammed the government for violating the court's order.

YSRCP plans to approach the court on Monday, seeking criminal action against those who carried out the demolition.

YSRCP leaders termed it a 'destructive' vendetta of the TDP-led NDA government.

Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged that Chandrababu Naidu had taken vendetta politics to another level. He interpreted the demolition as a signal of the government's aggressive stance for the next five years.

Even as a war of words erupted over the demolition, the Town Planning wing of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) issued show-cause notices to YSRCP seeking an explanation over 'unauthorised construction' of the party offices at Yendada and Anakapalli.

It was alleged that YSRCP proceeded with the construction of G+1 building over a stretch of two acres at Yendada without permission from the authorities concerned.

Similarly, construction of the YSRCP office at Anakapalli was taken up allegedly without approvals.

YSRCP leader and former minister Gudivada Amarnath removed the notice pasted on the office at Yedanda.

He claimed that the land was allotted in 2022 and the construction work began in March 2023.

He also stated that around Rs. 13 lakh and Rs. 30 lakh were paid to the government as taxes for plan approvals for the party offices at Yendada and Anakapalli respectively.
Lucknow, June 23 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that BJP ideologue Shyama Prasad Mukherjee made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of a united India, advocating for one nation, one leader, and one law.

Paying floral tribute to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh on his death anniversary at the Civil Hospital premises, Hazratganj, the Chief Minister said: "Following the country's independence in 1947 and the implementation of the constitution in 1950, the Congress-led government attempted to undermine national integrity by introducing Article 370."

He said that in response, Mukherjee, who was then serving as the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, resigned from his post and launched a massive movement to abolish Article 370 in Kashmir, for the prestige of the country.

The Chief Minister said that Mukherjee, along with thousands of workers of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, launched a campaign for the Kashmir Satyagraha and sacrificed his life.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDA government has honoured the sentiments of one nation, one leader, and one law by abrogating Article 370 in Kashmir," the Chief Minister said.

He said that this is a true tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir, the country's integrity, and border security.
Seoul, June 23 : Research and development (R&D) expenditures by major South Korean companies hit an all-time high last year despite their falling sales amid an economic slowdown, data showed on Sunday.

The country's top 1,000 companies made investments of 72.5 trillion won ($52.12 billion) combined in 2023, up 8.7 per cent from a year earlier, according to the data from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology.

It was the largest ever amount, it showed, reports Yonhap news agency.

The increase came despite their sales falling 2.8 per cent on-year to 1,642 trillion won, and the proportion of corporate R&D investment out of sales rose 4.4 per cent in 2023 from the previous year's 3.9 per cent.

Tech giant Samsung invested the largest amount in R&D last year with 23.9 trillion won, which was up 14.4 per cent on-year and accounted for 32.9 per cent of the total investment by South Korean companies.

Leading carmaker Hyundai Motor came next with 3.7 trillion won, which marked 15.6 per cent on-year growth. R&D spending by chip behemoth SK hynix fell 10 per cent year-on-year to 3.6 trillion won.

Home appliances giant LG Electronics increased its R&D expenditure by 10 per cent to 3.3 trillion won, and Samsung Display Co. spent 2.8 trillion won on R&D last year, up 12 per cent on-year.

Kia Corp. was the fifth-largest R&D investor last year with 2.2 trillion won, the data showed.

Of the 1,000 companies, 171 were large conglomerates and 491 were second-tier mid-sized companies. The remaining 338 firms were mid- and small-sized companies.

"The number of mid-sized companies that were among the top 1,000 major R&D investing companies has risen over the past years. The government will extend support for companies to increase investment for innovation," a ministry official said.
Hamirpur, June 23 : In a shocking incident, a woman allegedly poisoned her two minor sons to death and then committed suicide after a fight with her brother in Muskara in the Hamirpur district of Uttar Pradesh.

According to the family members, Mohini, 26, had a love marriage against the wishes of her family, but was presently living separately from her husband.

Recently, following a fight, her brother had rebuked her and asked her to go back to her husband's place.

On Saturday evening, she forcibly fed eatables laced with poison to both her sons and then committed suicide by consuming the same.

Police, on being informed, rushed to the spot and shifted all three bodies to the mortuary for post-mortem examination.

Her family members said that Mohini had a love marriage with Hemant, a resident of Kachhuwa village in the Rath area, ten years ago.

"It came to fore that due to frequent disputes between the husband and wife, she had been staying in Noida for the last two years with her two children Gautam, 5, and Harsh, 3, and was earning her living by working as a daily-wager. Last week, she came to her parents' house in Bandwa from Noida," the family members said.

After coming to her maternal home, she had a fight with her brother Golu who asked her to leave the house and go back to her husband's place.

On Saturday evening, she told her mother and other siblings that she was going to Noida with her two children but instead of going to Noida, she along with her children committed suicide by consuming poison near the premises of Bank of Baroda in the area.

Police station in-charge Shashi Pandey said, "The matter is being investigated thoroughly. Action will be taken against the culprits on the basis of a complaint and autopsy report."
Kolkata, June 23 : Tension prevailed in the Birbhum district of West Bengal on Sunday after the body of a local BJP activist with multiple injuries was found on the railway tracks between Nalhati and Chatra railway station.

The deceased activist has been identified as Pradip Mal, a resident of Paikpara village under Nalhati Police station and a Toto-driver by profession. His family members have informed the local police that the deceased person went out of his residence early in the morning without telling anyone where he was going.

As hours passed and he did not return, the family members started searching for him and finally his body was recovered from the railway tracks. His body has been sent for post-mortem while the police have started the investigation.

The local police said that there is a possibility of his death after being hit by the passing train however BJP's Birbhum district president Dhruba Saha has demanded a proper investigation.

"There was tension in the area where he lived before the Lok Sabha polls. He was a very active and dedicated party worker. I heard that the local Trinamool Congress leadership is trying the spread information that the death was a result of suicide. I am demanding a thorough investigation in the case," Saha said.
Lucknow, June 23 : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday said that BJP ideologue Syama Prasad Mookerjee made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of a united India, advocating for one nation, one leader, and one law.

Paying floral tribute to Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh on his death anniversary at the Civil Hospital premises, Hazratganj, the Chief Minister said: "Following the country's independence in 1947 and the implementation of the constitution in 1950, the Congress-led government attempted to undermine national integrity by introducing Article 370."

He said that in response, Mukherjee, who was then serving as the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, resigned from his post and launched a massive movement to abolish Article 370 in Kashmir, for the prestige of the country.

The Chief Minister said that Mukherjee, along with thousands of workers of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, launched a campaign for the Kashmir Satyagraha and sacrificed his life.

"Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDA government has honoured the sentiments of one nation, one leader, and one law by abrogating Article 370 in Kashmir," the Chief Minister said.

He said that this is a true tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir, the country's integrity, and border security.
Seoul, June 23 : An association of medical professors across South Korea said on Sunday that it will file a constitutional petition to help them get legal status as hospital employees.

Most medical professors serve as senior doctors at major hospitals, but a court ruling in 2022 refused to acknowledge them as hospital employees, saying that they are classified as faculty members of medical schools under the Private School Act, Yonhap news agency reported.

"There are neither clear legal grounds nor protection measures for medical professors regarding their duty of providing treatment for patients as doctors," Kim Chang-soo, chief of the National Medical Professors' Council, said.

"We will file a constitutional petition in the second half of this year to earn employee status," he said, adding that his organisation will also work to make its labour union more active.

The council is affiliated with medical professors at 40 medicine colleges nationwide.
Mumbai, June 23 : Journalist Deepak Chaurasia, who is a contestant on the controversial reality show 'Bigg Boss OTT 3', is reporting live from the heart of the 'Bigg Boss' house.

On the second day of the show, Deepak brings viewers the headlines of the day: YouTube sensation Shivani Kumari made waves with her first swim in the pool, sparking excitement among the housemates.

His second headline of the day is that tensions grew when Bigg Boss forgot to wish social media influencer Sana Sultan Khan a happy birthday.

The third headline is that the kitchen is now abuzz with discussions as housemates deliberate over today's lunch plans.

In the 'Bigg Boss OTT' house, genuine moments of camaraderie often shine through. This Sunday, the audience saw television actress Sana Makbul and Kritika Malik praising Shivani's 'sadagi' (simplicity).

They celebrated Shivani's natural beauty and simplicity.

Sana, while applying mascara to Shivani, praised her for her effortless elegance.

Kritika chimed in, saying, "We need makeup to look good, but Shivani, you look beautiful even without it."

Will these heartfelt compliments bring the girls closer, or will the day's events stir up new challenges?

The show also features contestants actor Ranveer Shorey, TV actors Sai Ketan Rao and Poulomi Das, rapper Naved Shaikh a.k.a. Naezy, social media influencers Vishal Pandey and Lovekesh Kataria, 'Vada Pav' girl Chandrika Dixit, YouTuber Armaan Malik and his two wives, Payal and Kritika, astrologer Munisha Khatwani, and Indian boxer Neeraj Goyat.

The show, which is hosted by Bollywood superstar Anil Kapoor, is streaming on JioCinema Premium.

Meanwhile, Sana Makbul, who began her career in modelling, appeared in the reality show 'MTV Scooty Teen Diva' in 2009. She then starred in the teen musical series 'Ishaan: Sapno Ko Awaaz De'. She was also a contestant in 'Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi 11.'
Lucknow, June 23 : After removing him from the key post over a month ago, BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday, reinstated her nephew Akash Anand to the post of the party's National Coordinator and named him her political successor once again.

Mayawati had axed Akash Anand in the midst of the Lok Sabha election campaign and sated that her decision would stand atill he becomes mature."

However, in a U-turn on Saturday, Mayawati named him as one of the star campaigners for the forthcoming Uttarakhand Assembly bye-elections.

The decision by Mayawati to remove Akash Anand was taken after he drew flak over his aggressive language while campaigning.

An FIR was lodged against him in Sitapur when he called the Union government a government of terrorists.

"This government is a bulldozer government and a government of traitors. The party that leaves its youth hungry and enslaves its elderly is a terrorist government. Taliban runs such a government in Afghanistan," he had said during an election rally in Sitapur.

Besides Anand, BSP candidates Mahendra Yadav, Shyam Awasthi, and Akshay Kalra and rally organiser Vikas Rajvanshi were booked in the matter by the Sitapur Police.

The BSP supremo had called a meeting on Sunday to review the party's defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting, held at the BSPas office, mainly focussed on why the party could not win even a single seat in the General Elections in the country.

A discussion was also held on how things can improve in the forthcoming 2027 Assembly elections.

It was at this meeting that Mayawati announced her decision to bring back Akash Anand.

It is noteworthy that party cadres had been rooting for Akash Anand after the BSPas dismal performance in the Lok Sabha polls.
A staff member displays bristles of toothbrushes at Yangzhou Sanfeng BRUSH Co., Ltd. in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 21, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A tourist visits the toothbrush museum in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This photo taken on June 21, 2024 shows bristles of toothbrushes at an exhibition hall of Yangzhou Sanfeng BRUSH Co., Ltd. in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This photo taken on June 20, 2024 shows the intelligent equipment producing toothbrushes at a toothbrush manufacturing enterprise in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

Staff members work at an intelligent workshop of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A staff member introduces toothbrushes for foreign clients via livestream at an exhibition hall of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A livestreamer sells an electric toothbrush at the e-commerce park in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 21, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

Staff members work on the production line of a toothbrush manufacturing enterprise in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Chen Shengwei)

Robots work at an intelligent workshop of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

An aerial drone taken on June 20, 2024 shows the external view of an intelligent factory of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

This photo taken on June 21, 2024 shows toothbrushes at an exhibition hall of Yangzhou Sanfeng BRUSH Co., Ltd. in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A drone photo shows a staff member working at an intelligent workshop of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

An aerial drone taken on June 20, 2024 shows a cluster of toothbrush manufacturers in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A staff member works on the production line of a toothbrush manufacturing enterprise in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Chen Shengwei)

Staff members work at an intelligent lab of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 21, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

Staff members work at a workshop of Yangzhou Sanfeng BRUSH Co., Ltd. in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 21, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Chen Shengwei)

This stitched aerial drone photo taken on June 20, 2024 shows robots working at an intelligent workshop of Jiangsu Sanxiao Group Co., Ltd in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)

A staff member works on the production line of a toothbrush manufacturing enterprise in Hangji Township of Yangzhou City, east China's Jiangsu Province, June 20, 2024.

Hangji Township, covering about 40 square kilometers, is located in the eastern suburbs of Yangzhou City in east China's Jiangsu Province. As an important production base for toothbrushes, the small town boasts over 2,000 toothbrush manufacturing and supporting enterprises and produces around 7.5 billion toothbrushes each year. They are exported to more than 80 countries and regions, meaning that one in three toothbrushes produced in the world comes from Hangji.

In recent years, local government of Hangji has been encouraging enterprises to drive intelligent and digital transformation through technological innovation, relying on leading enterprises, e-commerce industrial parks, the toothbrush museum, and other resources to advance brand building and boost the development of the toothbrush industry. (Xinhua/Li Bo)
Seoul, June 23 : National security adviser Chang Ho-jin on Sunday said that South Korea will not be bound by anything with regard to its assistance to Ukraine if Russia provides North Korea with precision weapons.

Director of National Security Chang made the remark during a TV appearance, underscoring the point that Seoul's decision on whether to provide weapons to Ukraine depends on how Russia's military cooperation with North Korea goes, reports Yonhap news agency.

"I would like to emphasise that it all depends on what Russia will do," Chang said on KBS TV. "Will there be any line remaining for us if Russia gives precision weapons to North Korea?"

Chang's remark means South Korea could provide lethal weapons to Ukraine if Russia crosses the line.

South Korea has said it will reconsider its position of not supplying weapons to Ukraine after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un signed a comprehensive strategic partnership treaty that commits each other to mutual defence and military technology cooperation.

Putin has since warned Seoul's weapons provision to Ukraine would be a "very big mistake."

Chang said not only South Korea but also Russia should make efforts to improve bilateral relations.

"If they want to restore and move Korea-Russia relations forward, I would like to reiterate that the Russian side should think carefully," he said.
New Delhi, June 23 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday launched a blistering attack on the DMK government over the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu's Kallakuruchi district, which resulted in the loss of over 56 lives, predominantly from the Dalit community.

Addressing a press conference, the BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra questioned the silence of Congress and other INDIA bloc leaders over the tragedy and also the 'complicity' of the state government.

Holding the state government responsible for the death of 56 people, the BJP termed it as a 'state-sponsored murder' and asked why Chief Minister MK Stalin was not coming clean on the issue.

"When will he give statement over the death of so many people? Why did the Collector deny deaths due to spurious liquor and try to deflect the issue? Was there any direction from the top leadership?" he questioned.

Criticizing the Congress for keeping mum on an issue of national importance, Patra questioned the silence of party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi and other members of the INDIA bloc.

"This is a murder and not an accident. So many Dalits have lost their lives and still, all are silent. This is just because the matter does not align with their political interests," he said.

"I don't want to distinguish deaths based on castes, but the people who take out candle marches, those who fight for the rights of the Dalits, where are these people today?" he asked.

Notably, the tragedy unfolded in Karunapuram village, a Dalit-dominated area in Kallakurichi, where illicit liquor led to the deaths of over 56 people, with many others critically ill and about 200 people still hospitalised.

The BJP Spokesperson further pointed to the long-standing operation of the illicit liquor business in Karunapuram and demanded answers for the alleged complicity between the administration officials and those behind the illicit liquor trade.

"This business has been operating in the town for many decades and was known to everyone in the police and administration," he added.

"My question to Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is, are you complicit or not? Who will answer on your behalf?" he said, when questioned on what action he expects from the Tamil Nadu government in the hooch tragedy that took more than 50 lives.
Lucknow, June 23 : Samajwadi Party (SP) President Akhilesh Yadav will make a conscious attempt to consolidate his votes among non-Yadav OBCs as part of his strategy for the 2027 UP assembly elections.

The Samajwadi Party had fielded five family members from the Yadav family  Akhilesh from Kannauj, Dimple Yadav from Mainpuri, Dharmendra Yadav from Azamgarh, Akshay Yadav from Firozabad and Aditya Yadav from Budaun. All the five candidates won the Lok Sabha elections.

"Akhilesh did not field any other Yadav candidate because he wanted to remove the tag of SP being a pro-Yadav party. He gave tickets to other OBCs and the move paid rich dividends with the party winning 37 seats. He wants to continue with the strategy," said a senior party spokesman.

It is this strategy that is preventing Akhilesh Yadav from naming his uncle Shivpal Yadav as the Leader of the Opposition in his place. Shivpal is among the senior most MLAs and enjoys acceptability in the party ranks.

The SP does not have a Muslim face who can replace Akhilesh as Leader of the Opposition since Mohd Azam Khan is still in jail. The party has 32 Muslim MLAs but most of them lack the experience needed to work as the Leader of the Opposition.

Party sources said that Akhilesh Yadav had already started working on candidate selection for the assembly polls and would be giving greater representation to Dalits since the party had benefitted from Dalit support in the recently concluded elections.

The party's biggest gamble paid off in Ayodhya (Faizabad) where it had fielded a Dalit leader Avadhesh Prasad who won the seat, defeating the BJP.

SP's ticketing strategy is significantly being credited for leading the INDIA bloc to a stunning victory.

The party virtually swept the seats in Purvanchal where both non-Yadav OBCs and Dalits make a significant chunk of the electorate. SP also won seven reserved seats.

With Dalits also now ruling out the BSP as an option, a large segment of the community rallied behind the INDIA bloc. "Why should we waste our vote?" was the refrain among a lot of Dalits on the ground when asked about whether they would prefer the BSP.

The result was that the BSP's vote share was reduced to a dismal two per cent and the INDIA bloc seems to have gained considerably from the fall.
Kolkata, June 23 : Lt Gen Harjeet Singh Sahi, GOC, Spear Corps of the Army's Eastern Command on Sunday said that Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse's bravery during the Kargil War is an inspiration 'for all of us'.

Kolkata, June 23 (IANS) Lt Gen Harjeet Singh Sahi, GOC, Spear Corps of the Army's Eastern Command on Sunday said that Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse's bravery during the Kargil War is an inspiration 'for all of us'.

"The Kenguruse Memorial Run is not just an event but a symbol of our endearing respect and remembrance for Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, MVC (Posthumou). His bravery during the Kargil War is an inspiration for all of us," Lt Gen Sahi said during an event organised at Kenguruse Memorial Run at Bhagat Stadium, Rangapahar Military Station in Dimapur, Nagaland to honour the valiant sacrifice of Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse.

Capt Kenguruse, who was from Nagaland, made the supreme sacrifice on the night of June 28, 1999, after single-handedly neutralising a strategically located machine gun post and killing four of the enemy, two of them with his commando knife.

Over 750 individuals, including all ranks and families of the Spear Corps, participated in the run. Participants had the option to compete in 2 km, 5 km, and 10 km runs, ensuring an inclusive event for all ages and fitness levels.

The highlight of the event was the presence of Capt Kenguruse's parents, who were felicitated by Lt Gen Harjeet Singh Sahi, GOC, Spear Corps.

Lt Gen Sahi expressed deep gratitude for the sacrifices made by Capt Kenguruse and his family. He also motivated the participants by awarding prizes to the winners of all categories.

Capt Kenguruse is the only Maha Vir Chakra recipient in the Army Service Corps (ASC) till date.

Though Capt Kenguruse was commissioned into the ASC, he was assigned the post of a Ghatak platoon commander with the 2 Rajputana Rifles during Operation Vijay (Kargil War). He was part of the raid on Area Black Rock (also known as Area Three Pimples). The well-sited enemy machine gun post on a cliff face was hampering the approach to the main objective of his Battalion.

This was when Capt Kenguruse volunteered to lead a daring commando raid on the gun position. Even as he led his team in the climb, they came under heavy mortar and automatic fire, resulting in heavy casualties. The Captain was himself hit in the abdomen by splinters.

Undeterred by his injuries, Capt Kenguruse continued to lead his team till the final cliff face. A rock wall separated them from the enemy machine gun position. The officer removed his boots and socks to get a better grip, picked up a rocket launcher and charged the machine gun post all by himself.

After firing the rocket at the machine gun post, he shot two of the enemy with his rifle. He finished off the remaining two with his knife in hand-to-hand combat before succumbing to his injuries.
New Delhi, June 23 : Urinary incontinence -- the involuntary loss of bladder control -- can also have a significant effect on your skin and kidneys, said doctors on Sunday.

World Urinary Continence Week is observed between June 17-23 to raise awareness of bladder and bowel problems.

Urinary incontinence causes involuntary loss of bladder control, leading to the accidental leakage of urine. It is a common condition that can range from occasional minor leaks to more frequent and severe issues.

"The combination of hormones and stretched muscles means the muscles that control your bladder are weakened. This can lead to an accidental leak of urine," Dr Ashwin Mallya, Consultant, Urologist, and Robotic, Uro Onco Surgeon, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, told IANS.

"Urinary incontinence doesn't just affect the bladder but it can lead to skin issues like rashes and infections due to constant moisture. Additionally, it can cause urinary tract infections (UTIs), and in severe cases, it may lead to kidney damage," he added.

The doctor said that it can also lead to mental health problems like "anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Many people may start avoiding social activities or situations where they fear embarrassment, which can lead to social isolation and a reduced quality of life".

The condition can affect individuals of all ages but is more prevalent among older adults, especially women during pregnancy and childbirth.

If it continues for long in women after childbirth and without childbirth is the point of concern that needs to be treated, the health expert said.

Dr Arif Akhtar, Senior Consultant - Urology, Marengo Asia Hospital, Gurugram told IANS that bladder control declines due to age-related changes such as weakening pelvic floor muscles and excessive or insufficient bladder muscle activity, leading to the condition.

"Stress incontinence can result from pelvic muscle stretches and increased bladder pressure during pregnancy and childbirth. Reduced urethral closure pressure and urogenital shrinkage are the outcomes of menopause-induced oestrogen reduction. Overflow incontinence in males is a result of both benign prostatic hyperplasia and problems following a prostatectomy".

Studies show that up to 45 per cent of women and 15 per cent of men in India suffer from some form of urinary incontinence. This disparity is largely due to differences in anatomy, pregnancy, childbirth, and menopause, which are unique risk factors for women.

"Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT) with Kegel exercises and therapies to strengthen pelvic muscles are just a few of the many strategies used to prevent urinary incontinence," Dr Arif told IANS.

Other approaches involve adopting a healthy lifestyle, by maintaining a healthy weight as it reduces pressure on the bladder, staying active by doing regular exercise to strengthen pelvic floor muscles; limiting caffeine and alcohol as these can irritate the bladder; quitting smoking because smoking can lead to coughing, which exacerbates stress incontinence, the doctors said.
Moscow, June 23 : Russia could change its nuclear doctrine, which provides for the use of nuclear weapons only in retaliation if the country is attacked with weapons of mass destruction or faces an existential threat from conventional warfare, if the threats and challenges to the country continue to grow, a top Russian parliamentarian said on Sunday.

Any changes to the rules regarding the use of nuclear weapons would depend on the international military and political situation, Andrey Kartapolov, who chairs the parliament's Defence Committee, told RIA Novosti, RT reported.

"The doctrine reflects our reaction to what is happening around our country. If we see that the challenges and threats are increasing, then we could correct something in it in terms of the time for the use of nuclear weapons, in terms of making a decision on this use," he said.

He underlined, however, that it is "too early" to speak about any specific amendments that could be introduced to "Foundations of State Policy of the Russian Federation in the Area of Nuclear Deterrence", signed by President Vladimir Putin in June 2020.

President Putin, during his visit to Vietnam, said that Moscow is thinking about making changes to its nuclear doctrine as the West, which he termed Russia's "potential adversary", is working on "lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons", including developing ultra-low-yield nuclear devices.

Ideas are being floated within the Western expert community that these weapons could be used and "that there is nothing particularly terrible about it", he said, adding that Russia "must pay attention to this".

President Putin on Friday also announced Russia will upgrade its nuclear arsenal as it is a primary guarantor of national security.

"We plan to further develop the nuclear triad as a guarantee of strategic deterrence and to preserve the balance of power in the world," he said at a meeting of graduates from military institutions following his return from his trip to North Korea and Vietnam.

The Russian leader has warned that Russia would use all means available to defend itself should the state's existence be at stake.

Citing the need to send the West a message, the Kremlin last month ordered the military to carry out drills in deploying non-strategic nuclear weapons.

The developments come amid NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg's statement last week that members of the US-led military bloc are debating whether to place more nuclear weapons on standby amid tensions with Russia over Ukraine. NATO must clearly convey to the outside world that it has a strong deterrent potential, he insisted.

Kremlin Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov accused the NATO chief of having double standards, saying that Stoltenberg, who previously accused Putin of "nuclear sabre-rattling", is doing the same thing.
New Delhi, June 23 : Katie Ledecky made history at the US Olympic swim trials in Indianapolis as the seven-time Olympic champion became the first woman to win four titles at a single trials, with her 800m freestyle victory.

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Katie Ledecky made history at the US Olympic swim trials in Indianapolis as the seven-time Olympic champion became the first woman to win four titles at a single trials, with her 800m freestyle victory.

Finishing in eight minutes and 14.12 seconds, Ledecky was more than six seconds clear of her nearest challenger on Saturday, reaffirming her status as the world's quickest in this event for the 16th time, reports BBC.

This remarkable performance sets the stage for Ledecky to extend her Olympic medal haul at the Paris 2024 Olympics. She is slated to compete in the 400m freestyle, 800m freestyle, 1500m freestyle, and the 4x200m freestyle relay.

Among these events, the 800m freestyle holds particular significance as Ledecky aims to join the legendary Michael Phelps as the only swimmers to win four consecutive gold medals in the same Olympic event.

In Paris, Ledecky not only seeks to extend her legacy but strives for the historic fourth consecutive gold in the 800m freestyle.

Ledecky's journey to greatness began at the London 2012 Olympics, where she captured the 800m freestyle gold at just 15 years old. Her wins in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 in the same event have been pivotal in her accumulation of 10 Olympic medals, making her one of the most decorated swimmers in history.
New Delhi, June 23 : Increased consumption of tobacco and related products are driving head and neck cancer cases in India, said health experts on Sunday.

Head and neck cancer includes cancers in the tongue, mouth, and other parts of the pharynx like oropharynx, nasopharynx, hypopharynx, salivary glands, nasal cavity, larynx (voice box), etc.

"The prominent cause of oral cavity cancers is having tobacco and tobacco-related products, betel nuts and smoking, alcohol. Sometimes HPV infections also contribute to it," Pritam Kataria, Consultant, Medical Oncology, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, told IANS.

To cut down the head and neck cancers, the expert called for "strict regulations regarding the tobacco and tobacco-related products and on the intake of alcohol".

"If the tobacco and related products are taken off, the majority of the head and neck cancer incidents will come down in the end. That's a big challenge, because the awareness among the masses, and changing behaviour are some of the difficult aspects of cancer prevention," Pritam said.

Accounting for 30 per cent of all cancer cases, head and neck cancer is the most common in India and its burden is higher in the country than in the US, UK, Australia, Africa and Brazil.

In India, the number of cancer cases is rising. According to GLOBOCAN 2020, there will be 2.1 million new cancer cases in India by 2040, an increase of 57.5 per cent from 2020.

To curb the problem, Prathmesh Pai, Director and surgeon, Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Head and Neck Cancer Institute of India stressed the need to raise public awareness of the harms of tobacco, betelnut, and alcohol.

"Engage the parents and schools to prevent the adoption of these habits by the youth, public campaigns to ban the sale of tobacco, betelnut, and alcohol to the youth, ban production and sale of tobacco, betel nut, and alcohol," he told IANS.
Amaravati, June 23 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Sunday said he was deeply saddened to learn that a young man Dasari Gopikrishna from Bapatla district succumbed to injuries sustained in a shooting incident in the US.

CM Naidu took to 'X' to express his condolences over the death of the 32-year-old man, who was among four persons killed in firing at a grocery store in Arkansas.

He was working at the Mad Butcher grocery store at Fordyce, a small town in Arkansas, where a gunman opened fire on June 21.

"I offer my heartfelt condolences to his family and assure them that the GoAP will extend every possible support to help bring him home. We firmly stand by the family and pray for them to find strength through this difficult time," posted CM Naidu.

Former chief minister and YSR Congress Party president Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has also expressed shock over the death of Gopikrishna.

He appealed to the state government to stand by Gopikrishna's family and extend support to them in every way.

Expressing his deepest condolences, Jagan Mohan Reddy requested the Ministry of External Affairs to provide assistance to the deceasedas family.

Gopikrishna Yajali in Karlapalem mandal of Bapatla district had moved to the US only eight months ago.

CCTV footage of the incident shows the gunman entering the store and opening fire on Gopikrishna standing at the counter.
Pune, June 23 : Indian phenotype and DNA are different from the rest of the world, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science & Technology Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday, stressing the need for separate data on the health of the citizens.

Addressing the 6th National Convention of Vigyan Bharati (ViBha) at MIT-ADT University here, Dr Singh, a renowned diabetologist, noted that central obesity, visceral obesity -- a known risk factor for metabolic diseases such as heart disease, and hypertension, are high in India.

"Indian phenotype is different, our DNA differs from the rest of the world hence some diseases prevail more in India. To counter these we need an integrated and holistic approach and a combination of our traditional knowledge and modern medicine," he said.

"We should have separate data on health," he added.

Calling traditional knowledge an "exclusive asset", he noted that the Science and Technology Department has initiated a "Traditional Knowledge Digital library to achieve the best of both worlds".

The minister mentioned that people having prejudice against oriental medicine changed their opinion during Covid times, and highlighted the progress in science and technology in the last decade. Further, Dr Singh said: "India established its own standards despite meeting the International standards". He said that from "350 startups in 2014", India now has "nearly 1.5 lakh".

In terms of innovation and R&D activities, he shared that India climbed from 81st position in 2014 to 40th position in the Global Innovation Index. The country also "stands at number three in the highest number of PhDs in science", as well as in "global startups".

Citing these achievements in the last 10 years, he noted that the "so-called developed nations have (now) accepted that India has become a frontline nation".

"Being students of Science, we are taught to speak with evidence and our belief in Indianness is not just out of national pride but it is based on sound scientific research," said Dr Singh.
MOSCOW, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Three people, including two children, were killed and nearly 100 others injured in a Ukrainian missile strike in Sevastopol, city governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said Sunday.

The attack occurred at around 12:15 p.m. (0915 GMT) and involved the use of U.S.-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles equipped with cluster warheads, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Four of the ATACMS missiles were shot down while another missile deviated from its flight path due to the impact of air defense systems at the final stage, detonating its warhead in the air over the city, the ministry added.

Razvozhayev noted that Sevastopol's entire healthcare system had been mobilized after the attack. 
New Delhi, June 23 : The entire student community in the country is ecstatic over the Modi government's landmark decision to remove the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from students' Paying Guest (PG) accommodations. They have also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending this favour.

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) The entire student community in the country is ecstatic over the Modi governmentas landmark decision to remove the Goods and Services Tax (GST) from studentsa Paying Guest (PG) accommodations. They have also expressed heartfelt gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for extending this favour.

Academicians and experts believe that this progressive policy change will make higher education more affordable and accessible for students across the country. By eliminating the GST burden on PG housing, the government has demonstrated a strong commitment to empowering the youth and investing in the future of India.

"We deeply appreciate Prime Minister Modi's decisive action in removing the GST from PG accommodations," said Dr Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Chancellor of Lovely Professional University (LPU).

"This move will ease the financial strain on students and their families, allowing them to focus on their studies and unlock their full potential. It is a true win for the academic community in India," he added.

The 53rd GST Council meeting chaired by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, decided to exempt GST on charges for student hostels that are located outside the educational institutions. The exemption would also be applicable to the hostels run by communities as well.

Students have also enthusiastically welcomed the GST removal on PG housing. Chitra, a Msc Horticulture student from Haryana at LPU, said, "This is such a relief for students like me. The GST on PG rentals was a significant added expense, and now we can redirect those funds towards our education and living costs. I am grateful to PM Modi for prioritising the needs of students."

Anshul Rana, an engineering student at LPU from Himachal Pradesh, added, "The elimination of GST on PG accommodations is a gamechanger. It will make higher education more accessible, especially for students from middle-class and underprivileged backgrounds. This is a true testament to the government's commitment to our academic and personal growth."

Prior to this change, PG owners had to navigate complex legal requirements and engage financial advisors to properly file GST returns, with the associated costs being passed on to the students.

"The GST on PG rentals was a significant added expense for us, both in terms of the tax itself and the administrative burden," said Sukhpreet Singh, a PG owner in Phagwara. "Now, this burden has been lifted, and we can provide more affordable accommodations to students."

The benefits of this policy change will be far-reaching, as it will enable more students to pursue higher education without the added financial burden of GST on their living expenses. This decisive move by the Prime Minister is a significant step towards making India a global leader in affordable and accessible education.
New Delhi, June 23 : Congress leader Rashid Alvi on Sunday demanded that a Supreme Court judge be brought in to probe the alleged irregularities in the 2024 NEET-UG exam.

Talking to IANS, Alvi said: "A SC judge should be roped in to probe the case (NEET paper leak). It can't be done by a six-member committee, they will all be people from the BJP. Even the CBI will not be able to do a proper investigation because it works under their (BJP's) pressure."

"They have changed the DG of NTA. If he is responsible, arrest him. Don't make others scapegoats. The Education Minister was earlier saying that no scam took place, but now a CBI investigation has been ordered. He has no right to be a minister. Either, he should resign or the Prime Minister should show him the door. This is related to the future of lakhs of children. The NEET paper has been leaked in Uttar Pradesh, it should be properly investigated," the Congress leader added.

On the arrest of the brother of former JD-S MP Prajwal Revanna, who is the prime accused in a sex scandal, he said: "This is a legal matter where the police will work with honesty. The whole country knows very well what kind of allegations are made against those people. There is nothing hidden, so the law takes its course."

On reports that the BJP wants to bring petrol and diesel prices under the ambit of the GST, Alvi said: "They (BJP) have a government in several states. The opposition wants GST to be imposed on petrol and diesel prices. If GST is imposed, then the prices of petrol and diesel will be halved. But the question is where there are BJP governments in states, what do they want? Can they take any decision without the consent of PM (Narendra) Modi and the RSS? Is this possible? The opposition wants that it should be brought under GST, if this happens, then people will get great relief."

On a question, the Congress leader said: "GST has been imposed on the states. The government (BJP) leaves it to the states that it will take a call if the states ask for it, this is just a drama. The Government of India should make changes in (GST) rules, the BJP government does not want the people to benefit from GST."
Aden : , June 23 (IANS) A merchant vessel flying the Liberian flag was struck by a Houthi drone attack while sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah early Sunday morning, a pro-government naval official told Xinhua.

The Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the merchant vessel, identified as the "Transworld Navigator," was targeted at approximately 5:05 a.m. local time (0205 GMT), confirming that the ship sustained damage from the direct hit, though the extent of the damage remains unspecified.

According to the official, no casualties were reported among the crew. Notably, this incident follows a separate attack on the same vessel while it was navigating the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving a report of an incident approximately 65 nautical miles west of Hodeidah, reported Xinhua news agency.

The UKMTO's statement indicated that the master of a merchant vessel reported an impact from an uncrewed aerial system, which resulted in ship damage. All crew members were reported safe, and the ship was said to be proceeding to its next port of call.

The Houthi group has not officially commented on the incident. However, on Saturday, the group claimed to have targeted the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea and the "Transworld Navigator" in the Arabian Sea with multiple missiles.

The group also announced joint operations with Iraqi armed factions, allegedly targeting five ships in the Israeli port of Haifa and the Mediterranean Sea.

These attacks are part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, which began in November 2023, targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to be targeting vessels associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports, citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as justification.

In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain launched a military operation in January, including air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This intervention has led the Houthi group to expand its targeting to include American and British commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

This ongoing conflict along the vital shipping lanes of the Red Sea and surrounding waters continues to raise concerns about maritime security and global trade implications.
Mumbai, June 23 : The Bollywood veteran and Asansol's newly-elected Lok Sabha MP, Shatrughan Singh, blessed his daughter Sonakshi after witnessing her civil marriage with Zaheer Iqbal at her recently acquired Bandra apartment on Sunday.

Speaking to the media, the Trinamool Congress MP said: "Every father waits for this moment when his daughter is given to her chosen groom. My daughter looks most happy with Zaheer. Unki jodi salamat rahe (May their union stay strong forever." He had come to his daughter's apartment along with his wife Poonam.

With the legal formalities for the civil marriage completed, public attention has moved to Bastian, the Asian-inspired modernist restaurant on Linking Road in Mumbai.

The rooftop restaurant was founded in 2014 by Ranjit Bindra, Shilpa Shetty and Kunal Jani, and is helmed by Suvir Saran, celebrity chef and founder of the now-closed Michelin-starred restaurant Devi in New York.

For Sunday night's party, the theme is black and red, and a team of decorators is already at work in Bastian arranging an array of red flowers and rolling out the red carpet. DJ Ganesh, who's known for his eclectic choice of music, will be performing live at the reception.

Tabu, meanwhile, amped up the celebratory mood by declaring to the paparazzi during a promotional round for her upcoming film with Ajay Devgn, 'Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha', "Hum sab shaadi mein ja rahe hain (We all are going for the wedding)."

Close friends Huma Qureishi and Saqib Saleem were with Sonakshi on Saturday night. Yo Yo Honey Singh arrived on Sunday with the stated intention of attending the wedding and dancing without drinking, Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh have also said they are all set for the wedding bash.

There is of course much speculation about whether Bollywood's 'Bhaijaan' Salman Khan, old friend of Zaheer's father who played Cupid and got the couple to meet, will attend the wedding.

Sonakshi and Zaheer, the man she lovingly describes as her 'personal psycho', have been dating for the past seven years. Salman, who gave Sonakshi her Bollywood break in the action-comedy 'Dabbang' (2010), played Cupid.

Zaheer, too, made his debut in a Salman Khan-produced film -- 'Notebook' -- where he was cast opposite another newbie, Pranutan Bahl, daughter of actor Mohnish Bahl, and granddaughter of Nutan.

It is said that Salman introduced Sonakshi to Zaheer on the sets of 'Notebook' in 2017.
Chennai, June 23 : Superstar and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) leader Kamal Haasan met the victims of the illicit liquor case in Tamil Nadu's Kallakurichi on Sunday and sought to hold them responsible for their situation.

The actor-turned-politician, interacting with reporters after meeting the victims, said that they have been "careless" with drinking. He said that the victims must understand that they have "exceeded their limits and have been careless" and that keeping oneself restrained is the need of the hour.

"They have to be careful and have to take care of their health. My request to the government is that they create psychiatric centres which will counsel them out of this," said the MNM chief, adding that drinking has to be "occasional and social, if at all."

Stressing on the consequences of drinking, he said: "They (victims) need to understand that everything in excess is bad, be it sugar or drinking. Specifically, drinking and driving, drinking and going to the office is bad, and soon it might make its way into the culture."

The hooch tragedy recently unfolded in Karunapuram village, a Dalit-dominated area in the Kallakurichi district of the state, where consumption of spurious liquor led to the deaths of 56 people while leaving as many as 200 hospitalised. The spate of deaths due to spurious liquor has also drawn the attention and wrath of the courts. The Madras High Court on Saturday came down on the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government over this incident and demanded a detailed report on the measures undertaken to curb the sale of illicit liquor in the state.

For the unversed, a similar tragedy occurred last year in the Velupuram district, claiming 22 lives. Earlier, on Sunday morning, BJP MP Sambit Patra slammed DMK and the INDIA bloc for not addressing the issue and termed the incident as a "state-sponsored murder." AIADMK chief K. Palaniswami, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, also lashed out at the state government's failure to contain the crisis and said that DMK had not "learnt its lesson".
Thiruvananthapuram, June 23 : O.R. Kelu was sworn in as Kerala's new SC/ST Minister by Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Sunday, creating history as he is the first tribal leader from the CPI-M, as well as the party's first from the Wayanad district to become a member of the state council of ministers.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet ministers were also present on the occasion. Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan and veteran IUML legislator P.K. Kunhalikutty also attended.

A two-time legislator representing the Mananthavady constituency, Kelu, 53, got his chance after incumbent SC/ST Minister, K Radhakrishnan resigned after being elected to the Lok Sabha from the Alathur Lok Sabha constituency in Palakkad district. However, the portfolios of Devasoms and Parliamentary Affairs which Radhakrishnan held have been given to V.N. Vasavan and M.B. Rajesh, respectively and this had invited criticism from the Congress and BJP leaders.

In 2016 and 2021, Kelu defeated Congress leader P.K. Jayalekshmi, a former minister in the Oommen Chandy cabinet (2011-16).

Kelu is a popular leader and has yet to taste defeat in any election starting from the grassroots. His father, who witnessed the swearing-in ceremony, said he wishes his son who has been in public life for a long time all the best and wishes he can do good for all

Back in the hilly district of Wayanad, people in Keluas home town burst crackers to celebrate his elevation.
New Delhi, June 23 : The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday welcomed the Centre's decision to transfer the investigation into alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday welcomed the Centreas decision to transfer the investigation into alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Earlier in the day, the government ordered a CBI investigation into the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024.

The IMA congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, Health Minister J.P. Nadda, and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for their prompt response to their concerns regarding the exam controversies.

"We extend our gratitude to the Ministry of Education for transferring the investigation of the airregularitiesa in the NEET UG examination to the CBI for a thorough probe," said the apex healthcare body.

The IMA further said it is thankful to the government for removing the Director General of the NTA, Subodh Kumar Singh, and assigning additional responsibility to Pradeep Kumar Kharola as his successor.

"We appreciate the government for enacting stringent laws to address amalpractice and irregularitiesa in competitive examinations," said the IMA.

In cases of organised crime involving examination authorities, service providers, or other institutions, offenders may face imprisonment of up to 10 years and a minimum fine of Rs 1 crore.

"The present students are the future of India, and it is crucial that important competitive examinations are conducted with the utmost diligence and confidentiality," said the IMA, urging the government to take swift action to ensure that counselling for admission in medical, dental, and other courses begins on time.
Hyderabad, June 23 : Hyderabad police have arrested two notorious mobile phone snatchers, one of whom was injured when police opened fire during a chase after they committed an offence two days ago, a police official said on Sunday.

Gopalapuram police, along with the Task Force arrested the offenders, who were involved in cell phone snatching by using deadly weapons.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North Zone) S. Rashmi Perumal said the accused were identified as Masood ur Rahman and Fazal ur Raheman, both residents of Hyderabad.

Police seized a stolen Honda Activa - used in the commission of the offence, two daggers, and three mobile phones, including one which was snatched by the offenders.

Masood ur Rahman was previously involved in three theft cases registered in the police stations under the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate. A habitual offender and a school drop-out who worked as a welder and cab driver, he turned to committing robberies and thefts for quick money. He was previously arrested by Nacharam and Mailardevpally Police in similar cases, the DCP said.

On the intervening night of June 19 and 20, he, along with Fazal ur Raheman, was roaming on the city roads on a two-wheeler. They committed the theft of a Honda Activa parked in Malakpet and parked the stolen vehicle at Star Hotel, Bholakpur, Musheerabad for later disposal.

From there they headed towards Secunderabad at around 02:30 a.m. where they spotted a person near Ganesh temple heading towards the railway station. They snatched his mobile by threatening him with daggers. Hearing the victimas cries for help, an Anti-Snatching team of two constables began chasing the offenders. The accused threatened to kill them with daggers. They also attempted to snatch another pedestrianas mobile phone but abandoned the effort upon realizing they were closely chased.

At City Light Hotel, fearing the offenders posed harm to the public, one of the constables fired at the offenders' two-wheeler, aiming for the tyre. The bullet struck Masoodas right leg calf, but they continued to flee. Another round was fired but failed to discharge and the offenders managed to escape.

A special investigative team, however, identified and nabbed the accused within 48 hours.
Mumbai, June 23 : Shiv Sena-UBT leader Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena MP Dr Shrikant Shinde on Sunday were engaged in a verbal duel over the victory claims of Maha Vikas Aghadi and MahaYuti in the Worli Assembly constituency in the Maharashtra Assembly election slated for September-October this year.

Aaditya Thackeray, who is the legislator from Worli Assembly constituency where the Shiv Sena-UBT nominee Arvind Sawant got the lead of 6,715 votes, targeted the BJP, saying that aaMud on the surface, but still won't let the lotus bloom (in Worli).aa

At this, Shinde, the son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, took a swipe at Aaditya Thackeray, the son of Shiv Sena-UBT chief and former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying that considering the small lead in Worli for the Shiv Sena-UBT nominee, will he still contest from there?

Aaditya Thackeray was speaking in the wake of a challenge from the BJP and the MahaYuti to get elected from Worli again in the next Assembly election.

"When I was contesting from Worli (in the 2019 election), people from all over came to witness the contest. This time also I welcome all. I request some big people to do a road show in Worli. If they do a road show, we will benefit. No matter how much mud there is in Worli, the lotus will not bloom,aa he claimed.

However, Shinde shot back, saying: "Will Aditya Thackeray contest again from Worli or look for another constituency? He thought that the Shiv Sena UBT candidate would get a lead of more than 40,000 votes in Worli Assembly Constituency but the lead was paltry 6,715 votes. They thought that the Marathi Manoos were with them. However, the Marathi Manoos stood by the 'real' Shiv Sena, bow and arrow and Balasaheb Thackeray. The Marathi Manoos showed this through the ballot box."

He added that generally, the Shiv Sena (united) used to get 19 per cent votes but this time round, the 'real' Shiv Sena bagged 14 per cent votes.

The war of words between Aaditya Thackeray and Shinde is important especially when the MahaYuti is exploring all options to take on the Shiv Sena-UBT, and Aaditya Thackeray, in particular in the Worli Assembly constituency.

A banner wishing Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Sandip Deshpande has given a new twist as the observers say that the MNS, which may go solo in the Assembly election, may put up its nominee in the Worli constituency.
Colombo, June 23 : Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar for their "continued support" to the island nation.

Wickremesinghe met EAM Jaishankar in Colombo on Thursday as both jointly inaugurated the formal commissioning of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) under a $6 million grant from India.

"I met Indian Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar during his official visit to Sri Lanka, marking the first diplomatic exchange between India and Sri Lanka under the new government. We inaugurated houses built under the Indian Housing Project in Kandy, Nuwara Eliya, and Matale," the Sri Lankan President posted on X on Sunday evening while mentioning the project which benefits the Indian-origin Tamil community in the country.

"We also handed over houses from model villages in Colombo and Trincomalee. We formally commissioned the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre, with a main centre in Colombo, a sub-centre in Hambantota, and unmanned installations across Sri Lanka's coastline. I thank PM Narendra Modi and S Jaishankar for their continued support to Sri Lanka," he added.

After meeting Jaishankar, the President delivered what his office called "a compelling vision for the future of Sri Lanka-India relations" during his address at the 31st All India Partner's Meet 2024 held in the Sri Lankan capital.

Wickremesinghe expressed his commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with India to achieve Sri Lanka's development goals and emphasised the urgency to expedite joint initiatives while highlighting a comprehensive agenda aimed at transformative bilateral projects.

"It won't be individual projects. We've discussed a fair number of them. First is the grid interconnection between Sri Lanka and India, so that sustainable energy can be transmitted to India, where you all need that very badly. We have the Sampur solar power project, which is a Government to Government (G2G) project, and a three island project, which is where we hope the ground breaking can take place in July," he said.

He mentioned that both countries are looking at developing the Palk Strait for wind and solar energy which would transform the economy of the northern province, a region worst affected by the long civil war.

India, he stated, is also helping Sri Lanka expand the Kankesanthurai Port - a major port on the Jaffna Peninsula.

"Additionally, there is a focus on a project to establish land connectivity between Sri Lanka and India. Extensive discussions have also taken place regarding expediting the Trincomalee Development Project, which encompasses industrial investment zones and tourist areas. Furthermore, plans are underway to construct a multi-product oil pipeline from Nagapattinam to Trincomalee, pending the final observation report," he said.

The Sri Lankan President was in New Delhi on June 9 to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During his visit, Wickremesinghe also invited Prime Minister Modi to visit Sri Lanka.
Christians to Gather on Steps of the United States Capitol for Worship and Prayer Service After Federal Court Victory

In an Historic Free Speech Victory, Washington, DC Chief Federal Judge Opened the Steps of the United States Capitol to 1st Amendment and Free Speech Activities

NEWS PROVIDED BY

Christian Defense Coalition

June 22, 2024

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2024 /Christian Newswire/ -- Christians plan to gather on the steps of the United States Capitol for worship and prayer service after a federal court victory. The service will be on Sunday, June 23 at 3:00 PM, on the southeastern steps of the Capitol, (the House of Representative steps).



James E. Boasberg, Chief Judge of the United States District for the District of Columbia, issued a permanent injunction against the United States Capitol Police Board barring them from prohibiting free speech and 1st Amendment activities from being held on the lower portion of the eastern steps of the US Capitol.

See Chief Judge Boasberg's order here.

Chief Boasberg's decision came after Rev. Patrick Mahoney filed a federal lawsuit when he was arrested on the steps of the US Capitol.

Rev. Patrick Mahoney was arrested in August of 2021, with several others, for a peaceful demonstration and prayer vigil on the steps of the US Capitol.

Rev. Mahoney was arrested in the exact spot where Congresswoman Cori Bush, the week before, protested and camped out on the Capitol steps.











Over the years, members of Congress could hold demonstrations on the Capitol steps with impunity and people could gather on the steps for photographs and a host of other activities.



However, peaceful 1st Amendments activities like prayer vigils and demonstrations were banned and participation in them would result in arrests.



Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Washington, D.C. based Christian Defense Coalition, states:

"We celebrate this historic 1st Amendment victory and are thankful for the 'The People's House' being returned back to the people. The 'People's House,' as the US Capitol Building is so rightly called, must be a place where all Americans are afforded the right to come and peacefully celebrate and express their First Amendment Rights and not be reserved exclusively for political elites. "The First Amendment ensures every American the right to peacefully express their views in the public square free from government intimidation, harassment, or favoritism. This should be especially true at the United States Capitol building. "This federal court victory sends a powerful message to government officials that the banning and prohibiting of peaceful free speech and religious freedom will not be tolerated. As we come together for this historic prayer and worship service on the steps of the US Capitol, we will be asking God to bring healing and spiritual awakening to our government and nation. Our gathering is a powerful reminder the future of America rests in the hands of God and not politics.

For more information or interviews contact

Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741

SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition

CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741
JIUQUAN, June 23 (Xinhua) -- China's reusable carrier rocket successfully completed a 10-km vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) flight test at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Sunday.

It marks the country's largest VTOL flight test for a reusable carrier rocket, and also the first application of its domestically developed deep variable-thrust liquid oxygen-methane (LOX/Methane) engine on a 10-km return flight.

Developed by the Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology, the carrier rocket features a 3.8-meter diameter rocket body, powered by three 70-tonne LOX/Methane engines and equipped with a full-size landing buffer system.

The rocket achieved vertical soft landing at a fixed point through take-off, ascent and variable-thrust descent. The test fully verified the rocket's VTOL configuration, heavy-load landing buffer technology, reusable propulsion technology with high and strong variable thrust, and high-precision landing navigation and control technology.

The test has laid a technical foundation for the maiden flight of a four-meter class reusable carrier rocket, which is scheduled for 2025.

The VTOL capability is an improvement on the rocket's original shape, aiming to make its first stage reusable. This innovation is aimed at enhancing the efficiency of launch vehicles and saving spaceflight costs. 
Hyderabad, June 23 : The Telangana government plans to establish one integrated residential school in each Assembly constituency, it was announced on Sunday.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy chaired a review meeting on the establishment of integrated residential schools with Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari and other officials present.

The government plans to set up residential schools for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, and Minorities in one place and one integrated residential school is proposed in each of the 119 Assembly constituencies.

As a pilot project, integrated residential schools will be established in the Kodangan and Madhira constituencies, represented by Revanth Reddy and Vikramarka, respectively.

The government has already acquired 20 acres of land each in Kodangal and Madhira for establishing integrated residential schools.

The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister looked at a few designs prepared by architects.

Meanwhile, leaders of various teachersa unions called on the Chief Minister on Sunday and thanked him for resolving the upgradation issue which had been pending for the last 15 years. They also thanked him for giving promotions to teachers.

Leaders of various unions under the leadership of Telangana Panchayat Raj Teachersa Union founder President Harshvardhan Reddy met the Chief Minister to thank him.
Agartala, June 23 : Like previous years, as a goodwill gesture, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Sunday sent 500 kg pineapples as a 'gift' to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through the Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post (ICP), an official said.

Tripura Horticulture Department Assistant Director Dipak Baidya said that as a part of the goodwill gesture, Tripura Chief Minister sent the state's queen variety pineapples -- considered the most delicious -- to the Bangladeshi Prime Minister.

He said that the 500 kg pineapples -- with each pineapple weighing around 750 gm -- have been stored in 100 containers .

"The queen variety pineapples are the best pineapple variety in the world. It earlier got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag," Baidya told the media at Agartala-Akhaura ICP, adjoining Tripura's capital city of Agartala.

He asserted that the traditional bond between India and Bangladesh in general, especially with the state of Tripura, has always been excellent and deep-rooted.

"Sending pineapples from our Chief Minister to the Bangladesh Prime Minister is just a token gift as part of our friendship," the official said.

Previously, as well, most of the Tripura Chief Ministers had sent pineapples to the Bangladeshi PMs, who in return gifted delicious mangoes from that country.

Tripura has occasionally exported the queen variety pineapples to Dubai, Qatar and Bangladesh, facilitating crores of trade for the state's farmers.

Officials said that besides pineapples, Tripura also exported various other fruits, including lemon and horticultural products to the UK, Germany and many other countries.

Tripura annually produces 1.28 lakh tonnes of two major varieties -- Kew and Queen -- of pineapples in 8,800 hectares of mountainous orchards across the state and for many years, exporting the pineapples and lemons to many countries and many Indian states as well.

Former President Ram Nath Kovind, at a function in Agartala in 2018, announced the "Queen" variety of pineapple as Tripura's state fruit.

Besides pineapples, Tripura also exported a large quantity of jackfruit, tamarind, stone apple, betel leaf, ginger to the UK, Germany, Dubai, Bangladesh and other countries, as well as various Indian states.
Moscow, July 23 : Two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police station in Russia's Dagestan region were attacked on Sunday, leaving a priest and at least seven security personnel, including six local policemen, dead, reports said.

A counter-terrorism operation has been launched in Dagestan in response to the attacks as an exchange of fire is still underway at some of the sites, some of which are in flames too, RT reported.

The attacks took place in Makhachkala, the regional capital, as well as the city of Derbent. Russian authorities have termed the attackers members of an "international terrorist organisation", but did not provide any further details.

While earlier reports said that unidentified assailants opened fire on the religious buildings in Makachkala with automatic firearms before fleeing the scene in a vehicle, intense fighting was reported near the church in Makhachkala, as per RIA Novosti. Local media reports said some 40 people are being held hostage inside, but authorities have not confirmed this yet.

A traffic police station in the centre of Makhachkala was also attacked, causing several casualties among police officials.

The police fatalities were reported from both Makhachkala and Derbent.

A 66-year-old Orthodox priest was killed in the attack on the church in Derbent. Earlier, a local public official claimed that the attackers had slit his throat.

The synagogue in Derbent was also set ablaze and firefighters have been called away from it since it is feared that attackers could still be inside with gunfire still heard near the building, according to RIA Novosti.

The attack on the police officers in Derbent was caught on video and shared on social media. Loud gunfire can be heard in the clip, with several police cars seen parked down the street, as law enforcement officers retaliated against the assailants.

Gunfire could still be heard in central Derbent, according to witnesses. Local law enforcement officers were reportedly still engaged in a fight against the attackers near the Orthodox church.

Local Muslim leaders have condemned the attacks. North Caucasus Muslim Coordination Council chief termed the assailants "brutal and hateful beasts", while Chechen Republic chief Ramzan Kadyrov termed the attacks a "villainous provocation" aimed at sowing discord between religions.
Bengaluru, June 24 : The Karnataka Police's CID, which was handed over the probe in the sexual assault case involving Suraj Revanna, the grandson of former PM and JD-S supremo H.D. Deve Gowda, by the state government on Sunday, has brought the JD-S MLC to Bengaluru from Hassan.

Police sources said that he will be produced before the special MP/MLA court.

Sources also said that Shivakumar, who lodged a complaint against the victim in the case and also alleged extortion, has disappeared.

ADGP, Law and Order, R. Hitendra, has directed the Director General of Police, CID Special Units and Economic Offences, to take up further investigation and submit a report after its completion.

Suraj Revanna, the brother of arrested former JD-S MP, Prajwal Revanna, the prime accused in the sex video scandal, was arrested early on Sunday in a forceful unnatural sex case by the Holenarasipura rural police in Hassan district after he appeared before them on Saturday night following the lodging of an FIR against him in an alleged sexual assault case lodged by a JD-S worker.

Suraj Revanna, who was charged under IPC's Sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation), said that it was a political conspiracy against him.

"Baseless allegations are made against me and I outrightly reject these allegations. Things will be dealt with legally...," he said.

The victim alleged that he had met Suraj Revanna at a function and the JD-S leader had allegedly shared his mobile number and started sending intimate messages with love symbols.

The man was called to Suraj Revannaas farmhouse where he was allegedly sexually abused.

Suraj Revanna's elder brother Prajwal Revanna has been arrested in connection with the sex video scandal. His father and JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna was also arrested in a kidnapping case linked to the sex video scandal and is out on conditional bail. His mother Bhavani Revanna is facing an investigation in the kidnapping case and was recently granted conditional bail by a court.

The Karnataka Police have also filed an FIR against two persons on charges of extortion following allegations of sexual abuse against Suraj Revanna under the IPC's Sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).
Bhopal, June 24 : Chief Minister Mohan Yadav-led Madhya Pradesh government has intensified action against cow smuggling and slaughtering in the state.

According to officials, in the last one month, nearly 600 cases related to cattle smuggling have been registered in the state, in which more than 1,100 people have been arrested.

At least four persons -- two each in Morena and Seoni -- allegedly involved in cow smuggling and slaughtering were booked under the stringent National Security Act (NSA) during the past one week.

Besides this, the government is also taking action against officials who fail to execute the government's direction on preventing cow slaughtering. Swift removal of Seoni's SP Rakesh Kumar and Collector Kshitij Singhal following the recovery of more than 60 cow carcasses in the district in the past few days is being seen as the government's signal to officials that it will not tolerate any lapses in execution of the Anti-Cow Slaughtering Act.

Sanskriti Jain has been appointed as the new Collector of Seoni while Sunil Kumar would be the new SP. The state government has also sent a committee under the supervision of an Additional Director General (ADG) of Police to examine the matter.

"The Anti-Cow Slaughtering Act is already in place in Madhya Pradesh and we have given clear direction to all district administrations to ensure action against those not complying with the law. An ADG-level committee has been sent to examine the matter and further action will be taken as per the committee's report," CM Yadav said on Sunday.

He also said that the SP and Collector of Seoni have been replaced because some lapses were found in the execution of the law. "Whoever will be found guilty will be punished. A special operation for the execution of the Anti-Cow Slaughtering Act has been underway across the state for the past one month," the Chief Minister said.

In the last one month, more than 7,000 cows were rescued from illegal possession during the same period. Police said that most cases of cattle smuggling were reported in Balaghat, Seoni, Chhindwara, Barwani, Khargone, Burhanpur, Ujjain, Ratlam and Neemuch districts.
Moscow, June 24 : Two Orthodox churches, a synagogue, and a traffic police station in Russia's Dagestan region were attacked on Sunday, leaving a priest and around 10 security personnel, including local policemen, dead, and over two dozen injured, reports said.

The attacks took place in Makhachkala, the regional capital, as well as the city of Derbent, RT reported. Russian authorities have termed the attackers members of an "international terrorist organisation", but did not provide any further details.

A counter-terrorism operation was launched in Dagestan in response to the attacks as firing was reported at some of the sites, some of which were in flames too.

A total of four militants have been "eliminated" by the security forces in Makhachkala, the regional Interior Ministry said. Three of them were identified as the kin of a local municipal official, Russian media said citing police sources. Two assailants were reportedly killed in Derbent.

While intense fighting was earlier reported in and around the Orthodox church in Makachkala, and local media claimed some 40 people were being held hostage inside, authorities said that the operation near the church has been completed and the people hiding inside have been taken to safety. There were no hostages, the authorities clarified.

A traffic police station in the centre of Makhachkala was also attacked, causing several casualties among police officials.

The police fatalities were reported from both Makhachkala and Derbent.

An Orthodox priest was brutally killed in the attack on the church in Derbent. The assailants reportedly broke into the church on Pentecost Sunday, immediately after the evening service and shortly before the church was closed, killing archpriest, Father Nikolay Kotelnikov, 66, by slitting his throat.

A security guard, named Mikhail, at the church, was shot by the assailants and died.

The synagogue in Derbent was also set ablaze and firefighters were called away since it was feared that attackers could still be inside as gunfire could still be heard near it then.

The attack on the police officers in Derbent was caught on video and shared on social media. Loud gunfire could be heard in the clip, with several police cars seen parked down the street, as law enforcement officers retaliated against the assailants.

However, the National Antiterrorism Committee has reported that the "active phase" of the operation in Derbent has now finished and reported two of the assailants had been killed.

Among the dead in Derbent was the police chief of the nearby town of Dagestanskiye Ogni, who was severely wounded after he and his deputies arrived there to back up the local police, as per the regional Interior Ministry.

In a related incident, a police car was fired upon in the Sergokala village, leaving an official injured, the Interior Ministry has said.

Local Muslim leaders have condemned the attacks. North Caucasus Muslim Coordination Council chief termed the assailants "brutal and hateful beasts", while Chechen Republic chief Ramzan Kadyrov termed the attacks a "villainous provocation" aimed at sowing discord between religions.
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ADDIS ABABA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Beijing-Ethiopia business cooperation promotion conference was held Friday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with a call to further augment trade and investment ties between China and Ethiopia.

The conference, which gathered leaders of hundreds of Chinese and Ethiopian enterprises, served as a platform to look into the extensive potential for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking at the event, Ethiopia's State Minister of Finance for Economic Cooperation Semereta Sewasew said Ethio-Chinese economic cooperation is based on the principles of mutual benefits, respect and trust between the two nations, greatly contributing to Ethiopia's rapid economic growth.

"Over the past two decades, Chinese firms have successfully implemented more than 70 large and medium projects including two railway projects, power substations and transmission lines and modernization of telecommunication," Sewasew said.

Noting that the Ethio-Chinese economic cooperation began in 1971, the state minister said Ethiopia has accomplished mega projects with the full support of China which include expressways, airport terminals and various manufacturing industries.

She said the Chinese government has been financing development projects in Ethiopia mainly in the form of grants besides lending a helping hand to green development, food security, building hospitals, and offering medical supplies.

Gebeyehu Ganga, director general of the Middle East, Asia and Pacific Affairs at the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said China's unwavering diplomatic commitment to collaborating with Ethiopia has borne fruits through the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

"China has been the largest trading partner with Ethiopia and top source of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country, accounting for nearly 50 percent of all FDI inflow into the country," Ganga said.

He said with strong support from China and other member states of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), Ethiopia's inclusion into the BRICS mechanism will undoubtedly expand its business exchanges and create larger investment opportunities in the East African country.

Yang Yihang, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ethiopia, said by May 2024, Chinese enterprises had participated in more than 2,000 projects in Ethiopia, with a total investment amounting to 5 billion U.S. dollars and creating about 610,000 job opportunities.

"In the first five months of this year, Chinese enterprises invested over 200 million U.S. dollars in about 100 projects in Ethiopia, creating more than 18,000 local jobs," Yang said.

Indicating that Ethio-Chinese diplomatic relations elevated to the all-weather strategic partnership in October 2023, Yang said there will be a great potential for future cooperation between Beijing and Ethiopia in modern agriculture, biotechnology, infrastructure development, digital economy and operation of industrial parks.

The conference, hosted by China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Beijing Sub-Council and Beijing Chamber of International Commerce, also saw the signing of memoranda of Understanding among Chinese and Ethiopian enterprises, aiming at enhancing their business relations, exchanging data and information and organizing joint trade fairs and exhibitions in the future. 
Some news channels have gone off air at several places in Andhra Pradesh following the declaration of the results of the Assembly and Parliamentary elections with an Opposition YSRCP Parliamentarian alleging coercion by the state government leading to them being blocked.

IMAGE: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu during his visit to Andhra Pradesh Capital Region, in Amaravati, June 20, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Allegations of channels -- TV9, NTV, 10TV and Sakshi TV -- being blocked have been levelled against the National Democratic Alliance government, comprising Telugu Desam Party, Bharatiya Janata Party and the Janasena.

YSRCP Rajya Sabha member S Niranjan Reddy complained to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India over the alleged blocking of these four vernacular news channels by the government.

In a recent letter to TRAI, Reddy claimed the Andhra Pradesh Cable TV Operators Association took these four channels off air due to alleged coercion by the TDP-led government in the state.

"I am compelled to bring to your (TRAI) esteemed attention the illegal resolution passed by the Andhra Pradesh Cable TV Operators Association under pressure and directions from the newly formed government to permanently block several news channels," Reddy said.

He alleged TV9, NTV, 10TV and Sakshi TV were blocked 'without any lawful justification or procedural compliance.'

Overwhelmed by a negative publicity onslaught over several years allegedly by rivals, YS Jagan Mohan Reddy had established Sakshi newspaper and television channel around 2008 to disseminate a counter narrative.

Meanwhile, a local multi-system operator (cable TV service provider) from the Godavari region confirmed these four channels were blocked.

"Yes, these four channels were blocked and this decision would have been taken at the management level and we have no role to play. The management does not consult us," the operator who did not wish to identify herself told PTI on Sunday.

She observed the channels which allegedly took a supportive role to the erstwhile YSRCP government were taken off air while noting that the new channels currently being telecast include TV5, ABN Andhrajyothi and ETV.

Except for satellite television service providers such as Tata Play and others, the operator noted that most multi-system operators and AP FibreNet took these channels off air, which were allegedly viewed as pro-YSRCP media houses.

The operator, who services up to 300 households with cable TV connections observed that the blockade began even before N Chandrababu Naidu took oath as the Chief Minister.

Some of the blocked channels do enjoy high viewership in both the Telugu states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, prompting customers to question as to why they were not available.

"Customers will definitely ask. Why wouldn't they ask as to why these channels were blocked," the operator said, adding that a similar phenomenon did play out during the YSRCP regime between 2019 and 2024 in the form of the alleged blockade of some news channels such as TV5 and ABN Andhrajyothi.

According to the operator, channels viewed as pro-TDP used to be available at an extra charge while channels viewed as supporting the YSRCP when it was in power were offered free, and things might have seen a reversal now. However, there is no clarity yet, the operator noted.

The YSRCP Rajya Sabha member appealed to the regulator to conduct a thorough investigation and uphold the principles of a free and independent press by 'preventing undue governmental influence over media and broadcasting services.'

Meanwhile, TDP spokesperson Jyotshna Tirunagari told PTI, "The TDP always believes in the freedom of speech and we give a lot of respect to the press and media. And we always believe in journalism as a very strong pillar for the society and the state."

She observed that the ruling party always accepts constructive criticism.

Further, the TDP spokesperson highlighted that the first signature by the newly-elected Andhra Pradesh Speaker C Ayyannapatrudu on Saturday was to revoke the suspension on ETV, ABN Andhrajyothi and TV5, channels which were allegedly barred from entering the House during the YSRCP regime.

Moreover, she claimed the party does not categorise channels like 'ours' and 'theirs' as done by former chief minister Jagan Mohan Reddy.
The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar police stepped up its investigation into the NEET "paper leak" by arresting five more suspects on Sunday, a day after their detention in Jharkhand's Deoghar, taking the total number of those apprehended to 18.

IMAGE: NEET paper leak accused are being taken out of the LNJP Hospital after medical test, in Patna, Bihar, June 23, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The development comes on a day the CBI filed an FIR in connection with alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG held on May 5 on a reference from the Union education ministry, amid countrywide protests and litigation by students for a probe into paper leak claims.

According to a statement by the EOU, the five arrested persons have been identified as Baldev Kumar, Mukesh Kumar, Panku Kumar, Rajeev Kumar and Paramjeet Singh, all hailing from Nalanda.

Baldev Kumar, associated with the notorious Sanjeev Kumar alias Lutan Mukhiya gang, allegedly received the solved answer sheet of the NEET-UG exam in PDF format on his mobile phone a day before the exam.

The statement implicated members of the Mukhiya gang, accused of orchestrating multiple interstate paper leaks, as the source of the leaked answer sheet.

Further investigation revealed that Baldev and his associates printed and distributed the solved answer sheet to students gathered at a safe house in Ram Krishna Nagar in Patna on May 4 for memorisation. The aspirants were brought there by two previously arrested persons, Nitish Kumar and Amit Anand.

Meanwhile, the Bihar Home Department, in a notification issued on Sunday evening, accorded its consent to CBI in order to investigate the FIR dated June 5 registered at Shastrinagar Police station in Patna.

"... The case registered under section 407,408,409,120B of the IPC, which relates to irregularities in NEET UG 2024 examination held on May 5. The CBI team is expected to soon visit Patna to take over the investigation of the case. The EOU will hand over all the updated case records to the CBI," it said.

According to the EOU statement, the leaked NEET-UG question paper was obtained from a private school in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, by the Mukhiya gang.

Investigators matched a partially burnt question paper recovered from the Patna safe house with the reference question paper provided by the National Testing Agency, confirming the leak's origin, it said.

Standard procedures for handling and transporting question papers, as set by the NTA, were also allegedly disregarded by those involved in the breach.

The EOU interrogated several persons linked to the custody chain of the question papers, including bank officials and employees of a courier company.

Rajeev Kumar, Panku Kumar and Paramjeet Singh were arrested for providing duplicate mobile SIMs, phones and accommodation to Baldev Kumar and his associates in Deoghar, the EOU said.

Mukesh Kumar, a taxi driver, was also arrested for facilitating transport for the accused and aspirants within Patna.

The statement said 15 aspirants identified by the NTA were being scrutinised, with four already questioned, while the remainder are yet to appear for examination by investigators.

With the case now transferred to the CBI, further investigation into the NEET paper leak and associated irregularities are expected to unfold under the agency's purview.

Previously, the EOU had arrested 13 persons, including a junior engineer, Sikandar Yadavendu and others linked to the case. These arrests followed allegations from aspirants and their parents, who admitted to receiving and using the leaked question paper to prepare for the NEET-UG exam.

The NEET-UG exam, involving around 24 lakh candidates, was conducted by the NTA on May 5, with results announced on June 4, amid subsequent allegations of paper leaks and irregularities across Bihar and other states.

The exam is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.
With the INDIA bloc making significant gains against the Bharatiya Janata Party in Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha polls, the by-elections in 10 assembly seats that have fallen vacant are likely to witness a keen contest, with the ruling party under pressure to regain its hold.

IMAGE: Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar, party leader Supriya Sule, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and CPI-M general secretary Sitaram Yechury after the INDIA bloc leaders' meeting in New Delhi, June 6, 2024. Photograph: Shrikant Singh/ANI Photo

The date for the by-elections has not been announced yet by the Election Commission.

However, the Samajwadi Party and Congress have announced that they will contest together under the INDIA bloc.

The ruling BJP-led National Democratic Alliance has also begun its preparations, according to their leaders.

The seats fell vacant after nine assembly members including Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav were elected to Lok Sabha, while SP MLA from Sisamau MLA Irfan Solanki of Kanpur was disqualified after he was sentenced to jail in a criminal case.

UP assembly special secretary Brajbhushan Dubey told PTI that information about the vacancy on 10 seats has been sent to the Election Commission.

"As per the procedure, by-elections can be held on these seats within six months," he said.

Five of these seats were won by the Samajwadi Party in 2022 while one seat was bagged by the Rashtriya Lok Dal, which was then in alliance with the SP.

Three seats were won by the BJP and one seat went into the account of BJP's ally Nishad Party.

While the by-election results will be numerically inconsequential for the BJP in the state assembly, where it has a comfortable majority, they will impact the morale of both sides as any further losses to the BJP will help the opposition SP and Congress to further cement their gains.

While the SP and the Congress have expressed confidence that they will continue their winning streak, the BJP is also preparing to do "something special" in the by-elections to increase its "credibility", according to leaders.

BJP's state media in-charge Manish Dixit told PTI that the "NDA will contest the assembly by-elections with full strength. There is no pressure anywhere, rather the NDA will fight the assembly by-elections with full strength. BJP workers are always ready for public service and elections."

"The party will fight the elections will all its might and the result will be a special achievement," he said.

On the question of giving seats to alliance partners, he said, 'The party leadership will decide this but at the level of organisation and government, we have started preparing for the elections with full enthusiasm.'

When Samajwadi Party chief spokesperson and national secretary Rajendra Chaudhary was asked about it, he said, 'Preparations for by-elections have been started on all the vacant seats and in alliance with the Congress party, we will fight the elections with full strength and win".

'The committee formed for management in the Lok Sabha elections is preparing for these 10 seats and national president Akhilesh Yadav will form a new committee for this after the Parliament session,' he said.

Meanwhile, UP Congress Committee President Ajay Rai said that the "INDIA alliance will fight unitedly in the upcoming by-elections and soon the leaders of the alliance will meet and discuss the seats and election strategy."

A leader of the Bahujan Samaj Party said that its chief Mayawati has called a meeting of prominent leaders of all states in Lucknow on Sunday, in which the strategy for the by-elections can also be discussed.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the INDIA bloc won 43 seats out of 80 in the state, with 37 seats going to the SP and six seats to Congress.

On the other hand, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party won 33 seats while its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal won two and Apna Dal-S got one seat.

The Bahujan Samaj Party did not open its account in this election.

The BJP and its allies won 73 Lok Sabha seats in 2014 and 64 seats in 2019.

In the 2022 assembly elections, the BJP won a total of 273 seats with its allies.

According to the website of the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly, in the 403-member House, the BJP has 249, its ally Apna Dal-S has 13, Rashtriya Lok Dal has eight, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has six and Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal has five members.

The main Opposition SP has 103 members and Congress has two members.

Apart from this, there are two members of the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) and one member of the Bahujan Samaj Party.

In the by-elections to four assembly constituencies held along with the Lok Sabha elections, two seats each were won by the SP and the BJP, but these MLAs have not taken oath yet.

The MLAs from the NDA who were elected to Lok Sabha are -- Rashtriya Lok Dal's Chandan Chauhan, BJP's Atul Garg, Anoop Valmiki and Praveen Patel, Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Aam Dal's Vinod Kumar Bin.

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav along with party MLAs Ziaur Rahman, Lalji Verma and Awadhesh Prasad have been elected to Lok Sabha.
BOGOTA, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Three people were killed and nine others injured in a car bomb attack in the Colombian city of Taminango in the southern department of Narino on Friday, local authorities said Saturday.

In a statement, Luis Alfonso Escobar, the governor of Narino, confirmed that the killed were two citizens and a young police officer, expressing his categorical rejection of "this demented act."

President Gustavo Petro expressed condolences to the bereaved families in a post on his account on X, warning the criminals "who choose the path of war over peace" will "bear the full burden of the law."

The shock wave of the car bomb, detonated near the police station of El Remolino in the rural area of Taminango, also affected several houses and vehicles.

Fernando Latorre, the mayor of Taminango, told local media that this police station suffered two other attacks in the past year, in addition to various murders, calling for "security to be strengthened to give peace to the local inhabitants." 
The Central Bureau of Investigation filed an FIR on Sunday in connection with the alleged irregularities in the medical entrance exam NEET-UG held on May 5 on a reference from the Union education ministry, amid countrywide protests and litigation by students for a probe into paper leak claims.

IMAGE: Personnel of the Economic Offences Unit of the Bihar police with NEET paper leak accused leave the LNJP Hospital after their medical test, in Patna, Bihar, June 23, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

The ministry, in its complaint to the probe agency, stated that "certain isolated incidents" occurred in a few states during the conduct of the examination.

Bihar and Gujarat governments also issued notifications on Sunday to transfer cases of NEET-UG paper leaks registered by their police to the CBI, paving the way for the central agency to take over the probe.

Additional Chief Secretary of Gujarat A K Rakesh issued the notification handing over the case registered at the Godhra Taluka police station on May 8 under IPC sections related to criminal conspiracy, cheating and criminal breach of trust among others to CBI.

The home department of Bihar also issued a notification, transferring the paper leak case registered at Shastri Nagar police station in Patna to the federal probe agency.

The Economic Offences Unit of Bihar Police arrested five more suspects on Sunday, taking the total number of those apprehended in connection with the paper leak case to 18.

The CBI is likely to re-register the cases referred by Bihar and Gujarat governments as its own FIRs in addition to its FIR registered on Sunday, officials said.

Giving top priority to the case, the CBI has sent special teams to Godhra and Patna, where cases of question paper leaks have been registered by police, they said.

The police in both states will hand over all documents related to the case to the visiting CBI teams, the officials said.

The CBI FIR came a day after the ministry announced it would hand over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the conduct of the exam to the central agency, a demand raised by a section of protesting students.

"The ministry of education has requested the CBI to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes and middlemen," a CBI spokesperson said.

The role of public servants, if any, connected with the conduct of the examination and also into the entire gamut of events and the larger conspiracy will also be under the scanner, according to officials.

They said the agency registered a fresh case against unidentified persons under IPC sections 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 420 (cheating) among others.

"Certain cases of alleged irregularities, cheating, impersonation and malpractice have been reported in NEET-UG which was conducted on May 5," a senior education ministry official said on Saturday.

"For transparency in the conduct of the examination process, it was decided after a review that the matter be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation for a comprehensive investigation," the official had said.

The allegations of irregularities sparked protests in several cities, litigation and a political slugfest, with the opposition accusing the government of toying with the future of students.

Ten aspirants have approached the Supreme Court, seeking directions to the CBI and the ED to investigate the alleged irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG. The petition has also sought a direction to the Bihar Police to expedite the probe into the case and file a report before the apex court.

In a separate matter, the Supreme Court sought responses from the Center, National Testing Agency (NTA) and others on various petitions, including those seeking cancellation of the NEET-UG 2024 exam and a court-monitored investigation.

The apex court also halted proceedings on similar petitions in various high courts.

The examination was conducted by NTA on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 abroad. Over 23 lakh candidates appeared for the test.

As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history, with six from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities.

There was also a controversy over grace marks awarded to students to make up for the loss of time at six centres. The Centre later told the apex court that the grace marks were being scrapped and 1,563 students who got the marks would be given an option of a retest.

The retest was conducted on Sunday and around 52 per cent -- 813 out of 1,563 candidates -- appeared for it.

NEET-UG examination is conducted by NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

Facing flak over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday shunted out NTA Director General Subodh Singh and set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the agency's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

The Supreme Court also halted proceedings on similar petitions in various high courts.

The examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5 at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad. Over 23 lakh candidates took the test.

As many as 67 students scored a perfect 720, unprecedented in the NTA's history, with six from a centre in Haryana's Faridabad figuring in the list, raising suspicions about irregularities.

There was also a controversy over grace marks awarded to students to make up for the loss of time at six centres. The Centre later told the apex court that the grace marks were being scrapped and these 1,563 students would be given an option of a retest.

The NEET-UG examination is conducted by the NTA for admissions to MBBS, BDS, AYUSH and other related courses in government and private institutions across the country.

Facing flak over alleged discrepancies in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday shunted out NTA Director General Subodh Singh and set up a seven-member panel headed by former ISRO chief K Radhakrishnan to review the agency's functioning and recommend exam reforms.

It postponed the NEET-PG entrance, the fourth entrance exam to be impacted in recent days.
A 13-year-old boy was apprehended for allegedly sending an email to the Delhi airport falsely claiming that a bomb had been planted in the Dubai-bound flight, the police said on Sunday.

IMAGE: A view of the IGI airport, New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The boy had sent the mail "just for fun" after being influenced by the news of another teenager who made a hoax bomb threat call a few days ago, deputy commissioner of police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said.

The incident occurred on Monday when a complaint was registered regarding a bomb threat on a Dubai-bound flight on June 18, DCP said.

Based on the complaint, an FIR was lodged, and an investigation was launched. All the guidelines, protocols and SOPs were followed to ensure the safety and security of the passengers, DCP said.

"Airport was put on high alert, and an emergency was declared," she said.

However, during the investigation, the email was found to be a hoax, she said.

"During the investigation, it was revealed that the e-mail ID was deleted just after sending the email. The email was traced at Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand," Rangnani said.

A team was sent, and the boy was apprehended for sending the hoax email, she said.

"The boy told the police team that his parents had given a mobile to him for study purposes through which he sent the email and later deleted his ID. He did not share any information with his parents as he was scared. He was apprehended and handed over to his parents," she added.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha beginning Monday will see oath-taking by newly elected members followed by the election of the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26 and President Droupadi Murmu's address to the joint sitting of both the Houses on June 27.

IMAGE: A view of the new Parliament building, in New Delhi. Photograph: ANI Photo

The row over the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party leader and seven-term member Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker is likely to cast a shadow over the session.

The move has drawn flak from the Opposition, which alleged that the claim of Congress member K Suresh to the post was overlooked by the government.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that Mahtab has had seven uninterrupted terms as Lok Sabha member, making him eligible for the post, while Suresh lost elections in 1998 and 2004 which makes his current term as the fourth straight one in the lower house.

He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1999.

On Monday, President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lok Sabha at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

Mahtab will then reach Parliament House and call the Lok Sabha to order at 11 am.

The proceedings will begin with members observing a moment of silence on the occasion of the first sitting of the 18th Lok Sabha.

This will be followed by Lok Sabha secretary general Utpal Kumar Singh placing on the table of the House the list of the members elected to the lower house.

Mahtab will then call upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Leader of the Lok Sabha, to take oath as member of the House.

The pro-tem speaker will then administer oath to the panel of chairpersons appointed by the President to assist him in carrying out the proceedings of the House till the election of the Speaker on June 26.

The President has appointed Kodikunnil Suresh (Congress), TR Baalu (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Sudip Bandyopadhyay (Trinamool Congress) to assist Mahtab in administering the oath/affirmation to the newly elected members of the Lok Sabha.

After the panel of chairpersons, the pro-tem speaker will administer the oath/affirmation as Lok Sabha members to the council of ministers.

The members from states, in alphabetical order, will take oath or make affirmation over the next two days.

The election to the post of Lok Sabha Speaker will take place on Wednesday and the prime minister will introduce his council of ministers to the House soon after.

The President is scheduled to address the joint sitting of both houses of Parliament on June 27.

The debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's

The address will begin on June 28. The prime minister is expected to respond to the debate on July 2 or 3.

Both the Houses are expected to go into a brief recess and re-assemble on July 22 for the presentation of the Union Budget.
Encounters with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir have led to the seizure of highly encrypted Chinese telecom gear "Ultra Set", an equipment used by the Pakistani army that has ended up in the hands of terror groups, officials said.

IMAGE: Jammu and Kashmir police security wing during a search operation at Narwal area to trace out terrorists involved in recent attacks, in Jammu district, June 13,2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

This has also raised concerns over undetected infiltrations from across the Line of Control and terrorists potentially residing in the outskirts of cities and villages, they said.

The seizure of the mobile handsets used by foreign terrorists, primarily from Pakistan and its occupied Kashmir, indicate that terror groups are receiving training, weapons and ammunition from state actors in Pakistan, said the officials aware of the matter.

These specialised handsets, exclusively customised by Chinese companies for the Pakistan army, were seized after a gunfight in the intervening night of July 17-18 last year in the Sindarah top area of Surankote in Jammu region's Poonch district and on April 26 this year after an encounter at the Check Mohalla Nowpora area of Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district.

While four foreign terrorists were killed in the Surankote encounter, two were gunned down in Sopore.

The "Ultra Set" handsets, which have also been found in the south of the Pir Panjal region, combine cell-phone capabilities with specialised radio equipment that does not rely on traditional mobile technologies like Global System for Mobile or Code-Division Multiple Access.

The device operates on radio waves for message transmission and reception, with each "Ultra Set" linked to a control station located across the border, the officials said and added that the two "Ultra Sets" cannot reach out to each other.

They said Chinese satellites are used to carry these messages that are compressed to bytes from the handset to the master server in Pakistan for its onward transmission.

This is yet another help being extended by China to its key ally Pakistan, the officials said.

Beijing has been actively enhancing the defence capabilities of the Pakistani army along the LoC for quite some time now.

This support includes the construction of steelhead bunkers, provisioning of unmanned aerial and combat aerial vehicles, installation of encrypted communication towers and laying of underground fibre cables.

In addition, Chinese radar systems such as those of the "JY" and "HGR" series have been deployed to improve target detection capabilities, while advanced weaponry like the SH-15 truck-mounted howitzer has been observed at various locations along the LoC.

These efforts are perceived as reinforcing China's strategic interests in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, particularly in connection with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

Though the presence of senior People's Liberation Army officials at forward posts was not detected, intercepted communications suggest that Chinese troops and engineers have been involved in infrastructure development along the LoC, including the construction of underground bunkers and tunnels in PoK's Leepa Valley.

These actions are believed to support the establishment of a direct route between the Gwadar Port in Pakistan and the Xinjiang province in China through the Karakoram Highway, a region under Chinese occupation.
A case of alleged sexual abuse of a male party worker against Janata Dal-Secular MLC Suraj Revanna has been handed over to the Criminal Investigation Department for probe, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said on Sunday.

He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and has been booked under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences."

Earlier in the day, Suraj Revanna -- the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women -- was arrested in Hassan on charges of "unnatural offences" against him, police sources said.

He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and has been booked under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences.".

"The case registered in Hassan District Holenarasipura Rural Police Station under sections 377, 342, 506, 34 IPC is transferred to CID for further investigation with immediate effect. The case file should be handed over to CID for further investigation, forthwith," a message from the office of the director general and inspector general of police to director general of police CID and superintendent of police, Hassan said.

The superintendent of police, Hassan district is directed to send the case file with investigation officer concerned to hand over personally to the investigation officer in CID, it said.

The director general of police, CID (special units and economic offences), Bengaluru has been asked to arrange to take up further investigation, and to send the detailed report after the completion of the investigation of the case.

Speaking to reporters, home minister Parameshwara said following the complaint, the police have registered an FIR, they have secured Suraj Revanna and the inquiry is going on.

The case is being handed over to the CID, he said, adding "a series of similar cases were given to CID, this is also being given to CID."

Regarding Suraj Revanna's complaint, he said, "whatever action needs to be taken on that, will be taken."

On Suraj Revanna alleging a conspiracy against his family, Parameshwara said, "complaint has come, based on it whatever action needs to be taken in accordance with law, is being taken. Other than that I don't know about any political conspiracy that he has alleged."

Suraj was questioned at Cyber Economic and Narcotics crime police station in Hassan overnight, before he was arrested this morning, the sources said, adding he was later taken to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences for medical examination.

A 27 year-old man had complained to the police that Suraj Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, sexually abused him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16.

Based on the complaint, Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD-S MLC under IPC Sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj Revanna (37), grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against the JD-S worker on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar.

Shivakumar had alleged that the party worker was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him.

It has been alleged that while the man demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna, later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

Suraj's brother and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women and was arrested upon his return from Germany last month.

Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.

Their father HD Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday reached out to Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandyopadhyay on the eve of the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, amid a face-off with the Opposition INDIA bloc over the appointment of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Bhartuhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker.

IMAGE: Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju meets TMC's Sudip Bandyopadhyay (right), in New Delhi, June 23, 2024. Photograph: Courtesy Kiren Rijiju on X

Rijiju's meeting with Bandyopadhyay came against the backdrop of the Opposition alliance's decision to pull out its members from the panel of chairpersons that will assist Mahtab in conducting the proceedings of the Lok Sabha till the election of the Speaker on Wednesday.

Bandyopadhyay, who was among the three Opposition members named to the panel of chairpersons in the Lok Sabha, told Rijiju that he would be unable to join the panel and stuck with the decision taken by the INDIA bloc.

"Met Sudip Bandyopadhyayji, leader of All India Trinamool Congress Parliamentary Party. Sudip da has a long-standing Parliamentary career and he is known for his calm and dignified conduct in the Parliament. The 18th Lok Sabha will hugely benefit from his experiences," Rijiju said on X.

Earlier, President Droupadi Murmu had appointed Mahtab, a seven-term Lok Sabha member from Cuttack, as the Pro-tem Speaker.

The President had also named Kodikunnil Suresh (Congress), TR Baalu (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam), Radha Mohan Singh and Faggan Singh Kulaste (both BJP) and Bandyopadhyay to the panel of chairpersons to assist Mahtab.

The Congress had taken objection to Mahtab's appointment, contending that the claim of eight-term member Suresh, a Dalit leader, was overlooked.

The INDIA bloc has said opposition leaders Suresh, Baalu and Bandopadhyay will not join the panel of chairpersons as a mark of protest.

Rijiju has asserted that Mahtab has had seven uninterrupted terms as a Lok Sabha member, making him eligible for the post, while Suresh lost elections in 1998 and 2004 which makes his current term the fourth straight one in the lower house. Earlier, he was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1989, 1991, 1996 and 1999.

The Congress kept up the attack on the BJP on Sunday with senior leader Jairam Ramesh terming the ruling party as anti-Dalit.

"If this argument is adopted, then why has Ramesh Chandappa Jigajinagi, a BJP MP who is also in his seventh consecutive term, not been considered? Is it because he is a Dalit like Suresh," Ramesh, the AICC General Secretary incharge of Communications, posted on X.

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla responded to the post, saying the Congress should make Suresh the Leader of Opposition.

"If you are so concerned about the political career of Shri Kodikunnil Suresh, I would urge you to make him the Leader of the Opposition and the CM face of the UDF for the 2026 Kerala elections. Why stress so much for a temporary position?" he said on X.

The BJP spokesperson also said that the majority of the victims in the Tamil Nadu hooch tragedy were from Scheduled Castes and the Congress should ensure justice for them too.

"Also majority of those 56 who died in Kallakurichi in the illicit hooch tragedy are from the SC community! How about some Nyay for them by asking MK Stalin ji to sack his excise minister," he said.
The Punjab police booked a fashion designer and lifestyle influencer for "hurting religious sentiments" by performing yoga at the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar.

IMAGE: A view of the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. Photograph: ANI Photo

The case was registered after the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee filed a complaint against fashion designer Archana Makwana.

She was booked under Section 295-A (deliberate and malicious intention of outraging the religious feelings of any class) of the Indian Penal Code, the police said on Sunday. The case was registered on Saturday.

The SGPC on Saturday said it has filed a police complaint against Makwana for "hurting religious sentiments" by performing yoga at the Golden Temple and sharing those photographs on social media.

Makwana had, however, apologised for her actions and said that she never intended to hurt anyone's religious sentiments

On the International Day of Yoga on Friday, Makwana visited the Golden Temple and performed yoga in the 'prakrama (circumambulation)' path.

The SGPC, the apex gurdwara body, also suspended its three employees for not diligently performing their duties.

SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami said a complaint has been sent to the police commissioner for taking action against Makwana.

"No one can be allowed to act against Sikh conduct at the Golden Temple but some people deliberately ignore the sanctity and historical importance of this holy place and commit objectionable acts," he said in a statement.

"Sikh sentiments and maryada (conduct)' have been hurt by the act, so a complaint has been filed with the police," he said.

In an appeal, Dhami said Harmandir Sahib has great reverence in the Sikh world and pilgrims from every religion and class come there to pay obeisance. Considering that, the maryada of the place should be followed.

Darbar Sahib general manager Bhagwant Singh Dhangera said the woman's action hurt the sentiments of Sikhs and the 'sangat'.

Later, in a story posted on her Instagram handle, Makwana apologised for her conduct and said, "I posted something without intending to harm anyone's religious sentiments. I was unaware that practising yoga in the Gurdwara Sahib premises could be offensive to some as I was just paying my respect to him and did not mean any harm to anyone."

"I sincerely apologise for any hurt I may have caused and promise to be more mindful in the future. Please accept my sincere apologies," she said.
Two personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force's jungle warfare unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action were killed after Maoists blew up a truck with an improvised explosive device in Chhattisgah's Sukma district on Sunday, the police said.

Image used for representational purpose only. Photograph: ANI Photo

The Maoist blast took place around 3 pm near Timmapuram village between Silger and Tekalgudem camps of security forces, over 400 km from the state capital Raipur, a senior police official said.

An advance party of the 201st unit of Commando Battalion for Resolute Action had launched patrolling from Silger camp under Jagargunda police station limits as a part of its Road Opening Party duty towards Tekalgudem, he said.

The security personnel were on motorcycles while their luggage and rations were being ferried in the ill-fated truck, he said.

"Maoists triggered an IED blast targeting the truck that claimed the lives of constable Shailendra (29), a resident of Uttar Pradesh, and driver Vishnu R (35) hailing from Kerala. The truck did not have any other occupant," he said.

After being alerted about the blast, more forces were rushed to the spot and the bodies were evacuated from the forest, while a search operation continues there, he said.

Expressing grief over the incident, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said in a message on X that the martyrdom of jawans will not go in vain.

"Received the sad news of the demise of 2 CoBRA soldiers in an IED blast triggered by Naxalites in Sukma district. I pray to God to rest the departed soul in peace and to give strength to their families," he said.

"Maoists are frustrated with the ongoing anti-Maoist operation in Bastar region and have been committing such cowardly acts out of frustration. The martyrdom of the soldiers will not go in vain. We will not sit quietly until Maoism is eliminated," Sai asserted.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday wrote an emotional letter to the people of Wayanad, the constituency that he is giving up to represent Rae Bareli in the Lok Sabha, and said when he faced abuse on a daily basis, their unconditional love protected him.

IMAGE: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during a public meeting, in Wayanad, Kerala, June 12, 2024. Photograph: ANI Photo

Rahul had won both from Wayanad and Rae Bareli Lok Sabha constituencies and must vacate one of the seats within 14 days of the Lok Sabha results, which came out on June 4. He is giving up Wayanad and his sister and Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi is set to contest from there in the ensuing bypoll.

"I was a stranger to you and yet you believed in me. You embraced me with unbridled love and affection. It didn't matter which political formation you supported, it didn't matter which community you were from or which religion you believed in or which language you spoke," Rahul said.

"When I faced abuse day after day, your unconditional love protected me. You were my refuge, my home and my family. I never felt for even a moment that you doubted me," he said.

The Congress leader said his sister Priyanka Gandhi will be representing Wayanad if the people give her an opportunity and expressed confidence that she will do an excellent job at being their MP.

After a leadership meeting in New Delhi, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge had on June 17 said that Rahul will keep the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh and vacate the Wayanad seat from where his sister Priyanka will contest.

In his letter written on Sunday, Rahul also said that he cannot forget the "bravery, beauty and confidence" with which young girls translate his speeches in front of thousands of people.

"I do not know how to thank you for what you have done for me. For the love and protection you gave me when I needed it most. You are part of my family and I will always be there for each and every one of you," he said.
The smoke caused by the Hezbollah group's attacks rises in northern Israeli border with Lebanon, June 23, 2024. The Hezbollah group in Lebanon said it launched on Sunday several attacks against Israeli military sites in northern Israel, causing casualties among the Israeli forces.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks, which were carried out with drones and targeted the Israeli military headquarters in Beit Hillel and Ayelet HaShahar, were to retaliate against the killing of a leader of the Islamic Group, a Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

BEIRUT, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The Hezbollah group in Lebanon said it launched on Sunday several attacks against Israeli military sites in northern Israel, causing casualties among the Israeli forces.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks, which were carried out with drones and targeted the Israeli military headquarters in Beit Hillel and Ayelet HaShahar, were to retaliate against the killing of a leader of the Islamic Group, a Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon.

Ayman Hashem Ghazme, a field leader of the Islamic Group, was killed on Saturday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in eastern Lebanon, a Lebanese military source told Xinhua. The armed wing of the Sunni party has been firing missiles into Israel since the onset of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As tensions with Hezbollah escalated, the Israeli military announced on Tuesday that it had approved operational plans for an offensive against Hezbollah. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah warned that no place in Israel would be safe from his party's missiles in case of war.

Lebanese military sources informed Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted three raids on four towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Sunday, and Israeli artillery shelled eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors of southern Lebanon with about 35 shells.

Sources added that Lebanese army positions at the border observed multiple drones crossing from Lebanon into northern Israel.

On Saturday, Hezbollah released a video featuring aerial footage of Israeli areas and cities collected by its reconnaissance drones.

The footage highlighted various critical Israeli targets, including oil refineries in Haifa, Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Ashdod port, military bases in the Upper Galilee, and army and security headquarters, among others. 

The smoke caused by the Hezbollah group's attacks rises in northern Israeli border with Lebanon, June 23, 2024. The Hezbollah group in Lebanon said it launched on Sunday several attacks against Israeli military sites in northern Israel, causing casualties among the Israeli forces.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks, which were carried out with drones and targeted the Israeli military headquarters in Beit Hillel and Ayelet HaShahar, were to retaliate against the killing of a leader of the Islamic Group, a Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)

This photo shows the smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Khiam, Lebanon, June 23, 2024.

Lebanese military sources informed Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted three raids on four towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Sunday, and Israeli artillery shelled eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors of southern Lebanon with about 35 shells.

TO GO WITH "Lebanon's Hezbollah says launches drones against Israeli military sites" (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

This photo shows the smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Khiam, Lebanon, June 23, 2024.

Lebanese military sources informed Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted three raids on four towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Sunday, and Israeli artillery shelled eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors of southern Lebanon with about 35 shells.

TO GO WITH "Lebanon's Hezbollah says launches drones against Israeli military sites" (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

This photo shows the smoke caused by an Israeli shelling in Rachaya Al-Fakhar, Lebanon, June 23, 2024.

Lebanese military sources informed Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted three raids on four towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Sunday, and Israeli artillery shelled eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors of southern Lebanon with about 35 shells.

TO GO WITH "Lebanon's Hezbollah says launches drones against Israeli military sites" (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

This photo shows the smoke caused by an Israeli airstrike in Khiam, Lebanon, June 23, 2024.

Lebanese military sources informed Xinhua that Israeli drones and warplanes conducted three raids on four towns and villages in southern Lebanon on Sunday, and Israeli artillery shelled eight towns and villages in the eastern and western sectors of southern Lebanon with about 35 shells.

TO GO WITH "Lebanon's Hezbollah says launches drones against Israeli military sites" (Photo by Ali Hashisho/Xinhua)

The smoke caused by the Hezbollah group's attacks rises in northern Israeli border with Lebanon, June 23, 2024. The Hezbollah group in Lebanon said it launched on Sunday several attacks against Israeli military sites in northern Israel, causing casualties among the Israeli forces.

In a statement, Hezbollah said the attacks, which were carried out with drones and targeted the Israeli military headquarters in Beit Hillel and Ayelet HaShahar, were to retaliate against the killing of a leader of the Islamic Group, a Sunni Islamist political party in Lebanon. (Ayal Margolin/JINI via Xinhua)
Was it a masterstroke of diplomatic opportunism or heartfelt solidarity?

In February 2022, as Russian troops marched into Ukraine, Cambodias foreign ministry wanted to take the same approach as most other Southeast Asian countries: say nothing, profess neutrality, make some calls for peace and avoid angering Moscow or Beijing.

President Joe Biden and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen share a moment as they watch a cultural dance performance at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gala dinner, Nov. 12, 2022, in Phnom Penh. (Alex Brandon/AP)

But Hun Sen, Cambodias prime minister at the time, intervened and instructed his diplomats not only to vote for a UN resolution condemning Russias actions but also to co-sponsor it.

Hun Sen said Moscows actions jeopardize the foundation of international order and openly called the invasion an act of aggression that meant Cambodia cannot remain neutral.

As 2022 progressed, his stance hardened. In November, Hun Sen spoke to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy by phone and met with Ukraines foreign and defense ministers. He offered Cambodian support to train Ukrainian de-miners and take in Ukrainian refugees.

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Right side of history

The way Hun Sen and his government  now led by his eldest son, Hun Manet, who inherited the premiership last year  frame this, it was a natural response because Cambodia knows the horrors of foreign occupation and war, supports international law and cherishes peace.

That stance went down well in the West.

When U.S. President Joe Biden visited Phnom Penh in November 2022 for the annual ASEAN Summit, he personally thanked Hun Sen for his response. The Europeans continue to heap praise on Cambodia for being one of the few Southeast Asian states to stand against Russia.

We appreciate Cambodias principled and courageous stance in the face of this full-scale invasion, European ambassadors to Phnom Penh wrote in a joint letter in February. Cambodia has positioned itself on the right side of history, they added.

Ukrainian deminers attend a training session organized by Cambodia Mine Action Center in Preytotoeung village, Battambang province, Cambodia, Jan 19, 2023. (Heng Sinith/AP)

The timing mattered. Cambodias relations with the West had plummeted since 2017, when Hun Sens ruling party launched an authoritarian power grab, shutting down civil society and outlawing its only political rival on the spurious charge of plotting a U.S.-backed coup.

The U.S. responded with some tepid sanctions. The EU eventually slashed some of Cambodias trade privileges. Military ties were cut. Chinas influence grew.

Economically, though, this was a problem: the U.S. and EU were the largest purchasers of Cambodias exports, and boosting exports was key to Cambodias post-pandemic recovery.

Peace summit no-show

Hun Sens support for Ukraine was a diplomatic triumph. For much of 2022 and 2023, whenever a Western official spoke about Cambodia, they always referenced its stance on Ukraine.

Its not an exaggeration to say that this stance on the Ukraine war was the basis of the baby-step rapprochement between the West and Cambodia since 2022. Indeed, one of the most important steps was Hun Sens invitation to visit Paris in December 2022, where he dined with French President Emmanuel Macron.

The formal reason for that visit: Hun Sen's attendance of the Standing with the Ukrainian People conference. The actual reason: Hun Sen saw France  Cambodias former colonizer desperate for any partnership in Southeast Asia that would help boost its security footprint in the region  as an important interlocutor within the Western alliance.

Despite all of this, Cambodia did not send representatives to the Ukraine-organized Global Peace Summit in Switzerland last weekend.

Cambodias Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba talk during a welcome meeting at Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, Nov. 9, 2022. (Kok Ky/Cambodia's Government Cabinet via AP)

Some allege that Phnom Penh was instructed to do so by Beijing, whose position on the Ukraine war has become ever more pro-Russian since 2022, despite Chinese professions of neutrality.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has claimed China was trying to prevent other countries from participating in the event. Hun Sen denied this, insisting that Cambodia was a no-show because, without Russian participation, the summit would be unsuccessful.

However, most Southeast Asian governments sent a delegate to the summit, even though none seriously thought that it would resolve the conflict. All clearly understood it was more of a symbolic meeting.

The exceptions were Cambodia; Myanmar, whose military junta counts Moscow as a rare friend; Vietnam, which was awaiting a visit by Vladimir Putin; and Laos , the only Southeast Asian state to attend a World War II commemoration ceremony in Moscow in May.

Courting Moscow?

Cambodia could have sent a junior official. Every other Southeast Asian country that attended, bar Timor-Leste, sent either a vice-minister or someone even more junior. Indonesia sent an ambassador. Hun Sen personally traveled to Paris in 2022 for the Standing with the Ukrainian People conference, a far less weighty gathering than the Global Peace Summit.

Maybe Phnom Penh genuinely felt the summit was a waste of time. Or maybe it sees the need to improve ties with Russia.

Heads of states and country representatives attend the plenary session of the Ukraine peace at the Burgenstock resort near Lucerne, Switzerland, June 15, 2024. (Urs Flueffer/Pool via AFP)

On June 6, Hun Sen met with the Russian ambassador to Phnom Penh, Anatoly Borovik. According to reports, the main topic of discussion was new direct flights between Russia and Cambodia. The tourism sector is driving Cambodias economic recovery. Cambodia also wants to start exporting more food to Russia, a large importer from Thailand.

Just this week, Gen. Mao Sophan, commander of the Cambodian Army and Hun Sens right-hand man, made a three-day visit to Moscow where he committed Cambodia to signing a memorandum of understanding to boost cooperative ties.

Maybe Cambodia believes that it no longer needs to emphasize its solidarity with Ukraine to appease the West. Whereas its stance on Ukraine in 2022 precipitated the first phases of rapprochement, that conflict is no longer an integral part of the discussions.

David Hutt is a research fellow at the Central European Institute of Asian Studies (CEIAS) and the Southeast Asia Columnist at the Diplomat. He writes the Watching Europe In Southeast Asia newsletter. The views expressed here are his own and do not reflect the position of RFA.
The Dalai Lama arrives at his hotel in New York, June 23, 2024.

UPDATED at 6:40 P.M. ET on 06-23-2024

The Dalai Lama was greeted by a large crowd of chanting and flag-waving Tibetans and other supporters upon his arrival Sunday in the United States for knee surgery.

It was the first trip to the United States for the 88-year-old Tibetan Buddhist spiritual leader in seven years and his first overseas trip since November 2018, before the coronavirus pandemic. He lives in exile in Dharamsala, northern India.



After landing at Teterboro Airport, in New Jersey, he was greeted by people holding traditional khata white scarves, chanting, singing, waving flags and wishing him a quick recovery from the operation on his right knee.

Its a moment of profound joy and spiritual fulfillment for us, said Tsering Dickey, who traveled from New York with her family to see him at the airport. Seeing His Holiness in person after such a long time brings hope and inspiration to our community and we hope and pray that his knee surgery goes well.

The Dalai Lama then traveled by car to New York, where thousands of well-wishers awaited him outside the Park Hyatt, lining up along 57th Street in Manhattan, where he will be staying.

No public talks or engagements are currently planned for his visit.

The doctor suggested that successful right knee surgery would help his left knee function better as well, and that he may be able to walk properly within three weeks, Sikyong Pempa Tsering, the head of the Central Tibetan Administration, told RFA.

Devotees wait for the arrival of the Dalai Lama outside of the airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, June 23, 2024. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA)

The Dalai Lama enjoys strong support in the United States, where prominent lawmakers have spoken out about human rights issues in Tibet, though China considers him a separatist and has criticized those who meet with him.

The well-wishers included Tibetans and people from Himalayan regions, Mongolia, India, Vietnam, Bhutan and Nepal, as well as individuals from across the United States.

The presence of His Holiness here in the United States is a spiritual boon, as he is visiting after seven years, said Tashi Kyiloe from New York. It is a great opportunity for older people like me to receive his blessing.

The visit comes after the recent passage of a bill in the U.S. Congress that urges the Chinese government to engage in dialogue with the Dalai Lama or his representatives, or democratically elected Tibetan leaders, to resolve the China-Tibet dispute.

The Promoting a Resolution to the Tibet-China Dispute Act, also known as the Resolve Tibet Act, calls on China to cease its propagation of disinformation about the history of Tibet, the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama.

Youths in traditional dress wait for the arrival of the Dalai Lama outside of the airport in Teterboro, New Jersey, June 23, 2024. (Nordhey Dolma/RFA)

Additional reporting by Nordhey Dolma, Jolep Chophel, Yeshi Tashi and Tashi Wangchuk for RFA Tibetan. Edited by Malcolm Foster.
At least 20 people were killed, including civilians and police officers, when gunmen opened fire at two Orthodox churches, two synagogues, and a police station in separate attacks in the cities of Derbent and Makhachkala in Russia's North Caucasus region of Daghestan.

Investigators earlier said that four civilians were killed, with 15 police officers reportedly killed in the June 23 attacks.

At least 46 people were injured, according to Russian officials.

Regional Governor Sergei Melikov, in a video statement posted on Telegram early on June 24, said that among the civilians killed was 66-year-old Father Nikolai, who served for more than 40 years in the Orthodox church in Derbent.

Melikov said that six "bandits" were "liquidated" by security forces.

Russias National Anti-Terrorism Committee declared the security operation over by the morning of June 24.

Among those detained was Magomed Omarov, the head of the central Sergokala district and secretary of the local branch of the United Russia party, whose home was searched. Omarov was expelled from the party for actions discrediting the organization, United Russia's press service in Daghestan said.

Three of the attackers who were killed have been identified, according to Interfax, which quoted an unidentified source as saying two of Omarov's sons and one of his nephews were among the slain attackers.

The attacks came just three months after 145 people died and hundreds were injured when Islamic State (IS) extremists opened fire in a crowded concert hall on the outskirts of Moscow, Russia's worst terrorist attack in years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility by IS or any other groups for the attacks in the volatile North Caucasus region on June 23.

"This is a day of tragedy for Daghestan and the whole country," Melikov said after officials announced three days of mourning for the region.

According to a local religious organization in the majority Muslim region, the attacks occurred on a religious holiday in the Russian Orthodox Church.

"The radicals want to pit us against each other with all their might and burn interfaith bridges. But they won't succeed," the organization said.

The chairman of the public council of Russia's Federation of Jewish Communities, Boruch Gorin, said on Telegram that synagogues in both cities caught fire during the attacks.

"Two are killed: a policeman and a security guard," Gorin said.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said the synagogue in Derbent was burned to the ground and shots had been fired at a second synagogue in Makhachkala.

Derbent is home to an ancient Jewish community and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The attack on the police station occurred in Makhachkala, the capital of Daghestan, 125 kilometers north of Derbent.

Unknown assailants attacked a traffic police post, and according to the Interior Ministry of Daghestan, two assailants were killed in Makhachkala, whose airport in October was shut down for several days when a mob shouting anti-Jewish epithets stormed it after the arrival of a flight from Israel.

Anti-Jewish protests broke out in several cities in the region after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.

Months later, after the deadly March 22 massacre at the Crocus City Hall concert venue near Moscow, Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) detained four people in Daghestan suspected of providing financing and weapons to participants.



Responsibility for that attack was claimed by an offshoot of IS known as Islamic State-Khorasan. Russian investigators said the assault was carried out by four men, all Tajik nationals.

Russian authorities arrested 11 Tajik citizens and a Kyrgyzstan-born Russian citizen in connection with the attack, Russia's worst terrorist attack in two decades.
SLIVEN, Bulgaria -- For some residents of one of Bulgaria's poorest communities, Daniel Erickson-Hull was a preacher who not only helped the community spiritually but also materially, generously dishing out cash, much of it contributed from well-intentioned donors around the world.

But for others, Erickson-Hull, a convicted pedophile from Britain, was a serial sexual abuser, cruelly exploiting the trust he had earned by allegedly molesting scores of boys in Nadezhda, a Romany district in eastern Bulgaria.

And now after years of delays and efforts by the defendant's lawyers to have the case thrown out, Erickson-Hull, 47, could finally face his day in court on charges of pedophilia.

Or maybe not.

Several judges have already recused themselves from the trial, and the case has now been handed over to a civil-law judge, although it is unclear when that will start. RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service sent questions to Erickson-Hull's lawyer but did not receive a response.

Convicted British Pedophile Poses As Preacher In Bulgaria No media source currently available 0:00 0:00:36 0:00

Despite the allegations he faces, Erickson-Hull still has his supporters in Nadezhda. Young followers of the self-styled missionary and youth worker chased a team of BBC journalists who had traveled there in 2019 for a BBC Radio 4 report on Erickson-Hull. That same year, all eight boys who had told police that Erickson-Hull sexually abused them suddenly retracted their statements. His supporters have filled courtrooms in the past to urge that the case be thrown out.

For many in Nadezhda, the alleged sexual abuse by Erickson-Hull, either at his home or at the youth center he ran, was an open secret. RFE/RL is not publishing the names of his alleged victims or their parents.

"Almost the whole neighborhood was [at the youth center]. All the children went. And mine went, too," recounted the mother of one of Erickson-Hull's alleged victims in Nadezhda, which means "hope" in English, to RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service.

A boy who said he was sexually abused by the British national told RFE/RL that he was lured to Erickson-Hull's house with promises of "new sneakers and clothes."

"He told me: 'Don't live there. It's ugly and dirty. It's nicer here [at my house].' You know what he wanted," he said.

Rights activists have said that the authorities are turning a blind eye because the alleged abuse occurred in a mostly Romany community.

"I tried to raise awareness [with the authorities], but the reaction was always: 'Oh, yes, but they are Roma," said Livia Otal, an activist of For Hope, a Bulgarian NGO working with vulnerable youth in Bulgaria, mainly Roma.

Some 750,000 Roma are estimated to live in Bulgaria, one of the poorest nations in the EU. The Roma of Bulgaria suffer from high levels of unemployment, poor education, as well as social exclusion and discrimination. They often live apart from the majority of society, with Nadezhda being a typical example.

One hundred kilometers west of the seaside resort of Burgas in the district of Sliven, the community of Nadezhda is surrounded by a concrete wall.

"[It's] totally excluded, totally off the radar for every institution," says Rositsa Kratunkova from the For Hope foundation. In Nadezhda and the surrounding area, there is a strong network of evangelical churches.

Who Is Daniel Erickson-Hull?

In 2016, British authorities launched a probe into Erickson-Hull on suspicion of sexual exploitation and possession of hundreds of indecent images of children. With the investigation under way, Erickson-Hull fled to Bulgaria. However, following an extradition request from Britain, Bulgarian authorities sent him back.

In 2017, Erickson-Hull was found guilty and sentenced to 15 months in prison in the United Kingdom. He served two months, released on condition he register with his local police as a sex offender and not leave the country without notifying authorities.

He did neither and, instead, returned to Bulgaria.

British police issued a European Arrest Warrant in 2017, but Bulgaria did not comply since the country does not have a register used to track and restrict the movements of sex offenders. Since then, Erickson-Hull, originally from east London, has reportedly been living in Nadezdha.

For some members of the community, Erickson-Hull was seen as being generous with his money and time.

"He fixed [people's] homes, got them wood, things like that," one teenage boy, who said he was victimized by Erickson-Hull, told RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service.

Erickson-Hull gave money to the community, with a large portion of it purportedly coming from well-meaning individuals through his worldwide social media appeals.

"With the amount of money that he had, he was able to buy the families, literally buy the whole communities," one anonymous witness, who originally alerted the BBC to the case, explained in 2022.

According to BBC Radio 4's File On 4 program, Erickson-Hull started visiting Sliven in 2015, and there had been "allegations of sexual abuse spanning more than half a decade." In 2019, a BBC reporter in Sliven confronted Erickson-Hull, who denied being a "pedophile on the run" and disputed that he was spending time with unaccompanied children. During the encounter, a group of his followers confronted the BBC team and chased them.

That same year, the BBC report was followed by allegations from Dawn Gibbs, a former U.S. volunteer in Sliven, who said that she had walked in on Erickson-Hull in bed with a group of boys.

Complaints against Erickson-Hull by children in Nadezhda were first registered in 2019, but for reasons that remain unclear the victims all changed their statements and dropped their complaints. In the meantime, Erickson-Hull was fined in Bulgaria for not paying taxes or declaring donations worth nearly 1 million lev (around $550,000).

In August 2022, Bulgarian police took action and arrested Erickson-Hull after another 14 children in Nadezhda accused him of sexual abuse.

Nighttime Questioning

Many of the alleged victims were taken to police headquarters late at night to give statements and answer questions.

"Everything happened very quickly in a rather painful way for the children, as the interrogations took place at night, in the early hours, until 6 in the morning," said Stoyko Slavov, a lawyer representing some of the children allegedly sexually abused by Erickson-Hull.

The circumstances of the children's interviews could prove a problem. Under Bulgarian law, any testimony not given in the presence of lawyers or judges is not admissible in court. That could mean the boys would have to repeat their testimony in court.

The controversy surrounding the testimonies has put a brake on the trial. But that has been overshadowed by the decision of seven judges to recuse themselves from the trial, a move court officials in Sliven told RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service was merely a stalling tactic by Erickson-Hull's lawyers.

At the beginning of June, the sixth consecutive judge, Svetoslav Svetiev, recused himself in the case against Erickson-Hull. A week later, his wife, Petya Petrova, who is also a judge, did the same.

Svetiev said he resigned because "the defendant continues to insult the jury," calling them "murderers" because he is still being held in custody. It is not clear why the other judges recused themselves from the trial, but the lawyer, Slavov, told RFE/RL that "the arguments for the dismissals are frivolous, to put it mildly."

Amid the inactivity to move the case forward, the National Network for Children, a Bulgarian NGO advocating for the rights of children, requested urgent meetings with the Justice Ministry and the Supreme Judicial Council, but so far there has been no response from the institutions.

"This proceeding is truly damaging to both the victims and their families. It demotivates them. In fact, such a delay is tantamount to a denial of access to justice," said Georgi Elenkov, a lawyer with the National Network for Children.

Written by Tony Wesolowsky based on reporting by Genka Shikerova
The threat of terrorism is never far from the minds of officials in Central Asia, who know that their region shares a 2,000-kilometer border with Afghanistan. In recent weeks, Tajikistans speaker of parliament has warned about a growing number of militants in northern Afghanistan and in Kyrgyzstan, where authorities detained 15 suspected members of Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), a group operating out of Afghanistan. Suspected IS-K militants who are Tajik nationals have been blamed for terrorist attacks in Moscow in March and Iran in January. Joining host Bruce Pannier to look at who these militants are and where they are active are guests Lucas Webber, the co-founder and editor of militantwire.com and a research fellow at the Soufan Center; and Riccardo Valle, an analyst focused on jihadism security and the director of thekhorasandiary.com.
At least 22 people were killed and 117 others injured in Israeli strikes on Beirut, the Lebanese Health Ministry reported on October 10 after an Israeli strike on a school sheltering Palestinians in Gaza killed dozens of people.

Lebanon's state news agency NNA reported two evening air raids in central Beirut. The first targeted an eight-story building and the second a four-story building that completely collapsed as a result of the strike, NNA said.

A Lebanese security source quoted by Reuters said at least one senior Hezbollah figure was targeted in the attacks, which were the third on Beirut since Israel started a military campaign in southern Lebanon last month targeting the Iran-allied Hezbollah militia and sparking fears of an all-out regional war.

Hezbollahs Al Manar TV reported after the strikes that an attempt to kill Wafiq Safa, a top security official with the group, had failed. It said that Safa had not been inside of either of the targeted buildings.

Hezbollah kept up rocket fire into Israel on October 10. The military said several drones heading toward Israel were intercepted.

Earlier on October 10 an Israeli strike on a school in the Gaza Strip killed at least 27 people, Palestinian medical officials said, while a separate Israeli strike hit UN peacekeeper headquarters in southern Lebanon, prompting Italy to summon the Israeli ambassador.

The Israeli military said it carried out a "precise strike on terrorists" who had a command and control center embedded in the school.

"This is a further example of the Hamas terrorist organization's systematic abuse of civilian infrastructure in violation of international law," a military statement said.

The Palestinian militant group Hamas, which is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States and the EU, has denied such accusations. People who had been sheltering at the school said the strike hit a meeting of aid workers and injured 54 other people.

Israel has continued to strike at what it says are militant targets across Gaza as it battles Hamas militants even as the war broadened to include Hezbollah in Lebanon amid rising tensions with Iran.

In a separate incident on October 10 the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon said an Israeli tank fired on its headquarters in the town of Naqoura, hitting an observation tower and wounding two peacekeepers. The nationality of the injured peacekeepers was not released.

The UN peacekeeping mission known as UNIFIL said in a statement that Israeli forces also fired on a nearby bunker where peacekeepers were sheltering, damaging vehicles and a communication system.

The Italian Defense Ministry summoned Israel's ambassador in protest, and Defense Minister Guido Crosetto told a press conference that "hostile acts committed and repeated by Israeli forces against the base...could constitute war crimes." Crosetto added that Italy has asked for an official explanation "because it was not a mistake."

The French Foreign Ministry said that while no French solider was injured in the incident, it also demanded an explanation.

The Israeli military announced earlier on October 10 that it had eliminated another important Hezbollah member as it kept up its attacks against the Iran-backed group.

Adham Jahout, a member of Hezbollah's Golan Terrorist Network was killed in an air strike in the area of Quneitra in Syria, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said.

Jahout was relaying intelligence from Syrian regime sources to Hezbollah and facilitating operations against Israel in the Golan Heights, the IDF said.



Israel annexed the Golan Heights after capturing them from Syria during the 1967 Middle East war. The annexation has not been recognized by most countries.



Separately, the Israeli military said on October 10 that it had eliminated two Hezbollah commanders in southern Lebanon and its warplanes attacked munitions depots in the Beirut area and in southern Lebanon. It did not immediately reveal the identities of the two commanders.



Hezbollah, a militant group and political party that controls much of southern Lebanon, is designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, while the European Union blacklists its armed wing but not its party, which has seats in the Lebanese parliament.



The latest strikes came as the United States, Israel's main ally, warned against bombardments in Lebanon similar to those that caused large-scale destruction in Gaza as Israel retaliated against Hamas following the U.S.- and EU-designated terrorist group's deadly attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, that left more than 1,100 people dead.



Israel's bombardment of central and northern Gaza in recent days has killed dozens of people and trapped thousands in their homes, Palestinian officials say.

"There should be no kind of military action in Lebanon that looks anything like Gaza and leaves a result anything like Gaza," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told journalists on October 9.



The warning came after U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized in a call on October 9 with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the need for a diplomatic arrangement for the return of both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the border.

The United States warned Israel on October 9 against launching a military action in Lebanon like the one it has conducted in Gaza, and U.S. President Joe Biden emphasized in a call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the need for a diplomatic arrangement for the return of both Lebanese and Israeli civilians to their homes on both sides of the border.



Biden also condemned Iran's ballistic-missile attack on Israel on October 1, a White House statement said.



Biden "affirmed Israel's right to protect its citizens from Hezbollah, which has fired thousands of missiles and rockets into Israel over the past year alone, while emphasizing the need to minimize harm to civilians, in particular in the densely populated areas of Beirut," the statement said.
BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- China's National Meteorological Center has renewed an orange alert for rainstorms and issued a blue alert for severe convective weather Sunday morning.

From now to Monday morning, heavy rains and rainstorms are forecast to hit parts of Anhui, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Fujian, among other regions, the center said.

According to the meteorological center, parts of Anhui, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Guizhou are forecast to be hit by torrential rains.

Local governments have been urged to cut dangerous outdoor power supplies and suspend outdoor operations in open areas.

The center also issued a blue alert for severe convective weather in multiple regions of the country from Sunday morning to Monday morning.

Thunderstorms, gales and hail will sweep parts of Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, Shanghai, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang.

Short and heavy rainfall with hourly precipitation of over 20 mm will lash parts of Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Anhui, Jiangsu, Shanghai and some other regions, the center said.

The center has advised the public to take precautions, such as reducing outdoor activities. Vessels operating in or transiting affected waters should return to ports or take detours.

China has a four-tier weather warning system, with red representing the most severe warning, followed by orange, yellow and blue. 
The total sedan sales for the month stood at 31,246 units, marking a marginal decrease of 0.93% compared to May 2023, when sales were recorded at 31,540 units

Just like the hatchback sales, sedan sales are also on a decline, thanks to more buyers preferring SUVs. In May 2024, the Indian sedan market witnessed varied performances across different models, culminating in an overall slight decline in sales.

Top 10 Sedans May 2024  YoY Comparison

As is the case, in the top spots were the entry level sub 4m sedans. Leading the charge was the Maruti Dzire, which sold an impressive 16,061 units, reflecting a substantial year-on-year (YoY) growth of 41.94%. The Dzires market dominance was further underscored by its commanding 51.40% share of the sedan segment.

Trailing behind, but still maintaining significant presence, was the Hyundai Aura / Xcent. This model saw sales of 4,433 units, a 5.82% decline from the previous year, securing 14.19% of the market share. Meanwhile, the Honda Amaze experienced a sharper drop, with sales plummeting by 29.19% to 2,215 units, accounting for 7.09% of the market. The Tata Tigor, including its EV variant, saw a 22.33% decline in sales, recording 2,098 units for the month.

First on the list for mid-size sedans is Volkswagen Virtus. It has demonstrated resilience with a slight dip of 1.29%, selling 1,610 units, and holding 5.15% of the market share. The Skoda Slavia sold 1,538 units, reflecting a 9.26% decrease compared to May 2023. Hyundais Verna faced the steepest decline among the top-selling sedans, with a 62.54% drop to 1,381 units. The Honda City also struggled, with sales down by 31.20% to 1,054 units.

Marutis Ciaz saw a decrease of 26.41%, selling 730 units, while the Toyota Camry, a premium offering in the sedan segment, recorded 122 units, marking a 14.08% decline. At the bottom of the list, the Skoda Superb sold only 4 units, a significant drop of 60% from the previous year.

Top 10 Sedans May 2024  MoM Comparison

Month on month, sedan sales have increased, marking a growth of 3.50%. Dzire posted a slight increase of 1.49% from Aprils 15,825 units. Aura saw a minor decline in its monthly sales, down by 2.05% to 4,433 units from Aprils 4,526 units. Tata Tigor, including its EV variant, experienced a small dip in sales, decreasing by 2.55% to 2,098 units from 2,153 units in April.

Volkswagen Virtus showed remarkable growth, with sales soaring by 36.09% to 1,610 units from 1,183 units in April, securing a 3.92% share. Its cousin Skoda Slavia also posted solid growth, with sales increasing by 22.75% to 1,538 units from 1,253 units in April, holding a 4.15% share. Meanwhile, the Hyundai Verna faced a decline, with sales dropping by 12.09% to 1,381 units from 1,571 units in April.

Honda City recorded a significant month-on-month increase of 27.91%, with sales rising to 1,054 units from 824 units in April, achieving a 2.73% market share. On the other hand, Marutis Ciaz saw its sales decrease by 15.80% to 730 units from 867 units in April. Among the premium sedans, the Toyota Camry experienced a sharp decline of 31.84%, with sales falling to 122 units from 179 units in April. The Skoda Superb recorded a significant drop of 69.23%, selling only 4 units compared to 13 units in April.
KABUL, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Afghan counter-terrorist police have discovered a massive weapon cache containing a variety of weapons in east Afghanistan's Paktia province, the Ministry of Interior Affairs said on Sunday.

The contraband, which included 10 pieces of AK-47, 10 hand grenades, 20 cartridges and more than 2,000 shotgun shells, has been discovered in operations in Ahmad Abad district recently, the ministry said in a statement posted on its X account.

Police will not allow anyone to keep military equipment illegally, the statement said. 
GUANGZHOU/ROME, June 22 (Xinhua) -- Rising interest in Italian classical arts among the Chinese public has fueled a strong partnership between museums in China and Italy, with Italian Renaissance and Baroque styles particularly popular in the Asian country.

A Caravaggio-themed exhibition organized by the Galleria Borghese wrapped up in Shanghai in April.

Meanwhile, a collection of Renaissance masterpieces has been attracting significant attention in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou. Called "Timeless Verses: Renaissance and Baroque Masterpieces from Galleria Borghese," the exhibition at the Guangdong Museum of Art features 55 original works by famous artists of the 16th and 17th centuries, such as Raphael, Rubens, and Titian.

"Unlike the exhibition in Shanghai, in this collection we want to focus on the Renaissance period and the works of sixteenth-century artists," said Francesca Cappelletti, director of the Galleria Borghese.

The works chosen for the exhibition represent a brilliant era in the artistic history of Italy and the world, said Valerio de Parolis, Consul General of Italy in Guangzhou.

"In recent years we have had this possibility to show our works, partly because the museum had a period of restoration," Cappelletti added.

It marks the first attempt by Guangdong Museum of Art to introduce the works from Galleria Borghese to audiences in Guangdong, said Fan Lin, curator of the exhibition. The show aims to present a comprehensive genealogy of the relationships between key figures from the Italian Renaissance.

"So far, the response from the audience has been very good. We are going to invest more in public education, such as academic lectures, to help people better understand the Italian Renaissance," Fan said.

A visitor named Li, attracted by the works of those well-known painters, was impressed by the exhibition. "Although I am not very familiar with many painters, their works are of high quality, allowing us to better understand European classical art."

The inaugural collaboration between the Galleria Borghese and the Guangdong Museum of Art reflected a broader trend of deepening dialogue between cultural institutions.

In 2021, the Uffizi Galleries in Florence, Italy, and Shanghai Bund One Art Museum signed an agreement to hold 10 exhibitions within five years, one of the most extensive art cooperation projects ever seen between the two countries.

Cappelletti said, "We look forward to further enriching Sino-Italian exchanges in the art field, based on the relationship that we have established with many Chinese museums."

De Parolis said, "I believe this exhibition will strengthen the ties between Italy and China in terms of cultural exchanges and beyond." 
BEIJING, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The overall brand strength of Chinese companies has increased by 17 percent from 18,035 to 21,150 year-on-year from 2023 to the first half of this year, reaching a new high in history, according to the Kantar BrandZ 2024 Chinese Global Brand Builders report.

Jointly compiled by the international market research firm Kantar and Google, the report, released on Thursday, surveyed global consumers from 11 international markets on their opinions about Chinese global brands. The brand strength scores were calculated, taking into account three major factors: meaningful, difference, and salient.

Grades of "meaningful" and "difference" for each brand are calculated based on the feedback of surveyed consumers. The "salient" is calculated by combining consumer behavior data, including traffic to a brand's official website, the number of active users of a brand's App, and the brand's search index on Google and YouTube.

The significant increase in the overall brand strength of Chinese companies highlighted the vitality of Chinese brands in the global market, said Doreen Wang, CEO of Kantar Greater China and global chair of Kantar BrandZ.

Wang also noted that the combination of China's industrial chain ecosystem and innovative technology has become a new competitive strength for Chinese global brands. 
Revolut is aiming for a 32bn at an upcoming share sale. If it succeeds the fintech start-up's valuation would surpass that of NatWest. According to the Financial Times, the firm is looking to sell approximately 395m in order to finance its expansion. - The Financial Mail on Sunday

Should he win the elections, the Labour government will be left with no other choice but to reenter the European Union's single market and customs union if it wants to maximise the country's economic growth, leading economists and diplomats have said. In parallel, a poll by Opinium for the Observer found that 56% of voters think Brexit was bad for the economy, versus 12% who believe the opposite. Labour meanwhile has taken its lead over the Conservatives to 20 points with under a fortnight left to go before polling day - Guardian

Trade ministers from China and the European Union have reached a last-minute agreement to engage in talks aimed at avoiding a tit-for-tat trade war. The talks will centre around Brussels's plans to raise tariffs on electric car imports from the Asian giant by up to 48%. The EU's planned move was in response to Chinese subsidies for its EV industry. The talks would follow a three-day visit by German economics minister, Robert Habeck, to Beijing. - Sunday Telegraph

Pepsi has given the go-ahead to Carlsberg's 3.1bn takeover bid for Britvic. Executives at the US outfit told the Danish beermaker that they would not make use of their so-called poison-pill which could allow them to stop the purchase. Carlsberg has already disclosed that it made two separate approaches for Britvic earlier in June. A third improved offer is being prepared and may arrive as soon as during the coming week. - The Sunday Times
ADEN, Yemen, June 23 (Xinhua) -- A merchant vessel flying the Liberian flag was struck by a Houthi drone attack while sailing in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah early Sunday morning, a pro-government naval official told Xinhua.

The Yemeni official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the merchant vessel, identified as the "Transworld Navigator," was targeted at approximately 5:05 a.m. local time (0205 GMT), confirming that the ship sustained damage from the direct hit, though the extent of the damage remains unspecified.

According to the official, no casualties were reported among the crew. Notably, this incident follows a separate attack on the same vessel while it was navigating the Gulf of Aden on Saturday.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving a report of an incident approximately 65 nautical miles west of Hodeidah.

The UKMTO's statement indicated that the master of a merchant vessel reported an impact from an uncrewed aerial system, which resulted in ship damage. All crew members were reported safe, and the ship was said to be proceeding to its next port of call.

The Houthi group has not officially commented on the incident. However, on Saturday, the group claimed to have targeted the U.S. aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea and the "Transworld Navigator" in the Arabian Sea with multiple missiles.

The group also announced joint operations with Iraqi armed factions, allegedly targeting five ships in the Israeli port of Haifa and the Mediterranean Sea.

These attacks are part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, which began in November 2023, targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to be targeting vessels associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports, citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as justification.

In response to these attacks, the United States and Britain launched a military operation in January, including air and missile strikes against Houthi targets in Yemen. This intervention has led the Houthi group to expand its targeting to include American and British commercial and military ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

This ongoing conflict along the vital shipping lanes of the Red Sea and surrounding waters continues to raise concerns about maritime security and global trade implications. 
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A 46-year-old male motorcyclist died following a crash in the eastbound lanes of the Verrazzano-Narrows bridge Sunday morning.

According to police, officers responded to a 911 call of a vehicle collision at the Belt Parkway lanes exiting the span around 5:34 a.m.

Another motorcycle rider, 34, also sustained minor injuries, officials said.

A preliminary investigation determined two individual motorcycle operators were traveling eastbound, away from the bridge, while entering the Belt Parkway when they collided with a wall, an NYPD spokesman said.

Both motorcycles basically failed to navigate a turn and struck a wall, the spokesperson explained. They failed to navigate the roadway where it turned into the Belt Parkway.

EMS responded and transported the 46-year-old male to Langone Hospital in Brooklyn where he was pronounced deceased, police said.

The 34-year-old male was taken to the same medical facility in stable condition with minor injuries, police said.

An investigation is ongoing as the identity of the deceased is pending family notification, the spokesman said.

The FDNY did not immediately respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

This is a developing breaking news story. Check back for updates.
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.  A 78-year-old Staten Island woman died 11 days after she crashed into a wood utility pole in West Brighton, authorities said.

On Friday, June 7, authorities responded to a motor vehicle crash around 5 p.m. and discovered a driver conscious and responsive, with an injury to her arm, inside the crashed vehicle by Manor Road and College Avenue.

EMS transported the woman to Richmond University Medical Center, West Brighton, in stable condition, according to a spokesman for the NYPDs Deputy Commissioner of Public Information.

Unfortunately, the 78-year-old female succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, and was pronounced deceased by medical personnel, said the spokesperson.

Further investigation by the NYPDs Collision Investigation Squad determined that Pratti was traveling northbound on Manor when she lost control of the vehicle.

The vehicle, according to police, mounted on the sidewalk and collided with a wood utility pole.

The incident is being investigated by the NYPD Highway District Collision Investigation Squad.

This is a developing breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
An updated tornado watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday at 7 p.m. in effect until 8 p.m. for Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, Schenectady and Washington counties.

Tornado watches and warnings: Your safety guide

When it comes to tornadoes, understanding the difference between a Tornado watch and a Tornado warning can be a matter of life and death. Let's break it down:

Tornado watch: Be prepared!

A Tornado watch serves as an early warning that conditions are conducive to tornado formation.

It's your cue to review and discuss your emergency plans, check your supplies, and locate your safe room.

While it doesn't mean a tornado is imminent, it's a heads-up that you should be ready to act quickly if a Tornado warning is issued or if you suspect a tornado is approaching.

Watches come from the Storm Prediction Center and often cover a large area, potentially spanning multiple counties or even states.

Tornado warning: Take action!

A Tornado warning signifies that a tornado has been spotted or detected by weather radar.

This is the real deal  there's an immediate threat to life and property.

Your response should be swift: move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows.

If you're in a mobile home, a vehicle, or caught outdoors, find the nearest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris.

Warnings are issued by your local forecast office and pinpoint a much smaller area, typically the size of a city or a small county, where a tornado has been identified, either by radar or through reports from trained spotters and law enforcement.

Knowing the distinction between these two alerts is paramount for staying safe during tornado season. Stay informed, have a plan, and act promptly when danger looms.

Prepare for a tornado

Stay weather-ready:

Check the forecast regularly to see if you're at risk for tornadoes. Listen to local news or a NOAA Weather Radio to stay informed about tornado watches and warnings.

Sign up for alerts:

Familiarize yourself with your community's warning systems. Some places have outdoor sirens, while others rely on media and smartphone alerts for severe storm notifications.

Establish a communication plan:

Create a family emergency plan that includes a designated meeting place and important contact information. If your home lacks a basement, identify a nearby safe building, like a church or a relative's house, that you can reach quickly.

Choose a secure shelter:

Pick a safe room in your home, such as a basement, storm cellar, or an interior room on the lowest floor with no windows.

Practice your plan:

Conduct a family severe thunderstorm drill regularly so everyone knows what to do if a tornado is approaching. Make sure all members of your family know to go there when tornado warnings are issued. Don't forget pets if time allows.

Prepare your home:

Consider having your safe room reinforced. You can find plans for reinforcing an interior room to provide better protection on the Federal Emergency Management Agency website.

Extend a helping hand:

Encourage your neighbors and loved ones to prepare for possible tornadoes. Consider taking CPR training to be of assistance in case of injuries.

Staying safe during a tornado: Quick actions to take

When a tornado strikes, taking swift action is crucial to ensuring your safety and minimizing potential harm. Follow these guidelines from the weather service:

Stay informed:

To ensure your safety during a tornado, remember that acting promptly is crucial, according to the weather service. Stay informed about tornado watches and warnings through regular updates on local news or a NOAA Weather Radio.

At home:

If you find yourself under a tornado warning while at home, head to your basement, a designated safe room, or an interior space away from windows. Ensure your pets are safe if time permits.

At work or school:

If you are at your workplace or school, adhere to tornado drill procedures. Move promptly and calmly to your designated tornado shelter, avoiding large open areas like cafeterias, gymnasiums, or auditoriums, and steer clear of windows.

Outdoors:

When you are outdoors and a tornado is approaching, seek immediate refuge inside a sturdy building. Remember that sheds, storage facilities, mobile homes, and tents are not safe options. If there is sufficient time, make your way to a secure structure.

In a vehicle:

It is not safe to be in a vehicle during a tornado. The recommended action is to drive to the nearest shelter. If reaching a safe shelter is not possible, either crouch down in your car and cover your head, or leave your vehicle and seek refuge in a low-lying area like a ditch or ravine.

Remember, acting swiftly and following safety protocols are essential for your well-being when a tornado is imminent.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
On Saturday at 10:11 p.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated severe thunderstorm warning valid until 10:30 p.m. for Delaware and Sullivan counties.

Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and quarter-sized hail (1 inch) are expected.

"At 10:11 p.m., a severe thunderstorm was located 7 miles south of Margaretville, or 16 miles north of Liberty, moving east at 30 mph," according to the weather service. "Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage to roofs, siding, and trees."

Locations impacted by the warning include Margaretville, Fleischmanns, Arkville, Hazel, Livingston Manor, Willowemoc, Dunraven, Shandelee, Waneta Lake and Anderson.

The weather service comments, "For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building. Continuous cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Move indoors immediately. Lightning is one of nature's leading killers. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to be struck by lightning. Heavy rainfall is occurring with this storm, and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways."

Staying safe as lightning approaches: Expert advice

Each year, lightning strikes the United States approximately 25 million times, with the majority of these electrifying events occurring during the summer months. Unfortunately, lightning is responsible for claiming the lives of approximately 20 people annually, as reported by the weather service. The threat of lightning becomes more pronounced as thunderstorms draw nearer, peaking when the storm is directly overhead and gradually waning as it moves away.

To protect yourself during a thunderstorm, take these recommendations into consideration:

1. Lightning safety plan:

When venturing outdoors, it's vital to establish a clear plan for seeking shelter in case of lightning.

Monitor the sky for threatening signs and listen for the sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it's an indication that lightning is nearby.

Seek a safe place to shelter, preferably indoors.

2. Indoors safety measures:

Once you've found shelter indoors, abstain from using corded phones, electrical appliances, or plumbing fixtures, and refrain from approaching windows and doors.

Lightning can follow conductive pathways, and these precautions reduce the risk of electrical surges.

3. Wait for the all-clear:

After the last lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at least 30 minutes before resuming outdoor activities.

Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly passed, so exercise caution.

When indoor shelter isn't available:

If you find yourself outdoors without access to indoor shelter during a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximize your safety:

Avoid open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, as they expose you to greater lightning risk.

Steer clear of tall, isolated trees and other prominent objects. In forested areas, stay close to lower stands of trees.

If you're with a group, ensure individuals are spread out to prevent lightning current from transferring between people.

Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If you have no alternative, set up camp in a valley, ravine, or other low-lying areas. It's crucial to note that a tent provides no protection against lightning.

Do not approach water bodies, wet objects, or metal items. Although water and metal do not attract lightning, they conduct electricity effectively and can pose significant risks.

In summary, when facing the threat of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your best allies. By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your safety.

Rainy roadways ahead: Essential safety tips for heavy rain

When heavy rain pours, the risk of flooding and treacherous roads rises. Here's your guide from the weather service to staying safe during downpours:

Beware of rapid water flow:

During heavy rain, avoid parking or walking near culverts or drainage ditches, where swift-moving water can pose a serious risk.

Maintain safe driving distances:

Adhere to the two-second rule for maintaining a safe following distance behind the vehicle in front of you. In heavy rain, allow an additional two seconds of distance to compensate for reduced traction and braking effectiveness.

Slow down and stay cautious:

On wet roads, reducing your speed is crucial. Ease off the gas pedal gradually and avoid abrupt braking to prevent skidding.

Choose your lane wisely:

Stay toward the middle lanes - water tends to pool in the outside lanes.

Prioritize visibility

Enhance your visibility in heavy rain by turning on your headlights. Watch out for vehicles in blind spots, as rain-smeared windows can obscure them.

Watch out for slippery roads:

The first half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest due to a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Exercise heightened caution during this period.

Keep a safe distance from large vehicles:

Large trucks and buses can reduce your visibility with tire spray. Avoid tailgating and pass them swiftly and safely.

Mind your windshield wipers:

Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely limits your sight, pull over and wait for conditions to improve. Seek refuge at rest areas or protected spots.

If the roadside is your only option, pull off as far as possible, preferably past the end of a guard rail, and wait until the storm passes. Keep your headlights on and turn on emergency flashers to alert other drivers of your position.

By following these safety measures, you can significantly reduce risks and ensure your well-being when heavy rain pours down. Stay informed about weather conditions and heed advice from local authorities to make your journey safe and sound.

Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
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 Portraits of marital hell dont come much more brutal than Whos Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, so you might imagine the last thing a pair of married actors would want to do is risk their own relationship by taking it on. But, boldly throwing caution to the wind, thats precisely what Kat Stewart and David Whiteley are doing as the revival of Edward Albees 1962 play moves from the tiny 80-seat Red Stitch Theatre in St Kilda to the 800-seat Comedy Theatre next month, thus becoming the first production in the companys 23-year history to make the giant leap to the commercial main stage. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, says Stewart of the chance to work with her husband for the first time since 2007. Its a rare gift, Whiteley agrees. We didnt think wed get the chance ever again. Kat Stewart and David Whiteley met at Red Stitch in 2002. Credit: Simon Schluter The pair met at Red Stitch in 2002, when Whiteley  a founding member of the company  auditioned the young marketing graduate turned aspiring actress. They very strategically got me in because then theyd have a publicist, she jokes. When I joined there were 12 actors, and we all did everything. We cleaned the toilets and put the posters up in the front of house. Whenever I did a show I got another actor to do the publicity because it would have been weird otherwise.

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Theyve been together since 2004, and have two children, aged eight and 12. But as Stewarts TV work took off  she won an AFI award and a Logie for her turn as Roberta Williams in the original Underbelly (2008), and was one of the stars of long-running series Offspring and Five Bedrooms  their professional lives diverged. She last performed with Red Stitch in 2010, though she has frequently been back on stage since with the Melbourne Theatre Company. Loading Whiteley, meanwhile, has been a mainstay of Red Stitch, which continues to foster new writing, give opportunities to emerging actors and directors, and produce challenging theatre for a loyal audience. What it hasnt done before is take one if its micro-productions to a major commercial venue (though a couple of shows have enjoyed brief runs at the Arts Centre). The idea of staging one of the classics of 20th-century American theatre was born out of a desire to mark the companys coming of age. This is not a play Red Stitch would usually have done, says Stewart. It was the 21st anniversary, and we were having a drink at the party and being nostalgic about old times, and I said, Id love to come back someday. And [artistic director] Ella [Caldwell] said, Id love you to come back. What if we did something special? So doing a classic was something quite different. Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in a scene from the 1966 film of Edward Albees play. Credit: Warner Brothers/Getty Images For director Sarah Goodes, who oversaw the production mounted on the postage stamp-sized stage at the companys St Kilda home and is also helming its transition to the wide-open space of the Comedy, the idea of pairing Stewart  with whom she had worked at the Melbourne Theatre Company  and Albees bitingly funny work about a couple who love and loathe each other in equal measure was instantly intoxicating.

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Kat said, Im really interested in doing a play about female rage, and I went, youre on. That was the end of the conversation, Goodes says. But revisiting the play never felt like an exercise in dusting off a museum piece. Whats so great about doing the classics is you go, Oh, people have been dealing with the same stuff for years, Goodes says. But also, it isnt just about rage. Its about how much they love each other, and how being alone in a relationship is terrifying. Loading Theres an undeniable frisson in the idea of a real-life couple playing the hard-drinking, twisted game-playing academic George and his wife, Martha, who is just as smart as her husband but doomed by the times to have very few avenues to display it. The most famous rendering of the play was the 1966 film, in which Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor  then three years into the first of their two stormy, obsessive, booze-filled marriages  starred, alongside a young George Segal and Sandy Dennis as the young couple lured into the older pairs toxicity. The film won five Oscars, including for Taylor and Dennis. For Whiteley and Stewart, the biggest challenge has been dovetailing professional and family responsibilities when both parents are at the office at the same time. Logistically its a nightmare, says Stewart. If one of them gets sick ... well, no one can get sick.

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When we get into the theatre, thats fun, thats easy, adds Whiteley. Its just all the other stuff thats hard to organise. But, if we can be candid here for a moment, do you two fight in your real-life relationship? Oh yeah, says Whiteley. How dare you? says Stewart. Kat fights, he quips. I just agree. Phwoah, she scoffs. I think its unhealthy when couples dont fight  it means theyre not engaged. I think its important to fight a bit. We dont fight like George and Martha, though. These guys are off the charts. Its savage. I mean, were not trying to destroy each other. Whiteley says: People ask, do you get confused between your character and your real life?

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CAIRO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- It's a scorching afternoon in Cairo's bustling Khan el-Khalili market. Sara Ahmad, draped in a black abaya and clutching a folio of intricate tattoo designs, weaves through the crowd, peddling Henna tattoos, a hand-drawn form of body art, to passersby.

If lucky, she might attract one or two customers a day, earning 300 Egyptian pounds (about 6 U.S. dollars), which, however, is far from enough to support her and her four children.

For Sara and thousands of Sudanese refugees like her, begging has become a primary means of making ends meet, in addition to engaging in regular business activities.

Life is harsh. Yet compared to her compatriots lost in wars back in Sudan, Sara considers herself fortunate.

In April 2023, armed conflict erupted in Sudan, prompting Sara, her family, and over 2 million Sudanese to flee their homeland for foreign shores to survive.

Sudan's surging refugee numbers epitomize the growing global refugee crisis in recent years.

According to a June report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), global refugee numbers have consistently risen to unprecedented levels, with tens of millions displaced. Middle Eastern countries are the major source of the newly displaced people.

While escalating wars and conflicts plague the region, these struggling refugees, dispersed and destitute, are eagerly awaiting a chance to reunite with loved ones in their homeland.

UNPRECEDENTED SCALE

For 45-year-old Gaza resident Samer Awad, being labeled a "refugee" is a challenging thing to come to terms with.

"A year ago, I was celebrating Eid al-Fitr with my family," Awad told Xinhua. "Overnight, we have become displaced people who (seem to) have no hope of surviving this deadly war."

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel, igniting a fresh round of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel responded with a massive military operation in Gaza, resulting in over 37,000 Palestinian deaths and displacing more than 2 million Gazans, including Awad and his family.

Beyond Gaza, regional conflicts in Yemen, Syria, Sudan, and recent flooding in Afghanistan have displaced millions across the Middle East.

In Sudan alone, since violence erupted between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces in April 2023, over 7.1 million people had been compelled to leave their homes as of May, with an additional 1.9 million seeking refuge in neighboring countries.

In recent years, there have been setbacks in global efforts to address the refugee crisis. UNHCR's recent report shows that by the end of 2023, an estimated 117.3 million people worldwide were displaced, which marked an increase of 8 percent or 8.8 million more people compared to the end of 2022, continuing a trend of annual increases over the past 12 years.

Globally, one in 69 people, or 1.5 percent of the world's population, were forcibly displaced, a figure nearly double that of a decade ago when it was one in 125 people.

The UN refugee agency estimates that forced displacement continued to increase in the first four months of 2024 and by the end of April is likely to exceed 120 million.

GROWING SPILLOVER

The continuous increase of refugees is evolving into a global crisis with extensive social, economic, and security ramifications, especially in developing countries.

According to the UNHCR, 75 percent of the global refugees were hosted by low- and middle-income countries.

"Low-income countries continued to host a disproportionately large share of the world's displaced people," the agency said in its June report, stressing that these countries, which make up just 9 percent of the global population and contribute only 0.5 percent to global GDP, nevertheless hosted 17 percent of the world's displaced persons.

Due to their weak economic foundations, insufficient job opportunities, and inadequate infrastructure, these low- and middle-income countries often struggle to provide resources for the refugees that flood in. Many of the refugees are forced to rely on begging and other desperate measures to survive, placing a significant social strain on the host countries.

Take Lebanon, for instance, where an estimated 1.5 million Syrian refugees reside among a total population of slightly over 5.3 million, making it one of the countries with the highest proportion of refugees worldwide.

"The massive refugee exodus, the chaos that accompanied it, and the short time during which it occurred imposed difficulties in infrastructure, work sites, housing, transportation, and formal education," said Adnan Bourji, director of the Lebanese National Center for Studies.

Today, Lebanon is facing impending risks of an economic crisis, security vulnerabilities, and a decline in living standards. According to official data, 90 percent of the refugees in the country are living in extreme poverty.

Developed countries have also started feeling the ripple effect. A substantial number of refugees are risking their lives to enter developed regions like Europe and the United States through smuggling routes, further exacerbating the overflow of the crisis.

DISTANT DREAM FOR REUNION

Analysts argue that to truly address the refugee plight facing the world, the international community must step up efforts to enhance coordination.

On one hand, measures should be taken to support host countries in tackling social and security challenges. On the other hand, the international community must urge relevant countries to cease hostilities and restore tranquility.

The simmering refugee crisis is largely a result of the inaction of the international community and its organizations, said Amjad Farid, executive director of the Khartoum-based Fikra for Studies and Development.

"The international community and its systems must unite to address this disaster and give it the attention it deserves," Farid stressed.

At the political level, the international community must play a role in resolving the conflicts littered across the Middle East, according to Jordanian political analyst Raed Omari.

"The longer the conflicts persist in the region, the more complex the refugee issue will become," he said, adding that without resolving regional conflicts, the root causes of the refugee crisis can never be addressed.

However, amid the current global geopolitical situation, it appears that the ongoing trend of frequent conflicts cannot be contained in the short term.

An analysis by the U.S. Foreign Policy magazine in January indicated that not only is there little hope for the current global conflicts to be resolved in the short term, but more crises are likely to erupt worldwide by 2024.

Against such a backdrop of geopolitical conflicts, the elimination or alleviation of the refugee crisis remains a tall order.

While drawing Henna tattoos for customers, Sara keeps track of news broadcasts about the conflict in Sudan through a radio she carries with her at all times.

"I still have family and relatives in Sudan. My roots are in Sudan," she told Xinhua. "Once the situation calms down, I will return to my real home." 
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FoodMasterChef Recap Who has the nicest buns? Bao down to the winners of the Hong Kong mystery box The top seven, sans Sav, head overseas. First up: a cook-out at Victoria Beckham Harbour and plenty of gratuitous skyline shots from a rooftop. Ben Pobjie June 23, 2024 Save Log in , register or subscribe to save recipes for later. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share

This recap appears in the MasterChef 2024 recap collection. See all stories .

MasterChef soars to a new level as the amateurs head to Hong Kong, city of magic and wonder, to experience a thrilling new variety of rapid montage. Harry is king of the amateurs because he gets to fly business class, while the rest are jammed together in economy like the filthy peasants they are. As they touch down in Hong Kong, Harry has become thoroughly convinced that he is better than normal people, and the other amateurs all have deep vein thrombosis. The amateurs meet the judges atop a tall building at night, with the glittering cityscape laid out before them. The atmosphere strongly suggests that they are there to plan some kind of casino heist, but unfortunately its just going to be cooking again. Its getting a bit repetitive isnt it? Are the judges assembled on a rooftop for a late-night heist? Ten Andy informs the group that Hong Kong is home to 79 Michelin stars, 76 of which belong to the same McDonalds. He then tells them that theyll be getting a mystery box in the morning, and they all go to bed. So what was the point of this rooftop meeting? Are they just pandering to glittering cityscape enthusiasts? Cheap, MasterChef. Next morning the amateurs show up at Victoria Harbour, named after Victoria Beckham, to discover whats in their boxes. It turns out to be a cornucopia of Hong Kong ingredients, including crabs, pork belly, soy sauce, mangosteens, and a bunch of things I dont know how to spell.

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The three best cooks will get a place in tomorrows cook for immunity from the next elimination, which will take place back in Melbourne because it would just be too depressing to cut someone loose on the streets of Hong Kong. Josh is outside his comfort zone, but he likes the look of the pork belly, hopefully just as food, although when he tells Andy and Poh that he wants to make it sticky, doubts arise. Poh reminds Josh that the most important thing today is that she say umami as often as possible. In a sudden shock twist, Harry decides to make seafood. He notes that he hasnt cooked this crab before, which is lucky, because itd be weird to cook the same crab twice. He believes that by cooking the crab and making crab stock he can pack his crab full of crab flavour. Checks out. Mimi gazes out over the water and finds herself unable to stop dissolving into a montage of old childhood photos. She is feeling the weight of history and culture upon her, and feels uncertain about what to do. Theres so many ideas in my head, she says, but after running through them all decides that the best idea is to try to cook something.

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Meanwhile, Lachlan has decided to go with what he knows: wearing a beanie. He explains his Thai-inspired dish to Andy and Poh. Andy and Poh have no idea what hes talking about. In fact, they dont seem to be entirely sure who he is. They quietly ask the producer to check his passport. Nat and Jean-Christophe have a chat. He admits hes never been to Hong Kong before. Imagine a Frenchman in Hong Kong, he says. Everyone pauses for a minute to do so. Wow. While Nat is imagining a Frenchman in Hong Kong, Sofia steals her mangosteens, and it becomes clear this entire Hong Kong trip was just a ruse to enable Sofias plans to establish a black market mangosteen business. Josh tastes his dish. He doesnt like it. Finally, he knows what the judges have been going through all these weeks. Its too salty. Jean-Christophe asks what hes going to do. Josh doesnt know. As a Michelin-starred chef, Jean-Christophe knows what he should do (make it less salty), but admirably retains his objectivity, refusing to give Josh a hint. Imagine a Frenchman in Hong Kong, Jean-Christophe says. Everyone pauses for a minute to do so. Wow.

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Meanwhile, the judges meet to watch Poh do a weird monkey impression, the reasons for which are destined to remain forever unknown. Harry is happy with how his dish is going. His noodles are resting, and his crab is catching up on some reading. Andy tells him that what matters is how he edits the dish, yet again getting food confused with newspapers. MasterChef swaps the MasterChef kitchen for Victoria Beckham Harbour. Ten Moving on, Andy and Poh visit Nat, who mispronounces her own dish, forcing Poh to correct her and Andy to frown in total incomprehension. Nat is basing her rice-noodle rolls on intuition and also memory  the deciding factor will be whether its a memory of rice-noodle rolls, or of, say, a pony ride, which would taste awful. Mimi is progressing well on her pineapple buns, which is a kind of bun that contains no pineapple, making Mimi a liar. Jean-Christophe tells her that her pork is looking lovely: the guy never stops flirting.

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Over on Darrshs bench, he reveals that hes working on his bao buns, despite the fact that Poh told him explicitly earlier that bao means bun, so bao bun is redundant. Darrsh just never learns, and if the judges find out hes still using tautologies, he could, under MasterChef rules, be immediately disqualified. With three minutes to go, Lachlans oil isnt hot enough, Nats pork is too hot, Josh has combined saltiness with sweetness with sourness with bitterness with umami to make something beyond mans worst nightmares, and Mimi, after taking out her pineapple buns, believes herself to have become a god. Time is up, and the dishes must be tasted before the authorities discover that the show did not get a permit to film here. Night falls. Everyones food goes cold.

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Several days later, the judges start tasting. Harrys crab stares at them with menacing beady eyes. Poh thinks Harrys done a great job, although who knows if we can trust her? Youve really honoured the crab, she says, but the crab thinks it wouldve honoured it more not to kill and eat it. Jean-Christophe attaches a piece of crab to Harrys chest, having been drinking since dawn. Josh steps forward hoping to show the judges that hes not just a meat-and-three-veg guy  hes also a meat-with-an-egg-on-top guy. Everyone is very happy with Joshs dish, which they pin up on the fridge to show how special he is. Lachlan serves the pork that he is very concerned about. He is right to be concerned: Poh loves the flavours, but not the texture; his decision to coat the pork in corduroy has backfired. Sofia advises him to shrug his shoulders off, which is dubious advice, as cooking without shoulders is fiendishly difficult. Darrsh serves pork belly bao. Andy demands to know whether the bao is fluffy, even though its right in front of him and he could just eat it and find out. Darrsh is so stressed his head explodes in a fireball. After an ad break we discover that the baos are not fluffy and Darrshs family will carry the shame forever. Nat serves her mispronounced cheung fun. All the judges wet themselves with joy over it.

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At last Mimi, plating up pineapple buns and even more monologues about her heritage. The judges eat and immediately burst into hysterical laughter. Mimis knack for comedy buns has paid off. Andy is forced by Mimis bold flavours to reassess his life, coming to some disturbing conclusions. In the end Mimi, Nat and Harry go into the immunity cook, while the other three must spend the night on the wharf to think about what theyve done. Tune in tomorrow, when there will be even more pointless establishing shots. Collection MasterChef 2024: The Ben Pobjie episode recaps
A machete and extendable batons were allegedly brandished during the robbery of a teen that sparked a lockdown and evacuation at Adelaides biggest suburban shopping mall.

The incident unfolded at Westfield Marion in Adelaides south just before 3pm yesterday, triggering widespread reports of an armed person inside.

Two boys, aged 15 and 16, both from Mitchell Park, appeared in the Adelaide Youth Court via video link today following their arrests overnight.

Both were charged with aggravated counts of affray, robbery and assault.

Opposing bail, the prosecutor told court there was a great sense of fear instilled in all shoppers who remained at Marion, as it took some time to determine the nature of the offending and the risk to the public.

Brandishing items of this nature, being a machete and extendable batons, is something thats not trivial, he said.

The risk to the public thats caused by persons engaging in wanton violence of this nature in such a public atmosphere causes great risk to public safety.

Earlier, the court was told the alleged robbery victim had noticed three males following him to the shopping centre and he feared they were about to take the Trap Star hoodie he was wearing.

Its an expensive hoodie, the prosecutor said.

He told court the alleged victims and his friends went to the KFC outlet at the centres food court, where there were about 100 people.

[The alleged victim] observes the other three boys approach one of his three friends. The weapons are alleged to have been brandished by all three. The friend returned to the hoodie owner and indicated they were demanding his jumper, the prosecutor said.

Its at that point that the accused has produced a machete and has pointed it towards the group.

The prosecutor said the trio, holding extendable batons, approached the two boys and demanded the jumper. The alleged victim and his friends then fled.

After a short chase, the victim removed his hoodie and left it on the ground and sees that its collected by the accused. The second victim ran towards Kmart and was being chased by the co-accused, and there was a strike to his leg with the extendable baton, the prosecutor told the court.

He said the trio fled through David Jones and exited the shopping centre.

Centre management activated an alert and evacuation alarm, and the centre went into lockdown.

Shoppers sought refuge in stores as STAR Group officers searched for those involved.

At 11.45pm on Sunday, police executed a search warrant in the southern Adelaide suburb of Clovelly Park.

The prosecutor said police found unique clothing identified in CCTV worn by the alleged offenders and two extendable batons.

The two teens were arrested, with police still searching for a third person they believe was involved.

The 16-year-olds lawyer told the court the youth was unaware of the lockdown until hours later.

The fear thats ultimately caused by Westfield ... it was never [the defendants] intention that things escalated to the point they did, in so far as the response is concerned, she said.

The magistrate remanded the boys in custody, pending a bail report to assess their suitability for home detention.

The lockdown came less than three months after a man attacked shoppers with a knife at a Westfield mall in Bondi Junction, Sydney, killing six people including a security guard.

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Sydneys $21.6 billion metro rail line under the harbour and CBD is set to open to passengers in early August after trial running of a full-service timetable started on the driverless train link.

The opening of the main section of the Metro City and Southwest between Chatswood and Sydenham will be on a weekend in August, if the trial operations run without a major hitch, and they receive approval from safety regulators.

NSW Premier Chris Minns, Transport Minister Jo Haylen and Sydney Metro chief executive Peter Regan travel on a driverless train under the harbour on Monday. Credit: Nikki Short

The start of trial operations follows about 15 months of intensive testing and commissioning of the new infrastructure, including twin tunnels, driverless trains and stations, which is a key step towards gaining accreditation before passenger services begin.

The testing of a full-service timetable comes a month after Waterloo station became the first of six new stations to be handed over to Metro Trains Sydney, a private consortium led by Hong Kongs MTR Corporation which will operate the line.
Five years after the Victorian government confirmed farmland near Pakenham would become a new hub for jobs and housing, the fields of Officer South remain undisturbed by bulldozers.

The land on Melbournes south-eastern fringe has been set aside for a new industrial estate that was estimated to employ 22,000 people, in a part of the city where more than two out of three residents face long commutes to work. It will also include 5000 new homes.

City of Casey administrator Cameron Boardman at the dead end of Thompsons Road. Credit: Joe Armao

Now a local council pushing the project fears that it has stalled because the state government will not commit to building a new road into the area.

The City of Casey has told the Allan government that despite designating Officer South a state significant employment precinct years ago, its refusal to commit to extending Thompsons Road means the 22,000 jobs target cannot be realised.
Despite the widespread condemnation that greeted Opposition Leader Peter Duttons nuclear proposal, a high number of Australians either support its use or are open to its potential as an energy source being investigated.

A Resolve Political Monitor poll taken in the days after Dutton announced he would build seven nuclear power plants across the nation has found 41 per cent of people supported the use of nuclear power and 37 per cent opposed it, while 22 were undecided. However, 62 per cent were either open to its use or to investigating its use.

Support for nuclear power in Australia dropped slightly and opposition rose slightly since a poll in February. The poll also found the issue of nuclear power is not yet important in itself, with only 32 per cent of respondents agreeing it was very important, but neither were the related issues of nuclear-powered submarines, wind and solar farms.

However, nuclear power did intersect with more important voter priorities, such as living costs (77 per cent) and energy security/reliability (50 per cent). The environment, including climate change, came across as a second-order issue (38 per cent).
Australias supermarket giants could be fined billions of dollars  the highest penalties for any industry  if they breach a revamped and mandatory code of conduct designed to fix an imbalance of bargaining power between the major grocery stores and small suppliers.

Woolworths would face maximum penalties of $5 billion and Coles could be forced to cough up $3.8 billion  10 per cent of each companys annual turnover  under the massive fines that will be introduced on the recommendation of a major review tasked with strengthening the Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.

Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Metcash (IGA) will face massive penalties under the revamped and mandatory code of conduct.

Aldi would be fined up to $1.1 billion and Metcash, which owns the IGA brand, would face up to $800 million penalties, according to the companies estimated revenue for 2024.

Former Labor competition minister Craig Emerson, who led the review that will be published on Monday, has also proposed an anonymous complaints process and better dispute-resolution arrangements for the supermarkets and their suppliers, which include farmers.
For the first time in its 53-year history, Nauru Airlines has launched direct flights from Australia to Palau, making this Pacific paradise, which most Australians cant find on a map, accessible by a six-hour flight from Brisbane.

With more than 300 islands, aqua lagoons, a pristine reef system, overwater bungalows (there are five at the Palau Pacific Resort), glamping tents, resorts, boutique hotels and super yachts, it has been touted as a Maldives right on our doorstep.

You can now reach Palau in six hours on a non-stop flight from Brisbane. Credit: iStock

But like most high-end accommodation in that Indian Ocean location, food and drinks are expensive, particularly at resorts, with one charging $100 a bottle for an Australian chardonnay which retails for $10 back home, and another serving up a tuna sandwich for $30. A sting heightened by the fact that the accepted currency in Palau is US dollars.

The good news for visitors in this destination  650 kilometres north-east of Papua New Guinea  is that you can feast on the likes of fresh fish and Japanese fare for relatively reasonable prices outside the resorts. Even better, along with no traffic lights, there are no franchises, lending a certain charm to this Micronesian mystery.
Apple holds talks with rival Meta over AI: report



Washington, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Apple is talking to major rival Meta about integrating the Facebook parent company's generative AI into its products, as it tries to catch up with rivals on artificial intelligence, the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday.

The report comes after Apple also struck a deal with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, to help equip its Apple Intelligence suite of new AI features for its coveted products.

For months, pressure has been on Apple to persuade doubters on its AI strategy, after Microsoft and Google rolled out products in rapid-fire succession.

It has developed its own, smaller artificial intelligence but said that it will turn to others such as OpenAI to boost its in-house offering.

According to the Journal, which cited sources close to the matter, Meta has held discussions with Apple over integrating its own generative AI model into Apple Intelligence.

Apple senior vice president of software engineering Craig Federighi said in early June that Apple also wanted to integrate capabilities from Google's generative AI system, Gemini, into its devices.

The big challenge for Apple has been how to infuse ChatGPT-style AI -- which voraciously feeds off data -- into its products without weakening its heavily promoted user privacy and security, according to analysts.

Apple Intelligence will enable users to create their own emojis based on a description in everyday language, or to generate brief summaries of e-mails in the mailbox.

Apple said Siri, its voice assistant, will also get an AI-infused upgrade and now will appear as a pulsating light on the edge of your home screen.

Launched over 12 years ago, Siri has long since been seen as a dated feature, overtaken by the new generation of assistants, such as GPT-4o, OpenAI's latest offering.

According to Canalys, 16 percent of smartphones shipped this year will be equipped with generative AI features, a proportion it expects to rise to 54 percent by 2028.

vmt/dth/st/bfm

Apple

Meta
GAZA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli airstrike that targeted the headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in western Gaza City, Palestinian sources said on Sunday.

Palestinian security sources told Xinhua that Israeli aircraft struck the vocational college affiliated with the UNRWA in Gaza City in the north of the Gaza Strip with at least one missile.

The Israeli airstrike caused extensive damage to the college's premises, destroying its outer wall and security rooms, according to local sources and eyewitnesses.

Medical sources told Xinhua that five Palestinians were killed, and several others were injured, who were transported to the Baptist Hospital in central Gaza City.

No immediate comment was issued by the Israeli army or the UNRWA regarding the airstrike.

As of Sunday, the death toll of Palestinians has risen to 37,598 since the start of the conflict in Gaza in October 2023, said the health authorities in Gaza.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement on Sunday that its operational activity continues in the southern and central Gaza Strip.

Israel has been launching a large-scale offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip to retaliate against a Hamas rampage through the southern Israeli border on Oct. 7, 2023, during which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 were taken hostage. 
Marcos says Philippines won't be intimidated amid China row



Manila, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



President Ferdinand Marcos said Sunday the Philippines "will not be intimidated" by anyone after a violent clash between the Filipino navy and the Chinese coast guard in the South China Sea.

The confrontation took place Monday off Second Thomas Shoal as the Chinese sailors foiled an attempt by Philippine forces to resupply marines stationed on a derelict warship that was deliberately grounded atop the disputed shoal in 1999 to assert Manila's territorial claims.

It was the latest and most serious incident in a series of escalating confrontations between Chinese and Philippine ships in recent months as Beijing steps up efforts to push its claims to nearly all of the strategically located waterway.

"We will never be intimidated or oppressed by anyone," Marcos said in a speech during a visit to the headquarters of the Philippines' South China Sea forces on Palawan island, the closest major landmass to the shoal.

Marcos awarded medals to 80 sailors who took part in the resupply mission, urging them to "continue to fulfil your duty of defending the nation" even as he said the situation has become "dangerous".

Second Thomas Shoal lies about 200 kilometres (120 miles) from Palawan and more than 1,000 kilometres from China's nearest major landmass, Hainan island.

A Filipino sailor lost a thumb in the clash with Manila also accusing the Chinese coast guard sailors of wielding knives, sticks and an axe and stealing or damaging their equipment, including guns and inflatable boats.

Beijing insisted its coast guard behaved in a "professional and restrained" way and blamed Manila for the clash.

In previous confrontations Chinese forces have used water cannon and military-grade lasers and collided with Filipino resupply vessels and their escorts.

"We have never, never in the history of the Philippines, yielded to any foreign power," Marcos said to applause, while pledging to "continue to exercise our freedoms and rights in support of our national interest, in accordance with international law".

"Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence."

The confrontation is fuelling growing concern that the dispute could drag in the United States, which has a mutual defence pact with Manila.

The Philippine government said this week that it does not consider Monday's clash as an "armed attack" that would trigger a provision in the treaty for Washington to come to Manila's aid.

However, Manila says it was also concerned Chinese forces would launch a similar attempt to dislodge a small Filipino military garrison on Second Thomas Shoal.
Israel's Netanyahu says US arms delay row to be 'resolved in near future'



Jerusalem, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday a row with the United States over weapons delays relating to the Gaza war would be resolved soon, amid simmering tensions between the allies.

"About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but... the basic situation didn't change," he told a cabinet meeting.

"In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future," he added.

He said top Israeli officials lobbied their US counterparts at "the highest levels... at all levels" for speedier weapons deliveries.

"After months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression," he said.

Netanyahu irked Washington with a video statement earlier this week accusing it of "withholding weapons and ammunitions to Israel".

US officials have said they were not aware of what Netanyahu was referring to.

Netanyahu's latest comments came as Defence Minister Yoav Gallant flew to Washington for talks about the Gaza war.

On Thursday, the prime minister said Israel needed American ammunition to fight a "war for its existence" as it battles Hamas militants in Gaza and trades fire with Lebanese Hezbollah on its northern border.

Washington is Israel's main military backer, but the White House has voiced frustration over the rising civilian death toll in Gaza, where Israel has been fighting Hamas militants for more than eight months.
Israeli defence minister heads to US for 'critical' talks on Gaza war



Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was headed to Washington on Sunday for "critical" talks on the Gaza war raging since October 7 and surging cross-border tensions with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced hope for speedy progress on unfreezing US arms and ammunition deliveries from Israel's top ally which he said had dropped off sharply in recent months.

US President Joe Biden has been at odds with Israel's veteran right-wing leader over Gaza's surging civilian death toll, but US officials have said they were not aware of what Netanyahu was referring to on the arms issue.

The Israeli premier on Sunday told his cabinet that "about four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but... the basic situation didn't change."

However, he voiced hope the issue would now be cleared up: "In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future."

Israeli forces again bombed Gaza on Sunday, a day after tens of thousands staged a protest rally in Tel Aviv against the government and to demand the return of hostages being held by Hamas.

Tensions have also flared on Israel's northern border with Lebanon whose Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has traded daily cross-border fire with the army, heightening fears of all-out war.

Gallant said he would "discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon", vowing that "we are prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon and in additional areas".

He stressed that "our ties with the United States are more important than ever. Our meetings with US officials are critical to this war."



- 'War of annihilation' -



In Gaza, Israeli forces kept striking targets and battling Hamas, the Islamist militant group Israel has vowed to destroy over its October 7 attack, in a war that has devastated much of the coastal territory.

Warplanes had struck "dozens of terror targets throughout the Gaza Strip, including military structures, terrorists and terrorist infrastructure" over the past 24 hours, a military statement said.

As the Gaza war has raged on for over eight months, Israeli protesters have taken to the streets week after week demanding greater efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.

A rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday evening drew more than 150,000 people, according to anti-government protest organisation Hofshi Israel, which called it the biggest rally since the Gaza war began.

Many demonstrators voiced anger and frustration with Netanyahu and his far-right allies, accusing them of prolonging the war and putting the country's security and hostages at risk.

Many held signs reading "Crime Minister" and "Stop the War" while some lay on the ground covered in red paint to protest what they labelled the death of Israel's democracy.

In an address to the crowd, Yuval Diskin, a former head of Israel's domestic security agency Shin Bet, condemned Netanyahu as Israel's "worst prime minister".



- Lebanon tensions -



The Gaza war broke out with Hamas's October 7 attack on southern Israel that resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza although the army says 41 are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,551 people, also mostly civilians, Gaza's health ministry said.

An Israeli siege has deprived Gaza's 2.4 million people of most drinking water, food, fuel and other essentials.

"This war must stop," said Umm Siraj al-Balawi, surviving in a makeshift shelter amid a field of rubble, with strung-up sheets protecting her young children from the blazing sun.

"People are getting displaced from house to house, tent to tent, school to school," she said. "This is a war of displacement. It's a war of annihilation."

Lebanon's Hezbollah meanwhile said it had targeted a military position in northern Israel "with an attack drone" in response to the killing of a commander of the Jamaa Islamiya group in a strike on eastern Lebanon.

Israel said no one was injured in the attack Sunday.

Hezbollah had hours earlier published a video excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates, amid heightening fears of an all-out conflict.

Israel's military said last Tuesday that a plan for a Lebanon offensive had been "approved and validated".

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah responded with threats that no part of Israel would be spared in the event of a full-scale war.

burs-jd/fz/jsa
Ukraine missile attack on Crimea kills 3, wounds dozens: governor



Moscow, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



A Ukrainian missile attack Sunday on Sevastopol in the Russian-annexed Crimea peninsula killed three people, including two children, and wounded almost 100, the city's Moscow-appointed governor said.

Russia's defence ministry said Ukraine used US-supplied weapons in the attack and accused it of using cluster munitions.

Sevastopol, a Black Sea port city and naval base on the Crimean peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014, regularly comes under fire from Ukraine but Sunday's attack was unusually deadly.

Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev wrote on Telegram that two children and one adult had died. "The number of wounded has risen almost to 100 people," he added.

The governor said Ukraine had launched five missiles which Russian air defences intercepted over the sea but fragments fell onto the shore area and shrapnel wounded people.

Razvozhayev said missile fragments hit beach areas in the north of the city and set fire to a house and woodland.

A Russian defence ministry statement said Ukraine committed a "terrorist attack on civilian infrastructure of Sevastopol with US-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles loaded with cluster warheads".

The ministry said four missiles were downed and a fifth changed trajectory after being intercepted "with its warhead exploding in the air over the city".

A local news channel on Telegram, ChP Sevastopol, cited witnesses as saying that an elderly woman was killed as she swam in the sea.

Earlier, a drone launched by Ukraine on Russia's southern Belgorod region killed a man, the governor said.

Three Ukrainian attack drones struck the town of Graivoron, near the border with Ukraine, said Belgorod governor Vyacheslav Gladkov, with one hitting a car park near a multi-storey block of flats.

"A peaceful civilian was killed. The man died from his wounds at the spot" and three people were wounded, Gladkov wrote on Telegram.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in a social media post Sunday urged supporter countries to help Ukraine step up attacks on Russian soil.

"We have enough determination to destroy terrorists on their territory - it is only fair -- and we need the same determination from our partners. We can stop Russia," Zelensky wrote.

bur/tw
Niger army says it killed 'influential' Islamic State fighter



Niamey, Niger, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Niger's army said Sunday it had killed a key member of the Islamic State group during a military raid in the west of the African country.

The clash took place in the Tillaberi region in the vast and unstable "three borders" zone between Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Jihadist insurgents have staged attacks there for years despite the massive deployment of security forces.

The army said it had killed Abdoulaye Souleymane Idouwal, whom it described as "an influential member of the Islamic State", during a raid on Friday.

The army also said that on Thursday nine "terrorists" were killed and 31 arrested in an anti-jihadist operation in the region.

The army claims to have "destroyed the means of movement" of the assailants and "seized (their) means of communication".

Civilians in Tillaberi are frequently targeted by jihadist fighters, which regularly leads to large-scale displacement.

Niger is ruled by military leaders who seized power in a July coup, citing a worsening security situation as justification for the power grab.

The military government is also fighting Boko Haram jihadists and their rivals Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) in other regions.
Israel PM says 'intense' phase of Gaza war nearing end



Gaza Strip, Palestinian Territories, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that "intense" fighting against Hamas militants in the southern Gaza city of Rafah is nearly over, more than eight months into the devastating war.

"The intense phase of the fighting against Hamas is about to end," Netanyahu told Israel's Channel 14 network, without providing a clear timeline.

"It doesn't mean that the war is about to end, but the war in its intense phase is about to end in Rafah."

Israeli officials have described Rafah as the last Hamas stronghold in the Gaza Strip, and in early May troops entered the southern city, on the besieged territory's border with Egypt, despite global alarm over the fate of Palestinian civilians sheltering there.

The military seized the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing, a key conduit for desperately needed aid into Gaza that has remained shut since then.

Netanyahu's interview -- his first with Israeli media since the war began with Hamas's October 7 attack -- was broadcast as his defence minister arrived in Washington for talks on the Gaza war and surging cross-border tensions with Lebanon's Hezbollah movement.

On the ground in Gaza City, in the north of the Palestinian territory, Israeli bombardment continued on Sunday with medics and the civil defence agency in the Hamas-ruled territory reporting deadly strikes.

Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement has traded daily cross-border fire with Israel's army, heightening fears of all-out war particularly over the past two weeks.

Netanyahu said that "after the end of the intense phase" in the Gaza Strip, Israel would "redeploy some forces to the north... primarily for defensive purposes".



- 'Civilian administration' -



Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant's visit to Washington, which he said would include meetings that are "critical to this war", follows public statements by Netanyahu concerning US military aid which have added strains to ties with the White House.

Netanyahu has accused Israel's close ally and biggest military supplier of freezing some arms and ammunition deliveries during the war, which US officials have strongly rejected.

As he prepared to depart for Washington, Gallant said: "Our ties with the United States are more important than ever".

Netanyahu, who has faced growing pressure from Israeli demonstrators demanding a deal to free hostages still held in Gaza, said he would not agree to any deal that includes a permanent ceasefire -- one of Hamas's key demands in stalled mediation efforts for a truce.

"The goal is to return the kidnapped and uproot the Hamas regime in Gaza," he said.

When asked about post-war scenarios for Gaza, Netanyahu said it was "clear" that Israel would maintain "military control in the foreseeable future".

"We also want to create a civilian administration, if possible with local Palestinians" and regional backing "to manage humanitarian supply and later on civilian affairs in the Strip", Netanyahu added.

Similar proposals Netanyahu had presented to his ministers in February were swiftly rejected by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority, and prompted US warnings against the "Israeli reoccupation of Gaza".

Two members of Netanyahu's war cabinet, former military chiefs Benny Gantz and Gadi Eisenkot, left the government earlier this month over the lack of post-war plans.



- War 'must stop' -



In Gaza, Israeli forces kept striking targets and battling Hamas.

In Gaza City, medics at Al-Ahli hospital told AFP that at least five people were killed in an Israeli air strike on a facility of the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA.

The Israeli military said its jets struck militants who "operated from within buildings that previously served as an UNRWA headquarters"

There was no immediate comment from UNRWA, whose facilities have come under attack before.

Some UNRWA buildings have been turned into shelters for displaced Palestinians during the war.

An early morning air raid on a family home elsewhere in Gaza City killed at least seven people, the civil defence agency said.

The October 7 attack on southern Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,194 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli official figures.

The militants also seized hostages, 116 of whom remain in Gaza although the army says 41 are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 37,598 people, also mostly civilians, Gaza's health ministry said.

"This war must stop," said Umm Siraj al-Balawi, struggling to survive in a makeshift shelter amid a field of rubble, with strung-up sheets protecting her young children from the blazing sun.

But despite the needs, "delivery of any meaningful humanitarian assistance inside Gaza has become almost impossible and the very fabric of civil society is unravelling," the European Union said in a statement.

As the war has raged on, Israeli protesters have taken to the streets week after week demanding greater efforts to bring home the remaining hostages.

In his Sunday interview, Netanyahu said that if his rule ends, "a left-wing government will... establish a Palestinian state", dubbing it a threat to "our existence".

In Lebanon, Hezbollah said it had targeted military positions in northern Israel with attack drones, after an Israeli strike in eastern Lebanon killed the commander of another armed group, Jamaa Islamiya.

After the Israeli military said plans for a Lebanon offensive had been approved, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah responded that no part of Israel would be spared in the event of a full-scale war.

burs-jd/fz/ami/it
Lebanese minister denies Hezbollah weapons at Beirut airport



Beirut, June 23 (AFP) Jun 23, 2024



Lebanon's transport minister denied on Sunday that Hezbollah was storing weapons at Beirut airport, as fears grow of all-out war between the militant group and Israel.

Ali Hamieh called a press conference to deny the allegations of "absurd articles" in the media, and attacked the British daily The Telegraph.

The newspaper said the Shiite militant group is storing missiles and rockets at the airport, where "whistleblowers" had reported the arrival of "unusually big boxes".

Backed by Iran, Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily fire with Israeli forces in support of its ally, Hamas. The Palestinian movement has been at war with Israel since October 7 when Hamas militants from Gaza attacked southern Israel.

"I am holding this press conference to clarify that everything that has been written in The Telegraph is false and to say that there are no weapons entering or leaving Beirut airport," Hamieh told journalists.

He spoke from Beirut International Airport, located in an area south of the capital where Hezbollah is influential.

Hamieh invited ambassadors and journalists to inspect the airport on Monday morning in a visit "open to all"

The Lebanese air transport union condemned in a statement "simply erroneous statements and lies aimed at endangering Beirut airport and its employees, all civilians, and those who frequent it."

Israel has for years accused Hezbollah of keeping precision rockets and missiles in different installations throughout Lebanon, including on a site near Beirut airport.

Hezbollah denies this.

More than eight months of exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces have left 480 people dead in Lebanon, mostly fighters, but also 93 civilians, according to an AFP tally.

Israeli authorities say at least 15 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed in the country's north.

Cross-border exchanges and tension have escalated over the past two weeks after an Israeli air strike killed a senior Hezbollah commander.
This photo taken on June 23, 2024 shows a fence seen from Israel's border with Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that intense fighting against Hamas is "very close" to an end.

In an interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV news, Netanyahu said that "the intensive phase of the war in Rafah is about to end," and the Israeli forces were "very close" to concluding the "intensive phase" in the entire Gaza Strip.

However, he said, this does not mean an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, and operations will persist with the fighting against Hamas targets. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)

JERUSALEM, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that intense fighting against Hamas is "very close" to an end.

In an interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV news, Netanyahu said that "the intensive phase of the war in Rafah is about to end," and the Israeli forces were "very close" to concluding the "intensive phase" in the entire Gaza Strip.

However, he said, this does not mean an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, and operations will persist with the fighting against Hamas targets.

After the conclusion of the "intensive phase" in Gaza, "we will continue northward," Netanyahu said, referring to Israel's warnings of launching a full-fledged war against the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

He said that any agreement to secure a ceasefire along the Israel-Lebanon border, where Israeli and Hezbollah forces have traded fire since October 7, 2023, "will have to meet our terms."

He stated he would only agree to a deal that would see Hamas removed from power in the Gaza Strip and the release of about 100 hostages who are still held in the Palestinian enclave. 

This photo taken on June 23, 2024 shows a view of the Gaza Strip seen from Israel's border with Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that intense fighting against Hamas is "very close" to an end.

In an interview with Israeli Channel 14 TV news, Netanyahu said that "the intensive phase of the war in Rafah is about to end," and the Israeli forces were "very close" to concluding the "intensive phase" in the entire Gaza Strip.

However, he said, this does not mean an end to the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip, and operations will persist with the fighting against Hamas targets. (Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Xinhua)
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SANAA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Yemen's Houthi group on Sunday claimed responsibility for attacking two cargo ships in the Red Sea and the western Indian Ocean.

"The naval forces of our armed forces carried out a second targeting operation for the ship TRANSWORLD NAVIGATOR in the Red Sea with an unmanned boat, which resulted in a direct hit on the ship," Houthi military spokesman Yahya Sarea said in a statement aired by Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

"The missile force of our armed forces carried out an operation targeting the ship STOLT SEQUOIA in the Indian Ocean with several cruise missiles, and the operation achieved its objectives successfully," he said.

The attacks come in response to what Houthi claimed their owner companies' violation of the group's entry ban into Israeli ports, according to the spokesman.

Speaking of the U.S. aircraft carrier Eisenhower, which had just left the region, Yahya claimed that a series of Houthi attacks drove the vessel away.

He reiterated that his group's attacks would continue until Israel stops its war in the Palestinian enclave of the Gaza Strip.

Earlier in the day, a Yemeni government official told Xinhua that the merchant vessel TRANSWORLD NAVIGATOR, flying the Liberian flag, was struck twice by the Houthi group successively on Saturday in the Gulf of Aden, and on early Sunday, in the Red Sea off the coast of Yemen's port city of Hodeidah.

The official said the ship was damaged but was still proceeding to its destination with no injuries reported from the crew.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) confirmed receiving a report of an incident approximately 65 nautical miles west of Hodeidah.

The UKMTO's statement indicated that the master of a merchant vessel reported an impact from an uncrewed aerial system, which resulted in ship damage. All crew members were reported safe, and the ship was said to be proceeding to its next port of call.

These attacks are part of a broader campaign by the Houthis, which began in November 2023, targeting ships in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. The group claims to be targeting vessels associated with Israel or en route to Israeli ports, citing the ongoing Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip as justification.

The ongoing conflict along the vital shipping lanes of the Red Sea and surrounding waters continues to raise concerns about maritime security and global trade implications. 
ULAN BATOR, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Mongolia's capital elevated its disaster preparedness to high alert on Sunday due to rising water levels of major rivers caused by continuous heavy rainfall.

The high alert is expected to last until the end of next week, according to the mayor's office of Ulan Bator.

Several major rivers across the country, including Terelj, Tuul, Kherlen, Selbe and Sugnugur, have surpassed warning levels by 10 cm to 82 cm, the country's National Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring said, adding that water levels of these rivers are expected to rise further in the coming days.

Heavy rains have been hitting large parts of the country since midweek. In some areas, such as the national capital Ulan Bator, it snowed on Friday, an unusual occurrence for summer.

It is estimated that more than 25,000 people in the city live in areas at risk of flooding.

Mongolian authorities have warned the public, especially herders living along the rivers and tourists, to take extra precautions against possible disasters. 
Its not unusual to see Black children using smartphones or tablets throughout the community, as well as in school or church.

But a good number of them return to homes with inadequate or non-existent internet service, where dependable computer access, such as laptops or desk computers, isnt available.

Wont get left behind

Black churches are community anchors that occupy a valued role in guiding their congregations spiritually and navigating the complexities of todays world.  Fallon Wilson, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council vice president, Black Churches 4 Digital Equiy

Only 71% of Black households have broadband internet service, only 69% have home computers, and only 50% of Black workers say they have proficient or advanced digital skills. Statistics like these are why the late Congressman John Lewis called access to the internet the civil rights issue of the 21st century.

Now Black Churches 4 Digital Equity, an advocacy group that organizes and empowers Black church leaders to use their trusted voices to advocate for digital equity, raise awareness of low-cost internet options, and encourage our community to sign up, is doing something about it.

Refusing to accept the digital divide within their communities, BC4DE is hosted its inaugural Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study on June 19, 2024.

The event goal was to foster digital equity and literacy among Black Americans. Stakeholders from faith, technology, education, and government sectors convened on Zoom and at Greater Grace Temple of David in Detroit at the invitation of Bishop Charles H. Ellis III, senior pastor.

As the group says about the Black church, This is where digital equity starts.

On the BC4DE website, Fallon Wilson, Multicultural Media, Telecom and Internet Council vice president for policy, pointed out the critical role Black churches play in their communities and their mission to serve, Black Churches 4 Digital Equity Coalition believes they must be involved in significant initiatives such as the Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study to bridge this digital divide.

The advocacy of Black churches in the digital equity space is needed because In our increasingly digital society, the gap between those with access to technology and those without has become more apparent, influencing areas such as education, health, employment, and the ability to maintain connections with others, Wilson said.

We cant let the world leave us behind and then decide were going to catch up, Wilson tells Word In Black.

As Wilson explains, Black churches are community anchors that occupy a valued role in guiding their congregations spiritually and navigating the complexities of todays world.

Indeed, Ananda Leeke, MMTCs chief social media officer, says, The church does have a voice, and it touches predominantly in our community.

Who are the catalysts of change?

African-American women, who hold the purse strings, who are the caregivers, who are all of these different roles  the mothers, the tutors, the teachers, the lawyers, all of this, Leeke says.

But Black women cant bring digital equity to their communities without help.

Key to addressing digital equity are fellows who will drive action in their communities. The fellows are volunteers from 17 states  from churches, nonprofits, and other community leaders who are lending their time and talent to help ensure equal access to the families they serve.

Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems delivered the keynote address at the Juneteenth National Digital Equity Bible Study. Weems, who is a world-renowned preacher, biblical scholar, and author, was in the first cohort of the fellows.

In the next five years, Wilson wants to see computers and other electronic devices in Black households and internet access for them. She envisions a future where Black folks are aware of todays tech realities.

I will hear the children in their room talk about, well, Im not going to give my data freely to TikTok because my data is profitable for myself, she said.

I am not putting free content on the web. And then I will hear on the other side of the house, in the parlor, as my grandmother would say, I would hear her talking to her sister in Kansas, that it is so important that the elections are not stolen by these AI machines.

Great hope and excitement accompanied the planning of the Juneteenth action meeting.

Ananda Leeke, MMTCs chief social media officer, says, The church does have a voice, and it touches predominantly in our community.

She said she looked forward to the intergenerational community impact this is going to have, and how it will bring together all ages.

Wilson is looking forward to being in the presence of people worshiping and then talking about how theyre going to build and dream of digital futures for themselves and for their family members within a safe space or a community anchor of a church.

It makes me happy that well all be on one accord, worshiping and thinking about the future for our community.
Airmen from the 106th Rescue Wing are on hand for the arrival of the Wings first HH-60W Jolly Green II combat search and rescue helicopterat Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base, Westhampton Beach, N.Y., June 20, 2024. (Sarah McKernan/U.S. Air National Guard)

A new era has begun for the 106th Rescue Wing: The HH-60W Jolly Green II search and rescue helicopter has arrived.

The Wing accepted its first Jolly Green landed last week at the Francis S. Gabreski Air National Guard Base in Westhampton Beach, N.Y., the base said in a news release. It is the first step in the transition from the HH-60G Pave Hawk, according to Col. Shawn Fitzgerald, the 106th Rescue Wing commander.

We are very excited all around, and I am so happy to be a part of it and see it happen, Fitzgerald said.

The crew that delivered the aircraft from Moody Air Force Base in Georgia included two HH-60W instructor pilots, a special missions aviator and two HH-60 crew chiefs from the 106th Rescue Wing.

Maintainers from the 106th have already begun their qualifications training, and the first two air crew members are currently at training receiving their qualifications, said Lt. Col. Matthew Forbes, the 101st Rescue Squadron commander.

The next-generation Jolly Green II, based on the HH-60M Black Hawk frame, comes with a larger fuel capacity for longer range and better threat detection and countermeasures, according to the Air Force. It can carry two pilots, two gunners, two paramedics and two litters; the fuselage can be mounted on either side with .50-caliber and 7.62 mm machine guns, according to a September 2021 report on the Air Force Technology website.

The aircraft is also equipped with over-the-horizon tactical data receivers that enable the helicopter to receive near real-time mission and threat update information, enhancing mission effectiveness.

The Air Force announced the Pave Hawks retirement in 2010 and began development of the Jolly Green II in June 2014 with a $1.2 billion contract to Sikorsky and Lockheed Martin, according to Air Force Technology.

The Air Force began phasing out the Pave Hawks in 2022, and the Jolly Green II made its first operational flight that September when one flew a patient from Valdosta, Ga., to Tampa, Fla.

The name Jolly Green II pays homage to the Sikorsky HH-3E, nicknamed the Jolly Green Giant due to its size and color, which set the precedent for current Air Force combat rescue crews, according to the service.

The 106th Rescue Wing is home to a special warfare squadron with pararescuemen and combat rescue officers, specializing in rescue and recovery, and deploys for domestic and overseas operations.
SUVA, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has urged communities and stakeholders to work together to create opportunities for all young school-leavers, adding that being a school dropout should not carry a stigma.

According to Rabuka, more than 18,000 young people in Fiji leave schools every year, out of which around 14,000 are men who could enter the job market, reported Fiji Broadcasting Corporation on Sunday.

The formal sector can only absorb 7,000 to 8,000 jobseekers each year, he said.

Rabuka said Fiji is experiencing rural-to-urban migration, which has added further pressure on employment opportunities.

"But the government is passionate about creating a society that embraces young people, recognizing that the young people matter in taking the next nation forward," he said.

Youth ages 15 and 24 represent almost 30 percent of Fiji's social population, according to the prime minister. 
A woman waits at a bus stop with an advertising screen promoting contract military service in the Russian army and reading There is such a profession to defend fatherland, in Moscow on Nov. 22, 2023. (Natalia Kolesnikova, AFP via Getty Images/TNS)

Russia has sent so many men to join its war in Ukraine that crime levels in the country fell soon after the invasion began. Now their return is starting to unleash a wave of offending.

Crimes committed by servicemen that arent linked to the war increased by more than 20% last year, according to data from Russias Supreme Court. While the overall numbers are still small and many returning service members dont go onto commit offenses, there was a jump in cases of violent crimes as well as thefts and drug-related transgressions.

The figures exclude crimes involving tens of thousands of convicts released from jail to join the war under a program set up by the late Wagner mercenary group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin. Those who survived six months at the front were able to gain a pardon from President Vladimir Putin and return to Russia as free men.

In prison, they are treated like we are nothing, then it all gets even worse at the front, said Kazan-based sociologist Iskender Yasaveev. The experience they return with is a trauma that will manifest itself for decades.

Sociologists have long noted that crime levels often surge following the end of military conflicts, and researchers have looked at many possible causes for this from social disruption to trauma faced by soldiers. Russia is unlikely to buck that trend after Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion that triggered Europes largest conflict since World War II. The return of prisoners who fought for Wagner is offering an early signal of what may lie in store once hundreds of thousands of men brutalized by the fighting return to civilian life.

While lower-level crimes fell, the number of murders and sex offenses, particularly against children, hasnt declined in the past two years. Indecent assault against minors surged by 62% compared to the prewar period, according to Bloomberg calculations based on Supreme Court data.

The return of Wagner recruits to Russia has proved a shock to residents of cities and villages who discover men they thought were serving long jail terms living among them. People convicted of murder, and even cannibalism, have been among those pardoned.

Before his death in a plane crash after he led an abortive mutiny against the Defense Ministrys leadership in June last year, Prigozhin claimed 32,000 convicts hed recruited had returned to Russia from the war.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov responded to widespread public disquiet by telling reporters in November that criminals pardoned by Putin atone with their blood for their crime on the battlefield.

Still, a law that took effect in March quietly removed the right to a pardon after six months of service, forcing criminals who join up to remain in the military until the end of the war, like others drafted into the army.

Nevertheless they return, often by deserting. Crimes involving the military increased fourfold to 4,409 in 2023 compared to 2021, the Supreme Court data show.

One deserter, Artyom, said he fled after half his squad of assault troops were killed during four months in Ukraine. The 34-year-old, who asked not to be identified by his family name, joined the army to escape harsh treatment in the prison colony where he was serving a sentence for drug trafficking. Nobody told him the service was indefinite, he said.

The law that ended pardons also allows the Defense Ministry to enlist not only convicts but also people held in pretrial detention. Russia Behind Bars, a prisoners rights group, estimates as many as 175,000 former prisoners in total were taken to fight on the battlefield.

A postwar surge in crime may cost Russia as much as 0.6% of its gross-domestic product, said Alex Isakov, Russia economist at Bloomberg Economics. Alongside the direct costs to life and property, the state will face higher spending on welfare and security, especially on police, he said.

Anxious to avoid a repeat of the September 2022 draft of 300,000 reservists that prompted a spike in public anxiety over the war, the Kremlin is relying instead on generous payments to persuade men to join the army. Contract soldiers are offered monthly payments of 204,000 rubles ($2,300) in addition to signing bonuses that can reach as much as 1 million rubles.

Thats helped contribute to a short-term decline in crime particularly in Russian provinces. The slide in recorded crimes was three times greater in areas with high recruitment into the army, compared with regions with only moderate levels, according to Bloomberg Economics estimates.

Economic crimes such as theft and robbery, which are associated with poverty, have decreased because the war has poured money into the poorest regions and the poorest segments of the population, says sociologist and crime researcher Ekaterina Khodzhaeva.

Russian courts dealt with almost 62,000 fewer cases last year than in 2021, and the number of convicts fell by 2%. Police numbers have also fallen in many regions, suggesting fewer were available to solve crimes, as people abandoned poorly paid jobs for more lucrative military service.

The Interior Minister Vladimir Kolokoltsev said in May theres a shortfall of 152,000 officers across Russia, with one in four positions vacant in some regions.

Thats likely to add to the challenges facing the authorities in curbing crime as increasing numbers of convicts return from the war to civilian life.

Like any other veteran, they are likely to have post-traumatic stress disorder, said Anna Kuleshova, a sociologist at the Social Foresight Group. Thats coupled with a previous experience of incarceration, all of which combine and can lead to difficulties with integrating into society.

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Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III speaks with Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant during a meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel, in October 2023. Gallant arrived in Washington on Sunday for meetings with U.S. officials amid growing fears that border clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah could escalate into all-out war. (Chad J. McNeeley/Department of Defense)

BEIRUT  Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant arrived in Washington on Sunday for meetings with U.S. officials amid growing fears that border clashes between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah could escalate into all-out war.

Hezbollah released a video message Saturday night threatening to attack crucial Israeli buildings if a full-scale conflict were to break out in Lebanon. The video appears to display coordinates near a central Israeli airport, two power plants, a nuclear research center, a cargo port and a gas field.

It also includes a clip from a speech that Hasan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, delivered Wednesday: If a war is imposed on Lebanon, the resistance will fight without restraints, without rules, without limits, he said.

The Israel-Lebanon border has been a battlefield since Oct. 7, when Hamas-led militants overran southern Israel, triggering the war in Gaza and inspiring attacks by Iran-backed proxies from Iraq to Yemen.

Israeli forces and fighters from Hezbollah  the Iranian-aligned group that is Lebanons most dominant military and political force - have traded carefully-calibrated blows, exchanging rocket, mortar and drone fire on a near-daily basis. While the violence has displaced tens of thousands of civilians on both sides of the border, it has, up until now, remained relatively contained.

But the scope and pace of attacks has increased significantly in recent weeks, matched by sharper threats from Israeli and Hezbollah officials, who both say they are prepared for war  a nightmare scenario that officials in Europe, Washington and across the region fear would devastate Lebanon, threaten major Israeli cities and consume the Middle East.

We have been pursuing a diplomatic resolution to try to make clear that there should be no further escalation, and thats what well continue to pursue, State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters in a briefing last week, as U.S. special envoy Amos Hochstein made another visit to the region to urge restraint.

Yet hope is waning that Washingtons diplomatic scramble can succeed. Western and Lebanese officials have expressed concern over the past months over the slow-moving pace of negotiations aimed at resolving the border dispute  held up by Hezbollah and Israeli intransigence.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is under growing domestic pressure to drive militants from the border and allow displaced Israelis to return to their homes in the north; Hezbollah has said it will keep fighting in the south until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza, a prospect that appears to grow more distant by the day.

One rash move  one miscalculation  could trigger a catastrophe that goes far beyond the border, and frankly, beyond imagination, United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres said Friday. The people of the region and the people of the world cannot afford Lebanon to become another Gaza.

Lebanon is already a country on the brink, ruled by a weak caretaker government and ravaged by an economic crisis that has decimated the banking system and left much of the population in poverty.

On June 12, Hezbollah announced an Israeli strike had killed Taleb Sami Abdullah, the most high-ranking commander killed since Oct. 7. Senior Hezbollah official Hachem Saffieddine vowed Wednesday that the group would respond by intensifying its operations in severity, strength, quantity and quality.

The Israel Defense Forces reported drone attacks from Lebanon on Sunday, targeting an IDF outpost and an army base in the north.

During his visit to Washington, Gallant is set to discuss developments in Gaza and Lebanon, as well as efforts to return the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas, his office said in a statement. Gallant will meet with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other officials.

The United States is our most important and central ally, Gallant said before departing on Saturday night. Our ties are crucial and perhaps more important than ever, at this time.

His trip comes five days after Netanyahu accused Washington of delaying weapons shipments to Israel, comments White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby called perplexing. Defending those remarks at a cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said: My job is to do everything to ensure that our heroic fighters receive the arms they need.

Opening a second major front in Lebanon would place further strain on the Israeli military, which is still engaged in heavy fighting with Hamas in north and central Gaza, even as it says it is close to achieving its objectives in the southern city of Rafah. Hezbollah has a more professional army and more advanced weaponry than Hamas, having battled Israel to a bloody stalemate in two previous wars, in 2006 and 2016.

The group caught Israel off guard last week when it published drone footage of an Israeli military base at the port of Haifa, exposing possible vulnerabilities in the countrys vaunted air defense system. The video listed multiple potential targets, including Israels main airport, Ben Gurion, power plants in Ashkelon and Hadera, a plutonium-based facility in Dimona, the Leviathan gas field, a large natural gas field in the Mediterranean Sea, and Ashdod, home to a cargo port.

A full-on conflict between Israel and Lebanon would likely spread quickly across the region, analysts say, triggering responses from Hezbollahs allies in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Iran  described by Tehran as the axis of resistance. On Saturday, an article in the Hezbollah-aligned newspaper al-Akhbar quoted Kazem al-Fartus, an Iraqi militia leader, saying that if the presence of fighters from Iraq in southern Lebanon is required, we will be on the first lines.

For years, Israeli officials have publicly warned that the next war with Hezbollah would lead to widespread destruction in Lebanon and its capital, Beirut. Though such warnings have increased since Oct. 7, they have largely been dismissed by Lebanese officials and much of the public as political posturing for domestic consumption in Israel.

But alarm grew this weekend after an article in the British newspaper The Telegraph, published without a byline and attributed to anonymous whistleblowers, reported Hezbollah had weapons caches stored at Beiruts international airport. The article was picked up by Arab newspapers, sparking panic in Lebanon that this summer could see a repeat of 2006, when Israel bombed the airport in the early days of the war.

Lebanons Air Transport Union condemned the article as deception and lies aimed at endangering Beirut Airport and its workers, all of whom are civilians, and those passing through it, all of whom are civilians.

The union put out a call for Arab and foreign media to visit Beirut airport with camera crews and verify for themselves. Otherwise, we consider that what is being promoted by suspicious media is incitement to kill us.

Heres what to know

 Footage that was widely circulated and verified by Reuters showed a man strapped to the hood of an Israeli military vehicle during a Saturday raid in the Wadi Burqin area of the occupied West Bank. Two witnesses told The Washington Post the man was an injured Palestinian detained during the raid; the IDF said he was a suspect wounded in an exchange of fire. Tying him to the jeep was in violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the IDF added, saying the incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.

 The Israeli militarys daily 11-hour pause on an aid corridor in southern Gaza has not helped deliver more resources to the area, Cindy McCain, the executive director of the U.N. World Food Program, told Al-Monitor. Weve been shot at, and weve been rocketed. So as far as we can tell, theres no difference at all, McCain said.

 Massive crowds of demonstrators turned out in Tel Aviv on Saturday night to call for the ouster of Netanyahu and demand that Israel reach a cease-fire deal with Hamas to free the hostages in Gaza.

Melnick reported from London and Masih from Seoul. Mohamad El Chamaa in Beirut and Alon Rom in Tel Aviv contributed to this report.
Ryan Carter, a medically retired technical sergeant from the Maryland Air National Guard, and his wife Kathleen Cole in a photo before a 2018 surgery left Carter paralyzed. Carter has petitioned the Supreme Court to hear his lawsuit, which has been denied in lower courts because of a statute that bars service members from suing the military when they are injured during medical malpractice. (Photo provided by Christopher Casciano. )

Staff Sgt. Ryan Carter walked into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on April 6, 2018, for a common back surgery meant to alleviate chronic neck pain. He never walked again.

A former information technology airman for the Maryland Air National Guard, Carter has limited use of his left arm but is otherwise paralyzed from the chest down.

In the years since his surgery, he and his wife Kathleen Cole have fought two battles: Carter learning to live as a quadriplegic in need of round-the-clock care and suing the military hospital and surgeon for the trauma his spinal cord suffered during the operation that resulted in his paralysis.

Carters attorney Christopher Casciano filed a petition June 5 with the Supreme Court to revisit a ruling that it made more than 70 years ago known commonly as the Feres Doctrine which bars service members from suing the Defense Department for injuries suffered while in the military. Hes worked with Carter on six previous filings for administrative claims or civil suits that were required to get to the Supreme Court as the final stop for his case. Each was denied or dismissed.

The final dismissal came from the Fourth Circuit Court of Criminal Appeals, which heard oral arguments on the case in January. The three-judge panel cited a 1989 court decision that found Feres applies to service members on excess leave and receiving medical treatment from military doctors.

Im doing this because I got injured, obviously, but this is not just for me. Were doing this for everybody else, for people that come after me, Carter, 49, said during a call from his home in Tampa, Fla., where he and his wife moved in 2021 to be close to a Department of Veterans Affairs facility that specializes in spinal cord rehabilitation. He had previously spent time in a facility in Colorado and has never been able to return to his previous home in Baltimore.

The Feres Doctrine has been used to prevent military medical malpractice lawsuits since 1950 and has even limited the ability of people to bring military rape cases to civil courts for recourse. Congress in 2019 passed a law to allow service members to file malpractice claims through their service branch. If the service denies the claim, the service member cannot take their case to the courts.

The Federal Tort Claims Act, first established in 1946, is the means for people to take legal action against the federal government for negligence to its employees. However, the law leaves out claims arising out of the combatant activities of the military  during time of war.

In its Feres v. the United States decision in 1950, the Supreme Court expanded interpretation of the statute to include injuries that are incident to service, a broad description that has come to encompass nearly everything in military life.

Since the military began accepting medical malpractice claims in 2020, the Army has received 258 claims, the Navy and Marines have received 193, and the Air Force 134. Of those, the Army has approved 12, the Navy three and the Air Force six. They have denied 81, 103, and 71, respectively, while the rest remain pending or in appeal.

That legislative effort to somehow deal with Feres is just absolute nonsense, Casciano said. None of those service members or family members have access to the courts because all the government has to do is deny their claim. They cant appeal it. They cant file in the circuit court, and theyre just sitting there. Those cases are just sitting there.

Ryan Carter, a medically retired technical sergeant from the Maryland Air National Guard, was paralyzed during a 2018 surgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He has petitioned the Supreme Court to hear his lawsuit, which has been denied in lower courts because of a statute that bars service members from suing the military when they are injured in medical malpractice. (Photo provided by Christopher Casciano)

Our whole world has changed

Cole, 57, said suing is to have that acknowledgment of the fact that our whole world has changed.

Carter had just finished a seven-month activation with the Air Force on March 13, 2018, and decided to have an orthopedic spine procedure called an anterior cervical discectomy and fusion. Carter hoped it would help with his cervical spondylotic myelopathy, a neurological condition that frequently develops in adults as the spine compresses over time. The disease caused chronic pain in his neck, and numbness and tingling in his hands.

The surgery is common in the United States and is performed on average about 132,000 times a year, according to the Cleveland Clinic, a medical research and education facility in Ohio.

Carter weighed having surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore but instead chose Walter Reed in Bethesda, Md., he said because of the reputation of the military facility. Presidents go there for treatment, he said.

There was nothing distinctively military about the surgery or the care provided to Mr. Carter, Casciano wrote in his Supreme Court petition.

During the procedure, Carter sustained an injury to his spinal cord. When he woke up afterward, he was unable to move his arms and legs. He underwent a second emergency operation the same day and was then sent to the intensive care unit where he was intubated and sedated.

After three weeks in intensive care at Walter Reed, Carter transferred to the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center in Richmond, Va., where he would spend the next year in rehabilitation therapy for his spinal cord injury.

About once a month, members of Carters unit would make the more than three-hour drive from Baltimore to visit with him. They would take Cole out for lunch and ask her how she was doing and what she needed.

During one of the visits, Guard members held a ceremony for Carter to promote him to the rank of technical sergeant. He had earned the qualifications prior to the surgery, but the moment came unexpectedly, he said.

Oh, my goodness. Its hard thinking of [that day], said Carter, who intended to serve until he was eligible for retirement. They didnt have to do that.

While in Richmond, Carters military status was changed, and Casciano said this might be the key to helping their case catch the attention of the Supreme Court. On June 27, 2018, the Air National Guard retroactively changed Carter from inactive duty to active duty, according to court documents. The orders backdated his active status to March 14, 2018.

Mr. Carter was arguably more akin to a veteran than an active-duty service member, Casciano said. He was inactive, no orders, no duties, no mission, and 82 days after his injury, the government retroactively changes his military status.

Previous court filings on the case were all dismissed before evidence gathering, the attorney said, so he can only speculate why it was done. Active duty afforded financial and medical benefits to Carter, but it also has triggered the Feres Doctrine, Casciano said.

Maj. Ben Hughes, spokesman for the Maryland Air National Guard, said Friday that Carter was on medical continuation orders, which allow for medical coverage related to military service.

We continue to send our sincere condolences to his family and all who knew him, he said.

Feres and the court

Carters petition asks the court to review two questions. Should Feres bar medical malpractice claims when the service member was not on active duty or was retroactively placed on active duty? Also, should Feres be clarified, limited or overruled?

In recent years, there often has been at least one case involving Feres among the roughly 8,000 petitions submitted to the Supreme Court for review, said Michael Wishnie, a professor at Yale Law School. Of all petitions, less than 100 are granted, and it is rare for the court to say why a petition wasnt selected.

However, in 2021, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a short dissent when the court denied a petition from Wishnie regarding the case of a former cadet of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. The cadet said she was raped at the academy and sued over inadequate prevention policies.

At a minimum, we should take up this case to clarify the scope of the immunity we have created. Without any statutory text to serve as a guide, lower courts are understandably confused about what counts as an injury incident to military service, Thomas wrote.

The Supreme Courts lack of action on the Feres Doctrine could mean the court thinks if its ruling on that statute is wrong, Congress can act and fix by passing a law, Wishnie said.

Congress only actions on Feres have been limited exceptions for claims related to contaminated water at Marine Corps Base Camp LeJeune, N.C., and the administrative medical malpractice claims.

The risk is that narrow congressional amendments may confirm the justices view that when Congress has thought about injuries to service members recently, they have not done a wholesale rewrite to overturn Feres. They just made these technical adjustments, which, to some members of the court, may be evidence that Congress basically agrees with Feres, Wishnie said.

But in his view, Feres is wrong.

It is lazy of the court to leave it to Congress to fix, Wishnie said. If the court granted [a petition], I suspect a majority of the court would agree with Justice Thomas that Feres was wrongly decided.

Carter and Cole said they knew their legal battle would take years and would not be easy.

Living in Tampa, the couple are isolated from the network of family and friends developed over a lifetime in Baltimore. The VA affords him home health care workers, but staff shortages in the industry means there are some days where Carter cannot get out of bed because there is no one able to help him.

With neither of them able to work, they cant afford a van to accommodate Carters wheelchair. Cole cant travel anywhere because she has no backup support to stay with her husband.

Its totally isolating at times, she said.

Part of Carters care includes weekly mental therapy.

When I was going through this initially, I thought about [my wife] and what she was going through, he said. Thats the main part of my [post-traumatic stress disorder].

In the next month, Casciano said hes advocating for military organizations with an interest in Feres to get involved and submit letters to the court in support for the petition. Previous Feres cases have not gotten past this petition stage, so he hopes documented support can help.

Carter and Cole said their legal efforts to hold the military accountable for his injury has not created any animosity toward the service. Rather, its the opposite.

I think they are special people that join the military and are willing to basically lose their lives or sacrifice their livelihood, Cole said.
Most of the Spare Charlie crew and other men they flew with are photographed in 1944. Front row, left to right, Samuel L. Peak, Victor R. Romasco, Thomas J. Tracy, Allen Osterberg. Back row, left to right, Murl F. Simmons, Richard Oberlin, Frank A. Welke Jr., Robert F. Scharff, Redin R. Kilpatrick and Max L. Rockey. (Delta County Historical Society )

EPAGNE-EPAGNETTE, France  An Army aircrew whose B-17 bomber was shot down over northern France has been honored 80 years later thanks to the joint efforts of an American woman with a history degree and a Frenchman with a penchant for World War II.

A memorial for the nine-member crew was unveiled near the crash site here Saturday, the anniversary of the incident, which left all but one of the airmen dead.

About 50 of the soldiers relatives traveled to France from the United States to attend the memorials unveiling with local residents and government officials.

I am very happy and very grateful that the Spare Charlie crew have not been forgotten, Camille Noel, a George Washington University history graduate, told the crowd, identifying the crew by the name of their aircraft.

Noel, who fought back tears as she spoke, played a key role in getting the memorial erected.

Camille Noel, a George Washington University history graduate, speaks during a ceremony in Epagne-Epagnette, France, Saturday, June 22, 2024. Noels research of an American B-17 bomber crew whose plane was shot down during World War II lead to the crew being honored with a memorial near the crash site. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Descendants said many details of the crews final mission likely would have been lost to history if not for Noels research.

Her research began in 2019 when the Utah native had to write a biography on a soldier from her home state and chose 2nd Lt. John Lundberg, the Spare Charlies navigator. That assignment sparked her interest in the rest of the crew, and she wrote about them for her final thesis.

After contacting their families, obtaining personal records, piecing together the training they went through in the U.S. and the multiple bombing mission they completed in Europe, Noel wrote to a newspaper in Abbeville, France, in an effort to try to find potential eye witnesses.

The newspaper put her in touch with Emmanuel Berle, a retiree and local World War II aficionado. Together, the duo was able to piece together a detailed narrative of what happened on June 22, 1944. Noel had planned to visit the area in 2020, but she had to cancel her trip because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She and Berle kept in touch, and in 2022, he proposed getting a monument erected for the crew.

Its important to have a permanent memory of this crash, Berle said, adding that most people now living in the area had been unaware of it. He helped raise funds for the memorial from French donors, and Noel solicited the crews family for donations.

Those men died for the liberty of western European countries and it takes all of us, and future generations to not let their final sacrifice be useless, Berle said.

The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Spare Charlie of the 381th Bomb Group stationed at an 8th Air Force Base near Ridgewell, England, May 30, 1944. A memorial was unveiled in Epagne-Epagnette, France, on June 22, 2024, for the planes crew of nine who were shot down over the village during World War II. (National Archives)

Every member of the Spare Charlie crew was between the ages of 20 and 27.

In addition to Lundberg, there was pilot Samuel Peak from Texas, co-pilot Robert Petroski from Michigan, bomber Allen Osterberg from Michigan, radio operator Frank Welke from New York, upper machine gunner Murl Simmons from New York, ball turret gunner Robert Scharff from New York, tail machine gunner Max Rockey from Michigan, and waist gunner Richard Oberlin from Ohio.

Spare Charlie belonged to the 534th Bomber Squadron of the 381st American Bomber Group, which was part of the U.S. Army Air Forces, or USAAF.

From June 1943, the 381st Bomber Group was based at Ridgewell Airfield in the United Kingdom.

The heavy bomber B-17 Flying Fortress played a pivotal role in the U.S.s effort during the war. But many crews died before finishing their tour of 25 to 30 missions, something the soldiers flying the B-17s were aware of.

The Spare Charlie crew  minus Petroski and Lundberg, who were substituting for two regular crew members on the day the plane crashed  had already completed more than 20 bombing runs together, prior to their crash, including one on D-Day.

On June 22, the crew, including Petroski and Lundberg, set off from the U.K. in the early evening to attack three power stations in northern France.

A memorial for a U.S. B-17 bomber crew is unveiled in Epagne-Epagnette, France, Saturday, June 22, 2024, near the site where the plane crashed during World War II. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

Spare Charlie was flying in the lead position of a formation that included several other bombers that day, according to Noels research. Around 7 p.m. near Abbeville, German artillery hit the aircraft and it came spiraling down breaking into pieces.

Oberlin got sucked out of the aircraft and managed to parachute to the ground before Nazi forces captured him and sent him to a prisoner of war camp. He was the only one in the group who survived.

He had survivors guilt and dealt with it his whole life, said Richard Keefer, Oberlins grandson and namesake, who was in France for the memorial ceremony.

Oberlin would talk about his war experiences if asked, but he preferred not to, Keefer said, saying there were many details about Spare Charlie and its last flight, including the planes name, that he wasnt aware of until Noel contacted him

Relatives of other soldiers knew even less.

Robert Krausman, Petroskis biological son, was about a month old when Spare Charlie went down. He took his stepfathers name when his mother remarried. For years, he wore Petroskis wedding ring, which his mother received after the crash, but he knew next to nothing about the incident that caused his death.

Relatives of a B-17 bomber crew, whose plane called Spare Charlie was shot down by Nazis during World War II, visit the site of the crash in Epagne-Epagnette, France, Saturday, June 22, 2024. An American flag was recently erected at the site. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

It was a subject my mother never liked to revisit, Krausman said. But with Camilles research, Ive become exposed to some of the stories and those of the others. Theres a lot of closure.

Petroski was one of six crew members initially found and buried in a local cemetery. Most crew members have been reburied at the Normandy American Cemetery, about 190 miles west of the crash site. Lundberg, whose body was discovered several months later, is also buried at the cemetery.

Scharff was the last crew member found, over two years after the crash. His great-nephew Jim Reedy was at the memorials unveiling.

If we dont do things like this, the memory will atrophy and people will eventually forget all about it, Reedy said. Its important to keep the memory alive so we dont repeat the same mistakes again.

One of the most touching moments of the ceremony was when three French children read portions of Lundbergs last letter home, which he wrote specifically in case he died in combat.

Army Lt. Col. Clayton Merkley, whose granduncle 2nd Lt. John Lundberg was killed in World War II, speaks at a ceremony in Epagne-Epagnette, France, Saturday, June 22, 2024. Lundberg and his aircrew were honored with a memorial near the site where their bomber was shot down. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

His grandnephew, active-duty Army Lt. Col. Clayton Merkley told the crowd how Lundbergs wings hung on his bedroom wall as a teenager, and how the entire Spare Charlie crew continues to inspire him.

Eighty years later, neither the memory nor the motivation of the Spare Charlie crew and all those who assisted are forgotten, Merkley said. Instead that memory and the sense of purpose burns bright.

A memorial for the Spare Charlie B-17 bomber crew includes the names and photos of each crew member. (Phillip Walter Wellman/Stars and Stripes)

After laying a wreath of flowers next to the new memorial, Noel and Berle held hands and smiled as they looked at the marble slab that includes the names and photographs of each crew member. They hadnt met face-to-face before this visit.

Its been very nice to give these families more information, Noel said. A lot of them have told me they are finally getting to know their uncle, their great uncle, because all they knew before was that he died in World War II  that was it.
LGBTQ+ campaigner and social media stars getaway car had to be abandoned

A bungling burglar who was spotted pushing a broken-down getaway car with a haul of stolen goods inside is a well-known TikTok star and Traveller LGBTQ+ campaigner.

Darren Collins (29), of Marian Place, Tullamore, Co Offaly, and his brother Jamie Collins (20), of Chancery Park Road, Tullamore, were forced to abandon their car moments after filling it with an array of items stolen in a house raid at Cuainin, Marlinstown, Mullingar, Co Westmeath, on July 31 last year.

However, they were nabbed after a neighbour spotted four men shortly after 11pm carrying a large amount of property from inside the house to an 07-registered vehicle parked outside.

Detective Garda James Grogan told a sitting of Mullingar District Court how the brothers, together with their two accomplices, were seen minutes later pushing the broken-down car towards a nearby roundabout.

Brothers Jamie, left, and Darren Collins

The brothers, who pleaded guilty to their burglary, were this week ordered to come up with 2,500 in compensation to avoid a custodial sentence.

Darren Collins is a well-known LGBTQ+ campaigner who has appeared on numerous TV and radio shows, detailing the difficulties he endured when coming out as gay in the Travelling community in Ireland.

He previously appeared on the Ray DArcy Show and was interviewed on RTE by Sean ORourke.

Darren talked about the effect it had on his mental health, and how his father accepted it when he told him, but it took his mother some time to come to terms with it.

He also revealed how he had attempted suicide after coming out, and had known friends who died by suicide because they were struggling with their sexuality.

He said it was difficult being gay in the Travelling community and there were people he no longer spoke to as they werent as accepting of his sexuality.

Darren has since been involved in projects to create awareness about mental health in and around the Travelling community, based on their sexuality.

He also runs a popular TikTok social media account with thousands of followers.

Read more Bungling burglars left bloodstained broken-down car full of stolen goods in hotel car park

He appeared in court last week in connection with the burglary in Mullingar just over a year ago.

Det Garda Grogan said that on arrival at the scene an inspection of the house found a significant amount of damage had been caused to its interior and its bedrooms ransacked.

The court was also told of how fresh blood marks were spattered across the propertys staircase and walls, while several of its interior glass-panelled doors had been smashed.

Gardai later found the car in question a short distance away in the car park of the Mullingar Park Hotel. Det Garda Grogan said both he and a colleague noticed it immediately due to the way it had been parked sideways, and with the contents of the burgled house still inside.

A check on the vehicle found that its registered owner was Darren Collins, while blood found on a side panel matched that of his younger brother, the court heard.

The two Collins brothers, who pleaded guilty, were remanded on continuing bail to a sitting of Mullingar District Court on November 21.
MADRID, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU)'s plan to impose additional duties on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) may undermine the Spanish market's competitiveness and the transition to more sustainable mobility, an executive of Spain's major auto dealers association has said.

"A tariffs increase could affect the import of Chinese electric vehicles and thus the competitiveness of the Spanish market," Raul Morales, communications director of the Federation of Automotive Dealers Associations (Faconauto), told Xinhua in a recent interview.

Faconauto, which has almost 6,000 points of sale all over Spain, believes that "competition is always good, especially in a sector such as the automotive industry."

"It is about achieving the balance of protecting local manufacturers without hindering access to the European market for more affordable EVs, which can be quite important when it comes to accelerating the arrival of electric vehicles and moving towards more sustainable mobility," he said.

Some Spanish customers are considering buying electric vehicles as Chinese EVs enter the market with more competitive prices, said Morales, "which is what we are lacking now to boost electrification."

Competition is "a good lever for a broader base of citizens to consider buying an electric vehicle," Morales noted.

He also pointed out that European manufacturers have had to adapt very quickly to very strong environmental requirements that have made them lose competitiveness.

Not all countries within the EU are in favor of imposing tariffs and, furthermore, the distribution sector "does have an interest in Chinese brands coming to Europe," said the executive. 
CAB claim that house, shop and 23,000 cash are the proceeds of crime

A convicted drug dealer and father of 15 has said a Limerick property worth 295,000 and 23,000 cash came from compensation claims and saving social welfare money.

Dermot Calvert also denied claims by the Criminal Assets Bureau (CAB) that 205,000 worth of refurbishments on his two-bed semi-detached house were paid for with criminal cash.

He laughed when the CAB valuation was put to him during a garda interview and told them at one point he was in receipt of 1,600 just in child benefits alone.

His wife, Martina Harty, who has five children, has said the house  bought for 17,000 in 2014  was paid for with compensation cash she had received.

The couple, along with Calverts daughter Stacey, are being targeted by CAB, who claim the property along with a car and seized bundles of cash are the proceeds of crime.

Dermot Calvert and Martina Harty at the CAB hearing

Evidence was given that Calvert is a career criminal who is involved with prominent gangland figures in Limerick city and has no visible income.

His 91 previous convictions include four for the sale and supply of drugs and seven income generating offences. His daughter, Stacey, who was also named in the case had no criminal background, it was heard.

She currently lives in the house at Singland Crescent with her partner and three children, while her father and Ms Harty live in the granny flat at the back of the home.

Counsel for CAB said that the family could not have funded their lifestyle, which included building a granny flat and buying a derelict shop, from their stated income.

In his evidence, the Bureaus Chief Officer, Michael Gubbins, said that it was his belief that the property was acquired directly or indirectly from the proceeds of crime.

The case began when gardai carried out a raid on the home in June 2019 in response to information that drugs were being sold from there, it was heard in court.

Two bundles of cash worth just over 17,000, along with 2,000 empty plastic baggies were found hidden behind the kitchen kickboards in the granny flat.

Another 5,850 was found a year later in a bedside drawer, which Ms Harty said did not come from criminal activity.

She said money had come from the sale of a camper van as well as a compensation claim and from working as a cleaner.

Ms Harty also has no visible income since social welfare payments were stopped in 2017, according to the Bureau.

Counsel for CAB said that it was incredible that money could have been saved from social welfare payments and that by their own figures, the couple had 38 a week to live on.

Stacey Calvert, whose partner David Casey has drugs convictions, has never been employed but has had seven cars registered to her name, it was heard.

A 151-reg VW Passat being targeted by CAB had been registered in Ms Calverts name but to an address in Swords, Co. Dublin, where she was wasnt known.

Counsel for CAB said that Stacey Calvert fails to give an explanation for this in her affidavit evidence.

The house where she now lives at Singland Crescent was bought in 2014 for 17,250 which CAB say was bought under value.

A surveyor has now valued the house at 170,000 and estimated that 205,000 was spent on refurbishing the property, building an extension and a granny flat at the back.

The assertion that the work was carried out by her partner and his father and little cash was spent on the property are not credible, according to CAB.

Counsel added that Caseys father was on disability payments, which were collected on his behalf by an appointed agent since 2016.

Another property, a derelict shop at Cloughan Court, was bought for 13,000 using 3,000 in cash and a 10,000 Credit Union loan.

The loan was paid off in cash instalments, which CAB say come from the proceeds of crime.

It is estimated that 48,000 was spent refurbishing the property, which is now valued at 125,000.

Mr Calverts claim that compensation money from 17 months previously was used are not credible.

The granny flat was built without planning permission in 2018, a year after Mr Calvert and his wife had been cut off by social welfare.

The court heard in one affidavit Mr Calvert said he had been paid a total of 23,000 in three separate insurance claims.

At one point, he said he and his previous wife were in receipt of 1,600 a month in child benefit allowance.

In a replying affidavit Mr Calvert denied that the refurbishment cost as much as estimated by the Bureau.

He also denied being involved in a criminal organisation and that people he had been seen with by gardai were neighbours or ex-neighbours.

He also said the plastic baggies found in his kitchen were simply food bags and there was nothing untoward about them.

Stacey Calvert had previously been granted free legal aid for the case, while an application was made ahead of this weeks hearing for Dermot Calvert and Martina Harty to each have their own counsel.

Judge Owens decided a single free legal aid certificate could be split between two counsel to represent them.

The hearing is due to be continued again next month.
East Belfast man Paul Moondog Larmour also shared racist and bigoted images on Facebook

This is the dog-walking paedophile who was snared in an online sting and slapped with a three-year probation order.

East Belfast native Paul Moondog Larmours home was searched by the PSNI following a paedophile hunter sting operation last year.

Last Thursday, the 55-year-old, from Albertbridge Road, was sentenced at Belfast Crown Court for possessing more than 3,000 indecent images of children.

Paul Larmour

On his Facebook profile Larmour uses the nickname Moondog and poses with several pooches. He has also shared racist and bigoted images.

He describes himself as 100 per cent genuine, I say things as they are and (have) no time for bullsh*****s or cheeky people.

Setting out the background of Larmours offending, Judge Philip Gilpin explained how Larmour began chatting online to a female called Molly in August 2019, with these chats continuing on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger and becoming sexual in nature.

Paul Larmour

Molly was actually an adult female who was acting as a volunteer for an online paedophile hunter group.

These online chats culminated in Larmour arranging to meet Molly at Lanyon Place train station in Belfast on February 9, 2020, where he was arrested by the PSNI as a result of the sting operation.

His home was later searched and a number of electronic devices were seized.

After an examination, 3,314 indecent images of children, along with four extreme pornographic images, were located on three of the devices.

During a police interview on October 12, 2022, Larmour accepted the devices were his and that he had searched for the images in question.

Paul Larmour

He subsequently pleaded guilty to 13 counts of possessing indecent images of children and to two counts of possessing an extreme pornographic image on dates between March 31, 2016, and February 10, 2020.

Judge Gilpin said this was a case of possessing, as opposed to making or distributing, the images in question.

As he sentenced Larmour to three years probation, Judge Gilpin added: The opportunities that modern technology offers are many, but there is sadly a dark side to it that involves corruption and exploitation.
The Bill will increase the maximum penalties upon conviction for four knife-related offences.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee has revealed details of a new bill which aims to crack down on knife crime.

Ms McEntee received Government approval to publish the Miscellaneous Provisions Bill, which will be enacted during the summer break.

The Bill will increase the maximum penalties upon conviction for four knife-related offences.

We are increasing knife crime sentences, Ms McEntee said.

The Minister said this was being done in order to reflect the seriousness of the crime.

I have doubled the maximum sentence for assault causing harm, increased the maximum sentence for conspiracy to murder to life, and increased the maximum sentence for assaulting a peace officer, Ms McEntee added.

Possessing in a public place an article intended to cause injury to, incapacitate or intimidate a person, is the first offence which will see an increased sentence.

Trespassing with a knife, weapon or other article which has a blade or sharp point is the second.

The third is the production of an article capable of inflicting serious injury, and the fourth is the manufacture, sale, hire of offensive weapons.

Each of these crimes will see increased jail time for anyone committing knife violations.

Minister of State James Browne said the knife crime aspect of the bill was important, at a time when Dublin alone has seen almost three knives being seized per day.

A knife is seized by gardai on average almost once every eight hours in the capital.

A staggering 1,253 knives were seized in the capital in just 15 months.

I tasked a subgroup of the Anti-Social Behaviour Forum with considering possible responses to knife possession and knife crime and one of the recommendations arising from that was an increase in maximum sentences for possession, production, manufacture and sale of or trespass with a knife or weapon, said Mr Browne.

Minister James Browne.

I am pleased that we have secured Government approval for those proposals which represent a proportionate rebalancing and strengthening of the penalties.

Producing or using a knife to intimidate or assault somebody is a serious crime that can have lasting physical and psychological effects and I welcome the future availability of a broader range of sentencing options for the judiciary when considering these offences, he added.

The Justice Minister is also intending to plug gaps in the immigration process under the new legislation.

The new Bill will increase the maximum fines paid by airline and ferry companies where they allow someone to board a vehicle coming into the State without proper documentation.

Minister McEntee said the Government will increase carrier fines if companies do not comply with obligations ensuring passengers present correct documentation.

"My Department are working closely with carriers to support them in these obligations, including through the provision of training. These measures are important parts of the work to deter irregular migration and maintain the integrity of our immigration system.

Justice Minister Helen McEntee. Photo: PA

"In addition to this, GNIB and the Border Management Unit have carried out 3040 doorstep operations at Dublin Airport to date this year, resulting in a number of detections and prosecutions for immigration offences, she said.

The new Bill will also provide for an increase in the mandatory retirement for uniformed public servants, including members of An Garda Siochana, Prison Officers and the Defence Forces, from 60 to 62 years of age.

Minister McEntee said: I am pleased to have secured Government approval to legislate for an increase in the mandatory retirement age for uniformed public servants, including members of An Garda Siochana and the Irish Prison Service.

"This decision reflects the reality that people are living longer, and many want to continue working in their chosen career for longer.
Barbie doll charged with advertising prescription-only medication

This is the beautician and former glamour model charged with unlawfully advertising and selling medicinal chemicals.

Nadine Poole (34), who once staged a nude photoshoot in front of shocked hikers on Belfasts Cave Hill, faces a total of six charges.

Poole, of Doll House Beauty, Whitehall Lodge in Lisburn, is charged with two counts of advertising prescription-only medicines and four of having unauthorised medicinal products for sale.

According to the indictment, the alleged offences were committed between September and November last year.

Poole during her time as glamour model

She is said to have advertised for sale meditoxin, a type of Botox; bacteriostatic sodium chloride and lipase, which are used in aesthetics treatments; and the common local anaesthetic lidocaine.

The prescription-only medicines allegedly advertised for sale were not specified.

None of the facts were heard at Laganside Magistrates Court in Belfast last Tuesday, but a defence barrister for Poole asked for the case to be adjourned.

The case against Poole was adjourned to next month

District Judge Rosie Watters accepted the application and put the case back to July 16.

When we called to Pooles home on the outskirts of Lisburn, there was a bright pink Audi TT convertible in the driveway.

She answered the door in a T-shirt emblazoned with the words Plastic is forever.

When asked about the charges she faces, a coy Poole told our reporter: Id rather not talk about it. I really did not expect you to be on my doorstep. Id rather not discuss it.

Poole competing in Miss Swimsuit USA

The former Miss Swimsuit USA contestant set pulses racing in 2013 when she was spotted by ramblers on Cave Hill in north Belfast, taking part in an X-rated photoshoot.

The then-26-year-old was pictured flaunting her assets and frolicking at one of Northern Irelands most famous beauty spots.

The images hit the headlines after shocked passers-by said they turned away in disgust at the racy photoshoot.

Poole during the naked photoshoot on Cave Hill

One witness said at the time how he had been taking a rest as he climbed the hill when he spotted the then-platinum-blonde posing at one of the caves.

I was sitting drinking my juice and eating my Turkish Delight when what caught my eye was this girl with long, blonde hair and a bright pink tracksuit and pink shoulder bag, he said.

I thought, That looks really odd. Its not the way you would come up Cave Hill.

There was a guy behind her. He had a grey bag with what looked like camera equipment.

They went on up the path. He appeared to be getting his camera equipment out, then she took her gear off.

She was posing on a rock. All sorts of poses  glamour sort of stuff.

I couldnt see any detail from where I was, but it was obvious it wasnt anything tasteful.

She climbed up into the cave at one point, legs splayed out.

Poole during the photoshoot on Cave Hill

She was posing on a rock. All sorts of poses  glamour sort of stuff.

I couldnt see any detail from where I was, but it was obvious it wasnt anything tasteful.

She climbed up into the cave at one point, legs splayed out.

The man said some hikers were so disgusted by the scene that they cut their walk short and turned back.

Poole during the photoshoot on Cave Hill

He added that the woman didnt seem to be in any rush to put her clothes back on.

I noticed at least three groups of people and a runner. They got halfway to the cave then looked up and walked down again, the witness said.

Even when people were walking up towards them, they didnt seem in any sort of panic to stop. The girl made no attempt to get her kit back on. It was blatantly obvious what was going on.
Young woman attacked by Private Cathal Crotty is blown away by support as thousands protest nationwide for change in law

The judge who handed down a suspended sentence to a soldier who beat a young woman unconscious in an unprovoked attack in Limerick city is to retire in the coming days.

Victim Natasha OBrien said she hoped judge Tom ODonnell walks away from his career with a sense of utter disgrace and shame for not jailing Cathal Crotty (22) over that violent attack that left her unconscious, with a broken nose, concussion, swelling and bruising to her head following the assault in May 2022.

The case, which caused national outrage and sparked demonstrations, highlighted how brutal the criminal justice system treats victims of violent crime, Ms OBrien said.

What happened to me in that courtroom, it left me with the same feeling as I had when I was attacked two years ago. What the justice system did to me was just as brutal, she said.

Natasha O'Brien speaking at the No Justice No Peace Rosa protest in Limerick

But this has become way bigger than one man, my perpetrator, and way bigger than me. At this point its not even about whether the DPP appeals the sentence. Its the law that needs to change.

This is not about justice for me, its about justice for other victims. This needs to stop. I found my attacker on social media and then I had to face him in court and bare my soul. I hoped and expected that he would not get away with it. But he could and did, like many others. The way victims are treated in court, its just heartbreaking.

Crotty, of Parkroe Heights, Ardnacrusha, Co Clare, received a three-year suspended sentence and was ordered to pay 3,000 in compensation after he pleaded guilty to carrying out an unprovoked attack on Ms OBrien on OConnell Street, Limerick, in May 2022.

Hours after the assault, he boasted on Snapchat about the incident, saying: Two to put her down, two to put her out.

Cathal Crotty

Ms OBrien was walking home after work with a friend on the night she was attacked by Crotty. The young soldier was shouting homophobic slurs at another man on the street when he was asked to stop by the victim and her friend.

I just politely asked him to stop and he turned towards me and attacked me. The vicious, sinister look in his eyes, the pure rage. Ill never forget it. He relentlessly beat me until I lost consciousness, Ms OBrien said.

Crottys friends, who were not members of the Defence Forces, walked away. Ms OBriens friend screamed for help until a man ran to their assistance.

Asked if she believed her attacker was genuinely remorseful, after this was relayed in court through his lawyer, Ms OBrien said: Ive no way of knowing if thats genuine. Im sure its been a wake-up call for that individual. But its not about that individual.

Its about the harm it did to me and all like me who dont receive justice. There are an awful lot of people like me. And the general public have had enough. Im so blown away by the support and Im happy that my horrific ordeal has paved the way for this.

My life will never be the same again. But Ive always stood up for whats right. In a sad way, Im grateful. I cannot describe how traumatising it is, to be told I should be happy that there was a guilty plea.

My mental health is for ever affected. Ive symptoms of PTSD that will stay for ever. That man attacked the wrong person. Because Im not going to take it lying down. Ive survived to tell the tale and I will tell it.

It seems theres a deep-rooted culture of violence and misogyny in the Defence Forces, unfortunately

The 24-year-old recalled how, in the aftermath of the attack, she and her friend scrolled through social media until they tracked down Crotty. She recognised him instantly.

We scanned and scanned all platforms until we found him. Ill never forget the awful moment of seeing him in uniform and seeing hed undergone special combat training.

She passed the information to gardai, who were already investigating.

When I found out that he was in the Defence Forces, no one was surprised. It seems theres a deep-rooted culture of violence and misogyny in the Defence Forces, unfortunately.

Thats a problem, for some of its members. Its sad, really, that my close friends who I told werent surprised to hear my attacker was a soldier.

Women of Honour, a support group for those who have suffered physical and sexual abuse at the hands of members of the Defence Forces, has offered its support to Ms OBrien.

People attend a protest in Limerick. Photo: Eamon Ward

A spokeswoman said it has been contacted by numerous members of the public who say they have been attacked by people in the Defence Forces.

Weve had a lot of people in similar situations to Natasha contact us. Part of the reason he [Crotty] got away without a jail sentence is because is he a member of the Defence Forces, a spokeswoman said.

His behaviour was excused because hes a member of the Defence Forces. She is most welcome to contact us and discuss her case, if she so wishes. It could form part of the tribunal.

A tribunal of inquiry into the handling of a range of abuses in the Defence Forces was announced on Thursday. The bravery shown by Natasha OBrien is inspirational and we are so grateful to her for speaking out as she has, the group said.

She has shown the power a single voice can have, with the national anger to what she has experienced palpable. The sad truth is that this case is not unusual. We know there are so many more who have suffered abuses and been let down as she has, but have been forced into silence or simply ignored.

Natasha O'Brien addresses a protest in Limerick. Photo: Eamon Ward

With the tribunal, we now have an opportunity to join all of our voices together in an ultimate show of strength and resilience against a culture that excuses the inexcusable, condones and even rewards violence and discrimination with no real appreciation or recognition of the price paid by victims.

Ms OBrien said she absolutely agreed with Women of Honour about issues within the Defence Forces and intended to contact the group to discuss her case. She said taking legal action against her attacker was very far from my mind, but events in recent days proved people in Ireland have had enough.

If I was to take a case, which is not what is on my mind, it would be against the Department of Justice for failing to protect me, she said.

This is about so much more now. This is about a much-needed change in the law, minimum sentencing for a violent attack, so that it doesnt matter if youre in the Defence Forces or whatever your job, it doesnt mean you get away with it.

Im not looking for justice for me, thats gone, but we need better now in Ireland because without change, there will be no peace.
Cops catch up with on-the-run former student of Blackrock College hiding in Spain under fake name

This is the moment a posh ex-Blackrock College student is arrested while on the run in Spain for a 6 million drugs haul.

Ryon Fitzpatrick (34) can be seen being hauled away by police after he was traced to the Costa Blanca, where he was living under a fake name.

Despite being raised in a stunning mansion in Co. Wicklow, Fitzpatrick has been described as a mid-level member of a crime gang involved in international drugs trafficking.

Before going on the run in Spain, Ryon Fitzpatrick was a well-known face on Dublins social scene and organised party events at Dublin clubs in his 20s.

The huge haul of drugs that were found by gardai

He has been the director of two companies over the years, including an events promotion company which he set up in 2015, and a construction firm in 2018.

The events company has since dissolved, while the construction firm has not filed any accounts since the drug bust in 2020.

This week, he was jailed for six-and-a-half years over the cannabis haul, which was seized in north county Dublin in October 2020.

Fitzpatrick claimed that he amassed a drug debt in the lead-up to the 2020 seizure, which resulted in his involvement in the crime.

Gardai found the drugs in a van full of shoe-boxes and arrested Fitzpatrick along with two English criminals.

He was driving an accompanying lookout car which was following in convoy with the van.

He was arrested and questioned but later released without charge while a file was prepared for the DPP. The court heard how Fitzpatrick subsequently fled to Spain, where he was using a false identity.

A warrant was issued for his arrest and Spanish cops apprehended him in Teulada, near Benidorm on the Costa Blanca last year.

Spanish Cops said they moved in on him after an anonymous tip-off and he tried to avoid arrest by showing a fake ID.

He was extradited back to Ireland last December and pleaded guilty to the drugs charges.

In court, Fitzpatricks address was given as Cookstown Road, Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow  one of Irelands most exclusive addresses.

Ryon is a relative of hotelier and ex-property magnate Patrick Fitzpatrick, who made millions during the Celtic Tiger. Patrick Fitzpatrick and his family have no involvement in criminality.

Following the crash, Patrick ended up owing millions to NAMA before availing of bankruptcy in England in 2012.

Accomplice Anthony Kinghorn

In 2020, Patrick hit the headlines when a businessman claimed in the High Court that he had hired veteran criminal Martin the Viper Foleys firm to collect a disputed debt.

John Kieran Brennan, from Bunclody, Co. Wexford, secured a temporary injunction after several persons that he claimed work for Foleys firm arrived at his home.

The court was told that Mr Fitzpatrick has alleged that he was owed money by Mr Brennan, who refuted the claims.

Mr Brennan claimed the men linked to Foley threatened both him and his family, demanded that he pay Mr Fitzpatrick and said they would return later to get the money.

Ryons court appearance this week was not the first time he has fallen foul of the law.

He has 13 previous convictions, mostly for road traffic offences, but at the age of 20 he was convicted over an incident where he viciously assaulted a teenager and smashed a bus shelter.

The victim and a friend approached a bus stop near Foxrock Church on the Stillorgan Road in Dublin October 26, 2009 and saw three men standing there.

He recognised Fitzpatrick, who produced a steel extendible baton, pushed it in to his chest and told him to sit down.

Fitzpatrick and the other men then told the two teenagers that they should know their place before smashing the glass of the bus shelter with the baton.

When the teenager stood up to protest the treatment of his friend, Fitzpatrick began hitting him with the baton.

The attack only stopped after a girl intervened and got Fitzpatrick away from the victim.

Fitzpatrick was given a four-month suspended sentence for the attack. At the sentence hearing, Judge Martin Nolan said that it appeared that Fitzpatrick had pulled his life together in the aftermath of the offence.

However, in reality Fitzpatrick got further involved in crime.

In court this week, John Fitzgerald SC, defending, said Fitzpatrick fled to Spain because he was under threat.

He said he built a new life for himself over there, was working and was in a relationship.

He said Fitzpatrick grew up in a household with material advantages, but that his home life was characterised by alcohol and violence. He started taking drugs as a teenager and engaged in self-destructive behaviour.

Gardai believe that Fitzpatrick was at around the mid-level of a criminal gang which operated internationally.

Ryon Fitzpatrick being arrested by Spanish police

The drugs had come into the country in a shipment from Bilbao, Spain, and were intercepted by customs officials, the court heard. Gardai arranged for a controlled delivery of these drugs to a legitimate logistics centre in Dublin, which was put under surveillance.

The court heard that Fitzpatricks co-accused  Anthony Kinghorn and Mark Nesbitt  travelled to Ireland from the UK and were seen by gardai leaving the logistics centre in a van on the day in question. They were accompanied by Fitzpatrick, who was driving a car.

Gardai stopped the men just as they were about to enter a derelict field in Swords. A total of 304 kilos of cannabis were found in shoe-boxes in the back of the van, with an estimated street value of 6,080,000.

Fitzpatrick was also found to have a small amount of cocaine in his car, as well as three phones  one of which was encrypted with an app that criminal gangs use to communicate, the court heard.

Kinghorn (now 51), of Hatfield, Hertfordshire, London, England, pleaded guilty and was jailed for eight years in 2021. Nesbitt (now 53) of Whitefield House, Cecil Crescent, Hatfield, Hertfordshire in the UK was found guilty by a jury following a trial in 2022 and was also jailed for eight years.

Spanish authorities arrested another Irishman who they say is a dedicated drug trafficker on the Costa Blanca in February.

Police believe that the 26-year-old, who was arrested in the Alicante town of Rojales, was part of a British-led gang that had been sending large quantities of cannabis to Ireland through the post.
Six policemen have been killed and 12 injured according to reports

A view shows a shooting scene on the street of Makhachkala in southern Russia, June 23, 2024. Reuters.

Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a police post in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday, killing six policemen and injuring 12, the region's interior ministry was quoted as saying.

The ministry, quoted by Russian news agencies, said two gunmen had been shot dead as the incidents unfolded. An Orthodox priest was also reported to have been killed.

The agencies reported that street fights were gripping Makhachkala, the chief administrative town in Dagestan, a mainly Muslim region on the Caspian Sea.

An unofficial channel on the Telegram messaging app, Mash, said police were preparing to storm a building where gunmen were holed up in Derbent, about 125 kilometres further south.

The gunmen attacked a synagogue and a church in Derbent, home to an ancient Jewish community and a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Interior Ministry was quoted as saying that both the synagogue and church were ablaze.
We all hear these stories, graphic stories, about what goes on in prisons

The far-right agitator Philip Dwyer, once called out in the Dail as a dog kicker and creche creeper has got himself worked up over a Pride flag at Portlaoise Prison.

In a bizarre clip he shares with followers, the self-styled citizen journalist, who was singled out as an inciter of the Dublin riots, records himself outside Portlaoise Prison where he points out a flag on the railings.

He begins his rant: Guys, I hope you can hear me there now. Ive just had to stop here.

I'm in Portlaoise, Co Laois, outside the prison, and as if people don't have enough problems guys, if you can see that flag, that's outside the prison, he says , indicating a Pride flag on the fence behind him.

I think there's two of them actually outside Portlaoise high security prison. I mean, as if they don't have enough problems in there behind them gates. As if we don't have, probably, males raping and males inside them gates there.

We all hear these stories, graphic stories, about what goes on in prisons. 

And then we have this male in Limerick Prison identifying as a woman and being allowed to go into the prison, he adds, presumably referring to Barbie Kardashian, the transgender woman who remains in Limerick Prison awaiting trial accused of making threats to kill or cause serious harm to two women.

Here we are, our prison service, our government, promoting this LGBT agenda and, you know, God help Ireland, Dwyer continues.

I mean this this is just ridiculous. What the hell has this got to do with our prison service?

Dwyer at Portlaoise Prison

Dwyer is currently before the courts charged with engaging in threatening, abusive and insulting behaviour outside a creche arising from an incident where he confronted staff in relation to a childrens drawing of a rainbow.

The 56-year-old is due to appear before Blanchardstown District Court for a hearing of the alleged offence on September 19.

A former postman, Dwyer was dismissed from An Post in May 2010, with the company citing dereliction of duty and failure to comply with their instructions.

During an unfair dismissal case taken by Dwyer, it emerged he had kicked a number of dogs, including a friendly collie he kicked in the head with a steel toe-cap boot, and threatened another woman that he would kill her familys dog.

One of the far rights most active posters on social media, Dwyer announced on Twitter in April that he planned to run for a post as an MEP in July for the children of this country.

Im delighted to announce that Ill be running for the European elections in June, he said in a video. The number one reason that Ive decided to run is for the children of this country and the Irish nation.

During the election count, video footage emerged of Dwyer being escorted from the South Dublin County Council count centre in Lucan on Sunday after a request from the Returning Officer.

It happened during the tenth count for the Tallaght Central constituency where Mr Dwyer was standing for Ireland First.

Dwyer barely featured in the count and was eliminated.
The Coalition Government will reverse Labours blanket speed limit reductions by July 1, 2025, through a new Land Transport Rule released for public consultation this month, says Transport Minister Simeon Brown.

The draft speed limit rule will deliver on the National-ACT coalition commitment to reverse the previous governments blanket speed limit reductions.

Simeon says it will ensure that when speed limits are set, economic impacts  including travel times  and the views of road users and local communities are taken into account, alongside safety.

The previous governments untargeted approach slowed Kiwis and the economy down, rather than targeting high crash areas of the network.

Speed reversals

Our draft speed limit rule will require speed limits that have been reduced since January 1, 2020, to be reversed on local streets, arterial roads, and state highways. It will also require variable speed limits outside schools during pick up and drop off times to keep young New Zealanders safe.

Local streets outside a school will be required to have a 30km/h variable speed limit during school travel times. Rural roads that are outside schools will be required to have variable speed limits of 60km/hr or less.

Regulation Minister David Seymour says blanket restrictions forced on communities from Wellington didnt just make it harder for people to get where they want quickly and safely, they drain the joy from life as people are forced to follow rules they know make no sense.

Worse still, people ignore rules that dont make sense and once the habit forms, they ignore rules that do make sense. Sensible lawmaking is important for respecting the rule of law, says David.

Roads of significance

Simeon says the draft speed limit rule will enable new and existing Roads of National Significance to be travelled on at 110km/h where they are built to a high safety standard.

With the delivery of Roads of National Significance, New Zealand roads are safer than they have ever been before. Safe road infrastructure should be enabling higher speed limits, not slower ones.

As part of consultation on the draft rule, the Government is seeking feedback from New Zealanders on enabling speed limits of up to 120km/h on Roads of National Significance that are built and maintained to safely accommodate that speed.

I encourage New Zealanders to submit feedback on our draft speed limit rule to reverse blanket speed limit reductions across the country.

Kiwis can provide feedback on the rule at www.transport.govt.nz Consultation on the draft Speed Rule is open until July 11, 2024.
Mount Maunganui College is revving up for the production Mauao always beside you on June 26-27 at Baycourt.

Production manager Wayne Flanagan says 75 students from across the campus have been rehearsing for eight weeks to finetune a show that reflects Mount Maunganuis culture and history through dance, waiata, haka and drama.

Unlike a usual high school production Mauao always beside you includes students from four of the schools departments  Maori, dance, drama and music. The school also received a grant from The Creatives in Schools programme from the Ministry of Education to host the production.

Wayne says Mauao always beside you is a devised theatre spectacular to celebrate Matariki and create new legends, featuring waiata (song), ura (dance), haka and drama (monologue and poetry).

The schools drama department has been researching the Mounts history  including the Ranui disaster of December 28, 1950, which is captured in the production.

We live in an incredibly beautiful piece of New Zealand. The Mount Maunganui region is brimming with stories, some are ancient tales, some evoke fond memories, and others are important histories that have been forgotten over the years. The production is a mixture of legend stories, local identities, local stories, fun, laughter, and tragedies that have happened around the Mauao. All of this is done in dance, drama, monologues and cultural dancing, says Wayne.

Theres a lot of songs in the show, one of the main ones being Always beside you  thats where the title comes from.

Mauao always beside you is directed and designed by Jason Te Mete  the mastermind behind recent Tauranga productions Takitimu, Mataatua and He Toi Kupu Uhi Tai, and supported by the Creatives In Schools Programme  with choreography by Vincent Farane, who just finished working with Black Grace Dance Company.

Wayne says Mauao always beside you will be the most epic MMC production ever.

This is a modern theatrical experience, with complex narratives  both purakau and historic fact-based accounts  weaved together using Te Reo Maori and English. It is very high energy with some specialty dance and haka items.

Mount Maunganui College performs Mauao always beside you at Baycourt Theatre from 7pm on Wednesday, June 26 and on Thursday, June 27. To purchase tickets, visit: eventfinda.co.nz/2024/mauao-always-beside-you/tauranga
by Xinhua writers Che Yunlong, Huang Yan

MUNICH, Germany, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Cooperation between Chinese and European solar industries is a "win-win" situation, said experts and business representatives from the photovoltaic (PV) industry during the just-concluded Intersolar Europe exhibition, the largest and most influential PV industry event in Europe.

The exhibition, held alongside three other trade fairs from Wednesday to Friday in Munich, focused on energy transition.

Approximately 3,000 exhibitors showcased their latest products and solutions in areas such as PV modules, energy storage systems, and charging infrastructure. The event attracted around 111,000 trade visitors from across the globe.

Markus Elsaesser, founder and CEO of the exhibition organizer German Solar Promotion GmbH, noted that 976 Chinese exhibitors participated in this year's event, making China the largest participant for the first time since the exhibition's inception, followed by Germany with 934 exhibitors.

INNOVATIVE GREEN BOOSTER

Besides inverters and energy storage systems, solar panels are a main part of PV products and comprise numerous solar cell units, the core component converting light energy into electricity.

At the exhibition, Chinese company LONGI Green Energy Technology Co., Ltd. (LONGI) announced it had broken a record by raising the photoelectric conversion efficiency of its commercial-sized silicon-perovskite tandem solar cells to 30.1 percent, and is expected to own the technical ability for mass production in the next few years.

The technical breakthrough by LONGI epitomizes China's innovative advancements in the solar industry.

Elsaesser said he has seen a lot of innovations at the exhibition every year, which have benefited the decarbonization of the industry and society in Europe and the world. "And that was very much driven by Chinese manufacturers, as their global market share is very high," he added.

According to the latest report on the global market outlook in the PV industry released by SolarPower Europe, an association for the European PV sector, Germany installed 15 GW of new PV capacity in 2023, increasing more than 100 percent year-on-year and ranking fourth in terms of new-added capacity globally.

European countries including Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands also recorded growth and were listed among the top 10 PV markets in 2023. As of last year, 14 of the 31 countries with a total PV installed capacity exceeding 1 GW are in the European Union.

Given an unprecedented scale of growth in the PV industry, "it needs to be highlighted that most of this global market expansion was driven by and in China," said the report. "Without China's strong solar investments in deployment, the solar sector's growth would have been much more modest," it added.

At the exhibition booth of Chinese company JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (JA Solar), solar panels of various powers and sizes attracted visitors and trade partners. According to the booth staff, these PV products by this company have been used in most European countries, covering a wide range of application scenarios from private houses to large factories and supermarkets.

Zhu Daocheng, vice president of JA Solar, told Xinhua that based on the overall agenda of the global energy transition, the Chinese PV industry will play an increasingly important role in the European renewable energy market.

"I am confident that, together with other Chinese companies, we could continue to perform well in the European solar market," he said.

WIN-WIN COOPERATION

Elsaesser views the cooperation between Chinese and European solar industries as a "win-win" situation.

While noting China has built up a complete value chain in its PV industry from the raw materials to the final products on a big scale, he said the country has helped Europe and even the world to get the competitive products they need for green transition goals.

Chinese companies can also deepen their business in Europe through further cooperation like local production. "Therefore, I think it is good to have cooperation and not to raise any barriers between countries and regions," Elsaesser added.

In the view of Qu Shuaiyuan, CEO of the Beny New Energy GmbH headquartered in China, a number of European countries like Germany, France, and Spain are gifted with plenty of sunshine and have huge demands and potential for solar power utilization given the large number of single-family houses in these countries. The company has expanded its market in Europe through deepening cooperation with business partners in these countries to provide solar systems and solutions for balconies and roofs of local houses.

According to reports released this week by the German Solar Association, more than 60 percent of private house owners in Germany have shown interest in investing in a solar power system. The association noted that the PV industry in Germany is experiencing a special economic boom in the area of residential solar power, as well as "a small energy revolution on domestic balconies."

"Although this kind of distributed solar device in a single family can generate limited power, the cumulative volume of countless families in Europe is considerable," said Qu.

German company Axitec Energy is a leading solar module provider in Europe. It has cooperated with Chinese manufacturers for years by producing PV products in China and serving the European continent.

Cristina Lovato, marketing manager at Axitec Energy, said that with its value chain advantages, China's PV industry has helped promote green transition in Europe.

Dennis She, vice president of LONGI, said in an interview with Xinhua during the exhibition that he is optimistic about the continued participation and contribution of Chinese companies in the European renewable energy market through cooperation.

"Europe is committed to achieving the goal of energy transition, and related Chinese companies, with their expertise and experience, could provide high-quality PV solutions for Europe and help boost its renewable energy development through international cooperation and joint efforts," She said. Enditem

(Xinhua reporter Li Hanlin also contributed to the story.)
Tauranga City Library is the new custodian of the Sun Media archives, which have previously been carefully stored in cupboards at the top of the stairs at 1 The Strand.

Tauranga City Library is the new custodian of the Sun Media archives, which have previously been carefully stored in cupboards at the top of the stairs at 1 The Strand.

The historic Bond Store at 1 The Strand, a cherished heritage building in Tauranga, is marking the end of an era as Sun Media, the long-standing tenant and publisher of The Weekend Sun newspaper, relocated to a new office on Cameron Rd this month after more than a decade of occupancy.

The move signals a significant transition for both Sun Media and the storied building, which is an integral part of Taurangas landscape.

Sun Media has been a fixture at the Bond Store, where it has produced The Weekend Sun, New Farm Dairies, Coast & Country News, magazines Waterline and MySpace and the online news website SunLive.

Dont worry The Suns publications are still being locally made and published  just now they are part of NZME at 405 Cameron Rd.

The current stairs at 1 The Strand are in the same location where barrels were once rolled down from the floor above, when the building operated as Tauranga's Bond Store. Display panels highlight the heritage building's history. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

But with the newspapers departure from The Strand, the newspaper archives  an invaluable record of local history  have been handed over to Tauranga City Library.

Every issue since the beginning is recorded on CD as PDF files as they went to print, says Sun Medias design studio manager and graphic designer Kym Johnson.

There are also archives for Waterline magazine and Coast & Country News dating back as far as time remembers.

Seven members of Tauranga City Librarys heritage and research team came for a tour before the last newspaper from the historic building went to print earlier this month, and to arrange for collection of the files.

Listed as a Category 1 historic place on April 4, 2008, the building is located at the north end of The Strand, Tauranga on the corner of The Strand and Monmouth St.

The buildings beginnings

Constructed in the late 19th Century, Tauranga Bond Store originally served as a storage and Customs facility during Taurangas bustling maritime trade era.

The oldest remaining commercial building in Tauranga, it was built for James Alexander Mann in 1883 as a warehouse and bond store for storing imported goods.

It was situated on the waterfront approximately 300m and 500m from the two wharves which were the main entry point for goods in Tauranga until the railway and better roads were constructed.

Over the years the building has seen various uses, reflecting the citys evolving needs and growth. Its architecture, characterised by distinctive sash windows and robust brickwork, is a testament to the craftsmanship of its time.

Guinness Bros building on The Strand, Tauranga, north end, c. 1920. Image Credit: Tauranga City Libraries Photo 99-1157.

Mann sold the business in 1908, and the property three years later, to Guinness Bros, a local firm of general merchants which used it for storage and administration of its business, which included wholesale wines and spirits.

As importers, producers and stockists of agricultural equipment, Guinness Bros played an essential role in the development of the Bay of Plentys agricultural industry.

Guinness Bros added a small shop on the Bond Stores southern side and a workshop and bulk store at the rear. The shop was later greatly enlarged and rebuilt from more substantial materials.

In 1986 Hughes & Cossar, also wine and spirits dealers, took over the property; subsequently it was leased and occupied by Saunderson Packaging, and from 1987-1997 by Tulloch Photography.

When renovating, Claire and Brian Rogers had murals and display panels created that captured the essence of the history of the building. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Recently Bob Tulloch has returned, this time as a step-in photographer for The Weekend Sun.

In late-1997 the buildings ground floor was refurbished as a restaurant and bar. The retail shop was demolished and replaced with a conservatory-style annex on the southern side.

At some time, the upper floor was leased as office space and in the late-1990s was used by Creative Tauranga.

Sun Media Ltd has occupied it since the late Brian Rogers and his wife Claire purchased it in 2008. In recent years Brian and Claire undertook extensive restorations to preserve the buildings historical integrity.

Claire Rogers outside No 1 The Strand. Photo: John Borren.

The sash windows have been carefully restored, maintaining their original design while improving functionality. The exterior has been repainted in a historically appropriate colour palette, revitalising the buildings appearance and highlighting its architectural details.

These efforts ensure the Bond Store remains a vibrant part of Taurangas heritage.

Our family and staff took a lot of pride in restoring the building because we think its important, says Claire.

Claire and Brian, who passed away in September 2022, also had large history boards made to provide information about the buildings early years through to the present.

The fireplace at 1 The Strand, with original window still in place. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

With The Sun publications team now fully relocated to the NZME building at 405 Cameron Rd, its time to reflect on the deep connection between the publisher and the Bond Store.

Relocation of the archives to the city library will see its research and heritage team oversee their preservation and accessibility, ensuring future generations can explore Taurangas past.

A cherished landmark

This transition marks not just the end of an era, but also a renewal of commitment to preserving the historical essence of 1 The Strand. The building will continue to stand as a symbol of Taurangas rich heritage, ready to welcome new occupants and create new stories.

Claires ongoing dedication to maintaining the buildings heritage underscores the importance of such structures in the collective memory and identity of the Tauranga community. The Bond Store at 1 The Strand remains a cherished landmark, a bridge between Taurangas storied past and its vibrant future.
The Interislander Ferry Aratere has successfully been refloated almost 24 hours after it ran aground in Picton Harbour, stranding nearly 50 people on the vessel overnight.

Executive General Manager Duncan Roy says at just past 9pm on Saturday, the Interislander ferry Aratere was refloated by KiwiRail supported by a team of global experts and in collaboration with Maritime NZ (MNZ), Port Marlborough New Zealand (PMNZ), and Marlborough District Council Harbour Master.

I am delighted with the successful operation, and were extremely grateful for the help and support of MNZ, PMNZ, the Harbour Master, our people, experts and customers, and authorities on the ground in Picton, he says.

The Aratere will now move to a safe anchorage in Picton Harbour overnight to re-ballast and stabilise the vessel before returning to Picton Wharf.

A member of the public reaches out to touch the bow of the stranded Interislander ferry Aratere in Picton. Photo: Supplied.

KiwiRail Chief Executive Peter Reidy says they know this incident is extremely disruptive for their customers and appreciate patience as they work with them to organise alternative arrangements.

The Aratere crew are onboard and safe. We need to rebalance the weight of the vessel before it can move into the wharf and have its hull fully examined. Maritime New Zealand, TAIC and KiwiRail are all undertaking investigations.

Because safety is paramount, Aratere will not operate until it has been released by Maritime New Zealand. At this stage we cannot give a timeframe for its return to service.

Maritime NZ to place Aratere under detention order

Maritime NZ inspectors will place the Aratere under a detention order when it arrives in Picton, director Kirstie Hewlett says.

This will enable Maritime NZ to work closely with Arateres Classification Society and KiwiRail to understand what has occurred, and what action needs to happen, before the vessel is able to move safely again and can be released."

The Interislander ferry Aratere ran aground just out of Picton after 10pm on Friday. Photo: Renee Horncastle.

Kirstie says the Maritime NZ investigators will also today start an investigation into the grounding.

They will carry out interviews, examine the scene and ferry, review documents and gather evidence. We will then decide what, if any, further action to take.

The investigation is expected to take several months to complete.

The ferry hit the South Island coastline just after 10pm on Friday, with the Maritime Union warning the failure could have been disastrous had it occurred in bad weather.

Forty-seven people - eight commercial truck drivers and 39 crew - spent the night on the grounded ferry, and by 10am yesterday had been onboard for nearly 13 hours. The drivers and 12 of the crew disembarked before 11am.

Divers were sent down earlier in the day to investigate the ships hull and gather more information about how badly the vessel had run aground.

Pictons deputy harbour master, two pilots and the ports manager were among experts to have boarded the vessel overnight as authorities considered how to tow it back to the towns port.

Ship tracking sites showed Picton tugboats Maungatea and Monowai lined up behind the Arateres stern early in the morning, while other support vessels were also in place onsite.

A 500m exclusion zone had been put in place around the stranded vessel while booms and floating barriers were in place in case of an oil spill.

Malboroughs Harbourmaster Jake Oliver earlier announced the attempt to refloat the stranded Interislander ferry would start at 9pm and likely take several hours.

Jake says if the refloat was successful the Aratere would then be anchored, stabilised and tomorrow it would be moved to a berth.

Speaking after a briefing about the incident with Maritime NZ, KiwiRail, Interislander and port authorities yesterday afternoon, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says it was great there had been no loss of life and everyone onboard the ship was safe.

He says there are question marks about how a recently installed piece of equipment on Aretere had responded.

Its to do with how the rudders work. It is my understanding that they lost the ability to steer the ship.

Brown says there was a lot of technical work to refloat a ship.

There is water in the ballast, which needed to be moved to the right place, among other factors and thats around moving vehicles within it to rebalance it, make sure its balanced in the right way.

Its a lot of work to be done to do that. Ballast water had to be moved to the right part of the ship.

The Minister says independent investigations are underway by Maritime NZ and Transport Accident Investigation Commission.

Ministers have made their expectation clear that KiwiRail must take all steps necessary to maintain the safety and reliability of their ferries, and ministers have been disappointed with the state of the asset management we have seen from KiwiRail.

A safe and reliable Cook Strait crossing is critical to New Zealands transport network which is why the Government is committed to making the investment required to support resilience shipping across the strait, including new ships.

But we also have to get the right ships for the job and KiwiRail must maintain its existing ships to the safe standard required.

He says when they came into Government they were very disappointed at the state of asset management.

What we have seen happen is incredibly concerning.

A kayaker paddles past the stranded Interislander ferry Aratere in Picton. Photo: Supplied.

Brown says he had received advice from Kiwi Rail during recent months that the asset management was improving significantly.

Which is pleasing, but there is clearly more work to be done.

He says the whole incident has been incredibly disappointing and concerning and now the appropriate thing to happen is the investigation to make sure it doesnt happen again.

Brown said the replacement of the Cook Strait ferries is a priority for the Government.

We have set aside significant capital in the multi-year capital allowance not just for this but for a range of infrastructure projects across New Zealand.

Peter Reidy says he could not speculate on what caused the incident.

Todays focus is to recover the ship, I think any other discussions about any other items are for another day, says Peter at Picton Marina.

Peter and Duncan Roy spoke to media at Picton Marina on Saturday after the eight passengers onboard and 12 of the 39 crew had disembarked.

Its believed the ferry ran aground on a gravel seabed and not jagged rocks, says Peter.

But we are taking technical advice from global experts on the best way to recover the ship.

Peter says the ferry had experienced issues with the electrical system on the steering that had just been fully upgraded but the follow-up investigation would look into that further.

While he wouldnt talk about the disruption to the country caused by the incident, he says Cook Strait forms a part of State Highway 1 that traversed the entire country and provided a $40 billion connection for the country between the North and South islands.
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Syracuse, N.Y.  A man dropped off at a Syracuse hospital Friday was shot in the leg, police said Saturday.

The man, 38, limped into Upstate University Hospital around 2:52 p.m., according to Onondaga County 911 Center dispatches.

He had one gunshot wound, police said in a news release. His injuries are non-life threatening.

Its believed the shooting took place in the 400 block of Wolf Street, police said.

Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 315-442-5222.

Staff writer Fernando Alba covers breaking news, crime and public safety. Have a tip, story idea, question or comment? Reach him at falba@syracuse.com.
CHICAGO, June 23 (Xinhua) -- Ten people were injured, one in critical condition, in a mass shooting in Columbus, capital of the U.S. state of Ohio, on Sunday morning.

It happened just before 2:30 a.m. (0730 GMT). All the injured were males, eight adults and two minors aged from 16 to 27, local media quoted the Columbus Police Department on Sunday.

Police are searching for a male suspect dressed in all black who fled the scene driving a white four-door Honda Civic with tinted windows, and encourage anyone with information to call the police. 
PointZero BHPian



Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Kolkata Posts: 490 Thanked: 3,561 Times

re: Driving through time: 10 years of memories in the Lazy Turtle Continued ...



The journey was brief, and since the plan was straightforward, there wasn't much preparation required apart from packing a few warm clothes, charging the camera, and grabbing some chocolates to starve off hunger on the highway. Since winter had yet to arrive in Bengal, there wasn't much fog on the highway, and I arrived at Behrampur Pappu Dhaba before 10 AM. After enjoying a satisfying plate of chicken rice for breakfast-cum-lunch, I took a short break and then continued towards Siliguri. Another break in Dalkhola for a cup of tea, and I reached Siliguri by 7:00 PM, completing an hour's journey including breaks. I had an early dinner and found a budget-friendly and secure place to park and stay for the night.





The Silk Route Story:





Due to going to bed early the night before, my body clock malfunctioned, and I woke up a little earlier than usual. Instead of lazing around in the hotel, I decided to leave early and spend some time on the way. Since I didn't have precise information about the timing of the permission, which had changed multiple times during the COVID season, it seemed prudent to reach Rongli police station early and use the time to manage any uncertainties.



Before reaching Rongli, I came across a place where my family and I had taken an old picture on Lazy-Turtle's first trip. I took a break, compared the picture with a current one from 10 years later, and noticed that not much had changed except for the wider tar road. I reminisced about those times for a few moments before continuing towards Rongli.



The Sikkim police have now established a procedure for Private Agencies to obtain permits. I discovered that the current season is ideal for witnessing blooming flowers, adorning the hillsides along the roads, and finally, arguing a forest entry fee per passenger at the Padamchen checkpost, a regulation that started 2-3 years ago and was new to me. With the roads mostly empty and fewer visitors due to exam season, I relished every moment of my solo journey, taking countless breaks to savor Zuluk. I realized I had arrived without realizing it and continued towards Thambi. Thambi was its usual quiet self due to the off-season. I paused for a cup of tea and witnessed a mesmerizing live timelapse of clouds drifting across the sky. During this break, the most captivating sight was the playful game of hide and seek between the clouds and the sun. The snow-capped mountains, viewed from various angles, made each breath a reminder of freedom and simplicity.

With no plans for the rest of the day, I decided to spend more time in Thambi, a choice that proved to be a wise one as I continued towards Gnathang Valley. A few kilometres from Thambi, I noticed that the road had doubled in width, its dark, wide tar surface starkly contrasting with the peaceful surroundings. I could easily imagine that during the peak visitor season, this road would be used like a race track by rental cars. The scenery changed dramatically after Laxman Chowk; the landscape was covered with red, dying plants, seemingly awaiting for the arrival of winter and the first snowfall. Due to the off-season, I was able to find a homestay easily and at a minimal price. I didn't encounter any other tourists during my stay, which made me feel like a member of the family. Watching the sunset with a cup of tea on the homestay's porch was a delightful addition to my day. The homestay was situated in a picturesque location, slightly higher than other accommodations near the police station. While the uphill hike might pose a challenge for some, I found the location attractive, especially with the room offering a clear view of the Krishna Mandir in the valley. Dinner was simple yet delicious, and the hospitality was outstanding. The evening was spent chatting with the host and exchanging stories about our families and cultures.



























































































To be continued ... The journey was brief, and since the plan was straightforward, there wasn't much preparation required apart from packing a few warm clothes, charging the camera, and grabbing some chocolates to starve off hunger on the highway. Since winter had yet to arrive in Bengal, there wasn't much fog on the highway, and I arrived at Behrampur Pappu Dhaba before 10 AM. After enjoying a satisfying plate of chicken rice for breakfast-cum-lunch, I took a short break and then continued towards Siliguri. Another break in Dalkhola for a cup of tea, and I reached Siliguri by 7:00 PM, completing an hour's journey including breaks. I had an early dinner and found a budget-friendly and secure place to park and stay for the night.Due to going to bed early the night before, my body clock malfunctioned, and I woke up a little earlier than usual. Instead of lazing around in the hotel, I decided to leave early and spend some time on the way. Since I didn't have precise information about the timing of the permission, which had changed multiple times during the COVID season, it seemed prudent to reach Rongli police station early and use the time to manage any uncertainties.Before reaching Rongli, I came across a place where my family and I had taken an old picture on Lazy-Turtle's first trip. I took a break, compared the picture with a current one from 10 years later, and noticed that not much had changed except for the wider tar road. I reminisced about those times for a few moments before continuing towards Rongli.The Sikkim police have now established a procedure for Private Agencies to obtain permits. I discovered that the current season is ideal for witnessing blooming flowers, adorning the hillsides along the roads, and finally, arguing a forest entry fee per passenger at the Padamchen checkpost, a regulation that started 2-3 years ago and was new to me. With the roads mostly empty and fewer visitors due to exam season, I relished every moment of my solo journey, taking countless breaks to savor Zuluk. I realized I had arrived without realizing it and continued towards Thambi. Thambi was its usual quiet self due to the off-season. I paused for a cup of tea and witnessed a mesmerizing live timelapse of clouds drifting across the sky. During this break, the most captivating sight was the playful game of hide and seek between the clouds and the sun. The snow-capped mountains, viewed from various angles, made each breath a reminder of freedom and simplicity.With no plans for the rest of the day, I decided to spend more time in Thambi, a choice that proved to be a wise one as I continued towards Gnathang Valley. A few kilometres from Thambi, I noticed that the road had doubled in width, its dark, wide tar surface starkly contrasting with the peaceful surroundings. I could easily imagine that during the peak visitor season, this road would be used like a race track by rental cars. The scenery changed dramatically after Laxman Chowk; the landscape was covered with red, dying plants, seemingly awaiting for the arrival of winter and the first snowfall. Due to the off-season, I was able to find a homestay easily and at a minimal price. I didn't encounter any other tourists during my stay, which made me feel like a member of the family. Watching the sunset with a cup of tea on the homestay's porch was a delightful addition to my day. The homestay was situated in a picturesque location, slightly higher than other accommodations near the police station. While the uphill hike might pose a challenge for some, I found the location attractive, especially with the room offering a clear view of the Krishna Mandir in the valley. Dinner was simple yet delicious, and the hospitality was outstanding. The evening was spent chatting with the host and exchanging stories about our families and cultures.To be continued ...
Can't catch a break: Remember BlackLotus? A similar new vulnerability has now appeared, and it could be the next big headache for Intel-based devices, including those based on the latest Raptor Lake platform. It affects the UEFI firmware, potentially giving attackers a backdoor to wreak havoc on vulnerable PCs.

The flaw (CVE-2024-0762 with a reported CVSS of 7.5) was discovered in the Phoenix SecureCore UEFI firmware by cybersecurity firm Eclypsium, who identified it on Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon 7th Gen and X1 Yoga 4th Gen devices. Further investigation revealed that the vulnerability affects SecureCore firmware for a wide range of Intel CPUs, including Alder Lake, Coffee Lake, Comet Lake, Ice Lake, Jasper Lake, Kaby Lake, Meteor Lake, Raptor Lake, Rocket Lake, and Tiger Lake.

That's every "Lake" released so far, so hundreds of models from major manufacturers such as Lenovo, Dell, Acer, and HP could be impacted.

The vulnerability is essentially a buffer overflow bug found in the firmware's Trusted Platform Module (TPM) configuration, which lets attackers escalate privileges and gain code execution within the UEFI firmware during runtime. By overwriting adjacent memory with carefully crafted data, attackers can elevate privileges and gain code execution abilities within the firmware, enabling them to install bootkit malware.

"To be clear, this vulnerability lies in the UEFI code handling TPM configuration  in other words, it doesn't matter if you have a security chip like a TPM if the underlying code is flawed," clarifies Eclypsium.

Such low-level exploits are becoming increasingly common in the wild, providing bad actors with persistent access to devices and the means to work around higher-level security measures in the OS and software layers.

UEFI firmware is generally considered more secure because of Secure Boot, a feature supported by modern operating systems like Windows, macOS, and Linux. But the discovery of this vulnerability highlights the growing trend of targeting UEFI bugs to create malicious bootkits. These bootkits, such as BlackLotus, CosmicStrand, and MosaicAggressor, load early in the UEFI boot process, granting attackers low-level access to the system. This makes detection incredibly difficult.

In response to this discovery, Eclypsium coordinated with Phoenix and Lenovo to address the flaw. Lenovo has already released firmware updates for affected devices, and customers are advised to refer to their respective vendors for the latest firmware updates. However, it is important to note that not all models have available firmware updates at the time of writing, with many planned for release later this year.

If you're an Intel user, it's crucial to update your BIOS as soon as possible. But before diving in headfirst, make sure to back up your important files and the original BIOS, just in case things go sideways during the update process.

Meanwhile, Phoenix Technologies disclosed the vulnerability in May, announcing that mitigations were released as early as April. "Phoenix Technologies strongly recommends customers to update their firmware to the latest version and contact their hardware vendor as soon as possible to prevent any potential exploitation of this flaw," it said.
Huawei has launched the latest version of its Harmony operating system, HarmonyOS Next, and an updated Pangu 5.0 large language model (LLM) in a bid to reduce reliance on foreign technology.

Huawei announced these major advancements in AI and operating systems at its developers' conference in Dongguan, China, directly challenging industry leaders like OpenAI, Google, Apple, and Nvidia (via Nikkei Asia).

Huawei Unveils HarmonyOS Next

This new operating system is designed to be used across all Huawei products, such as smartphones, PCs, tablets, cars, wearables, and enterprise applications.

According to Richard Yu, chairman of Huawei's Consumer Business Group, HarmonyOS Next is distinguished by its self-controllable and secure architecture, a feature that Huawei has prioritized since the company was placed on the US trade blacklist.

"We have seized this opportunity to overtake [the others] on a bend by building an operating system that is self-controllable and secure," Yu stated.

He further emphasized that Huawei has achieved significant milestones in a decade that Western countries took three to four decades to accomplish.

Since its debut, HarmonyOS has been installed on over 900 million devices, making it the second-largest mobile operating system in China. According to data from Canalys, HarmonyOS held a 17.95% market share in the first quarter of 2024, surpassing Apple's iOS and doubling from 2% year-on-year to 4%.

Yu announced that more than 1,500 out of the 5,000 top applications had migrated from Android to HarmonyOS.

Read Also : Huawei Pura 70 Series Launches with Strong Demand, Pro and Ultra Models Out of Stock

Huawei Unveils Pangu 5.0 AI Model

Alongside HarmonyOS Next, Huawei unveiled the Pangu 5.0 LLM, which comes in four different sizes to cater to various needs. The smallest model can be embedded in smartphones, while the midsize model boasts up to 90 billion parameters.

The "ultra" model, with up to 230 billion parameters, is designed for complex enterprise tasks, and the "super" model has a staggering one trillion parameters. In comparison, OpenAI's latest GPT-4 model has 1.76 trillion parameters, highlighting the competitive edge of Huawei's new AI model.

Huawei's advancements are not limited to software. The company is developing hardware solutions to rival Nvidia, including AI accelerators powered by Ascend chips, Kunpeng server CPUs, and Kirin chips for devices.

Harmony Intelligence and Future Plans

To further integrate its AI capabilities, Huawei launched the Harmony Intelligence infrastructure, which includes the AI voice assistant Celia. This infrastructure aims to enhance the functionality of Huawei devices, making them more intelligent and efficient. The new flagship smartphone, Mate 70, will feature HarmonyOS Next, with more models expected to support the OS in 2025.

In a bid to refine HarmonyOS Next, Huawei has initiated a beta testing phase, recruiting developers and pioneer users, GizChina reports. The recruitment, limited to 3,000 participants, runs from June 21 to June 28, 2024, with the review process extending to July 9, 2024. This beta testing is currently available for specific Huawei models, including the Mate 60 series and MatePad Pro.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed an AI chatbot designed to help users reduce anxiety and enhance motivation by simulating conversations with their future selves.

AI Chatbot Lets You Talk with Your Future Self

The AI chatbot, created by a team of researchers at MIT's Media Lab, aims to assist young adults aged 18 to 30.

The project, dubbed "Future You," uses OpenAI's GPT-3.5 model to create natural-sounding conversations and generate "synthetic memories" tailored to each user.

These conversations are based on a detailed backstory that incorporates the user's aspirations, past experiences, and significant life events.

How The AI Chatbot Works

The process begins with users answering a series of questions about themselves, their families, friends, past experiences, and future goals.

They then upload a current photo, which is digitally aged to depict their appearance at age 60. This digitally-aged image serves as a visual representation of their future self during the chatbot interaction.

Using the information provided, the chatbot generates a coherent backstory, or "synthetic memory," creating a realistic future persona.

Read Also : Apple Delays Launch of New AI-Powered Features in Europe Due to Regulatory Concerns

Why You Need This AI Chatbot

The concept behind the chatbot is rooted in behavioral science, particularly the idea of "future self-continuity."

This principle suggests that individuals who feel a strong connection with their future selves are more likely to make decisions that benefit their long-term well-being.

This connection can help counteract "temporal discounting," a cognitive bias where people prioritize immediate rewards over long-term benefits.

Speaking with Euronews, Ivo Vlaev, a professor of behavioral science at the University of Warwick, explained that humans frequently find it difficult to vividly imagine their future selves. This limitation can result in a cognitive bias known as "temporal discounting," causing individuals to favor immediate rewards over long-term benefits

The AI chatbot aims to reduce this bias by making the future self more relevant and tangible.

Does It Work?

The initial study, which included 344 participants aged 18 to 30, showed promising results. Users reported decreased anxiety and lower levels of negative emotions after chatting with their future selves.

They also felt a stronger connection to their future, which could lead to better decision-making regarding health, education, and financial planning.

Pat Pataranutaporn, a researcher at MIT's Media Lab, tells The Guardian that the goal of the project is to "motivate people to make wiser choices in the present that optimize for their long-term well-being and life outcomes."

He shared a personal experience where a conversation with his future self emphasized the importance of spending time with his parents, a perspective that profoundly impacted him.

While the chatbot shows great potential, researchers caution about the ethical implications of AI-generated content. They emphasize the need for mindful design to avoid endorsing harmful behaviors.

Stay posted here at Tech Times.
Germanys Late Equaliser Against Switzerland Secures Top Spot in Group A at Euro 2024

Dramatic Finish as Germany Salvages Draw

Germany secured their place at the top of Group A with a dramatic late equaliser from substitute Niclas Fullkrug, snatching a draw against Switzerland. The Swiss, who were on the brink of advancing as group winners thanks to an early goal from Dan Ndoye, saw their hopes dashed in the dying moments of the match.

Switzerlands Early Dominance

From the outset, Swiss fans had much to cheer about. Ndoyes first-time strike, expertly placed into the roof of the net from a Remo Freuler cross, set the tone. The Swiss side, managed by Murat Yakin, defended resolutely for the majority of the match, managing to hold Germany at bay. The atmosphere in the stands was electric, with Swiss supporters celebrating what they believed was a secured victory.

VAR Interventions and Disallowed Goals

The match wasnt without its controversies. Both sides had goals disallowed after interventions from the Video Assistant Referee (VAR). Germanys Robert Andrich saw his goal ruled out due to a foul in the build-up, while Ndoyes second attempt was also deemed offside. These decisions kept the tension high, with both teams striving for the critical goals that would define their progression.

Germanys Persistence Pays Off

Despite their earlier struggles, Germany showed perseverance. Julian Nagelsmanns squad, unchanged for the third consecutive match, appeared fatigued and lacked their usual creativity. Yet, in the final stages, Germany intensified their efforts. Kai Havertz and Ilkay Gundogan both missed key opportunities before Fullkrug finally delivered, heading in the equaliser to the delight of the home supporters.

Switzerlands Solid Performance

Switzerlands disciplined defence and tactical acumen were on full display throughout the match. Their ability to maintain structure and composure under pressure was commendable, though ultimately not enough to secure the top spot in the group. Despite the draw, Switzerlands progression to the knockout stages is a testament to their consistent performances in recent tournaments.

Germanys Path Forward

While the match highlighted some vulnerabilities in the German side, it also showcased their resilience. The draw ensures Germany remains unbeaten and positions them favourably as they advance. Their ability to find crucial goals under pressure will be vital as they aim to lift the Euro 2024 trophy in Berlin.

Swiss Prospects

For Switzerland, this match marks another step forward under Yakins leadership. Progressing from the group stage for the third consecutive Euros underscores their growing consistency and capability on the European stage. As they move into the knockout rounds, the Swiss will aim to build on this solid foundation.

With both teams advancing, the excitement for the next stages of Euro 2024 continues to build, promising more thrilling encounters and memorable moments.
Three missing after heavy Swiss flooding



Geneva, June 22 (AFP) Jun 22, 2024



Swiss authorities in the southeastern canton of Grisons said Saturday that they were searching for three people missing after heavy flooding the previous day in the region.

Police said a woman feared to have been swept away had been found alive after being caught in torrential rain and thunderstorms that caused landslides and flooding in the Mesolcina valley and forces dozens of residents to be briefly evacuated.

"Intensive searches are under way for the three people still listed as missing," police said in a statement, adding they were likely at home when floodwaters swept away three houses along with three vehicles.

Local media reports said the missing included an elderly woman and a couple.

One police rescue vehicle was also swept away by the floodwaters but police said two colleagues inside were able to get out and swim to safety.

Police urged people to stay away from the worst-hit areas and not attempt their own rescue searches.

Several villages were left without electricity and drinking water following the storm, local reports said.

Recent days have seen other areas of Switzerland, including the ski resort of Zermatt, affected by heavy rainfall with several roads cut off and rail services hit.

President Viola Amherd posted on X that her thoughts were with those people affected.
Italy's Capri lifts tourist ban as water shortage resolved



Rome, June 22 (AFP) Jun 22, 2024



The Italian island of Capri lifted a ban on tourists Saturday after problems with the water supply to the holiday hotspot were resolved.

Capri's mayor, Paolo Falco, said the ban was "revoked" after a technical issue preventing the arrival of water from the mainland was fixed.

The ban was announced early Saturday, forcing several morning ferries on their way to the island from Naples and Sorrento in southern Italy to return to port.

In justifying the ban, Falco warned of "a real emergency" and said that while there was still water on most of the island on Friday, local tanks early Saturday were "running out".

"The emergency would be worsened by the arrival of the thousands of tourists who arrive on Capri daily," he said.

Locals, not targeted by the ban, were permitted to collect up to 25 litres (6.6 gallons) of drinking water per household from a supply tanker.

Capri, in the Bay of Naples, is famed for its white villas, cove-studded coastline and upscale hotels. It has around 13,000 permanent residents but attracts huge numbers of day-trippers in summer months.
Description

Come support and kickstart our 2024 US Tour for THESE DAYS. Links below to purchase the tickets! We will host a meet and greet, followed by the screening and a Q&A.

About the film:

Burgeoning muralist Jay (Billy Mayorga Reyes) lives in Brentwood, NY, where his neighborhood of Salvadoran immigrants offers a rich tapestry of stories, traditions, and perspectives that have often been marginalized and overlooked. At age 15, he is involved in a local youth program aimed at both healing generational trauma and combating the lure of gang violence. While his survival depends on street smarts, his loving single mother (Carla Vila) uses tough love to keep him on the right path. A heartfelt debut from director Junior Gonzalez, THESE DAYS is a thoughtful, moving docudrama portrait of a vibrant Long Island community, as seen through the eyes of a promising young artist. - Excerpt from Hampton's International Film Festival

Awards won include:

"2023 Next Exposure Grant" 32nd Annual Hamptons International Festival in East Hampton, NY

"Best Picture", "Best Director", "Best Young Actor", 11th Annual Chelsea Film Festival in New York, NY

"Best Director", 7th Annual Golden State Film Festival in Los Angeles, CA

See you there!
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Retiring in Michigan could appeal to you for a variety of reasons, whether it be living in close proximity to your kids and grandchildren, living in a big city with lots to do to fill your spare time, or relocating closer to the Great Lakes and the water. But can you afford it?

A GOBankingRates study found Michigan cities where a retiree can live on less than $2,600. The locations were determined after considering the price of buying a house and paying a mortgage, as well as the day-to-day cost of living, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey. Below are seven of the best cities in Michigan to retire with $2,600 a month.

Find Out: 5 Places in America To Retire That Are Just as Cheap as Mexico, Portugal and Costa Rica

Read Next: The Surprising Way You Can Get Guaranteed Retirement Income for Life

What do the seven cities have in common? The percentage of the population of residents ages 65 and older for all of them is in the double digits, meaning youre likely to find activities that appeal to you and others your age, allowing you to make friends when you settle somewhere new. And the average home values could be much easier on the pocket than where you currently live, with home values in none of the seven cities exceeding $145,000  and three of them even less than $100,000.

Read on to learn more about places to live in Michigan for less than $2,600 a month.

Wealthy people know the best money secrets. Learn how to copy them.

Burton

Livability: 61

Population total: 29,568

Number of population aged 65+: 5,621

Percentage of population aged 65+: 19.0%

Total households: 12,522

Median household income: $55,698

Average home value (April 2024): $143,369

Average monthly mortgage cost: $861

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,720

Total monthly cost of living: $2,581

Try This: 3 Cities To Retire In That Are as Awesome as Honolulu and San Francisco but Way Cheaper

Pontiac

Livability: 64

Population total: 61,965

Number of population aged 65+: 7,689

Percentage of population aged 65+: 12.4%

Total households: 25,343

Median household income: $40,307

Average home value (April 2024): $122,384

Average monthly mortgage cost: $735

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,837

Total monthly cost of living: $2,572

Saginaw

Livability: 62

Population total: 44,316

Number of population aged 65+: 5,908

Percentage of population aged 65+: 13.3%

Total households: 17,520

Median household income: $35,521

Average home value (April 2024): $121,478

Average monthly mortgage cost: $730

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,732

Total monthly cost of living: $2,462

Story continues

Inkster

Livability: 67

Population total: 25,839

Number of population aged 65+: 2,749

Percentage of population aged 65+: 10.6%

Total households: 9,222

Median household income: $38,381

Average home value (April 2024): $94,507

Average monthly mortgage cost: $568

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,893

Total monthly cost of living: $2,461

Bay City

Livability: 69

Population total: 32,664

Number of population aged 65+: 4,997

Percentage of population aged 65+: 15.3%

Total households: 14,379

Median household income: $45,026

Average home value (April 2024): $109,825

Average monthly mortgage cost: $660

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,699

Total monthly cost of living: $2,359

Detroit

Livability: 73

Population total: 636,787

Number of population aged 65+: 91,780

Percentage of population aged 65+: 14.4%

Total households: 249,518

Median household income: $37,761

Average home value (April 2024): $72,292

Average monthly mortgage cost: $434

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,715

Total monthly cost of living: $2,149

Flint

Livability: 74

Population total: 81,863

Number of population aged 65+: 11,082

Percentage of population aged 65+: 13.5%

Total households: 33,854

Median household income: $35,451

Average home value (April 2024): $58,555

Average monthly mortgage cost: $352

Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,676

Total monthly cost of living: $2,028

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities across Michigan to find the best places to retire on less than $2,600 a month. First, GOBankingRates found cities in Michigan by using the U.S. Census Bureaus American Community Survey, along with the total population, population aged 65 and over, median household income and total households. For each city, a number of factors were found, including cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, average single-family home as sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index for April 2024, and livability index as sourced from AreaVibes. By assuming a 10% down payment and using the national 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated. Using the national average expenditure costs for retired residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs for each city can be calculated. Using the expenditure costs and the mortgage cost, the total monthly cost of living can be calculated for each city. All cities over $2,600 were removed for this study. The livability index was scored and weighted at 1.75, the expenditure cost was scored and weighted at 1.00, and the mortgage cost was scored and weighted at 1.00. All the scores were summed and sorted to show the best places to retire on less than $2,600 a month. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 31, 2024.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Best Michigan Cities To Retire on $2,600 a Month
Another one is hybrid fulfilment, which folds multiple fulfilment options (from The Iconic or the supplier itself) that minimises the appearance that an item is out of stock. A third method that Calmes says is proving popular is Fulfilled by The Iconic, a blend of drop-shipping and wholesaling in which products are warehoused and couriered by The Iconic while allowing the vendor to retain control over pricing. Becoming more flexible in how it works with brands is both The Iconics biggest opportunity and its greatest challenge. Changing the norms, in general, is the most difficult thing, Calmes said. The real challenge is making sure that the market sees us the way we want to be seen: [as] a differentiator player, e-commerce at scale, and its very focused on fashion. We bring something to the market that nobody else has. The Iconic wants to cement itself as a fashion destination amid higher competition and at a tough time for retail. The Iconic is defending its territory as the leading online retailer amid a very tough trading environment. Cost of living pressures have made shoppers more discerning and more reluctant to open their wallets. As insolvencies hit record highs month after month, fashion labels are collapsing.

Consumers are trading down for more affordable options. People are adding to their wish lists but not necessarily to their carts as they wait for promotions, forcing The Iconic to price-match more often. Thats the hygienics of business. You cant be more expensive than your competitors, said Calmes. If they were to buy two dresses, theyre gonna buy one. Youre seeing that. Its not easy times. Cost of living pressures have also acted as a tailwind for ultra-cheap clothing giants Shein and Temu, which Calmes described as both proof people want to shop on apps and as a threat to the overall retail industry. Return rates are slightly higher  half a percentage point  than what they used to be: some customers have returned items because they couldnt afford it. Amid all of this, Calmes says while shopping frequency is down, basket sizes have grown, and the new platform model is working. Brands that previously drop-shipped had migrated to the fulfilled-by model and had sales improved by 25 per cent, he said. This fulfilment model has also attracted the likes of Spanish brands Bershka and Pull & Bear, which did not have a foothold in the Australian market until recently. That starts the flywheel going, and I think then itll turn into FOMO.

Online fashion retailer The Iconic chief executive Jere Calmes. As The Iconic is an online pure play, Calmes is acutely aware of the importance of staying ahead of the competition. Bricks-and-mortar retailers have understood the importance of having a strong ecommerce offering: department stores David Jones and Myer are pouring more investment into this space. The Iconic has been incorporating artificial intelligence to improve search, chatbots and personalisation and it is eager to flaunt these credentials. What I think is not known is how amazing of a tech company we are. Charting a growth story In its 13 years of operation, The Iconic has never notched a profit on the books. In 2022, it reported losses of more than $11 million, more than double the year before. Calmes signalled this trajectory is shifting now that the business has moved to a platform model, lifting the volume of service fees and deliveries.

For the last 12 years, The Iconics been very focused on growth because of the opportunity of growing in the online world. Were still going to grow, but our focus turns a bit more towards whats the rational type of growth, and how do we grow together with our partners. At the operational level, weve broken even, but it was a decision not to be profitable as a decision actually to go after growth. Loading The Iconic made 116 roles redundant last year. This masthead has previously uncovered issues that plagued the business, including a poor culture where working conditions and pay discrepancies were not paid attention to, which predate Calmes appointment. The chief executive, who said he walked the floor of The Iconics fulfilment centres once a week, said culture was the most important thing in a company and extolled the capabilities of his leadership team.
Fittingly, the Liberal Partys 80th birthday will be best remembered for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton going off-script and calling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a child in a mans body during his speech at the federal council on Saturday. Lord knows what Robert Menzies wouldve made of it all.

The night before Duttons rush of blood, Liberals were in a festive mood. The partys good and great gathered at Sydneys Hyatt Regency for a special gala dinner. John Howard was once again wheeled out to gee-up the troops as they busied themselves on marinated eye fillet and a patriotic dessert menu of raspberry lamingtons, ANZAC crumble and our favourite, cherry ripe cheesecake.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton with colleagues Simon Birmingham (left) and Sussan Ley at the Hyatt Regency in Sydney on Saturday. Credit: Rhett Wyman

Meanwhile, the Moderate faction gathered around the corner at El Loco, a Justin Hemmes-owned Mexican pastiche (the name appropriately translates as the crazy) for their Black Hand Dinner (a steal at $60-a-head with a cash bar), or the winners circle, as former defence minister Christopher Pyne once described it.

Pyne sadly couldnt make Fridays event, but ensured his jovial presence was felt by buying everyone drinks from afar. It was an otherwise fairly standard crowd of mods  former attorney-general George Brandis, ex-South Australian premier Steven Marshall, Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto, NSW MP James Griffin and rebellious backbencher Bridget Archer, who were shocked to see at a Liberal event.
Fitz: Lately, the serious investment in renewables seems to be specifically in offshore wind farms, as opposed to vast solar farms in the regions. TC: The important thing here is the capacity ratio, the amount of energy a system produces over a period of time against what it is capable of producing at full capacity. Solar has a low capacity ratio because the suns only usefully shining for about 25 per cent of the day, right? And the other downside to constructing solar on a large scale is needing to build extra transmission lines to get the energy from those remote solar farms back to the grid, which can be expensive. Onshore wind has a capacity factor at best of around 30 per cent. But with offshore wind, its capacity factor is around 50 to 55 per cent, as it is so much more windy offshore. So thats why, over the years, globally, the wind farms are gravitating to the oceans. And in Australia, it makes even more sense because as a population, we mostly cling to the coast, and so you can put them offshore near where the energy is needed, with much shorter and less expensive transmission lines. Fitz: But still, even 55 per cent sounds like a relatively low capacity factor  which is why people say it is better to stay with coal and then go nuclear because their capacity factor, surely, is 100 per cent  their great virtue being that those energy systems provide energy whenever you need it?

TC: No! Thats the biggest myth of the lot. The capacity factor of coal in the Australian electricity market at the moment is 60 per cent, and its falling about 2 per cent a year as the plants become less reliable  as your generation units and your boilers are not all able to be in service at the same time. Eraring coal power station, for example, has five individual generators of varying sizes, and they cant all be operated flat out simultaneously. These arent my numbers. These are all available on the website of the Australian Energy Market Operator  which is the official energy market regulator. So were only a few years away from the ageing coal stations and new offshore wind farms having exactly the same capacity factor. The bulk of Australian coal-fired power plants will exit the grid within 10 years, so their energy has to be replaced  not in 20 or 30 years time, but within the next decade. Fitz: Which is one reason the nuclear option is problematic, I get that. But at least its capacity factor is 100 per cent. TC: Again, no. It is the highest of any energy source, but it is about 90 per cent because it, too, has maintenance downtime, where it is pulled back from full throttle. But the factors against building nuclear power stations in Australia right now are incontrovertible. The International Atomic Energy Agency publishes a guidelines handbook  basically a step-by-step guide on how to go nuclear in your country. It is the internationally recognised manual on what you have to do to go from zero to a functioning nuclear energy power plant. That manual says that the minimum time of establishment, starting from it being legal  which I might add, it is not in Australia at the moment  is 15 to 20 years. So the first big problem with nuclear in Australia is, what do we do to have reliable power in the 10-year gap between when most of the coal exits and only the first nuclear power plant could possibly be commissioned? Peter Dutton announces the Coalitions nuclear plan last Wednesday with Liberal MPs Angus Taylor and Sussan Ley. Credit: Rhett Wyman Fitz: You have a certain fatigue in your voice as if youre a little tired of explaining plain facts for the umpteenth time.

TC: Anyone telling you for political reasons that we can do this as a nation in less than 20 years or that that delay wont cause terrible problems is divorced from reality in what theyre saying, Peter. I say this from the point of view of being an engineer whos delivered billions, literally billions of dollars worth of energy projects throughout my life. Even 20 years is very optimistic. And then, with nuclear, you still havent solved the problem of cost. The most recent CSIRO annual review shows that the cost per gigawatt out of nuclear is five times more expensive per gigawatt than out of wind. Fitz: Do you foresee the electricity bills in NSW and Australia going lower, as renewables keep coming online? TC: Yes. And the more renewable energy there is, the lower those bills will be. Fitz: OK, but while you may not want to be political about it, we are talking at a highly political time, with the massive wind farm just being announced off Wollongong at much the same time as the Coalition has announced their nuclear plans, with seven sites around the country and ... TC: [With some agitation.] If the Coalition is all in on nuclear and thinks its the best thing since sliced bread, then why did they say nothing and do nothing about it for the last decade that they were in power? Ive asked opposition energy spokesperson Ted OBrien that question many times, and Im yet to receive an answer.

The factors against building nuclear power stations in Australia  are incontrovertible. Professor Ty Christopher Fitz: You are very strong on it. TC: When people ask me, am I anti-nuclear, I look them in the eye and I say no, Im anti-bullshit. And what were hearing at the moment from the Coalition in terms of the timing and the costs of nuclear and where it fits into the energy grid  it is largely bullshit. We need to pull back from all of this. Renewables are the cheapest. They are reliable enough for what we need, they are the best way to bring down customer bills, and they are the best way for us to decarbonise our economy, which is what we have committed to do. Fitz: Critics say, if these wind farms are so great, why not put them off Bondi Beach? Sydneys where our heaviest population is, so does that make a certain amount of sense? And last time I was at Bondi, the wind blew my toupee off! TC: Bondi Beach doesnt have a steelworks. BlueScope steelworks at Wollongong consumes a massive amount of energy every day, about 2400 gigawatt-hours  the equivalent of solar export from 240,000 homes. Look, its no accident why Newcastle and Wollongong, the two most important industrial centres of NSW, have had coal power stations nearby. It is for exactly the same reasons two zones off both towns have been designated for offshore wind. They both have large industries that need the power. The problem when people politicise the debate is that the first casualty is truth, and the second one is common sense.

Offshore wind turbines in Vietnam. Larger turbines can be twice as tall as the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Credit: Bloomberg Fitz: All right, I now get it better than I did. In terms of this current offshore wind project, how does it work? Does the federal government say, All right, were giving a licence for this zone, so what are we bid from those commercial energy providers who want to construct it? TC: Theres a step before that. The government says to the commercial builders, Give us your best-suggested solution because we have to build an offshore energy plant here. And they select from that a smaller list of energy entities with feasible proposals, to whom they will actually give a licence to develop it and go from there  with community consultation, which is very important. It was after that community consultation the government moved them further offshore. Fitz: As a local, are you concerned about the visual pollution of those wind farms off the Gong? On such a pristine bit of coast, it is not unreasonable for people to not want to gaze out to sea and see manifestations of industry. TC: Many of us who live in the Illawarra take great pride in and feel personally connected to our ocean. The visual argument is highly subjective. Some people think they look good, others think they are an eyesore. The proposed offshore wind turbines will be 20 kilometres or more out to sea, and they will not be that visible on most days. Regardless, I think most of us can agree that any wind turbine looks better than an open-cut coal mine.

Fitz: OK, when all is said and done, and its good to go, tell us about the building of these wind farms. I was amazed to see references to them not being anchored in the sea bed but floating. TC: One of the characteristics of the east coast of Australia is the continental shelf is actually quite close-in to the shore. By the time you are 20 kilometres offshore, its about 300 metres deep, on average. To go down that deep makes it a very long, wobbly concrete stick, and its not viable. So, what they do is use the same engineering used for offshore oil and gas rigs  they float and move within a limited range and move up and down with the swells. Fitz: How far above and below the surface do they go? TC: The largest turbines available, the 15-megawatt ones, are actually 260 metres tall from the surface of the water. Fitz: About twice the height of the Sydney Harbour Bridge!

TC: Yep. But theyre like an inverse iceberg. Despite that big top, they only go about 25 metres below the surface, apart from the tethering lines anchored on the seabed. And lately, the way of getting those anchors in the seabed tends to use a screw-type technology, which is favoured as having less noise impact, especially on whales and other marine species, than comes from pile-driven technology. Loading Fitz: On the subject of whales, marine species, and birds, the upside seems to be a lot of pundits who previously demonstrated no concern at all for environmental matters are suddenly rabid greenies, devastated at the destruction that the wind farms will visit on the environment. TC: I have looked at academic papers all across the world, as have my colleagues at the University of Wollongong. I remain unable to find any scientific studies that show that offshore wind energy technology has a negative impact on whales once its been constructed. Thats not to say that we dont need to do more detailed environmental studies for the specific locations of these offshore wind farms in Australia. But without wanting to be too flippant, I do note that before any whale has reached the coast of the Illawarra or the Hunter, that whale has had to navigate icebergs, ships, offshore oil and gas rigs and undersea reefs. The ocean is very big, and whales are very good at navigating. Fitz: Thank you. This has been fascinating. So your bottom line is that this is going to happen, and Australia has no choice but to make this happen if we want to keep our industry open?
It causes one in three Australian women a problem they often dont discuss, and one that can affect everything from their sex life to their self-esteem.

One in 10 men suffer with it, though are similarly reticent about sharing their experiences with incontinence or seeking treatment.

Fresh Monash University research shows leaking urine during exertion happens to a third of women who exercise, depending on the intensity of the sport, and that half of these stop participating in a form of sport or exercise due to their pelvic floor-related symptoms.

Leanne Murphy suffered life-changing incontinence after she gave birth to her second child. Credit: Arsineh Houspian.

Monash University physiotherapy lecturer, Dr Jodie Dakic, is among health and maternity experts who believe it is time the prevalence and impacts of incontinence, both urinary and fecal, are taken more seriously, and more screening and funded support is available across the community, to boost or restore quality of life.
Australians have split on nuclear power after Opposition Leader Peter Dutton triggered a pivotal clash on energy and climate: 41 per cent of voters back the shift to atomic energy and 37 per cent have rejected the idea.

The exclusive findings raise the stakes for Labor and the Coalition in an election fight over household power prices and the cheapest forms of energy, as parliament resumes on Monday with Labor seeking to demolish the Coalitions plan for seven nuclear power plants.

Many people are willing to consider nuclear power even if they are not sure about it yet, highlighting the large numbers of voters who could be convinced to back either side.

But renewable projects have far stronger support: 73 per cent are in favour, amid warnings that investment in wind and solar may weaken after Dutton promised to set up seven nuclear plants if he wins the next election.
A seven-tower development in Melbournes east has been given the green light as the Allan government forges ahead with its promise to squeeze tens of thousands of new homes around Suburban Rail Loop stations.

Planning Minister Sonya Kilkenny is to announce on Monday approval of the Box Hill Central North Masterplan, a $1.57 billion project set to create 1700 homes, with 10 per cent set aside for affordable housing, under the governments scheme to fast-track residential developments.

But the approval will reignite a debate about density and changing suburban skylines, given three of the planned buildings are expected to stand more than 40 storeys tall.

The smallest of the seven buildings will be 19 storeys, while the largest will rise 50 levels. Box Hills current tallest building is the 36-storey Sky One apartment tower, which is also the tallest building outside central Melbourne.
For all of his time as a school and university student, Keith Houghton guarded a secret. Concealed out of a sense of self-preservation, only his family knew the daily hurdles he had to leap.

By late 2000, Houghton was in his 40s and had been working as a professor at the University of Melbourne for a decade. But a student was about to change his approach to life.

Keith Houghton is among those in the dyslexic community to welcome changes to the way children are taught to read. Credit: Daniel Heath

Houghton was a committee member on the academic board that was considering whether a second-year students enrolment should be discontinued due to poor academic performance.

This student had done well in first year and then poorly in second year, Houghton said. Given one last chance to argue his case, Houghton said the young man looked around the room before saying: Im dyslexic.
Moscow: More than 15 police officers were killed in a series of attacks in the southern Russian region of Dagestan, Russian news agencies quoted the head of the region as saying on Monday.

There were also civilian casualties, the agencies reported.

The countrys National Anti-Terrorism Committee said that five gunmen who were among the attackers have now also been killed after they opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a police post in the simultaneous attacks across two cities.

Footage shared on social media of the gunmen carrying out the attack in the Russian republic of Dagestan. Credit: x.com

The attack comes three months after 145 people were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State on a concert hall near Moscow, Russias worst terrorist attack in years.
Bardellas appeal is clear: young, well-spoken and impeccably dressed in slim-fitting suits and turtlenecks, not a hair in his short haircut out of place. Youthful but confidently grown-up, hes often described as handsome or the perfect son-in-law. Hes derided by some (older) opponents as the  king of TikTok  for his enthusiasm for social media, where hes often shown posing for selfies with his fans. Yet, his carefully curated clips  of him taking down opponents in debates, climbing aboard a boat to meet fishermen, driving a tractor or sipping a regional wine  reach millions.

Meanwhile, Bardellas mentor, Marine Le Pen, daughter of Holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen, waits in the wings for her chance to claim Frances greatest prize  the presidency, next up for grabs in 2027.

The snap election that French President Emmanuel Macron called in June was seen as a referendum on his leadership, and a gamble that the French people might fall into the arms of the ascendent far-right party National Rally (RN). Macrons centrist alliance did indeed perform poorly in the first round of the two-stage election process, held on June 30 and July 7. RN said it wanted to govern with an outright majority and to make its 28-year-old president, Jordan Bardella, prime minister. RNs Marine Le Pen, whose father founded the party, looked to have positioned herself well for a tilt at the presidency in 2027, seen by most observers as her ultimate goal. Yet in the second round, it appeared that voters blinked, turning out in greater numbers than usual to support a cobbled-together left-wing coalition called Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP). In a surprise, NFP won the most seats overall, though not an outright majority of the 577 on offer. RN finished in third place, although it did increase its seats from the last election. France had not yet swerved all the way to the right. As for Le Pen: stay tuned.

The coming days are going to be extraordinary within the French political landscape, says Romain Fathi, a senior lecturer at the Australian National University. Political alliances will be made and broken while the French are holding their breath and thinking hard about their vote.

But that was before the fateful gamble by French President Emmanuel Macron to call a surprise snap election, the first round of which fell on June 30. If Macron had been hoping the French voting public would reaffirm its one-time support for his centrist party, he seems to have been mistaken. Instead, as the second round of voting looms on July 7, Macron looks ever more likely to become a lame-duck president , sharing power with the new face in French politics: Jordan Bardella, who at 28 is poised to become Frances youngest ever prime minister, leading the countrys first far-right government since World War II. Bardellas party, the National Assembly, gained a third of votes on June 30 ahead of a left-wing coalition (28 per cent) followed by Macrons alliance (22 per cent).

We have to go back to 2015 to find anything remotely spicy, when Bardella, then a baby-faced 20-year-old, was campaigning for a place in regional government among the hardscrabble housing estates in northern Paris.

For a potential future prime minister, surprisingly little is widely known about Jordan Bardella. French media have dug deep to find any skeletons in his closet, mostly without success. According to news outlet Le Monde, a French television program investigated Bardella for 18 months and claimed to have found just one blemish: an anonymous Twitter account sharing questionable content, an association he denied.

What does Bardella actually believe? What explains his extraordinary rise? And what is happening in French politics?

Exactly what he and his party, Rassemblement National  National Rally, or RN  stand for these days is not entirely clear. Their policies are still thinly sketched. One French newspaper warned that it was not about reading the fine print  there was no fine print at all.

This is what he says politicised him. In April, he told television channel France 2: Like many families, many people who live in these neighbourhoods, I was confronted with violence, and my mother struggled to make ends meet. The truth is that the sense of urgency that led me into politics has never left me.

Bardella has a curated origin story. Born to Italian parents, one of whom has some Algerian heritage, he grew up in social housing in a tough part of Paris called Seine-Saint-Denis, a multicultural northern banlieue, or suburb. His father left when he was young and, in Bardellas telling, he witnessed much crime and social unrest in his neighbourhood, which was once singled out in a special newspaper series as  the suburb left behind .

Instead, Bardellas social media features broad, patriotic messaging that speaks to a particular world view. He has recast  some would say sugarcoated  the angry message of the nationalist right so effectively that there is talk of Bardellamania, writes Roger Cohen in The New York Times.

Evidence of that campaign still lingers online  although Bardella probably wishes it didnt. He and Betesh are ancient history. So, too, is the overtly racist messaging that was once the French National Fronts stock-in-trade.

A similar poster, just featuring Tricolour Betesh, declared: Les Banlieues Patriots, or the Patriot Suburbs. The crudely populist campaign  what kind of neighbourhood do you want to live in?  caused a splash. Bardella, running for the right-wing National Front, was subsequently elected to the regional council. Betesh became a minor far-right celebrity, appearing on TV as a youthful pundit and even agreeing to an interview with a curious reporter from The Wall Street Journal , whom she told: Im a patriot.

His girlfriend, Kelly Betesh, posed for a series of campaign posters. In one, she appeared twice: on the left side, shes wearing a red beanie with her cheeks streaked in red, white and blue paint  the French Tricolour. On the right, Betesh, also 20, is veiled in a niqab, the Muslim head covering. Choose your banlieue [suburb], the poster says, Vote Front! [National Front].

The three of us were there, Jordan, Kerridwen and me, Legrand said (in translation). We meet Marine Le Pen  She already knows him, yes, like she knew everyone, but thats where she spots him, that hes someone important. He goes on: In fact, its always the same thing, private life in the National Rally makes careers, its always the same circus in this party. From that moment on, he is with the Chatillon girl, so he is reliable, so he is a bit part of the family, so we can be interested in him. (Bardella has rejected this story as a necessary factor in his rise.)

The next acceleration in Bardellas ascent may have occurred courtesy of another companion, Kerridwen Chatillon, daughter of right-wing French businessman Frederic Chatillon, a longtime confidante of Marine Le Pen. It was she, reports Fort , who brought Bardella and Le Pen together in person for the first time (as told to him by Bardellas former friend, right-wing activist Aurelien Legrand).

In 2015, the publication Le Point described him as  the blond guy in the blue blazer  fond of quoting the Islamologist Gilles Kepel and the geographer Christophe Guilly, who was known for his theory on peripheral France, those mainly rural areas where working-class people have been forgotten by the political elite. These are themes that inform Bardellas messaging today: indeed, there are few posts on his social media from urban environments, but many of him walking around agricultural fairs, patting cows.

Bardella qualified for university but dropped out, apparently, to focus full-time on politics. He joined the National Front when he was 16 and by 19 had become the partys youngest-ever department secretary. The following year, he made his first tilt at public office, running in the 2015 departmental elections to represent the commune of Tremblay-en-France. He lost, but rebounded later that year as the National Fronts lead candidate in Seine-Saint-Denis, which saw him elected to the regional council of Ile-de-France.

His father, meanwhile, was a successful small businessman who was the likely source of funds for Bardella to attend a private Catholic school. They saw each other weekly and, according to investigative reporter Pierre-Stephane Fort, went on a trip to the United States. It seems likely that Jordan Bardellas father, never mentioned in his speeches, provided them with financial assistance, he writes in his new French-language unauthorised biography. In short, Jordan Bardella, like many children of divorcees, had one foot in two different social environments.

Marliere describes Bardellas young voters as typically white and not university-educated. Its a generation which is politically volatile above all  more than being right wing or racist  and that gets information now from social media. Bardella is also appealing to older right-wing voters, conservative on cultural issues and highly sceptical of immigrations impact on French society.

He has the kind of fame youd expect from a model, a reality TV star or a celebrity, even though hes a politician, Cassandra, a 17-year-old Bardella supporter, told a documentary by public broadcaster Arte . Philippe Marliere, a professor of French politics at University College London, tells us about 30 per cent of the 18- to 24-year-old vote is drawn to Bardella. Not all young people, not even a majority of them, are drawn to conservative values, but some of them, for sure. Probably more than in the past.

By 2020, Bardella was dating another woman with close ties to the Le Pen circle: Nolwenn Olivier, Marine Le Pens niece, who is credited with opening an account on TikTok for him. On social, he appears unflappable, approachable, considered  almost presidential. Attacked for his far-right views by top-rating French YouTuber Squeezie, he recently took to TikTok with a written retort, accusing multimillionaire influencers of copying and pasting arguments as crude as they are mendacious (4,700,000 views and counting).

In 2018, Bardella won the partys top spot on what is known as its list for the European Parliament elections for 2019. National Rally finished in first place, winning 23 of the then 79 French seats in the European Parliament, and Bardella became the second-youngest Euro MP in history, a position he holds today. His campaign manager was a man the Financial Times described as a propaganda expert: Philippe Vardon , an agitprop specialist who made his name distributing bacon soup to the homeless in Nice, a city with a big Muslim population.

In early June, about 200 million voters across Europe turned out to elect members of the European Parliament. For politicians and pundits, these polls are a bellwether for national sentiment. In France, the National Rally received 31 per cent of the vote, more than double that of President Emmanuel Macrons centrist Renaissance Party. They mobilised anger over fuel duties, says Monash Universitys Ben Wellings, of the so-called gilet jaunes, or yellow jacket, protests as well as over immigration, terrorism and security, and relations between French Muslim communities and secular visions for France. A protest vote against a sitting government is common in these elections, says Romain Fathi, a senior lecturer at ANU, but the scale of this slap in the face is definitely unprecedented.

As the humiliation of the Renaissance Party sunk in, Macron called a snap election that surprised the French public and even members of his government, propelling some 250,000 people into anti-far-right protests in several cities, carrying posters that read, Young people hate the FN (Front National) and Liberty for all, Equality for all and Fraternity with all.

Emmanuel Macron has been president of France since 2017. Credit: Photo: AP. Artwork: Marija Ercegovac

Said Macron: France needs a clear majority to move forward with serenity and harmony. He is just over two years into a five-year term, and the vote will not decide his presidency. The election is a decision on the make-up of the French parliament  the 577 seats of the National Assembly. Parliamentary elections need to be held every five years, but the president can call them once a government has sat for at least 12 months.

To understand why Macron called the election, its worth rewinding to 2022. Macron had won a second (and final) presidency, and two months later, his party contested a parliamentary election where his governing coalition, Ensemble, which included Renaissance and several other parties, lost its majority. His prime minister, Elisabeth Borne, was forced into a situation of using a special constitutional power, Article 49.3, that enables a government to bypass a logjam in parliament. It has upset the French a lot because it means that the government is acting alone, says Fathi. Borne resigned in January after the passage of controversial immigration laws that strengthened the governments power to deport some foreigners.

Macron then appointed Gabriel Attal, 35, who is Frances youngest modern prime minister, in an attempt to boost the partys popularity and fight off rising populism ahead of the European elections. Those elections, however, were the final blow, leaving Macron with more disruption in the parliament and emboldening his critics, says Simon Tormey, a professor of European politics at Deakin University. Macron is in his second term, and there is no third term, he says. What youve got is a lame duck, and that is what Macron hates. He is a chancer, a buccaneering figure with swagger, wanting to get stuff done.

Gabriel Attal, now 35, became the youngest prime minister in modern France when he accepted the job in January. Credit: Photo: AP. Artwork: Marija Ercegovac

Macron calculated the election would return his parliamentary majority, says Tormey. That reintroduces [his] mandate and legitimacy. Aurelien Mondon, a senior lecturer at the University of Bath, described Macrons move as incredibly risky. It is likely to normalise the far right further, whether they win or not, as they will most likely set the agenda in the campaign. Rather than a savvy move, I would qualify that as the actions of a petulant child.

Macron called the snap election an opportunity for clarification. The ANUs Fathi says parties on Macrons moderate left and right have been playing political games with the far left and far right. Its been extremely difficult for Macron to find allies with the moderate left and the moderate right. Calling an election, says Fathi, was intended to divide them and make the moderate parties pick a side.

News of the election initially caused chaos in the conservative Republican Party when its leader, Eric Ciotti, advocated an alliance with Le Pen, leading party heavyweights to attempt to oust him. However, Macron appears to have been relying on dividing the left, too. Instead, the left united under the banner of the New Popular Front, which includes former president Francois Hollande, who made a surprise comeback for this election.

Opening up the possibility of government to your main political rivals is sailing close to the wind, politically, says Monash Universitys Ben Wellings. If Macrons gamble fails, Le Pens National Rally could take control of the parliament, in which case Macron would have to share power with a government formed by his opponents. The French call this cohabitation, a situation where the president and the prime minister are from opposing political sides (more on that below).

In France, the president and prime minister share the duties of government, with the president ultimately having the upper hand. Macron has broad powers over foreign policy and national defence, can dissolve parliament (as he has just done) and chooses the prime minister, although his pick does need the confidence of the National Assembly. The prime minister comes from the majority, says Fathi.

Surprisingly, the prime minister does not have to be a sitting member of parliament; about a quarter since the time of Charles de Gaulle, who ushered in Frances Fifth Republic in 1958, have not been MPs. A president cannot, technically, sack a prime minister but can strongly suggest that they step down; typically, if a prime minister is struggling to lead the government, he or she will be asked to resign.

Cohabitation first occurred in the 1980s when president Francois Mitterands socialists lost the parliament to a centre right led by Jacques Chirac. There were United Nations summits where the French prime minister would fly in his own prime-ministerial aircraft to represent France, and the president would do the same in his own different aircraft, says Fathi. In a way, the weirdest thing was the French were quite happy because half of the French felt represented, and so did the other half.

Mitterand was forced into cohabitation again from 1993 to 1995, this time with conservative politician Edouard Balladur. Chiracs turn again, this time with Lionel Jospin from 1997 to 2002, followed a snap election  after his government was weakened by protests against pension reform and plans to reduce Frances deficit  that Jospins socialist government won.

Should Macron be obliged to appoint Bardella, what might their cohabitation look like? An incredibly tense one, suggests Ben Wellings.

Cohabiting: French prime minister Jacques Chirac (left) and president Francois Mitterrand at a European Union summit in The Hague in 1986. Credit: Getty Images, digitally tinted

Where does Le Pens party fit in France today?

Bardella is the first person to lead the National Rally party who is not a member of the Le Pen family. It was founded in 1972 as Front National by Jean-Marie Le Pen, a former member of the French Foreign Legion who had served in Vietnam and Algeria. A far-right organisation, it grew out of a neo-fascist movement called the Ordre Nouveau (New Order), which was broadly based on the defence of the West, a fear of mingling and of otherness, and the search for a third way between communism and capitalism, writes Gregoire Kauffmann in the journal Pouvoirs.

Le Pen had some electoral success as a member of the National Assembly and the European Parliament and ran unsuccessfully for president five times. But he would be best known for his unsavoury views as a Holocaust denier, defender of French colonialism and opponent of Muslim immigration. By 2011, he had largely run his race, and in 2012, leadership of the National Front passed to his daughter, Marine, who endeavoured to detoxify the party and make it more acceptable to mainstream voters.

Distancing herself from her fathers views, in 2015, she went so far as to expel him from the party and, in 2018, renamed the party National Rally. Yet, the underlying values remained, says Michel Eltchaninoff, French philosopher and author of the investigative biography Inside the Mind of Marine Le Pen.

Jean-Marie Le Pen with two of his daughters, Marine (centre) and Marie-Caroline, in 1992. Credit: Getty Images, digitally tinted

She has been distancing herself from her father for years and even got angry with him, Eltchaninoff tells us from France. By softening her speech, by speaking in allusions, she managed to convince a good part of the French that her party no longer had anything to do with the violent and racist National Front of yesteryear. Nobody, or almost no one, at the National Rally is caught in the act of racism or homophobia. But these impulses still exist, silently for the moment, in the party and its electorate.

She wants to reassure and show that she is comfortable among the people  but against the elites. Philosopher and author Michel Eltchaninoff on Marine Le Pen

These days, Le Pen presents herself more as a motherly cat lover than a far-right warrior, especially after standing down as party chair in 2022 to make way for Bardella. She shows her love of pets, she uses humour, says Eltchaninoff. She wants to reassure and show that she is comfortable among the people  but against the elites. In June, the National Rally cut ties with a candidate after discovering he had written an antisemitic post on social media in 2018.

It is widely believed that Le Pens decision to promote Bardella to party leader and to stand down from official party leadership herself (while remaining a potent public figurehead) was to clear the way for her own tilt at the presidency in 2027.

Younger voters, says Ben Wellings, are one of the groups that the far right, radical right and hard right appeal to across Europe. Young people disaffected with the political system and its abilities to address the various crises with which Gen Z is faced. The other group is middle-aged women, whom Le Pen symbolises. For his part, Bardella has disavowed the partys unpalatable past: what, he has asked, would he know about World War II? I was born in 1995.

Young people protest against the far right this month after Macron called a snap election. Credit: Getty Images, digitally tinted

Behind the window dressing, though, says Eltchaninoff, the National Rallys ideological affiliation remains that of the extreme right. It is based on the idea that the indigenous people are threatened by foreigners who want to conquer the country, by an internal fifth column (the Muslims), and by elites ready to sell the body and soul of the country to these foreign forces. Like the representatives of the far right, she presents history as a plot against ethnic French people and politics as a fight against enemies ready for anything.

And where does he think Bardella fits into this picture? Eltchaninoff says: Ideologically, he is more right-wing than Marine Le Pen. He discreetly adheres to the theory of the Great Replacement, which considers that the elites organise the replacement of the French by Muslim immigrants. Above all, he is very clever and politically plastic.

Bardella has also been given an easy ride in some quarters, says the University of Baths Aurelien Mondon. Unfortunately, much of the media and those who should scrutinise these politics have taken these actors at their word. This is why we have seen the rise of euphemistic terms such as populism, which are not only less accurate but allow for the normalisation of the far right.

As for actual policies, the party initially opposed Macrons controversial raising of the pension age from 62 to 64 in 2023, then appeared to walk this back after criticisms that reversing the change would have a dire effect on the French economy. However, in the lead-up to this election, Bardella has said he would introduce a repeal of the age increase by September, according to Le Monde. Other economic policies include a lower value-added tax on electricity and gas bills from 20 per cent to 5.5 per cent. Says Fathi: What he says is empty, unrealistic, unfunded on any economic reasoning, but it is simple language that is understood by people who were previously disconnected from French politics.

If I am prime minister, I will pass in the first weeks an immigration law that will facilitate the expulsions of delinquents and Islamists. Jordan Bardella

The partys position on immigration mirrors views Marine Le Pen has expressed for the past decade. If I am prime minister, Bardella says, I will pass in the first weeks an immigration law that will facilitate the expulsions of delinquents and Islamists. The party also plans to exclude undocumented migrants from state benefits and introduce a double border with Europe. He tells a radio talkback caller [translated from French]: I want to assure everyone today, our fellow countrymen of foreign birth, or foreign origin, who work, who pay their taxes, who pay their contributions, who respect the law, who love our country, have absolutely nothing to fear.

Former National Rally president Marine Le Pen, a member of the recent National Assembly, could seek election as president in 2027. Credit: Photo: AP. Artwork: Marija Ercegovac

Could Bardella really become prime minister?

Some French people, tired of their leaders, want to embark on this unpredictable adventure, a bit like Trumps voters in 2016 or like Brexit supporters, says Eltchaninoff. The unknown is exhilarating and exciting. At the same time, the National Rally embodies order: merciless fight against delinquency, against immigration, against leftists, against liberals.

To actually become prime minister, Bardella needs to either gain an absolute majority in the National Assembly or form alliances. He has said he would prefer to govern alone. Ahead of the June 30 poll, professor Philippe Marliere of University College London anticipated a chaotic situation where no party received an absolute majority. If the National Rally falls short by a narrow margin, the party might be able to negotiate with other parties to form a government.

A close result could also force Macrons party to negotiate a coalition that would return it with diminished power. Or, the left-wing alliance could theoretically succeed. The union on the left could pay off and, depending on their campaign, they may bring people out of abstention, Mondon said ahead of June 30.

Could French voters opt for the unpredictable adventure of Jordan Bardella? Credit: AP, digitally tinted

Macron thought that by dissolving parliament, the nation would return him a majority, said Marliere. Im pretty sure this has failed. It wont work. Macron had been holding hopes a silent majority of voters would prove to be against political extremes; he still hopes to rally more support for the next, and final, round of voting this coming weekend.

French polling happens over two rounds: unless a candidate receives a clear majority in their electorate in the first round, the top candidates move to a second round. This will be on July 7. Shortly thereafter, it will be clear whether France has a far-right government, a hard-left government, or a government of moderates united against both extreme sides of the political spectrum, says Romain Fathi. Given Frances traumatic experience of the Second World War and the collaboration of its far-right Vichy government with the Nazis, some French people who did not vote on Sunday may well head to the polling booth on July 7 to prevent the far right from winning these legislative elections and forming government.

Marliere says the election is the most dramatic hes seen in his lifetime. If National Rally were to form a government, it would be the first time the French people had elected a far-right party during this republic. Thats why its historic.

This Explainer was first published on June 23 and has been updated to reflect developments following the June 30 poll.

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Florida

For many retirees, Florida is a sunny paradise, but one bad storm can quickly make things a nightmare.

The states location makes it extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and rising sea levels driven by climate change, Stringer told us. Serious considerations include rebuilding costs, disruptions and escalating insurance premiums due to storm damage. Coastal properties may lose substantial value if they become uninhabitable due to rising sea levels.

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Illinois

Known for its big cities and expansive farmlands, Illinois is a major manufacturing center for food, chemicals, rubber products and more.

According to Charlie, though, the state is in trouble:

Illinois, and specifically Chicago, faces significant financial woes, he said. The state has some of the highest property taxes in the country, and Chicago is grappling with a high crime rate and budget deficits, leading to cuts in essential services and increased taxes. These financial strains make it difficult for residents to justify staying when they could find a safer and more financially stable environment elsewhere.

Louisiana

With its reputation for good times, delicious food and rich culture, Louisiana is a state people enjoy. However, according to Tony Mariotti, founder of RubyHome, you might want to rethink real estate investments there.

Louisiana is highly susceptible to climate change impacts, such as hurricanes and flooding. These risks can lead to higher insurance costs and potential property damage, he said.

The state also struggles with lower job growth and economic diversification, making it less attractive for long-term investments. Infrastructure issues add to the challenges of property ownership here.

New Jersey

New Jersey is another East Coast state you might steer clear of when buying property.

Besides the high property taxes, New Jersey is dealing with an exodus of major corporations, which impacts job availability, Charlie explained. The state also has some of the highest health insurance premiums in the country, adding another layer of financial stress for residents. Furthermore, the congestion and traffic, especially for those commuting into New York City, can be a daily frustration.

New York

Another infamously high-priced state is New York, which Charlie revealed has major issues beyond the cost factor.

Beyond the high property taxes and cost of living in New York City, theres also the matter of aging infrastructure, he noted. The subway system, for example, has been notorious for delays and breakdowns, making daily commutes a headache. Plus, the pandemic has shifted many jobs to remote work, reducing the need to live in or near the city and prompting many to relocate to suburban or even rural areas.

West Virginia

West Virginia is known as a coal country, but the industry is declining, which has economically devastated many parts, Stringer said. As jobs dry up, the population drains in these small towns, leaving little demand for housing. Homeowners may struggle to find buyers willing to pay a fair price.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 7 Worst States To Buy Property in the Next 5 Years, According to Real Estate Agents
Jerusalem: Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the bonnet of a military vehicle during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin.

A video circulating on social media and verified by Reuters showed a Palestinian resident of Jenin, Mujahed Azmi, strapped to a vehicle that passes between two ambulances.

A wounded Palestinian man was strapped to the bonnet of a vehicle by Israeli troops. Credit:

The Israeli military said in a statement that its forces were fired at on Saturday, and that they wounded a suspect while exchanging fire before apprehending him.

Soldiers then violated military protocol, the statement said. The suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle, it said.
You CAN Stop Living Life As An Enslaved Gasoline Vassal, Break Their Chains Use Ethanol Fuel







What If Ethanol Was Our Primary Engine Fuel

By Marc J. Rauch

Exec. Vice President/Co-Publisher

THE AUTO CHANNEL

Originally published March 7, 2016

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to engage in an exchange of emails regarding ethanol and energy with Robert L. Bradley, Jr. Rob is the author of several books, including "Energy - The Master Resource," "Capitalism at Work: Business, Government and Energy," and "Edison to Enron: Energy Markets and Political Strategies." Rob is also CEO and founder of the Institute for Energy Research and an adjunct scholar of the Cato Institute.

Our exchange began with his comments that government should not decide which fuel is the winner; that fossil fuels dominance over alternative fuels was due to consumer choice; and that society owes a great thanks to fossil fuels for giving us such a high quality of living.

In my response to these comments, I agreed that the government should not dictate which fuels win, but added that our government very definitely determined who the winner was. "The government did this," I wrote, "by placing burdensome taxes on alcohol right after the founding of the United States. The burdensome taxes became onerous in 1862. Alcohol was priced out of the market by the government. When the taxes were finally lifted for a short period after 1907, alcohol began to compete with gasoline, and virtually all objective scientists agreed it was a better fuel than gasoline." I then added that government interference culminated with the national prohibition of alcohol, which ended the competition.

I also wrote, "Consumers never had the opportunity to vote on which fuel they wanted; there was never a national referendum. And in the years since the repeal of prohibition the public has never been told the truth about petroleum oil fuels, nor has the public been given the opportunity to vote to discontinue petroleum oil subsidies." Ethanol was never given a fair chance.

On the point regarding thanking fossil fuels for our high quality of living, I wrote that any thanks owed was owed to the machines (and their inventors); alternative fuels were used and could continue to be used. The internal combustion engine wasn't invented because there was excess gasoline and diesel fuel lying around, but that gasoline and diesel fuel was developed because there was a glut of virtually tax-free cheap petroleum oil.

This response seemed to have caught Rob off guard. He replied, "I am very interested in the gasohol (ethanol) argument and taxation that you refer to... I have not studied it as much as you have. I need to."

Frankly, Rob's forthright reply caught me off guard; but it was a welcome change to the stonewalling or silence that I usually get in response to these points.

We continued our exchanges, and after providing Rob with answers to his questions, he wrote "Okay, I am finally getting educated. This is something I did not sufficiently understand when I wrote my treatise, Oil, Gas, and Government: The U.S. Experience (1996). I have written notes in my treatise and will remember this going forward."

Rob then kindly asked if I would present my thesis, in less than 1,000 words, in a more formal manner that he would post on his MasterResource.org website. The following is my position (in 1,163 words):

LIFE AS WE MIGHT HAVE KNOWN IT: What If Ethanol Was Our Primary Engine Fuel

Events of the American Civil War set in stone social and economic conditions that have been with us ever since, and they are certain to be with us long into the foreseeable future.

Perhaps the least considered of the events were the Revenue Acts of 1861 and 1862, which were passed by the U.S. Congress to fund the Union's military efforts. Ramifications of these bills included the first Federal income tax statute and the levying of excise taxes (often referred to as "sin taxes") on tobacco and ethyl alcohol (ethanol). Alcohol's tax rose to more than $2 per gallon, regardless of whether the alcohol was intended for consumption or industrial purposes. In today's money, that's purchasing power equivalent to about $120. In 1860, rent for 4 rooms was $4.45/month; land was selling for $3 to $5 an acre; and a laborers wage was 90 cents a day.

In 1872, some of the taxes were repealed - income tax, for example. The alcohol tax remained in place for decades until finally removed by the 1906 Free Alcohol Act.

The high tax on alcohol priced alcohol out of consideration for use as lamp and kitchen stove fuel, colloquially referred to as "burning fluid" or sometimes "camphene." The alcohol-turpentine fuel had come into wide spread use earlier in the 1800's as whale oil became too expensive and hard to come by.

The beneficiary of alcohol's forced decline in popularity was the nascent petroleum oil industry and their principal product, kerosene. Up until the imposition of the tax, alcohol burning fluid and kerosene were similarly priced. After the tax was levied, alcohol burning fluid cost as much as 10 times more than kerosene. Kerosene had also been taxed to help the war effort: a paltry 10 cents.

The earliest efforts at building stationary and mobile internal combustion engines used alcohol fuels: Samuel Morey in 1826; Nicholas Otto in1860; Henry Ford's Quadricycle in 1896. Other builders of horseless carriages, such as Charles Duryea, used the new fuel "gasoline" because of it's dramatically lower price. However, early automobile racers all used alcohol or alcohol blends for more power.

In countries that didn't have domestic petroleum resources and onerous alcohol taxes, alcohol fuels became the preferred engine fuel. In 1899 Germany, the price of gasoline and alcohol fuel were both equivalent to approximately 27 cents. Tests conducted in Germany and France showed that alcohol optimized engines were at least as efficient as gasoline optimized engines.

The first decade of the 20th century saw significant improvements in internal combustion engines for the new fangled automobile, as well as powered aviation. Higher compression engines were required for better performance and heavier vehicles. But higher compression engines revealed a gasoline problem: Gasoline in high compression engines caused engine knock - abnormal detonation that was so severe it could shake the engine apart. There were two solutions to this problem: The first was ethanol. The second was to add ethanol to gasoline. Either solution came with its own problem: Cost - the tax-bloated price of ethanol made it unattractive and threatened efforts to portray the automobile as a device that could be afforded by the masses.

There was another problem, a problem for the petroleum industry: they couldn't control ethanol production and supply - ethanol can be produced by anyone, anywhere, and from a variety of raw materials. But still, the oil industry was in the cat-bird seat, they had price on their side...until President Teddy Roosevelt.

The history of Teddy Roosevelt's campaign against corporate monopolies is well known. Less well known were the Congressional Ways and Means Committee Hearings held in 1906, during his administration. These hearings resulted in the Free Alcohol Act that removed the exorbitant tax on alcohol production. By removing the tax, ethanol fuel became less expensive than gasoline for the first time. This meant that the top scientists and engine builders of the day could work towards better performing vehicles that relied on low cost ethanol and ethanol blends. Henry Ford's Model T was the most famous of new vehicles that could now be powered by gasoline or ethanol (the Model T had two simple adjustments located on the dashboard and steering wheel column).

The ethanol fuel industry would now get it's time in the sun, except for three obstacles: The first was the petroleum industry's head start. Three decades of kerosene dominance gave the oil industry an overwhelming financial war chest to be used for marketing and political tutelage.

The second obstacle was the First World War. Although the war ignited the need for mechanical innovation, the innovations were primarily used for military purposes. Had the war not occurred, higher compression engines in consumer automobiles would have been introduced, and these engines would have required greater quantities of anti-knock ethanol.

The third obstacle was National Prohibition. With the war out of the way, and the public ready to roar into the Roaring 20's, ethanol was eliminated from the scene; and nothing can kill competition like a law banning one of the two competitors.

In the early 1920's, ethanol still had its supporters in the top industry scientists of the day, including those at General Motors, the world's largest automobile manufacturer. Ethanol was the only solution to engine knock. However, after the GM scientists invented leaded gasoline (tetraethyl-lead), and combined their patents with Standard Oil and Dupont Chemical, the world's two largest companies in their respective industries, the prospect of billions of dollars in profits from leaded gasoline put aside any consideration of ethanol-gasoline blends in America.

 SEE ALSO: The Rise and Fall of General Motors and the Subjugation of the Industrialized World

In countries that did not have Prohibition, such as Great Britain, ethanol did compete successfully for many years. In fact, Standard Oil (and its derivative companies) marketed ethanol and ethanol-gasoline blends in those countries, advertising them as superior to leaded or unleaded gasoline. "The Forbidden Fuel" (written by Bernton, Kovarik & Sklar) points out how the ethanol-gasoline blends were labeled as "the most perfect motor fuel the world has ever known," and providing "extra power, extra economy and extra efficiency." A Standard Oil promotional pamphlet advises that with 10 gallons of their ethanol-gasoline blend in a fuel tank it is possible to pour almost a pint of water into the tank "without the slightest trouble - in fact in some circumstances with better running."

The end of Prohibition in America did mean that ethanol could once again compete with petroleum oil fuels, but what had been a significant head start for the petroleum industry prior to the Free Alcohol Act was now an insurmountable advantage. It would require industry acknowledgement that tetraethyl-lead, and then MTBE, was deadly; economic devastation caused by foreign oil dominance; and considerable environmental damage to finally compel government action that (still only) cautiously encourages ethanol use.

In conclusion, I reiterate that the U.S. government did choose the winner in the energy fuel war, and that its continued interference has made it impossible for a free engine fuel market to exist.

But what if the government didn't tax alcohol in 1862? What if alcohol was allowed to compete freely during the second half of the 19th century and all through the 20th century without Prohibition (or without Prohibition affecting ethanol production for fuel)? What might have happened?

We may not have engaged in so many wars; we may not have lost tens of thousands of servicemen in the wars; we may not have had to spend trillions of dollars to engage in the wars. We might not have needed to pour money into the Middle East oil countries to secure their oil as we wouldn't have needed it. Instead of making terrorist regimes rich, which allowed them to fund terrorist actions they might all have remained sleepy backwater countries.

If ethanol fuel was allowed to prosper our farmers might have required less aid. Our skies may never have become smog filled; we may have had fewer catastrophic oil spills and disasters. If we didn't have National Prohibition perhaps organized crime wouldn't have become so organized.

PRINTED RESOURCES

VIDEOS

ONLINE RESOURCES

- Bernton, Kovarik & Sklar- David Blume- Goettemoeller & Goettemoeller- William J. Hale- Korin & Luft- Tom McCarthy- Luft & Korin- Evans & Khan- Edwin Black- James J. Flink- Edwin Black- Robert Schmer- Blackmore & Thomas- CFDC & Growth Energy- Holm-Seto-Travaglini- US Dept. of Agriculture (Shapori-Duffield-Wang)- Daniel Yergin- Daniel Yergin- Josh & Rebecca Tickell- Roberts & Wagener

Gasoline and Alcohol Tests on Internal Combustion Engines - Robert M. Strong 1909

http://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/0392/report.pdf

Motor Fuels From Farm Products - Jacobs & Newtin 1938

https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=bagoAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA11

Henry Ford, Charles Kettering and the Fuel of the Future - Wm. Kovarik 1998

http://www.environmentalhistory.org/billkovarik/about-bk/research/henry-ford-charles-kettering-and-the-fuel-of-the-future/

The Ethyl Controversy - Wm. Kovarik 1993

https://billkovarik.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Ethyl3.pdf

Ethanol versus Gasoline - The Contestation and Closure... - Michael S. Carolan

http://sss.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/39/3/421

THE MODEL T FORD CAR - Victor Wilfred Page

https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Model_T_Ford_Car_Its_Construction_Op.html?id=70mJeb_q19EC
Nutson's Weekly Automotive News Wrap-up June 16-22, 2024













Auto Central June 23,2024; Every Sunday Larry Nutson, The Chicago Car Guy and Auto Channel Executive Producer, with able assistance from senior Detroit editor Thom Cannell from The Auto Channel Michigan Bureau, compile The Auto Channel's "take" on this past week's automotive news, condensed into easy to digest news Nuggets.

LEARN MORE: Complete versions of today's news nuggets, along with thousands of pages of relevant news and opinions, information stored in a million-page library published and indexed on The Auto Channel during the past 25 years. Complete information can be found by copying a headline and inserting it into any Site Search Box.

Here are Larry's top story picks from this past week's important to you, relevant, semi-secret, or snappy automotive news, opinions and insider back stories presented as expertly crafted easy-to-understand automotive news nuggets.

Nutson's Auto News Weekly Wrap-up June 16-22, 2024.

* Most American. Cars.com revealed its 19th annual American-Made Index. Cars.com experts independently evaluated more than 400 vehicles to generate this years list of 100 vehicles contributing most to the U.S. economy in manufacturing, parts sourcing and employment. Teslas Model Y continues its reign as the most American vehicle for the third consecutive year, followed by the Alabama-built Honda Passport taking the No. 2 spot and Tennessee-built Volkswagen ID.4 at No.3. The only Detroit-3 brand vehicle in the top ten is the Jeep Gladiator. See the full story HERE

* Prices drop on used EVs. Used EVs are now selling for thousands of dollars less, on average, than comparable gas-powered vehicles. The difference between the price of a used Tesla Model 3 and BMW 3 Series shows how a premium associated with EVs in the initial boom has been erased, according to an analysis from iSeeCars. As more EVs enter the used market at lower prices, there is a wider market of potential first-time EV owners. Used EV price crash keeps getting deeper with 'premium' brand idea history HERE

* Big demand; limited supply. The Detroit Free Press writes customers crashed the order system when Ford announced it would provide free Tesla Supercharger charging adapters for use with Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning vehicles, and while shipments are underway, customers are experiencing delays because of a supplier issue, the Free Press has learned. "The supply is constrained," said Ford spokesman Marty Gunsberg. "Sales are up and customers continue to reserve their complimentary adapter. We keep getting reservations." Ford customers waiting for their adapter have received emails saying shipment dates are delayed.

* In-car connectivity. Roughly a third of car buyers say absence of Apple CarPlay or Android Auto would be a deal-breaker, a MsKinsey survey finds. A third of consumers say they refuse to buy a car lacking smartphone integration and most don't want a native system. The relative importance of CarPlay to car shoppers has become a topic because of General Motors controversial decision not to include the interface on future EV models.

* Alphabet soup. The lack of standardized symbols and acronyms for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) across automakers is causing confusion and could lead to accidents, Ford Motor's customer research lead Susan Shaw recently warned at the InCabin USA interior vehicle technology expo. Shaw, who is on SAE's controls and display standards committee, highlighted multiple acronyms for lane warnings as an example of the need for industry-wide standardization

* Car insurance. LexisNexis Risk Solutions released its 2024 U.S Auto Insurance Trends Report, which aggregates annual market data about consumer driving patterns, auto insurance shopping trends, claim frequency and severity, and consumer responses to rate increases to help insurance carriers better understand the evolving trends impacting the U.S. auto insurance industry. Auto insurers are taking an aggressive approach to profitability challenges with an unprecedented 14% year-over-year rate increase in 2023, improving the combined loss ratio to 105%, a 7-point improvement over 112% in 2022. Get the details here: HERE

* Another one bites the dust.Electric vehicle startup Fisker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after months of quality issues with its Ocean crossover, a failed attempt to partner with a major automaker and hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. The EV startup suffered from poor distribution of its Ocean crossover and quality issues. Fisker turned to franchised dealers for distribution and unsuccessfully sought a partnership with a major automaker.

* Stellantis recall.Stellantis NA is recalling 1,159,963 vehicles in the U.S. and Canada due to an issue with radio software that might interfere with a car's rearview camera display. The fix requires an over-the-air software update. The recall includes 2021-2022 Dodge Durango, 2021-2023 Chrysler Pacifica, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, 2022 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 2022-2023 Jeep Compass, Grand Cherokee, Wagoneer, Grand Wagoneer, and Ram ProMaster vehicles.

* Toyota stop-sale.Toyota has issued a stop-sale on its two largest three-row crossovers, saying it will recall an estimated 145,000 2024 Toyota Grand Highlanders and Lexus TXs because the driver's side curtain shield airbag may not deploy as intended during some crashes if the driver's window is rolled down.

* Ferrari back-to-back win. The 92nd 24 Hours of Le Mans was won by Ferrari, for the second year running. The #50 Ferrari Races Hypercar 499P crossed the line first in a close finish. The #7 Toyota GR010 Hybrid was just 14.2 seconds behind. It is the closest 24 Hours of Le Mans since 2011. Ferrari is the first manufacturer to win both the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 hours of Le Mans in the same year since 1934!

* 30 years on. The HOT ROD Power Tour Driven by Continental Tire celebrated its opening day at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Beech Bend has become a hotspot for automotive events, being the home of Holleys LS Fest. The 30th Anniversary of Power Tour had the biggest turnout ever with a confirmed 6,000 cars. The tour drove through five cities in five days, which is over 1,000 miles of driving. The Power Tour picks different locations around the country each year. HERE

* On the streets of Italy. The 2200-kilometer 1000 Miglia 2024 has ended. The 421 competing crews, with their vintage cars built between 1927 and 1957, travelled the classic route from Brescia to Rome and back in a counter-clockwise direction, just as the heroes of the first editions of the 1000 Miglia did. The leg finishes were Turin (for the first time in its history), Viareggio, Rome and San Lazzaro di Savena, before returning to Brescia with the final parade from the Viale Venezia platform. Andrea Vesco and Fabio Salvinelli have accomplished a feat that has never been achieved before in the history of the Most Beautiful Race In The World, becoming champions for the fourth consecutive time in their 1929 Alfa Romeo 6c 1750 Ss Spider Zagato: a record that will be difficult to equal in the future. For Vesco, it is actually his fifth victory in a row (out of seven in total), having also triumphed in 2020 in tandem with his father.

* Race to the clouds. Racer reports the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb welcomed 64 drivers to the 12.42-mile course, kicking off racing action with the traditional early morning practice runs on Tuesday of this week. With four days of practice, competitors in six divisions will get a crack at one of three sections of the mountain each day. All competitors qualify in the lower section to determine their start order in today Sunday's, race. The current course record holder, Romain Dumas, set a Pikes Peak Open qualifying record with a blistering 3m32.831s during his fourth qualifying run. It marked the second year in a row that Dumas and an electric Ford Performance entry  this time a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck  would best the previous mark. The 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo is set for Sunday, June 23.

Stay safe. Be Well.
Governor Orders Wyoming Flag be Flown at Half Staff at the Capitol and in Sweetwater County on Monday, June 24
The real-life inspiration behind Martha, a character in Netflixs hit series My Little Reindeer, has filed a lawsuit against the streaming giant, demanding a staggering $170 million.

From TV Sensation to Legal Battle

The beginning of 2024 saw My Little Reindeer captivate audiences, but the show has now taken an unexpected turn into the courtroom. Fiona Harvey, the woman who inspired the character of Martha, filed a lawsuit on June 6th in the federal court of Los Angeles. Her claims include defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligence, gross negligence, and violations of publicity rights.

A Contentious Narrative

Harveys lawsuit accuses Netflix of blurring the lines between fiction and reality. According to the court documents, she alleges that the platform falsely portrayed her as a twice-convicted stalker, sentenced to five years in prison, who sexually assaulted Richard Gadd. Harvey argues that Netflix fabricated these details for a more sensational story, which would attract more viewers and generate higher profits.

In response, Netflix stated, We intend to vigorously defend this case and uphold Richard Gadds right to tell his story.

The Story Behind My Little Reindeer

My Little Reindeer follows Donny, a struggling comedian who shows a moment of kindness to the fragile Martha. This act spirals into an obsessive relationship that devastates both their lives. The series, created by and starring Richard Gadd, is based on his alleged real-life experiences with Fiona Harvey, who is depicted as Martha, played by Jessica Gunning.

Blending dark humor with sensitive topics, My Little Reindeer explores the intricacies of depression and buried traumas with rare depth and accuracy. The series became a surprise hit on Netflix early this year.

Unexpected Success and Controversy

Thanks to its high quality and word-of-mouth buzz, My Little Reindeer amassed 82 million views within 50 days, nearly breaking into Netflixs top 10 most popular shows, alongside giants like Bridgerton and Stranger Things. However, this success has not been without its controversies. Actress Jessica Gunning faced criticism from viewers, and Fiona Harvey was particularly upset by her portrayal as a stalker.

The Legal Proceedings Ahead

The lawsuit marks the start of what could be a lengthy legal process, casting a shadow over the series success. Despite this, My Little Reindeer remains one of the most delightful surprises of recent weeks, showcasing a narrative worth watching. Stay tuned as this legal drama unfolds.
7 accused held in cow carcasses case





Our Correspondent

SEONI,

Cow smugglers operating in Madhya Pradesh are getting funding from Hyderabad and Nagpur. Cow smugglers caught in Seoni have revealed this during police interrogation. After 54 cow carcasses were found in Seoni in the last two days, police detained 7 accused in this case. During interrogation, it was found that they were in contact with three smugglers from Nagpur. They had bought the cows from the cattle market. They also told that they had to take the cattle to Nagpur and then they would take them to Hyderabad. The police administration also claims that elements that spoil communal harmony are involved in this. When the entire matter was investigated, it was found that Seoni in MP is a transit point for cow smuggling. In the last six months, the police have taken more than 55 actions here. How cows are being smuggled from Seoni and the surrounding districts. On June 19, some people went to the Wainganga river flowing near Pindarai village.

They saw the carcasses of cattle on the river bank. They informed Dhanora and Sunwara police about this. Police reached the spot and recovered 26 bodies from here. After this, 28 bodies of cows were found in the forest of Kakartala in Dhuma police station area on Thursday. When the postmortem of these cows was done, it was found that the throats of all were slit between 17 and 18 June. The police have detained 7 people in this case. At the same time, three people from Nagpur have been identified. Right now only their names have come to the fore. The people detained include Shadab, Wahid, Irfan, Ramdas Uike, Santosh. Ramdas and Santosh have already gone to jail for cattle smuggling. Wahid is a resident of Gwari village in Dhanora police station area. Shadab is his relative. One case each under the Animal Cruelty Act has been registered against both of them.

According to Seoni SP, Rakesh Singh, two of the dead cows had tags in their ears. These tags are put during the purchase and sale of cattle in the animal market. The accused had also made the tags disappear by cutting the ears of most of the cows. Two tags were left. With the help of this tag, the police reached the accused. According to the SP, the names of three smugglers from Nagpur have come up during interrogation of the accused taken into custody. These smugglers further send these cattle to Hyderabad. According to SP Singh, the mobile numbers of the three have not been found yet. The numbers are being traced. This will reveal who they were talking to in Hyderabad. The smugglers taken into custody were funded by smugglers from Nagpur and Hyderabad.
Algorithms Of Sage, Panini





By DR BHUSHAN KUMAR UPADHYAYA

Panini was a great grammarian of India dating back to the sixth century BC. His world famous treatise on grammar and linguistics named Ashtadhyayi contains about four thousands Sutras or aphorisms.These Sutras are sets of rules for describing and creating words. They function like linguistic algorithms. Panini is considered a great descriptive linguist and the father of linguistics also. He wrote a book of grammar which is generative in nature with algebraic rules. He composed these aphorisms for the Sanskrit language, but his applications are universal in nature. Brevity is the core attribute of Panini. Panini devised a very unique system which is called Pratyahara meaning short words. These Short Words were designed to create technical words for the abbreviation purpose. These Short Words or Pratyaharas are the foundation stone of algorithmic formulas created by Panini. These Short Words are derived from the fourteen Maheshwara Sutras which contain all the vowels and consonants of Sanskrit language arranged in a very scientific manner. We find a total of forty one Pratyaharas derived from fourteen Maheshwara Sutras. For example AN is a Pratyahara. It contains three letters A E U. Similarly, AT Pratyahara contains A E U R Lr AE O AI AU H Y W R. Thus AT Pratyahara indicates thirteen letters.

Hence through the use of Pratyaharas Panini devised the maximum possible brevity in the language and its creation. The Pratyahara AL contains more than forty letters.In order to achieve this goal Panini hit upon another idea of Anubandha. Anubandhas are the letters which are placed at the beginning, middle or end of Dhatus - verb root or Pratyaya - prefix.At the time of application these Anubandhas are omitted from the verbs and prefixes. This method enables to create many algorithmic formulas which can be used on many verbs and prefixes. In this way Panini was able to cover very vast segments of grammar and language in a very compact manner. Panini has used the same algorithmic methods to create verbs, nouns , adjectives, adverbs , etc. The end numbers of words may be used by applying these methods of Panini. All the dimensions of language have been touched by Panini in his path breaking work. The premier universities of the world like Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh , Brown, etc, offer courses on Sanskrit including Paninian research and studies.

Many German universities have designated very sophisticated courses on linguistics where Panini is quoted and researched. Many rules and meta rules created by Panini are still being researched. The study of Indo- European languages is not possible without the comparative study of Sanskrit and especially Panini. Sometime back, Rishi Rajput, a Sanskrit scholar of Indian origin at Cambridge university was in the news for decoding a complex formula of Panini. The name of his thesis is- In Panini, we trust: Discovering Algorithm for Rule Conflict Resolution in the Ashtadhyayi. Even today the work of Panini has been a great subject of research and curiosity. The world famous linguist Leonard Bloomfield says that the descriptive grammar of Sanskrit, which Panini brought to its perfection, is one of the greatest monuments of human intelligence and an indispensable model for the description of languages. (The writer is Former DG Police & CG, Homeguards, Maharashtra)
What does a bank failure in 1874 have to do with the racial wealth gap in America in 2024?

Turns out, a lot.

In his new book, The Rise and Fall of The Freedman's Savings Bank And its Lasting Socio-Economic Impact on Black America, author Rodney Brooks, former deputy managing editor at USA Today, unpacks the story of the rapid rise and fall of the bank created in 1865 by Congress to provide former slaves a place to deposit their earnings from their service in the Union Army. It rapidly grew to millions in deposits, as Black Americans made small deposits of $5 to $50.

Through a combination of mismanagement and a financial panic that hit the country in 1873, the bank was forced to shut its doors with droves of depositors losing all of their life savings. And that is precisely where many Black Americans distrust of financial institutions, which has passed down for generations, began, Brooks writes.

Many of the people who made deposits were led to believe  because all of the promotions featuring pictures of Union Generals and President Lincoln  that they were safe and protected by the US government, Brooks said.

Not so.

It was the first attempt of Black Americans trying to save and invest, and it was met with a disaster, Brooks told Yahoo Finance.

Brooks traces that bank's implosion to the racial wealth gap in the US today. Theres a seven-figure gap between the average wealth of white families compared to Black families, according to research by the Urban Institute, a nonpartisan think tank. The average wealth of white families in 2022 reached a record high of over $1.3 million, compared to about $211,000 for Black families.

Here's what Brooks had to say about the banks failure, the financial issues facing Black Americans today, and the countrys persistent wealth gap, edited for length and clarity:

Kerry Hannon: Rodney, can you give us a snapshot of what The Freedmans Bank was and why the demise?

The Freedman's Bank was created and signed into law by President Lincoln after the Civil War. The basic thought behind it was that former slaves had no way to save their money because white banks did not accept them as customers. Some were earning wages for the first time, and there was nowhere to go. The major impetus behind it was that the black soldiers who fought in the Civil War, who received signing bonuses for joining the Army, and they were receiving wages. So it was created as a way for Black Civil War veterans and former slaves to save money, but also it was a way to provide a financial education. I mean, that's one way you learn about money is to go to a bank, watch your money grow, and learn about interest.

Story continues

The Freedman's Bank was created as a way for Black Civil War veterans and former slaves to save money, but also it was a way to provide a financial education. (Photo courtesy of Rodney Brooks) (photo courtesy of Rodney Brooks)

Their deposits were not protected by the US government. What happened?

The bank was supposed to be overseen by Congress, which didn't do so. Congress paid no attention to it, but it was governed by a board of 50 white businessmen.

In the beginning, the intention was to have one bank branch in Washington, D.C., not a branch system, which is very expensive. But the bank management decided to go where the Black soldiers were, so they could take advantage of those deposits. And before you knew it, the bank had 37 branches. There wasnt even a nationwide system among white banks at that time.

You write that the failure of the bank was a killer of Black dreams. How so?

W.E.B. Du Bois said an additional 10 years of slavery would not have the same impact. These were people who were saving money, saving their pennies. Some of them had never earned money before. Farmers were putting in money to buy seeds, and people were saving money to buy homes. And when the bank failed, all of those dreams died because most of the depositors lost their money. The bank lost around $3 million in deposits which would have been about $80 million today.

Black Americans have a long history of distrust of American financial institutions  this is the legacy of the Freedmans Bank and one of the root causes of the distrust of Blacks in the banking system.

How is Black America still feeling the effects of the bank failure right now?

There are still Black Americans who won't put their money in banks. And Black people still have difficulty getting loans. Small Black businesses especially face this issue.

Let's talk about the racial wealth gap, specifically the gap in retirement savings.

It's really scary because Black Americans have little to nothing in terms of retirement savings, which makes a heavy dependence on Social Security. And because of that Black Americans, especially Black women, take Social Security early and that means you're going to get a fraction of what you should if you wait until your full retirement age.

Let's look at a few solutions. What are some things that could help change the course?

Most of them would involve some strong action by the federal government. The high support among white Americans for reparations has dissipated. Reparations were paid to the Japanese who were put illegally in concentration camps in America. Reparations are something that could narrow the wealth gap.

Baby bonds seem to be more viable politically. Basically the government puts aside money for children at birth to give them a jumpstart after they graduate from high school. The parents add money to it every year until the children reach college age. That's one of the best solutions that would cut the racial wealth gap in half.

Rodney Brooks

Whats your advice for Black Americans right now who are trying to save and take control of their financial futures?

The biggest thing I would say is that distrust with all financial institutions has to go. Black Americans, especially young Black Americans, have to be more comfortable with saving and investing. Financial education in itself is not going to solve the racial wealth gap. But it has to be a part of it.

One of my favorite stories is a Black business woman I talked to who said her mother made her write the checks for the bills when she was a teenager. And as a result, she knew that there was no money left after the bills were paid. It was a financial lesson she learned. When she was an adult, she hired a financial planner to help her. So Im talking about parents teaching their kids, and in some cases, now kids teaching their parents.

Kerry Hannon is a Senior Columnist at Yahoo Finance. She is a career and retirement strategist, and the author of 14 books, including "In Control at 50+: How to Succeed in The New World of Work" and "Never Too Old To Get Rich." Follow her on X @kerryhannon.

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Baghel accuses cops of torturing innocent people in Balodabazar incident





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

Former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has strongly criticised the arson at the Balodabazar collectorate following the damage of a Jaitkhamb in Giroudpuri. Addressing a press conference Baghel claimed that the police responded by unfairly targeting innocent civilians with assaults and intimidation. Baghel accused the police of manipulating the situation by arresting Kishore Navarang, the event organiser, and pressurising his relatives to name Congress leaders.

Baghel stressed for holding the real culprits accountable instead of innocent bystanders. Baghel also mentioned that the Satnami Samaj Sabha in Balodabazar received support from the government for logistics like food, vehicles, and tents. This casts doubt on claims that BJP leaders organized the event independently. He further alleged that the government might have been involved in the violence, suggesting police were behind the burning of vehicles from Satnam Bhawan. Baghel described the incident as a dangerous escalation of communal tensions, implicating elements within the administration.
BIG CATCH: Top hardcore Maoist, wife surrender





By Kartik Lokhande

AS THEIR names were announced by a police officer, the couple dressed in simple attire started walking towards the dais. Their faces showed a blend of both  anxiety and relief. Anxiety, because the dreaded Maoist leaders were walking in the midst of policemen. Relief, because Nangsu Tumretti alias Giridhar and his wife Sangeeta Usendi were leaving the world of violence. Their face showed a radiant calm as they received with respect the copy of the Constitution of India from Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minster and Home Minister of Maharashtra. Gadchiroli district, where Maoists Central Committee member and Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member were gunned down by security forces, on Saturday, witnessed the surrender of Giridhar and Sangeeta, strengthening its steps towards a future free of Naxal menace. The couple surrendered in a programme organised at Eklavya Hall in Gadchiroli Police Headquarters. Interestingly, the programme was a bouquet of sorts  surrendered Maoists meet, felicitation of C-60 commandoes for excellent performance in anti-Naxal operations, and distribution of aid to beneficiaries.

Giridhar alias Bichu (44), a resident of Javeli Khurd in Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli district, joined the Naxalites in 1997 as a Party Member in Etapalli Dalam. By September 2002, he rose to the rank of Bhamragarh Dalam Commander. In 2006, after the CPI (Maoist) came into being after merger of Peoples War and Maoist Communist Centre of India, he became Divisional Committee Member and then Deputy Commander in Company-IV. Later, in 2009, he became Commander of Company-IV. In March 2013, he became Company Party Committee Secretary. In November 2015, he rose to become DKSZC Member and Sub-Military Commission Member and Western Sub-Zonal Commander-in-Chief. In October 2020, Giridhar worked as South Gadchiroli Division Secretary. Following the Mardintola encounter of 2021, in which cops killed Central Committee member Milind Teltumbde, the shaken Maoists merged their North and South Gadchiroli Divisions. Giridhar was made Commander of these merged divisions. All the Maoist activities in Gadchiroli were being executed under his supervision. A total of 179 crimes were registered against him including 86 encounters, 15 arsons etc.

He was carrying a reward of Rs 25 lakh. His surrender has dealt a major blow to the Maoists not only in Gadchiroli district but also entire Central India. Since the cops are still gathering information from Giridhar, he did not speak at the programme. His wife Sangeeta alias Lalita Usendi (39), a resident of Dhobeguda in Etapalli taluka, also had joined the Red terrorists in Kasansur Dalam and had moved in areas in Maharashtra as well as adjoining State of Chhattisgarh including the Maoist stronghold of Abujhmaad. She was Member of Bhamragarh Divisional Committee too. A total of 18 crimes have been registered against her including seven encounters, one arson case etc. She was carrying a reward of Rs 16 lakh. Their profiles are good enough to underline the significance of their surrender. Already, Gadchiroli Police have broken the back of Maoists in the district through concerted action. As per Ankit Goyal, Deputy Inspector General, Gadchiroli Range; and Neelotpal, Superintendent of Police, since 2021, total 65 Maoists have been eliminated in 29 encounters. Permili Dalam has been wiped out. The encounters saw elimination of a Central Committee member, DKSZC members, and Divisional Commanders. This has resulted in a major set back for the Red terrorists. This year, seven Maoist cadres including three Divisional Committee Members were neutralised in two encounters in Katrangatta and Muddumudgu forest areas. Yatish Deshmukh, Additional SP (Operations), who led the Katrangatta encounter, also was felicitated.
Chief priest of Ram Temple consecration ceremony, Laxmikant Dixit, no more





VARANASI (UP),

ACHARYA Laxmikant Dixit, the chief priest who had performed the consecration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, died Saturday morning. Family members said Dixit, 86, was not well for the last few days. His last rites will be conducted at Manikarnika Ghat. Lord Rams idol was consecrated at the Ayodhya temple on January 22 in an event led by Prime Minister Modi. Counted among the senior scholars of Varanasi, Dixit was a native of Solapur district of Maharashtra

but his family has been living in Varanasi for several generations.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath expressed grief over the death of Dixit. In a post on X, he said, The departure of Acharya Shri Laxmikant Dixit, a great scholar of Kashi and the chief priest of Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Prana Pratishtha, is an irreparable loss to the spiritual and literary world. He will always be remembered for his service to Sanskrit language and Indian culture, Adityanath said.
CM reviews Bhopal, Indore Metro projects





Staff Reporter

Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav on Saturday reviewed the Bhopal and Indore Metro projects and checked the work done in this project till the date. He also discussed the remaining work timeline with ministers and officers. In the meeting CM Yadav was informed that Bhopals first phase (AIIMS to Karond) will get completed by the year 2027 and 90 per cent work on priority corridor (AIIMS to Subhash Nagar) is done. Second phase of work from Subhash Nagar to Karond route is being started with soil testing.

The meeting was held at residence of CM where Urban Administration Minister Kailash Sarang, State Minister Pratibha Bagari, Metro Rail Project MD C B Chakrabarty and other officials were present. Construction work in Indore was also discussed. Officials said that work on 17 km area in Indore metro is continued. Officials said that Subhash Nagar to Karond route is being started and entire project will get end by year 2027. They said, till year 2031, around 4.5 lakh people will be commuting via metro train per day. Officials said that Indore Metro work is done by 40 per cent. In Bhopal, there will be 27 Metro trains while in Indore, 25 Metro trains will be running. Special facility will be provided to Divyang and female travellers in the metro train.
Increase pace of Namami Narmade Project: PWD Minister





Staff Reporter

Under the chairmanship of PWD Minister Rakesh Singh, Divisional Review Meeting was organised on Saturday. Additional Chief Secretary, Cottage and Gramodyog and Incharge Jabalpur Division, Vinod Kumar presided over the meeting. During the meeting, officers concerned were given necessary instructions about Jal Ganga Samvardhan, Shala Praveshotsav, sowing of Kharif crop, import, NHI activities, Textile and Logistic works in Jabalpur, review of Corridor in Varanasi, Namami Narmade Project, Redensification of Jabalpur Mandi, Jabalpur IT Park, Narsinghpur Industrial Area Chawarpatha, Bagaspur, Barman Kalan, Dindori Industrial Area Barkheda, Mandla Induatrial Area Mohania, Patpara, Madhya Pradesh Eastarn Region Power Distribution Company and other issues. Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha), MLAs and their representatives from the division, Divional Commissioner, all Collectors, CEOs Jila Panchayat and Divisional officers were present.

Divisional Commissioner, Abhay Verma explained about district-wise activities carried out under Jal Ganga Samvardhan Abhiyan. Simultaneously he informed about the total human days generated during the Abhiyan under which the water bodies were rejuvenated in all the urban and rural areas. While informing about total number of children enrolled in the government and non-government schools under School Chalen Abhiyan, he shared details about Praveshotsav, Parent-Teacher Meeting (PTM) and Bhavishya se Bhent activities to be organised with the objective to develop coordination between the school and society. Joint Director, Agriculture updated about sowing of Kharif crop, import and other arrangement. PWD Minister Rakesh Singh instructed to clear the way for development works, increase the pace of Namami Narmade Project, make efforts to provide job to the locals.

He asked to provide the meetings agenda to the public representatives before the meeting and ensure their active4 involvement in the drives which are among the top priorities of the Government. Under the guidance and visionary approach of Chief Minister, Dr. Mohan Yadav, the State proceeds forward on the path of progress and development.

The area concerned with Shree Anna is increased from 1.10 to 1.6- lakh hectares. Fundamental services including road, water, electricity and education must be smoothly available for common public. MP Rajya Sabha, Sumitra Balmik asked to ensure proper distance to be maintained between Narmada river and residential areas. School campuses must have proper arrangements of buildings, toilets, drinking water and electricity. Dindori MLA, Om Prakash Dhurve emphasised on good quality roads and asked to replace black spots. ACS, Vinod Kumar instructed to solves the issues raised by the public representatives on priority basis.
India, Bdesh moving ahead rapidly to boost bilateral ties: President Murmu





NEW DELHI,

INDIA and Bangladesh are moving ahead rapidly to strengthen their cooperation in various areas and entering into new sectors which will chart the future course of their relationship, President Droupadi Murmu said on Saturday. Welcoming Bangladeshs Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who had called on Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here, the President said that she was delighted to meet her again, just a few days after the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government. This is the first State visit hosted by India after the formation of the new Government on June 9, 2024. Murmu said these regular interactions reflect the enduring spirit of friendship and cooperation that began with the journey of Bangladeshs Liberation War of 1971.

The President noted that India and Bangladesh are moving ahead rapidly to strengthen their cooperation in various areas and are entering into new sectors also. She expressed confidence that this will chart the future course of the India-Bangladesh relationship, according to a statement issued by the Presidents office. During a warm and cordial conversation, the two leaders agreed to work together to enhance the relationship across all domains, including economic ties, development partnership, defence cooperation, energy security and connectivity, it said.

The President was happy to note that under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has made significant economic progress. India and Bangladesh on Saturday inked a raft of agreements, including to boost ties in the maritime sphere and blue economy, as they firmed up a futuristic vision to expand cooperation in several new areas. The pacts were finalised at the wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Hasina. The key pacts signed by the two sides included one on forging strong ties in the digital domain and another on having a green partnership.The two sides also inked an agreement on railway connectivity.
India shows interest in mega Teesta river conservation project





NEW DELHI,

SENDING a technical team by India to Bangladesh soon for a mega project to conserve and manage Teesta river, moving ahead to start negotiations on a comprehensive trade pact and boosting defence ties were among major outcomes of talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina on Saturday. The decision to send an Indian technical team to hold talks on the conservation of the Teesta river within Bangladesh assumes significance as China was keenly eyeing the estimated USD one billion project notwithstanding reservations by New Delhi.

Hasina is expected to travel to China next month. In reflection of growing intensity in their ties, India and Bangladesh also firmed up a futuristic vision to further facilitate transformative cooperation in their engagement. Separately, the two sides signed 10 agreements providing for bolstering ties in a range of critical areas such as digital domain, maritime sphere, blue economy, railways, space, green technology, health and medicine. A major focus of the talks between the two Prime Ministers was to explore ways to shore up India-Bangladesh cooperation in digital and energy connectivity even as both sides resolved to work towards peaceful management of borders between the two countries.
OF CONVICTION





THE larger Indian society did not take much time to understand the importance of having Dr. Subramanian Jaishankar as Minister of External Affairs. It was certainly surprising that Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi launched his second term by inviting Dr. S. Jaishankar to be political head of Indias diplomatic community. But the element of surprise soon got replaced by an overpowering element of awe as Dr. Jaishankar entered the new role with aplomb. Since that moment, he has been at the forefront of Indias foreign policy management shoulder to shoulder with Mr. Narendra Modi -- who has proved to be a true global leader. To stay glued to Mr. Modi offering him the right counsel in tricky situations has been one of the critical chores of Dr. S. Jaishankars assignment -- which he has fulfilled with a rare merit. This reality came to fore once again when Mr. Narendra Modi visited Italy as an invitee to the G-7 meeting (for the fifth time in a row). Even though Mr. Modi is a great handler of relations at the awesome height of world leadership, Dr. Jaishankars contribution to his success is being appreciated at all levels -- in India and abroad. This is the importance of being Dr. S. Jaishankar.

The most important attribute of Dr. Jaishankars personality as noticed by the people the world over is his quick and knowledgeable repartee even in trickiest of diplomatic situations. Every word Dr. Jaishankar utters in response to any stimulus -- of a question an apparently adverse remark -- assumes the weight of gold. So, when a journalist questions him about Prime Minister Mr. Modis support to Mr. Donald Trump in the Howdy Modi programme in the US, Dr. Jaishankar is unfazed -- and says in so many words that India need not be apologetic about its considered stands on issues. Or, when another journalist in Europe asks him about India working out an oil deal with Russia during the Russo-Ukraine conflict, Dr. Jaishankar is quick to retort that the quantity of Russian oil India consumes in a whole month is consumed by Europe every day before afternoon. The point here is that Dr. Jaishankar has reply ready for any and every question on issues related to India or its foreign policy or its decisions and deals. His sense of firm conviction is truly awe-inspiring, to say the least.

That is actually a true measure of a seasoned diplomat who has the ability to argue on any issue without losing cool when national interests are involved. This is possibly because a true diplomat does not form opinions too quickly and does not indulge in judgementalism about any person or development. The idea is simple: Never leave your point of view, but also never make hasty judgements about situations or persons when they do not agree with you. Dr. Jaishankar is an epitome of this virtue -- being a true diplomat. His transition to politics did not take the diplomatic qualities away from Dr. Jaishankar. Much to the contrary, his skilled got further honed when he became an integral part of decision-making think-tank of foreign policy in India. Not that he is making signal contribution to shaping up of Indias foreign policy, Dr. Jaishankars language has adapted itself to the new role seamlessly. This is the good effect of the classicism Dr. Jaishankar has followed all his life, thanks to the intellectual inheritance from his legendary father Dr. K. Subramanian and to his own self-moulding.
Political tug-of-war continues in Delhi amid water crisis





NEW DELHI,

LONG lines of people were seen queuing up on Saturday to fetch water from tankers across parts of the national capital, as the city continued to sizzle in the summer heat. Morning visuals showed people from Chilla Gaon of Mayur Vihar area, Sanjay Colony, Okhla area, and Geeta Colony area standing in queues, holding onto cans and buckets and crowding around water tankers amid water shortage in the national capital this summer. Amid soaring temperatures, these scenes have become a daily occurrence in the national capital in many areas.

Meanwhile, amid the political tug-of-war on the water crisis, Delhis Water Minister Atishi sat on an indefinite hunger strike on Friday, alleging that the Haryana Government is not releasing Delhis share of water. She was accompanied by Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and other members of the party at Bhogal, near Jangpura where she sat on the hunger strike. She paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat before heading to Bhogal. In the meanwhile, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwals wife Sunita Kejriwal read a message from the Chief Minister, who is under judicial custody and said Arvind Kejriwal is hurt to see Delhis public suffering from water scarcity.
Raipur Mayor seeks Dy CM aid for road widening





Staff Reporter

RAIPUR,

Raipur Municipal Corporation MayorAijaz Dhebar, along with members of the Mayor-in-Council (MIC), met with the Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Administration and Development Minister, Arun Sao. The delegation presented a letter and made a formal request for the immediate release of a compensation amount of Rs 137 crore, previously sanctioned by the then Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, for the much-anticipated road widening project from Tatyapara Chowk to Sharda Chowk. The Mayor emphasized the urgent need to provide relief to the citizens and requested an additional grant of Rs 20 crore to facilitate public welfare development work across all 70 wards of Raipur.

The meeting, held at the Deputy Chief Ministers residence office, included notable MIC members such as Anjani Radheshyam Vibhar, Dropati Hemant Patel, Gyanesh Sharma, Kumar Menon, Sameer Akhtar, Sundar Lal Jogi, Jitendra Aggarwal, Zone 5 President Mannu Vijeta Yadav, Ghanshyam Chhatri, Councillor Neelam Neelkanth Jagat, Prakash Jagat, and Dhanesh Banjare. Mayor Aijaz Dhebar presented a letter issued by the former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, which sanctioned an amount of Rs 137 crore to compensate affected traders for the proposed road widening project on GE Road, spanning from Tatyapara Chowk to Sharda Chowk. The funds are currently available with the Chhattisgarh State Public Works Department. During the discussion, Mayor Dhebar highlighted that past consultations with the affected traders have been positive, with traders expressing their willingness to cooperate fully in resolving this long-standing public issue.

He urged Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao to expedite the release of the compensation amount to the Raipur Municipal Corporation, ensuring that the prescribed compensation is distributed promptly by government rules and procedures. The discussions with Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao were described as positive and cordial. Mayor Dhebar expressed confidence that the timely release of the compensation funds and the additional development grant would significantly alleviate the public problem and contribute to the welfare of Raipurs citizens.
From Business Sale To Retirement Wealth: How Mark Cuban Turned 91% Of His Employees Into Millionaires

Mark Cuban, a self-made billionaire widely known for his role on ABC's "Shark Tank," is no stranger to selling his companies or shares when it's time to move on. But he also makes it a point to give out heavy bonuses to the employees of these companies.

Cuban recently posted on X, "In every business Ive sold Ive paid out bonuses to every employee that was there more than a year." From these sales, many of his employees made millions.

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In 1990, Cuban sold his first company, a software firm called MicroSolutions, for $6 million to CompuServe. He took 20% of the sale price and divvied that out among his 80 employees, equating to about $15,000 per person if it was split equally.

After that, he kept up with giving back to his employees. In 1999, 91% of his employees (300 out of 330) became millionaires when Cuban sold his audio streaming service Broadcast.com to Yahoo for $5.7 billion in stock.

Upon selling his HDNet shares, while Cuban says the sale wasn't as big, he still paid 20% of his profits to employees. Most recently, he paid out more than $35 million in bonuses to employees of the Dallas Mavericks after selling the majority of his shares.

"As a thank you for all your hard work making the Mavs an amazing organization, each of you will be receiving a bonus from myself, and the Adelson and Dumont families," an email from Cuban to Mavs employees, obtained by ESPN.com, read. "In total, we will be paying out approximately $35 plus million dollars in bonuses to you all."

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"To calculate your bonus, we used a framework that took into consideration how long you have worked for the Mavs. You will receive your bonus in the very near future. I'm excited to continue our work making the Mavs the best franchise in all of sports! Let's go Mavs!"

Mark Cubans approach to sharing his business success with his employees is unique and inspiring. His practice of distributing bonuses from the proceeds of his company sales has consistently transformed many of his employees into millionaires. This strategy not only rewards hard work but also cultivates loyalty and dedication among his team members.

While most individuals might not have the opportunity to work for a billionaire entrepreneur like Mark Cuban, principles of financial planning and wealth management are universally important. Whether youre planning for retirement, investing, or considering the sale of a business, having a financial advisor can make a significant difference. Just as Mark Cuban ensures his employees benefit from his business successes, a financial advisor can help ensure you are making the most of your financial opportunities.

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This article From Business Sale To Retirement Wealth: How Mark Cuban Turned 91% Of His Employees Into Millionaires originally appeared on Benzinga.com

 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Rs 131 cr boost to IGGMCH expansion plan





By Vikas Vaidya

After a wait of 5 years finally Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) got approval for 500-bedded independent hospital in its premises. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari performed bhoomipujan of the same. Now, the hospital has sought Rs 131 crore more funds for its expansion. IGGMCH had prepared first proposal in 2019 during Fadnavis government but it had some deficiencies which were removed later. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis pushed the proposal which got sanctioned. It will surely add to the healthcare facilities at IGGMCH in a big way. The initial sanction was for G+6 building. But in a recently held meeting chaired by Devendra Fadnavis, Government sanctioned Rs 507 crore for both tertiary care hospitals. Dean Dr Ravi Chavan, who was present in the meeting, pushed for five more floors in IGGMCH.

Revealing the plans while talking to The Hitavada, Dr Chavan said, We are short of beds, so we want to increase them. The added beds will not only help us in accommodating more patients but also our case will become stronger when it comes to demanding increased Post Graduation seats. Per five beds, we can get a PG student. Secondly, we are proposing Occupational Therapy and Physiotherapy College of 50 seats. This will add value to our plan of setting up of World class Wellness or Rehabilitation centre. IGGMCH has burn ward but it is lying unused because of which its medical team faces difficulty while treating burn patients. Considering this aspect, Dr Chavan has asked Government to provide Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy set-up. Once we get this set up we can treat wounds and other medical conditions by supplying patients with 100% oxygen inside a special chamber. It heals damaged tissue by helping patients body grow new skin, blood vessels and connective tissues. We have planned to have burn ward in this new building, Dr Chavan made it clear.
A new US$1.5 billion Chinese-built iron and steel plant in Zimbabwe has fired up its blast furnace as it begins production of pig iron, a major raw material needed to make steel.

There are high hopes that the Mvuma steel plant could see Zimbabwe become one of Africa's largest producers of iron and steel products.

"Today marks a monumental milestone as our cast iron machine produces its very first batch of pig iron," Dinson Iron and Steel Company (Disco), the Zimbabwean subsidiary of Chinese steel giant Tsingshan Holding Group, said on June 13

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Pig iron, also known as crude iron, is produced by smelting iron ore in a blast furnace. From July, the Chinese firm also aims to start making steel billets, an intermediate form of steel. Eventually it will make other products, too, such as pipes, bolts and nuts, smaller slags, rolled tubes, fences, shafts, wires and bars.

The plant will initially produce 600,000 tonnes of steel a year at the peak of its first phase and production is expected to reach five million tonnes in the final phase of the plant expansion. It will have up to 3,000 workers during the first phase of production with the number expected to double in the second phase.

When running at full throttle, the processing plant around 200km (120 miles) south of the capital Harare is touted to become Africa's biggest integrated steelworks. And it could not come soon enough.

After years of economic mismanagement, especially during the leadership of former president Robert Mugabe when the country's biggest steel plant was mothballed, Zimbabwe is now pinning its hopes on the revival of its iron and steel industry.

The Chinese embassy hailed the start of operations at the new plant, posting on X, formerly Twitter, that "it marked a significant step for Zimbabwe's industrialisation and modernisation".

Smoke is seen as production begins at Tsingshan's Dinson Iron and Steel Company production plant in Manhize village near Mvuma, Zimbabwe. Photo: Reuters alt=Smoke is seen as production begins at Tsingshan's Dinson Iron and Steel Company production plant in Manhize village near Mvuma, Zimbabwe. Photo: Reuters>

In future, the plant will make use of Zimbabwe's abundant iron ore, chrome, coal, nickel and limestone to make iron and steel products that will help develop the country's value chain. Raw materials will be mined and processed locally, government officials have said, with enough reserves to last 100 years.

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Zimbabwe is rich in natural resources to help lift it out of its economic crisis, including gold, diamonds, nickel, ferroalloys, coke, coal briquettes, chromium ore, tobacco and raw cotton.

Tsingshan, the world's biggest stainless steel producer, also has other projects in Zimbabwe, including a ferrochrome smelting factory owned by subsidiary Afrochine Smelting in Selous, a village in Mashonaland West province, around 70km west of Harare.

Ferrochrome is an intermediate product used as feed material in the production of value-added materials such as stainless steel. Ferrochrome produced at Selous will be used to make steel at the Mvuma plant.

Tsingshan has also invested in coal for coke processing in the Hwange area of Matabeleland North province. Coking coal will come from the Dinson Colliery in Hwange.

When Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa toured the construction site in March, he said there was a shift taking place as the nation moved from being an importer of steel to an exporter.

"It's pleasing that our iron ore will be fully explored and value-added locally. We would buy iron from South Africa and Kenya and now we will export to them," Mnangagwa said.

"This iron ore was always there lying idle; we did not know. We would wonder why certain rocks are heavy and we would even build our foundations for houses with iron ore. We are now using iron ore to help us build our nation."

Last year, Disco signed a deal with the landlocked African nation on the construction and refurbishment of a 1,000km-long railway line so that the company's products could be transported to Beira, Mozambique, on the east coast of Africa, for export.

"Once we start production, we will be moving a lot of exports and in large quantities to different parts of the world," the steel producer said.

"Our project will see the construction of Gweru-Mvuma rail, refurbishment of existing infrastructure (we'll manufacture rail slippers ourselves) and a line to reach the Indian Ocean in Mozambique carrying value-added products. Regional players are excited."

Dosman Mangisi, chief operations officer at the Zimbabwe Institute of Foundries, termed the start of operations as "a shot in the arm" for Zimbabwe's iron and steel industry.

"It's a dream come true to the economy of Zimbabwe," Mangisi said.

He said it will improve the ease of doing business in the country within the metal foundries industry due to availability of raw materials. That will have the effect of boosting downstream and upstream sectors of the Zimbabwe economy.

"This is the moment the country should enhance the retooling of the strategic sector of iron and steel and foundries for metal castings, both domestic use and export," Mangisi said.

Many existing processing, or beneficiation, plants in Zimbabwe and other African countries, were built decades ago by European investors and are now outdated.

Mangisi welcomed investments worth millions of dollars from China, saying: " China has become an Asian ambassador in Africa. This new milestone increases confidence in African economies.

"The advent of the Chinese, who have come with efficient technologies, has brought a great change in the beneficiation of minerals in African economies."

Zimbabwe has struggled to shake off the economic problems stemming from Mugabe's time in power. It has been more than two decades since the US and some European countries imposed strict sanctions on the country in response to Mugabe's human rights abuses and the controversial forced and often violent seizure of land from white farmers.

But China has continued to bankroll major projects in the country, including hydropower dams and airports such as Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare and Victoria Falls International Airport. Chinese firm Shanghai Construction Group built a US$140 million parliament funded by China as "a gift to the people of Zimbabwe".

Zimbabwe has also emerged as a major source of lithium, an essential raw material for the batteries that power electric vehicles.

Chinese companies, including Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt, Sinomine Resource Group, Chengxin Lithium Group, have invested millions of dollars in the acquisition of lithium mines and more than US$1 billion into building processing plants.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
Chinas commerce ministry said this week that the European Commission sought an unprecedented amount of detailed information on Chinese automakers supply chains during its anti-subsidy probe, Reuters reports.

He Yadong, a commerce ministry spokesperson told a news conference that: "The type, scope and quantity of information collected by the European side was unprecedented and far more than what is required for a countervailing duties investigation.

His statement was in response to a question from Chinese state radio about whether Brussels had been trying to spy on the Chinas EV industry.

He went on to add that the EU Commission mandatorily required" Chinese automakers submit information on sourcing raw materials for batteries, manufacturing components, and pricing and developing sales channels, according to Reuters.

It comes as the Commission confirmed new provisional tariffs applying to Chinese EVs shipped to the EU from 4 July, after provisionally concluding that the battery electric vehicles (BEV) value chain in China benefits from unfair subsidisation.

Individual duties will affect BYD (17.4%), Geely (20%) and SAIC (38.1%) which ships MG branded cars, among other Chinese BEV makers. Those that did not cooperate with the EUs probe are subject to a residual duty tariff of 38.1%.

"Chinese EV makers ordered to submit unprecedented amount of data by EU" was originally created and published by Just Auto, 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.
Steve Debenport / Getty Images/iStockphoto

You may remember that Walmart made headlines earlier this year for its manager salaries. At the time, it was reported some Walmart managers could now earn more than $400,000 a year without a college degree.

According to NBC News, Combined with a previously announced new average salary of $128,000 and the ability to earn up to 200% of that salary in bonuses, a Walmart manager could earn as much as $404,000 a year.

Read Next: 8 Ways To Make $200 (or More) a Day Working From Home

Find Out: 6 Unusual Ways To Make Extra Money (That Actually Work)

If youre looking to make the move into retail management, heres a look at positions with some popular stores and some ways you can work your way up.

Wealthy people know the best money secrets. Learn how to copy them.

Costco

Costco has long been known for having a good work environment for its employees  as evidenced by rankings from Glassdoor and others.

General managers at the chain are known to frequently have six-figure base salaries. That doesnt include bonuses and commissions, which can easily add up to thousands of dollars.

Like many other retailers, Costco looks to hire managers who have retail experience. If that experience comes from working at Costco itself, even better.

If youre looking to join Costco and start toward the bottom as a store team member, the pay isnt all that bad compared to equivalent jobs at other places. According to ZipRecruiter, the average hourly pay in the United States at Costco is just over $22 an hour.

Check Out: Im a Self-Made Millionaire: Heres What My Salary Looked Like Over the Years

Walmart

You might find similar starting pay at Walmart. The retailer has announced plans to increase pay and have its U.S. average hourly wage exceed $18.

Theres even better news  if youre looking for a career in retail and want to work your way up at Walmart, they seem very open to that and value promoting from within. In fact, according to Walmart, about 75% of field management teams began their Walmart careers in the hourly ranks.

Other Retailers

As you might guess, six-figure base salaries are fairly common for retail store managers. Heres a look at some of the top-paying companies and the median base salaries for store managers, according to Glassdoor.

The Home Depot: $164,000

Lowes: $151,000

Walmart: $151,000

Apple: $136,000

Costco: $120,000

Its important to keep in mind that bonuses can greatly influence the take-home pay for retail store managers. In addition, your location will influence your salary. States like California and New York may have higher pay for store managers based on costs of living and other factors.

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Work Your Way Up

If youre already working for a retailer and want to move up, or youre looking to start your retail career with a store you know has good salaries for managers, there are things you can do when you take your first job to set yourself up for success. Here are some tips from experts on LinkedIn.

Gain experience: Learn to do a variety of jobs within the store to increase your chances at a promotion.

Find a mentor: Seek out someone to help you learn, grow and prepare for your future as a store manager.

Build your skills: Work to build skills that extend beyond your current position and set you up for the next step in your career.

Network: Consider going to industry events and connecting with retail leaders on social media.

Track your results: Set personal performance goals and show leadership that youre ready for the next step.

Embrace change: Volunteer for new opportunities and learn new technology skills to help elevate your retail career.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Costco and 4 More Retailers With High-Paying Manager Positions  And How To Work Your Way Up
A shrine guarded by a snake and used to store illicit drugs in Igor community, Benin city, Edo state, has been uncovered by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.

It was learnt that the operatives detected a specially constructed large hole storage in a wall covered with wallpapers and fetish objects.

According to reports, different quantities of illicit substances including methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743 kilograms, were pulled out from the deep hole dug in the wall of the shrine building.

Meanwhile, two ladies identified as Sonia Chinonso Ezumezu and Risikatu Tijani were arrested during the intelligence-led operation on Tuesday 18th June 2024 after the big black snake guarding the shrine was demobilized.

Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesman, made this known in a statement issued on Sunday, June 23.

He added that two suspects: Obi Ferguson,45, and Ernest Abanum, 46, were arrested on Saturday 22nd June when NDLEA operatives raided the Usen forest in Ovia South West LGA, Edo state where 209kg cannabis and a motorcycle were recovered.

Meanwhile, NDLEA officers in Lagos have intercepted a carefully packaged consignment of 8.2 kilograms of methamphetamine at a motor park in Mazamaza, Ojo area of the state. The highly addictive illicit substance, also called ice or crystal meth was packed in imported Dunkin turtle love chocolate wraps and then concealed in the casing of three loud speakers.

A 39-year-old suspect, Michael Odiomume who was sending the consignment to Owerri, Imo state was promptly arrested on Wednesday 19th June at the park.

In Abuja, operatives on Tuesday 18th June intercepted a white Nissan Frontier pick up vehicle with amber lights and fake registration number of a security agency at Kiyi village in Kuje area of the FCT. The vehicle was loaded with 454 compressed blocks of cannabis sativa, weighing 340.8kg procured at Uzeba, Edo state. A 76-year-old grandfather, Mr. Francis Omofa, linked to the consignment was arrested. He claimed to have been in the illicit drug business for 10 years.

While commending the officers and men of Edo, Lagos, and FCT Commands, Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) noted the balance in their drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction efforts as well as those of their compatriots across the country. He charged them to maintain the ongoing offensive action against drug cartels as they continue to intensify their war against drug abuse, WADA, social advocacy campaign, Babafemi added.
Christians have been urged to increase the tempo of their prayers for Nigeria in order to attract God's deliverance out of her present economic and social predicament.

The admonition was given by the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Ebonyi State chapter, Rev. Scamb Chinedum Nwokolo.

Nwokolo spoke during a Christian thanksgiving service to mark his 60th birthday.

The event was held Saturday at the Universal Christ Ministry of All Nations, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital,

In his message at the event, Nwokolo who is the Founder and General Overseer of the Church, maintained that prayers are a necessary key to unlock the great potentials of the country for the enjoyment of the citizens, adding that the country needs more prayers now than any other time in her history.

He beckoned on all christian denominations in the country to unite purposefully in prayers for the nation, for God to disappoint her enemies.

Nwokolo said: "This is a time we are supposed to be more prayerful in the state and beyond the state, praying for the good of Nigeria; praying for the spiritual growth of the nation, so that God will deliver Nigeria from this great quagmire we are experiencing economically, socially, politically and otherwise.

"So doing, the Nigeria nation which is endowed with great potentials will begin to enjoy the dividends.

"When we are prayerless, it affords the enemies the opportunity to destabilize the entire nation.w2

"But when christians come together, join hands in prayer, it will help us to have a very peaceful society which all of us will be proud of."

While praying for the peace and prosperity of Ebonyi State, Nwokolo commended Governor Francis Nwifuru for his fatherly disposition in the governance of the state which has continued to pay off in almost all the sectors.

He called on all Ebonyi people and residents in the State to show love to one another irrespective of origin, tribe or faith.

"Let everyone eschew all manner of bitterness and antagonism and come together, knowing that our destiny is inextricably bound together as a people.

"When we know that, it will make us to move further" he admonished.

Nwokolo who appreciated God for an added year to his age, prayed for the continuous oneness of the Church in the State particularly, and the country in general.

He reassured that he would continue to harness the experiences and wisdom bestowed on him by God's grace through the added year, to pilot the affairs of the Church peacefully in the state.

Wife of the celebrant, Esther Nwokolo, his first daughter, Miracle Nwankwo and the Head of Programmes, Nigeria Television Authority, Abakaliki, Abigail Ezeani-Iheukwumere, who is also an evangelist in the Church, prayed God to increase the CAN chairman in wisdom, good health and many more fruitful years in his endeavors.

Iheukwumere prayed: " My prayer for his Eminence is that the Lord will keep him, preserve him and grant him wisdom.

"And that he will grow from glory to higher glory and from strength to strength.

"As he celebrate his 60th birthday, that God will empower him more and increase his anointing so that he will do more exploits.

"But one very important thing I want to wish him is long life in good health."

In a sermon, Bishop Oluchukwu Onuigbo of the National Evangelical Mission, admonished christians to always learn to number their days, adding that such consciousness would enable them understand where they were and where they are heading at any stage of their life.

He added that being aware of one's number of days on earth would help one draw closer to God, knowing that the earth is not a permanent abode.

He urged christians not to take part in ploting the downfall of their pastors and mentors but to support, appreciate and be a source of strength to them as they age in service of God and humanity.

The event featured good will messages from the various CAN blocs, Youth and Women Wings of CAN, local government executives and numerous friends and associates who described the celebrant variously as humble, kind, generous, patient and Godly.
Devakumar Edwin, vice president, Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries Limited (DIL), has accused the Engr. Farouk Ahmed-led Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), of granting licences, indiscriminately to marketers to import dirty refined products into the country.

The company chief executive also lamented plots by the International Oil Companies (IOCs) in Nigeria to frustrate the survival of the Dangote Oil Refinery and Petrochemicals by deliberately jerking up high premium price above the market price.

A statement on Sunday by Dangote Group made available to THE WITNESS said Edwin made the disclosure at a one-day training programme, organised by the company for Energy Editors in Lagos.

According to him, the Federal Government issued 25 licences to build refinery and we are the only one that delivered on promise. In effect, we deserve every support from the Government. It is good to note that from the start of production, more than 3.5 billion litres, which represents 90 per cent of our production, have been exported. We are calling on the Federal Government and regulators to give us the necessary support in order to create jobs and prosperity for the nation.

In September 2017, an investigation by an international organisation, Public Eye revealed that polluted and toxic fuels were being exported on a large scale from the ports of Rotterdam and Amsterdam for export to African markets.

As much as a quarter of the petrol and diesel available in West Africa originates from the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Antwerp. These fuels contain sulphur and other pollutants, such as cancer-causing benzene, in quantities up to 400 times the limits permitted in Europe. The Netherlands and Belgium were enjoined to enforce regulations to shield millions of Africans from exposure to toxic fuels.

The decision of the (NMDPRA, in granting licenses indiscriminately for the importation of dirty diesel and aviation fuel has made the Dangote refinery to expand into foreign markets. The refinery has recently exported diesel and aviation fuel to Europe and other parts of the world. The same industry players fought us for crashing the price of diesel and aviation fuel, but our aim, as I have said earlier, is to grow our economy.

While the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) are trying their best to allocate the crude for us, the IOCs are deliberately and willfully frustrating our efforts to buy the local crude. It would be recalled that the NUPRC, recently met with crude oil producers as well as refineries owners in Nigeria, in a bid to ensure full adherence to Domestic Crude Oil Supply Obligations (DCSO), as enunciated under section 109(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). It seems that the IOCs objective is to ensure that our Petroleum Refinery fails. It is either they are deliberately asking for ridiculous/humongous premium or, they simply state that crude is not available. At some point, we paid $6 over and above the market price. This has forced us to reduce our output as well as import crude from countries as far as the US, increasing our cost of production

It appears that the objective of the IOCs is to ensure that Nigeria remains a country which exports Crude Oil and imports refined Petroleum Products. They (IOCs) are keen on exporting the raw materials to their home countries, creating employment and wealth for their countries, adding to their GDP, and dumping the expensive refined products into Nigeria  thus making us to be dependent on imported products. It is the same strategy the multinationals have been adopting in every commodity, making Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa to be facing unemployment and poverty, while they create wealth for themselves at our expense. This is exploitation  pure and simple. Unfortunately, the country is also playing into their hands by continuing to issue import licences, at the expense of our economy and at the cost of the health of the Nigerians who are exposed to carcinogenic products.

In spite of the fact that we are producing and bringing out diesel into the market, complying with ECOWAS regulations and standards, licences are being issued, in large quantities, to traders who are buying the extremely high sulphur diesel from Russia and dumping it in the Nigerian Market. Since the US, EU and UK imposed a Price Cap Scheme from 5th February, 2023 on Russian Petroleum Products, a large number of vessels are waiting near Togo with Russian ultra-high sulphur diesel and, they are being purchased and dumped into the Nigerian Market.

In fact, some of the European countries were so alarmed about the carcinogenic effect of the extra high sulphur diesel being dumped into the Nigerian Market that countries like Belgium and the Netherlands imposed a ban on such fuel being exported from its country, into West Africa, recently. It is sad that the country is giving import licences for such dirty diesel to be imported into Nigeria, when we have more than adequate petroleum refining capacity locally, he concluded.
The S&P 500 index is a well-known benchmark composed of roughly 500 stocks that are U.S. companies, big, and profitable. Cloud-based cybersecurity company CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) will be included starting on June 24. And this company has absolutely earned the honor of inclusion.

CrowdStrike went public in 2019. And during the company's fiscal 2019 (which ended in January of that year), it generated revenue of just $250 million. Fast forward to fiscal 2024 (which ended in January of this year), and it generated revenue of over $3 billion. In short, CrowdStrike has grown by an extraordinary amount in just five years as a public company.

The quality of CrowdStrike's growth is also noteworthy. There are companies that have grown by a comparable amount, but few have also simultaneously unlocked massive profitability. Free cash flow has skyrocketed. And in its fiscal first quarter of 2025, CrowdStrike achieved a huge free-cash-flow margin of 35% -- that's incredible.

However, one could nitpick CrowdStrike as an investment due to its lofty valuation. Overpaying for an investment -- even for shares of a great business -- can negatively impact future returns. And trading at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of nearly 30 and a price-to-free-cash-flow ratio of nearly 100, CrowdStrike stock is expensive today.

CRWD PS Ratio Chart

To be fair, it may still work out for investors. The cybersecurity space is an enormous opportunity and CrowdStrike is one of the best players. Therefore, its long-term growth and profits may justify its valuation.

However, for investors concerned about this valuation risk today, website company GoDaddy (NYSE: GDDY) is getting included in the S&P 500 alongside CrowdStrike. And it's a much better bargain buy today, as I'll explain.

Why investors should look at GoDaddy stock

Over the last three years, shares of GoDaddy are quietly up about 60%, which is almost double the 31% return for the S&P 500. And when investors consider the material things that make stocks go up, GoDaddy stock is rising for the right reasons.

For starters, GoDaddy continues growing even though it's been around a long time. In 2022, the company's revenue was up 7% year over year, and it was up 4% in 2023. Then in the first quarter of 2024, revenue grew by another 7% compared to the prior-year period.

Some investors might scoff at a single-digit growth rate for GoDaddy. And in isolation, it's true that the company's revenue growth didn't move the needle much. But its free cash flow has fared much better because of where the growth is coming from -- more on that in a moment. Consider that free-cash-flow growth exceeded revenue growth in 2022, 2023, and in Q1, which is a solid trend at this point.

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Moreover, thanks to using its cash flow to buy back stock, GoDaddy has reduced its share count, which boosts its free cash flow per share. This is important for individual shareholders because their ownership stakes are thereby getting more valuable.

In summary, GoDaddy reduced its share count, grew its revenue, and grew its free cash flow. And its free cash flow per share went up faster than its stock price, which means its recent market-beating performance is justified.

GDDY Chart

The real question for investors today is whether GoDaddy can continue growing revenue and free cash flow while reducing its share count. And I believe the answer is "yes."

GoDaddy makes most of its money with domain name services -- this is its top-of-mind service, and 92% of its customers in 2023 bought a domain name from the company. However, GoDaddy increasingly offers services for starting, growing, and marketing a business, including with products for building websites, accepting payments, and more.

These complementary products are no-brainers for GoDaddy and have boosted profit margins -- this explains why free cash flow is growing faster than revenue. And the company's recent artificial intelligence (AI) tools are further boosting the adoption of its newer products, according to management.

As a result, GoDaddy expects free-cash-flow growth to keep outpacing revenue growth. Management expects to generate $4.5 billion cumulative free cash flow through the end of 2026. Moreover, management is still authorized to repurchase $1.1 billion in shares as of the end of Q1, to further reduce the share count.

Trading at just 20 times its free cash flow, GoDaddy stock is a far better bargain than CrowdStrike stock, as the chart below shows.

CRWD Price to Free Cash Flow Chart

It's not as exciting or as high-growth as CrowdStrike. But GoDaddy is growing its free cash flow at a respectable rate, and the valuation is quite reasonable. This combination of profitable growth and fairly priced shares could yield strong stock returns from here, which is why I believe investors should give GoDaddy stock a hard look now.

Should you invest $1,000 in GoDaddy right now?

Before you buy stock in GoDaddy, 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 GoDaddy wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $775,568!*

Stock Advisor provides investors with an easy-to-follow blueprint for success, including guidance on building a portfolio, regular updates from analysts, and two new stock picks each month. The Stock Advisor service has more than quadrupled the return of S&P 500 since 2002*.

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*Stock Advisor returns as of June 10, 2024

Jon Quast has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CrowdStrike. The Motley Fool recommends GoDaddy. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

CrowdStrike Stock Is Getting Added to the S&P 500. But This Other New S&P 500 Addition Could Be a Better Bargain Buy. was originally published by The Motley Fool
The Rock is the home of The Morning Rumble with Rog, Bryce, Mulls and Mel, Rock Drive with Jay & Dunc, Not For Radio, The Rock 2000, The No Repeat Workday and just all round good bants.

Struggling to find a decent radio station?

Unfortunately, we can't help you with that. But if you're keen to hear our average-to-mediocre banter sandwiched between some bloody good rock music, then look no further.

Stream The Rock on rova

Not in New Zealand? We feel sorry for ya, it's a pretty rad little country. But you can stream us from anywhere in the world via the rova app - download it now from the App Store or Google Play. Or if you're still rocking one of those old school radios, or your car has one of those fancy band expanders - then listen to The Rock everywhere in the country by tuning into one of the frequencies below.

The Rock Radio Frequencies

Auckland 90.2

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Contact The Rock

Use your phone: 0800 ROCK PHONE

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Use your mobile: Text STUDIO, leave a space, then enter your message and send to 3520. Texts cost 20c.

Use the post box: The Rock Network PO Box 92080, Ponsonby Auckland

Use Your Illusion: Bloody good album!
Manipur violence and state

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It might have sounded rather too blunt or unsophisticated when senior Congress leader Gaikhangam said that the protracted violence traumatizing Manipur for the last 14 months is a state or government sponsored violence. Yet, the same remark was not some wild allegation. Even if the state is not sponsoring the violence, it has done very little to stop the violence. When the Government is doing nothing effective or noteworthy to bring the protracted violence to an end, it is indirectly abetting the crisis. When you abet something, you are sustaining the same thing and when you sustain something, you are very close to sponsoring the particular thing. It is this point which must be read between the lines. Again, the state has all the resources to contain the violence but it failed miserably on this front too. When you fail to achieve something despite commanding all the resources and power to get it, either you are making no efforts or all your efforts are half-hearted. The Chief Minister went on record and admitted that there were security lapses and intelligence failures with regard to Churachandpur rally of May 3, 2023 which triggered the bloody conflict. It was indeed a very big failure of the state (state refers to both Imphal and New Delhi) which proved to be very costly to thousands of innocent citizens. Quite shocking as it was, it still remains a conundrum that the state and its armed forces did not make any attempt to stop the rally, participated by armed hoodlums and automatic rifles-wielding combatants. For the sake of argument, let us accept that there were security lapses and intelligence failures and the state was caught by surprise when the Kuki-Zo militants and their supporters launched their politico-military offensive. Harrowing tales of how thousands of Meitei houses were burnt down on the night of May 3 itself, forcing every single Meitei to flee the district have been already told and retold. In the subsequent months, all the remnants of the burnt down Meitei houses were bulldozed and flattened. Moreover, Kuki-Zo militants attacked and raided a number of Meitei villages at peripheral areas at will and slaughtered many innocent villages. The state cannot attribute this to intelligence failure or security lapses for tens of thousands of central armed forces had been deployed in Manipur by that time in addition to the local police.

A little over one year later since the infamous Churachandpur rally, Kuki-Zo militants once again unleashed terror at Jiribam which was hitherto unaffected, and around 70 houses were burnt down in addition to police outposts and forest offices. There was no intelligence failure this time. Months before violence erupted at Jiribam, confidential government documents revealed that the Director General Police and the Security Advisor were warned of the movement of a good number of Kuki militants from Churachandpur to Jiribam. Yet no pre-emptive measures were put in place. Even when there was no intelligence failure, the state refused to act despite the prior warning. The Jiribam mayhem could have been averted but the state, despite all the resources at its disposal to prevent the mayhem, was only too happy to let the terror unfold. Again, an advance security team of the Chief Minister was ambushed by Kuki militants en route to Jiribam but security forces did nothing to arrest or neutralize or flush out the militants except for a nominal combing operation on the day of the attack. This inaction of the state has some serious implications. The state is either complicit or abetting the violence or simply unbothered or it has some secret agenda of its own. Here it would be a gross blunder to interpret the attack on the states armed forces as communal violence or a part of it. When some elements carry out sustained military aggression against a states armed forces, it is a clear case of waging war against the particular state. There have been many cases of Chin-Kuki-Zo militants targeting state armed forces like the killing of Moreh SDPO Chingtham Anand Kumar and the attack on the Chief Ministers advance security team, to cite a few examples. Yet, the state is reluctant to take up any decisive action till date. This is where many have raised questions on the role of the state vis-a-vis Manipur violence.


The Special Task Force (STF) of West Bengal has arrested a suspected terrorist from Mirpara in Kanksha police station area of West Burdwan district.

At around 3 pm today, a team from West Bengal raided a house in Mirpara in Kanksha police station area, under Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate and arrested a youth Mohammad Hasibul Sheikh allegedly for his connections with banned Bangladeshi terror outfits.

After his arrest, he was taken to Kanksha police station, where senior cops of ADPC and STF questioned him. Sources said that he will be later taken to Kolkata. Acting on a specific tip-off, the STF jawans zeroed into his house and nabbed him.

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The Indian Army base camp is in Panagarh and the area is a high security zone, the arrest of a terror outfit member near the vicinity has created a stir in the region. It is still not known on what basis he has been arrested and what documents have been seized from his possession after the search operations.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK) stands against the other dividend stocks.

Last year, artificial intelligence (AI) was the main focus in the markets, driving tech stocks to the forefront. These stocks rose by nearly 56%, accounting for the majority of the markets gains. However, these trends quickly lose popularity once they emerge. Experienced long-term investors understand a crucial principle: while chasing short-term investment trends can often lead to disappointment, committing to a long-term strategy can yield success. As AI-related companies drove the market upward, the valuations of high dividend-paying companies quietly declined in comparison. It is not about attractive valuations of dividend stocks, these stocks also offer diversification benefits and the potential for a growing income stream, especially if the Fed decides to lower interest rates, making them a strong investment option. These stocks become more attractive when companies have a solid history of consistently paying and increasing their payouts. Read our list of Best Dividend Kings to Buy for Safe Dividend Growth.

Dividend zombies are companies that have paid dividends to shareholders for at least 100 consecutive years whereas dividend kings are companies boasting 50 years of dividend growth. Dividend growers have shown strong performance over the years, often surpassing the overall market returns. The Dividend Aristocrats index, which tracks the performance of companies with 25 consecutive years or more, has outperformed the broader market since its inception in 2005, with lower levels of volatility. Historically, the index has captured 90% of the markets upward movements while experiencing only 82% of its declines. Currently, the Aristocrats are trading at a price-to-earnings multiple that is more than 10% lower than that of the broader market. This discount level has historically preceded prolonged periods of superior performance by the Aristocrats.

Since the end of 1989, there have been six calendar years where the broader market experienced negative performance. In each of these years, the Dividend Aristocrat index surpassed the performance of the broader equity benchmark by an average of 13.28%. Remarkably, the aristocrats delivered positive total returns in three of those years.

Given investors preference for dividend stocks, companies listed in the broader market indices are consistently increasing and sustaining their dividend payments. In the first quarter of 2024, the S&P's main index distributed $151.6 billion in dividends, compared to $146.8 billion in Q1 2023. There were 796 reported dividend increases in the first quarter, totaling $22.7 billion, up from $19.7 billion in the prior-year period.

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The impressive returns of dividend growers clearly demonstrate their strong performance. In this article, we will take a look at dividend zombies and dividend kings to invest in.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we selected companies that have paid dividends for over 100 years and also have strong dividend growth histories. Some of these companies are dividend kings, which means that they have raised their payouts for 50 years or more. We also considered the hedge fund sentiment around each stock, according to Insider Monkey's database for Q1 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the consecutive years of dividend payments. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

A toolbox filled with an array of different tools, representing the professional products of the company.

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK)

Consecutive Years of Dividend Payments: 147

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK) is a Connecticut-based manufacturing company that specializes in industrial tools and household hardware. On April 26, the company announced a quarterly dividend of $0.81 per share, which fell in line with its previous dividend. It has paid regular dividends to shareholders for the past 147 years and its dividend growth streak stands at 57 years. The stock has a dividend yield of 3.85%, as of June 20. SWK is among the dividend zombies on our list.

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK) surpassed analysts' estimates in the first quarter of 2024. Its EPS of $0.56 and revenue of $3.87 billion beat analysts' consensus by $0.01 and $35.7 million, respectively. Its revenue fell by nearly 2% on a year-over-year basis due to fluctuating demand. The company expects that varying demand trends will continue across its businesses in 2024. To address this, it is focusing on improving supply chain costs to increase margins, drive earnings growth, and generate strong cash flow. In addition, the company is investing in growth initiatives aimed at boosting innovation and unique market strategies to capitalize on promising long-term opportunities. Although the company reported mixed results, it remains confident in its balance sheet. This confidence is partly due to the success of its cost-reduction program. This cost-cutting program, which saved the company $145 million in Q1 2024, is projected to save $1.45 billion by the end of the year and $2 billion by the end of 2025.

Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK) leads the market in the Tools & Outdoor segment, which saw its margin rise to 7.8%, a 720 basis point increase from the previous year. The segment's revenue for the quarter fell slightly by 1% from the same period last year.

Insider Monkey's database of Q1 2024 indicated that 31 hedge funds owned stakes in Stanley Black & Decker, Inc. (NYSE:SWK), which remained unchanged from the previous quarter. The collective value of these stakes is more than $715.3 million.

Overall SWK ranks 2nd on our list of the dividend zombies and kings with longest dividend payouts. You can visit 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts to see the other dividend stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of SWK as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is as promising as SWK but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
A group of miscreants, armed with bamboo sticks attacked the office of the Trinamul Congress councillor Pintu Debnath on Saturday and damaged furniture and documents.

Mr Debnath is councillor from ward 1, under the Rajpur-Sonarpur Municipality.

The councillor was not in office during the incident. Four persons close to the councillor were injured according to local police.

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Huge police force from the Narendrapur police station was rushed to the spot, who rescued the injured.

Trouble started this afternoon when miscreants suddenly attacked Mr Debnaths office at a taxi stand near Garia station and went on a rampage. They beat up several people who came to meet the councillor seeking his signature on different civic issues.

The entire office virtually turned into a battlefield, locals said.

Police are investigating the case and suspected that the incident might be a sequel to an old rivalry between the injured and the miscreants.

Local Trinamul Congress sources said that the councillor didnt entertain some illegal demands of the miscreants and as a result, the latter attacked his office and beat up some persons, who are close to him.
Chief minister and Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee could join campaigning for Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, sister of Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP, in Wayanad, Kerala, said sources close to the development.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra is tipped to contest election from Wayanad, Kerala, after brother and winner from the seat Rahul Gandhi, hinted he could vacate this seat in favour of her sister and keep his Rae Bareli seat Uttar Pradesh.

Sources said that the campaign speculations grew louder after a 45-minutes huddle between Congress emissary and former Union home minister P Chidambaram and CM Mamata Banerjee at state secretariat Nabanna on Thursday.

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Though no official communication on the issue is available, sources in the know claimed that the senior Congress leader, who was deputed by the Congress to meet the chief minister, tabled the proposal before Miss Banerjee which the latter had accepted, a source said.

Sources in the know claimed that Mr Chidambaram had formally tabled the Congress partys invitation seeking her acceptance to campaign for Pariyanka at Wayanad.
The chief minister of Sikkim, Prem Singh Tamang, has emphasized the serious aftermath of the South Lhonak Lake outburst, which resulted in widespread flooding and destruction across the state.

Mr Tamang also called for additional financial assistance to support long-term recovery measures and emphasized the urgent need to repair NH-10, the main highway of Sikkim.

Sikkim CM Tamang joined Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi today for a pre-budget event. The gathering was also graced by chief ministers, finance ministers and other prominent officials from various states.

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During my speech, I offered my congratulations to the finance minister and emphasized the importance of cooperative federalism. I also highlighted the urgent issues facing Sikkim and requested that they be taken into account when creating the Union Budget for 2024-25, Mr Tamang said.

The Chief Minister, Mr Tamang, emphasized the dangers of excessive rainfall and called for long-term, sustainable solutions. He also expressed concern over the significant difference in expenses for building and upkeep in Sikkim and urged officials to take this into account when planning rehabilitation initiatives.

In addition, Mr Tamang emphasised to the relevant authorities the importance of providing compensation for the yearly decrease in revenue caused by the Teesta-III project. He also urged for a reassessment of the deficit in IGST settlements for 2023-24.

Recognising the beneficial effects of extended interest-free loans for capital expenses, CM Tamang appealed for a greater allotment for Sikkim. Furthermore, he suggested maintaining the borrowing cap for states and boosting aid under the National Social Assistance Programme.

I have faith that the upcoming budget will tackle these concerns and stimulate progress and well-being in our state, Sikkim CM said.
The Adani Group is eyeing $100 billion of capex over the next decade with major outlays on energy transition projects and digital infrastructure for the next leg of growth, a Jefferies report said on Friday.

At an investors meet, the Adani Group management outlined a strong FY24 operating performance  a 27 per cent CAGR for five years  and an improved leverage profile across businesses.

The Adani Portfolio achieved $10 billion EBITDA (including operating income) in FY24, growing over 40 per cent (year-on-year).

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More than 80 per cent of EBITDA came from infra-related businesses. Management also talked about high cash after tax (FFO) to EBITDA ratio for the businesses, with funds from operation (FFO) enough to envelop all debt maturities, the report mentioned.

According to the company, contracted EBITDA is 80 per cent of total group EBITDA and cash reserves stand at more than 20 per cent of borrowing, helping address the groups cash flow and system risk.

The management does not see a refinancing risk at the group level, adding that effective capital management planning has been reflected in rate profile stability, with increasing duration, despite rate and forex volatility, the report said.

When it comes to digital infrastructure, the group has been able to establish multiple touchpoints with consumers across the country.

According to Jefferies, the Group expects a demographic dividend to show up, with the consumer base on Adanis core Infra platform already clocking 350 million users.

The Group will look to capitalise on this in the medium term, it added.

For Adani Enterprises Ltd, the GH2 (Green Hydrogen) projects would be the groups most capex-heavy venture.

The airports business should benefit from growth in traffic and non-aero trends. The company aims to bid for new airports under Indias airport privatisation plan, said the report.

A copper project was recently commissioned and work on the coal-to-PVC project has begun.

Management does not see net debt/EBITDA crossing 5 times during capex, said the report.

For Ambuja Cements, the company reiterated the timeline for 140 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) by FY28 is on track and the company continues to guide for Rs 1,500 EBITDA/T.

The company is looking at reaching a cost of production of Rs 3,650/T by FY28 (Rs 500/T+ lower than current), which would be best in class globally. The company plans to consolidate all its cement companies under one head in the medium term, and is working to identify the best structure, said Jefferies.

For Adani Energy Solutions Ltd (AESL), the company aims to commission Rs 170 billion under-construction transmission assets by FY26E. The company indicated a Rs 1.1 trillion tariff-based competitive bidding pipeline in 12-15 months, where AESL has a 16 per cent market share.

Meanwhile, Adani Green had installed a capacity of 10.9 GW in March, with another 11 GW projects under execution. The company guides for 6-8 GW per year of capacity addition in FY25E and FY26E. The management reiterated their stance of raising capacity to 50 GW by FY30, including the 5GW pumped Hydro project, the report mentioned.
In a concerted effort to address the escalating water crisis in Delhi, a delegation of AAP leaders met with Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena on Sunday, urging him to secure the citys rightful share of water from Haryana.

The delegation, comprising 10 AAP members including Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and ND Gupta, General Secretary Pankaj Gupta, Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, and MLAs Dilip Pandey, Somnath Bharti, Rajesh Gupta, Rituraj Jha and others, highlighted that Delhi is receiving 113 MGD less water than its entitlement.

Noting the stark increase in Delhis population from 1.1 crore in 1994 to 3 crore today, they stressed the urgent need for action.

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The LG assured the delegation of his commitment to resolving the issue and making every effort to ensure Delhi receives its fair share of water from Haryana.

Regarding the meeting with the LG, Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, We told the LG that Delhi is getting the same amount of water today as was allocated for it in 1994. Whereas in the 30 years since 1994, Delhis population has increased three times.

We told him that Rs 500 crore were spent on eliminating the leakage of canals. 12,000 kilometres of pipeline was laid inside Delhi. The Delhi government has made a lot of efforts at its level. During this, the LG has also given some suggestions, on which it was agreed to work together, Singh said.

Meanwhile, senior AAP leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said that a delegation of the AAP met the LG and they had a positive discussion.

We told the LG that there is a shortage of about 113 MGD water which is coming from Haryana right now. Due to this, lakhs of people in Delhi are facing problems. Since the LG is the representative of the central government. Therefore, we have requested the LG to talk to the Haryana government and get Delhi its full share of water. On this, LG VK Saxena has assured that he will talk to the Haryana government and try to get Delhi its full share of water, Bharadwaj added.

We also told the LG that it will rain in a week. Rain has started in Shimla and Himachal. So much water will come in the next week that Haryana will not be able to stop it even if it wants to. So now it is just a matter of a week. We have requested LG sahab to get water from Haryana for Delhi for a week, Bharadwaj said.
A massive land scam has come to the fore near AIIMS-Bhubaneswar in the capital city after the Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan (OSSA), a forum of RTI activists, on Sunday alleged illegal conversion of government land at the behest of influential persons including politicians and IPS officers.

A stretch of 7.5 acre of government land has been sold and resold as many as 27 times. The beneficiaries of the proceeds included four IPS officers and powerful people including politicians owing close rapport with the previous BJD Government.

The scale of the land scam is estimated at Rs 250 crore as per the current market price, alleged Srikant Pakal, joint convenor of OSSA.

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Despite the land grabbing being detected by the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) and Bhubaneswar Tehsil in 2021, the concerned authorities have shied away from reclaiming the government land from illegal possession of land grabbers.

The inaction on the part of government agencies in evicting the squatters and initiating action under the Odisha Prevention of Land Acquisition (OPLE) Act is solely due to the power and influence exerted by the land grabbers, Pakal maintained.

The valuable land was illegally leased out in 1978 by then Tehsildar to influential persons who faked being landless. Later, acting on public complaints, the lease was canceled by the then Bhubaneswar Sub Collector 2002.

Thereafter, the land was sold and resold several times on the strength of a forged record of rights. Among the influential persons involved in the dubious land deal included at least four IPS officers with one of them still in service, he alleged seeking a high-level probe for reclaiming of the land from the illegal occupiers.
Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj on Sunday alleged the BJP-ruled Haryana government is misleading the public about the water supply to Delhi.

Addressing a press conference here, the Delhi Cabinet Minister claimed that flow meter data indicates that Haryana is supplying significantly less water to the national capital than stated.

He has asked the Haryana government to release their flow meter data for transparency. The Delhi Cabinet Minister alleged that the BJP, despite its one nation slogan, is deliberately reducing Delhis water supply, especially following the Lok Sabha election results, attributing these actions to political motives.

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Bharadwaj highlighted a shortfall of approximately 117 MGD of water, noting that a shortage of 1 MGD affects around 28,500 residents.

The Delhi Cabinet Minister said water generally comes to Delhi from two states  Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

A large portion of this water comes from Haryana. Generally, Delhi produces approximately 1000 MGD (million gallons per day) of clean water, for which around 613 MGD of water is supplied from Haryana to Delhi every day, he said.

Presenting some daily statistics, the senior AAP leader mentioned that on June 1, Delhi produced approximately 999 MGD of water, on June 2, it was 1,002 MGD, on June 3, it was 1,002 MGD, on June 4, it was 1,004 MGD, and on June 5, it was 1,003 MGD.

However, as soon as the Lok Sabha election results were announced, the amount of water production in Delhi has been continuously decreasing. From June 6 onwards, the production of water has been falling continuously, and by June 21, it had dropped to only 896 MGD, he said.

The water supply from Haryana is being consistently reduced. Flow meters are installed on their end, which indicate the amount of water coming from the other states, and if the Haryana government is not reducing the water supply, they should show their flow meter records indicating how much water is being sent to Delhi daily. The Haryana government reveals where their flow meters are installed, so that the data can be verified with the media and the truth can be presented to the public, he asserted.

Furthermore, the Delhi Cabinet Minister alleged that the BJP-ruled Haryana government has stooped to a very low level of politics by cutting the water supply even more since Delhis Water Minister Atishi began her hunger strike.

While previously, Haryana was cutting around 100 MGD of water, since the hunger strike began, an additional 17 MGD has been cut, totaling a reduction of approximately 117 MGD of Delhis share of water. Notably, 1 MGD of water meets the needs of about 28,500 people. Thus, in the past three days since the hunger strike began, an additional 17 MGD has been withheld, affecting approximately 485,000 more people, he said.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which talks about One Nation, One Election, One India, One Team and Cooperative Federalism, is now depriving the people of the national capital of water, Bharadwaj added.
In a concerted effort to resolve the worsening water crisis in the national capital, a delegation of AAP leaders met Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on Sunday, appealing for his intervention to secure Delhis rightful water share from Haryana.

The delegation comprising Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and ND Gupta, Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, and MLAs Dilip Pandey, Somnath Bharti, Rajesh Gupta, Rituraj Jha and others, highlighted the severe shortfall of 113 MGD in water released by Haryana to Delhi.

The L-G assured them that he would engage with the Haryana government to address the issue promptly.

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Bharadwaj informed that a delegation of the AAP met the L-G and they had a positive discussion.

We informed the L-G that there is a shortage of about 113 MGD water in the water coming from Haryana right now. Due to this, lakhs of people in Delhi are facing problems, he said.

We have requested him to talk to the Haryana government and get Delhi its full share of water. On this, LG VK Saxena has assured that he will talk to the Haryana government and try to get Delhi its full share of water, he added.

We also conveyed to the L-G that it will rain in a week. It has started raining in Shimla, Himachal. So much water will come in the next week that Haryana will not be able to stop it even if it wants to. So now it is just a matter of a week. We have requested the L-G to try and get water from Haryana for Delhi for a week, Bharadwaj said.
Continuing its efforts to enhance road safety and improve the citys overall traffic scenario by not letting go even small violations unnoticed, Delhi Traffic Police have noted a substantial rise in the number of prosecutions for stopline violations at the traffic signals this year, police said on Sunday.

According to the statistics for the current year so far, it has been revealed that the Delhi Traffic Police booked 237,976 violators for stop line violations, which marks a significant increase compared to 2023, when the figure was 180,538.

The increase in such prosecutions clearly highlights the traffic units dedication to ensure traffic laws are followed and people realise the importance of road safety across the city.

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The data released by the traffic police indicates that there has been a rise in instances where drivers failed to adhere to stop line regulations, representing an approximate 32 per cent rise in the number of prosecutions for stop line violations compared to the same period last year.

According to a traffic police official, such violations pose a significant risk to pedestrian safety and also disrupt the smooth flow of vehicles.

Making use of latest technology and stepped up vigilance in this regard, the Delhi Traffic Police intensified its efforts to bring down this trend of overlooking and not giving importance to the stop line by many motorists, the police said.

Furthermore, the police also conducted a comprehensive analysis of the top 10 traffic circles with the highest number of challans issued in 2024.

By identifying the areas with the most frequent traffic violations, this study facilitates targeted enforcement efforts to enhance road safety and ensure compliance with traffic regulations, the police said.

Enhanced monitoring, including the deployment of automated cameras at major intersections, has played a crucial role in detecting and recording violations, while several awareness campaigns were conducted to educate the public about the importance of stopping at designated lines and the potential consequences of non-compliance.

Other than technological measures, the Traffic Police have ramped up on-ground enforcement, and regular checks and stringent action against offenders are being conducted to deter motorists from breaching stop line rules.

Citys traffic police also urged the people of the city to adhere to traffic regulations, emphasising that stopping at the stop line is not only a legal requirement but also a critical safety measure.

Meanwhile, not only the stop line violations, police have been prosecuting violators over other traffic rules that they failed to follow.
Veteran actor Ashish Vidyarthi, known for his versatile roles across multiple Indian film industries, celebrated his 59th birthday in a rather unconventional way. Instead of a lavish party or a quiet gathering, he took to social media to share a hilarious vlog from his day at the airport.

In the vlog, which quickly gained traction among his fans, Vidyarthi captured amusing encounters with people who recognized him but struggled to recall his name. With his trademark wit, he quizzed them, asking, Whats my name? The responses varied, with some guessing correctly while others drew blanks, leading to moments of laughter and light-hearted banter.

Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ashish Vidyarthi (@ashishvidyarthi1)

Accompanying the video was a caption that perfectly encapsulated the playful spirit of the occasion: Today is my 59th Birthday..But, Whats my name? Tumhara Naam Kya Hai.Ashish Vidyarthi. It was a clever nod to his own identity and a reminder that fame doesnt always guarantee recognition.

About Ashish Vidyarthi:

Vidyarthis career spans decades, during which he has portrayed a wide range of characters, particularly excelling in antagonist and character roles. His talent has been recognized with numerous awards, including the prestigious National Film Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film Drohkaal in 1995. Additionally, he has received accolades such as the Filmfare Award South and nominations for multiple Filmfare Awards.

Despite his established status in the film industry, Vidyarthi continues to explore new avenues for creative expression. Recently, he made a memorable appearance in the Malayalam-language action comedy film Aavesham, produced by Nazriya Nazim and Anwar Rasheed. Beyond acting, he has ventured into stand-up comedy and vlogging, showcasing his comedic timing and engaging personality to a wider audience.

In his latest project, Ranneeti: Balakot & Beyond, Vidyarthi delivered a compelling performance as Madhusudan Dutta, further solidifying his reputation as a versatile and talented actor.

As he embraces the digital age, Vidyarthi remains active on social media, connecting with fans and sharing glimpses of his life beyond the silver screen. With his charm, wit, and enduring passion for storytelling, he continues to captivate audiences across generations.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) stands against the other dividend stocks.

Last year, artificial intelligence (AI) was the main focus in the markets, driving tech stocks to the forefront. These stocks rose by nearly 56%, accounting for the majority of the markets gains. However, these trends quickly lose popularity once they emerge. Experienced long-term investors understand a crucial principle: while chasing short-term investment trends can often lead to disappointment, committing to a long-term strategy can yield success. As AI-related companies drove the market upward, the valuations of high dividend-paying companies quietly declined in comparison. It is not about attractive valuations of dividend stocks, these stocks also offer diversification benefits and the potential for a growing income stream, especially if the Fed decides to lower interest rates, making them a strong investment option. These stocks become more attractive when companies have a solid history of consistently paying and increasing their payouts. Read our list of Best Dividend Kings to Buy for Safe Dividend Growth.

Dividend zombies are companies that have paid dividends to shareholders for at least 100 consecutive years whereas dividend kings are companies boasting 50 years of dividend growth. Dividend growers have shown strong performance over the years, often surpassing the overall market returns. The Dividend Aristocrats index, which tracks the performance of companies with 25 consecutive years or more, has outperformed the broader market since its inception in 2005, with lower levels of volatility. Historically, the index has captured 90% of the markets upward movements while experiencing only 82% of its declines. Currently, the Aristocrats are trading at a price-to-earnings multiple that is more than 10% lower than that of the broader market. This discount level has historically preceded prolonged periods of superior performance by the Aristocrats.

Since the end of 1989, there have been six calendar years where the broader market experienced negative performance. In each of these years, the Dividend Aristocrat index surpassed the performance of the broader equity benchmark by an average of 13.28%. Remarkably, the aristocrats delivered positive total returns in three of those years.

Given investors preference for dividend stocks, companies listed in the broader market indices are consistently increasing and sustaining their dividend payments. In the first quarter of 2024, the S&P's main index distributed $151.6 billion in dividends, compared to $146.8 billion in Q1 2023. There were 796 reported dividend increases in the first quarter, totaling $22.7 billion, up from $19.7 billion in the prior-year period.

Story continues

The impressive returns of dividend growers clearly demonstrate their strong performance. In this article, we will take a look at dividend zombies and dividend kings to invest in.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we selected companies that have paid dividends for over 100 years and also have strong dividend growth histories. Some of these companies are dividend kings, which means that they have raised their payouts for 50 years or more. We also considered the hedge fund sentiment around each stock, according to Insider Monkey's database for Q1 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the consecutive years of dividend payments. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

An intermodal container train winding through a rural landscape.

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP)

Consecutive Years of Dividend Payments: 125

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) is an American transportation company that operates railroads, connecting 23 states. The transportation industry has experienced a decrease in demand for services over the past year because of widespread macroeconomic issues. However, UNP seems to be managing its operations effectively, as seen in its Q1 2024 earnings. The company reported revenue of $6.03 billion, which fell slightly by 0.4% from the same period last year. Its operating income of $2.4 billion showed a 3% growth on a year-over-year basis. This increase was primarily due to higher prices and a favorable mix of freight, which helped to counterbalance the decline in volume and lower revenue from fuel surcharges.

Jim Vena became the CEO of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) last August and is known for his focus on reducing costs. His actions were highly anticipated by Street analysts during the earnings period. In the most recent quarter, the company saw a 1% YoY improvement in workforce productivity and a 4% increase in freight car velocity. In addition, its operating ratio, which is a key indicator of efficiency, improved by 140 basis points to 60.7%. Wall Street analysts have a consensus Moderate Buy rating on UNP with a $265.3 price target, which reflects a 19% upside potential, as of June 20.

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP) also showed a strong cash position in the first quarter of 2024, highlighting its financial strength alongside solid operational efficiency. The company's cash generation is particularly great news for income investors, as it ensures smooth sailing for its dividend payments. In the most recent quarter, the company reported an operating cash flow of over $2.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion in the prior-year period. Its free cash flow also grew to $525 million, from $240 million. The company's quarterly dividend comes in at $1.30 per share for a dividend yield of 2.34%, as of June 20. It is one of the dividend zombies on our list as the company has been paying dividends for the past 125 consecutive years.

At the end of Q1 2024, 87 hedge funds tracked by Insider Monkey reported having stakes in Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE:UNP), down from 90 in the previous quarter. The consolidated value of these stakes is roughly $5 billion. With nearly 6 million shares, Fisher Asset Management was the company's leading stakeholder in Q1.

Overall UNP ranks 10th on our list of the dividend zombies and kings with longest dividend payouts. You can visit 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts to see the other dividend stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of UNP as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is as promising as UNP but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Kartik Aaryans most recent film, Chandu Champion, has been garnering attention for all the right reasons. With critics, fans, and industry insiders praising Kabir Khans direction and Kartik Aaryans outstanding performance, filmmaker Karan Johar has also taken to social media to commend their efforts. There were previous reports suggesting a fallout between Kartik and Johar over the film Dostana 2, as they parted ways before collaborating on the project.

Sharing the films poster on Instagram Stories, Karan Johar wrote, Kabir Khan directs this courageous and inspiring life story like a love letter to the human spirit! Kartik Aaryan delivers his career-best performance with a humane and honest portrayal a must-watch. Kartik responded gratefully on Instagram Stories, saying, Thank you Karan. Means a lot.

Initially, Dostana 2 was announced with Kartik Aaryan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Laksh Lalwani in lead roles. However, it was later revealed, amidst dramatic circumstances, that Kartik was no longer attached to the project, reportedly due to professional circumstances. Dharma Productions announced the decision to recast for the sequel to the hit film starring Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham, and Abhishek Bachchan. Ultimately, the project was shelved.

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View this post on Instagram A post shared by KARTIK AARYAN (@kartikaaryan)

Conversely, last year, on Kartiks 33rd birthday, Karan Johar announced his production of a film starring the actor. Without divulging details, Karan shared on Instagram, Starting today with some special news on a special day! Extremely thrilled to announce Dharma Movies and Balaji Motion Pictures collaborating for a film helmed by the exceptionally talented Sandeep Modi. I am delighted to also announce the supremely talented Kartik Aaryan as our lead for this story, set to unfold in cinemas on 15th August 2025.

In terms of upcoming projects, Kartik is set to reprise his role in the third installment of the Bhool Bhulaiyaa series and is currently filming for it. Meanwhile, Karan Johar, last seen wearing the directors hat for Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani.
Today, June 23, marks a significant milestone in Sonakshi Sinhas life as she prepares to marry Zaheer Iqbal. The pre-wedding festivities began at her Mumbai residence, Ramayana, with a heartfelt religious ceremony. Sonakshi, accompanied by her mother, Poonam Sinha, took part in the pooja, embracing traditions and seeking blessings ahead of her big day.

Dressed in an elegant blue suit, Sonakshi was seen sitting beside her mother in front of the sacred fire. The two participated in the rituals while the pandits recited mantras. The intimate ceremony was captured in numerous videos and photos shared widely on social media, giving fans a glimpse into the serene and spiritual moments.

After the ceremony, Sonakshi, known for her cheerful personality, posed playfully for the photographers gathered outside her home before heading back inside. Poonam Sinha also acknowledged the photographers with a warm smile and expressed her gratitude for their presence. The ceremony was a family affair, with Shatrughan Sinha, Sonakshis father, also joining in the rituals.

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Sonakshi and Zaheer Iqbal, who have been in a relationship for over seven years, are marrying under the Special Marriage Act. Following the legal formalities, they will celebrate their union with a grand reception at Bastian in Mumbai, inviting close friends and family to share in their joy. The couple first shared the screen in the 2022 film Double XL, and their chemistry both on and off-screen has been popular.

In recent days, Shatrughan Sinha addressed rumors about his attendance at the wedding. The veteran actor and politician confirmed his presence, emphasizing his unwavering support for his daughter. In an interview, he passionately stated, Tell me, whose life is it anyway? Its just the life of my only daughter Sonakshi, whom I am very proud of and immensely fond of. She calls me the pillar of her strength. I will be there at the wedding, certainly. Why shouldnt I and why wont I?

He further expressed his deep bond with Sonakshi, saying, The very fact that I have still been in Mumbai conveys that I am here not only as her pillar of strength but as her real kavach (armor) as well. Sonakshi and Zaheer have to live life together. They look very nice together.

As Sonakshi and Zaheer embark on this new chapter, their families support and blessings are evident, making the occasion even more special. The celebration promises to be a blend of tradition and modernity, reflecting the couples journey and the love they share.
Vikrant Massey is riding high on the international success of Vidhu Vinod Chopras moving drama, 12th Fail. Currently in Shanghai for the films screening, Vikrant took to social media to express his heartfelt thanks to the Shanghai International Film Festival for their warm welcome and enthusiastic reception of the movie.

In a sincere post, Vikrant Massey shared his gratitude: Thank you @shanghaiinternationalff for the love and honor. Showcasing 12th Fail to the audience in Shanghai at the film festival has been a fabulous experience. Missed my man, Vidhu Vinod Chopra. But we will be back, the next time together, with 12th Fail in Chinese theatres very soon. On to the last day of the festival. Cant wait.

Advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vikrant Massey (@vikrantmassey)

12th Fail has made an impressive mark by running in theaters for six consecutive months, an achievement not seen in over two decades. This extended run highlights the films exceptional quality and its deep resonance with audiences. Celebrating its silver jubilee, the movie marked 25 successful weeks in theaters, a clear indicator of its lasting appeal.

Even after its successful theatrical stint, 12th Fail continued to shine on digital platforms, becoming a top pick in the OTT space. Its popularity crossed borders with a major release in China, where it was screened on more than 20,000 screens, further expanding its global reach and acclaim.

Vikrants heartfelt thank you to the Shanghai International Film Festival underscores the films widespread appreciation and its strong connection with audiences worldwide. As 12th Fail continues to gain international acclaim, the excitement for its release in Chinese theaters is building, promising to bring this inspiring story to an even larger audience.

The success of 12th Fail is a testament to the power of compelling storytelling and the universal appeal of its themes. Vikrant Masseys journey with the film, from its initial release to its international screenings, showcases the potential of Indian cinema to touch hearts across the globe. As the film prepares for its release in China, fans everywhere eagerly await the opportunity to experience this remarkable story once again.
On the expected lines, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Supremo Mayawati on Sunday announced the reinstatement of her nephew Akash Anand as the partys National Coordinator and her political successor.

He (Akash Anand) will remain as the National Coordinator of the party as well as my sole successor. I have full hope that now he will emerge as a mature leader at every level in the interest of his party and movement, Mayawati announced in a meeting here called to review the partys poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls.

Addressing senior party leaders from all over the country, including state presidents, she asked them to support and respect Akash Anand so that now he can fully live up to all her expectations in the future.

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Akash Anand was removed from all the posts on May 7 during the Lok Sabha polls after FIR was registered against him in Sitapur following his derogatory statement on BJP leaders.

During the meeting, Akash Anand touched the feet of Mayawati and took her blessings.

She also announced that the party from now on will contest the by-elections whether of assembly or Lok Sabha.

On the Lok Sabha poll debacle, the BSP president blamed it on the wrong propaganda by Opposition parties, especially on many other issues like the change of the Constitution.

Mayawati said the NDA Government at the Center is not stable. In such a situation, her party people have to increase their support base on a war footing by promoting missionary people in the party organisation across the country so that the party could be strengthened at every level. Not only this, people, especially the poor and weaker sections, got misled regarding some issue or the other in the elections, who are supporting their only well-wisher, BSP in the past.

She called upon the party cadre to pull up their socks, as the party has to be strengthened before assembly polls slated in several states.

While discussing the current political situation in the country, the party people were also asked to be alert and always ready so that the party does not suffer such a loss again in future elections.

Taking a swipe at Congress, she said the party that has always opposed Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar now talks of saving the Constitution made by him. Not only this, when the Indian Constitution came into force, the Congress government did not give the full benefit of legal rights, especially related to reservation, to the people of the SC, ST, and OBC categories of the country as per the Constitution. And when Baba Sahebs views were not listened to other and important issues of public interest, then he resigned from the Law minister post, she said.

She said, Baba Saheb had advised the people of these sections to unite and form their own separate political party and take the master key of the political power of the Center and the States in their own hands so that then these people can enjoy the legal rights given in the Constitution. Now, the BSP is fighting for that right.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Sunday that the flood monitoring centres of the Central Water Commission (CWC) should be in accordance with the countrys requirements and international standards.

Chairing a high-level meeting here to review the preparedness of flood management, the Union home minister appealed to all the states and Union Territories for the timely implementation the advisories issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) for flood management.

In the meeting, Shah also reviewed long-term measures to formulate a comprehensive and far-reaching policy to mitigate the menace of floods in the country.

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He also took stock of the action taken on the decisions made in the meeting held last year. Along

The meeting also discussed the new technologies being used by the agencies and the expansion of their network for flood management.

Reviewing the preparations to deal with Glacial Lake Outburst Flood (GLOF), he emphasised the need for optimum utilisation of satellite imagery provided by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) by various agencies for flood and water management.

Amit Shah said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indias Disaster management is moving forward with a Zero Casualty Approach.

He directed the India Meteorological Department (IMD) and the CWC to complete the process of recalibrating all the equipment used in flood forecast, at the earliest.

He instructed the departments concerned to conduct a detailed study of the recent floods in Sikkim and Manipur and submit a report to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

The home minister directed to ensure that floodgates of all the major dams are in good condition.

Pointing out that Non-perennial Rivers are prone to soil erosion resulting in floods, he called for efforts to upgrade the forecast system of water level of rivers for better flood management.

He said a natural drainage system should be an integral part of the designs of road construction to deal with inundation of roads, in case of floods.

At least 50 large ponds in the Northeast should be constructed so that the water of the Brahmaputra River could be diverted and stored in those ponds. He said this will help in developing agriculture, irrigation and tourism in those areas at a low cost and also help in tackling the floods, and, it will eventually benefit the local economy, he added.

Shah instructed the NDMA and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) to take appropriate precautionary measures to prevent incidents of forest fire. For this, the Union home minister stressed the need to regularly create fire lines, remove dry leaves and conduct mock drills from time to time with local residents and forest personnel. Along with this, he also asked to analyse the incidents of repeated forest fires at the same place.

He also asked the NDMA to prepare a detailed manual to deal with incidents of forest fires.

The Union home minister directed the IMD that alerts regarding lightning strikes should be disseminated to the public on time through SMS, TV, FM radio, and other mediums. He emphasised the need to integrate weather, rainfall, and flood warning-related apps developed by various departments so that their benefits could reach the targeted population.

Since the community is the first responder at the time of any disaster including flood, he said there should be coordination and integration in the community awareness programmes being run by various agencies so that they can have maximum impact.

During the meeting, IMD, CWC, NDRF, and NDMA made detailed presentations.

The departments concerned were also informed about the action taken on the instructions given by the Union Home Minister during the flood review meeting held last year. They also apprised about their preparedness for the current monsoon season and future action plan.

Union Minister for Jal Shakti, CR Paatil, Minister of State for Home Affairs, Nityanand Rai, Union Home Secretary, Secretaries of Ministries and Departments of River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Earth Sciences, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Road Transport and Highways, Chairperson Railway Board, Members and Heads of Departments of NDMA, Directors General of NDRF and IMD, Chairman NHAI and senior officers from other departments concerned including the CWC were present in the meeting.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Sunday that on June 23, 1953, Dr Syama Prasad Mookherjee made the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of a united India, advocating for one nation, one leader, and one law.

Paying floral tributes to Dr Mookerjee, the Founder President of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, on his death anniversary at the Civil Hospital premises here, the Chief Minister said, Following the countrys Independence in 1947 and the enactment of the Constitution in 1950, the Congress-led government attempted to undermine national integrity by introducing Article 370. In response, Dr Mookerjee, who was then serving as the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, resigned from his post and launched a massive movement to abolish Article 370 in Kashmir, for the prestige of the country.

CM Adityanath said that Dr Mookerjee, along with thousands of workers of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, launched a campaign for Kashmir Satyagraha and sacrificed his life. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the NDA government of the BJP has honoured the sentiments of one nation, one leader, and one law by abrogating Article 370 in Kashmir. This is a true tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for Kashmir, the countrys integrity, and border security, he said.

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Earlier, while paying tribute to Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his official X social media account, the CM wrote, A humble tribute to the great patriot, founder president of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, esteemed academician, and guide to nationalists, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary! His entire life and sacrifice, dedicated to the unity and integrity of India, serve as a great inspiration to all countrymen.
The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, which is set to commence on Monday amid a fresh row over the appointment of BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the Lower House of Parliament, will witness oath and affirmation of the newly-elected members including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

During the session, the Opposition is expected to corner the government on various issues including alleged irregularities in the NEET exam and price rise.

President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath to Mahtab as the pro-tem speaker of the Lok Sabha on Monday at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. After that, he will reach the Lok Sabha and commence the proceedings of the House at 11 am. He then will administer the oath to newly-elected members and oversee the proceedings of the House until the new speaker of the Lok Sabha is elected.

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The election of the new speaker will be held on June 26. The President will address a joint sitting of both the Houses of Parliament on June 27.

The session will conclude on July 3.

Meanwhile, the 264th session of the Rajya Sabha will commence on June 27 and will conclude on July 3.

Congress had reacted sharply to the Union governments decision to appoint the seven-time BJP MP as the Pro-tem speaker over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress, saying the appointment deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior-most member.

Meanwhile, defending the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab, BJP MP Sambit Patra said the decision was made in accordance with established convention rather than law.

His remark came as a reaction to Congresss objection that it disrupted a long-standing process. The BJP said, The President of India recommends the pro-tem speaker through Article 95 of the Constitution of India. It is a long convention that has been going on in this beautiful democracy of India since independence. Now, Congress is trying to disturb this process.

Bhartruhari Mahtab is serving as an MP consecutively for the seventh time. The convention says that the MP with the longest period of unbroken service can be appointed as pro-tem speaker. So, in this 18th Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab qualifies to become the pro-tem Speaker, he said.

He further said, As far as Congress MP K Suresh is concerned, he has served as an MP eight times non-consecutively. It is the 4th consecutive term of K Suresh. However, it is the 7th consecutive term of Bhartruhari Mahtab. So, there has been no breach of convention.

Earlier on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the appointment of Mahtab has been done as per the rules and said that Congress should not politicise the issue. We all want the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha to run peacefully. This is also the wish of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is a special session. There is no business transaction in this special session, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, the parliamentary affairs minister announced that the President had appointed the BJP MP as pro-tem speaker.

President Murmu also appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the speaker pro-tem in the oath-taking of the newly elected members.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday asked the security forces to root out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir by hunting down the terrorists and those harbouring them.

Sinha was speaking at the Attestation-cum-Passing out Parade of 16th BRTC Batch of J&K Police at the Subsidiary Training Centre, Talwara, in Reasi district.

Terrorism is breathing its last breath and this has made our neighbour, exporter of terror, desperate. The recent terror acts are a sign of our enemys desperation. Our aim is complete elimination of terrorism. We must hunt down the terrorists and their aides, who are harbouring them, the Lt Governor said.

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The Lt Governor asked the new recruits to work as a force multiplier in neutralizing the terror threats.

A total of 860 new recruit constables of the border battalion have completed their rigorous training at the STC. An oath was administered to the passing out cadets for performing their duties with dedication and honesty.

I am confident that these brave personnel will discharge their duty with utmost responsibility, sensitivity and dedication and carry forward the rich legacy of Jammu & Kashmir Police, the L-G said.

Paying tributes to the J&K Police bravehearts, the Lt Governor lauded the Jammu Kashmir Police for its valour, sacrifice and selfless service to the nation.

J&K Police have always shown a high level of professional excellence under extremely challenging circumstances. For several decades, this elite Police Force has been working with dedication to preserve the integrity and security of our country and keep the wheels of J&Ks progress moving, the Lt Governor said.

Speaking on the emerging threats of drug trafficking, cybercrime, and radicalization, the Lt Governor emphasised the need to ensure high level of motivation and professionalism in police to keep a step ahead of the adversaries.

I have great faith in the J & K Police, army and our security agencies. They are not only responsive to the safety and urgent needs of citizens but also effectively tackling terrorism in cyberspace, he said.

DGP RR Swain extended his best wishes to the new recruits and asked them to work with honesty and dedicate themselves in the service of the people.

Vijay Kumar, ADGP Law & Order; Anand Jain, ADGP Jammu; Dr Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, Principal Secretary to Lt Governor, serving and retired army and police personnel, and family members of the passing out cadets were present on the occasion.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Health Minister and BJP president JP Nadda, and other BJP leaders on Sunday paid glowing tributes to the partys founding ideologue Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his 71st death anniversary.

Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological parent organisation of the BJP.

The prime minister said Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjees glowing personality would continue to guide future generations.

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In a post on X in Hindi, Modi said, Respectful tributes to the great son of the country, eminent thinker and educationist Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day. He dedicated his life in the service of Mother India. His dynamic personality will continue to inspire every generation of the country.

Remembering Mookerjee, the Union home minister said, Tribute to Jan Sangh founder Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day who fought all his life for the unity, integrity and self-respect of the country.

In a post on X, Shah said, Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee gave the supreme sacrifice in the struggle to make Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of the country by giving the slogan of Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan. He played an important role in the ideological and practical fight to keep West Bengal a part of India.

He further wrote: As a member of the Constituent Assembly, he gave transformative suggestions regarding language and culture. He gave alternative ideas to the people of the country by establishing the Jana Sangh. This star of Indian culture will always remain bright and will guide the future generations on the path of nation first.

BJP President Nadda paid floral tributes to Mookerjee at the BJP headquarters in Delhi and distributed plant saplings among party workers.

I pay my heartfelt tributes to the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, architect of cultural nationalism and national unity, eminent thinker and educationist, revered Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day,  Nadda wrote in a post on X.

He (Mookerjee) dedicated his entire life to the progress and glory of the nation. His work for protecting Indias sovereignty and for the world of education is unforgettable. Dr Syama Prasad jis sacrifice and dedication will continue to inspire every Indian to put the nation first and to sacrifice everything, he added.

Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, along with Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, MP Kamaljeet Sehrawat, and other BJP leaders, paid floral tributes to Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee in the national capital.
After the LDF governments decision to grant special remission to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case sparked a political controversy, the Kannur Central jail Superintendent provided an explanation to the jail ADGP.

In his explanation to the jail ADGP, the Jail Superintendent reportedly stated that a police report on remitting the sentences of the TP Chandrasekharan murder case convicts was sought in accordance with the rules issued by the Home Department. A list of 188 prisoners was prepared for sentence remission. According to the criteria issued by the state government in November 2022, the TP Chandrasekharan murder case convicts were also included in the list, the Jail Superintendent said in his explanation.

In this connection, the Jail ADGP clarified that no relaxation will be given to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case.

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The Kerala governments move to grant special remission to the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case has drawn strong criticism from the opposition.

Opposition leader in the Kerala Assembly VD Satheesan on Saturday said that the LDF governments move to release the convicts in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case is a challenge to the people of Kerala and that the Congress and the UDF will strongly oppose it.

Speaking to media persons in Kochi, Satheesan said this move of the LDF government shows that the CPI-M and the LDF have learnt nothing from their debacle in the Lok Sabha polls.

Despite setbacks in elections, the CPI-M continues to make mistakes without learning or correcting them. The opposition, along with the people of Kerala, will resist any attempt to release the TP Chandrasekharan murder case accused, Satheesan said.

What right do the jail authorities have to recommend commutation to the convicts, who have been sentenced by the High Court to a fixed life term of 20 years without remission? Satheesan asked. He said the move would be dealt with politically and legally.

K K Rema, the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) MLA and widow of TP Chandrasekharan, has condemned the governments move to release the accused in the TP murder case, which circumvents the High Courts ruling.

KK Rama said the governments move to release the convicts in the TP murder case bypassing the High Court order would be dealt with legally and politically.

Former Home Minister and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan has said that the governments decision to release the accused in the TP murder case is against the jail manual.

No leniency is possible for those who have committed heinous crimes, he said. How can the government flout the High Court order to grant remission to the TP murder convicts, Thiruvanchoor asked.

A letter sent by the Kannur Central Jail Superintendent, requesting a police report on remitting the sentences of TK Rajeesh, Muhammad Shafi, and Anna Sijith, convicts in the TP murder case, had leaked into the public domain. These three convicts were among those sentenced to 20 years imprisonment by the Kerala High Court, which restricted their right to remission.

The Kerala High Court in February sentenced all 12 accused in the TP Chandrashkeharan murder case. Of these, nine convicts, including Rajeesh, Muhammed Shafi and Annan Sijith, were awarded life sentences without remission for 20 years.

It is learnt that the names of TP Chandrasekharan murder convicts were included in a list for special remission as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations.

TP Chandrasekharan, 52, a former leader of the CPI-M, was brutally murdered by a gang near Onchiyam on the night of May 4, 2012, as he was riding home on his motorcycle. His body bore 51 hack wounds, and his face was entirely disfigured by the attackers.
Weirich Farm. The farm will appeal to those who appreciate history and are charmed by staying in a rough-hewn log cabin surrounded by nature. Eddie Fowler

There are plenty of gorgeous, newly built and nicely decorated short-term rentals ripe for the booking. But for many, theres nothing like staying in a historic property, one thats been around for a hundred years or more.

For these guests, staying in a home with character built up over decades and decades, one that has seen history pass before its front doors and been lived in by generations, more than makes up for the fact that the countertops are not topped with Carrara marble or the backyard lacks a pool and tanning deck. (Although, in fact, plenty of historic properties have these and other OMG features.)

Here are eight such properties, all a short drive from San Antonio, where you can, for a few days, live within the same walls as those who came before  while also enjoying heating, air conditioning and hot showers.

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Grape Arbor House. The five-bedroom, 2 bathroom, Victorian-style house was built in 1891. Evolve

Grape Arbor House

Grape Arbor House. The house is located central to Fredericksburg's museums, natural wonders and local wineries. Evolve Grape Arbor House. The whimsically designed dining room will delight those enamored with Victorian-inspired design. Evolve Grape Arbor House. The fully equipped kitchen evokes an earlier time while still offering modern conveniences. Evolve Grape Arbor House. Floral bedding, swag drapes and patterned wallpaper are the types of design touches found throughout the house. Evolve Grape Arbor House. The backyard features a historic patio grape arbor, for which the house is named, and an outdoor dining table. Evolve High Street Guesthouse. The house has been family owned since it was built in the early 1900s. Airbnb High Street Guesthouse. Although it's been modernized, the kitchen retains its original pantry, high ceiling and beadboard walls. Airbnb High Street Guesthouse. Among the home's original and restored features are the dining room's shiplap walls. Airbnb High Street Guesthouse. The farmhouse-style house has the large, open and interlocking rooms, a style common of its time and is furnished with many vintage pieces. Airbnb Lincoln Street Inn. Although an historic building, the property is decorated mostly with modern furnishings including, in the kitchen, a stone-topped island, glass tile backsplash and all new appliances. Square Foot Photography Lincoln Street Inn. First built in 1864, the two-story inn has four large, en-suite bedrooms, many with limestone walls left bare. Square Foot Photography Lincoln Street Inn. First built in 1864 as a story-and-a-half, the house was enlarged to two floors in 1902. Square Foot Photography Lincoln Street Inn. Rumor is, the inn is haunted; the front rooms have been known to spook dogs. Square Foot Photography Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch. The cabin was reconstructed as authentically as possible when it was moved here in the early 1990s. The square nails they used are still visible throughout. Suzanne McCord Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch. The cabin was reconstructed as authentically as possible. The freestanding staircase seen here was built out of a single piece of cedar, including the newel post and the handrail Suzanne McCord Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch. The bathroom shower was made from stones collected on the ranch. Several are embedded with fossils. Suzanne McCord Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch. The two-bedroom cabin sleeps four, and perhaps a few more in the screened-in porch when the weathers good. Suzanne McCord Ludwig Homestead. The property has three bedrooms, two baths and sleeps up to eight. Gruene Estate Ludwig Homestead. With a full kitchen and dining and living rooms, the shabby-chic house is often the choice of those who simply want to enjoy historic New Braunfels. Gruene Estate Ludwig Homestead. With a full kitchen and dining and living rooms, the shabby-chic house is often the choice of those who simply want to enjoy what historic New Braunfels has to offer. Gruene Estate Rosebud on Schubert. The two-story short-term rental is located just two blocks from Fredericksburg's Main Street and Marktplatz. Danielle Lochte Photography Rosebud on Schubert. Guests have access to the entire home, a large backyard with several seating areas, a carriage house and private parking. Danielle Lochte Photography Rosebud on Schubert. With three bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths, the house can sleep up to eight guests. Richard A. Marini/Staff Rosebud on Schubert. The two-story short-term rental in Frederickburg was built in 1870 with limestone walls that are almost two feet thick. Danielle Lochte Photography Rosebud on Schubert. Available amenities include laundry room, fully stocked kitchen, a bottle of local wine, and large kitchen and dining rooms. Danielle Lochte Photography Telegraph Station #1 and #2. The most dramatic feature of the Telegraph Stations are the walls, built using a traditional German technique called fachwerk that consists of crossed timber or log beams that brace and support compartments (the word literally means compartment-construction) of stone and/or brick. Gruene Estate Telegraph Station #1 and #2. Each unit has an efficiency kitchen and sleeps up to four guests. They can be rented together or separately. Gruene Estate Weirich Farm. The entire cabin, including the bathroom, is decorated with plenty of antiques and hand-made furnishings, including in the bathroom. Eddie Fowler Weirich Farm. The cabin includes a classic country kitchen. Eddie Fowler Weirich Farm. Various additions made to the cabin over the years can be seen in the different materials used throughout. Eddie Fowler

Just two blocks off Main Street in Fredericksburg, the Grape Arbor House represents a boggling mix of eras. From the homey, floral-wallpapered sitting room to the pink chair sashes around the dining table to the 50-style, red-and-white linoleum kitchen floor, the Victorian-style cottage will appeal to anyone who appreciates an eclectic, feminine style.

Built in 1891, the five-bedroom, two-bath house sleeps up to 10. And dont miss the massive, 100-plus-year-old grape arbor in the backyard that gave the home its name.

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208 S. Crockett St., Fredericksburg, 888-991-6749, evolve.com, Rates average $446 per night with a two-night minimum.

High Street Guesthouse. Located on a quiet street in Comforts historic district, the guesthouse has two bedrooms 1 bathrooms. Airbnb

High Street Guesthouse

On a lovely, quiet street in Comforts historic district sits this two-bedroom, 1 bath house, built circa 1906, that sleeps up to eight. Family-owned, it has been operated as a short-term rental since 2010.

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The farmhouse-style house has the large, open and interlocking rooms of its time, is furnished with vintage pieces and restored and reproduction features, such as the shiplap walls in the dining room and the claw-foot tub in the bathroom. The kitchen retains its original pantry, high ceilings and beadboard walls. The ghosts of those who cooked there before might still be felt if one stays still enough.

613 High St., Comfort, airbnb.com/rooms/31924425. Rooms are $189 per night, every night.

Lincoln Street Inn. This is the place for those who enjoy staying in an historic property but who also want all the modern conveniences. Square Foot Photography

Lincoln Street Inn

This is the place for those who enjoy a historic property but also want all the modern conveniences.

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Built in 1864 as a story-and-a-half house, it was enlarged to two floors in 1902. Today, the Texas Historical Landmark-designated inn has four large, en-suite bedrooms, many with limestone walls left bare and high ceilings painted blue to ward off evil spirits. The nearby Sunday house has an additional bedroom. Both historic buildings are decorated with modern furnishings, including, in the kitchen, a stone-topped island, glass tile backsplash and all new appliances.

Only steps from Main Street, the inn can be noisy because of passing trucks and live music nearby. Rumor is its also haunted; the front rooms have been known to spook dogs. Perhaps a second coat of ceiling paint?

106 S. Lincoln St., Fredericksburg, 512-677-9265, lincolnstreetinn.com. Rates begin at $495 per night.

Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch. Located up a long, windy mountain road cabin dates from 1850 and was moved to its present site outside Wemberley in the early 1990s. Suzanne McCord

Log Cabin at Old Glory Ranch

Located at the end of a windy mountain road, the log cabin dates from 1850 and was moved to its present site outside Wimberley in the early 1990s, when it was reconstructed as authentically as possible. Square nails were custom-made, and the freestanding staircase, including the newel post and the handrail, was crafted from a single piece of cedar.

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The two-bedroom cabin sleeps four, and a few more can bed down in the screened-in porch when the weathers good. Theres Texana and Wild West decor throughout; the shower was made from stones collected on the ranch  several contain embedded fossils  and the long view from the second-floor deck is memorable.

3633 River Road, Wimberley, hillcountrypremier.com. Rates start at $169 per night with a two-night minimum (three nights for holidays).

Ludwig Homestead. Originally a Sunday house for a family that would make the daylong journey from their home in Spring Branch, the circa 1900 homestead is located in the heart of New Braunfels Gruene Estate

Ludwig Homestead

Originally a Sunday house for a family who would make the daylong journey from their home in Spring Branch, the circa 1900 homestead in the heart of New Braunfels has three bedrooms and two baths, and sleeps up to eight. With a full kitchen and dining and living rooms, the shabby-chic house is often the choice of families involved in the nearby Gruene Family Farm wedding venue or those looking to enjoy Schlitterbahn, Wurstfest or a float on the river.

264 E. Bridge St., New Braunfels, 830-359-9617, grueneestate.com/lodging. Rates begin at $500 per night, with a two-night minimum.

Rosebud on Schubert. The two-story short-term rental in Frederickburg was built in 1870 with limestone walls that are almost two feet thick. Danielle Lochte Photography

The Rosebud on Schubert

This two-story, Victorian-era property was built a short walk from Fredericksburg's Main Street in 1870 by a stonemason, a fact that quickly becomes apparent by the nearly 2-foot-thick limestone walls throughout. Other historic curiosities include beadboard walls, a powder room with a wood vanity and the modern kitchen that retains a curious, old-time feel, thanks to the pulls at the bottom of the wood cabinets. U-turn stairs lead to a second-floor landing with a door to an outdoor porch overlooking Schubert Street.

A large backyard offers several seating areas, a fire pit and a picnic table. With three bedrooms and 2 baths, the Rosebud sleeps up to eight guests.

112 E. Schubert St., Fredericksburg, 512-964-1196, RosebudFBG.com. Rates start at $250 per night, with a two-night minimum.

Telegraph Station #1 and #2. Built in the mid-1800s, this building was the site of New Braunfels first telegraph office. Today it is operated as two individual rental properties. Gruene Estate

Telegraph Station Nos. 1 and 2

Dating from the mid-1800s, this building was the site of New Braunfels first telegraph office. Today it operates as two individual short-term rentals, each with an efficiency kitchen, that sleep up to four and can be rented together or separately.

What you'll really be talking about are the walls, which were built using a traditional German technique called fachwerk that consists of crossed timber beams that brace and support compartments (the word literally means "compartment-construction") of stone or brick. Props to the owners, who removed the cheap plywood that had covered the walls, revealing this South Texas treasure.

265 E. Mill St., New Braunfels, 830-359-9617, grueneestate.com/lodging. Rates begin at $150 per night, with a two-night minimum.

Weirich Farm. The rustic cabin originally consisted of two cabins built in 1853 and 1855 that were eventually combined to make up one large and accommodating home. Eddie Fowler

Weirich Farm

Built in the 1850s, this traditional German homestead originally consisted of two separate cabins with a dog trot between them. Eventually connected to create one large house, the property has two bedrooms, sleeps up to four and is decorated with antiques and hand-made furnishings, including a kitchen so rustic, a butter churn fits right in.

The farm will appeal to anyone with a frontier spirit who appreciates the charm of a rough-hewn log cabin that's surrounded by nature, yet is only a short drive from the restaurants and shopping of Main Street in Fredericksburg.
Elon Musk claims there are far more smart, hardworking people in China than in the US

The U.S. has long held the title of the world's leading economic powerhouse, boasting the highest GDP both overall and per capita.

However, China's rapid ascent is reshaping the global economic landscape. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this formidable economic power from the east possesses a distinct advantage over the U.S.

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The sheer number of really smart, hardworking people in China is incredible, Musk said during a 2023 interview with podcaster Lex Fridman. How many smart, hardworking people are there in China? Theres far more of them there than there are here, I think, in my opinion, and theyve got a lot of energy.

The tech billionaire highlighted the countrys infrastructural development.

The architecture in China thats in recent years is far more impressive than the U.S. I mean the train stations, the buildings, the high-speed rail, everything, its really far more impressive than what we have in the U.S., he noted. I recommend somebody just go to Shanghai and Beijing, look at the buildings, and go take the train from Beijing to XiAn, where you have the terracotta warriors.

Over the past few decades, China has embarked on numerous ambitious projects, including the construction of the world's largest high-speed rail network, extensive modern highways, and countless bridges, including some of the longest in the world.

If Musk is right and China has a uniquely strong and dynamic workforce driving its economy, the country could present unique investment opportunities.

Unfortunately, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index is less than 1% higher so far this year. According to a Reuters article from April, the stock market has struggled because the economic recovery remains bumpy and uneven, the real estate sector is in a prolonged downturn, pension and endowment funds in the U.S. and its allies have cut Chinas exposure to avoid political risks and there's been a regulatory crackdown on the tech sector.

Heres a look at two easy ways to tap into this growing market.

Invest in Chinese stocks

One of the most direct ways to capitalize on China's economic growth is through investing in Chinese companies. China's stock market, which includes major exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, offers a wide array of opportunities in sectors such as technology, consumer goods, and renewable energy.

Story continues

While there are complexities involved in international investing, quite a few Chinese companies are listed on American exchanges through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), which allow U.S. investors to buy shares in foreign companies relatively easily.

For instance, investors can consider stocks like Alibaba (BABA), a dominant force in Chinese e-commerce, and Baidu (BIDU), the leading search engine provider in China.

Read more: You didnt want to risk it: 80-year-old woman from South Carolina is looking for the safest place for her familys $250,000 savings. Dave Ramsey responds

Invest in Chinese ETFs

If you dont want to pick individual companies, another effective strategy for capitalizing on China's economic growth is through investing in exchange-traded funds. ETFs offer a more diversified approach than individual stocks because they hold a wide range of assets, reducing the risk associated with the performance of any single company.

These days, there are many ETFs that provide U.S. investors access to China  you can even choose whether you want exposure to the entire market or specific industries within China's expansive economy. Some popular names include the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI), which focuses on large Chinese companies, and the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), which targets China's fast-growing internet sector.

When considering investment in ETFs, it's important to be mindful of the associated fees. ETFs typically charge management fees and other expenses in exchange for managing the fund, and these costs can vary widely between funds. These fees can impact the overall return on your investment, making it essential to understand and consider them before committing your capital.

Risks

Keep in mind that although investing in Chinese companies through ADRs is convenient, it's been difficult for American investors to assess the true financial health and performance of Chinese companies.

The good news is the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced a series of measures to step up supervision of listed companies and vet initial public offering (IPO) applications. The regulator said it would crack down on securities fraud as well as accounting manipulation, reported Reuters

Investors should also be aware of risks associated with regulatory shifts, market volatility, and changes in U.S.-China relations, all of which could impact these investments.

Investors should be aware of these factors and may want to consult with a financial adviser to ensure these investments align with their overall financial goals and risk tolerance.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Stepping up his attack on the ruling BJP for the irregularities in the conduct of NEET-UG exam 2024, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said on Sunday that the Narendra Modi-led Government should be held responsible.

The Congress chief wrote in a post on X, In the NEET scam, the buck stops at the doorstep of the top echelons of the Modi government. Shuffling the bureaucrats is no solution to the endemic problem in the Education system rotted by the BJP.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) was projected as an autonomous body while in reality it was made to serve the interests of the BJP and the RSS, he alleged.

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The Congress chief said to ensure justice for the students, the Modi Government should be held accountable.

Kharge, who is also the leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha, has been demanding an impartial investigation under the supervision of the Supreme Court into the entire NEET scam.

On the postponement of the NEET-PG exam, he pointed out that four examinations have been either cancelled or postponed in the past 10 days.

The Union Health Ministry on Saturday night announced that the NEET-PG entrance exam scheduled to be held on Sunday has been postponed and a new date will be notified at the earliest.

Kharge said, Paper leaks, corruption, irregularities, and education mafia have infiltrated our Education system. This belated whitewashing exercise is of no consequence as countless youth continue to suffer. He was referring to the new anti-paper leak law that came into effect on Saturday.

On Thursday, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan assured that the government was committed to protecting the interests of students and added that strict action would be taken against the culprit.
Amidst a flurry of speculation and anticipation, the Congress party has made a strategic and significant move by fielding Priyanka Gandhi in the byelection in Wayanad, Kerala. This seat became available after her brother Rahul Gandhi decided to retain Rae Bareily and step down from Wayanad, after winning both seats. If she succeds, it could be a game-changer for Priyanka, her party and Indian politics. It has sparked excitement and scepticism among the public and political class.

I am glad to represent Wayanad and will ensure the people dont feel Rahul Gandhis absence, she said when her candidacy was announced. I chose to run in Wayanad to continue my familys political legacy and the Gandhis presence in the South. My grandmother, Indira Gandhi, had a strong connection with the people of Wayanad, and I hope to build on that. Rahul and his mother, Sonia, have led the Congress party for many years and served as MPs. The upcoming Wayanad elections will be a critical test for Priyanka, as this will be her first litmus test. The entire nation, including the BJP, will closely observe her performance. Born into a political family, Priyanka has actively participated in her mothers election campaigns.

She also campaigned for her brother when he entered politics in 2004. In 2014 and 2019, there were rumours that Priyanka might contest against Prime Minister Modi from Varanasi. Before the 2024 elections, she stated that the party aimed to avoid fielding three Gandhis to counter the BJPs criticism of dynastic rule. The Gandhis changed their mind, seeing the 2024 polls as an excellent opportunity for the Congress. They decided it was the perfect time to introduce Priyanka to electoral politics as an MP from Kerala. Wayanad is considered a safe seat for the party.

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Priyanka, who bears some resemblance to her grandmother, Indira Gandhi, has been in the spotlight since entering politics in 2019. She became the general secretary of the Congress and played a vital role in the partys campaign. Priyanka is given some credit for nearly doubling the Congresss tally in the 2024 election and rejuvenating the party. In Uttar Pradesh, Priyanka had struggled to make an impact. She wasnt held accountable when Congress performed poorly in the 2022 assembly polls under her watch. She had messed up Punjab during the Assembly polls. However, her extensive campaigning in Himachal Pradesh was said to be responsible for the success of the Congress in the state. In 2024, Priyanka decided not to run for a Lok Sabha seat, focusing on nationwide party campaigning. She held 108 public meetings, participated in roadshows, and campaigned in 16 states and one union territory.

The decision to contest from Wayanad presents a unique set of challenges and opportunities for Priyanka. On the one hand, she faces attacks from the BJP on the issue of dynastic politics, a hurdle she must navigate with tact and resilience. On the other hand, it gives her a golden opportunity to prove herself and connect with a new constituency, a chance she must seize with determination. The Wayanad constituency, located in north Kerala, has a voter base of 1.46 million. It has consistently elected Congress MPs in the past four elections, indicating solid support for the party.

The constituency also enjoys broad support for the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), with Muslims and Christians comprising about 60 per cent of the voters. IUML will back Priyanka. If Priyanka wins, all three members of the Gandhi family will be in Parliament. This could strengthen the familys position within the party but will also invite attacks from opponents. Overall, Priyankas candidacy in Kerala is a strategic move by the Congress to strengthen its support base in the South, potentially reshaping its regional dynamics. The party acknowledges the importance of the South and aims to strengthen its presence there. Thus, Rahul will focus on the North, while Priyanka may concentrate on the South. Her win could bolster the partys position in the region.

There is more to it, as Priyankas husband, Robert Vadra, also wants to join politics. He said Priyanka should be in Parliament before him, and he could follow her at a suitable time. The CPI plans to contest to ensure non-Congress votes do not go to the BJP. Overall, the move shields the Congress from criticism for neglecting the South. Priyankas candidacy from Wayanad is part of the partys mission to leverage antiincumbency in Kerala for the 2026 assembly polls. Priyanka has advantages  she is well-known and has a strong command over Hindi. However, her husband is seen as a liability due to his legal issues. If elected to Parliament, Priyanka should strive to become a good parliamentarian. The two Gandhi siblings must strengthen the organization and return the party to its former glory.
The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Sudans Darfur region is a tragic testament to the devastating consequences of war. As the conflict between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) rages, the victims are ordinary people, particularly children, caught in the crossfire.

The rapid expansion of cemeteries, a grim marker of escalating mortality, underscores the dire situation on the ground. This crisis demands urgent attention and action from the international community. The situation in Darfur is not merely a result of natural disasters or economic downturns but is profoundly man-made. The blockade of food and medical aid by combatants has turned a challenging situation into a catastrophic one. The deliberate obstruction of humanitarian assistance is a violation of international law and a moral failing of the highest order.

The harrowing stories from displaced persons camps, where families are forced to survive on one meal a day and children die from preventable diseases, should shock the conscience of the world. The lack of food, medicine, and healthcare has created a lethal environment where the most vulnerable ~ children and the elderly ~ are perishing in alarming numbers. This tragedy is compounded by the fact that aid organisations are unable to deliver critical supplies due to security threats and logistical barriers imposed by warring factions. The data on food insecurity is staggering. With an estimated three-quarters of a million people facing catastrophic food shortages and nearly nine million in an emergency food situation, Sudan is on the brink of a famine.

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This projection should serve as a clarion call for immediate international intervention. Yet, the response from the global community has been tepid at best. The focus must shift from diplomatic platitudes to concrete actions that ensure the delivery of aid to those in desperate need. Moreover, the international community must hold those responsible for obstructing aid accountable. Both the Sudanese military and the RSF bear responsibility for the suffering of civilians. Reports of the RSF looting aid warehouses and the military hindering access to border areas highlight the need for accountability and justice. The world cannot stand by as these atrocities continue with impunity. The impact of this crisis extends beyond immediate hunger and health issues. The breakdown of healthcare systems and the rise in diseases such as measles, malaria, and cholera threaten to create a deadly cocktail that could decimate entire communities. The long-term consequences for Sudans population, particularly its children, are severe.

Without urgent intervention, the country risks losing an entire generation to hunger and preventable diseases. As we witness the rapid expansion of graveyards in Darfur, we are reminded of the human cost of this conflict. These graves are not just numbers; they represent individuals ~ mothers, fathers, children ~ whose lives were cut short due to a lack of food, medicine, and compassion. The international community must act decisively to end this crisis. Humanitarian corridors must be established, and aid must flow unimpeded to those in need.
The Centre on Saturday introduced the new Telecommunications Act, 2023 that will usher in the new era of connectivity from June 26, replacing century-old colonial laws.

The Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act 2023 stated that the central government of a state government will be able to take control of any telecommunications services or networks in times of emergency after the implementation of the Act.

On the occurrence of any public emergency, including disaster management, or in the interest of public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorised in this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government can take temporary possession of any telecommunication service or telecommunication network from an authorised entity; or provide for appropriate mechanisms to ensure that messages of a user or group of users authorised for response and recovery during a public emergency are routed on priority, according to the Sector 20 of the Act.

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Any telecom player who wants to establish or operate telecommunication networks, provide services or possess ratio equipment will have to be authorised by the government.

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 aims to amend and consolidate the law relating to development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and telecommunication networks; assignment of spectrum and for matters connected therewith, said the Department of Communication (DoT)

The Telecommunications Act, 2023 seeks to repeal existing legislative frameworks like Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and Indian Wireless Telegraph Act, 1933 owing to huge technical advancements in the telecom sector and technologies.

The Act also provides measures for protection of users from unsolicited commercial communication and creates a grievance redressal mechanism.

When it comes to the Right of Way (RoW) framework, public entities shall be obligated to provide right of way except in special circumstances.

The fee for right of way would be subject to a ceiling. The Act provides a complete framework for RoW in respect of private property based on mutual agreement. The Act also provides that the RoW to be granted shall be non-discriminatory and as far as practicable on a non-exclusive basis, said the DoT.

It also provides that telecommunication infrastructure shall be distinct from the property it is installed on. This will help reduce the disputes when property is sold or leased.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modis Gati Shakti vision, the law provides for the central government to establish common ducts and cable corridors.

To ensure national security and promote Indias technology developers, the Act lays down powers to set standards and conformity assessment measures for telecommunication services, telecommunication networks, telecommunication security, etc, the DoT said.
The death toll among Tunisian pilgrims who performed Haj in Saudi Arabia has risen to 53, the media reported.

Until this Saturday, the number of Tunisian pilgrims who died in holy places in Saudi Arabia while performing the Haj rituals, increased further from 49 to 53, said the report.

The Tunisian diplomatic mission in Riyadh and the consulate general in Jeddah are currently coordinating to monitor the situation of Tunisian pilgrims who are missing, deceased, or hospitalised in Saudi Arabia, according to the report.

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On Friday, Tunisian President Kais Saied sacked Ibrahim Chaibi, the Minister of Religious Affairs, without specifying the reason for the dismissal, Xinhua news agency reported.

Chaibi headed the official Tunisian delegation to Saudi Arabia during this years Haj pilgrimage in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

The delegation was tasked with supporting and assisting Tunisian pilgrims during the Haj.

Chaibi attributed the loss of human life to factors, including extreme temperatures, surpassing 50 degrees Celsius, a significant presence of elderly pilgrims, and a high number of pilgrims with pre-existing illnesses.

Haj, a key pillar of Islam, is annually performed in Mecca, by pilgrims from all over the world. The number of pilgrims exceeded 1.8 million this year, according to Saudi authorities.
An Iranian-backed Iraqi Shia militia has said that one of its fighters was killed in a US airstrike two days ago in eastern Syria.

The militia, named Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which is an umbrella body for Iranian-backed Iraqi militias, said in an online statement on Saturday that one of its fighters Abdullah Razzaq al-Safi was killed Friday night in a US airstrike on his vehicle while patrolling areas near the Iraqi-Syrian border.

The US Central Command and the international coalition did not comment on the aerial bombardment, which allegedly occurred on Friday night in the Albu Kamal area of Syrias Deir al-Zour province, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based war monitor, confirmed that an unknown airstrike targeted positions held by Iranian-backed militias in the Albu Kamal area, killing an Iraqi fighter of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq and wounding two others.
Russia will give an adequate response if the US closes Russias visa centre, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

In case such measures are implemented, the Russian side will give an adequate response, the diplomat said on Saturday.

Earlier on Saturday, Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told media that the US had notified the Russian side that both offices of the Russian visa centre in Washington and New York were closed, Xinhua news agency reported.

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The US was also depriving Russian diplomats right of tax exemption in the
It is Europes coolest dinner. So said Nicolai Tangen, the host of the celebrity dinner and CEO of Norways $1.7 trillion Oil Fundthe worlds largest sovereign wealth fund. He promised to cook moose and other delicacies for a small, super-select group of guestsCEOs of Novo Nordisk, Adidas, Nestle and a few others. The dinner location was undisclosed for obvious security reasons, but the date was April 28, 2025, timed with the Oil Funds next annual investor conference in Oslo. The sous-chef: Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna. The superstar guest: Teslas Elon Musk, who accepted the invitation, posting sounds good with a thumbs-up icon on his X. Tangen delightedly replied on X, Very cool and confirmed. Were going to make something fantastic.

And then, the budding bromance of smileys and cheesy icons, fell apart. The Norwegian Fund voted against Musks $56 billion (not million) dollar, over-the-top remuneration packageas it did in 2018. Considered a gold standard in ethical investing, the Norwegian Oil Fund has divested from companies engaged in landmines, tobacco and coal production, child labour, human rights abuses, pollution and other unethical corporate practices. Since 2017, as part of its crusade against inequality, it has been campaigning against astronomical CEO pay. The Fund owns only one per cent of Teslas stock, but the moral signal ricocheted around the world.

Illustration: Job P.K.

Musk was enraged, reacting this is not good with a thumbs-down. He instantly stopped following Tangen on X. He fumed the Fund was wrong because 87 per cent of Tesla shareholders supported his pay, the biggest in the history of humankind. He is now the richest man in the world, overtaking Louis Vuittons Bernard Arnault with a big lead. In 2018, shareholders supported Musks giga remuneration on the condition that he would achieve results that then had seemed unachievable. But he delivered. Shareholders minted money.

But then a judge even in DelawareAmericas leading tax haveninvalidated the fundamentally flawed pay package and its unfathomable sum. Musk reacted with characteristic pique, shifting Teslas incorporation from Delaware to Texas, another tax haven, but more friendly to Republicans. Musk has a so-far-intact-brewing bromance with Donald Trump.

As an entrepreneur, Musk is gutsy and visionary, often conquering the impossible. But he is also volatile, unpredictable, quirky, even ungenerous, miring himself in endless controversies. Teslas factory strikes spread from Sweden to Denmark, Norway and Finland because he fought with unions, refusing to accept high local labour standards. He tried to back out of the Twitter deal. He performed clumsy jigs at car launches and appeared more spaced out than his SpaceX at a shareholders meeting. His employees filed lawsuits against him, accusing him of gender bias, discrimination and illegal firings. He is venerated for his brilliance, vilified for his flaws. His biography is a gripping tale of jawdropping highs and gut-wrenching lows. He once told an interviewer I dont think youd necessarily want to be me.

Now, some in sensitive positions may not even want him as a guest. With the controversy over his remuneration making headlines around the world, Musk and moose are unlikely to be paired anytime soon. The coolest dinner became too hot to handle. Asked at a conference how the Oil Fund could be trusted when its CEO was friends with a controversial figure like Musk, Tangen replied If we were friends before, we are not now. Chefs are well acquainted with a culinary wisdom: if you cant take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Pratap is an author and journalist.
The hounding of Arundhati Roy may well turn out to be one more of those own-goals our rulers are growing to be famous for. Perhaps, the thinking is that it will make them look strongerlike they havent lost their iron grip on the minds of this nation and are still very much in control of what we read, think, eat, worship or whom we love.

But cracking down on the OG rebel who taught us all that it is sometimes okay to break the love laws, the laws that lay down who should be loved. And how. And how much is perhaps not a good idea. All it may end up doing is make Roy, 62, relevant to the free-thinkers amongst Gen Z who, though familiar with the competent, well-researched, but decidedly non-libidinous lectures of Haryanvi engineer Dhruv Rathee, remain innocently unexposed to powerful seditious prose like the carpenters hands lifted her hips and an untouchable tongue touched the inner-most part of her. Drank long and deep from the bowl of her. (Yes, boys and girls, that is the kind of stuff Indian writing in English was dishing out back in the swinging 1990s.)

Arundhati Roy | Bhanu Prakash Chandra

The God of Small Things blew my 27-year-old mind, even before it won the Booker Prize, and Im sure it will do the same to all the curious young folks who may now go looking for it, the same way they went looking for the Congress manifesto about two months ago.

Surely this is not an outcome the ruling dispensation was hoping for. But what exactly is it about Roy that gets rightwing chaddis into such a febrile twist? Is it her genesa mix of Bengali and Malayali, both of which are states that have decidedly rejected their politics? Is it because she is beautiful as well as brilliant, which women are just not supposed to be? Is it her battleship-grey curls, her huge eyes and her extreme thinness, which make her caricatures T-shirt friendly, in the manner of Jimi Hendrix and Albert Einstein? Is it the fact that she is effortlessly feted, internationally, something that is naturally triggering to people who have just returned from screening a propaganda film like Hamare Baarah at Cannes to tepid response, in a year where Payal Kapadiaformer student at the Film and Television Institute of India who led an agitation against the appointment of a subpar rightwing backed chairpersonwon a Grand Prix?

I think its a combination of several things. Her fearlessness, her empathy, and her calmRoy never shouts. She just speaks out undeniable, inconvenient, damning truths in a sweet, soft voice (almost reminiscent of fellow grey-curly Yogendra Yadav) wherever and whenever she is interviewed, which is increasingly going to be everywhere and often.

In the papers some have accused me of giving hate-speeches, of wanting India to break up. On the contrary, what I say comes from love and pride. It comes from not wanting people to be killed, raped, imprisoned or have their finger-nails pulled out in order to force them to say they are Indians. It comes from wanting to live in a society that is striving to be a just one. Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to jail those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor, roam free.

editor@theweek.in
My grandfather would have turned 99 last month. We lost him very early, more than 20 years ago, to a terminal illness. Like with most able and kind patriarchs, their passing swallows up the entire family. I dont think we were ever the same again.

But on each of his birthdays, each Fathers Day, each Christmas Eve (the day he passed), I think of him more and more. Most of my memories are based on his possessions, rather than lifes lessons he barely voiced. For example, a distinct memory is watching him polish his own shoes every evening. I have no idea why he did this, since we had a small army of staff to help us. I had asked my grandmother once, and she answered with an eye roll. She hadnt the foggiest idea either, and Im assuming this habit irked her.

Only after his passing would I learn that his shoes were from Bally, a luxury leather label from Switzerland that has been making shoes by hand for over 200 years. My grandfather loved his shoes and, thus, showed them love. This was his way of giving respect to a high-quality gift he had given himself, even though the help would have cleaned it just as well.

The columnist with her grandfather

I suspect much of my understanding of fine things came from my grandfathers quirks. Once he told us that he could tell the alloys in a steel or an iron rod by just touching it. That may have been an occupational requirement for his business, but his understanding of materials was exemplary. On their first trip to Switzerland, he bought his wife an unusual Omega watch. It worked according to the pulse of the wearer. So if you removed it overnight, or for a few days, you would have to wind it to the current time before wearing it again. This watch is now mine, and it works just as fine.

He almost always wore suits, sometimes safari style with the shoulder and pocket panels, other times a navy suit with tie. He never boarded a flight wearing anything other than a suit: flying was such a privilege in his time and one had to earn it. His hair was always black, save a few grey strands, but slickly parted to the sides with his favourite tortoiseshell comb kept in his back pocket.

He only ever used a gold Cross pen to write with, its ink was the bluest blue, and his penmanship was like beautiful calligraphy. Getting his evening tray ready when he returned from office was a ritual. He would have two small glasses of Scotch with soda every day, a bowl of salty puffed rice as a snack and there was always an ice pail. He was not to be disturbed when he consumed this while watching khabra, as the television news hour would be called in my Punjabi household. If we wanted his attention we would have to watch the news with him, hence I am a journalist.

If he sounds rich and privileged, Ill let you in on another unique trait: he cleaned his own toilet and made his own bed every day. He made it as soon as he woke up, so he would have a neat room while he got dressed. He was raised in a simple home and worked his way up the entrepreneurship ladder to great success. He once told me that a man who cleans his own toilet will always be humble.

He echoed another great man who gave us lessons in life, clothing and dignity.

@namratazakaria
Can you stage Hamlet without the Prince of Denmark in it? Or, for that matter, without Claudius?

The phrase Hamlet without the prince of Denmark denotes an occasion or event where the principal participant is absent. If you want to be more native and sanskritic, it is like staging Shaakuntalam without Sage Kanvas foster-daughter in it. Or, without King Dushyanta.

Impossible, we would say. But Swiss President Viola Amherd staged one last week in Burgenstock.

Let me cut the drama, and explain the farce, as the Swiss opposition have called it. Keen on making the world a better place to live in as most Swiss are, Amherd called a summit that was intended to broker peace between Russia and Ukraine who have been warring for the last two and half years. Coming from the Swiss, known for their mountains, ski-resorts, lakes, watches, army knives, banks, fancily dressed guards in Vatican and their centuries-old neutrality, the initiative carried credibility with most of the world. More than 90 heads of states and governments responded.

Illustration: Deni Lal

Much was riding on the summit. India and most of the Afro-Asian global south had hoped that the Swiss would be honest brokers. Sadly, Amherd blotted her neutrality book. She kept Russia out.

In the end, instead of ending the war, the summit ended up prolonging the war. They asked Russia to refrain from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state and respect the principles of sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of all states, including Ukraine. There was no word about Russias concerns over the eastward expansion of NATO or the hostile military activity close to its borders.

Few had the cheek to call the bluff. India had. A waste of time, said Pavan Kapoor, secretary (west) in the Indian foreign office who attended the meeting, but refused to sign the joint communique. Only those options acceptable to both parties can lead to abiding peace.

Truth be told, the Swiss are no good at mediation. They might have hosted several of the European peace initiatives since the treaties of Utrecht and Rastatt that ended the wars between France and the Holy Roman Empire, and the Baden treaty of 1714 that ended the war of Spanish succession. In the 20th century they hosted conclaves that led to the Locarno Pact (it is another matter that it was actually signed in a room, still called the Locarno Suite, in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London), facilitated the detente between the cold-warring Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev and several more. They have been hosting in their cities several of the global institutions like the International Telegraph Union, the Universal Postal Union (1874) and the World Health Organization. Truth be told, the Swiss had little role in those talks, save perhaps in ending the Algerian war in the 1960s, in mediating between Turkey and Armenia in the 21st century which hasnt yet worked, and a few others. At most other summits, the Swiss have been just providing neutral venues, smart logistics, warm hospitality, fine weather and pretty scenery, leaving the warring parties to talk out the issues.

All the same, let us give credit where it is due. The summit achieved its real purpose.

Real purpose? Wasnt it peace? Not by a long missile shot. The real purpose was to try and end the Ukraine fatigue that has been infecting most of the European populations and leaders, who have been watching, funding and fuelling a war with no end.

The summit swore them all to doing more for Ukraine.

prasannan@theweek.in
The NEET-UG retest for 1,563 candidates, whose results were cancelled following the grace mark controversy, will be held on Sunday at seven centres. The exam is being held for students from Meghalaya, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat and Chandigarh.

The exams will be held at new centres, except in Chandigarh where only two students are taking the retest.

The examination was held on May 5 across 4,750 centres, and around 24 lakh candidates appeared. However, as compensation for the loss of time due to the delay in the start of the examination, the National Testing Agency (NTA) awarded grace marks to the students from the states. However, the matter reached the Supreme Court, after which the Centre told the apex court that the grace marks were being scrapped and these students would be allowed a retest.

The officials of the NTA and Union Education Ministry will present at the examination centres, a senior NTA official said on Friday. "The step has been taken to ensure smooth conduct of the re-exam," according to a senior NTA official.

Meanwhile, the dates for the postponed NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held on June 23, were postponed on Saturday by the Union Health Ministry. The decision was taken as a "precautionary measure" amid allegations on the integrity of certain competitive exams.

The Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of processes of the NEET-PG entrance examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination (NTA) for medical students, a statement said. "It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled to be held tomorrow -- 23rd June, 2024," the ministry said.

'Playing with emotion'

The decision was met with criticism from opposition parties and the United Doctors Front Association National, which said cancelling the scheduled exam before 10 hours is no less than "playing with the emotions of the doctors".

Lakshya Mittal, national president of the United Doctors Front Association on Saturday called the postponement of the NEET-PG examination 'another scam'.

"Candidates have travelled across states and cancelling the exam 10 hours before it is scheduled is no less than playing with the emotions of the doctors. The conducting authorities of both- NEET PG, as well as NEET UG, should be investigated. India's medical education system has been destroyed. However, the CBI enquiry into the NEET-UG issue is a commendable step," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi too hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the postponement of the NEET-PG, saying it was yet "another unfortunate example that the education system has been ruined".
Security forces on Sunday recovered the body of a terrorist who was killed in an anti-infiltration operation in the Uri sector along the Line of Control. The operation is continuing, Army said.



"One terrorist has been killed in the ongoing anti-infiltration operation that was launched on 22 Jun in the Uri Sector; Operations are continuing," Srinagar-based Chinar Corps said in a post on X.

The Army launched an anti-infiltration operation based on intelligence inputs in the Gohallan area of the Uri sector on Saturday. Armed forces established contact with the infiltrators on Saturday and they reportedly gunned down two terrorists. Based on specific intelligence inputs, an anti-infiltration Operation was launched in the Uri Sector. Contact was established with infiltrating terrorists and Operations are in progress, the Army had said.

Sources told PTI that two terrorists were believed to have been killed. However, only body of one terrorist has been recovered so far, it reported.

-with PTI inputs.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal moved the Supreme Court on Sunday challenging a Delhi High Court order staying the bail granted to him by the trial court in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam.

The matter is likely to come up before the top court on Monday.

The high court on Friday put an interim stay on the trial court's order and reserved its verdict for 2-3 days as it wanted to go through the entire records.

"Till the pronouncement of this order, the operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed," a vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader would have walked out of jail on Friday had the high court not stayed the trial court order.

Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21, is currently in judicial custody.

On May 10, the Supreme Court had granted him bail to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. He surrendered in Tihar jail on June after his bail period ended.

Earlier, during the hearing at the trial court, the ED sought to link Kejriwal to the alleged proceeds of crime and co-accused, and the defence that claimed the prosecution has no evidence to nail the chief minister.

The agency told the court that Kejriwal stayed at hotel Grand Hyatt in Goa on on November 7, 2021 during the assembly poll campaign and the bill was paid by Chanpreet Singh, who is alleged to have managed the AAP funds in the coastal state.

Kejriwal's counsel, however, asserted that the entire case against him rests on statements.

"The statements are of those people who have confessed to being guilty. They are not saints here. They are those who are not only tainted, but it appears that some who were arrested were given a promise of bail and promise of being granted pardon. Approvers. And there is another category who have not been arrested," the counsel said.
Bahujan Samaj Party supremo Mayawati on Sunday declared nephew Akash Anand her successor and made him the party's national coordinator, a month after she removed him from the post.

The decision came after a national level meeting of the party in Lucknow.

"BSP's national president Mayawati has once again given Akash Anand a chance to work in the party with full maturity. He will continue to hold all his posts in the party as before, the party said in a statement.

"That is, he will remain Mayawati's only successor along with being the party's national coordinator," it said.

In a separate statement, Mayawati said she is hopeful Akash will emerge as a mature leader at every level in the interest of the party and movement.

"I am hopeful about him that now he will definitely emerge as a fully mature leader at every level in the interest of his party and movement. The people of the party will also now encourage him by giving him more respect and honour than before. So that now he can live up to all my expectations in the future," she said.

In a surprise decision on May 7 amid the Lok Sabha elections, the BSP chief had removed Akash as party's national co-ordinator and her political successor until the time he attained maturity.

Akash was elevated as the partys national coordinator in December last.

On April 28, he was booked in a case of violation of Model Code of Conduct along with four others for allegedly using objectionable language at a poll rally in Sitapur.

The action had come after the district administration's took suo motu cognisance of Akash's speech at the rally.
A team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probing the alleged irregularities in the UGC-NET examinations was attacked in Bihars Nawada on Sunday.

The incident occurred in the evening when a group of local people gathered around the CBI vehicles and heckled the officers who were on their way to Kasiadeeh village in the area.

Based on a complaint by the agency, police have arrested four persons who were later sent to judicial custody.

The National Testing Agency cancelled the University Grants Commission  National Eligibility Test on June 19, a day after it was held across the country, following prima facie indications that the integrity of exam was compromised.

The Union education ministry handed over the investigation to the CBI which filed an FIR on Thursday against unidentified people.

UGC-NET is a test to determine the eligibility of Indian nationals for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor in Indian universities and colleges.

The exams were cancelled amid a massive row on the medical entrance exam NEET over alleged irregularities, with the issue now before the Supreme Court.

The CBI has taken over the probe into the NEET exam row, too, with the agency filing an FIR on a reference from the Union education ministry on Sunday.

The agency has formed special teams that are en route to Godhra and Patna, where cases of question paper leaks have been registered by police.

The CBI also plans to take over the investigation of these cases registered by the police in Gujarat and Bihar, PTI reported quoting officials.

The allegations of irregularities in the medical entrance exam held on May 5 sparked protests in several states, litigation and a political slugfest, with the opposition accusing the government of toying with the future of students.
JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna, brother of Prajwal Revanna, has been arrested after being charged with the sexual assault of a party worker. The grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, Suraj was charged on Saturday for allegedly sodomising a party worker a few days ago at his farmhouse.

A case was registered against Suraj under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation) after a 27-year-old man, identified as Chethan K S, approached police alleging that Suraj sodomised him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada in Holenarasipura Taluk on June 16 evening. According to the complainant, Suraj invited him to his farmhouse. When he arrived, the MLC forced himself on Chethan, the complaint read.



After the sexual assault, the victim alleged that Suraj promised to help him grow politically in the district. When he texted the MLC about the incident, Suraj told him not to worry and things would be fine.



The police took him into custody after summoning him to the Cyber Economic and Narcotics Crime (CEN) police station in Hassan. He was detained after a prima facie inquiry against him.



However, Suraj claimed he was innocent and Chethan had filed a false complaint to extort Rs 5 crore from him. Suraj's aide Shivakumar also filed a complaint against the victim with the police alleging extortion.



Shivakumar has alleged that Chethan was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him. It has been alleged that Chethan demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna and later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.



Shivakumar alleged that Chethan befriended him before starting to work for the 'Suraj Revanna Brigade'. However, Chethan soon requested money from Shivakumar to cover family expenses, but his demand was rejected. He then demanded a job following which Shivakumar provided him with Suraj's number. But, when his job request was turned down, Chethan began blackmailing the JD(S) leader.



Suraj Revanna is the son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna and the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna who is in judicial custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women. Their father H D Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.


Two jawans of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), a warfare unit of the Central Reserve Police Force, were killed in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast attack in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday.

According to the police, the Naxalites attacked the CoBRA truck at around 3 pm near Timmapuram village between Silger and Tekalgudem camps of security forces. The camps are over 400 km from Raipur.

The personnel of 201 CoBRA battalion were moving on a motorcycle and a truck when the blast took place. A jawan who was driving the truck and one another jawan (assistant driver) were killed in the blast, read the statement issued by Bastar police.

The deceased were identified as constable Shailendra (29) and vehicle driver Vishnu R. (35).

A senior police official said that an advance party of the 201st unit of CoBRA had launched patrolling from Silger camp under Jagargunda police station limits as a part of its Road Opening Party duty towards Tekalgudem.

After being alerted about the blast, more forces were rushed to the spot and the bodies were being evacuated from the forest, he said.

A search operation is underway in the area, he added.
A 13-year-old boy was apprehended for allegedly sending an email to the Delhi Airport falsely claiming that a bomb had been planted in the Dubai-bound flight, police said on Sunday.



The boy had sent the mail "just for fun" after being influenced by the news of another teenager who made a hoax bomb threat call a few days ago, Deputy Commissioner of Police (IGI Airport) Usha Rangnani said.

The incident occurred on Monday when a complaint was registered regarding a bomb threat on a Dubai-bound flight on June 18, DCP said. Based on the complaint, an FIR was lodged, and an investigation was launched. All the guidelines, protocols and SOPs were followed to ensure the safety and security of the passengers, DCP said. "Airport was put on high alert, and an emergency was declared," she said.

However, during the investigation, the email was found to be a hoax, she said. "During the investigation, it was revealed that the email ID was deleted just after sending the email. The email was traced at Pithoragarh in Uttranchal," Rangnani said.

A team was sent, and the boy was apprehended for sending the hoax email, she said. "The boy told the police team that his parents had given a mobile to him for study purposes through which he sent the email and later deleted his ID. He did not share any information with his parents as he was scared. He was apprehended and handed over to his parents," she added.
The Union Health Ministry's decision to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, scheduled for June 23, has come as a blow to thousands of aspirants. The Ministry of Health said the decision was taken to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes. However, the candidates, who were gearing up to appear for the exams, blamed the government for playing with their emotions.



United Medical Front Association national president Dr Lakshya Mittal called the decision to postpone the exams, just 10 hours before it was slated to be held "playing with the doctors' emotions." He added that India's medical education system has been "destroyed."



"This is another scam after NEET-UG...Candidates have travelled across states and canceling the exam 10 hours before schedule is nothing less than playing with the emotions of doctors," Mittal told ANI. He added that the authorities in charge of both NEET PG and NEET UG should be investigated.



"India's medical education system has been destroyed. The CBI probe into the NEET-UG issue is a commendable step," Mittal charged.



According to Jyoth Chouhan, a candidate from Gujarat's Vadodara, the National Testing Agency (NTA) should have announced the decision at least 10 days ago. " The NTA informed us about the decision at the last moment. If they had to reschedule, they could have done it at least a few days ago. They even failed to allot exam centres properly, candidates set out from far away places to these exam centres. Students from Vadodara had exam centres in Nashik and Madhya Pradesh. On arrival at these centres, they were informed that the exam had been postponed," Chouhan told ANI.



Another student from Jaipur rued the apathy on the part of the ministry. "The NEET-UG exam's paper got leaked, the NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before the schedule and the NEET-SSC exam date has not been announced yet. This shows the lack of concern on the government's part. The Union Health Minister and Union Education Minister must apologise for what they have done. For, students and doctors have travelled a long way to the exam centres, incurring a lot of expense. On average, Rs 10,000 was spent by each candidate. The government must reimburse these expenditures," he added.

#WATCH | Jaipur, Rajasthan: On the postponement of NEET-PG exam, a candidate for the exam says, " ...NEET-UG exam's paper got leaked, NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before, NEET-SSC exam date has not been announced yet. This shows how much govt is concerned about the health pic.twitter.com/eQiokHdUYt  ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2024

The Opposition parties also targeted the government for its alleged failure to hold the exam on time. "No day is complete without news of the cancellation of an exam because of the total incompetence of the non-biological PM and the people around him. The latest exam to be put off is NEET-PG, which was scheduled to be held tomorrow," Ramesh said in a post on 'X'.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has claimed that the postponement of the NEET-PG entrance exam is a "failure" of the Centre and accused the government of playing with the lives of aspirants. "Due to the inability to do their job, the government is playing with the lives and future of children," NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar) national spokesperson Clyde Crasto claimed in a statement on Saturday.


As shocking figures of deaths during the Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia come out, reports quoting witnesses say there weren't enough medics to tend to the over 1.8 million people who took part in the pilgrimage this year. Though Saudi Arabia puts the official death toll from this years Hajj pilgrimage to almost 500, reports quoting uofficial sources say over 1000 people have died in the sweltering heat and extreme weather conditions.

These include 98 people from India. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, over 1,75,000 Indian pilgrims visited Hajj so far and 98 died. "These deaths have happened on account of natural illness, natural causes, chronic illness, and old age. On the day of Arafat, six Indians died, and four Indians have died on account of accidents," the spokesperson said.

However, the largest toll is from Egypt where, according to AFP, 658 people died. While Indonesia said over 200 of its citizens died, Tunisia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Sudan and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region have also confirmed deaths. The US believes several Americans died, the Wall Street Journal reported.

What caused the deaths?

According to eyewitnesses, there were not enough medics or basic facilities to protect Hajj pilgrims from the effects of the sweltering heat in Saudi Arabia last week, reported CNN. The country witnessed unprecedented heatwaves in Saudi Arabia with the temperature hovering around 51 degrees Celcius on Monday.

According to a 40-year-old pilgrim from London, Zirrar Ali, the authorities did not provide enough water, shade or medical support to Hajj pilgrims during the week he was there. "To me, it felt like there are too many people, there are not enough medics, so they are just waiting for the worst of the worst to happen and then they will step in," Ali told CNN.

He added that people passing out came to be a regularity. "I couldnt focus on my Hajj when I saw these people suffering," he added.

Many others also blamed it on severe mismanagement by Saudi authorities, alleging that several tents did not have adequate cooling and sanitation facilities. The coolers did not have water most of the time and air conditioners were missing in many tents. "There was so much suffocation in these tents that we were dripping with sweat and it was a dreadful experience," a pilgrim told BBC News.

The lack of adequate transportation facilities too added to the deaths. Pilgrims were often made to walk long distances in the intense heat. A pilgrim has to walk at least 15 kilometres per day and the lack of water, heatstroke and fatigue add to the exhaustion.

However, the Saudi Health Minister has highlighted the resources allocated to ensure pilgrim well-being, stating they allocated 189 hospitals, health centres and mobile clinics with a combined capacity of more than 6,500 beds, and over 40,000 medical, technical, administrative staff and volunteers.

Though the Saudi Health Ministry issued strict instructions to the pilgrims to avoid heat exposure and stay hydrated, many fell victim to heat stress and heatstroke, especially unregistered pilgrims. The governments are only aware of pilgrims who have registered and travelled to Mecca as part of their countrys quota while countries like Egypt sent hundreds of unregistered pilgrims.

"More than half of those who died were unregistered pilgrims and joined the Hajj through irregular channels, leaving them unable to access cooling facilities such as air-conditioned tents and buses," AFP reports.

Many countries have sprung into action, cancelling the licences of tour companies. While Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stripped 16 tourism companies of their licences and referred their managers to prosecutors for enabling illegal pilgrimages to Mecca, Jordan said it had detained several travel agents who facilitated the unofficial travel of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.

Tunisian President Kais Saied fired the minister of religious affairs after local media reported 49 Tunisians had died, many of whom were unregistered pilgrims.
Pakistan police have arrested over 20 people in connection with the alleged lynching of a tourist in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Swan district on Sunday.

Muhammad Ismail, 40, of Sialkot in Punjab province was gunned down by a group of people. Later he was dragged through town and hanged in public in Madyan tehsil. The police had apprehended Ismail over the alleged desecration of the Quran.

The enraged mob had also set the Madyan police state on fire, where Ismail was held.

Ismail was accused of having burnt the pages of Islam's holy book. As many as five police personnel and 11 locals were injured in the incident.

Police arrested 23 people for alleged involvement in Ismail's lynching and the arson attack on the Madyan police station, Geo News reported.

Reportedly, those arrested were shifted to an undisclosed location while efforts were underway to arrest others involved in the incident.

Members of the mob had been identified, and "efforts for their arrest are underway, the report said, quoting Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Syed Zaman Shah.

He said that two first information reports (FIR) had also been registered under the charges of blasphemy and damaging state property, respectively.

Shah said that the suspect was a drug addict and had been booked in a case of domestic violence earlier.

On Saturday, Pakistan's Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal condemned the lynching.

We must take notice of this incident as our nation is on the brink. We have now reached a point where we are using religion to justify mob violence and street justice, flagrantly violating the Constitution, the law and the state, Iqbal said.

Pakistan made blasphemy punishable by death in 1980 during the military dictatorship of General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq as part of a drive to Islamise the state. Though no one has ever been executed by the state, blasphemy convictions are common in Pakistan, including multiple incidents of mob violence.

Recently, armed mobs had attacked two churches in Punjab provinces Jaranwala town accusing two Christian residents of blasphemy. Videos doing rounds on social media showed hundreds armed with batons and sticks attacking the Salvation Army Church and the Saint Paul Catholic Church. While many houses were set ablaze, many others suffered heavy damage.
Straight a: Students of Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi. Learning verve: St. Stephens College, Delhi, is Indias best college for science. Lessons for life: Simrit Kaur, principal of Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi, with students. Taste of India: Students of IHM Pusa, Delhi. Future beckons: Dr Rama, principal of Hansraj College, Delhi, with students. Joy of learning: Students at St. Xavier's College, Mumbai | Amey Mansabdar Practical lessons: Loyola College, Chennai.

A recent conversation with an outgoing student left a lasting impression on Professor John Varghese, principal of St. Stephens College, Delhi. When Varghese asked the student about his future plans, he replied that he was joining IIT Madras to study chemistry. Varghese was happy. But, when he heard what the student wanted to do after going through IITMs renowned chemistry department, he was elated. Sir, you said during an assembly that though our college had successful alumni, we do not have a Nobel laureate, the student said. I am going to try to win a Nobel Prize. Moved, the principal responded with a hug. If the students have such aspirations, they will surely do very well in life, said Varghese.

Colleges also have initiatives highlighting contemporary issues. For instance, one event at LSR had speakers telling students about dealing with false information in the age of the internet.

This is just one example of the students at Indias top colleges aiming for the sky. As the country pushes on towards its vision of being a developed nation, todays students will have a key role to play in ushering in a better tomorrow. Viewed in that context, the responsibility on colleges takes on a whole new significance. Nothing less than excellence will suffice. Colleges also have the vital duty of character building.

Thankfully, Indias best colleges have always been aware of their critical task, even if parents, or indeed students, are sometimes guided by more short-term goals. While academic rigour is a given in the countrys top colleges, there also seem to be a lot many initiatives afoot that are geared towards the wholeness of developing young minds. And, they stem from clear long-term vision.

You can feel this consciousness in the ambience of St. Stephens, which has been ranked the best science college and the second best arts college in India by THE WEEK-Hansa Research Best Colleges Survey 2024.

The 143-year-old institution has created an archive with priceless documents and is in the process of scaling it up and opening it to scholars from around the world. The archive was created in honour of the late David Baker, former history teacher at the college. An Australian who got naturalised as an Indian citizen, Baker singlehandedly put together a collection of documents which dated back to pre-independence times. His collection, sorted and catalogued, eventually grew to fill eight cupboards. After his retirement in 1998, he stayed on. We were happy to have him here as he was a treasure trove of knowledge and a good influence on all of us, said Varghese. We hope to scale up the archive in a big way.

Apart from preserving and imparting knowledge, there is also a focus at Stephens on nurturing talent. This is evident in the fact that the colleges academic management portal was designed in-house, by a former student who went on to become a non-teaching staff member. We could have outsourced this work by paying a few lakh rupees, but we thought that this is something that we should encourage so that in-house talent could be successfully nurtured, said Varghese. A similar ethos is also reflected in the incubation centre set up by the college about three years ago.

Though Stephens generally gets the best students in the country, it has been facing a problem since the Common University Entrance Test was introduced. The Delhi University feels that we should go only with the CUET, said Varghese. However, we feel otherwise as we have proved over 14 decades that it is good to have an interview at the entrance level as that helps young people who are entering college to project themselves and put their best foot forward in terms of not only academics, but their own aspirations and other interests. Our admission process is wholesome. For this, we have had to go to court and it was decided that for the minority students we can have the interviews, but for the general students it would only be the CUET. The general students do not face the interview. The minority students have to take the CUET as well face an interview for getting selected in our college.

He said the interviews also help identify how the college can help students achieve their aspirations. For the teachers, too, interviews are an exciting part of the process. At the end of the day, we are very happy about the kind of students we get after the interview process, added Varghese. And why not, with students who aspire to be Nobel laureates.

That is one box that Lady Shri Ram College has already checked. LSR has already produced a Nobel laureateMyanmarese leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The college, which has been ranked first in arts, second in commerce and third in science in THE WEEK-Hansa survey, was established in 1956, in a school building in Daryaganj. Professor Suman Sharma, principal, LSR, said that the focus was currently on collaborative research between teachers and students.

Jyotsna Arora, faculty in the commerce department, is staff adviser to the student union. She is also the convener of the entrepreneurship cell. She mentions a project at LSR known as Bahubhashia cultural exchange programme. Under the programme, the college organises two to three events, every six to eight months. These events attempt to showcase different languages and cultures. Recently, we had an event for Gujarati, Assamese and Bengali culture, that included food and heritage, said Arora. We have also had a vibrant Onam dance and a Bihu dance, where a lot was spoken about the rich heritage associated with these languages [and cultures]. The college magazine has 16 languages and is the only magazine in the university which has 16 languages.

While such initiatives at colleges could help make tomorrows India more inclusive, there also has to be a focus on addressing one of the countrys biggest challengesthe lack of jobs. Towards this end, apart from the constant attempt to keep the curriculum up to date, there is also a consistent push to encourage entrepreneurial instincts. At LSR, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists are invited to campus and such events are open to students from other colleges, too. The students meet these potential funders and discuss ideas.

The kind of exposure the students are getting is clearly transforming their outlook. Jagriti Mishra is a final year student at LSR. She hails from Ayodhya and recently became the president of the student union. She said that LSR had taught her about the power of community and collaboration. And, she is already putting her learning to use to make a difference. Mishra launched an initiative, wherein the books of third year students get transferred to first years. This helps students from financially weak sections, and also leads to reuse of resources that may otherwise end up as garbage, thereby contributing to sustainability in a small way.

Colleges also have initiatives highlighting contemporary issues. For instance, one event at LSR had speakers telling students about dealing with false information in the age of the internet.

Student engagement has always been a key indicator of a teachers success, but it has perhaps not always been given due importance. This has definitely changed. Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Delhi, epitomises this change. At SRCC, which is ranked the best commerce college by THE WEEK-Hansa survey, teachers employ distinct styles of teaching and adopt multiple methods. For instance, in the case of a topic like the budget, the approach is more interactive, complete with role play. For more technical topics, the approach is modified suitably. As soon as the theoretical component is over, the teachers supplement the teaching with a term or a research paper on the topic. There is also attention on what the students learn from outside the classroom.

Garghesh Patil, a student at SRCC who hails from Maharashtra, said he had wanted to secure admission at the college since he was in class 10, as it is considered the best college in Asia for commerce. He said he liked the two-level lecture system at SRCC, wherein there are core lectures followed by the opportunity to clear any doubt as part of a smaller classroom (tutorial lectures). Every teacher has a different teaching methodology and each one has something different to share, said Patil.

SRCC is also heavily involved in training and consultancy. Currently, the faculty are training officials from the Reserve Bank of India and the ministry of corporate affairs. They teach advanced accounting, corporate governance, financial derivatives, economics and public policy. The teachers also learn from these exchanges and pass on that learning to the students.

The faculty are also involved in projects with ministries, including, intriguingly, with the ministry of culture. The idea with projects of the ministry of culture has been about reviving ancient Indian economics and culture, said Professor Simrit Kaur, principal, SRCC. Though we are talking about ancient India, we are aligned with what the future requires. We also did a project for the Competition Commission of India on surge pricing. Interestingly, the cab aggregators in India have been regulated based on our study. This project was futuristic because algorithm and future collisions are all about data-driven technologies, and we studied dynamic and surge pricing. Many of our students are also involved in such projects.

The college recently got a project from the Indira Gandhi National Centre For Arts. It covers the high gold reserves in ancient India and why it dipped, aimed at correlating the past with the present. All these projects help our faculty in teaching our students better as they are able to bring in learning from these projects to the classroom, said Kaur.

Her office has a Gaurahari art work. Artisans of Gaurahari village in Uttar Pradeshs Mahoba practiced the once thriving art form of making handicrafts out of a particular type of stone, called gaura patthar, which is said to be found only in the village. The artisans were struggling to make ends meet and there were only 42 families left in the craft when SRCC intervened. The students helped the artisans to establish market linkages for their products.

Learning hands-on, and saving livelihoods while doing it!

At Hansraj College, which is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Delhi, pictures of famous alumni are displayed prominently on the walls. Foremost among them is Shah Rukh Khan. At the college, which is ranked fifth in arts and commerce and seventh in science by THE WEEK-Hansa survey, there has been an increased focus on skills and employability, aligned with the Viksit Bharat vision. We are offering industry relevant skill enhancement courses, internships and practical training opportunities, said the principal, Professor Rama, who uses only one name. To promote a culture of research, we are investing in infrastructure and resources, and funding students and faculty, thereby fostering innovation.

Students highlight the exposure they get at the college. For instance, Rahul, who does not use a surname, is a student who hails from Siwan in Bihar. He is the vice president of the civil services society in college. I come from an agrarian family, he said. I got selected from our college to the G20 organising committee and got to work with top leaders of the world. It was a life-changing experience which would not have been possible in my small town. I was also selected to go to Russia for an event.

Indias hosting of international events such as the G20 and the immense potential in the countrys tourism sector highlight the importance of training in the hospitality sector. Enter, the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering & Nutrition, Pusa, Delhithe first and, at present, the best hotel management college in the country.

Established by the ministry of agriculture in 1962, it was later taken over by the ministry of tourism. Renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor, Puneet Chhatwal, CEO of Indian Hotels Company Limited, and Rajeev Menon, president, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International, all are alumni of IHM Pusa.

Devdeep Raj Sinha, who hails from Tripura, is a second-year student at IHM Pusa. He said he has learnt a lot about cooking, the front office department and housekeeping. Because of the practical experience here, it is easy to apply those in the actual hotel industry, he said. It helped me a lot during my training at the Oberoi in Delhi. He has specialised in Thai cuisine and has also learned French and Italian cuisines. He now wants to learn Chinese cuisine.

IHM Pusa has nine kitchens and five bakeries, plus a live bake shop. The students spent a considerable duration of time every day in the labs. There are many students who specialise in bakery and confectionery. Students participate in a number of events, including those held at the Red Fort and on Kartavya Path lawns. There is also a cell in the institute which works on live projects. Currently the institute is working on redeveloping and redesigning the AIIMS cafeteria, which is used by around 23,000 employees daily.

They have given us the task to redesign the cafeteria, which is a brownfield project, said Kamal Kant Pant, principal, IHM Pusa. They want to install new equipment to ensure better hygiene and save labour. They also want to accommodate more people and serve healthier meals. The redesign needs to start with the menu, and the space has to be designed ergonomically, which includes human engineering elements, and lighting. We take our students to such locations; they assist faculty.

While highest-ranked colleges across most disciplines are in Delhi, other education hubs in the country also provide viable options for high quality education. Loyola College, Chennai, which is ranked fourth in science and commerce and sixth in arts, is on a mission to align itself with the growth trajectory of India so that its students can fully utilise emerging opportunities. The college has also been striving to prepare students to work with the sustainable development goals in mind. In addition, Loyola also works towards inclusivity by promoting diversity, addressing gender disparities and supporting marginalised communities.

We have been focusing on application oriented programmes, improving technical expertise, problem-solving skills and abilities relevant to various industries, said Reverend A. Louis Arockiaraj, SJ, the principal. Students learn to create value, identify opportunities and adapt to changing market dynamics. They also understand the impact of economic policies, global trade and financial markets.

In order to empower students to become job creators and contribute to the economic landscape, the entrepreneurship cell provides seed funding to students with promising ideas, apart from mentorship and incubation.

Loyola has also signed MoUs with 16 nationally reputed institutions and 28 internationally acclaimed institutions. The college has recently added a robotics lab and also organises events that challenge students to apply their knowledge to solve real-world problems relevant to Digital India and Make in India. This not only promotes problem-solving, but also encourages students to think about the practical application of research.

St. Xaviers College, Mumbai, too, has taken multiple initiatives to fine-tune its approach to be in line with national objectives. The college, ranked eighth in arts, has introduced skill development programmes that align with the emerging needs of industries crucial for Indias growth, such as technology, health care, renewable energy, and to support entrepreneurship. This includes courses such as MSc big data analytics, MA life span counselling, PG diploma in expressive art therapy, and courses on patents, including how to write a patent.

It has tried to bridge the gap between academia and industry, by collaborating with leading companies and organisations. This collaboration can lead to joint research projects, internships, guest lectures, and industry-relevant curriculum development. For instance, its MSc big data analytics is in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Services. The college is in the process of signing an MoU with Bloomberg, Harvard Business School Publishing, Maharashtra State Skill Development Society and the Maharashtra State Innovation Society to enhance the on-field job exposure for its students.

Access to Bloomberg can enhance research, deepen understanding of market dynamics and provide practical insights into the finance industry, said Professor Rajendra Shinde, principal, St. Xaviers, Mumbai. It is extremely rare for an undergraduate college to offer Bloomberg terminals on campus. It will provide students with hands-on experience and a competitive edge in their careers.

There is also a major emphasis on research, with the college investing more in research infrastructure and facilitating international collaboration, apart from providing a grant for its faculty.

Here, too, like in other top colleges, there is a strong emphasis on inclusivity and diversity. The college has 70 per cent female students and also has a gender cell, which addresses needs across the spectrum. Among faculty and administration, too, women account for 60 per cent of the staff strength.

The Xaviers Resource Centre for Visually Challenged provides free training to visually challenged students as well as students with various disabilities. In any given academic year, we have eight to 10 visually challenged students and around 125 students with other disabilities, said Shinde. The enabling committee helps these slow learners with various accommodations throughout the year, dealing with 22 disabilities, as per the Disabilities Act.

In addition to technical knowledge, the college is also focusing on the development of soft skills such as communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. orkshops and courses on life skills prepare students to navigate the world effectively,said Shinde.

Cultivating skills based on national needs is necessary to foster inclusive growth among students. Moreover, education is an instrument to enhance quality of life and upgrade individuals. The inclusion of value educationgender equity, environment awareness and sustainability, waste management, human values and professional ethicsis an important parameter that moulds students as responsible citizens.

B.L. SHIVAKUMAR, PRINCIPAL AND SECRETARY, SRI RAMAKRISHNA COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCE (AUTONOMOUS), COIMBATORE
Students in front of the library building | Pawan Kumar Taking off: The flight laboratory at IIT Kanpu | Pawan Kumar Data defenders: Students studying cyber security at IIT Kanpur | Pawan Kumar Prof Sandeep Verma: head, Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology, IIT Kanpur | Pawan Kumar

Imagination can run wild in a classroom, but it finds wings at the flight laboratory of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur.

Collective expertise in computer science, mechanical engineering and the department of design can be leveraged to bring out innovation and disruption in medical education and medical technologies to create doctors for the future.

Inside, half a dozen training aircraft are parked in the hangar. Apart from an airstrip, IIT Kanpur boasts three helipads, too. No other institute boasts such a facility, says Prof G.M. Kamath, head of the department of aerospace engineering, IIT Kanpur. Thanks to the lab, students here get hands-on training.

We get pilots to fly these aircraft. It benefits students as they can do experiments based on the manoeuvres, says Kamath. This helps the students get a feel of the aircraft and helps them design better aircraft.

The flight laboratory runs courses in flight testing, wherein students collect, analyse and evaluate performance and handling qualities of the airplanes. And so, students from across the countryfrom the Punjab Engineering College (PEC) Chandigarh to IIT Bombay, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras and the Madras Institute of Technologyflock to the lab. A few years ago, students from the Nanyang Technological University Singapore also visited the lab.

Close to 300 students from outside come here every year for a 10-day course, says Kamath.

The flight lab is closely monitored, audited and certified by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation. On prominent display is the HANSA-3, the first indigenously produced composite aircraft in India. Designed by the National Aerospace Laboratories in Bengaluru, the aircraft carries fibre optic sensors developed by IIT Kanpurs aerospace engineering department. The sensorseach as thin as a hair strandhelp monitor the structural health of the aircraft for five to 10 years.

One can monitor whether the aircraft went through some kind of turbulence or if it had a hard landing, explains Kamath. Each and every aspect of the flight can be monitored.

Among the interesting fleet is an Indian registered aircraft that was certified for cloud seeding (it was never used for it though). Another one is Maraal, the first Indian solar-powered unmanned aerial vehicle. It was developed by Vijay Shankar Dwivedi, a postdoctoral candidate at IIT Kanpur; Dwivedi is now in the UK. Maraal took flight and is now Maraal Aerospace, an IIT Kanpur-incubated company. Aircraft apart, there are gliders, too, including one belonging to the Aero Club of India.

The aerospace engineering department recently received funding to set up a national simulating facility. The advantage: if students are unable to fly in an aircraft, they can at least learn through simulation, says Kamath. We will also have a drone-pilot training school, funded by the Uttar Pradesh government.

All this would have seemed like a flight of fancy in 1959, when IIT Kanpur was founded. Established by an act of Parliament, it had its humble beginnings in a room in the canteen building of the Harcourt Butler Technological Institute in Kanpur. It moved to its current location on Grand Trunk Road near Kalyanpur village in Kanpur district in 1963.

Initially, a consortium of nine US universitiesincluding MIT and Princeton Universityhelped set up IIT Kanpurs research laboratories and academic programmes under the Kanpur Indo-American Programme (KIAP). Scientist P.K. Kelkar, who was instrumental in securing the collaboration, was its first director.

Within a couple of years, IIT Kanpur became the first institute in India to offer computer science education, thanks to the guidance of economist and former US ambassador John Kenneth Galbraith. The earliest computer courses at IIT Kanpur were started in August 1963 on an IBM 1620 system. In 1971, the institute began an independent academic programme in computer science and engineering, leading to MTech and PhD degrees. In 1972, the KIAP programme ended, in part because of tensions over Americas support to Pakistan. Government funding was also cut owing to the sentiment that IITs were contributing to the brain drain.

Today, IIT Kanpur is one of the best engineering colleges in the country. Spread across 1,055 acres, it has 19 departments, 25 centres and interdisciplinary programmes in engineering, science, design, humanities and management. It has more than 570 full-time faculty members and around 9,000 students.

Going forward, our top priority will be to encourage translational research that focuses on giving technological solutions that make life of citizens better, says Prof Manindra Agrawal, director of IIT Kanpur. We have planned many new initiatives such as the promotion of defence technology development, the use of AI for developing applications, and creating a cell that addresses local problems of the city and state.

In 2022-2023, IIT Kanpur received Rs200 crore towards sponsored research and about Rs100 crore for consultancy. Much of the research money came from non-government sources to solve problems they were facing. And, the solutions have become products as well.

We have cumulatively filed for 1,000 patents ever since the institute started, says Prof Tarun Gupta, dean, research & development, IIT Kanpur. Last year, we filed around 140 patents; 14 got licensed.

At a recent programme in IIT Hyderabad, a bilirubin testing kit, commercialised by Prof Siddhartha Panda of IIT Kanpur, was showcased. High bilirubin could lead to jaundice. Usually, a blood sample is taken from a vein in the arm using a syringe. But this kit makes it as simple as testing blood glucose. A drop of blood on a strip, and you have a diagnosis.

The institute also has centres for excellence like the one for drones and the National Centre for Flexible Electronics, which is expected to receive funding soon. There will also be a Kotak School of Sustainability. It is a huge grant from the Kotak Mahindra Bank as part of their corporate social responsibility. Nearly 52 faculty members from IIT Kanpur are going to join hands and work towards sustainability, says Gupta.

Recently, the phase 1 building of the IIT Kanpur Research and Technology Park, commonly known as Technopark@IITK, was inaugurated by Abhay Karandikar, secretary, department of science and technology, government of India. He is also the former director of IIT Kanpur. With around 13 companies already on board, the institute is also trying to rope in the Adani Group and the JK Group. Pharmaceutical firm Laurice Labs, which uses IIT Kanpurs patented gene therapy, is coming out with techniques that will help people with terminal eye disease.

Marrying medicine with technology comes easy to IIT Kanpur, and therefore it will soon have the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences and Technology. The aim is to establish Indias first engineering and technology-driven medical school.

Collective expertise in computer science, mechanical engineering and the department of design can be leveraged to bring out innovation and disruption in medical education and medical technologies to create doctors for the future, says Prof Sandeep Verma, who has been appointed head of the school. With this intent, we prepared a detailed plan for this school. Thanks to the reputation of IIT Kanpur, the education ministry readily agreed and the foundation stone of this medical school was laid by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Around 30 acres have been allocated for the medical school on campus. Construction work is in full swing. The school is named after IIT Kanpur alumni Rakesh Gangwal, cofounder of IndiGo airlines, who donated the seed money. There are different phases in the creation of this medical school, with the initial focus on nine super-speciality postgraduate programmes.

There will also be a 500-bed hospital, named after another alumnusthe late Yadupati Singhania of the JK group. The JK Group, with its origins in Kanpur, has also donated generously to the medical school.

The education ministry has approved more than 50 faculty positions, including a dean of medical school. We want doctors who can even write code in Python, says Verma.

Then there is the C3iHub, funded by the Union governments department of science and technology, under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems. The C3iHub detects security vulnerabilities in critical cyber-physical systems, develops security tools to address the vulnerabilities, nucleates startups and partners with industries to commercialise the security tools, and provides training to the next generation of cybersecurity researchers.

In the first five years, the government will fund the C3iHub. The aim is also to promote startups, incubate them, help them with technical advice and also help them to connect with various markets, says IIT Kanpur director Agrawal. Skill training is also conducted here. We have been operational for four years and have nucelated 50 startups. These startups are all spread across the country.

The C3iHub has currently more than 100 people, of which more than 80 are engineers. Most of them do cyber security audits of organisations by analysing and finding their weaknesses and bringing out a report. The hub has audited the National Highways Authority of India, Indian Ports Association, Bhilai Steel plant and the Indian Army, and it is planning to do audits for the Rajasthan government and the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation. Besides security audits, the C3iHub has a Security Operations Centre, which allows an organisation to continuously monitor its cyber security status. It is also working with law enforcement agencies to develop cyber-crime investigation tools.

With IIT Kanpur expanding its horizons, it is a win-win for its students. The multidisciplinary environment has found many takers. Take, for instance, Sujal Harkud, who hails from Amravati in Maharashtra. He is in his fourth year of electrical engineering, but has had opportunities to do projects in finance and robotics. I got to work on a project with the Defence and Research Development Organisation on a simultaneous location mapping vehicle, he says. I have also done courses in social sciences and finance while studying electrical engineering. Likewise, Amritansh Tripathi from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh, a fourth year BTech student, mentions his research on schizophrenic symptoms.

Knowledge knows no bounds at IIT Kanpur.

Introducing interdisciplinary programmes in emerging fields and establishing industry partnerships, incubation centres and research facilities will foster innovation and entrepreneurship. Integrating skills development, AI and technology into the curriculum can make students industry-ready and prepared to contribute to the countrys economic growth. Increased autonomy (under NEP) has enabled us to innovate and excel in various fields, develop infrastructure as per student training requirements, and offer interdisciplinary programmes.

SURESH SINGH BHADORIA, CHAIRMAN, MALWANCHAL UNIVERSITY, INDORE

The NEP 2020 has provided a robust framework for educational institutions in India. There is a marked shift towards skill-oriented education, with a greater emphasis on vocational training and skill development programmes. This focus ensures students are not only academically proficient but also possess practical skills that enhance employability. The interdisciplinary approach equips students with a broad knowledge base and versatile skills.

SARDAR TARANJIT SINGH, MANAGING DIRECTOR, JIS GROUP EDUCATIONAL INITIATIVES

The government has ushered in a new era of educational reforms with NEP 2020. By promoting a systemic transformation from rote learning to practical learning, this policy has brought in essential reforms that make education not only holistic, flexible and inclusive but also multidisciplinary and technology oriented. NEP is a step towards making education in India representative of the Indian ethos and suitable for Indias upcoming needs.

SATNAM SINGH SANDHU, CHANCELLOR, CHANDIGARH UNIVERSITY

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

THE WEEK-Hansa Research Best Colleges Survey 2024 covered 11 disciplinesarts, sciences, commerce, engineering, medicine, dentistry, law, hotel management, fashion technology, mass communication and architectureacross 18 cities and the National Capital Region.

A primary survey was conducted with 1,026 academic experts, 3,003 students and 48 recruiters. The opinion of recruiters was taken only for engineering. The respondents were asked to nominate and rank the 25 top colleges in India and their respective zones.

Perceptual score was calculated based on the number of nominations and the actual ranks received.

For factual data collection, a dedicated website was created and the link was sent to more than 3,500 colleges. Of the 477 colleges responded, those that did not meet the eligibility criteria (23)at least three batches should have graduatedwere eliminated. Data for the remaining colleges was used for rankings and validations.

Factual score was calculated based on weightages assigned to parameters such as infrastructure, faculty, teaching-learning process and extracurricular, placement and hospital association (for medicine and dentistry). Placement was assigned a lower weightage (20 per cent) in the case of arts, sciences and commerce compared with other disciplines like engineering (30 per cent) and architecture (27.5 per cent).

Final score = Perceptual score (out of 600) + factual score (out of 400)

Some colleges could not respond to the survey. For them, the composite score was derived by combining the perceptual score with an interpolated factual score based on their position in the perceptual score list. In cases where factual data from within the last three years was available, that was used. Colleges that did not participate and did not wish to be ranked have been omitted.
Broadcom (NASDAQ: AVGO) recently announced a 10-for-1 stock split, which will take effect after the market closes on July 12. That upcoming split will reduce its trading price from about $1,700 (as of this writing) to $170. A split merely carves a single share into smaller slices, so Broadcom's underlying valuations will remain the same.

It also won't make its stock more affordable, since most brokerages already allow investors to purchase fractional shares. However, the split will make Broadcom's options cheaper to trade, since a single contract is tethered to 100 underlying shares, and it will make it easier for the company to pay out its stock-based compensation in smaller increments.

Image source: Getty Images.

So unless you're an options trader or Broadcom employee, you shouldn't consider its stock split to be a major event. Instead, you should focus on the four reasons its stock is still a compelling investment even as it hovers near its all-time highs.

1. Broadcom's expansion strategy is bold

Broadcom has constantly expanded over the past eight years. Singapore's Avago Technologies acquired the original Broadcom for $37 billion in 2016, inherited its brand, and relocated its headquarters to the U.S. in 2018.

It also expanded into the infrastructure software market by acquiring CA Technologies for $19 billion in 2018, Symantec's enterprise security division for $11 billion in 2019, and the cloud software giant VMware for $69 billion in late 2023.

That bold expansion turned it into one of the world's largest chipmakers and infrastructure software providers. In its latest quarter, it generated 58% of its revenue from semiconductors and the remaining 42% from software.

Over the long term, it expects to generate about half of its revenue from software, thus reducing its dependence on the cyclical semiconductor sector and its top customer, Apple, which accounted for a fifth of its sales over the past two fiscal years.

Simply put, Broadcom isn't a dusty old tech company that is running out of room to grow. It will likely keep expanding through big acquisitions to diversify its business and widen its moat against smaller chip and software companies.

2. Broadcom's AI chip sales are soaring

Broadcom's semiconductor business sells a wide range of wireless, optical, and data storage chips. But in the second quarter of fiscal 2024 (which ended this May), its sales of AI-related optical and networking chips soared 280% year over year to $3.1 billion and accounted for 25% of its top line.

That explosive growth, which was driven by the market's insatiable appetite for generative AI applications, offset the softness of its enterprise and telecom markets in a challenging macro environment.

Story continues

Seven of the top eight hyperscale AI clusters in deployment today currently use Broadcom's chips, so it represents a good way to profit from the AI market's long-term growth without putting too many of your eggs in the same basket.

3. Broadcom's growth is consistent

From fiscal 2016 to fiscal 2023 (which ended last October), Broadcom's adjusted revenue had a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%, its adjusted gross margin expanded from 60.5% to 74.7%, and its adjusted EPS increased at a CAGR of 21%. That robust growth tells us that Broadcom didn't "di-worsify" its business with its big acquisitions.

For fiscal 2024, analysts expect its revenue and adjusted EPS to increase 44% and 12%, respectively, as it recognizes its first full year of VMware's revenue. For fiscal 2025, they expect its revenue and adjusted EPS to grow 16% and 26%, respectively, assuming it doesn't make any more big acquisitions.

4. Its stock is still reasonably valued

Broadcom's stock trades at 37 times this year's earnings and 29 times next year's earnings. Those valuations aren't cheap, but they're reasonable for a stock that has nearly doubled over the past 12 months. It also pays a forward yield of 1.2%.

Some investors might argue that Nvidia, which is growing a lot faster and trades at 50 times forward earnings, is a better AI play. However, I think Broadcom is still a more balanced and better-diversified play on the AI, semiconductor, and infrastructure markets -- and it still isn't too pricey relative to its long-term growth potential.

When should you buy Broadcom?

It doesn't matter if you buy Broadcom before or after its upcoming split. It might experience some more volatile trading days around that date, but that near-term noise is ultimately meaningless for long-term investors. Instead, they should focus on its core strengths to understand why it could hit new highs over the next few years.

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Forget the Stock Split -- These Are the 4 Reasons to Buy Broadcom's Stock Now was originally published by The Motley Fool
Kolkata Jun 23 (PTI) In a bid to boost India's e-commerce exports, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is working with the Department of Revenue to establish designated e-commerce hubs across the country to streamline the process for online export shipments.

The country's e-commerce exports currently stand at USD 2 billion as compared to China's staggering USD 350 billion, according to industry sources.

The government aims at bridging the gap by establishing a supportive e-commerce ecosystem, they said.

"A lot of streamlining is required in this regard. We are working with the Department of Revenue to have designated e-commerce hubs so that clearance of goods happens fast," Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi told PTI.

He said these hubs will have facilities like dedicated customs and security checks, allowing cleared parcels to proceed through a green channel at airports, eliminating the need for further inspections.

This approach mirrors best practices observed in other countries, Sarangi said.

He also pointed out that the e-commerce hubs will be built and maintained by private entities, while the government will oversee security and customs clearances.

In addition to expediting clearances, the proposed hubs would offer warehousing facilities, returns processing, labelling, product testing, and repackaging services.

This public-private partnership aims at creating a robust infrastructure for efficient e-commerce exports, the official said.

These hubs could function similarly to bonded zones, facilitating e-commerce exports, said Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

A report estimated that with policy reorientation, India's e-commerce exports could reach USD 350 billion by 2030.

Streamlining the export process through dedicated hubs is a crucial step in this direction, experts mentioned.
Thiruvananthapuram, Jun 23 (PTI) Kerala Finance Minister K N Balagopal has called for a review of the central-state tax sharing ratio of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), and said that 60 per cent should go to the states, whereas it is shared equally now.

Currently, the ratio is 50:50 and it should be changed to 40:60 in favour of the states, the minister said in the GST Council meeting held in New Delhi on Saturday, according to a statement issued by his office here on Sunday.

Speaking about the significant issues addressed during the meeting, the state FM said a favourable decision taken with regard to the Integrated Goods and Services Tax (IGST) is expected to be greatly beneficial for Kerala.

Generally, a GSTR-8 return is also required to be filed detailing the GST charges by e-commerce operators while doing business through e-commerce platforms, he said.

It was decided in the meeting to include in the GSTR-8 return the details about the state to which the tax should go, along with the amount of tax, Balagopal said, adding that it is a crucial decision that is expected to benefit Kerala a lot.

Those who sell goods and services from other states in Kerala through e-commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart collect IGST from the consumers here, but due to the non-specification of the consumer state in the returns submitted by them, Kerala is not getting the tax share, the minister explained.

The new decision taken during the GST Council meeting will help to resolve this, he said.

Kerala had sought a solution to this issue by listing out facts, which it found out through various studies, and the GST Council has accepted this, he said.

During the meeting, Kerala made it clear that the issues in the GST system were the reason for the reduced IGST share that the state receives.

The union government informed the meeting that the central revenue from IGST was also decreasing, he said.

Based on this, it was decided in the meeting to check whether the reason for the reduced share was due to any lapse in the IGST system, Balagopal further said.

It was also decided to re-examine the issue within 10 days with the participation of state GST officials, he said, adding that the loss of revenue can be checked only by identifying and fixing the problems in the system.

Checks on all matters will be continued after the presentation of the union budget, and the next meeting of the GST Council will be held in August or September, the statement said, quoting the state FM.
West Palm Beach, Jun 23 (AP) After Melania Trump missed key events in her husband's presidential bid earlier this year  from the kickoff of the 2024 election in Iowa to Donald Trump's Super Tuesday victory party  reporters asked the former first lady whether she planned to hit the campaign trail. Her response: Stay tuned.

But since making that comment in March, after she and Donald Trump voted in Florida's primary, Melania Trump has largely refrained from public appearances. The few exceptions have included a couple of fundraisers in April and their son's high school graduation.

The former first lady noticeably did not accompany the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on any of the days of his more than monthlong hush money trial in New York. She was not there last month for the guilty verdict or the following day for his remarks at Trump Tower. She also did not appear June 14 at a 78th birthday party organised for Trump by his fan club, or at any of the campaign rallies he has held in recent months.

Her absence during the trial and for other important moments is unusual, said Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University who studies first ladies. But Jellison said maybe it should not come as a surprise as Melania Trump seems reluctant to follow the traditional public role of a politician's wife. As first lady, she also kept a low profile and she was not a regular presence on her husband's losing 2020 presidential campaign.

But everything the Trumps do seems to be against the standard playbook of how candidates and spouses behave," Jellison said.

Melania Trump's behaviour deviates from how other politicians have relied on their spouses. Sometimes male politicians turn to their wives to try to reach out to female voters. Candidates also may be joined by their spouses as a way of giving voters more of a sense of what the candidate is like outside the political arena.

During this year's GOP primary, for example, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' wife, Casey DeSantis, travelled with him, granted interviews and formed a coalition named Mamas for DeSantis before he suspended his bid for the nomination. Vivek Ramaswamy's wife, Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy, also was on the campaign trail, often appearing along with their two young children to talk about the importance of family.

The Associated Press reached out to 15 people who have been in major fundraisers or in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate recently. None said they had encountered Melania Trump on the Florida property.

Her office has not responded to several requests for comment. Her only public statement of late came two days after the Florida Republican Party announced with fanfare that son Barron Trump, 18, was chosen as a state delegate for the Republican National Convention and her office said he could not make it, citing prior commitments.

Reporters at the New York courthouse during Trump's felony trial repeatedly asked him, Where's Melania? but he never answered. Trump allies cited their son's school calendar as the main reason for her absence without denying it was a delicate time for the family.

Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, was asked whether there were talks about her accompanying him to court.

That wasn't a discussion that I wanted to have, Blanche responded, speaking to Miami trial attorney David Oscar Markus for his For The Defence podcast. "This was a tough case because of the nature of the charges, the evidence that came in, the history, how long it had been.

Some of the testimony aired how Trump allegedly had sex with porn actor Stormy Daniels in July 2006, about four months after Melania Trump had given birth to Barron; Trump has denied Daniels' claim. Trump's former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen testified that Trump did not appear to care about how the story of an encounter he was looking to bury would hurt his marriage as much as he cared about it damaging his 2016 presidential aspirations.

But Hope Hicks, Trump's 2016 campaign communications chief, testified that Trump was concerned in 2016 about how a story related to Playboy model Karen MacDougal would be viewed by his wife and wanted her to make sure newspapers were not delivered to their residence.

Melania Trump did not post anything on her social media accounts after her husband was convicted on 34 felony counts. That's in contrast to Trump's elder sons, who quickly condemned the verdict. Daughter Ivanka Trump posted on Instagram a photo of her as a toddler with a younger Trump and the message I love you dad. Tiffany Trump, his younger daughter, accompanied him to the courthouse last month for the trial's closing arguments.

I think it's very hard for her," Trump said about his wife, in an interview with Fox News after the verdict. "I mean, she's fine. But, you know, she has to read all this crap.

Despite her absence on the campaign trail, Trump often mentions her and shares conversations between the two, showing supporters that she is still involved behind the scenes by offering feedback to the former president.

Larry Snowden, president of the Club 47 fan group, said he last saw the former first lady at a February gala hosted by the Trumpettes, a group of female supporters. He said he has never had a one-on-one interaction with her, but that when he saw her there, she was so charming.

She was so happy, and she was smiling and accommodating anyone that wanted to come up and shake her hand or anything," Snowden said.

Snowden said he does expect Melania Trump to show face throughout the campaign and to make key speeches, but that he also thinks that the former president would continue to be very protective of her. (AP) GSP
Colombo, Jun 23 (PTI) The proposed imputed rental property tax would target only the 10 per cent rich population leaving out a larger section untouched, Sri Lankas State Minister for Finance Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said on Sunday.

This proposed tax would not even be implemented this year but would come into force in the first quarter of 2025, the minister said in a statement issued to the media.

Siyambalapitiyas statement came after the opposition parties questioned claims made by the government that the proposed tax on housing, as part of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout deal, is only limited to rich people.

The IMFs staff report issued two weeks ago on the second review of the USD 2.9 billon programme said, The introduction of an imputed rental income tax is critical to state revenue mobilisation efforts an imputed rental income tax from owner occupied and vacant residential property would be an appropriate substitute.

Opposition leader Harsha de Silva earlier pointed out that the IMF programme documents clearly say taxes will be levied on owner-occupied houses on imputed taxes, not second houses, Economy Next reported.

De Silva, however, welcomed the exemption when President Ranil Wickremesinghe on June 18 made a promise in Parliament that the first house of a citizen will be excluded from the property tax.

With the issue still simmering on, Siyambalapitiya reiterated on Sunday: Only 10 per cent of the population would be taxed, the rest of the 90 per cent would benefit from collecting this tax by the state.

The opposition slamming the proposal couldnt have come at a worse time for President Wickremesinghe, who is also serving as the Finance Minister, as he is widely believed to be re-running for the presidential election scheduled to be held before mid-November.

The government has introduced tough reforms such as a rise in utility rates and direct taxes, Siyambalapitiya said and added that the government aims to reduce indirect taxes.

Earlier this month, the IMF disbursed the third tranche of USD 336 million from its USD 2.9 billion bailout package to Sri Lanka, even as it cautioned that the economy of the cash-strapped nation remains vulnerable and the path to debt sustainability is knife-edged.

The third tranche under the Extended Fund Facility (EFF) arrangement was released during an executive board meeting of the IMF, the Washington-based global lender said in a statement.

With the release of the third tranche amounting to USD 336 million, the total IMF financial support disbursed so far to Sri Lanka under the bailout package is about USD 1 billion, the statement said.

In April 2022, Sri Lanka declared its first-ever sovereign default since gaining independence from Britain in 1948 and the unprecedented financial crisis led the then-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa to quit office.
Seoul, Jun 23 (AP) Behind the smiles, the balloons and the red-carpet pageantry of President Vladimir Putin's visit to North Korea last week, a strong signal came through: In the spiralling confrontation with the US and its allies over Ukraine, the Russian leader is willing to challenge Western interests like never before.

The pact that he signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un envisions mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang if either is attacked. Putin also announced for the first time that Russia could provide weapons to the isolated country, a move that could destabilise the Korean Peninsula and reverberate far beyond.

He described the potential arms shipments as a response to NATO allies providing Ukraine with longer-range weapons to attack Russia. He bluntly declared that Moscow has nothing to lose and is prepared to go to the end to achieve its goals in Ukraine.

Putin's moves added to concerns in Washington and Seoul about what they see as an alliance in which North Korea provides Moscow with badly needed munitions for its war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that would enhance the threat posed by Kim's nuclear weapons and missile programme.



A landmark pact

The new agreement with Pyongyang marked the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.

Kim said it raised bilateral relations to the level of an alliance, while Putin was more cautious, noting the pledge of mutual military assistance mirrored a 1961 treaty between the Soviet Union and North Korea. That agreement was discarded after the Soviet collapse and replaced with a weaker one in 2000 when Putin first visited Pyongyang.

Stephen Sestanovich, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations noted that when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev signed the deal with Pyongyang in 1961, he also tested the world's biggest nuclear bomb, built the Berlin Wall and probably started thinking about moves that led to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

The question for Western policymakers now is whether Putin is becoming comparably reckless, Sestanovich said in a commentary. His language in North Korea -- where he denounced the United States as a worldwide 'neocolonialist dictatorship'  might make you think so.

South Korea responded by declaring it would consider sending arms to Ukraine in a major policy change for Seoul, which so far only has sent humanitarian assistance to Kyiv under a longstanding policy of not supplying weapons to countries engaged in conflict.

Putin insisted Seoul has nothing to worry about, since the new pact only envisions military assistance in case of aggression and should act as a deterrent to prevent a conflict. He strongly warned South Korea against providing lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying it would be a very big mistake.

If that happens, then we will also make corresponding decisions that will hardly please the current leadership of South Korea, he said.

Asked whether North Korean troops could fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine under the pact, Putin said there was no need for that.



Potential weapons for Pyongyang

Last month, Putin warned that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to hit Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use its allies' arms to make limited attacks inside Russian territory.

He followed up on that warning Thursday with an explicit threat to provide weapons to North Korea.

I wouldn't exclude that in view of our agreements with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Putin said, adding that Moscow could mirror the arguments by NATO allies that it's up to Ukraine to decide how to use Western weapons.

We can similarly say that we supply something to somebody but have no control over what happens afterward, Putin said. Let them think about it.

Sue Mi Terry, senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, warned that Moscow could share weapons technologies with Pyongyang to help improve its ballistic missile capabilities, noting there is evidence of this happening already, with Russia possibly providing help to North Korea with its successful satellite launch in November, two months after Kim last met Putin.

This is deeply concerning because of the substantial overlap between the technologies used for space launches and intercontinental ballistic missiles, Terry said in a commentary. Russia can also provide North Korea with critical help in areas where its capabilities are still nascent, such as submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

While raising the prospect of arms supplies to Pyongyang that would violate UN sanctions, Putin also said Russia would take efforts at the world body to ease the restrictions  an apparent signal that Moscow may try to keep arms supplies to Pyongyang under the radar and maintain a degree of deniability to avoid accusations of breaching the sanctions.

Russia and North Korea have rejected assertions by the US and its allies that Pyongyang has given Moscow ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells for use in Ukraine.



'Going to the end' in a confrontation with the West

By explicitly linking prospective arms shipments to Pyongyang to Western moves on Ukraine, Putin warned Kyiv's allies to back off as he pushes his goals in the war  or face a new round of confrontation.

They are escalating the situation, apparently expecting that we will get scared at some point, and at the same time, they say that they want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield, Putin said.

For Russia, it will mean an end to its statehood, an end to the millennium-long history of the Russian state. And a question arises: Why should we be afraid? Isn't it better, then, to go to the end?

Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Centre in Berlin, said Putin's statement reflected an attempt to discourage the US and its allies from ramping up support for Kyiv as Russia pushes new offensives in several sectors of the front line.

The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous, and Russia believes that it should quickly rap the West over its knuckles to show that its deeper engagement in the war will have a price, he said in remarks carried by Dozhd, an independent Russian broadcaster.

He noted that Putin's statement that Moscow wouldn't know where its arms end up if sent to Pyongyang could have been a hint at North Korea's role as an arms exporter.



Treading cautiously with China

Putin's visits to North Korea handed a new challenge to Pyongyang's top ally, China, potentially allowing Kim to hedge his bets and reduce his excessive reliance on Beijing.

China so far has avoided comment on the new pact, but many experts argue that Beijing won't like losing sway over its neighbour.

Ever since Putin invaded Ukraine, Russia has come to increasingly depend on China as the main market for its energy exports and the source of high-tech technologies in the face of Western sanctions. While forging a revamped relationship with Pyongyang, the Kremlin will likely tread cautiously to avoid angering Beijing.

Whether this upgraded RussiaNorth Korea relationship will be without limits depends upon China, which will watch events closely, said Edward Howell of Chatham House in a commentary. Beijing will have taken stern note of Kim Jong Un's claim that Russia is North Korea's 'most honest friend.' Despite the likely increase in cooperation in advanced military technology between Moscow and Pyongyang, China remains North Korea's largest economic partner. (AP) GRS

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Tel Aviv, Jun 23 (AP) Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that there had been a dramatic drop in US weapons deliveries for Israel's war effort in Gaza, doubling down on a claim that the Biden administration has denied and underscoring the growing strains between the two allies.

Netanyahu told his Cabinet that the drop had occurred four months ago, without specifying which weapons, saying only that certain items arrived sporadically but the munitions at large remained behind".

The spat highlights how high tensions have surged between Israel and Washington over the war in Gaza, particularly surrounding the Israeli military's conduct in the beleaguered territory and the harm to civilian life there. President Joe Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over those concerns, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahu's charges that other shipments had also been affected.

Netanyahu told the Cabinet that he was driven to release a video in English last week after weeks of unsuccessful pleas with American officials to speed up deliveries. He said a resolution appeared close.

In light of what I have heard over the past day, I hope and believe that this matter will be solved soon, he said, without elaborating.

Netanyahu's video last week sparked an uproar among critics in Israel and was met with denial and confusion from White House officials. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the US was perplexed by Netanyahu's claims. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We genuinely do not know what he's talking about.

A White House official on Sunday said the administration has repeatedly stated its position on the matter, and declined to respond to Netanyahu's comments. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a diplomatic issue, said US officials were looking forward to constructive consultations this week in Washington with Israel's visiting defence minister, Yoav Gallant.

Gallant, a rival of Netanyahu's inside the ruling Likud party, was travelling to Washington on Sunday. His office said he would discuss maintaining Israel's qualitative edge in the region but made no mention of the weapons issue.

The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct 7 attack on southern Israel, has tested the US-Israel relationship like never before. While the US has staunchly supported Israel's aims of freeing hostages taken into Gaza and defeating Hamas, it has grown increasingly concerned over the rising Palestinian death toll and the humanitarian crisis created by the war.

Biden has felt pressure from progressive Democrats to take a tougher line against Israel, and he has sharpened his warnings to Netanyahu over military tactics in the Gaza Strip. But after threatening to impose a more sweeping ban on arms transfers over an assault on Rafah, the administration has avoided any suggestion that Israel's expanding push into the southern Gaza city has crossed a red line.

During an election year, Biden is also facing critics on the right who say he has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.

For Netanyahu, the growing daylight with the US also poses political risks and opportunities. His critics see the public spats as the result of a leader prepared to wreck important alliances and tarnish Israel's image in the world for political gain.

But the rift grants the long-serving leader a chance to show his base that he isn't beholden to the US and that he is putting Israel's interests first. (AP) SCY

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Dubai, Jun 22 (AP) An attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship travelling through the Gulf of Aden but apparently caused no damage, authorities said Saturday, in the latest strike on the shipping lane by the group.

The Houthi attack comes after the sinking this week of the ship Tutor, which marked what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of strikes on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, US officials ordered the USS Dwight D Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America's response to the Houthi attacks, to return home after a twice-extended tour.

The captain of the ship targeted late Friday saw explosions in the vicinity of the vessel, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre said. A later briefing by the US-overseen Joint Maritime Information Centre said the vessel initially reported two explosions off its port side and a third one later.

The vessel was not hit and sustained no damage, the centre said. The vessel and crew are reported to be safe and are proceeding to their next port of call.

The Houthis, who have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, claimed the attack Saturday night. Brig Gen Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, identified the vessel targeted as the bulk carrier Transworld Navigator.

The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A US-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carrying fertiliser became the first to sink in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a rebel attack.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, the US Naval Institute's news service reported, citing an anonymous official, that the Eisenhower would be returning home to Norfolk, Virginia, after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II. The report said an aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific would be taking the Eisenhower's place.

Two US officials, later speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss ship movements, confirmed the Eisenhower had been ordered home and already had reached the Mediterranean Sea.

Flight-tracking data analyzed by the AP showed a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter associated with the Eisenhower flying above the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast of Port Said, Egypt, on Saturday night.

The closest American aircraft carrier known to be operating in Asia is the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seoul's ongoing tensions with North Korea. The US officials said the Roosevelt would replace the Eisenhower.

The Eisenhower had repeatedly been targeted by false attack claims by the Houthis during its time in the Red Sea. Saree on Saturday night claimed another attack on the carrier  but again provided no evidence to support it as the ship already had left the area. (AP) SCY

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Thane, Jun 23 (PTI) A case has been registered against a 32-year-old police sub-inspector for allegedly raping a married woman constable in Maharashtra's Navi Mumbai township and harassing her, an official said on Sunday.

The offence was committed between 2020 and July 2022 in Sanpada area, he said.





The accused became friends with the 26-year-old victim, both attached to the Mumbai police, and after promising to marry her, he allegedly raped her on multiple occasions at a flat in Sanpada, the official said.

He also took Rs 19 lakh from the victim from time-to-time under some or the other pretext and returned only Rs 14.61 lakh, the police said.

The accused also stalked the woman and asked her to leave her husband, failing which he threatened to kill her, the official from Sanpada police station said.



A complaint was filed initially at the Pant Nagar police station in neighbouring Mumbai based on which a 'Zero' FIR was registered there against the accused under Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 354(a) (sexual harassment), 354(d) (stalking), 506(2) (criminal intimidation) and 420 (cheating), the official said.

It was transferred for further probe to the Sanpada police which registered the case on Saturday, he said.

A Zero FIR can be filed at any police station, irrespective of the place of incident or jurisdiction, and can later be transferred to the appropriate police station.
Kohima, Jun 23 (PTI) Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has directed the state's advocate general to personally intervene in the case involving 45 Naga youths, who were allegedly falsely implicated in a call centre scam in Punjab's Mohali.

The youths were among 155 people arrested in May during a Punjab Police operation that busted two fake call centres in Mohali.

A government statement on Saturday said Rio discussed the detention of the states youths with Nagaland Advocate General K N Balgopal in New Delhi.

Rio asked Balgopal to take urgent steps for the release of the innocent Naga youths.

The CM has also tasked the Resident Commissioner of Nagaland House in New Delhi to maintain contact with families of the detained youths and provide necessary assistance.

Meanwhile, S Supongmeren Jamir, the states newly elected Lok Sabha MP, expressed concern over the situation and urged officials concerned to address the plight of the detained persons from Nagaland.

The Punjab Police had earlier said employees of the fraudulent call centres were held for allegedly scamming people in the US.
Chandigarh, Jun 23 (PTI) The Punjab Police on Sunday launched the 'Mission Sahyog' initiative in Patiala to enhance coordination with the public in the fight against drugs.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) Harcharan Singh Bhullar said the mission provides a dynamic platform for the police-public coordination committee to engage in activities that foster cooperation and collective action.

"The initiative underscores the importance of community involvement in addressing this critical challenge and seeks to harness the collective strength of the police force and the public to create a drugs-free environment," he added.

The DIG said the mission is not just a programme but a movement that aims to bring together the police and the public in a united front against drugs.

"We believe that with strong community involvement, we can make significant strides in our mission," he said.

Accompanied by Patiala's Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Varun Sharma, Bhullar held a meeting with the committee members -- also called "police sahyogi" -- comprising sarpanches of various villages and other dedicated community enthusiasts in the presence of stakeholders such as sub-divisional police officers and station house officers.

The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy -- enforcement, de-addiction and prevention -- to root out drugs from the state.

Sharma said a comprehensive 360-degree feedback session was organised during the meeting, allowing the stakeholders to share their insights and suggestions.

The mission and vision of 'Mission Sahyog' have been articulated, emphasising a collaborative approach in which every member of the community plays a vital role in its success, he added.

The SSP said a feedback system is already in place in Patiala and anyone is free to provide information to the police.

"Those providing any kind of information or tip will be kept confidential," he said and added that the Patiala police will also reward the person if their information leads to any drugs recovery.
Ayodhya (UP), Jun 23 (PTI) Police personnel deployed for the security of Hanumangarhi temple's chief priest Raju Das were recently removed after an argument between him and district officials during a meeting here called by two Uttar Pradesh ministers.

Ayodhya District Magistrate Nitish Kumar, however, said the mahant's security cover was removed on Friday following complaints that he was misusing it to threaten people, particularly traders.

The meeting was called by Uttar Pradesh ministers Jai Veer Singh and Surya Pratap Shahi on Thursday evening to review the BJP's performance in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat, which it lost in the polls, and Das and Ayodhya Mayor Girish Pati Tripathi were also present there.

District officials, including the magistrate and Senior Superintendent of Police Raj Karan Nayyar, were called later to the meeting to "give some inputs on development work", a BJP source said.

Party sources said the argument broke between Das and the officials after he blamed them for the loss of the BJP in the Faizabad Lok Sabha seat -- made up of five assembly segments with Ayodhya being one of these.

Three armed police personnel were part of Das' security cover and it was withdrawn with immediate effect on Friday, officials said.

On the removal of his security cover, Das told PTI on Sunday, "It was done because I called the district administration's officials thieves and corrupt which they are. This is why my security was withdrawn."

District Magistrate Kumar said, "Raju Das has many criminal cases registered against him and we were receiving complaints that he misused the security to threaten the public and the traders. This is gross misuse so the security was withdrawn."

Following the BJP's loss in Faizabad to Samajwadi Party's Awdhesh Prasad, Das had made several controversial statements, including calling the people of Ayodhya " traitors of Lord Ram" and that "all administrative and police officers, including district magistrates and district police chiefs, are corrupt and thieves and don't do any work without taking bribe".

Das also met the Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in Lucknow on Saturday.

When asked about his meeting with the chief minister, Das said, "We discussed several issues regarding Ayodhya and I communicated to him what I have been saying that government officials in Ayodhya are corrupt and they don't do any work without taking a bribe."

Das claimed that he did not discuss the issue of his security with the chief minister.
New Delhi, Jun 23 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has refused to grant interim bail to Hyderabad businessman Arun Ramchandran Pillai, who is lodged in judicial custody in a money laundering case related to the alleged Delhi Excise scam, noting that he is receiving adequate medical treatment in jail.

Pillai, who sought to be released on interim bail on medical grounds, submitted that his family has taken opinion from ayurvedic doctors who have opined that he needs to be admitted at an ayurvedic centre to undergo 21 days panchkarma therapy with further rest of 21 days.

The high court said, Without commenting on the efficacy of Panchkarma treatment with regard to the back pain, suffice to say that the applicant needs to follow the treatment advice of the doctor and even thereafter if he does not get relief and then if so advised, he would be at liberty to file an application to explore the alternative remedies of ayurveda/ panchkarma treatment etc.

A vacation bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja noted that none of the medical reports even remotely state that Pillai is suffering from any life threatening ailment or that treatment for such ailment is not available in the referral hospitals.

As of now, I find no justification for grant of interim bail to the applicant (Pillai). The application is accordingly dismissed. Needless to say that the jail authorities would continue to provide the requisite medical attention to the accused as per the advice of the doctor, the judge said.

Pillai, who was arrested by the ED in March last year, sought interim bail for eight weeks for medical reasons, including back pain.

His counsel submitted that he wanted to explore the alternative treatment as his condition was not improving with the present treatment being given to him.

The interim bail plea was opposed by the EDs counsel, who submitted that no hospital, including Max Super Speciality Hospital, from where he is presently undergoing treatment, has referred him for panchkarma therapy.

The interim bail is being sought without any expert opinion of any doctor and without there being any necessity of the applicant to be released on interim bail, the EDs counsel argued, adding that panchkarma therapy is merely a massage/ rejuvenating therapy which is an optional therapy.

The court, in its order, said it is conscious of the States responsibility to provide adequate medical care to the accused.

However, need of seeking bail on medical grounds arises only when the prison authorities/ referral hospitals are incapable of providing required care or treatment essential for the treatment of the accused. Essentially, the ailment should be of such a nature that if the accused is not released on bail, he cannot be ensured proper treatment for his ailment, it said.

The court said the obligation to provide necessary medical treatment does not mean that despite best treatment available in the super speciality hospital like Max and other referral hospitals, Pillai would still be entitled to the grant of interim bail.

After perusing the report from the medical officer of Tihar Jail, the court said it was satisfied that the accused is receiving adequate treatment, both at the jail dispensary as also at the referral hospitals.

It noted that there was no lapse on the part of the jail administration or even alleged by the accused regarding the treatment provided to him and observed that the report showed that Pillai himself was not taking laser physiotherapy sessions as advised by the doctors.

Pillai was arrested by the ED on March 6, 2023 following allegations that he represented the "South Group" at meetings with other accused when the 2021 excise policy was being formulated and implemented.

The South Group is allegedly a cartel of liquor businessmen and politicians who were claimed to have paid Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to the ruling AAP dispensation for favours.

The excise policy was scrapped in 2022 after the Delhi lieutenant governor ordered a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and corruption involving its formulation and execution.

The ED has claimed that Pillai is a close aide of Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, and the frontman for the South Group. Kavitha is also in custody in the case.
Kozhikode, Jun 22 (PTI) The activists of KSU and MSF on Saturday waved black flag at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan here, protesting against the alleged shortage of plus-one (Class 11) seats in schools across the northern Kerala region of Malabar.

Kerala Students Union (KSU) and the Muslim Students Federation (MSF), the students wing of the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League respectively waved black flags at Vijayan when he reached here to take part in a Kerala NGO Union event.

Nadakkavu police said 12 activists were taken into custody in connection with the Saturday evening protest.

The opposition parties in Kerala are protesting against the apathy of the state government in resolving the issues related to the alleged shortage of plus-one seats in schools of northern Kerala.

The Left government has been facing flak over the issue after a girl student in Parappanangadi in Malappuram district in the region died by suicide on June 11 allegedly over anxiety about whether she would get a seat for plus-one to continue her studies.

While the Congress has been demanding that additional plus-one seats be allotted in schools in the Malabar region to address the alleged shortage of seats there, the Kerala government has claimed that there is no crisis in plus-one admissions at all.
Hassan (Karnataka), Jun 22 (PTI) JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was booked on Saturday for allegedly sodomising a party worker a few days ago, police said.

Chethan K S (27) had complained to the police that Suraj Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, sodomised him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada in Holenarasipura Taluk on June 16 evening.

Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural sex) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Instead, he has alleged that Chethan filed a false complaint to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

Police have not yet arrested Suraj Revanna.

On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against Chethan on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar.

Shivakumar has alleged that Chethan was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him. It has been alleged that Chethan demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna and later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

Suraj is the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna who is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women. Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.

Their father H D Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.
Bengaluru, Jun 23 (PTI) JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna on Sunday termed the allegations against his son and MLC Suraj Revanna of sexually abusing a male party worker as a "conspiracy" and said he has faith in God and the judiciary.



Not wanting to react to anything, he said when time comes he will tell everything.



Suraj Revanna -- the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women -- was arrested in Hassan earlier in the day on charges of "unnatural offences" against him, police sources said.

He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences."



"I won't react to anything. Let the (CID) do it (investigation). Who said don't (investigate)? I won't say anything on this. I have respect for the judiciary. I know what's happening in the state," Revanna said.





While speaking to reporters here, he said, "I won't react to anything. I have faith in God and the judiciary. I won't fear such conspiracies. I know what it is, time will decide."



Asked as to who was conspiring, Revanna said, "I don't know, you (media) will have to tell -- who, what. I will leave it to you...will face it, judiciary is there. Suraj has gone (to police), everyone knows what all has happened in the last couple of days."



Regarding Suraj's complaint, he said, "I don't know what it is. Time will come, when time comes I will tell everything."



Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him.





On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against the JD(S) worker on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar.



Not wanting to react to the case regarding his nephew Suraj, Union Minister and state JD(S) chief H D Kumaraswamy said he didn't have anything to do with it, and law will take its course.





"That issue, why do you ask me? It is not pertaining to me. It is not necessary to react to all those things. Law will take its own course...What do I have to do with it (case)?" he said.



Asking reporters not to discuss with him on the matter, Kumaraswamy said, "discuss with me on issues concerning the state. Why discuss with me about it, what is the need? Law will take its course...why such cases, we will get to know in the days to come."



Suraj's brother and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women and was arrested upon his return from Germany last month.





Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.



H D Revanna and wife Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) stands against the other dividend stocks.

Last year, artificial intelligence (AI) was the main focus in the markets, driving tech stocks to the forefront. These stocks rose by nearly 56%, accounting for the majority of the markets gains. However, these trends quickly lose popularity once they emerge. Experienced long-term investors understand a crucial principle: while chasing short-term investment trends can often lead to disappointment, committing to a long-term strategy can yield success. As AI-related companies drove the market upward, the valuations of high dividend-paying companies quietly declined in comparison. It is not about attractive valuations of dividend stocks, these stocks also offer diversification benefits and the potential for a growing income stream, especially if the Fed decides to lower interest rates, making them a strong investment option. These stocks become more attractive when companies have a solid history of consistently paying and increasing their payouts. Read our list of Best Dividend Kings to Buy for Safe Dividend Growth.

Dividend zombies are companies that have paid dividends to shareholders for at least 100 consecutive years whereas dividend kings are companies boasting 50 years of dividend growth. Dividend growers have shown strong performance over the years, often surpassing the overall market returns. The Dividend Aristocrats index, which tracks the performance of companies with 25 consecutive years or more, has outperformed the broader market since its inception in 2005, with lower levels of volatility. Historically, the index has captured 90% of the markets upward movements while experiencing only 82% of its declines. Currently, the Aristocrats are trading at a price-to-earnings multiple that is more than 10% lower than that of the broader market. This discount level has historically preceded prolonged periods of superior performance by the Aristocrats.

Since the end of 1989, there have been six calendar years where the broader market experienced negative performance. In each of these years, the Dividend Aristocrat index surpassed the performance of the broader equity benchmark by an average of 13.28%. Remarkably, the aristocrats delivered positive total returns in three of those years.

Given investors preference for dividend stocks, companies listed in the broader market indices are consistently increasing and sustaining their dividend payments. In the first quarter of 2024, the S&P's main index distributed $151.6 billion in dividends, compared to $146.8 billion in Q1 2023. There were 796 reported dividend increases in the first quarter, totaling $22.7 billion, up from $19.7 billion in the prior-year period.

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The impressive returns of dividend growers clearly demonstrate their strong performance. In this article, we will take a look at dividend zombies and dividend kings to invest in.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we selected companies that have paid dividends for over 100 years and also have strong dividend growth histories. Some of these companies are dividend kings, which means that they have raised their payouts for 50 years or more. We also considered the hedge fund sentiment around each stock, according to Insider Monkey's database for Q1 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the consecutive years of dividend payments. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

A view of the skyline from an electricity pylon, to show the ubiquity of the companies energy products.

UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI)

Consecutive Years of Dividend Payments: 140

Another utility company that made it to our list of the best dividend zombies is UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI). The natural gas and electric utility company delivers reliable, safe, and affordable energy to its consumers. It currently pays a quarterly dividend of $0.375 per share and carries an impressive dividend yield of 6.56%, as of June 20. The company has maintained an unbroken record of dividend payments for 140 years and has consistently increased its payouts for the past 37 years in a row.

In fiscal Q2 2024, UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI)'s natural gas division achieved its highest second-quarter earnings, showing a 32% increase from the same period last year. In addition, significant progress was made in cost control efforts to enhance operational efficiency across the business. These outcomes highlight the resilience of its portfolio to provide long-term value to shareholders. For FY24, the company expects to achieve results that align with its adjusted EPS guidance range. It expects its EPS to be between $2.70 and $3.002 per share.

First Pacific Advisors mentioned UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) in its Q1 2024 investor letter. Here is what the firm has to say:

UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI) owns gas utilities and pipelines in Pennsylvania and West Virginia and the largest propane distribution businesses in the United States and Europe. Despite its disparate parts, UGI has increased consolidated earnings at a relatively steady high- single-digit rate while distributing excess cash through dividends. UGIs share price has declined because of a combination of poor execution and too much debt at AmeriGas, UGIs U.S. propane business. On August 30, 2023 UGI announced a review of strategic alternatives. We believe the companys stock price is attractive at less than 10x earnings, and we have been incrementally adding to the Funds position.

At the end of March 2024, 29 hedge funds in Insider Monkey's database owned stakes in UGI Corporation (NYSE:UGI), down from 33 a quarter earlier. These stakes have a total value of nearly $180 million. Citadel Investment Group was one of the company's leading stakeholders in Q1. The hedge fund also presented a bullish stance on the company, increasing its UGI position by 154% during the quarter.

Overall UGI ranks 4th on our list of the dividend zombies and kings with longest dividend payouts. You can visit 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts to see the other dividend stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of UGI as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is as promising as UGI but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Donald Trump told a group of evangelicals they cannot afford to sit on the sidelines of the 2024 election, imploring them at one point to go and vote, Christians, please!

Trump also endorsed displaying the Ten Commandments in schools and elsewhere while speaking to a group of politically influential evangelical Christians in Washington on Saturday. He drew cheers as he invoked a new law signed in Louisiana this week requiring the Ten Commandments to be displayed in every public school classroom.

Has anyone read the Thou shalt not steal? I mean, has anybody read this incredible stuff? Its just incredible, Trump said at the gathering of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. They dont want it to go up. Its a crazy world.

Trump a day earlier posted an endorsement of the new law on his social media network, saying: I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT  HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG???

The former president and presumptive Republican presidential nominee backed the move as he seeks to galvanize his supporters on the religious right, which has fiercely backed him after initially being suspicious of the twice-divorced New York City tabloid celebrity when he first ran for president in 2016.

That has continued with his conviction in the first of four criminal cases he faces, in which a jury last month found him guilty of falsifying business records for what prosecutors said was an attempt to cover up a hush money payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 election. Daniels claims she had a sexual encounter with Trump a decade earlier, which he denies.

Trumps stated opposition to signing a nationwide ban on abortion and his reluctance to detail some of his views on the issue are at odds with many members of the evangelical movement, a key part of Trumps base thats expected to help him turn out voters in his November rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden.

But while many members of the movement would like to see him do more to restrict abortion, they cheer him as the greatest champion for the cause because of his role in appointing U.S. Supreme Court justices who overturned national abortion rights in 2022.

Trump highlighted that Saturday, saying, We did something that was amazing, but the issue would be left to people to decide in the states.

Every voter has to go with your heart and do whats right, but we also have to get elected, he said.

While he still takes credit for the reversal of Roe v. Wade, Trump has also warned abortion can be tricky politically for Republicans. For months, he deferred questions about his position on a national ban.

Last year, when Trump addressed the Faith & Freedom Coalition, he said there was a vital role for the federal government in protecting unborn life but didnt offer any details beyond that.

In April of this year, Trump said he believed the issue should now be left to the states. He later stated in an interview that he would not sign a nationwide ban on abortion if it was passed by Congress. He has still declined to detail his position on womens access to the abortion pill mifepristone.

About two-thirds of Americans say abortion should generally be legal, according to polling last year by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Attendees at the evangelical gathering on Saturday said that while theyd like to see a national abortion ban, Trump isnt losing any of their deep support.

I would prefer if he would sign a national ban, said Jerri Dickinson, a 78-year-old retired social worker and Faith & Freedom member from New Jersey. I understand though, that as in accordance with the Constitution, that decision should be left up to the states.

Dickinson said she cant stand the abortion law in her state, which does not set limits on the procedure based on gestational age. But she said outside of preferring a national ban, leaving the issue to the state is the best alternative.

John Pudner, a 59-year-old who recently started a Faith & Freedom chapter in his home state of Wisconsin, said members of the movement feel loyal to Trump but wed generally like him to be more pro-life.

I think a lot, you know, within the pro-life movement feel like, well, gosh, theyre kind of thinking hes too far pro-choice, he said. But because they appreciate his Supreme Court justices, like thats a positive within the pro-life community.

According to AP VoteCast, a wide-ranging survey of the electorate, about 8 in 10 white evangelical Christian voters supported Trump in 2020, and nearly 4 in 10 Trump voters identified as white evangelical Christians. White evangelical Christians made up about 20% of the overall electorate that year.

Beyond just offering their own support in the general election, the Faith & Freedom Coalition plans to help get out the vote for Trump and other Republicans, aiming to use volunteers and paid workers to knock on millions of doors in battleground states.

Later Saturday, Trump plans to hold an evening rally in Philadelphia.

(AP)
At least three people were killed in a Russian bombing attack on Ukraines second city, Kharkiv, on Saturday afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.

Another 38 people were wounded in the attack, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Four aerial bombs were launched against the city, damaging residential buildings, shops and public transport stops, said Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov. He said that four of the wounded were in serious condition.

This Russian terror with guided aerial bombs must and can be stopped. Bold decisions from our partners are needed so that we can destroy Russian terrorists and Russian combat aircraft where they are, Zelenskyy wrote on the messaging app Telegram.

Zelenskyy said last month that Ukraine still urgently needs at least seven more Patriot missile systems to fend off Russian strikes against the power grid and civilian areas, as well as military targets, with devastating glide bombs that wreak wide destruction.

Russia has also continued to target Ukraines energy infrastructure with a new barrage of missiles and drones overnight, officials in Kyiv said. The attacks damaged energy facilities in the southeast and west and injured at least two workers.

Ukraine is struggling with a new wave of rolling blackouts after relentless Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that started three months ago took out half the countrys power generation capacity. Ukraines air defenses intercepted 12 of the 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia, the air force said.

State-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the strikes damaged equipment at facilities in southeastern Zaporizhzhia and the western Lviv region. Two energy workers were injured in Zaporizhzhia when a fire broke out at an energy facility, according to regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov.

With no major changes reported along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, where a recent push by the Kremlins forces in eastern and northeastern Ukraine has made only incremental gains, both sides have taken aim at infrastructure targets, seeking to curb each others ability to fight in a war that is now in its third year.

Moscows overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia and Lviv follows Ukrainian military strikes on three oil refineries in southern Russia overnight into Friday.

Air defenses destroyed five drones over the Sea of Azov and the countrys western Bryansk and Smolensk regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. A man was killed in shelling of Russias Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.

The governor of eastern Ukraines partly occupied Donetsk region said Saturday that Russian attacks had killed five people and wounded seven the previous day.

In the Russia-controlled part of the region, Moscow-installed Gov. Denis Pushilin said three people were killed and four were injured in shelling by Ukrainian forces Saturday morning.

A policeman was killed in the partly occupied region of Kherson as a result of a Russian drone attack on a checkpoint, the Ukrainian National Police said.

(AP)
A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier arrived Saturday in South Korea for a three-way exercise involving Japan as they step up military training to cope with North Korean threats, which have escalated following a security pact with Russia.

The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a major deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week.

The agreement pledges mutual defense assistance in the event of war. South Korea says the deal poses a threat to its security and warned that it could consider sending arms to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion as a response  a move that would surely ruin its relations with Moscow.

Following a meeting between their defense chiefs in Singapore earlier in June, the United States, South Korea and Japan announced the Freedom Edge drills.

The Roosevelt strike group will participate in the exercise that is expected to start within June. South Koreas military didnt immediately confirm specific details of the training.

Rear Admiral. Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, said the exercise is aimed at sharpening tactical proficiency of ships and improving interoperability between the countries navies to ensure we are ready to respond to any crisis and contingency.

South Koreas navy said in a statement that the arrival of the carrier demonstrates the strong defense posture of the allies and stern willingness to respond to advancing North Korean threats. The carriers visit comes seven months after another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, came to South Korea in a show of strength against the North.

The Roosevelt strike group also participated in a three-way exercise with South Korean and Japanese naval forces in April in the disputed East China Sea, where worries about Chinas territorial claims are rising.

In the face of growing North Korean threats, the United States, South Korea and Japan have expanded their combined training and boosted the visibility of strategic U.S. military assets in the region, seeking to intimidate the North. The United States and South Korea have also been updating their nuclear deterrence strategies, with Seoul seeking stronger assurances that Washington would swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to defend its ally from a North Korean nuclear attack.

(AP)
A shooter who opened fire Friday at a grocery store in Arkansas left the store and parked cars riddled with bullet holes as bystanders ducked for cover both indoors and in the parking lot, killing 3 people and wounding 10 others, authorities said.

The wounded included two law enforcement officers who exchanged fire with and shot the suspect, state police said. The shooting occurred about 11:30 a.m. at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles (104 kilometers) south of Little Rock.

Its tragic, our hearts are broken, Col. Mike Hagar, director of the Arkansas State Police and public safety secretary, told reporters Friday.

Police identified the suspected shooter as 44-year-old Travis Eugene Posey of New Edinburg. He was taken to jail and charged with three counts of capital murder, while other charges are still pending. No court date had been set, according to the inmate roster.

A state police spokesperson did not know if Posey had an attorney, and the Ouachita County Sheriffs Office said it had no information.

Neither the officers nor Poseys injuries were life threatening. The remaining injuries ranged from not life-threatening to extremely critical, Hagar said.

Its the latest mass shooting where a grocery store is its backdrop. A white supremacist in 2022 killed 10 Black people at a Buffalo supermarket. That shooting came a little more than a year after one at a Boulder, Colorado, supermarket, where 10 people were killed.

Police did not immediately say whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the store. Police did not identify the victims and have not released a motive for the shooting.

Roderick Rogers, a member of the city council, said he called the county sheriff when employees at his restaurant nearby notified him of the shooting.

Rogers said when he got there, he saw people running for cover in every direction, even one running to the hospital nearby.

People were just jumping into cars to get to safety, Rogers said.

Video posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another captured multiple gunshots ringing out.

Amiya Doherty said she was in her mothers car in the grocery stores parking lot when she heard what she was thought was fireworks. When she saw a man holding a gun and firing, she said she ducked out of view.

I held my sisters hand and I told her I love her, Doherty told Little Rock television station KATV.

Images from reporters on the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the grocery stores window, and spent shell casings strewn throughout the parking lot. In video footage, local and state agencies could be seen responding to the scene, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.

I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives, Sanders posted on the social media platform X. My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this.

The White House said President Joe Biden has been briefed on the shooting and his team will continue to keep him updated.

David Rodriguez, 58, had stopped at his local gas station in Fordyce to fill up his car when he heard what he thought were fireworks from a nearby vendors stand.

We heard a few little pops, he said.

He then saw people running from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot, and one person lying on the ground. He began recording video with his phone before the gunfire escalated.

The police started to show up, and then there was massive gunfire and ambulances pulling up, he said. The bullets were just flying.

(AP)
A former CNN anchor and a retired chemistry professor are facing off in a Democratic primary to pick a challenger to U.S. Rep. Nick LaLota in an eastern Long Island congressional district that has been in Republican hands for a decade.

John Avlon, who was a senior political analyst at CNN, is running in Tuesdays election against Nancy Goroff, a professor emeritus at Stony Brook University. She was the Democratic candidate in the district in 2020, but lost by about 10 percentage points.

Democrats have made the suburban New York City district a priority this year in their bid to reclaim a majority in the House of Representatives. Its one of several districts in the reliably Democratic states of New York and California that are seen as crucial to their chances.

The race could hinge on personality and voters views about which candidate gives Democrats the best chance to win. Their positions on policy matters are so similar that a local newspaper, The East Hampton Star, headlined its story about a recent debate between them: Avlon and Goroff Debate, Largely Agree.

Many Democrats, including local officials and incumbent members of Congress, have lined up behind Avlon as a fresh face who might have a better chance of toppling LaLota, the Republican incumbent.

Republicans didnt think theyd have to fight in this district, Avlon said in an interview. They didnt think theyd have a real fight on their hands and now they do.

But Goroff isnt rolling over. She loaned her own campaign $1.2 million, according to federal records. Her allies have also sought to criticize Avlon for previously working for Republican politician Rudy Giuliani. Avlon had an early career job as a speechwriter for Giuliani when he was the mayor of New York City and then worked on Giulianis 2008 presidential campaign.

She said shes confident a Democrat can win in the district, which stretches from the sandy Hamptons on the eastern tip of Long Island more than 80 miles westward to the outer ring of commuter suburbs east of New York City.

I think its very much purple and we are working to make sure that in this district, we activate people who want to see someone whos working hard, Goroff said in an interview. Whether theyre Democrats or Republicans, theyre looking for someone who is actually willing to do the work.

The question looming after the primary is whether a Democrat can retake the seat from a Republican.

President Joe Biden won the district in 2020 by a very small margin, but Democratic state lawmakers changed its borders slightly earlier this year to make it slightly more Republican, potentially giving other Democrats on the island a better chance at winning their races.

Since losing her election bid in 2020 to then U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, Goroff helped start an advocacy group that organizes around politically fraught school board races. Her campaign says she successfully helped defeat 20 right-wing candidates.

Avlon is best known for his time as a CNN personality, but he also worked as an editor at The Daily Beast, an online news site. He also helped create the centrist political group No Labels and authored books on political polarization.

Both Democrats favor protecting abortion rights and warn against what a federal government controlled by Republicans could do to curtail womens reproductive rights more broadly. Their criticisms of LaLota are similar, characterizing the freshman congressman as too deferential to Donald Trump and more interested in political stardom than getting legislation across the line.

Both candidates point to a host of explanations for why Republicans have thrived in recent elections on Long Island, which has been receptive to conservative candidates in recent elections. Their explanations include lagging Democratic turnout, the strength of particular candidates and voter fears about crime in New York City spilling over into the suburbs.

In a statement, LaLota said, While they fight to see who can appease the far left the most, Im focused on putting results over rhetoric and fighting for the community I grew up in.

One exception to the Republicans success was the recent special election in a congressional district once represented by George Santos that includes parts of the New York City borough of Queens and northern Long Island. In that race, Democrat Tom Suozzi, an established political figure in the area, defeated a lesser-known Republican, Mazi Pilip. He did so in part by running a centrist campaign that Democrats hope to replicate in other suburban races in the fall.

Avlon hopes to duplicate that winning formula. He often talks about how Democrats need to pull in moderates and independent voters, as well as some Republicans who have grown dissatisfied with the GOP under Trump.

Theres a reason Im running as a common sense Democrat, he said. In any swing district the candidate and the party who seizes the center will win.

Ed Cox, chairman of the New York Republican Party, said its going to be difficult for a Democrat to win on the island this year, especially in this district, given its shift to the GOP over the last decade and its more Republican-friendly configuration after redistricting.

Long Island is once again a Republican bastion, he said.

(AP)
A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier arrived Saturday in South Korea for a three-way exercise involving Japan as they step up military training to cope with North Korean threats, which have escalated following a security pact with Russia.

The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a major deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week.

The agreement pledges mutual defense assistance in the event of war. South Korea says the deal poses a threat to its security and warned that it could consider sending arms to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion as a response  a move that would surely ruin its relations with Moscow.

Following a meeting between their defense chiefs in Singapore earlier in June, the United States, South Korea and Japan announced the Freedom Edge drills.

The Roosevelt strike group will participate in the exercise that is expected to start within June. South Koreas military didnt immediately confirm specific details of the training.

Rear Admiral. Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, said the exercise is aimed at sharpening tactical proficiency of ships and improving interoperability between the countries navies to ensure we are ready to respond to any crisis and contingency.

South Koreas navy said in a statement that the arrival of the carrier demonstrates the strong defense posture of the allies and stern willingness to respond to advancing North Korean threats. The carriers visit comes seven months after another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, came to South Korea in a show of strength against the North.

Following completion of the exercise, the Roosevelt strike group will leave for the Middle East to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

The Roosevelt strike group also participated in a three-way exercise with South Korean and Japanese naval forces in April in the disputed East China Sea, where worries about Chinas territorial claims are rising.

In the face of growing North Korean threats, the United States, South Korea and Japan have expanded their combined training and boosted the visibility of strategic U.S. military assets in the region, seeking to intimidate the North. The United States and South Korea have also been updating their nuclear deterrence strategies, with Seoul seeking stronger assurances that Washington would swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to defend its ally from a North Korean nuclear attack.

(AP)
An IDF soldier was severely wounded on Sunday morning after Hezbollah launched several suicide drones at an IDF base in northern Israel near the yishuv of Ayelet HaShachar.

One drone was intercepted but several others struck the area, injuring the solider and igniting several fires.

The soldier was evacuated to the hospital for treatment. His family has been informed.

Earlier on Sunday, Hezbollah launched drones at a major Rafael defense factory on Sunday in an attack targeting the Lower Galil for the first time since October 8th. In a separate attack, Hezbollah launched an explosive drone at the yishuv of Beit Hillel.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
The Hezbollah terror group is storing a massive arsenal of Iranian weapons, missiles and explosives in Beiruts main civilian airport, The Telegraph reported on Sunday.

The Rafic Hariri airport is only four miles away from the center of the city.

According to the report, the cache includes Iranian-made Falaq unguided artillery rockets, Fateh-110 short-range missiles, road-mobile ballistic missiles and M-600 missiles with ranges of over 150 to 200 miles. Also at the airport is the AT-14 Kornet, laser-guided anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), huge quantities of Burkan short-range ballistic missile and explosive RDX, a toxic white powder also known as cyclonite or hexagon.

One airport employee told The Telegraph: This is extremely serious. Mysterious large boxes arriving on direct flights from Iran are a sign that things got worse. When they started to come through the airport, my friends and I were scared because we knew that there was something strange going on.

He expressed fear of a potential massive explosion similar to the one that occurred at the Port of Beirut in 2020, a blast that was attributed to Hezbollahs use of the port to store weapons.

Beirut will be cut off from the world, not to mention the number of casualties and damage, he warned. Its just a matter of time before a disaster also happens at the airport.

This is not the first time that Hezbollah has been accused of storing weapons at the airport but according to airport employees, it has escalated since October 7th. In November, unusually big boxes arrived on a direct flight from Iran. This doesnt happen often, but it did happen exactly when everyone in Lebanon was talking about the possibility of war, the first worker added.

Another whistleblower claimed: For years I have been watching Hezbollah operating at Beirut airport, but when they do it during a war, it turns the airport into a target. If they keep bringing in these goods Im not allowed to check, I really believe Ill die from the explosion or Ill die from Israel bombing the goods. Its not just us, its the ordinary people, the people coming in and out, going on holiday. If the airport is bombed, Lebanon is finished.

Airport employees also said that Hezbollah leader No. 2 Wafiq Safa, is a frequent visitor at the airport.

Wafiq Safa is always showing up at customs, one whistleblower claimed, citing close relationships with the customs managers. I feel like if we dont do what they say, our families will be in danger.

He added that employees who collaborate with Hezbollah walk around like peacocks with new watches and smartphones, and drive new cars. A lot of money [is] being passed under the table, he added.

Ghassan Hasbani, the former deputy prime minister and an MP for the Lebanese Forces party, said Hezbollahs control of the airport has long been a concern for Lebanon and more so now if it increasingly becomes a potential military target in the conflict with Israel.

He called for action to assess risks at the airport for fear of a repeat of the tragic port disaster of 2020. Its very difficult to know who can take action, he said. The last time the government tried to take action in 2008, there was a violent reaction by Hezbollah.

The area all around the airport is controlled by Hezbollah so many people are concerned about passage through the airport of Beirut, which is why many Gulf countries have at times imposed bans on their citizens travelling there, he said.

Weapons being transported from Iran to Hezbollah across border entry points or even weapon components, endangers both the Lebanese population and the non Lebanese travelling through and living in the country.

Taking action is all but impossible without international intervention to implement relevant UN resolutions, he said. The entrenchment of Hezbollah is everywhere, not only in the airport but in the port, the judiciary, its across society.

The public administration now is largely hijacked by Hezbollah and its very difficult to remove that without changing the militia-backed power game that exists today.

A security source at a major international aviation body told The Telegraph: We have been aware of this for years, but we are unable to do anything without international legal action. Our hands are tied to do what wed really like, which is to close the airport and have all the weapons and explosives removed.

In a statement, the IDF said: Hezbollahs strategy to hide weapons and operate from civilian neighborhoods stems from its intentions to draw the IDF to target these civilian areas in times of escalation.

If Hezbollah were to target Israeli civilians from these sites, the IDF would have no choice but to react, potentially placing Lebanese civilians in harms way, causing international outrage toward the IDF.

(YWN Israel Desk  Jerusalem)
A stark warning from Israels top electricity official has sparked a rush on generator sales, as citizens prepare for the possibility of a full-scale war with Hezbollah.

According to Channel 12, the Machsanei Hashmal chain reported a 108% increase in generator sales on Friday, compared to normal Fridays. The chains website also saw a fivefold increase in searches for generators following comments by Shaul Goldstein, head of Israels Independent System Operator Ltd (NOGA).

Goldsteins warning, made on Thursday, highlighted Israels unpreparedness for the damage its electricity infrastructure would sustain in the event of a war with Hezbollah. The Iranian-backed terror group is believed to possess approximately 150,000 rockets capable of targeting Israeli infrastructure.

The surge in generator sales was most prominent in Haifa and other northern towns, as well as Tel Aviv, Rishon Lezion, and Ashdod. These areas are considered most vulnerable to attack in the event of a conflict.

However, Goldstein later retracted his statements, telling the Kan public broadcaster, I made irresponsible remarks that I shouldnt have.

(YWN World Headquarters  NYC)
Wizz Air faces another shareholder revolt over boardroom pay as it plans to give top managers millions of pounds of free shares just for staying with the low-cost carrier.

Investors rebelled last year against an extension to a scheme to give CEO Jozsef Varadi a bonus of up to 100million if Wizz Airs volatile share price soared.

The latest plan, which the companys own pay committee chairman admits is unusual, applies to around 15 senior managers, but not Varadi. It comes with no performance strings attached.

Pay spat: Wizz Air faces another shareholder revolt over boardroom pay

All the executives have to do to hit the jackpot and share in around 15million is to stay with the company until 2028.

It means Wizz Air  recently named the UKs worst airline for delays for the third year running  is on course for another clash with shareholders at its annual meeting later this summer.

Like other carriers, its shares slumped during the pandemic when planes were grounded, but they have recovered as passengers returned to flying.

Tim Bush at shareholder consultancy Pirc said bonus schemes like the one proposed by Wizz Air were flawed because in this case it rewarded bosses when the share price bounced back after a fall  not for exceptional performance.

It makes as much sense to reward the chief executive for a rollercoaster (share price) ride as it would giving a pilot a bonus for doing the same thing in the air, he said. This is just an egregious example, Bush added.

A quarter of Wizz Airs shareholders voted against Varadis package after he was given an extra two years to hit targets.

The revolt put the company on the official list of shame register run by trade body the Investment Association, which lists firms where more than a fifth of shareholders voted against executive pay. In response, Wizz Air vowed to continue to consult with major shareholders about its pay policy but experts say the airline appears to have doubled down instead.

Details of the new scheme are contained in Wizz Airs latest annual report.

Barry Eccleston, chair of the carriers pay committee, said the one-off award, while unusual, was appropriate given the challenges Wizz Air faces.

It has been hit hard by the war in Ukraine, where it was the biggest operator, and turmoil in the Middle East. The airline flies more planes into Tel Aviv than any other.

Wizz Air has been impacted by an unprecedented level of external challenges in the last 12 months, a spokesman said.

'The carrier, which recently returned to profit, had to ground a fifth of its fleet after US manufacturer Pratt & Whitney recalled some of its engines.'

The new scheme was essential to attract and retain management talent so that they were rewarded and incentivised for their positive contribution to Wizz Airs future success, he added.
One of the most important retirement decisions you'll ever make is when to claim Social Security.

Most retirees can claim their monthly benefit starting at age 62, but waiting to claim results in a bigger monthly check from the government. Your benefits typically max out at age 70.

That leaves a lot of options for retirees. Many financial decisions often benefit from following the wisdom of the crowd. Aggregating the decisions and estimates of millions into an average might provide a better guide to what you should do than following a single person's advice.

But if you follow the average retiree's claiming strategy, you may end up worse off over the long run in retirement.

Image source: Getty Images.

Here's the average age retirees claim Social Security

The average age at which retirees claim Social Security has climbed steadily since the start of the 21st century. That's in large part due to changes in Social Security laws.

Congress passed new legislation in 1983 that raised the full retirement age from 65 to 67 in two tranches. The first tranche happened in the early 2000s, when workers born in 1937 or later saw their full retirement age climb to eventually reach 66. The second tranche is currently taking effect as workers born in 1955 or later gradually see their retirement age increase to 67. That transition will end in 2027.

Since full retirement age determines when someone becomes eligible for their standard benefit, or primary insurance amount, the country saw a significant increase in the average claiming age as workers adjusted to the change to Social Security in the 10 years from 2004 to 2014. The average retiree claimed benefits at age 63 and 4 months in 2004. A decade later, the average had climbed by about one year, and it's likely to see another leg up as Americans adjust to getting full retirement benefits at age 67.

Today, the average retiree claims benefits at age 65, according to the most recent data provided by the Social Security Administration about new retirement benefits awarded in 2022.

The two most popular claiming ages are 62 (the first year of eligibility) and 66. Less than 10% wait until age 70 to max out their monthly benefit.

Here's the average new benefit claimants receive

In 2022, the average retirement benefit for new claimants (not including conversions from disability) was $1,938.75. That translates into a 2024 benefit of $2,174.86 based on the cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for 2023 and 2024.

It's worth pointing out, though, that the average benefit for those who claimed at age 65 was less than the average benefit. The average 65-year-old claiming benefits in 2022 received just $1,874.56 per month. There are a couple of explanations for this discrepancy.

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First, the amount your monthly check increases each month leading up to your full retirement age is less than the increase your benefits get when delaying beyond full retirement age. You receive an additional 5/12 of 1% to 5/9 of 1% of your full retirement benefits for each month you get closer to your full retirement age. Wait past full retirement age, and you receive 2/3 of 1% of your standard benefit for each month you delay.

The second explanation is that low-income workers claim benefits earlier than high-income workers, on average. Their primary insurance amount is notably lower than that of those who wait until age 70. That early claiming makes sense in cases where careers may have been cut short, or a person doesn't have enough personal retirement savings to get by without claiming Social Security early.

Image source: Getty Images.

Should you claim at the average retirement age?

As mentioned, the wisdom of the crowd can serve as a guide as you forge your own path. Claiming at age 65 makes intuitive sense for many. It's long been held as the standard age for retirement (perhaps a holdover from the original Social Security law). It's also the age when you become eligible for Medicare, making it easier to leave your job.

But claiming Social Security at age 65 could be a mistake for many retirees, according to cold hard data and several extensive studies.

If you want to maximize your lifetime benefits from Social Security, you're most likely to do so by waiting until age 70 to apply. Life expectancy data from the CDC show the average person in their 60s will live long enough to receive more in benefits during their lifetime by waiting to claim. So, unless you have reason to expect you'll have a shorter-than-average lifespan, you'll likely get more benefits by delaying as long as possible.

A study conducted by United Income in 2019 also shows that most retirees would maximize their wealth by delaying until age 70. 57% of households would maximize their chances of being able to afford their retirement by waiting to claim until age 70. In comparison, just 8% of households are better off claiming before age 65.

Keep in mind that retirement planning is heavily dependent on personal circumstances. What works for one person may be a bad decision for another. The wisdom of the crowd can only take you so far. You need to determine what works best for you.

The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

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The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Here's the Average Age Retirees Claim Social Security and the Monthly Benefit They Receive was originally published by The Motley Fool
It looks like Heineken Malaysia Berhad (KLSE:HEIM) is about to go ex-dividend in the next three days. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is of consequence because whenever a stock is bought or sold, the trade takes at least two business day to settle. This means that investors who purchase Heineken Malaysia Berhad's shares on or after the 27th of June will not receive the dividend, which will be paid on the 25th of July.

The company's next dividend payment will be RM00.88 per share, on the back of last year when the company paid a total of RM1.28 to shareholders. Calculating the last year's worth of payments shows that Heineken Malaysia Berhad has a trailing yield of 5.5% on the current share price of RM023.18. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. So we need to investigate whether Heineken Malaysia Berhad can afford its dividend, and if the dividend could grow.

View our latest analysis for Heineken Malaysia Berhad

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Last year Heineken Malaysia Berhad paid out 97% of its profits as dividends to shareholders, suggesting the dividend is not well covered by earnings. A useful secondary check can be to evaluate whether Heineken Malaysia Berhad generated enough free cash flow to afford its dividend. Over the last year, it paid out dividends equivalent to 238% of what it generated in free cash flow, a disturbingly high percentage. It's pretty hard to pay out more than you earn, so we wonder how Heineken Malaysia Berhad intends to continue funding this dividend, or if it could be forced to cut the payment.

Cash is slightly more important than profit from a dividend perspective, but given Heineken Malaysia Berhad's payments were not well covered by either earnings or cash flow, we are concerned about the sustainability of this dividend.

Click here to see the company's payout ratio, plus analyst estimates of its future dividends.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks in companies that generate sustainable earnings growth often make the best dividend prospects, as it is easier to lift the dividend when earnings are rising. If business enters a downturn and the dividend is cut, the company could see its value fall precipitously. This is why it's a relief to see Heineken Malaysia Berhad earnings per share are up 7.2% per annum over the last five years. Earnings per share have been growing steadily, although a payout ratio this high suggests future growth is likely to slow, and the dividend may also be at risk of a cut if business enters a downturn.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. In the past 10 years, Heineken Malaysia Berhad has increased its dividend at approximately 6.5% a year on average. We're glad to see dividends rising alongside earnings over a number of years, which may be a sign the company intends to share the growth with shareholders.

To Sum It Up

Should investors buy Heineken Malaysia Berhad for the upcoming dividend? The dividends are not well covered by either income or free cash flow, although at least earnings per share are slowly increasing. It's not the most attractive proposition from a dividend perspective, and we'd probably give this one a miss for now.

So if you're still interested in Heineken Malaysia Berhad despite it's poor dividend qualities, you should be well informed on some of the risks facing this stock. For example, we've found 2 warning signs for Heineken Malaysia Berhad that we recommend you consider before investing in the business.

If you're in the market for strong dividend payers, we recommend checking our selection of top dividend stocks.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Right now the Kansas City Chiefs are a Super Bowl dynasty.

One of their star players currently parties with royalty and the global elite A-list.

The Chiefs are at the pinnacle of their power and fans believe that the young team can only get better.

And so . . .

The team's hubris seems justified by supporters.

In fact, the love for the team is so great that acolytes seem willing to support their every decision.

Here's some survey data to back up this premise and offer a glimpse of dedication to Super Bowl champs:



87% of Chiefs fans said they would still be a fan of the team if they play in a new stadium in Kansas.

That's a bold statement . . . But it doesn't share the whole picture.

Consider . . .



2012 wasn't so long ago when a star player was involved in a murder/suicide and fans launched a boycott of the team.



Of course we don't wish hard times on anyone but we can say with some degree of confidence that the Chiefs won't be able to sustain this level of success forever.

Remember when the Royals promised a small market dynasty?!?!?

And this brings us to our main point . . .

CHIEFS & ROYALS ARE MISTAKEN IF THEY BELIEVE THEY CAN SLAP KCMO IN THE FACE AND LEAVE TOWN WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCE TO THEIR BRAND!!!

Even worse . . .

SKETCHY PLANS TO MOVE ACROSS THE STATE LINE ONLY SERVE TO INCITE LOCAL DIVISIONS & BUILD RESENTMENT AGAINST GREEDY OWNERS!!!



Consider . . .

Usually, when teams move . . . They relocate far, far away because abandoning a city is a horrible insult to hundreds of thousands of people.

This season former fans of the Oakland A's have embarrassed the team ahead of relocation to Vegas.



Accordingly . . .

IT'S OKAY FOR KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI RESIDENTS TO REJECT PHONY IDEA OF REGIONALISM & METRO UNITY IN ORDER TO BENEFIT BILLIONAIRE OWNERS!!!

In fact some insiders suggest . . .

IT'S TIME FOR KANSAS CITY TO START PLAYING TOUGH WITH CLARK HUNT & JOHN SHERMAN AND PROMISE THEM SERIOUS BRAND DAMAGE FOR SKETCHY NEGOTIATIONS THEY'RE RUNNING!!!

Here's one just for fun . . . Give us credit for sharing this one before those lazy bums at The Star.

We can only hope this tidbit ruins Sunday for Sam Mellinger -- A formerly talented scribe now serving time as Royals PR flack.

INSIDERS NOW CONTEND: CHIEFS & ROYALS MOVING TO KANSAS SUBURBS IS THE SAME KIND OF WHITE FLIGHT INFLICTED KCMO AMID THE CIVIL RIGHTS ERA!!!

A quick refresher course . . .

Until the later part of the 20th century, Johnson County was once MOSTLY farm land.

When the Civil Rights movement slowly but surely changed laws and desegregation became a fact of life, families exited areas with a high concentration of African-Americans like KCMO and moved to the suburbs.

The ensuing history of redlining and block busting is a well documented facet of recent KC metro history.



Insiders now tell www.TonysKansasCity.com . . .

Given the high concentration of "people of color" in KCMO political leadership positions . . . Kansas City Chiefs & Royals abandon the urban core, look toward the suburbs of Kansas and the much less diverse Kansas state house in order to maintain the status quo.

The "evidence" for this argument . . .

Only now the Chiefs & Royals seem unable to achieve cooperation with the Jackson County courthouse and this coincides with the first time that people of color comprise the majority of elected officials in that elected body.

Before readers get too angry about this level of discourse . . .



This is all subjective and people who actually know how the negotiations are working understand the problems with this argument.

However . . .

We indulged this rhetorical lark in order to demonstrate that Chiefs & Royals are TOTES underestimating how ugly this thing can get and they're WRONG if they think they can waltz across the state line and alienate a city of more than 500,000 people who have witnessed this same kind of abandonment in the not-so-distant past.



Developing . . .
Right now we consider J-LO still on the high seas after all these years as we check pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

New Airport Levels Up

1 million passengers boarded flights at KCI in May, busiest May in airport history May 2024 will go down in the books as the busiest month of May in the history of the Kansas City International Airport.

Hyping Local Electric Biz

Panasonic's battery plant is already transforming De Soto, Kansas. It's only halfway built The Japanese electronics company's vision for a sprawling factory in northeast Kansas is taking shape quickly. Executives say it will employ 4,000 people directly, and help create an environment for even more jobs elsewhere in the region.

Show-Me Checks & Balances

Agent Seyz Always Be Closing

Perfect time to look into Kansas City housing market, says local realtor The scorching heat of the summer isn't coming hand in hand with a scorching hot home market in many parts of the country, but one local realtor says it's a great time to get into the market.

Home Team Slide Cont'd

Sending Messages To Ben

Jennifer Lopez, 54, takes RACY selfies of her famous posterior Jennifer Lopez showed Ben Affleck exactly what he is missing as she sizzled in a plunging white swimsuit on a luxurious getaway to Italy with friends.

Prez Talks La Migra

Biden will announce deportation protection and work permits for spouses of US citizens President Joe Biden is planning to announce a sweeping new policy that would lift the threat of deportation for tens of thousands of people married to U.S. citizens

MAGA Knows How To Win

Trump Just Revealed How He'll Attack Biden at Debate-and It's Vile He's going to pin "migrant killings" on Biden. It's false, and here's how Biden should respond.

White House Team Rallies Lady Voters

Vice President Harris and first lady Jill Biden to travel to battleground states for Dobbs ruling President Biden's campaign will mobilize voters on the issue of abortion to mark two years since the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

Progressives Prove Tough Crowd

AOC holds first 2024 rally for Biden in Las Vegas as progressives revolt over Gaza Ocasio-Cortez said women "don't have any other option" but Biden.

Voters Have Faith In MAGA

Trump backs Louisiana law requiring Ten Commandments in schools in address to influential evangelicals Louisiana this week passed a controversial law requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public school classroom in the state.

Feds Bust Power Player

Before FBI raid of Oakland Mayor Thao, years of questions over one family's political influence FBI raids in Oakland - including at the home of Mayor Sheng Thao - have cast a spotlight on a years-long probe into the political influence of the Duong family and California Waste Solutions.

Supreme Crackdown Underway

After gun control victory at Supreme Court, justices have other firearms cases in their sights The latest ruling is likely the first of many in which gun rights advocates challenge restrictions. One of those cases could affect Hunter Biden's recent conviction.

Internets Clowns Axis

Putin-Kim "bromance" sparks avalanche of jokes, memes "Did Kim Jong Un present Putin with a tombstone? Or is that a painting?" asked Anton Gerashchenko, an ex-adviser to Ukraine's minister of internal affairs.

No Peace For Holy Land?!?

US struggles to halt spiraling Israel-Hezbollah conflict A harder push by the U.S. for Israel and Hezbollah to reach a truce has so far failed to halt an escalating conflict at the Lebanese border that increasingly appears headed toward a full-blown war....

Power Play Underway In Europe

Russia launches 'massive' overnight attack on Ukraine power grid Several people are wounded after Russia targeted Ukraine's energy network for a second time this week.

Actually Adorable Mutts

World's ugliest dog? Meet Wild Thang, the 8-year-old Pekingese who took the 2024 crown The winner for the 2024 World's Ugliest Dog contest has been crowned. Wild Thang wins first place followed by Rome and Daisy Mae.

Nature Proves Teh Ghey

Animal homosexual behaviour under-reported by scientists, survey shows Study finds same-sex sexual behaviour in primates and other mammals widely observed but seldom published

Kansas City Soundtrack Winning

'Biggest accomplishment': KCK rapper Irv Da Phenom talks Deadpool & Wolverine trailer Rapper Irv Da Phenom has been a comic book fan since he was a child. He spoke with The Star about what it means to have his song featured in the trailer for "Deadpool & Wolverine."

Cowtown Summer Relief Plan Debuts

A guide to available public cooling centers, water parks, and pools in KC for summer 2024 Archival photo of the fountains at Crown Center. Amid record-breaking summer heat, information on where the public can find access to cooling centers and water resources is vital-especially for those in the community who are currently short on options. For both fun and safety, here's a handy guide to many publicly accessible options in the metro area.

Forecast For June . . .

Heat and pop-up storms Saturday, then a bigger heatwave to start the week It's going to get hotter Monday and Tuesday.

Myles Smith - Stargazing is the song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
Right now angel Lindsay inspires our glimpse at pop culture, community news and top headlines.



Check TKC news gathering . . .

Local Artsy Offerings

These are the 6 Kansas City art exhibits you need to explore this summer If you're looking to escape the brutal Kansas City summer heat, there's no better escape than these innovative and exciting exhibitions spanning the local art scene.

EPIC Showdown Awaits

Jason Whitlock Predicts Record Viewership For Fever-Sky Game On Sunday As a longtime enjoyer of the WNBA, Jason Whitlock has been the voice of hype for the league this year. That was sarcasm. Ahead of Sunday's big game between

Swifties FOREVER . . .

Kansas City can experience Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' again all summer Taylor Swift fans in Kansas City can experience the "Eras Tour' all summer with a Laser Taylor Swift Eras Tour tribute at Union Station's Planetarium.

Tenants Rally Meth Town

New landlord of Independence Towers faces tenant demands, days after fire displaces dozens The Independence Towers Tenant Union brought their new landlord to the negotiation table Thursday, just one day before one tenant was charged with arson for a fire that displaced 27 residents.

Living History Explored

'Kings of KC' exhibit honoring Kansas City Monarchs opens at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum "It's just a wonderful opportunity to bring everyone's focus back to where things started."

Machines Celebrate Angels

Five ways Victoria's Secret & Co. is using AI to make shopping more personalized and inclusive A new partnership between Victoria's Secret & Company and Google Cloud uses AI and generative AI to make online shopping more personalized and inclusive.

Sneak Peek Arguments

Biden campaign lays out debate week strategy in new memo The Biden campaign is gearing up for more than 1,000 events in the lead-up to Thursday's debate, according to a memo shared first with NBC News.

MAGA On Roll In Philly

Trump says 'few communities have suffered more under the Biden regime than Philadelphia' in rally stop Trump spoke at Philadelphia's Temple University in the key swing state of Pennsylvania on Saturday, just days ahead of his first debate with President Biden.

GOP Trap Exposed?!?

Trump campaign seeks to head off convention revolt from its right flank Arizona delegates to the Republican National Convention gathered this month in a Phoenix suburb, showing up to get to know each other and learn about their duties. Part of the presentation included a secret plan to throw the party's nomination of Donald Trump for president into chaos.

Vlad Drops In On Ukraine

Video appears to capture the first use of Russia's monstrous 6,600-pound glide bomb in Ukraine and the immense destruction it causes Analysts at the Institute for the Study of War think tank called the use of the FAB-3000 bomb a "significant development" for Russia.

Lesson For El Papa

Pope told by student to stop using anti-LGBTQ language It comes after reports that the Pope used extremely offensive language against gay men in a meeting.

Crafting Community Biz

Venture Noire coming back to KC with focus on improving outcomes for Black entrepreneurs Venture Noire is making its big return to Kansas City late this month with a two-day event to help early-stage entrepreneurs plan their next moves and reintroduce the Northwest Arkansas-based nonprofit to local business owners.

Local Dialect News

It's the age-old question... Pop, soda or Coke? KANSAS CITY, Mo. - We are all aware that geographical regions can play a major role in crafting ideas, beliefs and perspectives. But how large of an impact does it have on our everyday speech...

Grigs Talks Week Ahead

Storms lead to a quiet Sunday Storms Saturday night but less humid air for Sunday

Collective Soul - Shine is the Sunday song of the day and this is the OPEN THREAD for right now.
If you're not sure where to start when looking for the next multi-bagger, there are a few key trends you should keep an eye out for. Firstly, we'd want to identify a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and then alongside that, an ever-increasing 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. So when we looked at IDP Education (ASX:IEL), they do have a high ROCE, but we weren't exactly elated from how returns are trending.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

If you haven't worked with ROCE before, it measures the 'return' (pre-tax profit) a company generates from capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for IDP Education:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.25 = AU$246m  (AU$1.3b - AU$289m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to December 2023).

So, IDP Education has an ROCE of 25%. In absolute terms that's a great return and it's even better than the Consumer Services industry average of 7.5%.

See our latest analysis for IDP Education

roce

Above you can see how the current ROCE for IDP Education compares to its prior returns on capital, but there's only so much you can tell from the past. If you'd like, you can check out the forecasts from the analysts covering IDP Education for free.

The Trend Of ROCE

When we looked at the ROCE trend at IDP Education, we didn't gain much confidence. While it's comforting that the ROCE is high, five years ago it was 39%. Although, given both revenue and the amount of assets employed in the business have increased, it could suggest the company is investing in growth, and the extra capital has led to a short-term reduction in ROCE. If these investments prove successful, this can bode very well for long term stock performance.

On a related note, IDP Education has decreased its current liabilities to 23% of total assets. That could partly explain why the ROCE has dropped. What's more, this can reduce some aspects of risk to the business because now the company's suppliers or short-term creditors are funding less of its operations. Since the business is basically funding more of its operations with it's own money, you could argue this has made the business less efficient at generating ROCE.

The Key Takeaway

In summary, despite lower returns in the short term, we're encouraged to see that IDP Education is reinvesting for growth and has higher sales as a result. These growth trends haven't led to growth returns though, since the stock has fallen 13% over the last five years. As a result, we'd recommend researching this stock further to uncover what other fundamentals of the business can show us.

One more thing to note, we've identified 1 warning sign with IDP Education and understanding it should be part of your investment process.

IDP Education 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
As election season approaches . . . Agree or disagree, we can't help but notice the Missouri leader preaching fire & brimstone to the faithful.

Here's the word . . .



In the past week, American politicians and commentators have been sharply divided over a new Louisiana law requiring the biblical Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms. At The Faith & Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority Policy Conference, Hawley argued that the Christian religion should be a core part of American life, including its classrooms, rather than LGBTQ identity politics.



Here's a fiery quote from his recent speech:



"Who is dividing America is the radical Left," he told the conservative conference. "And thats why I say to you, we don't need less Christian influence in our society, we don't need less Christian witness in our society, we need more, in every part of government, in every part of society. You know what we ought to do? We ought to take the pride flag out of schools and put the Bible back in. You know what? We ought to take the trans flag down from all of our federal buildings and over every federal building in America write the words, In God we trust! In God we trust! Amen!"

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Political realists understand a truism . . .

PENTAGON PROGRESSIVE LUCAS KUNCE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH GRASSROOTS SUPPORT AND MOSTLY PEOPLE PRETEND TO LIKE HIM ON SOCIAL MEDIA!!!

Just a bit of proof . . .

Well, last time around progressives picked a beer heiress over the dude.

This time . . .

Missouri Democrats are forced to play along with a candidate that seems like he'd vote to drop a nuke bomb on Eastern Europe in the name of DEI.

Our real sympathy . . .

There are diehard KC Democrats who are going to have to pretend to support this dude rather than merely stand up and proclaim a simple truth:

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A PRO-WAR PROGRESSIVE!!!

Actually, that's tougher than it looks . . . AOC can't do it as she dutifully ignores the massacre in Eastern Europe in the name of . . . ????

And she's mostly quiet as a church mouse when it comes to challenging Prez Biden on his policy in the Holy Land.

But I digress . . .

In Missouri . . . It's simply red state politics that makes Lucas Kunce mostly irrelevant as a candidate beyond social media tough guy antics that only serve to entertain female low-info voters.

Meanwhile, here's more relevant data . . .



Still, polls suggest Hawley is favored to win reelection against Kunce in Missouri, a state that has trended toward Republicans over the last few decades.



Emerson College released a new poll on Friday that found Hawley leading Kunce by 9 points.

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . .
Many travelers all over the world find visiting the countries of South America to be such an adventure. If you happen to be considering making a trip to the continent, a country you should definitely consider is none other than Uruguay.

Uruguay is perhaps best known for its low levels of poverty and high per capita income. It is also known as one of the best democracies in the world and one of the most peaceful nations worldwide, especially when you take note of its low ranking when it comes to terrorism.

All these make Uruguay one of the best countries to visit in South America. But not only is it a peaceful place, it is home to different tourist attractions worth seeing. Here are the cities in Uruguay that travelers should definitely visit during their trip.

Colonia del Sacramento

Those who want to see a UNESCO World Heritage Site should definitely visit Colonia del Sacramento, whose historical quarter is part of the World Heritage Site list. Visitors can expect to see its well-preserved city wall as well as architecture dating back from the 18th century.

Points of Interest:

Barrio Historico

Calle de los Suspiros (Street of Sighs)

El Faro Lighthouse

Museo Municipal

Puerta de la Ciudadela

Related Article : Here's Why Uruguay is the Safest Country in South America

Melo

The capital of the Cerro Largo Department of Uruguay, the city of Melo is found in the northeastern part of the country. Travelers can expect a relatively warm climate when they visit the city, which has been ideal for many species of wildlife that call it home. It is likewise known for being more affordable for travelers.

Points of Interest:

Constitucion Square

Independencia Square

Posta del Chuy

Rivera Park

Montevideo

No list of must-visit cities in Uruguay will ever be complete without its capital, Montevideo. The capital is a port city and has a waterfront that is more than 20 kilometers (12.42 miles) long. Montevideo has a strong Art Deco influence, and visitors can expect to see well-preserved European architecture during their trip.

Points of Interest:

Museo del Carnival (Carnival Museum)

Castillo Pittamiglio (Pittamiglio Castle)

Mercado del Puerto (Montevideo Port Market)

Palacio Salvo (Salvo Palace)

Plaza Independencia

Pocitos

Rambla de Montevideo

Teatro Solis (Solis Theater)
Generally speaking long term investing is the way to go. But no-one is immune from buying too high. For example, after five long years the British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad (KLSE:BAT) share price is a whole 71% lower. That's not a lot of fun for true believers.

It's worthwhile assessing if the company's economics have been moving in lockstep with these underwhelming shareholder returns, or if there is some disparity between the two. So let's do just that.

Check out our latest analysis for British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad

There is no denying that markets are sometimes efficient, but prices do not always reflect underlying business performance. By comparing earnings per share (EPS) and share price changes over time, we can get a feel for how investor attitudes to a company have morphed over time.

Looking back five years, both British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad's share price and EPS declined; the latter at a rate of 17% per year. This reduction in EPS is less than the 22% annual reduction in the share price. This implies that the market was previously too optimistic about the stock.

You can see below how EPS has changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

Before buying or selling a stock, we always recommend a close examination of historic growth trends, available here.

What About Dividends?

It is important to consider the total shareholder return, as well as the share price return, for any given stock. Whereas the share price return only reflects the change in the share price, the TSR includes the value of dividends (assuming they were reinvested) and the benefit of any discounted capital raising or spin-off. It's fair to say that the TSR gives a more complete picture for stocks that pay a dividend. In the case of British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad, it has a TSR of -58% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. The dividends paid by the company have thusly boosted the total shareholder return.

A Different Perspective

While the broader market gained around 24% in the last year, British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad shareholders lost 12% (even including dividends). Even the share prices of good stocks drop sometimes, but we want to see improvements in the fundamental metrics of a business, before getting too interested. Unfortunately, longer term shareholders are suffering worse, given the loss of 10% doled out over the last five years. We would want clear information suggesting the company will grow, before taking the view that the share price will stabilize. It's always interesting to track share price performance over the longer term. But to understand British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad better, we need to consider many other factors. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 2 warning signs with British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad (at least 1 which is significant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Story continues

Of course British American Tobacco (Malaysia) Berhad may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on Malaysian exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
ABBOTTABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jun, 2024) Advisor to the Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) on Tourism and Culture Zahid Khan Zaman Sunday has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic drowning of two young men at the Jab Valley waterfall in Hazara.

In a press statement, he extended heartfelt condolences to the affected families. He directed the Department of Tourism to work with the local administration to review the pathways to all waterfalls in Jab Valley and ensure the safety of deep spots in the associated small lakes.

The advisor also instructed the establishment of special and safe viewpoints for tourists at waterfalls across the province. He expressed satisfaction over the arrival of more than four hundred thousand tourists to scenic spots during Eid-ul-Azha and praised the efforts of the Department of Tourism, rescue agencies and the divisional and local administration.

However, Zaman also expressed grief over the unfortunate incident in Madyan Sawat, where a traveller from another province was killed. He noted that this incident occurred despite the record number of tourist arrivals and their safe return with pleasant memories, suggesting that a conspiracy to defame tourist spots could not be ruled out.

Zahid Khan appealed to the people of the province to fully trust their elected government in any unpleasant situation rather than taking the law into their own hands. He assured them that the government would not disappoint them in national, religious, and public matters and would ensure immediate decisions and actions in line with public aspirations.
Berlin, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 23rd Jun, 2024) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said Sunday he was "concerned" about the prospect of a victory for the far-right in France's upcoming parliamentary elections.

President Emmanuel Macron's party is trailing badly with less than two weeks to go before the first round of the snap elections he called in response to the far right drubbing his party in European polls.

"I am concerned about the elections in France," Scholz told public broadcaster ARD in an annual summer interview.

"And I hope that parties that are not (Marine) Le Pen, to put it that way, are successful in the election.

But that is for the French people to decide," he added.

Opinion polls forecast Macron's ruling alliance would come third in the legislative elections on June 30 -- followed by a second round on July 7 -- behind Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN), and a new left-wing alliance.

This could make RN leader Jordan Bardella France's next prime minister, although the 28-year-old has insisted he will only accept this if his party and allies win an absolute majority of seats.

Germany's far-right AfD party also made gains at this month's European Parliament elections, while Scholz's ruling coalition suffered.
Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Jun, 2024) Police and prosecutors were on Sunday investigating how a 37-year-old women came to be attacked and seriously injured by three wolves in a zoo outside Paris.

The woman was bitten "on the neck, the calf and the back" at the Thoiry zoo around 40 kilometres (25 miles) west of the French capital, a source close to the case told AFP.

Maryvonne Caillibotte, chief prosecutor in Versailles, said earlier that the woman's life was in danger. Later Sunday, a source told AFP that her injuries were no longer life-threatening.

The woman is believed to have gone out alone for a jog after spending the night with her family in a safari-style lodge at the zoo, which it advertised on its website at between 220 and 760 Euros ($235-810) per night.

Lodges in the wolf zone promise "silence, rest and disconnection", according to the zoo's adverts. They offer "a one-of-a-kind, very intimate experience with the arctic wolves you'll be able to see from the living room".

The woman "ended up in the safari zone, which is supposed to be restricted to cars. That's where she was attacked by three wolves," Caillibotte said.

It was not clear "whether she made a mistake or the trail wasn't clearly marked", she added.

First responders got to the scene "very quickly", the wolves were "moved away, then returned to their area", Caillibotte said.

The source familiar with the case said earlier the woman must have got through "security systems, a trench and an electric fence supposed to keep the animals in".

Police are investigating the incident.

Thoiry zoo was founded in 1968 by Paul de la Panouse, owner of a local chateau that has been in his family since the 16th century.

He recalled to regional newspaper L'Independant in April how he initially stocked the zoo with a ship loaded with 120 animals brought from Kenya.

De la Panouse sold the zoo to a group of investors in 2018.
Three people were arrested early Sunday after they were accused of kidnapping four people, according to San Antonio police. FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images

Three people were arrested Sunday at a downtown motel after they allegedly kidnapped four people and were demanding payment for their release, San Antonio police said.

The incident happened at a motel in the 1500 block of Interstate 35 North.

Officers were called to the motel for a disturbance and met with the caller who showed police photos of the people who were being held against their will inside the motel, according to a preliminary police report. The caller told police the alleged suspects were demanding payment for the people's release.

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During an investigation, officers located the rooms where the alleged victims were being held and arrested the four suspected kidnappers, who ranged in ages 23 to 57 years. The youngest of the alleged victims was 17 and the oldest was 48. All were male, according to the police report.

Police did not say if anyone was hurt or if they recovered any weapons at the scene.

Police said they obtained search warrants for the hotel rooms.

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To find a multi-bagger stock, what are the underlying trends we should look for in a business? Ideally, a business will show two trends; firstly a growing return on capital employed (ROCE) and secondly, an increasing amount of capital employed. If you see this, it typically means it's a company with a great business model and plenty of profitable reinvestment opportunities. However, after briefly looking over the numbers, we don't think Supercomnet Technologies Berhad (KLSE:SCOMNET) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

Return On Capital Employed (ROCE): What Is It?

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. Analysts use this formula to calculate it for Supercomnet Technologies Berhad:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.075 = RM29m  (RM411m - RM17m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

Therefore, Supercomnet Technologies Berhad has an ROCE of 7.5%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Electrical industry average of 10%.

View our latest analysis for Supercomnet Technologies Berhad

roce

In the above chart we have measured Supercomnet Technologies Berhad's prior ROCE against its prior performance, but the future is arguably more important. If you're interested, you can view the analysts predictions in our free analyst report for Supercomnet Technologies Berhad .

What Does the ROCE Trend For Supercomnet Technologies Berhad Tell Us?

In terms of Supercomnet Technologies Berhad's historical ROCE movements, the trend isn't fantastic. Over the last five years, returns on capital have decreased to 7.5% from 12% five years ago. 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.

The Bottom Line On Supercomnet Technologies Berhad's ROCE

We're a bit apprehensive about Supercomnet Technologies Berhad because despite more capital being deployed in the business, returns on that capital and sales have both fallen. But investors must be expecting an improvement of sorts because over the last five yearsthe stock has delivered a respectable 82% return. Regardless, we don't feel too comfortable with the fundamentals so we'd be steering clear of this stock for now.

Supercomnet Technologies Berhad does have some risks though, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Supercomnet Technologies Berhad that you might be interested in.

While Supercomnet Technologies 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Tucked inside the West Virginia Statehouse is a copy of a petition to lawmakers with a simple request: Let the voters decide whether to reinstate legal access to abortion.

The request has been ignored by the Republican lawmakers who have supermajority control in the Legislature and banned abortions in the state in 2022, shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a constitutional right to the procedure.

The petition, with more than 2,500 signatures, is essentially meaningless given the current makeup of the Legislature. But it illustrates the frustratingly limited options millions of Americans face in trying to re-establish abortion rights as the country marks the two-year anniversary since the Supreme Court's ruling.

West Virginia is among the 25 states that do not allow citizen initiatives or constitutional amendments on a statewide ballot, an avenue of direct democracy that has allowed voters to circumvent their legislatures and preserve abortion and other reproductive rights in a number of states over the past two years.

Republicans there have repeatedly dismissed the idea of placing an abortion-rights measure before voters, which in West Virginia is a step only lawmakers can take.

It makes you wonder what theyre so afraid of, said Democratic Del. Kayla Young, one of only 16 women in the West Virginia Legislature. If they feel so strongly that this is what people believe, prove it.

The court's ruling to overturn Roe v. Wade was praised by abortion opponents as a decision that returned the question to the states. Former President Donald Trump, who named three of the justices who overturned Roe, has repeatedly claimed the people" are now the ones deciding abortion access.

The people are deciding," he said during a recent interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity. "And in many ways, its a beautiful thing to watch.

But that's not true everywhere. In states allowing the citizen initiative and where abortion access has been on the ballot, voters have resoundingly affirmed the right to abortion.

Voters in seven states, including conservative ones such as Kentucky, Montana and Ohio, have either protected abortion rights or defeated attempts to curtail them in statewide votes over the past two years. Reproductive rights supporters are trying to put citizen initiatives on the ballot in several states this year.

But voters don't have a direct say in about half the states.

This is particularly true for those living in the South. Republican-controlled legislatures, many of which have been heavily gerrymandered to give the GOP disproportionate power, have enacted some of the strictest abortion bans since the Supreme Court ruling while shunning efforts to expand direct democracy.

States began adopting the initiative process during the Progressive Era more than a century ago, giving citizens a way to make or repeal laws through a direct vote of the people. Between 1898 and 1918, nearly 20 states approved the citizen initiative. Since then, just five states have done so.

It was a different time, said John Matsusaka, professor of business and law at the University of Southern California. There was a political movement across the whole country when people were trying to do what they saw as good government.

Some lawmakers argue citizen initiatives bypass important checks and balances offered through the legislative process. In Tennessee, where Republicans have gerrymandered legislative districts to give them a supermajority in the statehouse, House Majority Leader William Lamberth likened ballot measures to polls rather than what he described as the legislature's strict review of complicated policy-making.

We evaluate bills every single year, he said.

As in West Virginia, abortion-rights supporters or Democratic lawmakers have asked Republican-controlled legislatures in a handful of states to take the abortion question straight to voters, a tactic that hasn't succeeded anywhere the GOP has a majority.

This means youre going to say, Hey Legislature, would you like to give up some of your power? Would you like to give up your monopoly on policymaking? said Thad Kousser, professor of political science at the University of California, San Diego. You need a political momentum and then have the process cooperate."

In South Carolina, which bans nearly all abortions, a Democratic-backed resolution to put a state constitutional amendment on the ballot never got a hearing this year. Attempts to attach the proposal to other pieces of legislation were quickly shut down by Republicans.

If you believe you are doing the right thing for all the people of South Carolina  men and women and babies  you should have no problem putting this to the people, said Democratic Sen. Margie Bright Matthews, alleging that Republicans fear they would lose if the issue went directly to voters.

In Georgia, Democratic Rep. Shea Roberts said she frequently fields questions from her constituents asking how they can get involved in a citizen-led ballot measure. The interest exploded after voters in Kansas rejected an anti-abortion measure from the Legislature in 2022 and was rekindled last fall after Ohio voters overwhelmingly passed an amendment codifying abortion rights in the states constitution.

Yet when she has brought legislation to create a citizen initiative process in Georgia, the efforts have been ignored inside the Republican-controlled Legislature.

Voters are constantly asking us why we cant do this, and were constantly explaining that its not possible under our current constitution, Roberts said. If almost half of states have this process, why shouldnt Georgians?

The contrast is on stark display in two presidential swing states. Michigan voters used a citizen initiative to enshrine abortion rights in their state constitution in 2022. Voters in neighboring Wisconsin don't have that ability.

Instead, Wisconsin Democrats, with a new liberal majority on the state Supreme Court, are working to overturn Republican-drawn legislative maps that are among the most gerrymandered in the country in the hope of eventually flipping the Legislature.

Analiese Eicher, director of communications at Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin, said a citizen-led ballot measure process would have been especially valuable for her cause.

We should have legislators who represent their constituents, she said. And if they dont, there should be another option.

In West Virginia, Steve Williams acknowledges the petition he spearheaded didn't change minds inside the Legislature.

But the Democratic mayor of Huntington, who is a longshot candidate for governor, said he thinks state Republicans have underestimated how strongly voters believe in restoring some kind of abortion access.

Republican leadership has pointed to a 2018 vote in which just under 52% of voters supported a constitutional amendment saying there is no right to abortion access in the state. But Williams said the vote also had to do with state funding of abortion, which someone could oppose without wanting access completely eliminated.

The vote was close, voter participation was low and it came before the Supreme Court's decision that eliminated a nationwide right to abortion. Williams said West Virginia women weren't facing the reality of a near-total ban.

Lets face it: Life in 2024 is a heck of a lot different for women than it was in 2018, he said.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the "intense phase" of fighting against Hamas militants in Gaza will be ending "very soon." But he added that Israel will likely shifts troops to the border with Lebanon, where Israel has engaged in daily skirmishes with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

Hostilities between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah have escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of a wider conflict in the region.

In his interview with Israel's Channel 14, Netanyahu said moving troops north would bolster the country's defensive posture against Hezbollah and allow Israelis who fled the fighting near the Lebanon-Israel border to return home.

He added that while he hopes a diplomatic solution to the conflict with Hezbollah could be found, Israel can "fight on several fronts, and we are also preparing for it.

Postwar Gaza

While Netanyahu expects fighting in Gaza to wind down as Israeli forces conclude their offensive in Rafah, he stressed that Israel expects to have a military presence there for the foreseeable future.

"We also want to create a civilian administration, if possible, with local Palestinians and maybe with external backing from countries in the region to manage humanitarian supply and later on, civilian affairs in the [Gaza] Strip, he said.

Netanyahu reiterated his opposition to either Hamas or the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority having a role in managing Gaza.

The U.S. has previously cautioned Israel against a long-term military occupation of the territory.

US arms shipments

Earlier Sunday, Netanyahu said he believes a dispute with the United States over the pace of its arms shipments to Israeli forces fighting Hamas militants in Gaza would be resolved soon.

"About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the U.S. to Israel. We got all sorts of explanations, but... the basic situation didn't change," he told a Cabinet meeting.

"In light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future," he said.

Top U.S. officials said last week they were puzzled by Netanyahus claim. Israeli officials said they lobbied their U.S. counterparts at "the highest levels... at all levels" for speedier weapons deliveries, with Netanyahu saying, "After months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression, which angered Washington.

U.S. officials said they were not aware of what Netanyahu was referring to.

Netanyahu's latest comments on the weapons deliveries came as Defense Minister Yoav Gallant flew to Washington for talks about the war. The U.S. is Israels main arms supplier in Israels war against Hamas, now in its ninth month with no immediate end in sight.

President Joe Biden has outlined what he said was an Israeli proposed a six-week halt in the fighting and the release of Hamas-held hostages. Hamas has said any agreement must result in an end to the war, a demand Israel has rejected.

While the U.S. has maintained its support for Israel, it has grown increasingly frustrated at Netanyahus conduct of the war. It was triggered by a shock Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and led to the capture of about 250 hostages. Israels counteroffensive in Gaza has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians, mostly civilians but also thousands of combatants, according to the territorys health ministry.

U.S. President Joe Biden delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over concerns about the continuing Israeli attacks in Gaza, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahu's charges that other shipments had also been affected.

Biden, running for reelection to a second four-year term, is facing conflicting political pressures over the Israeli-Hamas conflict.

Progressive Democrats have called for him to adopt a tougher stance toward Israel, with Biden warning Netanyahu against an all-out assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. But the Biden administration has avoided any suggestion that Israel's expanding push into Rafah has crossed a red line.

Opposition Republican critics say Biden has moderated his support for an essential Middle East ally.

Defense Minister Gallants office said he would discuss "maintaining Israel's qualitative edge in the region" with U.S. officials but made no mention of the weapons issue.

Some material in this report has come The Associated Press, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
One of Chicago's most popular tourist attractions known as The Bean reopened to the public Sunday after nearly a year of renovations and construction.

Construction started in August last year, and fencing around the iconic sculpture limited closeup access to visitors. The work on the plaza surrounding the sculpture included new stairs, accessible ramps and a waterproofing system, according to the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.

The bean-shaped sculpture by artist Anish Kapoor is formally known as Cloud Gate and weighs 110 tons (99.8 metric tons).

Its a busy tourist hub near Michigan Avenue, particularly for selfies with its reflective surface inspired by liquid mercury. Views of skyscrapers and crowds are reflected on the Millennium Park sculpture.

Visitors can once again have full access to Chicagos iconic Cloud Gate by Anish Kapoor, city officials said in a Sunday statement. Come back and get your #selfie!
Tibet's spiritual leader the Dalai Lama arrived Sunday in New York to undergo knee treatment, drawing a warm and festive welcome from thousands of followers.

His office in the Indian hill town of Dharamsala, his adopted home, announced earlier this month that the 88-year-old Buddhist spiritual leader would travel to the United States to undergo "medical treatment" on his knees, but no further details have been released.

Followers, many wearing traditional Tibetan outfits, waited outside the Dalai Lama's Manhattan hotel in crushing heat hoping to catch a glimpse of the man.

"Once we saw him, it felt really powerful. And everyone was, like, emotional because he's, like, our leader," said one of them, 18-year-old U.S.-born Tenzin Pasang, who has now seen the Dalai Lama three times.

"So it's very nice to see him in New York," she said.

She welcomed the spiritual leader by joining in a performance of a traditional Tibetan dance.

Last week a group of senior U.S. lawmakers including former House speaker Nancy Pelosi met with the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, sparking heavy criticism from China.

That visit followed passage of a bill by the U.S. Congress that seeks to encourage Beijing to hold talks with Tibetan leaders -- frozen since 2010.

Many exiled Tibetans fear Beijing will name a rival successor to the Dalai Lama, bolstering control over a land it poured troops into in 1950.

The Dalai Lama was just 23 when he escaped the Tibetan capital Lhasa in fear of his life after Chinese soldiers eviscerated an uprising against Beijing's forces, crossing the snowy Himalayas into India.

He stepped down as his people's political head in 2011, passing the baton of secular power to a government chosen democratically by some 130,000 Tibetans around the world.
The German vice-chancellor assured China on Saturday that the "doors" remained "open" to discuss EU surcharges on Chinese electric vehicles, without reassuring Beijing which promised to "firmly defend" its manufacturers.

Also, the Minister of Economy and Climate, Robert Habeck is making a visit that seems like a last chance to avoid a trade war between the Old Continent and the second world power, an important economic partner of Germany.

A task further complicated by the political context, the German leader reproached China on Saturday for its economic support for Russia against a backdrop of the invasion of Ukraine, stressing it was "harming" relations between Beijing and Brussels.

China regularly denounces these upcoming surcharges on electric vehicles as being "purely protectionist."

"These are not punitive customs duties," Habeck assured Zheng Shanjie, director of the Chinese Economic Planning Agency (NDRC) Saturday, according to a recording sent to AFP by the Chinese Embassy in Germany.

"This is not a punishment," he insisted.

Up to 28% increase

Without compromise by July 4, the European Commission will impose up to 28% increase in customs duties on imports of Chinese electric vehicles, accusing Beijing of having, according to it, distorted competition by massively subsidizing this sector.

These surcharges would become definitive from November.

"For Europe, I can say that the doors are open and the invitation or offer for discussion has been made several times. Now it must be accepted," Habeck said at a news conference in Shanghai.

From Brussels, Olof Gill, the EU spokesperson, assured that European Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese Trade Minister Wang Wentao "had a frank and constructive call on Saturday regarding the anti-subsidy investigation of the EU on electric cars produced in China."

"Both sides will continue to engage at all levels in the coming weeks," he added.

China vows to defend 'rights'

Earlier Saturday, the tone had been firm on the Chinese side.

"If the EU shows sincerity, China wants to start negotiations as soon as possible" on the surcharges, Trade Minister Wang told him, according to the English-speaking state television CGTN.

"But if the EU persists in this course, we will take all necessary measures to defend our interests. This will include lodging a complaint with the dispute settlement mechanism of the World Trade Organization (WTO). We will firmly defend the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises."

Beijing had already announced Monday that it had launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports of pork and pork products from the European Union.

German and European manufacturers are strongly affected by cheaper Chinese competition. Imports of Chinese electric vehicles into Germany increased tenfold between 2020 and 2023.

China argues that the success of its electricity sector is due to innovation and efficient supply chains, not subsidies.

"(EU) protectionism will not protect (its manufacturers') competitiveness and will only slow down the global fight against climate change and the promotion of a green transition," Zheng told Habeck.

"We expect Germany to show leadership within the EU and take the right measures," implying the cancellation of surcharges, he insisted, according to the New China agency.

Habeck blames Beijing

Such an epilogue seems improbable, with Habeck again blaming Beijing on Saturday for the surge in its trade with Moscow.

"The Russian war of aggression and Chinese support for the Russian government are already harming trade and economic relations between Europe and China," he said he told his Chinese interlocutors.

China has pledged not to supply weapons to Russia and calls for respect for the territorial integrity of all countries  including Ukraine. But China has never condemned Moscow for its invasion.

Habeck assured Saturday that many "dual-use" goods (both civil and military) were used by Russia after passing through "third countries"  implying China.

"We therefore cannot accept" that the Russian invasion is supported with these products, insisted the German vice-chancellor, calling on Beijing to ban their export to its Russian neighbor.

German car manufacturers still fear a major trade conflict with Beijing, which would undermine their activity in this crucial market. For Mercedes, Volkswagen or BMW, China represents up to 36% of sales volumes.
Things are looking up for the Iberian lynx.

Just over two decades ago, the pointy-eared wild cat was on the brink of extinction, but as of Thursday the International Union for Conservation of Nature says it's no longer an endangered species.

Successful conservation efforts mean that the animal, native to Spain and Portugal, is now barely a vulnerable species, according to the latest version of the IUCN Red List.

In 2001, there were only 62 mature Iberian lynx  medium-sized, mottled brown cats with characteristic pointed ears and a pair of beard-like tufts of facial hair  on the Iberian Peninsula. The species' disappearance was closely linked to that of its main prey, the European rabbit, as well as habitat degradation and human activity.

Alarms went off and breeding, reintroduction and protection projects were started, as well as efforts to restore habitats like dense woodland, Mediterranean scrublands and pastures. More than two decades later, in 2022, nature reserves in southern Spain and Portugal contained 648 adult specimens. The latest census, from last year, shows that there are more than 2,000 adults and juveniles, the IUCN said.

"It's really a huge success, an exponential increase in the population size," Craig Hilton-Taylor, head of the IUCN Red list unit, told The Associated Press.

One of the keys to their recovery has been the attention given to the rabbit population, which had been affected by changes in agricultural production. Their recovery has led to a steady increase in the lynx population, Hilton-Taylor said.

"The greatest recovery of a cat species ever achieved through conservation (...) is the result of committed collaboration between public bodies, scientific institutions, NGOs, private companies, and community members including local landowners, farmers, gamekeepers and hunters," Francisco Javier Salcedo Ortiz, who coordinates the EU-funded LIFE Lynx-Connect project, said in a statement.

IUCN has also worked with local communities to raise awareness of the importance of the Iberian lynx in the ecosystem, which helped reduce animal deaths due poaching and roadkill. In addition, farmers receive compensation if the cats kill any of their livestock, Hilton-Taylor said.

Since 2010, more than 400 Iberian lynx have been reintroduced to parts of Portugal and Spain, and now they occupy at least 3,320 square kilometers, an increase from 449 square kilometers in 2005.

"We have to consider every single thing before releasing a lynx, and every four years or so we revise the protocols," said Ramon Perez de Ayala, the World Wildlife Fund's Spain species project manager. WWF is one of the NGOs involved in the project.

While the latest Red List update offers hope for other species in the same situation, the lynx isn't out of danger just yet, says Hilton-Taylor.

The biggest uncertainty is what will happens to rabbits, an animal vulnerable to virus outbreaks, as well as other diseases that could be transmitted by domestic animals.

"We also worried about issues with climate change, how the habitat will respond to climate change, especially the increasing impact of fires, as we've seen in the Mediterranean in the last year or two," said Hilton-Taylor.
The walls of Shadrack Mashabane's hut in the rural South African town of Bushbuckridge are covered with traditional fabrics, with a small window the only source of light. What stands out among the herbs and medicines in glass bottles is a white box containing an HIV testing kit.

Mashabane is one of at least 15 traditional healers in the town who, in a pilot study, have been trained by University of Witwatersrand researchers to conduct HIV testing and counseling in an effort to ensure as many South Africans as possible know their status.

It's part of the largest known effort in the country to involve traditional healers in a public health goal and study the results. Later this year, at least 325 other healers will undergo the training and become certified HIV counselors. Researchers will compare rates of HIV testing by healers and clinics.

Most traditional healers were already knowledgeable about HIV  some from personal experience  and were eager to get involved, researchers said.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. Stigma remains in many communities around the disease and its treatment  even though HIV antiretroviral medication and pre-exposure prophylaxis are free. Concern about privacy at clinics also keeps people from seeking help.

Many people in rural areas see traditional healers as their first point of contact for illnesses, and the project hopes they can help change attitudes.

South Africa's large younger population is a special concern. A government study released in December showed that people living with HIV had fallen from 14% in 2017 to 12.7% in 2022, but HIV prevalence rose among girls between 15 and 19, a phenomenon largely attributed to older men sleeping with them.

Around 2,000 traditional healers operate in the Mpumalanga province town of Bushbuckridge, home to about 750,000 people, providing traditional and spiritual services.

Mashabane said patients at first found it difficult to believe he was offering HIV testing  a service they had long expected to be available only at health clinics.

"Many were not convinced. I had to show them my certificate to prove I was qualified to do this," he said.

The process includes the signing of consent forms to be tested, along with a follow-up with Mashabane to ensure that patients who test positive receive their treatment from the local clinic.

He said breaking the news to a patient who has tested positive for HIV is not that difficult because the illness can be treated with readily available medication. But in many cases, he has to accompany the patient to the clinic "to make it easier for them."

Florence Khoza is another traditional healer who has been trained to test for HIV. She said risky sexual behavior is common. She often dispenses traditional herbs and medication to treat gonorrhea, but now she goes further by advising patients to test for HIV.

"I tell them it is in their best interest," she said.

Khoza said many patients fear going to the clinic or hospital and having other community members see them collecting HIV treatment.

"In many cases I collect the HIV medication on their behalf," she said.

Ryan Wagner, a senior research fellow with the study, said testing and treating via traditional medicine practitioners could "ultimately lead to the end of new HIV cases in communities such as rural Mpumalanga, which has some of the largest HIV burden globally."

Researchers hope their findings will inspire South Africa's government to roll out such training across the country.
Israels defense minister visits Washington this week for talks on the ongoing war with Hamas in Gaza. Meanwhile, international aid groups scramble to find survivors of recent Israeli strikes in the enclave, describing the scale of the carnage as unprecedented. VOAs Arash Arabasadi has the story.
Health authorities in Ivory Coast launched mobile enrollment centers for the country's universal health coverage program, which has been criticized since its 2019 inception over difficulties accessing benefits.

Ivory Coast is one of a handful countries in West Africa that offers a universal health program. But, five years in, less than half its citizens have enrolled. Known locally by its French acronym CMU, the program is meant to cover 70% of citizens' health care costs for a monthly charge of 1,000 West African CFA francs, or about $1.65.

However, many participants who have managed to enroll have reported glitches, including that vouchers given at hospitals that are supposed to provide them with medicine are later not accepted at pharmacies  requiring patients to pay out of pocket.

The mobile enrollment centers being rolled out at markets and remote neighborhoods are meant to allow Ivorians to sign up for the program and provide them with cards on site so they can immediately start receiving care at hospitals, clinics, and pharmacies around the country.

From 2019 until this year, only 13 million people, or 40% of the population, were able to enroll.

The country's health minister, Pierre Dimba, said the mobile centers are aimed at reaching people who have been unable to sign up for reasons including that they work long hours.

"We used the method which worked well when we did the COVID-19 vaccination, which was to go to these people in the markets, in remote neighborhoods, to get them signed up," he said.

Resident Bruno Agnissan already has a CMU card, but he came to an Abidjan mobile enrollment center in search of information about how to successfully use it.

He said that while his son was being treated for malaria at a hospital, the facility ran out of medicine. He was given a voucher and told to find the medicine at a local pharmacy.

"When we went to the pharmacy and I presented the voucher, the pharmacy said that no, this is only for civil servants, that it won't work for us individuals," Agnissan said. "I went to all the pharmacies, and it didn't work."

Ultimately, he had to pay for the medicine out of his own pocket, he said.

Samuel Touffet, another local resident who came to the mobile center to get updated on coverage under the program, echoed Agnissan's concerns.

"There are so many pharmacies where if we go with the card, it doesn't work. So we want to know, where are the pharmacies where we can go and use the card?" he said. "Also, when we go to the hospital with the card, they say it doesn't work. So we don't know what this card is even worth."

Resident Martin Abou, who came to enroll himself and his family for the first time, was hopeful. "You never know. We don't know what tomorrow has in store for us," he said.

Dimba, the health minister, said that he hoped the program becomes a basic insurance that covers every Ivorian citizen, with private insurance used only as a supplement.

He added that he the goal was to have 20 million Ivorians enrolled by the end of the year.
Pakistans top civilian and military leadership has decided to launch a new multi-faceted nationwide counterterrorism campaign amid the countrys deteriorating security situation.

A high-powered meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif gave the go ahead for operation Azm-e-Istehkam, or Resolve for Stability, to combat the menaces of extremism and terrorism in a comprehensive and decisive manner, said a statement issued by the prime ministers office.

The announcement came as Pakistan faces near daily attacks targeting security personnel and amid mounting pressure from China to ensure the security of its workers. Several Chinese nationals were killed in an attack earlier this year.

The fight against extremism and terrorism is Pakistans war and is absolutely essential for the nations survival and well-being, the official statement said.

Along with an intensified military push, Azm-e-Istehkam will have a diplomatic push.

In the politico-diplomatic domain, efforts will be intensified to curtail the operational space for terrorists through regional cooperation, said the statement after the Apex Committee on the National Action Plan reviewed the ongoing counterterrorism campaign and internal security in the country.

Pakistan has a history of courts freeing terror attack suspects because of a lack of evidence. The new campaign aims to counter that through legislative actions.

The renewed and full-blown kinetic efforts of the armed forces will be augmented by full support from all Law Enforcement Agencies, empowered by effective legislation to address legal voids that hinder effective prosecution of terrorism-related cases and award of exemplary punishments to them, according to the statement.

Chinese concerns

The new counterterrorism operation comes as Islamabad attempts to convince Beijing it is taking the security of Chinese nationals extremely seriously.

The forum also reviewed measures to ensure foolproof security for Chinese nationals in Pakistan. Saturdays statement said. Following the Prime Ministers approval, new Standard Operating Procedures [SOPs] were issued to relevant departments, which will enhance mechanisms for providing comprehensive security to Chinese citizens in Pakistan.

This comes after Liu Jianchao, minister of the Central Committee of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, told a bilateral political forum in Islamabad last week that Pakistans poor security was a hurdle in bringing Chinese investment to the cash-strapped South Asian nation.

As people often say confidence is more precious than gold, in the case of Pakistan, the primary factor shaking the confidence of Chinese investors is the security situation, Liu told a gathering that representatives from major Pakistani political parties attended. It was held as part of the third meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism of Political Parties on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.

The corridor, commonly known as CPEC, is a flagship project of Beijings global Belt and Road Initiative and focuses primarily on energy and infrastructure.

Five Chinese nationals working on the China-funded Dasu hydropower project and their Pakistani driver were killed in March when a suicide bomber rammed the convoy with an explosives-laden vehicle.

At least a dozen more Chinese nationals have been killed in Pakistan in targeted attacks in the last few years.

After the March attack, Pakistan ramped up efforts to enhance the protection of Chinese nationals, including the formation of a new security unit in the capital. A special military unit already exists for the protection of Chinese projects in Pakistan. It is supported by local law enforcement agencies.

Terrorism landscape

According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal that maintains data on terror attacks in the region, Pakistan has witnessed over 300 terrorism-related deaths so far this year.

Dozens of Pakistani security personnel, including officials, have died in the first half of 2024 in militant attacks and counterterrorism operations. On Friday, five Pakistani soldiers were killed when an improvised explosive device blew up their vehicle in the Kurram tribal district near Afghanistan.

Last year, Pakistan recorded a six-year high in terrorism fatalities with most of the attacks concentrated in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan provinces that border Afghanistan.

Islamabad blames the rise in terror attacks on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan that it says has sanctuaries in neighboring Afghanistan. The Afghan Taliban have rejected evidence of cross-border terror attacks provided by Pakistan as an effort to malign Kabul.

Reports gathered by the United Nations and research groups based in the United States indicate the Afghan Taliban have maintained ties with foreign militants.

Past operations

Pakistan launched massive military operations against terrorists between 2009 and 2017 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. While the operations managed to kill and flush thousands of militants to Afghanistan and dismantle their cells within Pakistan, they also caused a mass displacement of citizens and millions of dollars in damage to property and infrastructure.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has lately seen a wave of Jirga, or consultative public gatherings, where locals have expressed serious concerns over growing militant violence and frequent counterterrorism operations.

Pakistani military spokesperson Major General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry told the media last month that security forces had conducted more than 13,000 intelligence-based operations this year, mostly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan.
The most you can lose on any stock (assuming you don't use leverage) is 100% of your money. But on a lighter note, a good company can see its share price rise well over 100%. For example, the TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:TDG) share price has soared 173% in the last half decade. Most would be very happy with that. In the last week the share price is up 2.0%.

Now it's worth having a look at the company's fundamentals too, because that will help us determine if the long term shareholder return has matched the performance of the underlying business.

Check out our latest analysis for TransDigm Group

To paraphrase Benjamin Graham: Over the short term the market is a voting machine, but over the long term it's a weighing machine. One flawed but reasonable way to assess how sentiment around a company has changed is to compare the earnings per share (EPS) with the share price.

During five years of share price growth, TransDigm Group achieved compound earnings per share (EPS) growth of 12% per year. This EPS growth is lower than the 22% average annual increase in the share price. This suggests that market participants hold the company in higher regard, these days. That's not necessarily surprising considering the five-year track record of earnings growth. This optimism is visible in its fairly high P/E ratio of 50.98.

The company's earnings per share (over time) is depicted in the image below (click to see the exact numbers).

It is of course excellent to see how TransDigm Group has grown profits over the years, but the future is more important for shareholders. You can see how its balance sheet has strengthened (or weakened) over time in this free interactive graphic.

What About Dividends?

When looking at investment returns, it is important to consider the difference between total shareholder return (TSR) and share price return. The TSR is a return calculation that accounts for the value of cash dividends (assuming that any dividend received was reinvested) and the calculated value of any discounted capital raisings and spin-offs. Arguably, the TSR gives a more comprehensive picture of the return generated by a stock. In the case of TransDigm Group, it has a TSR of 226% for the last 5 years. That exceeds its share price return that we previously mentioned. This is largely a result of its dividend payments!

A Different Perspective

It's nice to see that TransDigm Group shareholders have received a total shareholder return of 61% over the last year. Of course, that includes the dividend. Since the one-year TSR is better than the five-year TSR (the latter coming in at 27% per year), it would seem that the stock's performance has improved in recent times. Someone with an optimistic perspective could view the recent improvement in TSR as indicating that the business itself is getting better with time. While it is well worth considering the different impacts that market conditions can have on the share price, there are other factors that are even more important. Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 3 warning signs with TransDigm Group (at least 2 which are a bit unpleasant) , and understanding them should be part of your investment process.

Story continues

Of course TransDigm Group may not be the best stock to buy. So you may wish to see this free collection of growth stocks.

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on American exchanges.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
The president of the Philippines said Sunday his country would not yield to "any foreign power" after Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats with machetes, axes and hammers in a clash in the disputed South China Sea but added the Philippines would never instigate a war.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. flew with his top generals and defense chief to the western island province of Palawan, which faces the South China Sea, to meet and award medals to navy personnel who came under assault by the Chinese coast guard Monday as they attempted to deliver food and other supplies to an outpost on the hotly contested Second Thomas Shoal.

Videos and pictures of the chaotic faceoff made public by the military showed Chinese coast guard personnel hitting a Philippine navy boat with a wooden bar and seizing a bag while blaring sirens and using blinding strobe lights. The Chinese government said that its coast guard had to take action after Filipino forces defied warnings not to stray into what China calls its own offshore territory, a claim long rejected by rival claimant governments and international arbitrators.

The violent confrontation sparked condemnation and alarm from the U.S., the European Union, Japan, Australia and other Western and Asian nations, while China and the Philippines blamed each other for instigating it. Marcos's key advisers said Friday that his administration has no plan to invoke the country's mutual defense treaty with the United States.

"We are not in the business to instigate wars," Marcos told Filipino forces. "In defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully."

In Monday's faceoff at the shoal, Marcos said "we made a conscious and deliberate choice to remain in the path of peace." The Filipino navy special operations group personnel who came under attack used only their bare hands to push back the Chinese, some of whom pointed knives at them, said Philippine military chief Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr.

"We stand firm. Our calm and peaceful disposition should not be mistaken for acquiescence," Marcos said. "History itself can tell that we have never, never in the history of the Philippines yielded to any foreign power."

Chinese officials in Manila and Beijing did not immediately comment on Marcos' remarks.

Marcos praised about 80 officers and personnel involved in Monday's supply mission, including one who lost his right thumb during the high seas confrontation, saying they "exercised the greatest restraint amidst intense provocation." He issued an appeal: "Continue to fulfill your duty of defending the nation with integrity and respect as you have done so far."

The territorial disputes, which involve China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, have long been seen as a flashpoint that could pit the U.S. against China if high seas confrontations escalate into armed conflict. Washington has repeatedly warned that it is obligated to defend the Philippines, its oldest treaty ally in Asia, if Filipino forces are attacked, including in the South China Sea.

Indonesian forces have also opened fire on Chinese fishing boats in past confrontations in waters off the Natuna islands on the fringes of the South China Sea.
In a country where racial segregation was once brutally enforced, South Africa's new coalition government has brought a Black president and a white opposition leader together in an image of unity.

Yet the power-sharing agreement sealed a week ago between President Cyril Ramaphosa's African National Congress party and the Democratic Alliance, one of South Africa's few white-led parties, has unwittingly renewed some racial rifts.

Many Black South Africans have expressed discomfort with a white-led party being back in power, even in a coalition. The country is haunted by the apartheid system of white minority rule that ended 30 years ago but is still felt by millions among the Black majority who were ruthlessly oppressed by a white government and remain affected by unresolved issues of poverty and inequality.

South Africa is now faced with the likelihood of seeing more white people in senior government positions than ever since apartheid ended. White people make up around 7% of the country's population of 62 million.

The ANC liberated South Africa from apartheid in 1994 under Nelson Mandela, the country's first Black president. Its three-decade political dominance ended in the landmark May 29 election, forcing it to form a coalition. The DA, with its roots in liberal white parties that stood against apartheid, won the second largest share of votes.

Both have promoted their coming together in a multi-party coalition as a new unity desperately needed in a country with vast socioeconomic problems.

But history lingers. The DA suspended one of its white lawmakers Thursday, days after being sworn into Parliament, over racist slurs he made in a social media video more than a decade ago. Renaldo Gouws  reportedly a student in his 20s at the time  used an especially offensive term for Black people that was infamous during apartheid and is now considered hate speech.

Gouws faces disciplinary action from his party, and the South African Human Rights Commission said it will take him to court. The DA, which previously fended off allegations of favoring whites, is again under scrutiny.

The Congress of South African Trade Unions, an important political ally of the ANC, asserted that Gouws' outburst was symptomatic of a DA that is "soft on racists." The DA "needs to reflect on and address this if it wants to be accepted as a partner in the government of national unity by ordinary South Africans," it said.

DA leader John Steenhuisen denied in a television interview that his party is dedicated only to white interests, saying it wouldn't have won the second largest share of votes in a Black majority country if it was. The DA has Black and white lawmakers and supporters, but its only Black leader left the party in 2019, questioning its commitment to Black South Africans.

Political analyst Angelo Fick said the DA does have a "sense of whiteness" in the eyes of many South Africans and has created that by being "utterly disinterested in speaking to the concerns about race from Black South Africans."

Shortly before Gouws' case, racially charged language came from another direction when the MK Party of former President Jacob Zuma  once an ANC leader  called Ramaphosa a "house negro" for entering into the agreement with the DA. Zuma's party also referred to white DA chairperson Helen Zille as Ramaphosa's "slave master."

The MK Party and the Economic Freedom Fighters  the third and fourth biggest parties in Parliament  have refused to join what the ANC calls a government of national unity open to all. They said the fundamental reason is the DA, which they say is committed only to the well-being of South Africa's white minority.

"We do not agree to this marriage of convenience to consolidate the white monopoly power over the economy," EFF leader Julius Malema said.

Malema has sometimes provoked racial tensions in demanding change, once saying, "We are not calling for the slaughtering of white people, at least for now," and that South Africa's "white man has been too comfortable for too long."

He now says his party is not against white people but against a perceived "white privilege" that leaves 64% of Black people in poverty compared with 1% of white people, according to a 2021 report by the South African Human Rights Commission.

Malema represents a new opposition to the ANC by many Black South Africans frustrated over the race-based inequality that's evident after 30 years of freedom. White people generally live in posh neighborhoods. Millions of Black people live in impoverished townships on the outskirts.

That frustration led many voters to give up on the ANC. The concerns about teaming up with the DA could weaken the party even further.

In his inauguration speech Wednesday, Ramaphosa recognized the "toxic" divisions that remain decades after Mandela preached racial reconciliation. "Our society remains deeply unequal and highly polarized," Ramaphosa said.

The ANC is trying to use the coalition as a kind of reboot of Mandela's ideals.

"To us, it doesn't matter whether the cat is black or white," ANC Secretary-General Fikile Mbalula said of the agreement with the DA. Mandela had used the phrase to signal he was open to all races serving in South Africa's government.

"Fundamentally," Mbalula said, "the question is how do we move the country forward."
Taiwan's annual war games this year will be as close as possible to actual combat, no longer just putting on a show to score points but aiming to simulate real fighting given a rapidly rising "enemy threat" from China, a senior official said.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, has been staging regular exercises around the island for four years to pressure Taipei to accept Beijing's claim of sovereignty, despite Taiwan's strong objections.

Taiwan starts its five-day Han Kuang exercises on July 22.



A senior Taiwan defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity to be able to speak more freely, said there was an urgent need to rethink how the drills were conducted.

"In recent years, the enemy threat has changed rapidly," the official said. "Our defense combat plan must also be continuously revised on a rolling basis, and the urgency of comprehensive combat training is becoming more and more important."

Elements that were mostly for show, like rehearsal drills, have been canceled, while this year there will be nighttime exercises and, unusually, the capital Taipei will be included too, the official said.

"It's not about scoring points," the official said. "We want the soldiers to wonder whether this is for real."

Things may go wrong  such as vehicle breakdowns  and that is fine, the official added. "These are problems that may be faced in actual combat."

The exercises will be a continuous experience, the official said. "War does not distinguish between night and day."

China's defense ministry did not answer calls seeking comment about the exercises outside of office hours at the weekend. It has previously said it is futile for Taiwan to think it can use arms to prevent "reunification."

Announcing the drills in April, Taiwan's defense ministry said the war games would practice "kill" zones at sea to break a blockade and simulate a scenario where China suddenly turns one of its regular drills around the island into an attack.

"Only with real-time, on-the-ground verification can we truly understand the capabilities and limitations of our troops," the official said.

China held two days of its own war games around the island shortly after President Lai Ching-te took office last month, saying it was "punishment" for his inauguration speech, which Beijing denounced as being full of separatist content.

But China has also been using gray zone warfare against Taiwan, wielding irregular tactics to exhaust a foe by keeping them continually on alert without resorting to open combat. This includes sending balloons over the island and almost daily air force missions into the skies near Taiwan.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai, who says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future, has repeatedly offered talks but been rebuffed.

The official declined to comment on which parts of the war games Lai would attend, as is customary for the president as commander-in-chief, or whether there would be U.S. observers.
A Thai court has set a mid-July extradition hearing date for Vietnamese dissident Y Quynh Bdap, who was arrested in Thailand earlier this month at Vietnams request, Thai officials have told VOA.

Rights advocates are meanwhile urging Thailand not to force Bdap back home, fearing for his safety, and say his arrest continues the "swap mart" they claim the regions governments are running by returning each others wanted dissidents.

Bdap had been living in Thailand since 2018 to evade Vietnamese authorities for fear of arrest over this human rights work. Thai police arrested him in Bangkok on June 11 for alleged immigration offenses acting on a call from Vietnam for his return.

A Thai court issued the arrest warrant "upon the request for extradition made by the Vietnamese authority, from the ruling of the Vietnamese court that Mr. Bdap was guilty on the charge of terrorism," Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Nikorndej Balankura told VOA.

Maj. Gen. Khemmarin Hassiri, an adviser to Thailands deputy police chief, said the criminal courts have scheduled an extradition hearing for Bdap on July 15.

Vietnam wants Bdap for his alleged role fomenting a riot last year that left nine people, including four local police officers, dead, according to state media. A Vietnamese court convicted him on related terrorism charges in absentia in January and sentenced him to 10 years in jail.

The Vietnamese government has also labeled his group, Montagnards Stand for Justice, which advocates for the rights of the mostly Christian ethnic minorities of the countrys central highlands, a terrorist organization.

Bdap denied the allegations against him and the group in a brief video recorded in Thailand days before his arrest and later posted online by United Nations special rapporteur on human rights defenders Mary Lawlor. In the clip, he says he fears his imminent arrest and urges the U.N., rights groups and foreign governments to protect him.

Clarion calls

Since his arrest, rights groups have issued statements urging Thailand not to send Bdap back to Vietnam.

Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher for Human Rights Watch, said the arrest flies in the face of Thailands legal obligations to protect refugees.

"The situation has now gone from bad to worse as he is facing imminent extradition to face prosecution in Vietnam. The Vietnamese government has long persecuted Christian Montagnards belonging to independent house churches, supporters of nonviolent demands for independence or autonomy, and people objecting to the transfer of land and forests traditionally used by highlanders to Vietnamese businesses and settlers," Sunai told VOA.

"Human Rights Watch has no information on Y Quynh Bdaps possible involvement in the riots but is gravely concerned about his safety and his receiving a fair trial in Vietnam," he added.

Y Phic Hdok, who cofounded Montagnards Stand for Justice with Bdap and is now in the United States after fleeing Vietnam eight years ago, said his friend would be in grave danger if handed over to Vietnam.

"I urge the Thai government to respect international human rights standards and reject Vietnams unlawful extradition request," he told VOA. "It will be a risk for his life if he will be deported."

Christopher MacLeod, a Canadian lawyer working to save Bdap from being extradited, echoed the concern.

"I worry for his life and safety," he told VOA, including his "mistreatment and abuse in prison, and [about] the message it would send, the chilling effect it would have on anyone else who wants to speak to religious freedom and tolerance."

MacLeod said Bdaps arrest came a day after he had a meeting at the Canadian Embassy in Bangkok about his application to resettle in Canada as a political refugee. The embassy did not reply to VOAs request to confirm the meeting or to comment on the case.

Past as prologue

Thailands handling of past refugee cases also has advocates concerned.

While Thailand has at times allowed foreign dissidents wanted by their home countries to resettle elsewhere, even after arresting them, it also has a track record of forcing them back to repressive regimes, including China and Cambodia. Activists wanted by Hanoi have also gone missing while hiding in Thailand in recent years only to show up days or weeks later in custody back in Vietnam, raising concerns about possible state-sponsored kidnapping.

Thai dissidents taking refuge from their own government in neighboring countries have also gone missing or turned up dead under mysterious circumstances in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.

"Especially in the region, there has been  I dont know if its formal, but certainly the informal  trading and return of political dissidents from one country to the other," MacLeod said.

"I worry that that is playing itself out in this instance," he added, referring to Bdap.

In a recent report, Human Rights Watch recounts 25 confirmed or suspected cases of such transnational repression of activists and dissidents across the region between 2014 and 2023, a nine-year stretch of military-run or -aligned governments in Thailand.

Sunai said the civilian administration that took office following national elections last year risks following in their footsteps.

"The current administration of PM [Prime Minister] Srettha Thavisin carries on the legacy of military rule and maintains the pattern of transnational repression, in which Thai authorities helped neighboring governments take unlawful actions against refugees and dissidents seeking shelter in Thailand," he said.

Treaty talks

U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk raised the issue during his latest global update to the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva last week.

He spoke of an "emerging pattern" of transnational repression in Southeast Asia and of signs that the trend was going global.

Thailand and Vietnam are also in the midst of negotiations on a formal extradition treaty. Khemmarin said those talks would likely continue on a future visit to Vietnam by senior Thai officials, possibly next month.

MacLeod said a treaty could make the problem of transnational repression worse by making it easier and faster for the two countries to exchange dissidents, leaving other governments, rights groups or the U.N. less time and chance to intervene.

Thailands Foreign Affairs Ministry, which is leading the treaty talks, did not reply to VOAs questions about a possible deal.

The Vietnamese Embassy did not reply to VOA either.

As for Bdaps case, Thai government spokesperson Chai Watcharong told VOA that Thailand would "take into consideration all relevant factors and concerns including the safety of the alleged offender. The court shall decide whether the alleged offences requested for extradition are considered extraditable."

"It is better at this stage not to prejudge the courts decision," he added.
Thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Saturday to mark the 20th birthday of Naama Levy, who has been held hostage in Gaza since October 7, and to call for an immediate cease-fire in the war with Palestinian militant group Hamas.

Releasing balloons and chanting to the beat of drums, protesters shared bite-sized cupcakes decorated with birthday candles while demanding the release of all hostages taken by Hamas following its deadly raid on Israel eight months ago.

"She needs to be here with her family, with her friends, said Yoni Levy, 52, Naama's father, wearing a shirt emblazoned with his daughter's image.

On Thursday, Naama's elder brother Amit shared memories of his sister with Reuters, pointing to her smiling face in a magazine picture with the headline: "Bring Her Home."

"I really can't wait to see this smile when she comes back soon," he said.

A video of Naama posted by Hamas militants on October 7  showing her with hands tied behind her back, dressed in tattered pajamas and visibly injured  went viral on social media.

She had just begun her duties in the Israeli Defense Force when she was seized, along with four other female army conscripts, in the raid that triggered Israel's war on Gaza.

Hamas killed around 1,200 people in the raid and seized more than 250 hostages. Israel's response has left Gaza in ruins and killed more than 37,400 people, including 101 in the past 24 hours, according to Palestinian health authorities.
Morwan Mohammad walks down an old hotel corridor on Batam Island in northwestern Indonesia before entering a 6-square-meter (64-square-foot) room that has been home to him and his growing family for eight years.

Mohammad, who fled war in Sudan, is one of hundreds of refugees living in community housing on the island while waiting for resettlement in a third country.

Hotel Kolekta, a former tourist hotel, was converted in 2015 into a temporary shelter that today houses 228 refugees from conflict-torn nations including Afghanistan, Somalia, Sudan and elsewhere. The island, just south of Singapore, has a population of 1.2 million people.

Indonesia, despite having a long history of accepting refugees, is not a signatory to the U.N. Refugee Convention of 1951 and its 1967 Protocol, and the government does not allow refugees and asylum-seekers to work.

Many had fled to Indonesia as a jumping-off point, hoping to eventually reach Australia by boat, but are now stuck in what feels like an endless limbo.

Looking for safety

Mohammad and his wife arrived in Jakarta nine years ago after traveling from his hometown Nyala to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and onward to the sprawling Southeast Asian archipelago, where their first stop was the U.N. refugee agency office in the capital.

"We did not know where to go  just looking for a safe place to live. The most important thing was to get out of Sudan to avoid war," he said.

They made their way to Batam in 2016, believing it would be easier to travel from there to a third country for resettlement.

All three of Mohammad's children were born in Indonesia and he does not know where his family will ultimately settle. He says he wants to have a normal life, working and earning money so he can support himself without relying on others for assistance.

"We left our country, our family. We miss our family members. But life here is also too hard for us because for eight years we are not working, not doing good activities. Just sleep, wake up, eat, repeat," he said.

Hotel Kolekta is administered by the Tanjungpinang Central Immigration Detention Center on nearby Bintan Island. That three-story detention facility, with its barred windows and fading paint, is home to dozens of detainees facing similarly uncertain futures, including whether they will ever return to their homelands, but in conditions that more closely resemble a prison.

Two Palestinian men have languished there for over a year, unable to return home because of the ongoing war in Gaza. Four Burmese fishermen are stranded because they cannot afford to pay for their onward travel.

Those held in the detention center typically violated Indonesia's immigration regulations, while those living in Hotel Kolekta and other community housing entered the country legally seeking safe haven.

A mother's fears

On Batam Island, Majdah Ishag, a 36-year-old Sudanese woman, has been living in the hotel for eight years after leaving home in search of a better life in Indonesia for her family. Her daily needs are met but she worries about the future and doesn't want her five children to spend their entire lives in Hotel Kolekta.

"I hope I can find work and resettlement," she said.

The UNHCR office in Indonesia says that nearly one-third of the 12,295 people registered with organization are children who have limited access to education and health services.

Rahima Farhangdost is one of 5,732 refugees from Afghanistan stranded in Indonesia. She lives in Bogor, 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Jakarta, and has been in Indonesia since August 2014 after the Taliban banned her from working as a nurse and teacher in her hometown in the country's southeast.

For five years, she received money from a cousin in Afghanistan, but that relative died in conflict and she has since had to receive monthly financial support from UNHCR.

"I heard the process is faster and that after two or three years, we could get resettlement. So that's why I came to Indonesia. But it's been a very, very long time  10 years now. I really regret it. I would prefer to die in Afghanistan, and not have come to Indonesia," she said.

UNHCR Indonesia says more than 12,000 individuals from 40 countries in the country are listed as refugees under Indonesian law, most of them from Afghanistan.

Ann Maymann, a UNHCR representative in Indonesia, said: "Resettlement is not speedy ... because it is not the UNHCR who decides. We cannot decide that a refugee will go to this country."

Maymann said refugees under the current system cannot be assured of a better future in Indonesia, especially those who will not be resettled.

"That is exactly why we need to work on improving the conditions for the refugees while they are in Indonesia, because resettlement cannot be the only solution. Because it is not the only solution. Because not all will be resettled," Maymann said.
She was the first African American woman in U.S. Congress and the first woman and African American to seek the presidential nomination from one of the two major U.S. political parties.

Shirley Chisholm, who would have turned 100 in November, has served as an inspiration to several generations of female and minority politicians, including current Vice President Kamala Harris.

Less than five months before a hotly contested presidential election pitting Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Donald Trump, the Museum of the City of New York is honoring Chisholm's legacy with a special exhibit.

Zinga Fraser, the co-curator of the show titled "Changing the Face of Democracy: Shirley Chisholm at 100" said honoring the politician's legacy is even more important during an election year.

"If there's any person to remind us about democracy and what's possible and where we need to go," that would be Chisholm, Fraser said.

Writing on Chisholm's birthday on November 30, 2020  after Harris had just been elected the first African American vice president and the first woman in that role  Harris said Chisholm "paved the way for me and so many others."

"We celebrate her brilliance and boldness to break down barriers, fight to increase the minimum wage, and speak for those who otherwise wouldn't have a voice in the political process," Harris wrote on Instagram.

Catalyst for change

Born in 1924 in Brooklyn, New York, to parents from Barbados and Guyana, Chisholm transformed American democracy in the 1960s and 1970s with her political slogan "Unbought and Unbossed."

In 1968, Chisholm became the first Black woman elected to Congress and four years later launched a bid for the White House. While she didn't win the nomination of the Democratic Party, she still served as a catalyst for change.

"I ran because somebody had to do it first," she reflected later. "I ran because most people think the country is not ready for a Black candidate, not ready for a woman candidate. Someday ..."

During her political career, Chisholm fought for abortion rights, food assistance, education and worker protection, as well as police and prison reform. She also campaigned against the war in Vietnam and apartheid in South Africa.

But even more important is the example she set, according to Fraser.

"I think what you also see as a part of her legacy is just more in terms of women and women of color in the office," Fraser said.

Before Chisholm was elected to the House of Representatives in 1968, there were only four Black men and 11 white women or other minorities in Congress.

According to the Center for American Women and Politics, there are now 28 Black women in the House (out of 435 representatives, including 126 women) and one in the Senate (out of 100 senators, including 25 women).

'Shirley' on Netflix

During the 1972 primaries, Chisholm recruited student and activist Barbara Lee, who went on to serve as California's Democratic representative in the House since 1998.

"Shirley Chisholm was more than a mentor to me," 77-year-old Lee wrote on X. "She inspired me to live a life of service, fearlessness, & dedication to justice & equity."

Chisholm, who died in 2005, also is being honored this year by a Netflix documentary that was released in March.

In "Shirley," the trailblazing politician, played by actress Regina King, confronts other lawmakers and decides to compete in the primaries alone.
Maryland this week became the latest state to announce mass pardons for people convicted of marijuana-related crimes as the nation wrestles with how to make amends for the lives disrupted in the decades-long war on drugs.

Under Gov. Wes Moore's plan, more than 175,000 convictions for possession of cannabis or drug paraphernalia will be pardoned, but not permanently erased from people's criminal records.

Here's a look at where the U.S. stands in addressing old marijuana convictions.

Expunged, pardoned

NORML, a group that advocates for legalized marijuana, has tallied about 2.5 million expungements and pardons for cannabis convictions in recent years.

Its also a drop in the bucket when you consider the reality that over the last 50 years or so, over 30 million Americans have been arrested at the state or local level for marijuana, Paul Armentano, NORML's deputy director, said in an interview.

Pardons forgive people for their crimes. A pardon can restore civil liberties, such as voting, serving on juries and gun ownership. Expungements go further, hiding the record of convictions entirely; that can clear the way for receiving federal college tuition assistance, qualifying for public housing and allowing parents to participate in their children's school activities, among other benefits.

Executive branch officials such as mayors, governors and the president can offer pardons on their own, and relatively few executives have done sweeping ones like Maryland's. They've done so in Massachusetts, Nevada, Oregon, Birmingham, Alabama; and Kansas City, Missouri.

President Joe Biden has ordered multiple rounds of pardons for those convicted of possession on federal lands or in the District of Columbia. It's not clear exactly how many people are covered. For proof they've been pardoned, people have to apply for a certificate; as of this month, only a little over 200 covered by Biden's pardon had done so.

It takes a court  often at the direction of a law  to order expungements, though Oregon provides those along with pardons, and the Maryland approach makes it easier to obtain an expungement.

Clearing crimes

Marijuana laws have changed vastly since the late 1990s when states began allowing medical marijuana, something most states have since done. Twenty-four states have legalized recreational use for adults, 26 have decriminalized it and the U.S. Justice Department this year moved to reclassify it as a less dangerous drug, a move that gives hope to advocates in the remaining 12 states that it could be legalized there, too.

When Colorado and Washington became the first states to legalize marijuana in 2012, it raised an issue: Is it OK for people convicted in the past of something that's legal now to continue to suffer consequences?

Increasingly, voters and lawmakers have been saying no. Most states that have legalized the drug recently have had as part of that policy a way to clear convictions for past use. An expungement-by-application provision was included when Maryland's voters approved legalizing marijuana in a 2022 ballot measure.

But often those provisions require people with convictions to petition to have their records expunged, a process that can take time and require the help of a lawyer.

Racial disparities

Advocates say that granting pardons or expungements in one swoop, as Maryland did, is a way to address long-standing racial disparities.

A major toll of the nation's drug policies is that Black people have suffered more direct consequences than white people, even though studies have found they use marijuana at similar rates.

An ACLU analysis of federal crime data found that Black people were more than three times as likely as white people to be charged with marijuana possession in 2018. There were disparities in every state.

Automatic pardons and expungements cover everyone who qualifies and don't introduce more chances for disparities.

A 2020 study by University of Michigan Law School professors found that less than 7% of the people eligible for expungement there were granted it. Most didn't apply.

Under the old petition model, you needed a lot of resources to get an expungement, said Adrian Rocha, policy manager at Last Prisoner Project, which, like other advocacy groups, is pushing for large-scale pardon and expungement policies.

The blanket pardons for whole categories of activities that were previously criminalized  they do help Black and brown communities and help address the impacts that all communities have faced, said Cat Packer, director of drug markets and legal regulation at Drug Policy Alliance.
An attack by Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a commercial ship traveling through the Gulf of Aden but apparently caused no damage, authorities said Saturday, in the latest strike on the shipping lane by the group.

The Houthi attack comes after the sinking this week of the ship Tutor, which marked what appears to be a new escalation by the Iranian-backed Houthis in their campaign of strikes on ships in the vital maritime corridor over the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, U.S. officials ordered the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, the aircraft carrier leading America's response to the Houthi attacks, to return home after a twice-extended tour.

The captain of the ship targeted late Friday saw "explosions in the vicinity of the vessel," the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. A later briefing by the U.S.-overseen Joint Maritime Information Center said the vessel initially reported two explosions off its port side and a third one later.

"The vessel was not hit and sustained no damage," the center said. "The vessel and crew are reported to be safe and are proceeding to their next port of call."

The Houthis, who have held Yemen's capital, Sanaa, since 2014, claimed the attack Saturday night. Brigadier General Yahya Saree, a Houthi military spokesman, identified the vessel targeted as the bulk carrier Transworld Navigator.

The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

In March, the Belize-flagged Rubymar carrying fertilizer became the first to sink in the Red Sea after taking on water for days following a rebel attack.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Naval Institute's news service reported, citing an anonymous official, that the Eisenhower would be returning home to Norfolk, Virginia, after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II. The report said an aircraft carrier operating in the Pacific would be taking the Eisenhower's place.

Two U.S. officials, later speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss ship movements, confirmed the Eisenhower had been ordered home and already had reached the Mediterranean Sea.

Flight-tracking data analyzed by the AP showed a Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopter associated with the Eisenhower flying above the Mediterranean Sea just off the coast of Port Said, Egypt, on Saturday night.

The closest American aircraft carrier known to be operating in Asia is the USS Theodore Roosevelt. The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seoul's ongoing tensions with North Korea. The U.S. officials said the Roosevelt would replace the Eisenhower.

The Eisenhower had repeatedly been targeted by false attack claims by the Houthis during its time in the Red Sea. Saree on Saturday night claimed another attack on the carrier  but again provided no evidence to support it as the ship already had left the area.
Yemen's Houthis said early on Sunday that they had conducted a joint military operation with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq militant group, targeting four ships at Israel's northern Haifa port.

The Houthi military spokesperson, Yahya Saree, said in a televised statement that the two groups launched a drone attack on two cement tankers and two cargo ships at the Haifa port on Saturday.

He said the ships belonged to companies that "violated the ban on entering the ports of occupied Palestine."

The Israeli military did not immediately comment, though it had previously denied a similar claim by the Houthis early this month.

Saree also said the Houthis had attacked the Shorthorn Express in the Mediterranean using drones as part of the group's campaign to disrupt shipping in key waterways, which they say is an act of solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war.

"The two operations successfully achieved their objectives, and the strikes were precise and direct," Saree said.

There was no independent confirmation of strikes, and Reuters could not verify the claims.

The Iran-aligned Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in shipping lanes in November. In dozens of attacks, they have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.
Key Insights

Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Loblaw Companies fair value estimate is CA$134

With CA$154 share price, Loblaw Companies appears to be trading close to its estimated fair value

Our fair value estimate is 17% lower than Loblaw Companies' analyst price target of CA$161

Today we'll do a simple run through of a valuation method used to estimate the attractiveness of Loblaw Companies Limited (TSE:L) as an investment opportunity by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. The Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model is the tool we will apply to do this. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine.

Companies can be valued in a lot of ways, so we would point out that a DCF is not perfect for every situation. If you still have some burning questions about this type of valuation, take a look at the Simply Wall St analysis model.

See our latest analysis for Loblaw Companies

The Method

We're using the 2-stage growth model, which simply means we take in account two stages of company's growth. In the initial period the company may have a higher growth rate and the second stage is usually assumed to have a stable growth rate. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years.

A DCF is all about the idea that a dollar in the future is less valuable than a dollar today, so we need to discount the sum of these future cash flows to arrive at a present value estimate:

10-year free cash flow (FCF) forecast

2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 2033 Levered FCF (CA$, Millions) CA$2.19b CA$2.29b CA$2.06b CA$1.93b CA$1.85b CA$1.82b CA$1.80b CA$1.80b CA$1.81b CA$1.83b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x2 Analyst x2 Est @ -9.99% Est @ -6.37% Est @ -3.83% Est @ -2.06% Est @ -0.82% Est @ 0.05% Est @ 0.66% Est @ 1.09% Present Value (CA$, Millions) Discounted @ 6.0% CA$2.1k CA$2.0k CA$1.7k CA$1.5k CA$1.4k CA$1.3k CA$1.2k CA$1.1k CA$1.1k CA$1.0k

("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St)

Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = CA$14b

The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. The Gordon Growth formula is used to calculate Terminal Value at a future annual growth rate equal to the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield of 2.1%. We discount the terminal cash flows to today's value at a cost of equity of 6.0%.

Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2033  (1 + g)  (r  g) = CA$1.8b (1 + 2.1%)  (6.0% 2.1%) = CA$48b

Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= CA$48b ( 1 + 6.0%)10= CA$26b

The total value, or equity value, is then the sum of the present value of the future cash flows, which in this case is CA$41b. In the final step we divide the equity value by the number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of CA$154, the company appears around fair value at the time of writing. Valuations are imprecise instruments though, rather like a telescope - move a few degrees and end up in a different galaxy. Do keep this in mind.

dcf

The Assumptions

The calculation above is very dependent on two assumptions. The first is the discount rate and the other is the cash flows. Part of investing is coming up with your own evaluation of a company's future performance, so try the calculation yourself and check your own assumptions. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Loblaw Companies 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 6.0%, which is based on a levered beta of 0.856. 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 Loblaw Companies

Strength

Earnings growth over the past year exceeded the industry.

Debt is well covered by earnings and cashflows.

Dividends are covered by earnings and cash flows.

Weakness

Earnings growth over the past year is below its 5-year average.

Dividend is low compared to the top 25% of dividend payers in the Consumer Retailing market.

Expensive based on P/E ratio and estimated fair value.

Opportunity

L's financial characteristics indicate limited near-term opportunities for shareholders.

Threat

Annual earnings are forecast to decline for the next 3 years.

Moving On:

Whilst important, the DCF calculation is only one of many factors that you need to assess for a company. The DCF model is not a perfect stock valuation tool. Rather it should be seen as a guide to "what assumptions need to be true for this stock to be under/overvalued?" For instance, if the terminal value growth rate is adjusted slightly, it can dramatically alter the overall result. For Loblaw Companies, we've put together three important factors you should consider:

Risks: Be aware that Loblaw Companies is showing 2 warning signs in our investment analysis , and 1 of those makes us a bit uncomfortable... Management:Have insiders been ramping up their shares to take advantage of the market's sentiment for L's future outlook? Check out our management and board analysis with insights on CEO compensation and governance factors. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing!

PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every Canadian 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Amnesty International says Zimbabwean authorities should release 79 opposition Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) youth activists who were arrested last Sunday while commemorating International Day of the African Child in Harare.

In a statement, Amnesty International said, the arrest and continued arbitrary detention of opposition members who had peacefully gathered at former CCC senator Jameson Timbas residence is part of a disturbing pattern of repression against people exercising their rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression.

Zimbabwean authorities must immediately and unconditionally release these opposition members and drop all charges against them. Authorities must also uphold Zimbabwes constitutional and international human rights obligations including the rights to peaceful assembly, liberty and freedom from torture and other ill-treatment."

Amnesty International further said Zimbabwean authorities should promptly, thoroughly, impartially, independently, transparently and effectively investigate allegations that some of those arrested were tortured while in police custody and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible.

Some of the injured activists have been ferried to local hospitals while others are still behind bars waiting for a court judgement over their bail application.

Among those arrested were Timba, a nursing mother and 17-year-old who has since been released to the custody of his parent.

Police charged the detainees with gathering with intent to promote public violence and disorderly conduct.
DEIR AL-BALAH, GAZA STRIP  At least 39 people were killed by Israeli strikes across northern Gaza on Saturday, as rescue workers scrambled to find survivors beneath the rubble, according to Palestinian and hospital officials.

Fadel Naem, director of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that more than three dozen bodies arrived at the hospital. The Palestinian Civil Defense, an emergency group active in Gaza, said its emergency workers were digging for survivors at the site of a strike in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City and that it had pulled several dozen bodies from a building hit by an Israeli strike in an eastern neighborhood of Gaza City.

Israel said Saturday that its fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in the Gaza City area but did not elaborate further.

The deaths come a day after at least 25 people were killed in strikes on tent camps and 50 wounded near the southern city of Rafah. Israel said Saturday that it was continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza and has pushed ahead with its invasion of Rafah, where over 1 million Palestinians had sought refuge from fighting elsewhere.

Most have now fled the city, but the United Nations says no place in Gaza is safe and humanitarian conditions are dire as families shelter in tents and cramped apartments without adequate food, water or medical supplies.

Israeli strike kills in Lebanon

A separate Israeli strike Saturday in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa Valley killed a member of the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, a Sunni Muslim faction closely allied with Hamas, according to the group. The member was the seventh killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the war began.

The Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7 when Hamas militants who stormed southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage. Israel has responded by bombarding and invading the enclave, killing more than 37,400 Palestinians there according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

Also Saturday, Israel's army said an Israeli man was fatally shot in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya, where Israeli forces fatally shot two militants Friday, the latest flare of violence in the territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.

At least 549 Palestinians in the territory have been killed by Israeli fire since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which tracks the killings. Over the same period, Palestinians in the West Bank have killed at least nine Israelis, including five soldiers, according to United Nations data.

Israeli nationals are prohibited from entering Qalqilya and other areas of the West Bank that fall under the under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

In April, the death of a 14-year-old Israeli settler sparked a series of settler attacks on Palestinian towns in the territory. The army said a Palestinian was later arrested in connection with the killing.

On Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a 12-year-old Palestinian boy died from his wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Ramallah last week. Commenting on the shooting, the Israeli army said its forces raided al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah to arrest a suspect Friday and then opened fire on a group of Palestinians who were pelting them with stones.

Israel said Saturday that it was investigating a separate incident into conduct of its soldiers after a video surfaced online showing an injured Palestinian being transported on the hood of an Israeli armored car in the northern West Bank. The army said the man in the video was a wanted suspect and injured during an exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces near the city of Jenin. The man was being transported to a Red Crescent ambulance situated nearby, it said. The army said the conduct in the video didn't "conform to the values" of the army.

Israelis protest Netanyahu's government

Anger across the country is growing at the government's handling of the war in Gaza and the hostage crisis.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv calling for new elections and for the government to bring the hostages home. Among the families were the parents of Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier who marked her 20th birthday in captivity.
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Since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, U.S. humanitarian group Project HOPE has provided aid to Ukrainian health clinics and residents of the countrys frontline towns and villages. Yaroslava Movchan has the story, narrated by Anna Rice. Videographer: Dmytro Hlushko.
Australian super funds are increasingly investing in overseas assets to deliver returns, as the $3.5 trillion superannuation industry continues to outpace economic growth.

The funds have been forced to set their sights overseas because rising demand for ASX equities has created a shortage in the supply of shares on the market amid a drought of initial public offerings (IPOs).

As funds close in on the end of the financial year, with the typical fund expected to post a return of about 9 per cent, a recent report from Macquarie has underlined the shortage even as the nations super pool keeps getting larger.

Aware Super has a stake in Guzman y Gomez, which it bought in October 2022  well before the recent IPO. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

Rising super demand along with reinvested dividends and buybacks, plus an IPO drought, is driving a shortage of ASX equities, Macquarie analysts said, noting an increase in the super guarantee levy to 12 per cent in the 2026 financial year would further expand the pool of capital available to the funds.
A major shopping centre in Adelaide was forced into lockdown on Sunday afternoon following reports of an armed offender.

Police have since confirmed the incident at Westfield Marion, south of the CBD, was sparked by two groups of young men fighting in the food court. Some among the groups were reported to have been armed with extendable batons.

As a result of the incident, centre management activated an audible alert and evacuation alarm, and the centre went into lockdown, South Australia Police said in a statement.

A thorough search of the centre was conducted including rooftops. However, the groups involved were not located.
A chill wind has gone through the craft beer industry, as the economic downturn drives a handful of brands to the wall, while others have struggled.

Rising costs and taxes, market-dominating multinationals and cash-strapped consumers have put the squeeze on the once-thriving sector and prompted calls for intervention from the competition watchdog.

Chris Vran (second from right) and partner Brittany Prentice at the GABS craft beer festival. Credit: Penny Stephens

Independent Brewers Association chair Callum Reeves, head of brewer Kaiju Beer, said there were now about 700 independent brewers in Australia, meaning there was much more competition within the sector than the several hundred there were about 10 years ago.

Kaiju Beer was among those exhibiting at the Great Australasian Beer SpecTAPular, or GABS, at Melbourne Showgrounds at the weekend. Reeves renewed calls for the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to examine the market dominance of multinational companies, which had contracts for a large proportion of beer taps in pubs.
The article lists the most hated brand in the US.

Why Consumers Hate on Brands

When we look at some of the worst companies in the world, it's hard to pinpoint exactly what made them the worst in the first place. Such strong sentiments usually emerge from brand hatred, allowing customers to express negative views and perceptions of a particular brand. Oftentimes, companies make their way on the list of most hated companies because of their impact on people's lives, the environment, or even politics. As per the duplex theory, consumers often end up disliking a brand when their expectations remain unmet.

In this context, The Customer, an internet news company, reveals that Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) is one of the most hated brands in the US. Their study, relying exclusively on Twitter data, reports that Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) received 48.35% negative tweets back in 2021. A similar study by Merchant Machine revealed that the company received 69% negative tweets in 2023. Twitter users have been tweeting about expensive rates, driver cancellations, smelly cars, feeling unsafe, and even unprofessional behavior.

Another business that has been on these lists is Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA), largely because of how they impact society. Since at least the 2010s, the video game company Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) has been at the center of many problems. These issues include buying other companies and using unfair business practices in their own games. There have also been lawsuits alleging that Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:EA) used unfair business practices when signing sports related contracts. Consumerist named the company the "Worst Company in America" in 2012 and 2013. In 2018, USA Today ranked it as the 5th most hated company in the US.

Car companies are often at the top of these lists too, with names like Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) joining the ranks of the most hated companies. The car company is notorious for putting profits over people. Every once in a while, they end up making a product that puts many lives at stake. Nevertheless, Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) deliberately continues making them. One of the most prominent examples of Fords failures has got to be the Edsel. There were reports of mechanical flaws with the Edsel, largely due to a lack of quality control and confusion with other Ford parts. Industries like fashion, oil, social networks, computers, and pharmaceuticals are often on lists of the worst brands as well. Popular brand Balenciaga is on the list of the most hated brands in the US because of controversial ads and sales.

Story continues

The bottom-line is that being successful in business does not always guarantee user satisfaction. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), for instance, is a large-cap growth company in the Automotive & Truck Manufacturers industry. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has a market value of $583.75 billion, making it a mega-capitalization company (market capitalization above $200 billion). For many reasons, though, it looks like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is most likely to be the most hated company in the world. There is a long list of problems with this company, from working conditions to the way the owner, Elon Musk, presents his political views to the public.

Others have said that Tesla's marketing is dishonest, that it breaks promises, and that it is a scam. Critics have pointed out that Tesla downplays problems and is said to have punished several people who reported issues. People have even questioned if Tesla cars and services are safe and of good quality. Many reports from the past few years indicate that faulty car suspension can cause sudden, unintended acceleration, brake failure, and wheels collapsing. Users have complained about the sloppy implementation of some features, such as Autopilot, Full Self-Driving beta, and Passenger Play (which lets Tesla drivers play games while the car is moving).

There have been many claims that Musk and his company are guilty of fraud, including buying out SolarCity, selling faulty cars, making false claims, and sending out careless tweets. Musk agreed to pay a fine and step down as head of Tesla after one tweet. Five of the world's biggest tech companies have been accused of supporting child labor in Africa, where children were made to mine cobalt, a metal used to make batteries for phones and computers. Elon Musk's car company, Tesla, is one of these companies.

The Most Hated Brand in the US

Image by Blomst from Pixabay

Methodology

To compile the list of most hated brands in the US, we have used information from the website Axios for our research. The Axios Harris Poll 100 is a reliable list of the companies that Americans care about the most when it comes to their image. Their method is based on talking to random Americans online. Along with this site's list, we used lists from trustworthy sources such as 24/7 Wall Street, CNBC, Business Insider, and Reddit, to name a few. We kept the information from some of those lists that are more than 5 years old because we thought that the most hated names that had been on them for a long time should stay there. We also matched the lists with customer reviews and comments to get the most complete results. Some brands stay on these lists all the time, while others got there because of changes in customers' experiences or concerns about politics or society.

At Insider Monkey we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see the details here).

Based on our study, this is the most hated brand in the US.

1. The Trump Organization

Insider Monkey Score: 15

People despise Trump because he has used his authority to speak out against abortion. His entire life has revolved around breaking vows, breaking promises, bragging about his prowess with women, ranking women by grade, mocking women, demeaning women, and harassing women. People refer to him as a grandiose, malignant narcissist. He does not respect the Constitution and has turned the Republican Party into a loyalty test. Trump has surpassed parties and nations in importance.

He downplayed the reality of COVID-19 as the number of cases rose. Since Donald Trump and Mike Pence entered the White House, they have targeted the LGBTQ+ community's progress toward full equality and damaged the rights of many Americans. All of these issues have spread to his businesses and industries, so this company is on the top of every list of the most hated brands in the US.

Check out our complete list of 15 Most Hated Brands in the US.

At Insider Monkey, we delve into a variety of topics, ranging from the most hated brands to business aspects; however, our expertise lies in identifying the top-performing stocks. Currently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology stands out as one of the most promising fields. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NVDA but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published on Insider Monkey.
US comedian Jerry Seinfeld didnt back down when hecklers interrupted his Melbourne show on Saturday night, sending the crowd at Rod Laver Arena into laughter.

Ten minutes before the evening show was due to finish, at least two protesters chanted free Palestine, prompting Seinfeld to draw on his trademark black comedy.

You need to go back and tell whoever is running your organisation (that) we just gave more money to a Jew, the 70-year-old US comedian told the protesters.

The response drew raucous laughter from the crowd as he continued with a two-minute spiel in response to the interruption.
Former prime minister Paul Keating has compared Peter Dutton to the most wicked and cynical of individuals in a searing statement that accuses the opposition leader of opportunism and climate change denialism in his advocacy for nuclear power.

As the political debate over nuclear energy became increasingly personal over the weekend, when the Coalition mounted character attacks on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and teal MPs, Keating released a statement late on Sunday that began: [Peter] Dutton is a charlatan  an inveterate climate change denialist.

Paul Keating, known for his biting insults, issued his statement calling Dutton a charlatan a day after the opposition leader made a strikingly personal attack on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. Credit: Kate Geraghty, Rhett Wyman

A denialist now seeking to camouflage his long-held denialism in an industrial fantasy [nuclear power] ... Dutton, like [former prime minister Tony] Abbott, will do everything he can to de-legitimise renewables and stand in the way of their use, Keating wrote.

Only the most wicked and cynical of individuals would foist such a blight on an earnest community like Australia. A community which fundamentally believes in truth and decency and which relies on its political system to advance those ideals.
This year marks a significant milestone in financial circles: the 100th anniversary of the mutual fund.

These versatile investments have made it much easier and economical for Americans, especially those in the middle class, to invest in stocks, bonds, real estate, commodities, foreign markets and other areas.

They have stood the test of time, navigating recessions, wars and other disruptions. They have become mainstays, especially in retirement accounts, since the unveiling of the first fund, the Massachusetts Investors Trust, in 1924.

Mutual funds have played a pivotal role in democratizing investing, making it possible for 116 million Americans to participate in financial markets, said Sean Collins, chief economist at the Investment Company Institute, the fund-industry trade group, in a statement. The growth and evolution of mutual funds over the past century is a testament to their enduring appeal and the trust investors place in them.

How prevalent are mutual funds?

If youre a middle-class investor, you probably own one or several funds.

More than 71 million households, or 54% of the total, have at least one, according to the institute, which tracks considerable data on the industry in its 2024 Fact Book, at icifactbook.org. Retirement accounts, especially 401(k) programs, are a common way for younger investors to gain familiarity. A typical 401(k) plan might offer a dozen or so choices. Of fund-owning households, the average stake is $125,000 spread across three choices.

Alan Norris, a Phoenix certified financial planner and accredited investment fiduciary agreed that the markets have become more accessible. "They opened up a way for (middle America) to take advantage of a wide array of investments."

They also exert a significant impact in the financial markets. Funds own about 33% of U.S. stocks, 22% of American and foreign corporate bonds and 27% of municipal bonds, according to the institute. Funds pool the relatively small-dollar investments from millions of people to make these purchases

More about investing: When combining annuities and mutual funds makes sense, or not.

Are funds popular in other countries, too?

The fund industry is global, but the popularity of these investments isn't as pronounced in most foreign nations as it is in the U.S. Americans have embraced these investments more than people in most other countries.

Americans, for example, have nearly twice as much money invested in mutual funds compared to their holdings of bank deposit accounts and currencies, but in Japan the proportion is 53 to 5 in the other direction. Citizens of the European Union hold about three times as much in bank deposit accounts and currencies as in funds.

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Americans owned $33.6 trillion in fund assets at the end of 2023, compared to $35.3 trillion owned by the citizens of all other countries combined. Households, meaning individual investors as opposed to companies or institutions, hold 88% of U.S. fund assets.

The U.S. stock market as measured by the S&P 500 has risen more than 11% in 2024 and 23.7% since May of last year

Have mutual funds become better deals?

Generally, yes.

The most telling evidence of that is the significant decline in investor-borne costs. The vast majority of funds today are sold without commissions or loads that go to brokers.

In decades past, it was common for funds to charge as much as 8.5% off the top, but no-load funds have become the norm. About 92% of long-term funds are sold today without a sales load or a related fee known as the 12b-1 charge. Thats double the 46% share in 2000.

Also, the ongoing expenses levied by fund companies to pay their portfolio managers, oversee shareholder services and the like are also dropping.

In 2000, the typical expense on a stock fund was 0.99%, or about $9.90 for each $1,000 investment. Today, its 0.42% or $4.20 for each $1,000. Bond funds have seen a similar decrease, from 0.76% in 2000 to 0.37% last year. As funds have become bigger and more competitive, that has resulted in lower costs for investors, Norris said.

The numbers above are for regular or "open-end" funds. Another type called ETFs or exchange-traded funds pinch pennies even further. The typical stock ETF charged 0.15% in 2023, and the typical bond ETF was at 0.11%. ETF costs are lower, partly because they tend not to be actively managed to the extent regular mutual funds are.

Another category called index funds, which can be regular funds or ETFs, also tend to be inexpensive to own. They buy and hold the same stocks as found in market indexes such as the Standard & Poors 500 or S&P 500, with reduced trading and management costs.

Are mutual funds risky?

Yes, in terms of subjecting investors to possible losses.

When stocks and bonds are declining in price, the mutual funds that own them wont be far behind. However, a fund might own dozens, hundreds or even thousands of stocks or bonds, and this diversification can greatly mitigate some risks. That is, one or even a few corporate failures wont bring down an entire fund.

Money market funds, another category, dont carry deposit insurance like bank accounts. But even here, the safety record is nearly perfect. Money funds typically hold short-term debt issued by corporations, banks, the U.S. Treasury or various state and city governments. The risks are lessened because the IOUs the funds own tend to be of high credit quality with very short-term maturities, with less time for issuers to get into trouble.

The fund industry has thrived for a century without any direct backstop from the federal government, including for money funds. In an era where everyone else seems to look to Uncle Sam for help, that might be the industry's greatest achievement.

Reach the writer at russ.wiles@arizonarepublic.com.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mutual funds, a backbone for the middle class, hit 100th anniversary
Stephen Maguire

A man has died and another is being treated in hospital following a diving tragedy off the coast of Co Donegal.

The incident happened around 12.40pm on Saturday afternoon in the Teelin Bay area.

A local diving event was taking place in the area at the time.

Two men were recovered from the water. One of the men, aged in his 40s, was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second man, in his 60s, was rushed to University Hospital Galway where he continues to be treated.

Gardai attended the scene after receiving a request for assistance from the Coastguard.

A number of local rescue services took part in the search operation, including the Killybegs Coast Guard and the Coastguard's Rescue 118.

The local coroner was informed of the incident and a post-mortem examination is due to take place in the coming days.
I was 12 years old before I had my first ride on a train. It was a trip all the way to Dublin to spend my Confirmation money. Right from the start, I was awe-struck. Images and sounds from all the stories I had ever heard came to life that day, as I finally got to experience the many things my older siblings had mentioned from their travels away from the Ox Mountains.

But nothing prepared me for the massive black and orange coloured locomotive that pulled into the station. It was a big square ball of throbbing, hissing power, more akin to an enormous diesel-fired electricity generator than anything else.

The coming of the railways

The first public commuter railway system in Ireland launched in 1834 and ran between Dublin and Kingstown, now Dun Laoghaire. In the following years, rail lines spread from Dublin, initially reaching out to Cork, Belfast and Galway, and then to smaller towns and villages.

Unlike many European countries, there was no overall plan to develop a rail system for Ireland, which led to disputes and confusion. An economic collapse in the late 1830s and the Great Famine slowed railway growth for several years. In 1848, there were only 360 miles of track, however this had extended to almost 4,000 miles by 1920.

In the finish, one of the reasons for the spread in the railway network, particularly in rural Ireland, was an incentive offered by the British to make the concept of Home Rule more attractive to the Irish Stick with us, kids, and you can have nice things, like railways.

Ballina station opened in May 1873, following the opening of the Manulla to Foxford line in May 1868. It was built as part of the Midland Great Western Railway and connected to the Westport line through a branch line from Manulla Junction.

Elsewhere, 1895 saw the opening of the railway between Athenry in Galway and Collooney in Sligo. This line ran through the unforgiving east Mayo countryside. The final section of this line, between Claremorris and Collooney, had to be completed as a light rail structure because of dwindling funds and the undulating landscape.

Steam to diesel

Although prototype diesel locomotives ran in Britain before World War II, the railways here in Ireland changed more rapidly from steam to diesel. This was because of Ireland's limited coal reserves and an ageing steam locomotive fleet that left Coras Iompair Eireann (CIE) with more complaints than positive reviews.

The new locomotives proved an instant success, the only drawback being the single cab, which necessitated the locomotive being turned at the end of each journey. The second batch of 37 locomotives, delivered in 1962, were fitted with a cab at each end to overcome this problem and these bad boys unloaded an enormous 1,100 horsepower. When the hammer was fully down, they could reach speeds of up to 80mph. I think it must have been one of these monsters that I encountered on my maiden voyage.

Time travel

For me, riding that train proved to be a kind of coming of age. I was leaving behind long summer days, the hayfield and short trousers. I found myself speeding towards Dublin through exotic places such as Dromod, Mostrim and Enfield. The generous double, no treble, high-backed seats were from another age and while there may not have been genuine walnut on display, the seats had a deep-pile fabric covering of patriotic dark green. As the carriage seemed to stand still, fields and farms and whole villages whizzed by. Suddenly, the parallel meeting of another train, thundering in the opposite direction, caused a 120-mph explosion of earth, wind and fire prompting an immediate trip to the Leithreas as well as a frightening reminder to CLOSE THE FLIPPIN WINDOW!

I quickly discovered undertaking a trip to the toilet was not for the fainthearted. I had to negotiate the dark annex between the carriages where the deafening clatter of steel wheels and jangling chains was reminiscent of a scene from a World War II movie. It seemed, a misplaced foot could plunge the unsuspecting toilet-goer to a certain and bloody death amid rails, sleepers and iron spikes. It occurred at this stage that remaining seated and soiling myself was a preferable option, but I forged ahead.

Do Not Flush

I then squeezed my way through the dining carriage. This was my first experience of being in a compartment filled with body odour, cigarette smoke and the smell of beer. A line of men propped up the all-to-one-side bar which was serving minerals, beer and baby Powers. There were dining tables further up the carriage and from memory, they were covered with white cotton table cloths. I had the feeling that such tables were reserved for doctors and lawyers and TDs.

When I eventually got to the toilet, the train had stopped. I was immediately confronted by a sign saying DO NOT FLUSH WHILE THE TRAIN IS IN THE STATION. My long wait had to relieve myself had to continue until the train moved off again. The reason for the DO NOT FLUSH notice was because back in those days, the toiled flushed out directly on to the railway line. This method of sewage disposal worked reasonably well if the train was travelling at 70mph but presented those waiting on a station platform with a most objectionable experience if dumped out while the train was at a standstill.

When I eventually got to Dublin, my sister met me off the train and boy, was I happy to see her. The two main things I wanted to search out while in Dublin were the bullet marks on the giant columns of the GPO and the Ha'penny Bridge over the Liffey. These things still hold a fascination for me; they have survived despite all the changes that have happened around them.

I enjoyed a few days of double-decker bus rides and savoury mince dinners; experiences that few boys from the Ox Mountains had ever enjoyed in 1973. A week later, I made the same train journey back home to the Ox Mountains. This time I was more prepared; I sat near the toilet and made my way there just as the train was leaving Mullingar. The rattle and hum of the train was having little or no effect on me this time. However, I was a little bemused at the length of time that a guy with long hair and a girl in a short skirt spent kissing each other in a dark corner next to the toilets.

Over the decades, certain railways have disappeared and trains and their efficiencies have changed. While the railways system remains heavily subsidised, it is still a pleasant way to travel. I will take that same line to Dublin again this Saturday to see a musical in the Bord Gais Theatre. The train will be light and bright but will have no dining carriage.

Back in the day, it was such an experience to stand on a railway platform and feel the ground shake beneath your feet as one of those old black trains arrived in your station. That alone was worth the price of the ticket and yet, you still had your trip to look forward to.
A full house at Theatre Hof enjoyed the world premiere of Patrick Cassidys opera, Dante - From Inferno to Paradise, on Saturday night, June 15.

It was a highly emotional evening in Bavaria, Germany, the culmination of a decade of dedication to the subject matter, by renowned international composer Patrick Cassidy, a native of Claremorris who is now based in Los Angeles.

Patricks masterful and timeless Vide Cor Meum aria, which featured in Hannibal and Kingdom of Heavenmovies, led to the composition of this full three-act, 20-scene opera, dedicated to the works of Dante, the famous Italian poet and writer, from the thirteenth century. Set in a contemporary fashion, the 40-strong cast, consisting of the Hof Choir and Ballet Theatre Hof, together with the Hofer Symphony Orchestra, brought the tragic love story to life in a most dramatic, majestic and fulfilling way.

Patrick received a magnificent reception and a lengthy standing ovation at the conclusion of a most memorable occasion, attended by a number of Irish travelling supporters from a group tour and privately, along with some ticket holders from Central Europe, including former Italian Ambassador to Ireland Giovanni Adorni Braccesi, now based in Rome. Giovanni bestowed Patrick with the decoration of Cavaliere (Knight) in the Order Stella dItalia in 2017 and looks forward to Italy hosting the opera in Dantes homeland.

In all, there are seven performances of Dante at the Theatre Hof over the next four weeks.

Patrick was very pleased with the success of the opening night and appreciated the attendees from Ireland.

Thanks to everyone for making the night so special for me and my family. The project was a labour of love and witnessing it happen and so magnificently performed by Theatre Hof was wonderful. Certainly a career highlight, he said.

He explained the theme of the Opera: Dante first met Beatrice when he was nine years of age. He falls in love with her with all his heart and devotes himself to the art of poetry and while still a young man commences his first great work, La Vita Nuova. Sadly, Beatrice dies and Dante, upon experiencing a beatific vision of Beatrice in Paradise, was inspired to write his masterpiece The Divine Comedy.

Dante and Beatrice are reunited in heaven and the full story of the happenings is beautifully depicted and performed in Patricks first opera. It is envisaged that Dante will be performed in Ireland, possibly in Mayo, in due course.
Weather Alert

Bulletin: ...FROST ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 9 AM EDT FRIDAY... * WHAT...Temperatures as low as 33 degrees will result in frost formation. * WHERE...A portion of central Pennsylvania. * WHEN...From 2 AM to 9 AM EDT Friday. * IMPACTS...Frost could harm sensitive outdoor vegetation. Sensitive outdoor plants may be killed if left uncovered. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants and vegetation from the cold. Potted plants should be brought inside. The frost will occur mainly in valley locations. &&

Info:

Type: Frost Advisory

start_time_local: 2024-10-11T02:00:00-04:00

end_time_local: 2024-10-11T09:00:00-04:00

county_name:

state: PA

headline: Frost Advisory from FRI 2:00 AM EDT until FRI 9:00 AM EDT

county_fips:

category: Met

url:

urgency: Expected

severity: Minor

certainty: Likely

geographicname: Schuylkill County

state_name: Pennsylvania
Amid a backdrop of modest global equity gains and shifting market dynamics, the Hong Kong stock market presents unique opportunities as certain stocks appear to be trading below their intrinsic values. In this context, understanding the fundamental attributes that contribute to a stock being considered undervaluedsuch as strong financials relative to market priceis crucial for investors navigating these conditions.

Top 10 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows In Hong Kong

Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Best Pacific International Holdings (SEHK:2111) HK$2.11 HK$3.82 44.7% Kuaishou Technology (SEHK:1024) HK$49.35 HK$98.69 50% Gaush Meditech (SEHK:2407) HK$13.80 HK$26.13 47.2% China Cinda Asset Management (SEHK:1359) HK$0.72 HK$1.29 44.2% Zylox-Tonbridge Medical Technology (SEHK:2190) HK$10.26 HK$19.07 46.2% Innovent Biologics (SEHK:1801) HK$36.80 HK$66.88 45% REPT BATTERO Energy (SEHK:666) HK$14.16 HK$27.24 48% Zhaojin Mining Industry (SEHK:1818) HK$13.86 HK$25.10 44.8% Vobile Group (SEHK:3738) HK$1.17 HK$2.11 44.6% CGN Mining (SEHK:1164) HK$2.70 HK$4.86 44.5%

Click here to see the full list of 43 stocks from our Undervalued SEHK Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener.

Here's a peek at a few of the choices from the screener

Overview: Plover Bay Technologies Limited, an investment holding company, specializes in designing, developing, and marketing software-defined wide area network routers with a market capitalization of approximately HK$3.57 billion.

Operations: The company generates revenue through the sale of wired SD-WAN routers (HK$14.59 million), wireless SD-WAN routers (HK$49.39 million), and from software licenses along with warranty and support services (HK$30.28 million).

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 43.4%

Plover Bay Technologies, trading at HK$3.24, is significantly undervalued with a fair value estimated at HK$5.72 based on discounted cash flows, reflecting a potential undervaluation of 43.4%. The company's earnings are expected to grow by 13.82% annually, outpacing the Hong Kong market's average of 11.6%. Despite an unstable dividend track record, recent share repurchase announcements could enhance shareholder value by potentially increasing net asset value and earnings per share.

SEHK:1523 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Overview: Global New Material International Holdings Limited is an investment holding company that specializes in producing and selling pearlescent pigment, functional mica filler, and related products both domestically in the Peoples Republic of China and internationally, with a market capitalization of approximately HK$4.82 billion.

Operations: The company generates revenue primarily through its operations in the Peoples Republic of China and Korea, with segments reporting revenues of CN961.34 million and CN103.11 million respectively.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 23.7%

Global New Material International Holdings, priced at HK$3.89, is considered undervalued with an estimated fair value of HK$5.10. Despite a recent dip in net income and earnings per share for 2023, the company's revenue growth projections stand strong at 31.1% annually, significantly outpacing the Hong Kong market average. Furthermore, earnings are expected to surge by 41.85% per year, although it faces challenges like shareholder dilution and a decrease in profit margins from the previous year.

SEHK:6616 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Overview: China East Education Holdings Limited operates as an investment holding company that offers vocational training education services across the People's Republic of China, with a market capitalization of approximately HK$4.71 billion.

Operations: The company's revenue is primarily generated from its New East Culinary Education segment at CN1.87 billion, followed by Wontone Automotive Education and Xinhua Internet Technology Education with revenues of CN847.35 million and CN744.00 million respectively, along with contributions from Omick Education of Western Cuisine and Pastry at CN330.81 million, Cuisine Academy at CN49.30 million, and Wisezone Data Technology Education at CN37.88 million.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 19.9%

China East Education Holdings, valued at HK$2.16, is trading below its estimated fair value of HK$2.7, suggesting some undervaluation. The company's earnings are expected to grow by 20.84% annually, outperforming the Hong Kong market's average growth rate. However, its dividend sustainability is questionable as it is not well-covered by earnings or cash flows. Recent corporate actions include affirming dividends and adopting new articles of association to align with regulatory changes.

SEHK:667 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Make It Happen

Investigate our full lineup of 43 Undervalued SEHK Stocks Based On Cash Flows right here.

Are any of these part of your asset mix? Tap into the analytical power of Simply Wall St's portfolio to get a 360-degree view on how they're shaping up.

Unlock the power of informed investing with Simply Wall St, your free guide to navigating stock markets worldwide.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include SEHK:1523SEHK:6616 and

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
We recently compiled a list of the 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) stands against the other dividend stocks.

Last year, artificial intelligence (AI) was the main focus in the markets, driving tech stocks to the forefront. These stocks rose by nearly 56%, accounting for the majority of the markets gains. However, these trends quickly lose popularity once they emerge. Experienced long-term investors understand a crucial principle: while chasing short-term investment trends can often lead to disappointment, committing to a long-term strategy can yield success. As AI-related companies drove the market upward, the valuations of high dividend-paying companies quietly declined in comparison. It is not about attractive valuations of dividend stocks, these stocks also offer diversification benefits and the potential for a growing income stream, especially if the Fed decides to lower interest rates, making them a strong investment option. These stocks become more attractive when companies have a solid history of consistently paying and increasing their payouts. Read our list of Best Dividend Kings to Buy for Safe Dividend Growth.

Dividend zombies are companies that have paid dividends to shareholders for at least 100 consecutive years whereas dividend kings are companies boasting 50 years of dividend growth. Dividend growers have shown strong performance over the years, often surpassing the overall market returns. The Dividend Aristocrats index, which tracks the performance of companies with 25 consecutive years or more, has outperformed the broader market since its inception in 2005, with lower levels of volatility. Historically, the index has captured 90% of the markets upward movements while experiencing only 82% of its declines. Currently, the Aristocrats are trading at a price-to-earnings multiple that is more than 10% lower than that of the broader market. This discount level has historically preceded prolonged periods of superior performance by the Aristocrats.

Since the end of 1989, there have been six calendar years where the broader market experienced negative performance. In each of these years, the Dividend Aristocrat index surpassed the performance of the broader equity benchmark by an average of 13.28%. Remarkably, the aristocrats delivered positive total returns in three of those years.

Given investors preference for dividend stocks, companies listed in the broader market indices are consistently increasing and sustaining their dividend payments. In the first quarter of 2024, the S&P's main index distributed $151.6 billion in dividends, compared to $146.8 billion in Q1 2023. There were 796 reported dividend increases in the first quarter, totaling $22.7 billion, up from $19.7 billion in the prior-year period.

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The impressive returns of dividend growers clearly demonstrate their strong performance. In this article, we will take a look at dividend zombies and dividend kings to invest in.

Our Methodology:

For this list, we selected companies that have paid dividends for over 100 years and also have strong dividend growth histories. Some of these companies are dividend kings, which means that they have raised their payouts for 50 years or more. We also considered the hedge fund sentiment around each stock, according to Insider Monkey's database for Q1 2024. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the consecutive years of dividend payments. Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletters strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points. (see more details here).

A close-up of an artist carefully applying a coat of paint to a wood structure.

PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG)

Consecutive Years of Dividend Payments: 125

PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) is a Pennsylvania-based paint and coat manufacturing company that offers a wide range of related products and services. The company has benefitted a lot from its European exposure. In the early 1900s, it was one of the first US companies to expand its operations into Europe by acquiring a glass plant in Belgium. Throughout the 1920s, the company experienced sustained growth driven by its glass and paint divisions, which mainly benefitted from the expanding automotive industry and the construction of skyscrapers. It expects its demand to stabilize in Europe for the second quarter of 2024 and continued growth in China and Mexico.

Since the start of 2024, PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) has declined by over 13% due to investor disappointment with the mixed first-quarter earnings and worries about weak growth. Despite this, the company's management expects low single-digit organic sales growth for the year. They believe that increased demand from China and India will help balance out the declines in Europe and other markets.

ClearBridge's Large Cap Value Strategy highlighted PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG)'s European exposure in its Q2 2023 investor letter. Here is what the firm said:

We were fairly active in the quarter as market dislocations allowed us to be opportunistic, while focusing on companies with stronger moats, better pricing power, more predictable long-term growth and higher returns. In the materials sector we exited PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG) and initiated a position in Sherwin-Williams. While both companies operate in the paint and coating industry and are benefiting from improving margins as raw material prices have come down of late, we believe Sherwin-Williams dominant retail footprint affords it better pricing power through the cycle. The company provided conservative 2023 guidance and has been successfully gaining market share in the pro segment. While PPG has more European and industrial exposure, Sherwin-Williams residential and more domestic focus should also benefit the company as housing indicators appear to be troughing. Weak housing in the face of higher mortgage rates caused Sherwin-Williams stock to sell off in the first quarter, creating a compelling investment opportunity for long-term focused fundamental investors.

PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG), one of the best dividend zombies on our list, has been rewarding shareholders with growing dividends for the past 125 years. In addition, the company is a Dividend King with 52 consecutive years of dividend growth under its belt. The company pays a quarterly dividend of $0.65 per share for a dividend yield of 2.03%, as recorded on June 20.

As of the close of Q1 2023, 35 hedge funds in Insider Monkey's database reported having stakes in PPG Industries, Inc. (NYSE:PPG), down from 39 in the preceding quarter. These stakes are collectively worth nearly $758 million.

Overall PPG ranks 9th on our list of the dividend zombies and kings with longest dividend payouts. You can visit 10 Dividend Zombies and Kings with Longest Dividend Payouts to see the other dividend stocks that are on hedge funds radar. While we acknowledge the potential of PPG as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that deeply undervalued dividend stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for a deeply undervalued dividend stock that is as promising as PPG but that trades at less than 7 times its earnings and yields nearly 10%, check out our report about the dirt cheap dividend stock.

READ NEXT: Analyst Sees a New $25 Billion "Opportunity" for NVIDIA and Jim Cramer is Recommending These 10 Stocks in June.

Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.
Social Security is a lifeline for millions of older adults, often making the difference between a comfortable retirement and struggling to make ends meet.

In fact, a whopping 88% of baby boomers expect to rely on Social Security in retirement, according to a 2023 report from the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, with over 40% of boomers saying their benefits will be their primary source of income.

The program is on shaky ground right now, however, and there's a chance that Social Security may not be as reliable in the coming decades. According to the most recent research, your benefits could be slashed by around 17% in just 11 years. Here's what you need to know.

Image source: Getty Images.

Social Security is facing a cash shortage

Social Security has been struggling for years, primarily because its costs outweigh its income. The program relies heavily on taxes to fund benefits, with workers and employers contributing to the system through payroll taxes. That money is then paid out to current beneficiaries.

However, Social Security's income isn't enough to fully cover the amount that needs to be paid out in benefits. Thus, the program is running at a deficit.

As a short-term solution, the Social Security Administration (SSA) has started dipping into its trust funds -- the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) fund and the Disability Insurance (DI) fund. This has helped the SSA avoid cutting benefits so far despite the program experiencing a cash shortage.

Benefit cuts could be looming

While the trust funds have helped bridge the gap between what the program receives in income and the amount it needs to pay out in benefits, they're not designed to be a long-term income source. Sooner or later, they'll run out -- and that's when benefit cuts may become a reality.

According to the SSA Board of Trustees' latest estimates, released in May 2024, the OASI fund -- which covers retirement and survivors' benefits -- is expected to be depleted by 2033. At that point, the program's income sources will only be enough to cover 79% of scheduled benefits.

However, it's likely that if the situation becomes that dire, the SSA may tap into the DI fund, too, to pay out retirement benefits. In that case, both trust funds are predicted to run out by 2035, with income sources only enough to cover 83% of future benefits. In other words, benefits could be cut by around 17% when both funds are depleted in roughly 11 years.

Despite some pervasive myths that Social Security is going bankrupt, the program is not going away entirely. Even if the trust funds run out of money, the SSA will still have its income sources, like payroll taxes, to cover the majority of scheduled benefits.

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Potential solutions on the table

All of this assumes that Congress won't step in to solve the problem before the trust funds run out, which is unlikely. While lawmakers haven't managed to agree on a solution yet, there are various proposals to help improve Social Security's financial stability.

Raise the full retirement age: By raising the full retirement age from 67 to 68 or above, older adults would need to wait longer to collect 100% of their benefit amount. This would reduce the amount beneficiaries collect over a lifetime, lowering Social Security's expenses.

Reduce benefits for high earners: Reducing benefits for high-earning individuals would have a similar effect, decreasing the amount Social Security has to pay out and helping its income go further. Because this is still only a proposal, it's unclear what the income limits might be or how much benefits could be reduced.

Begin taxing higher incomes: One of the most popular solutions involves taxing income above $400,000 per year for Social Security purposes. As of 2024, only income up to $168,600 per year is subject to Social Security taxes, which limits how much the SSA can pay out in benefits.

Taxing higher income levels is one of the most effective solutions, yet it would eliminate only around 61% of the program's cash shortage, according to a report from the University of Maryland. It's likely, then, that the SSA may need to implement multiple changes to solve the problem.

While all this uncertainty can be unnerving, one of the best things you can do right now is simply stay up-to-date with Social Security's situation. When you have a better idea of what may happen going forward, you can take steps to start preparing your retirement accordingly.

The $ 22,924 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook

If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known "Social Security secrets" could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. For example: one easy trick could pay you as much as $22,924 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Simply click here to discover how to learn more about these strategies.

View the "Social Security secrets" 

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Retirees Could Lose 17% of Their Social Security Benefits in 11 Years. Here's Why was originally published by The Motley Fool
Regular readers will know that we love our dividends at Simply Wall St, which is why it's exciting to see Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad (KLSE:RHONEMA) is about to trade ex-dividend in the next 3 days. The ex-dividend date occurs one day before the record date which is the day on which shareholders need to be on the company's books in order to receive a dividend. The ex-dividend date is an important date to be aware of as any purchase of the stock made on or after this date might mean a late settlement that doesn't show on the record date. Thus, you can purchase Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's shares before the 27th of June in order to receive the dividend, which the company will pay on the 15th of July.

The company's next dividend payment will be RM00.01 per share, and in the last 12 months, the company paid a total of RM0.02 per share. Based on the last year's worth of payments, Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad stock has a trailing yield of around 2.9% on the current share price of RM00.685. Dividends are a major contributor to investment returns for long term holders, but only if the dividend continues to be paid. We need to see whether the dividend is covered by earnings and if it's growing.

See our latest analysis for Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad

Dividends are typically paid from company earnings. If a company pays more in dividends than it earned in profit, then the dividend could be unsustainable. Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad paid out a comfortable 36% of its profit last year. Yet cash flows are even more important than profits for assessing a dividend, so we need to see if the company generated enough cash to pay its distribution. What's good is that dividends were well covered by free cash flow, with the company paying out 18% of its cash flow last year.

It's encouraging to see that the dividend is covered by both profit and cash flow. This generally suggests the dividend is sustainable, as long as earnings don't drop precipitously.

Click here to see how much of its profit Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad paid out over the last 12 months.

Have Earnings And Dividends Been Growing?

Stocks with flat earnings can still be attractive dividend payers, but it is important to be more conservative with your approach and demand a greater margin for safety when it comes to dividend sustainability. Investors love dividends, so if earnings fall and the dividend is reduced, expect a stock to be sold off heavily at the same time. It's not encouraging to see that Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad's earnings are effectively flat over the past five years. Better than seeing them fall off a cliff, for sure, but the best dividend stocks grow their earnings meaningfully over the long run.

The main way most investors will assess a company's dividend prospects is by checking the historical rate of dividend growth. Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad has seen its dividend decline 8.2% per annum on average over the past seven years, which is not great to see.

Final Takeaway

Should investors buy Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad for the upcoming dividend? Earnings per share have been flat, although at least the company is paying out a low and conservative percentage of both its earnings and cash flow. It's definitely not great to see earnings falling, but at least there may be some buffer before the dividend gets cut. Overall, it's hard to get excited about Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad from a dividend perspective.

While it's tempting to invest in Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad for the dividends alone, you should always be mindful of the risks involved. To help with this, we've discovered 2 warning signs for Rhone Ma Holdings Berhad that you should be aware of before investing in their shares.

Generally, we wouldn't recommend just buying the first dividend stock you see. Here's a curated list of interesting stocks that are strong dividend payers.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Scientex Berhad (KLSE:SCIENTX) Third Quarter 2024 Results

Key Financial Results

Revenue: RM1.11b (up 11% from 3Q 2023).

Net income: RM130.5m (up 19% from 3Q 2023).

Profit margin: 12% (in line with 3Q 2023).

EPS: RM0.084 (up from RM0.071 in 3Q 2023).

All figures shown in the chart above are for the trailing 12 month (TTM) period

Scientex Berhad Earnings Insights

Looking ahead, revenue is forecast to grow 5.8% p.a. on average during the next 3 years, compared to a 6.6% growth forecast for the Chemicals industry in Malaysia.

Performance of the Malaysian Chemicals industry.

The company's share price is broadly unchanged from a week ago.

Risk Analysis

What about risks? Every company has them, and we've spotted 1 warning sign for Scientex Berhad you should know about.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com.



This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Perhaps you were too busy tracking last weeks first named storm of this years hurricane season to keep up with any other news. Heres what you missed.

Shown are rainfall totals throughout parts of South and Central Texas, through 7 a.m. Thursday. nws austin/san antonio

Several South Texas lakes have been at or near record low levels for the past several months. Click to find out if Tropical Storm Alberto dropped any significant rain over Texas' lakes.

Aerial photo of the Golden Pass LNG export terminal under construction. Court documents

Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC filed an emergency motion on Tuesday asking a judge to order Zachry Holdings Inc. to reject the contract for construction of the $10 billion-plus liquefied natural gas export terminal in Southeast Texas. Click to read more about why Golden Pass is seeking relief from an automatic stay imposed when Zachry filed for bankruptcy last month.

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Troy Castro a resident at Westwood Plaza Apartments, hands cases to fellow residents. Water was brought in by the owner of the complex after SAWS shut water off to residents due to non-payment by the complex. Jessica Phelps

The San Antonio Water System cut off water service Tuesday at four apartment complexes due to unpaid bills, leaving tenants in nearly 600 units without water for several hours. Click to read more about why SAWS took the unusual step of cutting off service.

Bianca Pitman, 43, was found strangled to death in her Spain apartment in April. Her "common-law" husband, Jose Betancourt, 50, was arrested by Spain authorities in connection to her death. GoFundMe

Bianca Pitman, a former San Antonio teacher, went to Spain to teach and was found strangled to death in April. Click to read more about why Spanish authorities have charged her common-law husband with her death.

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Aaron Tapp, center, the special agent in charge of the FBIs San Antonio field office, talks to reporters during a news conference at the U.S. Attorney's Office on Thursday, June 20, 2024, in San Antonio, Texas. The FBI, DEA and U.S. Attorney's Office held the joint news conference to discuss a recent operation targeting 24 members or associates of a gang named the Hermanos de Pistoleros Latinos. Sam Owens/San Antonio Express-News
Amidst a fluctuating Australian market, where the ASX200 experienced both gains and losses in recent trading sessions, investors continue to navigate through varied sector performances and global economic cues. In this context, understanding the significance of insider ownership can be crucial for identifying growth companies that might offer resilience and potential growth opportunities in such uncertain times.

Top 10 Growth Companies With High Insider Ownership In Australia

Name Insider Ownership Earnings Growth Hartshead Resources (ASX:HHR) 13.9% 86.3% Cettire (ASX:CTT) 28.7% 30.1% Acrux (ASX:ACR) 14.6% 115.3% Plenti Group (ASX:PLT) 12.8% 106.4% Hillgrove Resources (ASX:HGO) 10.4% 45.4% Change Financial (ASX:CCA) 26.6% 76.4% Botanix Pharmaceuticals (ASX:BOT) 11.4% 120.9% Liontown Resources (ASX:LTR) 16.4% 62.8% Argosy Minerals (ASX:AGY) 14.5% 129.6% Chrysos (ASX:C79) 21.4% 63.5%

Click here to see the full list of 90 stocks from our Fast Growing ASX Companies With High Insider Ownership screener.

Underneath we present a selection of stocks filtered out by our screen.

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Chrysos Corporation Limited is a company focused on the development and supply of mining technology, with a market capitalization of approximately A$655.35 million.

Operations: The company generates revenue primarily from mining services, totaling A$34.24 million.

Insider Ownership: 21.4%

Chrysos Corporation Limited is poised for significant growth, with revenue expected to increase by 35.3% annually, outpacing the Australian market average of 5.5%. Despite some insider selling and shareholder dilution over the past year, more shares have been bought than sold by insiders recently. Analysts predict a substantial rise in the stock price by 31.1% and forecast Chrysos to turn profitable within three years, with earnings growth projected at 63.48% per year.

ASX:C79 Ownership Breakdown as at Jun 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Capricorn Metals Ltd is an Australian company focused on the evaluation, exploration, development, and production of gold properties, with a market capitalization of approximately A$1.86 billion.

Operations: The company generates its revenue primarily from the Karlawinda segment, totaling A$356.94 million.

Insider Ownership: 12.3%

Capricorn Metals showcases moderate revenue growth at 14.3% annually, surpassing the Australian market's average of 5.5%. Despite a decrease in profit margins from last year and significant insider selling recently, earnings are expected to surge by 26.5% per year, notably above the market forecast of 13.7%. The company's Return on Equity is also anticipated to be robust at 30.9% in three years, reflecting potential for substantial financial improvement despite current challenges.

Story continues

ASX:CMM Ownership Breakdown as at Jun 2024

Simply Wall St Growth Rating: 

Overview: Technology One Limited is an enterprise software solutions provider operating both in Australia and internationally, with a market capitalization of approximately A$6.01 billion.

Operations: The company generates revenue through three primary segments: software sales contributing A$317.24 million, corporate services at A$83.83 million, and consulting services totaling A$68.13 million.

Insider Ownership: 12.3%

Technology One has demonstrated solid financial growth, with revenue increasing to A$240.83 million and net income rising to A$48 million in the first half of 2024. Despite its Price-To-Earnings ratio being below the industry average at 54.9x, its earnings growth is projected to outpace the Australian market's average, forecasted at 14.3% per year. However, its revenue growth rate of 11.1% per year lags behind more aggressive market benchmarks of over 20%. The company maintains high insider ownership but lacks significant insider buying or selling activities in recent months.

ASX:TNE Earnings and Revenue Growth as at Jun 2024

Turning Ideas Into Actions

Reveal the 90 hidden gems among our Fast Growing ASX Companies With High Insider Ownership screener with a single click here.

Shareholder in one or more of these companies? Ensure you're never caught off-guard by adding your portfolio in Simply Wall St for timely alerts on significant stock developments.

Join a community of smart investors by using Simply Wall St. It's free and delivers expert-level analysis on worldwide markets.

Searching for a Fresh Perspective?

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 analysis only considers stock directly held by insiders. It does not include indirectly owned stock through other vehicles such as corporate and/or trust entities. All forecast revenue and earnings growth rates quoted are in terms of annualised (per annum) growth rates over 1-3 years.

Companies discussed in this article include ASX:C79 ASX:CMM and ASX:TNE.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Calls for Hybu Cig Cymru independence amid concerns of toxic bullying culture

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 23rd, 2024

A Conservative MS called for Hybu Cig Cymru to be made fully independent amid concerns about a toxic bullying culture within the meat promotion organisation.

James Evans, the shadow rural affairs secretary, warned the farming industry is losing faith in Hybu Cig Cymru (HCC), Wales meat marketing board.

He said HCCs chief executive has stood down, two senior executives are leaving and board members are on the verge of resigning.

Mr Evans said: There have been no board minutes published since 2022, and no up-to-date financial statements or annual reports on their website since 2021.

This is a very concerning position for HCC to find itself in. The body underpins an industry thats been valued at more than 1b to Wales.

Losing faith

The Brecon and Radnorshire MS said a toxic culture of bullying and governance issues within the Welsh Government-owned company are undermining farmers confidence.

He said: A lot of people in the industry, as well, are very concerned about whether the board and the chairman of the board have got the power and the levers that they need to actually turn the organisation around.

The industry is losing faith.

During rural affairs questions on June 19, Mr Evans called for a fully independent meat marketing board, run by farmers and processors for farmers and processors.

He told the Senedd: A lot of farmers Im speaking to are telling me, Take it away from the Welsh Government, give it back to the industry, give it to the processors, let them directly appoint people onto that board, and, if they dont perform, they can take them away.

Deteriorating

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymrus shadow rural affairs secretary, warned that the situation is going from bad to worse, with two directors resigning this week.

The North Wales representative raised concerns about absence levels and staff turnover as he echoed calls for government intervention.

Pressing Huw Irranca-Davies, the Welsh Governments rural affairs secretary, he warned of the risk of undermining the faith of HCC levy payers and the reputation of Welsh red meat.

He asked: For how long will you say that this is someone elses problem?

Mr Irranca-Davies replied: We have to leave it to Hybu Cig Cymru to actually work through these issues and do them properly and assiduously. That is HCCs role

It is not for me to step in and, in some ways, tell HCC what to do, or intervene in what are sensitive and delicate discussions with both current and former members.

Assurances

Mr Irranca-Davies said he has not heard a universal voice from farmers calling for HCC to be made independent of the Welsh Government.

The rural affairs secretary, who is also responsible for climate change, recognised concerns about governance, saying he has met the chair to seek assurances in the past few weeks.

He told the chamber: In terms of their day-to-day business and their performance, theyre getting on with it. Ive had those reassurances that performance is not affected.

But clearly, Im aware of the internal governance issues and Im sure theyre focused on resolving them.

Mr Irranca-Davies, a former MP and Defra minister under Gordon Browns UK Government, pointed out that Heather Anstey-Myers was appointed interim chief executive in January.

By Chris Haines, ICNN Senedd reporter
Childrens hospices call for sustainable funding with symbolic giant butterfly display in Cardiff Bay

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 23rd, 2024

Wales two childrens hospices unfurled a giant butterfly, partly made by the children they care for, on the steps of the Senedd as they called again for the Welsh Government to commit to sustainable funding.

As we reported earlier this week the cloth #ReachEveryChild butterfly artwork was made up of 3,655 small butterflies, which represent the number of children with life-shortening conditions in Wales and has been made by children currently supported from both hospices, staff and volunteers.

The hospices said they would like to thank the 14 MSs who supported Childrens Hospice Week, including Rhun ap Iorwerth, Sam Rowlands, Eluned Morgan, Janet Finch-Saunders, Gareth Davies and Russell George from across North and Mid Wales.

Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith currently support one in 10 children diagnosed with a life-shortening condition across Wales. Displaying their #ReachEveryChild butterfly on the steps of the Senedd was the latest move in their five year campaign to get the Welsh Government to commit to funding 21% of their annual care costs.

Currently childrens hospices in England, Northern Ireland and Scotland receive between 30% and 50% of their annual care costs from their respective governments.

Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith currently receive just 12% of their joint annual care costs on a recurrent basis from the Welsh Government.

Irfon Rees, Chief Executive of Ty Hafan, said: In 2021/22 Welsh Government met our ask to fund 21% of our care costs for Wales two childrens hospices. However, in real terms, this recurrent funding has since fallen to just under 12% of hospice care costs.

In 2023 we launched the Trends in Prevalence and Complexity Report. That report showed there are 3,655 children in Wales who have a life-shortening condition. A number that has been increasing for years and remains on an upward trajectory.

We need Welsh Government funding to keep pace with the need for, and costs of, our services.

Andy Goldsmith, Chief Executive of Ty Gobaith, said: We know we can do more. We know we must do more to reach the 3,655 families who have had to have the conversation you never want to have and are desperately seeking support.

We know we can provide support, services and smiles to more of the 3,655 families who are frightened, isolated, overwhelmed and face each day fearing it could be their childs last, services that families call their lifeline.

Thats why we called on the Government to provide us with the support, help and funds so that we will be here for every child and family who turn to us. To fulfil that promise. To give us the sustainable funding and the secure future to support every child and family that need us, today and in the future.

A letter calling once again for sustainable funding for Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith and signed by Irfon Rees and Andy Goldsmith has been sent to the First Minister Vaughan Gething and Eluned Morgan, Minister for Health and Social Services.

The #ReachEveryChild butterfly emblem took three weeks to make and features 404 coloured fabric butterflies, each of which was uniquely decorated by children currently being cared for by Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith.

The remaining 3,251 butterflies, representing those children with a life-shortening condition in Wales whom Ty Hafan and Ty Gobaith are not currently able to reach, were painstakingly stencilled on in grey paint by volunteers from a range of companies who support the childrens hospices.
Deputy PCC Wayne Jones retains role for further four-year term

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 23rd, 2024

At a special meeting of the North Wales Police and Crime Panel at Bodlondeb, Conwy on 21 June, Wayne Jones was reconfirmed as Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for North Wales for a further term of four years.

The Police and Crime Panel is a body made up of ten councillors from across North Wales and three co-opted independent members and scrutinises the work of the Police and Crime Commissioner. The reappointment of Wayne Jones as Deputy follows the re-election of North Wales PCC Andy Dunbobbin by the people of the region in May. The Deputy is in turn nominated by the PCC and this proposal is then put to the panel for their agreement.

Prior to serving as Deputy PCC since September 2021, Wayne Jones was a senior detective with North Wales Police and served as Head of Crime Services.

Originally from Rhyl, Wayne Joness police career began when he signed up with the Lancashire force. After three years in Lancashire, he returned home to join North Wales Police in 1994, initially serving in Wrexham and progressing swiftly up the ranks. During his career he also served in Holyhead, Rhyl, Llandudno, the divisional headquarters in St Asaph and the force headquarters in Colwyn Bay.

As well as leading the fight against County Lines gangs, he was instrumental in establishing a number of ground-breaking initiatives including the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT), the Onyx team for Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and the forces Economic Crime Unit.

He was also the Gold Commander for the Operation Lenten investigation into child sexual exploitation which received a special award for its work.

Since taking up the role of Deputy PCC, Wayne has been active in areas of the office of the PCCs work such as preventing Modern Slavery, violence against women, domestic abuse and sexual violence, and improving road safety, especially among young people.

John Williams, Chairman, North Wales Police and Crime Panel, commented: The Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner is an important role, and in confirming the appointment of Wayne Jones, the Police and Crime Panel are totally satisfied that Mr Jones will continue to bring to the role an expertise and professionalism which will enhance the functioning of the office of the Police Commissioner.

Andy Dunbobbin, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales said: I am pleased that the Police and Crime Panel has agreed that Wayne Jones should continue serving as Deputy PCC. Wayne was originally chosen in 2021 from a high-quality field of candidates and he has proven a real asset to our work since his appointment, bringing practical policing experience and extensive policy knowledge to the role.

Given the fast-changing nature of modern policing and politics at the present time, Waynes reappointment provides continuity of service and experience. As such, I look forward to working with Wayne and the rest of my team over the coming months as we consult the people of North Wales on my Police and Crime Plan for the next four years, with the aim of making North Wales an even safer and more secure place for all residents and visitors.

Deputy PCC Wayne Jones added: I thank the PCC and Police and Crime Panel for the faith they have shown in me by confirming me as Deputy PCC once again. Following the hearing meeting, I am very much looking forward to getting straight back down to work serving and delivering for the people of North Wales, alongside Andy as Commissioner. We stand at an interesting time for policing, with both pressures and opportunities on the horizon, and I am excited to continue playing my part and bringing my experience to bear in the service of the region.
Police launch missing person appeal

This article is old - Published: Sunday, Jun 23rd, 2024

Local police have released the above image as part of a missing persons appeal this evening.

North East Wales Search and Rescue shared, North Wales Police have concerns for Karina who is currently missing from the Hope, Wrexham area and was last seen at 20.30 today.

Karina is described as approx. 5ft5, medium build, wearing all black and has pink hair. Any sightings or information, please get in touch via 101 or web chat, quoting reference number Q091000.
Amidst a backdrop of fluctuating market sentiments and the recent downturn in Japan's stock indices, investors are keenly observing potential opportunities for value. In such a landscape, identifying stocks that appear undervalued could be particularly compelling, aligning with broader economic cues and investor strategies focused on long-term growth prospects in this nuanced market.

Top 10 Undervalued Stocks Based On Cash Flows In Japan

Name Current Price Fair Value (Est) Discount (Est) Link and Motivation (TSE:2170) 456.00 891.20 48.8% Plus Alpha ConsultingLtd (TSE:4071) 1874.00 3563.34 47.4% Hibino (TSE:2469) 2570.00 4889.56 47.4% OSAKA Titanium technologiesLtd (TSE:5726) 2808.00 5531.09 49.2% Cyber Security Cloud (TSE:4493) 2142.00 4106.05 47.8% S-Pool (TSE:2471) 310.00 586.68 47.2% Macromill (TSE:3978) 858.00 1671.55 48.7% NIHON CHOUZAILtd (TSE:3341) 1428.00 2776.02 48.6% Members (TSE:2130) 899.00 1718.12 47.7% LibertaLtd (TSE:4935) 1023.00 1954.32 47.7%

Click here to see the full list of 101 stocks from our Undervalued Japanese Stocks Based On Cash Flows screener.

Let's review some notable picks from our screened stocks

Overview: Money Forward, Inc. offers financial solutions to individuals, financial institutions, and corporations mainly in Japan, with a market capitalization of approximately 286.63 billion.

Operations: The firm generates revenue by offering financial solutions tailored for various client groups across Japan.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 43.4%

Money Forward is trading at 5257, significantly below the estimated fair value of 9281.54, indicating potential undervaluation based on cash flows. Despite a highly volatile share price recently, its financial outlook appears robust with earnings expected to grow 63.83% annually. Additionally, its revenue growth forecast of 19.9% per year outpaces the Japanese market average significantly. The upcoming merger with Klavis Inc., set for December 2024, could further influence financial dynamics and stability.

TSE:3994 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Overview: Freee K.K., operating in Japan, specializes in offering cloud-based accounting and HR software solutions, with a market capitalization of approximately 142.99 billion.

Operations: The firm generates revenue primarily through its cloud-based accounting and HR software solutions.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 45.2%

freee K.K. is currently priced at 2447, which is 45.2% below the estimated fair value of 4465.16, suggesting it may be undervalued based on cash flows. The company's revenue is projected to increase by 21.4% annually, surpassing Japan's market average significantly. Despite its share price volatility over the last three months and a forecasted low return on equity of 18.6%, freee K.K.'s earnings are expected to grow substantially by 81% per year as it approaches profitability within three years.

Story continues

TSE:4478 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Overview: NSK Ltd. operates globally, manufacturing and selling industrial machinery bearings, automotive products, and precision machinery and parts, with a market capitalization of approximately 377.95 billion.

Operations: The company generates revenue primarily from two segments: automotive products, which contribute approximately 408.82 billion, and industrial machinery, accounting for about 344.85 billion.

Estimated Discount To Fair Value: 37.5%

NSK Ltd., trading at 773.4, is perceived as undervalued, with its price 37.5% below the calculated fair value of 1236.51. Despite a moderate revenue growth forecast of 4.9% per year, its earnings are expected to surge by 27.07% annually, outpacing the Japanese market's average significantly. However, concerns arise from a dividend coverage issue and a projected low return on equity of 5.5%, which could impact future financial stability and investor returns.

TSE:6471 Discounted Cash Flow as at Jun 2024

Next Steps

Click here to access our complete index of 101 Undervalued Japanese Stocks Based On Cash Flows.

Invested in any of these stocks? Simplify your portfolio management with Simply Wall St and stay ahead with our alerts for any critical updates on your stocks.

Elevate your portfolio with Simply Wall St, the ultimate app for investors seeking global market coverage.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

Companies discussed in this article include TSE:3994TSE:4478 TSE:6471

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
Mandi Genord of Beaver Dam earns Miss Wisconsin 2024 crown and will compete for Miss America 2025 title

OSHKOSH  Mandi Genord will compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

The 22-year-old Beaver Dam woman claimed the Miss Wisconsin 2024 crown Saturday evening at Alberta Kimball Auditorium at Oshkosh West High School from a field of 30 contestants from across the state.

Genord served as Miss Wisconsins Teen in 2018. She is the third former Miss Wisconsins Teen to be awarded the title of Miss Wisconsin. She credits her time with the Miss America Opportunity for helping her to graduate debt-free.

Mandi Genord, of Beaver Dam, claims the title of Miss Wisconsin 2024.

Shes a 2024 graduate of the University of Alabama, where she earned bachelors degrees in political science, communication studies and dance. She plans to attend law school with aspirations of becoming an adoption attorney.

Competing as Miss Northern Lights, Genord receives $12,500 in scholarships along with other gifts and awards, and the chance to compete for the title of Miss America 2025.

Genord also won preliminary talent and evening wear award honors, was named the overall evening wear winner and tied for the overall interview score. With those awards, Genord earned an additional $1,500 in scholarships.

For the talent phase of competition, Genord performed a contemporary jazz dance to You Dont Own Me. Her Community Service Initiative is Movement Matters in which Genord strives to keep kids in motion, increasing cognitive function and self-esteem through the power of activity.

For the talent phase of the Miss Wisconsin competition, Mandi Genord performed a contemporary jazz dance to "You Dont Own Me."

I am thrilled to have Mandi Genord crowned Miss Wisconsin 2024, back representing our organization, said Brenda Baudo, executive director of the Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Organization. She is well-spoken, intelligent and talented.

Rounding out the top 11 semi-finalists and court of honor were the following:

Semi-finalists: Miss New Berlin, Kailee Doherty, Menomonee Falls, Peoples Choice winner, $600 scholarship; Miss West Allis, Brystal Schultz, Bristol, $500 scholarship; Miss Rock River Valley, Hollis Brown, Savannah, Georgia, semi-finalist, $500 scholarship; Miss Turtle Creek, Kayla Gallego, Miramar, Florida, semi-finalist, $500 scholarship; Miss Sugar Maple, Theresa Guardiola, Racine, semi-finalist, $500 scholarship; and Miss Great Lakes, Willow Newell, Racine, semi-finalist, $500 scholarship.

Top 5 Court of Honor: Fourth runner-up, Miss Door County, Kylie Duessler, Sturgeon Bay, $1,000 scholarship; third runner-up, Miss Madison, Halle Bender, Madison, $1,250 scholarship; second runner-up, Miss Onalaska, Jordenne Butler, Onalaska, $1,500 scholarship; and first runner-up, Miss South Central, Catherine Smith, Janesville, $3,000 scholarship.

Miss Wisconsin 2024 Mandi Genord (center) at the 2024 Miss Wisconsin Competition in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

The Miss Wisconsin Scholarship Organization is a state affiliate of the Miss America Organization. Miss Wisconsin and its local affiliates are dedicated to supporting continuing education through scholarships, facilitating community service and volunteerism, promoting personal growth and leadership skills, and instilling confidence among the young women who participate in the program. Each contestant dedicates her year of service to promoting a service initiative, or personal cause, she champions to make a positive difference in her community. Three Miss Wisconsins have gone on to become Miss America: Terry Anne Meeuwsen (1973), Laura Kaeppeler (2012) and Grace Stanke (2023).

More: Oshkosh teen wins $40,000 Amazon scholarship and internship

Miss Wisconsin's Teen is Ella Bey of Pewaukee

Miss Wisconsin Teen 2024 is Ella Bey of Pewaukee.

Friday night, Ella Bey of Pewaukee was crowned Miss Wisconsin's Teen 2024. The 15-year-old swept the title from a field of 23 contestants at Alberta Kimball Auditorium at Oshkosh West High School.

Competing as Miss Foot of the Lakes, Bey receives $3,000 in scholarships along with other gifts and awards, including the chance to compete for the title of Miss Americas Teen 2025.

During the talent phase of the competition, Bey performed a contemporary dance. She is an award-winning dancer who has been training since age 3.

Her Community Service Initiative is Special Times ~ Special Friends (STSF). It seeks to partner teens with youth in the community living with disabilities in activities of mutual interest, inspiring kindness and doing good for others. She is motivated in this mission by her younger sister, who lives with the rare genetic condition Prader-Willi syndrome.

More: Oshkosh student one of 300 nationwide to earn spot at Washington Journalism and Media Conference

Brandon Reid is editor of the Oshkosh Northwestern. Contact him at 920-686-2984 or breid@gannett.com, or follow him on X at @breidHTRNews.

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Miss Wisconsin 2024 is Mandi Genord, who will compete for Miss America
This African country is No. 1 for friendliest destination: See who made the top 10

Traveling to a new country can be nerve-racking, from having a basic grasp of the language to navigating the public transit system.

One thing that can ease the stress of being in a new place is encountering friendly locals, who can make you feel welcome and help if youre lost.

Digital financial services company Remitly recently determined the worlds friendliest nations in a new report. The company surveyed 3,000 participants from 27 countries on their agreeableness from the popular Big 5 Personality Test in April. Participants took a simplified version of the tests agreeableness section and were given a score between 1 and 40, with a higher score meaning they were more agreeable. The scores of each countrys residents were averaged, and the higher the average, the friendlier the country.

Solo traveling basics: Expert advice for your first trip

If someones personality is concluded as agreeable, theyre friendly, compassionate and empathetic. This is the type of person who prioritizes interpersonal relationships, is warm to others and wants to strike up conversations  all good traits if travelers want to feel comfortable in a new destination.

A big part of being in a new place is the experience you have with locals, whether it's getting insider tips on the best places to eat, or making long-lasting connections and forging friendships that will last a lifetime, said Ollie Cassel, head of growth marketing at Remitly, in an email to USA TODAY. The friendliness of the people you interact with can sometimes make or break your experience.

Read below to find out the top 10 friendliest countries, according to Remitly.

10. Belgium, 32.5

The annual UNTWO Tourism report tracks international tourist arrivals. Note that the organization does not have data on record for certain countries (including Belarus and Slovakia). At No. 25 on the list is Belgium, with 7,479,000 international tourist arrivals in 2016.

Belgium is ranked as one of the friendliest countries to travelers. The European nation not only has progressive social policies and low crime rates, but English is easily spoken, which makes it easy to meet locals.

9. Estonia, 32.58

Estonia is a great destination for history buffs and nature lovers.

Home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites and more than 1,000 islands, Estonia has friendly locals who are known to be respectful and polite to foreigners. A 2019 survey of almost 14,000 Estonians found that most residents prioritize safety and openness.

8. Germany, 32.66

Nuns sit on a bench in a park in the center of Frankfurt am Main, western Germany, on April 17, 2024.

Theres a lot of history and culture to uncover in Germany, and its friendly residents help make it a popular European destination. Germans arent known for engaging in small talk but will help you out if youre in need.

7. Canada, 32.84

Known for their kindness  and love for the word sorry  Canadians scored high for agreeableness in the Remitly report, which makes it a welcoming destination for travelers.

6. Australia, 33.13

With friendly, laid-back locals, Australia earned a spot as one of the friendliest countries for travelers, so you can feel good about visiting the Land Down Under.

5. Sweden, 33.30

Known to have friendly and courteous locals, Sweden earned the spot as the fifth-friendliest nation. It makes sense: The country is often ranked as one of the happiest places in the world.

4. Mexico, 33.47

Known for having strong family ties and being proud of their heritage, Mexicans are generally friendly and kind to travelers, earning the North American country the fourth spot in the report.

3. Croatia, 33.50

Traveller looking at view of Dubrovnik Old Town, in Dalmatia, Croatia, the prominent travel destination of Croatia. Dubrovnik old town was listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979.

Scoring the spot for the third-friendliest country, Croatia is highly welcoming for travelers. Croatians are known to be polite and social, so you can feel comfortable asking locals for directions.

2. Greece, 33.71

Greece is a friendly destination for travelers.

The Greeks live by a value known as philoxenia, which translates to friend of the foreign and stems from ancient Greek mythology. Essentially, this means the country is especially welcoming and warm to travelers.

1. South Africa, 34.63

South Africans are known to be friendly to foreigners.

South Africans are known to be friendly, so travelers can expect to encounter many locals saying hello and striking up conversations. Eleven official languages are spoken in the African country, like English and Afrikaans, so you can feel comfortable engaging with residents.

Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at kwong@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 10 friendliest countries for travelers, according to new report
Atlanta Greek Picnic is back this year and will celebrate its 20th anniversary. Hosted at Morris Brown College it is set to take place from June 25 to June 30.

The event will include performances by artists Brie, Noochie, Dominae, Swift and Fast Life Yungstaz. It will also feature the AGP Cares Corner, a space in which attendees will have access to complimentary mental health chats with licensed therapists.

The step show, which is one of the mainstays of AGP, was canceled this year, the organization announced on June 11. Rickey Smiley was originally set to host the event, while Juvenile was scheduled to perform.

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AGP draws in over 25,000 people each year and generates an estimated $3.5 million, according to Andscape.

Tiwa Williams, the president and founder of AGP, said his motivation for organizing the event was to advance a demographic of highly educated and extremely influential audience with networking, unity, a unique and fun experience once a year, according to Andscape.

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Although AGP features celebrations, the organization also hosts an annual networking event and community service, which Williams said is an instrumental piece of our weekend to be able to give back to our community and to leave it better than we found it. The organization has also sponsored entrepreneurial events in the past like Plug ATLs pitch competition.

Williams created AGP in 2004 after being inspired by the Kappa Luau in Tallahassee, Florida, which he said was the largest gathering of Greeks in the South at the time. Between 200 to 300 people attended the inaugural AGP event. Attendance grew and by 2009, it drew in around 3,000 people.

The truth is, prior to enrolling at my alma mater, Georgia Southwestern State University, I had zero knowledge of what black Greek culture was, Williams told Andscape. This was very intriguing to a young British-born Nigerian kid who had just moved to America from an all-boys Catholic boarding school in Bath, England, to see these students were part of an apparent huge Greek-lettered organization with decades of history on a university campus in south Georgia.

His interest in Greek life grew and Williams eventually joined Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc.

Kappa challenged me to be a better person, a better student, a better leader and a better citizen of the world, he said. Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. wasnt just the coolest, smoothest and most successful brothers that were around, but they uplifted everyone, including other fraternities, and to me that meant a lot.
A close encounter with shark topped New Bedford's most read stories. Read all about it.

As we head into a new week, let's take a look at the news from this past week.

Jordan Rezendes is all about giving back. Thats why the Wareham native became the boys basketball head coach at Mashpee High this past winter. In his first year at the helm, Rezendes directed Mashpees boys basketball team to a 7-12 record. Determined to build up the program, Rezendes is offering a Co-Ed Skills Clinic along with Bob Catalini from June 24-28 at Mashpee High School. The registration fee is $135 for the week or $30 per day. Its open for boys and girls in grades fourth through 12th. To register, contact Rezendes at rezendesjordan2@gmail.com.

The reigning Miss New Bedford 2024, Emma Gendreau is one of 25 contestants vying to be the 84th Miss Massachusetts. Her Community Service Initiative is focused on special education advocacy, a topic that holds importance to the community or to the nation as a whole, is one she often speaks out about.

Keep up with high school sports with scores, game highlights, and Player of the Week voting at https://www.southcoasttoday.com/sports.

Here are the most-read stories of the week on https://www.southcoasttoday.com:

Westport resident Perry Long is seen on June 9 in the waters off of Westport, near the landmark known as "Twomile Rock," when he and his wife Carmel Long became surrounded by sharks while out on their angler boat.

"Oh my God, that is a frickin' shark!"

That was part of Westport resident Carmel Long's reaction to realizing what the large marine animal swimming around her and her husband Perry Long's boat the other weekend was.

Then, five more came and joined in.

Water adventure: This Westport couple had an unexpected shark encounter.

The highest-paid employee at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for fiscal 2023 was Chancellor Mark A. Fuller.

According to data provided by the university, Fuller was paid $486,875.01. In a list compiled of UMass Dartmouth's top 100 salaries during the same time period, the salary for the 100th-highest-paid position was $148,548.56 and was paid to a professor.

Take a look: Who were the top 100 highest-paid UMass Dartmouth employees in 2023?

Pam Shwartz leads guests on the North End food tour.

New Bedford Food Tours is thrilled to announce the launch of their new North End Food Tour in New Bedford. The tour will take visitors to some of the best-hidden gems in the North End of the city, showcasing the diverse and delicious cuisine.

Starting June 22, the North End Food Tour will feature a variety of cuisines, including Mexican, Guatemalan, Honduran, Portuguese and Cape Verdean

"The North End has always been a welcoming place for immigrants, and this tour truly reflects the cultural melting pot that it is," said co-owner Pamela Shwartz.

Here's what to expect: Experience North End's hidden gems with debut of New Bedford food tour.

Visitors take a photo in front of the whale tale after a visit to the New Bedford Whaling Museum.

As you walk through the cobblestone streets of downtown, one destination stands out among the rest - the New Bedford Whaling Museum. If you're looking for a place to dine before or after visiting the attraction, here are some spots to consider.

Experience the cozy and welcoming atmosphere of Tia Maria's European Cafe, a family-owned restaurant located at 42 N Water Street; Located at 24 N Water St., at Quahog Republic Whaler's Tavern indulge in the seafood-centric menu featuring stuffed quahogs, stuffed scallops, and famous lobster roll served with a cup or bowl of piping hot chowder; Nestled inside the historic Rodman Candlework Building, built in 1810, lies Carmine's, a renowned restaurant known for their exceptional spring and summer menu; Freestone's City Grill, located on 41 William St, is a historic and diverse restaurant housed in a former bank building that was built in 1877; and located at 16 S Water St, founded in 2017, Moby Dick Brewing Co. sits at the intersection of the city's whaling past and future possibilities.

Here are six restaurants to consider: Planning a visit to the New Bedford Whaling Museum?

Walter White and wife Courtney White of Waltney's Seafood Co. sit on the dredge of one of their fishing boats docked on Pope's Island in New Bedford.

When Walter and Courtney White decided to start their own business together selling wild-caught scallops, they started it with a shared appreciation for scallops and a connection that goes back to their youth.

Walter said they want to be able to provide a good product to other people from New Bedford, the biggest scallop port in the world, with their wild-caught scallops from Waltney's Seafood Co.

What makes them special: Walter and Courtney White bring wild-caught scallops to market

All of these stories can be read in their entirety at Southcoasttoday.com.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: Standard Times top stories shark encounter, scallops, and food tours
BYESVILLE  The annual Byesville Fireman's Festival will take place in the village park Friday and Saturday.

The annual event will kick off Friday evening with a parade down Ohio 209 beginning at 6:45 p.m. The parade will showcase fire trucks and vehicles from area fire stations. The grand marshal will be Colleen Ryan, a bagpiper who will be marching and playing in the parade.

This year, a change to the schedule will have the royalty presentation after the parade at 7 p.m. According to EMS Chief Jeremy Rice, this is to include all of the royalty candidates in the parade, and then hopefully funnel the crowd into the park for the first night of the event.

Parents and kids and wait their turn to enter one of the three large bounce houses at a previous Byesville Fireman's Festival. Miniature golf, a dunk tank, and various vendors create a fun, family-friendly atmosphere at the annual festival.

The live music act for Friday night is Backbone, taking the stage at 8 p.m. Tyler Reese Tritt is the headliner on Saturday and is scheduled to perform from 815 to 9:45. p.m. Tritt is the daughter of country music legend Travis Tritt, who will be performing in Guernsey County in July.

Singer-songwriter Tyler Reese Tritt, daughter of country music singer Travis Tritt, will be the headliner on Saturday night for the 2024 Byesville Fireman's Festival.

Numerous vendors are scheduled to be on hand selling crafts, baked goods, and apparel with many attending the fireman's festival for the first time. Three large bounce houses will be set up for children to enjoy. Visitors can purchase a $10 wristband for the bounce houses for one day or purchase a two-day, $15 pass for unlimited jumping. A $20 two-day bounce house pass also includes hot dog, water, and a ride in one of the fire trucks.

A car show on Saturday morning always brings out classic cars and trucks from near and far, while the 5K brings out the athletes. Bingo and other games will be offered at the park, as well as a dunk tank to help beat the heat and raise money.

In past years a MedFlight helicopter has landed at the festival to give attendees a glimpse into the flying emergency transport vehicle. Unfortunately due to fueling costs, the helicopter will not be making an appearance this year. Instead, the Byesville firemen will conduct an auto-extrication demonstration at 1 p.m. to show some of the ways they are trained to assist the public.

Costumed characters will march in the parade and be at the park on Friday evening and from 2 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Bring the kids for a chance to meet and grab photos with everyone's favorite Australian Cattle dog, Bluey, Mickey and Minnie Mouse and the Paw Patrol team.

Finishing off the festival will be the Byesville Blast, a grand fireworks display scheduled to begin at 10 p.m. Saturday. With an original budget of $6,000, the display has always been a crowd-pleaser. Chief Rice notes that due to the support of the community and funds from recent boot drives, they were able to up the amount to $7,500 to ensure an even grander fireworks display.

Mooney raised from the festival will go towards purchasing equipment for the station. Rice said the money is earmarked to go towards the purchase of a LUCAS device, which aids in automatic chest compressions, new turnout gear for the firemen and new radios if possible.

The LUCAS device provides consistent and accurate chest compressions which helps to increase patient survival rates.

For more information about the festival or to inquire about becoming a vendor or sponsor, call 740-685-2222.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Fireman's fest to close with Byesville Blast fireworks display
I am 77 years old, so serious reflection has become more of a habit than when I shepherded a family while working full time. Lately, thoughts about my death flicker through my mind. This brings me to the question: what shall I ask my family to do with my body? I want to be clear now, so I dont burden them with that decision after Im gone.

Then last week I walked on a remarkable piece of land, where a not-for-profit green burial cemetery is coming: the Red Hills Community Cemetery.

The Red Hills Community Cemetery is planned for 20 acres in Hickory Preserve in eastern Leon County.

The cemetery is planned for 20 acres in Hickory Preserve, with burial fees supporting the preservation of woodlands and native plants. There are Shortleaf Pine, Mockernut Hickory, and White Oaks, now very rare. A 40-acre portion has never been farmed or cleared, with 100-year-old oaks and remnants of red-ring milkweed, wild petunia and Jo Pye weed. These ecological features are why a Conservancy easement is in process, in exchange for a commitment to never develop the land, to manage it in perpetuity. The land has historical value as well, belonging for decades to the Crump family, respected leaders throughout our community's history.

I could see myself sleeping under the oaks, amid the wildflowers, hearing gentle water spilling over ground on its way to Black Creek, with the kites calling overhead and cardinals settling in the hickory hammock. I could see my family in this welcoming spot, holding hands and sharing quiet thoughts. Or coming back for a picnic, on land protected partly with my burial fees.

Ive been intrigued by the idea of green burials since I attended one, for a younger man who left us before his time. We were outside, engaged authentically with nature in a profound moment. A simple, white silk shroud covering him, he was gently lifted and placed in an open grave, all of us adding flowers or cherished objects meaningful to his life. There were comforting thoughts shared by persons dedicated to a spiritual life. We added earth, all of us, telling him goodbye. A simple, gentle, good-bye. like in olden times. Sun shining down, leaves whispering, a bird callingso close to the world God created before there were halls and walls. This natural cathedral helped to ease the pain, to see death as a natural part of life, to walk us gently to a feeling of peace.

I am writing to the larger community to champion the cause of green burial for all who want the dignity and simplicity of a last goodbye like thisthose who want to join the earth in a way best for everyone they leave behind. Nearly 54% of Americans are considering a green burial (New York Times, 2023) but before now, Tallahassee has not had that option.

Red Hills Community Cemetery (RHCC) needs to raise $340,000 to purchase the acreage in Hickory Preserve. Memberships guaranteeing a burial plot are available now, and 25 have already been accepted. It is expected that 100 memberships will secure the land purchase.

Anthony Gaudio as president of the RHCC Board of Directors, has opened an Envision Credit Union escrow account where funds are deposited in escrow. RHCC has submitted an application and expects IRS tax exempt status no later than August. If a member were to die before the cemetery is fully operational, or if for any reason the land is not purchased by April 2027, the membership fee will be returned minus an administrative fee.

All board members and supporters are volunteers, and they are currently making presentations to community, environmental, church, and other religious groups to let them know about RHCC memberships and the option for a green burial in our community.

Traditional burials in the US require each year felling some 30 million feet of wood for caskets, 90,000 tons of steel, 800,000 gallons of toxic embalming fluid, 1.6 million tons of reinforced concrete for vaults and 14,000 tons of steel. Fossil fuels burned by cremations could power a rocket to the moon and back 85 times, and release 7,800 pounds of mercury into the air and water, according to the Green Burial Council.

If you dont want pollution to be your postmortem legacy, consider a green burial.

Lucia Maxwell

Lucia Maxwell was formerly the executive director of the Panhandle Area Health Network and a consultant to the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, and now enjoys grandchildren, growing food and flowers, and volunteering in her community. For more information on the burial site, visit: https://redhillscommunitycemetery.com, https://www.hickorypreserve.com.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing. Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Green burial site is a welcomed venture in Tallahassee
Highest-rated things to do in New Mexico, according to Tripadvisor

(STACKER)  When planning your next holiday, you might feel an instinctual pull toward destinations that would take you across oceans, like Tokyo or Paris, but there are experiences closer to home that will have you thinking twice before booking a trip abroad ever again.

If youre craving a burst of adrenaline, why not reserve a spot in Michigans famed Saugatuck Dune Rides? The activitys charmingly dated website is a great indication of its word-of-mouth notoriety and timeless appeal. Over in Arizona, you might be surprised to find that its not just the Grand Canyon that tempts travelers to its desert landscapeits also one-of-a-kind venues like the Musical Instrument Museum, where music enthusiasts can find over 7,500 instruments from 200 countries around the world.

Indeed, even if youve lived in New Mexico your whole life, you might be surprised by just how many top-rated things youve yet to cross off your list. From architectural wonders and picturesque views to historical museums and other must-see sights, youll find your appreciation for New Mexico reignited just by reading through this list of top-rated things to do.

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in New Mexico using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of June 3, 2024.

Whether youre a family of five traveling in a recreational vehicle or a duo of friends looking for a quick getaway in New Mexico, read on for a list of sights you could easily plan a trip around.

#29. Pecos National Historical Park

 Rating: 4.5/5 (479 reviews)

 Address: 1 Peach Drive Hwy 63 Pecos, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#28. Museum of Indian Arts & Culture

 Rating: 4.5/5 (894 reviews)

 Address: 710 Camino Lejo Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#27. Millicent Rogers Museum

 Rating: 4.5/5 (782 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#26. High Road to Taos

 Rating: 4.5/5 (1,297 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#25. Ghost Ranch

 Rating: 4.5/5 (930 reviews)

 Address: 280 Private Drive 1708 65 miles northwest of Santa Fe on U.S. 84 between mile markers 224 and 225. Abiquiu, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#24. International UFO Museum and Research Center

 Rating: 4/5 (2,777 reviews)

 Address: 114 North Main St. Roswell, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#23. New Mexico History Museum

 Rating: 4.5/5 (1,500 reviews)

 Address: 113 Lincoln Ave. Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#22. Turquoise Museum

 Rating: 4.5/5 (490 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#21. Santa Fe Opera House

 Rating: 5/5 (1,088 reviews)

 Address: 301 Opera Drive Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#20. Chaco Culture National Historical Park

 Rating: 4.5/5 (768 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#19. Big Room

 Rating: 5/5 (1,022 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#18. Carlsbad Caverns National Park Visitor Center

 Rating: 5/5 (1,230 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#17. Petroglyph National Monument

 Rating: 4.5/5 (2,000 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#16. Taos Pueblo

 Rating: 4.5/5 (3,152 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#15. Indian Pueblo Cultural Center

 Rating: 4.5/5 (2,137 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#14. The National Museum of Nuclear Science & History

 Rating: 4.5/5 (1,361 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#13. Museum of International Folk Art

 Rating: 4.5/5 (2,135 reviews)

 Address: 706 Camino Lejo on Museum Hill Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#12. Santa Fe Plaza

 Rating: 4.5/5 (3,248 reviews)

 Address: 63 Lincoln Ave. 100 Old Santa Fe Trail Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#11. Albuquerque Old Town

 Rating: 4/5 (5,380 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#10. Meow Wolf Santa Fe

 Rating: 4.5/5 (3,046 reviews)

 Address: 1352 Rufina Cir Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#9. Georgia OKeeffe Museum

 Rating: 4.5/5 (5,225 reviews)

 Address: 217 Johnson St. Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#8. Canyon Road

 Rating: 4.5/5 (4,071 reviews)

 Address: Canyon Road Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#7. The Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi

 Rating: 4.5/5 (4,003 reviews)

 Address: 131 Cathedral Place Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#6. Loretto Chapel

 Rating: 4.5/5 (5,217 reviews)

 Address: 207 Old Santa Fe Trail Between Alameda and Water sts. Santa Fe, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#5. McGinns PistachioLand

 Rating: 4.5/5 (1,864 reviews)

 Address: 7320 US Highway 54/70 37 Highway 82 Alamogordo, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#4. Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

 Rating: 4.5/5 (3,697 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#3. Bandelier National Monument

 Rating: 5/5 (2,276 reviews)

 Address: 15 Entrance Road Los Alamos, New Mexico

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#2. White Sands National Park

 Rating: 5/5 (4,234 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

#1. Sandia Peak Tramway

 Rating: 4.5/5 (7,194 reviews)

 Read more on Tripadvisor

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRQE NEWS 13 - Breaking News, Albuquerque News, New Mexico News, Weather, and Videos.
In the United States, it's hard to imagine having virtually no access to a Costco -- in fact, there are only three states in the country without a Costco. The store seems to have absolutely everything you need  in bulk  and Costco manages to keep prices low when other retailers don't. Shopping there is even fun thanks to new sample kiosks popping up at Costco all the time and, of course, the legendary food court. People have their opinions about every item on the menu, and the fun of ranking Costco food court items is picking your favorite, from pizza to smoothies to the chicken bake.

So, imagine living somewhere like Iceland, where there is only one Costco location in the entire country. It opened in 2017 in the town of Garabr, which is about six miles from the capital, Reykjavik. It has plenty of things you won't find in American Costco stores, and items like Icelandic orange soda and dried fish filets are enough to pique any traveler's interest. The most intriguing reason to visit Iceland's one Costco, though, is its food court. It has a few similarities to the American one, like pizza, hot dogs, and coffee, but there's also a cheeseburger, creamy Italian-style gelato, and their counterpart to the American cold brew mocha freeze is a sweet-sounding caramel coffee frappe. There's also the Mexican bake, which is a Mexican riff on the classic American Costco chicken bake.

Read more: 14 Popular Chain Grocery Stores For Meat, Ranked Worst To Best

How Iceland's Costco Food Court Prices Compare To The United States

Costco food court menu - ZikG/Shutterstock

Looking at what's alike and what's different between the Costco food court menus in Iceland and the United States, one key consideration is prices. Part of the magic of a Costco food court meal here in the States is its thrifty appeal. Does that apply in Iceland's lone location too?

The Icelandic currency is the krona. Looking at items that both the Icelandic and American Costcos have, a smaller pizza in Iceland is 500 krona, and a larger take-home pie is 2,500 -- about $3.50 and $17.90, respectively. That's a bit different than an American Costco, where one slice will run you $1.99 and a whole 18-inch pie costs $9.95. The Mexican bake is 999 krona, which is $7.15 in USD, compared to the U.S. Costco's chicken bake at $3.99. Perhaps the best deal is a hot dog and soda combination at 299 krona, or $2.13; it's not even a dollar more than the American combo's $1.50 price.

It's important to keep Iceland's prices in perspective. In general, Iceland is a more expensive country due to a few different political, geographic, and economic factors. Even with that in mind, we'd love to take a trip to catch the glorious natural sights in Iceland, and maybe grab a Costco gelato or Mexican bake.

Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Car lights streak through the picture in this long exposure photograph as rush hour traffic moves through San Marco Square in January 2020. First incorporated in 1907, the San Marco area began to flourish after the opening of the Acosta Bridge in 1921 and is a prime example of careful placemaking in Jacksonville.

When you think of an old area of Jacksonville, just how old" is it?

In the heart of Jacksonville lies San Marco, a historic neighborhood that began to flourish in 1921 after the Acosta Bridge opened. Transformed into a vibrant community by 1938, centered around its iconic square, it became a hub for social and economic activity created through deliberate placemaking efforts.

This thoughtfully planned community demonstrates the profound impact of placemaking on the quality of life for its residents. San Marcos success is a testament to how intentional design can create spaces where people connect, thrive and build lasting memories.

Placemaking is about creating environments for communities to thrive. If you create a place well, it will dynamically affect the lives of those who use it every day. From the width of sidewalks to the management of stormwater systems, placemaking involves meticulous planning of elements that may seem trivial, but greatly impact our daily lives.

As we witness our state's population grow by historic numbers that the University of Florida Bureau of Economic and Business Research estimates as high as 1.1 million souls in a two-year period, the concept of placemaking has never been more critical.

When thoughtfully designed, infrastructure goes unnoticed. But its absence or poor execution is immediately felt. For example, without proper placemaking, you may experience the discomfort of navigating a too-narrow sidewalk next to a busy street or the frustration of low water pressure during your morning routine.

Placemaking is the art and science of designing spaces that support the needs of the community.

While navigating Florida's growth, it's crucial to align the profitability of real estate with the development of sustainable communities. Representing more than mere construction, these projects become homes, which become communities that serve as the foundation for future generations. A balanced approach to growth is required for these spaces to flourish.

Long after their initial construction, they must remain affordable and accessible to a diverse population. The challenge lies in incorporating valuable features without escalating costs, addressing the issue of affordable housing. The goal is to create spaces that are not only functional and beautiful but inclusive.

As experts in infrastructure planning and design, we at England-Thims & Miller understand how the foundations of a project  from regulating traffic flows and ensuring pedestrian safety to locating utilities and effectively managing stormwater  impact daily life. When placemaking, the smallest details often have the most significant impact.

Thoughtful considerations, such as the strategic placement of benches in a playground or the inclusion of a path around a stormwater pond at an apartment complex, can profoundly enhance interaction and resident satisfaction. These elements foster connections among neighbors, transforming a collection of houses into a cohesive community.

Letters: Northeast Florida nonprofit groups making most progress on mental health crisis

Florida is relatively young in the grand scheme of human history, yet it is rapidly evolving. As we continue to grow, the importance of paying attention to small details cannot be overstressed. Each decision in the development process affects the daily lives of thousands, shaping the kind of communities that will stand the test of time.

The question for us, as stakeholders in Florida's future, is clear: How will we channel this engine of economic activity that we call growth to create communities that are not just livable, but thrive for generations to come?

Mathews

Tyler Mathews, president, England-Thims & Miller, Jacksonville

This guest column is the opinion of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Times-Union. We welcome a diversity of opinions.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville has history of careful placemaking, future needs it, too
Kansas City Dad Doula Says Its Time for Fathers to 'Step Up and Be Present' During Childbirth

James Hogue trained to be a doula after watching his wife deal with their son's complicated delivery, and now teaches expectant dads how to prepare for their child's birth

Courtesy of James and Shunquita Hogue James and Shunquita Hogue prior to their son's arrival on July 18, 2020

James Hogue was in the ninth grade when he witnessed his mother deliver his niece in his Detroit bedroom  although it was not supposed to work out that way.

My brothers wife went into labor in my room while we were waiting on the EMS, James, 35, tells PEOPLE. I was like, 'Women are amazing. Birth is amazing.' 

The Kansas City, Missouri, educator says his father, a pastor, and his wife of 55 years are parents to 12 children and 22 nieces and nephews, so birth was a part of his upbringing.

But it wasnt until his wife Shunquita went through a complicated pregnancy and delivery last July that he realized all the emotional and physical complications for women, especially Black women.

I felt super loved and secure with him there by my side, Shunquita, 36, tells PEOPLE of her husband's support. Whatever needs I had  words, lights, music  were met. And he was my advocate in the hospital.

Shunquita is a nurse in the mental health field, but knew she could not concentrate on giving birth while also managing her own medical care.

In that moment, things get hard and you need somebody to advocate for you, somebody there who's going to be walking beside you, Shunquita says.

Courtesy of James and Shunquita Hogue James Hogue with son James II

Almost four years ago, while James and Shunquita were expecting their son James II, the couple decided on an at-home childbirth. However, she began experiencing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia, both common conditions in Black mothers, and ultimately the decision was made to have Shunquita deliver at a hospital.

Related: Tori Bowie's Death During Childbirth Spotlights High Maternal Mortality Rate Among Black Women

Our original plan was a completely natural home birth, but her blood pressure was extremely high and her amniotic fluid was extremely low, James recalls. Our midwife told us we needed to be checked out by an obstetrician. We went in and didnt leave.

It was a complete 180 from what they had thought the birth experience would be. Suddenly, they were thrust into full medical mode. And James was grateful for the training he had received through the work of their doula, his lifelong friend Brandie Bishop Stacker of National Black Doulas Association, and his own life experiences.

I was able to be the advocate for my wife because of the education I had received, so I wanted to make sure no father or young man I knew would walk through that experience uninformed, James says.

It was that experience that sparked James desire to become a doula. Less than 6% of the certified doulas in the United States are men, according to data collected by Zippia.com. And of the total doulas, only 9.4% are Black.

James has worked as a teacher and school principal, but realized there was a real need to educate fathers about not only childbirth, but being good fathers post-delivery. He wanted to pass on his doula training to other expectant dads.

Knowing how difficult it is for Black women in particular, and the disparities are clear, I wanted fathers who are well-informed so they can be their first line of defense, James says. I knew we needed to step up and be present.

CDC data shows that Black women are two to three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related complications than white women, with most of the maternal deaths being preventable. This heightened risk spans all income and education levels.

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.

According to the study from the National Bureau of Economic Research, the wealthiest Black woman in California is at a higher risk of maternal mortality than the least wealthy white woman.

Black moms are also more likely to experience life-threatening conditions such as preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage and blood clots, as well as an increased incidence of other pregnancy-related complications including preterm birth and low birth weight.

"The interesting thing is that it goes beyond socioeconomic lines as well, James notes. The CDC said 80% of those deaths are preventable. That means if a father is trained and aware of what's happening and knows how to advocate, we can reduce some of these disparities.

Courtesy of James and Shunquita Hogue James Hogue II is now almost 4

Related: Celeb Dads' Sweetest (and Funniest) Delivery Room Stories

In November 2022, James created the nonprofit Fathers Assisting Mothers (FAM), which is dedicated to preparing expectant fathers through education and support to become active participants in the childbirth experience.

Doula Bishop Stacker says James' education background serves him well in his new endeavor.

"He was so passionate about his wife being protected and cared for during her pregnancy and to her postpartum," Bishop Stacker tells PEOPLE. "He really went head first into really getting information and wants others to have that, too. "

FAM's flagship program is The Dad Doula Bootcamp, offering a deep dive into every aspect of being a father, from conception to postpartum care.

The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!

And to help with the challenges faced by teen fathers, DadPrep Academy is a specialized 12-week program designed to equip young dads with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate the major life change ahead of them.

James says things have changed a lot since his own fathers first experience of being relegated to The Stork Club" where, he says, dads sat, smoked and waited for their baby to arrive.

Just thinking about how, in my familys lifetime, there has been direct change from that, to not being allowed in the delivery room to now with me training fathers on how to be active doulas or support people for their partners, James says. Its amazing.



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Image source: Getty Images

Often when people want to start a business, they get hung up on start-up costs. It's true that for many business concepts, you need to have some start-up capital to get your idea off the ground. But many of the things you need to start a business are more nuanced, more important, and more hard to find than money.

Here are a few of the characteristics and intangibles that new entrepreneurs need to have -- even if you have $0 of start-up capital.

1. Product-market fit

You have to know that there is demand for your services or your product, and that you can meet that demand. Ask yourself:

What problem are you trying to solve with your business?

What other businesses are already serving this market? (Hopefully a lot! That's a good sign that there is enough demand for what you sell.)

What can you do better than the competition in this market?

How much can you charge for your product (or service) to be profitable?

Sometimes a great product does not translate into a successful business. A boutique pizza restaurant that serves $50 artisanal pizzas made by hand with all-organic ingredients might not find product-market fit in a neighborhood where the average pizza costs $10. An elegantly designed software app might have the best features on the market, but if it costs $500 per month per user, no one will want to pay that much if comparable software costs only $5 per month.

Finding product-market fit doesn't have to happen overnight. It can be a gradual process of test runs, showing your product to people, offering your services on a trial basis, or otherwise testing the waters to see if it's time to launch your business. Gather feedback from potential customers in person, online, or with email marketing surveys.

2. Passion

The best entrepreneurs need (and want) to make a profit and have a prosperous life, but they're also driven by passion. Do you believe in your business? Do you love what you do? Do you care about your customers? Are you excited to be doing this? It's got to show.

Not every business succeeds, and not every enthusiastic entrepreneur has a great product, competitive pricing, or everything else you need -- but you've got to have passion to get your company off the ground. The world is full of corporate brandspeak and big-box stores. What makes your small business special and memorable? How are you bringing color, creativity, and delight to the world?

3. Hustle

Entrepreneurs are some of the hardest-working people on Earth. You don't have "work-life balance" as an entrepreneur, you just have "life." You've got to be willing to work harder at this than any job you've ever had. You've got to love building your business more than you love hobbies or going to movies or chatting with friends or going on vacation.

Story continues

This doesn't mean you should burn yourself out. Don't work yourself to the bone, or so hard that you damage your health or neglect your relationships. But you've got to be willing to put in the hours upfront to find clients, make sales, and figure out how to generate income in your business bank account.

4. Curiosity

Running a small business is a nonstop 365-days-per-year learning experience. You're going to have to wear lots of hats and learn lots of roles and skills -- from sales and marketing to bookkeeping and accounting. The best entrepreneurs have insatiable curiosity -- they are lifelong learners who love to ask questions, and they're not afraid to make mistakes or admit when they were wrong.

Being self-employed can be a great way to keep your mind active and stay fully engaged with life. Curiosity helps you stay nimble and adaptable and bounce back from setbacks. Entrepreneurs are always trying to create forward momentum, asking, "What's next? How can we improve? How can we create, build, and grow?"

5. Rigor

Entrepreneurs need to be able to make tough choices. Running a small business requires a disciplined thought process and a rigorous mindset. You will encounter situations where you have to give someone bad news -- terminating an employee, ending a longtime vendor relationship, or cutting ties with a business partner.

Along with personal interactions, small business owners have to be rigorous in the way they evaluate their company. You might have to tackle tough questions, like:

Which product lines deserve more investment, and which should be cut?

Which store locations are thriving, and which ones aren't delivering on their potential?

Which new target markets should you explore?

Which small business marketing tactics are delivering return on investment (ROI), and which ones should you give up?

How can you strike the right balance between trying new things and being creative, and being appropriately conservative and focused on what your company does best?

There are no easy answers to most of these questions, and the stakes can be high. But with a calm, disciplined approach, small business owners can chart a path forward for their companies.

Bottom line

It's true that you might need thousands of dollars to start a business. But the most important things you need to start a business are harder to find than money: certain mindsets, skill sets, value systems, and personality traits.

Not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur, and that's fine. But many people who want to start a business can learn the skills and train themselves in the right mindsets. The best entrepreneurs are open to creative possibilities while bringing solid business discipline -- does that sound like the sort of person you'd like to be?

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Top 5 Things You Need to Start a Business (Even With $0) was originally published by The Motley Fool
Kids given bikes, helmets during event in Lawrence County

Kids were encouraged to get active and stay safe during an event in Lawrence County this weekend.

PHOTOS: Kids given bikes, helmets during event in Lawrence County

Pedaling for Smiles was held at the Sankey Center on West Grant Street in New Castle on Saturday.

At the event, kids were able to receive free bicycles and helmets.

Children were also given lessons on bike safety before they hit the roads for their summer fun.

The event was put on by a group of organizations and charities including PHN Charitable Foundation, The City Rescue Mission, New Visions for Lawrence County and Communicycle.

UPMC Horizon and Jameson Health Foundations provided support in providing the helmets.

Organizers said they hoped the occasion would bring smiles to the faces of Lawrence County children.

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LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  People from across Michigan came to Old Town on Saturday to celebrate the citys third annual Pride festival.

More than 170 vendors lined the streets, with a beer tent, entertainment, food and more. Lansing Pride officials said theyre looking to offer a sense of community, love and belonging to all in the Capital region.

People from across Michigan came to Lansing on June 22, 2024, for the third annual Lansing Pride. (WLNS)

Fifty-five years after the Stonewall Uprising in New York City gave rise to Pride Month, organizers say theyre continuing to battle for equality.

We still have a ton of rights and acknowledgment to fight for, but its just incredible that we have this space and this community to come together and celebrateenjoy and love and get to lift each other up and just get to be ourselves, said Huntar Martin, whos on the Lansing Pride Board of Directors.

Ben Dowd, President of the Lansing Pride Association, said nearly 10,000 people attended in 2023.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
Jo Ann Carpenter is director of development for Refuge of Hope Ministries in Canton. She was photographed Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Jo Ann Carpenter says her early work life prepared her to work in the world of ministry and public service.

God has blessed me over the years with many different job experiences," Carpenter said. "I traveled between three states as a trainer and supervisor during my hairdressing years. Then, I worked as a lease analyst in the oil and gas industry while catering weddings and events on the side."

Fast forward to 2003, and her next opportunity was a perfect fit.

"When I applied for my first job in ministry, as an events coordinator, I realized how prepared I was for this new role," she said. "The world of fundraising in a non-profit setting seemed like a natural fit.

Carpenter joined Refuge of Hope Ministries in 2009, bringing her back to the community where she lived most of her life.

My first role was head cook. I transformed a soup kitchen into a meal ministry with my development training and background," she said. "I was promoted to director of development at a time when we were experiencing dramatic growth in serving people. God has blessed my efforts to successfully lead us through two capital campaigns and three new buildings."

Carpenter graduated from Sandy Valley High School, then attended National Beauty College for cosmetology managers and earned an instructors license. From there, she went on to attend Indiana University's Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, and earned a certificate in fundraising management.

Carpenter boasts about a large family.

She said she is blessed with two beautiful daughters, three grandchildren, and, most recently, a great-grandchild. In 2011, I brought Captain and Tennille, a morkie and shih tzu mix, into my home. We lost our Captain over a year ago and dearly miss him.

Today, Jo Ann Carpenter describes her work with Refuge of Hope Ministries and how she stays motivated to help others.

Jo Ann Carpenter, director of development for Refuge of Hope Ministries in Canton, said she finds meaning in the agency's work among those who need a lift.

What is the mission of The Refuge of Hope Ministries?

Our mission is to glorify and serve God by providing meals for hungry men, women and children; emergency shelter and transition to independence for homeless men; and spiritual hope through Jesus Christ. Providing nine hot meals weekly to the community, our meal ministry averages 8,541 guests per month. Our clothing ministry sees a monthly average of 2,388 shoppers. We provide an average of 1,621 bedded nights each month to homeless men, and, to date, have moved 48 men from our shelter to living independently in their own apartments. All data is based on 2024 first-quarter stats.

Would you describe what your day is like?

Working in a smaller non-profit, I have the privilege to interact with our donors, volunteers and ministry guests all in one day. I work with an incredible staff who are dedicated to serving people in amazing ways. In one day, I can present opportunities to our donors, work alongside volunteers and minister to our guests while celebrating their successes and giving them hope to overcome their struggles. What a joy! I have the best job ever!

What is your personal goal with Refuge of Hope Ministries?

To serve God by serving others.

How or what makes you stay motivated?

When I give a tour through the mission or work with a new volunteer group, I can share personal stories of my interactions with guests over the years and it reminds me of how many miracles God has shown us. In my early days, our budget was small, and I asked God to help us with a donation of cookies. One of our residents working with me that day answered our kitchen door and there was a donor with cookies. He exclaimed, God does answer prayer!" Praying for God to bless our efforts, seeing how He responds, and being a part of something so much larger than myself is what keeps the wheels turning for me.

What makes you laugh, hope and worry?

My biggest giggles are over the silly things I do and say. I love to laugh! Sometimes I think I am witty, poised and have it all together until suddenly I am not, which brings about laughter with my co-workers or family that has us rolling on the floor.

Just recently, our development staff met with our gala committee for lunch at the DoubleTree in Downtown Canton to kick off planning our next event on Nov. 8 at this new location. We had a wonderful lunch during our meeting and then went to view areas for our upcoming event. I was so engaged with the committee and listening to all the amazing ideas for our event we all just walked out of the doors together. It was not until I got back to Refuge of Hope that I realized I had not paid the bill! I immediately called the restaurant to apologize for my dine-and-dash mistake and then paid the bill. In the meantime, I could not stop laughing, and my supportive co-workers were teasing me the rest of the day.

My biggest worry is not finding enough seashells when I visit the beach. Honestly, I try to not worry but stay focused on seeking Gods plan in my life and not live in a state of concern or fear. I learned a long time ago to plan your work and work your plan, then leave the results to God.

Jo Ann Carpenter is director of development for Refuge of Hope Ministries in Canton. She was photographed Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

This article originally appeared on The Repository: 5 questions with Jo Ann Carpenter of Refuge of Hope Ministries
Janette Navarro drives her 1996 Volkswagen Beetle up a steep hill in the Cuautepec neighborhood of Mexico City, Friday, June 21, 2024. Taxi drivers like Navarro say they continue to use the Beetles because the cars are historically inexpensive and the engine located in the back of the vehicle gives it more power to climb the neighborhood's steep hills. (AP Photo/Aurea Del Rosario)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Janette Navarros 1996 Volkswagen Beetle roars as it barrels up a steep hill overlooking concrete houses stacked like boxes on the outskirts of Mexico City.

She presses her foot on the pedal, passes a lime green Beetle like hers, then one marked with red and yellow, then another painted a bright sea blue.

No other car gets up here, she said. Just the vocho.

The Volkswagen Beetle, or vocho as its known in Mexico, may have been born in Germany, but in this hilly neighborhood on the fringes of Mexico City, theres no doubt about it: The "Bug is king.

The Beetle has a long history in the countrys sprawling capital. The old-school models like these  once driven as taxis  used to dot city blocks as the quirky look captured the fascination of many around the world. It was long known as the peoples car.

But after production of older models halted in Mexico in 2003, and the newer versions in 2019, the Bug population is dwindling in the metro area of 23 million people. But in the northern neighborhood of Cuautepec, classic Beetles still line the streets  so much so that the area has been nicknamed Vocholandia.

Taxi drivers like Navarro say they continue to use the vochos because the cars are inexpensive and the engine located in the back of the vehicle gives it more power to climb the neighborhood's steep hills.

Navarro began driving Beetles for work eight years ago as a way to feed her three children and put them through school.

When they ask me what I do for work, I say proudly that Im a vochera (a vocho driver), Navarro said a day before the International Day of the VW Beetle on Saturday. This work keeps me afloat  Its my adoration, my love.

While some of the older cars wobble along, paint long faded after years of wear and tear, other drivers dress their cars up, keeping them in top shape.

One driver has named his bright blue car Gualupita after his wife, Guadalupe, and adorns the bottom with aluminum flames blasting out from a VW logo. Another painted their VW pink and white, sticking pink cat eyes on the front headlights.

Mechanics in the area, though, say driving vochos is a dying tradition. David Enojosa, a car mechanic, said his familys small car shop in the city used to sell parts and do maintenance primarily on Beetles. But since Volkswagen halted production five years ago, parts have been harder to come by.

With the current trend, it will disappear in two or three years, Enojosa said, his hands blackened by car grease. Before we had too many parts for vochos, now there arent enough  So they have to look for parts in repair shops or junkyards.

As he spoke, a customer walked up carrying a worn down bolt, looking for a replacement for his Volkswagens clutch.

The customer, Jesus Becerra, was in luck: Enojosa strolled out of his shop holding a shiny new bolt.

Less lucky drivers have to do laps around the neighborhood looking for certain parts. Even more cars fall into disrepair and dont pass emissions inspections.

But Becerra is among those who believed that the vochos will endure in his neighborhood.

You adapt them, you find a way to make it keep running, he said. You say, Were going to do this, fix it and lets go.

Others like Joaquin Perez say continuing to drive his 1991 white, Herbie-style Beetle is a way to carry on his family tradition. He grew up around Bugs, he explained as his car rumbled. His father was a taxi driver just like him and he learned how to drive in a VW.

Now, 18 years into working as a driver himself, his dashboard is lined with trinkets from his family. A plastic duck from his son, a frog stuffed animal from his daughter and a fabric rose from his wife.

This area, always, always since I can remember has been a place of vochos, he said. This here is the car of the people.
This new self-guided audio tour through the Millstone Valley spotlights rich US history

MILLSTONE  A new self-guided driving audio tour of the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway is available this summer.

The tour, which takes an hour according to the website, spans the entire 27-mile byway loop.

It passes through the villages of Kingston, Rocky Hill, Griggstown, East Millstone and Millstone Borough, by following the Millstone River and the Delaware and Raritan Canal.

Also along the route is the Delaware and Raritan Canal State Park, which contains 70 miles of flat paths for hikers, joggers and cyclists, as well as opportunities to fish and kayak the canal.

The tour was created by the Millstone Valley Preservation Coalition and funded by the Somerset County Cultural and Heritage Commission.

The 1798 stone arch bridge over the Millstone River and the 1893 mill at Kingston.

The tour is available for both Apple and Android users and all they have to do is download the TravelStorysGPS app then follow the guided tour through their car speakers.

The app uses GPS to tailor instructions based on the users location while providing narration of the geography, history, landscape, and noteworthy landmarks along the route.

Also included in the app are links to extra information selected by the coalition including historic photographs and maps.

More: This Somerset County hunting preserve hidden gem traces its history back four generations

The Millstone Byway is one of the eight designated scenic byways in New Jersey and its route is near many historic districts including River Road, Kington Mill, and Six Mile Run.

Millstone Valley also has a rich history dating back to the American Revolution.

The 1834 Bridge Tender's House on the Griggstown Causeway which serves as the Visitors Center for the Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway.

In 1777, George Washington marched the Continental Army north through Millstone Valley after battles at Trenton and Princeton, then about a year later he would march them south through the valley to the Battle of Monmouth.

The Continental Army also took its final march through Millstone Valley, as it marched from New York to Yorktown, Virginia, meeting up with the French and defeating the British for final victory.

The Delaware and Raritan Canal also played a central role in the history of the area as it linked a trade route from New York to Pennsylvania in the 19th century.

Those who cant download the app can find the tour at millstonevalley.org or can take the tour from the comfort of their own home using the travelstorys.com.

Questions before or during the tour can be directed to the Byway Visitors Center on Griggstown Causeway which is open 1 to 4 p.m. on weekends April through October.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Millstone Valley National Scenic Byway self-guided tour released
Transfer to warmed serving bowls and scatter over the parsley before serving - Matt Austin

Ive recently been on a fishing trip to Belize and Cuba chasing bonefish, tarpon and permit with my friend Robin Hutson, founder of The Pig hotel group. Our luggage and fishing gear didnt leave Madrid so we literally arrived with what we were carrying.

Anyway, Id brought some tins of Mitch Tonkss Brixham Calamari in Ink, made from cuttlefish caught off the south-west coast. Our luggage eventually turned up and I cooked a supper with chef Neil Borthwick, in which I used the tins to make a black risotto with a piece of the 7kg trevally I caught on top. You can also use tinned cuttlefish in a pasta dish like this and your guests wont even know youve opened a couple of cans rather than using fresh.

Timings

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves

4 as a starter or light main

Ingredients

4 servings of squid ink or plain spaghetti (about 400g)

2 x 120g tins of cuttlefish in ink (Ive used Rockfish Brixham Calamari)

60g unsalted butter, diced

2 tbsp shredded parsley

Method

Cook the spaghetti in boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet, then drain, reserving a little

of the pasta water. Meanwhile, put the cuttlefish and any liquid from the tins into a saucepan and heat gently. Add the drained spaghetti and a little of the pasta water and stir over a low heat for a couple of minutes, until its well incorporated. Add the butter and let it melt. Season to taste. Transfer to warmed serving bowls and scatter over the parsley.

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Whether you love something as easy as a sriracha-lime mayo, as complex as spicy sriracha wontons, or as unique as a caramel sauce with a sriracha kick, there are plenty of reasons to keep a bottle or two of sriracha on hand. In 2022, manufacturer Huy Fong Foods was selling around 10 million bottles a year, and that's made even more impressive when you know that sriracha was only invented in 1949. Huy Fong founder David Tran only started making his version in 1975. Tran and his sauce made the move to the U.S. in 1979, and it didn't take long for sriracha to make a huge impact.

Huy Fong's sriracha bottles are iconic, and it turns out that they're just as personal. Tran named his company after the ship that he took when he left Vietnam. In an apropos footnote, the name translates to "gathering prosperity." That rooster logo is personal, too: Tran was born in the year of the rooster.

Passion for a product isn't enough. In 2015, Tran spoke with East West Bank and shared some of the secrets to his success  aside from his condiment's taste. Simply put, he made his sriracha accessible. Tran explained, "My dream is everyone can have my product  rich man, poor man." For at least 35 years, he didn't increase the wholesale price, and there were no trademark, licensing fees, or advertising costs associated with it. To get the business off the ground, Tran even prepared, packaged, and delivered the sauce himself.

Read more: The 15 Best Store-Bought Barbecue Sauces, Ranked

Sriracha Went Mainstream In A Matter Of Decades

sriracha bowl, sauce, and chili pepper - Martiapunts/Getty Images

Sriracha had fairly modest origins that have been traced back to a village in Thailand called Sri Racha and a woman named Thanom Chakkapak. In 1949, she started making a sweet sauce with garlic and chilis, and after it became a local favorite, she grew it into a regional business. By 1975, others were making their own versions, and that included the product that was developed by chili farmer David Tran.

It was Tran who would eventually make his way to the U.S. and turn his sriracha into a nationwide phenomenon, but it wasn't a direct route to get there. He and his family lived and worked outside of Saigon, and in 1978, the Vietnam War dragged on, and ethnic Chinese living in Vietnam found themselves targeted by a campaign of harassment, the confiscation of property, and forced relocation. Many opted to leave the country, including Tran. He went first to Hong Kong  traveling on the ship that he would later name his company for  and then, in 1979, he ended up in California.

It was there that he opened Huy Fong. Working alone out of Los Angeles's Chinatown, he filled recycled baby food jars with two spoonfuls of sauce each, which he delivered to customers and sold out of the back of his Chevy van. In those early years, his sales grew by about 20% every year as sriracha's popularity spread  and at first, it spread solely by word of mouth.

Hut Fong Foods Has Tried To Broaden Its Reach

sriracha production line - Ted Soqui/Getty Images

David Tran's Huy Fong sriracha had steady growth based on the love of dedicated customers, but it really blew up when it became Bon Appetit's 2010 Ingredient of the Year. Huy Fong sold 20 million bottles that year, and they didn't look back. Fast forward to 2021, and the company's California production facility was turning out about 18,000 per hour in order to keep up with demand.

It's worth noting, though, that Tran's success story was initially more of an American one than a global one. It became widely associated with the Asian continent as it spread in popularity across the U.S. Yet it wasn't until the 21st century that Tran's Huy Fong Foods really started to push into the Asian market, where some consumers rejected his version of the condiment as American sriracha. One of the biggest markets was the Philippines, where it's been a massive success.

In 2019, NPR headed to Thailand, where other versions are still made and marketed. It spoke with Saowanit Trikityanukul, the great-granddaughter of sriracha's creator. She recalled helping to pick, prep, and mix the original ingredients for the family's now-famous sauce and shared an opinion about Huy Fong's version that was apparently pretty prevalent in sriracha's homeland: "It's not tasty. It's not mixed together properly. There's only one taste." Who would have thought?

Read the original article on The Daily Meal.
Woman Is Shocked After Child Repeatedly Spits in Her Face on Flight: She Was Completely Out of Control

The nurse and mother of five says the parents of an unruly child were unable to stop her from repeating the offensive behavior a second and third time

A plane passenger found support on Tiktok after speaking out about an unexpectedly moist  flight.

In a video posted to the platform Monday, June 17, Shayla Monnier describes an incident that occurred on a trip from Atlanta to Denver, in which a child in the row in front of her turned around and blew a raspberry at her, causing spit to fly all over her face and her husbands arm.

She estimates that the girl was between the ages of 3 and 5, which she calls old enough to understand that you dont do that.

I was kind of shocked, Monnier, who is a mom of five herself and a nurse, says.

According to Monnier, the childs parents told her not to do it again, but she fought against them." It wasn't long before she turned around in the seat and did it a second time.

This time, I put my hand up just to block the spit from me, and her parents kind of like grabbed her and had her sit down, but she fought, Monnier explains, noting that the child was in the middle seat, flanked by her mother and father.

shayla/tiktok Shayla Monnier

Monnier says the unruly child then turned around a third time, and spit was going everywhere.

In a second video recounting the messy incident, Monnier asks, Is everybody seriously gentle parenting these days? Because Im not about it. Not if youre spitting in my face.

She admits of the incident, My husband lost his cool.

The very first time that she did it, we both were just so shocked, she says. And the parents acted like they cared, but Im not really sure that they did, cause it then wouldnt have happened a second and a third time.

Related: Woman Who Stopped Kid Closing Plane Window in Viral Video Sparks Debate: An Expert Reveals Who's Right

After the third time my husband very sternly said to the parents, If you dont get your kid under control, Ill do it for you, she adds.

Since both parents were wearing face masks, Monnier says her husband suggested having the child wear one.

Then the mom yelled back at him and said, If you had kids maybe youd understand, to which my husband replied, We have five children and six grandchildren and I promise you not one of them would do something like that, Monnier recalls.

Monnier claims a flight attendant then heard the commotion and asked the childs parents to put a mask on her.

She notes that moving seats wasnt an option since the flight was full and no one within five rows wouldve agreed to trade places since the spitting incident caused such a spectacle.

Getty A stock photo of a child on a plane

Monnier says if the flight attendant hadnt intervened, her next move wouldve been to hold up a magazine to block the spit.

She notes that the child had slept for the entire flight up until the incident, so she wasnt simply restless from the long ride.

Many TikTok users praised Monnier and her husband  who were offered free flight credits for enduring the stressful situation by the crew member  for how they handled it.

100% agree with how you and your husband responded! wrote one person.

People need to understand that gentle parenting is NOT permissive parenting, read another comment. Gentle parenting doesnt mean you just let your kid get away with inappropriate behavior!!!

Related: Plane Passenger Says Woman Asked Him to Change Seats to Avoid Crying Baby, Then Called Him 'Rude' for Saying No

Getty A stock photo of a child on a plane

Parents are horrible now  gentle is a fail, another commenter said. Your options are genius. Youre in the right!

Never miss a story  sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

PEOPLE spoke with travel expert, writer and advisor Nicole Campoy Jackson of Fora Travel, who says the way Monnier and her husband reacted is "perfectly reasonable. "

"They spoke to the parents and asked for their help, but the kid kept at it," Jackson adds. "They got frustrated and told the parents that. At this point (if not before), I do think one of the parents could have gotten up with the child and gone for a walk down the aisle, then ideally had a talk about not doing that anymore before going back to the seat."

However, she says it's hard to hard to opine on the parents' response without knowing their situation.

"These passengers explained everything to the flight attendant, who responded in kind by helping in their trained, professional way asking the parents to put a mask on their child (especially since they themselves had masks on) and accommodating these passengers for their trouble," she continues.

Jackson points out that traveling with children be a learning opportunity.

"Traveling with kids is stressful, without a doubt," she says. "But as much as we parents can handle it at any given moment, part of traveling with kids is teaching them how to travel which means being respectful of the people around them."

















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Wombat walker wanted: Australia needs help looking after its cutest residents

This week in travel news: viral candy bars in Dubai, a prime minister has to hitch a ride on a commercial flight, what really happens when a plane has a bird strike and the possible end of shoulder season tourism.

Wombat walking

Theyre one of Australias cutest native animals. They poop in cubes. And they need a new friend to take them on walks  or, rather, waddles. East Coast Natureworld in Tasmania, Australia, is hiring a wombat walker who will help keep these fuzzy marsupials in peak physical condition. Job requirements include encouraging the wombats with pep talks and bringing along snacks in case they get hungry.

Not an animal person? Tasmania is also looking for a volunteer paranormal investigator to spend a day (or night ) checking out a spooky abandoned asylum.

The Acropolis in Athens, Greece, was closed to the public for five hours because of a heat wave that pushed temperatures to 39 Celsius (102 Fahrenheit) in the capital. - Petros Giannakouris/AP

The end of the off season?

It used to be that someone looking for a bargain could count on traveling in the shoulder or low season  for example, Italy was once more affordable in the fall, while Hong Kong was cheaper in the boiling-hot summer months.

But climate change has affected when we travel  and has thrown out a lot of the old rules about the ideal times to visit the worlds most popular destinations.

Take Greece as an example. Traditionally, travelers have flocked there in the summer to make the most of the famously gorgeous beaches. But this years heat waves have resulted in some of the countrys most popular attractions having to close during periods of extreme weather, and tourists have died or gone missing while exploring nature on super-hot days.

Now, travelers are looking at Norway and Sweden in the summer while checking out flights for Greece in the cooler fall and spring.

Another factor helping do away with the off season? Digital nomads, remote workers and other people who have flexibility to travel during the non-peak times.

All of this begs one big question: Is there any such thing as an off season anymore?

TikTok-famous treats

$20 just for a chocolate bar? That might sound extreme, but not in luxury-loving Dubai, where Fix Dessert Chocolatier has created supersized chocolate bars stuffed with pistachios, custard, cookies, breakfast cereal and other yummy extras, many of which include Middle Eastern flavors.

Thanks to a viral TikTok review, the companys products are flying off the shelves. CNN was able to get a peek inside Fixs kitchen courtesy of company founder Sarah Hamouda, whose inspirations for the business were the sweets she whipped up to satisfy her pregnancy cravings.

Theres one small problem, though: Fix (which stands for Freaking Incredible eXperience) doesnt have an online retail presence, so youll have to go to Dubai to try the treats in person.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon alights from a Royal New Zealand Air Force aircraft. - Andrew Kutan/AFP/Getty Images

Air currents

Some people deal with plane delays by grumbling and asking for another bag of peanuts. But New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon isnt just any ordinary traveler. When his official government plane suffered a technical issue en route to a trade summit in Japan, he got a lift on a rerouted plane from Air New Zealand  where he just so happened to have spent seven years serving as the CEO before switching careers.

Luxon wasnt the only passenger dealing with unfortunate aviation issues this week. A group of travelers on board a Qatar Airways flight from Athens to Doha was left to sit for hours inside the grounded plane  which they say was did not have air-conditioning as temperatures soared above 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 Celsius) outside.

Meanwhile, a Virgin Australia plane had loud banging noises, followed by one of the engines catching on fire. After the plane landed  with everybody on board safe and accounted for  the airline said a bird strike was at fault. But what exactly is a bird strike, and how does it affect a plane?

If all these stories make you think you wont be able to stay calm on your next flight, theres something that might be able to help. Our friends at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, recommend these comfortable earplugs that will block noise and help you adjust to air pressure changes in the sky.

Artist Michelle Wibowo has created a series of celebrity portraits made from sushi ingredients. - Simon Jacobs/PinPep

In case you missed it

Meet Edamame Sheeran and Benedict Cucumberbatch.

This artist sculpts celebrity busts out of sushi.

Wannabe K-pop idols now have their very own South Korea visa.

No audition required.

This beach was destroyed when Mount Vesuvius erupted.

Now, after nearly 2,000 years, its open again.

Several buildings in Matera, Italy, were damaged by tourists.

Parkour? More like par-cant.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
The New York Public Library is hosted an anti-prom for students who want to celebrate but feel they dont fit in. Students at the High School of Fashion Industries will host theirs at Astor Hall at the NYPL on Fifth Avenue on Friday. The NYPL also holds anti-proms in the Bronx and Staten Island.

Its actually not about canceling prom, Sanya Wilson, a junior, told ABC7NY. Its actually about creating your own type of problem where many people can feel accepted without being an ideal type of standard in society.

The goal is to welcome anyone who doesnt conform to traditional norms of the prom, including same-sex couples and anyone who feels they may not fit in at their schools prom.

I think the anti-prom perfectly represents libraries, how libraries are for everyone. We want everyone to have access to them, to come and have fun and thats what we want for anti-prom, too, Caitlyn Colman-McGaw, NYPLs associate director of Young Adult Programs and Services, told ABC7NY.

Proms have come a long way and theyre much more inclusive now and were so happy to be a compliment for those, but its really cool to be free and its cool teens can come with their friends. Everyone is welcome here, she added.

The event will start with a fashion show. This year, the theme is fantasy.

It feels pretty amazing to do something big for young people in this space to express their individuality, Hunter Sky, a sophomore, who designed her own gown, said.

Everyone can come to this prom, be themselves however they should be, Carrington Edwards, a junior, added.
US and Taiwanese officials held talks in Taipei on expanding the island's role in international affairs, the US State Department said on Saturday.

"The consultations focused on expanding Taiwan's meaningful participation in the United Nations system and other international fora," the US agency said in a statement. "Taiwan has a demonstrated capability and willingness to help address global issues and support the international community."

The State Department added that Taiwan has world-class, valuable expertise useful in addressing "urgent challenges", from international public health and food security to aviation safety and climate change.

Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team.

"US participants reaffirmed the United States' long-standing commitment to Taiwan's meaningful participation in the UN system and the international community, including at the World Health Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization," the agency said in the statement.

The talks on Friday in Taipei included representatives from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), the Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (Tecro) in the US, the State Department and the Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to the statement, without disclosing which officials attended.

Washington has supported a role for Taiwan in the UN system and the international community, including at the World Health Organization. China opposes the island's participation. Photo: Agence France-Presse alt=Washington has supported a role for Taiwan in the UN system and the international community, including at the World Health Organization. China opposes the island's participation. Photo: Agence France-Presse>

AIT is Washington's de facto embassy in Taiwan and Tecro is Taipei's de facto embassy in the US.

Tension around the Taiwan Strait has increased since the independence-leaning Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party won a third consecutive presidential term this year with the election of William Lai. As a result, Beijing has increased political and military pressure on Taipei.

China sent 66 People's Liberation Army warplanes into the airspace around Taiwan over a two-day period through Saturday morning, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense, which added that some flew within 31 nautical miles (56 kilometres) of the island.

Story continues

The Chinese embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

China has for decades blocked self-governing Taiwan's participation in UN agencies and other international organizations, in which only states may participate. The policy has been expanded to prohibit Taiwanese visitors from entering or touring the UN building in New York.

Taipei has consistently protested Beijing's efforts to constrain the island's participation in international meetings.

Washington has argued that Taiwan should be allowed to attend the WHO's World Health Assembly as an observer, in part because of its successful handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, a position supported by the Group of 7 economic nations.

Only 12 countries have official diplomatic relations with Taiwan, and the number is dwindling under growing pressure from Beijing. In early 2023, Honduras severed ties with Taiwan and established formal relations with China. That was followed in January, shortly after Taiwan's presidential election, by a similar switch by the Pacific Island nation of Nauru. No government has held formal diplomatic relations with both China and Taiwan at the same time.

But Taiwan is a member of over 40, largely regional and often economically focused, organizations including the Asian Development Bank, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum and World Trade Organization. It also holds observer or other status on several other bodies.

Beijing sees Taiwan as a part of China to be reunited by force if necessary. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. But Washington opposes any attempt to take the self-governed island by force, is legally bound to support Taiwan's military defence capability and has backed the island's expanded global presence as seen with this week's talks.

The State Department added on Saturday that US support for Taiwan's "meaningful participation in international fora" is in line with the US one China policy, which is guided by the Taiwan Relations Act, the three Joint Communiques, and the Six Assurances - key agreements underpinning formal diplomatic relations since 1979 between the US and China.

This article originally appeared in the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the most authoritative voice reporting on China and Asia for more than a century. For more SCMP stories, please explore the SCMP app or visit the SCMP's Facebook and Twitter pages. Copyright  2024 South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copyright (c) 2024. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
1 dead, 1 injured after being shot while walking in La Puente

Two people were shot while walking in Los Angeles County early Sunday morning, authorities said.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the shooting occurred just after 3:50 a.m. at the intersection of Amar Road and Witzman Drive, near the La Puente and Valinda city lines.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the shooting occurred just after 3:50 a.m. on June 23, 2024, at the intersection of Amar Road and Witzman Drive, near the La Puente and Valinda city lines.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the shooting occurred just after 3:50 a.m. on June 23, 2024, at the intersection of Amar Road and Witzman Drive, near the La Puente and Valinda city lines.

According to the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department, the shooting occurred just after 3:50 a.m. on June 23, 2024, at the intersection of Amar Road and Witzman Drive, near the La Puente and Valinda city lines.

Both victims, who were walking together when gunshots rang out, were transported to a nearby hospital for treatment; one was pronounced dead upon arrival while the other is in stable condition, Sgt. Brent Del Valle of the Industry Sheriffs Station confirmed to KTLA.

It is not known if the shooting was gang-related, and the victims have only been identified as two Hispanic men between the ages of 30 and 45.

A suspect description was not immediately available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
June 22 (UPI) -- A mass shooting early Saturday morning in Louisville, Ky., killed one and injured seven, the Louisville Metro Police Department announced.

The mass shooting occurred at about 12:47 a.m. EDT at the H2O Lounge in northwest Louisville.

Update: The roadway has reopened from this incident. #LMPD https://t.co/4X7SAybibT LMPD (@LMPD) June 22, 2024

Responding officers found two people shot, including Indianapolis resident Joseph Bowers, 40, who was pronounced dead at the scene.

The other shooting victim suffered several gunshot wounds and was taken to University Hospital with life threatening injuries.

Other hospitals in the area reported a total of six adults who suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting arrived for treatment.

"Last night's mass shooting makes it painfully clear that we must do more to stop the gun violence that is plaguing our city," Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a post on X.

"LMPD is working hard to apprehend those responsible," Greenberg added. "They believe many people may have witnessed this shooting."

The LMPD Homicide Unit is investigating the case and said there is no known relationship among the shooting victims.
1 seriously injured after 2-vehicle crash in Aurora

DENVER (KDVR)  One person suffered serious injuries in a crash involving two vehicles Saturday night in Aurora, according to the Aurora Police Department.

Police said the crash happened on South Parker Road at South Atchison Way.

Police said a white car turned left in front of a dark-colored sedan that was northbound on Parker. The white car ended up off the roadway.

Alcohol was not believed to be a contributing factor, and police were still working to determine the vehicle speeds at the time of the crash.

The injured driver was expected to survive.

Parts of Parker Road at East Quincy Avenue were closed for a time due to the crash investigation. All roads were reopened just before 1 a.m. Sunday morning.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN)  A 20-year-old Portlander is in the Multnomah County jail after allegedly robbing three people and pistol-whipping a woman shortly after midnight Saturday morning.

A Portland police sergeant was flagged down by people near SW 14th and Taylor around 12:35 a.m. and found one person shot in the leg. The victims told police two people were involved.

He was bleeding pretty bad. There was some concern about his welfare because of the wound and so the sergeant was able to get a tourniquet, get it on the leg to help control bleeding, PPB Sgt. Kevin Allen told KOIN 6 News.

One person was shot, another pistol-whipped during a robbery at SW 14th and Taylor in Portland, June 22, 2024 (KOIN)

Officials said the sergeant alerted officers to a man and woman running from the scene, and within minutes those people were stopped by police.

Within four or five minutes they were able to get two people into custody, one of which was confirmed to be involved. The other one was not was later released.

Man critically injured in stabbing, head-on crash in Northeast Portland

Detectives arrived to help with the investigation, police said, and later arrested Jayda Z. Wise (also known as Demarion Z. Wise.) Wise was booked for first-degree assault and three counts of first-degree robbery.

The second suspect, a man, is still being sought.

The shooting victim, 28, was taken by ambulance to a hospital for treatment and is expected to recover. The woman who was pistol-whipped, 35, declined to be taken to the hospital. The third person, 46, suffered a scraped neck that officials said may have been from shrapnel.

One person was shot, another pistol-whipped during a robbery at SW 14th and Taylor in Portland, June 22, 2024 (KOIN)

It is it certainly is an unusual and terrifying experience, Allen said.

The case remains open and under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Portland police.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com.
10 injured, 1 in critical condition after shooting in Ohio, police say

Police are investigating after ten people were shot in Ohio early Sunday morning.

>>Arkansas grocery store shooting: fourth person dies; victims identified

Columbus Police said on social media that the shooting happened at the 1100 block of N. High Street.

Police said a man was listed in critical condition and the other victims were described as stable, according to our news partner WBNS in Columbus.

The victims were all men, between the ages of 16 and 27-years-old, NBC4 in Columbus reports.

We will continue to update this story.

Detectives need your help locating this vehicle involved in a shooting this morning in the 1100 blk of N. High St., where 10 people were shot. The vehicle is believed to be a white, 4-door Honda Civic with tinted windows. pic.twitter.com/FpWYiVEDPu  Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) June 23, 2024




A hail of gunfire erupted in a crowd of about 1,000 people early Sunday morning at what authorities describe as an unpermitted street party in Montgomerys North Pass neighborhood. When it was over, hundreds of rounds had been fired, at least nine people were shot and at least four others were injured in the chaos.

Law enforcement recovered more than 350 spent rounds from high-powered rifles and handguns at the scene, Acting Police Chief John Hall said Sunday afternoon in a news conference. As of Sunday evening, no deaths had been linked to the shooting. All of the shooting victims had injuries that authorities described as not life-threatening. Three people were injured when they were struck by vehicles leaving the area and one woman was injured by broken glass, police say.

Footage posted to social media showed at least one shot being fired into the air, then an eruption of shooting from multiple types of weapons that lasted about two minutes as crowds ran and people took cover. Rapid semi-automatic gunfire can be heard, and several strings of apparent automatic gunfire can be heard.

Mayor Steven Reed said the city is blessed that no one was killed.

I believe in blessings, and I believe in luck," Reed said. "We were blessed. This could have been much worse.

ATF Special Agent Jennifer Conway speaks on Sunday morning mass shooting during a press conference at Montgomery Police Department in Montgomery, Ala., on Sunday, June 23, 2024.

Hall said such gatherings need to be permitted through the city, but that this gathering wasnt permitted. The Montgomery Police Department was aware the party was happening, but officers were responding to a homicide call, a shooting and a robbery before the North Pass call came in, he said.

The 1:48 a.m. call came in to dispatch as shots fired, Hall said. At 1:50 a.m. the call was changed to people shot at the location. The first officers made it to the scene at 1:55 a.m., he said.

The intersection of North Pass Road and Alabama River Parkway in Montgomery was the scene of a mass shooting early Sunday morning.

The first police on the scene at the area of North Pass Road and Alabama River Parkway found an adult woman and a juvenile boy who had both been shot. Three men, two women and and two other juvenile boys later arrived at a local hospital with gunshot wounds tied to the same shooting, the spokesman said.

A woman and two men later arrived at an emergency room for treatment after being injured in the pedestrian collision, and another woman also arrived at the emergency room after being injured by broken glass, the city confirmed.

Police had not named any of the victims, and no arrests had been made.

Hours after the shooting, the North Pass neighborhood was quiet. Some people milled about outside on a sweltering Sunday but there were few signs of the violence that played out overnight.

More: Second teen charged with capital murder in death of 12-year-old Montgomery girl

Its been a violent three weeks in the Capital City with the shooting deaths of a 12-year-old girl and a triple homicide at an Hispanic grocery store.

The 12-year-old was shot in the 4100 block of Keating drive in the early hours of May 31, police said. Initially, she was taken to a local hospital for treatment but she was later transferred to a hospital in Birmingham. She died from her injuries on June 7. A 15-year-old boy and 19-year-old male were later arrested, and each now faces three counts of capital murder in the case.

The teens are being charged with capital murder because the case involves a victim under the age of 12, the fact that the shooting was into an occupied dwelling and from an occupied vehicle court records show. In Alabama, people as young as 14 can be charged with capital murder, but those who were under 18 at the time of the crime cannot face the death penalty. The only other sentencing option for a capital murder conviction is life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Police have not released a possible motive in that case.

A makeshift memorial is seen at the front door of Tienda Los Hermanos, the scene of a triple homicide, on Troy Highway in Montgomery, Ala., on Wednesday June 5, 2024.

On June 4, what was believed to be a robbery at Tienda Los Hermanos on Troy Highway turned into a triple homicide that left three men dead.

The shooting killed George Elijah Jr., 50, and Daniel Lopez, 20, at the scene. Romero Lopez, 43, later died at an area hospital, police said.

A string of robberies had rocked the Latino community along Troy Highway. Since May, there have been at least five, said Felix Montelara, an advocate in the community.

No arrests have been made in the shootings. A reward totaling $40,000 is being offered for information that leads to arrests in the case.

More: String of robberies leads to triple homicide in Montgomery, leaders say

For the year, there have been 35 homicides reported in Montgomery, said Maj, Saba Coleman, spokeswoman for the Montgomery Police Department. The have been arrests made in 18 of those cases. In several cases, multiple people have been charged, court documents and police reports show.

Kathryn Nard, who is active in her Montgomery neighborhood of Highland Park, said a shortage of police officers has hurt the community.

This is why our police department has failed," Nard said.

The intersection of North Pass Road and Alabama River Parkway in Montgomery was the scene of a mass shooting early Sunday morning.

Reed said members of the community have come forward giving investigators information, but more help is needed.

This was a senseless act, Reed said. It is a crime on our entire community. It is discouraging, disappointing but also frustrating. Law enforcement cant carry this burden alone. Those in the know about what happened need to come let us know.

I applaud the members of the community who have come forward. But if you know something, say something."

More: Three Alabama drowning victims identified after Gulf rescue effort

In a statement issued late Sunday, Montgomery City Councilor Julie Beard blasted the recent crime wave and called for city officials to hold an "emergency meeting on our next steps" about public safety.

"We cannot delay any longer or wait on the sidelines," Beard said. "We must aggressively attack to restore trust in our government.

"I urge everyone to report any suspicious activities to the authorities and to support our law enforcement as they work tirelessly to protect us. We are all in this together, and together, we will overcome these challenges and emerge stronger than ever."

This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: 13 injured in Montgomery mass shooting
18-year-old seriously hurt after being shot at Ohio beach, police say

An 18-year-old suffered serious injuries after being shot at an Ohio beach Saturday night.

>>Man hit by Kings Island roller coaster identified

Police were called to Edgewater Beach in northern Ohio Saturday after a reported 20 to 30 shots were heard in the area, according to CBS affiliate WOIO in Cleveland.

An 18-year-old was grazed in the back and taken to the hospital.

Cleveland EMS said the 18-year-old is in serious condition, WKYC reports.

Cleveland Metroparks Police is handling the investigation.

They told WOIO they responded to a call for shots fired at Edgewater Park. The incident is under investigation.

We will update this story.
The front page of the June 21, 1976, edition of The Daily Oklahoman

In June 1976, the escape of seven men from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester made headlines for more than a week. One of the escapees was Garland Rex Brinlee Jr., convicted of the bombing death of a Bristow kindergarten teacher in 1971.

The seven convicts had escaped by cutting through a utility tunnel late on a Saturday night, June 19, 1976. Among the prisoners' convictions were murder, armed robbery and auto theft.

On Nov. 29, 1971, an unidentified Okmulgee County deputy sheriff accompanies Garland Rex Brinlee Jr. as they leave for the Oklahoma State Penitentiary. Brinlee had been convicted of the bombing death of a Bristow kindergarten teacher, Fern Bolding.

Two months earlier, Brinlee, once a Tahlequah tavern owner, had bragged about his plumbing expertise at the prison and said, "After the way I'm working, I'm too dead tired to run." This wasn't his first escape. Brinlee, who had proclaimed himself the "prison's plumbing boss," had escaped in 1973 after a riot at the prison. In that escape, he was at large for six weeks before being captured.

A photo of convicted murderer Garland Rex Brinlee Jr. was released by the FBI in 1973.

Reporting on the June 1976 prison break, The Daily Oklahoman's staff writer Robert B. Allen reported:

Prison officials said the seven convicts, who have been working on the second floor of F Cellhouse repairing pipe for a new boiler, apparently used hacksaws and blow torches to cut their way through six barred tunnel doors.

The prison record for Garland Rex Brinlee Jr. was photographed soon after the convicted killer escaped from the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in June 1976.

For days, multiple law enforcement officers, from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation to sheriff's deputies, were looking for the escapees. And during that time, headlines in The Daily Oklahoman read: "BRINLEE, SIX OTHERS ESCAPE," "Governor Orders Gigantic Search," "Supervision Lack Blamed in Escape," "Brinlee Hunt Turns Inside Naval Depot," "Manhunt Shifts to Stigler Area" and "Warden Vows Staff Firings in Wake of Getaway."

The first escapee apprehended was Delbert Harmon Garmon, who was eight blocks away from the prison in McAlester; and 16 hours later, Leonard Boyle of Chickasha was shot in the leg and captured along with William Morris of Minneapolis. By Wednesday, a fourth convict, Robert Nelson, was captured.

The headline "BRINLEE GIVES UP 8-DAY FLIGHT" spread across the top of the June 28, 1976, edition of The Daily Oklahoman.

Finally, a new headline emerged: "BRINLEE GIVES UP 8-DAY FLIGHT"

On June 27, 1976, eight days after the escape, Brinlee walked into a grocery store near Lake Eufaula, bought a "soda pop and a bag of potato chips" and turned himself in to an off-duty prison guard.

The Oklahoman's staff writer Ed Kelley wrote:

CANADIAN  Bomb slayer Rex Brinlee Jr., tired, hungry and covered with chigger and tick bites, walked into a small grocery store here Sunday and wound up surrendering to a prison employee he encountered by chance.

It wasn't until July 3 that the last remaining escapees were caught. Cousins William Franklin and Edwin Jones were captured after holding a Stigler family at gunpoint.

Their arrests brought to an end the countless hours many had spent to round up the escapees and place them back in prison.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma State Penitentiary escapees led officials on manhunt in 1976
2 drownings occur same day within hours of each other at Georgia river

It was a dangerous weekend on the water after two drownings at a Georgia river.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

On Friday, around 12:16 p.m., Bibb County deputies and firefighters and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources were called to the Ocmulgee River Riverwalk to help with a possible drowning.

Witnesses told deputies that a man, later identified as Billy Scott Carter,33, and children were along the river trail and went for a swim.

Authorities said some of the children began showing signs of struggle against the current. Carter swam out to help the children to safety before witnesses lost sight of him.

Just before 1:30 p.m., crews found Carters body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Bibb County officials said all the children were safe and unharmed.

TRENDING STORIES:

Later Friday evening, just after 6 p.m., the BCSO and fire crews responded to another drowning at Frank Amerson Park on Riverview Road at Ocmulgee River.

Witnesses told officials that they saw their friend, Eddren Chester,19, of Macon, go underwater and tried to help him. Authorities said after Chester went under a second time they couldnt find him.

Macon-Bibb Fire Department dive team found and recovered Chesters body. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

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The Georgia DNR shares some ways to stay safe while swimming:

Always swim with a buddy, never swim alone.



Know your swimming limits and stay within them. Dont try to keep up with a stronger skilled swimmer or encourage others to keep up with you.



Swim in supervised areas only. Drop-offs or other underwater hazards may not be detectable from above the surface.



Obey No Diving signs that indicate the area is unsafe for headfirst entries. Enter feet-first into the water rather than headfirst if you dont know the depth.



If you are a marginal or non-swimmer, wear a life jacket.



Many lakes have life jacket borrowing programs  take advantage of these if you do not have your own.



IN OTHER NEWS:
If you're looking for a multi-bagger, there's a few things to keep an eye out 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 Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd (KLSE:FAJAR) has the makings of a multi-bagger going forward, but let's have a look at why that may be.

Understanding Return On Capital Employed (ROCE)

For those that aren't sure what ROCE is, it measures the amount of pre-tax profits a company can generate from the capital employed in its business. To calculate this metric for Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd, this is the formula:

Return on Capital Employed = Earnings Before Interest and Tax (EBIT)  (Total Assets - Current Liabilities)

0.059 = RM27m  (RM609m - RM155m) (Based on the trailing twelve months to March 2024).

So, Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd has an ROCE of 5.9%. In absolute terms, that's a low return and it also under-performs the Construction industry average of 7.7%.

View our latest analysis for Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd

roce

While the past is not representative of the future, it can be helpful to know how a company has performed historically, which is why we have this chart above. If you're interested in investigating Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd's past further, check out this free graph covering Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd's past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

What The Trend Of ROCE Can Tell Us

Unfortunately, the trend isn't great with ROCE falling from 10% five years ago, while capital employed has grown 39%. That being said, Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd raised some capital prior to their latest results being released, so that could partly explain the increase in capital employed. The funds raised likely haven't been put to work yet so it's worth watching what happens in the future with Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd's earnings and if they change as a result from the capital raise.

Our Take On Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd's ROCE

Even though returns on capital have fallen in the short term, we find it promising that revenue and capital employed have both increased for Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd. And long term investors must be optimistic going forward because the stock has returned a huge 143% to shareholders in the last five years. So while investors seem to be recognizing these promising trends, we would look further into this stock to make sure the other metrics justify the positive view.

If you want to know some of the risks facing Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd we've found 3 warning signs (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable!) that you should be aware of before investing here.

While Fajarbaru Builder Group Bhd 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.

Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team@simplywallst.com
DENVER (KDVR)  A 20-year-old man was seriously injured in a single-vehicle rollover crash north of Strasburg Saturday evening, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

The call for the crash came in around 7:58 p.m. The crash was in the 10400 block of Strasburg Road, which is located east of the Denver metro area.

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The driver was transported by helicopter to a hospital with serious injuries. There was no update on his condition as of Sunday morning.

It was unknown if alcohol or speed were a factor in the crash.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
A 2nd Trump presidency would be a disaster for America. And it might not end there | Opinion

While in France, former President Trump had an opportunity to visit an American WWI military cemetery, but he declined saying that our fallen soldiers were suckers and losers.

Convicted of a felony, Trump now attacks our judicial system, alleging its all rigged. Such baseless assertions are his M.O. If you listen carefully, youll notice the incredible vagueness of most GOP accusations: Elections are stolen. Global warmings a hoax. Courts are corrupt.

But, specifically, how are the different judges, witnesses and jurists (of different political parties) all linked together in a massive judicial conspiracy? And how did such a rigged system find President Bidens own son guilty?

Trump continuously has attacked the norms and institutions of our democracy. Making analogies with the Nazis of 1930s Germany used to be a malicious stretch. But not today. Spewing lies, promoting violence, and attacking the rule of law were their tactics. Ominously, numerous members of the GOP are now guided by such ideas.

A technique advocated by Hitler was to tell such huge lies that people couldnt perceive them as false because lying is generally done on a smaller scale. Trump, claiming he won the 2020 election, is making such a lie. Another technique is to repeat a falsehood so often that it gradually seems more believable. This is an argumentative fallacy called proof by repeated assertion.

The situation is growing rapidly more dire as the rate of corruption in the Republican party accelerates. With Trumps guilty verdict arose a chorus of complaints among GOP politicians that Americas legal system is rigged. Let us not forget, however, that the Constitution is the highest law of the land, and it specifies democratic elections. Attacking the rule of law and election integrity is assaulting the Constitution.

If he regains power, Trump will triple down on his previous attempts to thwart democratic institutions. The Justice Department will become his personal weapon. Henchmen will be released from prison, and ludicrous appointments will be made to important governmental posts. Michael Flynn, who was pardoned by Trump, might become secretary of defense. Steven Bannon could be the next attorney general. And imagine Marjorie Taylor Greene as secretary of state. Such people will rip the Constitution apart.

Trump will likely give Ukraine, if not more, to his idol, Vladimir Putin. NATO could fragment, endangering us all. And Trump will literally throw fuel on the ever-growing menace of global warming.

Some people say, Well, I know Trump comes with baggage, but he made the economy strong, and the system will contain him. Think again! Donald Trump inherited a growing economy. To that, he cut taxes and increased expenditures on national defense. Thats a stimulus package, used by most Republican presidents since Reagan. It accrues tremendous debt but allows them to crow about the economy.

Moreover, the democratic system of checks and balances might not be able to control Trump again. Hell try to rule as a vengeful tyrant, and with his crony appointments (including judges), he might succeed. Furthermore, his crimes will be so extensive that hell need to remain in power to protect himself. Already Trump is exploring with ultranationalists how to serve more than one more term. His party should be called MAGA, for theyre not real Republicans, but instead extremists.

My Republican friends Trump is a sick, dishonest, malicious person who pretends to be Christian and believes elections and trials only count if he wins. Trump degrades everything he touches. Just look at the Jan. 6 mob and its awful implications for democracy. See how he attacks the Constitution and divides the nation by spreading hatred, fear, and paranoia. Theres nothing patriotic about supporting this disaster.

America does have social problems that need to be addressed, but Donald Trump is not the solution. Stand up for the Constitution!

Mark Mansperger, of Richland, WA., is a professor of anthropology. His research includes cultural ecology, societal development and political economy. The views presented in this column are his own.
3 Alabama tourists die after getting caught in rip current during nighttime swim at Panama City Beach

A nighttime beach swim took a tragic turn for three men visiting northwest Florida from Alabama this weekend, after they were caught in a rip current and later died, according to the Bay County Sheriffs Office.

The men, all in their 20s, were swimming off the coast of Panama City Beach on Friday when the sheriffs office received a report of three distressed swimmers shortly after 8 p.m., according to Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford.

At least one of the swimmers was pulled from the Gulf of Mexico after the initial call, the sheriffs office said on Facebook. That man received medical care while the search continued for the two other swimmers in the area of Watercress Condominiums, near where the victims were reported to be in distress.

The sheriffs offices air unit, Bay County Emergency Services, the US Coast Guard and Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission worked to locate the swimmers, according to the sheriffs office. The sheriff said other visitors to the area also helped search for the men.

All three swimmers were eventually found and transported to hospitals, where they were pronounced dead.

It is with profound sadness that we announce all three young men that entered the water and became distressed have passed away, Ford said in a statement on Facebook.

On Saturday, the sheriff referred to the deaths as such a tragedy and asked for prayers for the victims relatives.

Many of our rescue swimmers with the Sheriffs Office, Bay County Emergency Services and Panama City Beach went into the dark and dangerous waters for over two hours to attempt to rescue and search for the young men, Ford said in a statement.

The sheriff identified the victims from Birmingham, Alabama, as Harold Denzel Hunter, 25, and Jemonda Ray and Marius Richardson, both 24.

They had arrived Friday evening with a group of friends in Panama City Beach, a popular tourist destination that receives around 4.5 million visitors annually.

They checked into their rental and rushed out to get into the water, Ford said.

Rip currents contributed to the deaths of two others visiting Florida beaches last week. On Thursday, a Pennsylvania couple visiting the beach off South Floridas Hutchinson Island drowned after a rip current swept them away, according to the Martin County Sheriffs Office.

The victims  Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48  were part of a family of eight vacationing in Florida when the deadly accident occurred, the sheriffs office told CNN affiliate WPEC.

What to know about rip current safety

Rip currents are strong and narrow flows of water, usually less than 80 feet wide, that flow toward the ocean away from the shoreline at an acute or perpendicular angle, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric and Administration.

The powerful currents can move faster than an Olympic swimmer at speeds of up to 8 feet per second, according to NOAAs National Ocean Service.

Rip currents strength and movement pose safety threats to swimmers who can quickly be caught up in them and swept away. They kill around 100 people in the United States annually, according to the ocean service.

Swimming parallel to the shore instead of toward it when encountering a rip current is the best way to escape it, experts say.

Swimmers faced with a rip current should avoid panicking, keep breathing, try keeping their heads above water and avoid getting exhausted trying to fight against the rip currents force.

CNNs Mallika Kallingal contributed to this report.

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3 suspects accused of armed carjacking at Shell gas station in Tampa

3 suspects accused of armed carjacking at Shell gas station in Tampa

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  Three suspects were apprehended following an armed carjacking at a Shell gas station on Sunday morning.

At 11:03 a.m., Tampa police responded to the Shell located at 5100 Adamo Drive regarding an armed carjacking.

Florida rapper Julio Foolio believed dead, 3 injured in shooting at Tampa Holiday Inn

According to officials, the suspects were armed with firearms and stole a victims 2016 Hyundai. Thankfully, the victim was not hurt.

About an hour later, police found the car in the 1900 block of East Fletcher Avenue. The three suspects then fled on foot before being apprehended at the Bahia Apartments on Sycamore Court.

No further details have been released.

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.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
34-year-old Florence man arrested after police say he robbed, sodomized two elderly women

FLORENCE, Ala. (WHNT)  The Florence Police Department arrested a 34-year-old man Saturday after they said he sodomized and robbed two elderly women.

According to the Florence Police Department, Michael Joe Kirkland Jr. is charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree sodomy, first-degree robbery and first-degree assault after officers responded to a burglary on Howell Street around 5:30 p.m.

FPD said two elderly women were found inside the home with injuries. One of the women, a 79-year-old, was flown to UAB while the other woman, a 76-year-old, was taken to North Alabama Medical Center. Both women are still in the hospital.

Officers were able to identify Kirkland through doorbell video and said they recovered evidence that connected him to the crime. FPD said this is still an ongoing investigation, and additional charges are pending.

Kirkland is being held in the Lauderdale County Detention Center without bail pending an Aniahs Law hearing.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHNT.com.
DENVER (KDVR)  Police in Brighton investigated a deadly motorcycle crash that happened late Saturday night.

The crash happened in the 1800 block of Prairie Center Parkway.

Police said the initial investigation showed a 44-year-old man riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle was riding when he crashed into a raised concrete median and was ejected from his bike.

He was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

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The motorcyclist was wearing a helmet, but police said they believed speed to be a contributing factor in the crash.

The Brighton PD Traffic Safety Unit was investigating the crash to determine any additional factors that may have contributed to the crash.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Some of the biggest Supreme Court cases this term remain outstanding.

A case concerning Donald Trump could become one of the nation's most important rulings.

There's also a pending case about administrative law that could potentially affect billions of dollars.

The Supreme Court has yet to address cases that could affect former President Donald Trump's criminal prosecutions and the future of the presidency itself, the power of federal agencies that have existed for decades, and abortion rights in a post-Roe world.

The nation's highest court typically wraps up its business by the end of June, but court watchers count roughly a dozen major pending decisions. Some of those expected rulings, particularly those applying to Trump, could upend the 2024 election.

With that in mind, here are five major cases that we're looking out for.

Trump v. United States: The Trump immunity case

The implications for Trump alone made this the most closely-watched case this term. But the high court's ruling will likely stretch far beyond him, potentially making this one of the most important cases in the nation's history. As Justice Neil Gorsuch said during oral arguments, the court may write "a rule for the ages."

The former president has requested sweeping immunity from criminal prosecutions that touch the outermost reaches of a president's job. Oral arguments illustrated that while Trump is unlikely to get everything he desires, some justices were receptive to his fear that leaving the door open to prosecution could hamstring presidents.

In contrast, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson warned that the Oval Office could become "the seat of criminal activity in this country" if justices go too far in protecting former presidents from criminal prosecution.

Trump has already likely won, no matter what the justices decide. The immunity question has delayed Special Counsel Jack Smith's January 6-related prosecution against him. It's difficult to see how Smith will get a trial before Election Day.

Police use tear gas around Capitol building on January 6, 2021. Lev Radin/Getty Images

Fischer v. United States: A potential lifeline for January 6 rioters

Justices could disrupt Trump's prosecution and hundreds of others connected to January 6, depending on how they rule in the case brought by a former Pennsylvania police officer.

Joseph Fischer's lawyers argue that federal prosecutors have stretched a post-Enron collapse law too far in using it to charge Fischer and over 350 others in connection with the Capitol riot. At issue is whether prosecutors adequately applied the law when they charged rioters with obstructing an official proceeding due to the fact that Congress was forced to halt its constitutionally mandated certification of the Electoral College results on January 6, 2021.

During oral arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts joined some of the court's other conservatives in expressing skepticism about the Biden administration's defense that the provision of the 2002 law in question could be considered a catch-all.

Smith's team has separately argued that their case against Trump should be unaffected even if justices narrow what prosecutors can charge as obstruction of an official proceeding. As The Washington Post pointed out, some already convicted of January 6-related offenses have been released early ahead of a ruling in the case.

Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo: A tiny fish could change American life as we know it

The federal government has for decades regulated everything from the environment to consumer safety based on the Supreme Court's precedent that judges must defer to agencies like the EPA and FDA regarding their reasonable interpretations of vague laws.

This administrative law principle, known as Chevron deference, is rooted in the Supreme Court's 1984 landmark decision in Chevron U.S.A., Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., which could be overturned or curtailed. Business groups have fought to kill the ruling for decades. There are potentially billions at stake depending on the outcome of the case.

Justices heard oral arguments in a case brought by commercial fishermen about a rule requiring them to pay for monitors that track potential overfishing. A lower court upheld the rule for Atlantic herring based on Chevron deference.

The Biden administration has warned that gutting Chevron deference entirely could spark a major shock. Justice Elena Kagan said during oral arguments that 70 Supreme Court rulings and more than 17,000 lower-court decisions have relied on Chevron.

The Biden administration has defended a decades-old law in the face of Idaho's near-total ban on abortions. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Moyle v. United States: A major abortion rights dispute in a post-Roe world

Justices are weighing whether decades-old law governing hospitals that receive federal funds supersede Idaho's near-total abortion ban. The two cases at issue mark the first time the high court has considered a single-state ban passed in the wake of the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 ruling, the overturned Roe.

Lawyers for Idaho argued that if the Biden administration has its way, the federal government will find ways to undermine state laws restricting abortion access.

"There are 22 states with abortion laws on the books," Joshua Turner, who argued in defense of Idaho's law, said at the end of his oral argument. "This isn't going to end with Idaho. This question is going to come up in state after state."

The Biden administration has argued that The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, the law in question, should override Idaho's ban by allowing doctors to perform emergency abortions still. The state law only allows for abortions unless the mother's life is in jeopardy.

Justice Elena Kagan highlighted how some patients have been airlifted to states where abortion remains legal as a result of the state's ban.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. Brandon Bell/Getty Images

NetChoice LLC v. Paxton: Red-state social media moderation

Republican-led states, including Texas and Florida, have sought to restrict social media platforms from moderating political content. Industry groups sued to block the laws, arguing that tech giants have a First Amendment right to determine what to allow on their platforms.

Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Florida's law, which is targeted in a related case, which would fine companies if they banned active candidates for office from their platforms. Florida also made it easier for users to sue social media platforms if they feel they have been targeted for moderation, according to The Washington Post.

Court watchers left oral arguments predicting that justices across the ideological spectrum would strike down the laws, but the exact future of the GOP-led effort to punish tech companies on the belief that they are biased against conservatives remains uncertain.

Read the original article on Business Insider
5 ways a second Trump administration would be different from the first

A little more than a month before the Iowa caucuses, a Republican political operative was sitting in a Washington bar ticking through the dynamics of his partys presidential primary.

A veteran of campaigns across more than two decades of election cycles, he weighed the strengths of the winnowing list of Republican contenders and the potential risks of nominating a former president staring down four indictments and dozens of criminal charges.

He didnt hedge in his conclusion.

One thing that hasnt changed: This is Trumps party, the operative said. But he wanted to make clear that didnt mean a second term for Donald Trump would replicate the first.

Everything around him has changed, he said of the former president. To his benefit.

Six months later, Trump is indeed the presumptive Republican nominee.

Hes also now a convicted felon.

But several other factors have served to validate the operatives overarching point.

Republicans have universally closed ranks in support of their nominee.

Trumps campaign said it raked in $53 million in the 24 hours after his conviction in his New York hush money trial for falsifying business records  an astounding amount for a single day as donors big and small shelled out in response to a wave of fundraising appeals citing the verdict.

The former presidents pledges to pursue political revenge in a second term have escalated and have been met by supporters with tacit acceptance or outright encouragement.

Trump loyalists in the latter camp arent just amplifying the idea of targeting political opponents.

For more than a year, theyve actively explored legal theories and drafted policy proposals to deliver on Trumps wishes.

Taken together, the aftermath of Trumps conviction has provided the clearest window into just how much the environment around him has shifted.

Trumps first term was defined in large part by the political guardrails he crashed into, the institutional norms he breached and the veteran lawmakers and advisers he lashed out against.

Each now stands diminished, reshaped to his advantage  or eliminated entirely.

Trump and his allies have every intention of taking advantage of this new reality should he win a second term.

His policy goals, which in the past have appeared aspirational at best and amorphous real-time thought bubbles at worst, are neither insignificant nor theoretical.

The chaos of Trumps first term paired with the familiar, if escalating, inflammatory and dark rhetoric of his rallies, can have the effect of obscuring an agenda that is in many cases quite clear.

It underscores just how much his rematch with Joe Biden isnt analogous to the 2020 campaign.

Nor is it a repeat of the 2016 race, when Trump defeated Hillary Clinton.

This time is different.

The lawmakers

Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images

Trump, should he secure a second term, would enter the White House with a level of support from congressional Republicans that didnt exist in his first term.

Its a reality that was on vivid display in Washington earlier this month, when the former president met behind closed doors with House and Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill. His remarks before the House lawmakers were met with several standing ovations.

Senate Republicans presented Trump with a birthday cake to mark his 78th birthday.

It was Trumps first visit to the Hill since the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol. Any opposition Republicans raised in the wake of the riot  and there was plenty  has evaporated thanks to intensive efforts by Trump and his team to build out a political operation that doles out coveted endorsements while actively working to eviscerate opposing voices in the party.

Many of his harshest GOP critics are out of politics.

Ten House Republicans voted to impeach Trump after January 6.

Two years later, four had been defeated in GOP primaries. Four had chosen to retire. Trump celebrated the retirements and actively assisted in the political demise of those who ran for reelection.

Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, one of Trumps last remaining Republican critics in Congress, is not seeking reelection this year.

The Senate Republicans who were part of the conferences institutional and intellectual core and often chafed at Trumps policy and personal proclivities are also long gone.

Senators such as Jeff Flake, Pat Toomey, Bob Corker, Lamar Alexander, Roy Blunt and Rob Portman have all retired. Arizona Sen. John McCain died of cancer in 2018.

Their successors, if the seat stayed in GOP hands, are all vocal Trump supporters who have carved out policy lanes that in many ways bolster the former presidents divergences from decades of Republican orthodoxy.

If House Speaker Paul Ryan and then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell sought to quietly placate and pacify Trump in his first two years in office, congressional Republicans today seek to elevate and advance his wishes.

Ryan, who retired in 2018, has called Trump a populist, authoritarian narcissist. He did not vote for Trump in 2020 and has repeatedly said he wont this year.

McConnell, who condemned Trumps actions during the January 6 attack, will depart his position as Senate GOP leader at the end of this Congress.

He has said he will support Trump, part of an effort to reach a detente in order to protect Republican Senate candidates. He shook Trumps hand at this months Capitol Hill meeting, where the two spoke for the first time since December 2020.

The front-runners to succeed the Kentucky Republican as leader are all angling for Trumps endorsement  keenly aware that it has the power to swing the race in a conference that is now more aligned with him than ever before.

The judges

Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images

The cornerstone achievement of Trumps first term can be seen in federal courts across the nation.

His imprint on the Supreme Court has been as well documented as it has been dramatic, with his three appointments shifting the ideological balance on the bench. All three voted with the majority in the decision that struck down Roe v. Wade.

But Trump also reshaped the the judiciary at the appellate and district court level. In total, he nominated 234 federal judges who received Senate confirmation.

The speed and scale with which Trump secured his judicial legacy was orchestrated in large part by McConnell and Don McGahn, Trumps first White House counsel.

But the ideological makeup of Trumps appointees, particularly those selected in his final two years, represented in some cases a shift in itself.

(It) was not just shift from Democratic appointees to Republican appointees, said CNN contributor Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University. It was a shift from a particular type of Republican appointee  a law-and-order classic conservative  to a more Trumpy-type Republican appointee.

That doesnt mean those judges will side with a future Trump administration in every case, legal experts note.

But federal courts blocked or forced the withdrawal of an unprecedented 78% of the Trump administrations rules in his first term.

As Trump and his advisers explore an increasingly expansive view of executive power, its likely any second-term efforts could land in more hospitable territory.

The policymakers

Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images

The Trump administrations struggle to draft rules that could pass legal muster wasnt attributable exclusively to the courts, where the wave of legal challenges landed.

The more likely reason, particularly in the early stages of Trumps presidency, were the rules themselves.

Dozens were halted on process grounds or for lacking explanation or justification that fell within an agencys jurisdiction.

Over time, the policymaking process sharpened, particularly on issues such as immigration that carried deep personal importance to Trump and his closest advisers.

We learned from mistakes, one former official said.

Trumps campaign is flush with expansive proposals designed to quickly reimplement, and then dramatically expand on, policies targeting immigration, taxes and trade. Trump and his closest advisors have made clear they plan to embrace a sprawling view of his executive power to implement many of their proposals without need for congressional sign-off.

Trumps agenda isnt a state secret. Its posted on his campaign website under Agenda 47 and regularly featured in the scripted portions of his remarks at rallies.

The lessons learned from the first term werent put on hold when Trump left office.

Instead, they influenced the rapid buildup of a kind of shadow White House policymaking apparatus spearheaded by former Trump administration officials.

A constellation of outside groups, from the Heritage Foundations Project 2025 and the America First Policy Institute to the Center for Renewing America and America First Legal, boast a roster of Trumps closest advisers from his first term and are funded to the tune of millions of dollars from his deep-pocketed supporters.

The groups arent officially affiliated with Trumps campaign and have at times gotten crosswise with Trumps political advisers.

Unless a second term priority is articulated by President Trump himself, or is officially communicated by the campaign, it is not authorized in any way, co-campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita said in a lengthy statement last year.

Its a brushback Trumps political advisers have cited repeatedly in the months since.

Regardless of the discontent, the groups have churned out policy proposals that track closely with Trumps stated agenda, drafted by officials who in many cases are certain to have roles in a second Trump administration and tailored to minimize the need for congressional sign-off.

The advisers

Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images

Trump isnt one to acknowledge failures, but he has come close on one piece of his first-term record: personnel.

I made a mistake with some people I put in, Trump said in a Newsmax interview in March, citing his inexperience with the players in Washington.

The wars between some of the most senior Trump administration officials and the former president have filled dozens of books on the administration.

An unprecedented number of those officials  a defense secretary, national security adviser and White House chief of staff, to name a few  have publicly called Trump unfit for office and said they wont vote for him in 2024.

Trumps closest aides, however, see that as a reflection of a problem not with Trump, but with the process that allowed for his detractors to be hired in the first place.

Republican administrations have more difficultly ensuring their appointees follow directions and do not leak, snipe at, or otherwise undermine the President, Troup Hemenway, a former top official in Trumps White House personnel office, wrote in a 54-page report designed to serve as a best practices guide of sorts in the next America First, Conservative administration.

In President Trumps administration, these disruptions caused lasting policy damage which could have been prevented with a stronger personnel operation doing better vetting and post-hiring quality control, Hemenway wrote.

Several of the outside groups designed to advance Trumps policy goals are doubling as a clearinghouse for potential second-term job candidates. Their operations are led by former Trump White House aides who were instrumental in efforts to weed out officials who disagreed with Trump toward the end of his first term.

Hemenway is a senior adviser to Project 2025. He left a similar role at the America First Policy Institute  a move that brought him back together with close Trump aide John McEntee, who ran the White House personnel office at the end of the administration.

The group he left quickly hired another former senior Trump White House personnel official to replace him.

These personnel efforts are, like the policy work, not officially connected.

But they underscore the difference from 2016.

Trumps transition operation was viewed even by his closest allies as a half-baked process that left the administration scrambling to fill key roles without an operational and centralized clearinghouse to staff up for a president-elect who sharply diverged from his partys predecessors in critical policy areas.

One former aide recalled that there was an online portal for job applicants to submit their resumes and express interest in specific positions  but it was never utilized and the transition team never got access to those files.

Now Trump is now surrounded by close advisers, inside and outside the campaign, who are exceedingly loyal and certain to play key roles should he win a second term.

But the outside groups share what are viewed as critical, if technocratic, goals of ensuring loyalty to Trump on the front end and placing those loyalists in their positions on Day One.

In other words, the focus is less on who will be the next treasury or defense secretary  positions that require a potentially time-consuming Senate confirmation process  and more on the deputy assistant secretaries or principal deputies across departments and agencies.

Those appointees could be at their desks pushing Trumps executive actions forward, minutes after he takes the oath of office.

Photo Illustration by Alberto Mier/CNN/Getty Images

Trump enters the final stretch of the campaign a twice impeached former president who instigated and accelerated efforts to overturn the 2020 election result.

He has been charged with conspiring to overturn the election by federal and state prosecutors.

He faces a sweeping federal indictment alleging he willfully retained documents containing the nations most sensitive secrets and then tried to obstruct the investigation into their whereabouts.

He is the first former president to be convicted of felony crimes and faces more than $500 million in penalties following court decisions in civil fraud, civil defamation and sexual battery cases.

He faces sentencing in his New York hush money trial just days before the Republican convention kicks off in Milwaukee on July 15.

Waiting in the wings are other cases against Trump with dramatically higher stakes that are likely to go to trial after the election.

Unless, of course, Trump is president.

Hes currently at the height of his power within the Republican Party at a moment when his once-fringe or unorthodox policy preferences are dominant.

Hes running against an unpopular 81-year-old incumbent who, despite a legislative record with little precedent in the past half-century, continues to grasp for ways to confront an apathetic electorate amid a profoundly traumatic and disruptive period that has included the pandemic, the largest European conflict since World War II and a war in Gaza.

The Republican political operative from the Washington bar always planned to support his partys nominee and made clear earlier this month that he was all in for Trump.

His view of what that meant for the 2024 campaign and potentially beyond, though, wasnt subtle.

Were playing with live ammo right now, he said.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
(MANITOU SPRINGS, Colo.)  Early Saturday morning, June 22 a group of local advocates for Alzheimers patients and their caregivers met at Manitous famous hike, the Incline, to raise money for the cause. The Incline is a 2,768-step hike.

The hike this morning was wonderful, said Teal Peabody, Development Manager, Walk to End Alzheimers Colorado Springs & Pueblo Alzheimers Association.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suncline hike honors Alzheimers patients & caregivers

The group hike went from 4 a.m. to 8 a.m. and was sponsored by The Alzheimers Association, a nonprofit organization that raises awareness and resources to help those living with Alzheimers Disease and Dementia.

Courtesy: Teal Peabody, Alzheimers Association

Courtesy: Teal Peabody, Alzheimers Association

Courtesy: Teal Peabody, Alzheimers Association

Courtesy: Teal Peabody, Alzheimers Association

Courtesy: Teal Peabody, Alzheimers Association

The hike is called the Suncline to commemorate the longest day of the year (the Summer Solstice) as a way to also honor caregivers, who spend long days caring for loved ones with dementia.

Peabody told FOX21 that a team from MorningStar at Mountain Shadows raised over $5,000 to help with Alzheimers support groups, education, helpline and research to help find an end to all dementias.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
6,000 miles and counting: Where is Leebeth, the great white shark spotted off our coast?

A 14-foot, 2,600-pound great white shark named Leebeth that swam through Mississippi waters earlier this year is still on the move and has been tracked thousands of miles on a record-breaking journey thats providing scientists insight into the lives of the giant fish.

Its over 6,000 miles at this point and thats straight-line distance, said Megan Winton, research scientist at the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. Shes swam further than that. Shes been a really great illustration of how far they travel and the different habitats they use.

Leebeths story began in December 2023. She was caught by Ed Young, pastor of the Dallas-Fort Worth mega-church Fellowship Church. Young was fishing with Chip Michalove of Outcast Sport Fishing based in South Carolina. Young named the shark after his daughter who died in 2021.

The fish was outfitted with data collection devices and a GPS transmitter that sends location signals whenever her dorsal fin breaches the water.

Michalove described the catch as a home run because not only is she the biggest shark caught from his boat in several years, she surfaces the most of any great white shark hes helped tag and leaves a clear picture of her travels  something he follows closely.

Hilton Head Charter Captain Chip Michalove, along with four others including Megan Winton, a scientist for the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy, tagged and released LeeBeth on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. She weighed between 2,600 and 2,800 pounds, was about 14 feet long and her journey can be tracked on the Sharktivity app.

The path of a massive great white shark

The first thing I do when I wake up is check to see where shes chimed in, Michalove said. This shark is the most fascinating weve ever had in the Atlantic.

On June 14, Leebeths transmitter pinged off the shores of Nantucket Island, Massachusetts. Its the latest location of a journey that has taken her from where she was tagged in South Carolina down to the Key West area and then along the Gulf Coast to Mexico. At that point she followed the same basic path back and then on to Massachusetts.

What I find probably most interesting is she knew exactly where she was going, Michalove said. I think its wild.

You can tell because she doesnt go a day or two and then throw it in reverse. She continues on the same track.

In March, that track took her into Mississippi waters 20 miles south of Biloxi and Gulfport.

Why is great white shark, Leebeth, important?

The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy gathers scientific data on great white sharks. Winton said their numbers were reduced by about 70% until the species was given protections in the 1990s.

Their numbers appear to be rebounding. The data gathered by the organization is used to minimize conflicts between humans and the sharks, especially in the Cape Cod area where a rebounding seal population attracts sharks, including great whites, that feed on them.

The data also exposes how Northwest Atlantic great white sharks live and travel, something that Winton said little is known about.

Weve learned they travel deep into the Gulf of Mexico, Winton said. Shes the first (tracked great white shark) to travel into Mexico.

Well do an in-depth analysis of where she went and why we think she did it. The tagging work weve done in the Northwest Atlantic is laying the groundwork for research.

Where will Leebeth go next? How to track her

While theres no way to be sure, Michalove feels Leebeth travelled through South Carolina waters last winter after spending the summer on the Northeast coast and said shes probably duplicating an annual pattern.

Part of that belief comes from scratches and scars on the sharks face that appeared to come from eating seals.

She was covered in scratches from those seals, Michalove said.

The fact that she arrived in the vicinity of Cape Cod earlier than most other great white sharks, Michalove said he thinks she may continue north.

I would suspect shell go all the way to Canada and Nova Scotia, Michalove said.

Her movements can be tracked through the AWSC Sharktivity map at www.atlanticwhiteshark.org/sharktivity-app or through the Sharktivity app.
(Reuters) - The chief executive of social media platform X, Linda Yaccarino, has shaken up her inner circle in the face of pressure from owner Elon Musk to boost sales and cut costs, the Financial Times said on Sunday.

This month Yaccarino fired her right-hand man and head of business operations and communications, Joe Benarroch, the newspaper said, citing three people familiar with the matter.

X did not immediately respond to Reuters request for comment on the report.

Before joining X, then known as Twitter, in June 2023, Benarroch worked at Comcast's NBCUniversal, where he oversaw communication strategy for its advertising and partnerships division, reporting to Yaccarino, who was advertising chief there.

X's head of global government affairs, Nick Pickles will take over Benarroch's responsibilities, with an expanded role including directing all global communications, the FT said.

The reshuffle stems from growing tensions between Musk and Yaccarino, as she struggles to steady X's financial health, according to the report.

Steve Davis, a longstanding Musk ally and chief executive of his Boring Company, was brought in by the billionaire in April to review Xs finances and performance management, FT added.

(Reporting by Akanksha Khushi in Bengaluru; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and William Mallard)
Virginia Ginger Hislop, 105, recently walked the stage at Stanford University to receive her masters degree in education for the coursework she completed in 1941.

A smiling Hislop rose to an ovation on June 16 as she received her degree and masters hood at the universitys Graduate School of Education diploma ceremony while her family, including her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, cheered her on, Stanford University said in a news release.

School dean Daniel Schwartz described Hislop, who went on to serve as a board member of schools, colleges and universities in Washington state, as a fierce advocate for equity and the opportunity to learn, according to the release.

Schwartz said the centenarian graduate, who lives in Yakima, Washington, led a life of tremendous educational accomplishment.

Hislop said of the long wait between leaving campus and grasping her degree: My goodness. Ive waited a long time for this, according to Stanford.

Hislop, a native of Palo Alto, California, earned her bachelors degree in education in 1940 from Stanfords then-School of Education with the plan of earning a masters degree so she could begin teaching, the release stated.

She was inspired to pursue an education career by her grandmother, who was a pre-Civil War educator in Kansas, and her aunt, who served as principal of a West Los Angeles school.

However, her boyfriend at the time, George Hislop, was called to serve in World War II, so the two got married and Virginia Hislop left Stanford after completing her coursework but before handing in her thesis, according to the university.

I thought it was one of the things I could pick up along the way if I needed it and I always enjoyed studying, so that wasnt really a great concern to me, and getting married was, she said in an interview with Stanford.

Her decision to put obtaining her masters degree on hold did not pause her commitment to education. Hislop has served on the Yakima School Board of Directors, is a founding board of directors member of Yakima Community College and served for 20 years on the board of Heritage University in Toppenish, Washington, the release stated.

I think I did good things for our local school system and I helped broaden it out, she told Stanford University. For me, this degree is an appreciation of the many years Ive put in working for the schools in the Yakima area and on different boards.

She added: Ive been doing this work for years and its nice to be recognized with this degree, she said.

Hislop was initially motivated to make an impact on childrens education through school board involvement after helping her then school-aged daughter, Anne Hislop Jensen, advocate for taking an advanced English class instead of a school-suggested home economics course, according to the release.

I felt that all the kids should have an opportunity to develop their potential as best they could, and that everybody should have a crack at higher education if they wanted, Hislop said.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Hello, El Paso. There are a lot of things we need to touch base on, especially on weather conditions Ruidoso can expect within the coming days.

Ruidoso, New Mexico is under a flash flood warning until 7 p.m. Saturday. After that, a Flood Watch will be in effect until midnight on Sunday.

Rain and storms will continue to move through the Village of Ruidoso Saturday night until Sunday evening. Full-time residents are now also allowed to return to their homes Monday. You can read the full article below.

Residents to be allowed back into Ruidoso on Monday

Meanwhile for El Paso, we have storm chances and triple digits in our near future.

Sunday, we will remain fairly dry with a forecasted high of 101 degrees paired. Our overnight low cools off to 80 degrees.

Monday, moisture is on our radar. We have 10% chance of storms with a predicted high of 104 degrees.

On Tuesday, we have a 15% chance of storms in the forecast. Our high is expected to warm up to 103 degrees. Our overnight low sits at a warm 81 degrees.

Wednesday, we are forecasting a 30% chance of isolated storms in the afternoon lingering into the evening. Our high remains in the triple digits at 105 degrees. Keep in mind humidity will certainly be a factor during these days of storm chances.

Storm chances continue for both Thursday and Friday with highs in the triple digits.

Towards the weekend, we dry up with cloud coverage for Saturday.

Sundays high dips from the triple digits as we forecast a high of 96 degrees paired with minimal cloud coverage.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
After an abortion for fetal anomalies, she hoped IVF would build her family. Now thats in doubt.

A blanket given to Anne Angus at the Boulder Abortion Clinic in Colorado, one of the only clinics in the country that offers termination after the second trimester. Angus said a former patient makes the blankets, called Bananas for Annie, for others who had to terminate for medical reasons. (Photo courtesy of Anne Angus)

Anne Angus has been ready to start growing her family for years now.

She got pregnant on her first try and felt lucky to escape the morning sickness and extreme fatigue that often comes with the first trimester of pregnancy. She quit her job in anticipation of being a full-time mom.

It was so exciting, I was so ready, said Angus, who lives in Montana.

Shed bought a few items off Facebook Marketplace by the time she was close to the halfway point, including a bassinet, some toys, a bouncer  and the teddy bear onesie that she holds onto when she tells the story of her doomed pregnancy.

At her routine 19-week anatomy scan, Angus doctor said something didnt look right with the abdomen. But that could mean any number of things with varying degrees of severity, according to her doctor, and they wouldnt know more until further tests could be completed. And those tests would need to be done by a team of specialists almost 700 miles away, at a childrens hospital in Denver, Colorado. Her appointment was four weeks out from the anatomy scan.

At the end of a series of tests, she met with a team of doctors at the childrens hospital to discuss the diagnosis and next steps. It was called Eagle-Barrett Syndrome, a rare genetic defect that can cause the partial or complete absence of stomach muscles, urinary tract malformations and abnormalities of the testes.

The little glands running from the kidney to the bladder  his were three times the size of an adults, Angus said. Youre not even supposed to be able to see them at an ultrasound, let alone have them be very obvious.

Theres a 50-50 chance her future pregnancies would have the same mutation, which led her to decide in vitro fertilization was the safer way to get pregnant and be able to test embryos prior to implantation in the uterus. But like abortion, access to IVF treatments is becoming another political argument at the state and federal level, leaving Angus to worry that her remaining option for having a child is also at risk.

Following Dobbs decision, clinic was overrun with patients

Before arriving in Denver, Angus had told her husband that even if the diagnosis was severe, she didnt want to terminate. He understood and supported whatever decision she wanted to make, she said.

But after determining the status of the fetus condition, the Denver doctors started to discuss dialysis, kidney transplants, and a variety of other courses of treatment that would be needed after birth.

All of which sounded to me like they would just be experimenting on my baby, with the experiment being, How long can we keep him alive? Angus said. That did not feel loving and compassionate to me.

While talking it over with her husband, Angus said they discussed a family member who had a terminal illness.

It has been devastating to the family to watch this persons pain increase as they slowly fall apart over the years, she said. We didnt want that for our son.

It was at that time that they made the decision to let him go without the medical interventions and the idea that he might just slowly slip away in a neonatal intensive care unit, she said.

By that time, it was mid-October 2022, four months after the Dobbs decision that allowed states to once again regulate access to abortion and the ensuing legal and legislative chaos. One of the only places in the country where Angus could terminate at her stage of pregnancy was a clinic in Boulder, Colorado. Montana has a gestational age limit of 21 weeks for termination, so she knew she couldnt go back home.

That clinic (in Boulder) was overrun because all of the states that used to have access now didnt have it, or they were being pushed until much later, Angus said. We had a two-week wait from when we made the decision.

By the time she got to the intake appointment, she was at 26 weeks. There were protesters outside of the clinic, so an escort with an umbrella covered Angus and her husband as they walked inside.

I remember feeling so much anger and rage at them. You have no idea whats going on, she said. You dont care at all about my babys suffering if hes born.

The termination was a few days later. Angus said it was difficult to face the reality of letting go of any shred of hope she had left.

That was probably the most scared Ive ever been. Nobody talks about what its like to get an abortion at the end of your second trimester. What am I supposed to feel? Whats going to happen? Who do I talk to about this? she said.

After the procedure, the doctor told her it was a difficult process because of the amount of water retention in the fetus body. Angus said she could tell just by looking at him.

I didnt see his whole body just because of how medically fragile he was, but you could just tell that it wouldve been a really ugly death for him earthside, she said.

Insurance didnt cover the costs. With the travel, lodging and the price of the procedure, Angus and her husband spent $10,000 of their savings.

Frustration continues for Angus as IVF becomes new political target

Throughout 2023, Angus had many appointments for egg retrievals, but she said the process has been emotionally and financially draining.

We are extremely lucky that my husband has benefits through his work, but were also at the end of (those benefits), which is why this is our last IVF retrieval cycle, she said.

She has a planned embryo transfer in September, but if its not successful, she worries about future political decisions around IVF limiting her options. There is only one clinic that offers IVF treatment in Montana.

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled in February that embryos are children and several IVF clinics in the state closed their doors over liability concerns. In the months since, some states have taken steps to ensure access to the treatment, but congressional bills to protect IVF federally have failed to advance and a politically influential religious sect came out against it for ethical reasons, potentially igniting more ideological battles.

The new political fight over IVF on top of her experience getting an abortion has made Angus fearful about not having explicit protection for the treatment in her state. It has also made her passionate about telling her story, including at the Montana Legislature in early 2023, when legislators did not advance a bill that would have eased some of the remaining restrictions to abortion access in the state.

Although access is still broadly available in Montana, Republicans have tried to change that since the Dobbs decision. Gov. Greg Gianforte signed several anti-abortion bills in 2023, including a 20-week ban, but theyve so far been blocked in the courts. Gianforte continues to use executive authority to try to limit Medicaid funding and who can perform abortions.

Republicans in the legislature have also made it clear they dont support a November ballot initiative to amend the state constitution with a right to abortion access, and at least one candidate endorsed by a national anti-abortion group is running for a congressional seat.

Im so angry that politicians are inserting themselves into an extremely intimate part of my life. I am trying to grow my family in a way that I can and in a way that is loving and sustainable, and they think they know better than me, and I am so insulted by that, Angus said.

This is the fifth installment of an occasional States Newsroom series called When and Where: Abortion Access in America, profiling individuals who have needed abortion care in the U.S. before and after Dobbs. The first installment can be found here, the second installment is here, the third is here, and the fourth is here.

The post After an abortion for fetal anomalies, she hoped IVF would build her family. Now thats in doubt. appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
The St. Louis Church and School in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, is shown in this photograph. The St. Louis Boarding School for Girls was run by the Sisters of St. Francis, Sisters of Loretto and Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament at different times from 1887 to 1949.

The Catholic Church in Oklahoma is already in the midst of some outreach efforts recommended in a new guide focusing on ministry with Indigenous people.

The recommendations are outlined in "Keeping Christ's Sacred Promise: A Pastoral Framework for Indigenous Ministry," a new document recently approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops at the group's spring plenary assembly June 12-14 in Kentucky.

The document included the Church's apology for "multigenerational trauma" inflicted on Native and Indigenous communities.

"Sadly, many Indigenous Catholics have felt a sense of abandonment in their relationship with Church leaders due to a lack of understanding of their unique cultural needs," the bishops said.

"We apologize for the failure to nurture, strengthen, honor, recognize, and appreciate those entrusted to our pastoral care."

More: Oklahoma-made Native American drama 'Fancy Dance,' starring Lily Gladstone, bows in theaters

It was also meant to serve as a resource to help Catholic dioceses, Catholic Native organizations, schools, missions and parishes as they navigate cultural differences among Native and Indigenous tribes and nations.

"Keeping Christ's Sacred Promise" included 17 "action steps" to further develop Native/Indigenous ministry. These include: developing a process for listening sessions with local Native communities; building relationships between dioceses, parishes and tribal leadership; where applicable, developing resources to help alleviate trauma associated with the boarding school period; and supporting initiatives that promote Native languages and cultures.

A man stands at the back of the Abbey Church at St. Gregory's Abbey during Mass in 2013 for the celebration of a feast day for Saint Kateri Tekakwitha in Shawnee. Tekakwitha is the first Native American canonized by the Roman Catholic Church in October 2012.

"We acknowledge the great diversity of tribes, languages and cultural traditions that exist among theIndigenous populations in the United States of America and its territories," the bishops wrote in the new document.

"We know that one size does not fit all and affirm that any pastoral plans of action need to start with CatholicNatives themselves and be developed at the local level."

Many of these recommended actions have already been incorporated into the Oklahoma Catholic Church's Oklahoma Catholic Native Schools Project that was launched in fall 2021 by the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City, Tulsa Diocese and St. Gregory's Abbey. The project continues this summer with community dinners that will bring Catholic leaders and Native communities together in July in places including Ardmore and Pawhuska. Oral history sessions with former Oklahoma Native American boarding school students and their families also are being conducted in those cities.

More: Is religious liberty dwindling in Oklahoma? How the state has become a legal battleground

The project focuses on Catholic boarding schools for Native Americans that were operated from 1880 to 1965 in the state. It came in the wake of a reckoning that began in Canada after the May 2021 discovery of 215 unmarked graves of Indigenous children by Canada's Tkemlups te Secwepemc First Nation at the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia.

In addition to the community dinners and oral history sessions, listening sessions have been conducted giving former Oklahoma Native boarding school students or their descendants opportunities to share their stories.

The Oklahoma Catholic organizations also worked with Marquette University in Milwaukee to conduct research on Native American boarding schools in the state. Marquette holds the archives for the Bureau of Catholic Indian Missions. Bryan Rindfleisch, a Marquette professor who specializes in Native American history and studies, has said his completed research is expected to be published in a book sometime this year.

The Most Rev. Paul S. Coakley, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the USCCB's secretary, and the Most Rev. David Konderla, bishop of the Tulsa Diocese, could not be reached for comment.

Archbishop Paul S. Coakley

Focus on reconciliation, healing

In a news release, the Most Rev. Chad Zielinski, bishop of the Diocese of New Ulm, Minnesota, and current chairman of the USCCB's subcommittee on Native American affairs, said the new guide covers a broad range of issues and concerns, including missionary discipleship, evangelization, the role of catechesis, sacramental and liturgical questions, youth and young adult ministries, and social justice issues, plus it also addresses difficult topics such as reconciliation for any mistreatment and wrongs done during the boarding school period.

According to the USCCB, the conference's subcommittee on Native American affairs initially began talking with Native Catholic leaders in 2019, and then worked over the last several years with leaders of Catholic Native groups to develop the new guide.

In 2021, Coakley, then chairman of the USCCB's Domestic Peace, Justice and Human Development, along with the Bishop James S. Wall, then chairman of the USCCB's subcommittee on Native American affairs, wrote a letter to the bishops recommending that they focus on being transparent, building relationships, listening and being accountable.

The pair's recommendations were made to encourage bishops to engage in dialogue with their local Native and Indigenous communities as a "meaningful step toward the ongoing journey of healing and reconciliation."

"A sense of trust must first be cultivated before the Churchs desire for reconciliation with the Native American community can be met," the two bishops wrote.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New Catholic guide lists ways to develop Native/Indigenous ministry
Activists, including a volunteer from the group CODEPINK, assembled outside the home of CNN anchor Jake Tapper last week, demonstrating over his coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.

Video of the incident circulated on X, formerly known as Twitter, beginning on Friday, showing demonstrators standing on the street and shouting outside the home. CODEPINK did not formally organize the protest.

One protester, holding a bullhorn, claimed Tapper had "spewed Israeli propaganda." The group of activists also criticized him for not referring to the deaths of civilians in Gaza as a "genocide."

CNN moderator Jake Tapper speaks to the crowd attending the Democratic Presidential Debate at the Fox Theatre July 31, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan.

Eventually the video shows Tapper's children, whose faces are blurred, standing on a balcony and waving at the protesters while playing the U.S. national anthem.

"You may be laughing now, but one day you will realize the damage that your dad has caused and I promise this big house wont be worth it," said the protester holding the bullhorn. "Youre waving and youre watching and you think its really funny, but the truth is  is that its really sick, okay?"

Tapper, who is Jewish, has reported extensively on the devastation in Gaza but also called out incidents of antisemitism on college campuses amid demonstrations against Israel's war. His reporting has been more scrutinized by some left-leaning observers as of late, along with journalists and multiple different outlets.

The war in Gaza continues to rage in the months since Hamas attacked Israel, a top U.S. ally, on Oct. 7, 2023 killing roughly 1,200 Israelis.

Reports claim the Palestinian death roll are in the tens of thousands, and with the U.N. human rights office said last week that the Israeli military may have committed multiple war crimes and has made little effort to protect civilians.

In response, pro-Palestinian activists have focused some ire on members of the press who they argue have downplayed the bloodshed and devastation in Gaza.

U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden, have said Israeli forces are not committing a genocide in Gaza.

Some Twitter users spoke up in defense of Tapper in recent days, calling the demonstration outside his home "gross" and "unacceptable."

"These people are videotaping themselves screaming and harassing the family of one of the NICEST, respectful, and responsible news anchors in the business," Amanda Carpenter, a writer for Protect Democracy, a nonprofit group found by former Obama administration attorneys.

"Talk about telling on yourselves," she added.

Just saw the video of Code Pink protesting outside @JakeTapper's house. Gross, unacceptable, and ridiculous. These people are videotaping themselves screaming and harassing the family of one of the NICEST, respectful, and responsible news anchors in the business. Talk about  Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) June 22, 2024

Tapper is set to moderate the presidential debate between Biden and former President Donald Trump alongside fellow CNN anchor Dana Bash on Thursday, the first time the candidates have faced off since 2020.

Washington's Metropolitan Police Department confirmed that it responded to the block where demonstrators gathered on Friday morning, but officers did not take a report. USA TODAY has reached out the the U.S. Secret Service for additional information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Activists protest outside CNN anchor Jake Tapper's home over coverage
SAN DIEGO (KSWB/KUSI)  New research suggests that coffee habits, whether in excess or scarcity, could be partially linked to genetics.

Researchers at UC San Diego recently examined and compared data from U.S.-based 23andMe, the personal genomics and biotechnology company that provides genetic testing services to help people gain a better understanding of their ancestry and genetic predispositions.

The studys senior corresponding author, Dr. Sandra Sanchez-Roige, a professor in the UCSD School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry and Department of Medicine, Division of Genetic Medicine, told Nexstars KSWB/KUSI the DNA of over 100,000 individuals were scanned during the study.

Coffee could lower risk of death among sedentary drinkers: Study

We are interested in coffee consumption because drinking excessively can be problematic; by identifying genetic variants associated with excessive coffee consumption we hope to learn something fundamental about why people may overconsume other substances, said Dr. Sanchez-Roige.

Specifically, the researchers examined genetic correlations and performed a phenome-wide association study across hundreds of biomarkers, health and lifestyle traits. From there, they compared the results to the largest available data on coffee intake from the UK Biobank.

The findings

According to the researchers, how much coffee you drink is partially due to your unique genetic makeup.

We found that different versions of genes that metabolize caffeine influence coffee consumption, we suspect other influence, whether or not people like the feeling caffeine gives them, but thats still an active area of research, explained Dr. Abraham Palmer, a professor in the UCSD School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry.

It appears, however, that its not all about genetics. Other environmental factors appeared to also be of influence.

Indeed, we found that the influence of genes of coffee consumption isnt the same in the U.S. and the U.K., which emphasizes that both genes and the environment are important and shows that changing the environment can change the influence of genes on behavior, Dr. Palmer continued.

Sunscreen vs. sunblock: Whats the difference, and which should you use?

While using what was described as some clever statistical techniques, the researchers also found that people who are genetically likely to drink more coffee are also likely to use more alcohol, nicotine, and other drugs.

Because of the way we did this analysis, our results dont necessarily mean that drinking coffee causes people to use other drugs. Instead, our results show that the same genetic differences that make people more likely to choose to drink coffee also make them more likely to choose to use other drugs, explained Dr. Palmer.

The UC San Diego professor said further research could examine whether there is a cause-and-effect relationship between caffeine and other drugs. Nonetheless, he believes their results shouldnt cause people to avoid caffeine.

We also found that genetic variants associated with coffee consumption are shared with anxiety, depression, Dr. Sanchez-Roige explained further. We cannot extrapolate from our study that drinking coffee causes these conditions but it suggests that there is shared biology between drinking coffee and these conditions.

One cup, four cups, or no coffee at all  your choices when it comes to consumption may very well be linked to your genetic makeup.

Still, researchers note more investigation is needed to determine the relationship between genetics and environment on coffee intake, as well as other substance-use issues.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
The graphic above locates Houthi rebel attacks on ships in the Red Sea since Nov. 2023 through June 15, 2024. (AP Digital Embed)

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP)  An aerial drone launched by Yemen's Houthi rebels struck and damaged a vessel in the Red Sea on Sunday, officials said, the latest attack by the group targeting shipping in the vital maritime corridor.

The attack comes as the U.S. has sent the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower back home after an eight-month deployment in which it lead the American response to the Houthi assaults. Those attacks have reduced shipping drastically through the route crucial to Asian, Middle East and European markets in a campaign the Houthis say will continue as long as the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip rages on.

The drone attack happened around dawn off the coast of the rebel-held port city of Hodeida, the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. It said the vessel sustained damage but its mariners on board were reported safe. It did not elaborate on the extent of the damage to the Liberian-flagged, Greek-owner bulk carrier, but said an investigation was ongoing.

Hours after the attack, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack, saying the rebels targeted the Transworld Navigator. Saree claimed without offering evidence the rebels instead used a drone boat in the attack, something contradicted by every other report on the assault.

The U.S. military's Central Command also identified the vessel by the same name, saying several mariners on board suffered minor injuries from the attack.

The Transworld Navigator most recently docked in Malaysia and was en route to Egypt, Central Command said. This marks the fourth attack by Iranian-backed Houthis on the vessel.

The Houthis have launched more than 60 attacks targeting specific vessels and fired off other missiles and drones in their campaign that has killed a total of four sailors. They have seized one vessel and sunk two since November. A U.S.-led airstrike campaign has targeted the Houthis since January, with a series of strikes May 30 killing at least 16 people and wounding 42 others, the rebels say.

The Houthis have maintained that their attacks target ships linked to Israel, the United States or Britain. However, many of the ships attacked have little or no connection to the Israel-Hamas war  including those bound for the Houthis' main benefactor, Iran.

The Eisenhower, based in Norfolk, Virginia, is returning home after an over eight-month deployment in combat that the Navy says is its most intense since World War II. The San Diego-based USS Theodore Roosevelt will take the Eisenhowers place after a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific, said Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder.

The Roosevelt anchored Saturday in Busan, South Korea, amid Seouls ongoing tensions with North Korea.
Countless articles have been written in the aftermath of Donald Trumps May 30 criminal convictions in the New York hush-money trial. There's the question of Trump's potential path to the Supreme Court, the sentence he presumably faces next month, his feelings about procedural issues, Michael Cohens never-ending opinions on what should happen to the twice-impeached, multiply-indicted and now felony-convicted ex-president  and thats just a small slice of whats been put into print or pixels since the verdicts were announced.

But all that analysis and opinion, as far as we can tell, has been provided by human observers. No one seems to have considered the views of our future robot overlords  the various AI programs that are learning and growing every day with access to the vast majority of the so-called information available on the internet.

Salon's initial questions for the AIs were perhaps overly broad, in an effort to gauge the evaluations of various programs on the big-picture effects of the criminal verdicts. Whether the answers we received tell us more about the consequences of Trump's convictions, the criminal justice system or the limits of artificial intelligence (not to mention human intelligence) is up for debate. In any event, the resemblance between most AI responses and what might be called the conventional wisdom of the political classes was striking. Let's begin with some thoughts from ChatGPT, by far the best known of public-facing AI platforms:

Solidification of support : Trumps core supporters are likely to view his convictions as politically motivated, which may strengthen their loyalty and increase voter turnout among his base.

Political comeback : Trump could use the convictions to fuel a political comeback, rallying his base and potentially winning elections by portraying himself as a martyr.

Fundraising boost : Trump may use the convictions to rally his supporters and raise funds, framing himself as a victim of a biased legal system.

Dominant narrative: The media coverage of Trumps legal battles will dominate the news cycle, potentially overshadowing other political issues and candidates.

Most of that is reasonable, if not exactly groundbreaking. Trump has indeed raised millions in post-conviction donations, although he appears to have lost ground in the polls and now slightly trails President Biden in the most recent surveys.

Next we turned to the Meta AI (i.e., Facebook's), built on software called Llama 3. Its prognosis was far more pessimistic for the former president and heartening for the hashtag-resistance:

Loss of political support: A conviction could lead to a significant loss of political support and credibility, potentially damaging his chances of winning the election.

Legal consequences: Trump could face fines, imprisonment or other legal consequences, which could impact his ability to campaign and serve as president.

As we explored more detailed and specific questions, the answers became more specific as well. We asked an AI called Claude, built by a company called Anthropic, to discuss how Trump's supporters were likely to react to the convictions. It appeared aware of MAGA loyalists' concerns about the "deep state":

Anger and outrage: Many would likely express fury at what they see as a corrupt and biased legal system unfairly targeting Trump. They may believe the conviction is an effort by Trump's enemies to undermine his political influence and prevent him from running for office again. Conspiracy theories: Trump supporters might promote conspiracy theories alleging that the conviction is part of a "deep state" plot or a witch hunt orchestrated by Democrats, the media or other perceived adversaries. Rallies and protests: There could be a resurgence of "Stop the Steal"-style rallies and protests, with supporters gathering to express their solidarity with Trump and their opposition to the conviction. Increased mistrust in institutions: A conviction could further erode Trump supporters' already low trust in government institutions, the mainstream media and the democratic process itself. They may view it as validation of Trump's claims that the system is rigged against him and his followers. Continued loyalty and support: Despite a conviction, many die-hard Trump supporters would likely stand by him and continue to view him as a leader and a martyr for their cause. They may double down on their commitment to Trump and his "Make America Great Again" movement.

Meta, despite its initial skepticism about Trump's future prospects, struck a notably different tone when asked similar questions about MAGA Nation, offering a relatively sophisticated analysis that appeared informed by political science textbooks:

[I]t's possible that a conviction could lead to Trump gaining support from his base or even gaining sympathy from some voters. This phenomenon is often referred to as the "martyr effect" or "backlash effect." Some of his supporters might view a conviction as: In response, they might rally around Trump, viewing him as a victim of a biased system or a political witch hunt. This could lead to increased support, donations and political engagement among his base.

ChatGPT offered observations that sometimes used virtually identical language:

Framing as a witch hunt : Many Trump supporters are expected to view the convictions as part of a broader political strategy to undermine him. This narrative of a "witch hunt" has been a recurring theme in Trump's rhetoric and is likely to resonate strongly with his base.

Distrust in the legal system : There may be a significant increase in distrust towards the judiciary and law enforcement agencies, perceived as being biased against Trump. Supporters might argue that the legal proceedings were unfair or manipulated by political adversaries.

Mobilization and activism: Trumps base might become more politically active, engaging in rallies, protests and campaigns to support him and his political agenda. This could lead to heightened participation in elections and increased grassroots organizing.

Intriguingly, the AIs offered conflicting analyses of how these convictions might affect Biden's supporters. ChatGPT has evidently consumed media narratives about liberal exhaustion:

Scandal fatigue : After years of continuous political scandals and controversies involving Trump, some Biden supporters might experience fatigue and become desensitized to yet another legal issue. This could lead to a more subdued reaction.

Media overload : Given the constant flow of news, supporters might feel overwhelmed and choose to focus on more immediate and personal concerns rather than the latest developments in Trumps legal battles.

Expectation of convictions : If Biden supporters anticipated Trumps convictions for a long time, the actual news might be met with a sense of inevitability rather than surprise or elation. This could dampen the intensity of their reaction.

Skepticism about impact: Some supporters might be skeptical about the practical impact of the convictions, believing that they wont significantly change Trumps influence or the political landscape, thus reacting less vigorously.

Claude, on the other hand, viewed the potential Democratic response in more optimistic terms, appearing to offer at least a modest celebration of the return of political norms and institutional guardrails:

In the hypothetical scenario of a criminal conviction of Donald Trump, I think it's unlikely that the reaction from Biden supporters would be muted or underwhelming

Want a daily wrap-up of all the news and commentary Salon has to offer? Subscribe to our morning newsletter, Crash Course.

Meta seemed focused on pragmatic aspects of Democratic or liberal reactions, offering, if you will, a bit of political meta-commentary:

Avoiding perceived gloating: Some supporters might deliberately avoid celebrating a Trump conviction to avoid appearing insensitive or vindictive. Concerns about political divisions: Biden supporters might be aware of the deep political divisions in the country and avoid actions that could exacerbate them. Expectation of appeals and legal challenges: A conviction might be seen as just the beginning of a lengthy legal process, potentially leading to a more subdued reaction.

Finally, there was the most important question of all: How will all this affect the November election? This remains unanswered and unanswerable IRL, and AI reactions reflected that confusion. Claude appeared to contradict its own earlier opinions about increased solidarity and righteous anger among the pro-MAGA right, leaning into the unlikely scenario that Trump could be forced out of the race and the outright nonsensical fantasy that a mainstream Republican could replace him. Was this written by an old-school Beltway political reporter?

Trump's candidacy: If Trump is convicted before the 2024 election, it would likely severely damage, if not end, his presidential aspirations. He might be pressured to withdraw from the race, or face insurmountable obstacles in terms of fundraising, organization and voter support. However, if he remains defiant and continues to run, it could create an unprecedented and highly volatile situation. Democratic enthusiasm: A Trump conviction could energize and motivate Democratic voters, who would see it as a validation of their opposition to Trump and a reason to turn out to prevent a return to Trumpism. However, without Trump himself on the ballot, Democrats might struggle to replicate the record-breaking turnout and enthusiasm of the 2020 election. General election: In the general election, the impact would largely depend on who emerges as the Republican nominee. If it's a candidate closely tied to Trump and his brand of politics, they might struggle to expand their appeal beyond Trump's base and could face backlash from moderate voters turned off by the association with a convicted former president. If it's a more traditional, establishment-friendly Republican, they might have an easier time pivoting to a general election message.

Meta also seemed to ignore its own analysis of the likely response from the right, predicting various scenarios that would make Democrats party like its 2020. Some may conclude that these reflect "liberal bias," but they seem more closely tethered to reality than Claude's responses:

Biden landslide: A conviction could lead to a significant shift in public opinion against Trump, potentially resulting in a landslide victory for Biden. Trump's base erosion: Some of Trump's supporters might abandon him due to the conviction, leading to a decline in his poll numbers and making it harder for him to win. Mobilization of Democratic voters: A conviction could energize Democratic voters, leading to higher turnout and increased motivation to vote against Trump. Increased scrutiny of Trump's fitness for office: A conviction could raise further questions about Trump's fitness for office, potentially leading to increased scrutiny from voters and the media. Legal implications: Depending on the nature of the conviction, Trump might face legal consequences that could impact his ability to run for office or serve as president.

ChatGPT provided an extensive and sometimes outside-the-box level of analysis, hinting at a possible surge of support for Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and other third-party candidates, although without mentioning any by name:

Trump's base : Trumps convictions are likely to galvanize his core supporters. They may view the convictions as politically motivated and rally around him with increased fervor. This could lead to higher voter turnout among his base, motivated by a sense of grievance and loyalty.

Biden's base : Biden supporters could also be mobilized by the convictions, seeing them as a confirmation of Trump's unfitness for office. This could lead to increased activism and voter turnout among Democrats and independents who oppose Trump.

Negative perception of Trump : Swing voters and moderates who are concerned about ethical and legal standards may be swayed against Trump due to his criminal convictions. This could result in a shift towards Biden among these voters.

Skepticism of both candidates : Some swing voters might become disillusioned with both candidates, viewing the election as a choice between two undesirable options. This could lead to lower voter turnout among moderates or increased support for third-party candidates.

Dominant media coverage : Trump's legal issues will likely dominate media coverage, potentially overshadowing policy discussions. This could benefit Biden if the focus remains on Trump's legal troubles rather than on criticisms of Bidens administration.

Republican Party : The GOP could experience internal divisions over Trumps candidacy, with some members distancing themselves from him while others continue to support him fervently. This division could affect party cohesion and strategy.

Democratic Party: Bidens campaign may enjoy greater unity within the Democratic Party, with a common goal of preventing Trump from returning to office. However, enthusiasm levels among progressive factions will also be crucial.

Some readers may have noticed that Googles large-language AI, now called Gemini  the subject of significant negative media coverage since its launch  has not been mentioned. That's because Gemini has been politically neutered by its creators, and answers all election-related questions with an expression of faux-innocence: I'm still learning how to answer this question. In the meantime, try Google Search.

Curiously enough, Gemini offers that same answer if you ask such purely factual questions as Who is Joe Biden? or What happened in the election of 1860? Unlike the other AIs, Gemini has apparently been programmed to reach the same conclusion about politics that the computer in the 1983 movie "WarGames" reached about nuclear war  the only winning move is not to play.

Perhaps that makes Gemini the smartest AI of them all.
Alaska Airlines reached a tentative agreement with its union of flight attendants, marking the latest labor win for aviation industry workers.

The Association of Flight Attendants-CWA for Alaska Airlines announced on Friday that they had reached a deal with the airline, but did not release the details of the agreement. The union represents more than 6,500 flight attendants at Alaska Airlines, according to its website.

Your actions over the last two years of bargaining, including gaining support from lawmakers for our right to strike, ensured we had the leverage to extract every last dollar from Alaska Airlines management, the union said in its announcement to its members.

The union said in April that it was pushing for pay rate increases between 40 percent and 56 percent, depending on seniority. Its not clear what pay increase may have been included in the new tentative agreement.

The union said that Alaska Airlines and the union will be cleaning up the language of the agreement over the next few days before presenting it to the the Alaska Airlines Master Executive Council (MEC). MEC will the vote on the release of the agreement for a full membership ratification, roadshows will be scheduled, and details will be released to Members, according to the announcement.

All of our actions together and the leverage we created made it possible to achieve this Tentative Agreement. The agreement was reached with oversight of the [National Mediation Board]. Over the next several days, both parties will work to clean up the contract language in order to present the full text of the TA to our Master Executive Council (MEC), the announcement stated.

The Hill has reached out to Alaska Airlines for comment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WOODHULL, N.Y. (WETM)  An Allegany County man is facing a murder charge after police say he fatally shot a man in Woodhull on Saturday morning.

Bradly J. Maddalena, 24, of Wellsville, was arrested after an investigation into a reported fatal shooting. According to the Steuben County Sheriffs Office, Maddalena called 911 at about 8:44 a.m. on June 22 and said that he shot and killed a man during an altercation on County Route 101 in Woodhull.

The victim was identified as 57-year-old Wayne E. Mosher, who lived on County Route 101.

21-year-old killed Elmira homicide; suspect still on the run

Deputies responded to the scene after the 911 call and started an investigation. The Steuben County Evidence Collection Team spent 20 hours processing multiple scenes, and investigators applied for and received multiple search warrants. The investigators also conducted more than a dozen interviews and were able to reconstruct the incident after gathering all relevant information. The investigation found that Maddalena allegedly intentionally caused the death of Mosher by using a firearm.

Maddalena was charged with second-degree murder, a class A felony.

Maddalenas charges were read in the Centralized Arraignment Court and he was taken to the Steuben County Jail, where he is being held without bail.

The Woodhull Volunteer Fire Department, the Steuben Emergency Management Office, and the New York State Police Department assisted the Steuben County Sheriffs Office with the investigation that led to Maddalenas arrest.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
Money & the Law: Know the rules when it comes to pay-on-death accounts
Billionaire businessman Thomas Duff of Hattiesburg might be the ideal person to challenge Mississippis two-party political system.

Reporting by Mississippi Todays Geoff Pender revealed that Duff is seriously contemplating running in 2027 as a Republican for the open seat of governor.

But what if Duff chose the radical path of running as an independent? Could he win?

Granted, there is no certainty at this point that Duff is even running, and he has likely not even considered an independent candidacy. But Duff would be in a unique position to launch what would be a historic independent campaign that might be the political unknowns easiest path to victory.

Numerous polls through the years have shown that Americans have an unfavorable opinion of at least one of the two major parties and a negative overall view of the two-party system.

But one of the primary obstacles for a candidate not affiliated with a major party, especially in a poor state like Mississippi, is the inability to raise campaign funds. Money would presumably not be an issue for Duff, who owns the Southern Tire Mart chain and has, along with his brother Jim Duff, a reported net worth of $7 billion.

The conventional wisdom is that if Duff does run, he could and would self-finance his campaign. Not many Mississippians could write themselves a check for the $12 million or more that is typically needed to run a serious statewide campaign for governor, but Duff is one of them.

Duff would be much different than any past independent or third party candidate in Mississippi, and a case could be made that he would get more bang for his buck as an independent.

If Duff ran as a Republican, he could face the daunting task of needing to spend considerable funds to battle in a party primary against what could be a crowded field of veteran statewide officeholders.

Instead, he could run as an independent, avoid an expensive party primary and direct his personal funds to a November general election, when he would face the Republican and Democratic nominees.

In such a scenario, a winning equation for Duff might be to siphon off a sizable number of votes from the Republican nominee and a smaller number of votes from the Democrat. And if no candidate obtained a majority of the votes, the top two vote-getters would advance to a runoff four weeks after the general election.

Because of Black Mississippians allegiance to the Democratic Party, an argument could be made that the Democrat would finish first in the November general election with a little less than 40% of the vote, with Duff and the Republican battling to be the second-place vote-getter and advance to the runoff.

To think such a runoff would not be feasible, remember that in the 2023 gubernatorial election, Democrat Brandon Presley missed a runoff against Republican winner Tate Reeves by about 15,000 votes. And the third-party candidate in that 2023 election did little more than place her name on the ballot.

If Duff made that hypothetical runoff against the Democrat, he most likely would be the favorite. And in a runoff against the Republican, he surely would have a punchers chance to prevail.

After all, if Duff made the runoff, people would be seeking him out to make contributions, especially if he was campaigning against the Democrat.

Granted, independents dont have a successful track record in Mississippi. There are currently two independents in the state House and just a handful of independents on the local level.

In the past independents faced an even more difficult time in Mississippi because of a constitutional provision that made it virtually impossible for an independent or third party candidate to win statewide office.

Until Mississippi voters changed the Constitution in 2020, if a candidate for statewide office did not garner both a majority of the popular vote and win a majority of the 122 House districts, it was left up to House members to select a winner from the top two vote-getters. It was hard to fathom a scenario where the House would not select the major party candidate.

But now, if no candidate obtains a majority of the vote, the top two vote-getters advance to a runoff.

Independents have won statewide elections in rare instances in other states  Minnesota and Maine, for instance.

Little is known about Duffs policy positions. He served on the Institutions of Higher Learning Board as an appointee of former Gov. Phil Bryant and has donated to various Republican politicians.

But the persona of being a non-politician running for office as an independent could be appealing  especially if the candidate has the money to highlight that persona statewide.

This analysis was produced by Mississippi Today, a nonprofit news organization that covers state government, public policy, politics and culture. Bobby Harrison is Mississippi Todays senior Capitol reporter.
Angry residents have been asked to stop bombarding parish councillors with abusive phone calls over an unsightly new build in a planning row.

Councillors in Old Hunstanton, Norfolk, posted on the village noticeboard threatening to report the matter to police if the calls continue.

The angry calls relate to a new building on Wodehouse Road, which is named after the author who was a regular visitor to the village in the 1920s and 30s.

The property is a point of contention with residents and the parish council claiming the unsightly building has breached planning conditions and infringed the privacy of neighbours.

Nick Eastwell, the parish council chairman, pointed out that the planning dispute was not a matter for his authority, but was being dealt with by the borough council.

The calls related to an ongoing planning dispute which, as we have publicly pointed out, is a matter for West Norfolk Council planning and not Old Hunstanton Parish Council, he said.

He did not identify the caller or state on which side of the dispute he or she was on.

He said the calls were totally unacceptable, but added: Happily thick-skinned councillors were largely untroubled.

The website statement was designed to warn the caller off from a repeat performance, at which point we would report the matter to the police.

The website statement by Mr Eastwell - KARL GRAFTON

In the message on the council website, he wrote: Parish councillors are unpaid volunteers who strive as individuals and as a collective body to always act in the best interests of the village and parishioners.

It is completely unacceptable for members of the public to make abusive phone calls to parish councillors.

Mr Eastwell added if any member of the public has issues or comments, they should raise them with the parish clerk or bring them up at one of the councils monthly meetings.

The dispute relates to a house which is being built on Wodehouse Road, not far from the beach, on the site of a cottage which has been demolished to make way for it.

Ten locals have objected to an application to the West Norfolk council to amend the conditions of planning permission regarding the elevations of the new property, granted in 2023.

The parish council is also objecting, stating that there may have been breaches of the original planning permission.

It said on the West Norfolk councils planning portal: The breaches have led to the existence of a building that appears to be too big and high for its plot and the surrounding dwellings and which directly impacts upon the light and privacy of the immediate neighbours and is viewed as being unsightly within the local neighbourhood generally.

PG Wodehouse was a frequent visitor to Old Hunstanton and featured it in his stories - STUART AYLMER/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

The developers are named in planning papers as Mr and Mrs Middleton. Parish minutes say Mrs Middleton spoke at a council meeting in March, saying the objections have caused stress and been upsetting.

They added: The parish council was asked to remove their objections but advised that they have to remain. It was suggested that we may look silly at the planning committee meeting.

A decision is expected later this summer from the West Norfolk council.

PG Wodehouse, the author, was a frequent visitor to Old Hunstanton and featured its moated hall in some of his Jeeves and Wooster stories.

The village and nearby town are said to be the setting for Money for Nothing, one of Wodehouses novel. A folly in the hall also features in some of his stories, including Jeeves and the Impending Doom.

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AOC, Bernie Sanders dubbed sellouts by far-left group at NYC Jamaal Bowman rally for not being pro-Palestinian enough

Red alert!

Reps. Jamaal Bowman and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez unleashed chaos at a rally for Bowmans primary campaign in the Bronx Saturday  where the host congressman spat out a fiery speech threatening to show who the fk we are.

Bowman flexed his muscles  literally  throughout the get out and vote rally at St. Marys Park, while his Squad counterpart, AOC< stormed the stage to a Cardi B song and frantically knocked over her mic as she ranted about kicking some Wall Street ass to the crowd of 300.

He also put the blue in Democrat, as he profanely ripped critics while trying to rally the vote in his tough fight against Westchester County Executive George Latimer, a moderate Democrat.

Socialists were all but eating their own at a Bronx park on Saturday as a radical anti-Israel group ripped Sen. Bernie Sanders, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other establishment lefties as sellouts. Michael Nigro for NY Post

AOC greets Bowman during the rally held in St. Marys Park. Michael Nigro for NY Post

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) speaks during a rally for Jamaal Bowman. Michael Nigro for NY Post

We are gonna show them who the f we are! We are gonna show them who the f we are! he shouted.

At one point he lifted up a stool and exhorted the crowd to chant ceasefire now in regard to the war in Gaza. He also cursed as he ripped the pro-Israel AIPAC group.

Our people are more powerful than their power. It is time for us to show them the real power of the people. Were going to show them how mighty we are  We are gonna show fing AIPAC the power of the motherfing South Bronx, he said.

The rally, also attended by former presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, was aimed at helping him pull out of his poor polling for his June 25 primary Latimer.

Meanwhile, outside the park, the anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, run by radicals Nerdeen Kiswani and Fatima Mousa, hosted their Flood the Bronx for Gaza to counter the rally to rip Sanders and AOC as sellouts for not backing Palestine enough to their liking.

Some banged drums while others held signs with slogans like For class war to free Palestine! Dump Genocide Joe and the Squad.

If Bowman and the rest of them claim to be allies of the Palestinian people, the bare minimum is not endorsing the person we have been protesting against the last nine months and who has enabled the genocide of the people in Gaza, said Kiswani, parroting a debunked Hamas talking point.

President Bidens White House has said Israel is not committing genocide during its war on Hamas terrorists.

Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez joined 300 comrades at St. Marys Park for a get out and vote rally in to support Squad member Bowman, who is badly behind in polls against Westchester County Executive George Latimer. Michael Nigro for NY Post

At the rally for a desperate Bowman  which took place outside his district  Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez and other speakers never mentioned the protest happening in plain sight outside the park gates.

Instead, the far lefties spoke glowingly about Bowman and whined about the record-breaking $14.5 million being spent by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on TV, radio, social media and digital ads to pound Bowman over his criticisms of the Jewish state.

Are we ready to take on AIPAC? shouted Ocasio-Cortez, drawing cheers from the crowd.

However, outside the park, the anti-Israel group Within Our Lifetime, run by radicals Nerdeen Kiswani and Fatima Mousa, hosted a Flood the Bronx for Gaza to counter the rally. Michael Nigro for NY Post

Are we ready to kick some Wall Street ass? Because we are tired of having corporate lobbies trying to buy up our communities and sell them to us. We all know why were here.

Bowman also said hes not worried about the huge amounts of money pouring in to help kick him out of office.

AIPAC is scared to death, he insisted.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (D-NY) speaks during a rally and canvass kick-off on the weekend before the New York Democratic Primary. Michael Nigro for NY Post

That is why they are spending record amounts of money in this race. They are afraid. They have already lost.

This movement is more powerful than their money, said Bowman, who has called for a cease fire in Gaza.

Our people are more powerful than their power. It is time for us to show them the real power of the people. Were going to show them how mighty we are.

Bowman embraced ceasefire proposals that would allow Hamas to remain in power and has freely campaigned with activists who celebrated the attacks. OLGA FEDEROVA/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

He later went on an expletive-laden rant against his critics, jumping up and down while shouting: We are gonna show them who the f we are! We are gonna show them who the f were!

At one point he even picked up a stool that was on stage and waved it while exhorting the crowd to shout ceasefire now.

Sanders called the Bowman-Latimer race one of the most important elections in the modern history of America.

This election is not about Jamaal vs Mr. Latimer, this election is about whether or not the billionaire class and the oligarchs will control the United States government. And I look to you to know they wont, he said.

Recent polls show Bowman trailing Latimer by double digits in the district, which stretches from Co-Op City in the Bronx to some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Westchester.

Even before the Israel-Hamas war began, Bowman took heat for favoring far-left agenda items over the needs of his own constituents. Michael Nigro for NY Post

Even before the Israel-Hamas war began, Bowman took heat for favoring far-left agenda items over the needs of his own constituents.

His vote against Bidens infrastructure bill  after insisting it helped white people too much  has become a major issue in the race.

Hes also faced widespread mockery for pulling a fire alarm during a government funding vote last year.

Bowman embraced ceasefire proposals that would allow Hamas to remain in power and has freely campaigned with activists who celebrated the attacks.

While Bowmans other endorsements include fellow squad members, Latimers endorsements include former Democratic presidential nominee and US Sen. Hillary Clinton and many moderate local legislators.

Locals gave both sides a Bronx cheer.

Bernie Sanders is a socialist. AOC doesnt love America and Biden is terrible. These guys are not for America, said one area resident named Sean.
AOC, Sanders and other progressives rally for Bowman. Will it be enough?

NEW YORK  Rep. Jamaal Bowman is rapping and cursing his way to Tuesdays primary, rallying with progressive heavyweights over the weekend in an increasingly desperate bid to keep his seat.

In an effort to fire up his base, the Democrat rapped at a youth mobilization concert Thursday in Westchester County. At a rally in the Bronx on Saturday, he laced profanities throughout his remarks about the pro-Israel lobby spending ferociously to unseat him.

If he loses, Bowman will be the first Squad member to go down since the band of hard-left Democrats formed six years ago, as the fissure over the future of the Democratic Party widens.

Progressive Democratic standard bearers Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York flanked Bowman at the Saturday rally, their energy as high as the heat index as they framed the primary as us-versus-them, the many, not the money.



"This election is one of the most important in the modern history of America, it really is, Sanders said at the rally attended by more than 1,000 supporters  one day after he headlined a different, smaller get-out-the-vote event with Bowman. This election is about whether or not the billionaire class and the oligarchs will control the United States government, and our view is no, they wont.

The race is the highest-profile battle this year over the direction of the Democratic Party as the progressive movement is tested by the partys fracture over the Israel-Hamas war.

A win for Bowman would mean he withstood an unprecedented outside spend by the pro-Israel American Israel Public Affairs Committee, whose super PAC has shelled out $14 million to make an example out of him for his vocal criticism of the Israeli offensive on Gaza. Already, the race has been labeled the most expensive House primary ever by the ad tracking service AdImpact, with the vast majority of the spending going against the incumbent to boost his challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer.

A Bowman loss would be one of the biggest progressive defeats yet. He was to be joined by Rep. Ayanna Pressley (Mass.)  Bowmans fellow Squad member  on Sunday as he stumped at churches in his district.



Bowmans struggle comes as some Democrats have sought to redefine what it means to be left-leaning while defending Israel.

Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman  who pointedly rejects the progressive label  has staked out a position as unyieldingly pro-Israel and New York Rep. Ritchie Torres and former Rep. Mondaire Jones have castigated Bowman and the Squad for assailing Israel. The three have found themselves on the outs with left-flank leaders as a result.

And in Missouri, Rep. Cori Bush  another member of the Squad  has her own brutal fight against AIPAC-backed Wesley Bell.

Voters want work horses, not show horses. They want leaders, not performance artists, said Democratic strategist Lis Smith, who has worked with candidates like Pete Buttigieg and Rep. Adam Schiff. When Democratic voters are presented with a choice, they go with Democrats who care more about getting things done than about being social media famous.

In Bowmans New York district, where the war in Gaza features prominently, he is struggling to fend off not just AIPAC but the formidable challenger it champions in Latimer, a local official.

The last hope for the firebrand and former middle school principal may be rallying his base. Bowman summed up his strategy at his Friday rally with Sanders, this one in a tony riverfront village in Westchester County.

This is a turnout race, yall. This is not about persuasion, he said. We got our people; they got their people.

The left, after all, coalesced behind and turned out for freshman Squad member Rep. Summer Lee, who won her Pennsylvania primary  with an expected high-dollar assault against the incumbent never really coming together. And in California, state Sen. Dave Min clinched the Democratic nomination for outgoing Rep. Katie Porters House seat despite millions in spending from AIPACs super PAC against him, a notable defeat for the organization.

We know that our issues are popular, and even at a spending disadvantage, we can win, Working Families Party national director Maurice Mitchell said in a statement.

However, the unprecedented levels of spending we're seeing from GOP-funded Super PACs  like AIPAC  are a danger to our democracy, Mitchell added. As Congressional seats grow more expensive, some candidates see an easier path to power by aligning with billionaire mega-donors over working people."

Bowman has been vastly outspent and was down in the lone independent public poll by 17 points, a devastating deficit for an incumbent.

The left-leaning Democrat sought nonetheless to reassure his supporters Friday that he was trailing in his 2020 election over then-Rep. Eliot Engel, who he went on to beat by nearly 15 points.

We were able to win because of our incredible coalition, across race, across class, across background, across experiences, across ethnicities, Bowman said. We came together as a human family.

Sally Goldenberg contributed to this report.
Argentinian President Javier Milei, known for wielding a symbolic chainsaw of austerity at public events, was offered some words of advice during a Berlin meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday: Don't lose sight of social harmony.

According to Scholz's official spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, the German chancellor stressed the need to protect social cohesion and urged Milei to employ socially acceptable policies as he rolls out his radical economic reform in Argentina.

For his part, the ultra-liberal Milei doesn't think much of state support and wealth redistribution, and sees taxes as theft.

"The state is not the solution, it's the problem," is one of his mantras, and his views have made him one of the most controversial leaders of South America.

'Milei, scumbag, you're the dictatorship'

Milei's trip to Germany was accompanied by protests in Berlin and Hamburg, and several dozen demonstrators protested against the self-described anarcho-capitalist at the Berlin Chancellery with signs saying "Away with Milei" and chanting in Spanish "Milei, scumbag, you're the dictatorship."

Scholz rejected criticism of his decision to host Milei, telling German broadcaster ARD before the meeting that it was his job "to speak to people who hold office."

"Germany and Argentina have had very good relations for many decades. Of course I will meet with a democratically elected president from there."

Milei was originally due to receive a full welcome with military honours, but this, alongside a joint press conference, was cancelled at short notice.

Instead, the two vastly contrasting leaders - one pragmatic, the other bombastic - met for just one hour, reportedly at Milei's request.

Scholz and Milei were also said to have discussed economic relations between the two countries and agreed on the need for for the swift conclusion of 25 years of talks on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur organization, which includes Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay as well as Argentina.

Argentina has large reserves of raw materials such as lithium that are urgently needed in Germany for the green energy transition.

Agreement on Ukraine and free trade

Scholz and Milei were also on the same page when it came to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with both agreeing that "Russia has the power to end the war of aggression against Ukraine," Hebestreit said.

Milei, who was elected with more than 55% of the vote in November's presidential elections, arrived in Germany on Saturday to receive a medal from the Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation in the northern port city of Hamburg.

He collected the award from the think tank - named after the Austrian pioneer of neoliberalism - as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the venue against his invitation.

Around 200 supporters attended the ceremony, including notable right-wing German politicians such as Beatrix von Storch, a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Only a handful of global leaders have received Milei since he took office, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and Pope Francis.

On a previous stop in Madrid earlier this week, Milei was snubbed by officials after a bitter war of words with the Spanish government.

Milei skipped traditional early visits to Argentina's neighbours Brazil and Chile due to wide ideological differences. He has visited the United States a number of times without receiving an invitation to the White House, instead meeting with Tesla chief Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, right, and Argentina's President Javier Milei shake hands during their meeting at the chancellery in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, June 23, 2024. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)

MEXICO CITY (AP)  Argentina's self-described anarcho-capitalist President Javier Milei met with German officials on Sunday in Berlin, part of his ongoing lap of Europe which has been greeted with both celebration and outrage.

In a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday, the two leaders discussed Argentina's radical economic shifts and the importance of having critical minerals"  likely Argentina's vast stores of lithium used in the global energy transition  wrote Manuel Adroni, a spokesperson for Milei, in a statement on Sunday.

The meeting between President Milei and Chancellor Scholz and their teams showed two leaders with a convergent vision, with the same principles and values in international politics and focused on solving key geopolitical challenges for the West, Adroni wrote.

The German government said in a short statement Sunday the leaders spoke about the repercussions Milei's drastic economic cuts could have on Argentines and said Scholz reminded Milei of the importance of maintaining social cohesion while the leader attempts to control Argentina's sharp inflation.

Also on the agenda was their sustained support for Ukraine and Israel, a trade agreement between the European Union and the countries of the Latin American Mercosur trade bloc, and concerns about democracy in the upcoming Venezuelan elections, according to Argentina's government.

Center-left leader Scholz's politics and style contrast sharply with those of the Argentine president.

Milei, a right-wing figure known for his unfiltered way of speaking, was elected last year on the promise to fix Argentinas troubled economy and to make Argentina great again.

His austerity measures have fueled waves of mass protests in the South American nation, with protesters saying cuts have put the poor even more at risk and have endangered public universities. Milei has also drawn the ire of human rights activists after he called abortion murder and lambasted the countrys feminist movement as a cult of a gender ideology.

Scholzs spokesperson, Steffen Hebestreit, said Friday it would be a very short working visit, expressly at the wish of the Argentine president and that there had been a clear refusal by Milei to hold a news conference. A greeting with military honors and a joint news conference that the German government originally announced were later canceled.

The meeting came after Milei accepted an award from the neoliberal Augusto von Hayek Foundation in the German port city of Hamburg on Saturday for freeing the population from shackles and restoring hope." In a speech as he accepted the award, Milei declared he was defeating the socialists with the largest fiscal adjustment in history of Argentina. He was met with chants of freedom!" in Spanish.

Meanwhile there were small protests outside both the awards ceremony and the meeting between Milei and Scholz, with demonstrators carrying signs reading down with Milei, down with the far-right government" and "Argentina is not for sale" in Spanish and German.

The award and demonstrations have underscored Mileis reputation as a globally polarizing figure, fueling the adoration of some and hatred of others.

The trip in Germany comes after a controversial trip to Spain, where Milei made no plans to meet with senior government officials, amid a diplomatic crisis engulfing the long-standing allies.

Instead, Milei met with Madrid's powerful rightwing regional president, Isabel Diaz Ayuso, who is an outspoken opponent of Spains center-left Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Milei was met by cheering crowds in some parts of Madrid.

Milei has generated a number of diplomatic spats with his outspoken style and controversial opinions since becoming president last December. On Monday, he is expected in the Czech Republic, where he will meet with Czech leaders.



Associated Press journalist Isabel DeBre contributed to this report from Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Arizona local spearheads initiative to mitigate heat and hunger with 'food forest' project: 'It's definitely growing in popularity'

In Tucson, Arizona, Brandon Merchant is leading a unique project to cool down the city's hottest neighborhoods and combat hunger by planting food-producing trees.

The creation of "food forests" on the city's south side are populated with native velvet mesquite trees and are designed to provide much-needed shade and food in areas where both are scarce.

Merchant's initiative is part of a broader movement to populate Tucson with 1 million trees by 2030, a goal supported by a $5 million grant from the Biden administration as part of a nationwide urban forestry effort, according to Grist. However, Merchant's vision extends beyond merely cooling the city; he aims to tackle food insecurity by planting trees that can be harvested for sustenance. Velvet mesquite trees, which thrive in the arid conditions of the Sonoran Desert, produce seed pods that can be ground into a sweet, protein-rich flour.

"Thinking about the root causes of hunger and the root causes of health issues, there are all these things that tie together: lack of green spaces, lack of biodiversity," Merchant told Grist.

The food forest concept is part of a growing national trend where urban forestry is combined with efforts to combat hunger. Cities across the U.S., including Boston, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Seattle, and Miami, have developed similar community spaces where fruit trees, berry bushes, and other edible plants are grown in public areas, according to the outlet.

These spaces not only offer a source of fresh produce but also improve air quality, store carbon, and provide habitats for wildlife.

"It's definitely growing in popularity," Cara Rockwell, an agroforestry researcher at Florida International University, told Grist. "Food security is one of the huge benefits."

Merchant's work is inspired by Brad Lancaster, who has transformed Tucson's Dunbar Spring neighborhood into a lush, food-producing area over the past 30 years. Lancaster's approach to urban forestry, which emphasizes the use of native plants and water conservation, has turned the once-barren area into a thriving community space, with over 1,700 native food- and medicine-bearing trees and shrubs planted.

Though still in its early stages, with only a few dozen saplings planted so far, Merchant's project aims to plant 20,000 trees by 2030.

To engage the community, the food bank hosts workshops on growing, pruning, and harvesting mesquite trees and organizes events where locals can grind seed pods into flour using a hammer mill. These events often culminate in mesquite pancake cook-offs, bringing the community together to enjoy the fruits of their labor.

As Tucson's food forests take root, they not only promise to cool the city but also offer a sustainable, community-driven solution to hunger and environmental degradation.

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HIGH POINT, N.C. (WNCN)  UPDATE: Early Sunday morning, the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons canceled the Ashanti Alert for India Palshett Abney at the request of the High Point Police Department.

Previous story:

North Carolina authorities issued an alert Saturday about a woman who is in danger or is possibly abducted or kidnapped.

India Palshett Abney, 31, is the subject of an Ashanti Alert that was issued at 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Ashanti Alerts are issued when there is evidence of physical endangerment, abduction or kidnapping.

The alert said Abney is with Evan Rashad Gainey, 32. The duo were last seen in the area of Mobile Street and Cliffside Avenue in High Point, the alert said.

The pair are traveling in High Point and possibly headed to Greensboro in a black Mercedes Benz with PKN-8095 as the license plate, the alert said.

However, police said the license plate does not belong on the Mercedes.

The High Point Police Department initiated the alert.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS17.com.
AUSTIN (KXAN)  One person is dead after a vehicle rescue on Farm-to-Market Road 969 on Saturday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media.

Around 5 p.m., ATCEMS medics responded to the vehicle rescue in the area of 10100-10500 FM 969 near Imperial Drive. Medics said there were three patients total.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

Medics pronounced one person dead on the scene. Another person had serious injuries, and the last one was not expected to be life-threatening injuries. Both people were transported to Dell Seton.

Drivers should expect extended traffic lane closures while law enforcement continues investigating. No other details were released Saturday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
Russian forces launched a missile attack against Kyiv Oblast in the early morning of June 23, wounding two people as well as damaging dozens of houses and several civilian infrastructure facilities, the regional authorities reported.

Explosions were heard in Kyiv and Kyiv Oblast during an air raid alert at around 5 a.m. local time on June 23. Russia launched three Kalibr cruise missiles at Ukraine, two of which were shot down over Kyiv Oblast, the Air Force said later.

The Air Force did not specify whether the third missile hit a target.

Falling debris destroyed two houses and damaged another 33, as well as damaged apartments in six residential buildings in the Obukhiv district, the Kyiv Oblast Military Administration said on Telegram.

Two residents with light injuries sought medical assistance, which was provided on the scene, according to the regional authorities.

The debris also reportedly damaged a hospital, an employment center, a heating facility, an enterprise, a driving school, a pharmacy, a gas station, a shop, a hotel, and several cars.

Since the beginning of the full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, Russian troops have been attacking cities and villages across Ukraine with various weapons on a daily basis, leading to large-scale destruction of civilian infrastructure and multiple civilian casualties.

A Russian glide bomb attack against the northeastern city of Kharkiv on June 22 killed at least three people and injured at least 54, according to local authorities.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
In recent years, Massachusetts, New York, California, and Washington, D.C., have all implemented bans on flavored tobacco products in an attempt to reduce smoking rates among younger populations. Despite these bans, flavored tobacco products are still easily accessibleand it's never been more apparent.

Walk into the nearest convenience store and you'll likely find an assortment of flavored tobacco products to choose fromstrawberry banana, blue raspberry, spearmint, black cherry. Whether or not your city or state bans these products, they'll likely be fully stocked and at your disposal.

In 2021, the D.C. Council banned the sale of flavored tobacco products within a quarter-mile of middle schools and high schools. New York City took things a step further by banning the sale of flavored tobacco products throughout its five boroughs.

Yet, citywide bans on the sale and purchase of flavored tobacco products have utterly failed. Two new studies conducted by the market researcher WSPM Group show just how many tobacco products are being consumed and disposed of in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Researchers went through the trash in the two cities and found that over 99 percent of the vapes collected from the urban trash cans were flavored tobacco products, despite consumers in those cities being barred from legally purchasing those products.

Something similar happened when Massachusetts banned menthol cigarettes in 2019. Proponents of the ban argued that it would lower smoking rates among black adults, the primary consumers of menthol tobacco products. In reality, the prevalence of smoking among black adults increased after the ban was implemented, as did the sale of menthol cigarettes in surrounding states. Bay Staters were driving out-of-state to purchase menthol cigarettes in higher quantities to stockpile for their own use or to sell on the newly created black market. Smokers were undeniably worse off after their state government took away their right to choose and forced them into a black market.

And who supplies vendors with these illicit flavored vapes filling the shelves of corner stores across the nation? China, of coursethough most consumers likely aren't aware of that. Of the 2,000 e-vapor products collected from the trash in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding cities of Arlington, Alexandria, Bethesda, and Silver Spring, 99.5 percent of the packaging and products were exported from China. When the nearest 7-Eleven carries a variety of flavored vapes, few will consider where they came from or imagine that they are illegally imported items. Last year, the FDA sent out notices to 22 retailers warning them of coming fines if they did not stop selling unauthorized e-cigarettes, but those banned products can still be seen on store shelves and in smokers' hands throughout the country.

Adults should be able to purchase whatever tobacco products they pleaseand the trash tells us they will do just that. Banning flavored tobacco products will never stop people from smokinginstead, lawmakers are once again causing unregulated and potentially dangerous black markets to rise up and meet the demand. It's time that policy makers discard the idea that they can control individuals' personal choices.

The post Banning Flavored Tobacco Products Doesn't WorkWe Have the Trash To Prove It appeared first on Reason.com.
Fighting for Novooleksandrivka in Donetsk Oblast is ongoing. Russian troops concentrated their efforts on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts on Sunday.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine report as of 22:00

Quote: "Today the enemy concentrated its efforts on the Pokrovsk and Kurakhove fronts. The defence forces are aware of the enemy's plans and are doing everything they can to disrupt them."

Details: 116 combat clashes have taken place since the beginning of the day. The Russians launched two missile attacks using four missiles, 47 airstrikes (using 70 guided aerial bombs) and 444 kamikaze drone attacks, and fired 3,227 times on Ukrainian positions.

On the Kharkiv front, five Russian attacks were successfully repelled near Vovchansk. Since the beginning of the day, Russian forces have lost 99 servicemen (killed and wounded) and 14 pieces of military equipment, including an armoured combat vehicle, six other vehicles, and three artillery systems.

On the Kupiansk front, the Armed Forces of Ukraine repelled nine attacks. Two combat clashes continue in the areas of Pishchane and Stelmakhivka.

On the Lyman front, nine attempts by the Russians to advance in the areas of Kopanky, Makiivka and Serebrianka Forest were recorded yesterday. Four attacks were repelled, and assault operations continue. The situation is under the control of the Ukrainian troops.

On the Siversk front, the Russians failed in their attempts to assault Ukrainian positions near Rozdolivka and Vyimka.

Seven attacks by Russian forces were repelled on the Toretsk front. The defence forces are responding appropriately to Russian actions, taking the necessary measures to exhaust their offensive potential.

As in the previous day, the Russians are concentrating significant efforts on the Pokrovsk front. They made 46 attempts to push Ukrainian defenders from their positions. The Russians launched more than half of their attacks from the area of Ocheretyne. The situation is tense.

Fighting for Novooleksandrivka continues. Ukrainian troops are taking measures to stabilise the situation and prevent the Russians from advancing deeper into Ukrainian territory.

Four combat clashes took place on the Vremivka front. Russian assaults were repelled in the areas of Urozhaine and Staromaiorske. The situation is under the control of the Ukrainian Defence Forces.

Background: DeepState previously reported that the Russians had captured the village of Novooleksandrivka in Donetsk Oblast near the settlement of Ocheretyne and were approaching the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway.

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Bay Ridge parents, pols and civic leaders are begging state regulators to reject a proposed cannabis shop near a slew of the Brooklyn neighborhoods schools and houses of worship.

We are writing to express our firm opposition to the proposed opening of this cannabis dispensary, US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and state Assembly members Michael Tannousis and Alec Brook-Krasny said in a letter to New Yorks Office of Cannabis Management  referring to a pot-shop pitch for 84-12 3rd Ave., a heavily residential area.

The opening of this cannabis dispensary will have a profound negative impact on our communitys quality of life, the politicians claimed.

Bay Ridge parents, pols and civic leaders are begging state regulators to reject a proposed cannabis shop. Google Maps

We are writing to express our firm opposition to the proposed opening of this cannabis dispensary, US Rep. Nicole Malliotakis and state Assembly members Michael Tannousis, center, and.Alec Brook-Krasny said. Paul Martinka

The lawmakers identified the number of schools and churches within a 1.5-block radius of the address: the Dimitrios & Georgia Kaloidis Parochial School, the Adelphi Academy of Brooklyn, Stepping Stones Nursery School, PS 185, the Bay Ridge Catholic Academy and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church and St. Anselms Catholic Church.

More than 200 parents showed up at a recent public hearing at the Kaloidis school objecting to the proposed pot store.

Foes have no legal power to block weed dispensaries, but they can express their opinion to the OCM.

The establishment of an adult-use retail dispensary at this location, where there is heavy foot traffic of students (going back and forth to school) daily, would result in the increased exposure of cannabis to minors, despite regulations and age restrictions the lawmakers said in their letter to the agency.

The opening of this establishment would be a disruption to the nearby schools and would interfere with the sanctity of the nearby houses of worship. In consideration of these factors, we urge you to deny the opening of this cannabis dispensary at this location.

Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, embraced cannabis commerce. Robert Miller

Community Board 10 also voted against the planned weed shop, once the site of the Pilo Arts Salon, as inappropriate, given also the thousands of students who attend other schools and houses of worship nearby, including PS 185 on Ridge Boulevard, Fort Hamilton High School on Shore Road, St Marys Antiochian Orthodox Church on Ridge Blvd, the Bay Ridge Jewish Center on 81 Street and the Masjid Al Rahman Mosque on 86th Street.

This area has a high density of foot traffic and students from the surrounding public and private schools. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 students in close proximity to the proposed location, CB 10 said in a statement

The surrounding area is primarily residential. The size of the premises will encompass three storefronts and will take up a good portion of that part of Third Avenue.

The firm seeking to open the cannabis shop is RMAN Holdings. Its principals include Georgio Matesi as 51% owner and Amir Carvan and Edgar Kleydman.

Under the state cannabis law, municipalities across the state can opt out of opening licensed weed shops. Virtually all of the localities in Nassau County and most in Suffolk County on Long Island refused to open cannabis stores.

But New York City Mayor Eric Adams and his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, embraced cannabis commerce.

City and state authorities have already moved to shut down illegal pot shops in Bay Ridge, including the infamous Gelato store on 86th Street, as well as scores across the city.

There are 137 licensed marijuana dispensaries in the Empire State, including 62 in the city, according to the OCM website.

Gov. Kathy Hochul and Adams last week announced that more than 500 illicit pot shots were padlocked by authorities under a beefed up state law.
Because I want to be here: Port Huron city manager looks back at 10 years on job

PORT HURON  When James Freed first clocked in as city manager, a lot of little things were different.

Hed been the manager in Stanton and Lakeview on the states westside when tapped unanimously by City Council to be Port Hurons next top administrator, and soon in early 2014, the then-29-year-old was returning to an area he was native to growing up.

At the time, there were no lights strung across downtown buildings on Main Street. New amenities like splash pads at Lakeside or Knox Field hadnt been erected in local parks. The carpets in council chambers were a bright burnt orange. And the conversation about city facilities had yet to migrate to building a new, now operating fire station.

However, for Freed, and perhaps the biggest difference of all, there were no small children in the family photos decorating his office on the fourth floor of the Municipal Office Center.

Just a few weeks after passing his 10th anniversary in the role earlier this month, it was there that the 39-year-old  now, with a little gray peeking through his dark black hair  lounged casually at his desk with a mug featuring photos of his kids, Lucy and Annie, in hand.

Local city and business officials take a sip of the new "Pure Michigan Mix" drink being promoted at the Pine Grove Avenue McDonald's on Tuesday, July 11, 2023, in Port Huron. Pictured from left: Port Huron City Manager James Freed and his daughter Lucy, Mayor Pauline Repp, City Councilman Conrad Haremza, Marci Fogal, president of the Blue Water Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Thelma Castillo, CEO and president of the Blue Water Area Chamber of Commerce, and Ann Baker, customer service representative for McDonald's in the region.

Im not here because I need this job. Im here because I want to be here, Freed said in an interview last Monday. This is where my wife and I want to raise our kids. I was raised here. I had a wonderful childhood here. I want my daughters to experience what I got to experience and all the opportunities Port Huron has to offer.

The cost of living is affordable here. The schools are fantastic. The parks, the water, I mean, this is a true Pure Michigan experience for a child to have. I want my two daughters to have it. So, thats why Im here.

Freeds wife, too, talks about raising their daughters long-term in Port Huron, though in a separate interview Monday, she joked she definitely came kicking and screaming across the state a decade ago.

Since then, Jessie Freed said theyve grown into their lives with kids and a larger circle of friends with no plans on leaving  even after a spurt in national and state headlines within the last year over James litigation against a managers' professional organization and a years-long bout over First Amendment claims that went to the U.S. Supreme Court, occasionally amplifying negative chatter on social media.

Its stressful at times, I will say, living the public life. You go out to dinner, and people are watching you or approaching you, Jessie said. And the phone never turns off with him. Even when were sitting at the dinner table. But its something thats his job. We knew its what he signed up for. And he truly loves what he does. I cant see him ever doing something not in the public sector like this because its his passion. And so, were here to support him.

Port Huron City Manager James Freed walks along the Black River with his wife, Jessie, talking with boaters during the Blue Water Fest's Family Night in 2015.

Stepping in financially, getting council's support

Any progress made in the last 10 years, Freed often credits someone else.

Voters for supporting the original public safety and parks and recreation millages passed in 2017. City employees for concessions in labor negotiations that helped clamp down the citys once ballooning unfunded liabilities to retiree pensions and health care. And council members for painting with a broad brush to pay down the debt and support city staff.

It wasnt until days later after an initial interview that Freed emphasized several city milestones among his accomplishments as city manager, including:

Also citing lower unemployment and higher community investment, Freed said on Friday, No ones achieving what were doing.

But earlier in the week, it was all the numbers  financial milestones he also considered accomplishments  that, Freed said, made his early tenure a whirlwind akin to drinking out of a firehouse.

What I didnt know was just how dire the situation really was. We were running multi-million-dollar deficits. Both in the utilities and in the general fund.  So, the moneys running out, the cash reserves that they were using to cover the deficits were running out. Now, it was decision time, Freed said. I dont think the public ever truly realized how close to insolvency the city came. Like we had enough cash to make it for 27 months.

Port Huron Police Chief Joe Platzer, left, and City Manager James Freed watch on while Kevin Watkins, local NAACP president, speaks during a press conference on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Seven years ago, Freed also took the unfunded liabilities issue to Lansing, playing a role in a legislative fix that allowed the city to pay down its massive retiree debt.

Refinancing those liabilities, the city reportedly saved taxpayers over $114 million with the citys pension and retiree healthcare accounts going from 43% and 28% funded, respectively, toward the start of his tenure to 90% and 76% funded.

I think that James has done a phenomenal job for the city, especially when it comes to finances. He saved us pretty much from going into possible bankruptcy at the time, said Mayor Pauline Repp. Pointing to the unfunded liabilities issue, she said, Thats worth its weight in gold right there.

Other City Council members, too, have recognized the big-picture financial transitions Freed has spearheaded. Mayor Pro Tem Sherry Archibald said, He was so instrumental in being able to help the city overcome all the massive cuts we were doing in 09 when I got on to now. Its just been a tremendous change for us.

And in his last performance review, other qualities higher rates with officials ranking him at 3, meaning satisfactory, and above on a 1-to-5 scale  4.3 average overall. A Freedom of Information Act request for past reviews was not immediately returned last week.

When reached, multiple council members said they found Freed knowledgeable, approachable, and responsive.

He just has a mind that works way ahead than what we are doing, said Councilman Bob Mosurak. Councilwoman Teri Lamb called Freed a young, very active leader who doesnt give up when we have emergencies.

Archibald admitted thered been room for growth and maturity when he first came on in his late 20s, adding, Were seeing that happen over time.

Meanwhile, Councilman Jeff Pemberton said he thought they were incredibly blessed, comparing Freed to the executives hes encountered in his day job in marketing and outreach

James is on par with all of them, he said.  I think sometimes were in our bubble here, and were not really aware of what we have.

Facing critics, making headlines, and looking ahead

Although Freed said city manager tenures are often only three to five years, serving a lengthy term in non-elected administration for local government isnt necessarily new  nor rare in St. Clair County.

Marysville City Manager Randy Fernandez made the transition to top administrator a few months ahead of Freeds arrival after three years as assistant city manager. St. Clair County Administrator Karry Hepting, already a long-time county employee, became its chief non-elected official eight years ago.

The International City/County Management Association  a professional organization that publicized a censure of Freed two years ago, prompting an ongoing defamation lawsuit in response  has itself reported increasingly longer tenures among managers in council-manager cities in the past, going from an average of three and a half years in the 1970s to close to seven years by 2000.

But the longer in the role, the bigger variety of feedback, including from critics, those managers may face. For Freed, thats at times come aloud at public comment, on social media, or on paper.

Port Huron City Manager James Freed stands on the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court at the end of October in Washington, D.C.

Longtime Councilwoman Anita Ashford, who is running against Repp in this years mayoral election, left all threes in her last review without any comments.

Because I didnt really think they were being adhered to, she said. In the same vein, citing professionalism, she declined to elaborate on some reservations she has on things that could be better managed. When asked, she said she hadnt always felt that way and that it was a set of concerns about Freed and the city that grew over time.

Local social media influencer Kevin Lindke said he thought Freed has cost the city both financially in fighting lawsuits  officials have said insurance typically covers litigant costs  or from a liability sense in accusations about Freeds personal life that both the city manager and other associated parties have rebuked as untrue. Lindke has made accusations at past meetings, and it was his free speech claims against Freed after being blocked online four years ago that were sent back to local federal court by SCOTUS this year over a state authority test.

Freed said he doesnt like a false narrative being put out there, making a host of media appearances last year.

There is a status hearing for the ICMA case in St. Clair County Circuit Court June 27. The federal free speech cases next date in U.S. District Court is at the end of July.

With all the attention, Jessie Freed it was strange seeing her husband popping up in news stories and in comments across social media. She said she also wasnt surprised it garnered speculation over whether Freed would remain a city administrator or seek higher elected or state-level office.

While Jessie said, He just really likes being city manager, the couple said separately last week they havent ruled the latter out. And as in Port Huron, any remote desire to do more was motivated by their kids.

It is something that my wife and I have talked about. It is something that my family and I have talked about. Its not something were actively pursuing. There are challenges that our state faces that cannot be fixed within the borders of Port Huron, he said.  I dont know what the future holds, but Im not going to limit myself by ruling something out.

Contact reporter Jackie Smith at (810) 989-6270 or jssmith@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Port Huron Times Herald: Because I want to be here: Port Huron city manager looks back at 10 years on job
A Bellevue man donated $1 million to a Political Action Committee (PAC) that supports Donald Trump just a day after he became a convicted felon.

According to a new Federal Election Commission filing, wealth manager Walter P. Schlaepfer made the donation to Make America Great Again, LLC on May 31.

It was the single largest pro-Trump contribution from Washington state in May.

As a Super PAC, MAGA, LLC can raise unlimited money for campaigns and spend it freely to support Trump, but it is barred from coordinating directly with presidential campaigns.

Schlaepfers donation was first reported by The Seattle Times.

According to his blog, Schlaepfer is a Seattle-area wealth manager, and securities broker who has worked with numerous ultra-affluent clients throughout his decades-long career as a financial advisor with Merrill Lynch.

Trump and the Republican National Committee reported this week that they raised $141 million in May together, much of it in the final two days of the month when Trump became the first former U.S. president to face a criminal conviction, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Federal Election Commission filings show President Joe Biden and the Democratic National Committee raised $85 million during the same period.

Trump was convicted of falsifying business records charges carry up to four years behind bars, though Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg would not say Thursday whether prosecutors intend to seek imprisonment, and it is not clear whether the judge  who earlier in the trial warned of jail time for gag order violations  would impose that punishment even if asked.

Trump faces three other felony indictments, but the New York case may be the only one to reach a conclusion before the November election, adding to the significance of the outcome. Though the legal and historical implications of the verdict are readily apparent, the political consequences are less so given its potential to reinforce rather than reshape already hardened opinions about Trump.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Bill Kaczaraba is a content editor at MyNorthwest. You can read his stories here. Follow Bill on X, formerly known as Twitter, here and email him here.
The Biden campaign and its allies have a plan for the first scheduled debate against Donald Trump  set for Thursday, June 27 at 9 pm EST. Along with running a new slate of TV and digital advertisements which they called one of the first moments  where a larger slice of the American electorate will tune into the campaign, they will also hold 1,600 events, according to a new memo first obtained by NBC News.

In an effort to mobilize surrogates, events will target voter groups the campaign views as important to its alliance. This includes college students, members of the LGBTQ community, and 300 debate night watch parties. Some of these watch parties will be hosted by social media content creators whom the campaign will grant special access to a place usually reserved for credentialed media, the post-debate spin room.

Per NBC News' reporting, Biden is spending several days at Camp David preparing for Thursdays debate, including going toe-to-toe with his personal lawyer Bob Bauer, who is role-playing as Trump. The Biden campaign highlights a few key issues they are focusing on where Trump continues to pose the most extreme threat, such as the economy, attacks on democracy and abortion rights.

The Biden campaigns goal is to emphasize the debate as two distinct visions for the future, to further widen the sea of differences between the candidates.

It will all start on Monday  the second anniversary of the Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade  when the campaign and its allies will host 16 events across a dozen states, including Maryland and Arizona, which will feature Vice President Kamala Harris.

At this first debate, voters will see President Biden, who is fighting for the American people, and Donald Trump, who will walk on stage as a convicted felon fighting for himself no matter how much harm he inflicts on the American people, said Biden campaign spokesman Michael Tyler in the memo.
Biden campaign to mark second anniversary of Roe reversal as he makes abortion rights a key reelection message

President Joe Biden and his allies will mark the second anniversary of the Supreme Courts decision to overturn Roe v. Wade this week, homing in on an issue that the presidents campaign sees as key to his reelection bid.

Bidens campaign is hosting more than 50 events across the country through Mondays two-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization decision, which overturned the federal legal right to an abortion. The events will feature key Biden surrogates, celebrities and political figures.

First lady Jill Biden will participate in two Women for Biden-Harris events Sunday in Pennsylvania, and Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to participate in two events, one in Arizona and one in Maryland, on Monday to mark the anniversary of the Dobbs decision. Second gentleman Doug Emhoff will participate in a roundtable and campaign rally in Michigan on Monday.

White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre confirmed last week that the administration also will commemorate the anniversary Monday, though details were not immediately released.

That strategy fits in with the campaigns belief that voters in November will be most motivated by tangible issues that could impact their day-to-day lives, as opposed to the world crises and discussions about the candidates age and fitness for office that have dominated much of the national conversation.

The Biden campaign for months has been using reproductive rights to rally voters, especially the young and female blocs that are especially crucial to his reelection chances. Both Biden and Harris have repeatedly campaigned on former President Donald Trumps boast that he crafted the conservative supermajority on the Supreme Court that overturned Roe two years ago  and both have warned that another Trump term could portend a national abortion ban.

Since the beginning of this year, Harris has undertaken a fight for reproductive freedoms tour that has seen her criss-cross the country, with special focus on states such as Florida and Arizona that have passed or upheld laws restricting womens access to abortion care.

We know how this all came about and whos to blame, Harris said in a virtual campaign event earlier this month. Donald Trump handpicked three members of the United States Supreme Court with the intention that they would undo the protections of Roe v. Wade, and they did as he intended, and now in over 20 states, we have Trump abortion bans.

The vice president stressed that other reproductive rights could be in jeopardy if Trump is reelected, given the courts conservative majority.

When the Supreme Court and extremists around the country have taken such a fundamental freedom  like the freedom to make decisions about your body, your own body  you should assume anything could be on the table, Harris said. And that should be a wake-up call to everyone.

Jill Biden, meanwhile, has saved some of her fiercest critiques of her husbands political opponent for discussions surrounding womens health care.

Donald Trump, the first lady said to boos at an event in Atlanta in early March. He spent a lifetime tearing us down and devaluing our existence. He mocks womens bodies, disrespects our accomplishments and brags about assault. Now hes bragging about killing Roe v. Wade.

He took credit again for enabling states like Georgia to pass cruel abortion bans that are taking away the right of women to make their own health care decisions, the first lady said. How far will he go? When will he stop? You know the answer: He wont.

Following the Supreme Courts June 2022 decision, nearly two dozen states have banned or limited access to the procedure. States where abortion is most limited report higher rates of maternal and infant mortality, as well as greater economic insecurity.

Speaking at recent fundraisers, President Biden has argued the next four years could see openings on the Supreme Court  and if Trump fills those openings, it could lead to a downslide in personal liberties.

The idea that if hes reelected hes going to appoint two more flying flags upside down, Biden said at a Los Angeles fundraiser last weekend, appearing to reference the flag controversy involving Justice Samuel Alito.

Asked by emcee Jimmy Kimmel whether that was one of the scariest prospects of another Trump term, Biden replied: It is one of the scariest parts.

The Supreme Court has never been as out of kilter as it is today, I mean never, the president added.

CNNs Arlette Saenz and Aaron Pellish contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com
President Joe Biden speaks during a campaign event on March 8, 2024 in Wallingford, Pennsylvania.(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

The Biden campaign in Pennsylvania is launching a statewide mobilization effort ahead of the first presidential debate this week, using more than 1,000 volunteers for canvassing and debate watch parties.

On Monday, Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti will hold a reproductive rights rally, and the campaign plans pre-debate events in Philadelphia and the Johnstown-Altoona area on Tuesday, and in Pittsburgh and Erie on Wednesday. The Biden campaign also said it is hosting more than 50 debate watch parties across the state on Thursday. And the weekend after the debate, it will host canvass launches and phone banking events with volunteers.

During a campaign rally in Philadelphia on Saturday, former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, criticized the parameters of the first debate, which is occurring earlier than usual this cycle, and complained about CNN, the network airing the debate.

Will anybody be watching the debate on Thursday night? Trump said. Theyve taken so much fun out of it. Theres no audience. Trump is scheduled to hold a campaign rally in Virginia the day after the debate.

This week, on the debate stage, Pennsylvania voters are going to witness the clear choice in this race between President Bidens vision for America, where freedoms are protected and every Pennsylvanian has a fair shot, versus Donald Trumps pledge to serve as a dictator on day one, give tax cuts to the ultra-wealthy, and repeatedly attack womens rights, Biden Pennsylvania Campaign Manager Nikki Lu said in a statement.

The post Biden campaign ramping up Pennsylvania GOTV efforts ahead of June 27 debate appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
President Joe Biden marked the anniversary of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, with the announcement of two new policies aimed at undocumented individuals in the country. These policies aim to make it easier for many of them to live and work in the U.S. and opens up a more promising path toward permanently living in the country.

Giving Dreamers a path to permanent residency

On June 18, the 12-year anniversary of the DACA program, Biden announced a new policy that would ease the path to work visas and eventual permanent residency for many people living in the United States under the program. Under Bidens new policy, many DACA participants who have finished college will now see a streamlined process to apply for work visas. They will no longer have to leave the U.S. to make their applications, making it significantly easier for employers to hire them. While employed, Dreamers could then eventually apply for green cards through their employers.

Created by executive action by then-President Barack Obama in 2012, DACA currently allows for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children to register with the government in order to remain in the United States and to legally work. However, the program has generally been seen as a temporary measure that could end; the Trump administration unsuccessfully tried to shut down DACA, and the program has been paused and reinstated by the courts at various times. This has left DACA participants, known as Dreamers, in an uncertain legal position. The new Biden policy could give many of the approximately 500,000 Dreamers enrolled in DACA permanent legal residency regardless of whether DACA continues.

Protecting undocumented spouses and children

Biden announced a second new policy aimed at the undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens. This second policy would allow undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens to apply for permanent residency in the U.S. without having to first leave the country. This policy, which would apply to undocumented spouses who have lived in the United States for 10 years, could protect up to 500,000 people from the threat of deportation. The administration has framed this new policy as new action to keep families together.

In this election year, the Biden administration has been under pressure to make progress on immigration, both because the president has been criticized by both parties for his handling of the southern border and because the immigration issue may influence his chances of winning swing states such as Arizona, Georgia and Nevada. Congress, meanwhile, has failed for many years to pass comprehensive immigration reform, leaving presidents of both parties to take executive action to address the complicated issues of immigration policy.

Bidens new policies are likely to face opposition from immigration hardliners and potential court challenges as well. Nevertheless, the new initiatives, if successful, could make life easier for hundreds of thousands of people who want to remain in the U.S.
Pollsters are predicting that President Bidens immigration relief moves will give him a boost among battleground state Latinos, a key demographic ahead of Novembers general election.

Days after Bidens order, former President Trump told a podcast host he would essentially staple a green card to every U.S. college diploma earned by a foreign national, a proposal thats popular among business circles but would likely require an act of Congress.

The immigration debates swing into a buyers market for certain groups follows years  if not decades  of polling showing the general public broadly favors a fair immigration system.

Bidens announcement, which promises a path to citizenship for about half a million undocumented immigrants married to or adopted by U.S. citizens, changed a pattern many immigrants thought was etched in stone.

Since the beginning of the Trump era, there has been a feeling that things are only going to go backward, and this is a significant  a really significant announcement, and proof that we can actually move forward in a way thats actually good for these families, said Rep. Greg Casar (D-Texas).

Public debate on the topic has centered on security and enforcement  with in-depth argumentation about specific policies such as wall construction or Title 42 expulsions  while discussion of the immigration system itself is often framed around broader concepts such as comprehensive immigration reform or path to citizenship.

Over the last two decades, no major bill to reform or improve immigration processes has passed, though enforcement funding has more than tripled since the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created in 2003.

Thats made many immigrant communities skeptical that any beneficial change could be coming their way; immigration and border policy has been a one-way street for a generation.

A poll of voters conducted between April and May in battleground states by Equis found both parties underwater with Hispanics on immigration: Only 38 percent of respondents said they trust Biden and Democrats on immigration, while 41 percent trust Trump and Republicans.

Broad majorities of respondents said their problem with Democrats is they havent delivered reform, and their issue with Republicans is theyre too harsh.

Broken promises by Democrats was listed as a top concern by 72 percent of respondents, and 65 percent listed a failure to deliver a pathway to citizenship.

Trumps negatives came in at 64 percent of respondents concerned about his extreme measures and racism and division, and 62 percent about border politics and chaos.

Proposals such as Trumps green card pitch, which has already been panned by restrictionist groups that generally support him, has historically been a priority of business interests and East and South Asian immigrant groups.

Its unlikely to move the needle among Latinos, but its also unknown so far whether Bidens announcement is attracting converts.

A separate poll conducted for UnidosUS in mid-May found that the economy is by far the most important issue for Latino voters, but on immigration, 53 percent said their top priority is providing a path to citizenship for long-term undocumented immigrants, and 42 percent pushed for a path to citizenship for Dreamers, undocumented immigrants brought to the country as minors.

The top enforcement-related concern for that polls respondents was cracking down on human smugglers, listed by 29 percent, followed by 28 percent who cited the need for more border security.

Those priorities are far from a secret among Latinos  an entire ecosystem of advocacy groups has been pushing for immigrant relief for decades.

First, Latino voters, like other Americans, are frustrated by the situation at the southern border and by the seeming impasse in Washington on getting a solution. This frustration is demonstrated by increased openness to a variety of options Latino voters may not have entertained before, but this frustration should not be misinterpreted as a fundamental shift among Latino voters, said Clarissa Martinez de Castro, president of the Latino Vote Initiative at UnidosUs.

What is clear from our poll is that the top immigration priority for Latino voters remains providing relief to the long-term undocumented in this country, and Latino voters are more frustrated by the lack of support for immigrants than they are by the situation at the border.

Thats why Bidens immigrant relief initiative, which essentially makes it easier for qualifying undocumented immigrants to clean up their paperwork, was met with full-throated support by advocacy groups, particularly those on the left.

Along with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program of 2012 and its sister program, 2014s Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), Bidens announcement is the only major victory in decades for those who prioritize a path to citizenship.

But its still up in the air whether Bidens program  due to start receiving applications in August  will result in green cards for half a million spouses and adoptive children of U.S. citizens, or whether it will suffer the fate of DAPA.

DAPA never signed up beneficiaries because it was blocked by lawsuits and essentially buried by the Supreme Court in 2016 in a 4-4 decision that affirmed a lower courts injunction.

There was the huge excitement around both DACA and DAPA being announced, and then, tragically, DAPA taking the huge hit that it took, said Casar.

I think that this one could wind up being of enormous importance, because theres so much, I think, despair in mixed-status families and in Latino districts like mine, that nothings ever going to get done, and I think this could crack open that despair and provide a path of hope. And I think thats really important.

For the Biden administration to provide that path, advocates warn, an announcement that falls flat in court wont cut it.

So if youre looking at it from an operational standpoint, you know the administration is going to need to enroll folks quickly and soon to be able to pull this off, said Cris Ramon, senior immigration policy advisor at UnidosUS.

It really has to sell this policy to the community, but also needs to be able to be able to work with trusted community-based organizations and legal service providers to ensure that people can navigate this process and be able to get the protection that they deserve.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
President Bidens reelection campaign is seeking to appeal to older voters in an effort to tap into the power of the historically reliable voting bloc.

Last week, the presidents reelection campaign rolled out its Seniors for Biden-Harris effort, which will be led by first lady Jill Biden. The effort will include bingo nights and pickleball events in key states including Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nevada and Arizona.

The push comes as Biden has struggled to appeal to key voting groups, resulting in less-than-desirable poll numbers ahead of Election Day. But older voters are proving to be a bright spot for the campaign. A Fox News poll released this week showed Biden up 2 points over former President Trump for the first time since October. And among voters 65 years and older, the poll showed Biden up 15 points over Trump.

Seniors are up for grabs, said Bob Ward, a pollster at the Republican firm Fabrizio Ward. Its in their best interest to focus on senior voters just as I think its in the Trump campaigns best interest to focus on senior voters.

Ward worked with the Democratic firm Impact Research to poll voters from 44 of the most competitive congressional districts on behalf of AARP. According to the findings released Thursday, Biden leads by 5 points among voters 65 years and older.

At the same time, voters between the ages 50 and 64 appear to be leaning toward Trump. The AARP poll found Trump leading by 15 points with that group.

Older voters are not a monolith, Ward said. The group right below seniors is overwhelmingly Republican. It is the most Republican age group across the electorate.

Both voting blocs  50 to 64 years old, and 65 years and older  are some of the most motivated voters. Eighty-four percent of voters over 50 said they were extremely motivated to vote in November, according to the AARP survey. Meanwhile, 63 percent of voters under 50 said the same. Another upside to appealing to older voters is if they are retired, they may have more time to aid the campaign through phone banking and canvassing.

The support for Biden among voters 65 years and older marks a generational realignment for Democrats. Since the 2000 presidential election, the voting bloc has traditionally swung toward Republicans.

This has been a huge swing in the Trump era, said Jon Reinish, a Democratic strategist. Donald Trump has soured older voters who do not stand with extremism, who do not stand with instability and who are very much against his disruption [and] lack of civility.

That sentiment has been reflected in other recent polling. A Quinnipiac University poll released last month showed that 35 percent of voters 65 years and older said democracy was the most urgent issue facing the country, compared to 10 percent of respondents between the ages of 18 and 29 who said the same.

The data and Bidens effort come as his campaign struggles to appeal to younger voters, particularly members of Generation Z. A Harvard Youth poll released in late April found Biden leading Trump 45 to 37 percent support among people ages 18 to 29. For perspective, Biden had a 23-point advantage over Trump with the age group four years ago.

Biden has struggled with younger voters of color as well. A poll released by the University of Chicagos GenForward project earlier this month showed Bidens wavering support among young Black and Latino voters.

Younger voters have taken particular issue with Biden for his handling of the war between Israel and Hamas. The issue could prove to be detrimental to Biden in certain swing states, like Michigan.

But in Arizona, another critical swing state, the political landscape looks different. Census data from 2020 found that 16 percent of Arizonas population of 7.5 million people were 65 years or older. Biden carried Arizona by less than a percentage point in the 2020 presidential election.

Democratic strategists argue that Biden doing better among voters of that age group could offset damage from the potential loss of younger voters.

Jamal Simmons, a Democratic strategist and former communications director for Vice President Harris, said Biden doing better with older voters could help blunt the potential loss of young voters who are not as enthusiastic about the campaign.

Whats helpful for Biden is older voters are more educated, they have more assets, and tend to be more informed about whats happening in the news, and people who are more informed tend to like Donald Trump less, Simmons said.

Simmons emphasized that young voters are still very much a driving part of the political and cultural conversation.

The temptation to pay attention to younger voters is very high because they give so much energy, they volunteer, and they really set the cultural moment for the country, he said.

However, some data points show that younger voters are still less enthusiastic ahead of the presidential race.

A December poll from Harvards Institute of Politics found that only 49 percent of voters in the 18- to 29-year-old age group who voted in the 2020 election said they definitely will be voting in Novembers election.

One of Bidens issues with young voters is that they are not as familiar with him, unlike older voters who watched his Senate tenure, multiple presidential runs and vice presidency. This dynamic has played a role in shifting the Democratic coalition that was key to former President Obamas victories in 2008 and 2012.

Its always helpful to remember that these age categories are not static, Simmons said. People who are 65 today were in their 50s when Barack Obama ran for president.

We think of Joe Biden as being a very known quantity, but the truth is for voters who are in their early 20s, they dont really know that much about Joe Biden, he said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
The 2024 debates have new rules that could make or break a candidate's future.

President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump are taking the stage in Atlanta tonight for the first 2024 presidential debate.

The first debate in U.S. history between a sitting president and former president is expected to be a defining moment for Biden, 81, and Trump, 78, both of whom have drawn criticism over their advanced age and opposing views on immigration, abortion, the war in Gaza and more.

The approach has changed significantly since their last face-off in 2020. Both candidates have accepted new rules and a fresh format for this debate, which will not include a studio audience and requires that one persons microphone be muted when the other is speaking.

 When, where and how to watch



The first debate was hosted by CNN at the cable networks studios in Atlanta and ran with only two commercial breaks.

Yahoo.com will also feature coverage and analysis in real-time from our editorial team.

You can also watch the debate live on CNN, Fox News, NBC, NBC News NOW or ABC, all of which will include full coverage as well as pre- and post-debate analysis. If you dont have a cable subscription, you can also livestream the debate on CNN.com, CNBC.com, Max and Hulu.

 Whos moderating the debate?

CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash speak to the audience hosting a GOP presidential primary debate between then presidential candidates Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley in January 2024. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, co-hosts of CNNs Sunday morning show State of the Union, will serve as moderators.

Tapper hosts CNNs The Lead with Jake Tapper and has prior debate experience. He previously moderated the first GOP presidential debate in 2015 as well as the last Democratic debate in 2020 between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders. His latest series, The United States of Scandal, highlights the most prolific political scandals of the 20th century and was picked up for a second season in May.

A graduate of Dartmouth College and author of several books, Tapper previously worked as a senior White House correspondent for ABC News, according to his biography on CNN.

Bash, a graduate of George Washington University, anchors CNNs Inside Politics with Dana Bash and has regularly served as moderator for numerous political town halls and debates  including six presidential primary debates in 2016 and two in 2020.

Author of the forthcoming book Americas Deadliest Election, which chronicles the 1872 presidential election, Bash launched her digital CNN series Badass Women of Washington in 2017 and premiered her latest interview series, Being, in 2021.

More:

 What are the debate rules?

Trump and Biden during the second and final presidential debate in 2020. (Morry Gash-Pool/Getty Images)

This weeks debate will see major shifts from prior telecasts, which Biden and Trump have both agreed to. They include:

No live audience, which means there will be no applause or boos that could derail the conversation.

Muted microphones when its not their turn to speak.

No prewritten notes are allowed.

The only props theyre permitted to have at the lectern are a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

They will stand behind their lecterns the entire time, limiting their mobility  with Biden on the right and Trump on the left.

There will be no opening statements from either candidate.

Trump will get the final word during closing statements, as determined recently by a coin flip.

More:

 Will other presidential candidates appear as well?

No. In order to qualify for Thursdays debate, a candidate had to appear on a certain number of state ballots that would make the candidate eligible to reach the 270 electoral vote threshold to win the presidency. The candidate also had to reach at least 15% of votes in four separate national polls of registered or likely voters, according to CNN.

Only Biden and Trump met those qualifications. Independent and third-party candidates Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Cornel West and Jill Stein failed to hit those benchmarks.

More:

 How might Tapper and Bash approach the debate?

Moderators Tapper and Bash are expected to be strict enforcers of the rules and will use all available tools to enforce timing and ensure civilized discussion, according to CNN.

That comes four years after Tapper and Bash criticized Trumps repeated interruptions at his first presidential debate with Biden in 2020, moderated by Chris Wallace for ABC. At the time, Bash used a profanity on the air to describe the debate, while Tapper called it a hot mess and the worst debate I have ever seen.

"That was a hot mess, inside a dumpster fire, inside a train wreck, says @JakeTapper about the first presidential debate between Pres. Trump and Joe Biden. Well talk about who won the debate, who lost the debate ... One thing for sure, the American people lost. #Debates2020 pic.twitter.com/wjMnUmt2WS  The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) September 30, 2020

Both moderators experienced the brunt of Trumps rhetoric at a rally in Philadelphia last week, when the former president called Tapper fake Tapper before mocking the pronunciation of Bashs first name, according to The Hill.

For their part, Tapper and Bash are known to routinely fact-check Trumps statements from their respective CNN anchor chairs while also remarking on his character. In 2020, Bash criticized Trumps treatment of female reporters, while Tapper called Trumps administration a nightmare following Bidens victory in the 2020 presidential election.

Theyve also gone after President Bidens judgment, including on foreign affairs. In 2021, Tapper criticized the president for dismissing a probe that outlined the U.S. failures in its withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, while Bash questioned Bidens failure to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman accountable for his alleged role in the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

 Are there other debates planned?

Yes. The second presidential debate is set for Sept. 10 and will be hosted by ABC News, with the networks own David Muir and Linsey Davis serving as moderators.

Its still unclear whether the second debate will have an audience, but ABC did confirm that it will be held during primetime.

Trump has stated he wants to have more than two debates, but no dates for a third have been set as of June 23.

Cover thumbnail photo: Morry Gash, Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images.
This is a busy time of year for homophobes.

In the weeks leading up to and extending into June, many cities and counties across California have Pride Month on their agendas.

Maybe theyre considering a resolution supporting the LGBTQ+ community or discussing whether to fly the rainbow flag at city hall. Whatever the proposal, Pride is a cue for haters to come out of the woodwork, taking advantage of the relative anonymity of Zoom to participate in public comment sessions.

They often give fake names  or first names only  without ever having to show their faces or identify where they live. For all we know, they could live across the country or across town.

These cowards then proceed to attack the LGBTQ+ community in the vilest of ways. And they dont stop there  they use their digital soapbox to assault listeners with racist and anti-Semitic comments while glorifying the white race and European culture.

Opinion

Its a grotesque abuse of one of the most sacred of American institutions  the town hall meeting  and it makes a mockery of efforts to restore some semblance of civility to public discourse, at least at the local level.

The trolling has gotten so bad that some jurisdictions, including Sacramento, no longer allow Zoom or telephone comments during live meetings.

Haters target Central Coast

In coastal San Luis Obispo County, Zoom-bombing is nothing new, but its gotten nastier.

In February, trolls used Zoom to make racist and antisemitic calls during a San Luis Obispo City Council meeting. The city no longer allows public comments via Zoom, though verbal messages can be voice mailed up to three hours before a meeting.

Following an ugly, homophobic and racist Zoom-bombing at a recent Atascadero City Council meeting, officials there are evaluating how to handle public comment in the future.

There was an even worse tirade during a Pride discussion at the April 23 meeting of the Arroyo Grande City Council. While the comments made in person were respectful, when the council opened the session to Zoom calls, all hell broke loose.

One commenter referred to the Pride flag as the butt sex flag. There were calls to hang pedophiles, to get rid of Jews, to provide reparations to white people and to fly the Nazi flag.

The city attorney sometimes broke in and warned callers to stay on topic. But because hate speech is protected under the First Amendment, there is only so much cities can do.

If public agencies try to set limits  such as forbidding profanity or discriminatory comments  they risk a First Amendment lawsuit.

How cities can counter hate speech

Local agencies arent completely powerless.

They can mute a remote speaker who is causing a disturbance, but the disturbance bar is high.

State law defines it as behavior that actually disrupts, disturbs, impedes, or renders infeasible the orderly conduct of the meeting. Also, the law requires that officials give disruptive speakers a warning before cutting them off.

Officials do have some control over the topics that speakers are allowed to address, however.

During general comment  an opportunity for participants to talk about matters not listed on the agenda  local officials are required by state law to listen to items of general interest that are within their subject matter jurisdiction. That means they are under no obligation to allow comment on controversial issues like foreign policy, abortion and immigration, though speakers often argue that local agencies do have the power to pass resolutions on those topics.

During public comment on items that are on the agenda, speakers can be required to stick to that specific issue. On an item dealing with Pride, for instance, it would be considered acceptable under free speech rules to demonize the LGBTQ+ community  but speakers would risk being muted if they tried to do the same to any other group.

Pulling the plug on Zoom comments

Several California agencies  especially cities  have taken the decisive step of cutting off remote access. Comments can still be made in person  as required under Californias Brown Act  submitted in writing or in some case prerecorded on a phone line.

In addition to Sacramento and San Luis Obispo, Modesto, San Bernardino, Redwood City, El Cerrito, Moorpark, Walnut Creek, Morgan Hill and Monclair are among the cities that have either stopped accepting Zoom comments or have placed limits on them.

The decisions have not been easy.

In a policy statement, the city of Montclair says it regrets the need to take this step, but added that is has a duty to protect its citizens from the harmful and disruptive effects of racism and bigotry.

Trolling continues in Walnut Creek

The move has not totally shut down the haters, however.

In Walnut Creek, white supremacists began showing up in person at council meetings after the city shut off Zoom calls last year due to antisemitic comments.

That galvanized Rabbi Cantor Jennie Chabon.

As soon as I learned that men were driving from 90 minutes away in swastika-emblazoned, white-power T-shirts to speak for two minutes, I knew we had to start showing up, she wrote in an opinion piece published by The Jewish News of Northern California.

I cannot personally change the outcome of the devastating war in Gaza. I cannot influence the decisions of university presidents. I cannot bring the hostages home, she continued. But I can show up at our local city council meeting with my community members and beloved clergy friends and stand together in solidarity against hatred.

Arroyo Grande mayor: I want public access

Cutting off Zoom trolls may not put an end to hate speech, but it at least forces bigots out in he open.

But that comes at a cost. It also makes it harder for locals  especially those who cant attend meetings in person  to have their voices heard.

Thats a concern for Arroyo Grande Mayor Caren Ray Russom, who explained her position in a statement she read during that awful Zoom-bombing session in April.

I want to tell the public and staff that while we may sometimes seem divided on certain issues, the city is united against hate, she read.

She went on to say that shes not willing to shut down remote access.

I want to allow people to call in from their homes and I want public access and I want all of you to have that privilege ... she said. But this is the trade-off.

She has a point. Shutting off remote access lets the haters win.

But it also exposes the very members of the community the council is trying to protect to unbridled hate.

And theres not much that can be done about it. Its not easy to know when a online speaker is going to veer off into an abusive, threatening rant. Theres no opportunity to issue a trigger warning so that listeners can turn down the volume if theyre at home, or leave the room if theyre attending a meeting in person.

Perhaps most residents of Arroyo Grande  and every other community like it  would be willing to give up Zoom calls if it shuts down obscene rants from individuals too cowardly to show their faces.

And if those trolls should decide to attend in person, as they did in Walnut Creek, heres what we can do.

We can follow the course set by Rabbi Chabon.

We can start showing up.
Heres a little campaign quiz.

Which, if any, statement is true?

A) When New York needed a financial bailout, President Gerald Ford told the Big Apple to drop dead.

B) As a presidential candidate in 1968, Richard Nixon touted his secret plan to end the Vietnam war.

C) Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore said in 2000 hed invented the internet.

D) U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds claimed Black Americans were better off in the days of Jim Crow segregation.

The correct answer is none of the above.

U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) speaks with reporters as he leaves the U.S. Capitol for the weekend on May 17, 2024 in Washington, DC. Donalds answered questions on the House Oversight Committee's meeting to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress.

Each of those four stories was spread by the media, a shorthand distillation of what the men really said. But they sounded like something those guys would say and fit the popular narrative of the time, so thats close enough.

Ford said hed veto a congressional bailout of profligate New York spending, so a Daily News headline writer penned, Ford to City: Drop Dead. The barb became history, although Ford never said it.

Nixon wanted to Vietnamize the war, turning it over to our allies in Saigon. But he couldnt divulge details, he said, for fear of affecting the Paris peace talks  so the press called it his secret plan.

And Gore said hed worked on projects in Congress that funded research and development for parts of the Web. A handy term for that was invented the internet, so thats what the media called it.

Donalds is being liberally slammed for comparing the status of Black families now and prior to President Lyndon Johnsons Great Society 60 years ago. Heres what the Black Republican congressman from Southwest Florida said:

You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative. Black people have always been conservative-minded. But more Black people voted conservatively and then (the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare), Lyndon Johnson  you go down that road, and now we are where we are.

If hed been writing an essay or a commencement speech, Donalds probably would have been more specific. But with the backlash hes drawn, its necessary to consider what he did not say.

Donalds didnt say civil-rights laws, education programs, voting rules, public accommodations, open housing and employment legislation were all wrong. He didnt say we should go back to the 1950s, when politicians ran openly racist campaigns that promised  as Alabama Gov. George Wallace so memorably put it  segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.

He just stated his opinion that Black families were stronger in the old days. He didnt say their strength derived from racist laws of the era.

PolitiFact, the Poynter Institutes highly respected fact-checking agency, took a look at his remarks and wrote, There is some statistical evidence to support Donalds claim about Black marriage rates being stronger during the Jim Crow era. But PolitiFact researchers said experts they interviewed felt Donalds left out a lot of other factors, like broader social, educational, and economic trends.

Major Democrats had a much simpler spin on it all.

President Joe Bidens re-election campaign tweeted, A lot of people are offended that you would repeat Jim Crow  as if to suggest that was a time period to be nostalgic for. Vice President Kamala Harris said, Its sadly yet another example of somebody out of Florida trying to erase or rewrite our true history.

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., claimed that Donalds had said Black folks were better off during Jim Crow, and the Congressional Black Caucus demanded he apologize for misrepresenting one of the darkest chapters in our history for his own political gain.

Democrats, who claim that Floridas 30 electoral votes are within reach for Biden in November, are wise to worry about Donalds. The Democratic Party needs to shore up Black support nationwide, which has fallen from 87% for Biden in 2020 to 69% in a recent CNN poll.

The Wall Street Journal quoted Donalds on the matter. Hes not backing down.

Strong Black two-parent households are a great thing for the Black community and our nation, he said. It is an empirical fact that President Johnsons Great Society was debilitating to the institution of the Black family. Democrats who maliciously twisted my words last week are gaslighting you because they know their policies have been destructive to Black families.

Bill Cotterell

Bill Cotterell is a retired Capitol reporter for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He writes a weekly column for The News Service of Florida and City & State Florida. He can be reached at wrcott43@aol.com.

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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Bill Cotterell: Democrats twists Donalds words
A sign urging Michigan voters to approve Proposal 3 of 2022 enshrining abortion rights in the state constitution. | Susan J. Demas image

In 2022, Michigan became one of the first states to pass a measure guaranteeing the right to an abortion in the state constitution following the right-wing U.S. Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade.

It was a resounding victory, as Proposal 3 ran stronger than any Democrat on the ballot, earning 57% of the vote, and undoubtedly helped pro-choice Democrats seize control of the Legislature for the first time in almost 40 years.

Michigans measure has now become the blueprint for amendments in other states. And Democrats are expecting to see a turnout boost in November in states like Arizona and Florida that have abortion rights ballot questions.

But ironically, Michigans status as a reproductive rights trailblazer could end up wounding Democrats chances in the swing state this year. New polling from KFF shows that Democratic women in the Mitten State are less motivated to vote than their counterparts in states where abortion rights arent protected.

Thats even after Trump has repeatedly bragged about wiping out the federal right to abortion by appointing three far-right Supreme Court justices. After 50 years of failure, with nobody coming even close, I was able to kill Roe v. Wade, much to the shock of everyone, Trump posted last year.

Call it the blue state malaise.

Now that the Dobbs decision has become the new normal, with every state making its own laws, theres the beguiling belief that were safe if we live in places where abortion remains legal (of course, 1 in 3 women in the U.S. is out of luck).

In these fractured times, theres even a bit smugness thats creeped in among some blue state dwellers that weve figured out how to craft a civilized society without banning books or health care for women and LGBTQ+ people. (Looking down on those who hold book burnings is always acceptable, however).

And lets not forget that was the road Republicans were trying to take Michigan down just two years ago. GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixons entire campaign was devoted to bringing a Dont Say Gay law to Michigan classrooms, kicking transgender athletes off teams and banning porn (i.e. LGBTQ+ books).

How about we Florida our Michigan? she awkwardly declared at a Lansing campaign rally.

Sure, the election didnt turn out to be close (Gov. Gretchen Whitmer trounced Dixon by 11 points), but Republicans went all-in on their opposition to Proposal 3 and LGBTQ+ peoples existence. And if gas had spiked above $5 a gallon in October 2022, we could all be calling Dixon governor right now.

After all, Michigan is still a purple state  and its no secret that Democrats are worried about President Biden being able to carry it again in November.

Theres a reason why Whitmer, one of the leading national voices on reproductive rights, has been spending so much time campaigning on the issue with a very specific message: A vote for Trump is a vote for a national abortion ban.

In other words, it can still happen here.

If we hand Donald Trump a second term, all of our progress in Michigan, all of the work that youre doing here in Arizona, is at risk, she said at a Biden campaign event in Arizona in April. A national abortion ban will wipe out all of those strides.

Whitmer has also made the case that Republicans wont stop at abortion and will move to clamp down on other health care decisions, like birth control, IVF and surrogacy. This isnt just campaign bluster, by the way. Its all outlined in great detail in Project 25, a handy how-to guide for authoritarianism assembled by the ultraconservative Heritage Foundation.

One of the most chilling plans is ramping up an abortion surveillance system, with former Trump administration official Roger Severino proposing to turn the via the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into a kind of snitch network that would collect data about who had abortions and where  and punish any states that refuse to share that information, according to Rolling Stone. There also is a proposal to use the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act to investigate hospitals and doctors who provide abortions.

If that all sounds too terrible to be true, it isnt.

But I believe that one rarely discussed advantage Trump has this election is that a not-insignificant number of voters simply refuse to believe warnings about what his second term would mean (especially if they come from annoying wine mom liberals, who are apparently the worst).

At first, this seems completely irrational. After all, we all lived through Trumps presidency  the Muslim ban, withdrawing from the Paris climate accords, anti-trans executive orders, deficit-busting tax cuts for the rich and of course, his constant stream of invective toward marginalized people.

That was all before COVID hit, when Trump seemingly did everything in his power to mismanage the crisis and prolong suffering, like dismissing the effectiveness of masking and extolling the virtues of quack remedies like bleach and hydroxychloroquine. Trump also egged on gun-toting protests against pandemic health orders (Remember LIBERATE MICHIGAN!) and exploited his power to reward his friends in red states and punish his enemies in blue states. Its no wonder a report on his administrations policies said 40% of U.S. COVID deaths were avoidable.

I believe that one rarely discussed advantage Trump has this election is that a not-insignificant number of voters simply refuse to believe warnings about what his second term would mean (especially if they come from annoying wine mom liberals, who are apparently the worst).

 Susan J. Demas

And of course, his term ended with endless lies that he didnt lose the 2020 election (he did) and attempting to foment a violent coup on Jan. 6, 2021.

But in the years that have passed, Americans collectively have done almost all we can do to forget these cataclysmic events. It feels, at times, like were all still living through a low-grade depression that weve all sworn never to talk about.

Theres no national day of remembrance for the more than 1 million people who died in the pandemic  and Im increasingly convinced there never will be. The third anniversary of Jan. 6 brought migraine-inducing, both-sides headlines like this one from the Associated Press: One attack, two interpretations: Biden and Trump both make the Jan. 6 riot a political rallying cry.

And so since too many of us have whitewashed our memories of the Trump era, its easy to assume that things wont be so bad the second time around. Its so tempting to believe that well be shielded from any destruction if we live in blue states or cities.

Our old friend, normalcy bias, has come roaring back  but of course, denying the danger that lies ahead wont save us. Its just a temporary cope, and an exceedingly dangerous one at that.

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The wing tip of the Boeing 777-9 is folded up during the presentation of the new aircraft type in a Lufthansa hangar at the airport. Boris Roessler/dpa

A wide-bodied Boeing 777 aircraft returned to Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport for safety reasons on Sunday around 40 minutes after take-off.

The aircraft operated by Dutch airline KLM was en route to Rio de Janeiro and was travelling over Belgium when a technical fault was reported, the ANP news agency reported Dutch air traffic control as saying.

The aircraft landed safely and the occupants were not in any danger, a KLM spokesman told the agency. The specific nature of the defect was not disclosed.

Jet fuel was dumped over the North Sea before the safe landing, the report said. Rescue teams were on alert at the airport - a routine measure in such cases.

The passengers of flight KLM705 would be taken to Rio de Janeiro on another aircraft on Sunday, KLM said. The number of passengers affected was not initially disclosed.
Brevard County assistant school principal accused of soliciting photos to an underage student

An elementary school assistant principal in Cocoa was accused of being involved in an inappropriate relationship with a former student, police said.

On June 20, Palm Bay Police Department notified Cocoa Police Dispatch that 25-year-old Devane Nicholi Lonard Clarke, assistant principal at Cambridge Elementary School, was having an inappropriate relationship with a minor.

Investigators said someone turned over Clarkes Apple watch to Palm Bay Police -- after finding disturbing images of a former student.

The Palm Bay Police wanted Cocoa Police to send an officer to Cambridge Elementary.

Read: Florida man fleeing police killed by hit-and-run driver

Police said upon arrival, they made contact with Clarke and requested that he hand over his phone and asked if he was willing to answer some questions.

Clarke cooperated and drove to the Cocoa Police Department.

Police said that during the questioning, Clarke confessed to communicating with one of his former students through Messenger and Snapchat.

Detectives said they were able to recover over 11,000 deleted text messages between the suspect and the victim, which were explicit and provocative.

Read: Orlando police arrest juvenile accused of shooting gun at UCF downtown campus

Police said some of the photos showed the victim semi-nude and compromising positions.

Detectives said the assistant principal admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a former student who is a minor.

Police said when they confronted Clarke about the messages and the photos, he confessed that he was involved in an inappropriate relationship with the minor.

Clarke was arrested and booked at the Cocoa Police Department and later returned to the Brevard County Jail.

Read: Driver of stolen car crashes into trooper, search for 4 suspects underway

Clarke was a teacher at the school first, and in May, the school board approved his reclassification from teacher to assistant principal.

Clarkes position as assistant principal was scheduled to take effect in August.

Clarke was bonded out of jail on Saturday.

Clarke cant have contact with the victim or any minors--- except his children, and that will be through a third party.

Read: Police say overdose call ends with man shooting, killing himself

Clarkes next court date is July 23.

Channel 9 found out that Clarke is listed as the president of the Palm Bay West Little League.

Channel has contacted the organization to ask where he stands in the position; we have yet to hear back.

Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
Eight years ago today, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. The British people collectively decided that it was time to reclaim our islands sovereignty. It was the right decision then  and it remains the right decision now.

It is too often claimed that Brexit has been a failure. That is quite simply not the case. The UK has signed individual new trade deals with Australia and New Zealand which would not have been possible while we were still a member of the EU. We are joining up with the fast-growing economies of the Trans-Pacific Partnership, offering vast future opportunities compared with tying ourselves wholly to the sluggish welfarist economies of old Europe.

We once more have control over our own agricultural policy, being able to offer a better deal for farmers and consumers and allowing us to insist on higher welfare standards than we could as members of the bloc.

As Boris Johnson and Ben Wallaces crucial support for Ukraine from the very start of Russias full-scale invasion showed, Britain can now maintain a truly independent foreign policy, putting our own interests first.

It is true that Brexits opportunities have not been exploited to their full. The UK remains a high-tax, high-regulation economy. Our borders remain much more open than many of those voting Leave would have hoped.

But we have regained something of immeasurable value by leaving the EU. It is the ability once more to make our own decisions  even if that means, on occasion, making our own mistakes. When we were a member, control over our borders, trade policy, regulation, agriculture  to name but a few areas of Brussels encroachment  was no longer in the hands of our parliament but rather in those of an unaccountable, opaque machine which we could not hold to account.

The Brexit decision was not a vote about favouring one model of governing Britain over another, but a vote about who governs Britain.

After our general election on July 4, we are likely to know who will be prime minister for the coming years on the morning of July 5. The results of the elections to the European Parliament were declared on June 9, but no one can yet say whether Ursula von der Leyen will be reappointed president of the European Commission and who will be appointed to the other top EU positions.

It may take until September for this to be confirmed, through horse trading behind closed doors by national leaders and between the alphabet soup of political groupings in the Strasbourg parliament. This is not real democracy, merely a pretence.

Inevitably, since we left the EU the ever-closer union juggernaut has moved remorselessly on. We have escaped the blocs Green New Deal and its Nature Restoration Law, threatening to decimate farming and generating angry protests in much of Europe.

Remainers liked to claim that Europes politics was more grown up than ours, but we have seen consensus implode against a populist backlash across Europe. The French centre is dying; the countrys politics is becoming a battle between hard Left and hard Right. In Germany, the populist AfD, with its worrying xenophobic undertones, is now the second party.

Brexit has not achieved everything we might have hoped for, but we have reclaimed our democracy and we have taken back control. We will still make mistakes, but they will be our own mistakes. And thats worth celebrating.

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.
Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) said North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum is the better choice to be former President Trumps running mate.

Burgum has risen as one of the top contenders for Trumps vice-presidential pick, frequently vouching for him in media interviews and during campaign trials. The North Dakota senator signaled in an interview with KFYR that he believes Burgum would be a stronger candidate to be Trumps running mate.

The other three most often referred to are all senators, theyre all colleagues of mine. I love them all, any one of them would be fine. I think Doug Burgum would be a better one. And I think thats the growing opinion of more and more observers as well as the president himself, Cramer said.

He was asked about a recent NBC News report that listed Burgum alongside Sens. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) as the top three choices to be Trumps vice-presidential nominee.

Theres never been anything that Doug has done or said, or that anybody has said about him that has dissuaded Donald Trump in any way, Cramer said.

Trump said that while he has decided on who will be his running mate, his choice is still left in the dark. He is expected to announce his choice at the Republican National Committees (RNC) convention next month.

Several other Republicans have received vetting materials as possible vice presidential hopefuls, including Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson.

Burgum did not say on CNNs State of the Union on Sunday whether he had had a conversation with the former president about him potentially serving as his running mate. He also said Trump could win the election regardless of who is vice president.

That process is up to President Trump. And thats where that conversation should stay, he said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Burgum on debate: Were all anxious to see which Joe Biden is going to show up

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) took aim at President Biden on Sunday, saying that he is anxious to see how he performs at the upcoming debate.

In an appearance on CNNs State of the Union, Burgum said Bidens team has been making an effort to lower expectations of his debate with former President Trump on Thursday. Burgum suggested that two versions of Biden could appear on the debate stage as he discussed the presidents meeting with 40 governors across the country.

America sort of looks at the State of the State, he stood up and he spoke strongly for over an hour. And then when were with a group of governors with him back in February, we were limited to two questions. One Republican governor and one Democrat  Forty governors, we had two questions for the president. Questions had to be submitted two days in advance, he said.

Thats a far cry from from standing in a debate for 90 minutes. So I think were all anxious to see which Joe Biden is going to show up, he added.

A source familiar with the meeting told The Hill that Burgums description of the meeting was false, saying that Biden opened it up and took additional questions during the event.

Biden and Trump will be going head-to-head in the first presidential debate of 2024 this week, which will be hosted by CNN and moderated by Dana Bash and Jake Tapper. Despite taking aim at Biden, Burgum acknowledged that he has plenty of experience in debate and campaigning.

The guys run for office more than a dozen times. Hes run for president four times. Hes been campaigning since President Nixon was in office. This guy has got the ability. Weve seen it. Weve seen him in [the] debate of four years ago. Weve seen him in the State of the Union this year, that when he needs to, he could step up, Burgum said.

But I think this is a real opportunity for CNN, most trusted name in the news, to ask some tough questions, he added.

Biden has been hunkering down with aides at Camp David to prepare for the debate this week, while Trump has been meeting with lawmakers to discuss what policies might come up. Biden has taken the more formal debate preparation approach and is practicing using mock debates, while Trump has decided to opt out.

Updated at 8:26 p.m.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
What makes "a dictator" an actual "dictator"?

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum jousted with CNN host Kaitlan Collins over that concept Sunday in discussing his repeated use of the word "dictatorship" to described President Joe Biden's administration. Burgum, who is considered one of the most likely choices to become the running mate of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump, defended his usage.

"He is bypassing the other two branches of government to push an ideological view, whether it's on economics or whether it's on climate extremism," Burgum said to Collins on "State of the Union" in complaining about some of the things the president has done, as well as some of the things he has not done when it comes to immigration.

Collins pushed back on that language.

"You don't like his executive orders and you don't like his policies," she said. "I understand that. I don't think anyone expects the Republican governor to agree with President Biden on that. But that's not a dictatorship."



Burgum defended his phrasing, saying that by doing certain things via executive action, Biden was "ignoring the other branches of government."

"Well, I counted," Collins said. "Trump signed 220 executive orders when he was in office. President Biden so far has only signed 139, the same time span."

Collins also asked Burgum, who has appeared frequently on Sunday morning news shows in recent shows, what he might bring to the ticket should Trump pick him to be his running mate.

Burgum said regardless of which person he selects, Trump is in a position to make his choice from a position of strength, as opposed to someone who needs help drawing certain sections of the electorate.

"With President Trump right now," Burgum said, "where he is with Hispanics, with blacks, with people under age 30 and with independents, I mean, he's very strong across the board. So he can pick someone that you can focus on, like, hey, let's get someone who get stuff done. Let's get someone who helps him govern."
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R) doubled down on his past comments that referred to the Biden administration as a dictatorship.

CNNs Kaitlan Collins pressed Burgum on State of the Union about why he has been referring to President Bidens White House as a dictatorship, noting that its not a dictatorship just because he disagrees with Bidens policies and executive orders. Collins played a series of clips in which Burgum described Biden as leading a dictatorship on CNN.

Well, I think again, part of where this word has come from has been a nonstop media attack on President Trump saying that, oh, that he might use executive orders when he takes office, Burgum replied.

Collins then noted Trump signed 220 executive orders when he was in office. President Biden so far has only signed 139, the same time span.

She also asked him if he was calling the democratically elected president a dictator. He responded by referencing a number of executive orders issued by Biden, suggesting that the president is bypassing other branches of government.

So I just think that theres, again, a double standard here. He is bypassing the other two branches of government to push an ideological view, whether its on economics or whether its on climate extremism. Hes doing that without using the other branches, he said.



A spokesperson for the Democrat National Commitee (DNC) blasted Burgums comments in a statement.

Doug Burgum is sucking up to a convicted felon who has threatened a bloodbath if he loses, called to terminate the Constitution, and pledged to be a dictator on Day One. Donald Trump is running on an extreme anti-democracy agenda  and the only reason Burgum is able to spew lies like this is because of our countrys basic rights and democratic institutions that Trump is putting at risk, said Alex Floyd, a spokesperson for the DNC.

A Harvard CAPS-Harris poll last year found that 56 percent of those surveyed at least somewhat agree that Trump will act like a dictator if given a second term. Trump has made comments suggesting that he would act as a dictator if reelected president, but only on day one.

The Biden campaign is looking to capitalize on these past remarks for Bidens debate preparation, according to a memo released last month. A super PAC supporting Trump tried to paint Biden as a dictator after the former presidents remarks last year sparked backlash.

Updated at 3:12 p.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
We all valued the contributions and sacrifices health care professionals, especially nurses, made during the pandemic. At a time when we didnt understand the science behind COVID and its treatment, nurses stepped up and risked their own personal health to treat patients and comfort families  as they often do.

We are now seeing some of the long-term implications of the working conditions that nurses worked under and the sacrifices they made and continue to make each day. Recent surveys have found that nurses are retiring at a faster rate than ever before. Nearly 20% of California nurses are considering leaving the profession and almost 35% are considering changing jobs due to pandemic-related burnout.

Opinion

California is facing a shortage of 36,000 nurses, and our current higher education infrastructure is not equipped to fully meet the need to educate these professions.

This crisis is critically evident in our Central Valley region, where the limited number of nursing programs is impacted, leaving many of our young talent no choice but to seek options outside of our region or enroll in very expensive private programs. The shortage has also created a reliance on traveling nurses, which was one factor in the increased costs of providing care for Madera Community Hospital, eventually contributing to their inability to keep their doors open.

Thankfully, Assembly Bill 2104, authored by Asm. Esmeralda Soria, D-Fresno, attempts to help alleviate these issues by establishing a pilot program to allow community colleges to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. This bill complements an existing California law which enables community colleges to offer bachelors degrees and empowers students to meet workforce demands.

Many community colleges, including those in the State Center Community College District, already offer associate degrees in nursing, but many hospitals and medical centers require a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. Adding a bachelors degree in nursing is a natural progression for the State Center Community College District, which has the necessary faculty to teach  all with masters degrees and many with PhDs  as well as access to necessary facilities.

Some might say we should rely on public and private four-year institutions to address this shortage. However, in a crisis of this magnitude, it would be unwise to not leverage all available resources. Nursing programs at our public institutions are at capacity, forcing students to delay their education, take on the financial burdens of a private institution or, worse, move out of state, exacerbating Californias existing nursing shortage.

Community college degree programs are extremely affordable. New nurses leave school with an average debt of over $36,000, while tuition for a community college Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree will likely be less than 25% of that of a private institution.

Allowing community colleges to offer these degrees serves an important societal need: Not only will it expand educational opportunities for a broader range of potential applicants, particularly in rural communities, it will also enable our healthcare system to better serve disadvantaged communities and enhance diversity in the nursing profession.

Equally important, creating the opportunity for our Central Valley community colleges to offer Bachelor of Science in Nursing degrees will create a crucial pipeline to train local talent with the cultural and linguistic backgrounds needed to properly serve local communities.

If we dont act, the nursing shortage will likely get worse, with some projections of a shortage of almost 45,000 in California by 2030. We are hopeful that California will join 15 other states in allowing community colleges like Fresno City College and Merced City College to confer bachelors degrees in nursing.

Asm. Esmeralda Soria represents the 27th District, which includes Merced, Madera and Fresno Counties. Dr. Carole Goldsmith is chancellor of the State Center Community College District.
Maj. Gen. Phillip A. Stewart, right, former commander of the 19th Air Force, the service's San Antonio-based pilot training arm, is only the second general in Air Force history to face a court-martial. He's charged with sexually assaulting a female subordinate. William Luther/San Antonio Express-News

The trial of Air Force Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, accused of raping a female subordinate last year, will get under way in earnest Monday morning with opening statements to a jury of three-star generals.

The eighth and final member of the jury was seated at 8:55 p.m. Saturday after a week of arduous questioning of prospective jurors in a courtroom at Fort Sam Houston. During that process, known as voir dire, prosecution and defense lawyers probed for signs that a potential juror might not be impartial, and if the judge agreed, the person was removed from the panel.

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Each side also could strike a juror from the panel without citing a reason. That's known as a peremptory challenge, and the prosecution and defense each had one.

On Saturday night, the jury stood at nine, one more than the minimum. Then Stewart's lead defense attorney, Sherry Bunn, used her preemptory challenge to strike Maj. Gen. John J. DeGoes, deputy surgeon general of the Air Force. DeGoes has a San Antonio connection: During the pandemic, he commanded the 59th Medical Wing at Lackland AFB. Bunn's team had no comment on why it removed him.

Stewart is only the second general in Air Force history to face a court-martial. He's accused of sexually assaulting the female officer at or near Altus AFB in southwestern Oklahoma in April 2023. At the time, he was commander of the San Antonio-based 19th Air Force, the services pilot training arm. He was stripped of the job a month later due to a loss of confidence in his ability to lead.

Stewart contends that he and the female officer were in a consensual relationship. The prosecution asserts that the woman had no choice but to submit to his advances given his rank and power over her.

Stewart could be sentenced to as many as 63 years in prison if found guilty of four violations of the Uniform Code of Military Justice: sexual assault, conduct unbecoming an officer, dereliction of duty and extramarital sexual conduct.

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To convict, six of the eight jurors will have to agree on Stewart's guilt. In a civilian criminal trial, a conviction requires a unanimous jury vote.

Even with DeGoes' removal, the jury for Stewart's court-martial has two generals with San Antonio ties.

Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller, deputy Air Force chief of staff for manpower, personnel and services, previously led the 502nd Air Base Wing, which provides supply and logistical support for the installations that make up Joint Base San Antonio: Randolph and Lackland Air Force bases, Fort Sam Houston and Camp Bullis, an Army training range.

Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Kennedy is commander of the 16th Air Force at Lackland, also known as Air Forces Cyber. The command oversees information and electronic warfare, surveillance, signals intelligence and other operations worldwide.

Under military law, jurors in Stewarts trial had to be three-star and four-star generals, or two-star officers with greater seniority at that rank than Stewart has. Before jury selection was finished Saturday night, a total of 18 jury candidates had made their way to Fort Sam for group and individual questioning. Four others were struck before they traveled to San Antonio, on the basis of questionnaires they completed.

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As voir dire wore on last week, the military court ran out of potential jurors, forcing the Air Force to summon six more generals to Fort Sam in time for Saturday's court session. One of those generals was excused from jury duty before boarding a flight. Another, Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, was in Poland on Wednesday and flew from there to his base in Arlington, Va., before continuing on to San Antonio.

Schmidt is in charge of the F-35A Lightning II program to develop a next-generation stealth fighter capable of flying at speeds up to 1,200 mph. It's a massive procurement effort, one of the largest in the Air Force.

Under questioning by Bunn on Saturday, Schmidt said that "there's a lot of things going on" with the program. He went on to say "that's why we have other people" on the project who can handle tasks while he serves as a juror.

Bunn asked whether travel fatigue and preoccupation with the F-35A would affect his ability to "dial in" during the trial.

"No," Schmidt replied. "I'm definitely a little sleep-deprived, but I don't think so."

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Before the jury was set, the defense raised concerns about the generals relationship with Maj. Gen. Jennifer M. Short, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall III's liaison to Congress. Many of the jurors said they had dealt with Short when she prepared them to testify on Capitol Hill.
The budget agreement California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Democratic leaders announced Saturday sets aside $12 million to help the state implement a series of reparations-related bills lawmakers hope will pass this year.

That is a win, Democratic Assemblywoman Lori Wilson, the chair of the Legislative Black Caucus, said in an interview.

For one, it was exactly what Black lawmakers asked for, she said. But it also comes in a year when the state was facing an almost $47 billion shortfall.

Even in a challenging deficit year, weve had our leadership and the governor recognize the obligation to those impacted by slavery, said Wilson, who represents Solano and parts of Contra Costa and Sacramento counties.

The money would help support proposals endorsed by the caucus, including having the state apologize for inflicting harm on Black Californians and allowing slavery to occur in the state. Wilson said the group is currently supporting 15 bills, including two constitutional amendments, and lawmakers may add another one. They hope to pass the bills by the end of the legislative session on Aug. 31.

The effort follows a multi-year study by a state task force to document racist harms inflicted on Black people in California and also to examine how leaders could enact reparations. It was the first of its kind at a state level and dispelled the myth that California was free from slavery.

Pending bills include establishing the California American Freedmen Affairs Agency and having that new department investigate cases of possible racially-motivated eminent domain. They would also prevent the state from punishing prison inmates who refuse to work and help create a grant program to fund community efforts to decrease violence in neighborhoods and schools.

Legislators are also involved in a statewide tour to discuss the findings from the task force and hear from residents.

The current bills do not include setting aside cash payments for descendants of enslaved people.

Wilson said that is still a long-term goal, but proposing such a measure is a matter of timing. Before that, Wilson said, more legislators need to be aware of what the task force found.

We are not there yet.
Anthony Fauci directed the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for nearly 40 years. He tackled AIDS, Ebola, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and SARS, yet at the end of his run, COVID-19 tested him and the U.S. like nothing in recent memory. More than 1.1 million died. Life-expectancy dropped by more than a year.

I had confronted terrible outbreaks, but none of them prepared me for the environment I would find myself in during the coronavirus pandemic, Fauci writes in On Call: A Doctors Journey in Public Service, his eagerly awaited memoir.

Smoothly written and well paced, On Call is a tale of upward arc and challenges metbut also unanswered questions.

Fauci describes the journey from a boyhood in Brooklyn to government service, with first stops at Regis, the fabled Jesuit high school on Manhattans Upper East Side; College of the Holy Cross in Massachusetts; and Cornell medical school, a bare 10 minutes from Regis.

After it all, came COVID. Amid mandates, masks and closures, Fauci emerged as the figure the right came to hate. He and family members received death threats. White powder was sent to his office. Less than a month before the 2020 election, Donald Trump branded Fauci a disaster, and referred to him as having been around for 500 years. Fauci was then 79. Earlier this month, Trump turned 78.

Anthony Fauci: Volcanic Donald Trump Screamed F-Bombs, Then Said He Loved Me

Fauci retired in late 2022. But loathing and rancor remain.

Fauci belongs in prison, fumed Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, the far-right Georgia Republican, after a recent congressional hearing. He should be tried for mass murder and crimes against humanity.

A GOP-controlled House select subcommittee chimed: Dr. Fauci showed no remorse for the millions of lives affected by his divisive rhetoric and his unscientific policies.

He did not apologize to the thousands of Americans who lost their jobs because they refused the novel vaccine, nor did he apologize to children experiencing severe learning loss as a result of actions he promoted.

On the other hand, according to a 2023 study, excess mortality was significantly higher for Republican voters than Democratic voters after COVID-19 vaccines were available to all adults, but not before.

So-called red states also lead the U.S. in gun deaths, out-of-wedlock births and lower life expectancies. Talk about the kettle calling the stove black.

From his perch at NIAID, Fauci worked for every president from Ronald Reagan to Joe Biden. On the page, he displays particular respect for George H.W. Bush. A chapter titled A President, a Gentleman, and a Friend describes the 41st presidents efforts to combat AIDS and HIV, as well as the rapport between the two men.

Fauci declined Bushs offer to lead NIH but suffered no retribution.

Dear Tony, You 60?, Bush wrote on Faucis birthday. Warm regards from your friend.

The Bush family invited Fauci to the former president's funeral, in December 2018. Fauci writes: My lasting impression of George H.W. Bush was that he brought decency, dignity and integrity to the office of the presidency.

By contrast, the chapter on the Trump presidency is titled, He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. An alternative: The Tempest. Fauci recounts the ex-presidents explosive temperand the sycophancy of his vice president, Mike Pence.

Faucis first run-in with Trumps rage came when his cellphone rang on June 3, 2020.

The callerthe presidentstarted screaming, Fauci writes.

His offense? He told a reporter immunity to a coronavirus usually lasted between six months and a year.

In other words, were a COVID vaccine developed, regular booster shots would likely be required. With Trump trailing in his re-election fight with Bidena man the 45th president held in contemptthat was unwelcome news. Losing to Biden would mean that Trump was, well, a loser.

It was quite a phone call, Fauci writes. The president was irate, saying that I could not keep doing this to him. He said he loved me, but the country was in trouble, and I was making it worse.

Getting yelled at by the president of the United States, no matter how much he tells you that he loves you, is not fun.

Its simple: flu shots are annual events. Then again, Trump purportedly never bothered with them himself. Like military service, vaccines were for other people.

Fauci portrays Pence as a toady.

Vice presidents are almost always publicly loyal to the president, Fauci writes. But in my opinion, Vice President Pence sometimes overdid it.

During task force meetings, he often said some version of, There are a lot of smart people around here, but we all know that the smartest person is upstairs.

Pence was not speaking of God.

Marjorie Taylor Greene Promises to Lock Up Fauci for Crimes Against Humanity

Elsewhere, On Call fails to repair damage to Faucis credibility resulting from his opacity on the issue of COVIDs origin.

The FBI and the Department of Energy have concluded with varying degrees of confidence that the virus escaped from a Chinese laboratory.

In a June 2024 op-ed in The New York Times, Alina Chan, a molecular biologist at the Broad Institute of M.I.T. and Harvard, wrote: A growing volume of evidence suggests that the pandemic most likely occurred because a virus escaped from a research lab in Wuhan, China.

But Fauci appears to have sought to limit public debate.

I would not do anything about this right now, he emailed Francis Collins, the head of the NIH, in April 2020. It is a shiny object that will go away in times [sic].

Wrong. It remains with us. Robert Kennedy Jr.s presidential run bears witness to continuing COVID controversy.

On the page, Fauci does pay serious attention to the national divide. Unfortunately, he seeks to minimize his own role as that divide deepened.

Looking ahead, bird flu tests are hard to find.

Were making the same mistakes today that we made with COVID, Deborah Birx, a Fauci colleague, once Trumps coronavirus response coordinator, told CNN this month.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  This week Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders had a successful special legislative session.

Capitol View host Roby Brock met with Sanders to talk about the accomplishments made during the special session.

Arkansas lawmakers wrap up special session, pass AGFC funding and tax cuts

Roby also spoke with Sanders concerning topics of abortion, the upcoming November election and the ongoing divisiveness of politics.

Viewers can catch Capitol View every Sunday at 8:30 a.m. on KARK-TV.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
The Palmdale Water District and Capture6 are collaborating on a new wastewater treatment facility that will also remove carbon dioxide from the air. A groundbreaking event for the facility was held recently in the desert. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

As soaring fossil fuel emissions continue to heighten global warming, multiple projects seeking to remove carbon dioxide from the air have been launched across Los Angeles County  an effort that project developers say is destined to make Southern California a global leader in climate adaptation.

Under a blazing Palmdale sun recently, state and local officials gathered to break ground on one such project, a first-of-its-kind wastewater treatment facility that also removes CO from the atmosphere.

Project Monarch, a public-private partnership between the Palmdale Water District and the climate technology company Capture6, will not only provide residents with new water supplies, but will also help California achieve its goals of 100% renewable energy and carbon neutrality by 2045, according to Nancy Vogel, deputy secretary for water at the California Natural Resources Agency.

Nancy Vogel, deputy secretary for water at the California Natural Resources Agency, announces Project Monarch in Palmdale. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

The cornerstones of Californias climate change leadership are electrifying our economy and decarbonizing our grid, and we set ambitious goals for that, Vogel told the crowd Thursday. However, we cant get there by simply reducing our emissions. We have to start capturing existing emissions.

When completed, Project Monarch and its wastewater component, Pure Water Antelope Valley, will purify up to 4.5 million gallons of water each day and capture 25,000 tons of atmospheric CO each year. (The typical gasoline-powered automobile spews 4.6 tons of carbon each year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.)

Carbon dioxide, which comes from the extraction and burning of fossil fuels, is one of the main drivers of climate change. Yet global CO emissions continue to reach new highs, with May readings from the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii showing the largest two-year jump in peak CO levels on record. Current CO levels in the atmosphere are 427 parts per million and counting.

Project Monarch will demonstrate proven technologies for recycling wastewater into drinking water while using Capture6's first-of-its-kind technology to capture carbon dioxide directly from the air, project managers say. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Efforts to reduce those emissions, as well as remove CO from the atmosphere, have been bolstered by the California Air Resources Board and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change  both of which have promoted the use of so-called direct air capture technologies.

Pure Water will enable us to be more drought-proof, have local control of our water and improve our groundwater quality and quantity, said Dennis LaMoreaux, general manager of the Palmdale Water District. Having the ability to have Project Monarch capture carbon is a win-win for everyone.

Capture6 has received an $8-million grant from the California Energy Commission. Meanwhile, the Biden administration has announced more than $3.5 billion in investments in direct air capture projects across the nation.

Read more: Earth breaks heat and CO records once again: 'Our planet is trying to tell us something'

But the Palmdale project isnt the only new carbon-capture development in L.A. County. On Friday, officials from CarbonCapture Inc. gathered in Long Beach to introduce the first commercial-scale U.S. direct air capture, or DAC, system designed for mass production.

The unit, which resembles a shipping container, can remove more than 500 tons of atmospheric CO per year.

What CarbonCapture Inc. is doing with its modular approach to direct air capture, and efforts to ramp up production of the technology and bring down costs, underscores the indispensable role of the private sector in developing and deploying carbon management at a scale needed to achieve a clean energy and industrial future, said Brad Crabtree, the U.S. Department of Energys assistant secretary for fossil energy and carbon management, in a statement.

The L.A.-based company also announced that it will mass-produce up to 4,000 of its DAC modules annually at a new facility in Mesa, Ariz.

It joins similar efforts from L.A.-based Captura, which is working to remove CO from the upper ocean; L.A.-based Avnos, which produces water while capturing carbon; and L.A.-based Equatic, which is working to remove atmospheric CO using the ocean.

The rest of the world knows that if Los Angeles, and California more broadly, is able to do this, then other places will too, said Edward Sanders, chief operating officer at Equatic.

Read more: New scientific interventions are here to fight climate change. But they aren't silver bullets

Equatic was born out of UCLAs Institute for Carbon Management, where researchers found a way to combine CO removal with hydrogen generation, addressing both legacy and future emissions in a single process, the company says.

The companys San Pedro facility pumps seawater through a series of electric plates that separate the water into hydrogen and oxygen as well as acidic and alkaline streams of liquid. The alkaline, or base, stream is exposed to the atmosphere, where it mineralizes CO into carbonates that are then dissolved and discharged back into the ocean for permanent storage, operators say. The procedure meets all existing coastal regulations, according to Sanders.

Additionally, the hydrogen produced by the process is carbon-negative, making it a source of renewable energy that can be used to fuel the CO removal process or sold to other users, he said.

Equatic announced this month that it will partner with a Canadian carbon removal project developer, Deep Sky, to build North Americas first commercial-scale ocean-based CO removal plant in Quebec, following the success of its effort in Los Angeles as well as another facility in Singapore. While the San Pedro facility can capture about 40 tons of CO per year, the Quebec facility will capture about 100,000 tons per year, Sanders said.

As important as it is do this globally, we recognize that theres a lot happening in Los Angeles, and being able to bring people through and see it  to walk in and see one of these plants, to literally hold the carbon that weve taken out of the atmosphere in their hand  thats really important, he said.

Read more: The planet is dangerously close to this climate threshold. Here's what 1.5C really means

Although the various projects represent a carbon-capture boom in Southern California, they each use different strategies.

Project Monarchs carbon-capture process begins with Palmdales new wastewater treatment facility, which will purify recycled water from L.A. County for potable reuse. The purification procedure removes bacteria, viruses and other harmful pathogens from the water, but it also comes with a byproduct: a salty solution known as brine. The district had planned to store the brine in open-air ponds, where it would sit, stagnant, until evaporation.

Ethan Cohen-Cole, CEO and co-founder of Capture6, at the groundbreaking ceremony for Pure Water Antelope Valley and Project Monarch in Palmdale on Thursday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

Instead, Capture6s technology will run the brine through a series of steps that convert it first into sodium hydroxide, which naturally strips CO from the atmosphere, and ultimately into sodium carbonate, a mineralized form of captured carbon. The resulting rocks are dissolved in water that can be reused directly in the water treatment process, or injected into aquifers or other non-potable subsurface formations for permanent storage.

This facility has the potential to demonstrate  both in the state and country and potentially globally  that we can build a carbon-negative water treatment facility, said Ethan Cohen-Cole, chief executive of Capture6.

Cohen-Cole said the project will run on grid energy, which is becoming increasingly renewable in California. He added that L.A.s proactivity and innovation on water and energy issues made it a natural fit for the project, which will be the first of four such endeavors around the world.

California looks a lot like a number of other water-stressed places in the world that also are motivated to decarbonize, he said. Those two together make it a great place to be.

Read more: Will storing CO2 in old oil fields slow global warming? First California plan nears approval

The carbon-capture process is not without downsides, however. It can be expensive and energy-intensive, and there is still much active research about the best means and methods of storing the carbon.

Many companies sell carbon-removal credits to other companies, such as Meta, Chase, McKinsey and Boeing. While Capture6, Equatic and CarbonCapture boast high-integrity credits, the carbon credit marketplace in general has also been criticized for allowing polluters to continue producing emissions while greenwashing their reputation.

Hard hats in front of a rendering of Pure Water Antelope Valley and Project Monarch, which will produce up to 4.5 million gallons of purified water each day and capture 25,000 tons of CO from the atmosphere each year when completed. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)

In the same vein, experts say the rapidly growing ability to remove CO from the atmosphere should not equate to permission to keep emitting. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that between 6 billion and 12 billion tons of CO will need to be removed annually in order to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius  or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit  by midcentury.

Even if we were to reduce emissions to zero tomorrow, which isnt happening, we would still need to remove from the atmosphere billions of tons of carbon dioxide, said Sanders, of Equatic. But what we dont want to do is get caught short in five or 10 years time, and not have any technology to either remove the stuff that cannot be abated, or to clean up the pollution from the last 120 years thats in the atmosphere.

Cohen-Cole shared similar thoughts after he and other officials gathered with hard hats and shovels to break ground on Pure Water and Project Monarch, due to be operational in 2025.

This only works if we prioritize reductions of emissions, Cohen-Cole said. I would never argue that we should be using carbon removals in the absence of reductions  and were inspired by the fact that both California and the IPCC say that we need to do this now. We have no choice.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A lucky cat was rescued from a precarious situation at Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona on Friday afternoon.

Tree-climbing for the purr-fect panorama! read a social media post from the park. The post included a photo of the black and white feline in an uncomfortable-looking position on a tree branch. A second photo showed a firefighter climbing a ladder toward the cat.

Archie before being rescued from his predicament. Sarah Acomb via Grand Canyon National Park

A huge shoutout to our firefighters and first responders who sprang into action today to rescue a furry adventurer from the heights of a tree at Grand Canyon, the post continued.

The park originally asked for help from the public in finding the cats owners, but shared an update on Friday evening with the good news that they had been found.

The rescue operation. Sarah Acomb via Grand Canyon National Park

The cat turned out to be an approximately 2-year-old male named Archie, a park spokesperson told HuffPost in an email. The adventurous pet had escaped from a residential area in the park near the Mather Campground on the parks South Rim. Archie was stuck about 15 feet high in the ponderosa pine prior to his rescue.

Related...
The all-but-anonymous mom volunteering as a crossing guard at her kid's school stood out on this particular morning in her sun hat and dressy batik-pattern outfit.

After her crosswalk duties, Cecily Myart-Cruz hustled to a conference at UCLA, where she was a featured speaker on the crucial role of arts education.

"We must be focused on restoring, healing  restoring and bringing joy into our classrooms," she said. "We have the power to lead the nation and do it now. Our babies need everyone in here and everyone listening: This is what our mission and work is. We cannot fail."

Myart-Cruz, president of United Teachers Los Angeles, enjoys being involved at her seventh-grader's school, but she has an impact on the education of all students as head of the union representing 35,000 teachers, counselors, librarians and school nurses in the nation's second-largest school district.

Elected last year to a second term, Myart-Cruz, 50, won with an agenda that goes well beyond wages and benefits. Her demands include social-emotional learning, culturally relevant curriculum and eliminating school police. She also wants to reduce and then end standardized testing, which she said cuts into learning time and narrows instruction.

'We must be focused on restoring, healing  restoring and bringing joy into our classrooms.'

Cecily Myart-Cruz

She's pursued these goals relentlessly, through nuts-and-bolts union organizing and fiery speeches.

In a rally leading up to a three-day strike in March 2023, she exhorted members: "I want you to be all the way pissed off."

The strike brought her union together with another that represents nonteaching employees, such as custodians, bus drivers and cafeteria workers. Their combined clout shut down schools.

Cecily Myart-Cruz

Both unions won significant raises. The UTLA contract makes its members among the nation's best-paid teachers.

The unions have joined forces again to oppose planned cuts for the 2024-25 academic year, including the denial of health benefits to some low-wage workers.

"Who wants to come and work at this school district where we treat people like trash?" she asked at a June school board meeting. "Stop the austerity cuts!"

Myart-Cruz, who taught in elementary and middle schools before becoming a full-time union officer, is excited about the growth of community schools, which bring together the district, unions, parents, other government entities and community groups around student needs, including healthcare, mental health services and tutoring.

Critics accuse her of supporting members at the expense of students. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when campuses were closed, L.A. teachers bargained for less live online teaching than many other school systems. Student achievement in L.A. suffered during the pandemic  although no worse than at comparable school systems.

The union also catches flak for trying to dictate education policy and going beyond education matters, such as advocating for low-income housing for community members.

Her core passion, she said, remains teaching and nurturing students, which she refreshes in the crosswalk  duties that "fill me up as a person."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
A waiter pours a glass of champagne. A wanted champagne thief has been caught in Germany's Saarland region and is now in prison. Hannes P Albert/dpa

A wanted champagne thief has been caught in Germany's Saarland region and is now in prison.

The 56-year-old had hidden several bottles of champagne under his rain jacket in a supermarket in the town of Riegelsberg on Saturday and tried to leave the shop, the police in the nearby town of Volklingen announced on Sunday.

When the man was checked, it was discovered that he was the subject of an arrest warrant.

The champagne thief had previously been caught more than 20 times in Germany, mainly in southern Germany, a police spokeswoman said.

A judge confirmed the arrest warrant on Sunday and the man was taken to prison.
Charges filed against 2 accused in fatal shooting of teen boy in Austin

Charges filed against 2 accused in fatal shooting of teen boy in Austin

CHICAGO  Charges have been filed against two men accused in the murder of a teen boy on the citys West Side in late 2023.

Chicago police say 19-year-old Tayjon Lane and 20-year-old Jaylyn Griffith, both Austin residents, have each been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder.

CPD: Man attempts to lure teen into car in Wrigleyville

Authorities say the charges stem from an alleged shooting that unfolded on Nov. 10, 2023, in Austin, which left 16-year-old Keshaun Rhodes dead.

19-year-old Tayjon Lane, an Austin resident, has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the deadly shooting of a teen boy in late 2023.

20-year-old Jaylyn Griffit, an Austin resident, has been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the deadly shooting of a teen boy in late 2023.

19-year-old Tayjon Lane (left) and 20-year-old Jaylyn Griffith (right), both Austin residents, have each been charged with one felony count of first-degree murder and one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder.

Chicago police said Rhodes was in the hallway of his residence, in the 5000 block of West Madison Street, when two men allegedly opened fire just after 11 a.m.

The teen suffered critical injuries and was taken to the hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Authorities eventually caught up with the two men on Thursday and both were taken into custody.

Both men are set to appear in court for a detention hearing on Sunday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS)  A Charlotte man was sentenced to 96 months in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office.

According to documents filed in the case and court proceedings on September 25, 2022, Bryan Dequan Ledbetter, 48, used a bedroom window to enter the home of a female victim who knew Ledbetter. The victim called 911 and while she was on the phone, escaped the house and ran to the neighbors porch.

Charlotte convicted felon found with a gun, sentenced to nearly 4 years in prison

Ledbetter caught up to the victim and tried to choke her. He then dragged the victim to the neighbors yard, pulled out a firearm and fired into the air. Court records show that Ledbetter pulled the victim into nearby bushes and placed the muzzle of the firearm against the victims head and under her neck.

Officers arrived on the scene and were able to arrest Ledbetter after he initially refused.

On March 14, 2023, Ledbetter pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Ledbetter has prior state convictions including assault on a female and felony assault by strangulation.

Authorities say Ledbetter is currently in federal custody. He will be transferred to the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons upon designation of a federal facility.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.


Crime scene tape outlines the scene of a crime in Tallahassee.

The Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) announced around 3 p.m. Saturday that it was searching for a suspect in connection with an attempted robbery at Sams Club, 1975 E. Montgomery Crossroad.

CCPDD said the incident occurred 6 p.m. Friday, June 21.

CCPD's Facebook page statement on the matter said detectives were trying to identify a male suspect from store surveillance photos. The suspect is male "approximately 56 to 59, thin, wearing a black shirt with yellow writing and black pants, along with black or dark gray Crocs," according to the CCPD statement, which also stated that the suspect wore a camouflage scarf on his head.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. Anonymous tips can be sent through the Chatham County Police Department app.

Tipsters can also anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 912-234-2020 where they may qualify for a cash reward.

Joseph Schwartzburt is the education and workforce development reporter for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach him at JSchwartzburt@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Savannah Morning News: CCPD working to identify Savannah Sam's Club attempted robbery suspect
Child care worker Marci Then helps her daughter, Mila, 4, put away toys to get ready for circle time at the Little Learners Academy in Smithfield, R.I. A state program for child care workers subsidizes Milas tuition. A handful of other states have similar programs, which advocates say has beneficial ripple effects through the state economy. (Elaine S. Povich/Stateline)

SMITHFIELD, R.I.  Child care worker Marci Then, 32, looked over at two 4-year-olds in her care who were tussling over a toy plate in a model kitchen set. Are we sharing? she gently asked them. They both let go.

Then works at Little Learners Academy child care center near Providence, Rhode Island. Her daughter, Mila, 4, is enrolled there, so Then is able to keep a watchful eye on her in addition to about a dozen other 4-year-olds. Mila calls her mother Miss Marci at school, but Mom at home.

Most of the time, Mila is in another room with a different worker at the center, adhering to rules that dont allow parent caregivers to watch their own children in a licensed setting. But for today, Mila is around her mom for a bit to show a reporter around.

Mila proudly chirps her age, then helps put toys away so the kids can quietly gather for circle time.

Then said that without help she would not have been able to afford the $315 a week for Mila to come to Little Learners. But she is taking advantage of a one-year state pilot program that authorizes the use of federal funds to pay for care for the children of early education workers.

Its been life-changing for me, said Then, a single mom who is also responsible for a disabled young adult whom she adopted. Without it, Id have to rearrange my life.

In 2022, Kentucky lawmakers changed the employer child care assistance program to specifically include child care workers at all income levels who work at least 20 hours a week. Other states, including Rhode Island, have since launched programs modeled after the one in Kentucky. The Kentucky program was to end Sept. 30, but Stephanie French, spokesperson for the states Cabinet for Health and Family Services, wrote in an email that the state will be using a combination of federal and state funding to continue the program.

At least half a dozen states now have similar programs or are considering legislation to start them, according to EdSurge, a news site that covers education issues.

Supporters, including Republicans and Democrats, see retaining child care employees as a benefit not only to the workers and the centers facing worker shortages, but also to the states economies. For many people, the lack of affordable child care is a barrier to joining the workforce.

Charlene Barbieri, founder and owner of four Little Learners Academy locations in Rhode Island, said in an interview that it is difficult to hire and keep qualified employees. The child care subsidy program helps, she said.

Early learning here is very expensive as we know, right? Barbieri said. So any supplemental programs, monetary or otherwise, are exceptionally beneficial.

We have had many teachers come to us to say that if this program wasnt here, we could not afford to send our children to child care and still help our families by bringing in additional income, she said.

Rhode Island lawmakers added the child care subsidy to its fiscal 2025 budget this spring, moving the program out of the pilot category. Democratic Gov. Dan McKee is expected to sign the budget this week.

Rhode Island state Reps. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith, left, and Grace Diaz, both Democrats, confer this month over the proposed budget, which includes funding of a program to subsidize child care for caretakers kids. (Elaine S. Povich/Stateline)

Its a good program, and weve seen great results with it, Rhode Island House Speaker Joseph Shekarchi, a Democrat, said in an interview. We have a labor shortage across the whole spectrum of our labor market. So, by giving [caregivers] free child care, theyre able to get back in and take care of other kids, which allows more people to enter the workforce.

Other states that have launched programs or are considering them include Arizona, Colorado, Indiana, Iowa and Nebraska, according to EdSurge.

The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment, a research center at the University of California, Berkeley, estimated that if every state followed Kentuckys lead, some 234,000 workers with children under age 6 could benefit.

We see it as a no-brainer, said Anna Powell, senior research and policy associate at the center, who co-authored a report on the program. The educators are parents  why shouldnt they be at the front of the queue? Every time an educator stays in the field, it benefits many parents.

Budget challenges

In some states, though, budget woes are challenging lawmakers who want to make their pilot program a permanent one.

Arizona had a one-year Education Workforce Scholarship program that assisted child care workers and public school teachers with paying for their own kids child care, but that program was funded with federal pandemic dollars and ends June 30. Its unlikely to be renewed because of state budget shortfalls.

Child care workers who now get that assistance would instead need to apply for aid through the states broad child care assistance program. That program, administered by the Arizona Department of Economic Security, is based on income levels, Tasya Peterson, a department spokesperson, wrote in an email to Stateline.

Barbie Prinster, executive director of the Arizona Early Childhood Education Association, a nonprofit that represents child care centers, said 3,541 children were approved for care subsidies under the early educator program this year, about three-quarters of them from families with a child care worker. The rest are from teachers families.

She predicted that hundreds of workers may have to quit if the subsidy isnt renewed.

I think providers are employing more moms that have young children because of this subsidy, she said.

In Nebraska, state Sen. John Fredrickson, a Democrat and the dad of a 5-year-old son, introduced a bill this session that would have granted no-cost child care to employees of state-licensed child care programs, whether in-home care or at centers, who work at least 20 hours a week.

He estimated the potential subsidy, which he modeled on Kentuckys idea, could have brought in 2,175 parent-providers. If each worker cared for eight children, there would be 16,000 children receiving care, and at least that many parents working, he estimated.

Fredrickson said the initial fiscal estimate for the bill was about $20 million, which proved to be a heavy lift, so he halved it to $10 million. But even that proved to be too much, he said, and the effort failed. He plans to reintroduce his bill next year.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, approved a bill May 1 extending a child care subsidy pilot program for early childhood caretakers and educators, regardless of income, for two years at a cost of $10.2 million using the states Childcare Development Fund.

Colorado agreed to continue a program for child care providers with children ages 6 weeks to 13 years old, giving them full child care benefits, regardless of the employees income.

And Indiana agreed to study the issue of child caregiver and early educator compensation.

Good for Rhode Island

Sitting together in a hearing room just off the Rhode Island House chamber earlier this month, Democratic state Reps. Mary Ann Shallcross Smith and Grace Diaz said they understand the issue of caring for children firsthand. Both are mothers, though their children are grown now, and both are experienced child care center owners.

Shallcross Smith remembers putting up flyers in the local drug store, advertising her in-home care. She now owns 15 centers. When the issue of paying child care workers for their own kids tuition came up this year, she was all for it, and went to House Speaker Shekarchi with her arguments.

No. 1, its good for Rhode Island, she said, adding that its also good for business.

Diaz, a mother of five, said she, too, talked to the speaker. But perhaps the biggest driver in getting the program into the state budget, she recalled, was the day that they brought a bunch of little kids from various child care settings to the Capitol to be a living example of the need.

When they saw the little kids at the State House, they all wanted a picture, Diaz said.

Child care worker Kayla Champagne watches her son, Jaxson, 3, climb at the Little Learners Academy in Smithfield, R.I. (Elaine S. Povich/Stateline)

Back on the Little Learners playground, care worker Kayla Champagne, 39, of Lincoln, Rhode Island, smiled up at her 3-year-old son, Jaxson, who peeked over the top of a climbing structure. Champagne, who has three other children ages 18, 14 and 8, is relieved that she can take advantage of a program that helps her pay for Jaxsons care.

She used to work at another day care place but could only afford to send Jaxson there a few days a week, she said. At Little Learners, staff helped her apply for the state subsidy.

Thats one of the reasons I left my other child care to come here, she said. Now I can work full time while having four kids.

Rhode Island Current reporter Nancy Lavin contributed to this report.

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 X.

The post For child care workers, state aid for their own kids care is life-changing appeared first on Utah News Dispatch.
12-year-old boy dies in trip to Wild Rivers water park in Irvine, police say

A 12-year-old boy who visited an Orange County water park on Saturday has died, police said.

The Irvine Police Department said in a statement that a child at Wild Rivers  a sprawling complex with water slides, pools and other attractions  was taken shortly after 11 a.m. to a hospital and pronounced dead.

Police did not detail what led to the child's death, but said it didn't appear to be "water-related."

In a statement posted on Instagram, Wild Rivers said the child  a 12-year-old boy  suffered a medical "incident" outside of a pool. "Despite the swift response from our team and emergency services," the park wrote, "he sadly passed away later at the hospital."

Wild Rivers reopened in 2022 in a new, larger location at Orange County's Great Park, with 20 slides and attractions and a large wave pool. The public parkland is leased to Wild Rivers, which shares part of its revenue with the city of Irvine.

The original Wild Rivers water park was open from 1986 to 2011, when it closed to make way for housing development.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BYD electric cars waiting to be loaded onto a ship are seen stacked at the international container terminal of Taicang Port in Suzhou

The EU has clinched last-ditch talks with Beijing over plans to impose higher tariffs on Chinese imports of electric cars amid fears of a looming tit-for-tat trade war.

Trade ministers from China and the European Commission agreed to start negotiations to settle a dispute over EU plans to raise tariffs on electric vehicle imports from China to up to 48pc.

The EU proposal is part of an anti-subsidy crackdown against China but threatens tit-for-tat retaliation and the deepening of tensions between the two economies.

EU trade commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis and Chinese commerce minister Wang Wentao agreed to further talks after a candid and constructive telephone call, EU trade spokesman Olof Gill said.

The move came after Germanys economic minister Robert Habeck concluded a three-day visit to Beijing. Mr Habeck, vice-chancellor in Chancellor Olaf Scholzs coalition government, is the first major EU politician to visit China to seek a resolution.

Germany has the most to lose from the EU spat with China owing to its carmaking prowess.

The German automotive industry has been opposed to the EU plan amid fears China could impose counter-tariffs to hurt manufacturers such as BMW and Daimler.

The conciliatory tone suggests a de-escalation of tensions between the two sides, although Mr Habeck stressed it was early days.

One has to be very careful now, this is a first step and many more will be necessary, he said.

But at least this is a first step that was not possible before. Thats why tonight is a good evening if we want to try to maintain a level playing field and avoid a tariff war.

The EU has taken aim at China because of unfair state subsidies paid to Chinese car companies by the government.

EU foreign subsidy rules are designed to create a level playing field and ensure manufacturers from China do not gain a competitive advantage over European manufacturers.

US President Joe Biden has already hit Chinese EV imports with tariffs of 100pc, although Chinese cars are less common on US roads than EU countries.

China has attempted to drive a wedge between EU nations in retaliation for the EV tariffs, threatening industries that are important for particular EU states.

Last month it launched an anti-dumping investigation into pork belly, which is an important Spanish export. France has also been targeted with potential tariffs on brandy and cognac.

Diplomats from the EU and China are expected to meet in the next two weeks to discuss the subsidy clashes.

Mr Gill added: The two sides agreed to engage on the basis of facts and in full respect of WTO rules.

The EU side emphasised that any negotiated outcome to its investigation must be effective in addressing the injurious subsidisation. The two sides will continue to engage at all levels in the coming weeks.

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Clarence Thomas this week argued domestic abusers shouldn't be prevented from owning guns.

His lone dissent in the 8-1 Supreme Court decision hinged on an originalist interpretation of the law.

One legal expert told Business Insider that Thomas' ruling showed how "absurd" originalism could be.

Clarence Thomas this week offered the lone dissent in a Supreme Court decision that ultimately ruled that people with a history of domestic violence can be prevented from legally owning guns.

His lengthy disagreement with the ruling in United States v. Rahimi hinged on an originalist interpretation of the law that Thomas, a staunch conservative, is known for.

Originalism is a legal framework based on interpreting constitutional law as it would've been understood at the time it was written nearly 250 years ago  before the invention of electric lighting, indoor plumbing, and steam-powered trains.

Once considered a fringe theory created in response to perceived overreach by a liberal court, this method of interpretation  popularized by Antonin Scalia in the late 1980s  argues that only a formal amendment ratified by Congress should be able to alter how we interpret the Constitution's established rights and restrictions.

Legal experts who spoke with Business Insider said Thomas' latest decision highlighted how inconsistent and even ridiculous this method of interpretation could be.

"This is a case where, if you invalidate this statute on the basis of originalism, you go back in time and say, essentially, at the time of the original ratification of the Constitution, domestic violence was tolerated  and therefore, based on originalism, we need to invalidate the statute," John P. Gross, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Law School who's also the director of the Public Defender Project, told BI. "And that is, of course, an absurd, horrible result."

Gross noted that originalism raises questions such as whether women should be allowed to sit on the Supreme Court, because the nation's founders wouldn't have allowed it then.

"A strict originalist view could be that we shouldn't have appointed women to the judiciary unless we get a formal amendment saying women can be judges," Gross said. "So that's the kind of logical extension of originalism that leads to these truly absurd results. In that context, it's very difficult to defend originalism as a useful, meaningful way of interpreting the Constitution."

With originalism, 'you get absurd results, and people will think you are a nut'

Three legal experts told BI that Thomas was at least consistent in his framework for interpreting the law. But this consistency in his thinking allows him to present arguments at odds with modern values that can sometimes contradict each other.

"This is a court that claims to be an originalist court and, if nothing else, these opinions establish that originalism is not a straightforward approach and does not lead to greater certainty, despite the claims that originalists make," Carolyn Shapiro, the founder of Chicago-Kent College of Law's Institute on the Supreme Court of the United States, told BI.

Shapiro said originalism "can lead to different results depending on who is doing the analysis," continuing: "It just simply does not provide the certainty that originalists claim."

The Supreme Court of 1888 decided that the Constitution was broad enough to cover inventions the Founding Fathers never dreamed of. AP Photo

Thomas' strict originalist interpretations in recent rulings, such as a unanimous decision in a trademark case earlier this month, have also begun to cause a fray among the other conservative justices. CNN reported Amy Coney Barrett, who identified as an originalist when she took the bench in 2020, accused Thomas in a recent opinion of having a "laser-like focus on the history" that "misses the forest for the trees."

Thomas' reliance on "history and tradition," Barrett wrote in a concurrence that the court's three liberal justices signed on to, "is wrong twice over."

Gross said that Thomas being the lone dissent in the case involving domestic abusers carrying firearms showed how committed he was to his originalist framework, even when the other conservative justices on the court clearly saw the risk to society if SCOTUS didn't modernize its thinking.

Gross said he expected the outcome the Supreme Court ultimately reached, though he was surprised that Justice Samuel Alito, another strict originalist, didn't join Thomas' dissent.

"I think perhaps Alito's absence from this opinion suggests that even he realizes, as Justice Scalia did at some point, that if you keep pushing these ideas about originalism, you get absurd results, and people will think you are a nut," Gross said. "But Thomas is willing to go there. In terms of intellectual purity, great, I can't say the guy's wishy-washy, but even Alito's not part of it  because he doesn't want to be seen as a nut."

Representatives for the Supreme Court didn't respond to a request for comment.

Read the original article on Business Insider
CLEARWATER, Fla. (WFLA)  Authorities found a missing 15-year-old out of Clearwater, according to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

The FDLE said the teen went missing after being seen in the area of 2900 Holly Court in Clearwater Saturday.

Parents of couple who drowned at Florida beach while on vacation speak out: report

Sunday afternoon, the FDLE canceled the alert, saying she was found safe.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
(NEXSTAR)  Climate activists belonging to a group known as Just Stop Oil sprayed paint on private jets at Stansted Airport in England on Thursday morning, with the group hinting that the airport was targeted because its where Taylor Swifts jet is parked.

A representative for the airport could not say whether the activists vandalized any jets belonging to Swift, nor whether Swift had used the airport ahead of her London concerts this weekend. The Associated Press, however, reported that neither of the planes targeted in Thursdays demonstration belonged to the pop star, citing local police.

More Local News

In video shared to social media by Just Stop Oil, an activist can be seen using a cordless saw to cut through what appeared to be a fence surrounding the airfield. This person then uses a fire extinguisher to spray paint on two jets sitting on the tarmac.

At the end of the video, the activist and another woman, both wearing T-shirts reading Just Stop Oil, embrace each other in front of the vandalized jets.

Jennifer and Cole cut the fence into the private airfield at Stansted where Taylor Swifts jet is parked, demanding an emergency treaty to end fossil fuels by 2030, the videos Instagram caption reads.

The two women, ages 22 and 28, were later arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and interference with the use or operation of national infrastructure, Essex Police said in a news release.

The police also said Taylor Swifts plane was not at Stansted at the time, despite Taylor being in London for three concerts this weekend, the Associated Press learned. A representative for the Essex Police did not immediately respond to Nexstars request for additional comment.

Almost immediately after we were made aware of this incident, which took place away from the main passenger terminal, we were on the scene, Essex Police wrote in the release.

The department later added, We are not anti-protest but we will always take action where criminal acts take place.

Operations on the runway at Stansted were briefly halted after police were called, but no flights were disrupted, a representative for Stansted confirmed to Nexstar.

A representative for Just Stop Oil was not immediately available for comment.

Thursdays incident came one day after climate activists  also wearing Just Stop Oil shirts  were arrested after spraying paint on Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wiltshire, England. Just Stop Oil later said the paint was made from cornstarch, and would not cause lasting damage.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
*Above video: How to report a crime tip to US Marshals*

COLUMBUS, (Ohio)  Theres been Another mass shooting in the popular Short North Arts District near Downtown Columbus.

Columbus police said 10 people were shot and injured during a shooting spree that erupted after a movie ended.

According to a press release received by Fox 8 News from Columbus police, 10 people were shot just before 2:30 a.m. on Sunday.

One man is in critical condition while nine others are in stable condition, police said.

Hot night at Edgewater Beach ends with gunfire as the sun was setting

The suspect involved in the shooting was described as a male wearing all black clothing, according to law enforcement.

Police have released images of the suspects car and said its a white Honda Civic.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them immediately.

The 10 victims range in age from 16-27 years old. One of the victims is currently in critical condition while the other nine are in stable condition, police stated.

Motorcycle goes off NE Ohio bridge into water killing woman

According to WCMH, this is the second mass shooting in the Short North in just over year. On May 6, 2023, two shootings happened overnight leaving at least 10 people shot.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Columbus man sent to prison after stealing identities to purchase motorcycles, Corvette, Apple watch

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A Columbus man will serve 2 years in prison after a sentencing hearing in federal court where he faced charges of fraud related to stealing identities.

In February, Siyuan Ye, 24, pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, crimes that resulted in over $100,000 in fraudulent lines of credit.

According to federal prosecutors, Ye stole the identities of at least 15 people between January 2022 and August 2023, when he repeatedly obtained Ohio and Florida driver licenses without their authorization. Ye then used the licenses to fraudulently obtain credit from retailers in the victims names.

Among the purchases were three motorcycles, a Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and a variety of electronics. Those electronics included laptops, graphics cards and an Apple watch during an April 2023 shopping spree worth over $8,400 at the Micro Center in Columbus.

Later that month Ye used the name of a victim from Westerville to purchase a Suzuki motorcycle at Iron Pony Motorsports. He also used an identity to rent an apartment and obtain renters insurance.

In addition to his sentence, Ye was ordered to pay more than $78,000 in restitution. As part of his guilty plea in February he agreed to pay more than $115,000 in restitution.

Ye, who does not have legal status in the United States, entered the country in 2017 on a student visa to attend Ohio State University.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Columbus police are looking for a suspect vehicle after 10 people were shot in the Short North area of Columbus overnight.

Latest updates: What we know about Columbus Short North mass shooting

"Detectives need your help locating this vehicle involved in a shooting this morning in the 1100 blk of N. High St., where 10 people were shot," a police post on X said Sunday. "The vehicle is believed to be a white, 4-door Honda Civic with tinted windows."

All 10 victims, including two juveniles, are expected to survive, police said.

Detectives need your help locating this vehicle involved in a shooting this morning in the 1100 blk of N. High St., where 10 people were shot. The vehicle is believed to be a white, 4-door Honda Civic with tinted windows. pic.twitter.com/FpWYiVEDPu  Columbus Division of Police (@ColumbusPolice) June 23, 2024

The suspect was described as a male wearing all black clothing, according to a police post on Facebook.

The shooting happened about 2:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of North High Street near East 3rd Avenue, according to police.

An earlier Facebook post by police said one of the 10 victims was in critical condition and the others were stable. The victims range in age from 16 to 27.

When officers arrived at the scene, they located six victims suffering from gunshot wounds. As police helped victims and secured the scene, they were alerted to an additional four victims who had gone to local hospitals, according to police.

NBC 4 reports police chased the suspect vehicle before losing it.

Columbus police have not returned multiple calls from The Dispatch.

Ginther calls mass shooting 'outrageous'

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the Sunday's gun violence was "outrageous, it's unacceptable and it must stop" in a statement issued at 11 a.m.

"Despite what happened, I want to reassure the community that the Short North is safe, but every neighborhood could be safer," he wrote.

Ginther urged parents to "step up  to know where their kids and teens are, and to enforce a curfew in homes."

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein also responded in a Facebook post on a Dispatch article.

"We cannot sit back or become numb to the presence of violence in our city," he wrote. "We must do everything we can to protect public safety and keep our residents, businesses and neighborhoods safe from senseless violence."

Columbus police investigators collect evidence at N. High St. and E. Fifth Ave after 10 people were shot in the Short North area of Columbus overnight. The shooting was reported about 2:30 AM and one of the 10 victims was in critical condition and the others were stable, police said.

Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said he was "angry and outraged to wake up to another senseless shooting."

"I met with Short North community leaders just three days ago to discuss safety and neighborhood issues," he wrote in a statement. "... We won't allow our neighborhoods to be terrorize by these reckless shootouts."

Hardin also advocated for "common-sense" gun control policies.

Ohio mass shootings

Any shooting of four or more people is considered a mass shooting, making this at least the second such event in Ohio this month.

On June 2, a mass shooting in Akron resulted in the death of 27-year-old LaTeris Cook and left 27 people injured. No arrests have been made. The shootings took place just after midnight at a birthday party.

Under Fire special report: 50 guns confiscated, 10 people shot, more than 100 gunshots detected all in 80 hours

A Columbus police officer keeps the scene secure after 10 people were shot in the Short North area of Columbus overnight. The shooting was reported about 2:30 AM and one of the 10 victims was in critical condition and the others were stable, police said.

Crime Stoppers accepting tips

Anyone with information on the shooting may call detectives at 614-645-4373 or Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS.

This breaking story will be updated.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio mass shooting wounds 10 in Columbus Short North area
Russell Arben Fox

People constantly complain about political parties. And yet, in a society where people are free to express themselves and assemble together, forming parties is both logical and a valuable way to organize disagreements into choices that can be voted on. What most people dislike, I think, arent the parties themselves, but the way they shape and are shaped by how those elections actually operate. Which is why what United Kansas is trying to do deserves attention.

United Kansas is a new party in Kansas, and its main aim is to bring back fusion voting. Sometimes called multi-party nomination voting, it simply means that different parties, representing different sets of voters, can nominate the same person as a candidate for political office. Everyone who pays attention to politics is aware there are parties besides the Democrats and Republicans out there; we somewhat regularly see Libertarian party candidates, Green party candidates, and more on our ballots. Fusion voting allows that two parties  say the Republicans and the Libertarians  could choose to back the same person, and the same candidate would then be presented on the ballot with the endorsement of both.

Fusion voting was commonplace in the first half of American history, before the electoral practices which invariably privilege two dominant parties became so entrenched. During the 19th century dozens of smaller parties regularly challenged or fused their nominees with those of other, larger parties, and by so doing obliged those major party organizations to embrace  or at least recognize  the priorities of various groups of voters. All of that made 19th-century elections, for all their racism, sexism, and corruption, in some important ways somewhat more representative than modern contests are (as the high voter turnouts a century ago demonstrate).

Unfortunately, Kansas made fusion voting illegal over a hundred years ago, mostly because Republican legislators wanted to prevent populist candidates from winning with the support of both Democratic and Peoples party voters. Most other states banned fusion voting in the early 20th century for similar reasons, with New York and a few other states remaining as exceptions.

The U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted state bans on fusion voting as not violating any constitutional freedoms. But as party primaries have become ever more controlling, with small factions of extreme activists within a party frequently defining the options for all of the partys supporters, essentially robbing certain voters of any effective voice, that ruling is due some reconsideration. United Kansas is preparing their legal arguments for when state ban comes down on their nominees, with the hope that the Kansas Supreme Court, which has not been shy in the past when it comes to articulating a higher, state-specific reading of constitutional rights, might see the value of what theyre doing, and thus begin some much-needed rethinking.

It's a long-shot, of course. But the need is real. State elections in Kansas today rarely provide much opportunity for that former mainstay of Kansas voters: the moderate Republican. United Kansas believes they still exist and want to find a way to give their views an electoral outlet which is currently denied them by the Republican leadership. (Its not a surprise that most of the candidates which United Kansas is looking to nominate in order to challenge Kansass ban are Democrats).

Bringing back fusion voting alone wont result in the structural and financial changes which American politics desperately needs. But it might be an important step in that direction. Heres hoping the Kansas Supreme Court recognizes the freedoms which our state parties today arent serving particularly well, and leads us, and thus the country, in a better direction.

Russell Arben Fox teaches politics at Friends University in Wichita.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Why bringing back fusion voting makes sense for Kansas elections
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  This week on Inside Utah Politics, we remember a Utah business leader and human rights activist. We also look at the job of wildland firefighters and federal legislation that aims to increase their pay and benefits.

Our first guest is Michael Marriott, Executive Director of the B.W. Bastian Foundation. He reflects on his longtime friend Bruce Bastian, who died last week after a long illness. Bastian co-founded WordPerfect and went on to champion the arts and LGBTQ+ rights in Utah. Marriott discusses Bastians legacy and how the foundation plans to move forward.

We also talk with Jonathon Golden, a former wildland firefighter who now advocates for firefighters and the industry. Golden discusses the conditions wildland firefighters endure and the relatively low pay they earn for doing that work. Congress is considering legislation that would raise pay and benefits for wildland firefighters, but the bill is languishing with Congress focused on other priorities. You can learn more about wildland firefighters and the movement to give them better benefits by visiting Grassroots Wildland Firefighters and the Wildfire Industry Collective.

The week brought Utah lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special legislative session. Lawmakers acted on federal Title IX rules, directing the state to ignore the federal directives. Well explain what that decision means and highlight the other issues lawmakers discussed.

In Washington, theres a movement to take a closer look at extreme heat events. As a warming climate makes heat waves more frequent, several groups want those events considered as disasters, like the way disasters are declared in the wake of hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes. FEMA would have to approve such declarations.

Inside Utah Politics airs Sundays at 8 a.m. on ABC4.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
'Out of Control' Woman Allegedly Attacks 10-Year-Old Boy and Bites Cop at New Jersey Motel Pool

Witnesses at the scene described the woman as highly intoxicated

Wildwood Crest Police/Facebook A Wildwood Crest Police Department car

A pool day took a dark turn after an intoxicated woman allegedly attacked a 10-year-old boy and bit a cop who was arresting her, authorities said.

The woman, identified as Philadelphia resident Fallan Turner, attacked the child at a motel in Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, in the afternoon of June 17, according to a news release from the Wildwood Crest Police Department.

Officers responded to the motel  which Philadelphia outlet 6 ABC identified as the Waikiki Oceanfront Inn  after witnesses reported that Turner, 43, was involved in an altercation with a child at the pool.

Witnesses at the scene described her as highly intoxicated and out of control, authorities said. Another witness allegedly told police that Turner had been drinking tequila throughout the day, 6 ABC reported.

In her intoxicated state, Turner allegedly grabbed an unrelated 10-year-old juvenile male, and swung him around in the pool, dunking him underwater, police said. And, after the 10-year-olds father tried to intervene, Turner allegedly jumped on his back and grabbed him inappropriately.

Google Maps The Waikiki Oceanfront Inn in New Jersey

After officers attempted to speak with Turner, police said she became belligerent and was placed under arrest, which she resisted.

According to police, she pushed the arresting officer in the face as she resisted his control and continued to be highly uncooperative and combative during processing, even biting an officers hand.

No officers were injured during the altercation, however, police said.

"When she was told that the people didn't want her involved she got upset," Wildwood Crest Police Chief Robert Lloyd told 6 ABC, adding that she became extremely unruly and did some very inappropriate stuff.

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.

Lloyd also told the outlet that Wildwood Crest is usually a family-friendly place, but the department has seen more cases like Turners since the COVID-19pandemic.

"It's unfortunate, he said. You're not only ruining your own vacation when you have contacts with the police, but you're also ruining the vacation of others that are just trying to have fun.

The Waikiki Oceanfront Inn did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment.

Police said Turner was charged with third-degree endangering the welfare of children, two counts of third-degree aggravated assault on law enforcement, third-degree resisting arrest with force, fourth-degree criminal sexual contact, two counts of harassment, disorderly conduct and failure to allow fingerprinting.

Jail records viewed by PEOPLE show that she also refused to allow her blood to be drawn for the polices DNA database.

Turner is currently being held at the Cape May County Correctional Facility. It is unclear if she has legal representation to comment on her behalf.



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Read the original article on People.
Theresa Drift (left) talks to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz about the flood damage sustained at her home in Cook from Tuesdays rain. Drifts basement took on about eight feet of water. Photo by Jerry Burnes/Iron Range Today.

This story was republished with permission from Iron Range Today.

COOK  At the Comet Theater, Ryan Horner walked to the back alley where his wading boots laid in the still-wet grass, he changed into them and crawled through a side window to enter the building.

Further down River Street, Ashley Franks said her business, Franks Pharmacy, took on four feet of water. Kitty corner from there, someone tied a fishing boat to a street light, which now sat on dry ground as some flood water had receded.

Theresa Drift, a local homeless advocate, thought her home was safe when only minor rainwater seeped into the basement  until it wasnt anymore  and three or four feet of sewage water poured in from her toilets and sinks. Drift and her family were temporarily staying with a friend as of Friday.

I work with homeless people and now Im homeless, Drift told Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, fighting back tears, as state officials toured one of the hardest hit areas on the Iron Range after several inches of rain deluged the area earlier in the week.

By many measures, Cook is emblematic of small town America. River Street is lined with family-owned businesses, City Hall, a library and several murals of its history and culture. Despite a population of 534 as of the 2020 census, its historically packed a political punch around Minnesota, producing two of the Iron Ranges most influential lawmakers in former senators Tom Bakk and Doug Johnson.

The town hosted its annual Timber Days summer festival in early June. It was a sun-soaked weekend of vendor booths, lawnmower races and a car show. River Street was home to the celebration and parade route through the same downtown corridor that would be impassable 10 days later.

For all its Northwoods beauty and charm, Mayor Harold Johnston told Walz that the original settlers in Cook didnt have the foresight in 1903 when they built on top of a flood plain near the Little Fork River.

Cook residents more recently battled flood waters in 2018, when several inches of rain washed out areas of the town. Still, its response to a new round of flooding drew questions.

John Jordan, who co-owns The Wash House laundromat, said by the time they realized sandbags were needed from Tuesdays rain total, there were none. Volunteers packed contractor bags with sand on Thursday, but for many homes and businesses, it was too late.

We should have been sandbagging on Wednesday, Drift, the Cook resident, told Walz. She believed the more proactive response would have made a difference. We had flooding in 2018, we should have known better.

Business owners along River Street were still assessing the damage as the governor, emergency managers and legislators toured the area.

Horner owns the Comet Theater with his wife, Stephanie. He had not seen the inside for himself until he entered through the side window to see the theater, coffee shop and boutique. Water still engulfed some of the seats.

I I didnt realize how much water there was, he said, standing in the doorway to the theater portion of the business, experiencing it all for the first time. Later, Horner said the initial look left him mostly speechless. What am I going to say? I could say were going to close the business, but thats just a reaction.

A post on the Comet Theaters Facebook page Saturday morning said the fire department pumped water out of the seating area, and community members helped power wash the seats. They were seeking out dehumidifiers as the cleanup effort started.

The Comet Theater is Minnesotas longest continuously running single-screen movie theater. Its first showing was the Wizard of Oz in 1939 and the Horners have owned it for about a year. Carol Carlson, the previous owner, was also in downtown Cook on Friday surveying the damage.

Carol turned it into what it is today  she turned it into a coffee shop and boutique, and more like a destination  its her baby, Horner said. Its hard for us and its only been a year. For her, its going to be really hard.

Franks, from the local pharmacy, said the business lost about 20% of its over-the-counter stock and 10% of its prescription drugs. Cook Hospital offered to step in and fill prescriptions for emergency situations, but she had to direct people 30 miles away to Virginia in the interim.

To the best of my knowledge, everyone is taken care of, Franks said.

The loss of critical businesses in a small town is not something new for Cook residents. They had to rebound again in 2018 when Zups Food Market, the only grocery store within a half hour radius, burned down less than six months after the floods of that year.

Zups rebuilt from scratch and reopened in 2020, but local officials and business owners said its too early to project a timeline from this years floods. Some business owners, Walz said, would face a tough decision on evaluating whether to forge ahead or close down.

At Steve Kajalas business across River Street from the pharmacy, a woman carried a handful of new mops into the storefront. Kajala is a financial advisor through Prudential, handling peoples retirement, education savings, small businesses and more.

He was able to back a truck up to his business and load all the electronics from inside to save them. Kajala said all the records were saved, but the building sustained significant damage.

We went electronic this spring, he said of the record-keeping process. So I had like two boxes of shred bins that I hauled with me, and that was it.

Walz expressed optimism that the region would qualify for federal emergency declaration standards that would trigger additional assistance. He also praised the legislators for setting a standard for state emergency funding that would be available.

Federal laws require $10.5 million in damage to public infrastructure across Minnesota and individual counties qualify for funding based on damage thresholds per population. St. Louis County, for example, is enacted at $921,062 in damage, according to a release from U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar.

Homeowners will have a tougher road ahead. Insurance will cover a portion of flood damage, but not everything when it comes to personal property. Walz said floods are the hardest disasters on people because the insurance wont make them whole, as opposed to events like tornadoes.

Thats why Ive been talking to the commissioners and the legislators  is there something we can do? Walz told Kajala as they stood next to the flooded roads near his business. It kills me everytime, because the federal government will come in and say to homeowners that theyll issue low-interest mortgages or loans. So what, I have two mortgages now?

And thats just to get back to square one, added state Sen. Grant Hauschild, who represents the Cook area.

For residents like Drift, that process hasnt even started. She told the governor that water rose to about eight feet in her basement and has since decreased quite a bit, but theres still a lot to fix. She said her furnace and water heater are among the items that might have to come out of pocket.

I live in a floodplain  I was aware of that when I bought my house, so I have flood insurance  but its not going to cover the things I have to fix, she said to Walz. Her neighbor across the street lost irreplaceable family memorabilia, and the one next door could no longer operate her day care business. Anything you can do for our homes

The post In Cook, businesses and homeowners confront the deluge appeared first on Minnesota Reformer.
UPDATE: Mayor Julian A. Mctizic says a high-speed chase on Highway 18 South that is talked about in social media posts was unrelated to the shooting incident at the block party.

The City of Boliver is partnering with Quinco Mental Health Center to offer one free counseling session for those affected by the incident.

For more information, contact Director Michelle M. Guia at 731-658-6113.

***

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  Two people were shot during a block party in Bolivar on Saturday night, District Attorney Mark Davidson said.

At approximately 11 p.m., officers responded to a shooting on Madison at Bills Street. Reportedly 60 shell casings were recovered at the scene.

The two victims are dealing with non-life-threatening injuries.

Well, I came through last night at around 7:30 and it appeared to be about 500 people here last night, Pastor Shontaviar Beasley said. Some people speculate there were thousands of people between the time I left, and when the shots rang out.

Beasleys church reportedly did not have service Sunday because of the damage caused by the event.

Two people are injured after a shooting in Orange Mound.

According to DA Davidson, two people have been taken into custody after leaving the scene and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm.

The Freaknik party was held on private property, but it spilled into city streets, blocking roadways and causing chaos in the community.

Freaknik, just the sound of it, activist Brenda Woods said. It was a block party and it should have been stopped. I saw young children with guns. Im very concerned when I see young kids 14-15 in my yard holding guns. I would advise them not to come back to my community.

Councilman Chris Williams issued the following statement about the shooting:

I write this post with a heavy heart and a deep concern for our community following the disturbing events that unfolded last night during a block party called the Freaknik in downtown Bolivar. Reports indicate that the party resulted in multiple injuries from people being shot and trampled, as well as damage to property including a church, homes, and vehicles struck by gunfire. This reckless behavior left many of our residents fearing for their safety, ducking and dodging bullets in their own homes. While the party was hosted on private property, it unintentionally overflowed into our city streets and spanned several blocks in the Frog Town community, blocking roadways, private drives, and business parking lots in the area. It has come to my attention that a lot of the individuals who came from outside of Bolivar and Hardeman County played a role in the violence that unfolded. Councilman Chris Williams

Williams also said that since becoming aware of the senseless acts of violence, hes been in contact with Bolivar Police Chief (Michael) Jones, Sheriff (John) Doolen, fellow council members and other local leaders to address the immediate aftermath and a plan for preventing such violence going forward.

We must come together as local leaders to address these issues to ensure the safety and well-being of all Bolivar residents, Williams said.

DeSoto D.A. alleges cover-up, conspiracy after inmates escape

In the statement, Williams also said that the chaos and danger that unfolded during Saturdays block party was unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our community. He added that other recent community parties had been held with little to no issues while everyone enjoyed themselves.

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Editors Note: This article was published by the twice-weekly newsletter The Counteroffensive with Tim Mak on June 23, 2024, and has been re-published by the Kyiv Independent with permission. To subscribe to "The Counteroffensive," click here.

*Sofias name has been changed due to security concerns.

They call it the gray zone: a two-kilometer stretch of road contested by both Russian and Ukrainian forces but controlled by neither. Thirty-thousand civilians have braved this treacherous path from Russia into Ukraine's northeastern Sumy Oblast, around 100 miles (161 kilometers) north of Kharkiv. The journey is perilous, often accompanied by shelling as people make their way through.

One of these brave individuals is Sofia*, who recently crossed the checkpoint on foot  the only way that's permitted. Every day, dozens of Ukrainians, including the elderly and those with limited mobility, cross the border under constant fire.

"I left the occupation, but it never left my head," Sofia said.

Sofia fled Kherson in southern Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, as large columns of Russian troops swarmed the city's outskirts. Sofia sought refuge in her mother's home village on the region's left bank, planning to decide their next steps together. However, large swathes of the region, including her mother's village, fell to Russian control before they could act. They ultimately decided not to risk leaving the now-occupied Russian territory.

Read also: Opinion: Having a child during wartime is terrifying, but its still worth it

By summer 2023, pressure on Ukrainians living in the Russian-occupied territories intensified. Russian soldiers began coercing Sofia's family to take Russian passports and searched for their home addresses. Sofia's mother, unwilling to leave their home, insisted Sofia escape while she could.

My mother and I were standing in the backyard. A Russian military vehicle drove by. Somehow, my mom told me to sit down so they wouldn't see us. So I did. The next day, we found out the Russians were looking for us, Sofia said.

They soon realized the soldiers were seeking women in their village. Sofia had to leave. Her only option was to reach the Kolotylivka-Pokrovka passageway and cross the "gray zone." This crossing was hundreds of miles away through perilous, Russian-occupied territory.

The checkpoint in Sumy Oblast was officially opened in June 2023, after Russia destroyed the Kakhovka dam, forcing many Ukrainians living in occupied territories to leave their homes. Those worst hit by the floods were on the occupied left bank of Kherson Oblast. Back then, over 200 people crossed the border every day.

People fleeing from Sumy Oblast amid Russia's war against Ukraine arrive in Kyiv, Ukraine, on July, 16, 2023. (Oleksii Chumachenko/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

There are two main ways to get to the crossing point: on one's own with public transportation or with the help of private drivers. While the former is much cheaper, it is also more difficult and dangerous; the latter option is often too expensive for most Ukrainians.

Sofia sought help from a private transport company. The driver refused to enter her small village, directing her to the city of Melitopol in Zaporizhzhia Oblast instead.

On the bus with me were elderly people who had left Kakhovka after the dam was blown up. They told me that many of their neighbors had died. They just drowned in the water. The elders took what they could from the mud and tried to evacuate at all costs, she recalled.

The route to the Sumy Oblast checkpoint was dangerous, passing through Russian-occupied parts of Donetsk Oblast and Russia. Other routes included Russian-occupied Crimea and then through Russia into Europe, but most Ukrainians preferred the first option.

Read also: Opinion: Why arguments against using Russian assets for Ukraine dont hold water

Passing by Mariupol, Sofia witnessed a city in ruins. "Children," "Help," and "We are cold" inscriptions marked the haunting deaths of at least 20,000 residents.

She experienced Russian propaganda first hand throughout her journey: The Kyiv regime destroyed everything. Our guys (Russian forces) did a good job. Look, they built the road, a Russian bus driver who was carrying Ukrainians from the occupied territories said. It was just a job for him  the fate of those he was transporting didn't interest him.

Sofia said she and her her fellow travelers were forced to provide false information about their destination in Russia as they entered the Russian-occupied part of Donetsk Oblast. None intended to stay; they all sought to return to Ukraine.

I wrote something vague and helped all the old ladies (traveling with her). Some of them could only write in Ukrainian, Sofia remembered.

To leave Russian-occupied territory and enter Ukraine, people must pass through several filtration camps where Russian troops scrutinize documents, belongings, and phones, searching for pro-Ukrainian sentiment. Those who fail filtration risk arrest and deportation to penal colonies.

People wait for their names to be called from a list to board an evacuation train in Kherson, Ukraine, on Nov. 21, 2022. (Chris McGrath/Getty Images)

Yaroslav, a volunteer who helps Ukrainians enter Ukrainian-controlled territory, said one must pass by three such checkpoints when going via Mariupol.

The Russian military did not check me because I was underage and evacuated without my parents. All the other people were checked carefully, especially men. They were searched from top to bottom: trousers, T-shirts, pockets, to see if there was anything hidden in them, Sofia explained.

After passing Russian checkpoints near Kolotylivka, evacuees must walk through the "gray zone," often alone. Recently, volunteers have been allowed to assist those with limited mobility.

The Russian side has stopped the shelling of volunteers (and) representatives of the Red Cross, who come to the 'gray zone' to meet people with limited mobility. Now they can bring stretchers and wheelchairs to help. Before, 2 kilometers was an insurmountable distance for many people, Yaroslav said.

Read also: Opinion: Tracking Ukraines reconstruction funds

Once evacuees reach Pokrovka, Ukrainian border guards check their documents and transport them to a volunteer center near Sumy. There, they receive assistance with paperwork and payments.

It was difficult because our group of evacuees consisted of 150 people. Also, we had to come and take a bed, otherwise we were left with very bad cots I had to sleep on a cot with an old lady, Sofia recalled.

Sofia said she was treated with understanding, but she was left to fend for herself. Volunteers explained everything and fed her whenever necessary until she left for Vinnytsia, a city in central Ukraine where her boyfriends family lives.

The trauma of occupation lingers: I have nightmares about being captured again. I scream. I am scared to death even though now I can sleep calmly. I couldn't do that at home. We always thought that (the Russians) would come and rape us or just kill us. That's what happened in the neighboring villages, Sofia said.

Sofia's memories of her lost home and her mother, who stayed behind, haunt her: After the liberation of Kherson, some people think that the whole region has been freed and everything is okay. But the left bank is still under occupation, and people often do not talk about it. It is just as bad. The same torture chambers, the same deportations, the same killings, the same houses are being taken away."

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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ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)  A China-backed pipeline that would make Niger an oil-exporting country is being threatened by an internal security crisis and a diplomatic dispute with neighoring Benin, both as a result of last years coup that toppled the West African nations democratic government.

The 1,930-kilometer (1,200-mile) pipeline runs from Nigers Chinese-built Agadem oil field to the port of Cotonou in Benin. It was designed to help the oil-rich but landlocked Niger achieve an almost fivefold increase in oil production through a $400 million deal signed in April with Chinas state-run national petroleum company.

But it has been stalled by several challenges, including the diplomatic disagreement with Benin that led to the pipelines closure last week. There also has been an attack this week by the local Patriotic Liberation Front rebel group, which claimed to have disabled a part of the pipeline and is threatening more attacks if the $400 million deal with China isn't canceled.

The group, led by Salah Mahmoud, a former rebel leader, took up arms after Niger's junta came to power, posing further security threats to the country, which is already struggling with a deadly security crisis.

Analysts say the crises could further hurt Niger, one of the worlds poorest countries which funds most of its budget with now-withheld external support in the aftermath of the coup.

Niger currently has a local refining capacity of only 20,000 barrels per day (bpd) for local demands while the pipeline is to export up to 90,000 barrels daily  a feat officials and analysts have said would help the country shore up its revenue and emerge from the coup sanctions that had isolated it from regional neighbors and hurt its economy and people.

It is a completely messy situation and the only way for a resolution is if both administrations directly engage and resolve issues, said Ryan Cummings, director of Africa-focused security consulting company Signal Risk.

One major concern is how the stalled pipeline operation might impact Nigers overall economic growth. The World Bank had projected that the West African nations economy would rebound and grow the fastest in Africa this year at a rate of 6.9%, with oil exports as a key boost.

The diplomatic tensions with Benin date back to July when Nigers president, Mohamed Bazoum, was deposed in a coup, resulting in West African neighbors closing their borders with Niger, and in the formation of the so-called local liberation group now threatening more attacks on the oil project.

Benin, alongside other neighbors, has reopened its border with Niger, but Nigerien officials have refused to open theirs, accusing Benin of hosting French troops that pose a threat to the country after Niger severed military ties with France. That has led Benins president, Patrice Talon, to make the oil exportation through its port conditional on the reopening of the border.

Both countries are losing out economically, with Benin also being deprived of millions of dollars in transit fees. Observers say the impasse is worsening regional tensions since the coup, which came after a string of other military takeovers. It has pitched Niger against the Economic Community of West African States, or ECOWAS, which usually mediates on such issues.

With Niger tilting towards Russia in its diplomatic shift and Benin aligned with France and the West African bloc, China has tried to step in and resolve the impasse and benefit from its investment in the project.

But even Beijings efforts, which resulted in the first lifting of oil from the Agadem field in May, collapsed as the diplomatic spat escalated further.

Benin this week convicted and imprisoned three of five Nigerien oil workers it recently arrested at the Beninise port after they crossed from the border and were accused of use of falsified computer data. Their arrests prompted Niger to shut the pipeline last week, with a senior government official alleging that their oil is being stolen by other people.

A big concern for Nigers military government at this stage is whether they have the requisite fiscal capacity to keep paying for public services following the coup, which has made it unable to meet some of its financial obligations such as debt repayment and infrastructural funding, Cummings said.

The junta in Niger "definitely have to be more cautious in handling the financial position of the country amid the ongoing crises, he said.

___

Virgile Ahissou contributed to this report from Cotonou, Benin.
CHICAGO  Police are offering a warning to residents on the citys North Side after a man attempted to lure a 12-year-old girl into his car early Saturday morning.

According to Chicago police, the incident unfolded between 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m. in the 3900 block of North Wayne Avenue, in Wrigleyville.

Officers say the girl was walking in the area when a man in a black SUV approached her and told her to get into his car two times. The girl then returned to her home without incident.

LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland

Authorities described the individual involved as an African American man who is believed to be around 50 years of age with a shaved head. At the time of the incident, officers say he was wearing dark sunglasses and a dark shirt.

Police are now urging North Side residents to remain aware and alert neighbors about the incident.

Officers warn the public to maintain an awareness of their surroundings and urge anyone who may witness a similar event not to approach the subjects and to instead note any unique details or characteristics about the offenders to provide the information to the police.

Officers also advise parents not to let their children walk or play alone and say families should establish safe havens along their childrens routes to school and home.

Teen killed, 2 others injured in West Ridge drive-by shooting

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact CPD Area Three Detectives at 312-744-8266 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.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
(COLORADO SPRINGS)  The Cimarron Hills Fire Department (CHFD) posted to their X account around 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 23 that they are on scene at an accident which is blocking traffic at Hwy 24 and Powers.

Westbound Hwy 24 is shut down, according to CHFD. They are advising people to please use alternate routes.

FOX21 will continue to watch this situation and provide updates when they are available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) accused Democrats of supporting pro-Palestinian protesters for political gain Sunday morning.

The senator, who is facing re-election in Texas against current Rep. Collin Allred (D-Texas), joined radio host John Catsimatidis in a Sunday interview on The Cats Roundtable on WABC 770 AM to criticize the Biden administration and Democrats approach to immigration and U.S. foreign policy. He honed in on the influence of the pro-Palestine movement on the upcoming election for the Democratic party.

Theyre having pro-Hamas rallies, and the Democrat Party is paralyzed because they want the votes, Cruz said.

He continued to accuse Democrats, as well as the criminal justice system and school administrators, of being too lenient towards the student protestors on college campuses across the country who participated in pro-Palestine encampments and demonstrations.

If anyone threatens another student  and were seeing Jewish students threatened at universities across the country, Cruz said, heres what should happen: You threaten another student, you should be arrested. You should be prosecuted. You should be expelled.

Cruzs statement comes days after 31 of 46 students arrested for their alleged participation in the occupation of Columbia Universitys Hamilton hall had their charges dropped by the Manhattan district attorneys office. Prosecutors dropped the case due to a lack of evidence and criminal history among the students arrest.

Columbia has signaled that it is considering expulsion for tens of students involved in the months of protests on its campus. Over 3,100 people have been arrested for participating in pro-Palestine protests on a college campus, according to a New York Times tracker.

Cruz also alleged that student protestors were being funded by people directly affiliated with Hamas. He turned his frustration towards the Justice Department saying that it was too politicized to investigate.

Theyre not willing to investigate that, because many of those donors are funding Joe Biden, and are funding my Democratic opponent, he said during the interview.

In May, Cruz joined a coalition of GOP Senators calling on the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to investigate the nonprofit organizations financially supporting National Students for Justice in Palestine  the group responsible for coordinating pro-Palestine college movements across the country. The IRS has yet to publicly respond to the letter.

Dont send money to people who want to murder you, Cruz told Catsimatidis. The Democrat party is lined up in support of essentially our enemies.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., at left, and State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha are running for the 2nd District seat in the Omaha-area. (Courtesy of Photos/House of Representatives and Unicameral Information Office)

OMAHA  The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee this week announced reserving $1 million in television advertising time in Nebraskas 2nd District U.S. House race.

The group said it had reserved none by this point in the 2022 election cycle, in the first race between Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and Democratic State Sen. Tony Vargas of Omaha.

Bacon beat Vargas that time by about three percentage points in a campaign that was flooded with nearly $11 million in outside spending and more than $7 million in spending by the campaigns.

Already in this years rematch, Bacon has raised $3.5 million and Vargas has raised $2.4 million. Both have spent at least $800,000. Each has more than $1.6 million in cash on hand.

$28 million in national ads

The local slice of $28 million in initial DCCC ad reservations indicates the Nebraska race remains a national target despite the districts slight Republican lean.

The group reserved TV ads for swing-district House candidates in 15 broadcast markets, including Omaha, and digital ads in 21 states, including Nebraska.

It also announced 2nd District digital ad reservations, but did not detail the amount.

Nationally, the group said it set aside $16 million of that $28 million total for TV ads and $12 million for digital to reach voters in some of the most important battleground districts.

DCCC Executive Director Julie Metz said in a statement that the party is trying to target harder-to-reach voters where they are, which is increasingly on their handheld devices.

The stakes for the House Majority couldnt be higher, Merz said. This approach ensures that we are equipped to effectively elevate the threat of GOP extremism.

Political observers said they expect major investment again in the 2nd District race in part because any party investments will also help the major party presidential candidates.

Both President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have started staffing up campaigns in the 2nd District and are competing for the districts stray Electoral College vote.

Nebraska and Maine are the only states that award a portion of the states electoral votes to the winners of the presidential popular vote in each congressional district.

Republicans respond

The National Republican Congressional Committee is still in the process of announcing its first major ad reservations of the general election campaign.

But the groups national press secretary, Will Reiner, said Democrats are playing defense, spending the vast majority of the reservation protecting vulnerable Democratic incumbents.

Extreme House Democrats are waving the white flag and abandoning their dreams of a House majority, he said. Thats the only way to explain their measly reservation on offense.

The GOP-led Congressional Leadership Fund has already announced a separate $2.8 million ad reservation to help Bacon. Thats up from the $1.3 million it reserved in early 2022.

The Democratic-led House Majority PAC has previously announced a separate $2 million pledge to reserve ad time in support of Vargas, who represents South Omaha in the Legislature.

The post DCCC reserves $1 million in early advertising spots to boost Vargas appeared first on Nebraska Examiner.
CAIRO  More than 1,300 people died during this years Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia as the faithful faced extreme high temperatures at Islamic holy sites in the desert kingdom, Saudi authorities announced Sunday.

Saudi Health Minister Fahd bin Abdurrahman Al-Jalajel said that 83% of the 1,301 fatalities were unauthorized pilgrims who walked long distances in soaring temperatures to perform the Hajj rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca.

Speaking with the state-owned Al Ekhbariya TV, the minister said 95 pilgrims were being treated in hospitals, some of whom were airlifted for treatment in the capital, Riyadh. He said the identification process was delayed because there were no identification documents with many of the dead pilgrims.

He said the dead were buried in Mecca, without giving a breakdown.

The fatalities included more than 660 Egyptians. All but 31 of them were unauthorized pilgrims, according to two officials in Cairo. Egypt has revoked the licenses of 16 travel agencies that helped unauthorized pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia, authorities said.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief journalists, said most of the dead were reported at the Emergency Complex in Meccas Al-Muaisem neighborhood. Egypt sent more than 50,000 authorized pilgrims to Saudi Arabia this year.

Saudi authorities cracked down on unauthorized pilgrims, expelling tens of thousands of people. But many, mostly Egyptians, managed to reach holy sites in and around Mecca, some on foot. Unlike authorized pilgrims, they had no hotels to return to to escape the scorching heat.

In a statement Saturday, Egypts government said the 16 travel agencies failed to provide adequate services for pilgrims. It said these agencies illegally facilitated the travel of pilgrims to Saudi Arabia using visas that dont allow holders to travel to Mecca.

The government also said officials from the companies have been referred to the public prosecutor for investigation.

According to the state-owned Al-Ahram daily, some travel agencies and Hajj trip operators sold Saudi tourist visas to Egyptian Hajj hopefuls, violating Saudi regulations which require exclusive visas for pilgrims. Those agencies left pilgrims in limbo in Mecca and the holy sites in scorching heat, the newspaper said.

The fatalities also included 165 pilgrims from Indonesia, 98 from India and dozens more from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Malaysia, according to an Associated Press tally. Two U.S. citizens were also reported dead.

The AP could not independently confirm the causes of death, but some countries like Jordan and Tunisia blamed the soaring heat. AP journalists saw pilgrims fainting from the scorching heat, especially on the second and third days of the Hajj. Some vomited and collapsed.

Historically, deaths are not uncommon at the Hajj, which has seen at times over 2 million people travel to Saudi Arabia for a five-day pilgrimage. The pilgrimages history has also seen deadly stampedes and epidemics.

But this years tally was unusually high, suggesting exceptional circumstances.

In 2015 a stampede in Mina killed over 2,400 pilgrims, the deadliest incident ever to strike the pilgrimage, according to an AP count. Saudi Arabia has never acknowledged the full toll of the stampede. A separate crane collapse at Meccas Grand Mosque earlier the same year killed 111.

The second-deadliest incident at the Hajj was a 1990 stampede that killed 1,426 people.

During this years Hajj period, daily high temperatures ranged between 46 degrees Celsius (117 degrees Fahrenheit) and 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) in Mecca and sacred sites in and around the city, according to the Saudi National Center for Meteorology. Some people fainted while trying to perform the symbolic stoning of the devil.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is one of the worlds largest religious gatherings. More than 1.83 million Muslims performed the Hajj in 2024, including more than 1.6 million from 22 countries, and around 222,000 Saudi citizens and residents, according to the Saudi Hajj authorities.

Saudi Arabia has spent billions of dollars on crowd control and safety measures for those attending the annual five-day pilgrimage, but the sheer number of participants makes it difficult to ensure their safety.

Climate change could make the risk even greater. A 2019 study by experts at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that even if the world succeeds in mitigating the worst effects of climate change, the Hajj would be held in temperatures exceeding an extreme danger threshold from 2047 to 2052, and from 2079 to 2086.

Islam follows a lunar calendar, so the Hajj comes around 11 days earlier each year. By 2029, the Hajj will occur in April, and for several years after that it will fall in the winter, when temperatures are milder.
These are the debate traps Republicans fear Trump may fall into

With just days to go before Donald Trump and Joe Biden face off in the first presidential debate, Republicans are concerned about the possibility of the former president walking into a trap in front of a national audience.

Fearing a repeat of the chaos of the first 2020 debate in which Trump kept interrupting and speaking over both Biden and moderator Chris Wallace, senior party figures are urging him to stay calm and follow the rules.

The issue is clearly on the former presidents mind too, as he asked supporters at a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday (June 22) whether he should be tough and nasty or nice and calm and let Biden speak.

He may not have a choice as debate rules state that when one candidate is responding to a question, the others microphone will be muted.

Nevertheless, Trump is being urged to tone things down for the CNN-hosted debate on June 27, The Hill reports.

Allies hope he can avoid alienating independent and swing voters with his trademark bombastic and confrontational rhetoric and demeanor. If he can resist launching into a tirade and stay on the rails, he could come out on top.

The president meanwhile has to telegraph a message of stability and competence while reminding voters of the turmoil of the Trump administration and warning about what might come in a second term.

Bidens campaign frames Trump as obsessed with the past, not the future and willing to sacrifice our democracy to put himself in power versus their focus on building a future for the American people.

Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden answers a question as President Donald Trump listens during the second and final presidential debate in the 2020 election (REUTERS)

Indeed, that will likely sit squarely alongside the inescapable fact that the former president is now a convicted felon and is fighting three other indictments.

Speaking on Meet the Press on NBC on Sunday morning Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu said: I'll let the President say what he's going to say. But the fact of the matter is that the sky is blue sometimes and Donald Trump is a convicted felon.

Landrieu also said: People are going to know that he's a twice impeached convicted felon who has been found to have defamed somebody, sexually abused somebody and going bankrupt six times.

It is hard to imagine that this will not raise the ire of the former president.

Dont take the bait, Senator John Thune of South Dakota told The Hill. Demeanors important, tones important. I think you can be decisive and strong, as he is, but I think in many ways you want to give President Biden as much rope as possible because I dont think that probably is going to play well for him.

This is why you play them, right? The debates are going to be important as they always are, he continued.

WATCH: @PeterAlexander asks if President Biden will make former President Trumps legal issues a centerpiece of Thursdays debate.



Biden campaign co-chair @MitchLandrieu: The fact of the matter is that the sky is blue sometimes and Donald Trump is a convicted felon. pic.twitter.com/UTGDbpTSVQ  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 23, 2024

If [Trump] comes in there and just shows strength and leadership but maintains a calm demeanor and lets Biden go, it goes well for him.

This is the first time since televised debates began in 1960 that the first face-off has occurred before either partys convention.

In going early in the election season, both candidates have an opportunity to get their message out to Americans who may not have yet engaged in the election. There is also a significant block of voters who are turned off by the advanced age of both candidates, so capability is key.

Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, once a fierce Trump critic and now one of his staunchest allies said: The main focus is going to be: is Biden capable?

Trump and Biden will square off in the first presidential debate in Atlanta on June 27, 2024 (AP)

If I were President Trump, I would talk about right track, wrong track, he continued. I dont think he needs to be overly aggressive. Just make the case that if you think were on the wrong track, youre right.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia observes: I think theyre going to be looking for other cues in terms of: is President Biden capable of answering all the questions relevantly, and is President Trump within the rails?

Veteran Republican strategist Karl Rove wrote in The Wall Street Journal: Mr Trump cant come off as unhinged or enraged. The words rigged election shouldnt pass his lips. He has to keep his cool and cant make it all about himself.

NBCs Peter Alexander also asked South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem whether Trump should avoid personal insults during the debate.

I dont think that he has to ... get personal. ... Hes going to have so many good things to talk about, she said.

WATCH: In 2022, @GovKristiNoem said she didnt appreciate Trumps use of personal insults.@PeterAlexander: Should he avoid those insults on the debate stage?



Noem: I dont think that he has to ... get personal. ... Hes going to have so many good things to talk about pic.twitter.com/Nm1h7TU7sY  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 23, 2024

One potential Trump running mate, Senator JD Vance of Ohio, recognizes the importance of the debate but is confident that the former president can stick to a theme that appears to resonate with many voters.

I think its going to be a good night, but its a very important night, Vance said. He just has to make his case to the American people. Theres a very clear contrast between how things were under him and how things were under Biden. He just, I think, has to hit that theme and thats what well do.

The debate will be hosted by CNNs Jake Tapper and Dana Bash in Atlanta on Thursday at 9pm est  there will be no studio audience and moderators will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion.

Both candidates agreed to accept the rules and format of the debate, as outlined in letters sent to the campaigns by the network in May.

The 90-minute debate will include two commercial breaks and campaign staff may not interact with their candidate during that time.

Both candidates agreed to appear at a uniform podium, with Trump to the left and Biden to the right as determined by a coin flip. Politifact has debunked an online rumor that the Biden team asked for the candidates to be seated.

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.

No props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage. Candidates will simply be given a pen, a pad of paper, and a bottle of water.

The Independent will be covering the debate live as well as the build-up and post-game analysis.
Similar to the tale of Goldilocks, a bear caught on camera in a Facebook video made visits to several homes on Julie Lane in Newark, according to residents.

During Saturday's sweltering heat, 5-year-old Bella Foster was sitting in the living room of their Barksdale Estates home when she saw "a man" on the back deck of the house around 6:30 p.m. Two of the family's dogs, Sophie and Coco, barked at the intruder on the other side of the sliding glass doors but kept their distance.

As it turned out, the trespasser was not a man but a black bear, likely the same one that had been seen by several people on Julie Lane and in nearby Maryland. The girl said that when she saw the creature's leg as it left the deck, she realized it was a bear.

"Because I saw the legs because humans have skinny legs and bears have big legs," Bella said.

Christine Mulrooney, Bella Foster and Patrick Foster stand on their back deck on June 23, 2024, a day after Bella spotted a bear. Several neighbors in the Barksdale Estates neighborhood reported seeing a bear in their backyards on Julie Lane in Newark.

Hearing her granddaughter yell out, Christine Mulrooney went to investigate. She spotted the bear in their yard, running and eventually disappearing into the bamboo that borders the wooded area behind their home.

To reach the second-level deck, the bear had toppled the gate at the top of the stairs. It went for the birdfeeder hanging at the end of a pole. Mulrooney said there was birdseed scattered everywhere. No one was injured, but with three dogs, the family felt slightly unsettled after the incident.

Uncertain about what to do, Mulrooney posted on Facebook asking for advice on who to contact when encountering a bear and called Newark police.

Several neighbors of the Barksdale Estates neighborhood reported seeing a bear in their backyards on Julie Lane in Newark. This is the wooded area the bear ran into, according to one family. June 23, 2024.

Upon their arrival, the officers patrolled the area but, they did not venture into the woods. Instead, they used their lights to check for reflections from the animal's eyes. As they were getting ready to leave, one of the officers asked, "'Mind if I come through the house?'" recalled Mulrooney.

Mulrooney said they received a call from the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, which recommended that if they spot the animal again, they should try to capture a video and contact them immediately.

Bear sightings also reported in Maryland

When Patrick Foster learned about the event, he decided to share it on Reddit. In response, another user commented that a bear had been seen in Rising Sun near the Pennsylvania border on June 12. The Reddit response said a bear had also been sighted at Fair Hill near the intersection of Maryland's Route 213 and Route 273. The driving distance between that location and the woods behind Julie Lane is about 6 miles  taking shortcuts through the patchwork of wooded areas could reduce the travel time.

"If there's a report that he's back in or another report that is another bear sighting in Maryland, we'll feel better," Foster said.

A day after the bear sighting on Julie Lane, a few houses up from the Mulrooneys, Lynia Dixon was outside her home with her iguana Spike on her shoulder, allowing the lizard to warm itself. She said her other neighbors told her they have camera footage of the bear on their deck, too.

A day after reported bear sightings on Julie Lane in Newark, Lynia Dixon allows her iguana to sunbathe on her chest. Several neighbors in Barksdale Estates neighborhood reported seeing a bear in their backyards. June 23, 2024.

A manager at a veterinary practice, Dixon said it's typical for male bears to roam in search of food. She advised that as long as no one approaches or attempts to feed the bear, there is little cause for concern. Noting that bears will rummage through garbage, Dixon hoped people would keep their trash cans tightly closed.

Dixon understands the concerns people with dogs may have, but she isn't worried. She said while black bears are generally not aggressive and are seldom a threat to humans, "If it came through the yard right now, I wouldn't stand here. I would get in my car."

Black bear sightings in Delaware

How to bear-proof your property

These tips are from the New Castle County police and the state Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control:

Lock garbage in a secure trash container, or keep it inside until the day of pickup. (If you keep it in your garage, close your garage door  bears are not afraid to wander into garages in search of treats.)

Store cooking grills inside or keep them clean of food residue.

Rinse trash containers with ammonia to eliminate food odor.

Temporarily discontinue using backyard compost piles.

Temporarily remove birdfeeders.

If you have animals: a. Keep pet food indoors, and pets close to buildings and outdoor lighting. b. If you have electric fencing, make sure its turned on to protect chicken coops, livestock nursery pens, etc.

You can contact Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.

This story includes previous Delaware Online/The News Journal reporting.

This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Bear spotted in Newark possibly same as one seen in Maryland
Democrats have control in Washington. They dont want to lose it.

Washington State Democratic Chair Shasti Conrad speaks at the state party convention on Saturday in Bellevue. (Laurel Demkovich/Washington State Standard)

BELLEVUE  Democrats know theyve been winning in Washington.

They hold all statewide elected offices. They have a near supermajority in the Legislature. And theres been a Democratic governor since the 1980s.

But to the hundreds of delegates who gathered at their party convention on Saturday, there is more work to do in the Evergreen State and across the country.

We are not letting Republicans get an inch, Democratic State Party Chair Shasti Conrad told members of the Jewish caucus. And we do not let Donald Trump get close to the Oval Office again.

Opening day was spent strategizing how best to keep their grip on power and prevent conservative forces loyal to Trump from getting a toehold in the state.

They learned ways to talk to voters about crime, abortion and President Joe Bidens age. They heard ways to attract new Democratic voters  and keep them. And, most importantly, they were urged not to take anything for granted.

I think in 100 years, people will look back at this moment and ask a question: Did we, the American people, fight with everything we have against this fascist totalitarianism that is sweeping the world? said U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, who is running for reelection this year.

Saturdays events were calm, but tension loomed ahead of Sundays general session where delegates will finalize candidate nominations and approve the partys platform. Debates over nuclear power, legalizing sex work and calling for a permanent ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza are expected.

We cannot be complacent

This November, Democrats are preparing to defend their lock on statewide elected offices, gain new seats in the Legislature and defeat three Republican-backed initiatives that could reverse recent progressive policy gains on climate change, child care and long-term care insurance.

On Saturday night, the message from Democratic candidates and officeholders was to keep fighting.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson  the partys choice for governor  warned the crowd of dark days ahead if his expected Republican opponent Dave Reichert and Trump are elected.

We cannot be complacent, Ferguson said. Im begging you, from the bottom of my heart. This election will be close.

In his last address to the party as governor, Jay Inslee told attendees to push against the most retrograde, backward, aggressively injurious initiatives on our ballot in the history of the state.

The three initiatives on the ballot in November will repeal the states capital gains tax, the Climate Commitment Act and its cap-and-trade program, and severely jeopardize the finances of Washingtons new long-term care insurance program.

We are not going backwards, Inslee said. This is a forward state.

In the state Legislature, Democrats are close to a supermajority  two-thirds of seats in both the House and the Senate. Party leaders are quietly confident they can pick up the needed seats this election cycle.

Doing so would allow Democrats to send proposed amendments to the state Constitution to voters  potentially on issues like adding abortion protections or dropping a requirement that school bond ballot measures require 60% approval to pass.

Its my job to try, said House Majority Leader Monica Stonier, D-Vancouver, who leads the campaign operation for her caucus. Were going to give it our best shot.

Notably not on the weekends speaking agenda: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mark Mullet, the two Democratic candidates for attorney general and the five Democratic candidates for public lands commissioner.

Conrad said the attorney general and lands commissioner candidates didnt get to speak because all Democratic candidates in those races have some support among county parties, and there was not enough time.

Mullet, however, has not received any local party support while Ferguson has, Conrad said. Ferguson, she added, is the partys best chance to win governor.

In response to not getting an invitation to speak, Mullet released a pre-recorded speech on Friday to address voters and Democratic delegates. In it, he makes his case that hes a Democratic candidate with a proven track record of bipartisanship.

More to come

On Sunday, delegates will gather in person or virtually to vote on the partys platform and approve candidate nominations.

Nominations are pretty much set as any candidate who gets the support of at least five legislative district committees automatically gets the support of the state party. So in some races with multiple Democrats, like attorney general or public lands commissioner, the party is backing multiple candidates.

Debate could get heated over some resolutions that have yet to be agreed upon.

Three of them center on the war in Gaza, and a host of delegates concerned with Bidens handling of it.

Faheem Khan, a delegate from Redmond and general secretary of the American Muslim Advancement Council, said he wants to see a ceasefire resolution passed on Sunday, but more than that, he wants the state party on record opposing Bidens path on the war so far.

Our president is not aligned with a whole bunch of people who have been completely supportive of him, Khan said. We feel like our voices have not been heard. This is our attempt to send a message through a means that actually matters.

Conrad said she is prepared for Sundays debate and said the main goal is to leave with a platform that includes issues that really matter to the party.

We are the party of nuance and discussion and debate, and we want to welcome people to be able to talk about things that they care about, Conrad said.

Meanwhile, the activist group Seattle IfNotNow is organizing a daylong vigil Sunday outside the Meydenbauer Center where delegates are gathering. Howard Gale, a member, helped craft a resolution calling for the U.S. to stop sending offensive weapons to Israel until the end of fighting.

The post Democrats have control in Washington. They dont want to lose it. appeared first on Washington State Standard.
Democrats wrestle with whether to attend Netanyahu's address to Congress as many plan to boycott

FILE - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks March 3, 2015, before a joint meeting of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington. Democratic lawmakers in the House and Senate are wrestling with whether to attend Netanyahu's address to Congress on July 24, 2024. Many are torn between their long-standing support for Israel and their anguish about the way Netanyahu's government has waged war in Gaza. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

WASHINGTON (AP)  The last time Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the U.S. Congress, nearly 60 Democrats skipped his speech nine years ago, calling it a slap in the face to then-President Barack Obama as he negotiated a nuclear deal with Iran.

With Netanyahu scheduled to address U.S. lawmakers on July 24 and his government now at war with Hamas in Gaza, the number of absences is likely to be far greater.

Congressional Democrats are wrestling with whether to attend. Many are torn between their long-standing support for Israel and their anguish about the way Israel has conducted military operations in Gaza. More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the Hamas attack on Oct. 7 that triggered the war, according to the Health Ministry in Hamas-run territory. The ministry does not differentiate between civilians and combatants in its figures.

While some Democrats are saying they will come out of respect for Israel, a larger and growing faction wants no part of it, creating an extraordinarily charged atmosphere at a gathering that normally amounts to a ceremonial, bipartisan show of support for an American ally.

I wish that he would be a statesman and do what is right for Israel. We all love Israel, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said recently on CNN about Netanyahu. We need to help them and not have him stand in the way of that for such a long time.

She added, I think its going to invite more of what we have seen in terms of discontent among our own.

Tensions between Netanyahu and Democratic President Joe Biden have been seeping into the public, with Netanyahu last week accusing the Biden administration of withholding U.S. weapons from Israel  a claim he made again Sunday to his Cabinet. After the prime minister leveled the charge the first time, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We genuinely do not know what hes talking about. We just dont.

The invitation from House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to Netanyahu came after consultation with the White House, according to a person familiar with the matter who was granted anonymity to discuss the sensitive subject. As of now, no meeting between the leaders during Netanyahu's Washington visit has been scheduled, this person said.

Netanyahu said in a release that he was very moved by the invitation to address Congress and the chance to present the truth about our just war against those who seek to destroy us to the representatives of the American people and the entire world.

Republicans first floated the idea in March of inviting Netanyahu after Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish official in the United States, gave a speech on the Senate floor that was harshly critical of the prime minister. Schumer, D-N.Y., called the Israeli leader an obstacle to peace and urged new elections in Israel, even as he denounced Hamas and criticized Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Republicans denounced the speech as an affront to Israel and its sovereignty. Johnson spoke of asking Netanyahu to come to Washington, an invitation that Schumer and House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York ultimately endorsed, albeit reluctantly. Pelosi, who opposed the invitation to Netanyahu in 2015 when she was Democratic leader, said it was a mistake for the congressional leadership to extend it again this time.

Democratic Sen. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, who attended the 2015 address as a House member, said he saw no reason why Congress should extend a political lifeline to Netanyahu.

Rep. Michael McCaul, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said it would be healthy for members of both parties to attend. I think that a lot of Americans are getting a one-sided narrative, especially the younger generation, and I think its important they hear from the prime minister of Israel, in terms of his perspective, said McCaul, R-Texas.

Interviews with more than a dozen Democrats revealed the breadth of discontent over the coming address, which many feel is a Republican ploy intended to divide their party. Some Democrats say they will attend to express their support for Israel, not Netanyahu.

New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he has an obligation to attend because of that position.

It should not have taken place, he added. But I cant control that. And I have to do my job.

Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Md., who leads the Sente Foreign Relations Committee, has signaled he will be there. Cardin said that what hes looking for in Netanyahus speech is a type of message that can strengthen the support in this country for Israels needs, but also lay the groundwork for peace in the region.

Other Democrats are waiting to see whether Netanyahu will still be prime minister by the time he is supposed to speak to Congress.

There have been open signs of discontent over the handling of the war by Netanyahus government, a coalition that includes right-wing hard-liners who oppose any kind of settlement with Hamas.

Benny Gantz, a former military chief and centrist politician, withdrew from Netanyahus war Cabinet this month, citing frustration over the prime ministers conduct of the war. On Monday, Netanyahu dissolved that body. Meantime, a growing number of critics and protesters in Israel have backed a cease-fire proposal that would bring home hostages taken by Hamas.

Rep. Seth Magaziner, D-R.I., said he stands with those "who hope that hes not prime minister by the time late July rolls around. I think that he has been bad for Israel, bad for Palestinians, bad for America. But, he added, he believes it his job to show up when a head of state addresses Congress, even if its someone who I have concerns about and disagree with.

Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., attended the 2015 speech and described it as among the most painful hours he has spent while in Congress. He plans to boycott unless Netanyahu became a champion for a cease-fire."

A large portion of the Congressional Progressive Caucus  lawmakers who are among the most critical of Israels handling of the war  is expected to skip. Among them is Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, the chair of the caucus, who told The Associated Press that it was a bad idea, to invite Netanyahu.

We should be putting pressure on him by withholding offensive military assistance so that he sticks to the deal that the president has laid out, she said.

Netanyahu's visit is expected to draw significant protests and some members of Congress are planning an alternative event.

Rep. Jim Clyburn said he is in the early stages of bringing like-minded people together to exchange ideas about a path forward for Israelis and Palestinians that includes a two-state solution. The senior Democrat from South Carolina was a vocal critic of Netanyahu's 2015 address, which he and several prominent members of the Congressional Black Caucus viewed as an affront to Obama.

I just think that, rather than just say, Im not going to go, Im going to stay way, I am saying Im going to stay away with a purpose, he said. "Im not going to listen to his foolishness. But here are some ideas that we have that might be a way forward.

___ Associated Press writers Kevin Freking, Josh Boak, Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

___

This story has been corrected to reflect that White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We genuinely do not know what hes talking about," not We generally do not know what hes talking about," in response to claims by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the Biden administration was withholding U.S. weapons from Israel.
Denver police ask residents to tell them about recovered stolen cars

DENVER (KDVR)  The Denver Police Department took to social media with a request for residents: If you report your car as stolen but find it without the help of police, let them know.

The department elaborated on one of the incidents that happened on June 19 where they made contact with people in cars that had been reported stolen but had, unknowingly to police, been returned to their rightful owner.

In one incident, it turned out a family member took the vehicle without the owner knowing and was later returned.

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The owner did not report this to police, so DPD said the vehicle remained listed as stolen on both the national and the state auto theft database.

Officers saw the vehicle and approached it thinking that it was being driven by a theft suspect. However, officers quickly learned the driver was the owner.

According to a report released in March, there were a reported 32,976 car thefts in the state in 2023, which was down 21% from 2022.

That equals around 560 cars stolen for every 100,000 residents in the state.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
DENVER (KDVR)  Leanna Stoufer is a Denver trauma care counselor who volunteers with Global Care Force, a nonprofit that provides mobile medical clinics and free healthcare to people in Ukrainian villages without access to a doctor or nurse.

She goes to provide support if patients say they experience anxiety, depression or any other effects of trauma. She recently returned from her second trip to Ukraine this year.

Celine Dion Foundation donates $2M for research at CUs Anschutz campus

A lot of what I was doing was the psychoeducation piece of explaining how trauma affects people, how our brains react to trauma, the kinds of physical reactions that we have, to normalize that, Stoufer said.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

Global Care Force volunteers, including Denver resident Leanna Stoufer, a trauma care counselor, volunteered in Ukraine in February, and returned in June.

She listened to their stories of destruction, loss and grief, and tried to help. She remembers talking to one woman who fled Mariupol.

She had previously loved to write; she was a poet. She came in saying I think Ive lost my mind; I cant function anymore, I cant think clearly anymore. It was like this is why Im here, to be able to explain that was a normal reaction to trauma, and we were able to talk about some ways to deal with the anxiety, and to start processing on her own, Stoufer said.

Windsors sonic buoys are helping fight harmful algae blooms

She hopes that the group is making a difference.

They are fighting for their existence, she said. People need to know that they havent been forgotten.

Stoufer is planning to go back to Ukraine in November. Volunteers raise funds to support their service and purchase medical supplies and you can find a link to her fundraising page here.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Deputies: 2 hurt in crash on I-96 near Coopersville

WRIGHT TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD)  Deputies say two people were hurt Saturday in a crash on I-96 in Wright Township.

It happened around 4:55 p.m. on eastbound I-96 near mile marker 21, which is near 32nd Avenue, according to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office.

Deputies say highway traffic was slowing down, but a 69-year-old Kentwood man failed to slow down and ultimately rear-ended a car driven by a 37-year-old Muskegon man.

Then, the car driven by the Muskegon man went sideways and hit a car driven by a 21-year-old Nunica woman, according to the sheriffs office.

Deputies say the Kentwood man complained of injuries, and his passenger, a 40-year-old Kentwood woman, was also hurt. The Kentwood woman was taken to the hospital.

The Muskegon man and his passenger were not injured, according to the sheriffs office. Likewise, the Nunica woman was not hurt, and there were no passengers in her car, deputies told News 8.

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Eastbound I-96 was closed for about an hour and a half as deputies investigated.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Gov. Ron DeSantis on Friday signed a controversial measure that will bolster self-defense arguments for people who kill bears on their property, while vetoing a bill that would have prevented motorists from cruising in the left lanes of highways.

DeSantis office announced Friday night that he had signed 14 bills from this years legislative session and vetoed three. Among the other bills he signed was a measure (SB 7014) that revamped ethics laws.

The bill about bears (HB 87) provides a sort of stand-your-ground defense for people who shoot bears to defend themselves or property. But with bear hunting long a controversial issue in Florida, opponents of the bill said it would lead to increased deaths of the once-threatened animals. Opponents said they will consider legal action to try to halt the law, which is scheduled to take effect July 1.

Under the bill, shooters will have to notify the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission within 24 hours of bears being killed. They also will be prohibited from possessing or selling bear carcasses.

Legal immunity will not be available to people who provoke or lure bears.

Read: Florida man fleeing police killed by hit-and-run driver

Similar bills were filed in past years but did not pass the Legislature. This year, however, the proposal sponsored by Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-Port St. Joe, and Sen. Corey Simon, R-Tallahassee, gained traction in September after Franklin County Sheriff A.J. Smith said his rural community was being inundated and overrun by the bear population.

Shoaf and Simon represent Franklin County as part of sprawling, largely rural districts.

But animal-rights activists argued the bill will create an open season on bears.

Increasing the killing of Floridas iconic black bears under the guise of self-defense  without requiring proof of actual danger --- poses serious public safety risks and undermines responsible wildlife management, Kate MacFall, Florida state director at the Humane Society of the United States, said in a prepared statement.

Read: Orlando police arrest juvenile accused of shooting gun at UCF downtown campus

MacFall said the bill conflicts with regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, which has the constitutional authority to manage wildlife. She added her organization will continue to explore our options moving forward to ensure Floridas bears are protected.

Opponents of the bill said the state and communities should focus on securing garbage so bears will not be attracted to homes. The commissions BearWise program outlines steps such as telling people not to feed bears, to clear grills, to make trash less accessible, to remove bird feeders when bears are active and to not leave pet food outside.

Sierra Club Florida, which has also argued the bill usurps the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissions constitutional authority, said it is a dangerous solution to an imaginary problem.

Under current law, people are prohibited from possessing, injuring or shooting bears but can use non-lethal means to scare away bears that may be on the peoples property or rifling through trash.

Read: Driver of stolen car crashes into trooper, search for 4 suspects underway

As the states number of residents has grown, human-bear conflicts have increased. The commission euthanized an average of 38 bears annually between 2009 and 2018 because of public-safety risks, mostly as bears sought out unsecured garbage or other food.

The Senate voted 24-12 to approve the bill, while the House passed it in an 83-28 vote. Rep. Allison Tant, D-Tallahassee, said bears threaten farmers livestock in her district, which includes rural Madison and Jefferson counties.

We do have bear-proof garbage cans, Tant said in March. And you know what, oftentimes, after the garbage is picked up, the tops are not secured again. So, the bears come back and come back and come back.

Meanwhile Friday, DeSantis vetoed a bill (HB 317) that would have prevented drivers from cruising in left lanes of highways with at least two lanes and speed limits of at least 65 mph. The bill included exemptions for drivers passing other motorists, preparing to exit, turning from left lanes or being directed to left lanes by officers or traffic-control devices.

Read: Police say overdose call ends with man shooting, killing himself

In a veto letter, DeSantis said the bill was too broad and that it could result in motorists being pulled over, ticketed, and fined for driving in the furthest left lane even if they are not impeding the flow of traffic of if there are few or no other cars in the immediate area.

DeSantis added that the measure, which was unanimously approved by the Senate and drew only three dissenting votes in the House, could potentially increase congestion in Floridas urban areas as drivers may decide to not utilize the furthest left-hand lane at all for fear of being ticketed.

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Desperate search ends with 3 young tourists dead in likely drowning at Florida beach

Three young men from Alabama have died following a desperate search after they became distressed while swimming at a Florida Panhandle beach, authorities said Saturday morning.

The three swimmers went into waters of the Gulf of Mexico shortly after arriving in Panama City Beach Friday afternoon, the Bay County Sheriffs Office said in a news release.

Shortly after 8 p.m., sheriffs deputies received reports of three swimmers having difficulties while swimming off the shore of Crescent Beach.

An hourslong rescue operation involving multiple agencies was eventually able to locate the three men. They were pulled from the water at different times and then sent to local hospitals for treatment.

On Saturday, Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a statement shared on social media that all three men had died.

I have such a heavy heart this morning about the loss of three young visitors to our community, Ford wrote on Facebook. Im praying for their family and ask that you do the same. It is such a tragedy.

According to the sheriff, first responders spent over two hours looking for the victims in the dark and dangerous waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

I worry about the emotional toll that these situations take on first responders as I know Im struggling with it as well, he wrote.

Several people, including visitors to our community, also came together on the beach to desperately search for the three men, according to Ford.

The tragic incident comes just a day after a Pennsylvania couple drowned while vacationing with their six children on Hutchinson Island, on Floridas southeast coast.

Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, were tragically swept out by a rip current while attempting to save two of their kids from the water. They were rescued by Marin County authorities, but were pronounced dead at a local hospital.
(KRON)  The Town of Discovery Bay is asking for community help in finding the individuals who vandalized Cornell Park.

At 10:15 p.m. on Monday, a green truck and a white truck were performing spinouts on the parks lawn, according to the towns social media.

Oakland Mayor Thaos attorney calls FBI raid bad optics

Anyone with information or footage regarding the parks vandalism is asked to call the Town of Discovery Bay at (925) 392-4575.

According to the city officials, Cornell Park was vandalized twice in one week.

If residents see other vehicles or people vandalizing the park, the town suggests not interfering and calling the Contra Costa County Sheriffs Office at (925) 646-2441.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Growing numbers of doctors have said they would not blow the whistle about patient safety concerns for fear of retribution, a survey has found.

The British Medical Association (BMA) surveyed doctors in 2018 and again in 2024, with a rising proportion saying they would not feel confident raising concerns about standards of patient care.

The BMA revealed that 26 per cent of 1,578 doctors in 2024 said they would not feel confident acting as a whistleblower, compared with just 10 per cent of around 7,900 doctors surveyed in 2018.

Three in five (61 per cent) of those polled in 2024 said they might not raise concerns because they were afraid that they or colleagues could be unfairly blamed or suffer adverse consequences.

Meanwhile 45 per cent said they feel that their managers discourage them from raising concerns  up from 20 per cent in 2018.

The BMA said that doctors are now more frightened than ever to speak up when they see patient safety issues, or levels of care at risk.

Protectionism rather than accountability

Prof Philip Banfield, chairman of council at the BMA, said the union aims to highlight a culture of protectionism rather than accountability within the NHS.

The BMA survey comes after The Telegraph revealed warnings from a group of medics that NHS managers are destroying the careers of whistleblowers who raise concerns about patient safety.

More than 50 doctors and nurses told this newspaper they have been targeted after raising concerns over more than 170 patient deaths and nearly 700 cases of poor care. One consultant described it as the biggest scandal within our country and said the true number of avoidable deaths was astronomical.

Instead of trying to fix the problems, the whistleblowers claim NHS bosses are spending millions of pounds of taxpayers money hiring law firms and private eyes to investigate them instead, leading many medics to quit the profession in despair.

The NHS spent more than 4 million on legal action against a single whistleblower, which included 3.2 million in compensation.

Doctors have also said that NHS managers accused of persecuting whistleblowers and ignoring warnings about patient safety are protected within the health service.

Bigger than Post Office scandal

At the BMAs national annual meeting in Belfast on Monday, Prof Banfield will raise the concerns of whistleblowers, saying: Pandoras box of raising concerns is about to be thrown wide open. This is far bigger than the Post Office scandal and the BMA will do all it can to help uncover wrongdoing.

Prof Banfield will describe a disgraceful revolving door of ineptitude, saying that some poorly performing managers have been conferred a degree of protection and shuffled out of prominent roles and into other senior positions.

Thats why were backing the regulation of non-medical managers. Because as long as this culture of protectionism, rather than accountability, holds sway, doctors will continue to face appalling victimisation, he will say.

Prof Banfield will also highlight the misuse of physician associates (PAs) in the NHS. PAs have been under increased scrutiny following the death of Emily Chesterton in November 2022.

The 30-year-old had been under the impression that she was seeing a GP, but was actually seen twice by a PA who failed to spot that her leg pain and breathlessness was a blood clot, which ultimately travelled to her lungs.

An NHS spokesperson said: It is completely unacceptable for any member of staff to feel silenced or unable to speak up about issues affecting them or patients  not only should everyone working in the NHS feel they can raise concerns but they must know that they will be acted on and that they will be treated fairly  this is vital for ensuring that the NHS learns from mistakes and provides the best possible care for patients.

Every NHS trust should be adopting the updated national Freedom to Speak Up policy and NHS England has recently asked all local areas to urgently ensure staff have easy access to information on how they can raise concerns, including through having a dedicated Freedom to Speak Up guardian in place.

If people feel disadvantaged as a result of speaking up, NHS England has ensured there is additional help available with a national scheme in place so staff can receive additional intensive support in these circumstances.

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Miami was the place to retire  until it slid 150 spots down the popularity list

Miami was the place to retire  until it slid 150 spots down the popularity list

For a few years during the pandemic, it seemed like the snowbird, the stereotypical retiree moving to the sunny acres of Florida, might be going extinct.

An annual study of where US seniors choose to retire logged a precipitious drop in the Sunshine States most famous city. In 2021, Miami was the number eight retirement destination in the country, according to the research by financial advisor SmartAsset. The following year, it had tumbled more than 150 places, all the way down to number 168.

News reports heralded a great Florida exodus, with nearly 500,000 moving out of state in 2022, a worrying sign for a state that was also the top choice for retirees nationwide that year. Others pointed to Baldwin County, Alabama as the next big thing in senior living.

Perhaps it was all the uber-wealthy snapping up scenic real estate during the pandemic. The number of millionaires and billionaires living in Miami grew by 75 per cent over the last decade, according to a study by investment migration firm Henley & Partners and New World Wealth. By the end of 2023, the cost of living in Miami was well above the national average.

A for sale sign in front of a home in Miami, Florida, part of the wave of homes being bought and sold during the pandemic (Getty Images)

Perhaps Governor Ron DeSantis had reached the limit of acceptance for his particular adversarial brand of politics, in which gay people, trans people, Black history, librarians, vaccines, and the Walt Disney corporate were all but deemed enemies of state.

Perhaps, but perhaps not. Whatever was going on during the peak pandemic years seems to have receded, and the path of the snowbird is still as vibrant as ever towards Miami.

At the end of the day, a lot of people are moving out of state in retirement, Nicolas Dumas, of Malta, New Yorks Retirement Planning Group, LLC, told The Independent.

And for many New Yorkers, as ever, the destination is Florida. The Empire State consistently ranks as among the top states losing retirees, and Florida consistently ranks as the top state gaining them.

All of Florida has no income tax, and a generally lower cost of living than other parts of the country, but one region reigns supreme for retirees: Miami. According to a study from moving company Hire a Helper, analyzing US government population data from 2023, the 70 mile stretch encompassing the Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach areas was the number one retirement destination in the country.

A general view of the atmosphere as Haute Living supports our veterans at America First gala at Mar-a-Lago on April 11, 2024 in Palm Beach, Florida (Getty Images for Haute Living)

Thats even though the financial considerations of moving to Miami have shifted considerably. The draw of the city has long been about dollars and cents: you could move from a place like New York City, with its astronomical cost of living, to another global city, riding into retirement with some extra money and a whole lot more sun to boot.

However, between 2019 and 2023, it got a whole lot less advantageous to make the move, thanks to housing costs rising about 40 per cent in the last four years, and the price of utilities and gasoline rising even faster than in New York. All told, in 2023, someone with a $100,000 salary in Manhattan would save an estimated $37,166 a year by moving to Miami, down from more than $51,000 in savings just four years earlier, according to a study from SmartAsset.

Those werent the only financial changes. Last year, the price of car insurance in Florida was up over 24 per cent, while the price of homeowners insurance grew by nearly double that amount, while home prices were up roughly 60 per cent since 2020.

If the idea of moving to Florida was to make a pension or government retirement benefits go a little further, changes like these complicate the picture.

Still, these factors dont seem to have slowed down the retirement train to Miami.

In fact, looking back at the last decade or so, the Florida Chamber of Commerce found that not only is migration into Florida growing, its rate of growth has also been increasing steadily since 2017.

It seems that despite the changes to the economy and politics of Florida, Miami wont lose its status as a retiree haven any time soon, and the more than 72,000 residents of the city aged 65 and over will continue to be in good company.

Boats are anchored off the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach (Getty Images)

As The Independent has reported, population trends rarely follow one set model. Just because a state is getting more expensive, doesnt mean its going to suddenly see a massive population decline or enter a doom loop  just look at California.

You might think the state, which has a sky-high cost of living and population growth slowing to a trickle, might collapse in on itself like the faded Rust Belt regions of the upper Midwest or Appalachia, but that hasnt been the case.

Some people outside of the state like the idea of California being basically in a doom loop and everything is a disaster here, Hans Johnson of the Public Policy Institute of California recently told The Independent. If you look at the reality, I would say that the desirability to live in California is quite high, based on pretty direct measures which include the cost of housing.

The same goes for Miami. Sometimes, a state or city just has that special something, and makes its own trends. For Miami, the recipe is simple.

They like the weather down there and the tax breaks, Dumas said.

And neither of those look like theyre going to be changing anytime soon.
Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) predicted Sunday that as many as a quarter of Black voters could side with former President Trump this November in what he described as an opening salvo of Black voters moving toward Republicans.

Donalds said in a Fox News Sunday Morning Futures interview with Maria Bartiromo that if the election were to be held today, Trump would take between 14 percent and 18 percent of the Black vote. He said he believes that proportion will increase between now and Election Day, calling 25 percent very possible.

How you get to 25 percent is, you go through the actual full campaign, get-out-the-vote efforts, direct targeting of media to Black voters, explaining that President Trumps agenda was better for them than Joe Bidens, and then going through how hes going to get America back on track, Donalds said.

Thats what Black people are looking for today in the United States, no more of the political dogma, he continued.

That overperformance among Black voters, Donalds predicted, could have massive ramifications.

And what it would demonstrate is that you have Black voters who are shifting in their political thought, are shifting in their politics, he said. I think this November is going to be the opening salvo, if you will, of seeing that demonstration of movement of Black voters, but a lot of voters in the United States.

Donalds is believed to be among the finalists to be Trumps vice presidential candidate. The congressman said putting him on the ticket would create direct contrast between himself and Vice President Harris, who is also Black.

Trump received about 12 percent of the Black vote in the 2020 election, though recent polling suggests he could attract up to a fifth of the Black vote this year.

Both President Biden and Trump have ramped up their efforts to reach out to Black voters, especially Black men, in the 2024 election cycle. Trump has leaned on attempts to connect with voters, while Bidens campaign has generally focused on policy accomplishments.

I dont know your pathway to victory without Black men, Mondale Robinson, founder of the Black Male Voter Project, told The Hill last week.

The Biden campaign has pushed back on the idea that Trump could be making gains among Black voters. Campaign co-Chair Mitch Landrieu said last week that theres no universe in which Trump wins 21 percent of Black voters, as a recent CNN poll suggested.

At a campaign event last month, Biden said Trump is merely pandering to attract Black voters, while he, the incumbent, has delivered.

Ive shown you who I am, and Trump has shown you who he is, and today Donald Trump is pandering and peddling lies and stereotypes for your vote so he can win for himself, not for you, Biden said. Well, Donald Trump, I have a message for you: not in our house, and not on our watch.

The Trump campaign, meanwhile, has held up the polls as proof of work paying off.

President Trump is showing up in Black communities and listening to voters where they live, Janiyah Thomas, the Trump campaigns director of Black media, told The Hill in a statement last week.

Polls, and every other measure of public support, reflect that historic numbers of voters in the Black community are abandoning Biden and moving towards President Trump.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Driver of fake Amazon van used for pot pickups sentenced to federal prison

This photo of a fake Amazon van was an exhibit in the sentencing memo in the drug case against the driver, Brandon Ye.

The discovery of the fake Amazon van began with anonymous tips.

The van had been used for months to pick up black-market marijuana from grows across Oklahoma, an investigation later found. The pot would be shipped east in semitrailers, ending up mostly in New York.

The tips had been about a stash house in Oklahoma City. They were made to Oklahoma City Crime Stoppers, twice, in January 2022.

That started the investigation, and it led to the identification of other stash houses, court records show. Those locations were put under surveillance.

In December 2022, investigators on a stakeout at one location took note when what looked to be an Amazon van arrived. It would later prove to be a fake.

"We observed a fake Amazon truck back up to the garage of that stash house," FBI task force officer Chad Vontungeln recalled at a federal trial in January. "The driver got out. The garage door of the stash house opened. They opened the back doors of the fake Amazon truck. Individuals came out of the house, grabbed several full, black trash bags out of the back of the Amazon truck and took them into the garage."

The officer later put a tracker on the van. The driver, Brandon Ye, would be arrested at his Oklahoma City warehouse on March 31, 2023, where a semitruck was waiting to be loaded with 2,700 pounds of marijuana.

Ye was wearing an Amazon jacket.

On Thursday, Ye was sentenced to nine years in federal prison for his role in the black-market distribution ring.

He said at his sentencing in Oklahoma City federal court that he had been selfish and was sorry and ashamed. "I understand that I must accept the consequences from my actions," he said.

Ye, 43, pleaded guilty in September to possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and possession of a gun in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

U.S. District Judge Scott Palk chose the punishment, giving him credit for cooperating with prosecutors. The judge agreed Ye had been brazen in his operation.

The fake Amazon van and a 2022 quadruple homicide at a grow near west of Hennessey became symbols for a time of how the legalization of medical marijuana transformed Oklahoma into the "Wild West of Weed."

How big is black-market marijuana in Oklahoma?

In a sentencing memo, a federal prosecutor told the judge that the street value of the black-market marijuana being generated each year in Oklahoma is in excess of $30 billion.

Ye alone may have shipped more than 28 tons of marijuana in less than a year, Assistant U.S. Attorney Wilson McGarry told the judge in the memo.

This is a photo of the fake Amazon delivery van.

The estimated street value of that much marijuana is $140 million, according to his memo.

Ye was owner of Arch Granite & Cabinetry, a kitchen countertop business in Oklahoma City. He would ship marijuana from the company warehouse on Fridays beginning in June of 2022.

He at first used an Arch Granite van to pick up marijuana but then turned to the fake Amazon van, prosecutors said. He picked up marijuana from Oklahoma grows in Oakland, Wetumka, Rush Springs, Oilton, Fort Gibson, Watonga, Elk City, Hydro, Foster, Alex, Barnsdall, Okemah, Cashion, Sayre, Henryetta and Paden.

The investigation identified Ye's suppliers from the tracker that had been put on the fake Amazon van. Raids resulted in other criminal cases. The owner of the Oakland grow was sentenced Thursday to six years in federal prison.

Ye in January testified for the prosecution at the trial for the manager of the Wetumka grow and a management intern there. He said he began using the fake van in March of 2022 and hired people to put the Amazon logo on it.

"Why did you disguise this van to look like an Amazon delivery van?" the prosecutor asked.

"Because my boss told me a vehicle like this would be safer," he replied through a translator.

He made trips to grows four or five times a week, according to his testimony. He was paid an average of $15 a pound for the pickups. He identified his boss only as "Hui."

He confirmed he picked up pot from as many as 20 grows. "They're all operated by Chinese nationals," he said.

Ye lost his house in Oklahoma City, as well as his gun, the fake van and three other vehicles because of his guilty plea. He also forfeited $98,901 to the government.

His business has permanently closed.

He came from a poor village in China to the United States 24 years ago and had been a legitimate businessman, defense attorney Paul Faulk told the judge Thursday.

In a sentencing memo, the defense attorney told the judge Ye has lost everything.

"Mr. Ye committed these acts based on a reckless and regrettable impulse after an invitation to make some extra money. He was essentially a glorified delivery boy for higher ups in the drug organization and was being compensated a modest amount for money for his role in the operation," Faulk wrote.

In a legal filing, prosecutors characterized his cooperation as substantial but also complained he had been evasive and likely untruthful at times. They stopped using him as a witness because of his credibility issues.

'Copy cats' have emerged

Prosecutors also complained "copy cats" have emerged because of his illegal operation.

A traffic stop of a fake Amazon van in Missouri in January led to a raid of a marijuana grow in Lindsay, Oklahoma, in April.

The van was stopped because of traffic violations, the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs Control reported in a news release in April.

A search of the van uncovered 246 pounds of packaged marijuana which had recently been picked up at the location in Lindsay, the bureau's spokesman, Mark Woodward, said.

An investigation discovered Bright Stones LLC had obtained its license by fraud, using a "straw ownership" scheme, he said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: He picked up pot in a fake Amazon van. Now he's going to prison
Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Beijing on June 22 for an official state visit, his press service said.

During his trip to China, Duda said he would like to discuss two important issues, including trade agreements between Poland and China, as well as the security situation in Europe.

"The political component will be very important. We have a war in Ukraine, as well as a hybrid attack by Belarus on the Polish border, where the Belarusian authorities have been pushing migrants against us for three years, forcing them to try to cross the border illegally," Duda said before the trip on June 22.

During his visit to China, Duda is expected to meet Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, as well as take part in the World Economic Forum in Dalian and the Polish-Chinese Economic Forum in Shanghai, his press service reported.

Throughout its full-scale war in Ukraine, Russia has been deepening ties with China, which remains Russia's key economic lifeline amid international sanctions and the leading source of dual-use goods feeding the Russian defense industry.

Russian dictator Vladimir Putin met his Chinese counterpart Xi in China in May, seeking to affirm Beijing's friendship and support amid Moscow's ongoing war against Ukraine and the resulting economic pressure from the West.

Read also: Chinas support for Russias war machine has to stop, says Blinken

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Duval County Supervisor of Elections Jerry Holland is reminding voters to update their signatures to ensure they match the one on file with the Elections Office. This is crucial for those planning to vote by mail (VBM) in the upcoming August 20th Primary Election and November 5th General Election.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

Holland highlighted that handwriting changes over time, and mismatched signatures could affect the validity of VBM ballots. To ensure accuracy, all Duval County Supervisor of Elections staff and Canvassing Board members undergo state-certified signature verification training, which includes detecting forgeries and inconsistencies.

Voters must update their signatures before their VBM ballot is received by the Supervisor of Elections. The Florida Voter Registration Application, available on the Elections Office website and at public libraries, can be submitted in person or by mail.

Strict chain of custody procedures are followed for all ballots, particularly VBM ballots. Once returned, VBM ballots remain sealed until the signature is validated. An automated sorter scans and digitally images the VBM ballot signatures for verification, followed by manual verification by trained Duval County employees.

If the signatures match, the VBM ballot is opened and counted. If there is a discrepancy, a VBM cure affidavit form is mailed to the voter with instructions on how to resolve the issue. The deadline to submit the form and ID is no later than 5 p.m. the second day after the election.

The Canvassing Board makes the final decision on whether to accept or reject VBM ballots with signature discrepancies after the cure deadline passes

For more information, visit duvalelections.gov or call 904-255-VOTE (8683).

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The Facts

Know More

 What inspires your work? Curiosity. I have always been very intrigued by social and cultural issues, global politics and their dynamics, and contemporary events. I started out as an editorial cartoonist right from school eager to make sense of the world, but soon realized I was uninformed on a broad range of issues. That realization pushed me to interrogate issues more deeply.

Courtesy: Gado

 What has been a personal high point as a political satirist so far? My obligation as a cartoonist falls within a larger media ecosystem, at least that is the lens through which I like to look at it. I was lucky to start at Nation Media Group at a time when the wind of change was blowing in the country, which was on the cusp of multiparty democracy. Media was growing strong, and becoming bolder. It was rising from a turbulent past that was hostile to intellectuals and artists. Despite that, I have maintained artistic freedom, which is rare in most organizations.

Courtesy: Gado

 How do you ensure fluidity in your satirical work? My work speaks to audiences across the board, from those in power to the ordinary folk. The aim is to spark crucial public discourses that awaken the publics political consciousness, to embolden and give them a voice to question power; whether it is about corruption, climate change, politics, or international relations. The fluidity comes with the job of an editorial cartoonist, which includes afflicting the powerful and uplifting the downtrodden. And theres the rule that you do not attack the marginalized and the weak.

 How has the political leadership in East Africa changed since youve been a cartoonist? In Uganda and Rwanda, top political leadership has remained the same for decades, but thats different from Kenya and Tanzania, for example. Thing is, regimes come and go, but we have to ensure that we do not let the guard down. The objective has been to consistently acknowledge and protect the gains of free press. Sometimes, I draw a cartoon and it strikes me that I drew a similar one over two decades ago. That just goes to show things have not changed much, from a political standpoint.

Courtesy: Gado

 How does criticism from those you poke fun at influence your work? I get scathing feedback for my cartoons. The political class particularly hates being caricatured. I have been sued by politicians for cartoons they did not like. I also have maintained a love-hate relationship with my editors because my work brought too much pressure on them. My family has also been targeted because the powers that be didnt like how I represented them. But that is part of my job. The attempts to get to me have not moved me.

 What tips do you typically share with young satirists and cartoonists? Read broadly and have a good understanding of your subjects. It is important to remain a student of your craft, which means that you will be constantly improving, learning and correcting where you make mistakes, which is common for artists. It is also helpful to be open-minded and work with other artists in the creative ecosystems; academics, writers. That expands your worldview and offers a better understanding of your work as well.

Whats your favorite dish that you would serve on Semafor Africas visit to yours? Ha! Im a foodie who loves exploring cultures and places through food. Matoke, an East African dish made from green bananas, served with beef or pork, would be a great option.
Ed Miliband has committed to scrapping a ban on building new onshore wind farms if Labour claims victory at the general election.

The shadow energy secretary pledged a Labour government will overturn planning rules that currently require local community support to approve proposed turbines.

If he wins office he plans to use a ministerial written statement to remove an obligation in the national planning policy framework for community concerns to be appropriately addressed, a stipulation that has effectively blocked onshore wind projects for a decade.

The onshore wind ban was introduced by then-prime minister Lord Cameron in 2015, who was so worried by the backlash from Nimbys over a rash of planned wind farms that he gave local communities across England the right to block them.

The onshore wind ban was a deeply unfair measure and we want to lift it, Mr Miliband told the Telegraph. At the moment, its easier to build an incinerator than it is to build an onshore wind development.

Those plans are certain to generate a backlash, as they already have in Wales where the Labour government has created zones called preassessed areas for wind energy.

Mr Miliband said: People have different views on the onshore wind ban but were going to lift it.

According to the Resolution Foundation, it [the ban] has cost poorer households six times more as a proportion of their income than middle-class households. And were going to get the fairness thing right.

The zoning system in Wales means vast tracts of countryside have been deemed suitable for wind farms, whatever locals might think.

That has prompted a surge in planning applications for giant wind turbines up to 800ft tall, two to three times larger than any yet built in the principality.

Protest groups have sprung up everywhere from Anglesey in the north to Powys in the south. Similar battles are being fought across the Scottish highlands against both turbines and electricity pylons.

Mr Miliband said it is too soon to say whether a similar zoning system for England will be introduced, but even with the current ban revoked there will still be checks and balances.

We want a proper fair community consent process, he said. Well obviously want to work with local authorities on this but we do want to lift this ban.

Onshore wind turbines are just one means by which Labour hopes to decarbonise the UKs electricity supply by 2030.

At the heart of that task is a single key challenge  breaking the link between power generation and the burning of gas. Mr Miliband said this may be the key metric on which he could eventually be judged.

The UK is currently hooked on gas, accounting for 38pc of total energy supplies, with around 75bn cubic metres consumed every year. Thats equivalent to 1,100 cubic metres per person, roughly the volume of 14 double decker buses.

A third of that gas, around 25bn to 30bn cubic metres, is burned in power stations to keep our lights on. Replacing that high carbon electricity with green power is what Mr Milibands potential time in office will be largely about.

But why has he set a target of 2030 - a colossal task that many experts deem impossible? Why not stick to 2035  a target set by the current government with wide agreement from the power industry?

The electricity part of it [net zero] is really important, Mr Miliband said. A clean power system is the linchpin of the road to decarbonisation.

We havent just selected 2030 for clean power because we think its achievable. We do think it is achievable, but also because it will be the bedrock of the drive to net zero  2030 is a crucial staging post on that road.

A major increase in demand for electricity is expected in the coming years as the nation switches to electric vehicles, electric heating via heat pumps and the electrification of industry.

Mr Miliband said if that electricity were still being generated by burning gas it would render the exercise fairly pointless  so decarbonising the grid is Labours priority.

He suggested that breaking the UKs reliance on gas will bring other benefits, particularly around energy security.

The case for clean energy is now also a case for energy independence, energy security and lower bills, Mr Miliband said. That was graphically and tragically demonstrated by the invasion of Ukraine, where we were in the grip of Vladimir Putin.

Thats because gas is traded on the international market and, whether it was our own or imported, we faced this terrible price shock for which British people are still paying the price. And the Office of Budget Responsibility has warned this could happen again.

Breaking Britains reliance on gas will go way beyond just decarbonising the grid  and perhaps the most difficult challenge of all is yet to come.

Britains power is generated mostly by industry, whether it be wind farms, nuclear power stations or gas. The UK has 35 or so large gas-fired power stations, so changes can be imposed relatively easily.

However, almost all of the heat generated to keep homes and businesses warm comes from the gas boilers fitted into 25 million homes, or the oil-powered systems fitted into a further one million to two million buildings.

How will Labour persuade us to replace those fossil fuel appliances with expensive heat pumps?

Mr Miliband said: On home heating  as we said in our manifesto  no ones going to be forced to rip out their boiler. Were absolutely clear about that. We havent stuck with the Governments 2035 target when you cant replace your gas boiler. I know that weve got to show that heat pumps are affordable and are going to work for people.

Now for lots of people, including me, heat pumps are already working. Ive got a heat pump and a battery But its got to work economically for everyone. Weve gone through a cost of living crisis, were still going through a cost of living crisis.

So we cannot do this in a way that means ordinary people end up paying more for this. And thats what our government, if were in power, is going to be absolutely focused on.

Dropping the Conservative Governments planned 2035 ban on most new boilers is quite a shift in policy. But Mr Miliband said that voters will never be persuaded by sticks  meaning bans and bigger installation bills  so he wants to offer them carrots.

He added: Ill be honest, I think one good thing the current government did, among a number of bad things, was to increase the heat pump grant to 7,500.

Replacing gas boilers with heat pumps costs an average of 10,000 to 12,000, with a replacement boiler typically costing 2,000 to 3,000. That rules heat pumps out for most people.

The Governments boiler upgrade scheme offers some households 7,500 in subsidies, but the budget is capped at 450m, enough for just 90,000 homes.

Mr Miliband said: Our heat pump take-up is absolutely miserable in comparison to other countries. We want to make it economically worthwhile for people, working with the private sector, to actually install heat pumps.

Its got to work economically for people.

My message to Telegraph readers, if I can be so bold, is support clean energy, not just because its the right thing for the climate, but because its the right thing for energy security, for lower bills and for jobs.

Clean energy will be cheaper than fossil fuels, and more secure  because dictators cant control it.

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Egypt orders to revoke licenses from Hajj tourism companies over illegal pilgrimages amid reports of hundreds of deaths

The Egyptian government is to revoke the licenses of 16 Hajj tourism companies involved in making illegal pilgrimages to Mecca and will refer the companys managers to the public prosecutor.

The decision was made in a cabinet meeting on Saturday after a report highlighted the dubious nature of how some tourism companies operate and comes after hundreds of pilgrims from across the world died in sweltering heat.

The official toll among Egyptians stands at 31, but it is being reported by Reuters news agency and other outlets that as many as 500 to 600 Egyptians died during the pilgrimage. A CNN tally puts the total dead from Hajj at nearly 500 but the figure is likely to rise.

Muslim pilgrims perform the farewell circumambulation or "tawaf", circling seven times around the Kaaba, Islam's holiest shrine, at the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Mecca. - AFP/Getty Images

The report, which was reviewed by cabinet, said some operators had not issued correct visas, so holders could not enter the holy city of Mecca and were instead forced to enter through desert paths on foot. It also accused some companies of failing to provide proper accommodation, leaving tourists exposed to the heat.

In the meeting, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly offered his sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the deceased pilgrims committing to providing them with the necessary support.

Hajj permits are allocated to countries on a quota system and Saudi Arabia requires each pilgrim to acquire one of the 1.8 million available licenses to legally access Mecca.

But as the cost of one of these licences costs several thousand US dollars, many pilgrims try to access the site illegally and typically dont travel in organized tour buses with air conditioning or easy access to water and food supplies.

The timing of the Hajj is determined by the Islamic lunar calendar which this year has fallen during scorching temperatures in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims made this years journey in extreme temperatures of up to 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit).

Ahmed, a 44-year-old from Indonesia, told CNN he saw many people falling ill and even dying from the heat.

Along the way home, I saw many pilgrims who died. Almost every few hundred meters, there was a body lying and covered with an ihrom [white fabric] cloth.

Every time there is a distribution of water from local residents or certain groups, it is immediately overrun by the pilgrims, he added, saying that he didnt see health workers or a single ambulance along the road.

As part of the pilgrimage, the faithful perform a series of rituals in and around the holy city of Mecca, often involving many hours of walking in the scorching heat every day.

The exact death toll for the total number of deaths in this years Hajj remains unclear and the number is expected to rise as each country has been independently announcing the deaths of their nationals.

Additionally, the governments are only aware of pilgrims who have registered and travelled to Mecca as part of their countrys quota  more deaths are feared among unregistered pilgrims.

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CAIRO/RIYADH (Reuters) -More than 1,000 people died during haj this year, according to a Reuters tally, as extreme heat hammered the nearly two million who took part in the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca.

Most of dead were Egyptians. Security and medical sources told Reuters on Sunday that the Egyptian death toll had risen to 672 and another 25 were missing.

A total of 236 Indonesians died, according to Indonesian government data, while India's External Affairs agency said 98 Indian citizens died during haj.

Further deaths were reported by Tunisia, Jordan, Iran, and Senegal, making this year's total toll at least 1,114 people, according to a Reuters tally.

An Egyptian crisis unit tasked with investigating the situation said on Saturday it has suspended licences of 16 tourism companies and referred them to the public prosecutor, accusing them of being responsible for deaths it said were mainly among pilgrims not registered under the official system.

The unit said 31 deaths were confirmed as a result of chronic illness among officially registered pilgrims.

(Reporting by Ahmed Mohamed Hassan, Swati Bhat Shetye, Pesha Magid, Tarek Amara, Fransiska Nangoy, Writing by Farah Saafan, Editing by Louise Heavens and Angus MacSwan)
How an elite Ukrainian unit is using viral videos to attract hundreds of fresh-faced volunteers a month

Ukraine is facing a severe manpower shortage as it continues to battle Russia's invasion.

But Ukraine's 3rd Separate Assault Brigade is one of the most popular units in the Ukrainian army.

It attracts new recruits with its PR-savvy approach and 12-strong media team.

For months, Ukraine's armed forces have faced a severe manpower shortage.

In April, one brigade commander told Ukrainian news outlet Suspilne that the country's manpower problems were "much more important than ammunition" and that one Ukrainian soldier was having to carry out the tasks of three to four soldiers.

Since December, Ukrainian military officers have sought as many as 500,000 extra recruits.

Lawmakers have since taken steps to try to address that need.

In April, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed into law a bill lowering the minimum conscription age from 27 to 25.

And in May, Ukrainian lawmakers passed a bill allowing convicts in certain categories to serve in the military.

Though people recognize the need to fight, "since the mobilization system is not very well organized and is not perceived as just, this lowers motivation," Julia Kazdobina, a Senior Fellow at Ukrainian Prism's Security Studies Program, and a former advisor to the Ukrainian Information Policy Minister, told Business Insider.

The 3rd Separate Assault Brigade

Recruits of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade taking part in military training. ANATOLII STEPANOV/Getty Images

But one place Ukraine isn't struggling to find new recruits is in the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade, an elite fighting force that has taken part in a number of the war's most intense battles, from Bakhmut to Avdiivka.

The squad emerged from the Azov Brigade, a controversial regiment founded by the right-wing politician Andriy Biletsky in 2014 that played a crucial role in the Russian siege of Mariupol in 2022.

The 3rd Brigade has since become famous for its battle-hardened, fearless approach to combat.

But this is just one of the reasons the unit is receiving more than 900 volunteers a month, according to an April report by the Washington DC-based think tank the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA).

While many brigades use social media platforms to advertise and celebrate battlefield wins, the 3rd Brigade is especially skilled at PR.

The unit has 12 full-time media staff, including press officers, cameramen, and editors  and they are "pioneers in running a public recruitment campaign," Kazdobina said.

"The brigade is run by people with extensive combat experience and a reputation for bravery," she added.

The 3rd also has a professional website as well as a YouTube channel with more than a million subscribers  where some videos have attracted more than nine million views.

Last week, the brigade released a video appearing to show Russian troops emerging from a trench with their hands raised or tied behind their backs. The prisoners of war were later filmed and interviewed, sitting in what appeared to be a school classroom.

All of this is designed to appeal to young and eager potential recruits.

Training

Elina Beketova, a defense fellow at CEPA, told BI that the brigade has had success recruiting "because they have a system."

"They start with intensive training to prepare volunteers for frontline duties both physically and mentally," she said. "Then, they match people's preferences with different roles. If someone isn't ready for combat, they continue training them and find the best role for that person."

Four Ukrainian soldiers of the 3rd Separate Assault Brigade preparing mortar rounds for intensive firing at a position near Andriivka on September 25, 2023, in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine. Getty Images

The brigade has four recruitment centers  Kyiv, Dnipro, Lviv, and Odesa.

The unit's website says it offers a seven-day training course for potential recruits who want to assess their readiness to join the armed forces.

"If you realize that the army is not for you, you can halt the test and leave at any time," it says.

Those who choose to join undergo a 30-day training program. If, at the end of this program, the recruit does not feel ready, the training period can be extended.

Yurii Kovtun, a brigade sergeant, told Radio ROKS last year: "Our task, if he is weak, is to make the weakest the strongest."

"We will not send him somewhere to die," he added.

The 3rd also tries to help recruits with specific skills find the role that best fits those abilities.

"The 3rd Brigade customizes mobilization and contracts tailored to individuals. If someone isn't ready for artillery work but is prepared for another role, they will try to find a different position for that individual," Beketova said.

Ukraine's Defense Ministry has noted the benefit of this.

In March, the department announced that it would be rolling out a new recruitment algorithm for the armed forces.

This algorithm "offers a clear mechanism for voluntary enlistment through recruiting centers and online," Beketova said. "Candidates undergo interviews and tests before being assigned to their chosen unit."

The brigade also offers a "patronage service," which is designed to care for wounded fighters and prisoners of war.

"One often hears that there are two Ukrainian armies," Kazdobina told BI.

"One following Soviet tradition of inefficiency and humiliation and one that is dynamic, well organized and respects soldier lives," she said. "The Third Assault Brigade falls into the second category."

The 3rd Brigade did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
ELMIRA, N.Y. (WETM)  A gathering took place today to honor and dedicate a statue to one of Elmiras historic figures John W. Jones.

Jones was a central figure from the Underground Railroad and helped 800 slaves escape to freedom. He served as a sexton for the Woodlawn Cemetery where he buried 2,973 soldiers who died in the Elmira Civil War Prison Camp.

John W. Jones Museum set to unveil new statue June 22

One of the attendees was a historian from Delaware named Dionne Paterson who had this to say:

John Jones is one of many untold stories of African American heroes who were underground conductors, meaning they guided people they, were station masters, meaning they opened up their home their spaces, their churches, and they provided clothing, they provided food and shelter, they also guided people to the next stop. Without these integral stops, the cost of freedom would have become so much harder.

Another attendee Doris Smith added, The fact that he helped over 800 slaves escape via the Underground Railroad, the fact that he kept meticulous records regarding the soldiers that died in the war and the fact that he buried them with such care and compassion, I think is huge.

The President of the John W. Jones Museum Talima Aaron said, He did this work at the turn of the century, but it is here now, were not going to let it go. We appreciate the community support, and hopefully were leaving something for the generations to come.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WETM - MyTwinTiers.com.
Guest Opinion. The governmental practice of making Native Americans disappear, or to be invisible ensures there is no land to claim or fraudulent land transfers to be revealed. If you can erase the evidence of their existence, then you can say they were never here and colonial hedonism can prevail.

This past week, in North Carolina, known for its fragile coastline and continual erosion causing houses to slip into the ocean, one scarely two weeks earlier, a bill (HB 385) backed by campaign-funding developers was making its way through the state legislature. This bill would give the green light to developers to skip over any incidental damage to the archaeological site that had just been uncovered. This bill provided with new language that

For purposes of this subdivision, incidental disturbance of archaeological resources during development is not considered major and irreversible damage.

Broadly any disturbance is incidental to development, sweeping away long established processes of investigating before destroying archaeological sites. This legislation was specifically being pushed by developers of Bridge View in Cedar Point, N.C. where an extraordinary archaeological site had been discovered.

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This was not just any site, but the discovery of an entire village of coastal Native Americans, identified as the likely Chowanoc Tribe village recorded in early histories of North Carolina, as well as human remains of five people, plus eleven burial sites. In fact, I take this rather personally, since my ancestors could very well have lived in or nearby this village. The N.C. Office of Natural Resources said in an intergovernmental fact sheet on HB 385 on June 10, 2024 that

The Cedar Point development is exceptional and anomalous because the property contains one of the most significant archaeological sites identified in North Carolina since the 1990s.

Erasing the existence of Native America  an example

The incident involving the Ancient One, or Kennewick Man, in 1996 is a modern example of how this precisely can be done. An entire skeleton was discovered and analyzed by anthropologists. Native Americans are told it is a Caucasian skeleton so nothing to see here, and do not make any claims that you want a peaceful burial for your ancestor under federal law. However Native American Tribes in the region knew they had occupied this land for time immemorial and so it was highly likely it was an ancestor. This led to the fever theory that Native Americans were not the first people here because this skeleton dated back 8,500 years and was clearly Caucasian, according to some anthropologists. Thus, none of the land you claim is yours, after all. This is exactly what some anthropologists told the Colville Tribe and others in the region.

However, the U.S. Department of the Interior had found that the Kennewick Man, the Ancient One, had to be returned to the Nez Perce Tribe of Idaho; Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; Confederated Tribes & Bands of the Yakama Indian Nation; and Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, under federal law. Anthropologists, Chatters and Bonnichsen, filed for judicial review of the final action of the DOI to the U.S. Dist Ct of Oregon. (June 27, 1997, appeal after remand.) The United States Magistrate Judge, of Oregon, held for the scientists (affirmed and remanded, Aug 30, 2002). The Department of Interior and the Tribes appealed to the US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit (Opinion amended and superseded on denial of rehearing, 2004). The 9th Cir.,Court of Appeals affirmed for the scientists (argued Sept 2004; opinion 2005).

So the oral histories of the Tribes were not accepted as evidence that outweighed that of anthropologists with a conflict of interest in desperately want to claim this new discovery that Native Americans were not the first on the continent. The court opined, We cannot give credence to an interpretation of NAGPRA advanced by the government and the Tribal Claimants that would apply its provisions to remains that have at most a tenuous, unknown, and unproven connection, asserted solely because of the geographical location of the find. [emphasis added]

This conflict raged on for more than two decades, then in 2009 when ancient DNA analysis had become a reality, testing was done on the remains of Kennewick Man, and DNA sampling was done from volunteers from the regions Tribes. It was found that the remains were indisputably Native American and that they were also related to the regional Tribes.

The Ancient One was quietly returned to the regions Tribes for a traditional burial of his remains.

Erasure of North Carolina Indians

The state has long worked to make Indians invisible in North Carolina by making them subject to the states people of color statutes, thereby avoiding naming them for their Indianness or their tribes. Judges and state officials were there to buy up land that was taken for various punishments for Native Americans or when they were forced off of their land through legislatively-forced lease deals, that always ended up with forfeiting the land.

The Kennewick Man case that took decades to resolve over the disputed human remains likely was not lost on the developers of a fragile coastline full of historic records. Forewarned by this conflict, North Carolina developers sought to avoid this altogether by bulldozing away the evidence as long as it was incidental. They argue the dire need for housing makes it necessary to destroy this history  never mind it is expensive ocean front property, that will not be affordability for the majority of people in need of housing.

Apparently, multiple human remains and an entire village could be deemed incidental. If they could erase the existence of a people through destroying their past, then they never really existed, did they?

Shining light on shady campaign donations

A couple of days after this bills rapid movement through the state legislature came to light, opposition was loudly voiced. These voices were heard from the Native American Tribes in North Carolina, the state N.C. Commission on Indian Affairs, the N.C. State Office of Natural and Cultural Resources, countless citizens, and an investigative report by the local news media WRAL about which sponsors of the bill received campaign donations from the developers. By the end of the week, the language favoring the developers ability to skip the inconvenient preservation of ancient historical remains  was removed.

Fortunately, enough opposition to this destruction of human remains and an ancient village that would corroborate the time immemorial existence of a Tribe showed that the destruction was much more than incidental."

To read more articles by Professor Sutton go to: https://profvictoria.substack.com/

Professor Victoria Sutton (Lumbee) is a law professor on the faculty of Texas Tech University. In 2005, Sutton became a founding member of the National Congress of American Indians, Policy Advisory Board to the NCAI Policy Center, positioning the Native American community to act and lead on policy issues affecting Indigenous communities in the United States.

About the Author: "Levi \"Calm Before the Storm\" Rickert (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation) is the founder, publisher and editor of Native News Online. Rickert was awarded Best Column 2021 Native Media Award for the print\/online category by the Native American Journalists Association. He serves on the advisory board of the Multicultural Media Correspondents Association. He can be reached at levi@nativenewsonline.net."

Contact: levi@nativenewsonline.net
Vice President of the European Commission for Values and Transparency Vera Jourova gives a press conference. With a view to next year's elections for the German lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, Jourova has warned of possible attempts by Russia to manipulate the elections. Jennifer Jacquemart/European Commission/dpa

With a view to next year's elections for the German lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, European Commission Vice President Vera Jourova has warned of possible attempts by Russia to manipulate the elections.

"We are living in a new era of hostile influence," the EU commissioner for transparency, values and democracy protection told the Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

"I fear that Voice of Europe is the blueprint for further operations - including in the run-up to next year's general election. This bogus medium is probably just the tip of the iceberg." It could be copied as a method, she added.

The EU banned Voice of Europe and three other Russian media organizations from broadcasting within the European Union in May. According to the EU, they are all controlled by the Russian government and targeted parties in Europe, "especially during election periods."

Voice of Europe, based in Prague, is suspected of spreading pro-Russian propaganda in the European Union and paying money to European politicians.

Alternative for Germany (AfD) politician Petr Bystron, for example, is suspected of having received money in connection with the organization in order to act in Russia's favour in the Bundestag. He has denied the allegations.

"Germany, France and Poland are under extreme pressure when it comes to misinformation," Jourova continued.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to invest in these central European countries in particular "because he is hoping to make a large profit from a change of opinion."

Jourova called for more resistance in the EU. "Because the dangers are becoming even greater," the Czech politician said.
Evangelicals need to focus on church's sexual abuse epidemic, not just Trump or drag queens

An epidemic of sexual abuse involving evangelical church leaders is hurting victims across the country. Even worse, churches far too often have covered up the abuse.

While the evangelical church is not a monolith and all churches should not be blamed for the failures of some, there is a pattern of abuse in a number of churches going back years, even decades.

I'm an evangelical who has attended evangelical churches my whole life. Before evangelical leaders say a word about the upcoming election, abortion policy or drag queens, they must look at why and how this is happening  for the sake of victims and for the health of the church.

Robert Morris steps down amid abuse allegations

The now-former Pastor Robert Morris of Gateway Church, who was preaching to more than 100,000 active attendees in Dallas and was once a spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, resigned on June 18, 2024, two days after admitting to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" decades ago. The "young lady" in question was 12 and the "behavior" as she described it would amount to criminal sexual abuse.

The most recent example involves Robert Morris, the head pastor at Dallas-based Gateway Church, one of the largest congregations in the country. Morris, who stepped down Tuesday amid abuse allegations, admitted to "inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady" that occurred decades ago.

Cindy Clemishire told a website that exposes sexual abuse in churches that she was 12 years old and Morris was 21 when the pastor began to sexually molest her. Clemishire, who is now 54, says the abuse went on for almost five years.

Two weeks ago, Gateway's board of elders sent a memo to church staff, which was later posted to X, saying that Morris had been open and forthright about a moral failure he had over 35 years ago.

However, in a statement released Tuesday, the elders backtracked, saying that "we regret that we did not have the information that we now have." Morris, a past spiritual adviser to former President Donald Trump, resigned from his position with the church that same day.

Evangelicals love Trump: Trump's questionable morality gets a pass from evangelical voters. I decided to ask why.

Abuse and cover-ups are rampant in evangelical churches

Morris is just one example in a litany of similar behavior that is all too pervasive in evangelical churches. Evangelicals make up about 25% of the U.S. population and include Baptists, Lutherans and members of other Protestant denominations.

Some of the larger evangelical congregations are nondenominational, meaning they operate outside the authority and accountability of a larger organization.

And while it's not fair to tarnish all churches because of the crimes of one megachurch pastor, there is a clear pattern of abusive and at times criminal behavior among pastors and other leaders in a growing list of evangelical congregations.

Evangelicals make up about 25% of the U.S. population and include Baptists, Lutherans and members of other Protestant denominations.

In February, Aaron Ivey, a worship pastor at Austin Stone Community Church, an evangelical congregation in Austin, Texas, was fired over explicit text messages sent to at least one underage male. The churchs leadership in a statement said that Ivey engaged in predatory manipulation, sexual exploitation, and abuse of influence with adult males and a minor male.

In May, a victim spoke out, saying he was 15 when Ivey groomed and then molested him. Ivey, with his wife, had co-authored a book on marriage.

In 2018, several women accused Bill Hybels, former lead pastor of Willow Creek Community Church near Chicago, of sexually harassing them. The megachurch has seen its once 25,000 weekly attendance drop to under 18,000, according to ChurchLeaders.com.

"The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill" podcast details the bullying, verbally abusive behavior of then-pastor Mark Driscoll, whose church boasted nearly 15,000 attendees at its height. He is now a pastor at a church in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Your Photo Sign up for our Opinion newsletter on conservative values, family and religion from columnist Nicole Russell. Get it delievered to your inbox.

Then there is the long-term abuse that occurred in the Southern Baptist Convention, the second-largest faith group in the United States. The SBC says about 47,000 churches are associated with its denomination, with about 13 million members.

In 2019, the Houston Chronicleand the San Antonio Express-Newspublished an investigation that found an epidemic of SBC leaders committing and covering up sexual abuse. In 2022, a third-party report by Guidepost Solutions found that SBC leaders ignored or stonewalled abuse survivors while simultaneously keeping a list of accused abusers, 703 at the time.

According to the Guidepost report, For almost two decades, survivors of abuse and other concerned Southern Baptists have been contacting the (SBCs leadership committee) to report child molesters and other abusers who were in the pulpit or employed as church staff. They made phone calls, mailed letters, sent emails, appeared at SBC and (leadership) meetings, held rallies, and contacted the pressonly to be met, time and time again, with resistance, stonewalling, and even outright hostility."

When will evangelical churches take accountability?

Fewer than 1 in 3 sexual assaults are reported in the United States. Child sexual abuse also is vastly underreported, according to the National Center for Victims of Crime. So it's reasonable to conclude that abuse is happening in our churches far more often than we know.

Abuse within a faith setting is particularly heinous. People flock to an evangelical church for a variety of reasons, including needing support as they go through a hard time, desiring emotional or spiritual healing or at the invitation of friends or family. They trust that the evangelical church community, including pastors and other leaders, are kind, trustworthy and respectful, just like the Jesus Christ the church claims to follow.

Abuse, especially sex abuse of children, destroys that inherent trust. And as the Catholic Church has experienced, abuse at the hands of a trusted faith leader is incredibly damaging  emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

Like the abuse that occurs in a variety of settings  whether at work, in an intimate partner relationship or with a trusted pastor  it is not an issue of whether or not a woman (or man) "asked for it," "consented" or was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Sexual abuse is not a relationship problem, it is an abuser problem. It is not random, or based on "passion"; it is often calculated, occurs through purposeful grooming and requires significant manipulation and deceit. It stems from gross power dynamics and the abuser's belief that he is entitled.

It is particularly heinous that leaders of evangelical churches are vocal about abortion policy, elections and the LGBTQ+ community even as their congregations struggle with abuse. How can evangelical churches condemn drag queens when some of those churches have been led by pastors who sexually abused children?

Surgeon, whistleblower, felon? A surgeon outed a Texas hospital for treating trans kids. Now he faces federal charges.

This kind of hypocrisy, among other reasons, contributes to why so many younger people have walked away from or refuse to join faith communities.

No human being is sinless. Everyone struggles at times to do the right thing. Neither Jesus Christ nor the Christian faith demands perfection or a sinless life. That would be impossible. Forgiveness and restoration is a tenet of Christianity and Christ's message to the world.

But the sexual abuse of children is a crime and should permanently disqualify a person from leading a church. It's that simple. When will evangelical churches stop covering up for their leaders and do right by their victims?

Nicole Russell is an opinion columnist with USA TODAY. She lives in Texas with her four kids. Sign up for her newsletter, The Right Track, and get it delivered to your inbox.

You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How common is sex abuse in church? Evangelicals need to face the truth
Even in bankruptcy, Rudy Giuliani keeps his financial picture hidden. Now he might lose control of it.

Rudy Giuliani has delayed disclosing all of his finances even after declaring bankruptcy.

Before he went bankrupt, lawyers accused him of hiding his finances in other civil lawsuits.

A judge may soon appoint a trustee who would take over his entire financial life.

When Rudy Giuliani filed for bankruptcy late last year, it gave him some room to breathe.

A jury had ordered him to pay $148 million to two election workers he defamed. A sexual abuse lawsuit was creeping forward in court. And Smartmatic and Dominion Voting Systems  two election technology companies he falsely claimed rigged the 2020 election  were still going after him in court.

Declaring bankruptcy hit the pause button on all of those civil lawsuits. They all flowed into a federal bankruptcy court, where creditors could negotiate for whatever funds the aging former New York City mayor had left.

That relief may be about to run out. Sean H. Lane, the bankruptcy judge has expressed exasperation that Giuliani still hasn't managed to hire an accountant or bookkeeper to work for him. Lawyers for creditors seeking money from Giuliani have accused him of mismanaging his own finances, asking the judge to appoint a trustee to take over his assets.

"Throughout the bankruptcy case, the Debtor has made, at best, half-baked financial disclosures and prioritized delay over progress in his chapter 11 case," lawyers for creditors wrote in a recent court filing. "He files delinquent, inaccurate and incomplete monthly operating reports. He delayed for months the filing of an application to retain a broker to sell his New York City apartment. He continues to resist selling his Florida condominium, instead preferring to spend tens of thousands of dollars on maintenance fees."

A decision from Lane to appoint a trustee could come at any time.

Right now, the bankruptcy process allows the judge, a Justice Department trustee, and creditors to monitor Giuliani's finances closely.

But if the judge were to agree with the creditors and appoint a Chapter 11 bankruptcy trustee, Giuliani would lose control of his own financial life.

A bankruptcy trustee would control all of Giuliani's assets and would be able to sell his two homes unimpeded. His Upper East Side apartment is listed at $5.7 million and creditors value the Florida condo at $3.5 million.

The trustee would also be able to peer into Giuliani's phone and email records and may even waive attorney-client privilege between him and any of his lawyers, potentially exposing him to more criminal and civil cases.

"The trustee might conceivably try to waive the attorney-client privilege to see his interactions with his lawyers," Eric Snyder, the bankruptcy chair of Wilk Auslander LLP, told Business Insider. "To the extent that there's any concerns about fraud, that would make him very nervous as well."

Creditors have expressed frustration because, after months, they say they still don't have a full picture of Giuliani's finances.

They've accused him of "incompetence, at best, and fraud, at worst."

In recent weeks, court filings show, they were surprised to discover he struck a promotion deal with a coffee company and that a firm he owns has been receiving thousands of dollars a month from a 9/11 charity.

Giuliani's creditors have formed a supergroup to try to dig into his finances. Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, the two Georgia election workers to whom he owes $148 million in a defamation judgment; Noelle Dunphy, his sexual abuse accuser; and Dominion, the election technology company he falsely accused of rigging the election, all joined forces to scrape as much money as they can in the bankruptcy court.

Their lawyers, at the pricey firm Akin Gump, say Giuliani is being deceptive. He is funneling money to his business entities, they say, where the funds then go to his girlfriend and other supporters, as opposed to creditors who are owed.

A history of lying

There remains an enormous amount of mistrust from the creditors.

Despite losing a lawsuit and getting hit with a $148 million defamation judgment that forced him into bankruptcy in the first place, Giuliani continues to lie about Freeman and Moss. The two Georgia election workers have been the subjects of conspiracy theories that they manipulated ballots in the 2020 election, which now-President Joe Biden won.

Making things worse is that Giuliani has a history of hiding his finances. During the discovery phases for Freeman and Moss's defamation lawsuit, and in another defamation case from Smartmatic, Giuliani pleaded poverty. He claimed he didn't have the money to pay TrustPoint, his electronic discovery vendor, to search his own documents  an excuse that his legal opponents found difficult to believe.

"So far, Giuliani's financial position tends to be whatever is most convenient for Giuliani," Smartmatic's lawyers wrote in a scathing filing at the time. "Whenever he is ordered to do something, he lacks the money to pay for it. But, when told he must submit a declaration showing he lacks funds, somehow the previously unavailable money appears. It's a miracle."

Rudy Giuliani at a press conference during the last presential election, where he pushed false claims that Dominion and Smartmatic manipulated the results. Jacquelyn Martin/AP Photos

As it turned out, some of Giuliani's legal expenses may have been funded by political donors supporting Donald Trump. After Trump's Saving America PAC disbursed hundreds of thousands to Trustpoint, Giuliani's lawyers told courts that a "third party" had helped pay some of the bills.

Giuliani's bankruptcy disputes reached a tipping point in recent weeks when he struck a deal to sell Rudy's Coffee.

The creditors said they learned about the deal from social media  a month after it was signed  rather than learning about the new income stream directly from Giuliani or his lawyers.

On top of that, creditors have expressed frustration that the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, a charity that supports 9/11 first responders, has sponsored Giuliani's social media videos by giving money to his communications company, rather than to Giuliani himself.

Both of those deals are structured so that money goes to Giuliani's businesses rather than to Giuliani himself, which allows the funds to flow to his girlfriend and undeserving employees rather than creditors, the lawyers say.

"At a minimum, if you enter into an agreement that brings money into the estate, and it's property of his estate  which it is  then the creditor should have been made aware of it," Snyder told Business Insider.

Maria Ryan, an employee of Giuliani who is widely reported to have been his romantic partner, recently jumped into the bankruptcy dispute herself.

In a court document earlier this month, she wrote she was filing a "motion" to have the creditors' lawyers "stop lying in their filings to the court."

She claimed payments to her often came in the form of reimbursements from Giuliani's retirement account, which he used as seed money for his media ventures and which is protected from the bankruptcy process. And she said she "personally coordinated" the Rudy's Coffee deal.

"Giuliani Communications, LLC is very proud of this quality coffee," she wrote. "In the future, the minute I do a business deal I will send to Mayor Rudy Giuliani's counsel."

Ryan couldn't be reached for comment.

Giuliani at a Republican presidential primary event for Trump in 2024. AP Photo/Matt Rourke

Giuliani has also recently lost another major stream of income that could have gone to his creditors. In May, his show was canceled on WABC, a New York radio station owned by conservative billionaire John Catsimatidis, because he continued to lie about the 2020 election being stolen from Trump.

While in the bankruptcy process, Giuliani must file monthly financial statements. The numbers in them don't add up, the creditors' lawyers say. Account balances are inconsistent from month to month, and some statements from financial institutions appear to show the wrong dates.

A spokesperson for Giuliani directed Business Insider to his YouTube videos, where the former mayor rarely directly addresses the bankruptcy proceedings. In a recent episode of "America's Mayor Live," he said he is being targeted by President Biden.

"They want to destroy me, they want to bankrupt me, they want to take away everything I have, and they want to put me in jail for the rest of my life," Giuliani said the a recent video.

In his court filings, Giuliani has sought to lay the blame elsewhere. His longtime accountant declined to continue working for him, and his part-time bookkeeper is sick, his lawyers wrote in a recent filing. He hasn't yet been able to find new financial professionals to help him, they said. They also noted because Giuliani has had his law license suspended for lying about the 2020 election, he can't get work as a lawyer himself.

"Maybe the Committee also has a suggestion of who would employ an 80 year old disbarred attorney," they wrote in a recent filing.

Rudy Giuliani, the former personal lawyer for former U.S. President Donald Trump, speaks to the press as he leaves the E. Barrett Prettyman U.S. District Courthouse. Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The bankruptcy judge may not be convinced by Giuliani's explanations.

"There are lots of accountants out there," Snyder said. "He's a sophisticated businessman, so his inability to find accountants isn't going to work."

According to Snyder, the judge isn't supposed to consider Giuliani's history of lying about election workers or law license troubles while he considers whether Giuliani is too untrustworthy to remain in possession of his own finances. But the bankruptcy process itself has given the judge plenty to work with, Snyder said.

"He hasn't filed reports, he started a business without disclosing it, and he's paying the debts of third parties with the estate funds," he said. "Those three things are pretty big things."

While the bankruptcy has subsumed the civil lawsuits against Giuliani, he still has criminal indictments to contend with.

He is a codefendant, alongside Trump and over a dozen other allies, in Fulton County's criminal racketeering case over their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Georgia. That litigation was halted earlier in June as an appeals court weighs whether the top prosecutor can remain on the case.

Giuliani was also indicted in Arizona over his attempts to overturn the election in the state. In that case, he was forced to post a $10,000 bond  further depriving creditors of money they say should go to them.

He has pleaded not guilty in both cases.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) has raised questions about his own alleged drug scandal after he accused President Joe Biden of planning to take performance-enhancing drugs ahead of his debate against Donald Trump this week.

Jackson, a former White House physician, announced he would be requesting Biden take a drug test both before and after the debate while speaking to Fox News Maria Bartiromo during an interview on Sunday Morning Futures over the weekend.

Jackson told Bartiromo he had no choice but to ask if the president was being medicated after witnessing his performance at Marchs State of the Union address.

There was a Joe Biden that came out that was not similar at all to what we see on a day-to-day basis for the last 3 1/2 years, he said. And theres surely no way to explain that other than he was on something. That theyd given him medications.

Jackson offered a detailed description of how he thought the presidents doctors would be medicating him, claiming Bidens trip to Camp David prior to the debate would give his team an opportunity to experiment with getting the doses just right.

This sounds like more of an admission than an accusation coming from an individual accused of running a pill mill from The White House by some pic.twitter.com/B4RK3SBxCg  Acyn (@Acyn) June 23, 2024

Asked what drugs the president could be taking, Jackson listed off a pharmacys worth of medications, including drugs to treat Alzheimers disease and Parkinsons disease, as well as stimulants like Adderall and Provigil.

Jacksons accusations seemed a little too on the nose considering he was implicated in his own alleged drug scandal after his time as the head of the White House Medical Unit.

In 2018, a report was released by the office of Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), a ranking member on the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs, that claimed Jackson allegedly gave a White House Military Office staffer a large supply of the opioid Percocet without going through the proper procedures.

The report also alleged that White House staffers had nicknamed Jackson Candyman after witnessing his loose approach to prescribing controlled substances.

Jackson was the White Houses top physician under President Barack Obama and Trump. He exited the role in 2018 and became Trumps chief medical adviser a year later.

In January, a report by the Defense Departments inspector general found that from 2017 to 2019 of the Trump administration, White House physicians liberally prescribed controlled substances to Washington aides in violation of federal law, all while keeping subpar records of the medications being dispersed.

In response to the report, which did not name Jackson directly, a spokesperson for the doctor told NBC News that he was not the director of the White House Medical Unit during the bulk of the period records cited in the report were from.

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Explosions were reported in Yevpatoria in occupied Crimea around 10 p.m. on June 23, according to the news outlet Suspilne Crimea, which cited residents.

One resident described hearing two powerful explosions that shook the windows, as well as the sound of sirens throughout the city, Suspilne Crimea reported.

Yevpatoria is a resort city in western Crimea, located north of Sevastopol.

Russian Defense Ministry had claimed hours earlier that Ukraine had launched an attack against Sevastopol with five U.S.-made long-range ATACMS missiles. Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of the illegal Russian occupation government of Sevastopol, claimed that three people were killed, including two children, and almost 100 were injured in the attack.

The Kyiv Independent could not independently verify these reports, and Ukraine has not commented on the news at the time of this publication.

Read also: Russia claims Ukraine attacked Sevastopol with 5 ATACMS missiles, killing 3

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Nigel Farages claim that Nato and EU eastward expansion provoked the war in Ukraine have been greedily seized on by Russian state broadcasters and social media channels as endorsing Vladimir Putins claims of Western culpability for more than two years of bloodletting and destruction.

Farages words unintentionally feed the Kremlins propaganda machine, boosting domestic support for continuing the conflict at a time when even Putin seems to be contemplating some form of negotiations. They also help undermine Western resolve, which is already wavering in its support to Ukraine. Those are the dangers of a prominent British politician seeming to endorse Putins own excuses for his violent aggression, even though Farage believes the Russian invasion immoral, outrageous and indefensible, sentiments that were not of course picked up by the Russian media.

While he disapproves of Putins actions, it appears Farage actually believes that his pretext for war is genuine. That is something he has in common with Jeremy Corbyn, who appeared to justify the 2014 invasion of Crimea, claiming Putin was protecting against Natos attempt to encircle Russia one of the big threats of our time. That was the man Keir Starmer said would have made a better prime minister than Boris Johnson, one of Ukraines most staunch defenders.

If Farage and Corbyn are right, then what is the answer? Should we expel Poland, Romania and the other eastern European member states from the alliance to end the war and prevent further aggression? The Baltic states would also have to go, as Putin says he considers their independence and Nato membership as threats to Russian security and sovereignty. Likewise Finland and Sweden, who have recently joined Nato, in response to which Putin threatened action if any Nato military infrastructure or forces were deployed on their territory.

Perhaps all our foreign policy decisions should be calibrated to avoid upsetting Putin. Should we, for example, withdraw our support from Israel, currently under attack from Putins ally Iran, which has been one of Russias main weapons suppliers in Ukraine? If so, it might be logical to similarly defer to Chinas sensibilities for fear of provoking President Xi.

But Corbyn and Farage are not right. Peace does not have to be dependent on appeasement. Nato is a purely defensive alliance, which does not present any conceivable military threat to Russia. Putin knows this and the reality of his attitude to the alliance can be seen in his redeployment to Ukraine of the majority of Russian forces from Finlands border even after it became a Nato member. In truth his aggression against Ukraine is part of his dream to create a greater Russia over which he, the Catherine the Great of the 21st Century, would rule. In an article he published in 2021, shortly before the 2022 invasion, he barely mentioned Nato but spoke of Ukraine as an anti-Russian project that occupies historically Russian lands.

Alongside Putins imperial ambitions is trepidation about economic development in eastern European countries as a result of their alignment with the West. He is worried that greater prosperity, especially in his next door neighbour Ukraine, will be looked at with envy by his own population, whose consequent dissatisfaction might lead to unrest that could eventually destabilise the regime. So to that extent, Farage comes somewhere near the truth; but surely the Reform leader would not argue that any sovereign country should be denied membership of an economic union or even a military alliance because an authoritarian rival vetoed it.

Farage has written that facing up to the truth about the causes and consequences must be a start in attempting to achieve a resolution to this war. He is correct, but misunderstanding the truth about Putins thinking, as he does, can only lead to even greater dangers. The right solution is not to reward Putin by ceding illegally-seized territory and a Nato retreat to the west.

Instead it is to recognise Putins true territorial ambitions, which go well beyond Ukraine, and to deter his future aggression by greater force and resolve. In other words, more Nato not less. Putins 2021 article about Ukraine has been likened to Hitlers 1938 speech in which he said The Sudetenland is the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe. We know what followed that.

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DENVER (KDVR)  A small wildfire was reported Saturday afternoon in the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge.

The fire was reported to be located near East 64th Avenue and North Peoria Street and was contained by about 5:10 p.m.

FOX31 Weather: View the latest Denver forecasts, maps and radar

Five engines were initially responding at about 3:50 p.m., with more en route, according to the Wildlife Refuges social media accounts. The wildlife refuge said this was a human-caused fire.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge shared this photo of smoke rising from a wildfire on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge shared this photo of the burnt area from a wildfire on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge shared this photo of the flames from a wildfire on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge shared this photo of the flames from a wildfire on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

Brighton fire crews aided in the wildfire containment and the fire was estimated to have spread between 12-15 acres. As of 7:40 p.m., the Wildlife Drive and all trails had reopened to the public after the wildfire.

Conditions on Saturday were hot and dry. The arsenal warned visitors that while the area may look green, fires will still spread quickly in the current environment.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
BROCKTON  A three-alarm fire tore through a series of businesses in downtown Brockton. Fire Chief Brian Nardelli said firefighters responded to multiple reports of smoke and fire coming from a building at 880 Main St. The building houses Khalils Kitchen, Studio Sky Beauty Salon and Garcia Grocery and Tropical.

Officer Michael Kominsky, a 29-year veteran of the West Bridgewater Police Department, died after a long battle with cancer, Chief Timothy Nixon announced. Nixon said Kominsky joined the West Bridgewater Police Department in 1995 as a part-time patrol officer and become a full-time officer in 1998.

A lux chicken restaurant has found itself on the east side of Brockton, serving tasty creations of creamy mac and cheese, Korean fried chicken and freshly squeezed lemonade.

Think you know who has the best French fries in Brockton area? Vote in our poll here.

In case you missed it, here are five of the top stories from the past week throughout the Brockton area.

A three-alarm fire tore through a series of businesses in downtown Brockton  including Khalil's Kitchen

Fire Chief Brian Nardelli said firefighters responded to multiple reports of smoke and fire coming from a building at 880 Main St. just before 1:30 a.m. The building, which houses Khalils Kitchen, Studio Sky Beauty Salon and Garcia Grocery and Tropical is "probably a total loss," Nardelli said. Theres a good possibility well have to tear it down. We had multiple roof collapses. Its probably a total loss, he said.

Fire tears throught Brockton businesses: Fire tears through three businesses in downtown Brockton  including Khalil's Kitchen

Brockton fire crews battled a three-alarm fire that destroyed a series of businesses in downtown Brockton.

'Honor, courage': West Bridgewater Police mourn 29-year veteran officer

A 29-year veteran of the West Bridgewater Police Department died Monday after a long battle with cancer, police announced. Early this morning, Officer Michael Kominsky, age 51, and a 29-year veteran of the West Bridgewater Police Department, died after a long battle with cancer, Chief Timothy Nixon announced in a written statement. Nixon said Kominsky joined the West Bridgewater Police Department in 1995 as a part-time patrol officer and became a full-time officer in 1998. He was the son of former Chief of Police Robert Kominsky.

West Bridgewater police officer died: 'Honor, courage': West Bridgewater Police mourn 29-year veteran officer

Phoitos of memorial for Kominsky: Memorials for West Bridgewater Police Officer Michael Kominsky

Officer Michael Kominsky died after a long battle with cancer on Monday, June 17, 2024.

Fried chicken restaurant sensation picks Brockton for new location. What makes it special

A lux chicken restaurant has found itself deep on the east side of Brockton, serving tasty creations of creamy mac and cheese, Korean fried chicken and freshly squeezed lemonade. Yas Chicken is giving Brockton the royal treatment with their made-to-order batches of fried chicken, coleslaw, Korean corndogs and spicy entrees.

:Yas Chickenn in Brockton: Fried chicken restaurant sensation picks Brockton for new location. What makes it special

Photos from Yas Chicken in Brockton See what all the buzz is about. A look inside Yas Chicken in Brockton

Yas Chicken is located at 645 Crescent St. in Brockton, seen here on Tuesday, June 4, 2024.

Budget clash as Brockton schools plead for 97 'critically needed' staff. If city says no?

While city departments tighten their belts, Brockton Public Schools haven't. That's the picture city councilors sought to paint as they clashed with school administrators about spending during a four-hour-and-forty-minute budget hearing on Tuesday. BPS leaders are seeking $232 million for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. That's $6 million more than Mayor Robert F. Sullivan has proposed in a budget that the Brockton City Council must pass by June 30, and that he brought before state officials to dodge receivership.

Budget clasH: Budget clash as Brockton schools plead for 97 'critically needed' staff. If city says no?

From left, Acting Superintendent of Brockton Public Schools James Cobbs and Mayor Robert Sulllivan at a School Committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024

Best french fries in Brockton area? Our poll will find out

Brockton residents, we know you love to indulge in crispy hot fries, and the battle of the best in the area has officially launched. Now it's your chance to vote on mouthwatering selections of fries smothered in insane toppings or keeping it simple with the classic OG beer battered fries. With National French Fries Day coming up on July 12, now is the perfect time for readers to weigh in on which restaurant serves up the best fries in the Brockton area.

Vote in our poll: Best french fries in Brockton area? Our poll will find out

Garlic fries at Barrels & Boards Marketplace in Raynham on Wednesday, April 10, 2024.

Staff writer Kathy Bossa can be reached by email at kbossa@enterprisenews.com. Support local journalism by purchasing a digital or print subscription to The Enterprise today.

This article originally appeared on The Enterprise: Brockton-area top 5 stories: Brockton fire police officer dies cancer
ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI)  Two North County small businesses were destroyed in a fire Saturday evening.

Firefighters responded to calls for a fire at a business on 310 North Andreasen Drive in Escondido at 6:07 p.m. Saturday.

Firefighters battling large vegetation fire in Otay Open Space Preserve

When fire crews arrived on the scene, they found heavy smoke and flames coming from a building that houses several businesses, and called for additional units, a public information officer from the Escondido Fire Department said.

Two businesses were destroyed in the fire  Magic Shop San Diego and Erics Sandwich Shop  and the roof of the structure collapsed. However, the fire was able to be stopped from spreading to other nearby businesses by a fire wall, the Escondido Fire Department confirmed.

Christelle Koumoue spoke with the owners of Magic Shop San Diego a day after the devastating fire. Watch in the video above.

Wildfire season off to an early start in California

There are no reports of any injuries. A fire inspector is at the scene looking into the cause of the fire.

North Andreasen Drive in Escondido was closed to traffic for a few hours.

The San Marcos, Vista, Carlsbad and Rancho Santa Fe fire departments assisted the Escondido Fire Department at the scene.

Christelle Koumoue contributed to this report

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
(FOX40.COM)  A fire at a Walmart in Northern California prompted evacuations and a response from several firefighter crews.

Around 12:45 p.m. on Saturday, the Lodi Fire Department reported a fire that started near the roof of the building by the air conditioning and solar units.

California wildfires burn area larger than Sacramento in six months

We are currently working a third alarm structure fire at Walmart in Lodi, Lodi firefighters said in a social media post. Please avoid the area around Lower Sacramento Road and Kettleman Lane if possible.

A spokesperson from the City of Lodi said the fire started around 11:55 a.m. and was put out by 12:55 p.m. One person was provided medical at the scene and the surrounding area was reopened.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40.
SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Firefighters began battling a vegetation fire Saturday in the Otay Open Space Preserve.

Crews from both Cal Fire and San Diego Fire-Rescue have been working to douse the blaze, which sparked north of the Otay Truck Trail, near the U.S.-Mexico border, around 3:15 p.m. Saturday.

Wildfire season off to an early start in California

Cal Fire initially reported the fire  dubbed the Border 58 fire  was burning at 4-acres. It spread to 20 acres within just 10 minutes, with the potential to be up to 100 acres, Cal Fire warned.

As of 4:15 p.m., the fire spread to over 100 acres and was burning in steep, rugged terrain in the Otay Open Space wilderness, Cal Fire said in a video update on X. The fire was burning at critical rates of spread.

Firefighters battling growing vegetation fire in Otay Open Space Preserve (SDG&E ALERTCalifornia)

There is a lot of grass that has grown from the last winter that grass is starting to cure now and that grass becomes a receptive fuel, meaning that any type of spark can create a wildland fire, expalined Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette.

The blaze has remained at 137 acres Sunday, with 80% containment, fire officials say.

On Monday, Cal Fire said the fire is 137 acres and 100% contained.

Video Below: Firefighters making progress on wildfire in Otay Open Space Preserve

Several air tankers have been supporting the fire departments ground efforts, with a total of 150 personnel working to battle the fire.

Cal Fire warned Sunday, Please use caution in the area of Otay Truck Trail due to fire equipment on the roadway.

SDFD sends crews to help with Post Fire, Lisa Fire

At this time, there are no structures being threatened and no evacuations in place; however, the vegetation fire is nearby the George Bailey Detention Center and the Richard Donovan Correctional Facility.

Its very fortunate there are no structures out in front of this, said Capt. Cornette. If it was burning the other way then it would impact the community of Otay Mesa.

This is a developing story. Stay with FOX 5/KUSI for the latest updates.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
My first cruise with my son was a nightmare. We lost power twice, had to shower with flip-flops, and couldn't make 2 of our destinations.

My first cruise with my son was a nightmare. We lost power twice, had to shower with flip-flops, and couldn't make 2 of our destinations.

Up until this year I had never been on a cruise before.

I decided to take my 10-year-old son over Spring break.

The cruise desperately needed some TLC and we lost power twice.

Until this year, I'd never been on a cruise  and I swore I never would. As someone anxious in general, I had plenty of reservations. What if there was a norovirus outbreak? What if I got seasick? What if the ship hit an iceberg, sinking like the Titanic? But as I brainstormed potential Spring break destinations with my 10-year-old, I reconsidered.

As a single mom, I don't love navigating new places alone, and organizing a weeklong vacation felt overwhelming. Setting sail on a fun-packed cruise ship where everything was pre-planned was the perfect solution.

I booked a five-night Key West and Bahamas cruise through Celebrity, leaving from Miami. To avoid feeling trapped, I chose a stateroom with a veranda. We could sit outside in the salty ocean air and enjoy the stunning views.

Our pitstop in South Beach

To keep things stress-free, I bookended our trip with a full day and night in South Beach. Neither of us had been there, and the day before our cruise, I splurged on The Miami Beach Edition. The 5-star property, with private beach access, ocean-facing pools, and an on-site ice rink and bowling alley, did not disappoint.

We chose Estiatorio Milos for Easter dinner, a Greek seafood restaurant where fish flown in fresh from the Mediterranean are displayed. The experience included a chef visiting our table to discuss the day's offerings. Our trip was off to an incredible start.

Our cruise experience wasn't great

Boarding our cruise ship, the Celebrity Summit, went smoothly, and we went right to our stateroom, which appeared as advertised. On the balcony, we watched the sunlight dance on the water's surface. I relaxed, letting my worries slip away.

But when I went inside and opened the bathroom door, the musty smell of mildew overwhelmed me. During that night's shower, I discovered why as the water collected in a pool at my feet. From then on, we wore our flip-flops and showered fast.

We made our first port and explored the delightful city of Key West. But our boat couldn't dock the next day due to high winds, so we missed our second destination, Bimini, Bahamas. Disappointed, we explored the boat, looking for fun diversions. But other than gambling and drinking, there wasn't much to do.

The pool was rusty and dirty, and the "arcade" consisted of two Xboxes in a small room. The ship, built in 2001 and refurbished in 2016, desperately needed some TLC. Chipped tile, stained carpets, and broken faucets were a few of its glaring issues. My son checked out the gift shops while I grabbed a coffee. A salesperson put a $2,000 watch on his wrist, encouraging him to make the purchase. Luckily, he knew better.

We even lost power

During a several-hour power outage, our imaginations took over. We discussed the possibility of onboard pirates  zero communication from the crew didn't help. At one point, dark sludge crept up through our shower drain, and our toilet stopped working. When the power came back on, the $270 Wi-Fi didn't, and it remained spotty for the rest of the voyage.

The ship went black again during dinner the next day. The staff served our meal in the dark like nothing was amiss. At that point, we wanted off. The next day, we docked in Nassau, Bahamas, where we played in the ocean. I let my son take me on a Jet Ski ride, which was the highlight of his trip.

The following morning was debarkation day. We couldn't get off the boat fast enough.

We enjoyed another beautiful day at South Beach, sinking our toes in white sand beaches and exploring the outdoor Lincoln Road Mall.

Though our cruise experience was probably an outlier, I won't chance it again. But South Beach? We're in love.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Florida rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed in Tampa on Sunday, just two days after celebrating his 26th birthday, according to his lawyer.

Foolio, whose real name was Charles Jones, was staying at a Holiday Inn hotel in Tampa after being kicked out of an Airbnb where he was partying, when the rapper was reportedly ambushed, attorney Lewis Fusco said in a statement.

Rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed in Florida two days after his 26th birthday. Instagram / @julio_foolio

A post Foolio made inviting people to his pool party. Instagram / @julio_foolio

A post Foolio made from the party shortly before the shooting. Instagram / @julio_foolio

Foolio wrote that the police shut down the party and kicked him out of the AirBnb. Instagram / @julio_foolio

A post Foolio made thanking people who attended his party. Instagram / @julio_foolio

Tampa police confirmed the death of one man in the shooting, with three other people injured and rushed to the hospital.

They were listed in stable condition.

Before his death, Jones had shared a story on Instagram showing him celebrating his 26th birthday with a pool party beside friends and fans at an Airbnb.

The party, which had been advertised all over social media, allegedly got too rowdy, leading police to shut down the event and forcing Jones to leave, according to Fusco.

According to his attorney, Foolio was basically ambushed. Instagram / @julio_foolio

Mr. Jones had been in Tampa to celebrate his birthday over the weekend, Fusco said.

Law enforcement reports indicate that he initially stayed at an Airbnb but was asked to leave due to exceeding occupancy limits.

He subsequently relocated to the Holiday Inn, where he was involved in an incident in the hotel parking lot and reportedly ambushed.

Police said Jones and the three other victims were in their cars in the parking lot when unidentified assailants opened fire.

Officials are reviewing surveillance footage from the hotel, with no suspects arrested as of Sunday afternoon.

Foolio was killed in the parking lot of a Holiday Inn hotel in Tampa. Instagram / @julio_foolio

Jones was a known member of the Jacksonville gang KTA, which has been in a longstanding feud with rival gangs, First Coast News reports.

Jones cousin and three teenagers were killed in a 2018 gang-related shooting during a birthday party for Jones brother, according to authorities.

The rapper had survived a previous attempt on his life back in 2021, when he was grazed by a bullet while at his recording studio in Jacksonville, with the rapper later taunting his shooters on Instagram.

Yall miss a whole 100 shots literally, Jones said of the shooting.
Families left stranded when heavy rains carved a deep chasm in a road at Camp du Nord near Ely, Minn., were able to leave Saturday after a St. Louis County crew worked throughout Friday to repair the damaged stretch.

"It divided our camp in half," said Michel Tigan, vice president of adventure and camp operations for YMCA of the North. But she said campers worked together to repair flood damage.

It was just one of the many problems caused by intense and unrelenting rain across Minnesota on Saturday, as the already saturated southwestern region was again walloped with precipitation. The National Weather Service extended flood warnings across the southern and northeastern areas as well as parts of the metro.

Many waterways will remain under alert through the end of this week, and several rivers were not expected to crest for several days. The Mississippi River's rise likely won't ease until Friday, with a predicted crest of 20 feet at St. Paul; the Minnesota River was expected to crest Thursday at about 19 feet at Jordan. Just west of the Twin Cities, the South Fork Crow River was forecast to crest on Monday at Delano at about 19 feet.

The Cannon River was predicted to crest Sunday, matching its 2010 record levels at Northfield. On Friday night, the Dundas Dukes townball team summoned about 50 fans to the field to help with sandbagging and empty concession stands. Entire neighborhoods were submerged west of Waterville, which lies between two lakes west of Faribault and where volunteers filled sandbags all weekend.

Sump pumps were running and patio furniture was secured for Edina residents along Minnehaha Creek, where for days the city's Public Works Department has delivered sandbags in hopes that water levels won't approach the historic crest of 17.5 feet a decade ago.

Residents in southwestern Minnesota awoke to flooded yards and closed roads Saturday after heavy rains overnight. The Interstate 90 corridor received 2 to 2.5 inches of rain in the previous 24 hours, according to the Weather Service, and about 3.5 inches of rain fell northwest of Windom in that period.

Near the South Dakota border, flooding closed Hwy. 14 east of Lake Benton on Saturday. According to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, nearly every road in Verdi and Lake Benton townships was underwater in spots. The Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office on Saturday issued a no-wake order on several area lakes.

Cottonwood County declared a temporary state of emergency on Friday, opening up eligibility for federal and state relief aid, said Paul Johnson, the county's emergency management director. Preliminary estimates of damage to public infrastructure in the county started in the hundreds of thousands of dollars and could range up to more than a million, said Johnson. "It could be very high water for the next week," he said.

Residents in the county seat of Windom, where heavy rains sent the Des Moines River and Perkins Creek over their banks, said they awoke to water flowing into their yards and basements. Heavy rain began falling around 8:30 p.m. Friday, but tapered off and continued to fall until 4 a.m. Saturday, residents said.

"All of us are pretty wet," Warren Winkel said on Saturday morning. He said he had about 4 feet of water in the basement of his home near Perkins Creek.

Winkel, an 85-year-old retired construction manager, said he's lived there since the 1970s and is used to the creek flooding. He said he built a brick patio with a wall to block the water and was confident about his prospects Friday night. But on Saturday, he said he couldn't believe how quickly the water had risen.

"This is by far the worst that I've seen," he said.

Winkel's neighbor, Yuliana Guerrero, said her family saw water seeping into their home at 10 p.m. Friday. When they awoke Saturday morning, they found 3 feet of water in their kitchen and their chairs afloat. The family recently moved to their house by the creek, and this year's flood is the first they've experienced there, she said.

"This is our second year," Guerrero said Friday. "(Our) last year!" added her husband, Reyes.

Joe Fischenich, a lifelong Windom resident, said the flooding has surprised him. The creek last year was almost dry, but this year it's flowing fast and high. Outside, volunteers unloaded sandbags to protect his home, and the rumble of sump pumps could be heard throughout the neighborhood.

"I've never seen it like this," said Fischenich, who was up until 1 a.m. Saturday stacking sandbags at his home. "Just got to go with the flow."

At Camp du Nord near Ely, the washed-out road brought together the community of about 170 campers, Tigan said. While children engaged in camp activities, many parents picked up shovels and rebuilt a culvert, rerouting a stream and moving rock that had washed up against a historic log building.

"I am just so deeply proud of our teams and so in awe of our generous community," Tigan said.
Warning: The details of this story may contain graphic content that may disturb some viewers.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  A Florida father admitted to forcefully hitting his infants head with his knee at least two times because the baby was fussy and crying, according to an affidavit.

On the morning of June 10, the 6-week-old infant was found unresponsive in a Melbourne home and was taken to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Parents left young kids in hot car that likely reached 125 degrees while shopping at Walmart, police say

The suspect, Edrick Lamar Davis Sr., 25, said he could not explain the childs death, as the child was healthy and didnt have any preexisting conditions.

Davis told officials that around 10:30 a.m., the infant fell asleep, after a woman, whose relationship to Davis was redacted but is presumably his partner, fed the infant formula before hopping in the shower, according to the affidavit.

Davis joined the woman in the shower for about 20 minutes before they got out, and noticed the child lying face up and unresponsive, with formula coming out of his nose. Thats when the woman called 911 and attempted CPR, the affidavit said.

When officials questioned Davis about the events leading up to the infants death, he admitted to accidentally striking the babys head on a door frame. He also admitted to forcefully hitting the back of the childs head with his knee at least two times to keep from dropping the baby.

8 first responders hospitalized after hazmat situation in Florida; suspect arrested

Davis added that he slammed his body downward onto his left knee, giving at least two blows to the babys head due to his stress and not being right in his mind. The affidavit revealed he recognized that his actions alone caused the child to die.

The doctor who treated the child at the hospital told investigators he noticed a bruise on the infants left shoulder and scratches on his face.

An autopsy, performed on June 11, revealed several internal injuries including blunt force trauma, contusions to the back of the infants head, acute subdural brain hemorrhage on the back of his brain, ocular nerve hemorrhages, and several fractures to his clavicle, tibia, ribs, and jawbone.

The medical examiner determined that the childs serious injuries were forceful and intentional, and were the cause of his death.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
NORTH PORT  The Florida Ethics Commission ruled in favor of North Port City Manager Jerome Fletcher regarding a complaint filed by city resident Stephanie Gibson.

The Ethics Commission dismissed Gibsons complaint on June 7, after a meeting in executive session, citing a lack of legal sufficiency. The six-page ruling was issued without a factual investigation but also noted that Gibson's complaint acknowledged several of his actions were tacitly approved after the fact.

Gibsons complaint was based in part on Fletchers asking members of the area's state lawmakers last year to withdraw the citys application for Warm Mineral Springs and Little Salt Springs to receive the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's Outstanding Florida Springs designation.

She also complained that Fletcher submitted an application for federal funding prior to receiving board approval, mirroring issues brought up by City Commissioner Debbie McDowell when she accused him of exceeding his authority as city manager and hoped the other four board members would share her concern. They didnt.

Gibson also took issue with a variety of roles pursued by Fletcher, including working with some nonprofits and not others.

The order by Ethics Commission Chairman Ashley Lukis noted Gibsons complaint contains several narratively unrelated allegations.

Later, Lukis wrote, As noted for each allegation discussed above, the complaint does not indicate that Respondent used or abused his office to achieve a benefit for himself or certain others.

The Florida Commission on Ethics recently dismissed ethics charges brought against City Manager Jerome Fletcher by city resident Stephanie Gibson.

Gibson noted via text that she did not use a lawyer to prepare her complaint.

She has previously filed two unfounded complaints against Fletcher with the International City Managers Association.

In a prepared statement, Fletcher said he was relieved but not surprised that Gibsons ethics complaints were dismissed.

This is the third time these same false allegations have been made, Fletcher wrote. The first two times, the International City/County Management Associations Committee on Professional Conduct concluded there was insufficient evidence of any ethics violations.

North Port City Manager Jerome Fletcher talks about the impact of Hurricane Ian on the city of North Port, as well as lessons learned, during a Sept. 15, 2023 press conference at North Port City Hall.

Now the Florida Commission on Ethics has also found a lack of legal sufficiency and declined to investigate further.

Each time, the City has had to waste taxpayer dollars defending itself, he added. This kind of behavior must stop.

Just because we have a difference of opinion doesnt mean an ethics violation has occurred.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Ethics complaint against North Port city manager found insufficient
Essay Topic 1: Contemplate situations that have shaped your personal journey. Present what these situations have taught you about your strengths and weaknesses, and how they have shaped your personal and professional journey. (400 words only)

Situations that shaped your journey : Identify and describe pivotal moments in your life. Lessons learned about strengths and weaknesses : Reflect on what these situations taught you about yourself. Impact on your personal and professional journey : Explain how these lessons have influenced your development.

Stepwise Framework for Crafting Your Essay-1

Step 1: Brainstorm Key Situations

Reflect on significant events or experiences in your life that have had a profound impact on you. These could be personal challenges, professional milestones, or transformative experiences.

Choose a few situations that collectively offer a comprehensive view of your personal and professional growth. Ensure they are diverse enough to highlight different aspects of your character.

Step 2: Describe the Situations

Briefly describe each situation, focusing on what happened, your role, and the context. Keep this part concise to ensure you have enough space for analysis.

Convey the emotional and psychological aspects of these experiences. This will help the admissions committee understand the depth of your introspection.

Step 3: Analyze Your Strengths and Weaknesses

For each situation, reflect on the strengths you exhibited. These could include leadership, resilience, empathy, problem-solving, etc.

Honestly assess any weaknesses or areas for improvement that these situations revealed. This shows self-awareness and a willingness to grow.

Step 4: Connect to Personal and Professional Journey

Explain how these situations have shaped your character, values, and outlook on life. Highlight any changes in your behavior, mindset, or goals.

Discuss how the lessons learned have influenced your professional journey. This could include changes in your career path, improvements in your work ethic, or new skills you have developed.

Step 5: Craft a Cohesive Narrative

Your essay should read as a cohesive narrative rather than a disjointed list of experiences. Use transitions to link different parts of your essay smoothly.

While its important to highlight your achievements, be careful not to come across as boastful. Similarly, while discussing weaknesses, focus on how you have addressed or are addressing them.

Example Outline for ISB PGP Essay-1

(A) Introduction

(B) Situation 1: Professional Challenge

Context and Description

Strengths and Weaknesses Revealed

Impact on Professional Development

(C) Situation 2: Personal Milestone

Context and Description

Strengths and Weaknesses Revealed

Impact on Personal Growth

(D) Conclusion

Essay Topic 2: What intellectual experiences have influenced your approach to learning and have led you to pursue an MBA? Please describe using anecdotes from your own experiences. (400 words only)



Stepwise Framework for Crafting Your Essay-2

Step 1: Comprehend and Analyze the Essay Prompt

The first crucial step in crafting your essay is to fully understand the essay prompt. Focus on identifying keywords such as intellectual experiences, approach to learning, and motivation for an MBA. Your goal here is to demonstrate how specific experiences have shaped your mindset and career aspirations.

Reflect deeply on what the prompt is asking, ensuring you grasp the nuances and expectations embedded within the question. This understanding will guide the content and direction of your essay, ensuring you address the core requirements effectively.

Step 2: Engage in Self-Reflection

Begin by brainstorming a comprehensive list of significant intellectual experiences, such as influential courses, impactful projects, enlightening readings, and meaningful discussions.

As you compile this list, look for recurring themes or patterns that highlight your approach to learning and your professional aspirations. This reflective process is critical as it helps you identify the experiences that have genuinely influenced your intellectual development and align with your decision to pursue an MBA.

Step 3: Select Key Experiences

From your brainstormed list, carefully select the experiences that are most relevant to your decision to pursue an MBA.

Focus on those that had a profound impact on your intellectual growth and learning style. These should be experiences that not only resonate personally but also clearly illustrate your academic and professional journey. By choosing the most impactful and relevant experiences, you will be able to construct a compelling narrative that convincingly links your past learning to your future goals.

Step 4: Develop a Structured Outline

To ensure your essay has a clear and logical structure, create a detailed outline. Start with an introduction that briefly introduces your intellectual journey and its significance to you. In the body paragraphs, delve into each key experience. For the first experience, describe the context, what you learned, and how it influenced your approach to learning.

Do the same for the second experience, highlighting its lessons and impact on your perspective.

In a subsequent paragraph, connect these experiences to explain how they collectively led you to the decision to pursue an MBA. Conclude your essay by summarizing your intellectual growth and reiterating your motivation for the MBA, linking it to your future career goals.

Step 5: Craft a Compelling Narrative

With your outline in place, focus on crafting a narrative that is engaging and memorable. Use anecdotes to bring your experiences to life and make your essay more relatable.

Be specific, providing concrete details to illustrate your experiences and insights. Show deep introspection by reflecting on how these experiences shaped your intellectual approach. This narrative approach not only makes your essay more engaging but also demonstrates your ability to think critically and reflect on your learning journey.

Step 6: Relate Your Experiences to ISB

Incorporate a section that explicitly relates your intellectual journey to the Indian School of Business (ISB). Highlight how ISBs curriculum and community align with your learning style and career aspirations. Mention specific programs, courses, or aspects of ISB that resonate with you.

Additionally, outline how you plan to contribute to ISBs community based on your intellectual experiences. This connection between your past experiences and ISBs offerings will reinforce your fit for the program and your genuine interest in becoming a part of its community.

Example Outline for ISB PGP Essay 2

(A) Introduction

Example:

(B) Body Paragraphs

Experience 1

Context: Set the scene (course, project, etc.).

Set the scene (course, project, etc.). Challenge: Explain the intellectual challenge you faced.

Explain the intellectual challenge you faced. Learning: Detail what you learned and how it shaped your approach to learning.

Example:

Experience 2

Context: Where and how it occurred.

Where and how it occurred. Challenge: The intellectual hurdles.

The intellectual hurdles. Learning: What you took away and its impact on you.

(C) Connecting the Dots

Synthesis: Combine the learnings from the experiences.

Combine the learnings from the experiences. Decision: Link these to your decision to pursue an MBA.

Example:

(D) Conclusion

Recap: Briefly recap your key points.

Briefly recap your key points. Future Goals: Link your past experiences with your future aspirations.

Example:

Essay Topic 3: Given your experience and aspirations, how do you plan to use the PGP at ISB to fulfill your professional goals? (Optional) (250 words only)

Stepwise Framework for Crafting Your Essay-3

Step 1: Self-Reflection and Goal Setting

Identify Your Professional Goals : Clearly define your short-term and long-term career goals. Think about where you see yourself immediately after graduation and 5-10 years down the line.

Example: In the short term, I aim to transition from core operations to strategy consulting to get 360-degree exposure to business intricacies across functions.

: Clearly define your short-term and long-term career goals. Think about where you see yourself immediately after graduation and 5-10 years down the line. Analyze Your Current Position : Assess your current skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Identify gaps that the ISB PGP can help you fill.

Example: With a background in engineering and three years of experience in product management, I have developed strong analytical and problem-solving skills. However, I lack holistic business knowledge and strategic management experience.

: Assess your current skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Identify gaps that the ISB PGP can help you fill.

Step 2: Research the ISB PGP

Understand ISBs Offerings : Dive deep into ISBs curriculum, specializations, faculty, industry connections, and extracurricular opportunities. Identify aspects of the program that align with your goals.

Example: I seek to specialize in Strategy, taking relevant courses like Competitive Strategy, Operations Strategy to gain essential knowledge for success in consulting.

: Dive deep into ISBs curriculum, specializations, faculty, industry connections, and extracurricular opportunities. Identify aspects of the program that align with your goals. Leverage Alumni Insights : Reach out to ISB alumni and current students to gain insights into how the PGP has helped them achieve their career goals. This will provide concrete examples to support your essay.

Step 3: Bridge the Gap

Connect Your Goals to ISBs Offerings : Articulate how specific elements of the ISB PGP will help you achieve your career goals. Be specific about courses, faculty, projects, and networking opportunities.

Example: The Leadership Development Program at ISB will enhance my managerial capabilities, while courses like Corporate Strategy and Business Analytics will provide me with a robust strategic foundation.

: Articulate how specific elements of the ISB PGP will help you achieve your career goals. Be specific about courses, faculty, projects, and networking opportunities. Highlight Unique Aspects : Emphasize any unique aspects of your background or aspirations that make you a good fit for ISB.

Example: My experience in launching new tech products aligns well with ISBs focus on innovation and entrepreneurship.

: Emphasize any unique aspects of your background or aspirations that make you a good fit for ISB.

Step 4: Craft a Clear and Concise Narrative

Introduction : Start with a brief introduction that captures your professional aspirations.

Example: With a vision to lead strategic initiatives in a global corporation, I seek to leverage ISBs PGP to bridge the gap between my technical expertise and strategic acumen.

: Start with a brief introduction that captures your professional aspirations. Body : In 2-3 paragraphs, discuss your current position, how ISB will help you achieve your goals, and why ISB is the perfect fit for you.

Example: My engineering background and product management experience have honed my analytical skills. However, to transition into a strategic consulting role, I need to deepen my understanding of business strategy and leadership. ISBs PGP, with its comprehensive curriculum and focus on leadership development, is ideally suited to equip me with these skills. The opportunity to learn from distinguished faculty members like Prof. XYZ and to participate in the Consulting Club will be invaluable in achieving my career aspirations.

: In 2-3 paragraphs, discuss your current position, how ISB will help you achieve your goals, and why ISB is the perfect fit for you. Conclusion : Conclude by reiterating how ISB PGP will play a pivotal role in your career trajectory.

Example: In essence, the ISB PGP will be instrumental in transforming me into a strategic leader capable of making impactful decisions. I am excited about the possibility of contributing to and learning from the vibrant ISB community.

: Conclude by reiterating how ISB PGP will play a pivotal role in your career trajectory.

Additional (Pro) Tips for ISB PGP Essays

Be Authentic : Authenticity is key. Use your unique voice and personal experiences to stand out. Avoid cliches and generic responses. Reflect Deeply : Take time to introspect and understand the core messages you want to convey. Your essays should reflect a well-thought-out narrative. Structure and Clarity : Ensure your essays are well-structured with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion. Clarity of thought and expression is essential. Use Anecdotes : Personal stories and specific examples make your essays more engaging and relatable. Highlight situations that genuinely impacted you. Align with ISBs Values : Demonstrate how your experiences and goals align with ISBs values and how the PGP will help you achieve your aspirations. Edit and Revise : Write multiple drafts and seek feedback from mentors or peers. Proofread meticulously to avoid any grammatical or typographical errors.

Final Thoughts

Feel free to reach out if you'd like highly personalized support on your B-school application journey.

For the 2025 intake, ISB has introduced three essay prompts (2 compulsory and 1 optional) designed to delve deeper into your individuality, learning approach, and future goals. These essays provide an excellent opportunity to reflect on your unique experiences, articulate your aspirations, and demonstrate your fit with the ISB community.In this article, we will analyze each essay prompt and offer tips (and samples/ best-practices) to help you craft compelling responses that resonate with the admissions committee. Original article published here on the admitStreet blog This essay prompt requires a deep dive into self-reflection. ISB is not just interested in your accomplishments but also in your ability to introspect and learn from your experiences. The prompt can be broken down into three key components:To effectively address the essay prompt, we suggest this structured approach:Start your essay with a compelling introduction that sets the stage for the introspective journey you are about to share. Emphasize the importance of introspection and personal growth, underscoring how these elements have played a crucial role in shaping your professional and personal development. This introduction should not only grab the readers attention but also provide a glimpse into the experiences that have significantly influenced your decision to pursue the ISB Post Graduate Program (PGP).Begin by describing a specific professional challenge you faced. Provide enough context to help the reader understand the scenario, including the setting, your role, and the stakes involved. Detail the complexities of the situation and what made it a significant challenge in your career.Next, delve into the strengths and weaknesses that this professional challenge revealed. Discuss how you approached the problem, leveraging your strengths to address it. At the same time, be candid about the weaknesses that surfaced during this process. This reflection demonstrates your self-awareness and your ability to critically assess your performance.Conclude this section by explaining the impact this challenge had on your professional development. Highlight the lessons learned and how this experience has influenced your approach to similar situations in the future. Discuss any specific skills you developed or enhanced and how this experience has prepared you for the next steps in your career.Transition to a personal milestone that has been pivotal in your life. Describe the context and details of this milestone, ensuring the reader understands its significance. Whether its an achievement, a significant change, or a personal challenge, provide a vivid description that conveys its importance.Just as with the professional challenge, discuss the strengths and weaknesses revealed by this personal milestone. Reflect on how you navigated this period of your life, what personal attributes you relied on, and where you found yourself lacking. This introspection is crucial in showing your personal growth and development.Explain the impact of this personal milestone on your overall personal growth. Detail the lessons you learned and how this experience has shaped your character and worldview. Connect these personal insights to your broader life goals and aspirations, illustrating how they have prepared you for future challenges.In your conclusion, summarize the key lessons youve learned from both the professional challenge and the personal milestone. Emphasize how these experiences have collectively prepared you for the ISB PGP. Reiterate your motivation for pursuing this program, linking your past experiences to your future goals.Highlight how the insights gained from these situations have equipped you with the resilience, skills, and perspectives necessary for succeeding in the ISB PGP and beyond. This conclusion should tie your narrative together, reinforcing the central theme of growth and readiness for the next chapter in your professional and personal journey.This essay requires introspection, clarity, and a compelling narrative that showcases your unique intellectual journey. Here is a step-by-step framework to help you craft an effective essay:Start with a compelling opening that grabs the readers attention. Briefly introduce the concept of intellectual experiences and their importance in your journey.My childhood in Hong Kong left an imprint on my cultural sensibilities. Living in this melting pot of Asian and Western cultures, and being surrounded by diverse perspectives, I learnt at a young age to respect differences. In 1st grade, when some parents requested a separate room for the vegetarian students to eat lunch, the school refused to segregate students based on religious choices. My mother shared this story with pride, commending the schools indiscriminate environment. This early experience instilled a deep respect for inclusivity, shaping my decision-making in multicultural settings.Describe a significant intellectual experience.During my first year at my current company, I undertook a research project on the economic implications of blockchain technology. The complexity of the subject pushed me to explore interdisciplinary resources, from economic theories to technical whitepapers. This experience taught me the value of integrating diverse perspectives and solidified my analytical approach to problem-solving.Describe another experience with similar depth.Explain how these experiences led you to an MBA.While I possess complementary and transferable learnings, my experiences have been functional and industry-specific, which I am looking to bridge through ISBs well-rounded curriculum.Summarize your intellectual growth and motivation for an MBA.To conclude, ISB will not only help me with the immediate transition but also provide me with a life-long network and distinctive credibility.This essay is an opportunity for applicants to demonstrate their clarity of thought, understanding of the ISB PGP, and alignment of their professional goals with what the program offers. Here is a stepwise framework to help you craft a compelling response:To effectively address the essay prompt, we suggest this structured approach:Remember, the key is to be authentic and convey your story with honesty and passion.With thoughtful preparation and a clear focus, you can make a lasting impression on the admissions committee and take a significant step towards joining the prestigious ISB PGP program.Regards,ArvindFounder, admitStreet | Schedule a free chat W: https://admitstreet.com | E: consultingteam@admitstreet.com
TALLAHASSEE, Florida  The amount of money that Floridas Medicaid program spends to provide emergency health care to undocumented migrants has dropped significantly after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis launched a multi-pronged crackdown on illegal immigration amid his unsuccessful primary bid for president.

DeSantis signed a law last year directing hospitals that accept Medicaid to ask patients about their immigration status when they seek treatment. While the law does not force patients to provide hospitals with an answer, immigrant rights groups feared the mandate would scare migrants away from seeking urgent medical attention. The DeSantis administration and other Florida Republicans say any marked decreases in spending are signs his immigration crackdown is working.

Floridas Emergency Medical Assistance program for undocumented immigrants has seen a 54 percent drop in expenditures billed to Medicaid this year  with less than two months remaining in the fiscal year  since the state immigration law took effect, according to a POLITICO analysis. Thomas Kennedy of the Florida Immigrant Coalition said while there is no concrete evidence that the drop in Medicaid spending is a result of the law, which took effect in July 2023. there have been other signs of fallout.

Obviously, theres been somewhat of an exodus of migrants in Florida, Kennedy said. When this was all going through  we had warned about the exacerbated work[force] shortages and the distressed industries  we said this would be a bad idea.

Federal law bars undocumented immigrants from Medicaid eligibility, even if they meet other requirements. But federal law also requires that states authorize limited Medicaid coverage for migrants facing a medical emergency, including dialysis, a pregnant woman delivering a baby or trauma.



Data provided to POLITICO by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services show $148.4 million in state and federal Medicaid dollars went toward emergency coverage for immigrants in Florida in the year before the states new immigration law took effect. As of May 3, $67 million has gone toward emergency coverage this year. With two months left in the fiscal year that number will rise, but the state is still on track for a dramatic decrease in spending.

The spending drop represents a dramatic spike in the rate of decline. The AHCA data also shows Medicaid expenditures in the 12 months before the law took effect dropped a little more than 13 percent. Medicaid expenditures went from $171.4 million in 2022 to the $148.4 million from last year.

About half of the Emergency Medical Assistance spending goes toward pregnant women who were in labor, according to Leonardo Cuello, a research professor at the Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policys Center for Children and Families  and he said a consequence of the state immigration law is that women may avoid the hospital when its time to give birth.

Do we want the mothers of U.S. citizen babies avoiding the hospital when they unexpectedly go into labor? Cuello wrote in an email. This will have terrible long-term consequences for Florida. When asked for comment, the governors office sent a statement from Alecia Collins, a spokesperson for AHCA. While the states health care system is designed to serve and prioritize legal United States citizens, those with medical necessities will still be treated by a hospital, she said.

The DeSantis administration has devoted millions of state budget dollars and other resources toward combating illegal immigration as part of an ongoing feud with the Biden administration over federal policy on the Mexican border. And next years $116.5 billion state budget includes a $557,882 line item for AHCA to expand a program created by the immigration law that monitors health care costs associated with undocumented immigrants.

In a separate statement, Collins wrote that Medicaid expenditures are only part of the financial burden that illegal immigration places on the states hospital system. AHCAs budget surveillance program published a report in March that determined hospitals were left to cover more than $566 million in medical bills in the last six months of 2023 that patients who were undocumented did not pay.

By shedding light on the true cost burden of illegal immigration we hope to bring awareness to the citizens of Florida and the United States as a whole, Collins wrote. The current state of inaction in Washington DC is unacceptable, and this crisis must be addressed.

Hospitals can request emergency Medicaid funding on behalf of a migrant from the Florida Department of Children and Families. If approved, DCF will grant emergency medical assistance for a limited number of days. Most recipients are pregnant women who have gone into labor or chronically ill patients who require life-saving treatments such as dialysis, but some include people who showed up with a serious medical emergency.



Data provided by DCF shows the agency granted more than 147,000 emergency authorizations in Floridas fiscal 2022, which ended June 30 of that calendar year, and then 116,000 in fiscal 2023. DCF has made 99,000 authorizations as of April 30, two months before the end of fiscal 2024.

Medicaid expenditures are the first look at medical bills generated by undocumented immigrants that are covered by taxpayers. Medicaid is funded by state and federal tax revenue, usually leaving states responsible for about 40 percent of the spending. For instance, of the $67 million spent so far this year, $28 million came from state dollars, according to AHCA data.

The impact of the immigration law on health care first emerged in February, after the Mexican Consulate in Orlando noticed a drop in participation in a free health screening program for women. At the time, Republicans said the drop in participation was a sign that the law was a success since it was intended to drive migrants away from the state. The law directs hospitals to ask patients about their immigration status, and AHCA analyzes any answers. The agency sent a report to the legislature in March that compared the percentage of patients who told hospital officials they were in the U.S. illegally against the overall costs incurred by hospitals in the previous year to extrapolate how much care for undocumented people was costing.

The AHCA report received plenty of criticism from experts, who said it failed to provide details on the data used to determine that migrants were responsible for $566 million in unpaid hospital bills. Leighton Ku, director of the Center for Health Policy Research at The George Washington University, suspected the AHCA report had overestimated costs and the comparatively low Medicaid spending bolstered his suspicions.

This is so very far below what the state estimated in its March report, Ku said. I still think the March report is overestimating things, but I'm not completely sure about where they got their data.

Ku said hospitals definitely take a hit from migrants who arent eligible for emergency Medicaid, but still fail to pay their hospital bills. But Medicaid also provides hospitals with millions of dollars in additional funding for treating a disproportionate number of Medicaid recipients, and that money is meant to make up for uncompensated care.

Cuello, the Georgetown professor, said the AHCA report finds no correlation between caring for undocumented immigrants and hospital losses or uncompensated care. In fact, the report actually reveals a connection between rural counties and uncompensated care, he said.

The best way for Florida to address uncompensated care, protect rural hospitals, and most importantly, help rural Floridians, is to accept the incredibly generous federal funding available to expand Medicaid and provide coverage to rural Floridians, Cuello wrote. (Florida is one of 10 states that has not opted in to Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act.)

Some Republicans were afraid the immigration law would hurt the states agriculture industry, which relies heavily on migrants for labor during spring and fall harvest seasons. In June 2023, one month before the law took effect, state Rep. Rick Roth (R-West Palm Beach) told an audience, with the help of a Spanish interpreter, at an event in Hialeah that some employees were leaving the state for Georgia due to the law. He asked for help in getting them to stay.

Its urgent you talk to all of your people and convince them that you have resources, state representatives and other people that can explain the bill to you, Roth told the audience, before he quickly switched to praise for former President Donald Trump and DeSantis.

Im still supporting Donald Trump and I love my governor, Roth said.

Roth did not respond to requests for comment via email and text message this month. But Kennedy  the Florida Immigrant Coalition activist  said Republicans had called him a conspiracy theorist for warning that migrants would leave the state due to the law requiring hospitals to ask about patients immigration status.

We were accused of being conspiracy theorists, Kennedy said. Obviously, theres something there  its undeniable.
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  At least one person is dead and three injured after a shooting at a hotel in Tampa, Florida early Sunday morning, according to police.

Tampa police said the shooting happened shortly before 5 a.m. EDT in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn at the intersection of Fowler Avenue and McKinley Drive.

What we have learned, and this is early in the investigation, two cars were shot at, said Jonee Lewis, public information officer of the Tampa Police Department.

Lewis said one person was killed at the scene while three other gunshot victims were taken to local hospitals. The deceased person was believed to be a man named Charles Jones, 26, but the medical examiner has yet to release a positive identification, police say.

Charles Jones is the legal name of rapper Julio Foolio. While police have not explicitly confirmed the connection, the 26-year-old rappers girlfriend, Blanco Mani, posted the news of his death on Instagram, which is now private. She said he died after celebrating his birthday in Tampa, posting a photo of him from that night.

The rappers Instagram story showed that he was celebrating his birthday with a pool party at a Tampa Airbnb before police made him relocate.

A Florida rapper is believed to be dead after a shooting outside a Tampa hotel, according to police. (WFLA)

A Florida rapper is believed dead after a shooting outside a Tampa hotel that left three others injured on June 23, 2024. (WFLA)

Jones attorney, Lewis Fusco, confirmed the rappers death to Jacksonville news outlet WJXT. Nexstars WFLA has contacted Fusco Law Group for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Jones, who also goes by Fulio, has roughly 952,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. Previous news reports say Jones was shot twice in the past three years.

Investigators said they believe the victims were at the hotel trying to get a room at the time of the shooting.

It seems like they will survive their injuries, Lewis said.

Investigators are still reviewing surveillance video in the incident, Lewis explained, while officers are helping guide hotel guests around the scene.

At this time, no arrests have been made. Officers are looking for additional video to identify any potential suspects.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Tampa Police at 813-231-6130.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News.
TAMPA, Fla.  Florida rapper Julio Foolio was shot and killed in a Tampa hotel parking lot early Sunday morning.

His lawyer, Lewis Fusco, confirmed his death to CBS News affiliate WTSP-TV in Tampa.

Around 4:40 a.m., Tampa police officers were called out to a shooting reported at the Holiday Inn Tampa North, where two cars were shot at, resulting in four people getting hit by gunfire, Tampa Police spokesperson Jonee Lewis said at a news conference.

One of the victims was believed to be Charles Jones, 26, but police said his identity is pending confirmation by the medical examiner. According to WTSP, Jones is Foolio's legal name.

Three other people were injured in the shooting.

Fusco told WTSP that that Foolio was in Tampa to celebrate his birthday at an Airbnb but was asked to leave because there were too many people at the residence. He then went to the Holiday Inn, where he was reportedly ambushed, Fusco told WTSP.

Foolio, who has over 1 million followers on Instagram, shared and promoted on his page that he was in Tampa for his birthday.

Hotel guests were not evacuated but police were on the scene to assist them if necessary, Lewis said.

Police are urging the public to provide any videos or information they may have to assist with the investigation.

"If you saw something or heard something any little detail can help us figure out what happened this morning," Lewis said.

People can contact the Tampa Police Department at (813)231-6130.

John Dickerson: What's the point of a Biden-Trump debate?

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FORDYCE, Ark.  In the days following a mass grocery store shooting in Fordyce, Arkansas, the community has grown quiet.

I think a lot of people are not ready to come out yet. They will eventually, but not right now. I think it may have brought a lot of fear on people, A Fordyce resident shopping at Walmart said.

LIVE UPDATES: Authorities confirm several people shot, 4 dead and two officers injured in Fordyce grocery store shooting; suspect in custody

A total of 14 people were injured from gunfire on Friday, including 11 civilians, two law enforcement officers and the suspect.

Four people died as a result of the shooting.

The four that died were 62-year-old Shirley Taylor, 23-year-old Callie Weems, 50-year-old Roy Sturgis and 81-year-old Ellen Shrum.

Travis Eugene Posey, 44, of New Edinburg was arrested and charged with four counts of first-degree murder, with additional charges pending.

I dont see how anybody can flip their lid like that, the shopper said.

Victims killed in Fordyce mass shooting identified

The Mad Butcher building sits with several dozen bullet holes and glass scattered across the parking lot.

The store is temporarily closed because of the shooting, with a sign on the store that reads Please pray for our community.

Besides the Mad Butcher, there arent many places to purchase groceries shop in the city.

Many in Fordyce said the shooting has them shopping with their guard up.

Its a very eerie feeling in Fordyce right now, said a shopper.

Suspect identified after mass shooting in Fordyce leaves 3 people dead, 10 others injured

The grocery store mass shooting has brought a sense of fear among shoppers.

One shopper says she has fears because Sometimes there are copycats. So, were just praying the copycats wont come out.

Even through tragedy, this small community shares much love for one another and refuses to let this break them.

Its a terrible thing that happened, but you know what? God will take care of it. Its in Gods hands, the shopper said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK.
Former first lady Melania Trump stays out of the public eye as Donald Trump runs for president

FILE - Former first lady Melania Trump leaves after voting in the Florida primary election in Palm Beach, Fla., March 19, 2024. After Melania Trump missed key events in her husband's campaign, she told reporters asking about her thin schedule to stay tuned. But in the months since, she has largely refrained from public appearances. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP)  After Melania Trump missed key events in her husband's presidential bid earlier this year  from the kickoff of the 2024 election in Iowa to Donald Trumps Super Tuesday victory party  reporters asked the former first lady whether she planned to hit the campaign trail. Her response: Stay tuned.

But since making that comment in March, after she and Donald Trump voted in Florida's primary, Melania Trump has largely refrained from public appearances. The few exceptions have included a couple of fundraisers in April and their son's high school graduation.

The former first lady noticeably did not accompany the presumptive Republican presidential nominee on any of the days of his more than monthlong hush money trial in New York. She was not there last month for the guilty verdict or the following day for his remarks at Trump Tower. She also did not appear June 14 at a 78th birthday party organized for Trump by his fan club, or at any of the campaign rallies he has held in recent months.

Her absence during the trial and for other important moments is unusual, said Katherine Jellison, a professor of history at Ohio University who studies first ladies. But Jellison said maybe it should not come as a surprise as Melania Trump seems reluctant to follow the traditional public role of a politician's wife. As first lady, she also kept a low profile and she was not a regular presence on her husbands losing 2020 presidential campaign.

But everything the Trumps do seems to be against the standard playbook of how candidates and spouses behave," Jellison said.

Melania Trump's behavior deviates from how other politicians have relied on their spouses. Sometimes male politicians turn to their wives to try to reach out to female voters. Candidates also may be joined by their spouses as a way of giving voters more of a sense of what the candidate is like outside the political arena.

During this year's GOP primary, for example, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis wife, Casey DeSantis, traveled with him, granted interviews and formed a coalition named Mamas for DeSantis before he suspended his bid for the nomination. Vivek Ramaswamy's wife, Dr. Apoorva Ramaswamy, also was on the campaign trail, often appearing along with their two young children to talk about the importance of family.

The Associated Press reached out to 15 people who have been in major fundraisers or in Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate recently. None said they had encountered Melania Trump on the Florida property.

Her office has not responded to several requests for comment. Her only public statement of late came two days after the Florida Republican Party announced with fanfare that son Barron Trump, 18, was chosen as a state delegate for the Republican National Convention and her office said he could not make it, citing prior commitments.

Reporters at the New York courthouse during Trumps felony trial repeatedly asked him, Wheres Melania? but he never answered. Trump allies cited their sons school calendar as the main reason for her absence without denying it was a delicate time for the family.

Trumps attorney, Todd Blanche, was asked whether there were talks about her accompanying him to court.

That wasnt a discussion that I wanted to have, Blanche responded, speaking to Miami trial attorney David Oscar Markus for his For The Defense podcast. "This was a tough case because of the nature of the charges, the evidence that came in, the history, how long it had been.

Some of the testimony aired how Trump allegedly had sex with porn actor Stormy Daniels in July 2006, about four months after Melania Trump had given birth to Barron; Trump has denied Daniels' claim. Trumps former attorney and fixer Michael Cohen testified that Trump did not appear to care about how the story of an encounter he was looking to bury would hurt his marriage as much as he cared about it damaging his 2016 presidential aspirations.

But Hope Hicks, Trumps 2016 campaign communications chief, testified that Trump was concerned in 2016 about how a story related to Playboy model Karen MacDougal would be viewed by his wife and wanted her to make sure newspapers were not delivered to their residence.

Melania Trump did not post anything on her social media accounts after her husband was convicted on 34 felony counts. That's in contrast to Trump's elder sons, who quickly condemned the verdict. Daughter Ivanka Trump posted on Instagram a photo of her as a toddler with a younger Trump and the message I love you dad. Tiffany Trump, his younger daughter, accompanied him to the courthouse last month for the trial's closing arguments.

I think its very hard for her," Trump said about his wife, in an interview with Fox News after the verdict. "I mean, shes fine. But, you know, she has to read all this crap.

Despite her absence on the campaign trail, Trump often mentions her and shares conversations between the two, showing supporters that she is still involved behind the scenes by offering feedback to the former president.

Larry Snowden, president of the Club 47 fan group, said he last saw the former first lady at a February gala hosted by the Trumpettes, a group of female supporters. He said he has never had a one-on-one interaction with her, but that when he saw her there, she was so charming.

She was so happy, and she was smiling and accommodating anyone that wanted to come up and shake her hand or anything," Snowden said.

Snowden said he does expect Melania Trump to show face throughout the campaign and to make key speeches, but that he also thinks that the former president would continue to be very protective of her.

___

Gomez Licon reported from Miami. Associated Press writer Darlene Superville in Washington contributed to this report.
Clemency advocates want North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper to move faster to pardon those they feel are innocent.

Let me offer an insight from one of the few North Carolinians whove been there and done that. As governor from 1985 to 1993, I considered my share of clemency petitions, typically five to 10 per year. My perspective adds caution to recent demands that the governor be more transparent and less political on clemency.

Jim Martin

The N.C. Constitution, like the U.S. Constitution, establishes a clear separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The Duties of Governor are spelled out in Article III, Section 5: Clemency. The Governor may grant reprieves, commutations, and pardons, after conviction, for all offenses (except in cases of impeachment), upon such conditions as he may think proper, subject to regulations prescribed by law relative to the manner of applying for pardons. The terms reprieves, commutations, and pardons shall not include paroles.

Thats all it says, but it says a lot. It places a unilateral burden upon the governor with minimal guidance. It imposes no limitation other than the exclusion of impeachments and that it be granted only after conviction, the sole exception from presidential pardons. It provides for legislation regulating the manner of applying for pardons, but not for granting pardons.

Almost all requests for pardon come to the governor after appellate courts have reviewed any new evidence and relevant arguments and decided not to reverse the trial courts finding of guilt, letting the sentence stand. They have had their day in court.

In a sense, the governors power of pardon is like a court of last resort, a respected tradition that arose in antiquity.

This somewhat obscure practice goes back 2,425 years to when ancient Greeks formalized a practice of even more ancient Babylonians. More recent history tell us the practice first appears in English history in the seventh century as the prerogative of mercy. Alexander Hamilton carved it into the U.S. Constitution and the U.S. Supreme Court secured it.

Consequently, it allows one individual alone to take one final look at the facts and decide whether theres justification for clemency of any kind. There are no rules about what evidence may be considered or how much credence is owed to the jurys verdict or the judges sentence. The governor may listen to any pleading and review any evidence even if it was disallowed at trial.

My only commitment to petitioners was that I would consider any reasoning but primarily two factors: Does the punishment fit the crime? And, is there substantial evidence of innocence? In capital cases, my decision would come one week before the scheduled execution.

There is no provision for legislative interference. No former governor can tell a current governor how to approach pardons unless asked. The N.C. Constitution places this final judgment upon one specified person, with no obligation to explain or comment on anything.

This naturally disturbs those who seek from the governor what they cannot win from the judiciary. Their objectives may be honorable. They may believe whatever they want if they cannot convince their last resort. They may appeal to the public, urging removal of political influence, for example.

Lets think about that. If this singular constitutional duty were to be changed to require open debate and transparency of all records and communications, will that make the process and decision less political? My 26 years of political experience tells me it will make it more subject to political influence, not less. That could likely make it more difficult, if not impossible, for clemency to be awarded to anyone.

To all who advocate for innocence or forgiveness, my earnest advice is: Do all you legally can for those you believe are innocent or too severely punished. Lets not experiment with this rare curiosity that has survived 24 centuries of Western civilization.

Jim Martin, a Republican, was N.C. governor from 1985-93. He is a regular contributor to our pages.
Britain's Prime Minister and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak meets with nighttime economy representatives in central London, Saturday June 22, 2024 as part of a campaign event in the build-up to the July 4 general election. (Benjamin Cremel/Pool Photo via AP)

LONDON (AP)  The chief data officer of Britain's Conservative Party has taken a leave of absence, British media reported Sunday, following growing allegations that the governing party's members used inside information to bet on the date of Britains July 4 national election before it was announced.

The Sunday Times and others reported that Nick Mason is the fourth Conservative official to be investigated by the U.K.'s Gambling Commission for allegedly betting on the timing of the election.

The Times alleged that dozens of bets had been placed with potential winnings worth thousands of pounds.

The reports came after revelations in recent days that two Conservative election candidates, Laura Saunders and Craig Williams, are under investigation by the gambling watchdog. Saunders' husband Tony Lee, the Conservative director of campaigning, has also taken a leave of absence following allegations he was also investigated over alleged betting.

Police said one of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak 's police bodyguards was arrested Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. The arrest came after the gambling regulator confirmed it was investigating the possibility of offences concerning the date of the election.

The growing scandal, just two weeks ahead of the national election, has dealt a fresh blow to Sunak's Conservative Party, which is widely expected to lose to the opposition Labour Party after 14 years in power.

Sunak said this week that he was incredibly angry to learn of the allegations and said that anyone found to have broken the law should be expelled from his party.

Sunak announced on May 22 that parliamentary elections would be held on July 4. The date had been a closely guarded secret and many were taken by surprise because a vote had been expected in the fall.

Saunders, a candidate standing in Bristol, southwest England, has said she will cooperate fully with the investigation.

Williams was Sunak's parliamentary private secretary as well as a member of Parliament running for reelection on July 4. He has acknowledged that he was being investigated by the Gambling Commission for placing a 100-pound ($128) bet on a July election before the date had been announced.

Senior Conservative minister Michael Gove condemned the alleged betting and likened it to  Partygate, the ethics scandal that contributed to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's ouster in 2022.

That controversy saw public trust in the Conservatives plummet after revelations that politicians and officials held lockdown-flouting parties and gatherings in government buildings during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.

It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us, Gove told the Sunday Times. Thats the most potentially damaging thing.

Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, said people are sick and tired of this sleaze and that Sunak must intervene and order an official inquiry.

The Conservative Party said it cannot comment because investigations are ongoing.
Shortly before spring break, a collection of hand-woven Native American baskets on display in the Fresno State Library disappeared quietly.

Inside the four empty display cases, placards were left informing library-goers the baskets had been temporarily removed so Fresno State can undergo a legally mandated process requiring Californias public universities to return their collections of Native cultural artifacts and skeletal remains to the tribes of origin.

These state and federal laws  specifically the California Native American Graves Protection Act of 2001 and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990  have been in place for decades. Yet a 2023 audit requested by Assemblyman James Ramos (D-San Bernardino), the Legislatures first and only Native member, revealed Cal State University campuses had repatriated only 6% of 698,000 artifacts and human remains in their possession.

Twelve CSU schools were found to have returned 0%. That group included Fresno State, whose collection contains an estimated 38,700 cultural items as well as five complete or partial skeletons.

Opinion

Ramos responded to the audit by sponsoring AB 389, a new law that beefed up Cal NAGPRA by requiring individual CSU campuses to fund the full expense of returning their artifacts while also prohibiting their use in teaching or research without express tribal consent.

It was designed to kick the UC and CSU in the butt and make them do something, said Ken Hansen, a Fresno State professor of political science and American Indian studies.

The removal of the Native basket collection  they are now in the library vault  was Fresno States first visible step toward compliance. The second was the April hiring of Kellie Carrillo as the universitys first-ever NAGPRA coordinator.

Carrillo, an enrolled member of the Tule River Tribe, reports directly to Fresno State President Saul Jimenez-Sandoval and works out of his office. Carrillo will soon be joined by another new hire with the job title of Director of Tribal Relations; that position is currently posted on the universitys job board.

Jimenez-Sandoval is confident the two new administrators will give Fresno State the necessary capacity to complete the repatriation process by 2027. At least thats the goal.

The reason it will take three years is due to the size of the collection, the number of tribes involved (34 throughout California, including some that arent recognized by the federal government) as well as both the complexity and sensitivity of the issue.

Our main focus has been building relationships with the tribes, Jimenez-Sandoval said. There is a lot of trust-building that has to be done in all of this.

Four empty cases at the Leon S. Peters Gallery are seen on the second floor of Fresno States Library. All four cases featured local Native American basket art until recently removed for the CalNAGPRA repatriation process. Photographed Thursday, June 13, 2024 in Fresno.

One of four empty cases at the Leon S. Peters Gallery is seen on the second floor of Fresno States Library. All four cases featured local Native American basket art until recently removed for the CalNAGPRA repatriation process. Photographed Thursday, June 13, 2024 in Fresno.

How Fresno State amassed its collection

Why does Fresno State have 38,700 Native cultural artifacts and five sets of skeletal remains stored away? The answer to that question stretches back eight decades.

Between 1950 and 1980, according to Elizabeth Lowham, dean of the College of Social Sciences, items and remains were dug up by Department of Anthropology faculty and students that participated in cultural resource management projects, often on federal or private lands. This practice stopped in 1980 but resumed between 1998 and 2023 through the departments archeological field school and contract work.

The collection also includes numerous private donations received between 1950 and 2023. According to Lowham, the bulk of the 38,700 items are pieces or fragments of baskets, jewelry and pottery, sometimes as small as individual beads or shards of obsidian, rather than complete works.

Lois Conner, a North Fork Mono artist, weaving a basket from start to finish over the course of 12 months, is shown as the 700 foot tall LED display Lady In Red, seen on the northern exterior of Fresno States Library, Thursday, 13, 2024 in Fresno.

Hansen, a faculty member since 2005, said records of archaeological donations tend to get hazier the farther back in time you go. During the 1960s and 70s, he said, farmers that discovered human bones while plowing would frequently telephone Fresno State once law enforcement determined their fields werent a crime scene.

Before NAGPRA theyd just call up the university and say, We dont know what to do with this. Do you want it? Hansen said. Those remains might just be accepted with little to no context.

In 1999, Fresno State worked with several local tribes to reinter the skeletal remains of more than 150 Native people found in Fresno, Madera and Kings counties (and stored in more than 40 small boxes, according to a Bee story) during a private ceremony at Santa Rosa Rancheria near Lemoore

The five sets of remains still in the universitys possession were discovered in older collections during the most recent NAGPRA inventory, Lowham said.

Returning those ancestors will be our No. 1 priority in the coming year, Jimenez-Sandoval added. On those we have a strong sense of where we can begin consultations and agreements with the tribes.

Getting up to speed on NAGPRA

The actual job of engaging and consulting belongs to Carrillo, a longtime tribal administrator for the Tule River Tribe who in 2020 became the first Native elected to the Porterville City Council. She currently serves as the citys vice mayor.

During her first weeks as NAGPRA coordinator, Carrillo familiarized herself as best she could with every aspect of Fresno States collection in order to be able to answer specific questions. That required numerous meetings with faculty and administrators. She also compiled an updated directory of all 34 tribes where the items and remains originated.

Last month, Jimenez-Sandoval sent each a letter that formally introduced Carrillos hiring, described her role and established her as their primary contact for repatriation.

Its a sign of respect toward the tribes: We have this new position and its to work directly with you,  Carrillo said. Even though Im friends with council members in a lot of these tribes I cant just start reaching out on my own. It would be a lack of respect.

Kellie Carrillo, a member of the Tule River tribe and vice mayor of Porterville, has been hired by Fresno State to coordinate its Cal NAGPRA compliance efforts toward Native American artifacts in the university librarys collection. Photographed June 17, 2024 in Fresno.

A handful have responded to the presidents letter so far, Carrillo said. (Because tribes have different leadership structures, some letters had to be re-sent to ensure they got to the right person.) She has held in-person meetings with two and has several others in the works.

The tribes have been very welcoming  Ill say that, Carrillo said. But at the same time, this is a sensitive subject. Its hurtful to have to even bring all this up and then have to have their community and elders involved.

NAGPRA gives tribes the option to decline the return of their items or remains and permit Fresno State to keep them.

I havent experienced that yet, and I dont expect to, Carrillo said. What I will say could potentially happen is that a tribe may not have the ability to take an ancestor due to the lack of access to land. Or they need to be at a certain time so they can provide a spiritual ceremony.

Because heres the thing: While there are ceremonies and songs and protocols for burials, the tribes dont have protocols or ceremonies or songs for re-burials because thats something you would never do. You would never disrupt a burial, so having to recreate all of that is even a burden.

Top priority for Fresno State president

The repatriation of Fresno States collection is a top priority for Jimenez-Sandoval  and not simply because of his heritage or that it came up on a recent performance review.

Before his family moved to Fowler when he was 10 years old, Jimenez-Sandoval grew up in a small town named Jalpa located in the mountainous Mexican state of Zacatecas. His paternal grandfather was 100% Huichol, an indigenous people of the Sierra Madres.

During Jimenez-Sandovals investiture ceremony in September 2022, Fresno State announced the creation of a minor in American Indian studies. He also formed a group called the Native American Leadership Council to better connect Native students and tribal leaders, and bolstered the universitys Native American Initiative with the goal of increasing the number of Native students who enroll and graduate.

The big goal for the NALC is to really found and create a Native center at Fresno State where we would be the leading Native center in the Central Valley and showcase not just the history or the culture but really the struggles and the celebration of indigenous peoples in our region, Jimenez-Sandoval said.

Upholstery reflects basket weaving patterns in the Table Mountain Rancheria Reading Room on Fresno States Librarys third floor. Photographed June 17, 2024 in Fresno.

Roman Rain Tree, a community organizer with ties to the Dunlap Band of Mono Indians and the Choinumni tribe, described Fresno States ties to several local tribes as frayed but that things have improved under Jimenez-Sandoval.

I think he gets it, but he also inherited a bleak situation, Rain Tree said.

Bob Pennell, cultural resources director for Table Mountain Rancheria, which in 2008 gave Fresno State a $10 million donation toward the librarys expansion, declined comment about the universitys repatriation efforts. Three other local tribes did not return phone calls.

By contrast, Carrillo said her overtures have been warmly received. Still, thats only the initial step in a long, cumbersome process, and many tribes are dealing with multiple consultation requests.

Being honest: The tribes are going to wait and see how it goes, Carrillo said. I think the process is a lot, and thats just for one university. For tribes who also have meetings with UC Berkeley and UC Davis and Sonoma State, I have to be mindful of that, too. Ensuring Im following up but not just bombarding them because it is absolutely not a checklist for me to get this done.
In a 7-0 vote, the Texas Ethics Commission gave final approval to requiring social media figures to disclose when they are paid for political advertisement. Elizabeth Conley/Staff photographer

Texas top campaign finance watchdog has voted to require social media figures to disclose when they are paid for political advertisement, nearly a year after the Texas Tribune reported that influencers were being quietly paid to defend impeached Attorney General Ken Paxton.

In a 7-0 vote last week, the Texas Ethics Commission gave final approval to the changes, which were first proposed in March.

Last summer, the Tribune reported on a new company, Influenceable, that was paying Gen Z influencers to create or share social media posts that attacked the impeachment process and the Texas Republicans leading it, including House Speaker Dade Phelan. Commissioners did not mention the company directly last week, but said at their previous meeting that the changes were in response to at least one business that was paying social media figures for undisclosed political messaging.

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Influenceable has a partnership with Campaign Nucleus, a digital campaign service that was founded by Brad Parscale, a top official on former President Donald Trumps last two campaigns. It also received $18,000 from Defend Texas Liberty in May 2023, after which influencers began to parrot claims that Paxton was the victim of a political witch hunt, accuse Phelan of being a drunk or urge their millions of collective followers to come to Paxtons aid.

Defend Texas Liberty is a political action committee that two West Texas oil billionaires, Tim Dunn and Farris Wilks, have used to give more than $15 million to far-right campaigns and candidates in the state since 2021. The two are by far Paxtons biggest donors.

The new change amends the commissions rules to clarify that disclosures are required for those who are paid more than $100 to post or repost political advertisements.

This is not the case of the TEC inventing a substantive requirement to rule making, the commissions general counsel, James Tinsley, said before the vote. Its quite the opposite. Its paring back an exception.

The rule change was strongly opposed by groups and figures funded by Dunn and Wilks, who decried it when it was first proposed earlier this year and said the commission was creating a secret speech police that could target citizens for routine social media posts. Some of the loudest critics of the proposal, including the right-wing website Texas Scorecard, have for years been involved in lawsuits that challenged the constitutionality of the commission and sought to strip it of most of its regulatory powers.

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Others argued that it did not go far enough because it held social media users accountable, but not those who pay them and fail to disclose as much.

I just dont want to pass the buck onto people that are literally only posting these because theyll get $75, $80 or $90 out of it, Andrew Cates, an Austin-based attorney focused on political campaigns, testified at Tuesdays meeting.

The commissions executive director, J.R. Johnson, agreed with Cates that the change is narrowly tailored, but added that it does prevent the commission from pursuing new rules in the future that deal with those who are paying social media users to post their political advertisements.

Campaign law experts previously have said that companies like Influenceable reflect a decadeslong failure to modernize disclosure rules, many of which have not been updated since the widespread proliferation of social media or the internet.

The (federal) laws around disclosure of campaign spending assumed a traditional model, like paying somebody to print your ad in the newspaper or paying a TV station to play your ad on the air, Ian Vandewalker, an expert on the influence of money in politics and elections at the Brennan Center, told the Tribune last year. Paying an influencer to talk about a candidate doesnt fit into those traditional definitions, and so its slipping through the cracks.

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Texas has some restrictions on out-of-state donations, limits donations during the biennial legislative session and requires disclosures of political advertising that contain express advocacy. But otherwise, one longtime campaign finance lawyer said, the states rules allow dark money to run amok.

If youre not actually advocating for or against the election of someone or a proposition, then you pretty much fall outside most regulations, Austin lawyer Roger Borgelt said last year.

This year, some Republican state lawmakers have called for ethics reform during the 2025 legislative session, citing what they said was a flood of misinformation and deceptive advertising during this years GOP primaries. Others directly cited Influenceable, and called for legislation to curb companies like it when lawmakers meet next year.

Im somebody who cares about truth and motivation, state Rep. Tom Oliverson, a Cypress Republican who is currently running for Texas House speaker, told the Tribune last summer. I really dislike manufactured outrage and manufactured narratives. I prefer people to be honest, straightforward and truthful. And so I do think that, at a bare minimum, these things should have to be disclosed.
RALEIGH  North Carolina voters are sharply divided on a range of political issues, but they agree strongly across all partisan and ideological lines with policies to promote greater energy competition, a regional market for energy, and more renewable energy, including offshore wind.

Federal, state and local candidates in this falls elections should keep this in mind as they vie to attract independent voters whose support theyll need to win.

The new 2024 North Carolina Energy Poll, conducted for Conservatives for Clean Energy NC and the national Clean Energy Buyers Association, found that among the states likely fall voters:

More than 77% want more energy competition and consumer choice. This includes 79% of Republican voters, 77% of unaffiliated voters and 77% of Democratic voters. Ideologically, it includes 75% of self-identified conservative voters, 82% of moderate voters and 78% of liberal voters.

Almost 80% say the state should modernize its laws to allow for greater competition with Duke Energy to meet our states future energy needs. This includes 79% of Republican voters, 80% of unaffiliated voters and 80% of Democratic voters. Ideologically, it includes 77% of self-identified conservative voters, 84% of moderate voters and 83% of liberal voters.

About 77% think state law should require Duke Energy to join a regional wholesale energy market if it would save North Carolina residents and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars a year, as independent studies have suggested. Meanwhile, 62% of voters think the state should study the potential cost savings.

More than 61% support building offshore wind turbines, up from 55% last year. Support rose to about 66% when told of the private investment wind energy would attract or that the turbines would be 22 miles or more from the shore.

Overall, 74% think state law should encourage more investment in renewable energy.

The random phone survey of 600 likely general election voters across North Carolina has a statistical accuracy of +/- 4% at a 95% confidence interval. The poll was conducted May 20-22 for the Raleigh Republican political consulting firm Strategic Partners Solutions. The polls resounding results are consistent with those of similar statewide surveys over the past decade.

The research shows that Republican and Democratic candidates alike can appeal to crucial unaffiliated swing voters  especially those who are ideologically moderate or lean conservative  by emphasizing the significant economic and lifestyle benefits clean energy provides. For them, its not about saving the planet. Its about making life better for them and their families and friends now and in the future.

It seems that in America these days, you cant get three out of four of people to agree that the sky is blue. And yet, as the new poll shows, more than three-fourths of North Carolinas voters favor sensible energy market reforms that would give consumers more choices while saving families and businesses hundreds of millions of dollars a year  a message that elected officials across our state should hear loud and clear.

As demand for electricity surges in North Carolina, we need all the energy sources we can get. Embracing clean energy is pragmatic politically and vital economically, not just helpful environmentally. Come election time, clean energy is a powerful winning issue.
Gallant ahead of US visit: Israel ready for 'any action' in Lebanon

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant gives a press statement before departing for an official visit to Washington DC. Shachar Yuman/Media and Foreign Affairs Advisor to Defense Minister Gallant/dpa

Israel is "prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon and in additional areas," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday before leaving for a visit to the United States.

"The United States is our most important and central ally. Our ties are crucial and perhaps more important than ever, at this time," Gallant said amid severe strains in relations with the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Gallant is travelling at the invitation of his US counterpart Lloyd Austin. He is also to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the Gaza War and the tense situation along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia have traded fire since October 7.

US broadcaster CNN earlier reported that senior members of the House of Representatives had assured an Israeli delegation of full US support in the event of full-scale war with Hezbollah.

The eight-month conflict on the Lebanese border has recently intensified amid fears of a wider regional conflict that could draw in the US as Israel's key ally.

Gallant's visit is overshadowed by increased tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US administration after Netanyahu expressed sharp criticism of the US for holding back on arms deliveries in a video message broadcast on Tuesday.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described Netanyahu's video as "perplexing to say the least, certainly disappointing to see."

Those comments were "deeply disappointing" and "vexing to us," Kirby said on Thursday.
Gallant ahead of US visit: Israel ready for 'any action' in Lebanon

Israeli Minister of Defense Yoav Gallant gives a press statement before departing for an official visit to Washington DC. Shachar Yuman/Media and Foreign Affairs Advisor to Defense Minister Gallant/dpa

Israel is "prepared for any action that may be required in Gaza, Lebanon and in additional areas," Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said on Sunday before leaving for a visit to the United States.

"The United States is our most important and central ally. Our ties are crucial and perhaps more important than ever, at this time," Gallant said amid severe strains in relations with the administration of US President Joe Biden.

Gallant is travelling at the invitation of his US counterpart Lloyd Austin. He is also to meet Secretary of State Antony Blinken to discuss the Gaza War and the tense situation along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, where Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia have traded fire since October 7.

US broadcaster CNN earlier reported that senior members of the House of Representatives had assured an Israeli delegation of full US support in the event of full-scale war with Hezbollah.

The eight-month conflict on the Lebanese border has recently intensified amid fears of a wider regional conflict that could draw in the US as Israel's key ally.

Gallant's visit is overshadowed by increased tensions between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the US administration after Netanyahu expressed sharp criticism of the US for holding back on arms deliveries in a video message broadcast on Tuesday.

US National Security Council spokesman John Kirby described Netanyahu's video as "perplexing to say the least, certainly disappointing to see."

Those comments were "deeply disappointing" and "vexing" to the US, Kirby said on Thursday.

But Netanyahu repeated his criticism on Sunday, saying that repeated appeals to speed up arms shipments had not been heeded.

Four months ago, there had been a "dramatic drop" in weapons supplies from the US, he said. "Certain items trickled in, but the bulk of armaments were left behind," Netanyahu said.

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is to travel to Israel and Lebanon this week for talks aimed at halting the escalation in the conflict.
Gavin Newsom will deliver delayed California State of the State speech with budget done

California Gov. Gavin Newsom will release a delayed State of the State address Tuesday in a recorded speech to be broadcast across his offices social media channels and website.

The Governors Office said Sunday that Newsoms remarks to Californians will be released at 10 a.m. after a copy of the speech is transmitted to the Legislature.

Newsoms remarks will come on the heels of a budget agreement announced Saturday, closing a $47 billion shortfall in a $297.9 billion spending plan.

The address, originally scheduled for March, was pushed off as the administration awaited the results of a ballot measure, Proposition 1, the governor had championed. Prop. 1, which taps nearly $6.4 billion to target those who are in crisis, experiencing chronic homelessness or who have mental health or substance abuse problems, as well as for veteran housing, was approved by voters in March by a razor-thin margin.

The annual State of the State speeches generally highlight accomplishments and lay out an administrations goals and policies. Newsoms past addresses have focused on the states most pressing issues, including homelessness, climate change, housing and wildfires.

In 2023, Newsom didnt give a formal speech. Instead, the governor opted to unveil new policies and goals during a planned four-stop tour of the state.

Newsoms decision to not give a formal address was not unprecedented. Former Gov. Jerry Brown combined his swearing-in ceremony with the address in 2015.

Newsoms first State of the State speech in 2019 covered his priorities, from wildfires to job creation to holding local officials accountable for housing production.

In 2020, the governors speech focused on fixing the states homelessness crisis. In 2021, he delivered his speech to an empty Dodger Stadium, which served as one of the states largest COVID-19 vaccination sites. In 2022, among other priorities, Newsom also spoke about rising gas prices and the Ukrainian crisis.
General Staff: Russia has lost 534,360 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022

Russia has lost 534,360 troops in Ukraine since the beginning of its full-scale invasion on Feb. 24, 2022, the General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces reported on June 23.

This number includes 1,270 casualties Russian forces suffered just over the past day.

According to the report, Russia has also lost 8,019 tanks, 15,398 armored fighting vehicles, 19,248 vehicles and fuel tanks, 14,195 artillery systems, 1,108 multiple launch rocket systems, 863 air defense systems, 359 airplanes, 326 helicopters, 11,355 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine.

Read also: Ukraines partisans claim infiltration of Russian air base, leave surprises for pilots

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
A senior member of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) has rejected a proposal from the Bavarian-based Christian Social Union (CSU) that unemployed Ukrainian war refugees should be sent home.

Speaking to the Monday edition of the Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper in comments seen in advance by dpa, SPD chair Saskia Esken came out against a proposal from Alexander Dobrindt, who heads the conservative CSU group in the federal parliament in Berlin.

Noting that many of the refugees were women with children, Esken highlighted the lack of childcare facilities. "I'm sure that the CSU could help more in Bavaria," she said.

"The government's task is not to implement proposals on the backs of Ukrainian refugees, but to ensure that a functioning social infrastructure exists for all people wanting to live securely in our country," Esken said.

Speaking to the Sunday edition of the mass circulation Bild tabloid, Dobrindt had said: "The following should apply more than two years after the start of the war: Get a job in Germany or return to secure regions in western Ukraine."

SPD labour market spokesman Martin Rosemann told Bild: "The hurdles for Ukrainian refugees in entering the labour force are down to the lack of childcare, lack of language skills and drawn-out recognition of professional qualifications."

Germany has taken in thousands of Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war in February 2022, most of them women, children and the elderly, as Ukraine prevents men of military age from leaving.
Two women sit on the terrace of the "Pony" club in Kampen (Sylt). German prosecutors are continuing their investigation into racist incidents on the upmarket North Sea holiday island of Sylt, senior state prosecutor Bernd Winterfeldt told dpa on 23 June. Lea Sarah Albert/dpa

German prosecutors are continuing their investigation into racist incidents on the upmarket North Sea holiday island of Sylt, senior state prosecutor Bernd Winterfeldt told dpa on Sunday.

"The investigations will probably still take a few weeks," Winterfeldt said. Prosecutors in Flensburg in the north-western state of Schleswig-Holstein are investigating two men and a woman in connection with Nazi-era chants in a popular bar on the island a month ago.

A case of sedition is being investigated, along with a case involving the use of symbols of a banned organization, he said.

The investigation was launched after a video of events at the PONY bar on Saturday May 24 went viral. In the video, lasting just a few seconds, the group of young people are seen chanting "Foreigners out!" and "Germany for Germans" to the tune of hit party song "L'Amour Toujours" by Gigi D'Agostino.

A man is seen making a gesture like the Hitler salute, which is banned in Germany. There was outrage in Germany after police published details of the incident on May 24.

Prosecutors are also investigating two other cases that occurred over the same Pentecost weekend in Kampen on the island.

A customer in a club near PONY is reported to have shouted racist slogans. And in the third case, an investigation is proceeding into a case of assault and sedition, according to Winterfeldt after a 29-year-old woman was attacked and insulted in a racist manner.
Germanys vice-chancellor expressed readiness to discussions with Beijing regarding EU tariffs but adopted a more stringent stance on Chinese exports to Russia during the first visit to mainland China by a senior European politician since the tariffs were introduced.

Robert Habeck, the minister for economic affairs and climate action, indicated his anticipation of imminent talks between Beijing and Brussels, according to the Financial Times. He clarified that the tariffs of up to 38 percent on Chinese electric vehicles were "not punitive."

"Theres room for discussion," he said at a press conference in Shanghai. "I hope that in the days to come the European Commission and the Chinese trade minister will talk."

While adopting a conciliatory tone on the yet-to-be-finalized tariffs, Habeck was critical of Chinas increasing exports to Russia. He highlighted Germanys own measures to halt the export of "dual-use" goods with potential military applications.

"I looked at the trade figures and Chinese trade with Russia increased more than 40 per cent last year," he said. "Of course energy is a high part [of] it, but something like half of it is related to dual-use goods."

Germany maintains a close economic relationship with China, its largest trading partner and a vital market for its auto industry. Berlin has strived to carefully navigate the increasing tensions between Beijing and Washington, which worsened significantly after Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

Read also: China should also be concerned about Russia-North Korea pact, White House says

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Alexander Dobrindt, the Chairman of the Bavarian opposition Christian Social Union (CSU) party in the German Bundestag, has called for the expulsion of unemployed Ukrainian refugees from Germany.

Source: Dobrindt in an interview with German tabloid Bild, cited by ZDF, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Dobrindt believes that Ukrainian refugees should be expelled from Germany if they don't get a job.

"After more than two years after the outbreak of the war, the principle should now be applied: get a job in Germany or return to the safe areas of western Ukraine," he said.

The opposition politician also criticised the fact that too many people in Germany receive social assistance at the expense of taxpayers' money.

"We need stronger cooperation commitments for asylum seekers when it comes to employment. There should be a job offer, and this should be part of the integration service," Dobrindt said.

The oppositionist's demand was sharply criticised by representatives of the government coalition. Dirk Wiese, Deputy Leader of Chancellor Scholz's Social Democrats parliamentary faction, told Bild that the CSU should be ashamed of such demands and "remove the letter 'C' from its name, which stands for 'Christian', for once and for all".

"Putin continues to bomb targets across Ukraine. Now Dobrindt also wants to send back women and children who may have already lost their parents at the front," he said.

Meanwhile, Omid Nouripour, leader of the Green Party, which is also part of the government coalition, also criticised Dobrindt's proposal.

"Insinuations that Ukrainians come to us for social assistance do not recognise the horror of Putin's war," he said.

Earlier, it was reported that the Jobturbo programme for the accelerated integration of Ukrainians into the German labour market managed to attract about 33,000 people, six times less than the German government expected.

German Federal Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil called on employers to hire Ukrainian refugees who have not yet mastered the German language at the proper level but have basic knowledge of it.

Background:

The day before, a number of politicians in Germany called for the cancellation of standard unemployment benefits for Ukrainian refugees in the country, the so-called "money for citizens" (Burgergeld).

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German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck speaks during a speech at Zhejiang University as part of a visit to the People's Republic of China. Habeck is in China until June 23. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa

The member states of the European Union need to join forces to withstand competition from South Korea and China, German Economy Minister and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck said in Hangzhou on Sunday.

Speaking at the end of a four-day visit to East Asia, Habeck said the concept "competition, and in the toughest sense" had caught up with him repeatedly during the trip, both in South Korea and in China.

"I believe we have to confront this competition. Germany also uses this word 'competition'  in other words negligence, laziness, lethargy, sluggishness are not an alternative," Habeck said.

But he also cautioned against going to extremes. Cooperation was also needed, and this meant not seeing others as opponents or even enemies, but rather developing understanding for each other and strengthening each other.

The world was readying itself for competition, with major nations having a precise plan on where they would be in the decades ahead. They were also preparing the financial resources and putting robust foreign policies in place to implement their plans, he said.

The EU had to compete with these nations. "And Europe does not have this plan to an adequate extent," Habeck said. The EU was entering a new era in which it had to become aware of this competition and draw the consequences.

The EU had to become a global actor, he said. Habeck was speaking in response to a question regarding the ongoing debate about Germany's budget next year.

"Trips like this have value at least in that one assimilates the perspectives of other countries and at best can set impulses to arrive at a policy of cooperation," Habeck said.

German Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection Robert Habeck speaks during a speech at Zhejiang University as part of a visit to the People's Republic of China. Habeck is in China until June 23. Sebastian Christoph Gollnow/dpa
Argentinian President Javier Milei speaks on the occasion of his award of the Hayek Medal of the Friedrich August v. Hayek Society. Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is set to receive Argentinian President Javier Milei in Berlin on Sunday.

Scholz is due to welcome the controversial Milei, who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist, at the Federal Chancellery at 12 pm (1000 GMT).

Milei was originally due to receive a full welcome with military honours, but this, alongside a joint press conference, was cancelled at short notice.

Instead, the two leaders are due to meet for talks scheduled to last just one hour, reportedly at Milei's request.

The meeting between the two vastly contrasting leaders - one pragmatic, the other bombastic - is likely to focus primarily on economic issues. Argentina has large reserves of raw materials such as lithium that are urgently needed in Germany for the energy transition.

In addition, talks on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American economic organization Mercosur remain deadlocked.

Milei, who was elected with more than 55% of the vote in November's presidential elections, arrived in Germany on Saturday to receive a medal from the Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation in the northern port city of Hamburg.

He collected the award from the think tank - named after the Austrian pioneer of neoliberalism - as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the venue against his invitation.

Around 200 supporters attended the ceremony, including notable right-wing German politicians such as Beatrix von Storch, a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Only a handful of global leaders have received Milei since he took office, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and Pope Francis.

On a previous stop in Madrid earlier this week, Milei was snubbed by officials after a bitter war of words with the Spanish government.

Milei skipped traditional early visits to Argentina's neighbours Brazil and Chile due to wide ideological differences. He has visited the United States a number of times without receiving an invitation to the White House, instead meeting with Tesla chief Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, attends the meeting of the German Cabinet in the Federal Chancellery. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives Argentinian President Javier Milei (L) in front of the Federal Chancellery. Fabian Sommer/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz received Argentinian President Javier Milei in Berlin on Sunday for talks after their greeting that was accompanied by a small number of protesters.

The two leaders stopped for a brief photo opportunity, shaking hands in front of the government centre.

Several dozen demonstrators protested against the controversial Milei, who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist. They stood by the Chancellery holding posters saying, "Away with Milei."

Milei was originally due to receive a full welcome with military honours, but this, alongside a joint press conference, was cancelled at short notice.

Instead, the two leaders were meeting for talks scheduled to last just one hour, reportedly at Milei's request.

The meeting between the two vastly contrasting leaders - one pragmatic, the other bombastic - is likely to focus primarily on economic issues. Argentina has large reserves of raw materials such as lithium that are urgently needed in Germany for the energy transition.

In addition, talks on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American economic organization Mercosur remain deadlocked.

Milei, who was elected with more than 55% of the vote in November's presidential elections, arrived in Germany on Saturday to receive a medal from the Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation in the northern port city of Hamburg.

He collected the award from the think tank - named after the Austrian pioneer of neoliberalism - as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the venue against his invitation.

Around 200 supporters attended the ceremony, including notable right-wing German politicians such as Beatrix von Storch, a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Only a handful of global leaders have received Milei since he took office, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and Pope Francis.

On a previous stop in Madrid earlier this week, Milei was snubbed by officials after a bitter war of words with the Spanish government.

Milei skipped traditional early visits to Argentina's neighbours Brazil and Chile due to wide ideological differences. He has visited the United States a number of times without receiving an invitation to the White House, instead meeting with Tesla chief Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives Argentinian President Javier Milei (L) in front of the Federal Chancellery. Fabian Sommer/dpa

Argentinian President Javier Milei speaks on the occasion of his award of the Hayek Medal of the Friedrich August v. Hayek Society. Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, attends the meeting of the German Cabinet in the Federal Chancellery. Kay Nietfeld/dpa
Germany's Scholz says he will keep social agenda in budget deal

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Germany's coalition government will stick to its social agenda and reconcile that with military aid to Ukraine in budget talks due to wrap up next month, Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in a television interview on Sunday.

"We will defend the welfare state and develop it further," the head of Europe's largest economy told public broadcaster ARD.

Germany's three-way coalition is in negotiations that Scholz has said will be completed by July 3, ahead of a NATO summit on July 9.

"I am confident that we will be able to get the budget on its way in July," he said during an ARD summer interview series with politicians.

The left-leaning Social Democrats (SPD), pro-business liberals (FDP) and ecologist Greens are haggling over issues such as money for welfare benefits and new housing, while adhering to self-imposed rules that limit the amount of state borrowing.

Asked whether support for Ukraine was in question given the tight domestic budget situation, Scholz said: "There is no alternative, in my view, to change any of that."

"I have always advocated prudence and that we use every opportunity to make a peaceful development possible, that does not involve Ukraine's capitulation."

Scholz also said there would be a tougher stance against people on social benefits that refused to take on work and those receiving benefits but working illegally on the side.

Allegations that their numbers are growing have been part of populists' criticism of the government.

European Parliament elections earlier this month saw the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) score 16% in second place behind the opposition Christian Democrats, while support for Scholz's SPD fell to 13.9%, its worst result in postwar Germany.

"We must ensure that nobody, who can work, doesn't work," Scholz said.

(Reporting by Vera Eckert, editing by Susan Fenton)
At a time when it was extremely difficult for Black families to purchase homes and utilize government benefits, my grandfather accomplished an almost impossible feat: He used the GI Bill after World War II and bought a house.

For three years, Ive researched the Black-white wealth gap. In interviews with Black families, I learned that discrimination prevented their relatives from using the GI Bill.

Read more: Op-Ed: Reparations: Yes or no? My familys dilemma

My familys rare story of homeownership when most Black families were unable to buy houses shows us that  without discrimination  more Black families could have become homeowners, and leveraged that wealth into funding education, businesses and other upward economic moves. Yet even for those like my family who had access to some governmental programs, economic options were limited because of discriminatory laws and racism, forcing people like my grandparents into neighborhoods restricted to or built for Black residents.

The GI Bill could have helped Black Americans gain wealth, as the legislation did for white Americans. Instead, Black Americans were largely left out and the GI Bill widened the Black-white wealth gap. Now as the debate over reparations and other initiatives to address past inequities grows, this history of missed opportunities underscores why all Black American families should be eligible for any socioeconomic programs, beyond just the GI Bill, at the state and federal levels.

Read more: Column: Theres no way California can solve homelessness without supporting reparations

The federal government created the GI Bill program in the summer of 1944 to assist veterans, regardless of race, with loans for education, job training, homeownership and businesses. The loans were administered at the state and municipal levels. Those with local power decided who got the loans or not. Bias and discrimination crept in.

More than 1 million Black Americans served in World War II . There is no definitive data on how many Black Americans were barred from using the GI Bill. Scholars studying that period say very few were actually able to take advantage of it.

Read more: Most Californians want reparations for slavery but dont want to pay cash. Now what?

In one of my interviews, a woman said that her father tried to use the GI Bill in New York, after serving in the Navy from 1955 to 1959. A banker told him he couldnt use the bill because many homes had deeds or restrictive covenants that wouldnt allow Black families to buy them, she said. In another example, the family of William Alexander Scott III, whod been a sergeant during World War II, said Scott had hoped to use the GI Bill to attend Georgia Tech. But the school turned him down because he was Black, according to his writings in an old notebook.

Louis Lee Woods II, a history professor at Middle Tennessee State University, has researched the GI Bill and calculated that it could have created 400,000 Black homeowners in our economy.

Read more: Column: What if Bruce's Beach was just the start? Why more stolen land is about be returned

Of the estimated 1,154,486 African American veterans from World War II, fewer than 30,000, or 2.6%, ever benefited from the homeownership provisions of the GI Bill, Woods wrote in a paper .

Today, the Black homeownership rate is around 45%, and for white Americans its at 75% . In Los Angeles, the white homeownership rate is double the rate for Black families.

My familys experience reflects what could have been. My grandfather was drafted around age 18, his draft service card shows. Neither he nor my grandmother finished college, and he became disabled in the war. The GI Bill enabled him to purchase a home in 1954.

My family isnt sure how he was able to access the GI Bill or how he overcame obstacles that other Black families faced. We do know that there were few safe places that welcomed Black homeowners. But my grandparents  Robert and Bessie  discovered a haven in suburban Newburg, Ky., which had been founded by Eliza Tevis, a formerly enslaved woman. So, Robert used the GI Bill and purchased their home for $9,000. It was a brand new home with a light-colored stone front exterior, 1,000 square feet, three bedrooms, one bath and a basement.

My grandparents had six children there. Bessie stayed mostly at home, honing her excellent homemaking skills  sewing, cooking, tending to the children  but occasionally took up small odd jobs. She obtained her cosmetology training at one of Madam C.J. Walker s beauty schools and later her GED. Robert worked at the Celanese Corp.

The equity from Robert and Bessies house helped pay for my aunts first year in college. After my grandfather died in 1984, Bessie continued to live in the home, which by then was paid off, until she sold it for around $80,000 in 2009. She used the money from that sale to purchase a condo closer to family.

Despite the advantages the house provided us, it would be difficult to find very many other families like mine. The GI Bill also did not shield us from the pervasiveness of discrimination. America has already limited economic prosperity for Black Americans. It is time to reverse that.

Reparations tied to the GI Bill have been proposed in Washington in several Congressional cycles. Wherever you stand on the issue of reparations, when you meet people like me  a successful professional whose grandfather used the GI Bill  keep in mind that I am the exception. In reality, 97% of Black American World War II veterans were not able to use the GI Bill.

Both Roberts and Bessies parents also owned homes (though my family isnt certain how my great-grandparents afforded them). That makes me a fourth-generation Black female property owner in the United States. That simple statement, I have learned, is anything but simple or easy. Its nearly a miracle.

Ebony Reed, a journalist and media executive, is co-author with Louise Story of the new book,  Fifteen Cents on the Dollar: How Americans Made the Black-White Wealth Gap . She is the chief strategy officer at The Marshall Project and she teaches an MBA class about racial wealth gaps at the Yale School of Management.

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.
NEW YORK (PIX11)  Senate Republicans this week blocked bipartisan legislation that would have outlawed bump stocks, a gun accessory that can transform a semi-automatic weapon into an automatic firearm.

The move came just days after the Supreme Court struck down a ban on the rapid-fire gun accessory. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand sat down with PIX11 political reporter Henry Rosoff to talk about why bump stocks should be illegal.

More PIX on Politics

It allows 600 to 800 rounds to be fired in one minute. We as a society decided long ago that military weapons should not be publicly available, so bump stocks should not be publicly available, Gillibrand Sunday said on PIX on Politics.

Other topics discussed include legalizing marijuana, the need for ethics reform, and Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus upcoming address to Congress.

Watch the video player for the full interview.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
After 94-year-old Rev. Daniel J. Mahoney passed away this week, members of the Boston Fire community remembered the chaplain of the department for nearly six decades.

Rev. Mahoney passed away Wednesday alongside friends and family. While serving as chaplain for roughly 58 years, he was also a pastor at St. Francis De Sales Church in Charlestown.

He always had peoples back, said Richard Paris, former President of Local 718 and member of the Boston Fire Department for 38 years. He was there for everyone.

Paris told Boston 25 that Mahoney offered spiritual guidance to firefighters and their families during several tragedies over his time as chaplain from 1964-to 2022.

Paris continued, He was always listening to the radio. What do you got? Whos going to the hospital? Hed go over and visit firefighters in the hospital all the time.

Mahoney was often on scene at some of Bostons deadliest and most destructive fires.

Hed stand there and hed be praying for the brothers and sisters inside that building that theyd come home safe, Paris added.

Paris told Boston 25 hell mostly remember Mahoney for his help during the Beacon Street fires of 2014  where two Boston firefighters died battling the blaze.

Paris and Mahoney had to break the tragic news to the families.

We rode together over to the houses of the mother and a wife  their loved one wasnt coming home, said Paris. I said, Father, what are you going to say? And he goes, Youll know what to say when you get there.

The Charlestown resident is known as Father Dan to many

Remembering Mahoneys words to distressed families, Paris continued, Hes with God right now. He always would say, Thank you for their service. Theyre heroes. He always knew how to say that to the family.

Paris finished, He led with his heart. He cared about firefighters. He cared about Charlestown. He cared about people throughout the state.

Dozens from the Boston Fire Department are expected to honor his life Wednesday during a funeral service at St. Francis De Sales Church in Charlestown Thursday.

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'It's going to be a nightmare.' Cincinnati neighborhood could lose health center

Sage McWhorter walks with her daughter, Baylee Davis, 3, out of the Bobbie Sterne Health Center after receiving a new birth certificate.

Its an hour until closing, but the Bobbie Sterne Health Center is bustling.

A mom rushes through the arched doorway of the brick building in the heart of Over-the-Rhine, just ahead of her slouching teenager. Another shepherds her three toddlers up the ramp and into the waiting area.

Some visitors arrive on foot, others by car. Some have medical insurance, many dont. Visitors are often seeking medical care theyre unlikely to get anywhere else, from vaccines and routine dental checks to nutritional counseling and life-saving medication.

The Bobbie Sterne Health Center, which many know by its former name, the Elm Street Center, is a rare one-stop shop for medical and social services. Its a crucial link to care that thousands of patients might otherwise go without.

But the center is in jeopardy.

Cincinnati health officials are considering relocation and consolidation plans that could shave at least an estimated $9.2 million off the cost of maintaining the clinics over the next five years.

Every plan, other than one that preserves the status quo, involves closing the Bobbie Sterne Health Center.

Health department officials say theyre committed to providing quality care and will continue to do so no matter what they decide to do with the existing clinics. They say that they don't yet have a budget to shift or consolidate centers and their decisions will likely not come before the end of the year.

But residents who rely on their Elm Street Center say losing it would be devastating for them and the community.

Dave Elkins, executive director of the Jimmy Heath House, an organization that provides housing across the street for people experiencing homelessness, described a constant flow of people. That clinic is busy all the time, he said. Particularly with families.

Its for regular people, said Georgia Keith, whos lived in Over-the-Rhine for almost 60 years. Parents take their children there.

Sage McWhorter carries her daughter, Baylee Davis, 3, to the counter to pick up a new birth certificate at the Bobbie Sterne Health Center. She lost her old one in a house fire.

Craig Carrington, a 53-year-old resident of Northside, is one such parent. He said he took his daughter to Bobbie Sterne, when she attended the School for Creative and Performing Arts four blocks away, for regular checkups, a sprained ankle and everything in between.

She got her shots there; she got her dental done there, he recalled. She got everything done there.

Craig Carrington, of Northside, sits in his living room. Both he and his daughter have been patients of the city's health clinics. Carrington is worried that Over-the-Rhine will lose its "Elm Street Center," the Bobbie Sterne Health Center, in plans being considered for consolidation of city health centers.

Residents like Craig consider the Over-the-Rhine center to be a neighborhood fixture  but city health officials say money and demographics are working against it. They say most of the clinics patients come from outside Over-the-Rhine and the need for health care has shifted west, to East and West Price Hill and beyond.

None of the citys plans call for building new clinics without shuttering existing clinics, including the one in Over-the-Rhine. One would leave the city with four clinics, two fewer than it has today.

That worries the people who rely on the Over-the-Rhine clinic every day for basic medical care.

The center primarily treats patients who are uninsured or on Medicaid, but its surrounded by houses worth close to a million dollars  and just a stones throw from TQL Stadium. With the rapid development of Over-the-Rhine, residents are uneasy, concerned they may be pushed aside to make way for new housing and businesses.

This is one of the few clinics in this area, said Robin Boles, who works at the front desk of the Jimmy Heath House. "I don't see how that would be helpful to our neighborhood.

Health centers serve 8% of Cincinnati's population. Officials want to move them

The Bobbie Sterne Health Center is one of six community health centers run by the Cincinnati Health Department. Together, they served 25,000 patients last year, about 8% of the citys population.

The centers are a backbone of primary care for Hamilton Countys uninsured and Medicaid residents, who combined, made up 87% of the clientele in 2023.

As the number of city health clinic patients has risen in the past decade, the share of those who are uninsured or on Medicaid has never dipped below 87%.

That's the point, said Julie DiRossi-King, CEO of the Ohio Association of Community Health Centers, a nonprofit thats helped expand the locations of health centers across the state.

We serve everybody regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay, she said. All are welcome.

Patients of the Bobbie Sterne Center wont be the only ones affected by officials plans to move community health centers.

In February, Jensen Partners, a consultant hired by the health department to evaluate each of the centers, released a report proposing three relocation plans for the city to consider.

None involve the Bobbie Sterne Health Center staying in Over-the-Rhine.

The Bobbie Sterne Health Center, familiarly called by its former name, the Elm Street Health Center, by many of its patients, sits in the heart of Over-the-Rhine, across the street from TQL Stadium. Its parking lot is always packed.

One plan recommends moving it to the West Side or shifting it further downtown, and moving the Millvale Health Center, currently in the North Fairmount/English Woods neighborhood, farther west.

Another involves shuttering the clinics in Lower Price Hill and Over-the-Rhine and opening a new one between the two neighborhoods, and similarly merging the Northside and Millvale health centers.

Craig Carrington waits for his medication after visiting his doctor at Millvale Health Center, which has an in-house pharmacy.

The last plan suggests shifting the Northside, Millvale and Lower Price Hill clinics to different buildings within the same neighborhood and moving the Bobbie Sterne Health Center west or downtown.

According to Jensen Partners, these changes will help move the health centers closer to the population they serve in the West Side, which is projected to grow even larger in the next decade.

Carrington, who visited Bobbie Sterne as a parent and now visits Millvale Health Center for his high blood pressure, is skeptical. He suspects any consolidation would make it harder for people who need medical care to get it.

Merge is a nice way to say save money, said Carrington. Now its twice the volume, twice the weight.

A nightmare of waiting, lack of care

City health officials say they have not decided on if or when theyll combine or close the community health centers.

But they say Jensen Partners recommendations were informed by data showing that the health centers draw significant numbers of patients from the West Side of Cincinnati  indicating the need for more care there.

Only about 9% of the patients seen at Bobbie Sterne Health Center originate from the ZIP code in which its located, Ashanti Salter, assistant to the health commissioner, said in an email to The Enquirer.

A little less than one third of patients come from ZIP codes west of Downtown, according to Salter, such as 45205, 45238 and 45211.

The Enquirers analysis of more than a decades worth of health department data shows this to be true.

Since 2014, ZIP code 45205, which covers parts of East and West Price Hill, has had the most patients visiting the citys health department centers. The second and third highest numbers of patients hail from ZIP codes that cover areas that are even farther west: Delhi Township, Cheviot and Cincinnati's Westwood neighborhood.

City officials may also want to shift the Bobbie Sterne Center west because the Price Hill Center, which is the farthest west of all six centers, might currently be the busiest, data provided by the health department show.

They showed Price Hill had the longest wait times, more than twice as long as any other center except Millvale.

Carrington thinks wait times will worsen if the city combines the Price Hill and Bobbie Sterne health centers.

You merge them, its going to be a nightmare of waiting, lack of care, he said.

The citys relocation plans are still in their early stages, so if the clinic is moved out of the neighborhood, residents have no idea how far theyll have to travel to the new one.

Combining the Price Hill and Bobbie Sterne centers, which are 2.5 miles away from each other, may not seem a big deal to anyone who owns a car.

But it makes a difference for patients who walk or take the bus to their appointments.

Dr. Madhulika Mamidi, Carringtons doctor at the Millvale Health Center, said her patients often are without cars: A lot of them take the bus, while others walk.

Dr. Madhulika Mamidi, left, examines Craig Carrington, right, during his visit to the Millvale Health Center to receive care for his high blood pressure.

Keith knows this from the years she spent working for Cincinnati Public Schools as a school community coordinator, helping neighborhood families send their kids to school.

They relied on the Bobbie Sterne Center to get checkups and vaccinations required by schools.

They still come to the clinic because they love their doctors or their dentists, she said.

Keith has since retired, but she said the center remains a critical support for children who attend Rothenberg Preparatory Academy, an elementary school half a mile away.

People can walk to Elm Street, Keith said. How many people can walk to Price Hill?

Homelessness is up 30% in Over-the-Rhine. Will moving the clinic make it worse?

Residents of the Jimmy Heath House, which offers permanent supportive housing for those with substance use disorders, only need to cross the street to fill their prescriptions at the Bobbie Sterne Health Center.

The proximity is key. Elkins said residents rely on the center to help manage more than one health condition.

Most folks here  have a mental health disorder and a substance use disorder, Elkins said. Most also have other health conditions, such as hypertension, or HIV or cancer.

Dr. Joseph Kiesler, whos treated patients through the Health Care for the Homeless program for over a decade, doesnt know whether patients of the Bobbie Sterne center will be able to continue to see their doctors if the center moves.

It depends on the patients ability to access transportation, he said. Its really hard to change health care providers.

Moving the center would leave two pharmacies in Over-the-Rhine: one on East Liberty Street and another on East McMicken Avenue.

Neither option is ideal for those trying to avoid high-crime areas.

Dorothy Wilson, whos lived in the Jimmy Heath House for a year and was homeless before that, avoids McMicken for fear of relapse. She said the ease of getting drugs there is a threat to anyone in recovery.

Dorothy Wilson, a resident of the Jimmy Heath House, talks about getting dental care at the Bobbie Sterne Health Center.

Thats gonna send us right back into it, said Wilson, who was addicted to heroin for 12 years and has been sober for three.

Shes concerned, too, for residents who use wheelchairs and walkers, especially during the winter.

You gotta go up the hill to go in there, she said. It is slippery as hell.

She tears up at the thought of her health center taken away. Its nice. It is quiet, she said. Theres no drug dealers.

Wilson trusts the doctors at Bobbie Sterne for a reason.

Years ago, when her 2-year-old daughter suddenly had an allergic reaction to peanut butter, Wilson panicked and ran to the clinic with her daughter in her arms. There, the doctors helped bring down the swelling in her throat.

The doctors are reliable; they are trustworthy, she said. They listen to you.

Jimmy Heath House resident Dorothy Wilson speaks with her case manager, Cierra Townsend, across the street from the Bobbie Sterne Health Center.

That trust is critical for a population that often has trouble visiting a doctor in the first place, according to Georgine Getty, executive director of Our Daily Bread, a soup kitchen in Over-the-Rhine that serves mostly unhoused people.

They have so much on their plate already, she said. Theres kind of a sense of 'well, if I go to the doctor, theyll just give me bad news.' Or, 'theyll give me a prescription for something maybe I cant afford.'"

I would just hate to see those existing relationships that they have be discontinued.

And with the recent increase in homelessness in Cincinnati, Getty says its important for the soup kitchen to remain in Over-the-Rhine.

Our numbers are up 30% over what they were pre-COVID, she said. So there are certainly still a lot of people in the area who are in need of services.

Health officials say theres no timeline for a decision

Since February, The Enquirer has called and emailed the city health department multiple times to ask when officials will decide what to do with its community health centers.

Each time, the department did not provide specifics. There is not a defined timeline, Salter, assistant to the health commissioner, said in an email, citing the health departments focus on consolidating administrative buildings first.

A patron of the Bobbie Sterne Health Center walks down a ramp in front of high-priced apartments, background, nestled to the right of the clinic.

In a June phone call with the Enquirer, Dr. Grant Mussman, Cincinnati health commissioner, said its safe to say that no decision will be made before the end of the year, though he doesnt have details beyond that.

We dont even have the budget right now, Mussman said. So we dont have dollars to proceed at this point.

Normally, the health centers are funded by revenue brought in by operations  but how the potential relocation will be funded is still up in the air, along with the process for making the decision.

Mussman also cautioned that the numbers calculated by Jensen Partners  The Enquirer found low estimates of savings created by moving or closing the centers to be around $9.2 million  "include a lot of assumptions about cost so require a grain of salt."

Our goal is definitely to provide the best health care for the community, he said. Were very concerned about what our patients and communities want.

Getty sees the need for more services in the West Side but doesnt think they should come at the expense of those living in Over-the-Rhine.

The West End needs services too, she said. Im just wondering if they could find a way to make it a both and rather than an either or.

Pondering the options, Elkins of the Jimmy Heath House put it this way: If its working, why fix it?

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati residents may lose one of their only health clinics
This GOP Candidate Is Anti-China. His Family Tried to Build Water Parks There.

Multimillionaire banker Eric Hovde is taking a tough stance on China in his battle to unseat Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwinbut corporation records show his brother and business partner once tried to launch an investment vehicle there.

Just before Erics first 2012 U.S. Senate bid, his brother Steven set up Hovde China Ventures LLC in the notoriously secretive state of Delaware. According to the few public records available, the entity shut down four years later.

While the brothers have frequently collaborated in real estate and financial ventures, Eric Hovdes team says Steven embarked on this project soloand that it involved water parks.

Eric has not ever done business in China, Hovdes spokesman Ben Voelkel told The Daily Beast. Nothing ended up coming of Steves investment interests.

GOP Candidate Eric Hovde Wanted to Raise Health Care Prices for People With Obesity

Voelkel added that Steven Hovde was looking to help Wisconsins water park industry expand into China. He said: The project never got past holding meetings and no investment was ever made. Eric was not involved in this at all.

Asked for comment himself, Steven Hovde was as opaque as Delawares corporation filings. Eric was not involved at all. Nothing to do with him, Steven said in an email. Furthermore, I never did anything in China. The effort was a bust and waste of time.

Asked for further information on the ventureand whether it was, for example, related to technology or manufacturingSteven added, No money was invested. My efforts were a waste of my time and my money. Nothing to do with tech or manufacturing.

Steven, who bankrolled most of a pro-Hovde PAC to support his brothers race in the battleground state, added that his own views on China are irrelevant.

Still, Eric Hovdebashed by opponents as a wealthy California carpetbagger with a $7-million Laguna Beach mansionhas made the U.S. economy a central focus of his candidacy and frequently raised the alarm on China.

When the mustachioed businessman toured a Wisconsin dairy farm last month, he said he had a big problem with China buying up agricultural land.

If I were in the Senate, declared Hovde, who stars in TV commercials for his Utah-based Sunwest Bank, sporting his Tom Selleck-like mustache, Id be very focused on what China is doing and why we are allowing them to come to our communities and buy up our land, especially around military bases.

And in March, Hovde swiped at Baldwin on Fox News, claiming that she backed tax and regulatory policies that ultimately moved manufacturing jobs to China.

This week, he told a local TV outlet that his solution to the fentanyl crisis is to hammer China, since its a major manufacturer of the drug.

Delaware records obtained by The Daily Beast show Hovde China Ventures was formed in December 2011. The state canceled the LLCs registration in 2016 over a failure to pay $1,702 in back taxes, which are still listed as due.

The entity shared a similar name to other Hovde family businesses (such as the Hovde Group and Hovde Capital) and the same registered agent service as other firms tied to Eric, including Sunwest Bancorp and the banks charitable foundation.

While the Hovdes are adamant the Republican contender had no involvement in the China projectand indeed, there is no public documentation tying him to itEric and Steven have led or teamed up on several family businesses for years.

Among them are the Eric and Steven Hovde Foundation, H-Bancorp, a $2.9-billion multibank holding company, and the Madison-based Hovde Properties, whose employees were recently featured as voters (rather than identified as company directors) in a campaign ad.

Steven even introduced Eric at his February campaign kickoff at one of the Hovde familys Madison luxury buildings, assuring the crowd that his sibling bleeds Wisconsin Badgers [red] and Green Bay Packers.

The event arrived as the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel revealed Eric transferred his $2.3-million Washington, D.C. home to a trust managed by Steven last August.

GOP Candidate Eric Hovde Says Hes a Uniterbut Donates to the MAGA Extreme

The next day, a pro-Hovde committee, Fix Washington PAC, was formed and Steven contributed $1 million, with others donating its remaining $31,000. Campaign finance records show the group spent $1.5 million on Baldwin attack ads.

Meanwhile, Hovde loaned his campaign $8 million earlier this year and proclaimed his wealth signifies that he cant be bought.

I dont need special interest money and I wont take it, he tweeted in March.

When Eric Hovde was mulling a Wisconsin gubernatorial run in 2022, he again talked China with local radio host Vicki McKenna, fuming that the nation was trying to displant us from being the most powerful country in the world.

Eric Hovde claimed he knew of several people with horror stories of trying to open firms in the Communist country.

Theres a good-sized business here in Madison went over to try to open up a plant, he said. Within a short amount of time, a plant got opened right across the street. All his intellectual information was stolen. They started producing the same good at a much lower rate. He ended up losing millions upon millions of dollars.

I know many stories of that nature, he said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Gov. Kim Reynolds spoke about the state's flood emergency response and recovery efforts during a news conference at the State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston June 23, 2024. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch)

Gov. Kim Reynolds said Sunday she has submitted a request for an expedited presidential major disaster declaration as northwestern Iowa communities continue to face floods and storm damages.

The governor requested aid for 22 counties through the Federal Emergency Management Agencys Public Assistance Program. She also requested aid through FEMAs Individual Assistance Program and disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration for nine counties. Heavy rainfall has caused flooding in northwest and north central Iowa, raising river levels above those in 1993 historic floods.

Aid requested for these counties

Reynolds requested FEMA Public Assistance Program activation for Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo, Cherokee, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Floyd, Hancock, Humboldt, Kossuth, Lyon, OBrien, Osceola, Palo Alto, Plymouth, Pocahontas, Sioux, Webster, Winnebago, Woodbury, Worth and Wright counties.

Additionally, she requested FEMA Individual Assistance Program and SBA disaster loans activation for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson, Emmet, Lyon, OBrien, Osceola, Plymouth and Sioux counties

At a news conference in State Emergency Operations Center in Johnston, Reynolds said she is seeking federal assistance for Iowans impacted by these floods as state and local officials continue to work on emergency management and rescue services in affected communities this weekend.

The request comes roughly a month after President Joe Biden approved federal disaster assistance for Iowa communities impacted by tornadoes  most notably Greenfield and Minden.

Its been an intense couple of days, its been an intense  month and a half, to be quite honest, Reynolds said. People are working around that clock, and information  it just changes by the hour. Its just very, very fluid. So were going to do everything we can to continue to keep Iowans updated in the days to come. I think its just really important to stop and recognize the heroic effort thats happening on the ground.

Damage estimates still mounting

Reynolds said that she has been in contact with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, who joined her in Greenfield following the May tornado, to speak about federal assistance for the floods. In the letter submitted to Biden, costs were estimated at more than $8 million  but Iowa Emergency Management Director John Benson said at the news conference that the total extent of costs and damages will likely be higher than currently estimated.

Please understand we are only two days since this flood has really broke, so the concept of dollar-related damages is truthfully unattainable at this point, Benson said. Were looking to determine what are the major impacts in terms of destroyed homes, major homes  and I could, right now, I cant even tell you the damages for example to the secondary road systems in the state. Those are going to be extensive.

Reynolds said that so far, 1,900 properties have been impacted with hundreds destroyed by the water damages. Additionally, thousands of people have been evacuated from flood areas, with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources conducting 250 water rescues.

Many cities and areas are still without power, and multiple shelters have been set up across the state to help families and individuals displaced by the severe weather.

In addition to emergency management services, agency directors with the Iowa Department of Public Safety and Health and Human Services talked about their staff efforts to transport medicine, food and other essential supplies across the state as Iowans faced the sudden natural disaster.

Efforts to deal with flooding in northwest Iowa are ongoing  but Benson said Iowans need to stay prepared for further severe weather.

This is, as the governor correctly noted, this is a very serious flood we are in right now, he said. And it is not going to cease; it is going to blossom across the state.

Donna Dubberke, meteorologist-in-charge at the Des Moines National Weather Service predicted that further heavy rainfall could spur more floods in the next week across the state. In the next week to 10 days, there may be heavier rainfall in the eastern and central areas of Iowa, she said, that is something to watch very closely.

Theres a lot of parts, moving pieces here, and a lot of things going on, Dubberke said. And unfortunately we just have to wait and see how the rain lays out and so we can know exactly how its going to impact the river system.

Officials urged Iowans to ensure they have go bags ready with needed medicine, documents and other supplies ready in case they need to leave their residences. In addition, Reynolds and others emphasized the importance of obeying evacuation orders and to not drive on roads that are blocked off due to flooding.

Watch for information about how to donate

For people who want to donate or send assistance to communities that have been impacted by the flooding, Benson said to wait  and that emergency services will be putting out information on the correct venues for donations in the coming days. To ensure that money is not going to scams, he suggested looking at the Iowa disaster recovery website in the coming days.

Communities will need help as they and state officials shift from emergency response to recovery, he said.

We recognize, irrespective of the disaster, if its a tornado or a flood, its a long haul to get back on your feet, Benson said. And so that becomes a long process. Were talking months, years.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect that Gov. Kim Reynolds has requested FEMA public assistance aid for 22 Iowa counties.

The post Governor requests federal aid after severe flooding in northwest Iowa appeared first on Iowa Capital Dispatch.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham visited areas most devastated by the South Fork and Salt Fires Saturday afternoon, June 22, and then held a press conference at the Ruidoso Convention Center.

Shes seen Alpine Village, Upper Canyon, and Cedar Creek areas, Mayor Lynn Crawford said.

Mescalero Apache Reservation President Thora Padilla showed the Governor areas impacted on the Mescalero Reservation.

Village of Ruidoso Mayor Lynn Crawford, New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and Mescalero Apache Reservation President Thora Padilla at a press conference Saturday in Ruidoso.

When asked about local reports on social media regarding the cause of the fire and whether it might be arson, Lujan Grisham said any social media reports about who or what is responsible is speculation at this point. She said she is expecting to be briefed about the cause of the fires and that there are six or more FBI investigators currently working on the fires origin.

We have no information as of yet and anything you might be hearing is speculation and not fact-based, Governor Grisham said at the press conference.

More: Ruidoso police chief loses home in wildfire as he keeps watch on the community

The governor hosted the press conference along with Crawford, Padilla and representatives from the county, state and federal agencies.

Lujan Grisham updated the number of people that remain on a current list of people unaccounted for at 29.

If there are loved ones that you have not heard from by now then please call the villages hotline number, she said. We are attempting to check on the status of these people and coordinate our lists, she said.

The number to report anyone missing or unaccounted-for is 575-258-6900.

The governor said several New Mexico cabinet members are intending to come to the local community on Monday to evaluate the emergency response. Local full-time residents will be allowed to come back to the Village of Ruidoso on Monday beginning at 8 a.m., even with limited resources available in some areas.

You have our clear commitment to work with your community leaders to help you rebuild, Lujan Grisham said.

This article originally appeared on Carlsbad Current-Argus: Governor visits Ruidoso during large fires
Crew members of a yacht, who allegedly caused a forest fire on the island of Hydra, are transferred to the prosecutor's office

ATHENS (Reuters) - A Greek prosecutor on Sunday charged 13 crew members of a yacht with arson after fireworks launched from the vessel allegedly sparked a forest fire on the island of Hydra, the semi-official Athens News Agency (ANA) said.

The crew, all Greeks, were arrested on Saturday at an Athens area marina after allegations that they started the forest fire late on Friday.

"The crew and the captain will respond to the charges before an investigator on Wednesday," ANA news agency said.

All crew members denied the charges, Greek media reported on Sunday. The yacht, which was chartered by foreign tourists, was seized by the Greek authorities.

Civil protection minister Vassilis Kikilias told Open TV on Sunday there were witness accounts that they burned part of the forest on the island.

Hydra, southwest of Athens in the Saronic Gulf, is popular with foreign visitors and people travelling on yachts.

The firefighters brought the blaze, which burned part of the island's only pine forest, under control early on Saturday.

(Reporting by Lefteris Papadimas; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
Gretchen Whitmer says Biden isn't getting credit for the infrastructure law because voters are 'stressed out'

President Joe Biden has struggled to make his infrastructure success resonate with voters.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer told the Times that many voters simply aren't plugged into DC.

"I think the pandemic's taken a toll. People are stressed out," she told the newspaper.

When Gretchen Whitmer first ran for the Michigan governorship in 2018, she pledged to "fix the damn roads."

The slogan stuck and was a big part of Whitmer's winning campaign that year. So she knows a lot about effective political messaging.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Whitmer was asked why President Joe Biden has so far struggled to earn widespread credit for the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure law among voters.

Her response? Voters have been worn out by the pandemic and many just haven't been tuned in to what's happening in Washington.

"I think the pandemic's taken a toll. People are stressed out," Whitmer told the Times. "They're just trying to pay the grocery bill, get the kids off to school, show up at their job, and maybe get a little bit of sleep at night. They're not consuming everything."

Whitmer, a cochair of Biden's reelection campaign and a figure often touted as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, remarked that Democrats have to go out and effectively speak with voters about the merits of the infrastructure overhaul and laws like the CHIPS Act  which was crafted to turbocharge semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.

"We've got to tell that story better," the governor added.

Biden counts the infrastructure law passed by Congress in 2021 as one of his crowning political achievements.

But voters in recent surveys have only given him a slight edge on the issue compared to Trump  who floated infrastructure reforms numerous times during his presidency but failed to produce a concrete framework for lawmakers.

In a Politico-Morning Consult poll conducted in April, 40% of registered voters said Biden had done more on infrastructure upgrades and job creation , while 37% of respondents selected Trump.

Read the original article on Business Insider
MOSCOW (Reuters) -Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a police post in attacks across two cities in Russia's North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday, killing an Orthodox priest and multiple police officers, the region's head said.

"This is a day of tragedy for Dagestan and the whole country," Sergei Melikov, governor of the Dagestan region, said in a video published early on Monday on the Telegram messaging app.

Melikov said that more than 15 police officers "fell victim" to what he said was a "terrorist attack"," but he did not specify how many of the police were killed and how many were injured. Russia's Interfax agency reported that at least 15 police officers were killed.

The simultaneous attacks across the cities of Makhachkala and Derbent came three months after 145 people were killed in an attack claimed by the Islamic State on a concert hall near Moscow, Russia's worst terrorist attack in years.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks in the volatile North Caucasus region.

"We understand who is behind the organisation of the terrorist attacks and what goal they pursued," Melikov said, without disclosing further details.

Russia's state media cited law enforcement as saying that among the attackers had been two sons of the head of central Dagestan's Sergokala district, who had been detained by investigators.

Melikov said that among the dead, in addition to the police officers, were several civilians, including an Orthodox priest who worked in Derbent for more than 40 years. A spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church said on Telegram that the priest, Nikolai Kotelnikov, was "brutally murdered".

Six of the gunmen were shot and killed as the incidents unfolded, Melikov said. Russian state news agencies cited the National Anti-Terrorist Committee as saying that five of the gunmen had been killed.

Reuters could not independently verify the reports on how many people or gunmen were killed in the attacks.

DAYS OF MOURNING

June 24-26 have been declared days of mourning in Dagestan, Melikov said, with flags lowered to half-staff and all entertainment events cancelled.

The restive region was in the 2000s hit by an Islamist insurgency spilling over from neighbouring Chechnya, with Russian security forces moving aggressively to combat extremists in the region.

In recent years, attacks had become rarer, with Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) saying in 2017 that it had defeated the insurgency in the region.

The agencies reported exchanges of gunfire in the centre of Makhachkala. They cited the interior ministry as saying that exits from the Caspian Sea port of around 600,000 had been closed, and that conspirators who were still at large may yet attempt to flee the city.

About 125 kms (75 miles) south of Makhachkala, gunmen attacked a synagogue and a church in Derbent, home to an ancient Jewish community and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Authorities were quoted as saying that both the synagogue and church were ablaze, and that two attackers had been killed.

Russian media cited the head of the country's federation of Jewish communities as calling for people to avoid reacting to "provocations".

In Israel, the Foreign Ministry said the synagogue in Derbent had been burned to the ground and shots had been fired at a second synagogue in Makhachkala. The statement said it was believed there were no worshippers in the synagogue at the time.

Russian authorities have pointed to militant Muslim elements in previous incidents in the region.

In October, after the war in Gaza broke out, rioters waving Palestinian flags broke down glass doors and rampaged through Makhachkala airport to look for Jewish passengers on a flight arriving from Tel Aviv.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused the West and Ukraine of stirring up unrest inside Russia in connection with the incident.

(Reporting by Felix Light in London and by Ari Rabinovich in Israel; Writing by Felix Light, Ronald Popeski and Lidia Kelly; Editing by Susan Fenton, Bill Berkrot, Diane Craft, Gerry Doyle and Michael Perry)
Habitat for Humanity celebrates its 600th build in Memphis

MEMPHIS, Tenn.  The Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis celebrated its 600th build this Saturday.

These homes may serve as a place of rest, shelter and laughter, Board Vice Chair, Jerome Franklin said.

Memphis Habitat believes that the way to build up a community is by building homes and in this case, making them affordable.

Along Carver Road, Habitat for Humanity has helped to build 23 homes, allowing people to experience homeownership for the first time.

St. Jude relic transferred to Catholic Diocese of Memphis

I am overwhelmed, soon-to-be homeowner Jona Harshaw said.

But in a good way.

Harshaw will be a homeowner after she signs her name to the line for her first mortgage this upcoming Friday.

She joked with WREG that shes been working on her signature since high school. Though shes laughing now, she knows that this opportunity did not come without blood, sweat and tears.

It was hard work and dedication, Harshaw said.

But worth every bit.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis celebrates its 600th build.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis celebrates its 600th build.

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis celebrates its 600th build.

Ms. Harshaw is not alone.

In spite of scoring temperatures, there was an excitement in the air that helped to make Saturday picture-perfect.

Since 1983, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Memphis has worked tirelessly to provide homes for Memphians.

The homeowner who will be getting the organizations 600th home  a woman named LaTonya  was sitting front and center as they introduced the nearly two dozen new homes.

Fishermen rescue 38 hunting dogs from middle of MS lake

Her son Marco discussed the 13-week Homebuyer Education class they had to take.

Every Tuesday, I loved that class, Marco said. I didnt miss no single class yall.

This is the largest build for Memphis Habitat since 2019.

Which will allow a dozen new families the chance to make these newly built houses their home.

I am just at such a loss for words, I could really cry right now, soon-to-be homeowner Kimberly Ann Parks said.

As she and others once planted seeds of homeownership to now see those dreams blossom.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.
(Reuters) - More than 100 million people across the U.S. were under heat warnings on Sunday, with cities on the East Coast bracing for record-breaking temperatures as the heat dome causing the dangerous conditions expands to the West Coast.

Baltimore and Philadelphia are forecast to touch records near 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) on Sunday, while temperatures rise into the 90s F in states like Idaho, Montana and Wyoming, as much as 15 degrees above normal for this time of year. The extreme heat will then shift to Nebraska and Kansas on Monday, the National Weather Service (NWS) said.

Officials are warning of dangerous conditions in the Philadelphia region where high humidity could drive heat indices above 105 F (41 C), making it feel even hotter than the actual temperature.

"It likely means we'll be seeing periodic periods of excessive heat across a decent part of the country into July," NWS meteorologist Marc Chenard said. "Not continuous at any one spot, but the overall pattern will continue to favor these above normal temperatures."

Temperatures have cooled in the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes and New England regions, but excessive heat in the 90s F continues to stretch from Virginia to New York.

Climate change is driving dangerous heat waves across the Northern Hemisphere this week and will continue to deliver dangerous weather for decades to come, research shows.

Extreme heat is suspected of causing hundreds of deaths across Asia and Europe as it has taken over cities on four continents. More than 1,000 have died during Haj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, amid sweltering temperatures this year, according to a Reuters tally.

In New Mexico, officials are responding to multiple weather events, including a dust storm, flooding and two wildfires.

The Biden administration last week declared an emergency over the wildfires, which have been blamed for two deaths and more than 1,400 destroyed structures.

The FBI has offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest of anyone responsible for the fires. The blazes have scorched 25,000 acres (10,117 hectares) around the village of Ruidoso, according to the government wildfire tracking website Inciweb.

While excessive heat is causing problems in many states, other states are also contending with flooding.

Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds on Saturday issued a disaster proclamation covering 21 counties due to flooding from heavy rains in the northwest part of the state. Rock Valley officials on Saturday ordered some residents to evacuate with the help of the National Guard, local news outlets report.

A flood advisory is also in place in southern Minnesota and southeastern South Dakota.

(Reporting by Tyler Clifford in New York; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
CHICAGO  Heading home after a guided food-tour excursion in Mexico with her girlfriends, Gretchen Stelter settled into her window seat in business class on American Airlines and began editing a book manuscript for her new job.

The 42-year-old editor, worried about a fast-approaching deadline, said she hoped her open laptop and the AirPods in her ears would discourage the chatty passenger next to her. When her plan failed, Stelter said, she gave up on work and made small talk with the man during their two-hour flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Chicago.

But according to Stelters pending lawsuit, American Airlines employees failed to protect her from what happened next: Her seatmate, who ordered two double vodka sodas, became uncontrollably drunk and loudly sexually harassed her. He also grabbed her buttocks as she moved to exchange seats with a sympathetic passenger, the complaint alleges.

Stelters lawsuit, filed in Cook County in late May, also alleges American Airlines employees victim-shamed and blamed her in the hours and days following her Oct. 29 ordeal.

A spokesperson for the Fort Worth-based carrier declined to comment Friday, citing the pending litigation.

The suit is the latest in a series of recent public relations headaches for the airline.

Federal authorities said a former American Airlines flight attendant attempted to record a 14-year-old girl last September while she used a lavatory and that he was in possession of recordings of four other minors. Some of the girls families have sued the airline. The man pleaded not guilty last month to attempted sexual exploitation of children and possession of child pornography.

Also last month, three Black men sued the carrier alleging discriminatory behavior after they and other Black passengers were temporarily removed from a January flight over a complaint of offensive body odor. In a June 18 letter to his employees, American Airlines CEO Robert Isom called the incident unacceptable and pledged several actions to improve diversity and inclusion. Isom said he also has spoken with NAACP leaders, who had threatened to issue a travel advisory against the carrier.

In a Tribune interview, Stelter said she had a long day of travel on Oct. 29 after enjoying a nine-day vacation in Mexico with several girlfriends. Traveling alone, she began her journey at 6 a.m. in Oaxaca; her itinerary included stops in Mexico City and Dallas-Fort Worth, where she boarded American flight 1551 to OHare.

She planned to drive from Chicago to the home she shares with her husband in Madison, Wisconsin.

Stelter said she splurged on a business-class seat so shed have more space to tackle the manuscript from a romantic fantasy series she was editing for her new job at a Naperville-based publishing house. She said the man directly next to her in 3B  the aisle seat  ordered a double vodka soda and struck up a conversation.

It was pretty clear right away that he wanted to chat, she said. He just kept talking.

Stelter said the conversation began innocuously enough with chitchat about their lives, their trips and even the writings of Russian novelist Fyodor Dostoyevsky. Her seatmate was speaking coherently at first, Stelter said.

About one hour into the flight, the man ordered a refill of his drink, according to the suit. Stelter, who had finished her soft drink, decided to order an alcoholic drink as well, she said.

He was not slurring, and he did not start off being inappropriate, she said. It definitely escalated the more he was served alcohol.

Stelter said she grew increasingly uncomfortable as he complimented her appearance, complained about his girlfriend and said he wished the woman was more like her. Stelter, who was wearing her wedding ring, said she politely rebuffed him, telling the man she was happily married.

He called himself stupid and told himself to shut up, the lawsuit said, but still persisted.

The complaint alleges two flight attendants were nearby when the man made vile, offensive, and harassing comments to Stelter, saying he was going to perform a sex act on her, using crude language.

Stelter said she consistently told him no and asked him to stop talking and to stop drinking.

Honestly, I was trapped, she told the Tribune. I was in 3A. He was in 3B. My only way to get out of that seat was either to have some sort of help or to clamber over him, giving him full access to parts of my body that I did not feel like giving him access to.

Other passengers took notice, including a man seated directly in front of Stelter in 2A who summoned a flight attendant after he inquired if Stelter was OK and she told him she wasnt, according to the lawsuit. Her seatmate told the employee he was just having fun, and Stelter said the flight attendant took no action to protect her.

He walked away, allowing the assailant to keep the alcohol (that) was left in his glass as well as the bottle of vodka then remaining in plain sight on his tray table, the complaint said.

Stelter said the mans harassing behavior continued throughout the flight. He told her they were going to party, repeatedly touched her hair, and tried to hold her hand and kiss her, according to the lawsuit, and began spitting on the floor.

Stelters complaint alleges two flight attendants in the business-class section of the plane witnessed much of the mans behavior and failed to help her despite her complaints that he was harassing and touching her and that he was going to be sick. The lawsuit acknowledges they did warn the man to stop touching other passengers; Stelter also mentioned in an interview that they gave him water and offered assistance to the bathroom.

Feeling trapped, Stelter said she tried to de-escalate the situation by responding to the man calmly but firmly, drawing on her training from working part time with a rape crisis center.

I think I was in a little bit of shock that no one was helping me, she said. I wanted to curl into a ball and be as tiny as possible because I didnt want to be touched anymore.

Shortly before landing, the male passenger in 2A offered to trade seats. The lawsuit alleges Stelters assailant grabbed her buttocks as she stepped over him to leave the row, while the two flight attendants stood nearby. She said he continued to verbally harass her through the gap between the seats.

Upon landing at OHare, the lawsuit said, passengers were asked to remain seated as police removed the man from the plane after they determined he was too drunk to move safely. Stelter said emergency medical personnel later removed him from the airport on a stretcher.

The lawsuit alleges airline gate agents chastised and blamed Stelter during a conversation immediately after the flight and suggested she hadnt done enough to stop his behavior. She filed a complaint on Americans website the next day. Four days after her flight, she received a form email in response, the lawsuit said. At her request, a customer relations employee called her.

After explaining that she had alerted the American flight attendants to the assailants behavior and they had not taken any action in response, the American customer relations employee yelled at and blamed (Stelter) for the incident, leaving (her) in tears, the lawsuit alleges.

A few days later, Stelter said, a member of the airlines executive team called and acknowledged the previous employee had not handled the situation properly and promised someone with their global investigations team would be in touch. She said that never happened.

Stelter said she has been in touch with the FBI and signed a complaint against the inebriated passenger. Her attorneys, Deanna Pihos and Benjamin Blustein, said they are unaware if he is facing criminal charges or a civil penalty. He is not named in the lawsuit.

The Federal Aviation Administration reported a sharp spike in passenger unruliness in 2021, leading to a zero-tolerance policy that replaced warning letters with monetary fines. There were 5,973 unruly passenger incidents that year, according to the FAA. The number of incidents dropped to 2,455 in 2022, 2,075 in 2023, and 915 cases in 2024 as of June 9, with 106 of those incidents connected to drinking.

Last month, the FAA filed a federal lawsuit to collect a nearly $82,000 fine from a San Antonio woman who tried opening an American Airlines cabin door mid-flight in July 2021 and was eventually restrained with duct tape.

In January, a passenger on an American Airlines flight out of Dallas-Fort Worth was accused of assaulting a flight attendant and later kicking a police officer. And in March, an intoxicated passenger on an American Airlines flight to Tampa was removed when he was accused of threatening to take this plane down.

Once an avid traveler who said she has lived in Australia, became engaged in Paris and visited such far-flung destinations as London, Fiji, Ireland, New Zealand and Italy, Stelter said the ordeal has left her mostly grounded by anxiety, panic attacks and other emotional distress.

She accepted a voluntary demotion at her full-time job and has been unable to fill her shifts as a part-time on-call advocate for rape survivors, according to her lawsuit.

Thats one of the hardest things about trauma, she told the Tribune, when it takes away from you something you love.

Stelter said she is suing for damages, lost earnings and to send a message to American Airlines to improve its employee training to better handle in-flight incidents and passenger complaints.

I was retraumatized at every step instead of being listened to and supported, she said. It was just a complete failure at every turn to do anything to protect me or to validate me. Had someone at some point said, Im so sorry that this happened to you, and then they had handled it in that way from then on, it would be a very different situation.

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Heer to Serve gathers, distributes food and other items to unhoused people in Columbus

Emily Myers created Heer to Serve as an outgrowth of efforts to collect and distribute goods to people without housing.

It's all about connections, Emily Myers said.

When folks at Heer to Serve's storage facility found out that Myers gives furniture to people moving from homelessness to housing, the employees offered items that get cleared out of abandoned units.

Every other week, Myers and volunteers for their Heer to Serve mutual-aid organization set up tables for people to come get a hot meal, packaged food, clothing or hygiene products. Other weeks, they take the goods they have to offer out to encampments where people without shelter stay overnight.

It's all about connections, Myers said, and they don't want to miss the opportunity to connect with people who, for whatever reason, are unable or unwilling to come to them.

"Let me show you this," Myers said, pulling out their phone to show the kind of connection that brings joy to all through this effort. They found a text thread from a woman who recently heard from a cousin offering help and support.

It's all about connections.

Myers, who experienced homelessness as an 18-year-old and suffered the loss of an aunt who froze to death outside a shelter in West Virginia, created Heer to Serve as an outgrowth of efforts to collect and distribute goods on their own.

The name pays homage to Heer Park, which was closed by Columbus city officials in 2021 and then cleared of nearby homeless encampments a year later.

More: Community organizers say city's revised codes may pose threat to unhoused

The former park on the Far South Side is where Myers began handing out items from the trunk of their car. That trunk is still full, most recently with bottles of shampoo donated by Sally Beauty Supply because of a misprint on the label.

Volunteers turned donated shirts from another retailer into tie-dyed designs that are sold to raise money for the group.

Restaurants and other business donate food. Supporters donate money and other goods. Heer to Serve was a grant recipient from Comfest in 2023.

"It's all hustle, bustle, barter, trade," Myers said. "We've been operating for four years on no budget."

People who wish to connect with Heer to Serve can find the organization online at Heer2Serve.org or on Facebook or Instagram under "Heer to Serve."

rvitale@dispatch.com

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Heer to Serve helps unhoused people in Columbus get food, other goods
The crippling heat dome thats made the last week miserable for large swaths of the country is set to end Monday afternoon for most, but prominent scientists, including the beloved Bill Nye, are sounding the alarm that similar heat waves are here to stay.

Theories that climate change is to blame for a spike in severe weather events in recent years has been repeated ad nauseam, but never has Nye given such a stark warning into whats to come.

Its the beginning of the new abnormal, he told ABC this weekend. The latest research is that theres not a turning point or a tipping point or a knee in the curve. Its just going to get hotter and hotter and worse and worse and more and more extreme. This is a taste of the normal of the future unless we, humankind, get to work and address it.

The recent heat dome, which evoked extreme heat warnings for thousands of cities from Philadelphia to Oklahoma City to Boise, made for a miserable weekend for hundreds of millions of Americans.

On Sunday, Central Park in New York City reached a boiling 94, about 15 degrees more than its daily average. Temperatures eclipsed 100 in Washington for the first time since 2012. Salt Lake City also hit the century mark, coming within one degree of its daily record two days after Phoenix tied its all-time daily heat record at 117. By Sunday evening, 123 million Americans remained under an extreme heat warning that urged them to stay inside.

A reprieve is in sight for those in the northeast. Bryan Ramsey, of the National Weather Services New York office, told The Daily Beast on Sunday that high temperatures in Manhattan on Monday and Tuesday will cool down into the mid-to-low 80s, which is still hotter than average for New York City in Junebut much, much more comfortable than last week.

The rest of the northeast is expected to have a similar level of cooldown to start the week, he said.

However, portions of the midwest and great plains are still slated to be scorching to start the week, NWS forecasts show, and Ramsey says highs in the 90s could return to New York City by next week.

Miami Meteorologist Blasts DeSantis Over New Climate Change Law

That remains in line with Nyes warning, which said our warming world will only continue to produce record heatwhich has been blamed for the deaths of over 1,300 muslims during this years Hajj pilgrimageand more natural disasters if nothing is done to curb climate change.

This is everything going the wrong way at once, Nye said.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Beirut airport bosses deny it is being used to store Hezbollah weapons

Claims that weapons are being stored at Beiruts main airport have been denied by the Lebanese air transport association.

The organisation that runs day-to-day operations at the airport dismissed claims that Iranian weapons were being flown in and stored at the transport hub.

Whistleblowers at the airport told The Telegraph they were concerned about increasing weapons supplies on direct flights from Iran.

They claimed that they had observed unusually big boxes arriving and the increased presence of high level Hezbollah commanders.

The Lebanese air transport association said the claims were deceptions and lies aimed at exposing Beirut airport and its workers, and announced a press tour of the airport on Monday.

Fateh-110 short-range missiles are claimed to be among the various weaponry stored in the airport - VAHID REZA ALAIE / IRANIAN DEFENCE MINISTRY / HANDOUT

Hezbollah has previously been accused of using the civilian airport for weapons storage, but the whistleblowers claimed it has escalated since the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel intensified in October.

Ali Hamieh, Lebanons transport minister, said the allegations were ridiculous and invited journalists and ambassadors to view the airport on Monday. He was nominated to the government by Hezbollah.

Staff at the airport and intelligence sources claimed in interviews with The Telegraph that weapons were travelling through the airport and being stored on site.

The cache allegedly includes Iranian-made Falaq unguided artillery rockets, Fateh-110 short-range missiles, road-mobile ballistic missiles and M-600 missiles with ranges of 150 to 200 miles.

Also at the airport it is claimed that there are AT-14 Kornets, laser-guided anti-tank guided missiles (ATGM), huge quantities of Burkan short-range ballistic missiles and explosive RDX, a toxic white powder also known as cyclonite or hexogen.

Whistleblowers claim Hezbollah is storing weapons at Rafic Hariri International airport - NurPhoto SRL / Alamy Stock Photo/https://www.alamy.com

The allegations will raise fears that the Rafic Hariri airport, just four miles from the city centre, could become a major military target.

The whistleblowers said they were speaking out because they did not want the airport to put civilians at risk from an explosion like the one that hit the port in 2020.

One airport worker, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: This is extremely serious, mysterious large boxes arriving on direct flights from Iran are a sign that things got worse.

In November, unusually big boxes arrived on a direct flight from Iran. This doesnt happen often, but it did happen exactly when everyone in Lebanon was talking about the possibility of war, the first worker added.

Another whistleblower claimed: For years I have been watching Hezbollah operating at Beirut airport, but when they do it during a war, it turns the airport into a target.

If they keep bringing in these goods Im not allowed to check, I really believe Ill die from the explosion or Ill die from Israel bombing the goods. Its not just us, its the ordinary people, the people coming in and out, going on holiday. If the airport is bombed, Lebanon is finished.

Hezbollah has been locked in fighting with Israeli forces along Israel's northern border in the aftermath of the Oct 7 massacre - HUSSEIN MALLA/AP

Hezbollah leaders have previously come under Western sanctions for smuggling through the airport.

Despite sanctions, staff at the airport claim Wafiq Safa, Hezbollahs second in command and the head of its security apparatus, has become a notoriously conspicuous figure at the airport.

Wafiq Safa is always showing up at customs, one whistleblower claimed, citing close relationships with the customs managers. I feel like if we dont do what they say, our families will be in danger.

In a city battered economically since 2019, the whistleblower claims workers collaborating with Hezbollah walk around like peacocks with new watches and smartphones, and drive new cars. A lot of money [is] being passed under the table, he added.

Wafiq Safa is said to repeatedly appear at customs - AFP

In a statement, the IDF said: Hezbollahs strategy to hide weapons and operate from civilian neighbourhoods stems from its intentions to draw the IDF to target these civilian areas in times of escalation.

If Hezbollah were to target Israeli civilians from these sites, the IDF would have no choice but to react, potentially placing Lebanese civilians in harms way, causing international outrage toward the IDF.

Ghassan Hasbani, the former deputy prime minister and an MP for the Lebanese Forces party, said Hezbollahs control of the airport has long been a concern for Lebanon and more so now if it increasingly becomes a potential military target in the conflict with Israel.

He called for action to assess risks at the airport for fear of a repeat of the tragic port disaster of 2020. Its very difficult to know who can take action, he said. The last time the government tried to take action in 2008, there was a violent reaction by Hezbollah.

The area all around the airport is controlled by Hezbollah so many people are concerned about passage through the airport of Beirut, which is why many Gulf countries have at times imposed bans on their citizens travelling there, he said.

Weapons being transported from Iran to Hezbollah across border entry points or even weapon components, endangers both the Lebanese population and the non Lebanese travelling through and living in the country.

Taking action is all but impossible without international intervention to implement relevant UN resolutions, he said. The entrenchment of Hezbollah is everywhere, not only in the airport but in the port, the judiciary, its across society.

The public administration now is largely hijacked by Hezbollah and its very difficult to remove that without changing the militia-backed power game that exists today.

A security source at a major international aviation body told The Telegraph: We have been aware of this for years, but we are unable to do anything without international legal action. We are hand tied to do what wed really like, which is to close the airport and have all the weapons and explosives removed.

For years, Israel has carried out attacks on Damascus and Aleppo airports in Syria where Iran transfers weapons from production facilities to its proxies in the region, including Hezbollah. Several of these have been on civilian flights.

In November, Damascus airport was forced to close after strikes saw all flights diverted.

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The hidden tax on your energy bills that will soar under Labours net zero plan

Britain will need to ramp up its investment in infrastructure to meet Labour's goals, and that means households will have to pay for it - Stefan Rousseau/PA

Standing charges are billed to households every day, regardless of whether they turn the lights on or not.

But the so-called flat tax, introduced in the 1930s to prop up energy regulation, has come under heavy scrutiny in the past four years, after doubling during the energy crisis.

Now both Labour and the Conservatives have committed to reviewing the charge in their manifestos.

Rishi Sunaks government has said it will review standing charges to keep them as low as possible, while Labours manifesto said too much of the burden of the bill is on standing charges and we will work with the regulator to reduce them.

Like unit rates, which dictate how much you are charged for your actual usage, standing charges are governed by the energy price cap set by regulator Ofgem. Though they vary slightly by region, the average standing charge is 334.08 a year for gas and electricity, while those not on the gas grid pay just 219.42.

But when energy costs soared in the wake of Putins invasion of Ukraine, households struggled to reduce their bills. This left vulnerable households particularly exposed.

While Labour has vowed to reduce the bill, critics have warned that Labours pledge to achieve full decarbonisation by 2030, could make this promise almost impossible. Others have warned it would just lead to higher unit rates.

Dr Craig Lowery, of analyst Cornwall Insight, said the cost of net zero had been slowly shifted away from unit rates onto standing charges.

Ofgem has not denied this. The regulator admitted the charge goes towards powering networks, and the infrastructure upgrades needed to hit net zero but that standing charges would be a matter for the next government.

A consultation into the daily rates has been in the works since November, with the findings due to be published by the end of summer.

Older homes face a new net zero tax

Britains energy transmission provider, National Grid Electricity System Operator, (NGESO), has set out plans for a 58bn expansion to the UKs high-voltage transmission network, which would include thousands of new electricity pylons, substations, and other infrastructure spread across the countryside.

Future Energy Associates, which conducted a report into standing charges last year, said one way a government could hit its target whilst reducing standing charges could be by shifting the burden onto unit rates.

The report suggested that energy suppliers operating costs should be paid for by usage, rather than a flat daily charge, thereby delivering an incentive to the energy market to drive down excess costs such as marketing.

But put simply, this means that should standing charges go down, unit rates would have to rise. The likely result would be that households using more energy than others would see their monthly payments rise even further, while those who use less would see their bills drop.

Dr Lowrey, of Cornwall Insight, warned: This would potentially have detrimental impacts on high electricity-using households, those with energy inefficient properties, and those which use electricity for heating, and those in fuel poverty. As such, broader consequences will have to be considered.

Future Energy Associates said the next government could raise the revenue through general taxation as an alternative.

Labour has been reluctant to commit to tax rises. If the party were to move all or some of the standing charge cost to general taxation, bills would fall immediately, but households would still shoulder the cost through other taxes.

Dr Lowrey said this is a possibility, but it would have to be managed in the context of a new government with other pressures on the public finances.

Tim Jarvis, Ofgem director for markets, said: We know that standing charges have provoked a huge amount of debate in recent months, and with wider cost of living pressures meaning customers will continue to struggle with bills, now is the right time to look at this again.

Not all suppliers demand users pay standing charges, and instead charge a higher unit rate. Suppliers are also allowed to charge less than the price cap rate, although this is also typically offset by higher usage costs.

A number of energy bosses, including Centricas Chris OShea and E.ONs Chris Norbury, have called for standing charges to be scrapped entirely.

Mr OShea said: We think its really unfair that many customers have no option but to pay a fixed charge per day for their energy, regardless of how much energy they actually use. The standing charge hits people who are careful about their energy use hardest  and these people are often from low-income households, and prepayment meter customers in particular.

Its a complex issue and while an upfront set fee to cover a suppliers fixed costs works for some, it doesnt work for others, said Mr Jarvis. Equally, spreading the costs differently might help some but our previous analysis has found it can also penalise some really vulnerable households.

Simon Francis, of the End Fuel Poverty Coalition campaign group, said: Standing charges are an unfair flat tax on every energy consumer. Every household pays through the nose just to be connected to the grid, even if they use no energy.

Households will pay either way

The fact remains that at some point, Britain will need to ramp up its investment in infrastructure to meet Labours goals, and that means households will have to pay for it.

Those in favour of ploughing more money into grid upgrades and renewables argue that doing so will save households money in the long run, but it will doubtless be unpopular with billpayers already fed up with standing charges.

The ramifications of keeping bills down to placate households can be seen all too well in the way Britains water infrastructure has fallen apart. Until last year, household water bills had remained flat or fallen in real terms for 15 years, leaving suppliers with very little cash left to improve infrastructure.

At the time, Sir John Armitt, of the National Infrastructure Commission, which advises the Government on infrastructure projects, said households would end up paying for the necessary improvements either way  it was just a question of what form that payment would take.

The reality we have to face is there has been underinvestment for a very long time. The focus from government and regulators has been to keep bills down, he told the Today Programme.

He continued: You could argue that bills are going to have to go up sooner or later to pay for the decline in investment, whether thats through a nationalised company and were paying as general taxpayers, or through private companies and we pay through bills.

Those in the energy world are clear consumers will eventually have to foot the bill to reach net zero targets for network upgrades.

Standing charges should support the investment in the electricity network necessary to enable greater energy security through more renewables, electrification, and broader decarbonisation, a spokesman for Energy Networks Association said.

We support any review which aims to ensure customers are charged fairly and appropriately.

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Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community in Pittsburgh helps raise money for nonprofit organizations

People from across the Pittsburgh area gathered on the North Shore Saturday morning to raise money for over 100 nonprofit organizations.

The Highmark Walk for a Healthy Community kicked off at Stage AE.

It is an event hosted by Highmark and part of their Bright Blue Futures community involvement program.

Participants go on a 5K walk and select a nonprofit to raise money.

This year, the walk benefited 150 nonprofits across Pennsylvania and Delaware.

The walk is becoming an annual tradition. Highmark said through 2023 it has raised more than $18.4 million for more than 550 health and human nonprofit organizations.

Similar walks were also held in Harrisburg, Erie, Lehigh Valley, Wilmington and Laurel Highlands throughout May and June.

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Hiker missing for 10 days in California mountains survived by drinking a gallon of water each day

A California man spent ten days stranded in the mountains after he got lost on a hike, relying in part on large volumes of water to survive.

Lukas McClish, 34, set out for what he thought would be a three-hour hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains on June 11, according to CNN affiliate KGO. But he became lost in the mountains  partially due to the destruction of local landmarks in recent wildfires.

His family officially reported him missing when he didnt show up for a Fathers Day dinner on June 16, triggering search and rescue efforts, KGO reported.

McClish was eventually found on Thursday thanks to a drone from the Santa Cruz Sheriffs Office, according to an X post from Cal Fire San Mateo, which said McClish was found in Big Basin Redwoods State Park  Californias oldest state park and home to towering ancient coast redwood trees.

There were multiple reports of witnesses hearing someone yelling for help, but the location of that person was hard to establish, said Cal Fire.

McClish was found with no major injuries and was reunited with his family, according to the sheriffs office.

Speaking with KGO, McClish said he was tired and a little sore after his ordeal. I lost my voice, he added.

All he had to survive in the forest were the clothes he was wearing when he left: I left with just a pair of pants, and my pair of hiking shoes, and a hat, he told KGO. I had a flashlight, and a pair of folding scissors, like a Leatherman tool. And that was about it.

He attributed his survival to drinking lots of water from creeks and waterfalls he found as he hiked through the park each day, calling for help, according to CNN affiliate KSBW.

I just make sure I drank a gallon of water every day, but then after, getting close to the end of it, my body needed food and some kind of sustenance, McClish told KGO.

Seeing the number of search and rescue workers who worked to find him was really humbling, he said. It was an awesome experience.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misidentified a CNN affiliate that reported on Lukas McClishs disappearance. It was KGO.

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Hochul on NY social media law: You cannot turn a blind eye to trauma that has been inflicted on our children

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul (D) pushed back on some criticism of the new social media laws that she signed last week to address the impact it could have on childrens mental health.

You cannot turn a blind eye to trauma that is being inflicted on our children, especially young teenagers today, a seminal point in their lives  theyre being bombarded with intensely addictive algorithms to pull them into a dark space and hold them captive, she said on CNNs State of the Union when asked about concerns about the new law.

Hochul signed two social media laws last week that will regulate how social media companies provide addictive features to children and how they collect and use the data of minors. She also said Sunday that she absolutely believes the laws will hold up in court.

Under the Safe for Kids Act, social media platforms will be prevented from offering addictive features for children without parental consent. The companies would also be barred from collecting, using or selling personal data of kids and teens without consent under the Child Data Protection Act.

Hochul also said that she sat down with young people in forums and has discussed social media with them.

A young woman once said to me, You have to save us from ourselves. We cant stop. And I thought, its not her fault. These companies are monetizing our childrens mental health. Theyre taking away from them, she said.

And if we dont stand up as a government and as parents, the first mom governor of New York, Im going to make sure that we fight for our kids, she added.

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HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW)  Local and state fire crews are on the scene of a blaze outside of Conway thats sending smoke into the area.

Horry County Fire Rescue was dispatched near Irene Court and Linda Drive just after 4:15 p.m. on Saturday for a 5-acre fire. State Forestry Commission officials are assisting.

No structures are currently threatened, but smoke is likely for extended amount of time.

* * *

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.

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Hot honey is the sweet and spicy flavor on everyone's lips, from pizza to cocktails. Here's why it's America's newest food obsession.

Hot honey is being added to restaurant menus and grocery store shelves across the US.

It's being paired with pepperoni pizza, chicken sandwiches, margaritas, and even ice cream.

The founder of leading brand Mike's Hot Honey started making it in his college apartment after trying it on a pizza in Brazil.

It's being drizzled on pizzas, added to chicken sandwiches, and even mixed into cocktails.

Hot honey is one of the buzziest ingredients this summer, appearing on menus ranging from cocktail bars in Manhattan to barbecue joints in New Orleans.

The ingredient is "basically all over menus right now," Lizzy Freier, director of menu research and insights at restaurant analytics company Technomic, said during a panel at the National Restaurant Show in May.

The condiment's origins saw it being swirled on pepperoni pizza. But it's popular to pair with chicken, too: Sweetgreen has a hot honey chicken protein bowl, Cava sells harissa honey chicken, and KFC serves Sriracha honey nuggets.

You can mix it with desserts or alcohol. At Starbucks' upmarket Reserve locations, you can get hot honey in an affogato or espresso martini.

At the Starbucks Reserve Roastery in Chicago, customers can pay $2 to add hot honey to a sandwich, slice of pizza, or avocado toast. You can also get it in cocktails. Grace Dean/Business Insider

Mike's Hot Honey was inspired by a college student's travels around Brazil

Hot honey isn't a brand-new flavor, but it's only recently that it's become super popular.

Brooklyn pizzeria Roberta's started selling its famous Bee Sting pizza topped with spicy soppressata salami and honey back in 2009, according to The New York Times.

But it was Mike's Hot Honey that really brought the ingredient to the masses.

Mike's Hot Honey is the original and best-known brand. Grace Dean/Business Insider

It all dates back to the year 2003, when Mike Kurtz was a college student studying Portuguese in Brazil.

"On a weekend trip to a national park, I hiked into a little valley with some friends and there I found a tiny pizzeria that had jars of honey with whole chili peppers steeping in it for drizzling on pizza," Kurtz told Business Insider in an interview at the National Restaurant Show. "I just was blown away by the flavor and I kept on thinking about it."

So Kurtz started experimenting with chili-infused honey in his college apartment, where he created Mike's Hot Honey in 2004.

"And for six years it was just a hobby," Kurtz said. "I was making it for myself, for friends and family."

Fast forward to 2010, and Kurtz introduced his concoction to Paul Giannone of Paulie Gee's while working as an apprentice at the Brooklyn pizzeria.

"He tried it, he loved it on the pizza," Kurtz told BI. Paulie Gee's began drizzling the honey on its pepperoni pizzas.

"People started asking me where they could buy bottles and I started selling it off the bar there in November 2010," Kurtz said.

Over the years, he started working with other restaurants and specialty retailers. Whole Foods was the first large grocery store to start selling the honey in 2014.

Now, Mike's Hot Honey is available in between 30,000 and 40,000 retail stores and more than 3,000 restaurants, Kurtz said. The business's revenue is roughly 60% retail and 40% food service, he said.

Hot honey has seemingly endless applications

Hot honey is "kind of like a peanut butter and jelly thing," Matt Wessel, owner of the Milwaukee Pretzel Company, which sells a hot honey mustard, told BI over the phone. "It's just one of those things that when you pair them together, it makes a lot of sense  It's a really palatable food pairing."

Hot honey feeds into the "swicy" trend for sweet and spicy food. And its versatility means it can be used in seemingly endless combinations, encouraging chefs to get creative in the kitchen.

"Because honey is so versatile as a sweetener, but also as a topping  it's a great base to add the heat to," Wessel said. "It can be used in so many different applications." Across restaurants, grocery store shelves, and home kitchens, hot honey is being added to tacos, chicken waffles, potato chips, and ice cream.

Maison Pickle started serving a hot honey chicken French toast in 2019. Emilia Aghamirzai/Maison Pickle

"Hot honey has become the new American flavor," said Jacob Hadjigeorgis, owner of Maison Pickle, a bar and restaurant in Manhattan that started serving a hot honey chicken French toast in 2019. He told BI over email that it was the US's answer to other cuisines' sweet and spicy sauces.

At Zalat Pizza, a Dallas-based pizza chain, there's been a recent rise in sales of its pizza with salami, bacon-onion jam, and hot honey, first added to its menu in 2022, CEO Khanh Nguyen told BI via email.

Customers can also pay $2 to add a swirl of hot honey to Zalat's other pizzas, which Nguyen said was especially popular with its pepperoni and mixed meat pizzas.

Zalat Pizza's Sweet Revenge features salami, bacon-onion jam, and hot honey. Zalat Pizza

UK canned and bottled cocktail company Tom Savano Cocktails has been experimenting with hot honey in the drinks department. It launched a hot honey margarita earlier this month  it also sells a spicy mezcal margarita with Scotch Bonnet chilies and agave.

Sweet cocktails are always in demand, and spicy flavors are very popular at the moment. "So you throw anything spicy and sweet together and that was always going to be a home run," founder James Kerslake told BI over the phone. The company developed two versions of the cocktail for consumer testing, and ended up deciding on the spicier version, even though Kerslake acknowledged it may polarize people with a low-spice tolerance.

Cooking magazines and TikTokers alike have been scrambling to find new ways to incorporate hot honey into dishes. But as for Kurtz, the man behind the best-known hot honey brand, his favorite ways to serve it are drizzled on a pepperoni pizza, used as a glaze for salmon, and paired with goats' cheese.

Read the original article on Business Insider
A group of House Democrats is calling on President Joe Biden to rethink his recent executive action at the U.S-Mexico border.

Earlier this month, Biden announced an executive action to bar asylum for migrants entering the country illegally and cap the number of asylum-seekers allowed to enter the country each day.

The move immediately sparked an impassioned backlash from immigrant rights groups, as well as politicians on both sides of the aisle, but the administration has insisted that the action is necessary in the face of continued inaction on immigration reform in Congress.

U.S. President Joe Biden announces an executive order on enforcement at the U.S.-Mexico border during remarks from the East Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 4, 2024. REUTERS/Leah Millis

House Democrats took another step in opposing the president's measure earlier this month when they drafted a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Ur M. Jaddou objecting to the Biden administration action.

U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso, a co-chair on Biden's reelection committee. was among the Democrats who signed the letter.

The "mandatory bars to asylum during initial asylum screening interviews will force asylum seekers to present legally and factually complex arguments explaining the life-threatening harms they are fleeing shortly after enduring a long, traumatic journey and while being held in immigration detention and essentially cut off from legal help," the letter states.

Migrants walk in the dry bed of the Rio Grande between Ciudad Jurez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas on April 25, 2024. Despite the increased infrastructure put in place by the Texas National Guard migrants who can make it to MexicoOs northern border have been able to break the concertina wire in hopes of turning themselves to Border Patrol for processing.

The letter marks Escobar's second break with the president over the executive action  shortly after it was announced, she wrote in a statement that she was "disappointed" with action's focus on enforcement.

'Dramatically expand access to legal counsel'

In the letter, lawmakers argued that Biden's latest move at the border will leave arriving migrants with little time to prepare themselves for an intensive asylum screening.

"Without serious effort to dramatically expand access to legal counsel for asylum seekers during initial screenings and without evidence of having comprehensive safeguards assuring asylum officers can fairly conduct the fact intensive, legal analysis required to adjudicate bars during initial screenings," the letter stated, "the proposed rule would very likely undermine basic principles of fairness, the humane treatment of those fleeing persecution or torture, and our nations compliance with due process and non-refoulement obligations."

A migrant in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, reacts after Texas National Guard soldiers discover a breach in the concertina wire at the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso, Texas, on June 4, 2024. Migrants cut holes in the concertina wire in hopes of turning themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents.

The lawmakers chided Biden over comments he made two years ago insisting that the kind of bars he's now put in place would make asylum screenings "less efficient" and undermine "Congress intent that the expedited removal process be swift."

The letter said the president's action "cannot be responsibly implemented" and called for it to be rescinded.

"The proposed rule unfairly frontloads highly fact-specific and nuanced legal questions that starve asylum seekers of the opportunity to put their best case forward with guidance from an attorney," the letter stated. "As such, this proposed rule cannot comply with existing due process and non-refoulement obligations and contravenes congressional intent, and we urge USCIS to rescind the proposed rule."

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar speaks during the Lady Bird Breakfast at the Texas Democratic Party Convention in El Paso, Texas, at the Hotel Paso Del Norte on Saturday, June 8, 2024.

"Unless the administration dramatically expands access to legal counsel for asylum seekers in immigration custody and ensures comprehensive safeguards against sending asylum applicants with valid claims back to persecution," it added, "the rule cannot be responsibly implemented."

Encouraging news on work permits

But even as Democrats are taking the president to task over his executive action on asylum, an executive order on Tuesday, June 18, saw some of the same lawmakers celebrating.

The action expands protections and work permits for undocumented spouses of U.S. citizens and graduates of U.S. universities, including Dreamers.

There are hundreds of thousands of American families today who have been forced to live apart or relocate to another country because of draconian provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act that prevent undocumented spouses of Americans from getting any legal protections whatsoever," Escobar said in a statement June 18. "Todays presidential actions, the culmination of years of arduous work and advocacy, puts us leaps and bounds closer to rectifying that wrong.

Biden's move was inspired by proposed legislation from Escobar, the American Families United Act, which she has introduced every year since first being elected to Congress.

Obstruction by congressional Republicans has made passing any kind of immigration legislation impossible, despite the clear economic and humanitarian benefits to doing so," she said. "President Biden has consistently used his executive powers to create additional legal pathways for immigrants, and todays joyous announcement will help keep many of these mixed-status American families together.

Escobar wasn't alone  U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, who is currently embroiled in a campaign against U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-TX, likewise celebrated the move.

U.S. Rep. Colin Allred, D-Dallas, speaks at a U.S. Senate debate in Austin on Jan. 28, 2024. The Texas AFL-CIO COPE Convention hosted the debate ahead of the March 5 primary elections.

Our immigration system is broken, and Texans need action to ensure that our immigration system can meet the needs of our economy,Allred said in a statement.Though there is no substitution for Congressional action in the form of comprehensive immigration reform, this is a common-sense step that will grow our economy and help folks who want to work to get out of the shadows."

"This is one part of the solution," he added, "and I will keep working to secure our border and fix our immigration system ...

Not everyone was pleased, however  Cruz said in a statement that the latest moves is proof that Biden "has utterly abandoned the American people."

This amnesty program allows illegal aliens to get citizenship and vote in future elections," Cruz said. "Make no mistake: Joe Biden views every illegal alien as a future Democrat voter. That is why he is willing to look the other way while Americans are being murdered, our communities are being overrun by crime, and our young people are being poisoned by fentanyl flowing across the border  he views the American peoples suffering as an acceptable price to pay to gain future Democrat voters."

"Democrats are out of touch with the American people," he continued. "They have given up trying to persuade American citizens that their ideas are rational and good for the country, and they are instead importing illegal aliens."

This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: 18 House Dems call on Biden to rescind executive action on asylum
(Reuters) - The U.N.'s nuclear watchdog called on Sunday for a halt to attacks on Enerhodar, a town near the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power station after drone strikes this week hit two electricity substations serving the area.

The plant's Russian-installed officials accused Ukraine of staging two drone strikes that destroyed one substation, damaged another and cut power to residents for a time.

Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency, made no reference to Ukraine and said the incidents had no affect on the Zaporizhzhia plant's operations.

But he said the attacks had to stop.

"Whoever is behind this, it must stop. Drone usage against the plant and its vicinity is becoming increasingly more frequent," Grossi said in a statement on the IAEA website.

"This is completely unacceptable and it runs counter to the safety pillars and concrete principles which have been accepted unanimously."

Power had been cut to Enerhodar, a few kilometres from the plant, for 16 hours, he said. But neither of the attacks, which occurred on Wednesday and Friday, had any impact on the power lines that the nuclear plant uses to keep operating.

The Zaporizhzhia plant's Russia-installed management said some "infrastructure facilities" including the transport department and print shop experienced disruptions, but that nuclear safety measures remained fully operational.

Ukrainian officials have made no comment on the incidents and Reuters could not independently confirm the reports.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said the attacks exposed Ukraine's disregard for nuclear safety.

Russian troops seized the Zaporizhzhia plant in the early days of the February 2022 invasion, and Moscow and Kyiv have since regularly accused each other of endangering safety around the facility. It produces no electricity at the moment.

The IAEA maintains inspectors at the station.

Russia launched mass attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure in the first winter of the conflict and resumed a long series of attacks in March. Kyiv says the renewed attacks have knocked out half of its energy-generating capacity.

(Reporting by Ron Popeski; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
Palestinian man was tied to a jeep bonnet and driven through narrow roads following a counterterrorism operation where the man was injured - REUTERS

The Israeli military is investigating its own soldiers for tying an injured terror suspect to the front of a jeep during a West Bank raid.

The IDF said its troops were engaged in a counter-terrorism operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin when they captured a suspected fighter.

Video taken by locals near the scene showed the injured man, identified by Reuters as Mujahed Azmi, bound to the front of the vehicle as it was driving along.

The video was widely shared, leading to the IDF launchng an investigation.

An Israeli security source told The Telegraph the suspect was being kept alive by being placed on the front of the military vehicle.

He was laid there to keep him flat, so he wouldnt die, he said. If he had been squashed into the back of the vehicle there is no way he would have made it with the injuries he had sustained in the raid.

However in a statement the IDF said: Terrorists opened fire at IDF troops, who responded with fire. During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended. In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF. The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.

Human shields

Hamas, the terror group, shared the image of the man, accusing the IDF of using Palestinians as human shields and claiming the incident happened in the area of Jabriyat.

Hamas is known to use civilians as human shields, and has been accused of using them to protect the organisations leadership hiding in Gaza.

The suspect was transferred to the Red Crescent but it is just the latest in a string of violent clashes which have soared since the outbreak of the Gaza war on Oct 7, with over 2,000 terror attacks on Jewish settlers and IDF troops carried out by groups including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Lions Den.

Just this weekend, an Israeli man was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Qalqaliya.

Roadblocks have been set up by the IDF across the occupied territory with night-time lockdowns a frequent part of life amidst the war in Gaza.

Dehumanisation of Palestinians

The cycle of violence has been escalating on both sides, says Avi Dabush, chief executive of Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli NGO, which works with Palestinian farmers in the West Bank to help protect them in the face of extremist settler attacks.

He said the latest incident is an example of the dehumanisation of Palestinians.

We see more and more that there is a lack of understanding and empathy for Palestinians as human beings. We see more terrorist attacks so maybe it can be understood but we can see the violence from extremist settlers, from the army, and we want to deal with it.

It doesnt only harm the Palestinians but it harms our Jewish moral values of equality and dignity, of peace and justice.

Since Oct 7, the IDF has arrested over 4,150 Palestinians across the occupied territory, claiming at least 1,750 of those were linked to Hamas.

The Palestinian Authoritys ministry of health has reported at least 540 deaths of West Bank Palestinians since Oct 7 while 20 Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks.

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Increasing momentum in Donetsk Oblast may indicate beginning of Russian summer offensive

Russian troops are increasing the pace of their offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast while reducing the intensity of attacks in the north of Kharkiv Oblast. This may indicate preparations for a summer offensive, if not the start of one.

Source: Institute for the Study of War (ISW)

Details: The military analysts indicate that Russian offensive operations in Kharkiv Oblast are primarily aimed at holding and distracting Ukrainian forces to allow Russian troops to become more active in other parts of the frontline.

Russian troops increased the intensity of attacks on the Toretsk-Horlivka front on the night of 17-18 June and maintained a relatively high intensity of attacks in this area from 19 to 22 June, gaining several tactical victories in this area.

Russian troops were generally inactive on this section of the frontline throughout 2024, so their growing activity deserves attention.

In contrast, the pace of Russian offensive operations in the north of Kharkiv Oblast has dropped sharply in recent days, especially compared to mid-May this year.

ISW wrote that the Russian command has long believed that the offensive in Kharkiv Oblast was intended to lock up Ukrainian manpower and their limited supplies along the northern border to allow Russian forces to resume offensive operations in other more important areas of the theatre, particularly in Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian sources have confirmed that some Ukrainian forces redeployed units to the Kharkiv front from Donetsk Oblast, so Russian forces may use this perceived weakness in Ukrainian positions to intensify attacks, especially on the Toretsk-Horlivka front.

In addition, Russian forces have maintained a high intensity of shelling in the direction of Chasiv Yar and around Avdiivka after slowing down in Kharkiv Oblast, and they may soon intensify attacks in this area. This depends on whether the Russian commanders see the coming weeks as a favourable time to advance in these areas before Ukrainian forces redeploy their reserves back to Donetsk Oblast.

Ukrainian sources have warned that Russia will conduct a summer offensive, likely to be focused in Ukraine's east, following an offensive in the north designed to stretch Ukraine's limited assets. The recent activity in Donetsk Oblast may indicate preparations for such a summer offensive if it has not already begun.

To quote the ISW's Key Takeaways on 22 June:

Russian forces appear to be intensifying the tempo of their offensive operations in Donetsk Oblast while decreasing the rate of attacks in northern Kharkiv Oblast  consistent with ISW's assessment that Russian offensive operations in Kharkiv Oblast are primarily intended to fix and distract Ukrainian forces in order to allow Russian forces to intensify elsewhere in the theatre.

US policy continues to prohibit Ukrainian forces from striking legitimate military targets in Russian territory in range of Ukrainian HIMARS.

Russian air defences will reduce the effectiveness of Ukrainian F-16s if the US does not allow Ukrainian forces to use ATACMS to destroy Russian air defence systems in Russian territory.

The partial removal of the Russian sanctuary has already had a net positive effect, underscoring the powerful latent potential a larger policy change could achieve.

Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren announced on 21 June that the Netherlands and another unspecified country will supply Ukraine with a Patriot air defence system.

Russian opposition outlet Vazhnye Istorii reported on a series of leadership changes within the Russian Federal Security Service's (FSB) Fifth Service, which reportedly specialises in collecting intelligence within Russia and the former Soviet Union.

Western countries have reportedly provided Ukraine with roughly 800 million euros ($855.4 million) worth of Serbian-produced ammunition despite Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic's ongoing efforts to balance favour between Russia and the West.

Satellite imagery confirmed that Ukrainian forces struck at least one Russian air defence training centre in Krasnodar Krai during recent strikes on 20-21 June.

Select Russian milbloggers claimed that unnamed actors, implied to be Ukrainians, conducted a strike using ATACMS against Rostov Oblast, although ISW cannot independently confirm these reports.

Russian forces recently advanced near Svatove, Chasiv Yar, and Avdiivka.

Russian law enforcement and security agencies continue working with the Russian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to recruit those accused of criminal offences into the Russian military, likely as part of ongoing crypto-mobilisation efforts.

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Indiana Democrats should have kept the spotlight on Micah Beckwith where it belonged

Indiana Democrats had one job: Don't divert attention from Republicans' disastrous nomination of Micah Beckwith for lieutenant governor.

Great job, everyone.

Not only have Democrats wrested the spotlight from Beckwith  no small feat  but they also appear headed for the same stupid convention battle Republicans just went through. Except, on the Democratic side, the infighting is pointless. Whoever wins the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor is not actually going to become lieutenant governor.

Let me back up. Gubernatorial candidate Jennifer McCormick enraged progressives Thursday when she introduced conservative Democrat Terry Goodin as her preferred running mate. I say preferred because, just like Republicans, Democrats nominate their lieutenant governor candidate by a vote of delegates at the party's convention. That vote happens July 13.

McCormick is already contending with distrust among Democrats because she used to be a Republican. Now, she has chosen to partner with a former state representative who voted against same-sex marriage in 2011 and used to describe himself as "pro-life" and "pro-gun."

Democratic governor nominee Jennifer McCormick endorsed Terry Goodin as her running mate for lieutenant governor Thursday, June 20, 2024, during a press conference in Indianapolis.

Goodin recanted the first two of those positions Thursday during a press conference. "We must do everything we can to restore the rights of women to make decisions about their own body," Goodin said. He also apologized for the same-sex marriage vote.

Progressive Democrats didn't wait to hear what Goodin had to say, though, before dismissing him out of hand and criticizing McCormick for alienating the base with her selection. As McCormick introduced Goodin, Democratic state Sen. J.D. Ford began floating his own candidacy for lieutenant governor, Adam Wren reported in Importantville. Ford is the first openly gay lawmaker in Indiana.

Progressive angst has been building for years as Democrats have nominated an endless series of moderate candidates atop their tickets, including unabashedly pro-gun, pro-police Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. for Senate in 2022; pro-coal John Gregg for governor in 2012 and 2016; and pro-life former Sen. Joe Donnelly, who lost his reelection bid in 2018.

Far-left Democrats insist without evidence that progressives are more electable than moderates in Republican-leaning Indiana even as they fail to produce like-minded candidates who can compete in statewide elections. Now, they act like McCormick owes them something.

But McCormick is trying to appeal to as many voters as possible and, in Indiana, the median voter looks a lot like Goodin. The base is the base because it reliably shows up to vote for Democrats. The problem for Democrats is that Republicans have a base, too, and it is much larger than theirs. Democrats need to win voters beyond its base  which means appealing to the right  if it ever hopes to win another statewide contest.

Briggs: Mike Braun deserves every minute of his new political hell

If Ford wanted to prove a point or take more control over the party's agenda, he could have run for governor himself. That would have been harder, though. So, instead, he's contemplating pulling a Beckwith at the convention to sabotage McCormick's campaign and virtue signal to an angry base that couldn't nominate one of its own.

This is political malpractice. The Indiana Democratic Party looks more like "Lord of the Flies" than an organization capable of governing in the foreseeable future.

The base doesn't seem to understand that running statewide as a Democrat sucks. Candidates take more than a year out of their lives to schlep across 92 counties with smiles on their faces only to suffer soul-crushing losses.

Yet, incredibly, Republicans' asinine nomination of Beckwith shook the GOP to the point that conservative super lawyer Jim Bopp warned Sen. Mike Braun that Beckwith "poses a serious threat to the Braun candidacy."

Never mind that. It took Democrats less than a week to refuse Republicans' gift and reveal they're more serious about threatening their own nominee than they are about taking down Braun.

McCormick is almost certainly not going to defeat Braun no matter who Democrats nominate for lieutenant governor. She is nonetheless carrying a thankless torch for a party that has struggled to recruit viable candidates. If Democrats reject Goodin and force McCormick into November with an arranged running mate, it will send another signal to prospective candidates that they should find something better to do.

Perhaps then, when the party is devoid of leaders with statewide campaign experience and fundraising capacity, progressives will finally get their chance to show how electable they are.

Contact James Briggs at 317-444-4732 or james.briggs@indystar.com. Follow him on X and Threads at @JamesEBriggs.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Democrats had one job: keep spotlight on GOP disaster nomination
An injured hiker was rescued in Armstrong County on Saturday.

Members of the South Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department said they were called to the area of Lock 6 at 1 p.m.

A hiker had fallen and was injured and needed help getting out of the trail.

Firefighters say another hiker had to flag down a passing boat because their cell phone was overheated, preventing them from calling 911.

The hiker was taken out in a stokes basket. Firefighters provided equipment to clear downed trees.

Freeport Fire-EMS treated the hikers injuries, which were not life-threatening.

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Iowa State Auditor Rob Sand maintains a higher job approval rating than Gov. Kim Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird, a new Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll finds.

A majority of Iowans  53%  approve of how Sand, the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Iowa, is handling his job. Another 17% disapprove and 31% are not sure.

Half of Iowans (50%) approve of the job Reynolds is doing, while 46% disapprove and 4% are not sure.

Bird has 42% job approval and 32% disapproval, with 26% not sure.

Reynolds has not said whether she plans to seek another term as governor in 2026. Sand is often talked about as a potential candidate for the office.

And, on caucus night, former President Donald Trump named Bird as someone to watch, saying shes going to be your governor someday.

The poll shows that more Iowans approve of the job that the Republican-controlled Iowa State Legislature is doing (46%) than disapprove (39%).

The poll of 806 Iowa adults was conducted June 9-14 by Selzer & Co. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points.

Rob Sand enjoys majority approval, gets high marks from Republicans

State Auditor Rob Sand holds a news conference on property taxes at the Iowa State Capitol on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.

Sand, who was first elected to the auditors office in 2018 and reelected in 2022, has clashed with Reynolds and legislative Republicans, who have introduced or passed several bills limiting his offices powers.

About two-thirds of Democrats (65%) approve of Sands job performance, down 2 percentage points from the last Iowa Poll to test his job approval, in February.

Sand draws high marks from Republicans, with 59% approving of his job performance, up from 51% in February.

He also has the approval of 40% of political independents, although that number is down from 54% in February.

Sand hits 60% approval or higher among several demographic groups, including Republican men (64%; Iowans 55 and older, Catholics, Iowans earning $70,000 or more and white men with a college degree (all 61%); and dads with children under age 18 (60%).

Less than half of Iowans say they know enough about Sand to say whether they feel favorably about him. But he stands in positive territory among those who do, with 36% viewing him favorably and 13% unfavorably.

Linda Roepsch, an 80-year-old poll respondent from Dubuque, said she approves of Sand.

Hes been very open with everything, said Roepsch, a Democrat and retiree. Hes one of the few ones that are open. You can call and contact his office, and youre going to get a response.

Kim Reynolds standing among Republicans rises, while support from independents drops

Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks with Adair and Guthrie County Emergency Manager Jeremy Cooper as they tour the remaining damage from the Greenfield tornado Tuesday, June 11, 2024.

Reynolds 50% job approval rating is up 1 percentage point from the last Iowa Poll in February.

Her job approval among Republicans has improved since February. Now, 84% say they approve of the job she is doing as governor, up from 76% in February.

Reynolds endorsed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis over Trump in the Iowa Caucuses, saying she didnt believe Trump could win the general election. Reynolds endorsed Trump in March, once it became clear he would win the Republican nomination.

She has aggressively criticized Trumps New York conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, calling it a sham.

In February, her standing among those who plan to vote for Trump this year was at 81%. Now its 85%.

Alan Groesbeck, a 57-year-old Republican poll respondent from Otterville, said he approves of Reynolds conservative policies on taxes and abortion.

She seems to stick pretty close to the conservative side as far as the bills that she passes, said Groesbeck, an architectural draftsman. It seems like shes trying to do limited government and definitely trying to reduce the taxes on Iowans.

Reynolds exceeds 60% approval among evangelicals (72%), Catholics (63%), rural Iowans (63%) and dads with children under 18 (61%).

A majority of Iowans now view Reynolds favorably, at 51%, while 45% view her unfavorably and 4% are not sure. Thats an improvement from February, when 48% viewed Reynolds favorably and 47% viewed her unfavorably.

Leon Aalderks, a 55-year-old poll respondent from Dike, said he thinks Reynolds is headed in the right direction.

I think shes doing a fine job trying to cut back on the government spending, government overall, said Aalderks, a Republican who works in sales.

He said Reynolds perhaps went a step too far with her legislation overhauling the states Area Education Agencies this year, but thats because Im married to a teacher, and I hear that side of it.

I just think some of her things are a little out of line, like cutting the AEAs out, or cutting them way back. I dont agree with that, he said. But overall, I agree with what shes doing.

Reynolds approval among independents has dropped since February. Now, 42% of independents approve of Reynolds and 54% disapprove. In February, 46% approved and 51% disapproved.

Just 12% of Democrats approve of Reynolds, while 85% disapprove.

Roepsch, the Democratic poll respondent from Dubuque, said she disapproves of Reynolds.

I dont think her leadership has been worth a darn, she said.

She criticized Reynolds legislation that allows families to use taxpayer-funded education savings accounts to pay for private school costs such as tuition and fees.

I dont like what shes did to the education system at all, Roepsch said. I mean, public schools, we pay taxes for our public schools, and to turn around and take the funds from public schools and do it where you can turn around and send it to a charter school and theyre taking your taxpayer dollars to pay for that, no, that isnt what public school is supposed to be for.

Brenna Bird performs well with Iowans planning to vote for Donald Trump

Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks with members of a new antisemitism task force at the Iowa Holocaust Memorial at Iowa Capitol on Friday, May 10, 2024, in Des Moines, Iowa.

Birds approval has risen 2 percentage points since February, to 42%, while her disapproval has climbed 4 percentage points to 32%.

Fifty-eight percent of Republicans approve of Bird, while 16% disapprove and 25% are not sure.

Among independents, 36% approve, 34% disapprove and 30% are not sure.

A quarter of Democrats (25%) approve of Bird, while 55% disapprove and 20% are not sure.

Bird endorsed Trump ahead of the Iowa Caucuses and traveled to New York to support him during his criminal trial. Among Iowans who plan to vote for Trump this fall, 62% approve of her job performance.

Groesbeck said he approves of Bird. He said he attended the Republican convention this year and liked Birds speech, where she praised Trump and criticized the criminal charges against him.

It seemed one of the more heartfelt speeches that were given that day, he said.

Bird, who is staunchly anti-abortion and has defended Iowas six-week fetal heartbeat abortion ban in court, has majority approval from evangelicals, at 51%.

Fewer Iowans know enough about Bird to rate their feelings toward her than were able to rate her job performance.

One in five Iowans, 20%, say they feel favorable toward Bird, while 23% feel unfavorable. While Birds favorability has remained steady since February, the percentage of those viewing her unfavorably has risen by 3 percentage points.

Roepsch said I dont really care for Bird.

She is so far right, she said.

Half of Iowans say the state is on the wrong track

Half of Iowans believe the state is on the wrong track, at 50%, while 43% say it is headed in the right direction and 7% are not sure.

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Thats nearly even with the results in February, when 50% said the state was headed on the wrong track, 44% said it was headed in the right direction and 6% were not sure.

Analyzed by party identification, Republicans are most likely to say the state is headed in the right direction (69%), while 25% say the state is on the wrong track.

Just over a third of independents (36%) say Iowa is headed in the right direction, while a majority (53%) say things are on the wrong track.

Few Democrats think the state is headed in the right direction (15%). The vast majority of Democrats (82%) say Iowa is on the wrong track.

This poll and the February poll are the only times since 2010 when half of Iowans thought the state was headed in the wrong direction.

Iowans opinions about the Iowa Legislature are mostly unchanged since February, with 46% now approving and 39% disapproving.

Three-quarters of Republicans (75%) approve of the Republican-controlled Legislature, up from 70% in February. Approval among independents has dropped 10 percentage points since February and now sits at 37%, while 45% disapprove.

Just 19% of Democrats approve of the Legislature.

Aalderks said he agrees with the Iowa Legislatures efforts to slim down the size of government.

Just take my taxes, let me pay my fair share, give me a decent road to drive on to get to work and just leave me alone more than anything, I guess is what Im looking for, he said. I have no problem paying my taxes as long as they dont get out of hand. And yeah, just stay out of the way.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for the Register. He can be reached by email at sgrubermil@registermedia.com or by phone at 515-284-8169. Follow him on Twitter at @sgrubermiller.

About the Iowa Poll

The Iowa Poll, conducted June 9-14, 2024, for The Des Moines Register and Mediacom by Selzer & Co. of Des Moines, is based on telephone interviews with 806 Iowans ages 18 or older. Interviewers with Quantel Research contacted households with randomly selected landline and cell phone numbers supplied by Dynata. Interviews were administered in English. Responses were adjusted by age, sex and congressional district to reflect the general population based on recent American Community Survey estimates.

Questions based on the sample of 806 Iowa adults have a maximum margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. This means that if this survey were repeated using the same questions and the same methodology, 19 times out of 20, the findings would not vary from the true population value by more than plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Results based on smaller samples of respondents  such as by gender or age  have a larger margin of error.

Republishing the copyright Iowa Poll without credit and, on digital platforms, links to originating content on The Des Moines Register and Mediacom is prohibited.

This embedded content is not available in your region.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa Poll: Rob Sand leads Kim Reynolds, Brenna Bird in job approval
Insights from Nicholas Kristoff, The Economist, the BBC, The Times of Israel

The News

Israels Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is in Washington this week for high-level talks with US officials, as tensions between Israel and Lebanon-based Hezbollah threaten to cascade into a war on Israels northern border.

The trip also comes as the escalating row between the US and Israel over arms shipments reached a new height on Sunday. Speaking during a cabinet meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doubled down on his claim that Washington has held up the delivery of weapons to Israel.

The White House called the assertion perplexing last week, and that it had only held up one shipment of very large bombs in early May over concerns of an Israeli offensive on the Gazan city of Rafah.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Gallants trip could resolve US-Israel row

Sources: The Jerusalem Post, Nicholas Kristof, The Times of Israel

Yoav Gallants visit could mend the rift over weapons shipments from the US that emerged last week, catching Washington somewhat off-guard. The defense minister is seen as the number-two critical interlocutor between Israel and the US, and sources close to Gallant have blamed Netanyahu for aggravating the weapons crisis rather than navigating it cleverly and quietly, The Jerusalem Post reported. Netanyahus assertion, made in an English-language video last week, was a remarkable show of ingratitude to a president who has been his lifeline, The New York Times Nicholas Kristof wrote, referring to President Joe Biden. Netanyahu, for his part, said Sunday that he brought up the weapons issue to US officials privately for many weeks, before going public with his frustrations.

Israel-Hezbollah antagonism threaten to ignite another, more devastating war

Sources: Semafor, The Washington Post, BBC, The Times of Israel

Tensions have been rising for months between Israel and Hezbollah, with each side nipping at the other over the countrys northern border with Lebanon. Recently, Israel has killed Hezbollah commanders and struck deeper inside Lebanon, while Hezbollah upped its own attacks and threatened more; on Saturday, the militant group threatened to attack critical Israeli buildings if a war were to break out. Tough talk has long been part of a mutual strategy of deterrence, with both sides seen as wary of all-out war, according to a BBC report from the border. But there are growing signs that Israel is prepared to use more force against Hezbollah: Gallant last week rejected joining a France-led task force aimed at diffusing the situation.

Gaza ceasefire core to diffusing Hezbollah tensions

Sources: The Wall Street Journal, The Economist

Israels Gallant said he plans to discuss the next phase of the conflict in Gaza with US officials. He and other Israeli leaders have called on Netanyahu to propose a plan for governance in post-war Gaza, while the US is pushing for a ceasefire that opens the door to future talks about who will run the enclave going forward. The Biden administration doesnt want a potential Israel-Hezbollah war on its hands, but it cant broker a deal unless theres a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Israel refuses a lasting ceasefire. And Biden refuses to seriously pressure Israel to accept one, The Economists Middle East correspondent wrote. Thats the situation. Everything else is spin.
(Bloomberg) -- Frustrated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, some Israeli business leaders are considering entering politics. Theyre holding discreet, if preliminary, discussions about options, including forming a new party, running candidates on existing lists or volunteering for key jobs in major ministries.

Most Read from Bloomberg

Separately, a forum of Israels top 200 business leaders, comprised of owners, chairs and chief executive officers of major companies, is calling for early elections to save Israel from a deep economic crisis. Half the companies listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchanges TA-35 index are represented, including the CEOs of the four largest banks.

The war against Hamas is straining the Israeli economy. The central bank estimates the conflict will cost around $67 billion through 2025, or almost 15% of annual gross domestic product. GDP per capita dropped in 2023 for the first time in eight years, according to the International Monetary Fund, and the governments on track to run one of its largest budget deficits this century in 2024.

Businessman Eyal Waldman, whos part of the forum, was an advocate for Israeli-Palestinian peace before Oct. 7 but avoided overt political activism. Then Hamas attacked. His daughter Danielle, 24, and her boyfriend were murdered at a festival in southern Israel in the deadly invasion that killed over 1,200 and set off the Gaza war. Now, Waldman says, he has a new mission: Overthrowing Netanyahu.

What Im working on now is moving up the elections, he said in an interview. That includes trying to persuade lawmakers in Netanyahus government to defect and bring down the coalition. The current government is the enemy of the state.

Waldman hasnt ruled out running for political office. If we need to and this is the only option, then maybe yes, said the Israeli tech veteran, who sold his company Mellanox to Nvidia Corp. in 2019 for nearly $7 billion.

Among those whove attended the discussions and who are said to be considering a political role from within the tech world are Pitangos Chemi Peres, the son of former President Shimon Peres; Papaya Global chief executive officer Eynat Guez; and Izhar Shay, a partner in the Disruptive AI venture capital firm. Shay is a former science minister whose soldier son was also killed on Oct. 7. Wizs chief executive officer Assaf Rappaport has also been approached.

Peres and Shay declined to comment on the record. Guez said she views the current discussion as theoretical, but might consider it in the future. A spokesperson for Rappaport said hes not associated with the movement.

This article is based on accounts of six people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their business relations and interests.

The forum of business leaders said in an open letter published last week that early elections are needed as an indisputable vote of confidence, by a majority of the public, in its elected officials. It warned that Israels future is endangered.

While the tech world is politically diverse, many have found common cause in seeking to oust Netanyahu and improve public service. Theyve unified around the concern that the government is spending too much on Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank and on the ultra-Orthodox while failing to mandate military service for religious students.

Elections are not scheduled until 2026, but opposition leader Benny Gantzs departure from the government this month and infighting over the handling of the war against Hamas and ultra-Orthodox conscription have increased talk of an early vote. Weekly demonstrations seeking elections have grown to more than 200,000.

Even if elections are held, theres no guarantee of a definitive outcome with such a polarized electorate. Between 2019 and 2022 Israel held five rounds of elections and had just two short-lived coalition governments.

Some have raised the possibility of joining forces with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, an entrepreneur who briefly oversaw a coalition made up of left-wing, right-wing and Arab parties opposed to Netanyahu. Bennett, who has kept a high public profile since the war, hasnt said whether hell reenter politics. A spokesperson didnt respond to a request for comment.

Israels business community had a political awakening last year, when tech executives were at the forefront of protests against Netanyahus plans to weaken the Supreme Court. The proposals were largely abandoned after the Oct. 7 attack and after the court itself intervened.

Since his daughters murder, Waldman has met with top US officials, including President Joe Biden, as well as UK Foreign Secretary David Cameron, he said. The US officials expressed frustration with Netanyahus government, he said, though the prospect of replacing him wasnt explicitly mentioned. They understand they cant work with this government, he said.

Nadav Shtrauchler, a strategic consultant who has worked closely with Netanyahu, said the prime minister isnt concerned by the emerging tech political movement. Its not his base, its far from his base, said Shtrauchler.

He predicted Netanyahu would say to his working-class, right-wing supporters: You see those guys come with a huge amount of money, but I have you guys.

--With assistance from Lynn Doan.

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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant planned to meet with senior Pentagon officials Sunday to discuss Israeli security, as tensions rise between the country and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Gallant said the meeting would be focused on discussing the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza as well as the Israeli militarys actions in Lebanon.

These meetings are of crucial importance at this time, he said in a social media post, translated from Hebrew. The United States is our main ally and the deep ties between the countries are more important than ever.

The visit fulfills an invitation extended by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier this month and marks his first time in the U.S. since the International Criminal Court (ICC) recommended criminal charges against him for war crimes last month.

The ICC recommendations have been widely denounced by U.S. lawmakers and the Biden administration.

The Biden administration has pressured Israel in recent weeks to cool the rising tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon, wary of a two-front conflict that could extend into a larger regional war as Israel continues to fight Hamas in Gaza.

The Hezbollah militant group has stepped up rocket fire into Israel and border skirmishes with Israeli troops in recent weeks, citing the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

U.S. envoy Amos Hochstein and the Biden administration have proposed a diplomatic plan to solve the growing crisis, which reportedly includes enforcing a United Nations resolution, called 1701, that helped end a brief war Israel had waged against Hezbollah in Lebanon in 2006.

The resolution demands a de-arming in the southern area of Lebanon, from the Litani River to the Blue Line, a U.N. demarcation line dividing Lebanon from Israel and the Golan Heights. In the U.S. plan, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and a U.N. peacekeeping force would be allowed to operate in the area, and there would be a phased withdrawal of Hezbollah fighters.

But that is likely only to be possible after a cease-fire in Gaza. And its unclear if Hezbollah would agree to the deal. Israel has threatened to enforce the lines by force if needed.

Work toward a cease-fire in Gaza has also slowed, as both Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hamas leaders have shown reluctance to accept a Biden-led effort to pause the fighting.

In recent weeks, Israeli officials have increasingly warned that a wider conflict is inevitable with Hezbollah. As the cross-border shelling has become more intense, Netanyahu warned earlier this month that one way or another Israel will restore security to the north.

Gallant is considered to be more hawkish than Netanyahu over Lebanon. The defense minister has repeatedly warned of a looming conflict with Hezbollah since the onset of the Israel-Hamas war.

White House national security spokesperson John Kirby stressed Thursday that conversations are ongoing between officials in the region who are still holding out hopes for a diplomatic solution.

We still dont want to see a second front opened up, he told reporters. Obviously, we take the tensions and the rhetoric seriously by both sides. And were doing everything we can to try to prevent that outcome.

The Hill has reached out to the Department of Defense for comment.

Brad Dress contributed.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
Israeli strikes killed at least 39 people in northern Gaza Saturday, leaving rescue workers attempting to find survivors under rubble, per Palestinian and hospital officials, according to The Associated Press.

More than three dozen bodies came to the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, the director of the hospital said to the AP. An emergency group in Gaza, the Palestinian Civil Defense, said it had taken several dozen bodies from a building in Gaza City struck by the Israelis.

Fighter jets recently attacked two military infrastructures used by the terrorist organization Hamas in the Gaza City area, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a translated Saturday morning post on the social platform X. More details to come[.]

The reported deaths in Gaza Saturday come alongside increasing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah at the Lebanese border. The Lebanese military and political group has connected consistent cross-border fire into Israels north to Israels military operations in Gaza.

The AP also reported that Saturdays deaths in northern Israel follow 25 people being killed by way of strikes on tent camps and 50 being wounded close to Rafah.

Over 37,400 Palestinians have been killed by Israels response to an attack late last year by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on Israel that killed 1,200 people, per Gazas Health Ministry, the AP reported.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) -Eight Palestinians were killed on Sunday in an Israeli airstrike on a training college near Gaza City being used to distribute aid, Palestinian witnesses said, as Israeli tanks pushed further into the southern city of Rafah.

The strike hit part of a vocational college run by the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA that is now providing aid to displaced families, the witnesses said.

"Some people were coming to receive coupons and others had been displaced from their houses and they were sheltering here. Some were filling up water, others were receiving coupons, and suddenly we heard something falling. We ran away, those who were carrying water let it spill," said Mohammed Tafesh, one of the witnesses.

A Reuters photographer saw a low-rise building completely demolished and bodies wrapped in blankets laid out beside the road, waiting to be taken away.

"We pulled out martyrs (from beneath the rubble), one who used to sell cold drinks and another who used to sell pastries and others who distributed or received coupons," Tafesh said. "There are about four or five martyrs and 10 injured. Thank God, the condition of the injured is good."

The Israeli military said the site, which it said had served in the past as a UNRWA headquarters, has been used by Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants. It added that precautionary measures were taken before the strike to reduce the risk of harming civilians.

"This morning (Sunday), IAF fighter jets directed by IDF and ISA intelligence struck terrorist infrastructure in which Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists were operating," the military said in a statement.

"This is another example of Hamas' systematic exploitation of civilian infrastructure and the civilian population as a human shield for its terrorist activities," it added.

Hamas denies Israeli accusations that it uses civilians as human shields or civilian facilities for military purposes.

Juliette Touma, UNRWA's director of communications, said the agency was looking into details of the reported attack before providing more information.

"Since the beginning of the war, we have recorded that nearly 190 of our buildings have been hit. This is the vast majority of our buildings in Gaza," she said. A total of 193 UNRWA team members have been killed in the conflict, she added.

Just after midnight, an Israeli air strike hit a clinic in Gaza City, killing the director of ambulance and emergency services at the territory's health ministry, Hani Al-Jaafarwi, and another medical staffer, Hamas media said. There was no immediate Israeli comment.

'INTENSE PHASE' ENDING

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the phase of intense fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip would end "very soon" but that the war would not end until the Islamist group no longer controls the Palestinian enclave.

"After the intense phase is finished, we will have the possibility to move part of the forces north. And we will do this," Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel's Channel 14.

Israel's fighting against Iran-backed Hezbollah has escalated on the northern border with Lebanon, where many Israeli towns have been evacuated. Netanyahu said a northern deployment would allow residents to come home.

More than eight months into Israel's war in the Hamas-administered Palestinian enclave, its advance is focused on the two areas its forces have yet to seize - Rafah on Gaza's southern tip and the area surrounding Deir al-Balah in the centre.

Israel's ground and air campaign in Gaza was triggered when Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing around 1,200 people and seizing more than 250 hostages, according to Israeli tallies.

The Israeli offensive in retaliation has killed almost 37,600 people, according to Palestinian health authorities, and has left Gaza in ruins.

Residents said Israeli tanks had advanced to the edge of the Mawasi displaced persons' camp in the northwest of Rafah in fierce fighting with Hamas-led fighters, part of a push into western and northern Rafah during which they had blown up dozens of houses in recent days.

"The fighting with the resistance has been intense. The occupation forces are overlooking the Mawasi area now, which forced families there to head for Khan Younis," said one resident, who asked not to be named, on a chat app.

The Israeli military said it was continuing "intelligence-based, targeted operations" in the Rafah area and had located weapons stores and tunnel shafts, and killed Palestinian gunmen.

The armed wings of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movement said their fighters had attacked Israeli forces in Rafah with anti-tank rockets and mortar bombs and pre-planted explosive devices.

In Beit Lahiya in the northern Gaza Strip, health officials at Kamal Adwan Hospital said two babies had died of malnutrition. That took the number of children who have died of malnutrition or dehydration since Oct. 7 to at least 31, which health officials say is likely an undercount.

(Reporting and writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi; Additional reporting by Ari Rabinovitch, Maayan Lubell in Jerusalem and Mahmoud Issa in Gaza; Editing by Kevin Liffey, Frances Kerry, Diane Craft and Bill Berkrot)
Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio has been shot and killed at a Holiday Inn across from the University of South Florida in Tampa, according to his attorney.

Jacksonville-based attorney Lewis Fusco confirmed Sunday that his client Charles Andrew Jones II, the 26-year-old who goes by his rapper name, had been killed early Sunday morning.

The Tampa Police Department said it received a 911 call regarding a shooting at the 11606 McKinley Drive hotel at approximately 4:40 a.m.

"The victim in this morning's shooting is believed to be Charles Jones (DOB: 6-21-1998). Positive identification is pending confirmation from the Medical Examiner's Office," the agency said in a statement.

Police said officers observed two vehicles that had been shot at in the parking lot of a hotel. Four people were injured in the shooting, police said, with one person pronounced dead. Three other victims were treated at a local hospital.

Multiple bullet holes can be seen that pierced this car in the early Sunday morning shooting that left Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio, real name Charles Jones II, dead at a Holiday Inn in Tampa across from the University of South Florida.

Police refer to the investigation as active and are investigating what led up to the shooting and working to identify who is involved. The agency has not released a description of the shooter or shooters.

Social media posts from Jones' account show a pool party at an Airbnb. Other images posted by Jones promote a birthday party at Teasers, a gentlemen's club in Tampa.

Gangs of Jacksonville: Long-term investigation dismantles Jacksonville gang PCE

"Mr. Jones had been in Tampa to celebrate his birthday over the weekend," Fusco said in a news release. "Law enforcement reports indicate that he initially stayed at an Airbnb but was asked to leave due to exceeding occupancy limits. He subsequently relocated to the Holiday Inn, where he was involved in an incident in the hotel parking lot and reportedly ambushed.

"While these events involving our client, Mr. Charles Jones, have been disclosed by law enforcement, we are unable to provide further comments at this time until additional details become public record," he continued. "We kindly request that the privacy of Mr. Jones and his family be respected during this difficult time."

Who is Julio Foolio? Jacksonville rapper shot, killed in Florida, attorney says

Foolio's gang ties and history

Jones has had some history of troubles in the past. He was arrested April 8, 2023, and charged with felony fleeing following a traffic stop on Martin Luther King Jr. Parkway, Jacksonville police said. He was released on $10,000 bond.

He also made headlines in November 2021 after being grazed by a shooters bullet in Jacksonvilles Riverside area where he said he was at a recording studio. Foolio later took to Instagram to taunt his assailants saying, Yall miss a whole 100 shots literally.

Jones belonged to Jacksonville gang KTA, which has been embroiled with a long-running feud with gang ATK, which counts prominent Jacksonville rapper Yungeen Ace, real name Kenyatta Bullard, as its most visible member.

Drillin' & killin': Jacksonville's deadly gang beef takes disturbing twist in graveyard

Bullard was the target in a retaliatory shooting for the death of Jones' cousin Zion Brown in June 2018 when he and three other teens went to a Town Center restaurant to celebrate the rapper's brother's birthday. Bullard survived after being shot eight times. The three others, including his brother, Tre'von Bullard , 18, died. The two other men were Royale D'Von Smith Jr., 18, and Jercoby Da'Shad Groover, 19.

Following the shooting, Jones made several posts on social media glorifying the killings, First Coast News reported. He even created a T-shirt airbrushed with a photo of Royale D'Von Smith Jr., aka 23, that said "Rest in piss 23." He posted a photo of the T-shirt on his Instagram page saying, "I'm getting a new T-shirt made for my show."

Anyone with information related to Sunday's shooting in Tampa is asked to call (813) 231-6130 or share a tip via Tip411, via the TampaPD app.

This story was shared by Times-Union news partner First Coast News.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville rapper Julio Foolio shot to death across from USF in Tampa
The Japan order of succession has just three people in line behind Emperor Naruhito: His brother, his nephew, and his uncle. This is because the line of succession to the Chrysanthemum Throne abides by agnatic primogeniture, or male descendants in the male line. Hypothetically, this is the order of succession:

The Emperor's eldest son The eldest son of the Emperor's eldest son Other sons of the Emperor's eldest son The Emperor's second son and his male descendants Any other male descendants of the Emperor (i.e. third, fourth sons) Brothers of the Emperor and their male descendants Uncles of the Emperor and their male descendants

However, in Japan, Emperors almost exclusively have daughters. Before the birth of Naruhito's nephew, Prince Hisahito, there was much debate about Japan switching to absolute primogeniture; Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako have one daughter, Princess Aiko, who is not eligible to inherit the throne.

The Japan Imperial Family only has 17 members, and women in the family lose their royal status when they marry. So to this day, discussions regarding imperial succession in Japan continue. A special panel convened to discuss the issue found two solutions, per the Japan Times: "One of them is to allow female members to retain their imperial family status after marriage. The other is to give the status to male descendants in branches of the family's paternal line that were stripped of imperial status after World War II, using the adoption system." The adoption system refers to the idea that male members of the Imperial Family could adopt people into the line.

But as of now, this is the full Japanese line of succession:

Crown Prince Fumihito a.k.a. Prince Akishino

Age: 58 (b. November 1965)

Branch of the Imperial Family: Younger brother of Emperor Naruhito

Born Fumihito, he was given the title Prince Akishino upon his marriage in 1990. Prince Akishino was officially declared Crown Prince in November 2020. He and his wife, Princess Kiko, have three children: Mako (b. 1991), formerly Princess Mako; Princess Kako (b. 1994); and Prince Hisahito (b. 2006).

Pablo Morano/MB Media - Getty Images

Prince Hisahito

Age: 17 (b. September 2006)

Branch of the Imperial Family: Son of Prince Fumihito; nephew of Emperor Naruhito.

Hisahito was the first male child born in the Imperial Family since his father's birth in 1965. He's currently a student at the University of Tsukuba Senior High School (pictured here before his entrance ceremony in April 2022).



Eugene Hoshiko - Getty Images

Prince Hitachi

Age: 88 (b. November 1935

Branch of the Imperial Family: Younger brother of Emperor Emeritus Akihito; second son of Emperor Hirohito; and paternal uncle of Emperor Naruhito.

He and his wife, Princess Hanako, have no children.

BEHROUZ MEHRI - Getty Images

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Missouri taxpayers deserve elected leaders who are accountable and transparent  not beholden to special interests. Among the reasons I am running for governor is to bring a focus on streamlining government and making Missouri a destination state for businesses, workers, and families. With the right leadership, Missouri can lead the nation in growth and quality of life, but it starts with vision, accountability, and integrity.

Republicans in Missouri have flourished over the last two decades. Unfortunately, Missouri has not. The GOP holds every statewide office and supermajorities in the House and Senate. Yet our state continues to lag in economic and quality of life indicators, even as state government has doubled in size over the last seven years.

Thats right, since 2018, Republicans in Jefferson City have voted to increase state government spending from $24 billion to $51 billion, a shocking explosion in the growth of government from the conservative majority in the legislature. I dont know any Missourians who feel theyve received government that is twice as good as six years ago. But both of my opponents, one a current senator, one a former senator and now lieutenant governor, contributed to that explosion in spending. In the last two years alone, the lieutenant governors budget has increased 350% from $11 million to $39 million.

The very first thing I plan to do as governor is introduce zero-based budgeting. I will end automatic spending increases, which have contributed to the explosion in government spending and require each department to conduct a thorough review of their budgets and justify funding requests to help identify waste, fraud, and abuse.

As Secretary of State, I made Missouri one of the most secure states in America for election integrity. As governor, my goal will be to make us #1. I instituted voter ID, banned ballot drop boxes, banned billionaires like Mark Zuckerberg from funding our elections, and reinstituted paper ballots. Even as Missouri has avoided the controversies confronting other states, the Biden Administration attempted to send armed federal agents to monitor our elections. My office blocked those efforts and Missouri has continued to be a national leader in election integrity.

Even as Chinese spy balloons travel unobstructed over our state, the legislature failed to block China and other foreign adversaries from buying our land. I authored legislation that would ban China, Iran, Russia, Venezuela, and North Korea from owning any land in our state while both of my opponents have voted to allow this practice. Given the economic and national security threats China and these other hostile nations pose, Jefferson City politicians have failed to enact this very common-sense policy change. I promise you that will end under a Governor Ashcroft.

I also implemented new rules requiring bankers and money managers from using investors retirement investments for woke Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) without their authorization. The use of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) theories, of which ESG is a critical component, to impose radical racial and sexual identity requirements, is anti-American and while investors should be allowed to make any investments they choose, those who manage their retirement funds should not be allowed to make those investments without the approval of investors. As governor, I will prohibit our state pension fund from making ESG investments.

And finally, I will stabilize funding for the Missouri Veterans Commission. Government bureaucrats and politicians have been raiding the commissions funding for years, leaving a $24 million deficit and the threat of closing some of the states veterans homes. This is inexcusable and an insult to the men and women whove served our country. As governor, I will stabilize funding for the commission and work with veteran leaders to make sure Missouri honors our commitment to our veterans. We can right-size government and make it more responsive, accountable, and transparent. But that takes the kind of leadership that has been missing in Jefferson City for decades. Im an engineer, and engineers fix things. That will be my charge as your next governor.

Jay Ashcroft is the Missouri Secretary of State and a Republican candidate for governor.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Jay Ashcroft: Making Missouri government responsive, accountable
Debbie Duncan, Jay Slater's mother, has so far not visited the area where her son was last seen - pixel8000

The mother of a British teenager missing in Tenerife claims that people online have been comparing her to Karen Matthews.

Jay Slater, 19, was last heard from on Monday morning when he told a friend he was lost in the mountains and desperately thirsty.

He had earlier met two men at a music festival on the Spanish island and followed them back to their cottage.

The search for the teenager, who is from the Lancashire town of Oswaldtwistle, has now entered its seventh day.

Police, firefighters and mountain rescue teams are combing through the countryside near Masca, a small mountain village to the north of the island where Mr Slater was last seen. They have so far found no trace of the teenager.

The case has sparked a flurry of online conspiracies, with most of the theories posted to a Facebook page with almost half a million members.

Debbie Duncan, Mr Slaters mother, who has been on the island since Tuesday, claimed some of the trolls had compared her to Karen Matthews.

Matthews carried out a fake kidnapping plot 16 years ago in which she claimed her nine-year-old daughter Shannon had gone missing in an effort to claim reward money for the missing girl.

In fact, Shannon had been held captive by her mother and Michael Donovan in a council flat in Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, while hundreds of police officers and members of the public embarked on a search operation.

Matthews and Donovan were jailed for eight years.

People keep saying on social media why arent I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just cant face it, she told the Daily Mail.

Ms Duncan is staying on the island with Warren Slater, Jays father, and Zak Slater, 24, Jays brother, as well as at least eight of his friends who have travelled from the UK to help with the search.

She has so far not visited the area where her son was last seen.

I dont want to go up there in case I see something that I dont want to, she said.

Im just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down.

The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldnt be missing in Tenerife.

Her plea comes as a new video emerged online of Jay dancing shirtless in a nightclub in the Veronicas Strip area of Playa de las Americas just hours before he disappeared.

Mr Slater travelled to Tenerife with two friends to attend the NRG music festival on Sunday.

He left the festival at some time between 3am and 6am in the car of two other British men he had met that night.

At 7.30am, he posted a picture on Snapchat showing him smoking a cigarette at the doorway of a cottage in Parque Rural de Teno, more than 30 miles from where the festival was held to the south of the island.

At around 8am, Ofelia Medina Hernandez, the owner of the two-bedroom Airbnb property where Mr Slater had travelled to, came across the teenager standing at a nearby bus stop.

He asked when the next bus was to Los Cristianos, a resort area where he had been staying, and she signalled it was not for another two hours. Instead of waiting, Mr Slater decided to walk.

After setting off, he rang his friend Lucy Law, who had joined him at the music festival, and said he was lost, thirsty, had 1 per cent charge left on his phone, and had cut his leg on a cactus.

His phone died shortly after the call. Its last location was north of the cottage, near the village of Masca.

Mr Slaters disappearance has caught the attention of TikTok sleuths who have flown from Britain to Tenerife to join the search for the teenager.

At least five British nationals have each spent hundreds of pounds on aircraft tickets to make the almost 2,000-mile journey to help with the search, despite having no connection to Mr Slater.

Paul Arnott, 29, who runs the TikTok account Down the Rapids and describes himself as an explorer, spent up to 400 on travel from Fort William, in Scotland.

Its cost quite a few hundred pounds so far, he told The Telegraph as he started his first day of searching on Saturday afternoon.

Ive been trying to contact mountain rescue all day but I havent been able to get through to anyone.

This is the area where he was last seen. The idea is ideally to communicate with mountain rescue and the police and if I cant get a response then Ill do my own thing in this area and try and work out wheres not been searched.

If something happened to me, Id want someone to come out and help me. I believe what goes around comes around.

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 Oregon Employment Department in Salem is shown in this 2023 file photo. The department has stopped collecting overpayments from Oregonians granted a late hearing and will have to include new disclosures to partially translated overpayment notices.

The Oregon Employment Department has stopped collecting overpayments from Oregonians granted a late hearing and will have to include new disclosures to partially translated overpayment notices after a final order from a Multnomah County Circuit Court judge.

The Oregon Law Center sued on behalf of six Oregonians, arguing that the state's overpayment system was impenetrable, fragmented and so confusing it was unconstitutional.

Judge Eric Dahlin sided with the Oregon Law Center, in part, in three of their claims, ordering the Oregon Employment Department to change two aspects of the overpayment system by mid-June.

The Oregon Law Center, which has filed a notice of appeal on part of Dahlin's order, declined to discuss the case. The Employment Department filed a cross-appeal on June 20.

The Oregon Employment Department said the experiences of the individuals represented in the case "illustrated ways in which the expansion of the publics access to unemployment insurance benefits to address the spike in unemployment caused by the COVID-19 pandemic placed extensive strain on the agencys already ailing legacy mainframe system between 2020 and 2023.

End of the Oregon Employment Department's 2-notice system

The Oregon Employment Department has significantly changed at least one source of confusion in collecting payments that it later determined were in excess by consolidating information sent to Oregonians facing overpayment decisions.

In the past, the agency depended on a two-notice system to issue overpayment decisions. In the first notice, a claimant would receive notification that the department had found them ineligible for benefits they had received.

In the second notice, the agency informed the claimant that money was due back to the state due to an overpayment, and offered an opportunity for another hearing specific to the amount of money the agency was trying to get back.

In March, the department transitioned to using a new online system for unemployment benefits called Frances Online.

An example of the top of the updated notice sent to Oregonians since the launch of Frances Online combining underlying decisions and overpayment decisions into a single letter.

The judge said if the department had not already consolidated overpayment and eligibility information to a single notice when it made the switch to Frances Online, he would have agreed with the Oregon Law Center that the two-notice system was unconstitutional.

Dahlin agreed Oregonians should have had information about the approximate amount of overpayment to inform their decision on whether to challenge the initial eligibility decision at a hearing.

An OED spokesperson told the Statesman Journal the department believes Frances Online will "address many of the underlying issues raised in this case and improve customer service overall.

Judge orders employment department to make changes by June

Dahlin's May order required the department to change an aspect of the new single notices.

He said partial translations of agency decisions sent to Spanish readers should stop.

During oral arguments, the judge appeared stumped by the agencys use of mixed English and Spanish translations, repeatedly asking questions about the practice.

The Court agrees with Plaintiffs that the notices are unconstitutional as to Spanish readers who cannot read English because the notices use partial, but not complete, English-to-Spanish translation, Dahlin wrote in April.

In his ruling, he ordered the agency to add specific language developed by the Oregon Law Center and OED to the top of notices if the agency continued to issue notices without a full translation of information specific to an individual.

Partially translated notices must include the following paragraph in the heading of the first page of the notice, in bold and in a font no smaller than 10 point:

This document includes important information that has not been translated into Spanish. Please see the enclosed information on how to access free translation services.

OED told the Statesman Journal it has been working for years to improve language access, with an emphasis on access for Spanish speakers, and intended to comply with the requirement to add specific language to documents that have been partially translated.

It is important to note that since the launch of Frances Online, OED has not used any partially translated documents, a statement from OED said. We are in the process of developing Spanish-language templates for our letters because we are committed to making our systems accessible in more languages.

Agency says it has complied with order to stop trying to recoup payments in certain cases

A spokesperson said the department also made changes to comply with Dahlins second order which found the agency's practice of collecting overpayments despite granting a late hearing was unconstitutional and should be stopped.

In the system used for thousands of overpayment decisions, deadlines were set for individuals to request a hearing challenging the agencys determination they were ineligible for benefits. Hearings to dispute agency actions are held by the Office of Administrative Hearings, which can allow late hearings for those who miss an initial deadline due to a good cause.

Once OED receives the written finding of good cause in the normal course of business, OED shall take all necessary steps to cease collection efforts until there is final resolution of the decision, Dahlin said in his order.

In his full decision issued in April, Dahlin said the agency should be able to track whether a late hearing was granted and stop recouping payments just as it does for all other claimants.

OED has not shown to the Courts satisfaction that there would be a meaningful difference in the burden of not seeking repayment from these two different groups of claimants, Dahlin wrote. It may be that a new process needs to be set up where OAH is asked to provide direct, daily notice to OED of such good cause determinations, but that burden appears minimal compared to the potential harm.

OED said Director David Gerstenfeld acknowledged during litigation that the department "should and would implement improvements to our customer service systems around overpayments and appeals.

The updated and combined administrative decision templates now include corresponding overpayment information alongside the underlying eligibility issue. OED said the agency believes the change has improved clarity and would improve efficiency and timeliness with appeals.

The department said the ongoing appeals process will not affect changes that have already been implemented.

Dianne Lugo covers the Oregon Legislature and equity issues. Reach her at dlugo@statesmanjournal.com or on X @DianneLugo

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: Judge orders changes to Oregon unemployment overpayment system
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN)  An appeals court has vacated reality TV star Julie Chrisleys fraud sentence and ordered a re-sentencing.

Chrisley and her husband, Todd Chrisley, earned fame for the show Chrisley Knows Best that chronicled the exploits of their tight-knit family. They were both convicted in 2022 of conspiring to defraud community banks out of more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. The Chrisleys were also found guilty of tax evasion by hiding their earnings while showcasing an extravagant lifestyle.

More Local News

The couples accountant, Peter Tarantino, stood trial with them and was convicted of conspiracy to defraud the United States and willfully filing false tax returns.

The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the convictions of the Chrisleys and Tarantino, but vacated Julie Chrisleys sentence, explaining in court documents filed Friday that it could not independently find evidence to hold her accountable for losses incurred before 2007.

They did, however, find sufficient evidence tying her to fraud from multiple years starting in 2007.

We must vacate Julies sentence so the district court can address the narrow issue of what the proper loss amount attributable to Julie is so that her sentence can be re-calculated, the appeals panel wrote.

Chrisleys case now goes back to the lower court for re-sentencing.

Were pleased that the Court agreed that Julies sentence was improper, but were obviously disappointed that it rejected Todds appeal, Alex Little, acting as counsel for the Chrisleys, said. With this step behind us, we can now challenge the couples convictions based on the illegal search that started the case. The family appreciates the continued support theyve received throughout this process. And theyre hopeful for more good news in the future.

You can view the appeals court filing below:

744234163-Appeals-court-vacates-Julie-Chrisley-s-sentence-on-fraud-allegationsDownload

Shortly after the court released its decision, the Chrisleys daughter, Savannah, posted an Instagram Reel describing it as a little win.

Before the Chrisleys became reality television stars, they and a former business partner submitted false documents to banks in the Atlanta area to obtain fraudulent loans, prosecutors said during the trial. They accused the couple of spending lavishly on luxury cars, designer clothes, real estate and travel, and using new fraudulent loans to pay off old ones. Todd Chrisley then filed for bankruptcy, according to prosecutors, walking away from more than $20 million in unpaid loans.

FILE  Todd Chrisley, left, and his wife, Julie Chrisley, pose for photos at the 52nd annual Academy of Country Music Awards on April 2, 2017, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

Their defense attorneys argued unsuccessfully on appeal that an IRS officer lied at the trial when he testified about the couple still owing taxes and that prosecutors knowingly failed to correct that false testimony. They also asserted that prosecutors failed to show enough evidence to convict the Chrisleys of tax evasion and conspiracy, or that Julie Chrisley participated in bank fraud.

Tarantinos lawyer argued that the accountant was harmed by being tried with the Chrisleys. His request for a new trial was denied.

Julie Chrisley was sentenced to seven years in federal prison, and Todd Chrisley got 12 years behind bars. The couple was also ordered to pay $17.8 million in restitution.

Todd Chrisley, 56, is at a minimum security federal prison camp in Pensacola, Florida, with a release date in September 2032, while Julie Chrisley, 51, is at a facility in Lexington, Kentucky, and is due for release in July 2028, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons website.

Tarantino, 61, is being held in a minimum security federal prison camp in Montgomery, Alabama, with a release date in August of next year.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
Correction: This article has been updated from an earlier version with the correct date of the Oshkosh Pride celebration. The event will be from 2 to 7 p.m. June 29 at Leach Amphitheater.

Ten high school students and leaders from Winneconne are scheduled to depart July 14 for a faith-filled mission trip to Casa Hogar Juan Pablo II Orphanage in Lima, Peru.

The orphanage is home to 64 of Perus poorest children, ranging in age from 5 to 17. The Winneconne mission team will complete service activities at the orphanage, attend Mass and holy hour daily, and work with children to gain confidence, develop skills and show them that Jesus and others love them. Volunteers will stay and eat at the orphanage. Housing at the orphanage is $175 per participant.

Judy Russell, religion columnist for Oshkosh Northwestern Media.

St. Marys partners with a local nonprofit Jakes Network of Hope on this project.

According to information from St. Mary Church/Winneconne, members of the team will take three suitcases  a carry-on with personal clothes/supplies, and two checked suitcases with mission trip supplies and donations. The first suitcase cost is included in the flight, the second one costs $100.

The church has reported incredible support from people for the trip, including donations of old, large suitcases to carry mission supplies. They now have enough large suitcases. If you would like to donate other supplies, some of the items still needed are bug spray with Deet, Lysol wipes, childrens magnesium and vitamins, lice shampoo, toothpaste and flossers, peanut butter, bath towels, hand towels, markers, and hydrocortisone cream. Clothing and shoes for the children also are needed.

Donations of supplies can be dropped off at the church, 210 Pleasant Drive, Winneconne. For an updated list of supplies/wish list, visit homeajpm.org/home. Monetary donations also are welcome. If sending a check, write Casa Hogar Mission Trip on the memo line and make out the check to St. Mary Church, 210 Pleasant Drive, Winneconne, WI 54986-0487.

More Judy Russell: Click here to read more faith columns by Judy Russell

The Rev. Nancy Taylor, pastor of First Congregational Church in Oshkosh, is leading a semi-monthly worship service at Evergreen Retirement Community in Oshkosh. This informal communion service, in the Evergreen Worship and Performance Center, begins at 1 p.m. on the first and third Monday of each month until the Rev. Nancys retirement at the end of August. According to information from the church, this service draws from the communion service at Iona Abbey, the Upper Room, the New Zealand (Anglican) prayer book, and the United Church of Christ book of worship. All are welcome to this service.

Totus Tuus, a faith-filled summer program at St. Jude Parish/Sacred Heart Campus in Oshkosh, is offered for elementary school students in grades first through sixth, and for middle/high school students in grades seven through 12. Elementary students will participate in the daytime program, July 8 to 12, from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Students in middle and high school will attend the evening program, July 7 to 11, from 7 to 9 p.m. Dinner will be provided for those in the evening program. Day program cost is $35 per child/$100 max per family. Evening program cost is $15 per teen. Register a child online at stjudeoshkosh.org/totustuus2024.

Oshkosh will have its third annual Pride celebration from 2 to 7 p.m. June 29 at the Leach Amphitheater. First Congregational Church in Oshkosh has supported the event with a donation through its Benevolence Ministry Group. Nationally recognized since 1999, June Pride Month commemorates the 1969 events at Stonewall and celebrates the LCBT+ community.

Volunteers and staff of Christ Our Savior Lutheran Church in Oshkosh, on June 29, will host a Loaves and Fishes meal at Trinity Episcopal Church in Oshkosh. They will gather first in the kitchen at Christ Our Savior at 10 a.m. to prepare a simple and delicious meal, then go to Trinitys basement to serve it.

Father Quinn Manns last day as Parochial Vicar at St. Raphael Parish in Oshkosh is June 30. He will be the celebrant of Masses there the weekends of June 22 to 23 and June 29 to 30. There is a box for cards for him in the gathering place at the church, 830 S. Westhaven Drive. Father Quinn begins his new assignment at St. Agnes Parish in Green Bay July 1.

Four spiritual directors, including Sister Judy Miller, CSJ, a former parish director in Oshkosh, will be the staff for a Summer Directed Retreat at the Norbertine Center for Spirituality, Aug. 7 to 11, at the Abbey in De Pere.This retreat offers a time of prayer, silence and solitude, with the opportunity to meet daily with a spiritual director. The other three retreat spiritual directors will be Brother Steve Herro, O.Praem.; Kathie Tilot, MTS, and Sister Laura Zelten, OSF. Directors will be assigned, but registrants can list their preference for a spiritual director. Scholarships are available to help pay the $600 cost, which includes a renovated room with a private bathroom, meals, daily spiritual direction, and Abbey amenities. Registration closes July 24. Call 920-337-4300 to register, or for more information, or email to communications@norbertines.org.

Bishop David Ricken of the Catholic Diocese of Green Bay will celebrate Mass at Lifest in Oshkosh July 14, beginning at 8 a.m. The Mass, in the Sunnyview Expo Center, Cafe Stage, will feature music by Matt Maher and Franki Moscato.

Thought for the Day: The best antique is an old friend.

Judy Russell of Oshkosh writes about happenings at area centers of worship. To submit news for her consideration, email oshkoshsubmit@thenorthwestern.com with the subject Church news. Deadline is 5 p.m. Mondays.

This article originally appeared on Oshkosh Northwestern: Winneconne mission team prepares to serve orphans in Lima, Peru
Juniors Restaurant owner Alan Rosen eyes run for NYC mayor after getting fed-up with crime and quality of life

He wants to be the Big Cheese!

The owner of one of New Yorks most famous eateries is exploring a run for mayor.

Juniors Restaurant proprietor Alan Rosen  upset with crime and quality of life complaints in the Big Apple  wants to bring his cheese cake making skills to City Hall.

Alan Rosen is considering a run for mayor. Junior's

Rosen recently met with campaign strategist Hank Sheinkopf, Bill Cunningham and Mitchell Moss, who served as political advisors to former three-term mayor, Mike Bloomberg, to discuss what it takes to run for mayor  and win, The Post has learned.

Rosen said hes interested in running for mayor, Sheinkopf said after meeting with him.

Hes an impressive guy. He runs a great business. He has that blue collar, Brooklyn edge about him.

Rosen confirmed hes been huddling with people in government and politics about the road to City Hall.

I could be known as the hospitality mayor for all New Yorkers. I dont see that right now, Rosen, whose restaurants in Times Square and downtown Brooklyn are NYC classics, told The Post.

The third-generation Juniors owner described himself as a moderate Republican who would look to secure the GOP nomination.

Im not a Democrat. I dont believe in that far-left stuff. Im fiscally conservative and socially liberal, Rosen, 55, said.

I want to run if the stars align. Im only doing this if I can win.

Rosen is planning to run on the Republican ticket and take on Mayor Adams in the general election. Paul Martinka

The Post spoke to Rosen in March, when he ripped into the conditions in New York City  the migrant crisis, a weakened bail law that has emboldened criminals including shoplifting and an overall sense of disorder.

Little has changed since then, he said.

Im not a politician. Im someone who wants to make the city better. Do I see a city that could be more liveable for everyone? Yes, he said.

His restaurants have been visited by heavyweight pols including former President Barack Obama and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).

He stopped short of criticizing Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who is up for re-election next year.

Im sure hes doing the best that he can, Rosen said.

Juniors has been frequented by politicians like Barack Obama. Reuters

A big personal difference between the current City Hall occupant and the wannabe: Adams is famously vegan, and Rosen likes his corned beef.

A campaign rep for Adams declined comment.

The Juniors proprietor cited his business skills as a strength in running the nations largest metropolis.

I know what a budget is, Rosen said.

Rosen said hes struck by how many hotels have been converted into migrant shelters instead of serving tourists, including near his restaurants.

And a few of the migrants are accused of committing heinous crimes.

This is not an attack on migrants. Its an attack on lawlessness. It shouldnt happen, he said.

But running as a Republican in Democratic-dominated New York wont be a cakewalk.

Sheinkopf said New Yorkers will vote for a Republican alternative only when they lose confidence in Democrats for screw-ups, or during a crisis.

Voters elected former federal prosecutor Republican Rudy Giuliani as mayor in 1993 and 1997 to address out-of-control crime

They backed billionaire businessman Mike Bloomberg to three terms to help revive the city after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attack.

Both Giuliani and Bloomberg were listed on the ballot on second ballot lines to help woo Democrats to vote for them. Giuliani ran on the Liberal Party line; Bloomberg the Independence Party ballot.

Bloomberg also spent hundreds of millions of dollars of his fortune to help get elected.

Rosen would have to assemble a similar Republican-reform coalition to have a shot at winning.

While spending much of his time in the city, Rosen acknowledges that he lives in Westchester County.

He would have to establish residence in the city by Election Day 2025 to be eligible to run, which he said he would do.
Kansas man shot multiple times after shooting at officers and a police drone, KBI says

Officers shot a 46-year-old Minneapolis, Kansas, man multiple times on Saturday after he shot at them and a police drone, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation said.

Artemis Thor Peck is expected to survive.

EMS took him to the Salina Regional Health Center, where he underwent surgery, before he was expected to be transported to a Wichita hospital for additional procedures, the KBI said in a news release.

The incident started around 8:20 a.m. when the Markley Grove Park swimming pool manager called 911 about hearing three gunshots. Minutes later, arriving officers from the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office and the Minneapolis Police Department heard more gunshots.

The Kansas Highway Patrol arrived as well and Peck ran out of his residence, the KBI release says.

Peck fired in the direction of law enforcement and the surveillance drone, the release says. Officers on scene returned fire, striking Peck multiple times.

The release did not say what may have led the suspect to fire shots in the first place.

Minneapolis is a city of around 2,000 people. Its about a 90-minute drive north of Wichita.
The mayor of Los Angeles was exhausted.

It was just after 8 p.m. on a relatively ordinary Thursday in November, meaning Karen Bass had talked virtually with Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.), dropped in on an elder turning 100, met with a group of nonprofit leaders in Inglewood, participated in Metros Executive Management Committee and brought City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto with her to a Latino Leaders Network luncheon.

She had also led an extremely difficult meeting with local Muslim leaders at City Hall, some of whom had lost scores of family members in Gaza, checked in on repairs at the still-shuttered 10 Freeway, held a news conference with California Gov. Gavin Newsom, changed her jacket and shoes several times in the car, given a fireside chat at a fancy evening fundraiser and was now in a black SUV, finally heading home toward Getty House.

A member of her LAPD security detail was piloting the hulking car through stop-and-go Koreatown traffic. From the back row, the head of Bass communications team, Zach Seidl, asked if shed like to review an upcoming press release, but Bass flatly declined.

We have to start talking about the one-year because we've spent all of our time dealing with the crisis, Bass told Seidl, referring to the fire that had done serious damage to the heavily trafficked freeway, and her one-year anniversary in office, which was less than a month away.

She yawned, looked down at a message on one of her two phones and sighed, saying there had been a shooting in South L.A.

My God, she murmured, as she scrolled further.

Her mood lifted visibly when the phone rang.

Hey, is there any food? Did you guys cook? she asked her adult stepdaughter Yvette Lechuga. Is there any frozen spaghetti that you can thaw out for me?

There did not appear to be any frozen spaghetti, though there was talk of what remnants might be in another refrigerator. Suddenly, the car slowed at the sight of flashing police lights and fire trucks up ahead on Wilshire, then stopped in front of the commotion at Bass urging.

'People dont know what to do with collaborative leadership. Their first instinct is to correct me, or to think that its weak.'

Karen Bass

She rolled down her window, instantly hyperalert, composed and commanding. Bass stuck an outstretched hand out the window to greet a uniformed police officer and receive an impromptu briefing.

Among the emergencies that unfold every day across the citys 502 square miles, this one was relatively small potatoes: a suspicious package, a hazmat team and an all-clear likely to be declared any minute.

So the SUV rolled on toward the Windsor Square mayoral manse, where Bass lives with Lechuga and Lechugas husband; the mayor's 9-year-old grandson, Henry; an infant grandbaby and a rescue German shepherd named Stax.

Bass is now well into her history-making term as Los Angeles first female and second Black mayor.

She took office in December 2022, during a bleak moment, with Los Angeles still stumbling out of the wreckage of a racist audio scandal that had put klieg lights on dysfunction at City Hall.

Confidence in local government was at a nadir and disruption was high, with five new council members, a new city attorney and a new city controller all taking their seats simultaneously.

A pragmatic leader, Bass restored a modicum of order to City Hall, building unusually strong relationships with council members and largely making good on a campaign pledge to push a fractious patchwork of government actors toward something resembling coordination.

That's no small feat in a city where the institutional gridlock can rival that of the freeway system, and particularly impressive given the fact that Bass  unlike her recent mayoral predecessors  had no prior experience in the building.

That's not to say that Bass is universally liked: She has drawn criticism from left-wing activists unhappy with her signature program to move unhoused Angelenos indoors, as well as from homeowners who don't think the program is doing enough, among other issues. Her plan to rebuild the depleted ranks of the Los Angeles Police Department also attracted ire from some on the left, though the city has fallen short of those hiring goals.

But her overall success in stabilizing City Hall underscores Bass' abilities to build coalitions and find consensus where neither seem possible.

It is a skill she has honed during a decades-long professional life that took her from county emergency rooms as a nurse and physicians assistant, into the trenches of community organizing and, ultimately, on to electoral politics. Bass, who was 51 when she first joined the California Legislature, ascended quickly through its ranks and within a few years became the first Black woman in the country to lead a state legislative body.

Still, deep challenges lay ahead, with the city facing a worsening financial picture in the next year. Last month, the City Council approved Bass' $12.8-billion city budget, which cuts 1,700 vacant positions at myriad city agencies.

Bass commands respect with an outstretched hand instead of a clenched fist.

During a long mayoral campaign in which her opponent, businessman Rick Caruso, spent nearly $110 million trying to defeat her, Bass' critics tried to turn her frequent talk of her leadership skills into a liability, dismissing it as kumbaya pablum and arguing that the city needed a far more forceful change of pace.

But to see Bass as a kumbaya leader  or to mistake her softness for meekness  is to fundamentally misunderstand her.

People dont know what to do with collaborative leadership. Their first instinct is to correct me, or to think that its weak, she said in December while sipping a mug of Throat Coat tea on the couch in her City Hall office. Im OK with that, because Ive lived with being underestimated."

She made the citys sprawling, brutal homelessness emergency the focal point of her first year in office, and its clear that her legacy will inevitably rest on her success chipping away at a crisis that some others have deemed intractable.

Mayor Karen Bass

Inside Safe  Bass' signature initiative which has been moving unhoused Angelenos into hotels, motels and other facilities  has brought 2,700 people inside as of last month, according to figures compiled by the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority. But finding permanent housing for those same Angelenos has been a far greater obstacle, and about 25% of that total have returned to homelessness.

In January, thousands of volunteers fanned out across the county over three days to conduct LAHSA's annual homelessness count. Results of the federally mandated point-in-time count are expected in late June, but it's very possible that the city numbers may show an uptick in homelessness when they are released, illustrating the uphill battle Bass faces even as she makes incremental progress.

"Working on homelessness has been like peeling an onion," Bass said of the constant overlapping barriers to the work. "And you cry when you peel an onion."

But the relationships she has built at the state and federal levels, something Bass often touts as one of her most valuable assets, paid dividends in her battle on homelessness.

Take one victory last year: Rules requiring applicants for housing to produce identification and document their homeless status and income created a major barrier to housing people, but were viewed as immovable.

Bass called up "one of my closest friends in D.C.," then-Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia Fudge, and the seemingly implacable barrier quickly fell away, federal policy shifted with a phone call.

I think she realizes, maybe more than some executives do, how much more effective her leadership can be by working collaboratively with the council and with other stakeholders, said Council President Paul Krekorian, who has a standing Tuesday morning meeting with the mayor.

'I don't believe the way to show my strength is by fighting. I believe the way to show my strength is by winning.'

Karen Bass

The mayor, who earned brown belts in tae kwon do and hapkido in her early 20s, has occasionally drawn on that background to describe her leadership style.

One lesson is to be unexpected, she said. Another is that a real winner is someone who can avoid a fight by outsmarting an opponent. But elected officials, she finds, are often rewarded for fighting, with it viewed as some sign of strength.

I don't believe the way to show my strength is by fighting," she said dryly, offering a wry smile. "I believe the way to show my strength is by winning.

Fernando Guerra, a political science professor and director of the Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University, gave Bass high marks for her first year in office. With the caveat that she was still at the tail end of her honeymoon period, Guerra praised Bass' relationships with the council and the L.A. County Board of Supervisors and said she was "doing as good if not better than any other mayor in a big city in America."

He also noted that her first year in office had been scandal-free and that she'd been extremely visible during the November freeway fire incident, publicly handling the crisis and pushing for a quicker-than-expected resolution. But he cautioned Bass would have been wise to take on another major initiative or two beyond homelessness in her first year, given how difficult progress will be and how much of the homelessness crisis remains beyond her control.

The mayor has evolved through a half-dozen lives in her 70 years  from a leftist activist turned frontline healthcare provider to nonprofit leader and, eventually, a nationally recognized politician, leading the state Assembly, then the Congressional Black Caucus, and finally, the city of Los Angeles.

But those close to her say she has also remained radically the same through the changes of scenery. Her roots as a community organizer and her work as founder of the South Los Angeles nonprofit Community Coalition form the core of who she is, they say.

This was evident before the mayor officially took office, on one of the initial days of her transition period, when she greeted a group of local business leaders in the Tom Bradley banquet room at City Hall. Unlike, say, labor or progressive faith groups or social justice advocates, these were hardly natural allies. In fact, many had endorsed Caruso, either individually or through their organizations.

Shes done a remarkable job of bringing people who might not have voted for her or be naturally supportive into the fold, USC Equity Research Institute director Manuel Pastor said, citing the Venice homeowners whove praised Inside Safe because theyve been able, from their point of view, to reclaim their neighborhood.

But her background also lends another capability: It gives her credibility on the left when people are frustrated by the pace of change, according to Pastor.

I think shes gotten more grace than other political figures might get, Pastor said. The social movement scholar served on Bass transition team and has been friendly with her since her activist days.

Those unique relationships were evident last year, when Bass arrived in Leimert Park for an April meeting with Black Lives Matter Los Angeles and other grassroots groups. It was a chilly spring night in the middle of a heated budget process and Bass had taken the symbolic step of meeting the groups on their turf, in a cavernous community space that once housed a weapons dealer.

'I think shes gotten more grace than other political figures might get.'

Manuel Pastor, director of the USC Equity Research Institute

Such a meeting would have been unthinkable during Eric Garcetti's time as mayor, unless it was conducted over a bullhorn outside the mayoral residence, where BLM L.A. frequently protested.

Some in the room, including BLM L.A. leader Melina Abdullah, had also publicly protested Bass. But the tenor was markedly different. The two women have known each other for decades, and in this more private setting, they embraced in a bear hug.

And Leimert Park also doubles as Bass home turf: the heart of Black L.A. was in her congressional district and somewhere she had long organized.

What followed was a lengthy dialogue that remained courteous despite gaping disagreements over how much of the citys budget should go toward police spending.

Bass listened, took copious notes and never pandered, bluntly acknowledging the points of disagreement.

Well, Abdullah told a fellow organizer, stacking chairs in the near-empty room at the end of the night, we cant say she runs from us.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kazakh opposition journalist Aidos Sadykov is in a deep coma following an attempt on his life in Kyiv on 18 June.

Source: Natalya Sadykova, the journalist's wife, on Facebook

Quote: "Aidos is in intensive care in a deep coma. Aidos is desperately fighting for his life. Statistically, the survival rate after a gunshot wound to the head is about 5%. Aidos is in that 5%.

After the surgery, the doctors said it would be a miracle if he survived the night. Aidos has been alive for five days... The doctors are predicting 0.01% that everything will be fine."

For reference: Aidos and Natalya Sadykov moved from Kazakhstan to Kyiv in 2014. Criminal charges have been brought against Aidos Sadykov in Kazakhstan which he says are politically motivated. The Sadykovs obtained refugee status in Ukraine and ran their own YouTube channel, Base (). They have been critical of the Kazakh authorities and oligarchs and were supportive of the protests that took place in Kazakhstan in 2022. The Kazakh authorities placed Aidos and Natalya Sadykov on the wanted list in the autumn of 2023, accusing them of inciting hatred.

Background:

Kazakh opposition journalist Aidos Sadykov was shot by an unknown assailant in Kyivs Shevchenkivskyi district on the afternoon of 18 June as he was sitting in a parked car.

His wife, Natalya Sadykova, told Ukrainska Pravda that her husband is in intensive care in a serious condition. She is convinced that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev was involved in the assassination attempt.

It was later reported that two citizens of Kazakhstan suspected of the attempted murder crossed the border with Moldova on the day of the crime and have been put on the international wanted list.

Commenting on the attack on Sadykov, Tokayev said that the official authorities of Kazakhstan are ready to join the investigation if necessary.

Altai Zhakanbayev, one of the suspects, was detained in Kazakhstan on 22 June after he turned himself in to the police.

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(KRON)  The San Francisco Fire Department is seeking the publics help in finding Kelvin Yee, a North Beach resident whos been missing for two weeks.

BART announces weekend closures

Yee was last seen on May 28 in Chinatown in San Francisco. Police say he was headed to 95 Kelly Ave. by Half Moon Bay State Beach.

Police said Yee was last seen wearing a black coat and jeans. He is 39 years old, weighs approximately 150 pounds, and is about five feet nine inches tall.

Anybody who spots Yee or has information on him is requested to call SFPD at (737) 471 4709.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
The Scene

NAIROBI  Mainstream media coverage of the youth-led protests in Kenya is being overshadowed by protesters use of social media to shape narratives about the finance bill they oppose through shared videos, photos, memes and live streams.

TikTok and X have become the go-to platforms for many Kenyans looking to keep up with the protests, reflecting the composition of the movement itself. The protests so far have featured mostly Gen Z and millennial protesters in a country with relatively high internet access rates and widespread smartphone usage. Notably, around 75% of Kenyas population is under 35 years of age, and the median age is 19.

On Saturday, a space organized by protesters on X recorded 60,000 live listeners at one point, a Kenyan record, and 1.2 million total views. Protesters used the seven-hour space to discuss the bill and protests so far, coordinate further action and demand the release of arrested protesters. It offered a glimpse into just how important these platforms have become as a way for protesters to maintain control of the conversation.

Countless protest-related videos have gone viral on TikTok before being widely reshared on other platforms. This lines up with new data from the Reuters Institute 2024 Digital News Report which found Kenya leads the world in terms of consumption of short-form video news content by share of population, with 94% of Kenyans consuming short-form online news videos at least once a week.

Protesters say the sharing of videos also helps protect them from police violence. We dont just record because its cool or fun, we need to record to keep ourselves safe from police brutality, said Waiguru Githinji, a protester who recorded TikTok videos during protests in Eldoret, western Kenya on Thursday. But it has also enabled protesters to boost camaraderie and morale among activists, with fun and creative videos, such as those of dancers, creators and artists at the protests going viral.

The protesters have also sought to shape media narratives by calling out what they consider to be misreporting. Local and international media platforms, including Citizen TV and the BBC, are among outlets that faced significant backlash online over coverage relating to the protests. To their credit, however, legacy media houses in Kenya have retained their status as trusted sources of news during the protests. Major TV stations have all offered wall-to-wall live coverage of the protests, with numerous impactful interviews and moments.

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The protest movement was birthed online, with citizens rallying together on X to oppose controversial tax hike proposals. They shared phone numbers of lawmakers and IMF officials, and spammed them with thousands of messages urging them to reject the Finance Bill, before ultimately taking to the streets this week in cities and towns across the country.

On Thursday, a majority of MPs voted to pass the bill despite escalating protests. They had earlier dropped a number of unpopular proposals of the bill in response to mounting public pressure. One of the movements strengths so far has been its organic nature, with many regular Kenyans, activists, influencers and celebrities creating different forms of content and sharing calls to action. The hashtag #RejectFinanceBill2024 had recorded over 1.4 million tweets as of Thursday.

The finance bill, first tabled for reading by parliament in May, proposed removing VAT exemptions on bread, tax hikes on mobile money transfers, and a new annual tax on motor vehicles. It prompted widespread criticism from the public. Even though several of the original proposals have been dropped activists are insisting that the entire bill be scrapped and are likely to continue protests if not.
At the July 30 primary, voters will nominate candidates to represent their political parties at a number of levels, from Congress to county government.

These are intraparty contests and will set the stage for the Nov. 5 ballot. They'll offer a preview of what Arizona Republicans are looking for ahead of a crucial election.

The races range from congressional contests where candidates seek to convince voters of their loyalty to former President Donald Trump to a contest for the top election official job in Arizona's largest county, where the GOP incumbent has regularly sparred with the Trump wing of the party.

Heres rundown of some of the key primary races.

Congressional District 8

A crowded field of Republicans in the West Valley-area 8th Congressional District is running to replace the outgoing U.S. Rep. Debbie Lesko, R-Ariz.

The race has pitted former campaign allies against each other and shows growing disagreement within the GOP about how to govern.

Sparks are flying between former Arizona attorney general candidate Abe Hamadeh, who has received Trumps coveted endorsement, and former U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters, whose multimillion-dollar personal loan has left him with by far the most campaign cash.

The two campaigned together while they ran for statewide office in 2022, both with Trumps endorsement. Now they are at each other's throats with growing political and personal attacks.

The feud intensified when leaked screenshots showed that Hamadeh, who continues to publicly contest his 2022 election loss, privately called those who believe stolen election claims "crazies" in January 2023 text messages to Masters. Hamadehs campaign has claimed he was jokingly using the term.

Former Rep. Trent Franks, Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, Blake Masters, Abe Hamadeh and state Sen. Anthony Kern are looking to replace Rep. Debbie Lesko in Arizona's 8th Congressional District.

Other candidates differ in the way they would approach the job of a U.S. congressman. Arizona state Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, one of Arizonas recently indicted fake electors, has backed a hardline approach to governing, saying he would put highly conservative priorities above party unity or compromise. Arizona House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Glendale, thinks that strategy has set the party back and has touted his record of passing major legislation with a single-seat majority.

Former U.S. Rep. Trent Franks, who resigned from the seat amid a scandal in 2017, has stayed mostly above the fray. He has apologized for the controversy that ended his time in office and emphasized his staunchly anti-abortion stance.

Also in the race is Patrick Pat Briody, a lesser-known candidate who describes himself as a constitutionalist and conservative.

Because the district is solidly Republican, whoever wins is expected to coast to an easy victory against Democrat Gregory Whitten.

Congressional District 2

In the 2nd Congressional District, which stretches across much of northeastern Arizona, one of Arizonas newest members of Congress is fending off a challenge from within his own party.

Freshman Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., sent waves through D.C. when he voted to oust Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., from the Houses top leadership post. Now, former Yavapai County Supervisor Jack Smith is challenging Crane in the July 30 primary, in an effort that McCarthys allies have begun supporting financially.

The two candidates have sparred over their level of allegiance to McCarthy. Smith has argued Crane's speakership votes were a betrayal of the Republican Party and said he would take a more traditional approach to governing. Crane in turn has cast Smith as an opportunist bankrolled by the D.C. Swamp, though Crane himself accepted money from McCarthy while running against a Democrat in 2022.

Rep. Eli Crane (left) is facing a primary challenge from former Yavapai County Supervisor Jack Smith (right) in Arizona's 2nd Congressional District.

There isn't much daylight between the candidates when it comes to policy. Both Crane and Smith emphasize familiar conservative priorities around illegal immigration, U.S. elections security, and the size and scope of the federal government.

Instead, Smiths campaign has focused on the fact that Crane lives in Oro Valley, a well-to-do suburb outside Tucson and far beyond the limits of the district, and his votes against bills that included border funding. Crane has countered that he voted against those bills because they did not go far enough to address his concerns about immigration.

Whoever wins will face former Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez in the November general election. Though in a district that leans Republican, Nezs candidacy is widely seen as a longshot.

Legislative District 1, Senate race

This is a three-way race, with two far-right Republicans looking to knock off incumbent state Sen. Ken Bennett.

Bennett is a former state Senate president and Arizona secretary of state. He returned to the Senate in 2022 and has been the pivotal vote in the closely divided Senate, using his position to try and moderate, and at times, kill measures. He was influential in the passage of HCR 2060, a border control ballot measure voters will see this fall. Bennett worked to ensure the measure focused on the people who law enforcement witness crossing the border illegally, seeking to avoid a repeat of Arizonas experience a decade ago with SB 1070, which led to people statewide being racially profiled.

Mark Finchem, who represented a southern Arizona district two years ago, moved to Prescott after his 2022 loss for Arizona secretary of state. He is an election denier, making a name for himself in the wake of the 2020 presidential election, which he argues was stolen. He sued to try and overturn his own loss in 2022, but lost those efforts and now is ordered to pay attorney fees. He is endorsed by Donald Trump and is running as an America First candidate.

Steve Zipperman, who lost to Bennett two years ago by 256 votes, is running as a constitutional conservative. He says the July 30 primary in Yavapai County is more important than the general election.

Thats because whoever wins the primary will help shape the direction of the GOP Senate caucus, and is an oblique reference to Bennetts often moderating influence. Zipperman has questioned his 2022 loss and argues the law should be changed to allow a judge to order a new election without a challenger first proving there were problems with the conduct of the election.

Legislative District 2, Senate race

Sen. Shawnna Bolick and Josh Barnett are facing off in a primary race that presents voters with a stark contrast on one of the biggest issues of the year: Abortion rights.

Both conservatives cast themselves as pro-life, but they differ on where they draw the line. Bolick bucked her party in May and voted to repeal the states Civil War-era abortion law, which made almost all abortions illegal and levied penalties on anyone who assisted in an abortion. She delivered a long and deeply personal speech explaining her vote, citing issues with her own pregnancies that would have been illegal if the 1864 law were in place at the time. Bolick was a co-sponsor of the 2022 law that barred abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

Sen. Shawnna Bolick and Joshua Barnett, candidates for Arizona's Legislative District 2.

Barnett has criticized Bolick for voting with the Democrats to repeal the abortion law and then taking an Italian vacation in the middle of the legislative session. He turned to social media to fundraise off her vote, complaining that Bolick blocked public comment on her social media sites even though she went on to filibuster her own vote for 15 minutes.

Bolick served one term in the state House, and then made an unsuccessful bid in 2022 for the GOP nomination for secretary of state. She was appointed to the state Senate last year to fill a vacancy. As of mid-April, she had nearly $114,000 in her campaign treasury.

Barnett ran unsuccessfully for the GOP nomination in Congressional District 1. After he lost, he filed an unsuccessful legal complaint to have the primary election results annulled. He has filed to run under Arizonas public campaign finance program. As of mid-April, he had less than $900 in his account.

Legislative District 17, Senate race

One of the most closely watched primary elections in 2024 is a rematch of the 2022 race in which Justine Wadsack pulled off a surprise win over incumbent Vince Leach.

But this time, it is a head-to-head fight between the two. In 2022, there was a third candidate in the race, which split the vote and gave Wadsack the win.

Wadsack has cut a colorful and controversial profile in her first term as a senator, emerging as an unapologetic fighter in the culture wars. Leach is now running ads highlighting her numerous public and social media comments under the banner of somethings weird about Justine Wadsack.

Her legislative successes reflect a more moderate stance. She was key to the resolution of a water crisis last year that affected the Rio Verde area, an exurban outpost far from her Tucson-based district. Shes advocated for child welfare policies to keep kids safe and had a bill signed that provides more services for individuals classified as seriously mentally ill.

Leach is cut from the traditional conservative Republican mold, a staunch advocate for the business community, lower taxes and fewer regulations. He is leaning on his experience at the statehouse, where he served as a member of the House before moving to the Sente for two terms.

In 2022, he challenged Wadsacks claim to be a resident of LD 17, producing numerous documents that threw doubt on her insistence that she lived in a friends spare room after moving out of her central Tucson home, which was in a different district. However, a Superior Court judge did not buy the arguments and allowed her to remain on the ballot.

Democrats view the outcome of this primary as key to their hopes of taking control of the Senate. They see Wadsack as vulnerable in a general election, noting she beat her Democratic opponent in 2022 by a slim margin.

Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, District 2

County supervisors statewide are tasked with setting a vision and direction for their region, allocating government monies, certifying election results and more. But in populous Maricopa County, where supervisors recently drew national attention for withstanding election challenges from Trump and his allies, the positions are pivotal. All of the boards five seats are up for election, but much of the fight in the primary will be centered on bright-red District 2, which encompasses parts of Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Paradise Valley, Mesa and Gilbert.

There, two Republicans  sitting Supervisor Tom Galvin and former state lawmaker Michelle Ugenti-Rita  are duking it out for a shot at the general ballot. Galvin, a land use attorney who previously worked as a policy advisor at the Arizona Corporation Commission, was appointed to his seat in 2021 and won his first election the following year. Ugenti-Rita, who previously worked in commercial real estate, was notably sharp-tongued and unafraid of controversy during her time in the Arizona Legislature. She followed up her statehouse tenure with an unsuccessful run for secretary of state in 2022.

Galvins campaign is rooted in his image as a principled conservative who prioritizes funding public safety, maintaining a friendly business climate and protecting private property rights. Ugenti-Rita seeks to cast him as a weak Republican who has failed to build trust in elections and amicably resolve a water crisis in a county community last year. She pledges to reduce county spending and improve election administration. On the financial side of things, Galvin has handily outraised Ugenti-Rita.

Whoever wins will face Democrat Julie Cieniawski, a school board member and former teacher, in November. But the heavily conservative district is unlikely to turn blue at the end of the year, making the primary the true contest for the seat.

Maricopa County recorder

County recorders are statutorily tasked with managing public records, such as property documents. But the seat is perhaps best known for the tremendous power it holds over voter registration and early voting.

In Maricopa County, the pivotal position is headed for a three-way primary showdown. State lawmaker Justin Heap and information technology professional Don Hiatt are both challenging incumbent Stephen Richer for the Republican nomination. All are running on platforms of election integrity  but in practice, their plans look very different.

Richer, elected in 2020, touts his efforts to clean voter rolls and improve chain of custody documentation during his time in office. Along the way, he's established himself as a staunch defender of the county's elections and has pushed back on voting conspiracies and misinformation. He says he's also made improvements on the non-elections side of the house, unveiling a free service to fight title fraud last year and improving customer service.

Heap and Hiatt both voice issues with county elections. Heap, who has previously supported legislation to remove Arizona from a multistate voter registration list maintenance effort, pledges to clean voter rolls. He also promises faster election results, although his campaign website doesn't specify how he would accomplish that within the framework of existing state law. Hiatt also commits to cleaning voter rolls and says he would publicly release election-related data, including detailed logs from machines that tally votes. Heap's campaign website mentions nothing about the recorder's non-election duties. Hiatt says he would streamline processes for records management.

Whoever wins out will face Democrat Tim Stringham, an attorney and a Navy Reserve officer, in the general election. That race is also expected to center on election administration and the future of democracy in Arizona.

Reach the reporter at laura.gersony@arizonarepublic.com.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonarepublic.com or at 602-228-7566 and follow her on Threads as well as on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @maryjpitzl.

Reach the reporter at rstern@arizonarepublic.com or 480-276-3237. Follow him on X @raystern.

Sasha Hupka covers county government and election administration for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at sasha.hupka@arizonarepublic.com. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter: @SashaHupka. Follow her on Instagram or Threads: @sashahupkasnaps.

See all 2024 Arizona primary races

See all the races

A recap of everything: When is Arizona's primary? Election day is July 30. Here is a voter guide to help you learn about all the candidates.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona GOP primaries to shape Republican ballot in 2024
Ahead of the first big showdown between Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the debate this week, the Trump campaigns attacks on Biden are getting a big boost from the Kremlins propaganda machine.

A pool reporter for Russian President Vladimir Putin and several popular pro-Kremlin outlets claimed on Thursday that the top news for the week included, among other things, that Biden could not get into a car on his owna claim made by none other than the Trump campaign.

Crooked Joe Bidenwho is hardly ambulatory at this pointhad a really hard time getting into the SUV, the Trump War Room account wrote on X, accompanied by a brief video of Biden departing a fundraiser on Tuesday night. While the clip did show Biden pause for several moments before climbing into the vehicle, it was not clear if something was going on inside the SUV to make him wait outside it.

Similar videos that circulated earlier among Trump supporters sparked viral claims that Biden, 81, had pooped himself; that hed wandered off in a state of confusion at the G7 summit; and that he had to be led off stage at a fundraiser after freezing up. Full-length footage from all these events later revealed that none of these things had actually happened, and the viral clips had simply omitted key context.

Kremlin Joy as Trump Sucks Up to Controversial Russian Tough Guys

But Moscow has nonetheless continued to carry the torch for the Trump campaign.

Biden is already dying, one pro-Kremlin newspaper declared, citing the conservative outlet The Federalist. The Putin-friendly tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda claimed hes on the verge of a catastrophic diagnosis, quoting a Russian gerontologist who said poorly qualified White House doctors are drugging up the aging president.

While Biden, as the oldest sitting American president in history, has understandably come under scrutiny over his age, Trump, at just three years younger, has made his own frequent gaffes and at times appeared to lose his train of thought while speaking at his rallies. His blunders have not been covered by Kremlin media, however, even though his attacks on Biden are routinely shared almost instantly by Moscows sprawling network of pro-Kremlin bloggers.

Trump Bungles His Mockery of Biden Over Clean Fake Videos

Trumps claim, for instance, that Biden will be all jacked up on drugs for their first debate was not just hyped by Russian media, but reinforced. Trump has reason to fear that Biden will enter the debate pumped up with medications, one political analyst was quoted telling a popular weekly newspaper this week, arguing that the U.S. president much of the time behaves like a vegetable.

Trumps claims, he said, look like the truth.

Another outlet cited an expert claiming Biden is being fed stimulants, which is why he is both cheerful and quite aggressive at times. A balance has not yet been found between aggression and the state of a vegetable, but the entire democratic pharmaceutical industry is now working on this and trying to ensure that Biden reaches the elections, he claimed.

Things got weirder still with a bizarre conspiracy theory pushed by Putin-loving Tsargrad TV that President Joe Biden is not actually Joe Biden, but a mysterious impersonator. More and more, U.S. residents are beginning to doubt that their President Joe Biden is real, the outlet claimed, citing conspiracy theorists on social media.

The fact that Bidens appearance and signature changed over the years was touted as proof of something sinister. Judging by various photographs, the President of the United States earlobes, chin, teeth, wrinkles and skin texture have transformed. And the funniest thing is that he even changed the writing of his signature.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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After much anticipation, former President Donald Trump claims he has finally chosen his running mate for the 2024 presidential elections and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem is putting on a brave face about it, because it ain't her.

The preemptive GOP nominee told reporters in Philadelphia on Saturday that no one knows his choice for running mate and that, for now, his secret is safely vaulted inside his own mind, according to Newsmax.

However, three finalists have risen to the top of his list in recent days: Ohio Senator J.D Vance, North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.

After months of legal headaches, choosing the right person to be by his side has become of utmost importance and could potentially sway the presidential race either way. Each option has its notable claims to fame. Vance for example, gained national attention with his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy. Burgum, a fellow businessman like Trump, has been a vocal supporter of the former presidents policies and remarks.

Rubio, on the other hand, actually ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican primaries  making him the candidate with considerable political experience.

Understandably, given the competition, it is difficult to land on the shortlist. South Dakota Governor, Kristi Noem is one such GOP member who didnt make the cut.

Noem appeared on NBCs Meet The Press Sunday morning, to discuss what she thinks hindered her chances. She certainly doesnt seem to think the national attention the story of her killing her dog garnered had anything to do with it.

She claimed that that was simply a story from 20 years ago about protecting her children from vicious animals, maintaining that the book is full of challenging times and hard decisions.

This is not the only question Noem tried to skillfully avoid. Bringing up a line from her book that was later redacted, guest host Peter Alexander asked, You wrote about meeting with Kim Jong Un. There's no evidence that meeting happened, so how did it make it into your book?"

Noem said, "I'm not gonna talk about that. I took that line out of my book."

Alexander persisted, "Why was that line ever in your book?"

In her roundabout way, Noem avoided the question and then finally, when asked one last time, the Republican leader said: I am not going to talk about this.

What the South Dakota governor was willing to confirm is that she didnt receive any paperwork to vet her for the VP role.

You said that having a woman on the ticket would help Donald Trump win, and he said on this program last year that he liked the concept of running with a woman, said Alexander, pointing out that three men are currently on the shortlist. Would Donald Trump be making a mistake if he doesnt pick a woman as his running mate?

Noem pivoted the question to compliment Trump, saying that the convicted felon is in a fantastic position to win the election no matter who he picks, as long as that person helps him win.
Lacey City Council agreed this past week to spend close to $600,000 to acquire water from Olympia as part of a wholesale water agreement.

The agreement allows Lacey to purchase up to 2 million gallons per day from now until 2028, according to information shared with the council.

So why does the city need the water?

Lacey has 20 water wells that produce around 3 billion gallons of water per year for residents and other needs. But six of those wells are facing a variety of upgrades and work, which means those wells will go offline as they undergo work.

As far as construction sequencing goes, we can try and do our best, but you never really know how things are going to turn out, said Brandon McAllister, a public works utility engineer for the city. Sometimes things take longer. Sometimes parts dont show up. So were trying to make sure were covered in the event that, you know, were in the summer and something just isnt ready to run.

Summer demand for water in Lacey is estimated at 16 million gallons per day, McAllister told the council.

So you know, if were in a situation where you have two wells off and its a hot day, were going to be right on the edge of being able to keep up, he said, adding that the wholesale water agreement is buying some insurance and making sure that we can stay ahead of anticipated demand.

Council member Michael Steadman pointed out the city has had such agreements before.

Well probably do it in the future. We might even wind up helping them one day. Im sure weve done it before. So its a good thing. This is where partnerships help for the greater good, he said.

Water has become a serious topic in the city of late.

Prior to the wholesale water agreement discussion, the council has been focused on water well No. 7, the citys largest well, located east of Saint Martins University, that also happens to be slowing down.

The city needs to dig a new well nearby, but to do that it needs to acquire land from two property owners. The council recently voted 5-1 to give the city attorney the power to proceed with an eminent domain petition, which would take the land in exchange for a fair market price.

Lacey council OKs using eminent domain powers to acquire land near important water well

This well is so important to Lacey, the city may use eminent domain to take private property
Soon after Alexander Graham Bell (no relation) patented the telephone in 1876, the Welsh town of Ammanford was born. What had been a cluster of cottages in Carmarthenshire, around 17 miles north of Swansea, became a prosperous mining town, thanks to the discovery of anthracite. In 1909, the towns first telephone exchange was opened, and quickly became essential to Ammanfords thriving commerce. Rapid expansion saw the number of manned lines increase from 50 to 250 and, in 1925, Ammanford was chosen by the Post Office as the site of one of 15 automatic exchanges in Wales to run 24 hours, to the envy of neighbouring towns. Thanks to the telephone, Ammanford had become a place of importance, connected to the outside world.

Today, the most recent telephone exchange built on Wallasey Road in 1959 is derelict. The mine closed in 1976 and the local authoritys drug and alcohol help service now occupies a prominent site on the high street. Look at the town, its completely run down, says Irene May Hopkins, 79, the former mayor. We are outside the Post Office, opposite a branch of Lloyds, the last bank in town, where a clerk has just told Irene that it too may be closing. I dont do internet banking, so I dont know what Im supposed to do, she shrugs.

And soon, like all of Britain, Ammanford is also to lose its analogue telephone network. This follows the decision in 2017 by BT, and the other private companies that operate the network, that landline calls are to be conducted via broadband. This mammoth transition has been named the great digital switchover.

BTs ambition was that by December 2025, most people in the UK would no longer use the copper landline network (Public Switched Telephone Network, or PSTN). Instead, calls will be made via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). That deadline has now been pushed back to January 2027 as multiple problems have arisen. BT says the switchover is necessary because the current analogue system is 40 years old (it was last updated in the 1980s), and is becoming increasingly unreliable and cannot be maintained. They say there has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of PSTN faults reported to Ofcom and a 60 per cent increase in the number of PSTN service hours lost. The parts and suppliers needed to maintain the copper landlines, they say, no longer exist.

But many people question the wisdom of dismantling a functioning analogue network upon which millions of people rely. In particular, the 1.8 million elderly and infirm people who use a home telecare device connected to a landline. The simple genius of the analogue landline is that it works in the event of a power cut, because it is self-powered. That will no longer be the case with an internet-based telephone. Now, when the power goes down, as it often does in Ammanford, you will have no lights, no internet, no means to cook your supper and no landline to speak to a friend or call an ambulance. And, if you use a telecare pendant (the alarm often worn by the elderly in case of emergencies), that too will be useless.

The pendant activates a call for assistance and is used across hospitals and care homes in the UK - Getty

Theres always the mobile phone, of course, but that is to assume that everyone has one, that you can get a signal, and that it is fully charged. Practical inconveniences aside, there is a principle at stake here too. Why should a group of highly profitable private companies force vulnerable people to become dependent on mobiles phones and the internet, while dismantling a perfectly effective long-standing analogue system?

BT says it is no longer forcing the over-70s or those with vulnerabilities to switch if they do not want to. But that was not always the case  and what about those under 70 who dont want to switch for very valid reasons? Nadine, 63, who is registered blind, lives in the village of Gorslas, about five miles from Ammanford. Two years ago, when she came to renew her contract, she found that if she wanted to keep her landline, her only option was BT. She did not want to switch her landline to VoIP but was told she could not have fibre broadband unless she agreed to switch her phoneline too.

So I didnt have a choice, she says. And I now pay 39 a month, which is about 10 more than I used to I prefer to talk on my landline because I think you get a better quality of communication, you dont have the breaking up issue which is quite a thing around here.

Nadine lives in a council bungalow and pays 466 per month in rent. She receives universal credit, which has just increased slightly, but her rent and council tax have also just gone up. Meanwhile Philip Jansen, the chief executive of BT, paid himself 3,089,000 in 2023, while Simon Lowth, the chief financial officer, received 2,039,000, according to company accounts. BT says it is switching off the old copper network to give its customers a better service. But it is also cheaper for BT to install and maintain a fibre network.

Resistance to the digital switchover has been growing, and the plan was paused briefly last year. But for many people its too late, as more than 2.5 million BT consumer customers have already been switched to a digital landline. Among those yet to be switched are the more difficult cases in rural areas such as Ammanford, where a huge range of hills looms over the town to the north. Cases such as Jennifer Richards, 83, who lives alone down in a dip in the village of Capel Hendre and is not aware of the digital switchover. Id be stuck without the landline, she says. I rely on it more than my mobile because I dont really have any signal at all It doesnt sound like a good idea to me.

Even in the metropolis there is switchover anxiety. All I want is this thing on my wrist and a regular landline, says Elizabeth, 89, who lives alone in south-west London and uses a personal alarm. Its a concern for people my age. Its frightening for those who dont use technology. Its not reassuring if they start fiddling about with the landline.

When Alexander Graham Bell made that first telephone call in Boston on 7 March 1876, it was a development of a technology already in place. The telegraph, introduced in 1837, had already speeded up communication, but now Bell had worked out that there was the potential to transmit several messages along the same wire by using tuned electromagnetic reeds sending and receiving multiple pitches simultaneously. If I can get a mechanism which will make a current of electricity vary in its intensity, as the air varies in density when a sound is passing through it, I can telegraph any sound, even the sound of speech, he wrote.

Inventor of the telephone Alexander Graham Bell, circa 1910 - Corbis Historical

If the mobile phone is the defining feature of 21st-century life, Bells landline was what made the 20th century, along with the motorcar. It was both practical and romantic  connecting people but also fixing them to a spot. Mid-century courtships involved hours of waiting by the phone, hoping your loved one might call. Long-distance relationships became possible and, with a copper wire landline, the vibrations caused by a human voice on the other side of the ocean were, as if by magic, physically sent vast distances and into the earpiece of your home phone. There is little romance in what the VoIP offers  a digital garbling and repackaging of one sound into another.

The decline of the landline has been wildly accelerated by the rise of messaging apps. Recent research by Uswitch found that young generations in particular rarely make phone calls; a quarter of 18-34-year-olds have, astonishingly, never answered their phone.

Britain is not alone in waving goodbye to the old analogue network. Canada, Sweden, Estonia and many other countries have already done it. But life-threatening problems have been reported in places where insufficient back-up is provided for the vulnerable.

Susan Durrants 92-year-old mother was living in Norway when the Norwegian telephone company Telenor switched her mothers line to VoIP in 2022. It was a disaster for her, and I believe contributed to a deterioration in her already diagnosed Alzheimers, says Durrant. Her new digital phone would stop working for no apparent reason. I couldnt get hold of her, and I regularly had to ask the neighbours to check on her. To cap it all, the number Telenor had given her had been reallocated from another user. She kept getting calls from a Norwegian college demanding she return kit and equipment to them. She had no idea what all this was about. My mother died two years later in her local care home. I cannot tell you how angry I was with all this.

For BT and the other companies forging on with the switchover, communicating what is happening to their customers has been, perhaps ironically, one of the biggest challenges. Under pressure from campaigners and Ofcom, BT and the other companies involved paused the operation last year and began a campaign to improve awareness. Two representatives from BT are in Ammanford on the day I visit, as part of a year-long roadshow travelling around the country in an attempt to explain how it will work. Not that anyone I speak to out on the drizzly streets of Ammanford knows they are here; for they are tucked away in the public library, in a back room on the first floor.

I am their first visitor and we briefly chat, but they are nervous and tight-lipped, and refer me to the BT press office. Also present is an officer from the council and a woman who represents Delta, a personal alarm system run by the council, because the switchover will also affect some other services, such as personal alarms, panic buttons, fire and burglar alarms, lifts and railway crossings, many of which will need equipment replacing in order to be compatible with the new VoIP system.

Residents in Ammanford particularly fear the 'switch over' as they are often affected by power cuts - Alamy

Eventually, after an hour, the first member of the public turns up. Geraint Roderick, 79, has come to ask what will happen to his landline in the event of a power cut. I think most people are worried about power cuts, he tells me afterwards. I use my landline 90 per cent of the time and power cuts happen a lot round here They showed me a telephone which is a combined mobile and landline, so that could be a solution. They also say they will give you a battery back-up, free of charge, a month before you change over. His other gripe is that once his phone is switched to the new system, he will have to input the local dialling code every time he makes a call.

When the digital switchover first began, there were cases of customers who had their PSTN switched off without being told. One reader of this newspaper, Andrew Smith, was appalled to return from holiday to discover his in-laws had been left without a landline or a care alarm  their existing phone being incompatible with the digital service.

My mother-in-law has slight dementia and limited mobility, he wrote in a letter. If she falls over, my father-in-law has a bad back so cant pick her up. They have a monitoring system, and if they fall over, they get a call. But the system goes down the landline, so they wouldnt be connected.

When BT switched their landline, the engineer failed to tell them that their old phones would not work and that they needed new VoIP-ready handsets. It took about a month to get their number back up and running.

Separately, a class action worth more than 1.3 billion is currently grinding its way through the courts on behalf of three million customers who were overcharged for their landlines. In 2017, Ofcom found that BT had been increasing its charges for landlines every year since 2009, despite wholesale costs falling. BT agreed to reduce its landline prices by 7 per month, but was not ordered to pay compensation for the eight years of potential overcharging.

Justin Le Patourel, who used to work for Ofcom, decided to launch a collective class action against BT. Now the case has finally reached court, and judgment is due this year. Its a major transgression, he tells me. If you accept that BT has charged excessively, then they need to repay that money, and that hasnt happened. The problem now is how long this has taken. They need to get on with it.

On the digital switchover, Le Patourel is more sympathetic to BT, saying there is a clear cost benefit to replacing the copper network with fibre which will help customers in the long term. However, he accepts that consumers were not consulted before the decision was made and that there are potentially catastrophic scenarios waiting to happen once the digital switchover is complete. The perfect storm will be in some kind of flood scenario, when both power and mobile masts are down, he says. But BT is now obliged to meet the terms of the PSTN charter which it signed up to in December. It includes a useful promise from the largest providers to go the extra mile to ensure telecare devices still function and to go beyond Ofcoms stipulation that suppliers must provide a minimum of a one-hour battery back-up for the vulnerable. That is a good thing.

The Governments PSTN charter of December 2023 consists of five pledges by the main telecom providers to ensure that everyone is fully informed before the switchover takes place. However, one of the main areas where more needs to be done is in the replacement or upgrading of telecare devices. Currently these are reliant on a landline connection. BT and the other providers highlighted this issue, but they are not carrying out the upgrade work themselves. That responsibility falls to healthcare providers such as local authorities, some of whom have been slow to act.

During a debate in Westminster Hall in December last year, the Government revealed it had heard of completely unacceptable incidents in which telecare devices had failed to work when activated, prompting ministers at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to put pressure on communications providers to identify all vulnerable customers and make sure that their devices are fully operable.

BT and the other network providers are now in constant talks with the Government and charities such as Age UK; they say they will not leave anyone unable to contact the emergency services, but they also point out that local authorities need to deal with the matter of telecare devices with greater urgency as the deadline approaches.

Rob Orr, chief operating officer of Virgin Media, says councils and telecare companies need to step up so that the elderly and vulnerable are not left at risk. Since this switchover programme started, we have made repeated efforts to inform local authorities and telecare companies of our plans, he wrote in a letter to The

Telegraph in December. While some have been forthcoming and collaborative, often engagement is too slow or doesnt occur at all. Only a tenth of local authorities contacted do engage ahead of migrations and this number is even less for telecare companies.

The challenge for local authorities is that many of them are already struggling to make ends meet. Southwark Council, which is responsible for 55,000 social housing homes and 21 sheltered accommodation units in south London, estimated the digital switchover would cost roughly 7 million.

TechUK, a trade association working to raise public awareness of the digital switchover, insists that: Individuals who dont have access to broadband dont need to worry. Phone companies are working on solutions to keep all customers connected and will be in touch.

But what is the cost of the digital switchover? Communications providers will not charge their customers more to move their landline phone service to digital, a spokesperson for TechUK says. Asked whether there is evidence that the public wants the switchover to happen, the spokesperson replied: This programme is driven by one of necessity.

Later, TechUK sent a fuller response by email, acknowledging that there had been no public consultation: It will not be possible for the public to be given a choice on whether to keep the PSTN. That is because the transition to digital telephone lines is deemed essential due to rising faults of the current analogue system. The skills shortage of engineers able to maintain the network, as well as difficulties in sourcing the parts that hold it up, is also a worldwide issue.

A DSIT spokesman pointed out that VoIP calls only use a tiny amount of bandwidth, so would work even with the weakest broadband. But still, surely there is a case for maintaining both networks in parallel, to keep a back-up in the event of a power outage or a national cyber attack?

In November 2023, following the inaugural AI Safety Summit at Bletchley Park, the National Cyber Security Centre concluded that, Artificial intelligence (AI) will almost certainly increase the volume and heighten the impact of cyber attacks over the next two years. Critical infrastructure is under threat in almost every country, but especially in Britain, according to a recent report by the Security Intelligence blog. The UK was the most targeted country in Europe, which is already the region most impacted by cyber incidents, it says.

But a spokesman for the DSIT says it is obliging network providers to ensure the new network will be immune from such an attack. The UK has one of the toughest telecoms cybersecurity regimes in the world and we have strong regulations in place to make sure providers meet required security standards.

The pressure to digitalise is everywhere, from schools to banking to buying train tickets or paying our bills  keep up or lose out. Yes, the copper wire landline telephone is a product of the past. But in replacing our analogue systems with digital ones, are we sure we are making an improvement? Has digital radio proved better than FM? Are computerised cars, which many mechanics are unable to repair, really superior?

Back in Ammanford, there is a sense of general resignation. You dont get any real choice these days, do you? says Nadine. This is a place used to being overlooked, forgotten. Only 54 per cent of Carmarthenshire has full-fibre broadband, and it will take years for that number to approach 100 per cent, if indeed ever. Money is being spent by the Government to improve matters, with the launch of the 5 billion Project Gigabit, which aims to bring high speed internet to out-of-the-way rural households by 2030. But, in the meantime, what they have got here in Ammanford is a very strong sense of community.

As one resident, Angela, puts it: If you call an ambulance it takes 20 hours to arrive anyway. So round here, if anything goes wrong, youre much better off calling your neighbour.

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Tenants of the troubled Independence Towers apartment building started their week coping with the chaos of a fire, and finished it in negotiations with their new landlord, just prior to learning a fellow resident was charged with arson.

On Thursday, The Independence Towers Tenant Union, along with the KC Tenants Union, brought TriGild Inc. Vice President Nancy Daniels to the negotiating table, seeking to resolve complaints over living conditions in the building.

I was really proud of myself and everyone else who was able to speak on the conditions of Independence Towers and our own personal experiences, and I am glad that we were able to come to the negotiation table with TriGild and get some of our demands met, resident Anna Heetmann said to The Star.

The negotiation came after a fire, now alleged to be arson, displaced 27 residents from three floors of the building Monday.

Fire damage sustained at Independence Towers on June 17, 2024, after firefighters were called out to douse an early morning blaze in a second floor apartment which displaced tenants in 27 apartment units over three floors.

On Friday, Destiny R. Kley, 22, a building resident, was charged in Jackson County court with first-degree arson. She was being held on a $50,000 bond, and has been ordered to stay at least 1,000 feet away from Independence Towers, according to charging documents.

Kley told police investigators she poured cleaning fluid around the kitchen stove and turned on the stove, starting the blaze, according to court documents.

She said she set the fire with the intention of killing herself, as well as destroying the property that she and her husband shared, according to court records. Her husband, with whom Kley shared the apartment at 728 N Jennings Rd, was arrested three hours before the fire after Kley called Independence police to report domestic violence.

Independence fire investigators confirmed the fire was caused by someone pouring and then igniting flammable liquid, according to court documents. The Independence city managers office declared the first and second floors, along with the basement, condemned due to smoke and fire damage.

Fight for our health and safety

Meantime, other residents still in the building continue to live without air conditioning as the Missouri summer heat lurches into dangerous territory.

Earlier this year, tenants struggled with mice and roach infestations and a lack of hot water.

I think the most frustrating thing for folks was that she did not make a commitment to what specific date the air conditioning would be fixed, or every tenant would be guaranteed air conditioning in the building, said Justin Stein, a leader with KC Tenants.

Daniels initially failed to meet a June 11 deadline set by the union to commit to turning on the air conditioning. But she did commit to fixing the air conditioning, either by replacing the cooler or getting each resident a window unit, Stein said.

A boarded-up window is seen at the Independence Towers on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Independence, Mo.

On top of fixing the air conditioning, residents demanded that Daniels compensate tenants for the fire, reverse and freeze all rent hikes, freeze evictions and displacements and to recognize the union, Stein said.

Daniels did not agree to bargain a collective lease agreement with the building, or to waive rent and fees for tenants due to the fire or to refrain from evicting residents, Stein said. However, Daniels did agree to work with residents on a case-by-case basis regarding rent and payment plans.

A Jackson County judge appointed property management company TriGild Inc. as the receiver of the property on May 16 after former owner FTW Investments and executive Parker Webb failed to pay back a loan and complete maintenance on the building, according to previous reporting by The Star.

Parker Webb never showed up for us, Heetmann said. Parker Webb never even responded when we sent him our list of demands. He just acted like we didnt exist. So I am grateful to Nancy for actually meeting with us and taking the time to hear what we had to say.

Earlier this year, a Jackson County judge ousted former building management Tango Management, owned by FTW Investments and Parker Webb, after the union reported poor living conditions in the building.

I just wanted to say Im really proud of my neighbors and everybody thats gotten together to work on this and fight for our health and safety in our building, Stephens said. Because I know that if we hadnt organized and formed our union we wouldnt even be having these conversations right now, wed all still be a bunch of individuals mad and dying in the heat.

Heetmann said prior to joining KC Tenants, she didnt really know anyone in the building and struggled with feeling isolated due to the problems in her apartment.

But now that [Ive discussed these issues with my neighbors], and now that I see that these problems arent just affecting me but theyre affecting pretty much everybody who lives at Independence Towers, it really showed me that its important, the work that were doing, she said.

The union is prepared to escalate publicly if Daniels doesnt follow through on the promises she made in Thursdays meeting, Heetmann said.

Nancy Daniels did not immediately reply to The Stars request for comment.

Previous reporting by The Stars Noelle Alviz-Gransee and Ilana Arougheti was used in this story.
Mitch Landrieu, co-chair of President Bidens campaign, said the president does not have any concerns about his mental fitness despite some worries from voters.

Landrieu responded to concerns some have about Bidens mental fitness to serve a possible second term in the White House on NBCs Meet the Press. NBCs Peter Alexander pressed him on why Biden would not step aside to allow a different Democrat, who may face fewer worries about their mental fitness, to step up to the plate instead.

Well, first of all, Joe Biden doesnt have any concerns about his mental fitness, nor do I. Ive spent an incredible amount of time with Joe Biden, Landrieu responded. Thats just a [notion] that the other side is pushing. Joe Biden is taking this country from being in a cataclysmic downfall to actually leading the world once again, and hes going to continue to do that.

And he has built up an entire new generation of leaders that will govern this country really well into the future, he added.

Alexander also asked him about Bidens comments from 2020, in which he said he would serve as a bridge to a new generation of leaders. When asked what has changed now that Biden is on the ballot again, Landrieu said that nothing has changed.

Well, nothing changed. Joe Biden didnt say that he was going to be a one-term president. He said he was going to lay a strong foundation to build a new generation of leaders and, my goodness, look at all the incredible Democratic leaders we have across the country, he said.

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Lankford says Republicans are against tucked down measures in bills, not contraceptives and IVF

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) on Sunday sought to clarify Republicans stance on contraceptives and in vitro fertilization (IVF), arguing GOP lawmakers are not against these but the less obvious measures included in some reproductive bills.

Democrats right now are saying that Republicans are against contraceptives, theyre against IVF, none of those things are true, Lankford said on NewsNations The Hill Sunday. And none of those things are actually being challenged.

What [Democrats] are putting into some of this legislation are little position pills in the legislation so they can say, Hey, youre opposed to contraceptives because we had a contraceptive bill and you voted against it,' Lankford continued. Well, I did vote against it because they also put into it a challenge to whats called the Religious Freedom Restoration Act for the first time in Congresss history.

The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 prohibits any U.S. agency, department or official from substantially burdening a persons exercise of religion.

We would say your faith doesnt matter if youre a health care provider, whatever it may be  insurance company  your faith no longer counsels that. Well, weve never done that, Lankford said.

Pointing to a proposal in a contraceptive bill regarding gender-affirming operations, Lankford added, So those little things that were talked into a contraceptive bill, no one talked about.

They just said Republicans were against contraceptives, and they would just ignore all the other aspects of it that were built in the bill that obviously Republicans are saying thats a bridge too far, he added. Were not opposed to contraceptives; were not opposed to IVF. We are opposed to those areas you tucked down.

IVF was thrust into the national spotlight in recent months in the wake of various landmark court decisions and legislative efforts.

Lankford argued IVF is protected across the country, even in Alabama, where the state Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen embryos were children, and those who destroy them can be held liable for their death.

IVF services were mostly halted in the state, though lawmakers quickly passed legislation to address civil and criminal liability for IVF providers, allowing services to resume.

No ones threatening it anywhere in the country, and this has become a divisive issue, he said.

The debate over IVF was ignited in recent weeks on Capitol Hill, where senators introduced competing bills aimed at protecting access to the treatment.

The Right to IVF Act, sponsored by a group of Democratic lawmakers, and the IVF Protection Act, sponsored by a pair of GOP senators, were shot down earlier this month along party lines.

Democrats blocked a unanimous request by Republicans, arguing the GOP bill didnt go far enough to guarantee IVF access. Republicans shot back a day later, blocking the Democrats bill from moving forward.

Lankford co-sponsored a separate bill earlier this month focused on supporting alternatives to IVF by promoting medical services that try to address the causes of infertility among women.

The bill, titled the Reproductive Empowerment and Support through Optimal Restoration Act, or RESTORE Act, appears to be intended to reduce the use of IVF services among people trying to have children.

If passed, the legislation would promote awareness and access to restorative reproductive medicine, defined by the International Institute for Restorative Reproductive Medicine as any scientific approach to reproductive medicine that seeks to cooperate with or restore the normal physiology and anatomy of the human reproductive system.

NewsNation is owned by Nexstar Media Group, which also owns The Hill.

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It might be comforting to think that American democracy has made it past the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. But our research shows that a wide range of the American people, of all political stripes, seek leaders who are fundamentally anti-democratic.

Its true that many who participated in the insurrection are facing consequences, including prison time. Many candidates for state office who falsely claimed that Donald Trump won the 2020 presidential election lost their races. And the congressional committee investigating the insurrection voted to refer Trump to the Department of Justice for criminal charges.

But more than 100 members of Congress who objected to the results of a free and fair election won their reelection campaigns. And at least seven people who attended the Stop the Steal rally on Jan. 6 have been elected to state legislatures and two have been elected to Congress.

As scholars interested in how committed citizens are to democracy, we wanted to measure whether regular Americans want someone who will abide by democratic traditions and practices or dispense with them.

Using a nationally representative sample of 1,500 respondents, we found that a large proportion of Americans are willing to support leaders who would violate democratic principles.

Support for anti-democratic leaders

About two decades ago, an important study found that roughly 1 in 4 Americans supported leaders who are uncompromising and take decisive action. These people said they would also prefer nonelected experts to make decisions. Our study replicates this finding nearly 20 years later but sheds light on a troubling reason for this preference.

At the Allegheny College Center for Political Participation, we, with our former student Candaisy Crawford, asked people about their willingness to support leaders who promised to protect them by any means necessary, even if that meant violating expected standards of behavior in a democracy, a set of principles often called democratic norms. We developed these questions based on existing research about the strategies that leaders with anti-democratic tendencies use to build public support.

In Venezuela, for instance, democratic decline happened gradually. Early on, Venezuelas former president Hugo Chavez was known for using nationalist language and calling opponents epithets like rancid oligarchs and squealing pigs. Later, he blacklisted those who sought his removal from office through a democratically conducted referendum. Eventually, he went further, arresting and exiling his political opponents.

These types of tactics have also been used in other nations, such as Turkey and Hungary, by leaders who rose to power through democratic elections.

In our study, we asked about behaviors that foreshadow the early stages of democratic decline. For example, we asked citizens whether they thought that the only way our country can solve its current problems is by supporting tough leaders who will crack down on those who undermine American values. We also asked about explicit violations of democratic principles, like shutting down news organizations and bending the rules to get things done.

By design, some of these questions allow citizens to use their own interpretations of actions like crackdowns and bending the rules. These types of practices can take a number of different specific forms, as the cases of Venezuela, Turkey and Hungary illustrate. Our aim was to determine whether citizens were inclined toward leaders who seek power by promising retribution toward some groups and benefits for others, because this rhetorical strategy is often a precursor to explicit violations of democratic institutions.

Likewise, the phrasing of our questions is designed to allow respondents to rely on their own ideas about the meaning of American values, and people like you. Our interest was in what people would enable leaders to do to protect their idea of America and the Americans with whom they identify.

We found that people who want this type of protective but anti-democratic style of leadership were by far the most inclined to want leaders who would take uncompromising, decisive action. These people did not merely want their side to win a political competition for power. They were literally willing to say they would bend the rules to do it, a clear violation of the democratic ideal that everyone must follow the same rules.

For each item, we found that at least a third of the people we polled agreed or strongly agreed with these subtle or explicit violations of democratic norms.

Across the political spectrum

Anti-democratic statements are embraced by members of both U.S. parties, but more commonly by Republicans.

For example, around 90% of Republicans would support tough leaders who crack down on groups that undermine American values  however the survey respondents define those values. More than half of Democrats take the same position. Perhaps even more notably, nearly half of citizens who strongly support the Republican Party and over a third of those who strongly support the Democratic Party endorse the view that it is acceptable to bend the rules for people like themselves to achieve political goals.

This echoes other research that has found Americans, on both sides of the political aisle, are willing to sacrifice democratic principles and practices if it means their political party wins elections.

An appetite for protection

The key to understanding these views, we believe, is a desire for protection.

Many Americans view those in the other party as existential threats to the country  and closed-minded, dishonest, immoral and unintelligent too. All this coexists with growing evidence that more people are willing to support political violence under certain circumstances.

Many citizens prefer leaders who are willing to undermine democracy if it means protecting people like themselves from groups that threaten their values or status. Although most Americans do not subscribe to these beliefs, a substantial portion of the country does.

Leaders who actively promise anti-democratic action may come and go, but we fear the appetite of many Americans for such actions may always be a persistent threat.

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: Tarah Williams, Allegheny College; Andrew Bloeser, Allegheny College, and Brian Harward, Allegheny College

Read more:



Tarah Williams receives funding from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) as a Public Fellow.

Andrew Bloeser and Brian Harward do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Larry Ray was accused of starting a sex cult of college students at Sarah Lawrence. Here's where he is today.

Former US attorney for the Southern District of New York, Geoffrey Berman, announced the indictment against Larry Ray on February 11, 2020. Stephanie Keith/Getty Images

Larry Ray was accused of starting a sex cult at Sarah Lawrence in a 2019 investigation by The Cut.

Ray, the father of one of the students, was later convicted of sex trafficking and other crimes.

He was sentenced to 60 years in prison. His story is the basis of a new Lifetime movie.

Back in 2019, The Cut published a bombshell investigation into a pattern of concerning student behavior at Sarah Lawrence College. It all traced back to Larry Ray.

Ray is the father of Talia Ray, one of the undergrads in question, and was already an ex-convict at the time. He pleaded guilty to securities fraud in the early aughts and was sentenced to five years probation.

As The Cut investigation recounts, he later spent six months in jail after refusing a court order to surrender custody of his two children. Ray was arrested again in 2006, per the magazine, after a domestic violence incident with his then-girlfriend. Both were violations of his probation, which led to more jail time.

But shortly after being released in 2010, Ray moved into his daughter's on-campus dorm and took control of the roommates' home life, manipulating teenagers who later characterized themselves as "directionless" and "fragile" in conversations with The Cut.

Several of Talia's former roommates told The Cut that Ray psychologically, physically, and sexually abused them for years, corroborated by friends and family members.

Their accounts of Ray's tactics align with the typical structure of a cult, including sexual coercion, threats of violence, humiliation, and sleep deprivation paired with one-on-one "therapy sessions"  during which Ray would convince the teens they were schizophrenic, for example, or survivors of child abuse, without any medical training. Those who spoke to The Cut said Ray methodically severed their tethers to reality and connections to their loved ones.

Ray also convinced the group of kids to pay him money  approximately $1 million over the years, according to his federal indictment viewed by Business Insider  for fabricated property damage and trivial mistakes, which he painted as intentional acts of sabotage. Sources who had known Ray earlier in life described him to The Cut as highly paranoid and a "psychotic con man," despite close ties to law enforcement officials and past work as a federal informant.

Ray's convoluted story captivated the nation, inspiring last year's Hulu docuseries "Stolen Youth" and the new Lifetime movie, "Devil on Campus," which premieres on Sunday. Here's where he is now.

Ray was arrested, convicted on all counts, and sentenced to 60 years in prison

During The Cut's reporting process, Talia was still in constant contact with Ray. Two of her former roommates, both young women, were living with him in New Jersey.

Other victims had disappeared, either by intentionally escaping Ray's influence or because his actions had triggered a downward spiral. One of Talia's former roommates, Santos Rosario, had most recently been seen in a homeless shelter at the time of the investigation.

After "The Stolen Kids of Sarah Lawrence" was published in April 2019, a joint FBI and NYPD task force began investigating the allegations. Less than one year later, Ray was arrested.

Ray (born Lawrence Grecco) was indicted on charges including sex trafficking, forced labor, conspiracy, racketeering, tax evasion, and exploitation.

Prosecutors said Ray had exploited the group of undergrads for personal and financial gain. They also said he forced one of the students, Claudia Drury, into prostitution. (Ray admitted to The Cut that he took the money Drury made from sex work, describing it as restitution.)

"For the better part of the last 10 years, Ray has continued to mentally and physically torture his victims," FBI investigator William F. Sweeney Jr. said at a news conference, per The New York Times.

Over the course of his three-week trial, several of Ray's victims testified about his use of violence, blackmail, and manipulation, as well as the lasting impact of his actions, including suicide attempts, eating disorders, and bouts of homelessness.

Ray was convicted on all 15 criminal counts by a federal jury in lower Manhattan.

In early 2023, Judge Lewis Liman sentenced Ray, then 63, to serve 60 years in prison.

"He sought to take every bit of light from his victims' lives," Liman said in court, per New York Magazine. "It was sadism, pure and simple."

Later that year, several of the cult's survivors filed a lawsuit against Sarah Lawrence, saying the school failed to protect them.

"They failed us so badly," Drury told The New York Times. "There was a predator living in our dorm and they did nothing."

Read the original article on Business Insider
Three variations of the AR-15 assault rifle are displayed at the California Department of Justice in Sacramento in 2012. (Associated Press)

A long-awaited U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding a federal law barring domestic abusers from possessing firearms will have a narrower impact than some had hoped, but it will nonetheless play an important role in reshaping gun laws in California and across the country, legal experts said.

Among the laws Friday's decision could affect are California's bans on assault-style weapons and large-capacity ammunition magazines, both of which are facing legal challenges in the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Adam Winkler, a UCLA law professor who focuses on 2nd Amendment law, said nothing in the high court's decision in United States vs. Rahimi "makes it crystal clear how those cases are going to play out."

But, he said, the decision does give lower court judges a wider legal pathway for finding California's modern gun laws legitimate  not only if they are hundreds of years old or precisely analogous to some other early American law, but also if they are in line with a broader legal "principle" from early American history.

"There's no doubt that it's a major win for gun safety advocates," Winkler said. "This case sends a broad signal that a majority of justices are not completely hostile to gun laws and that mainstream American gun laws are likely secure  even if they're not well grounded in history and tradition."

Read more: Supreme Court rejects gun rights for people accused of domestic violence

Other observers  including Chuck Michel, an attorney for some of the gun advocates challenging California's laws  took a different position, saying the Rahimi decision was pretty narrowly tailored but could open the door to even more challenges to California laws.

The Rahimi decision relied in part on a finding that Zackey Rahimi, the defendant, was dangerous. Michel said there are California laws that allow for guns to be taken from people under restraining orders where no such finding has been made. He said he believes those laws are now more vulnerable to overturning.

More broadly, Michel said, the debate over what constitutes sufficient historical grounds for a modern law to have merit is hardly settled by Rahimi.

"The hairsplitting that is going to go on in determining what is a sufficient historical analogue," he said, "has just begun."

Legal experts agreed the Rahimi decision will do little to resolve the roiling legal debate over modern American gun laws.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.'s decision for the court  which Justice Clarence Thomas was alone in dissenting from  was broad enough to be construed differently by lower court judges, the experts said. The 8-1 ruling came with five concurring opinions from other justices  each distinct  that judges and attorneys across the country will also be looking to for guidance.

"There's still so much room to interpret history how a judge wants to," said Eric Ruben, a 2nd Amendment scholar and fellow at the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University School of Law.

Friday's ruling follows a monumental Supreme Court decision in 2022, in the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Assn. vs. Bruen. There, the high court upended American jurisprudence around the 2nd Amendment right to bear arms by rejecting the long-standing notion that governments may enforce certain firearms restrictions if they have a compelling government interest in doing so.

Instead, Thomas wrote for the court in Bruen, most restrictions on firearms are legitimate only if they are deeply rooted in American history and tradition or sufficiently analogous to another historical rule.

The Bruen decision invigorated legal challenges to gun control measures all across the country. It also created conflicting rulings in the lower courts, where judges have interpreted the new standard under Bruen in wildly different ways.

Read more: Battle over California's ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines shows a nation divided

Conservative-leaning judges have toppled gun laws by taking a narrow view of what constitutes a sufficient historical analog for a modern law to survive. In September, U.S. District Judge Roger Benitez of San Diego overturned California's ban on large-capacity ammunition magazines based on Bruen, determining the two-decade-old law had no equivalent in early American history.

"Based on the text, history and tradition of the 2nd Amendment, this law is clearly unconstitutional," he wrote.

One month later, Benitez overturned California's three-decade-old ban on assault-style weapons on similar grounds.

"To give full life to the core right of self-defense, every law-abiding responsible individual citizen has a constitutionally protected right to keep and bear firearms commonly owned and kept for lawful purposes," Benitez wrote.

The state of California appealed those decisions, and the 9th Circuit paused both as it reconsiders the cases. The ammunition case in particular is now at the front of a long line of California gun cases that have backed up in the appeals court as judges there waited to see if the Supreme Court would provide more guidance on how to interpret Bruen in its Rahimi decision, experts said.

Some liberal-leaning appellate judges have already shown a willingness to take a broader view of historical precedent for modern gun laws than Benitez, and experts said the Rahimi decision further empowers them to find justification for California's gun laws.

"One of the big questions under Bruen was how close must the historical analogs be? How similar must the laws of yesteryear be to the laws of today?" said Winkler. "The court has loosened that aspect of Bruen quite unmistakably."

Roberts wrote Friday that the modern law at issue in Rahimi was "relevantly similar" to historical provisions "preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms"  even though those precursor laws were not specifically geared toward domestic abusers.

That was enough to justify the modern law under Bruen, where "the appropriate analysis involves considering whether the challenged regulation is consistent with the principles that underpin our regulatory tradition," Roberts wrote.

Roberts' decision runs counter to lower court interpretations of Bruen that called for an exceedingly similar historical law to be in place in order for a modern law to be upheld, experts said  and will have the effect of reining in more extreme pro-gun decisions moving forward.

The latter was clearly the intent of the high court's majority, the legal experts said.

"The court is trying to climb out of a hole it dug with the Bruen case and the requirement that modern day laws be judged according to whether they are analogous in some ill-defined sense to some tradition," Ruben said.

Read more: 9th Circuit stays ruling against California ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines

Still, the debate over modern gun laws is sure to rage on, he and others said.

"It's right to say that the court is applying a little bit of a broader conception of historical tradition than many of the [lower] courts considering Bruen," said Jake Charles, an associate professor at Pepperdine Caruso School of Law and an expert in firearms law.

But, Charles said, the Rahimi decision "does not resolve a lot of the open questions" about other gun laws that are already pending in the courts  including around assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines.

He and other experts said they are watching to see if the Supreme Court takes up more gun cases that are awaiting its consideration, including one related to felons possessing firearms, or if it will choose to send those cases back to lower courts with the instruction that they be reconsidered with Friday's Rahimi decision in mind.

One way or the other, the experts said, the Supreme Court is going to have to weigh in again, as lower court judges are no doubt going to continue relying on vastly different interpretations of Bruen and, now, Rahimi.

"They're going to be busy," Ruben said, "because the splits are going to continue to arise."

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Lauren Boebert 2.0 is even more MAGA and extreme than the original

Lauren Boebert abandoned her old district  but Ron Hanks, who is a very similar Trump-loving candidate, is hoping he can get her votes (Getty / Facebook)

Khaki sleeves rolled up and safety goggles adjusted, Ron Hanks stares into the sight of a high-powered rifle before pulling the trigger on Colorados arid plains  ostensibly blowing up an office copier disguised as a voting machine in a video political campaign ad.

The attention-grabbing clip vaulted Hanks into headlines during his unsuccessful Senate campaign two years ago; now hes followed it up with equally hard-nosed, gun-themed and solemn campaign ads  as the combat veteran vies to fill the seat being vacated by MAGA firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert.

Im the only conservative in this race, former Republican state representative Hanks tells The Independent. And Im the only conservative with a proven legislative record  look at my time in the state house, when I fought for the Second Amendment and I fought for election integrity and I fought for the unborn.

This is the candidate endorsed by the central committee of the state GOP in the race to replace Boebert in a district she nearly lost to a Democrat two years ago  and a district shes fled for a better shot at a seat across the state.

The brash congresswomans antics and increasingly outrageous scandals were largely blamed for her waning support among both CD3 Republican and unaffiliated constituents. Instead of endorsing a less controversial candidate upon her departure, however, the Colorado GOP has thrown its weight behind a veritable Boebert 2.0; Hanks is a self-described pro-Trump warrior, election denier and proud attendee of the Jan. 6 rally in DC. (He says, however, that he did not enter the Capitol.)

Boebert may have upped sticks to seek greener pastures eastward, but the brouhaha shes left behind is following her same fractious brand of rhetoric, drama and polarization  and thats just within her own party.

Despite the GOP endorsement of Hanks, the more staid establishment candidate  a Grand Junction attorney named Jeff Hurd with a slew of Republican old-guard endorsements  is polling far ahead. Both mens campaigns are gleefully attacking each other as the clock counts down to next weeks primary.

And not to be outdone, the Democrats are accused of meddling after a series of PAC-funded reversepsychology ads declared Hanks too conservative  in an attempt to appeal to the ultra-right base, secure Hanks the nomination and ultimately give Frisch a better shot in November. The strategy is presumably banking on the fact that the same voters who turned against Boebert will also find Hanks to be a distasteful choice.

Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert has for two terms represented Colorados 3rd congressional district, which included the town of Rifle, where she previously ran a gun-themed restaurant; she announced in December she was abandoning her re-election campaign and running across the state in CD4 (AFP via Getty Images)

Colorados third congressional district, thrown headlong into the national spotlight four years ago when political neophyte Boebert unseated five-term Republican Scott Tipton in the primary, has been on a political rollercoaster ride ever since. Boebert made constant headlines  heckling the president at the State of the Union; getting groped in a theater; divorcing and then fighting with her ex-husband in public  before capping the drama with a surprise constituency switch.

Days after the December announcement that Boebert would now be running in CD4, Hanks threw his hat in the ring for her Western Slope seat. A combat veteran with 32 years of service, he doubles down on the same far-right views as Boebert but delivers them with expressionless solemnity, not finger-pointing shouts. Like her, he plays up his common-man roots.

When I wasnt working for the Air Force, I fracked in North Dakota, and I hammered iron and drove trucks with blue-collar America, he told constituents one week before the primary in a Tuesday night zoom town hall.

Im telling you, we can fix all of the ills on the backs of blue-collar America: the pipefitters, the welders, the cement men  you know, these are the people that are going to rebuild this country.

Hanks ran unsuccessfully for Congress in California in 2010 before the failed Colorado Senate campaign, but served as a state representative in Colorados House for District 60, encompassing his home in Fremont County  which is not in CD3.

He, like Boebert, is carpet-bagging.

Voter Roxie Geigle sits in the Mesa Count Republicans office in Grand Junction; she was sad to see Boeberts departure and feels Ron Hanks is the best candidate now for the district (Sheila Flynn)

Hanks not living in the district didnt seem to matter to voters The Independent spoke with, particularly those who were sad to see Boebert go.

I dont think the Republicans here care one way or the other, as long as we get the representation, Roxie Geigle, wearing a red-white-and-blue cowboy hat and matching boot-shaped earrings, tells The Independent of Hanks district switch.

Hanks says that, while he may not hail originally from CD3, he won the district during his Senate attempt  and was quickly fielding phone calls asking him to run when Boebert bowed out.

Ten days before the primary, his supporter Geigle is sitting in the Grand Junction offices of the Mesa County Republicans, a space kitted out with Charlie Kirk pamphlets, Trump mugshot mugs for sale and God, guns and Trump paraphernalia.

A lot of people want Lauren Boebert back, but weve got to move on, and so were trying to find the best candidate to fill that position, she says. I do worry about somebody replacing her enthusiasm in Congress  that they wont match it. And the closest one I found is Ron.

Geigle, a 72-year-old retiree, volunteers with the party and is a Republican district captain but is speaking in her personal capacity as a voter. This is the first year the state GOP committee has broken with precedent and actually endorsed candidates, further stoking tensions and resentments within the party; it also put out a heavily Trumpleaning candidate questionnaire.

Party chairman Dave Williams, who is himself running for the congressional seat in yet another Colorado district, and another officer recused themselves from the endorsement choice, according to the statement  leaving the decision to just three other officials, it seems. Williams did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

Its not a surprise to see a split in the party between old-guard conservatives and more MAGA types; weve seen that in a lot of places and a lot of states, Seth Masket, director of the University of Denvers Center on American Politics, tells The Independent. But Wiliams is really sort of ramping up his power as state party chair to try and influence races  thats really unusual.

Warring factions within the GOP  both in official ranks and on the ground  have made people unwilling to talk about politics even within their own circles, say Geigle and office manager Karen Kulp.

We have families that are split; we have people that have been friends for years [disagreeing] .. all kinds of things happening, Kulp tells The Independent. Its been going on over here for a long time. You have your Never-Trumpers, and then you have us.

Hanks, according to the GOP committees endorsement last month, will secure the border, cut out-of-control taxes and spending, protect the unborn, defend the Second Amendment, and enthusiastically support our 2024 Republican Presidential nominee, President Donald J. Trump.

There are plenty of Republicans who dont embrace the Hanks style of conservativism, however  and the support behind Hurd would indicate that their numbers are significant. He has outpaced Hanks in both fundraising and the polls.

There is infighting within the Colorado state GOP  mirroring national trends  with splits between old-guard establishment Republicans and grassroots, MAGA supporters; at the Mesa County offices in Grand Junction, Trump paraphernalia is overwhelmingly on display (Sheila Flynn)

A lot of the older generation is supporting kind of your Ron Hanks and America First movement, whereas young people are more, Lets take a step back, lets re-evaluate, says Mesa County Republican Austin DeWitt, 23, who supported Boebert in two elections but felt she spent too much time on national issues, not local.

Right now, I know a lot of young Republicans like myself  theyre saying the same exact thing: Ron Hanks just doesnt really have a young persons interest, and its more grassroots, America First, more going along the lines with the state party.

My priorities are, obviously, lets put the West Slope first.

He said he was supporting Hurd, whos put a plan forth and is not really engaging in any of the mudslinging.

Heavyweights like former Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, a former Colorado secretary of state and state treasurer, and two of Boeberts predecessors have also publicly given support to Hurd, labelled an empty suit by Hanks.

We know whos running him: Its the old retread establishment Republicans that are no longer in office that are looking for influence, Hanks tells The Independent.

The Grand Junction Daily Sentinel, in a scathing editorial last month, took aim at the state GOP shenanigans.

This is ludicrous, the paper wrote. The state party shouldnt be endorsing at all  allowing its party members to draw their own conclusions about who is best qualified. Instead, the party is endorsing candidates whose views most closely align with the MAGA-loving state party chairman  Ever since Lauren Boebert announced she wouldnt run to represent the 3rd CD for a third time, weve looked forward to a potential matchup between Adam Frisch and Jeff Hurd on the prospect that voters would have a choice between two qualified moderates.

Democrat Adam Frisch, who lives in Aspen with his wife and two children, positioned himself as a moderate in the race against Boebert and nearly beat her during the last election; he is likely to face either Hurd or Hanks (Frisch Campaign)

The state GOP would rather see a matchup between Hanks and a Democrat, it wrote. It should be careful what it wishes for.

The strategy, it warned, could see the seat flip to Democrat for the first time since 2011  and that matchup does seem to be exactly what the Left wants  if the TV ads theyre funding are anything to go by. National Republican leaders, at least, are up in arms about them.

Accusing Frisch of gutter politics, the National Republican Congressional Committee has complained that Frisch was spending $115,000 in media markets ad that Rocky Mountain Values, a group bankrolled by the same donors as House Democrats nonprofit, has already spent $636,000 meddling in the primary.

One RMV-funded ad, for example, highlights how Hanks wants to crack down on immigration and laments: Ron Hanks and Donald Trump are just too conservative before finishing with a stark: Too conservative for Colorado.

When you have a Democrat start meddling in Republican elections and start paying all this money into a primary to support a certain candidate, that tells me right there that they believe he is the weaker candidate  in November, he could lose, voter DeWitt tells The Independent.

Rocky Mountain Values did not respond to a request for comment from The Independent.

Hanks, meanwhile, has been the target of attack ads funded by fellow Republicans, according to him. The advertisements call him a bullseye for liberals and a misfire for Colorado, accusing Democratic mega donors of propping up his campaign.

One week before the primary, Hanks huffed on Facebook about Speaker Mike Johnson and the CLF PAC ads to foolishly attack my 2A and pro-Trump creds.

I was AT Jan 6th, he added, also highlighting his pro-Second Amendment legislative efforts in the Colorado House.

In a zoom town hall later that night, Hanks directly addressed the divisions within the GOP and the attack ads, visibly annoyed.

If it sounds like a raw nerve, its because you thought you had some allies somewhere in your own damned party, he said. And we dont; we are largely here alone.

Just days before the election, Hanks tells The Independent that he feels there is a fight afoot for the heart and soul of the party, not just in Colorado but nationally.

This is now a fracture in the Republican Party between grassroots, who want limited government, and the establishment, who want a seat at the Democrats table, he says. And so this is the election to break this wide open. And Trump is doing that by being in the race.
Laurinburg man charged with murder in shooting death of his father, deputies say

SCOTLAND COUNTY, N.C. (WBTW)  A Scotland County man is facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting death of his father, authorities said on Sunday.

Rashawn L. Williams, 22, of Laurinburg, is currently in custody at the Robeson County Detention Center without bond.

Robeson County sheriffs deputies on Saturday afternoon responded to 50 Dijour Drive in St. Pauls in reference to a person who had been shot. Ronnie Williams, 42, later died of his injuries.

Officials said the case remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call (910) 671-3170.

* * *

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.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBTW.
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip  At least 39 people were killed by Israeli strikes across northern Gaza on Saturday, as rescue workers scrambled to find survivors beneath the rubble, according to Palestinian and hospital officials.

Fadel Naem, director of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that more than three dozen bodies arrived at the hospital. The Palestinian Civil Defense, an emergency group active in Gaza, said its emergency workers were digging for survivors at the site of a strike in the Shati refugee camp west of Gaza City and that it had pulled several dozen bodies from a building hit by an Israeli strike in an eastern neighborhood of Gaza City.

Israel said Saturday that its fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in the Gaza City area but did not elaborate further.

The deaths come a day after at least 25 people were killed in strikes on tent camps and 50 wounded near the southern city of Rafah. Israel said Saturday that it was continuing to operate in central and southern Gaza and has pushed ahead with its invasion of Rafah, where over a million Palestinians had sought refuge from fighting elsewhere. Most have now fled the city, but the United Nations says no place in Gaza is safe and humanitarian conditions are dire as families shelter in tents and cramped apartments without adequate food, water or medical supplies.

A separate Israeli strike Saturday in Lebanons eastern Bekaa Valley killed a member of the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, a Sunni Muslim faction closely allied with Hamas, according to the group. The member was the seventh killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the war began.

The Israel-Hamas war erupted on Oct. 7. when Hamas militants who stormed southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage. Israel has responded by bombarding and invading the enclave, killing more than 37, 400 Palestinians there according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

Also Saturday, Israels army said an Israeli man was fatally shot in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya, where Israeli forces fatally shot two militants Friday, the latest flare of violence in the territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.

At least 549 Palestinians in the territory have been killed by Israeli fire since the war began, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which tracks the killings. Over the same period, Palestinians in the West Bank have killed at least nine Israelis, including five soldiers, according to U.N. data.

Israeli nationals are prohibited from entering Qalqilya and other areas of the West Bank that fall under the under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

In April, the death of a 14-year-old Israeli settler sparked a series of settler attacks on Palestinian towns in the territory. The army said a Palestinian was later arrested in connection with the killing.

On Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a 12-year-old Palestinian boy died from his wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Ramallah last week. Commenting on the shooting, the Israeli army said its forces raided al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah to arrest a suspect Friday and then opened fire on a group of Palestinians who were pelting them with stones.

Israel said Saturday that it was investigating a separate incident into conduct of its soldiers after a video surfaced online showing an injured Palestinian being transported on the hood of an Israeli armored car in the northern West Bank. The army said the man in the video was a wanted suspect and injured during an exchange of fire between Palestinian militants and Israeli forces near the city of Jenin. The man was being transported to a Red Crescent ambulance situated nearby, it said. The army said the conduct in the video didnt conform to the values of the army.

Anger across the country is growing at the governments handling of the war in Gaza and the hostage crisis.

On Saturday, tens of thousands of people demonstrated in Tel Aviv calling for new elections and for the government to bring the hostages home. Among the families were the parents of Naama Levy, an Israeli soldier who marked her 20th birthday in captivity.
At least 5 dead after missile fragments scatter over beachgoers in Russian-occupied Crimea

At least five people were killed and over 100 injured when missile fragments scattered over beachgoers during a Ukrainian strike on the city of Sevastopol in Russia-occupied Crimea, authorities say.

Unfortunately, we currently have 124 victims, of which three [are] dead children and two [are] dead adults, Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Telegram.

The Russian Ministry of Defense said in a post on Telegram that Ukraine carried out the attack using US-supplied ATACMS operational-tactical missiles equipped with cluster warheads.

Four missiles were shot down by Russian air defense but another deviated from its flight trajectory in the final section due to the impact of air defenses, with the warhead exploding in the air over the city, the post added.

Video footage posted on X shows the aftermath of the strike, with wounded civilians seen being carried from the beach in stretchers before being loaded into vehicles. Beachgoers, some of them still in their swimwear, can be seen evacuating the area.

One of victims killed in the Ukrainian strike was the daughter of Oleg Averyanov, Deputy Mayor of Magadan. Yuri Grishan, the Mayor of Magadan, said Averyanovs daughter Sofia was nine and on vacation with her parents in Sevastopol.

The casualties were partially caused by the timing of the strike, which came at a time when civilians, some were returning from work, some had already gone to the beach with their children, according to Governor Razvozhayev, who has announced a day of mourning.

According to eyewitnesses on the ground, there was no air raid siren which warned of the attack. Many local residents also took to the comment section of official posts to express their dissatisfaction about the air raid siren not alerting them to an incoming attack.

In response to Ukraines attack on Sevastopol, the Russian Ministry of Defense said such actions will not go unanswered, saying responsibility for the attack lied with Washington.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russian President Vladimir Putin is in constant contact with Sevastopol authorities, adding that the Russian governments priority is to provide all necessary assistance to victims, RIA says.

Ukraine has not officially commented on the attack, but CNN has reached out to the Ukrainian military for a comment.

Crimea has been occupied by Russia since its forces annexed the peninsula in 2014. Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, it has come under sporadic attack from Ukrainian forces.

Kyiv has previously insisted that its strikes on Crimea, which have targeted Russian naval bases and vessels, are an integral part of their strategy, intended to try to isolate the peninsula and make it more difficult for Russia to sustain its military operations on the Ukrainian mainland, a Ukrainian source familiar with the strategy told CNN last year.

Before Russias 2022 invasion of Ukraine, Sevastopol  the largest city in Crimea  was a popular tourist destination for Russians. Even after the outbreak of war, Russians have continued to flock to the coastal city despite the dangers.

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At least 19 killed in attacks on Russian synagogue, church and police

A synagogue, an Orthodox church and police checkpoints were targeted by gunmen in a coordinated series of attacks in Russia's southernmost Dagestan province on Sunday night. Four civilians, including a priest, and 15 police officers were killed in the attacks, investigators said Monday.

"According to preliminary data, 15 law enforcement officers were killed, as well as four civilians, including an Orthodox priest," Russia's national Investigative Committee said in a statement, adding that five perpetrators were also "liquidated."

The spokeswoman for Dagestan's interior ministry, Gayana Gariyeva, had earlier told the state-run RIA Novosti news agency that a 66-year-old Russian Orthodox priest was among those killed.

This photo taken from video released by Golos Dagestana shows smoke rising following an attack in Makhachkala, republic of Dagestan, Russia, on June 23, 2024. / Credit: Golos Dagestana via AP

The attacks took place in Dagestan's largest city, Makhachkala, and in the coastal city of Derbent. Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee described the attacks, in the predominantly Muslim region with a history of armed militancy, as terrorist acts.

Dagestan's Interior Ministry said a group of armed men shot at a synagogue and a church in the city of Derbent, located on the Caspian Sea. Both the church and the synagogue caught fire, according to state media. Almost simultaneously, reports appeared about an attack on a church and a traffic police post in the Dagestan capital Makhachkala.

The authorities announced a counter-terrorist operation in the region. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attacks.

A photo from video released by Russia's National Antiterrorism Committee on June 24, 2024, shows FSB officers conducting a counter-terrorism operation in Russia's southern Dagestan region amid attacks on an Orthodox church and a synagogue. / Credit: Russian National Antiterrorism Committee via AP

At least some of the attackers initially fled in a car, but it was not immediately clear whether the five slain suspects accounted for all of the attackers or if more were still believed to be on the loose.

Russian officials blame Ukraine, NATO

While was no immediate claim of responsibility, CBS News senior foreign correspondent Charlie D'Agata said the bloodshed came three months after 145 people were killed in an attack claimed by ISIS on a concert hall outside Moscow.

Moscow attack fuels concern over ISIS-K threat from Taliban's Afghanistan

Russia's predominately Muslim republic of Dagestan has been a hotbed of Islamic extremism for decades, but some officials from the region blamed Ukraine and its backers in the U.S.-led NATO alliance for the carnage over the weekend.

"There is no doubt that these terrorist attacks are in one way or another connected with the intelligence services of Ukraine and NATO countries," Dagestan lawmaker Abdulkhakim Gadzhiyev wrote on Telegram, according to the Associated Press.

Ukrainian officials did not immediately comment on the attacks.

A photo taken from video posted on the Telegram channel of the head of the Dagestan Republic of Russia on June 24, 2024 shows Dagestan's top official Sergei Melikov, center, greeting a priest as he visits the Orthodox Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Derbent after a counter-terrorist operation in republic of Dagestan, Russia. / Credit: National Antiterrorism Committee via AP

"What happened looks like a vile provocation and an attempt to cause discord," President Ramzan Kadyrov of neighboring Chechnya, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, said, according to The Associated Press.

"We understand who is behind the organization of these terrorist attacks. We understand what the organisers were trying to achieve," declared Dagestan Governor Sergei Melikov in a video statement released Monday, adding without any elaboration: "They had been preparing, including from abroad."

He vowed that further "operational search and investigative measures" would be conducted "until all participants in these sleeper cells are identified."

Dagestan is a mainly Muslim region in southern Russia bordering Georgia and Azerbaijan. Derbent is home to an ancient Jewish community in the South Caucasus and a UNESCO world heritage site, Reuters reported.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.

John Dickerson: What's the point of a Biden-Trump debate?

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When Social Security mistakenly overpays benefits, you might get a bill | 60 Minutes
LEE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN)  Authorities are investigating a tanker explosion off U.S. Highway 290 east of Giddings on Sunday morning, Lee County EMS shared on Facebook.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said just before 11 a.m. Sunday, a truck tractor carrying barrels of crude oil was trying to enter the eastbound lane on U.S. 290 just outside Giddings, Texas. As the truck was getting on the highway, it collided with a car, DPS said.

The crash led to a fiery explosion that closed the road for hours. Two people in the car were injured and had to be transported to a medical facility for treatment, per DPS.

DPS said the investigation is ongoing.

We went through everything and rolled up all the windows, and you could still feel the heat through the glass and the doors, said David Els, who passed the crash shortly after the explosion.

Els was driving to his brothers house when he saw smoke from a distance.

We figured it was just a fire going on in the bushes, Els said.

When Els got closer, he saw, the front of the semi and a ton of smoke. And then we passed by, and there was a crashed white car in the back.

It was definitely a crazy thing to see, Els added.

On Monday, the Texas Department of Transportation said the U.S. 290 eastbound right lane will be closed through at least part of Tuesday.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
J.H. Snider is the editor of The Rhode Island State Constitutional Convention Clearinghouse.

Rhode Islands Constitution mandates that decennially, next on Nov. 5, 2024, the people of Rhode Island can call a state constitutional convention via a popular referendum. It also mandates that prior to that referendum the state legislature must convene an independent constitutional commission to describe the type of constitutional changes that might warrant calling a convention.

In recent decades, the General Assembly has instead used this commission process to attack the convention process; for example, by highlighting a conventions possible cost and risk rather than benefit.

On May 30, the Assembly belatedly introduced a resolution to implement the mandatory constitutional commission. But it doubled down on its past strategy of subverting the framers intent for the commission process. Rather than creating a genuinely independent process, it created one that is tightly under its control; is not required to have any public hearings (let alone televise them or make them genuine deliberative forums); and ensures the commission lacks adequate time to do its job.

More: Should RI reopen the state Constitution? Voters may decide in November.

The legislature has always been the convention processs natural enemy because, like the popular initiative (which Rhode Island lacks), the process is designed to break the legislatures monopoly power over the proposal of constitutional amendments. It allows a convention to propose a Pandoras Box of reforms like legislative transparency, legislative term limits, a line-item veto for the governor, and voting reforms to create a more competitive electoral system.

Other natural enemies of the convention process are the apex special interest groups in Rhode Island that, by definition, excel at influencing the legislature. During the last few decennial convention election cycles, these groups demonstrated a willingness to spend unlimited amounts, sometimes illegally, to ensure that the convention referendum lost. For them, a convention opens a Pandoras Box that could cause them to lose unpopular advantages.

Rhode Island Governor Theodore Francis Green signs the Constitutional Convention bill in 1936.

During most of the 20th century, Rhode Island legislatures loved conventions because the courts allowed them to convene limited conventions, which meant they could limit a conventions agenda to issues favorable to themselves. This changed in 1973 when one of those conventions broke those chains and proposed a periodic convention referendum for popular ratification  which the courts then upheld. Ever since, the legislature and its special interest allies have been implacable convention enemies.

Their track record of success in disparaging the convention process has created a negative feedback loop, as every time one of these referendums fails, it becomes harder to build support for the next one. On the one hand, polls show that the public has remarkably little trust in their government institutions and thinks the system should be fixed. On the other hand, this translates into cynicism, not productive efforts at reforms, because of the publics learned helplessness.

The last era when Rhode Islands legislature so implacably opposed the convention process was in the early 1840s, which led to its famous Dorr Rebellion, arguably the closest thing to an intrastate civil war in American history. Rhode Island no longer needs an armed rebellion to reform its constitution when confronting an obstreperous legislature because it now has the periodic convention referendum. But thanks to the publics increasing ignorance of this institutions history and democratic purpose, combined with its learned helplessness, what the public now predominantly knows about this institution is only what its enemies have told them.

If, as in 2014, the commission releases a biased report, which is then used as the basis for the Secretary of States voter information handbook heaping scorn on this institution and mailed to all Rhode Island registered voters at taxpayers expense, the public should keep in mind that the Wizard of Oz orchestrating this process, despite its PR to the contrary, was the General Assembly.

This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: The legislature has always been the convention process enemy because the process is designed to break the legislatures monopoly power.
UPDATE: Lenexa police said Ray Wilson was found safe.

KANSAS CITY, Mo.  Police are searching for a missing 77-year-old man, Ray Wilson, who disappeared on June 21 in Lenexa, Kansas, according to the Lenexa Police Department.

Wilson was last seen leaving his home near West 83rd Street and K-7 Highway in a red, 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan with Kansas tag 4719 ABG.

Toddler, teen ejected in overnight serious injury crash in Kansas City

Police described him as 5 foot 7 inches tall and weighing 207 pounds. He has gray hair and hazel eyes and was last seen wearing blue denim shorts and a blue denim shirt.

Wilsons family is concerned for his health and well-being as it is abnormal for him not to return home or be in contact, according to police.

If you have any information on Wilsons whereabouts, please call 911.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
As youve probably heard by now, Illinois Republican Party Chair Don Tracy announced his resignation last week, apparently effective the day after the Republican National Convention concludes on July 18.

The announcement came after far-right activists forced out the state partys vice chair, Mark Shaw, and the resignation of the partys finance chair, Vince Kolber. Both Shaw and Kolber had made unsuccessful bids for the Republican National Committeeman post days earlier but were rejected by state convention attendees.

After he first won the chairmanship job in 2021, Tracy said, Regardless of our differences  Republicans are the only hope for turning Illinois around.

By last week, Tracy was finally forced to admit the obvious.

When I took on this full-time volunteer job in February, 2021, I thought I would be spending most of my time fighting Democrats, he wrote in his resignation letter. Now, however, we have Republicans who would rather fight other Republicans than engage in the harder work of defeating incumbent Democrats by convincing swing voters to vote Republican.

It has always been thus. This is what I wrote almost six years ago, in late 2018: The far right has been obsessed with gaining control of the Illinois Republican Party for as long as I can remember. Theyve only really held the partys reins once, in 2002 when Gary MacDougal was handed the chairmanship after then-House Republican Leader Lee Daniels was forced to step down during a federal investigation into campaign work on state time that eventually nailed his chief of staff.

But MacDougal didnt last long: Before the year was out he was replaced by then-Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, the only Republican to win statewide during that years sweeping Democratic victories. Topinka spent the next few years in almost constant battle with her right flank. But she prevailed and the far right has been shut out ever since.

When I wrote that story in 2018, Jeanne Ives and the far-right were attempting to oust then-party chair Tim Schneider six months after helping broker a deal that made their guy, Lake County Republican Chair Mark Shaw, a state party co-chair with Schneider. Fast-forward to this month, when that very same Mark Shaw was deemed as aloof from the grassroots and had to go and Ives is a member of the state central committee.

Party elders have done whatever they could to keep the party out of the hands of the insurgents. The fear was the insurgents would alienate the donor class, the wealthy Republicans who only wanted to deal with people who looked and talked like them.

Also, people who spend their lives yelling No! and trying to tear things down rarely, if ever, learn to say Yes and build things up. Its no accident that the state party has had ten different chairpersons in the past 23 years. When you look around the country, though, its kind of amazing that the Republican powers that be have held on this long.

Most members of that once-powerful donor class have passed away, retired and/or left Illinois. Kolber, the resigned party finance chair, has contributed more than $1.3 million to campaigns in the past 10 years. The state Republican Partys latest quarterly report showed that Chairman Tracy, his familys company and his family members accounted for 76 percent of all the ILGOPs individual contributions  $109,600 out of $144,013.

One of the lesser-known but highly important aspects of state parties is their access to a federal postage discount. By paying for their direct mail through the state parties, candidates can save a lot of money. But that requires a level of trust that the parties will spend the money as intended, which is another reason the people who run things want one of their own in there.

But now, it looks like those perpetually aggrieved outsiders could soon take over the party apparatus.

Palatine Township Republican Chairman and state central committeeman Aaron Del Mar wants to be Tracys replacement. Del Mar ran as Gary Rabines running mate in the 2022 Republican primary. Rabine finished fifth with less than 7 percent of the vote.

Del Mar appeared earlier this month on Ramblin Ray Stevens WLS Radio show where he cracked two jokes about Gov. J.B. Pritzkers weight. Still, that put him in sync with former President Donald Trump, who also recently mocked Pritzkers weight.

Needless to say, Trump lost Illinois by 17 points in both 2020 and 2016. But, hey, welcome to what looks to be the new Illinois Republican Party.
Medics transport 1 to hospital after hitting power pole in Harrison Township

A person was taken to the hospital after hitting a power pole in Harrison Township early Sunday morning.

>>Motorcyclist dies after crashing into semi, hit by pickup truck in Clark County

Montgomery County Sheriffs deputies and medics were dispatched at 5:13 a.m. to the intersection of Philadelphia Drive and Garvin Road on reports of a vehicle into a pole.

AES Ohios outage map shows at least 500 customers are without power in Montgomery County as of 6:51 a.m. The number was as high as 924 as of 5:30 a.m.

Medics transported one person to Grandview Medical Center, Montgomery County Regional Dispatch told News Center 7.

AES Ohio crews are on the scene.

We will update this story.
SIR  As a disillusioned Conservative voter, I had decided that this time I would support Reform UK. Then I read about Nigel Farages suggestion that the West is responsible for the war in Ukraine (report, June 22). This brought me back down to Earth.

Patricia Essex

Hedge End, Hampshire

SIR  I was considering voting for Reform. Not now.

Ukraine is an independent sovereign country existing within internationally recognised borders. Its application to join Nato was largely the result of its discovery in 2014 that bullies do not recognise neutrality.

Alastair MacMillan

Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire

SIR  Nigel Farages explanation  not justification  for Vladimir Putins illegal invasion of Ukraine is an uncomfortable truth that other leaders are too quick to dismiss. As Russias empire disintegrated, it was given the clear impression that there would be no Nato expansion towards its borders, not least in the assurance offered to Mikhail Gorbachev in 1990 by the US secretary of state James Baker (not one inch).

Despite this, three former members of the USSR and all of its former Warsaw Pact satellite states joined Nato. Little consideration was given to the long-term implications of this huge geopolitical shift.

Rear admiral Philip Mathias (retd)

Southsea, Hampshire

SIR  Nigel Farage has obviously not read the 1994 Budapest Memorandum signed by Bill Clinton for the United States, John Major for Britain and Boris Yeltsin for Russia. Under its terms, in return for Ukraine giving up its nuclear weapons, the signatories agreed, among other things, to respect its independence, sovereignty and existing borders.

Surely that sovereignty must extend to Ukraines right to seek membership of the EU and Nato, which cannot be interpreted as provocation of Moscow. I am afraid that Mr Farages comments, however well intended, will have only emboldened Putin.

Sir Gerald Howarth

Chairman, All-Party Parliamentary Group on Ukraine, 2015-17

Chelsworth, Suffolk

SIR  I was impressed by Nigel Farages BBC interview with Nick Robinson.

Mr Robinson is a ferocious interrogator, yet Mr Farage showed no fear and answered every question vigorously. We need more of these informative exchanges that do not rely on soundbites.

John Stewart

Bishops Stortford, Hertfordshire

SIR  Isnt the fact that Nigel Farage appears to worship Donald Trump sufficient reason to withhold your vote from Reform?

C D Gilliard

Leeds, West Yorkshire

Pride in Brexit

SIR  Lord Frosts article (Comment, June 22) on being proud of Brexit should be required reading for all parliamentarians.

Recent goings on in Europe have only strengthened my view that Britain made the right decision.

I suspect the EU will implode within the next 20 years or so. After that, we can resume the relationships we used to have with individual members.

Jim Bell

Hereford

SIR  Lord Frost is being disingenuous. Both the Brexit and Remain campaigns were wretched and misleading. The Brexit campaign won by a whisker, and it was therefore beholden on all its proponents to deliver the result and claimed benefits so successfully that disappointed Remainers would be brought onboard. They have failed to do so. Complaining about Remain propaganda is a feeble excuse, and it wont wash.

I have no doubt that, had Remain won by a whisker, leading to an equally disappointing and divisive outcome, Lord Frost would have delivered as much anti-Remain propaganda as he could muster.

Guy de la Bedoyere

Grantham, Lincolnshire

SIR  I recently drew blood on a sharp projecting piece of plastic on the top of a soft drink bottle. It appears big manufacturers are following EU regulations that require bottle tops to be tethered, in order to reduce littering (Magazine, June 22). But such tops get in the way of pouring and drinking. Are any British manufacturers willing to take advantage of Brexit freedoms in this case?

Michael Staples

Seaford, East Sussex

Enforcing Blue Badges

SIR  I too am a Blue Badge holder (Letters, June 22), and off-street parking is not the only issue whose regulation is at the whim of individual local authorities.

The misuse of designated parking spaces outside residential premises is also subject to such inconsistency. In some areas it is possible to ring an emergency telephone number at any time between 7 am and 1 am to alert a traffic warden, who will issue a parking ticket. The approach of my council, however, appears to be: Well, report it if you like, but the call will not be dealt with until the office is properly staffed. This is not much use late at night or over a bank holiday weekend. There have been occasions when I have come close to having to ring the police because a non-badge holder has used the space outside my home.

Surely there should be a standard policy for such circumstances.

Maureen Hastings

Maidstone, Kent

Question of coinage

SIR  Your report, Antarctic researchers create cool language (June 21), suggests that they invented the phrase Fod plod.

As far as I am aware this term was invented by the RAF Harrier Force in the early 1970s, or maybe earlier.

The wonderful aircraft acted like a hoover and had the ability to ingest all manner of foreign objects. As a result, on a field site out in the wilds of Britain or western Europe, everybody  from the most junior to the most senior  would walk along the grass strip and taxiways, staring down, to remove any objects likely to be sucked in and cause foreign object damage, or FOD.

The morning inspection was always referred to as the Fod plod.

Tom Suffolk

West Horsley, Surrey

Badgers running wild

SIR  As a former wildlife unit field manager for Defra, I would argue that Andrew Sellss letter (June 22) on badger vaccination misses some important points.

Badgers dominate our wildlife when left unchecked. They eat hedgehogs, invertebrates and bird eggs, and raid beehives. They are top of the food chain and consume just about anything.

Furthermore, they need to be vaccinated year on year for four years if this measure is to be effective. Unless they are microchipped to identify them, how will that ever be possible?

When there is an imbalance in our wildlife, there is a price to pay. It is unfortunate that the badger, which wreaks havoc among our cattle and alpacas by spreading tuberculosis, is also one of our best-loved mammals.

Paul Caruana

Truro, Cornwall

My father the PoW

SIR  My father, Herbert Hoffmann, was taken prisoner in France in 1944, then sent to the United States in 1945, working as a cotton picker in Mississippi.

In 1946 he arrived in Liverpool, was sent to help on a farm in Yorkshire and eventually arrived at a PoW camp in Harrow in 1947 (Letters, June 22). He was put to work building prefab houses (which are still in use today). He couldnt be repatriated because his home town in eastern Germany was under Russian control and his family were refugees.

Prisoners like him were allowed a certain amount of freedom, and one day in April 1948 he was waiting to meet a local English girl. My mother was also waiting nearby to meet another German PoW, who didnt show up. They got chatting, Mum took him home to meet my grandparents and, the following month, they were married. He spent the rest of his life here and used to delight in pulling peoples legs by telling them he had been Rommels batman.

Rosemarie Lawani

Stanford in the Vale, Oxfordshire

SIR  During the war, we had Italian PoWs working on my grandfathers farm near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

I remember him noticing that every so often a whole sheep would go missing, and remarking to my grandmother that if they could kill and divide up a sheep without being caught then they deserved to keep it.

As children we loved them because they made us toys out of empty corned beef tins.

Richard Beaugie

Shadoxhurst, Kent

Avian absences from this summers skies

Taking flight: a fresco from the 16th century BC, on the Greek island of Santorini - Bridgeman

SIR  This year there appear to be far fewer swallows and swifts in the skies.

Their absence has been particularly noticeable in our part of London. However, we also recently spent a few days in Dorset and Wiltshire, and while these birds were present, their numbers were certainly lower  even though there seemed to be plenty of food available. I wonder whether others have found this to be the case.

Jeremy Roberts

London SW13

SIR  It seems the cold, wet spring has harmed the bee population. My lavender hedge is usually visited by hundreds of bees. This year not one has been seen.

Thomas Bowler

Northampton

The Tories need fresh ideas to move forward

SIR  The headline of your feature (June 21) on Kemi Badenoch, describing her as a no-nonsense Thatcherite, highlights a key problem for the Conservatives  they look backwards, not forward.

Margaret Thatcher left the House of Commons more than 30 years ago.

John Thompson

York

SIR  If Mrs Badenoch  or indeed Priti Patel  were the Tory candidate in my constituency, I would be out on my Zimmer frame canvassing.

As it is, I shall not be voting.

Charles Hopkins

Aldington, Kent

SIR  I have been dismayed by the many mistakes made by the Conservatives since 2019 and during this election campaign. There has been an extraordinary absence of common sense, and the party has lacked a clear moral compass. A Labour landslide seems inevitable. However, there need to be enough Conservative MPs left to regroup and serve as an effective opposition.

I have an excellent constituency MP. He is currently expected to lose his seat but, in my view, deserves to be re-elected. I would encourage everyone who considers their MP worthy of re-election to support them.

If a greater number of Tory MPs survive the carnage, the period of opposition may be shorter than feared.

Tim Bacon

Lyme Regis, Dorset

SIR  David Platts (Letters, June 22) says we need a leader with the spark to excite our thoughts, the nous to create the right team and the ability to transform promises into results.

Having recently seen Rory Stewart at an event, I dont think we need look any further.

Matt Breeze

Salisbury, Wiltshire

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LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman takes aim at venture capitalist David Sacks for his support of Donald Trump

Earlier this month, David Sacks posted an open letter on Twitter in support of Donald Trump.

In a scathing post on Thursday, LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman took the letter apart line by line.

Venture capitalist Sacks, Hoffman said, gets it wrong about Trump "on just about every count."

LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman had some choice words for venture capitalist David Sacks after he endorsed Donald Trump earlier this month.

In an open letter posted on X on June 6, Sacks praised the former president's foreign policy and economic strategy and lambasted President Joe Biden's approach to "lawfare," accusing Biden of leveraging the justice system against his political opponent in this year's election.

Hoffman was having none of it, writing in a separate post on Threads that Sacks, in voicing his support for Trump, "got it wrong on just about every count."

"Since Silicon Valley mostly opposes Trump, he may have seen this as a 'contrarian' take that would fit his podcast brand," Hoffman wrote in an extended Medium post published the same day as his Threads remarks in response to Sacks' letter. "Sadly, rather than originality, Sacks' letter awkwardly regurgitates pro-Trump groupthink."

"Both of America's choices for President are old, but only one of them acts like an adult," Hoffman added.

Point by point, Hoffman dismantled Sacks' argument, pointing out that Trump became a convicted felon after being found guilty by a jury of his peers, comparing economic and crime data from the last two administrations, and accusing Sacks of echoing pro-Putin propaganda in his defense of Trump.

"The voters have experienced four years of President Trump and four years of President Biden," Sacks wrote in his letter. "In tech, we call this an A/B test. With respect to economic policy, foreign policy, border policy, and legal fairness, Trump performed better. He is the President who deserves a second term."

Hoffman sharply responded in his posts that Sacks "is reading the results backwards."

"In tech, we call this 'being wrong,'" Hoffman wrote.

Sacks hasn't responded at length to Hoffman's disapproval, though he did reply to a post on X critiquing Hoffman for taking two weeks to pen his rebuttal, simply adding the "100" emoji in agreement.

Sacks' support for Trump  and Hoffman's vocal condemnation for it  comes as a growing faction of Silicon Valley elites have voiced their support for the former president post-conviction.

It isn't the first time Hoffman has critically weighed in on the phenomenon. In an op-ed published in The Economist earlier this month, Hoffman blasted business leaders for supporting Trump, arguing that a Republican win in 2024 will be bad for the economy and could upend the legal system that American businesses rely on.

Hoffman and Sacks did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.

Read the original article on Business Insider
More than a dozen people got away with murder 100 years ago in Akron.

The killers escaped prosecution. Justice was not served. The victims families never got any closure.

Robberies, gangland slayings, violent brawls and crimes of passion kept investigators busy in the 1920s.

The police department will not rest until we find the slayer, Chief John Durkin said after one of the homicides.

Yet the trails eventually went cold.

These 1920s cases still remain on the books at the Akron Police Department, although its extremely unlikely they will ever be solved  barring the discovery of some new evidence such as a confession in an old diary.

Akron Police Sgt. Hugo Arndt stands next to a patrol wagon June 30, 1925, in front of the Akron Police Station at South High and Bowery streets.

These are the coldest of cold cases in Akron. Here are 15 unsolved homicides from a century ago:

Dr. Gustave A. Theiss

Jan. 8, 1921: Dr. Gustave A. Theiss, 50, was shot in his office at 200 E. Center St. during an apparent robbery, and chased the gunman down Buchtel Avenue to First United Brethren Church, where he was shot two more times and died. The killer left behind a handkerchief with the monogram B.A. Theiss was survived by his wife and two children.

Millie Carter

Nov. 16, 1921: Millie Carter, 44, was found hanging in an unused bedroom closet of her home at 603 Wooster Ave. Police said someone had strangled her elsewhere and moved the body to make it look like suicide. Separated from her husband, she was survived by three daughters and two sons. A former roomer was suspected but never charged.

Joe Black

April 2, 1922: Joe Black, 32, an Alabama native, was fatally wounded during a street duel outside a pool hall at 134 Stanton Ave. Following a quarrel with a stranger, the men went outside, marked off 10 paces and began firing. Black was shot four times and the other duelist ran away.

Albert Farino

May 19, 1922: Albert Farino, 24, was gunned down in front of a soft drink parlor at 17 Lods St. during Prohibition. Someone fired a 12-gauge shotgun through a curtain in the window of a stolen automobile. Farino pulled a revolver and fired five shots at the car before dying. Police suspected it was a gangland dispute over a woman.

John Booker

March 18, 1923: John Booker, 39, was found stabbed to death near his home at 197 E. North St. Police said the victim had been active in Akrons underworld, and revenge for some action of Booker was believed to be the motive. He was separated from his wife.

Louis Nick

March 28, 1923: Louis Nick, 35, chef at the Candyland confectionery at 40 E. Mill St., was found beaten to death with a lead pipe in the cellar of the downtown business. A restaurant manager was charged with manslaughter, but a grand jury declined to return an indictment, citing insufficient evidence. Nick was survived by his mother and siblings in Albania.

Edward McClear

June 28, 1924: Edward McClear, 33, alias Mat Conway, a Pennsylvania native, was killed in a carjacking on Grant Street near Voris Street. Police said two men jumped on the running board of his car as he drove on Grant in a severe storm. When the driver got out, the men shot him and stole the vehicle, which was found abandoned at Sherman and East Crosier streets.

Arthur Lowe

Sept. 30, 1924: Arthur Lowe, 26, a brick worker from Mogadore, was shot three times on Tobin Heights Street in Akron and died the following morning at City Hospital. Police believed he was killed by a jealous husband who fled the scene with his wife after the violent altercation. Lowe was survived by his wife and three children.

Eugene Keller

Aug. 29, 1925: Eugene Keller, 45, a laborer from St. Louis, was shot to death while seated in a parked car on South High Street. Police said a man walked up to the vehicle, fired six shots and fled. Officers theorized the killer was a jealous suitor of a woman Keller was dating. The divorced man was survived by a daughter.

Walter Green

April 15, 1928: Walter Green, 46, a laborer from North Carolina, was stabbed on the front porch of his home at 178 Turner St. in what police described as a bootleg feud. A Youngstown man, 32, was arrested two years later but never convicted.

David McNeal

Sept. 1, 1928: David McNeal, 31, a laborer from Alabama, was killed following a quarrel at a pool hall at Stanton and Steiner avenues. Witnesses said McNeal got into a dispute with another billiards player. Both men left and returned with guns for a duel outside the establishment. Before McNeal could draw his weapon, the other man shot him three times. McNeal was survived by his wife.

James L. Edwards

Nov. 24, 1928: James L. Edwards, 40, was killed during a holdup at his grocery store at 113 W. Thornton St. A man posing as a customer pulled a revolver and demanded cash. Edwards tried to knock the gun away and was shot in the head. A customer was wounded in the skirmish. Police rounded up more than 35 suspects, but no one was tried in the slaying. Edwards was survived by his wife and four children.

Charles Lopresti

May 26, 1929: Charles Lopresti, 37, a B.F. Goodrich employee, was gunned down as he left his home at 1179 Girard St. to go to work. Police said the killer fired two shotgun blasts from a large touring car as Lopresti crossed Cole Avenue. He was survived by his wife and two children.

Frank Bellini

June 26, 1929: Frank Bellini, 50, was shot to death while sitting in front of his soft drink parlor at 106 N. Howard St. He was struck by two shotgun blasts fired from the window of a passing touring car. Bellini died two days later. Police said he was an underworld czar linked to bootlegging, prostitution and murder. He was survived by his wife and two young wards.

Louis A. Petsche

Aug. 26, 1929: Louis A. Petsche, 31, a plumber who lived on East Thornton Street, was killed in a brawl at a pool hall at 675 S. Main St. A bartender tried to silence a noisy argument among patrons, struggled with Petsche and stabbed him five times. The pool hall worker was never captured. Petsche was survived by his mother, two brothers and a sister.

Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com

Geauga Lake revisited: Vintage photos of lost amusement park

Sea World revisited: Vintage photos of Ohio marine park

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Unsolved Akron murders from 100 years ago
Thursday evening, March 13, 1919, sometime between 7:30 to 8 pm, 10-year-old Verda Pennell shifted the grocery bag she was carrying from one arm to the other and hurried up the sidewalk toward her Adams Avenue home. Ahead in the distance a man was standing just off the road near the intersection of Fourth and Watts streets, but the girl didnt think much of it.

A clipping from the May 1, 1924 Scioto Gazette. The headline is about a boy Paul Pennell whose family had lived in Chillicothe, but later moved to Columbus. Paul was abducted by a man who had formed a bond with the family.

As she approached the man, though, he blocked her path and asked if she would like to take a walk with him. The man was insistent, and it scared the little girl. She bolted for home as fast as she could, never looking back. After listening to her daughters story, Verdas mother contacted the police, and two officers promptly responded. The officers quickly identified the man who had accosted the little girl and paid him a visit. He answered the door brandishing a 32-caliber revolver but was quickly subdued and did not resist arrest. The following morning Verda positively identified him as the man who had confronted her, and he was charged with indecent and disorderly contact.

There is no evidence that the incident influenced the Pennell family to pick up stakes and move away, but a short time later Clark Pennell, the father, quit his job at the Union Shoe Factory and the family relocated to Columbus. Perhaps the Pennell family would have never been heard from in Chillicothe again, but on May 1, 1924, five years after the incident at the intersection of Fourth and Watts streets, the Gazette carried a sensational story about the abduction and kidnapping of Paul Pennell, Verdas little brother. Lightning had struck the Pennell family twice, but it was much worse this time and it was big news. Here is what happened.

A clipping from the March 14, 1925 Scioto Gazette. The headline refers to the abduction of former local boy Paul Pennell.

The story begins sometime in 1922, after the Pennells moved to Columbus. Eleven-year-old Paul was at a restaurant and paying for his meal when his dime fell from his fingers, rolled underneath the counter and disappeared into a crack in the floor. By chance, a man named Alton Carl, a tightrope walker and actor, witnessed the incident and paid for Pauls meal. The two formed an instant bond. Carl was part of a traveling circus, sometimes referred to as a traveling vaudeville show, which was very popular in those days and Columbus was a regular stop on the shows seasonal circuit. After their chance meeting, young Paul and his family were regular attendees at the shows. There is even some evidence that the circus performer and his small family boarded at the Pennell home when in town. Then tragedy struck.

Carls wife and son traveled everywhere with him, and on one of his stops in Columbus there was a gas explosion on East Main Street and his wife got caught in the blast and was tragically killed. Devastated by her death, it is likely the Pennell family made an extra effort to comfort the bereaved actor and make him and his son feel welcome on their stops in Columbus. No matter what the motivation was, the relationship grew closer, and a level of trust developed between them, even after Carl began showering special attention on Paul.

Carl insisted that young Paul was especially intelligent and had a natural gift for acting and he pressured Pauls father to allow him to take his boy to New York and train him for the stage. Under his tutelage, Carl promised, Paul might enjoy a successful theatrical career. Carl was relentless, and eventually wore the father down and he reluctantly agreed to the proposition, although he insisted that he accompany his son. So, Paul, his father, Carl and his son boarded a train for New York, where shortly after arriving Carl renewed his pleas to the father to give him his boy. Once again, he was refused. Carl, however, would not take no for an answer and disappeared with Paul.

Paul Pennell

Pauls panicked father rushed a telegram to his wife back in Columbus giving her the news that their son had vanished without a trace. He followed it up with a letter explaining that New York City detectives were on his trail and were convinced he was still being hidden somewhere in the city. But then a letter was received in Columbus in Pauls handwriting and the story took on an added twist the family could not have predicted. In the letter, which his mother was convinced her son was forced to write under duress, Paul claimed he was about to board an ocean liner for London where he would go on the stage. Carl had received $18,000 after his wifes death, and Paul mentioned that the actor was rich and anxious to educate him.

Pauls claim that they were steaming to London, however, whether he was forced to write or not, was just a ploy to throw the authorities off the trail of his abductors true plans. Instead, Carl joined a traveling vaudeville show and over the next eight months he, his son and Paul traveled up and down the East Coast evading capture. Its not clear how much Paul learned tightrope walking or acting, but in early Jan.1925, authorities finally located the trio in Mt. Vernon, N.Y. and Paul was returned home. His parents decided not to prosecute Carl because they wanted to avoid publicity. That was a mistake.

A clip from the Jan. 21, 1925 Scioto Gazette.

Two weeks after Paul was reunited with his family, he left the house to attend an afternoon matinee. While he was away, the Pennells received a threatening letter from Carl in the mail. The letter was postmarked New York , but unbeknownst to the family, Carl had followed the letter to Columbus and at that very moment was abducting and kidnapping Paul as he was leaving the theater. Incredibly, he disappeared with the young boy for a second time.For two months there was no news of his whereabouts, but then Paul showed up at a police station in New York.

Carl had sent him out for fresh milk, and he arrived at the station holding an empty bottle underneath his arm and informed authorities that he had been kidnapped from his home in Columbus. Paul showed them a newspaper clipping (no photo) detailing the story of his kidnapping and police immediately wired Columbus for confirmation of his story. In the meantime, though, Carl arrived at the station and Paul changed his story and told police he had fabricated the tale and Carl was his real father. Somehow, the actor was able to convince authorities that Pauls kidnapping story really was a hoax, and both were allowed to leave. Shortly after their release, though, a wire was received from Columbus confirming the story. Luckily, the police quickly located the two and Carl was extradited to Columbus. A doctor examined Paul and found evidence of abuse and authorities launched an investigation. It is not clear what type of abuse Paul experienced, but Carl was prosecuted and sentenced to one year in prison.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Former Chillicothe boy abducted by traveling showman in 1924
A Louisville man was indicted Thursday for illegally purchasing cough syrup throughout several Kentucky counties using fake identities, according to court documents.

Darius Murff, 33, was charged by a federal grand jury out of the eastern district for one count of conspiracy to purchase controlled substances through fraudulent means, and three counts of aggravated identity theft.

Since July 2019, Murff is alleged to have worked with others to purchase promethazine-codeine cough syrup using unauthorized, fraudulent prescriptions, court documents state.

Murff is thought to have purchased the controlled substance in Fayette, Woodford, and Franklin counties.

According to the indictment, Murff illegally obtained medical prescription authorization information related to multiple doctors names, their Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) numbers, office addresses and phone numbers.

Murff would also illegally obtain drivers licenses of Kentucky residents and others from different states.

Murff and other unknown co-conspirators would use the doctors information to submit electronic faxed prescriptions for cough syrup to pharmacies, according to court documents.

Some of these prescriptions included the names of people who were matched to stolen drivers licenses or photographs of stolen documents that Murff possessed.

After the prescriptions were submitted, Murff and others would drive to the pharmacies and go inside and pick up the codeine cough syrup, according to the indictment.

Murff faces up to six years in prison, and up to $500,000 in fines if convicted on all charges. He would be on supervised released for up to two years.
A Maine doctor who runs an addiction treatment center has been convicted on multiple counts of illegally distributing opioids including oxycodone, hydromorphone and fentanyl.

Dr. Merideth Norris, 53, of Kennebunk, Maine, was found guilty in federal court Friday of distributing the opioids at her practice. According to court documents, she did so without a legitimate medical purpose and knowing that some patients were battling an opioid addiction. She prescribed the drugs, according to court documents, even after patients failed drug tests or were known to redistribute the drugs in the community.

A federal jury convicted Norris on 15 counts of distributing controlled substances and she faces up to 20 years on each count.

Prosecutors accused Norris of putting her patients safety at risk, according to the Portland Press Herald, and failing to heed warning signs like failed drug tests among her patients or advisories from insurance companies about her prescribing of dangerous combinations of opioids and other drugs.

Her defense team tried to make the case that Norris helped patients reduce their medications and that the charges ignored the complexity of treating people who were addicted to opioids and struggled to find a doctor, the newspaper said.

Norris could not be reached for comment and her recovery center was closed Saturday.

Norris has long faced scrutiny for her prescribing practices, including from pharmacists who refused to fill prescriptions she wrote. Walmart pharmacies also issued a central block, or a nationwide ban, on filling prescriptions written by Norris.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Majority of tribes say theyll skip Noems public safety summit, though some will attend

Gov. Kristi Noem, flanked by advisers and law enforcement officials, speaks on May 17, 2024, at the Capitol in Pierre. Visible from left to right around Noem are Tribal Relations Secretary David Flute, Dewey County Sheriff Ashley Arpan and Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison Algin Young. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

Gov. Kristi Noem, flanked by advisers and law enforcement officials, speaks on May 17, 2024, at the Capitol in Pierre. Visible from left to right around Noem are Tribal Relations Secretary David Flute, Dewey County Sheriff Ashley Arpan and Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison Algin Young. (John Hult/South Dakota Searchlight)

Officials from five of South Dakotas nine Native American tribes said they will not attend Gov. Kristi Noems Tribal Public Safety Crisis Summit on Monday in Pierre, but at least two tribes do plan to send representatives.

The rest of the guest list and agenda were unclear as of Friday afternoon.

The governor announced the summit amid a flurry of votes by South Dakotas nine tribal nations to ban her from their lands. Those votes came in response to statements by Noem that Native American children lack hope and that their parents arent there to support them, as well as Noems allegation that tribal officials personally benefit from a drug cartel presence on reservations.

More on tribes and public safety

Noem invited tribal leaders and their respective law enforcement representatives to the summit.

We solve problems best when we work together and communicate  I hope that this summit will accomplish that, Noem said in a press release announcing the event.

Also invited to the summit, among others, were Attorney General Marty Jackley, U.S. Attorney for the District of South Dakota Alison Ramsdell, Department of Public Safety Secretary Bob Perry, Tribal Relations Secretary Dave Flute and Noems Tribal Law Enforcement Liaison Algin Young, who was the Oglala Sioux Tribal police chief until his contract ran out this spring.

Jackley will attend, said spokesman Tony Mangan, as will representatives from the state Division of Criminal Investigation. The Bureau of Indian Affairs will have two representatives present, according to BIA spokesperson Robyn Broyles.

Tribal officials have been less eager to participate, for reasons tied to both Noems comments and their own scheduling conflicts.

Lower Brule Chairman Clyde Estes told South Dakota Searchlight that no one from his tribe will attend unless the governor issues an apology for her remarks. Crow Creek Tribal Chairman Peter Lengkeek had a similar response.

Cheyenne River Sioux Tribal Police Chief Charles Big Crow said his tribe will not send anyone to the summit. Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribal Police Chief Gary Gaikowski said his tribe will not be represented, in part because hell be involved in a federal trial.

Oglala Sioux Tribal President Frank Star Comes Out issued a statement in late May saying his tribe will not send representatives. Instead, he said, tribal leaders will attend an event marking Victory Day for the Oceti Sakowin in the 1876 Battle of Little Bighorn.

Yankton Sioux tribal leadership will focus on Victory Day, but YST Police Chief Edwin Young said he will attend Mondays summit.

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe told the Moody County Enterprise that its vice president and tribal police chief will attend, but said many other tribes have declined, or havent committed to attendance.

Messages and calls about possible attendance to leaders with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Rosebud Sioux Tribe were not returned as of Friday afternoon.

Its unclear what might happen at the summit. Noem spokesperson Ian Fury told South Dakota Searchlight that the summit will not be open to the media, but materials from the event will be provided afterward.

Noem has hammered on the message of public safety on the states reservations since Jan. 31, the day she gave a speech to a joint session of the South Dakota Legislature on security at the U.S.-Mexico border. In it, she said the Biden administrations border policies are contributing to a drug trafficking crisis, and said drug cartels have a presence in tribal areas.

Nearly all the methamphetamine and fentanyl in the U.S. originate with drug cartels, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration. That agencys 2024 threat assessment notes that cartels have a presence in all 50 states, though South Dakota is on the low end for cases with direct links to cartel members.

Most federal drug prosecutions involving large quantities of illegal narcotics in South Dakota are linked to larger cities, according to a recent South Dakota Searchlight investigation into the governors claims about cartels. The drugs tend to move out through the rest of the state from Sioux Falls, Rapid City, or from out-of-state locations like Denver.

Noem has said the summit will be an attempt to address crime, drug use and trafficking, human trafficking and violence on reservations. Despite the tension, Noem and tribal leaders have separately decried what theyve described as inadequate federal support of law enforcement resources for tribes.

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The post Majority of tribes say theyll skip Noems public safety summit, though some will attend appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Peter Warren is a general assignment reporter for the Houston Chronicle. He can be reached at peter.warren@houstonchronicle.com.

Peter previously lived in Dallas, where he covered the sports as a freelancer for the Dallas Morning News and other outlets. He has been published in Texas Highways Magazine, DMagazine.com, the Star Tribune and Bowlers Journal International. Peter graduated from Northwestern University in 2021.
Man fatally stabbed after running into NYC bodega for help as violence plagues Big Apple stores

A 40-year-old man was stabbed to death inside a Queens bodega late Saturday in what locals said may have been a dispute over a stolen wallet.

A man was viciously stabbed to death late Saturday after running into a Queens bodega for help  the latest burst of violence that has neighborhood stores in the Big Apple in a state of emergency.

The [workers] who were here last night, they quit, said Ali Alzokeri, a cashier at Sammys Gourmet Deli in Jamaica, to The Post on Sunday. They dont want to work here no more. It was bad.

The fatal assault occurred around 9:40 p.m. when the unidentified 40-year-old victim ran into the small deli on Jamaica Avenue in Jamaica looking for help and was stabbed multiple times in front of horrified store clerks, according to police and a rep for small-shop merchants.

Police sources said the slaying stemmed from a dispute that spilled into the store.

A 40-year-old man was stabbed to death inside Sammys Gourmet Deli in Jamaica, Queens, on Saturday night. LoudLabsNYC

Alzokeri said the victim ducked behind an ATM machine but was spotted by his pursuer  with the smaller victim then getting into a knife-wielding brawl with his taller assailant.

They started fighting, they stabbed each other, he said. One of them ended up dead, one of them ended up cut in the face.

Alzokeri said the dead man suffered stab wounds to the eye, neck, body, all over.

For bodega owners, the bloody brawl was just the latest chapter in an ongoing onslaught plaguing their stores.

Bodegas are not equipped to save lives, and that must change, Fernando Mateo, head of the United Bodegas of America, said in a statement Sunday. UBA has declared a state of emergency.

We must remember bodegas are community centers to many of these communities, Mateo said. Selling eggs, milk and beer is 65% of what we do. The other 35% is helping our community and helping the NYPD solve crimes.

The NYPD has not released further details of Saturdays slaying.

The safety of bodega workers has been a constant concern in the Big Apple.

In January, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $40 million plan to help bodega and small-business owners, including about $5 million to beef up security and police presence to combat shoplifting and violence at the neighborhood stores.

A bystander to Saturdays slaying said the dispute stemmed from a stolen wallet. LoudLabsNYC

City Medical Examiners Office workers remove the body of the stabbed man. LoudLabsNYC

But Mateo said hes yet to see the investment.

One local interviewed in a video obtained by The Post said the fatal dispute at Sammys erupted during a dispute over a stolen wallet that escalated.

I just feel like its not safe in this area, a woman who lives on the block said. You dont want to raise your kids over here.

I have two kids, she said. I worry about my kids safety all the time, especially in this area.

Bodegas in the five boroughs have repeatedly become crime scenes in recent years.

In May, a Queens deli worker fatally stabbed a Bronx man who was choking him inside the store, while another man was stabbed to death in another Queens store during a fight over beer.

Fernando Mateo, spokesman for United Bodegas of America, said he is declaring a state of emergency for the small-business owners given ongoing violence. Robert Mecea

In April a bystander was shot and killed during an armed robbery at a bodega in The Bronx, and in February, a Brooklyn deli worker was shot in the back in a dispute over cigars, police said.

According to NYPD stats, robberies at bodegas and small stores in the city had already more than doubled midway through 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, with the small-time merchants repeatedly calling for help from City Hall.

By the end of 2023, The Post reported that more and more bodega workers were arming themselves.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is investigating after a man was fatally shot in the middle of the afternoon on Sunday.

Officers responded to the 200 block of 37th Place SE just after 2:10 p.m. There, they found 19-year-old Jerry Hardy III, of Southeast, who had been shot, lying on the sidewalk.

MPD: 17-year-old arrested in Florida in connection to deadly shooting in DC

He died at the scene.

As of Sunday, MPD said people should be on the lookout for a grey Nissan sedan with Maryland tags, silver mirrors, and tinted windows. It was last seen driving toward Ridge Road, Southeast.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Departments tip line at 50411. MPD offers rewards of up to $25,000 to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest and conviction.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
A Google Maps street view shows the front of The Dolphin and Anchor Wetherspoons in Chichester (Google Maps )

Two people have been arrested after a man was killed in a pub hours after Englands Euro 2024 game against Denmark, with third man wanted for questioning by police.

The 57-year-old suffered fatal head injuries at The Dolphin and Anchor Wetherspoon in Chichester, West Sussex after the England draw with Denmark on Thursday.

The victim was assaulted at around 11pm, according to the Sussex Police.

Paramedics attempted to provide CPR to the victim outside but they were unable to save him and he was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have since been informed.

A 30-year-old man from Birmingham has since been arrested on suspicion of murder and a 42-year-old man from County Durham was arrested on suspicion of affray. Both remain in police custody.

A third man suspected of affray has been identified, and police are appealing for anybody who knows where he is to come forward.

Police are also appealing for anyone who was present at The Dolphin and Anchor Wetherspoons during the incident to come forward with information.

Detective Chief Inspector Suzanne Joseph said: This incident led to the tragic death of a 57-year-old man, and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time.

It happened in a busy pub in the city centre, and were urging anyone with information to come forward as we seek to establish the exact circumstances.

If you saw what happened, or if you captured any relevant mobile or CCTV footage, please contact us. You can report it online or call 101, quoting Operation Arunside.

Following the incident, officers cordoned off a section of the city centre.

Sussex Police have said the public can expect to see an increased police presence in the area as enquiries continue.
Man Missing for 10 Days Found Alive in Wooded Area After Surviving Off of Wild Berries in California

Lukas McClish was rescued after witnesses reported hearing him yelling for help not far from where he was last seen

Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office/Facebook Luka McClish, courtesy of Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office

A California man, who was missing for 10 days, has been found alive.

Lukas McClish, 34, disappeared on June 11 and was found 10 days later in a wooded area in California a few miles away from where he had been last seen, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office.

On Friday, June 21, the sheriffs office shared that they received a report from witnesses who heard someone yelling for help in the Foreman Creek area off of Big Basin Highway, about five miles north of Boulder Creek, which is about 27 miles southwest of San Jose, Calif.

McClish was last seen 10 days earlier wearing all-black clothing and walking on foot in Boulder Creek, the sheriffs office previously shared.



Related: American Tourist, 64, Dies After Elephant 'Knocked' Her from Vehicle and Trampled Her in Zambia

Deputies from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Department, along with first responders from State Parks, Cal Fire and the Boulder Creek Fire Department, eventually confirmed that the voice came from McClish, and they used drones to determine his exact location.

Boulder Creek Fire Protection District Chief Mark Bingham told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that the area had steep terrain and large boulders that blocked rescuers view, and that the canyons thick tree canopies also made it difficult for helicopters to see anything.

He noted that they used speakers to pick up McClishs voice and dropped a GPS pin of where it was coming from. He said two park rangers with a K9 partner were able to get a track of McClish from off of the creek bed where he got water and the K9 led the rangers to McClishs location.

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State Parks rangers were first on scene with Lukas, and fire crews were able to assist in bringing him to safety, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office said on social media, adding that McClish had no major injuries and was reunited with his family.

McClish told local news outlet KSBW that he had only brought a flashlight and folding scissors with him when he left because he intended to go on a three-hour hike to go to work, but eventually got lost in the Santa Cruz mountains.

Related: Teen Died After Falling Off Cliff. Now His Memory Lives On in a Journal His Sister Left Behind

He said he collected water from a nearby waterfall at the canyon and would drink it out of his boots and eat wild berries he found to stay alive. He said he also slept on a bed of leaves, and though he would often call out for help hoping that someone would hear him, he also kept calm.

I felt comfortable the whole time I was out there. I wasn't worried. McClish told the outlet. I had a mountain lion that was following me, and it was cool. It kept its distance. I think it was just somebody watching over me.

Bingham told the Santa Cruz Sentinel that it was a testament to his survival skills that he stayed alive for over a week: He did have a minor injury  but, for the most part, he was disoriented and lost and surviving off of the land, which is pretty impressive to say what a tough individual he was or is.

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Read the original article on People.
Man shot, killed outside light rail station in North Sacramento. Police looking for suspects

A man who was gunned down near a North Sacramento light rail station Sunday died, according to police.

Officers were called just after 2 p.m. to the 400 block of Arden Way at Del Paso Boulevard for reports of a person shot. The suspects fled the scene that is also near the Sacramento Police and Sheriffs Memorial, according to archived audio dispatches reviewed by The Sacramento Bee.

POLICE ACTIVITY: Officers on scene of a shooting in the 400 block of Arden Way. Please avoid the area. pic.twitter.com/pwUXGOZUr3  Sacramento Police Department (@SacPolice) June 23, 2024

In an update, police said the man died. No other information about the shooting, including a suspect description or motive, was shared.

The identity of the man was expected to be released by the Sacramento County Coroners Office once relatives are notified of the mans death.

The shooting disrupted Blue Line service for a time, as Sacramento Regional Transit implemented a bus bridge between the Alkali Flat and Marconi stations, said RT spokeswoman Devra Selenis.
ST. LOUIS  A suspect allegedly stabbed a man in south St. Louis, them stole a car of someone who tried to help the victim before his arrest.

Prosecutors have charged James Fredrick Harris, 32, with armed criminal action, first-degree assault, stealing a vehicle and possession of a controlled substance amid the investigation.

More bear cub sightings reported in St. Louis County

The stabbing happened around 3:30 p.m. Friday near Grand Boulevard and Miami Street in St. Louis Gravois Park neighborhood.

According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Harris charged at the victim while he was sitting on a curb and viciously stabbed the victim several times.

Moments later, another person stopped their car to help the stabbing victim. Harris reportedly took off in that car and traveled an undisclosed distance before police stopped him, per court documents.

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The St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department reports that the victim, a 44-year-old man, was hospitalized in critical condition.

Harris was jailed at the St. Louis Justice Center without bond. Missouri court records indicate he has a history of criminal charges dating back to 2020.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Marta Segura knows it can be hard to think of heat as an emergency in Los Angeles, either because youve got the air conditioner blasting and a cold drink in your hand, or because you dont have enough money for food, let alone the electricity bill.

But she also knows that of all the natural disasters whipped up by a warming world, heat  the one she is tasked with confronting  has claimed more lives than any other climate-related cause.

Half a million people around the world die every year from illnesses linked to heat. But while hurricanes and wildfires claim their dead almost immediately, heat rarely takes credit for its work. Consistently high temperatures can accelerate deaths that are ultimately attributed to other causes: a heart attack, a runaway asthma attack, an overdose.

Nearly 4,000 Californians died as a result of excess temperatures between 2010 and 2019. And the summers are only getting hotter.

As the chief heat officer for the city of Los Angeles, it is Seguras job now to make sure we dont look away  not from those the heat has already claimed, and not from the threat that is coming for the rest of us.

'That deep connection with the communities that are impacted that she has is something that I have admired.'

Jane Gilbert, chief heat officer for Floridas Miami-Dade County

Segura works almost like the heat itself, taking up whatever space is available and subtly changing things.

Her position was created in June 2022 in response to a dramatic increase in extreme heat events. At the time she was director of the citys Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, a job she continues to hold.

The climate office has six employees and an annual budget of $1 million  less than what the city spends on street sweeping supplies . But the way Segura sees it, things dont need to have her offices imprimatur to count as solutions.

Read more: Adel Hagekhalil: Southern California's embattled 'water doctor'

People throughout city and county government  not to mention at local nonprofits and universities  are working to make life tolerable in a hotter Los Angeles. Segura says her role as chief heat officer is to find them and ensure their collective efforts are focused on getting services to the people and places that need them most.

Los Angeles is the third city in the U.S. to appoint a CHO, after Phoenix and Miami. What makes Seguras approach to the job stand out, her counterparts say, is the depth of her connection to communities most affected by heat.

She's taken that to another level, said Jane Gilbert, chief heat officer for Floridas Miami-Dade County. That deep connection with the communities that are impacted that she has is something that I have admired.

Segura, 60, recognizes her own family in those she serves. She grew up in San Jose, the second of three daughters whose parents emigrated from Mexico.

Marta Segura

Both of her parents experienced heat-related injuries at work. Her mother once fainted at a Del Monte cannery when denied water during a hot shift; her father suffered dehydration several times as a farmworker under the bracero program.

My mom and dad had many work-related accidents combined, and they had stories of those who didn't make it, Segura said. "That had a profound impact on me."

When Segura was 13, the family was evicted from a rental home hemmed in by freeways to make way for more construction. In their next home, they were sprayed by the pesticide malathion.

She carried these experiences with her to UC Santa Barbara, where she intended to major in biology. But an elective course in environmental studies changed everything. It tied it all together: her familys displacement, their exposure to pollution and pesticides, the undeniable link between an organisms health and that of its environment.

Read more: Gene Seroka: Sultan of the supply chain

It made sense to me. It made total sense, she recalled thinking. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life, because this is the problem that I'm trying to solve.

She graduated with a bachelor's degree in environmental studies and later got a masters in public health from UCLA. The lessons of San Jose have stayed with her as well.

The house near Park Mesa Heights that Segura now shares with her husband (and their son when hes home from UC Berkeley) does not have air conditioning, an absence she attributes to thrift instilled in her by her no-nonsense mother.

When it gets hot, she opens the windows and closes the shades. When it gets really hot, she leaves, either to drop in on one of the citys cooling centers to check how people are doing, or to a mall, cafe or theater.

Read more: Prophet Walker: Bridge between L.A.'s haves and have-nots

Heat is a health issue, and its also an equity one. The ability to pay to modulate ones environment  with air conditioning, perhaps, or a move to a cooler coastal neighborhood  can make the difference between life and death.

You can have two communities, literally contiguous ZIP Codes, and one will have three times the rate of the other in terms of excess emergency room visits due to heat, said Dr. David Eisenman, director of the UCLA Center for Public Health and Disasters. Thats right in your face.

Our familiarity with heat is part of what makes it so deadly, Eisenman said.

People think that they can handle it, he said. They don't really fear it. And it's going to be a challenge for us to change the culture on it.





There have always been hot days in Los Angeles. The sun is a selling point for many who choose to live here.

But heat waves  extreme heat that lasts for days and doesnt give a body the chance to recover  are longer, hotter and more frequent than they were 50 or even 20 years ago, and they're projected to become more so as the mid-century mark approaches.

The hotter it gets, the harder your body has to work to maintain an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees.

When the temperature heats up, your heart pumps harder. The capillaries beneath the surface of your skin widen to accommodate the extra blood flowing through them, and your skin turns pinker and then redder as it rushes beneath the surface.

Then you start sweating, the bodys attempt to cool itself through evaporation. As you lose that water, your blood pressure drops, a shift that can make you dizzy, nauseous and confused. If you lose too much water, you become dehydrated, making those symptoms even worse.

The hotter it gets, the harder your body has to work to maintain an internal temperature of 98.6 degrees.

By now your muscles cramp and fatigue easily due to loss of water and electrolytes. This discomfort is a warning sign to hydrate and seek shelter.

If you dont  or can't  voluntarily take a break, your body will take one for you. Heatstroke begins around a body temperature of 104. Deprived of necessary blood and oxygen, organs begin to shut down. Even if you do get help at this point  which someone will have to step in and provide for you, since youre probably too disoriented to seek it yourself  stress and inflammation may have already done permanent damage to your cells.

"We talk a lot about prevention, because once you get to that point, it is a point of no return for some people, said Dr. Jan Shoenberger, an emergency medicine professor at USCs Keck School of Medicine and chief of service in the emergency medicine department at Los Angeles General Medical Center.

At an internal temperature of 107 degrees, the membranes around your cells disintegrate. The mortality rate for heatstroke can be as high as 65%.

When I teach it to medical students, I say: Think of the body melting internally, Shoenberger said.

In August, with a heat wave looming, Segura packed the trunk of a car with paper fans emblazoned with the citys 311 services line and tips for staying safe in the heat.

She was delivering them to organizations assisting people most vulnerable to heat-induced illnesses. The trip would let her see for herself what resources they still needed.

Her first stop was the Community ReFresh Spot on Skid Row, a respite site open 24-7 with phone chargers, showers, bathrooms and cooling fans. Segura spoke with staff and then moved among people waiting their turn for a shower.

Were having a heat wave this weekend, she said, handing a fan to a thin woman in striped leg warmers. She spoke with a man who worried aloud about leaving his cat alone in the heat. (Stephany Campos of Homeless Health Care Los Angeles, one of the organizations that runs the site, stepped forward to say that pets were welcome.)

Segura reminded people to drink water  it could be had for free at the center  and that they could cool down in any of the citys open libraries or community centers.

It was a lovely late summer afternoon, the kind where its hard to imagine such a thing as too much sunshine. Many of the people she spoke with were occupied by other worries.

A tall, solidly-built man stood up as she approached. She offered him a fan but he declined, saying that he knew he couldnt hang on to it and that he didnt want to litter. He asked how hot it might get, and nodded politely when she told him of the high 90s forecast.

Read more: Mia Lehrer: Designer making beauty out of blight

Many things troubled him, he said after Segura stepped away: housing, his mental health, the harm that might come to him on the streets. But not the temperature.

Its California, he said, gesturing to the cloudless sky. What type of weather we gonna have out here?

Back in her car, Segura took a deep breath. It is her habit to look for opportunities, the footholds that can support the next step. The site already had a team of knowledgeable staff, she mused out loud  maybe she could find a way to get them more training on heat illnesses, or money for a community health educator.

It would be too late for the coming heat wave. But the grim reality was that there would doubtlessly be another.

We have to do more, she said. Not one moment should be wasted.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
BALTIMORE - A Maryland couple was among the more than 1,300 people who died during extreme heat at the Hajj pilgrimage in the Middle East.

U.S. Senate candidate Angela Alsobrooks confirmed in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that Alhaji Alieu Dausy and Haja Isatu Wurie died during a trip to Saudi Arabia.

Alsobrooks said the couple were both actively involved in their community. The woman was a volunteer for Alsobrooks' campaign, a spokesperson confirmed.

"Alhaji Alieu Dausy and Haja Isatu Wurie passed away during a pilgrimage to Mecca due to the severe heat," Alsobrooks said in a statement. "Haja Isatu Wurie was an incredibly active member of our community. She was involved in several community organizations, making transformational impacts that were felt both locally and globally. Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with their families during this difficult time. Their loss is profound, and they will be deeply missed."

It is with heavy hearts that my team and I received some devastating news today. Two beloved members of #TeamAlsobrooks, Alhaji Alieu Dausy and Haja Isatu Wurie, passed away during a pilgrimage to Mecca due to the severe heat.



Haja Isatu Wurie was an incredibly active member of pic.twitter.com/oyVMLhPo2l  Angela Alsobrooks (@AlsobrooksForMD) June 22, 2024

The couple from Bowie is believed to have died of heat stroke in 110+ degree temperatures in the sacred city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia.

"All we know is that it was natural causes and someone from the U.S. Embassy advised the natural causes could have been due to heat stroke, which based on the temperature, people were saying it was 110 degrees," their daughter Saida Wurie told CNN. "There are millions of people and they have to walk long hours. It was more than likely it was heat stroke for both of my parents."

All Muslims are required to make the Hajj once in their lives if they are physically and financially able to do so. Many wealthy Muslims make the pilgrimage more than once. According to the Quran, Islam's holy book, the rituals largely commemorate the accounts of Prophet Ibrahim and his son Prophet Ismail, Ismail's mother Hajar and Prophet Muhammad.

According to CBS News, the Hajj, the timing of which is determined by the lunar Islamic calendar, fell again this year during the oven-like Saudi summer.

Every year, tens of thousands of pilgrims attempt to perform the hajj through irregular channels as they cannot afford the often costly official permits, CBS News says.

This group was more vulnerable to the heat because, without official permits, they could not access air-conditioned spaces provided by Saudi authorities for the 1.8 million authorized pilgrims to cool down after hours of walking and praying outside.

Saida Wurie said her parents saved up their life savings for this excursion.

"They saved their life savings, I think it was about $11,500 per person, that they saved their entire lives to embark on this journey," she said. "They didn't receive the proper preparation and proper documents. It was just a nightmare experience of a trip."

John Dickerson: What's the point of a Biden-Trump debate?

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When Social Security mistakenly overpays benefits, you might get a bill | 60 Minutes
Dont mess with Texas. The motto perfectly represents our state and its people, who have always been known for their rugged strength and independence. They are willing to do whatevers necessary to preserve their independence and way of life.

Our nation and its leaders could learn from Texas. Unfortunately, under President Bidens leadership, the U.S. has exhibited weakness on the world stage time and time again. Since the fall of Afghanistan, our adversaries have grown more emboldened and more determined in their efforts to see the U.S. fail. Today, were engaged in an all-out fight for the global balance of power. Our primary adversary: the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

As the first Texan to chair the powerful House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ive consistently worked to promote U.S. strength and leadership. And that work includes visiting and expressing support for our allies around the world  even when it angers the CCP.

Last month, I led my second congressional delegation to Taiwan, a nation constantly faced with the threat of a CCP invasion. Taiwan is one of our most important and strategic partners. Approximately 90% of the worlds most advanced semiconductors  which power electronics, automobiles and U.S. weapons systems  are made on the island. If China invades, it could lead to an electronic shutdown spanning the entire world. Only a demonstration of U.S. strength and deterrence will keep that from happening.

To show my support for Taiwan, I gifted the newly-inaugurated President Lai with a Stetson cowboy hat, symbolizing the rugged strength and independence of the Texas cowboy.

The last time I visited Taiwan, China greeted me with warships and 70 fighter jets surrounding the island. Then, they sanctioned me. This time, they used online trolls and propaganda accounts  including one named the the Dragon of the East  to discredit my trip.

But this Cowboy from the West wasnt intimidated by the CCPs scare tactics. Just last week, I led a bipartisan delegation to India to meet with the Dalai Lama to reiterate U.S. support for the Tibetan peoples right to self-determination in the face of violent oppression by the CCP. In response, the CCP warned us not to go and, when we refused, began attacking me once again with their online trolls.

But that wont stop me from doing whats right and standing up for the people of Tibet, who were forced to flee their home 65 years ago after the Chinese Communist Party annexed Tibet and slaughtered tens of thousands of innocent Tibetans.

U.S. Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and his wife, Linda McCaul, met with Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama in India on Wednesday, (Credit: Provided by Office of His Holiness the Dalai Lama)

To save his people, the Dalai Lama led more than 80,000 of his followers on a perilous journey  4,000 kilometers  through the Himalayas to safety. Despite experiencing so much violence at the hands of the CCP, he has maintained inner peace and continues to preach compassion.

I was honored to meet His Holiness and reaffirm that Tibet has a right to self-determination  free from repression and from the CCPs heavy hand.

I also met with Prime Minister Modi and emphasized how we must work together to send a powerful message of deterrence to the Chinese Communist Party. When the worlds two largest democracies stand hand-in-hand, freedom and democracy win over tyranny and oppression. I invited the prime minister to visit me in Texas to meet our large Indian diaspora and to witness Texans inner strength for himself.

Our country and its leaders need more of that strength to push back against our adversaries and create a safer and more peaceful world. President Reagan said it best when he said, We maintain the peace through our strength; weakness only invites aggression.

While Im deeply proud to represent the United States of America abroad, Im even prouder to carry the Texan spirit of strength and independence wherever I go.

McCaul, a Republican, is the U.S. congressman representing Texas' 10th Congressional District, which includes parts of Austin and Central Texas. McCaul is chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. This commentary appears exclusively in the American-Statesman.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: McCaul: I was proud to carry the Texas spirit to Taiwan and India
One person has been seriously hurt following a shooting in Uptown Charlotte early Sunday morning, according to MEDIC.

The incident occurred around 3:30 a.m. on East 5th Street near North Tryon Street.

MEDIC said the victim was taken to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.

ALSO READ: Mother relieved after police arrest sons alleged killer

It is unclear what led up to this shooting.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.

VIDEO: Mother relieved after police arrest sons alleged killer
A mayor has been found murdered in southern Mexico, local authorities announced Saturday, less than a week after another politician was assassinated in the same region plagued by cartel violence.

The murder of Acacio Flores, who represents Malinaltepec, comes days after the killing of Salvador Villalba Flores, another mayor from Guerrero state elected in June 2 polls.

Acacio Flores / Credit: Facebook

Prosecutors in Guerrero said in a statement that Flores' death had been ruled a homicide and agents of the Ministerial Investigative Police were probing the case.

The body of Flores was discovered with a bullet wound to the back of the head in the back of a van in Malinaltepec, a human rights campaigner told AFP.

The rights activist had been involved in negotiations to free the politician after he was detained Thursday in an indigenous village. The mayor, who belongs to the Solidarity Encounter Party (PES), was attacked and kidnapped while traveling to Alacatlazala, local media reported.

Guerrero's public prosecutor said an investigation into aggravated murder had been opened, with a possible land ownership dispute part of the probe. In a statement on social media, Guerrero's governor, Evelyn Salgado Pineda, said she strongly condemned the murder and vowed that authorities would "identify, locate and bring to justice the people responsible."

In the days leading up to his death, Flores had taken to social media to say he was "delivering results" and "leaving a mark on the most remote villages of the municipality."

Since Mexico's campaign season began last September, around 30 political candidates have been killed, according to Data Civica, a non-governmental organization.

In Mexico's general election on June 2, leftist Claudia Sheinbaum was elected by an overwhelming majority as the first woman president of the country.

Two female politicians have been killed since the election. Earlier this month, a local councilwoman was gunned down as she was leaving her home in Guerrero. Her murder came a few days after the mayor of a town in western Mexico and her bodyguard were killed outside of a gym, just hours after Sheinbaum won the presidency.

Guerrero, one of the states most affected by drug cartel violence given its location along Mexico's Pacific coast, recorded 1,890 murders in 2023. It is among six states in Mexico that the U.S. State Department advises Americans to completely avoid, citing crime and violence.

Guerrero is also the home of the Acapulco, a resort city that was once a playground for the rich and famous but in recent years has been plagued by violence. Last month, five people were killed in an armed attack in Acapulco, just three days after 10 other bodies were found in the resort city.

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New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Sunday praised President Joe Bidens balanced approach in toughening security at the border while ensuring protections for undocumented immigrants.

The Democratic governor told Margaret Brennan on CBS Face the Nation that Bidens June 4 executive action on immigration  which allows him to suspend asylum claims when crossings surge  is very important for a border state like New Mexico, where risks are present every day related to human trafficking, drugs, guns, and other contraband. But Biden also rounded out his policy by granting federal protections to undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens, Grisham said.

I need security first and foremost. You cant protect everybody else and, make no mistake, New Mexico just like everywhere else around the country, suffers from the number of drugs, guns, and related nefarious issues that are exacerbated by not having people in the right places at the border, Grisham said. I also appreciate that he did something about all these other families.

Last Tuesday, Biden announced a major policy initiative streamlining the path to citizenship for some undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens in a program known as parole in place. The program will shield an estimated 550,000 undocumented immigrants residing in the United States from deportation.



Bidens administration additionally said DACA recipients and Dreamers who have earned a college degree or higher in the U.S. and have received a job offer from a U.S. employer in a field related to their degree will more quickly receive work visas.

The new protections for undocumented immigrants, which came only weeks after Bidens southern border clampdown, followed a wave of flak from progressive Democrats who criticized the president for taking a more conservative approach. A coalition of immigrant advocacy groups  including the American Civil Liberties Union  are currently suing the Biden administration over that executive action.

When asked about the ACLUs lawsuit, which claims Bidens directive does not differ legally from a Trump administration move that was blocked by the courts, Grisham said: It bothers me that thats the point of view that theyre taking.

Were not separating families. Were making it really clear you can come through a port of entry, Grisham said. I have a president that, unlike Congress  is willing to focus on security, fairness, whether thats in one or two different decisions, and creating, I hope, a pathway for Congress to stop listening to a candidate who continues it try to score political points instead of solve problems for states like mine and American families. Hes doing both.

In the face of extreme heat across the country, Grisham said she has not seen any spikes in border crossings outside of ports of entry or heat-related issues for asylum-seekers but remains aware of the potential risk. Some advocates have warned that Bidens asylum restrictions may encourage migrants to take more dangerous journeys in severe weather conditions to enter the U.S.
Michigan group offers counseling to trans clients in states where they otherwise might go without

Stand with Trans tent at the Motor City Pride even in Detroit. June 9, 2024. (Jon King/Michigan Advance)

Gender-affirming care.

Its a phrase that evokes a myriad of opinions, many of them focused on hormone treatment and surgery for trans individuals. And yet, long before either of those options becomes a possibility, therapy is almost always a requirement, especially when adolescents are involved.

But where and how trans-identifying youth obtain that therapy can be a major barrier to receiving the proper care.

According to the latest report from Human Rights Watch, nearly 114,000 transgender youth between the ages of 13 and 17 live in the 24 states that have enacted a ban on youth access to gender affirming care as of April. That equates to 38% of all transgender youth nationwide.

With that in mind, a Michigan-based organization has initiated a program to surmount those barriers, regardless of geography.

Farmington-based Stand with Trans is a nonprofit that was created in 2015 by Roz Keith after her own child had come out as transgender, has recently launched a Therapy Assistance Program (TAP) to provide trans-affirming mental health care for transgender and non-binary youth.

Any trans person thats 24 or under can apply through the form online to receive assistance so that they can see a therapist, but its not just any old therapist. We make sure that theyre equipped to deal with trans issues and have experience working with people in the age range, Eridian Dempsey, the TAP coordinator who also leads the Stand with Trans Youth Advisory Board, told the Michigan Advance.

The appointments are done online, making it available to individuals no matter where they live.

The program runs in Michigan, Utah, Wyoming, California, but only in the Bay Area in California, and Florida, said Dempsey. Some of those areas dont necessarily have a lot of resources for trans, or even just queer folk in general, so its kind of a resource in those areas where there isnt a lot.

Dempsey says they have also recently added Ohio, Indiana and Tennessee to the program.

Having that resource can make all the difference in how positive an outcome that trans youth experience.

The World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) is an international organization of health professionals whose mission is to promote evidence based care, education, research, public policy, and respect in transgender health.

According to their latest Standards of Care, health care professionals working with gender diverse adolescents should undertake a comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment of adolescents who present with gender identity-related concerns, prior to considering other options such as using puberty blockers or initiating hormone treatment.

Treatment in this context (e.g., with limited or no assessment) has no empirical support and therefore carries the risk that the decision to start gender-affirming medical interventions may not be in the long-term best interest of the young person at that time, states WPATH.

Providing care where it is needed most

For youth in a red state like Florida, where the political and social climate is actively hostile to health care for trans and non-binary individuals, Dempsey said, opportunities to receive therapy are limited at best.

Around the start of this year we got funding from the Feel Something Foundation, that was for Florida, in particular, they said. And I think that came at a really crucial time because Floridas not not been great, but it feels like over the past year its just got so much worse.

Dempsey says having spoken with LGBTQ+ people living in Florida, the level of bigotry being experienced day-to-day makes it clear how much of a need there is.

I often will do things to outreach over there and its like, You are going to universities? And theyre like, Were no longer allowed to have an LGBTQ center. And Im like, Are you kidding me? said Dempsey. It is shocking, so to have this as a resource for people in those states is so important.

Even in states like Michigan, which has added protections for the LGBTQ+ community into law, finding a therapist to properly assist trans and non-binary youth can still be difficult.

When you live in a small town, how many therapists that you go to are going to respect your pronouns and understand the special issues that come with being part of the LGBTQ+ community? Probably not many, Amber Kennedy told the Advance.

Kennedy is a licensed therapist in Michigan specializing in transgender and non-binary youth who works with MichiganSafeSpace.com (MSS), which in turn partners with Stand with Trans to provide counselors for the Therapy Assistance Program.

She says Stand with Trans is great at surmounting one of the initial barriers for many: the cost.

They reached out to us when they started the program, said Kennedy. It was aimed at helping those who are within the LGBTQ+ community, specifically trans youth that maybe didnt have access to good insurance, where copays were a barrier to gaining service, to get them basically a stipend.

Kennedy says that instead of billing insurance, they receive a payout from Stand with Trans that covers whatever copays or other fees are required. The organization is funded by donations and grant funding, including from the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan.

It removes that barrier of I cant afford therapy so Im not going to receive therapy, she said, adding that she had some clients whose insurance changed and no longer covered the sessions, but by applying and being accepted for the Therapy Assistance Program, they could continue.

So that was also really cool to be able to do. Its actually helped my clientele outside of Stand with Trans to become a part of Stand with Trans so that they didnt lose services, said Kennedy.

Once cost is no longer an issue, she said it then comes down to finding an affirmative therapist.

Which is a way of saying, I see your identity, I accept your identity, Im gonna honor your pronouns, etc. And finding those locally, she said. But the problem with that is when you live in a small town, how many therapists that you go to are going to respect your pronouns and understand the special issues that come with being part of the LGBTQ+ community? Probably not many.

Kennedy says TAP helps to overcome that barrier and give people the opportunity to receive the therapy that they need and might otherwise not get.

A student at Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans holds a transgender Pride sign that reads My Joy equals Revolution during a walkout event at the school to mark Transgender Day of Visibility.

Expanding to meet a growing need

The TAP is just one manifestation of the expansion that Stand with Trans has undergone in recent years, especially since the pandemic made clear the isolation many in the trans community were struggling with.

Were now a national organization, especially with TAP being in Florida, Wyoming, Utah, the Bay Area, Michigan, of course, said Lev Levett, who was the organizations program manager when the Advance interviewed them in March.

We have a lot more national attraction and were out there, so were trying to help as many people as possible, and its definitely tough being a small organization, but we are growing and I think that were absolutely having an impact on anyone that we service, Levett said.

They said while TAP is absolutely an important piece of what they provide, Stand with Trans also has a variety of engagement programs that bring people together over shared interests. One of those they are most excited about is the Banned Books Club.

Funded by a grant from the Flagstar Foundation, the fully free and all-virtual program picks books from queer and trans authors that have been banned in one form or another. Levett says it provides an important way for members to both express their lived experiences and also learn new perspectives.

We had our first meeting in February, and for each quarter theres a theme, they said. So those themes are BIPOC voices for January, February, March, being [as] Black History Month [is in] February, and its a very important voice of course. Relationships was another one. Intersectionality. And then trans voices specifically, which most of these books have some sort of queer trans element to it.

Two people fly a rainbow LGBTQ pride flag and a transgender pride flag in front of the Colorado Capitol building during a celebration

Levett said that each quarter they invite an art therapist to host a portion of the program who helps participants create a piece around that months selection using simple supplies that people would have at home.

They also said while Stand with Trans typically serves 13- to 24-year-old trans and non-binary youth, the Banned Book Club is open to all ages.

So if you have a 6, 7-year-old with a parent [or] guardian to watch over during that session, theyre more than welcome because 25% to 30% of the books for the year are childrens books, said Levett. We have a lot of tween books, teen books, and anything that is, you know, maybe 18-plus or even 13-plus. We always give a warning about that content, trigger warnings and stuff. But it is essentially for anyone.

Levett says the club is just another example of providing spaces for individuals to be themselves and feel safe, which they also do through the myriad of support groups they offer.

The support groups were pretty much the bread and butter for a long time, and still are definitely essential to our model and our organization in general, they said. Some are virtual, some are in person. The in-person ones would take place in different parts of Michigan, but we have all different kinds. I mean, we have a trans-male group, a trans-woman group; we have parents of trans-kids groups, parents of trans-teens, tween groups, non-binary.

Levett emphasized that the facilitators who run the groups are licensed professionals, with a preference for trans, non-binary, or queer identifying individuals to offer that kind of representation, although it isnt a requirement.

Its important to have a space that you can be safe, comfortable, be yourself, meet other people like you, especially if maybe its not a good environment at school for you to be out or you dont have a supportive family, they said. Doing this work is super-important. Now more than ever, things are terrifying and hard and scary. So, people need our services now more than ever, and Im happy to be a part of that.

A rock in your shoe

Because she specializes in working with clients as young as 7 years old, Kennedy is often asked whether its appropriate to be talking about gender identity issues with children. However, she says one thing she has learned in her position is that the kids themselves will often have the answers before adults can even figure it out.

I think that the best way it was described to me from a 7-year-old. Somebody had asked this young client of mine, Why are you non-binary? How do you know? And my client looks at me and they go, Amber, when did you know that you were a girl? And I was just like, I always knew that and they were like, Exactly! and just kind of stared at me, said Kennedy. And this coming from a 7-year-old. And in that moment I think it just kind of opened my eyes. Why are we questioning these kids?

Kennedy says it can get tricky when first talking with the parents of her younger clients, in which she tries to determine where everyone involved is at in what she likes to call the childs gender quest.

Are we changing our pronouns? Do parents accept that? Do parents use pronouns at home? I can see a parents perspective, and so I try really hard in navigating that, of trying not to overstep boundaries, she said.

However, Kennedy says as the process plays out, even open and accepting parents will learn things about their own child they hadnt expected.

I have had youth, upon intake, I think that theyre just queer [because] thats how parents have presented them, she said. And then the next session when parents arent present, the kid is like, Oh, Im actually non-binary, these are my pronouns, this is my preferred name. And parents dont know this yet. Theyre accepting of their sexuality, but theyre not accepting of their gender identity.

Participants in the Portland Pride Parade on Congress Street. June 15, 2024.

But once those issues are settled, Kennedy says just navigating the world at large becomes overwhelming for some of her clients. She saw that with the February death of Nex Benedict, a 16-year-old nonbinary Oklahoma teen who died a day after being knocked unconscious in a fight in a school bathroom. Despite authorities ruling the death as as suicide, Kennedy says she believes it was still the result of the harassment they endured and that several youth who came into their TAP session the week after it happened had what she called extra heaviness.

Kennedy says many of her clients are forced to see the world through a lens that sometimes the adults in their lives arent able to process and are keenly aware of anti-LGBTQ+ measures in states like Florida.

There was one youth I had whose parents were like, Lets go to Disney World this summer and [the client] came to session and was like, I dont feel safe in Florida. I dont know if I want to go to Disney World. And for a kid to turn down Disney World because they dont feel safe in the state? So yes, the political climate, definitely, as long as the kids are aware of it, they definitely bring it to session, said Kennedy.

And in a society in which LGBTQ+ youth are more than four times as likely to attempt suicide than their peers with at least one attempt every 45 seconds, Kennedy says providing the counseling that TAP makes possible is more critical than ever.

Imagine a pair of shoes, if they fit perfectly and theyre comfortable, youre not going to notice youre really wearing them, right? But if they dont fit and theyre too tight, or theres a rock in your shoe, youre going to constantly focus on that, she said. Youre not going to be able to complete your basic needs until you get that rock out of your shoe. So how can we expect these kids who are living in a body that feels foreign to them and wrong to be functioning members of society, when they dont feel at home in their own body?

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This report was first published by Michigan Advance, part of the States Newsroom nonprofit news network. Its supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan J. Demas for questions: info@michiganadvance.com. Follow Michigan Advance on Facebook and X.

The post Michigan group offers counseling to trans clients in states where they otherwise might go without appeared first on Louisiana Illuminator.
DETROIT (AP)  A Michigan county sheriffs deputy was fatally shot while pursuing a suspected stolen vehicle in Detroit, the Oakland County sheriffs office said Sunday.

Bradley J. Reckling, who was on duty in an unmarked car, was following a 2022 Chevy Equinox Saturday evening after the vehicle was reported stolen earlier in the day from Red Oaks Waterpark in suburban Madison Heights, authorities said.

Reckling and other detectives had been searching for the suspected stolen vehicle and found it in Detroit. Reckling was following it when the vehicle suddenly stopped, people got out and shot the detective in the head, chest and torso, according to Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard.

It was an ambush, Bouchard said at a news conference Sunday.

He said three individuals were taken into custody. Detroit police were continuing the investigation.

Reckling, of Rochester Hills, was a nine-year veteran. He was a married father of three with a fourth child on the way, according to Bouchard.

Bouchard said the shooting comes at a particularly difficult time for the department. Earlier this month, the county sheriffs office responded to a shooting at a suburban Detroit splash pad.

Things like this are soul crushing, Bouchard said.

The sheriffs office says donations made to Mission Oakland will go directly to Recklings family.

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Some residents were on high alert after Edwards Air Force Base officials announced that a single, controlled detonation may be seen and heard in parts of the Mojave Desert.

Base officials told residents and base personnel that the areas possibly affected by the blast may include Edwards Air Force Base, California City, Barstow, Mojave, Helendale and Boron.

Some residents were on high alert after Edwards Air Force Base officials announced that a single, controlled detonation may be seen and heard in parts of the Mojave Desert.

The Air Force Research Laboratory Rocket Propulsion Division performed the controlled detonation sometime between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from June 14 to 18, four days short of the detonation time period.

Edwards Air Force Base Chief of Media Operations Mary Kozaitis told the Daily Press on Tuesday that the controlled detonation was successfully completed, with no additional scheduled detonations at this time.

The military did not reveal the purpose or the time of the controlled detonation.

As of Tuesday night, no one in the High Desert reported seeing or hearing any detonation in that area.

Several residents shared on social media that they were concerned that the sound from the detonation would frighten their animals.

Patrick Nance posted on social media about the detonation, I want to wear my Marvin the Martian costume and constantly ask Wheres the kaboom? I didnt hear a kaboom!

The Air Force Research Laboratorys mission is to meet current and future technology needs via its unique facilities and state-of-the-art equipment in locations around the world, the military stated.

The research laboratory leads the discovery, development and delivery of warfighting technologies for air, space and cyberspace forces, military officials said.

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: Military detonation completed at Edwards Air Force Base
Russian troops attacked Kharkiv Oblast with 35 glide bombs in the past 24 hours, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, said on national television on June 23.

Russia recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-biggest city after Kyiv, with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

According to Voloshyn, Russian troops launched a total of 20 airstrikes using 35 glide bombs and one missile strike on Kharkiv Oblast in the past day. Just one village of Lyptsi in Kharkiv Oblast endured attacks using 17 glide bombs, he said.

Later in the day, the Khortytsia group of forces posted on Telegram that as of 2:30 p.m. on June 23, from the direction of Belgorod, Russian troops had already dropped 29 glide bombs "on positions of our forces and settlements."

"Hlyboke, Vovchansk, Vovchanski Khutory, and Lyptsi were under attack. In the Lyptsi area, Russian troops dropped 23 guided bombs," the post reads.

Earlier on June 22, Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv with glide bombs, killing three people and injuring 54.

Three glide bombs hit an enterprise in the Kholodnohirskyi district, and another one struck a five-story residential building in the Osnovianskyi district. The attack was reportedly launched from Belgorod Oblast, the regional prosecutor's office reported.

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Update: At 7:33 p.m., the Sacramento Police Department said Maya was located safely.

(FOX40.COM)  The Sacramento Police Department is asking for the publics help to find a missing teenage girl.

SPD said the name of the missing girl is Maya Salas. She is 13 years old, 4 feet 11, and weighs 100 lbs. Salas is described as having black hair and hazel eyes.

Salas was last seen on Saturday morning around 11:15 a.m. in the 2500 block of Taft Street. She was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, red shorts, and black and red Nike Shoes.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is advised by police to call the Sacramento Police Department at 916-808-5471.

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New Mississippi law could take the squatting out of Scrapin. Car enthusiasts are divided

A soon to take effect law will change Scrapin the Coast by making the operation of a popular type of vehicle illegal in the Magnolia State.

House Bill 349 makes the operation of a squatted vehicle, defined as a vehicle whose front fender is raised four inches higher than its rear, a misdemeanor. It was signed into law by Gov. Tate Reeves in May and goes into effect on July 1.

The new law makes this years event the last time squatted vehicles can legally drive to the automotive show.

A variety of vehicles slowly parade down U.S. 90 for Scrapin the Coast.

Squatted trucks arrived in droves this weekend for Scrapin the Coast. A slow-moving and heavily police-patrolled U.S. 90 bore witness to hundreds of hot rods, lowriders and muscle cars, but most prominently spectators said, squatted trucks.

Some anti-squat Scrapin enthusiasts said the law was a good thing. The squat makes the windshields of those vehicles point up, thus significantly inhibiting the road visibility of the driver and amplifying a blindspot.

Those guys are looking at the sky, said Pass Christian resident Colton Ladner, who has been attending Scrapin for years.

Ladner said he doesnt understand the draw or style of squatted trucks and believes that the new law will force Scrapin the Coast to return to being a show of classic cars and lowriders. Banning the trendier truck mods might actually boost the events attendance, he said, because lots of people are deterred by squatted vehicles.

Ladner brought his 1978 Ford F-150, which is lifted 20 inches and boasts 24-inch tires, to the event. Its been an ongoing project of his for years that he said hes poured well over $100,000 into. Lots of squatted vehicles are already lifted, he explained, which further exacerbates the blind spot problem. Drivers of lifted vehicles should already be aware of how far off the ground they are.

Many out-of-state visitors were unaware of the law thats soon to go into effect.

Trey Barnerd (far left) and friends pose in the back of his squatted Ford F-150.

Trey Barnerd from Mobile said he wasnt aware of the new law thats going into effect prior to the event. It was his first time attending Scrapin the Coast. He said hes not deterred from coming back again next year in his squatted, kitted and modern Ford F-150. He values the squat job at around $10,000.

I respect cops and the law and all that, Barnerd said. But I dont really get this law on squatting.

Some drivers of squatted vehicles said theyd take the risk of getting a ticket the next time they attend Scrapin the Coast. They said critics have no business in telling them how to outfit their vehicles.

According to the bill text, the first 180 days of the law specifies that law enforcement are to issue warnings.

Beyond the warning period, first offenses will cost drivers $100, second offenses will cost $200 and third and subsequent offenses will cost $300 and result in the suspension of the drivers license.

A man, dressed as a chicken, poses in his off road vehicle at the Gulf Coast Coliseum for Scrapin the Coast.
Massud Peseschkian (C), presidential candidate of the reformist camp, arrives at an election rally in the capital. Iran is holding a new presidential election on 28 June 2024 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others in a helicopter crash. Arne Bansch/dpa

During Iran's election campaign, the moderate presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian has criticized the country's strict headscarf policy for women.

"I promise that I will stop this behaviour that is happening to our daughters and sisters on the streets," the former health minister said in front of hundreds of supporters in Tehran on Sunday.

Recently, the so-called guardians of morality have once again stepped up their efforts to enforce the compulsory wearing by women of headscarves on the streets.

"I promise the teachers and students who were expelled from university for no reason that I will not allow this to happen again," he added.

During the protests led by women in the autumn of 2022, universities punished critical voices and, for example, expelled students who opposed the headscarf requirement.

Pezeshkian campaigned for renewed trust between a potential moderate government and the population.

The Guardian Council, an Islamic supervisory body, has only approved six candidates for the election on June 28. Pezeshkian is the only moderate candidate for the presidency.

Among the conservative forces, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Saeed Jalili, former chief negotiator in the nuclear negotiations, are considered the most promising candidates.

The new election was called after the late president Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash on May 19.

Many people in Iran are disillusioned in the face of political repression, an economic crisis and the failed attempts at reform in recent decades. They have lost faith in major domestic political change.

In the autumn of 2022, the death of the young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini sparked nationwide protests against the hardline Islamic system of rule.

Voter turnout in this year's parliamentary elections reached a record low of around 40%.

Supporters of the presidential candidate of the reformist camp Massud Peseschkian cheer at an election rally in the capital. Iran is holding a new presidential election on 28 June 2024 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others in a helicopter crash. Arne Bansch/dpa

Massud Peseschkian, presidential candidate of the reformist camp, speaks at an election rally in the capital. Iran is holding a new presidential election on 28 June 2024 following the death of President Ebrahim Raisi and seven others in a helicopter crash. Arne Bansch/dpa
Sunday, June 23 marks International Women in Engineering Day. The celebration promotes the work that women engineers are doing across the globe, including those close to home. For the Monmouth College community, this day has a special significance.

On campus, half a dozen young women are currently studying engineering.

Ive been fascinated by engineering for as long as I can remember, Ella Goodrich 25 of Minonk, Illinois said. My love for math and physics naturally drew me toward it. After starting at Monmouth, I realized that engineering was indeed the perfect fit for my interests.

Monmouths engineering and physics faculty contributes to the success of their students and their ability to feel comfortable in the field.

Im incredibly grateful for our engineering professors  they are some of the most supportive and compassionate people Ive met, Goodrich said. Despite the engineering field being predominantly male, our professors ensure equality for all students and make every student feel valued.

Among a group of several Monmouth alumnae already working as engineers are Kara Young Boyles 95 and Kai Kraut 93. Boyles is the city engineer for South Bend, Indiana, and Kraut owns her own engineering firm in Honolulu. Previously, she served as the deputy director of transportation services in Honolulu, a press release said.

Despite this, Monmouth physics professor Chris Fasano recognizes that there is still a long way to go. Engineering is still a very male-dominated field, and education is an important step towards changing that.

We offer a broad education, small classes and individual attention, all of which are a way to attract more women to the field, Fasano said. We want them to use and develop their engineering skills and their communication skills and to be able to weigh the ethical implications of their work.

According to Fasano, one way that the college does this is by connecting students with the outside world through conferences, research projects and similar opportunities. Students also get the chance to take part in different projects and experiences throughout their time at Monmouth.

One of the most memorable experiences Ive had was taking apart and reassembling an air conditioner unit, Goodrich said. In lectures, we were studying how they worked, and seeing it firsthand gave me a whole new perspective. I really enjoyed that hands-on experience.

Lizzie Durfee 26 of Arlington, Washington, was also part of that class. Another project she mentioned was drone work shes done with Fasano, attempting to determine the carbon monoxide level at the very top of corn crops.

The design of things has always fascinated me, so getting the opportunity to truly understand the thought behind why structures are built the way they are is fun for me, said Durfee. My specific focus is mechanical engineering because I get to delve into the inner workings of projects.

One program that Monmouth offers for women interested in STEM is SOFIA, or the Summer Opportunities for Intellectual Activity program. Gianna Maughan 25 of Oak Lawn, Illinois, was one of the participants in this program.

I was a mentor for the 2023 SOFIA program, doing a project with Professor (Michael) Solontoi about exploring exoplanets, she said. It was a great experience to learn how to use a telescope and see planets, stars and nebulae. And seeing meteors streak the night sky with our naked eyes was a magical experience.

Both Maughan and Natalie Morrow 27 of Silvis, Illinois are considering biomedical engineering.

The medical field has also interested me, so designing medical technology would allow me to indulge in the mechanical process while still being a part of the medical field, said Morrow. My plans beyond Monmouth are to go to grad school for either mechanical or biomedical engineering and then get a job in industry.

Fasano is proud of the current group of women engineering students, which also include Noelle Faulk 25 of Elmhurst, Illinois, and Nicole Fitch 26 of Marengo, Illinois.

Theyre all really good, and theyre going to do great things, said Fasano. My fantasy would be that some of our women engineers go on to get advanced degrees and become professors, either here or just somewhere. Then they could be role models for the women students behind them. It would be wonderful for our graduates to become leaders in industry AND academia.

To read the full story, click here.

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More than 1,300 pilgrims died during Hajj pilgrimage marked by extreme heat

More than 1,300 people died during the Hajj pilgrimage to Islamic holy sites in Saudi Arabia this year, as temperatures soared well into the triple digits, the Saudi health minister said Sunday.

Temperatures hit a high of 125 degrees during the peak of the five-day pilgrimage, which began June 14 and centered on the holy city of Mecca.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) estimated that more than half of the deaths were unregistered pilgrims, citing a Saudi official. Unregistered pilgrims do not have access to cooling infrastructure and other amenities to survive the extreme temperatures.

Saudi officials expelled tens of thousands of unregistered pilgrims from Mecca, though AFP reported that about 400,000 unregistered pilgrims performed the Hajj this year.

About half of the deaths, at least 630 people, were Egyptians, an Egyptian Cabinet official told The Associated Press (AP).

The fatalities also included 165 pilgrims from Indonesia, 98 from India and dozens more from Jordan, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Malaysia, according to an AP tally. Two American pilgrims were also reported dead.

Causes of death were not made public, but most are believed to have died of complications related to the heat. AP reported that its journalists witnessed many pilgrims passing out and collapsing during the Hajj.

Deaths are not uncommon during the Hajj due to the immense number of people who trek to the Saudi holy sites, though this years death toll is exceptionally high. The pilgrimage has also faced deadly epidemics and stampedes in previous years, including a 2015 stampede that killed an estimated 2,400 people.

Saudi officials said 1.86 million people performed the Hajj this year. The pilgrimage, considered one of the pillars of Islam, is a required rite at least once during a Muslims lifetime.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
On June 15, Amy Smith had the police called on her as she stood outside Gateway Church in Southlake, protesting the sex abuse scandal involving the churchs founder and then-senior Pastor Robert Morris.

A week later  with Morris no longer the pastor after confessing to molesting a girl in Oklahoma starting when she was 12 years old in the 1980s  Smith was outside the megachurch again, protesting with others in support of Cindy Clemishire, who recently announced she was the young girl sexually abused by Morris.

Among those with Smith were a mother and daughter who are former members of Gateways Frisco campus, where they said a church leader was accused of sexual abuse in February 2023.

Smith became an advocate for survivors of sexual abuse after growing up in Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, where she learned about a music minister who had been accused of sexually abusing a boy.

Now, Smith, as well as other protesters, say its not enough that Morris resigned from his position at Gateway.

He should not be allowed to have a platform with that power, said Smith of Morris, a spiritual adviser for former President Donald Trump. There are levels to abuse in the church thats not just physical or sexual, but its spiritual and emotional.

Clemishire, now in her 50s, recently announced in a blog post that Morris abused her in Oklahoma and Texas between 1982 and 1987.

In 2014, Morris publicly announced in a sermon that he had previously been sexually immoral, but did not speak on the sexual abuse of Clemishire until the megachurch released a statement to the church staff on June 14, which was leaked on social media.

Internal staff communication from @GatewayPeople exec pastor Thomas Miller yesterday at 4 pm. Note the edit to not share this proactively. To my knowledge, church members have not been notified by the church yet. @thomasgateway @LSwice @PsRobertMorris @wartwatch #churchtoo pic.twitter.com/fLmWzz9kZt  Amy Smith (@watchkeep) June 15, 2024

Morris said in the statement he was involved in inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady in a home where he was staying. He continued by saying the contact he had with Clemishire was wrong but did not involve intercourse.

Pastor Robert did a phenomenal job of being open and transparent about his transgressions and his past, his moral failures, said Gateways Kenneth W. Fambro II, speaking on behalf of the elders board, which governs the church.

What we did not know was that she was 12 years old, Kimbro said, according to NBC News.

Megan Thompson holds a sign in protest of child and sexual abuse in the church outside of Gateway Church in Southlake on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

The churchs board of elders expressed their sympathies to Clemishire and her family, according to a news release.

Smith says the church has known about the abuse.

This isnt the first time that shes [Clemishire] tried to get people to listen, Smith said.

Smith told the Star-Telegram that Clemishire confronted Morris years ago and the church tried to get her to sign a non-disclosure agreement.

He [Morris] didnt repent and do this on his own, said Smith. He got caught, he got exposed and thats why he was having to resign.

Smith demands accountability from the church administration and for Morris to confess to police.

More accusations involving Gateway

According to some former Gateway members, sex abuse concerns have been raised before at the church  as recent as last year..

Anita Ishee and her daughter Nicole Ishee said they regularly attended the Gateway campus in Frisco, where they even served on a childrens ministry devoted to teaching parents how to protect their children from dangers including sex abuse.

People gather in protest of child and sexual abuse in the church outside of Gateway Church in Southlake on Saturday, June 22, 2024.

They became acquainted with a man from the church who was part of the Frisco campus leadership. In February 2023, Anita and Nicole learned the man had been accused of molesting children and they reported it to the Frisco campus leaders  only for the church to respond by telling pastors to not reveal the accusations, Anita told the Star-Telegram at Saturdays protest in Southlake.

Church leaders from Gateways Frisco campus did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Anita and Nicole say they were verbally attacked by Gateway churchgoers when they tried to publicize the allegations.

They didnt want anymore exposure, Anita said. They dont want the truth.

All we did was follow the law. It is very black and white. If you were told about a child, by law, you have to report it. That is literally all we did, said Nicole, Anitas daughter.

About two months after the Ishees approached church leadership in Frisco, the man  65-year-old Scott Gerber  was arrested on two charges of molesting a child under the age of 14 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, court records show.

He is awaiting a jury trial and his next scheduled court appearance is in October.

its just very frustrating that there are still families there in the Frisco campus that are very much supporting him and are upset with us, attacking us, Anita said.

The mother and daughter are done with Gateway Church.

Well never step foot in there again, Anita said.

As difficult as its been with what we have had to deal with for 18 months, its worth it. If we can protect one child from this, its absolutely worth it, said Anita, in tears. I would do it a thousand times over... But its gotta be exposed.
Be a more informed voter: On the August ballot

This is the ninth of several articles in a Be a More Informed Voter series by Sandy Parker of Sparker's Soapbox that will appear in the Naples Daily News in the coming months.

Collier Countys August 20 primary election ballot is set. Based on the slate of candidates running, many races will be decided on that date.

Sparker's Soapbox

What Will Be On My Ballot?

Your location determines your voting districts, so first, determine which races will be on your ballot based on your address. Click Check My Voter Info on the Supervisor of Elections website or visit the Your Representatives page on my website.

Sandy Parker

On the Ballot for All Registered Voters

All Collier voters  regardless of where in the county they live  will vote in nonpartisan primaries for two school board members and two circuit court judges:

 School Board District 2: Pamela Cunningham vs. incumbent Stephanie Lucarelli

 School Board District 4: Incumbent Erick Carter vs. Tom Henning

 Circuit Judge 20/6: Incumbent Erik Leontiev vs. Tracey Redd

 Circuit Judge 20/28: Michael Colombo vs. Incumbent Elizabeth Krier

Winners will be decided in August, as each race has only two candidates.

For Partisan Races, Your Party Affiliation Matters

Since Florida is a closed primary state, you must decide which partys primary you want to vote in and be registered with that party by July 22. Your registration will apply to all partisan races on the ballot; you cannot pick and choose. For more, see my primer on Floridas primary election process.

On the Ballot for Registered Republicans

Registered Republicans will vote in the following closed primaries:

 U.S. Senate (all Florida voters): Incumbent Rick Scott vs. John Columbus and Keith Gross. The winner will face a Democrat, a Libertarian, two No Party Affiliation candidates, and one write-in candidate in November.

 U.S. Representative District 26: Incumbent Mario Diaz-Balart vs. Richard Evans and Johnny Fratto. The winner will face Democrat Joey Atkins in November.

 Florida House District 81: Greg Folley vs. Yvette Benarroch. The winner will face Democrat Charles Chuck Work in November.

 Collier County Commission District 3: Incumbent Burt Saunders vs. John Johnson, Frank Roberts, and Floyd Tag Yarnell. The winner will face No Party Affiliation candidate Richard Conover in November.

 Supervisor of Elections (all Collier voters): Incumbent Melissa Blazier vs. Tim Guerrette and Dave Schaffel. The winner will face write-in candidate Edward Joseph Gubala in November, but for all intents and purposes, this race will be decided in August.

 Property Appraiser (all Collier voters): Vickie Downs, Richard Lussy, James Molenaar, and Julian Stokes Jr. are running for the seat currently held by Republican Abe Skinner, who did not seek another term. The winner will face write-in candidate Darren Aquino in November, but for all intents and purposes, this race will be decided in August.

 Republican State Committeeman (all Collier voters): Douglas Rankin vs. Frank Schwerin. The race will be decided in August.

 Republican State Committeewoman (all Collier voters): Incumbent JoAnn DeBartolo vs. Kristina Heuser. The race will be decided in August.

On the Ballot for Registered Democrats

Registered Democrats will vote in these closed primaries:

 U.S. Senate (all Florida voters): Stanley Campbell, Rod Joseph, Debbie Mucarsell-Powell, and Brian Rush. The winner will face the winner of the closed Republican Party primary, a Libertarian, two No Party Affiliation candidates, and one write-in candidate in November.

 U.S. Representative District 18: Peter Braunston vs. Andrea Doria Kale. The winner will face Republican incumbent Scott Franklin in November.

District 5 Universal Primary: An Exception to Floridas Closed Primary Rule

The two candidates vying for the District 5 county commissioner seat are Republicans. Under Florida law, an otherwise closed primary becomes open to all voters when all candidates for a partisan office are from the same party.

 County Commission District 5: Incumbent Bill McDaniel vs. Ralph Rodriguez. The winner will be decided in August.

Greater Naples Fire District Referendum

Voters living in the Greater Naples Fire Rescue District will decide whether to increase the districts millage rate from 1.5 to 2.0 mills for eight years for capital improvements. The referendum will be decided in August.

Where can I learn more?

For more information and future updates, sign up for a free digital subscription to Sparker's Soapbox at sparkers-soapbox.com/subscribe.

Sandy Parker is the founder and publisher of Sparkers Soapbox, which encourages and facilitates informed voting in Collier County and throughout Florida. Learn more at sparkers-soapbox.com.

This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Be a more informed voter: On the August ballot
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A motorcyclist was seriously hurt in a crash in East El Paso on Saturday night, June 22, El Paso Police said.

The crash happened at about 7:45 p.m. at Edgemere and Sisal Drive.

Special Traffic Investigations, a special unit that investigates serious or fatal crashes, is at the scene looking into the crash, police said.

Police said the person who was seriously hurt was the driver of the motorcycle. They did not say what led up to the crash or if anyone else was involved in it.

We will update this story as soon as we learn more.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
MPD: 17-year-old arrested in Florida in connection to deadly shooting in DC

MPD: 17-year-old arrested in Florida in connection to deadly shooting in DC

WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said a 17-year-old boy was arrested for his involvement in a deadly Southeast D.C. shooting that happened in March of 2023.

Police said that on March 7, 2023, at about 7:45 p.m., they responded to the 2700 block of Bruce Place for the report of a shooting.

When officers arrived at the scene, they found two men who had been shot.

One man died at the scene. He was identified as 23-year-old Dana Faulkner, of Southeast D.C.

The second man was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Soon after, police responded to the intersection of Wheeler Road and Mississippi Avenue for the report of an unconscious person.

DC pools offer a splashing good way to avoid the heat

When officers arrived, they found a teenage boy suffering from critical injuries. He died at the hospital on March 9, 2023.

He was identified as 15-year-old Abdul Fuller, of Southeast, D.C.

Police determined Fuller was injured in the Bruce Place shooting.

On Dec. 21, 2023, police arrested a 19-year-old man from Northeast D.C. He was charged with First Degree Murder while Armed (Premeditated).

On June 21, another suspect  a 17-year-old boy from Northeast D.C.  was taken to MPDs Juvenile Processing Center after being extradited from Jacksonville, Fl.

The boy was charged with Second Degree Murder while Armed in the shooting death of Dana Faulkner.

Police said the case still remains under investigation.

Anyone with information is encouraged to call police at (202) 727-9099 or text your tip to the Departments TEXT TIP LINE at 50411.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
Longtime KLKN-TV evening anchor Megan Conway said she was blindsided when she found out her contract with the ABC affiliate would not be renewed.

In a meeting on May 31, Conway said she expected to sign a new contract, but instead management told her they decided to go in a different direction and did not explain further. That was her last day at the station, where she had worked for more than 10 years. She addressed her departure on social media on Tuesday.

Conway said she was told she didnt get more of a heads-up before being terminated due to scheduling conflicts.

It has been a very, very stressful and emotional time for me and my family, Conway told the Journal Star in an interview on Saturday. I have a young family to take care of and support and being blindsided with that decision and left with no paycheck that we were depending on has been really hard.

The mother of two  a 4-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son  said she returned from maternity leave in the beginning of March.

It was a real shock, she said. I didn't think after a decade of working at the station that that's how things would be handled.

KLKN declined a request by the Journal Star to provide further details about its decision to not renew Conway's contract.

She said her contract was discussed in prior meetings, but there were no promises. On a Thursday in April, she was told management would get something to (her) early the next week. That meeting wasnt scheduled until the end of May. She said there were no signs her contract would not be renewed leading up to the meeting.

I dont think I'll probably ever fully understand the decision, she said.

Conway, who had served eight years as the evening anchor alongside Rod Fowler, was the longest-serving woman evening anchor for the station. The second-longest was about four years, she said.

Its normal for television contracts to run two to three years and for talent to sign contracts near the time their current contract is ending. But Conway said she had not heard of anyone being told they would not be coming back on the last day of their contract.

Conway interned at the station in the summer of 2013 and was hired as morning editor in February 2014 after graduating from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a degree in broadcast journalism.

Following her position as a morning editor, she worked as a reporter, weekend forecaster and morning anchor before being promoted to evening anchor in 2016.

I really loved my coworkers and everyone was always wonderful to me, she said. It was a fun place to work back in the day.

Citadel Communications owned the broadcast station when Conway was hired. In 2019, Standard Media took over.

Conway said Citadel was smaller and ran more like a mom-and-pop place. Now, its more corporate. While she said this doesnt affect viewers, it did affect employees. She said they didn't have the same relationships with management as they did before.

Conway's abrupt departure meant she didnt get the chance to thank her viewers or say goodbye on air.

I would have thanked viewers, thanked the Lincoln community and the state of Nebraska as a whole for trusting me to bring them their news on the good and the bad days for over a decade, she said.

Conway was honored that people shared their stories with her and trusted her to report fairly.

Without those viewers, we would have been nothing over the years, she said. So it's really them that I owe my career to as well, and I can't thank them enough that I was able to do my dream job in my home state for so many years. And I loved every minute of it.

Conway said her co-anchor Rod Fowler, who has worked at the station 28 years, was just as shocked as she was. As close friends, she said they cried in the parking lot that day.

"Megan Conway is one of my best friends. We sat side by side on the anchor desk for 8 years," Fowler said in a comment on Facebook, which he gave the Journal Star permission to quote. "We leaned on each other many times to get through this crazy world of news. And while we still stay very close in our personal lives, I will miss her."

Conway said its been an emotional time for her, her family and her coworkers. She has been astounded by the number of people who have reached out to her, especially her Ocho Family."

Management has not communicated with her since the meeting, but she said producers, reporters, directors and people she worked with on a day-to-day basis have been messaging her, offering help and sending flowers.

I think I've heard from almost everyone in the building at Channel 8  all of my coworkers, she said.

In addition to coworkers, she said the community has sent support.

Channel 8 brought a lot of wonderful people into my life as coworkers, but also throughout the community, she said.

Conway said her passion for news is unwavering and she has no plans to leave the journalism industry or Nebraska. Within the next few weeks, she hopes to announce her next steps.

Top Journal Star photos for June 2024
This story originally aired on Oct. 14, 2023.

It was Jan. 1, 2021, when the San Diego Sheriff's Department got a call from a man saying his friend, Jade Janks, might have killed her stepfather, Tom Merriman.

Assistant district attorneys Jorge Del Portillo and Teresa Pham tell "48 Hours" correspondent Tracy Smith that the caller "told sheriff's deputies she confessed to drugging him, suffocating him and strangling him to death."

The call triggered a search for Merriman. His body was soon found, and Janks was arrested and charged with his murder. But she said she was innocent.

A STRANGE PHONE CALL

San Diego County, California, is an idyllic place  most of the time.

CALLER (to San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.): Well, I've got a situation, last night  A friend of mine asked me to come over. She said that she had possibly killed her stepdad  CALLER:I stewed on this all night ... I barely slept  and I'm scared to death  I don't want to be part of this  I didn't have anything to do with her 

That frightened phone call came in New Year's Day 2021. The caller said his one-time girlfriend may have committed a murder.

CALLER: I don't know if she really did this.

Jorge Del Portillo: The sheriff's department received a call from a guy that said, my friend confessed to me last night that she murdered her stepfather.

San Diego County Deputy D.A. Jorge Del Portillo.

Jorge Del Portillo: He told deputies, "Hey  I don't know if what she's saying is true, I didn't see him, I  but this is something I had to tell the police."

The alleged victim was a 64-year-old man named Tom Merriman, who lived in Solana Beach, California.

Ramona Hamilton: I liked him. I thought he was very nice.

Ramona Hamilton and her husband George were Tom's neighbors. Ramona knew him better, and she found out Tom also ran an unusual business: a butterfly farm.

Ramona Hamilton: I'm a gardener and I love butterflies.

Pat Flanagan also liked butterflies. He was Tom Merriman's business partner out at the farm.

Pat Flanagan: He was my best friend.

Tracy Smith: Did he become kind of a butterfly expert?

Pat Flanagan: Oh, he is a butterfly expert.

Tracy Smith: You say, "he is."

Pat Flanagan: Yeah.

Tracy Smith: You still talk about him in the present tense?

Pat Flanagan: Yeah. I do (emotional).

It was on Dec. 31, 2020, that Tom Merriman was last seen alive. Ramona and George Hamilton saw him in his stepdaughter's SUV in their shared driveway.

George Hamilton: And he was sitting on this side on the passenger side, with his feet out, and his walker out in front of him and he looked like hell.

Tom had just spent more than two weeks in the hospital and a rehab center after a bad fall. He also had heart and liver problems.

Ramona Hamilton: He looked awful. I don't even know if he knew me.

Tracy Smith: But at the time, it just seemed like maybe he got sent home from the hospital, heavily drugged.

Ramona Hamilton: Heavily drugged  yes.

George Hamilton: That's all we knew. That's all we knew.

Jade Janks and Tom Merriman were stepdaughter and stepfather living in Solana Beach, California. Janks worked as an interior designer and Merriman was the CEO of a nonprofit called Butterfly Farms. / Credit: Facebook

And then George Hamilton saw Tom's stepdaughter, 37-year-old Jade Janks. Tom Merriman had come into Jade's life when she was 15, marrying her mom.

Jade and Tom were apparently close; she lived right next door. On this day, Jade had just driven him home.

Ramona Hamilton: He called her his daughter.

Tracy Smith: He called Jade his daughter?

Ramona Hamilton: Yes.

George Hamilton: Right.

Tracy Smith: They seemed close.

Ramona Hamilton: And they seem very close.

Ramona Hamilton: She was fixing dinner for him every night.

Ramona Hamilton: She seemed to take care of him 

Tracy Smith: What'd you think of Jade?

Ramona Hamilton: I thought she was a very pretty woman.

Jade had done some work in Ramona's apartment.

Ramona Hamilton: She was an interior  decorator.

Heather Pearce: That's Jade.  she can be a tomboy and a girlie girl all in the same day.  she can  get herself dirty for work, carrying rocks and concrete in her pickup truck  And  we're dressed up  ready to go to, like, a nice fancy dinner.

Heather Pearce grew up next door to Jade in San Diego County.

Heather Pearce: Jade was very cool  I loved being around her.

Jade was 13 years older.

Heather Pearce: She's definitely a little more than a big sister and a little less than a mom  her energy was just very strong  loving and caring and genuine and, so when you're around her, you feel good.

She also knew Jade's stepdad, Tom Merriman.

Heather Pearce: I think she always just loved him and cared about him.

Back at Tom's place in Solana Beach, it was now Jan. 1  the day after he'd gotten back from the rehab center, the day after the Hamiltons had seen him looking so poorly in the driveway.

This time they only saw Jade in the driveway. She was standing by a pile of trash and boxes.

George Hamilton: I saw her out at the side here with the boxes and cartons  a little while later  there's a knock on the door  And she come to the door to tell me that she'd made a mess down there  but she'd clean it up later.

It was a few hours later when law enforcement pulled into their driveway.

CALLER (to San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.): I'm scared to death ... I don't want to be part of this  I didn't have anything to do with her 

They came to investigate that strange phone call  the one that claimed Tom Merriman had been murdered.

Jorge Del Portillo: They were trying to find Tom. Where is Tom?

Jorge Del Portillo: They walked by this pile of trash in the driveway.

Jorge Del Portillo: They  they knocked on his door. They went inside.

They didn't find Tom, but they did see his stepdaughter.

Jorge Del Portillo: When they saw Jade Janks driving out of her driveway, they pulled her over, brought her in for questioning and asked that very question, "Where is Tom?"

At the police station, Jade said she was cold, so they gave her a blanket.

Jade Janks was wrapped in a blanket while being interviewed at the San Diego County Sheriff's Department because she said she was cold. / Credit: San Diego Superior Court North County Division

DETECTIVE: Well, we're trying to find Tom  do you know where Tom is?

JADE JANKS: No.

DETECTIVE: His family hasn't seen him for over 48 hours, so 

JADE JANKS: He just got released from the hospital yesterday.

DETECTIVE: OK. Did you see him yesterday?

JADE JANKS: Yeah. I picked him up from the hospital.

DETECTIVE: OK. Do you know where he went?

JADE JANKS: No  what can you tell me other than he's just missing?

DETECTIVE: We don't know where he's at, we're trying to find him.

Eventually they let Jade go, but there was still no sign of Tom. Officers spent all night combing through his apartment looking for clues.

Then, just after the first morning light, one of the officers was walking down the driveway towards Tom's apartment when she saw that pile of trash.

There's a wheelbarrow, some boxes and some bags.

The pile of trash that investigators found in Tom Merriman's driveway when they came to investigate the phone call that he may have been killed. / Credit: San Diego Superior Court North County Division

Jorge Del Portillo: She removed a trash bag from that trash and immediately saw the silhouette of a man.

Tracy Smith: And there he was. Tom Merriman.

Jorge Del Portillo: Tom Merriman  laid dead and buried.

HOW DID TOM MERRIMAN DIE?

Jorge Del Portillo: I've never seen that.  I've never seen a case where a body was buried under a pile of trash in the driveway.

The apparent crime scene was smack in the middle of the driveway of the lush compound just a mile from the beach.

Jorge Del Portillo: He was wearing the hospital bracelet that he was just in the hospital.  the same T-shirt and the same pajamas that he was discharged.

Jorge Del Portillo: As soon as they found the body  they knew we have our suspect, and they made the arrest.

On Jan. 2, 2021, Jade Janks was arrested and charged with Tom Merriman's murder. / Credit: San Diego Superior Court North County Division

On the morning of Jan. 2, 2021, Jade Janks was arrested and charged with Tom Merriman's murder. But things were about to get complicated.

Jorge Del Portillo: She lawyered up and didn't want to answer any more questions.

So, authorities continued to work the case  starting with that phone call.

CALLER (to San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.): It sounds like she killed this guy.

That call had come from that friend of Jade's  a man named Adam Siplyak. He told police she called him to her apartment, and then she asked him for a favor.

ADAM SIPLYAK:  and asked me to move the body with her  DISPATCHER: OK. ADAM SIPLYAK: I said, "I can't help you"  and I never saw the body.

Adam Siplyak / Credit: Facebook

Adam Siplyak may not have seen the body that night, but, eventually, he did tell police that Jade confessed to him. That she had knocked Tom out with an overdose of medicine and then strangled him.

It was a pretty dramatic story. And authorities were confident the autopsy would confirm that story  there would be physical evidence that Tom was strangled to death. But that's not what happened.

Teresa Pham: I was actually there for the autopsy.

Assistant District Attorney Theresa Pham, who led the investigation, talked to the medical examiner.

Theresa Pham: So, what they found was, unfortunately, not a lot of physical evidence.

Tracy Smith: Right. So, you have this supposed confession of her saying she  she strangled him, but no evidence of strangulation.

Jorge Del Portillo: That's right.

The final autopsy report said that the cause of Tom Merriman's death was "acute Zolpidem intoxication." Zolpidem is the generic name for the sleeping pill Ambien.

Tracy Smith: Is it possible that Tom Merriman died by accident?  he was in poor health. It's not that many pills that he took.

Jorge Del Portillo: Certainly, it's possible  but the evidence belied that notion. This was no accident.

But even if the autopsy didn't point to strangulation, investigators say other evidence clearly pointed to murder.

Tracy Smith: Jade's cellphone was a gold mine.

Jorge Del Portillo: It was a gold mine.

Jade's phone was full of texts.

Tracy Smith: How would you categorize those text messages?

Teresa Pham: Suspicious.

Jorge Del Portillo: Incriminating.

Teresa Pham: A plan.

According to prosecutors, that plan was to get rid of Tom Merriman one way or another.

Investigators say it all started on Dec. 23  that's about a week before Tom's body was found. Tom was in the hospital after that bad fall. Jade says she was cleaning up his apartment when she found something.

Teresa Pham: So, she's at Tom's apartment. And his laptop, I guess, must have been in sleep mode or something like that, but she knocked into it, and it woke up.  And on the screensaver is a nude photograph of her in the shower.

And there was more. Much more.

Teresa Pham: She must have had his password. So, once she was able to get into his laptop  was when she was able to find, a lot more of nude photos of her.

Tracy Smith: Hundreds.

Teresa Pham: Hundreds.

Jorge Del Portillo: These were photos that she took willingly with her partner at the time. Some were of her in the shower naked.

On Dec. 23, 2020, while Tom Merriman was in a rehab center, still recovering from a fall, Jade Janks went to his apartment to clean  and made a devastating discovery. Janks says the computer monitor, which she guessed had been in sleep mode, came awake while she was cleaning, and she saw a screensaver photo of a woman's breasts.

Authorities don't know how Merriman got those pictures, but Jade says she never gave them to him, and prosecutors say she panicked.

Jorge Del Portillo: In her words, she was beyond freaked out. That's what she wrote to a friend, that she couldn't shower alone, that she was vomiting at just the idea of looking at a shower based on what she had discovered.

Jorge Del Portillo: She's sleeping with  a knife on the nightstand just in case he comes early home from the hospital.

According to prosecutors, that's when Jade launches her plan. How? One of her friends connects her with a guy. A guy the prosecutors called "The Fixer."

Jorge Del Portillo: There's a text message where he tells Jade," if you have a problem, I could fix it for you." And that's how we came up with the label, "The Fixer."

Alan Roach / Credit: Facebook

The so-called "fixer" was a man named Alan Roach.

Tracy Smith: Who is Alan Roach?

Jorge Del Portillo: Alan Roach is a guy  He's a security guard.  That's what he does.  but I think he makes himself out to be someone else that he's not.

Teresa Pham: We were thinking Jade views him as the character in "Pulp Fiction"  someone that you reach out to when you want one of your problems fixed. And that's what he was, he was the fixer.

Tracy Smith: He was the fixer.

Tracy Smith: Is Alan a hit man?

Jorge Del Portillo: He is not a hit man. And  but what's important is, what does Jade think Alan is.

Prosecutors say Jade wanted her fixer to help her get rid of Tom.

Jorge Del Portillo: She had a plan that she stuck to.

Tracy Smith: The plan was murder.

Jorge Del Portillo: The plan was murder.

JADE JANKS TAKES THE STAND

It was now December 2022  two years after Tom Merriman's body was found under that pile of garbage  and Jade Janks was about to stand trial for his murder.

Tracy Smith: Let me just ask you flat out, did Jade Janks murder her stepfather Tom Merriman?

Marc Carlos: Jade has maintained her innocence throughout this entire, uh, incident.

Jade's attorney, Marc Carlos, insists this was not a murder, and says Jade had no reason to kill her stepfather.

Marc Carlos: Finding nude photos of yourself on a stepfather's computer would make you angry, you know, might make you break off relationships with him.  But enough to kill somebody? I don't think so.

The final autopsy report said that the cause of Tom Merriman's death was

He says Tom's death was an unfortunate accident, brought on by his poor health and self-administered prescription drugs.

Marc Carlos: I think he took the medication himself.  He had multiple substances in his system. I think he made a cocktail of the drugs that he had with him and had a bad reaction to it and caused his  his death.

At trial, Jade was supported by family and friends, including her biological father, Steve Janks, and her longtime friend, Heather Pearce.

Heather Pearce: Tom was a mess, an absolute mess for a long time  there's no way that she had like a plan and first degree and all of that. I was like, there's no way because that's not Jade.

Prosecutors Jorge Del Portillo and Theresa Pham were worried the jury might feel that Jade herself was the victim.

Teresa Pham: She's a sympathetic defendant.

Jorge Del Portillo: She is.

Teresa Pham: I mean she found naked photos of herself on her stepdad's computer.

Jade takes the stand to tell the jury what happened in her own words.

Jade says that ever since she met Tom when she was a teenager, they maintained a strong bond.

JADE JANKS: It's hard to come by somebody you just feel that you can trust completely. And I did feel that way.  I referred to him as my father and he could call me his daughter.

Which is why, Jade tells the jury, it was so devastating to find those photos on Dec. 23 while Tom was in the hospital, and she was cleaning his apartment.

JADE JANKS: I bumped the mouse on his desktop computer and it  it shook the screen awake and I looked and there's a picture of female breasts on the screen.  And I look  and  those  those are my breasts.  I  I just  I couldn't believe it. I  I was in complete shock.

Jade Janks tells the court about finding explicit photos of her self on Tom Merriman's computer. / Credit: CBS News

Jade describes finding even more on Tom's computer.

JADE JANKS: There was a rolling screen, like a slideshow of pictures of me that was taken over the years.

MARC CARLOS: OK. What type of pictures were they?

JADE JANKS (crying): They were naked photos.

MARC CARLOS: OK, do you, did you ever give naked photos to, uh, to your stepfather?

JADE JANKS: No.

MARC CARLOS: I mean, did you ever show him naked photos of yourself?

JADE JANKS (crying): No.

Tracy Smith: And how did he get these photos?

Marc Carlos: Jade doesn't know.

Tracy Smith: These were photos that Jade had taken of herself?

Marc Carlos: Jade and various boyfriends.

MARC CARLOS: Have you ever made any, uh, sexual overtures toward your stepfather?

JADE JANKS: No. No.

MARC CARLOS: Did you tell him that you had, uh, nude photos of yourself?

JADE JANKS: No.

MARC CARLOS: You never showed him anything similar to those, correct?

JADE JANKS: No, he was my dad.

Tom was still in the hospital, but Jade says she didn't feel safe.

MARC CARLOS: You were afraid that he was going to come back and find out that you had found the photos, yes?

JADE JANKS: Yes.

MARC CARLOS: And you were worried about how he might react toward you.

JADE JANKS: Yes.

MARC CARLOS: Right. And he lived next door to you.

JADE JANKS: Yes.

And that's why Jade says she got in touch with Alan Roach, who worked in security, the day she found those photos.

MARC CARLOS: So, why did you think that you needed somebody like Alan Roach?

Jade pauses as she considers her answer.

JADE JANKS: I  I was  I was scared. I mean, when I first saw the photos, I  I couldn't even use the bathroom.  I just felt so disgusting. I couldn't shower either. I was just scared.  I was scared of being, you know, nude and vulnerable. And I just  I wanted somebody to just look out for me and make sure that, you know, I was safe.

Over the next few days, Tom was moved from the hospital to a rehab center, and Jade felt she had to act.

JADE JANKS: I can't continue just living next door to him and not feeling safe or feeling like this. I mean, I have to do something.

MARC CARLOS: When you say, "I needed to do something," did you need to kill him?

JADE JANKS: No!  I wanted Tom to just go away and leave me alone.

According to Jade, Alan Roach was planning to come over after she brought Tom home, to help her confront him.

JADE JANKS: I wanted Alan to basically, you know, explain to him this  this is not OK. Or I could explain it, but Alan just be there just in case.

Jade says that on Dec. 31, in spite of her feelings, she was doing everything she could to help Tom who, she says, seemed preoccupied with finding medication.

JADE JANKS: He started calling at about 6:45 in the morning and he's asking me to get him codeine, which I don't really understand.  He says that he hasn't, I think, slept and he wants to rest.

Jade Janks and Tom Merriman / Credit: Facebook

Jade took Tom out of the rehab at a little after 11 a.m. He had a bag of medication with him, including Ambien. Remember, the autopsy says Ambien is what killed him. Jade says, almost as soon as Tom got into her car, he also helped himself to her prescription medicines.

JADE JANKS: He kept saying things, "did you have any painkillers, is thi,s it? Oh, here" and then he just kind of took it.

Surveillance video shows Jade Janks entering a CVS Pharmacy store on Dec. 31, 2020. / Credit: San Diego Superior Court North County Division

Jade says Tom seemed fine when she stopped at a shopping plaza and texted Alan Roach to come meet her. She went into a couple of stores while she waited to hear back.

JADE JANKS: I was just getting started on a, um, a house project, so I just went to go get supplies and kind of shop around

Jade bought gloves, towels and a nylon cordand some spray paint. She says these items were for a painting project.

JADE JANKS: I  typically, I lay plastic down  and kind of enclose it so that I'm not getting paint on all the, the foliage.

Jade still hadn't heard back from Roach and took Tom home. She says Tom was now too groggy to walk on his own, and she couldn't get him out of her car. She says she was worried about him and drove him back to the rehab for help.

JADE JANKS: I just explained, you know, my dad's just been released and something's wrong. You need to bring him back. They wouldn't  they wouldn't let me inside, though.  they're pretty adamant with COVID. I couldn't go inside.

Jade returned home with Tom, but says she was still not able to get him out of her car. Roach had finally texted back to say he couldn't make it over after all, but sent his friend, a man named Brian Salomon, to help her get Tom inside.

MARC CARLOS: And had you ever met Brian Salomon before?

JADE JANKS: No.

Jade says Salomon wouldn't help her with Tom and left right away. So, Jade reached out to her friend Adam Siplyak and asked him to come over. Siplyak arrived later that evening.

JADE JANKS: I just said  I mean, I  I  I was  I was just in tears. I had said that, you know, I want  I want to get him into my house, or, into his house.

Jade says Siplyak quickly got upset and left without helping her. And this is where Jade's story doesn't line up with Siplyak's: remember, Adam was the person who called police on New Year's Day.

ADAM SIPLYAK (to San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.):  she said she had possibly killed her stepdad ...

Jade says she didn't confess to anything. She says Siplyak was distressed by how sick Tom looked and that's why he wouldn't help her. After he left, Jade says she didn't know what else to do and tried to get Tom situated in her car for the night so he could sleep off whatever he had taken.

JADE JANKS: I made sure he's comfortable. And he had pillows, and I try to remember Yeah. I mean, he had a blanket.

The next morning, in the cold light of New Year's Day, Jade says Tom was still in her car when she realized the worst had happened.

MARC CARLOS: Did you touch Mr. Merriman?

JADE JANKS: Yes.

MARC CARLOS: What did you feel?

JADE JANKS (crying:) I  I tried to pull his leg and his pajamas and lifted it. His leg was cold.

MARC CARLOS: Ms. Janks, did you think Tom Merriman was dead at that point?

JADE JANKS: I knew he was.

JADE JANKS' INCRIMINATING TEXTS

After Jade told the jury how she found Tom's body, her own attorney challenged her.

MARC CARLOS: Did you think about calling 911?

JADE JANKS (crying): Um, I was scared to.

MARC CARLOS: Why were you scared?

JADE JANKS: I didn't want to get blamed. I mean, I just  I was the one that picked him up.  And I didn't want to get blamed for  for killing him.

And she tried to explain what she did with his body.

JADE JANKS (crying): I continued to  to pull him out. I still wanted to get him into his house. I  I mean, I didn't  I didn't know what else to do.

JADE JANKS (crying): I panicked.  I put the blanket over him, and I got empty boxes and just kind of stacked it, made it look just like a pile of debris.

Tom Merriman / Credit: Facebook

Jade may have left Tom's body in the driveway, but she says she had never meant him harm.

MARC CARLOS: I mean, did you want your stepfather dead?

JADE JANKS: No.

MARC CARLOS: Ms. Janks, did you grab him with your own two hands 

JADE JANKS (crying): No, I would never.

MARC CARLOS:  and did you strangle him?

JADE JANKS (crying): No.

MARC CARLOS: Would you  would you ever have done that to  Tom Merriman?

JADE JANKS: I wouldn't do that to anybody. No.

And then, the prosecutors told their version of the story.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: You lied to the police about where Tom was?

JADE JANKS: I didn't  I just asked for an attorney, and I kept asking for one.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: You didn't want the police to know that Tom died in your car?

JADE JANKS: I wasn't trying to hide it, but I didn't want to go alone and tell them that.

Prosecutors said Jade was lying to cover up her plan.

Jorge Del Portillo: The plan was to drug him, suffocate him and stage it to look like an overdose.

Del Portillo says, after she picked Tom up from the rehab, Jade used his own prescription sleeping pills to knock him out.

And he says he has proof: Jade's DNA is on those packs of pills.

Jorge Del Portillo: The package of Zolpidem, which is the Ambien sleeping pills, that had the defendant's DNA on it, but not Tom's. And I think it's important that the jury heard that, that it was Jade Janks' DNA on that Zolpidem pack.

And according to prosecutors. There's much more evidence, too.

Jade Janks / Credit: Facebook

Jade, they say, left a real-time trail of clues that day. Remember her cellphone  the one they called "a gold mine"? It turns out it was packed with texts. Messages that they say outlined her plan to kill.

Theresa Phan: We're talking 11, 12 minutes after being discharged, she sends a text message to Alan, the fixer, saying, "I just dosed the hell out of him."

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: When someone says, I dosed the hell out of them, you would agree with me, that that means someone gave another person a whole lot of drugs, right?

JADE JANKS: I guess it's a poor phrasing.

Del Portillo thinks Jade's explanation is nonsense.

He says, first, she drugged Tom, and then she needed to stall for a bit and her texts even say that.

JADA JANKS TEXT: Stopping at Dixieland to stall.

Jorge Del Portillo: She was stalling for the drugs  to really kick in and make him asleep and unaware of what she was about to do.

Jorge Del Portillo: She's stalling to see if this guy, Alan Roach, can come by and help her commit the murder.

And remember those supplies Jade said she picked up for a painting project? According to the prosecutors, they were actually Jade's "murder kit."

Jorge Del Portillo: She goes to the store and buys this murder kit.  zip ties, gloves, rope, and towels.

Jade Janks left a trail of clues in the murder of Tom Merriman. A look at the evidence.

Prosecutors say, up to that point, Jade's plan was on track. But by a little after noon, things started to go wrong.

Jorge Del Portillo: You could see from the text messages that she was in a panic.

Jade's texting her so-called "fixer" Alan Roach. She writes, "He's waking up." And she adds, "Can you come over?"

But the "fixer" is not responding.

Jorge Del Portillo: This plot was a total mess, and it fell apart right away.

Finally, "the fixer" texts her back. He says he can't come, but he's sending someone he knows  that guy named Brian Salomon.

Tracy Smith: OK. So, the plan  is Brian will bring Tom into the house.

Teresa Pham: Yep.

Jorge Del Portillo: Brian Salomon later told us that when he went over to help Jade  that she told him something that he'll never forget  "I want you to bring him inside, strangle him, and I'll take care of the rest."

Brian Salomon quickly left the house without doing anything. And soon, Jade is back texting the missing "fixer" again.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: At 3 p.m., you texted Alan, "he's waking up and I'm not sure how much longer I can control my temper " is that right?

JADE JANKS: Yes, but that was to Alan.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: You texted Alan, "he's waking up and getting way more aggressive. So, it's way more real." True?

JADE JANKS: True.

JADE JANKS: I think, again, I was just panicking and trying to urge Alan to come over.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: You would agree with me that this looks very suspicious, this text message?

JADE JANKS: Oh, yeah.

Jade texts Alan again: "I can't keep a kicking body in my truck."

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: Now that we know Tom was found dead in his driveway under a pile of trash that you put together, that this text message looks very suspicious. You'd agree with me, right?

JADE JANKS: I mean, I  yes.

It's now around 4 p.m. Roach has disappeared.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: You texted Alan, "F*** he's up. I guess I'm on my own." True?

JADE JANKS: True.

Tracy Smith: How do you think she killed Tom?

Jorge Del Portillo: We believe that the evidence shows that she put a bag over his head  When the bag is not working fast enough, she has to strangle him, and she has no other choice.  It's too late to back out now.

Investigators even found a plastic bag in Jade's car. It had her DNA on the outside and Tom's on the inside. But there's a huge problem with the prosecution's case, and that's the autopsy.

The autopsy never said Tom was strangled; there weren't any marks on his neck. So, what happened? How could Jade possibly have strangled him to death?

Jorge Del Portillo: That presented  a big difficulty for us strategically of going forward in trial.

Tracy Smith: Right. So, you have this supposed confession of her saying she  she strangled him, but no evidence of strangulation.

Teresa Pham and Jorge Del Portillo: Right.

Turns out the prosecutors had an answer for that.

They say it's totally possible to strangle someone to death without leaving marks if the victim is already knocked out.

Teresa Pham: I think that is part of the plan, is to dose him just enough to where he's incapacitated.  So, if you're unconscious, your breathing is already depressed.

Teresa Pham: Once someone is already unconscious  it does not require that much pressure and would not leave bruising. It would not leave breakage of the cartilage that's inside the throat, it would not leave physical evidence.

Jorge Del Portillo: It only takes four pounds of pressure to kill, to cut off the blood supply to your head. And when you and I shook hands earlier today, that was about 11 pounds of pressure. So, it's less than a handshake to kill.

Jade Janks' 4Runner SUV / Credit: San Diego Superior Court North County Division

After she murdered Tom, prosecutors say she left his body in her car overnight, and the next morning, Jade had to do something about it.

In a story full of strange twists, this may be the oddest: prosecutors say Tom's body was still in Jade's car and she wanted to make his death look like an accident  like he'd overdosed on his own medicine. But she couldn't get his 180-pound body out of the car, and into his apartment, and no one would help her. So, they say she drove to a hospital with Tom dead in the back of her car, picked up a wheelchair, put it in her car and drove back to Tom's place.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: How did you get the wheelchair in your car if Tom was still in there?

JADE JANKS: Oh, it's  it's big.  The trunk was up, Tom was kind of, you know, his legs were akimbo, and he was laying down and I kind of hoisted it up into the back window of the 4Runner then rolled down.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: When you were doing this, at this point did you know Tom was dead?

JADE JANKS (sighs): I did but I didn't want to know it yet.

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: So, you suspected Tom was dead and you're at Scripps Hospital and you don't tell anyone at the hospital that Tom might need some help.

JADE JANKS: Correct.

And there was just one more thing.

On the day the cops came by looking for Tom they didn't know anything yet  just that Tom might be missing. Jade jumped into her car.

Teresa Pham: When she was pulling out of her driveway when they were getting ready to do  the welfare check, she was pulling out of her driveway, and she was getting detained after being pulled over. The very last text message on her cellphone was to Alan Roach saying, "lose my number."

Tracy Smith: What does that say to you?

Jorge Del Portillo: Get rid of the evidence.

THE VERDICT COMES IN

Jorge Del Portillo: That was the biggest hurdle in our case, we feel, was the jury might dislike Tom Merriman so much that they would vote to either acquit or reduce the murder to something else.

As Jade's trial is drawing to a close, prosecutor Jorge Del Portillo wants to make sure the jury's attention is on what Jade Janks has done, and not on Tom.

Jorge Del Portillo: Tom was not on trial. This wasn't his trial. He didn't get a trial.  She was his judge, jury and executioner. And so, it all comes back to Jade.

In his closing argument to the jury, Marc Carlos emphasizes what he says are the weaknesses of the prosecution's case.

MARC CARLOS: What type of evidence do we have? We have a lot of speculation.  It's speculation upon speculation upon speculation.

He argues Adam Siplyak's story that Jade confessed is a lie.

MARC CARLOS: Mr. Siplyak  no credibility. He wants to get out of something that he thinks might have happened.

And he says Brian Salomon, who also claimed Jade confessed to him that day, can't be telling the truth.

MARC CARLOS: He claims that immediately  and this was his testimony  immediately upon entering, she says, "he's in the car, go strangle him." This is somebody that Jade Janks has never met before.

Neither Adam Siplyak, Brian Salomon nor Alan Roach was charged with any crime in this case, and Marc Carlos urges the jury to stick to what he calls the truth.

MARC CARLOS: And the truth is they have zero  zero evidence to support a murder.

But Jorge del Portillo gets to make the last argument the jury will hear.

Jade Janks sent this text to Alan Roach saying she

JORGE DEL PORTILLO: It starts with "I just dosed the hell out of him." The plan is starting. And with Alan, it ends with "Lose my number. I'm getting pulled over." And buried in between all of those text messages is a murder plot.

Jorge Del Portillo: Find her guilty of murder because the evidence proves it, the law requires it, and justice demands it.

The jury went out that afternoon and was back the next morning to continue their deliberations.

Jorge Del Portillo: Jury comes in at 9 a.m. We get the call at 9:30 a.m. "We have a verdict."  We were shocked.

Teresa Pham: We were a little bit nervous.

Jorge Del Portillo: The quickest verdict that I've ever had was 15 minutes, and it was a not guilty. So, I don't put a lot of stock in quick verdicts.

Tom's business partner Pat Flanagan got a text about it.

Pat Flanagan: I was very anxious. My hands were  my hands were sweating. I was nervous.

JUDGE ROBERT KEARNEY: Has the jury reached its verdict?

JUROR #9: We have, Your Honor.

CLERK: We, the jury, in the above-entitled cause find the defendant, Jade Sasha Janks, guilty of the crime of murder

Jade Janks reacts after hearing the verdict in her trial for the murder of Tom Merriman. / Credit: CBS News

Guilty of first-degree murder. Jade appears stunned.

Jorge Del Portillo: It was a huge relief.

Teresa Pham: Relief.

Jorge Del Portillo: It was an absolute relief.

Tracy Smith: And when you heard that word, guilty.

Pat Flanagan: It  it felt right.

Pat Flannagan says he saw Jade's reaction to the verdict later  online.

Pat Flanagan: I still go back and watch that sometimes.

Tracy Smith: Why?

Pat Flanagan: Because I feel bad for Tom.  He died buried in trash.  now she gets to feel a little of that pain that we've all been feeling for years.

But there is still the matter of those photos.

Tracy Smith: Jade said that she found nude photos of herself on Tom's computer.

Pat Flanagan: Yeah.

Tracy Smith: Do you believe that?

Pat Flanagan: I  I can't disprove it. I find it  I  I don't want to believe it.

Tracy Smith: It's interesting you say you don't want to believe it.

Pat Flanagan: Yeah.

Tom's hard drive was not recovered after his body was found, but prosecutors, who spent two years investigating this case, believe Jade is telling the truth  at least about this.

Tracy Smith: Did you have any doubt that these photos actually existed?

Jorge Del Portillo: We talked about that.  But we had no doubt. We found that photo on Tom's laptop showing that it had been used as a wallpaper, showing that it had been on his laptop since August of 2019, so we had no doubt that these photos existed.

In March 2023, three months after she was convicted of Tom's murder, Jade was in court for her sentencing, and cried as she listened as a local pastor shared his memories of Tom and the butterfly farm.

FRANK MODIC: I still remember Tom and wish I could drop by for a smile, to ask a question about plants or butterflies or just to recharge those batteries that keep seeming to  to wear down as I get older. I believe my life is richer because I knew Tom.

Jade's biological father, who had not spoken publicly since she was charged, put the focus back on Tom's betrayal.

STEVEN JANKS: Firstly, I can only imagine what she went through when she found out that Tom, her stepfather, a person she trusted, that she called dad, was a sick, perverted individual.  All I can say is this fight is not over. I truly believe that an injustice has taken place.

Jade Janks spoke that day, too.

JADE JANKS: Tom came into my life when I was just a little girl and exerted influence during that early stage of development when I was still figuring things out. Unfortunately, that influence manifested itself into inappropriate touch, coercion, reckless behavior, and complete violation of what I now realize was years of psychological manipulation. All of this came crashing down on me when I found hundreds of naked photos of myself on his computer, I felt shattered.

Jade did not tell this story during trial, and "48 Hours" can't verify it. Jade still insists she didn't kill Tom, and only admits to covering up his dead body.

JADE JANKS: I'm still picking up the pieces and it's my sincerest hope that over the next few years I can put the pieces back and heal from this trauma. I'm sorry I didn't act the way I was supposed to that day. I think about it every day since.

The judge sentenced Jade to serve 25 years to life. As the prosecution looks back on a difficult and emotional case, they say it could have easily turned out very differently.

Jorge Del Portillo: She could have gotten away with murder had she carried out her plan  and the police did a welfare check and found Tom laying in his  in his bed, she would have got away with murder.

Jade Janks will be eligible for parole in 2038. She is appealing her conviction.

"48 HOURS" POST MORTEM

This embedded content is not available in your region.

In this week's "Post Mortem" podcast, host Anne-Marie Green, correspondent Tracy Smith and producer Sarah Prior discuss the hundreds of nude photos of Jade Janks found on her stepfather's computer, the so-called "fixer" Jade reached out to for help, and the text messages from Jade that tell a bizarre story about what might've actually happened to Tom.

Produced by Chuck Stevenson and Sarah Prior. Cindy Cesare is the development producer. Lauren Turner Dunn is the field producer. Gregory Kaplan and Ken Blum are the editors. Peter Schweitzer is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive story editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer.

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If Nashville calls for cease-fire in Israel-Hamas war, it should be for the right reasons

On Tuesday, Nashville's Metro Council unanimously passed a $3.3 billion budget to fund schools, public safety, worker raises, and many other municipal programs and priorities.

One item they did not vote on, however, was a resolution sponsored by 17 of 40 council members to support an end to the war that has left more than 1,200 Israelis and tens of thousands of Palestinians dead and millions displaced in Gaza as a result of Hamas's Oct. 7, 2023, attack against Israel.

The sponsors include At-Large Council Member Zulfat Suara, the first Muslim person elected to the body, and District 19 Council Member Jacob Kupin, who sits on board of the Jewish Federation of Greater Nashville. They chose to withdraw the resolution after pushback from opponents  and contending with nasty discourse and brazen, unwarranted insults  over the language and intent of the proposal.

"Our Peace bill was withdrawn last night with the hope we can continue to work on better language & ways to bring our communities together," Suara posted on X Wednesday.

Our Peace bill was withdrawn last night with the hope we can continue to work on better language & ways to bring our communities together. Thanks to my cosponsors & those that sent suggestions. Many thanks to @JacobKupin4D19 Sorry you had to endure attacks from your own community pic.twitter.com/ZVzWX88kGD  Councilwoman Zulfat Suara (@zulfat4council) June 19, 2024

Over the last several months, pro-Palestine protesters have demanded that the Metro Council enact such a resolution and the language has become heated and hyperbolic. During a recent public comment portion at a council meeting, one resident accused Kupin of being a Zionist. On social media, at least one vocal critic has claimed Suara is affiliated with anti-Israel terrorist groups.

Across the country, protesters have demanded that local authorities take a stand on the war. But before they bring back any revised resolution, sponsors must answer these very pertinent questions: Is this a measure they should actually be taking up as a local governing body? Will it do more good or harm?

Nashville's cease-fire resolution would be symbolic but also send a message

This issue is incredibly polarizing, yielding protests across college campuses, ending the careers of university presidents, and dividing nations across the world over terms such as genocide and war crimes and whether the United States should continue to back its strongest ally in the Middle East.

Men stand on the concrete fence in front of Centennial Park's entrance holding up images depicting children of the Israel-Hamas war at a free Palestine gathering in Nashville, Tenn., Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023.

On June 10, the United Nations Security Council finally adopted a U.S.-backed cease-fire in the war after many months of the United States opposing similar proposals.

There are strong and angry emotions over Israeli hostages who continue to be kept in captivity, concerning Gazans who are starving and unhoused, and by the diaspora abroad that feels helpless.

On the one hand, Nashville does not conduct foreign policy on behalf of American citizens. On the other hand, Metro Council is the government closest to the people where citizens feel they can be heard. Perhaps the thinking is that if enough city and county elected bodies do the same, it will guide national leaders to make better decisions.

Council member, Zulfat Suara during the first Metro Council meeting of the new term at Historic Metro Nashville Courthouse in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.

The cooperation between Council members of different backgrounds and interests shows there is a sincere attempt to seek compromise and common ground at a time when our nation is so polarized politically.

If a local cease-fire resolution were to pass, it would be merely symbolic, but it would send a message about Nashville's values  and it would also likely provoke immense pushback.

Council member Jacob Kupin during the first Metro Council meeting of the new term at Historic Metro Nashville Courthouse in Nashville , Tenn., Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023.

Interfaith dialogue is core to Nashville's DNA

The withdrawn resolution called for two things, actually. First, as mentioned before, "supporting an end to violence between Israel and Palestine."

But the second part does take the issue to a local level: "The Metropolitan Council further goes on record as supporting all of Nashvilles Palestinian, Israeli, Muslim, and Jewish residents and condemns antisemitic and Islamophobic rhetoric and attacks."

These groups have endured insults, threats and violence against places of worship in Middle Tennessee.

Nashville has prided itself on being a welcoming city. The city has the largest population of Kurdish residents in the U.S. outside of Kurdistan. The region boasts numerous mosques and synagogues in addition to churches.

Rabbi Laurie Rice, Congregation Micah, gives the Blessings for the City ending the 61st Annual State of Metro Address at the Fairgrounds in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, May 14, 2024.

Interfaith dialogue has been pivotal to the city's brand whether it is in exchanges between diverse places of worship, the work of the 10-year-old faith-based grassroots community organization Nashville Organized for Action and Hope, or the ecumenical prayers at the mayor's annual State of Metro.

Israel-Hamas war is both a global and local issue for some

Just three weeks after the Oct. 7 attack, the civic organization Millions of Conversations convened a community discussion in Nashville's Hillsborough Village neighborhood on peacemaking with a group of 100 in attendance that included Christians, Jews and Muslims.

People are put into groups and converse during Millions of Conversations event Conversation of Grief, Healing and Hope, at AnzieBlue in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023.

Neighbors in our community expressed their pain over suffering families, the rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia, and the breakdown of interfaith relationships built over many years.

So, while the war is a global issue, it is very much a local issue for so many of our residents because they have spiritual or familial ties to the Middle East.

I was there at the community discussion, and I wrote in the Nov. 9 edition of the Tennessee Voices newsletter: "Bridges that have been built over decades are threatened with disrepair."

The Tennessean opinion section has sought to invite different viewpoints on the Israel-Hamas war to keep the civil dialogue going, precisely because it is hard, painful and necessary.

Metro Council must keep focused on getting to the right answer

In its June 16 newsletter, the Jewish Federation newsletter wrote about the now withdrawn resolution this way: "Some people believe the resolution is unbalanced, while others believe it does not go far enough denouncing the violence and demanding a ceasefire."

Will a revised resolution be a path toward healing a broken community? Or will it further stoke division?

This pause is good. Maybe the resolution is part of the solution and maybe not, but council members should not get distracted by social media trolls, give excessive attention to the loudest voices or fall prey to political pressure.

Metro Council should do what is right for the community.

Take the time to listen and convene more conversations. Keep the dialogue alive to create new and better friendships, offering better insight on what the right answer is.

Work to build and repair bridges, not to destroy them.

David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@tennessean.com or tweet to him at @davidplazas.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville's Gaza ceasefire resolution stalled. What happens next?
A national nonprofit law firm is raising concerns about the constitutionality of a new City of Jackson ordinance meant to improve public safety.

The "Connect JXN  Blue Light Safety Initiative," passed by the Jackson City Council in April, would require gas stations and convenience stores to connect their surveillance cameras to the Jackson Police Department's Real Time Command Center, giving JPD live access to the store's surveillance cameras.

Further, the ordinance requires store owners to pay a $950 fee to connect their cameras to the city's system, using new technology. Store owners could also purchase a box that can be placed outside of the store with a blue light, which signals that JPD has access to their store's cameras.

Screens are monitored inside of the Jackson Police Department's new Real Time Command Center at 2304 Riverside Drive, seen here in this 2020 file photo. A new city ordinance would require gas stations and convenience store owners to connect their cameras to the command center.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee created the ordinance, which passed with overwhelming support. Additional support came from JPD's Chief Joseph Wade and assistant chief Vincent Grizzell, who spoke to council members about the importance of new technology for public safety. City Attorney Drew Martin previously said business owners he talked to were "unanimously in favor" of the ordinance.

But one law group thinks the ordinance takes a step too far when it comes to property rights and government surveillance.

Jared McClain, an attorney with the Institute for Justice, told the Clarion Ledger the new ordinance violates the Fourth Amendment's protection from unreasonable searches and seizures without a warrant, as well as the Fifth Amendment.

"Requiring these businesses to hook into the police's camera system and give the police a live feed of these cameras violates the warrant requirement of the Fourth Amendment," McClain said, adding that judges and magistrates are needed to give permission to law enforcement for search warrants."

Secondly, the requirement that businesses have to purchase the equipment from the city is a violation of the Fifth Amendment's "Takings Clause," McClain said, which states that private property shall not be taken for public use, without just compensation.

"Typically, when the government does something like that they have to pay for it," McClain added. "To just single out a group of businesses to front the cost and cover the expenses of a government surveillance program violates the Fifth Amendment."

McClain suggested the ordinance be amended to a voluntary program, instead of being a requirement. He also advised the ordinance should have the city pay for installing the equipment, instead of requiring store owners to.

"If they just created this Blue Light program and allowed businesses to opt-in if they want to it would solve all the constitutional issues," McClain said.

On May 20, the institute sent a letter to Jackson Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba and all members of the council requesting the ordinance be repealed, calling it "unconstitutional."

"Although public safety is a laudable goal, it cannot come at the expense of peoples constitutional rights. Unless the city repeals the ordinance, it will likely invite a meritorious lawsuit from a member of the community," the letter states. "Defending against such a suit would not only deplete the citys time and resources but would also result in Jackson having to pay attorneys fees to the prevailing party."

McClain said the city responded saying they received the letter but have not heard from anyone since.

The Institute for Justice, described as "a nonprofit, public interest law firm," according to their website, has been litigating other instances of what McClain called "compulsory camera laws" throughout the country. More recently, the law firm convinced officials in Dekalb County, Georgia to amend an ordinance that would require gas stations to install cameras then allow police to seize their footage, McClain said.

City's legal department figuring out next steps

At last week's Jackson City Council meeting, the ordinance was briefly discussed by Martin and Lee after another similar ordinance was introduced by Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Angelique Lee, seen here in this March 30, 2023 file photo, created the "Connect JXN  Blue Light Safety Initiative" ordinance, but one national nonprofit law firm is raising concerns it may violate the constitution."

Lee said she modeled her ordinance after a similar one that was passed in Gluckstadt, which requires "that the parking lots and entry and exit doors of Retail Business Centers that have twenty-five (25) or more parking spaces and/or a two thousand (2,000) square feet or more building be equipped with a security camera system that may assist law enforcement."

"Please do everything you can. If it can pass in Gluckstadt, it should be able to pass in Jackson," Lee told Martin.

In response, Martin said the Gluckstadt ordinance doesn't allow for "their police real time access," whereas Lee's ordinance does. Martin's concerns with the ordinance mirror the Fourth Amendment concerns McClain and the Institute for Justice told the Clarion Ledger.

"There are some constitutional issues there in terms of what can be observed and seen at all times and what can't," Martin said. "That's what we're trying to work through with our ordinance to make sure that we can thread that needle."

'Stop taking human lives:' Stokes' introduces security ordinance

Stokes' ordinance would require "security personnel at businesses associated with violence during hours of operation." Specifically, Stokes called out convenience stores gas stations, such as the Texaco on Medgar Evers Boulevard, as hotbeds for crime and shared a story of a young man he knew who was shot and killed while shopping.

Ward 3 Councilman Kenneth Stokes, seen here in this March 28, 2024 file photo, introduced an ordinance at last week's Jackson City Council meeting that would require "security personnel at businesses associated with violence during hours of operation."

"We need to make sure that if your business has a history of violence that you must have security there during your hours of operation," Stokes said. "Stop taking human lives and playing with them!"

Ward 6 Councilman Aaron Banks pointed out the similarities between Lee's and Stokes' ordinances, but said both could potentially run into trouble because "we can't require the business to do so."

Stokes didn't care. He told council members that the ordinance should be passed and if it runs into legal trouble, then they will deal with it.

"If our legal department feels that this is too heavy for them to carry, then we need to get outside legal people," Stokes said.

Martin said the city's legal department would try their best, but didn't sound too entirely hopeful.

"On security officers, if somebody can find an ordinance that has withheld a court challenge that requires local businesses to hire security officers, then by all means I want to see it and I'll be looking for it myself," he said. "I think what we're going to find is a number of places that have attempted that and none have been successful. But, that said, we're going to look hard."

This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Jackson MS surveillance camera ordinance: Is it unconstitutional?
DENVER (KDVR)  As the primary election edges closer, one national lobby group is seeking to turn voters away from a candidate endorsed by the Colorado Republican Party.

On this weeks Colorado Point of View, political analysts Andy Boian and Michael Fields look at how the Congressional Leadership Fund is anticipating that 3rd Congressional Seat candidate Ron Hans will lose if he wins the primary.

Meanwhile, they also discussed Utah Gov. Spencer Cox denouncing Denver for sending migrants to Salt Lake City, President Joe Bidens new pathway to citizenship policy and Gov. Jared Polis not endorsing Rep. Elizabeth Epps.

Watch the full episode in the video player above. Colorado Point of View airs weekends on Colorados Very Own Channel 2.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
WASHINGTON  In addition to articles already covered by Native News Online, here is a roundup of other news released from Washington, D.C. that impacts Indian Country recently.

USDA Forest Service Seeks Public Comment on Draft Guidance for Old Growth Management on National Forests

U.S. Department of Agricultures Forest Service has taken the next step to advance President Bidens commitment to conserve old growth forests by publishing a draft environmental impact statement for the proposed national old growth forest plan amendment. The proposed amendment was posted on Friday in the Federal Register, and will be open for public comment for 90 days following publication.

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The purpose of this amendment is to provide consistent guidance for the stewardship, conservation, and recruitment of old growth across national forests. The proposed amendment highlights the importance of proactive stewardship actions in managing threats to old growth forests, and to reduce wildfire risk, considering current and emerging climate-driven threats. It also calls for adaptive management strategies to be developed using local, geographically relevant information and the best available science, including Indigenous Knowledge.

Recent scientific analysis shows us that many old-growth forests are under significant threat from climate change, said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The Forest Services plan will help safeguard these iconic stands of trees through science-based management and conservation strategies that can be adapted to unique local circumstances on national forests. USDA is looking forward to receiving feedback on todays draft proposal from Tribal, state and local governments, industry partners, conservation organizations, and many others; all of whom will be critical partners in the forest management and conservation actions needed to ensure the maintenance and growth of old-growth forests into the future.

Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Investments Will Help Bring Clean, Reliable Drinking Water to Rural Communities

The Department of the Interior on Thursday announced a $43 million investment from President Bidens Investing in America agenda for rural water projects that will provide clean, reliable drinking water to rural and Tribal communities. Investments through the Bureau of Reclamation will support six projects already under construction or in the planning phase in Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, New Mexico and South Dakota, and follows $733 million previously announced for rural water projects from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

With historic resources from President Biden's Investing in America, we are continuing to make significant investments to help states and Tribes to fundamentally alter current and future of water sustainability and conservation efforts across the country, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland said. With new resources from President Bidens Investing in America agenda, we are expediting the completion of long-overdue rural water projects and ensuring that more Americans have clean water flowing from their taps through reliable water supplies, because no community should be left behind.

Two tribes were part of distributed funds:

$9.8 million for the Fort Peck Reservation/Dry Prairie in Montana to fund completion of the Pines Service Area Project. $54 million through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is being used in the Fort Peck-Dry Prairie Rural Water System to complete the final two phases of service lines within the reservation. Dry Prairie is completing service lines in the Scobey/Flaxville service areas and the Outlook/Westby service areas.

$5 million for the Jicarilla-Apache Nation to continue data collection and design work. This builds on $22 million previously committed through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for the design and construction of project components of the previous phase of the rural water system.

About the Author: "Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at editor@nativenewsonline.net. "

Contact: news@nativenewsonline.net
Child care crisis

I am very concerned about the lack of child care funding that is looming. If the N.C. General Assembly doesnt fund early childhood education by June 30, nearly one-third of childcare providers statewide  an estimated 1,500 facilities  may have to shut down, leaving 91,660 kids without care and families without options.

I join others across the state calling on Senate leader Phil Berger and House Speaker Tim Moore to acknowledge that access to high-quality child care is essential for childrens development and a healthy, competitive workforce. As federal COVID relief dollars come to an end this month, our child care system is at the edge of a funding cliff. How can Berger and Moore choose vouchers for wealthy private school families over basic child care for hundreds of thousands of children in our state?

Our families and businesses need them to recognize the urgency of this moment and take immediate action.

Linda Levy, Matthews

Berger is right

I agree with N.C. Senate leader Phil Bergers skeptical position on basing teachers pay on advanced degrees. (June 18) A teachers raise should be based on the quality of teaching, student performance and overall contributions to the school, rather than simply obtaining an advanced degree. Effective teachers who make a significant impact on students learning should be rewarded, regardless of their formal education level.

Pay based on advanced degrees does not necessarily correlate with improved student outcomes. Research and my career experience has shown that higher degrees do not always equate to better teaching career performance. Merit-based raises could incentivize teachers to continually improve their teaching methods and engage more actively in professional development that directly enhances their classroom effectiveness.

Thomas Uhl, Mooresville

Bump stocks

Regarding Court ruling on bump stocks misses the point, (June 19 Opinion):

I bet a lot of my fellow conservatives agreed with this New York Daily News editorial reprinted in The Observer condemning the U.S. Supreme Courts decision on bump stocks. Dissenting Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed out that the court shouldnt parse statutes to the point they end up subverting the will of Congress. Better said yet was the writers observation that Justice Clarence Thomas tortured the dictionary in concluding that citizens should not be prohibited from using a bump stock as deadly as a machine gun.

If it looks and quacks like a duck, its a duck.

Phil Clutts, Harrisburg

Gen Z interviews

Regarding Commentary | So what if Gen Z applicants bring their parents to a job interview? (June 13):

It has been years since I worked for a Fortune 500 company hiring hundreds. In my managerial experience I never interviewed anyone for a position who dragged a parent along. The most egregious interviewee may have shown up without a necktie or in non-business attire.

My how things have changed. If a parent tagged along for Juniors interview, I would have performed a perfunctory interview and immediately discarded the application the second the door closed on their way out. What a society of arrested adolescents we have spawned. God help us if this becomes an accepted practice.

Robert Cassell Jr., Charlotte

Health care debt

The writer is a retired neurosurgeon and health care advocate.

Im happy to read about Vice President Kamala Harris interest in eliminating medical debt from credit reports (June 14). Im also encouraged to see more news stories about people, particularly cancer victims, filing bankruptcy due to medical bills. The government is finally beginning to gently push back on Medicare Advantage, now that its abuses are more obvious.

Most of the proposed solutions to these issues involve tweaking our current inefficient health care system. What we really need and deserve is a comprehensive fix like Improved Medicare for All. I pray well elect enough serious candidates this fall to finally do something substantial about health care. Its time to fix the problem and stop the tweaking.

George Bohmfalk, Charlotte
Its not yet official, but Republican state lawmakers are committed to a new state motto. Instead of To be, rather than to seem, theyre going with: Wed rather be unseen.

Thats the principle driving a series of actions and disclosures that highlight GOP lawmakers growing taste for secrecy.

It started with a brazen campaign finance insertion into a ridiculous bill banning mask-wearing in public. The addition will effectively allow state candidates to benefit from contributions to state parties from anonymous out-of-state donors such as corporations and unions.

Next came a News & Observer report exposing a provision in last years state budget that sealed from public review a settlement involving a history of sexual abuse at the North Carolina School of the Arts.

This unfolded as The News & Observer reported that a provision in the state budget two years ago gave $6 million to a biotech company, EmitBio, whose parent company had paid House Speaker Tim Moore, who is also an active lawyer, $40,000 for legal work over four months in 2017. Lawmakers have ignored public records requests for how EmitBio was chosen and how it has spent the $6 million and a subsequent grant of $20 million.

All this comes amid a deepening culture of legislative secrecy. Last year, a provision tucked into the state budget allowed state lawmakers to ignore public records requests for their email or documents related to the passage of legislation. It exempts from review almost everything else lawmakers do. A second provision made secret their correspondence and drafting materials for redistricting, which conveniently prevents the disclosure of their motives when election maps are challenged in court.

The North Carolina legislature, like all state legislatures, always has had a secretive side. But disregard for the publics right to know has grown steadily during 13 years of Republican control.

Burying a major policy change in the budget or stuffing it into an unrelated bill are the most extreme examples. But even in small matters, this legislature limits the publics access and influence.

Longtime public interest advocates say public hearings  when theyre held  occur in rooms with low capacity and tight restrictions on how long those who come to be heard can speak. Groups that will be affected by legislation and experts who could flag flaws in proposed bills are often not consulted.

Bob Phillips, the executive director of Common Cause North Carolina who has advocated at the legislature for 25 years, said the growing secrecy is a step backward. He said, North Carolina once had a better reputation than most states for transparency and open records, but today its far different.

Democratic lawmakers have proposed a constitutional amendment that would reopen legislative records to the public. But with this legislative majority, the proposal has no chance of even being brought to the floor for debate.

Sen. Graig Meyer, a Democrat representing Orange, Person and Caswell counties, said the proposed amendment would counter the legislatures slide into secrecy.

This is terrible governance. And people, when they hear about it, are really upset about it, he said.

Republican lawmakers will say that a degree of confidentiality is necessary for them to discuss legislation freely among themselves and move it efficiently. Ultimately, they say, they are accountable because they must face the voters every two years. But gerrymandering  done with a secrecy that shields it from judicial review  has largely removed elections as a check on the majority. Republican lawmakers have shaped the results before anyone goes to the polls.

At some point, enough voters may get as angry as they should be about the legislatures disdain for their opinion and their interests. Then perhaps an election will break through the walls of gerrymandering and pull the making of laws back into the sunlight of democracy.

Associate opinion editor Ned Barnett can be reached at 919-404-7583, or nbarnett@ newsobserver.com
The NC Senate has a chance to really help teachers. Do it. | Opinion

Teacher pay

North Carolina Senate leader Phil Berger doesnt know what it felt like for the hundreds of over-achieving teachers who were just finishing up their advanced degrees when he and the N.C. legislature pulled the rug out from under them in 2013 by taking away the masters degree pay bump. They earned it and Berger helped take it away. Please do the right thing and reinstate it  as the House budget proposes to do.

Jack Williams, Cary

War on street food

The writer is a street food vendor.

Raleigh City Council has aggressively sought to stamp out street food vendors on Glenwood South who lend color and treats to the popular nightclub scene. A 2021 ordinance and June update call for all street food vendors to close at 1:15 a.m  akin to telling luncheonettes to close at noon.

Clubs can sell alcohol until 2 a.m., but if food is sold after 1: 15 a.m. vendors are threatened with arrest, even those operating on private club property. Sensible measures have worked  like decibel restrictions for sound systems and prohibitions on loud vehicles. But food carts were never to blame.

Perhaps police are only doing their job when they close down vendors, but it was police leadership that convinced council that shuttering us would somehow magically solve the problem of thousands of people leaving the clubs at 2 a.m. and hitting the streets all at once. The council bought that fairy tale.

Alex Gromow, Raleigh

Coastal areas

Regarding Change threatening coastal Native American sites cut from NC bill. Heres what replaced it, (June 19):

Even though this controversial (Republican, of course) bill has been updated, what it ignores is that the ocean is rising and getting hotter and the ground there is probably sinking so any houses put in these areas may well be gone within decades, having erased thousands of years of information about North Carolinas history. It would be doing the people who might buy houses there, as well as the rest of us, a favor to prevent that.

Neil Stahl, Chapel Hill

School vouchers

Now that the Opportunity Scholarship program has no income caps, the diversion of taxpayer money from public to private schools is complete. Thanks to our legislature, our public school system is no longer a leader in public education in the South. Most of the schools receiving vouchers, use a Biblical world view curriculum not accepted by major universities. Our public school curriculum is accepted by every college in America.

Not only is taxpayer money wasted on schools with no accountability or evidence of scholastic achievement, but an analysis of state data by the NC Justice Center in 2023 revealed 43 instances in which a school received more vouchers than it had students.

Bonnie Bechard, Wilmington

Thanks, DMV

The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles has been backlogged lately. Sure, it takes months to land an appointment for a simple drivers license renewal. The earliest ones available now are in September in locations far from Raleigh.

But a recent morning held a pleasant surprise when I was able to renew my license in 17 minutes flat at the DMV location in north Raleigh.

Better still, the place was clean, bright and welcoming and the staff could not have been nicer or more accommodating.

Way to go DMV, way to go.

Mike Hoyt, Raleigh

Clean air

As N.C. Field Organizer at Moms Clean Air Force, I have worked to fight for a better climate for our kids. On April 25, the EPA finalized rules limiting the amount of dangerous air pollution that spews from coal-fired power plants. These protections are critical. Exposure to the pollution from coal- and gas-fired power plants can have profoundly negative impacts on public health.

Duke Energys carbon plan specifies their intent to extend gas production throughout North Carolina with large-scale gas facilities, instead of investing further in cheaper and cleaner alternatives.

Under EPAs new rules, Duke Energy will have to abide by new standards but it could take years before they are effectively implemented.

As a community, we need to use our voices on this issue. North Carolinas children deserve every chance to breathe clean air and live in a healthy environment.

Chelsea Lyons, Madison
Nearly 2 million people stranded as second wave of devastating floods hits Bangladesh in less than a month

Extensive flooding has stranded about 1.8 million people in northeast Bangladesh, following weeks of heavy rains that have submerged homes and devastated farmland, according to state media and humanitarian agencies.

Video shows large swathes of Sylhet city and the nearby town of Sunamganj underwater in the second wave of flooding to hit the region in less than a month, state-run news agency Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) reported Saturday.

The widespread flooding was triggered by prolonged torrential rain and water runoff from the hilly regions upstream on the border with India, which caused four rivers to swell beyond their danger marks, the Water Development Board said last week, according to local media.

Villagers in the hardest-hit low-lying areas of Sylhet could be seen wading through chest-deep water and heaping their belongings into piles to protect them from the muddy waters.

There is concern for those trapped by floodwaters who now face food shortages and a lack of clean water, according to local media.

About 964,000 people in Sylhet and 792,000 in Sunamganj had been affected by the flooding and authorities said they had set up more than 6,000 shelters to help the displaced, BSS reported.

Among them are 772,000 children who were in urgent need of assistance, the United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) said Friday. More than 800 schools had been flooded with 500 more used as flood shelters, the agency said.

As waters rise, children are the most vulnerable, facing heightened risks of drowning, malnutrition, deadly waterborne diseases, the trauma of displacement, and potential abuse in overpopulated shelters, Sheldon Yett, UNICEF Representative to Bangladesh, said in a statement.

A mother holds her son in front of her house in floodwater on June 20, 2024 in Sylhet, Bangladesh. - Salahuddin Paulash/Drik/Getty Images

International development organization BRAC said it was helping to deliver emergency food and health support to hundreds of families in Sylhet and Sunamganj. It said about 2.25 million people have been affected by the flash floods, which have left 12,000 people in the region without power.

Khondoker Golam Tawhid, program head of BRACs Disaster Risk Management Program said flooding in the country is becoming more dangerous with huge losses to livelihoods, biodiversity and infrastructure  and interruption to schooling and health services.

Bangladesh is used to flooding, but climate change is making floods more intense and less predictable, making it impossible for families to stay safe, let alone plan ahead, Tawhid said.

Meanwhile, fish farmers have faced significant losses as floodwaters wash away thousands of farms and ponds, with local media reporting an economic toll of over $11.4 million.

Densely populated and low-lying Bangladesh is prone to seasonal rains, flooding and cyclones.

But the South Asian country is one of the worlds most vulnerable to the impacts of the human-caused climate crisis, studies show. As extreme weather events become more frequent and severe as a result of the climate crisis, the humanitarian and economic impacts to Bangladesh will continue to deteriorate.

By 2050, 13 million people in Bangladesh could become climate migrants and severe flooding could cause GDP to fall by as much as 9%, according to the World Bank.

The latest bout of heavy rains and floods came as the region had barely recovered from widespread flooding in late May following Tropical Cyclone Remal, which lashed Bangladesh and southern India and impacted about 5 million people.

For many, this will change the course of their lives, leaving them without homes and schools and forcing them to move to temporary shelters for who knows how long, said Sultana Begum, Save the Childrens regional humanitarian advocacy and policy manager for Asia, in a statement.

Everything we are hearing points towards these kinds of extreme weather events getting worse and worse. And we have certainly not seen two bouts of severe flooding happen in such quick succession before. Make no mistake, the climate emergency is already making its mark on India and Bangladesh, and it is robbing children of their homes, families, food, water, and access to education and healthcare.

Rohingya vulnerable

Monsoon rains and landslides have also affected southern Bangladesh, where about a million people from the Rohingya Muslim community are living in the worlds biggest refugee camps, having fled persecution and violence in neighboring Myanmar.

At least 10 people, including three children, died from mudslides and heavy rainfall in the refugee camps near Coxs Bazar on Wednesday, according to Bangladeshs Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.

People have been evacuated from the low-lying areas and at least 500 people have been shifted to other relief centers, Hasan Sarwar, head of the refugee cell for the ministry told CNN last week.

Many Rohingya refugees live in bamboo and tarpaulin shelters perched on hilly slopes that are vulnerable to strong winds, rain, and landslides.

People move their belongings through a flooded street in Sylhet, Bangladesh, on June 20, 2024. - Syed Mahamudur Rahman/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Save the Children said about 8,000 people in 33 camps have been impacted by the torrential downpours, which have destroyed or damaged more than 1,000 shelters.

The humanitarian group noted that the monsoon season in Bangladesh has only just started and will last for the next two months, with the potential to bring more heavy rains, landslides and flooding.

Landslides, heavy rains and flooding have also hit the neighboring Indian state of Assam, affecting more than 4 million people, according to Save the Children.

At least 31 people have died in the floods and landslides since May 29 in the state, according to local police and disaster management authorities.

Some immediate relief for northeast Bangladesh is in sight, however, as the rains began to ease and there are signs that floodwaters were starting to recede, local media reported.

The Bangladesh Water Development Board said Saturday that water levels of the major rivers in the northeast were falling and the trend could continue over the coming days if further rains hold off.

Overall improvement of the flood situation in various low-lying areas under districts of the northeastern part of the country may continue in next 72 hours, it said.

This story has been updated with additional information. CNNs Esha Mitra contributed reporting.

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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.  Someone vandalized nearly three dozen of Elon Muskss new Tesla Cybertrucks that were parked in a lot in Fort Lauderdale some time between Thursday night and Friday morning, when they were found with spray-painted writing on them, police said.

Someone found 34 vandalized trucks in the lot, located in the 1900 block of Northeast 9th Place, shortly before 9 a.m. Friday, Fort Lauderdale Police spokesperson Detective Ali Adamson said in an email. The man who found them told officers the trucks were in good condition Thursday when he left.

A video posted on the popular Only in Dade Instagram account, which posts viral videos recorded throughout the South Florida area, showed several trucks with an expletive and Elon written on the front of them in what appeared to be black spray paint. The person who recorded the video said Tesla leased the previously empty lot where the trucks were parked and started bringing the trucks there earlier in the week, the video showed.

Teslas website advertises the electric trucks as no paint, no chips, with an ultra-hard stainless-steel exterior. Their prices range from more than $60,000 to nearly $100,000, the website says.

Fort Lauderdale Police are investigating.
People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages held by the Hamas militant group, on Saturday, June 22, 2024, in Tel Aviv, Israel. Credit - Leo CorreaAP

TEL AVIV, Israel  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday that there had been a dramatic drop in U.S. weapons deliveries for Israel's war effort in Gaza, doubling down on a claim that the Biden administration has denied and underscoring the growing strains between the two allies.

Netanyahu told his Cabinet that the drop had occurred four months ago, without specifying which weapons, saying only that certain items arrived sporadically but the munitions at large remained behind."

The spat highlights how high tensions have surged between Israel and Washington over the war in Gaza, particularly surrounding the Israeli military's conduct in the beleaguered territory and the harm to civilian life there. President Joe Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over those concerns, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahu's charges that other shipments had also been affected.

Netanyahu told the Cabinet that he was driven to release a video in English last week after weeks of unsuccessful pleas with American officials to speed up deliveries. He said a resolution appeared close.

In light of what I have heard over the past day, I hope and believe that this matter will be solved soon, he said, without elaborating.

Netanyahu's video last week sparked an uproar among critics in Israel and was met with denial and confusion from White House officials. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the U.S. was perplexed by Netanyahus claims. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, We genuinely do not know what hes talking about.

A White House official on Sunday said the administration has repeatedly stated its position on the matter, and declined to respond to Netanyahu's comments. The official, who requested anonymity to discuss a diplomatic issue, said U.S. officials were looking forward to constructive consultations this week in Washington with Israel's visiting defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

Gallant, a rival of Netanyahu's inside the ruling Likud party, was traveling to Washington on Sunday. His office said he would discuss maintaining Israels qualitative edge in the region but made no mention of the weapons issue.

The war in Gaza, which was sparked by Hamas' Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel, has tested the U.S.-Israel relationship like never before. While the U.S. has staunchly supported Israel's aims of freeing hostages taken into Gaza and defeating Hamas, it has grown increasingly concerned over the rising Palestinian death toll and the humanitarian crisis created by the war.

Biden has felt pressure from progressive Democrats to take a tougher line against Israel, and he has sharpened his warnings to Netanyahu over military tactics in the Gaza Strip. But after threatening to impose a more sweeping ban on arms transfers over an assault on Rafah, the administration has avoided any suggestion that Israel's expanding push into the southern Gaza city has crossed a red line.

During an election year, Biden is also facing critics on the right who say he has moderated his support for an essential Mideast ally.

For Netanyahu, the growing daylight with the U.S. also poses political risks and opportunities. His critics see the public spats as the result of a leader prepared to wreck important alliances and tarnish Israels image in the world for political gain.

But the rift grants the long-serving leader a chance to show his base that he isn't beholden to the U.S. and that he is putting Israel's interests first.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Netanyahu says Israel is winding down its Gaza operations. But he warns a Lebanon war could be next

People protest against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and call for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas militant group, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/Leo Correa)

JERUSALEM (AP)  Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that the current phase of fighting against Hamas in Gaza is winding down, setting the stage for Israel to send more troops to its northern border to confront the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

The comments threatened to further heighten the tensions between Israel and Hezbollah at a time when they appear to be moving closer to war. Netanyahu also signaled that there is no end in sight for the grinding war in Gaza.

The Israeli leader said in a lengthy TV interview that while the army is close to completing its current ground offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah, that would not mean the war against Hamas is over. But he said fewer troops would be needed in Gaza, freeing up forces to battle Hezbollah.

We will have the possibility of transferring some of our forces north, and we will do that, he told Israels Channel 14, a pro-Netanyahu TV channel, in an interview that was frequently interrupted by applause from the studio audience. First and foremost, for defense, he added, but also to allow tens of thousands of displaced Israelis to return home.

The Iranian-backed Hezbollah began striking Israel almost immediately after Hamas Oct. 7 cross-border attack that triggered the Gaza war. Israel and Hezbollah have been exchanging fire nearly every day since then, but the fighting has escalated in recent weeks, raising fears of a full-blown war.

Hezbollah is much stronger than Hamas, and opening a new front would raise the risk of a larger, region-wide war involving other Iranian proxies and perhaps Iran itself that could cause heavy damage and mass casualties on both sides of the border.

White House envoy Amos Hochstein was in the region last week meeting with officials in Israel and Lebanon in an effort to lower tensions. But the fighting has continued.

Netanyahu said he hoped a diplomatic solution to the crisis could be found but vowed to solve the problem in a different way if needed. We can fight on several fronts and we are prepared to do that, he said.

He said any deal would not just be an agreement on paper. He said it would require Hezbollah to be far from the border, an enforcement mechanism and the return of Israelis back to their homes. Tens of thousands of people were evacuated shortly after the fighting erupted and have not been able to go home.

Hezbollah has said it will continue battling Israel until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza. The groups leader, Hassan Nasrallah, warned Israel last week against launching a war, saying Hezbollah has new weapons and intelligence capabilities that could help it target more critical positions deeper inside Israel.

Hezbollah already has unveiled new weapons during the low-level fighting, including hard-to-defend attack drones that strike with little warning. An Israeli soldier was badly wounded Sunday in a drone strike.

But Israel says it too has shown Hezbollah only a small part of its full capabilities, and that Lebanon will be turned into a second Gaza if there is a war. Israels army last week said it had approved and validated a new plan for a Lebanon offensive.

In the interview, Netanyahu said that Israels offensive in Gaza is winding down. The Israeli army has been operating in the southern border town of Rafah since early May. It says it has inflicted heavy damage on Hamas in Rafah, which it has identified as the last remaining Hamas stronghold after a brutal war stretching nearly nine months. But he said Israel would have to continue mowing operations  targeted strikes aimed at preventing Hamas from regrouping.

Israel launched its air and ground invasion of Gaza immediately after Hamas Oct. 7 attack, which killed some 1,200 people and took about 250 others hostage.

The Israeli offensive has killed over 37,000 Palestinians, unleashed a humanitarian crisis and triggered war crimes and genocide cases at the worlds top courts in The Hague.

It also has raised tensions with the United States, with President Joe Biden and Netanyahu clashing publicly over the course of the war. Earlier on Sunday, Netanyahu again repeated his claim that there has been a dramatic drop in arms shipments from the U.S., Israels closest ally, hindering the war effort.

Biden has delayed delivering certain heavy bombs since May over concerns of heavy civilian casualties, but his administration fought back last week against Netanyahus charges that other shipments had also been affected.

Although the U.S. and other mediators are pushing a cease-fire plan, Netanyahu has ruled out an end to the war until Israel frees all hostages held by Hamas and until it destroys Hamas military and governing capabilities.

The current phase of the war is about to end, Netanyahu said. That doesnt mean the war is about to end.

Netanyahu spoke as his defense minister, Yoav Gallant, was in Washington for talks with American officials about the war and tensions with Lebanon. And next month, Netanyahu has been invited to address Congress for a speech that already is dividing Washington along partisan lines. Some Democrats, angry at Netanyahu's public fighting with Biden, say they will not attend.

American officials also have been pressing Netanyahu to spell out a clear post-war plan for Gaza. The U.S. has said it will not accept a long-term Israeli occupation of the territory.

Netanyahu spelled out a very different vision. He said the only way to guarantee Israels security is for Israel to maintain military control over the territory.

There is no one else capable of doing that, he said. But he said he is seeking a way to create a Palestinian civilian administration to manage day-to-day affairs in Gaza, hopefully with backing from moderate Arab countries. He ruled out any role for the internationally recognized Palestinian Authority, which was ousted from Gaza by Hamas in a violent 2007 takeover.

Netanyahu said the Israeli army several months ago looked into working with prominent Palestinian families in Gaza, but that Hamas immediately destroyed them. He said Israel is now looking at other options.

Netanyahu ruled out one option favored by some of his ultranationalist governing partners  re-settling Israelis in Gaza. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, ending a 38-year presence.

The issue of settlement is not realistic, he said. Im realistic.
Netanyahu defends decision to go public with complaint about US weapons supplies

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has defended his decision to go public about delays in the supply of weapons from the United States, saying months of private discussions did not yield any results.

At the beginning of a cabinet meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said that after months of no change in this situation, I decided to give it a public expression. I did this based on years of experience, and knowing that this step is essential to extracting the cork.

Netanyahu claimed on Tuesday that the Biden administration was withholding weapons in a video posted to X, claiming that Secretary of State Antony Blinken assured me that the administration is working day and night to remove these bottlenecks.

In response, US envoy Amos Hochstein told Netanyahu that his comments were unproductive and more importantly, completely untrue.

While not the first time Netanyahu has publicly lambasted the Biden administration in the course of the Israel-Hamas war, the dispute comes as the stakes around the war in Gaza and a potential further conflict between Israel and Hezbollah remain high.

The US remains Israels most important ally and biggest supplier of arms but has voiced increasing concern over the mounting civilian casualties in Gaza.

Speaking during the meeting Sunday, Netanyahu said: About four months ago, there was a dramatic drop in the supply of armaments arriving from the US to Israel. For weeks we asked our American friends to speed up the shipments. We did it time and time again.

We did it at the highest levels, and at all levels, and I want to emphasize - we did it in private rooms. We got all sorts of explanations, but one thing we didnt get: the basic situation didnt change.

Netanyahu went on to say that in light of what I have heard in the last day, I hope and believe that this issue will be resolved in the near future.

Israeli defense minister heads to the US

Amid the dispute, Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant on Sunday reiterated the importance of Israels relations with Washington ahead of a visit where he is scheduled to meet his US counterpart, Lloyd Austin, Blinken and other senior US officials.

The United States is our most important and central ally. Our ties are crucial and perhaps more important than ever, at this time, Gallant told reporters, according to a statement from the Israeli defense ministry.

Gallant is set to discuss Israels war against Hamas and efforts to ensure the return of the hostages as well as measures required to achieve regional stability, according to the statement.

The Israeli defense minister has clashed with Netanyahu, who is facing an ongoing battle to keep his government together.

While Gallant - a retired general - went public earlier this year and said there should be no Israeli rule in post-war Gaza, far-right members of the cabinet oppose any future independent Palestinian state.

In his statement, Gallant spoke of the transition to a Phase C in Gaza. Its unclear whether he was referring to a different stage in the fighting or how to prepare for post conflict. CNN has reached out to Israels ministry of defense for more details.

I will discuss this transition with U.S. officials, touching on how it may enable additional things [to take place], and I know that we will achieve close cooperation with the U.S. on this issue as well, Gallant said.

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Netanyahu says intense fighting against Hamas is ending but war to go on

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that the phase of intense fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip was coming to an end but that the war would not end until the Islamist group no longer controls the Palestinian enclave.

Once the intense fighting is over in Gaza, Netanyahu said, Israel will be able to deploy more forces along the northern border with Lebanon, where fighting with Iran-backed Hezbollah has escalated .

"After the intense phase is finished, we will have the possibility to move part of the forces north. And we will do this. First and foremost for defensive purposes. And secondly, to bring our (evacuated) residents home," Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel's Channel 14.

"If we can we will do this diplomatically. If not, we will do it another way. But we will bring (the residents) home," he said.

Many Israeli towns near the border with Lebanon have been evacuated during the fighting.

Asked when the phase of intense fighting against Hamas will come to an end, Netanyahu answered: "Very soon."

But the military will still operate in Gaza.

"I am not willing to end the war and leave Hamas as it is," he said.

Netanyahu also reiterated his rejection to the idea that the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority run Gaza in place of Hamas.

(Reporting by Ari Rabinovitch; Editing by Angus MacSwan)
EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  Progress continues to be made in containing the two major fires that have ravaged the Ruidoso and Mescalero Apache Reservation areas, but the area remains hazardous to both the public and firefighters who continue to battle the fires, according to the New Mexico Forestry Division.

The South Fork Fire is now 31 percent contained as of Sunday morning, June 23, according to the NM Forestry Division, while the Salt Fire remains at 7 percent containment, same as Saturday.

The South Fork Fire has burned 17,551 acres, while the Salt Fire has burned 7,775 acres, according to the latest update. Both fires started on Monday, June 17 and rapidly spread.

Saturday, the South Fork Fire was listed at 16,614 acres and the Salt Fire at 7,652 acres.

As evacuations and closures are lifted, extra precautions should be exercised as emergency and fire vehicles, engines and equipment continue to travel and work along roadways and incident personnel work and travel within neighborhoods, according to the news release sent out by the NM Forestry Division.

Some full-time residents in Lincoln County were allowed to return to their homes on Saturday night, while others were being allowed to return home Sunday morning.

The Village of Ruidoso is also allowing full-time residents to return on Monday morning.

Both Lincoln County and the Village of Ruidoso stressed the need for people with second homes and tourists to remain clear of the area to allow full-time residents to get home and assess their situations.

Lincoln County residents allowed back home starting Saturday

Village of Ruidoso confirmed that two people have now died as a result of the fires. The Village had initially reported three fatalities on its Facebook page, but changed that total to two.

With permanent residents being allowed to return to the Village of Ruidoso starting at 8 a.m. Monday, there will be some areas that are considered no entry/exclusion zones that will not be accessible to residents because they are considered crime scenes, the Village said on its Facebook page.

The Village also says that search-and-rescue teams have identified potential fatalities that could add to the number of deaths. These areas will also be secured by officers.

Saturday, both fire areas saw rain which made it difficult for firefighters to reach some areas and assess what was going on because of unsafe conditions, according to the news release from the NM Forestry Division.

On Sunday, weather conditions will allow firefighters to continue securing the perimeter and responding to hot spots within the interior of the fire area, according to the news release.

These fires are a long-duration event, and as such, as weather changes occur and temperatures increase, fire activity will increase in unburned pockets of fuel, including stumps and downed trees. As these fuels reignite, smoke may be visible, the release also stated.

FBI offering reward for information about cause of Ruidoso fires

Light smoke was seen from both the South Fork and Salt fires on Saturday, and smoke production will remain light to moderate on Sunday, according to the NM Forestry Division.

Evacuations and closure status are changing. Visit www.lincolncountynm.gov and www.ruidoso-nm.gov/south-fork-fire for the latest information. Contact the Lincoln County Emergency Operations Center at (575) 258-6900 if you have questions.

A closure order was issued on Thursday, June 20 for national forest lands in the Smokey Bear District because of the South Fork Fire.

A temporary flight restriction is also in place over the fire area. This prohibits any and all drone use by the public.

Unsanctioned drone use puts responders and the public at risk because of the potential for accidents and disruption of suppression operations, according to the NM Forestry Division.

More than 1,100 firefighters continue to fight the blaze. Other resources include: 22 crews; 88 engines; 13 dozers; and 18 water tenders. Aircraft remain available for bucket and retardant drops if the need arises, and conditions allow, according to the NM Forestry Division.

The incident management team will host a community meeting on Facebook at 5 p.m. on Sunday. The meeting can be accessed at https://www.facebook.com/SWIMT5. The community meeting will include representatives from Lincoln County, Ruidoso Police Department, NM State Police, Red Cross, PNM, Windstream, Mescalero Apache Telephone, Tri-State Electric and Otero County Electric Cooperative.

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There is no point in peace talks because the only option is to reclaim occupied territory, Ukraine's Military Intelligence Chief Kyrylo Budanov said in an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer published June 23.

"We have no option but to get back what was occupied. Otherwise, the state of war will go on forever," Budanov told the paper.

Ukraine held a peace summit in Switzerland earlier this month to rally support for its peace formula, which includes restoring its national borders. Russia was not invited to the event in Switzerland.

During the interview, the military intelligence chief also expressed a belief that Russian President Vladimir Putin would not use tactical nuclear weapons on the battlefield.

"What use would it have? We dont have big concentrations of troops for which such nuclear weapons would be appropriate," Budanov said, adding that breaking through Ukrainian defense lines could be done with conventional weapons, avoiding large political risks.

Budanov also spoke of the need to use long-range weapons to attack Russian soil, which Ukraine has increasingly done in recent months. Additionally, Budanov said he believes that long-range ATACMS missiles could be used to destroy the Kerch Bridge.

Read also: Russia claims Ukraine attacked Sevastopol with 5 ATACMS missiles, killing 3

The bridge connects the Russian mainland with the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula and has long been a crucial supply route for the Russian military in Ukraine.

Construction on the 19-kilometer-long bridge began after the illegal 2014 annexation of Crimea and was completed in 2018.

The bridge was heavily damaged in Ukrainian strikes in October 2022 and July 2023. However, Navy spokesman Dmytro Pletenchuk said earlier this month that its destruction would no longer be as effective militarily, as Russia no longer relies on it as heavily for military purposes.

In the interview, Budanov also discussed a possible win by Donald Trump in the upcoming U.S. presidential elections, describing his attitude toward such an event as "calm": "Your elections are very unpredictable. If you analyze his public speeches, he has changed his position several times. And the power of your system is that it doesnt allow one individual to make decisions unilaterally."

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
LIVE: Gov. Noem press briefing on flooding from North Sioux City Posted by Governor Kristi Noem on Sunday, June 23, 2024

NORTH SIOUX CITY, South Dakota  As the residents of Dakota Dunes consider whether to voluntarily evacuate, the main wave of a flood event is creeping toward the tri-state area.

Gov. Kristi Noem and members of her cabinet addressed the looming threat before reporters and community members Sunday at the North Sioux City Fire Department.

Gov. Kristi Noem gives a press conference Sunday afternoon, June 23, 2024, in North Sioux City about voluntary evacuations in Dakota Dunes as rivers in South Dakota reach peak levels and are expected to crest.

Noem, who was on the backheel of a conservative conference in D.C. Saturday and a next-day appearance on NBC's Meet the Press, arrived to her home state to deliver stark news on eastern South Dakota's major flood event that the worst is yet to come for the area.

More: Gov. Noem issues emergency declaration after eastern SD floods

Near the top of the press conference, Noem said river level projections for some of South Dakota's main Missouri River tributaries have already surpassed their peak estimates.

Near Hawarden, Iowa, one river gage in the Big Sioux River passed its historic peak of 35.2 feet by 4.7 feet, Noem said, while by Akron, Iowa, another Big Sioux River gage broke past its 25.46 feet record set in 1985 by 1.8 feet.

Heres a BSR gage from USGS, measuring gage height more than double levels on June 17. Similar story at a Jefferson gage, highest measurement since March 2015. pic.twitter.com/W1eQ7jcBTV  Dominik Dausch (@DomDNP) June 23, 2024

With National Weather Service modeling projecting the Big Sioux, Missouri and Vermillion rivers to reach flood stage Monday and Tuesday, a significant and threatening bulk of water is making its way to the river-adjacent Dakota Dunes.

This has led Dakota Dunes officials to recommend voluntary evacuations for the town for the next 24 hours, according to a Sunday press release from Union County Emergency Management.

Noem said the Big Sioux River is predicted to crest around 7 p.m. Sunday, and the influx of water is expected to send a significant amount of water into the low-lying parts of southeastern South Dakota the next few days.

An image shows the Missouri River's high water levels Sunday afternoon, June 23, 2024, near Sioux City proper.

"It's coming our direction, and these numbers illustrate our situation that we're going to be facing for the next several days," Noem said.

However, Noem told an Argus Leader reporter she does not anticipate activating the National Guard to respond to the flood event. As for mandating evacuations for the area, that would occur it becomes dangerous, she says.

"At this point in time, that has not been requested," Noem said. "We have private contractors in the community that is better prepared, and we believe they can do the work quickly, so they stand ready.

One person has died so far as a result of the regional flooding, Noem said. She did not elaborate further on the incident, citing privacy concerns for the victim's family. She declined to answer another reporter's question about where the fatal event took place.

On Saturday, a elderly man died following a UTV crash near Lake Alvin, 5 miles east of Harrisburg, according to a press release from the South Dakota Department of Public Safety press release Sunday.

480th Avenue, a road leading to the lake's recreation area, was closed at the time and the east shoulder of the road had washed away.

More: Aging Lake Alvin spillway submerged by flood waters

An Argus Leader reporter observed increased water levels at the lake 5 p.m. Thursday. Lake Alvin's spillway, a structure used to control water levels, was completely submerged when the reporter arrived.

It is not clear if the two events are related.

Crews are hard at work constructing additional levees at Dakota Dunes.



Floodwaters in this area will peak over the next few days. Pay attention to @sdpublicsafety, @southdakotaDOT, and https://t.co/hR198ULwg2 for updates. pic.twitter.com/N7oNld4Ux4  Kristi Noem (@KristiNoem) June 23, 2024

The northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 29 from exit 2 to exit 9 will be closed starting 6 p.m. Sunday, said Craig Smith, the South Dakota Department of Transportation division director of operations support.

This will allow time for emergency crews to build a levee by exit 4 to provide temporary protection from potential flooding.

Detour maps are available on https://www.SD511.org.

I just made it out of Sioux City before I 29 closes at 6. Lots of people trying to leave at once, dont have great photos, but traffic was backed up behind me for probably at least half a mile. Had to drive through some water, could see some homes surrounded by water east of me. pic.twitter.com/clOjQso6M6  Dominik Dausch (@DomDNP) June 23, 2024

Correction: A previous version of this story misidentified Craig Smith. The story has been updated to reflect this change.

This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Noem: 1 dead from flooding; Southeast SD river peaks expected Monday
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem (R) said those facing Jan. 6 charges should be evaluated for pardons on a case-by-case basis, adding that she does not want to see attacks like that happen again.

NBCs Peter Alexander asked Noem on Meet the Press whether she thinks that all of those facing charges related to the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol should be pardoned. She said, Each of those situations needs to be looked at separately.

What I have been very clear about is that we dont want to see another January 6th again. Nobody in this country wants to see another day like that again, she said.

And I believe that Donald Trump, when he comes back to the White House and is in charge of this country, were going to have incredible opportunities to show that people in this country will be safer, that well have law and order back in our streets, she added.

Trump has repeatedly floated pardons for the Jan. 6 defendants if he wins a second term for the White House. He said in March that one of his first actions while in the Oval Office would be freeing people imprisoned for participating in the riot at the Capitol, describing them as hostages.

Alexander repeatedly asked Noem whether she agrees with the former president in pardoning those who participated in the attack. She emphasized that it would be based on his prerogative and his decision when he looks at those cases.

Each of those individuals needs to be looked at separately, as far as what their role was and what was happening in that situation, she said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  The Norfolk police department participated in a PRIDE event on Saturday.

Photos were sent in from the event.

Courtesy: NPD

Courtesy: NPD

Courtesy: NPD

Courtesy: NPD

Norfolk Police OUTstanding Officers represented today at Pride Fest in Town Point Park; engaging attendees with recruitment information, get to know us trading cards and tattoos!

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
SUNSET BEACH, N.C. (WNCN)  Just as the first week of summer gets underway, things have been busy at the North Carolina coast  with a reported shark bite, an alligator scare and more than 150 water rescues amid dangerous rip currents.

Summer began on Thursday and since then much of the coast has been under a red flag warning for a high risk of rip currents. There were 152 rip current rescues along New Hanover County and Carteret County beaches starting Wednesday and continuing through Saturday  with more than 80 at Carolina Beach, the National Weather Service said.

But the activity at the coast wasnt limited to rip current water rescues. On Tuesday a man was sent to an area hospital after a shark bite at an island beach in Brunswick County, near the South Carolina border.

Photo by Sunset Beach Police

The incident, which was initially reported as a shark bite, happened just before 11:25 a.m. Tuesday in the surf at Sunset Beach.

A 20-year-old man was swimming on the eastern side of the island near 11th Street when he was bitten on the lower leg and was immediately taken by Brunswick County Emergency Medical Services to a hospital, according to Sunset Beach Police Department.

Police later said a cut on the mans leg was caused by some sort of sea life but could not confirm it was a shark bite.

On Wednesday  nearly a half mile off the coast of Oak Island  crews had to rescue two youths on a paddle board who had drifted out to sea, officials said.

Oak Island Water Rescue and the U.S Coast Guard were involved in the rescue around 3:35 p.m. which involved getting the pair back to the Brunswick County island. East to West longshore currents and offshore winds forced the pair about 2,000 feet off the beach, according to the Oak Island Fire Department.

A drone flew out to the pair who were far off Barbee Boulevard. The youths communicated with the device using the camera and a speaker on the drone, the Oak Island Fire Department said.

On Thursday  also at Sunset Beach  an alligator lurking under a car frightened folks at a Mexican restaurant, police said.

The alligator was only 5 feet long but the animals head looked menacing sticking out under a car, according to the Sunset Beach Police Department.

Photo courtesy: Oak Island Fire Department

Wildlife crews and police were called Thursday afternoon to Las Palmeras Mexican Restaurant on Chandlers Lane, near the Food Lion in Sunset Beach.

When the officers arrived, the alligator was tucked under the vehicle with his head peering out from the drivers side door, blocking access to the vehicle, police said.

Crews and police managed to get control of the gator out of concern for the safety of the vehicle owner and move it to a nearby pond, according to police.

Never approach an alligator or allow children near them. Alligators can move very quickly over short distances, Sunset Beach Police said.

Photo by Sunset Beach Police

As the weekend was underway, red flag and high rip current warnings continued along many North Carolina beaches on Saturday. There were 152 rip current rescues from Thursday through Saturday in New Hanover and Carteret counties, the National Weather Service reported.

The total water rescues for Wednesday and Thursday in New Hanover County was 20 at Kure Beach, 14 at Wrightsville Beach and 35 at Carolina Beach, the National Weather Service reported. Four total rip current rescues were reported at Atlantic Beach in Carteret County on Thursday and Saturday.

On Friday and Saturday, there were 38 water rescues at Carolina Beach, 21 at Kure Beach and 10 at Wrightsville Beach, the National Weather Service told CBS 17 Saturday.

Oak Island Water Rescue photo

Dangerous rip currents were reported Saturday from Cape Hatteras to Surf City. The National Weather Service also reported rip currents in Pender and New Hanover counties.

Saturday, the National Weather Service in Wilmington told CBS 17 that the forecast for dangerous rip currents in New Hanover County and Brunswick County was likely to diminish for the rest of the weekend.

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Donald Trump has bellyached that elections are rigged ever since he lost in 2020. Turns out he was right  at least in North Carolina. Our elections are rigged, AND it was the Republicans who rigged them! They admit it.

Former Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr is fed up with representatives choosing their voters instead of voters choosing their representatives. After hours of research, consultation and deliberation Orr reached some notable conclusions.

The North Carolina Supreme Court has previously ruled, "The people are entitled to have their elections conducted honestly and in accordance with the requirements of the law. To require less would result in mockery of the democratic processes for nominating and electing public officials."

Orr adds, Whats the point of having frequent elections if the results are pre-ordained? Thats what takes place in Russia. Orr maintains that citizens should have the right to fair elections, i.e. elections not rigged so that one candidate or one party will win. He admits no language requiring fair elections is found in the Constitution but asserts that even if not specifically stated it is an unenumerated right - inferred from other rights. The 9th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution allows courts to recognize unenumerated rights. North Carolina courts have recognized such unenumerated rights for more than 150 years.

Registered voters in three congressional districts, one state Senate and one House district are suing the state, saying their districts have been so gerrymandered that their constitutional right to a fair election is violated. Orr and two other attorneys represent them in their lawsuit.

The legislature asked the court to dismiss the case, saying the Constitution and recent court decisions give them sole authority to draw districts as they see fit. Mind you, they do not deny that the districts have been drawn (rigged) so as to give Republicans overwhelming majorities in the legislature and Congress.

A panel of three Superior Court Judges was named to act on the motion to dismiss. Republican Chief Justice Paul Newby named three Republicans to the panel. In a hearing last week, it was pretty obvious the three were buying lockstep the legislatures position. One of the judges asked exactly what would a fair election mean in practice?

Ill take that one, your honor. A fair election is one where no one person or party has an unjust advantage, where no favoritism or discrimination is demonstrated. Where either candidate could win.

One of the judges did remind the legislatures lawyer that the General Assembly is supposed to reflect the will of the people. He opined, If the legislature is allowed to construct itself in such a manner that it prevents people from having access to that, youre really kind of stacking the deck.

Would another way of saying it be rigging?

Again, legislators dont deny doing it but boast theres nothing the courts, Democrats or anyone else can do about it. Sounds very autocratic and dictatorial.

In our March 5 primary election, the vote that determines who wins the right to run in the General Election, only 24.1 percent of voters cast ballots. A minority voted, representatives of a minority were nominated, so the minority will win. Novembers final election outcomes are rigged to yield veto-proof majorities in both the House and Senate, as well as Congress.

Theres no way this election rigging meets any fairness test. Gerrymandering has run amuck.

Mitch Daniels, the former two-term Republican governor of Indiana, spoke to the dilemma in the Washington Post. The issue isnt simply that states lean reliably Republican or Democratic. Its that now a big majority are heavily, maybe irrevocably, tilted in one direction or the other. Where that obtains, office seekers pitch their initial appeals to the hard core on their side, as primary candidates always have. The difference is that, instead of the winners traditional post-primary imperative, to reach out to nonpartisans and even open-minded members of the opposing party, now their job is finished.

In the early 2000s, three-fifths of the states saw reasonable political balance between the two major parties. Today, trifecta government, meaning one-party control of the governorship and both legislative bodies, has become the norm across the 50 states. In 40 states, containing 83 percent of the American population, one party enjoys trifecta dominance, and often by overwhelming margins.

Democracy and fairness are being smothered by gerrymandering. The nominees in primaries are virtually guaranteed election. They have little to no accountability and they act like it, as we have experienced in our legislature.

We deserve better. We must demand that election rigging stops, regardless of which party does it. We deserve fair elections. We need to make them more competitive, hear better ideas and elect the best people to make decisions for the most of us.

Lets make the rallying cry: NO MORE RIGGED ELECTIONS.

Tom Campbell is a Hall of Fame North Carolina broadcaster and columnist who has covered North Carolina public policy issues since 1965. Contact him at tomcamp@carolinabroadcasting.com.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Tom Campbell writes about gerrymandering, election rigging in NC
Community leaders came together on Saturday to denounce the alleged hate-motivated attempted murder of two children in Euless last month.

District 92 Rep. Salman Bhojani, whose district includes part of Euless, said hate has no place anywhere in Texas.

The trauma and pain this has caused for the immigrant community broadly and Muslim community more specifically cannot be understated, Bhojani said at a news conference Saturday.

Hate against one community is hate against all of us, and we cant sit around and let crimes like these become the norm in our great state of Texas.

On May 19, a Palestinian mother watching her two young children play in the shallow end of the swimming pool at a Euless apartment complex was approached by a white woman who asked where she was from, according to witnesses and police.

The mother was wearing a hijab and speaking Arabic to her children, according to a news release from the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Witnesses told police and CAIR that the woman who approached the family was making racist comments.

The mother, known as Mrs. H in the CAIR news release to protect her identity, said the woman jumped into the pool and pulled her two children to the deep end where she tried to drown them.

Euless police identified the suspect as 42-year-old Elizabeth Wolf in a news release on Friday. Wolf attempted to grab the 6-year-old boy, but he managed to pull away, police said. The mother went to help her son, but Wolf then grabbed the 3-year-old girl and forced her underwater.

The mother told CAIR that the suspect snatched the hijab off her head and used it to beat her. The woman also kicked Mrs. H in order to keep her away while she held the 3-year-olds head underwater.

A man helped Mrs. H rescue her daughter from the attacker, according to the release from CAIR. As Wolf was being handcuffed by police, she allegedly shouted to a witness who was with Mrs. H, Tell her I will kill her, and I will kill her whole family.

Witnesses told police that Wolf was intoxicated when she attacked the mother and her children. She was initially arrested on a charge of public intoxication, according to police.

Bhojani praised the actions of the man who rushed to help the mother and children and those who called police.

Neighbors helping neighbors. Thats the Texas I know, he said.

Mustafaa Carroll, executive director for the Texas chapter of CAIR, said said they chose to wait before making the incident public because of the trauma to the family. According to Carroll, they have been torn apart emotionally.

They are afraid to be seen in public, Carroll said at the news conference. They are really struggling a lot with the children.

The family didnt attend the news conference, but the mother issued a statement on Friday through CAIR. She said her daughter was left traumatized by the incident.

I dont know where to go to feel safe with my kids, the mother said. My country is facing a war, and we are facing that hate here.

CAIR is calling for a hate-crime probe into the case.

Bhojani said hes been in touch with Euless police and was told they let judicial authorities know the womans actions should be prosecuted as a hate crime. The ultimate decision on how to prosecute the case is up to the Tarrant County District Attorneys Office.

Wolf is charged with attempted capital murder and injury to a child, according to court records. She bonded out of jail shortly after her arrest.

Other North Texas leaders and residents also attended the news conference to show solidarity with the family and the Muslim community.

Its very bad  Im appalled by what has happened, said Neeraj Bajracharya, vice president of the Nepalese Buddhist Association of Texas.

Euless resident Aileen Mokuria saw the story on Saturday morning on Instagram and wanted to help. She called a community activist, who suggested she attend the news conference.

I just want to be able to support the family and also make sure that were all loud and clear that this behavior is not OK, Mokuria said.

A GoFundMe has been set up to help the family. The father has had to take time off work to accompany his wife and children on appointments and errands.

 More top stories from our newsroom:

 Accused drunk driver slams into 2 cyclists near Dallas-Fort Worth Airport

 Gateway Church pastor resigns after admitting to sexually abusing 12-year-old girl

 Allan Saxe, beloved UT Arlington professor, has died

[Get our breaking news alerts.]
NYCs 4-day heat wave will end Sunday night  next week will be a little bit more bearable

New York man pours water on his head to cool off, People cool off in a fountain in Domino Park

The Big Apple will bake, but not broil, this week.

After five consecutive days of 90-plus temperatures, the heat wave will finally subside  slightly  Monday, forecasters said.

Sunday is supposed to be around 92, and then on Monday, were back to the mid to low 80s, FOX meteorologist Cody Braud told The Post.

The forecast for next week shows temperatures will still be warm, but more bearable for NYC residents. Stephen Yang

A heat wave consists of at least three consecutive days of a high temperature of at least 90 degrees, Braud explainedm, adding that a 12-day furnace in 1953 holds the local record.

Were going to call this one a baby heat wave, he said.

The coming week will still be hot.

Even though the heat advisory doesnt go into next week, our highs are going to go from the middle 90s to the middle and upper 80s. Its still going to be pretty warm, said Dax Clark, FOX weather producer.

There could also be thunderstorms on Sunday, which could cool things off in the city during the first official weekend of the summer season.

The beaches on Long Island could actually be cooler than Manhattan apartments  and subways.

To beat the heat, New Yorkers are safe to visit the beach on Sunday, Dax Clark said. SARAH YENESEL/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

Not all of Long Island is in the heat advisory. For example, in Montauk, the high is only 75, Clark said.

But parts of the Jersey Shore are actually under excessive heat warnings.
A Jewish mom and her husband were attacked and beaten at a Brooklyn elementary school graduation by an Arabic-speakingfamily  who taunted them with shouts of Free Palestine! Gaza is Ours! and Death to Israel! she told The Post.

The mayhem erupted at PS 682 in Gravesend just after the schools fifth-grade graduation  which was themed, ironically, All you need is love.

Instead, the Jewish womans husband was thrown to the ground by members of the other family. One man put him in a chokehold, he said. Others grabbed his legs as they kicked and punched him. One woman repeatedly whacked him with the sharp heel of a black stiletto, the mom told police.

Johan said he was punched in the head out of nowhere and put in a chokehold. Obtained by The New York Post

They targeted my family because we are Jewish, said the mother, whose 10-year-old twins witnessed the assaults.

A graduation event that was supposed to be joyous and memorable turned into a violent and traumatizing one.

It was one of the worst outbursts of antisemitism in NYC public schools since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack in Israel and war in Gaza, because it escalated beyond words, said Tova Plaut, a city educator and advocate for Jewish peers.

We consistently warned that tolerating overtly antisemitic views would create a toxic environment for Jewish students and families, inevitably leading to physical violence, Plaut said. This has now occurred.

The altercation erupted after PS 682s 5th-grade graduation ceremony, which was themed All You Need is Love.

The Jewish mom, Lana, and her husband Johan, a Dominican who is Catholic, recounted their horrific experience to The Post in frustration because the NYPD did not classify the incident as a hate crime.

But after the couple urged the NYPD to reconsider, a spokesperson said Saturday, The Hate Crimes Task Force is investigating the incident.

The Post is withholding the couples last names to protect their childrens privacy and safety.

The graduation ceremony itself was uneventful, but Lanas mother was upset when one student marched across the stage wearing his graduate cap marked Free Palestine and waving a small Palestinian flag. The grandma walked out.

The mom recorded a brief video on her cell phone before she was knocked to the ground. Obtained by The New York Post

A school administrator told another parent that the city Department of Educations legal staff had okayed the display as an expression of free speech.

After the event concluded, Lana and Johan started to take pictures with their two kids in front of a PS 682 banner and balloons when relatives of the boy with the flag tried to push them out of the way, she said.

We told them there was space for both families, Lana said. An older man turned to us and said Free Palestine! for no reason. My husband told him this was not the time or place for that but the man cursed at him in Arabic, and shouted, Free Palestine, Gaza is Ours, Death to Israel.

Johan and his wife were left with bruises, scrapes and swelling after the incident. Obtained by The New York Post

While Johan argued with the older man and told him to back off, another man just came out of nowhere, punched me in the head and it was a scuffle, he said. From there, I dont remember, because there was so much going on and so many people on top of me. Then I was put on a chokehold. Somebody was holding my leg. It was chaotic.

Their 16-year- old son tried to help his dad, but he was punched in the face.

Lana walked toward her son and managed to record a glimpse of the scene with her cell phone  capturing a group holding her husband down, jostling and loud shrieks  before she, too, was assaulted.

Lana said her hair was pulled by another woman and she was thrown to the ground. Obtained by The New York Post

A woman from the group came up from behind me, pulled me by the hair, and knocked me down on the ground, shouting, I will kill you, she said.

Lana screamed, Call the cops! Call the cops!

No security was on site. Two male teachers rushed over to break up the attack.

There was so much going on and so many people on top of me, her husband told The Post. Obtained by The New York Post

Johan was taken to Maimonides Medical Center with scrapes, bruises and swelling on his head, face and body, photos show. Lana suffered a gash on her leg. Their teen son had a bloody nose.

Cops made one arrest: Ez-Al Dean Bazar, 26, who punched and dragged Johan, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Brooklyn District Attorneys office. The complaint makes no mention of his motive.

Bazar was released on his own recognizance. He and his lawyer did not return messages seeking comment.

The NYPD did not call the assault a hate crime, telling Lana nothing on my body says I am Jewish, she said.

But she and her kids are well-known in the school as Jewish. The twins proudly displayed their Jewish  and Dominican  roots on self-portraits displayed at a recent art show. Lana did not know the other family, but her son was in a class with their son last year.

In recent self portraits, Lanas children proudly displayed Jewish stars and flags. Obtained by The New York Post

DOE spokesman Nathaniel Styer refused to say how school officials classified the fracas.

Graduations should be times of celebration and joy, and we strongly denounce anyone who acts in a violent or aggressive way during such events, he said.

But he shifted blame to Lana and Johan as well: Initial reports we have received from multiple witnesses indicate that both families engaged in aggressive behavior, but we are still investigating the matter and are simultaneously engaging with families as we work towards a resolution.

The 10-year-old twins witnessed the attack on their parents at the 5th-grade graduation. Obtained by The New York Post

Lana disputed the statement, insisting no one in her family provoked the attack, and that school staff told the arresting officer that members of the other family were the aggressors.

My husband was trying to de-escalate the situation, she said. The DOE is trying to sweep it under the rug to avoid further scrutiny of this heinous antisemitic act.
Cop standing outside taped off entrance to 175th Street subway station; investigators putting hazmat suits on before descending into 175th Street subway station; Johnny Medina posing for a picture; Diego Figueroa-Hepner in handcuffs getting escorted by police out of the NYPD 33 precinct.

A Washington Heights man is in custody on murder charges after he fatally stabbed his neighbor inside an Upper Manhattan subway station, police said.

Diego Figueroa-Hepner is accused of knifing musician Johnny Medina in the 175th Street station multiple times in the neck and body, authorities said.

Medina, 40, lived across the street from Figueroa-Hepner, 24, and was a vibrant presence in his native Washington Heights, his devastated family told The Post.

He was about to board a northbound A train to see a movie with his girlfriend, who lives in Yonkers, when he was attacked.

Figueroa-Hepner was allegedly wearing a balaclava mask during the incident, a police source said.

Johnny Medina, a lifelong Washington Heights resident, died from the stab wounds Friday. Courtesy of Anthony Reves

Medina died of his injuries at Harlem Hospital, according to cops.

He was an amazing artist, hip hop artist, lifelong hip hop fan  he was all about spreading love and light through his musicand he was very proud to represent Washington Heights, Medinas paternal cousin, Maximo Reves, 42, told The Post Saturday.

Diego Figueroa-Hepner, 24, was charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon for the stabbing. William Farrington

Medina, who went by the moniker J McFly, was filled with infinite dreams and inspired us to dream big along with him, said another cousin, Anthony Reves.

Its tragic his life ended at this point of his journey. His light will inspire our family forever, added the 37-year-old.

The cousins also claimed the fateful incident wasnt the first time Medina and Figueroa-Hepner clashed.

First responders transported Medina from the station to Harlem Hospital, where he died from his injuries, cops said. Christopher Sadowski

Medina was stabbed multiple times in the neck and torso, police said. Christopher Sadowski

I guess this guy became pretty obsessed with Johnny, and was posting pretty negative things [on social media] about JohnnySo Johnny filed a police report to complain about this guy maybe a month ago, Maximo alleged.

A police source confirmed the pair had previously had a spat on social media, but could not immediately say whether the dispute was reported to law enforcement.

Figueroa-Hepner was arrested Saturday and charged with murder and criminal possession of a weapon.

Additional reporting by Marie Pohl.
Oakland Co. deputy dies after ambush while on duty

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS)  An Oakland County sheriffs deputy died Saturday night while working undercover in an auto theft investigation.

Deputy Bradley J. Reckling, 30, an investigator in the Auto Theft Unit, was ambushed and killed on the northeast side of Detroit just before 11 p.m., sheriffs officials said.

Deputy Reckling was a nine-year veteran and a much beloved member of our team, officials said. He is survived by a loving wife and three beautiful girls, ages 5, 4, and 1, with one more child on the way. He was a friend and trusted partner to countless other members of our agency.

The auto theft investigation had started in Madison Heights, Oakland County, and led investigators into the city of Detroit, officials said in a social media post on Sunday afternoon.

Gunfire hit Reckling multiple times, officials said. He died at the hospital soon after.

Oakland County Deputy Bradley Reckling, 30, and his family. (Oakland County Sheriffs Office)

Three suspects are now in custody, sheriffs officials said.

Reckling and two other members of the Auto Theft Unit had traced a stolen Chevrolet Equinox to a Detroit location, the sheriffs office said. Reckling first spotted the stolen car, and and the other two detectives were on their way in separate vehicles when the stolen car stopped.

At least one of the three suspects in the car got out and began shooting at Reckling, the sheriffs office said.

This agency is crushed, Sheriff Michael Bouchard said in a news release on Sunday. If you are someone who believes in prayer, please pray for his family and this agency.

A crisis team, called in to counsel deputies after last weekends mass shooting in Rochester Hills, Oakland County, had just left the sheriffs office on Saturday.

Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said in a news release Sunday, This was a senseless murder and a terrible loss for our entire communityIts also another tragedy caused by gun violence, which continues to take a tremendous toll on our community.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News.
OCEANSIDE, Calif. (FOX5/KUSI)  A North County drug dealer was handed a 10-year prison sentence last week, U.S. attorney Tara McGraths office announced.

Sean Keenan OConnor, a 22-year-old Oceanside resident, will serve time for firearms and drug trafficking offenses, including the distribution of fentanyl, cocaine, methamphetamine, marijuana and alprazolam.

According to his plea agreement, deputies with the San Diego Sheriffs Department executed court-authorized search warrants on his residence and vehicle on Feb. 28, 2023. The following items were seized during the operation, according to authorities:

License plate reader alerts police to stolen vehicle in El Cajon; two arrested

 2,617 fentanyl tablets

 209 methamphetamine tablets

 24.19 grams of cocaine

 4,384 alprazolam tablets

 1,549 grams of marijuana

Deputies also seized about $150,000 in cash, along with roughly $17,300 in Bitcoin, which court records show OConnor admitted were proceeds from drug trafficking.

Leading up to the search warrants, the sentencing memorandum noted that the Oceanside man had called people who overdose on fentanyl dummies during a text exchange. Additionally, he appeared to brag on social media about selling drugs, even posting photographs of himself on Instagram with cash and drugs.

This significant sentence of a prolific North County drug dealer is a meaningful victory for public safety, said U.S. attorney McGrath. By removing dangerous criminals, weapons, and drugs from our streets, we are ensuring a safer community for all.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
Dont call Odilia Romero Latina, or Mexican, or Hispanic. She is Zapotec, born in the town of San Bartolome Zoogocho in the highlands of Oaxaca.

And in the Zapotec language there's a word she seeks to embody: gozona, the honorable commitment of giving back to your community. Her mission has been making sure Indigenous people are not stifled or stereotyped.

The labels are still there, but I still refuse to fit into them, Romero said. Labeling us is very dangerous because you cannot fit our 500 years of resistance as Indigenous people in one block.

Romero, 53, left her hometown  the best place in the world, where her grandmothers grew their food and drank from rivers  for Los Angeles at 10 years old. Soon after, she recalls, she first encountered racism: A Latina woman called her an uneducated Indian.

Odelia Romero

That kind of racism has never abated. In 2022, an audio leak revealed anti-Indigenous sentiments among some Mexican American members of the L.A. City Council. (Romero was among those who called for their resignations. Council President Nury Martinez stepped down.)

So Romero has spent decades advocating for interpretation to be seen as a human right and visibility of Indigenous people across the U.S., starting in Los Angeles, home to one of the largest populations of Indigenous people in the country.

'Its not one person that does all the work. Its collective work.'

Odilia Romero

In 2016 she co-founded CIELO, which translates from Spanish to Indigenous Communities in Leadership, with her daughter, Janet Martinez. The L.A.-based group provides Indigenous-language interpretation in 24 states, conducts cultural awareness training for police and helps Indigenous residents navigate institutions  such as courts and hospitals  where language barriers can have big consequences.

During the pandemic, Romero led the effort to translate COVID safety precautions and vaccination efforts into languages such as Akateko, Kiche and Qanjobal, making life-saving information accessible. And CIELO helped keep immigrant families afloat, distributing millions of dollars to those who had lost income.

Her people are everywhere, she says, laboring unseen in restaurants and bars. They are business owners and students. Last September, Romero attended a festival in L.A. honoring San Bartolome Apostol, her hometowns saint. Hundreds of people were there. She had a relationship with almost every one.

If you ask about her victories, she will insist she cant take credit alone. It is gozona.

Its not one person that does all the work. Its collective work, she said. Without Indigenous communities, without the migrants  we would not exist.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Am aerial view showing the site of a landslide, caused by severe weather and heavy rain in the Misox valley, in Sorte village, Lostallo, southern Switzerland on Sunday June 23, 2024. Authorities in Switzerland say rescuers have found the body of one of three people who had gone missing on Saturday after massive thunderstorms and rainfall in the southeast of the county caused a rockslide. (Michael Buholzer/Keystone via AP)

VIENNA (AP)  Rescuers in Switzerland have found the body of one of three people a day after they were swept away in a rockslide that hit their Alpine village following massive thunderstorms and rainfall, authorities said Sunday. The other two are still missing.

One woman was pulled out alive from the rubble earlier on Saturday morning.

Today is a sad day, said Ignazio Cassis, member of the Swiss Federal Council, who addressed reporters Sunday after traveling to the region to show solidarity with the victims on behalf of the Federal Government.

The man's body was found in a nearby river, authorities said.

A team of 200 rescuers has been searching for the missing since Saturday with excavators, specially-trained search dogs, drones and army helicopters. But the likelihood of finding them alive is low, William Kloter from the Swiss police, who is heading the rescue operations, told reporters Sunday.

Search operations had to be halted during the night due to heavy rain.

The rockslide hit a group of three houses in the municipality of Lostallo in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubunden.

Swiss authorities also said that a segment of the A13 motorway leading to Italy had been completely submerged and destroyed by flooding. The major transit route will likely remain closed between the key San Bernardino Pass and Roveredo for several months.
'Only by God's mercy that I survived': Hajj became a death march for 1,300 in extreme heat

The annual Muslim pilgrimage to the sacred city of Mecca that wrapped up last week became a death march for over 1,300 Hajj participants who died in temperatures that climbed above 124 degrees.

Saudi Arabia's health minister Fahad Al-Jalajel, who on Sunday announced a death total of 1,301, blamed the fatalities on pilgrims "walking long distances under direct sunlight without adequate shelter or comfort."

The 5-6 day odyssey of hiking and prayer drew almost 2 million pilgrims from around the world. Fatalities included a number of elderly people and those suffering from chronic diseases, A-Jalajel said. About 83% of the fatalities were among people who were not authorized to make the pilgrimage, he said.

"It's only by God's mercy that I survived, because it was incredibly hot," Aisha Idris, a Nigerian pilgrim, told the BBC.

More than 650 of those who died were Egyptian; at least two were American.

Hajj is the fifth of pillar of Islam, and all Muslims are expected to make the pligrimage at least once in their lives. Maryland residents Alieu Dausy Wurie, 71, and wife Isatu Tejan Wurie, 65, spent $23,000 on an all-inclusive travel package through a tour company registered in the state.

They saved their whole lives for this, Saida Wurie told CNN.

A man shades his head with a cardboard box as he browses his phone while standing next to other women in Saudi Arabia's holy city of Mecca on June 20, 2024.

Maryland couple's death ruled 'natural causes'

Wurie told CNN her parents were in Saudi Arabia when she learned via the family group chat that the tour company did not provide the proper transportation or credentials to be authorized for the pilgrimage. A man on their tour group contacted Saida Wurie to say her parents were missing on Mount Arafat after her father said that he could not continue.

Wurie said she was later contacted by U.S. Consulate officials in Jeddah saying they were notified by the Saudi Interior Ministry that her parents had died of "natural causes." The State Department, contacted by USA TODAY, would say only that "we can confirm the deaths of multiple U.S. citizens in Saudi Arabia. We offer our sincerest condolences to the families on their loss. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance."

Egypt to prosecute tourism companies

Egyptian officials said the high number of deaths, most of them among unregistered pilgrims, stemmed from some companies that used a "personal visit visa (that) prevents its holders from entering Mecca" via official channels.

Prime Minister Moustafa Madbouly ordered the revocation of licenses for 16 tourism companies that provided packages for Hajj pilgrims who were not registered for the event. He also instructed that the officials of these companies be referred to prosecutors and the companies be fined to compensate the families of the deceased pilgrims.

Authorities in Jordan said they, too, had detained several travel agents who arranged unofficial travel of Muslim pilgrims.

Hajj heat deaths: 500 Egyptian pilgrims perish in 124-degree temps

Hajj has seen tragedy before

Catastrophic deaths at Hajj are not new. A stampede in 2015 killed more than 2,200 people, and another stampede in 1990 killed over 1,400 people. Four years later a stampede killed 270 people. A tent fire in 1997 killed 347. A protest turned violent in 1998, leading to the deaths of 400 pilgrims. In 2009, 77 pilgrims were killed in floods.

Contributing: Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 1,301 Hajj participants died in pilgrimage to Mecca because of heat
There was Idaho Sen. Jim Risch with his fellow Republican lapdogs in the United States Senate all looking adoringly at a convicted felon now running for president. The brazen Trump was talking to the media after meeting with Republicans on Capitol Hill on June 13, returning to the scene of the crime where he instigated an insurrection by a misguided and violent crowd of MAGA supporters..

Behind the facade of support and approval, what these Republican senators demonstrated for the cameras is abject fear of being tagged as an anti-Trump Republican. Even the Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has publicly differed with Trump on the 2020 election, was there to kiss Trumps ring. I didnt see Sen. Mike Crapo, who must have been at a free lunch with Wall Street bankers, but he sure would defend his support of Trump.

Just a week and a day before Trumps inglorious return to the Capitol, western democracies celebrated the 80th anniversary of D-Day which secured democracys place in western civilization to this day. I simply could not erase from my mind the incongruity of so many lives lost to preserve freedom and democracy and a gang of United States senators cooing over a draft dodger who has no respect for those who died for the freedoms we enjoy today.

And Trump is not your ordinary draft dodger who just might like to forget it. He has amplified his lack of respect for those who serve as he did in France in 2018 when he questioned why he should go to a cemetery of fallen Marines. He said it was filled with losers. And then he referred to 1,800 Marines who lost their lives in the Belleau Wood battle as suckers for getting killed.

With Idahos Crapo, Risch, Simpson and Fulcher onboard the Trump train to autocracy, they dishonor those who were thrust into inestimable danger as they fought off enemies in Europe and the Pacific in World War II. They chicken out and submit to Trump and his MAGA crowd with such short memories of how over 400,000 Americans died to guarantee the very same freedoms Trump now promises to eliminate. He has already declared the free press to be an enemy of the people.

I thought of Paul Hendrickson, whose son of the same name I interviewed recently about his book, Fighting the Night: Iwo Jima, World War II and a Flyers Life, in which he writes about his fathers heroism in World War II. From his impoverished beginnings in Kentucky, he rose to be a pilot of the P-61 Black Widow, the only plane made then just for night fighting where it could go undetected by enemy anti-aircraft guns. Hendrickson would fly around 75 missions in the dark of night patrolling the islands around Iwo Jima. He narrowly missed an attack by Japanese soldiers who beheaded pilots in his squadron no more than 30 yards from his tent on Iwo Jima. He also flew what were called Intruder missions and survived the terror of spotlights trained on his plane as he dropped bombs on the enemy.

Hendrickson returned home with what we know today as PTSD and had a difficult relationship with family, but he would fly for Eastern Airlines in a long and successful career that fulfilled his love of flying. Paul Hendrickson, his son, reminds us that returning veterans of any war carry battle scars that do not heal with surgery or casts. They live on to impact the lives of their families for decades.

What is so difficult for me to grasp is how these ordinary Americans who were celebrated on the 80th anniversary of D-Day could muster the courage to live and die for their country while Republican public officials who represent us today have been unable to muster the courage to challenge this crude thug who has destroyed what we knew of the Republican Party.

I understand why a Republican official cannot vote for Biden, but these four Republicans representing Idaho, like so many of their Republican colleagues in Congress, had numerous opportunities to stand up before their constituents and call out Trump as he undermined faith in our democracy. But they remained silent and returned home to Idaho as usual, selfishly promoting their own candidacies.

Unlike the cost of courage in war, there is no serious risk to life and limb by simply standing up to a man who bears significant responsibility for deeply dividing the nation and casting doubt on free and fair elections. Its a far safer and easier act of courage compared to those who fought and died for their country.

I do not write these words without knowing something about these Idahoans who represent us in Congress today. As Boise State President, I met with them in Boise and Washington where Boise State would apply for federal funding. I find it hard to believe for one moment that Risch, Crapo or Simpson approve of Trumps behavior toward minorities, the disabled, women, nor his disregard for the sanctity of our electoral process. (Fulchers extreme turn to the right is a different story.) They must know in their heart of hearts that he is not who should be parading around the world as the American president as he did so dangerously for America in North Korea.

Trumps recent meanderings as he spoke to 80 CEOs in Washington is just the latest example of his incoherence and confusion over simple facts of history or public affairs. One CEO was quoted as saying: Trump doesnt know what hes talking about. If Risch, Crapo and Simpson know better, then there is only one most unfortunate conclusion they are lying to please Idahos MAGA right so they can hold on to their jobs at whatever cost to their integrity and their place in history. Webster defines a lie as an assertion of something known or believed by the speaker or writer to be untrue with intent to deceive so you can draw your conclusions.

Imagine if just one of these lawmakers announced to the people of Idaho that:

Enough is enough. Because of Donald Trumps inability to grasp the details and complexities of American government, the wreck he made of his personal and business life resulting in his felony conviction, his refusal to accept the results of the 2020 election and the peaceful transfer of power, and, finally, his inciting and supporting to this day those who stormed the nations capital in 2021, I urge the upcoming Republican Party Convention this summer to reject Trump and nominate someone who can honorably represent the Party on the ballot in November.

Will that happen? Hey, I didnt just fall off the turnip truck, but I do know what an honorable and courageous act it would be to save the Republic from another Trump term. To date, honor and courage are missing in Idahos congressional offices.

Bob Kustra served as president of Boise State University from 2003 to 2018. He is host of Readers Corner on Boise State Public Radio, and he writes a biweekly column for the Idaho Statesman. He served two terms as Illinois lieutenant governor and 10 years as a state legislator.
Editors Note: Mijal Bitton, PhD, is the spiritual leader of the Downtown Minyan in New York City and a sociologist of American Jews. The views expressed in this commentary are her own. Read more opinion articles at CNN.

Heres a secret that many of the protesters in university encampments and on city streets dont seem to be in on: The more they demonize Israel, the more they reawaken Jewish identity and strengthen Zionism.

Mijal Bitton - Courtesy Nir Arieli Photography

As a community leader and Jewish educator in the United States, I have been living in the shadow of the horrors of October 7. We have seen the worst carnage against Jews since the Holocaust, video-broadcast by brutal terrorists. We have witnessed the avalanche of rising antisemitism around the world, including allegations last Saturday that a 12-year-old Jewish girl in France was gang-raped while being subjected to religious slurs. We have found out that too many of our allies right here at home refuse to speak up when Israelis are murdered or when American Jews who care about Israel are excluded from polite society.

While the intensity of the campus protests are simmering down with the end of the school year, the virulence of demonstrators outside college quadrangles are only intensifying the fear Americans Jews are feeling. Last week, protesters in Lower Manhattan targeted an exhibit dedicated to the memory of the hundreds of young Israelis murdered or kidnapped from the Nova music festival. They unfurled a banner proclaiming Long Live October 7 and held signs declaring that Zionists are not Jews and not human. Days earlier, crowds chanted kill another Zionist now across from the White House in Washington.

But paradoxically, every day since October 7, I have also seen how this rise in antisemitism and anti-Zionist rhetoric is inspiring Jewish pride and solidarity with Israel among so many young Jews. I have seen this as a visiting researcher studying American Jewry at New York University. And I have seen this as the spiritual leader of Manhattans Downtown Minyan, a congregation filled with the diverse, ambitious and socially liberal young professionals who thrive in New York.

I have heard from many young Jews around America newly awakened to their Judaism. Some confess that they havent been to synagogue since their bar or bat mitzvahs but they want to come back now. Others have asked me how to get dozens of mezuzahs for their friends to hang beside their front doors. I see many sporting new jewelry expressing both pride and pain: prominent Magen Davids alongside dogtags calling to Bring Them Home Now. I am in regular conversation with dozens of Jewish leaders, rabbis and educators, and were all experiencing this  were running out of chairs for programs and struggling to meet demand for Shabbat dinners.

These young Jews have different backgrounds and political views, but they share the life-altering experience of deep disillusionment with previous professional or social homes. Nearly every young person I know has had a (former) friend express sympathy for Hamas, been the recipient of antisemitic comments on social media or seen overt antisemitism in their neighborhood.

Multiple Jewish university students have told me they have endured a sort of social canceling for expressing empathy for Israelis. One was ousted from her sorority for being a Zionist, another was told that being a Zionist made others have to self-censor so they stopped including him in events.

But they are finding that in their loneliness, they are not alone. They are rediscovering that they belong to a rich history of Jews who experienced othering and expulsions but whose greatest strength was in each other. They are rediscovering the millenia-old Jewish rituals and community structures that nourish belonging. And they are rediscovering Zionism.

This is not surprising. The Zionist dreamers of the 1800s and 1900s were motivated to build a Jewish state by the realization that their neighbors in an enlightened Europe were incubating a hatred so dangerous it could lead to their genocide. Young American Jews today are realizing that they, too, can be made to feel unwanted in their own homes.

According to many of the protesters, Zionism is a settler-colonialist Jewish supremacist movement akin to Nazism and dedicated to the displacement of Palestinians. But for most of us American Jews, Zionism is the belief that Jews have a right to self-determination in their historical homeland.

At the heart of this Zionism is the security in having at least one place in the world that never closes its doors to displaced and oppressed Jews. This Zionism is dedicated to fighting for an Israel that is liberal and democratic and also holds hope for dignity, rights and freedoms for Palestinians.

I see this vision resonating with young Jews who never would have thought of themselves as Zionists before. I have spoken with young professionals who in college were too progressive to visit Israel but now are convinced that if America betrays its values, Israel is the only other country that would have their backs. I have spoken with dozens of Jews who are looking into real estate opportunities in Israel as an insurance plan in case they have to flee their communities. This is not just talk  just about anyone born a Jew today is a descendant of refugees who were either lucky or alert enough to survive persecution by leaving their homes behind.

Indeed, too many protesters have only reinforced American Jews fear that antisemitism is spreading here. Too many anti-Israel protesters have waved flags of terrorist groups sworn to kill Jews like Hezbollah and Hamas, or recycled medieval canards accusing Israel of blood libel. Too many have used chants like there is only one solution: intifada revolution, awakening in Jews two nightmarish memories: Hitlers final solution and the Palestinian intifadas  which saw thousands of Israeli civilians murdered by suicide bombers.

When a UC Santa Barbara Jewish student leader is told Zionists not welcome, when an encampment at UCLA blocks Jewish students from getting to class, when a campus leader at Columbia goes so far as to say that Zionists dont deserve to live, that pushes young Jews to question the direction America is heading in.

After all, though many protesters want to make a distinction between Jews and Zionists  to say that their hostility to Israel doesnt mean they are hostile to Jews  the reality is that American Jews overwhelmingly identify with Israel. The latest Pew study on Jewish Americans shows that for 82% of US Jews, caring about israel is an important or essential part of what being Jewish means to them. It is therefore understandable that overwhelming numbers of us Jews feel threatened by crowds shouting anti-Zionist slogans.

Of course, some protesters dont even pretend theres a distinction. Visibly Jewish university students Ive talked to have been told that Hitler should have finished the job or have had oink, oink, pigs screamed at them. This form of overt hatred fuels Zionism. Indeed, there is no greater justification for the legitimacy of a sovereign Jewish state than when protesters yell at us to Go back to Poland. This jeer is a grotesque reminder of indifference to Jewish lives  exhorting Jews to go back to the countries where our families were murdered in the gas chambers for not belonging there, while telling us that we dont belong in America either.

To be sure, Jews care for Israel can take many different forms, left-wing and right-wing, in favor of the current Israeli government and deeply opposed to it. But across the political spectrum, its become too common for Jews to open up conversations in synagogue or with friends by trying to figure out what signs would lead them to move in search of safety.

As a Jewish educator, I see this moment as a bittersweet opportunity. Antisemitism might be on the rise, but so is Jewish identity. Jews might have friend circles that have disavowed them, but they are finding refuge, comfort and strength in each other. The protests unleashed a relentless antisemitic wave in America, but they also have awakened Zionism in the hearts of American Jews who now understand that Israel is at least one place on Earth that can truly guarantee that Jews will always be welcome.

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This article was originally published in The Conversation.

Bob Moses, who helped register Black residents to vote in Mississippi during the Civil Rights Movement, believed civil rights went beyond the ballot box. To Moses, who was a teacher as well as an activist, math literacy is a civil right: a requirement to earning a living wage in modern society. In 1982, he founded the Algebra Project to ensure that students at the bottom get the math literacy they need.

As a researcher who studies ways to improve the math experiences of students, I believe a new approach that expands access to algebra may help more students get the math literacy Moses, who died in 2021, viewed as so important. Its a goal districts have long been struggling to meet.

Efforts to improve student achievement in algebra have been taking place for decades. Unfortunately, the math pipeline in the United States is fraught with persistent opportunity gaps. According to the Nations Report Card  a congressionally mandated project administered by the Department of Education  in 2022 only 29% of U.S. fourth graders and 20% of U.S. eighth graders were proficient in math. Low-income students, students of color and multilingual learners, who tend to have lower scores on math assessments, often do not have the same access as others to qualified teachers, high-quality curriculum and well-resourced classrooms.

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A new approach

The Dallas Independent School District  or Dallas ISD  is gaining national attention for increasing opportunities to learn by raising expectations for all students. Following in the footsteps of more than 60 districts in the state of Washington, in 2019 the Dallas ISD implemented an innovative approach of having students be automatically enrolled rather than opt in to honors math in middle school.

Under an opt-in policy, students need a parent or teacher recommendation to take honors math in middle school and Algebra 1 in eighth grade. That policy led both to low enrollment and very little diversity in honors math. Some parents, especially those who are Black or Latino, were not aware how to enroll their students in advanced classes due to a lack of communication in many districts.

In addition, implicit bias, which exists in all demographic groups, may influence teachers perceptions of the behavior and academic potential of students, and therefore their subsequent recommendations. Public school teachers in the U.S. are far less racially and ethnically diverse than the students they serve.

Dallas ISDs policy overhaul aimed to foster inclusivity and bridge educational gaps among students. Through this initiative, every middle school student, regardless of background, was enrolled in honors math, the pathway that leads to taking Algebra 1 in eighth grade, unless they opted out.

Flipping the switch from opt-in to opt-out led to a dramatic increase in the number of Black and Latino learners, who constitute the majority of Dallas students. And the districts overall math scores remained steady. About 60% of Dallas ISD eighth graders are now taking Algebra 1, triple the prior level. Moreover, more than 90% are passing the state exam.

A seated man rests his head on his right hand.

Efforts spread

Other cities are taking notice of the effects of Dallas ISDs shifting policy. The San Francisco Unified School District, for example, announced plans in February 2024 to implement Algebra 1 in eighth grade in all schools by the 2026-27 school year.

In fall 2024, the district will pilot three programs to offer Algebra 1 in eighth grade. The pilots range from an opt-out program for all eighth graders  with extra support for students who are not proficient  to a program that automatically enrolls proficient students in Algebra 1, offered as an extra math class during the school day. Students who are not proficient can choose to opt in.

Nationwide, however, districts that enroll all students in Algebra 1 and allow them to opt out are still in the minority. And some stopped offering eighth grade Algebra 1 entirely, leaving students with only pre-algebra classes. Cambridge, Massachusetts  the city in which Bob Moses founded the Algebra Project  is among them.

Equity concerns linger

Between 2017 and 2019, district leaders in the Cambridge Public Schools phased out the practice of placing middle school students into accelerated or grade-level math classes. Few middle schools in the district now offer Algebra 1 in eighth grade.

The policy shift, designed to improve overall educational outcomes, was driven by concerns over significant racial disparities in advanced math enrollment in high school. Completion of Algebra 1 in eighth grade allows students to climb the math ladder to more difficult classes, like calculus, in high school. In Cambridge, the students who took eighth grade Algebra 1 were primarily white and Asian; Black and Latino students enrolled, for the most part, in grade-level math.

Some families and educators contend that the districts decision made access to advanced math classes even more inequitable. Now, advanced math in high school is more likely to be restricted to students whose parents can afford to help them prepare with private lessons, after-school programs or private schooling, they said.

While the district has tried to improve access to advanced math in high school by offering a free online summer program for incoming ninth graders, achievement gaps have remained persistently wide.

Perhaps striking a balance between top-down policy and bottom-up support will help schools across the U.S. realize the vision Moses dreamed of in 1982 when he founded the Algebra Project: That in the 21st century every child has a civil right to secure math literacy  the ability to read, write and reason with the symbol systems of mathematics.

The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The Conversation
Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary (R), gives a speech during his visit to Baden-Wuerttemberg in the New Palace. Christoph Schmidt/dpa

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told German media he wants to make the issue of migration a focal point of the forthcoming Hungarian presidency of the European Union.

Orban told the Funke media group of newspapers in comments published on Sunday he welcomes the position of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who is weighing options for outsourcing asylum procedures to countries outside the EU.

The EU presidency is held on a rotating six-month basis with Hungary to take over the role from Belgium on July 1.

Orban said that Hungary is already implementing a policy which sees asylum applications being examined in third countries, for example at the Hungarian embassy in Belgrade, before giving the applicants a green light to enter to the country.

In mid-June, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ordered Hungary to pay a fine of 200 million ($216 million) and a further 1 million per day for not implementing a previous ruling to change its asylum policies.

The ruling followed a court judgement in December 2020 ordering Budapest to change its procedures for granting international protection and returning third-country nationals.

The EU presidency position is largely bureaucratic and involves setting meeting agendas and steering policy discussions towards a decision, sometimes finding a compromise among EU member states when there is no clear consensus.

Hungary has vowed to be a fair mediator, however Budapest has a stormy relationship with the EU institutions over rule of law and corruption issues.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz (L) receives Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban (C) at the Federal Chancellery. Fabian Sommer/dpa
The recent decision by the United Methodist Church to allow openly gay clergy and permit the denominations officiants to preside at same-sex marriages has breathed extra joy into this months Pride celebration for LGBTQ+ church leaders.

The Rev. Rushing Kimball, pastor at Broadway United Methodist Church in downtown Orlando, said the May decision followed a years-long struggle.

I thank God that the church finally caught up to where Broadway is because my church accepted me even before the global United Methodist body removed this language, said Kimball, an Orlando native who came out as a teenager.

I found a home in the UMC because I was allowed to ask questions, said Kimball, who witnessed his churchs historic vote in Charlotte, North Carolina. I felt the freedom to discover a loving God in a loving community. That led me into ministry.

Around Central Florida, those proud to be both LGBTQ+ community members and church-going Christians have found their callings, while acknowledging there is still work to do in making houses of worship more welcoming to all.

Wrestling with God

Steve MacKinnon, senior artistic director at St. Lukes United Methodist Church in Southwest Orlando, struggled with his relationship with the church while growing up.

I did not feel like church was a place for me given the state of our country and my understanding of organized religion at that time, said MacKinnon, who came out around age 20. I didnt think I would be welcome at a church.

The Rev. Terri Steed Pierce, who today calls herself the gay pastor of the gay church  Orlandos Joy Metropolitan Community Church  thought of her Southern Baptist Church as a refuge in her younger years. Its where she found her calling from God; she was attending a seminary when she came out.

It was a bad idea, worse than taking Biblical Hebrew in the summer, she said. It was like running into a tornado.

There are still headwinds in bringing queer Christians to organized religion, though some of Americas main Protestant religions now have denominations that affirm LGBTQ+ members and clergy, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Episcopal Church in the United States.

Denominations that choose to open the door to gay congregants can pay a price: The United Methodist Churchs May decision was made after the Global Methodist Church splintered off as a more conservative counterpoint.

The United Methodist Churchs General Conference voted 692-51 to repeal its ban on LGBTQ clergy and ministers officiating at same-sex weddings, which eliminated the previous mandatory penalties for clergy who perform same-sex ceremonies and bans on considering gay churchgoers for ordination.

Many clergy are more open-minded than their churches, said Pierce. We come from all these conservative places, and its relearning and unlearning all the stuff we grew up with.

Discrimination can be felt in unexpected ways.

In the aftermath of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, Pierce felt overlooked during news conferences that gave prominence to straight faith leaders.

The gay church, created for and by the LGBTQ+ community, is continually pushed to the margins because were too gay for Christians and too Christian for gays, she said. It wasnt until Pulse that I realized thats why Im here in Orlando. I need to be a voice and to keep speaking up. If I dont, whos going to do it? Nobody is going to do it for us.

Reconciling the past

The Rev. Vance Rains, the lead pastor at First United Methodist Church of Orlando, said his church worked at reconciling with LGBTQ+ people in the years before the May decision of the churchs general conference.

Rains, who is straight, argues that six clobber verses churches use to discriminate against gay people have been removed from their historical context.

The Sodom and Gomorrah passage is about men raping men. It has nothing to do with an orientation; that has to do with violence, he said, citing one example.

He feels pain over the past stance of the United Methodist Church.

What took us so long? he said. In our celebration, are we also humble enough to say, Im sorry it took us this long. How many people did we hurt? How many callings did we deny? How many people have we caused to walk away from God? Not because of who God is, but because of who weve said God is.

Pierce is grateful she discovered the Metropolitan Community Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, in the 1990s. The Christian denomination was founded in 1968 by Troy Perry, a gay man who wanted to give the LGBTQ+ community a dedicated place to worship.

When I walked up to the pulpit and began preaching, I realized, This is what Im called to do,' she said. I dont have to check my gayness, I dont have to check my female card, I dont have to check that I love the Lord with all of my heart and I want to serve God. I can do all of that here.

MacKinnon was prodded by a friend to take a temporary job playing keyboard at St. Lukes 16 years ago. Hes happy to again be part of a welcoming church community.

During communion, we understand that the table has been set for everybody regardless of sexual identity, gender or anything else. Jesus love is for everyone, he said. For any group to other people, I would hope no religion does that. If any religion is truly based on love, thats not what love is.

Doug Lawton and John Rogers celebrated their wedding 45 years ago  before it was legal  and had their union recognized by the state 13 years ago. They are both active in ministry through Park Lake Presbyterian Church, where Rogers is an ordained elder.

People say hello to John. He introduces me, This is my husband, Doug. People reach out and shake hands, Lawton said. Its that little thing that pushes the envelope and for people to recognize a leader of the church has a husband.

Hopeful future

The United Methodist Church decision doesnt mean the work is over, Rains said: I think we can celebrate this change, and weve got to be ready to learn and listen and change. Weve affirmed, This is what we want to be, now we have to become what we want to be.

Kimball feels similarly called to ensure that every worshiper feels seen and heard.

The work doesnt stop until everyone feels welcome in church, he said. No matter who you are or where you are on lifes journey, youre always welcome here  not just welcomed, but affirmed here.

MacKinnon, who recently adopted a baby girl with his husband, is grateful his daughter will be part of a welcoming religious body.

What better place to raise a baby than with these amazing, talented, gifted and loving people in my church community and arts community? he said. I feel Gods love every day. I say to my husband, What happened? How did we get so lucky? I feel very blessed and grateful.

And Pierce looks to a day when all churches are considered places of inclusion, in alignment with her house of worships mission: Taking the doors off the church and the church to the streets.

My hope is that it will be a non-issue whether youre gay, straight, bi, poly or whatever you are  that nobody is excluded and that we all treat other with sacred dignity as were all made in the image of God, she said. I hope that love will win through us.

Find me @PConnPie on Instagram or send me an email: pconnolly@orlandosentinel.com.
The fight over abortion access in Nebraska has drawn millions of campaign finance dollars to the state and made a battleground out of street corners and parking lots in Lincoln as the deadline for dueling petition drives to gain ballot access looms.

Paid circulators armed with petitions and clipboards have grown increasingly prevalent in the Capital City as two groups  one that seeks to expand abortion access in Nebraska and another that aims to enshrine the state's 12-week ban into the state's constitution  make their final push to gather valid signatures from 10% of Nebraska's registered voters before the July 3 deadline to crack November's ballot.

A coalition of abortion rights advocates known as Protect Our Rights is circulating a petition to enshrine "a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability" into the state's constitution. The group launched its petition drive in November after state lawmakers voted in May 2023 to ban most abortions after 12 weeks gestational age.

Anti-abortion advocates formed the Protect Women and Children Committee and launched a rival ballot campaign in March that seeks to amend Nebraska's constitution to match what lawmakers passed last year, barring most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy with exceptions for rape, incest and medical emergencies.

A third petition seeking to recognize fertilized eggs, embryos and fetuses as people began circulating last month but is staffed entirely by volunteers. No petition drives run exclusively by volunteers have been successful in Nebraska in recent years.

What am I signing? There are two mainstream abortion petitions circulating in Nebraska right now that seek to do two different things. The "Protect Our Rights" petition, backed by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, seeks to enshrine the "fundamental right to abortion" in Nebraska's constitution. Here is the exact policy language the group has proposed: "All persons shall have a fundamental right to abortion until fetal viability, or when needed to protect the life or health of the pregnant patient, without interference from the state or its political subdivisions. Fetal viability means the point in pregnancy when, in the professional judgement of the patient's treating health care practitioner, there is a significant likelihood of the fetus' sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures." The Protect Women and Children petition, backed by Republican donors including Sen. Pete Ricketts, seeks to protect "unborn children" through a constitutional amendment. Here is the exact policy language the group has proposed: "Except when a woman seeks an abortion necessitated by a medical emergency or when the pregnancy results from sexual assault or incest, unborn children shall be protected from abortion in the second and third trimesters."

But no ballot campaigns have attracted more money than the two mainstream abortion access initiatives, whose paid and volunteer circulators have enveloped high-traffic hot spots in Lincoln in recent weeks as the battle over abortion access in Nebraska has perhaps become more publicized than ever.

"Particularly in the cities, the number of petition gatherers is  it's huge," said Gavin Geis, the executive director for Common Cause Nebraska, a transparency-in-government advocacy group that closely watches campaign spending.

"I don't think we've ever seen this many people out collecting petitions, on both sides of the equation, ever," he said.

In May alone, the two dueling abortion access campaigns combined to spend more than $1 million, according to their latest campaign finance disclosure filings. Records of both groups' June spending won't be available until next month.

Protect Our Rights  which has been funded in large part by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Nebraska, the ACLU of Nebraska and Nebraska Appleseed  spent $521,299 in May, according to the filings.

More than 75% of the coalition's May expenditures went to Landslide Political, a Utah-based signature collection company that Protect Our Rights paid $400,000 to May 17.

The coalition, which also spent $73,200 on polling in May, has spent $1.65 million since Jan. 1 and around $2.1 million since it launched its petition effort in November, according to finance disclosure filings.

Protect Women and Children, meanwhile, has been funded almost entirely by three men, including U.S. Sen. Pete Ricketts, Nebraska's former governor and a Republican megadonor who has personally given $1 million to the campaign seeking to enshrine the state's 12-week abortion ban.

He appeared at four petition signing events across eastern Nebraska in support of the effort Thursday.

Thomas and Shawn Peed, both members of the family behind Sandhills Global, have each donated $500,000 to the coalition, which has raised just north of $2 million, according to group's latest filing. Gov. Jim Pillen's campaign has contributed $645 to the effort.

The group spent $572,983 in May, including $553,703 on "field strategy and staffing" from Missouri-based Vanguard Field Strategies. Protect Women and Children has spent $983,759 since it launched its campaign in March.

Organizers with both Protect Our Rights and Protect Women and Children declined to say last week how close their respective groups are to the signature count  about 123,000 registered voters  required to reach the ballot. The groups also need signatures from 5% of voters in at least 38 of Nebraskas 93 counties.

"Nebraskans are energized to support this grassroots campaign," Allie Berry, the campaign manager for Protect Our Rights, said in a statement Friday. "Hundreds of volunteers have been collecting signatures in communities across the state. Our focus right now is making sure that every supporter who wants to sign has an opportunity to do so in the next week.

In her own statement Friday, Brenna Grasz, the treasurer of the Protect Women and Children Committee, said the group has "had outstanding engagement from volunteers in every county across Nebraska, and great response to paid circulation efforts."

"We are confident our efforts will be successful as we head into the final push," she said.

The groups will likely have to turn in far more than 123,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office to reach the ballot. Around 15% to 30% of signatures are typically invalidated, often because signees aren't registered to vote or fail to date their signatures, a spokeswoman for Secretary of State Bob Evnen's office said.

Geis, who said Common Cause "is of two minds" on Nebraska's petition process, said the amount the two groups have poured into their campaigns indicate they are "most likely gonna get on (the ballot) and we'll be voting on it in November."

"The amount of money spent is a good sign, just because it puts a gatherer in front of so many people, and that's the biggest challenge in a petition drive is just getting in front of enough people," he said, later adding: "You don't spend that type of cash on a whim."

Such lavish spending on petition drives marks "a trick situation," Geis said.

"On the one hand, I think direct democracy and ballot work is valuable," he said. "It puts issues before the voters that maybe the Legislature can't or won't handle. That's great."

"But then, at the same time, it does lead to much more spending in our elections," he said, adding: "It's another avenue for wealthy special interests to influence our elections. Sometimes, that's for very important things that people need to have a say in."

The sheer volume of petitions circulating in Nebraska "can be confusing for people signing," said Geis, who said signature gatherers "are not always following the rules" that require circulators to accurately represent the petitions they're championing.

A spokeswoman for Evnen's office said the Secretary of State has received six complaints about Protect Our Rights circulators and three about Protect Women and Children gathers, all of which have been related to circulators not reading a petition's "object statement." Nebraska's Supreme Court in 2020 ruled that petition circulators are not required to read a petition's object statement verbatim.

"That's a big takeaway from this time: maybe there needs to be clearer rules and stricter enforcement of what is exactly required from signature gatherers," he said. "Especially when you have them in front of the library and in front of your church and at the farmer's market and at the grocery store, right? Everywhere you turn, there is somebody asking you to sign a petition."

Photos: Anti-abortion advocates rally in downtown Lincoln for 50th annual Walk for Life
Following the early-morning mass shooting that wounded 10 in the Short North, Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther issued a statement at 11 a.m. Sunday, followed by Columbus City Council President Shannon G. Hardin issuing a statement at 12:30 p.m.

All 10 victims are expected to survive.

Latest updates: What we know about Columbus Short North mass shooting

Here is Ginther's full statement.

"The gun violence that occurred early this morning in the Short North is outrageous, it's unacceptable and it must stop.

Andrew J. Ginther is the mayor of the city of Columbus.

"Despite what happened, I want to reassure the community that the Short North is safe, but every neighborhood could be safer. Our officers are doing their best to protect our families, but they can't shoulder the burden on their own.

Latest updates: Columbus mass shooting wounds 10 in Short North; police seek suspect vehicle

"Collaboratively, we can and must do better. We need the community to step up with tips and information to hold the perpetrators of this shooting accountable. We need parents to step up  to know where their kids and teens are, and to enforce curfew in their homes. And we need the state and federal governments to step up and keep guns off of the streets and out of the hands of violent criminals.

"If they don't have the courage to do it, then they need to get out of our way and let us act. Our community demands and deserves better."

Here is Hardin's full statement.

"Angry and outraged to wake up to another senseless shooting," he wrote.

"I met with Short North community leaders just three days ago to discuss safety and other neighborhood issues. We will continue to be vigilant this summer and consider additional safety measures as needed in the area and across the City.

Columbus City Council President Shannon G. Hardin

"We won't allow our neighborhoods to be terrorized by these reckless shootouts. And we once again ask state government and the courts to stop blocking common-sense gun control policies and allowing guns to pour into our streets.

"We need your help to track down these offenders, hold them accountable, and keep our neighborhoods safe.

"If you have information regarding the incident or the suspect vehicle, a white Honda civic, please contact Columbus Police Felony Assault Detective Jones at 614-654-4373, or email JMJones@columbuspolice.org. Anonymous tips can call Central Ohio Crime Stoppers at 614-461-TIPS (8477).

"I am praying for everyone affected by this violence."

Council President @sg_hardins statement regarding last nights shooting in the Short North. Posted by Columbus City Council on Sunday, June 23, 2024

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Short North mass shooting prompts Columbus leaders to comment
Since the beginning of the day on 23 June, the Russian forces have been most active on the Pokrovsk front, accounting for over half of all frontline combat clashes.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook; information as of 12:24 on 23 June

Details: Since 00:00, the number of combat clashes throughout the entire front line has increased to 71.

The Russians launched four attacks on the Kharkiv front. All attempts took place in the vicinity of Vovchansk. Ukraines Defence Forces were able to rebuff two attacks, while two more are still underway.

Russian aviation was extremely active, with 29 guided aerial bombs being dropped from the direction of Belgorod on the Ukrainian forces positions and settlements. Hlyboke, Vovchansk, Vovchansk homesteads and Lyptsi were all targeted. The Russians dropped 23 guided bombs in the area of Lyptsi alone.

Four combat clashes are still ongoing on the Kupiansk front between Stelmakhivka and Berestove. Russian troops launched two attacks in the vicinity of Pishchane and Synkivka, which the Ukrainian forces repelled. The Russians also targeted Tabaivka with rockets.

On the Lyman front, the Russians attempted to advance near Kopanky, Makiivka, and the Serebrianka forestry five times. The combat is currently underway in two different areas.

On the Toretsk front, the Russian forces continue to try to oust Ukrainian defenders away from their positions and towards Toretsk and Niu-York. Three combat clashes continue. The Russians aided their advances with air strikes, dropping three aerial bombs.

On the Pokrovsk front, Russian troops attacked Ukrainian positions 31 times. They focus their efforts on the settlements of Novooleksandrivka, Sokol and Karlivka. They are also attempting to strengthen their tactical position near six other settlements. As of now, the Ukrainian military repelled 13 hostile strikes, with another 18 ongoing.

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Behind the smiles, the balloons and the red-carpet pageantry of President Vladimir Putins visit to North Korea last week, a strong signal came through: In the spiraling confrontation with the U.S. and its allies over Ukraine, the Russian leader is willing to challenge Western interests like never before.

The pact that he signed with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un envisions mutual military assistance between Moscow and Pyongyang if either is attacked. Putin also announced for the first time that Russia could provide weapons to the isolated country, a move that could destabilize the Korean Peninsula and reverberate far beyond.

He described the potential arms shipments as a response to NATO allies providing Ukraine with longer-range weapons to attack Russia. He bluntly declared that Moscow has nothing to lose and is prepared to go to the end to achieve its goals in Ukraine.

Putins moves added to concerns in Washington and Seoul about what they see as an alliance in which North Korea provides Moscow with badly needed munitions for its war in Ukraine in exchange for economic assistance and technology transfers that would enhance the threat posed by Kims nuclear weapons and missile program.

A landmark pact: The new agreement with Pyongyang marked the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War.

Kim said it raised bilateral relations to the level of an alliance, while Putin was more cautious, noting the pledge of mutual military assistance mirrored a 1961 treaty between the Soviet Union and North Korea. That agreement was discarded after the Soviet collapse and replaced with a weaker one in 2000 when Putin first visited Pyongyang.

Stephen Sestanovich, senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations noted that when Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev signed the deal with Pyongyang in 1961, he also tested the worlds biggest nuclear bomb, built the Berlin Wall and probably started thinking about moves that led to the Cuban missile crisis in 1962.

The question for Western policymakers now is whether Putin is becoming comparably reckless, Sestanovich said in a commentary. His language in North Korea -- where he denounced the United States as a worldwide neocolonialist dictatorship  might make you think so.

South Korea responded by declaring it would consider sending arms to Ukraine in a major policy change for Seoul, which so far only has sent humanitarian assistance to Kyiv under a longstanding policy of not supplying weapons to countries engaged in conflict.

Putin insisted Seoul has nothing to worry about, since the new pact only envisions military assistance in case of aggression and should act as a deterrent to prevent a conflict. He strongly warned South Korea against providing lethal weapons to Ukraine, saying it would be a very big mistake.

If that happens, then we will also make corresponding decisions that will hardly please the current leadership of South Korea, he said.

Asked whether North Korean troops could fight alongside Russian forces in Ukraine under the pact, Putin said there was no need for that.

Potential weapons for Pyongyang: Last month, Putin warned that Russia could provide long-range weapons to others to hit Western targets in response to NATO allies allowing Ukraine to use its allies arms to make limited attacks inside Russian territory.

He followed up on that warning Thursday with an explicit threat to provide weapons to North Korea.

I wouldnt exclude that in view of our agreements with the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Putin said, adding that Moscow could mirror the arguments by NATO allies that its up to Ukraine to decide how to use Western weapons.

We can similarly say that we supply something to somebody but have no control over what happens afterward, Putin said. Let them think about it.

Sue Mi Terry, senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, warned that Moscow could share weapons technologies with Pyongyang to help improve its ballistic missile capabilities, noting there is evidence of this happening already, with Russia possibly providing help to North Korea with its successful satellite launch in November, two months after Kim last met Putin.

This is deeply concerning because of the substantial overlap between the technologies used for space launches and intercontinental ballistic missiles, Terry said in a commentary. Russia can also provide North Korea with critical help in areas where its capabilities are still nascent, such as submarine-launched ballistic missiles.

While raising the prospect of arms supplies to Pyongyang that would violate U.N. sanctions, Putin also said Russia would take efforts at the world body to ease the restrictions  an apparent signal that Moscow may try to keep arms supplies to Pyongyang under the radar and maintain a degree of deniability to avoid accusations of breaching the sanctions.

Russia and North Korea have rejected assertions by the U.S. and its allies that Pyongyang has given Moscow ballistic missiles and millions of artillery shells for use in Ukraine.

Going to the end in a confrontation with the West: By explicitly linking prospective arms shipments to Pyongyang to Western moves on Ukraine, Putin warned Kyivs allies to back off as he pushes his goals in the war  or face a new round of confrontation.

They are escalating the situation, apparently expecting that we will get scared at some point, and at the same time, they say that they want to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia on the battlefield, Putin said. For Russia, it will mean an end to its statehood, an end to the millennium-long history of the Russian state. And a question arises: Why should we be afraid? Isnt it better, then, to go to the end?

Alexander Gabuev, director of the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center in Berlin, said Putins statement reflected an attempt to discourage the U.S. and its allies from ramping up support for Kyiv as Russia pushes new offensives in several sectors of the front line.

The situation is becoming increasingly dangerous, and Russia believes that it should quickly rap the West over its knuckles to show that its deeper engagement in the war will have a price, he said in remarks carried by Dozhd, an independent Russian broadcaster.

He noted that Putins statement that Moscow wouldnt know where its arms end up if sent to Pyongyang could have been a hint at North Koreas role as an arms exporter.

Treading cautiously with China: Putins visits to North Korea handed a new challenge to Pyongyangs top ally, China, potentially allowing Kim to hedge his bets and reduce his excessive reliance on Beijing.

China so far has avoided comment on the new pact, but many experts argue that Beijing wont like losing sway over its neighbor.

Ever since Putin invaded Ukraine, Russia has come to increasingly depend on China as the main market for its energy exports and the source of high-tech technologies in the face of Western sanctions. While forging a revamped relationship with Pyongyang, the Kremlin will likely tread cautiously to avoid angering Beijing.

Whether this upgraded RussiaNorth Korea relationship will be without limits depends upon China, which will watch events closely, said Edward Howell of Chatham House in a commentary. Beijing will have taken stern note of Kim Jong Uns claim that Russia is North Koreas most honest friend. Despite the likely increase in cooperation in advanced military technology between Moscow and Pyongyang, China remains North Koreas largest economic partner.




Imagine you're a parent, and you go online one day to discover that other parents in your community have been talking about your family online for an entire month, all behind your back. They've circulated a petition to pressure your child's school to prevent your child from being themself and had public Facebook discussions where you discover hateful comments about your kid. And all the while, nobody thought to say anything directly to you.

Unfortunately for Mortellus, a 42-year-old parent in North Carolina, they don't have to imagine what that would feel like because they're living it. Mortellus and their spouse Joe have 6-year-old twins who we'll call "Sun" and "Moon" to protect their identities in this piece. Mortellus told BuzzFeed, "While some may ask why we're willing to show a picture including the children's faces, it's to remind people that we  they  are human beings, not mythical villains that can be spoken about in the way they have so done."

Mortellus told BuzzFeed, "As a pagan household, and I myself a trans nonbinary person, my children have had the ability to grow up in a home where there just isnt that idea of being restricted by binary. Of course, its in the media, and they get a passing sense of it, but there is no pressure to conform. The twins are AFAB/AMAB ('girl,' 'boy'), and Moon (not their real name) has been identifying as a 'girl them' for a bit, and pretty recently, Sun (not their real name) has identified as 'she/her.' They both love all kinds of things in terms of play, clothing, and so on, so I wouldnt say liking nail polish and playing dress up in whatever is relating to gender per se since they dont have that binary understanding that most children are exposed to from an early age. While I dont know what these terms and expressions might mean to them at this stage of development, I support whatever feels right to them." Mortellus

Recently, Mortellus toured a new charter school for their kids. During the tour, they asked if gender-neutral bathrooms were available, explaining that their kids are nonbinary. Mortellus says that they were assured that although the school is still in the process of adding an ADA-compliant family bathroom, there are already single-stall restrooms available in each classroom, so their children will have a safe place to go.

It's worth pointing out that in 2016, North Carolina was the first state to pass a law requiring people to use restrooms matching their assigned gender at birth. Public schools in North Carolina must adhere to this law, but charter schools like the one Mortellus toured are less stringent.

In recent years, North Carolina has continued to pass laws aimed at transgender youth, including a prohibition on gender-affirming medical care for minors.

Mortellus walked away from that conversation feeling reassured that the school would be a safe and welcoming place for their children to learn. However, somehow, this information about their children's gender identity was leaked to other parents at the school, who started an online campaign against two literal 6-year-olds.

According to reporting by WSPA, a petition against gender-neutral bathrooms and opposing the use of "pronouns" in school circulated online, gaining 1,300 signatures from upset parents (FYI, we all use pronouns because that's how the English language works). The petition, which was hosted on Change.org, has since been removed. However, Facebook posts about the petition remain up, and the petition was also discussed at a school board meeting in early May.

One parent claimed that gender-neutral bathrooms and pronouns represent a "safety issue" for their family. Another accused Mortellus and their child of being "confused" and attempting to "confuse" other people's children as well. Another parent wrote, "Some want to cram their satanic ideas down your throat so they can make a mockery of God." Others claimed the children were "too young" for ideas about gender, which they mistakenly conflated with sexuality (to clarify, gender describes your own personal identity, whereas sexuality is who you're attracted to). At the board meeting, where Mortellus was unaware their family was being discussed, only one parent spoke in support of the twins. They said, "Every student has the right to an environment that encourages learning and is free of destruction." Facebook / Via Facebook: story.php

Mortellus discovered the backlash over their kids after it had been going on behind their back for weeks. They told BuzzFeed, "I became aware of it on June 3, after it had been happening in the public sphere for over a month and behind the scenes for even longer. When I saw it all I sat there quietly for a moment, feeling like my stomach bottomed out."

"I felt nauseous. I felt sad. I battled with myself over what the right reaction was but I settled on anger. Theyd all put my children in danger, and the school had done nothing to make us aware."

Now, Mortellus is speaking out to clear up the assumptions that so many other parents have been quick to make about their family. "There has been an assumption that I walked in the doors of the school like a cartoon villain shouting HERE ARE MY DEMANDS  but thats not true at all. I toured the school, chatting casually with staff and hoping to ensure that my children would get a good education and be afforded nothing more than what school policies already allowed and the same amount of support and protection that other children at the school enjoy."

"Id hoped that they would ensure that despite being a little offbeat as a family, we would not be treated poorly. We did, of course, chat casually about things in place that are not very supportive to LGBTQIA+ and/or non-Christian families, and the grammar school principal assured me that they were dedicated to bridging those gaps. I think the biggest thing is that while we chatted about how the grammar school didnt have a gender-neutral or ADA-compliant family bathroom, it's a bit of a non-issue altogether because the youngest students already have a single-stall bathroom in each classroom. I wonder if its a surprise to the most hateful of those who attacked my family that their children already are, and always have been, using a gender-neutral bathroom." Gece33 / Getty Images

Mortellus also responded to claims that their children are "too young" to understand gender. "In terms of simple child development, we know that children have a pretty strong idea of gender identity as early as three. Society doesnt really make a fuss about heteronormative binaries being 'understood' by children  because that fits within the hegemony  but when it is an outsider group like my pagan family with a different idea of morality, ethics, and the world generally, suddenly that understanding is villainized."

And they shared what they wish more parents understood about raising nonbinary kids: "That its as simple as letting children just be. That identity is an evolutionnot a destination."

Mortellus also has thoughts on how Christianity has been invoked against their family. "Its because, for some people, the right to religious freedom is only for those who share their beliefs. This is about protecting 'Christian' ideas about gender and sexuality, and we do not share those beliefs. We are not Christian. Our faith protects the right to express oneself as we see fitnot as imposed upon us by someone elses god. The fact of the matter is that everyone participating in this discourse is intelligent enough to know that no rules or policies were changed and that kindergartners at that school already have gender-neutral bathrooms and always have."

"Its about the fact that staff  and through them, parents  became aware of a family that believed differently than them, didnt like it, and want to ensure that the rules they have enjoyed the protections of dont apply to that family equally. Its having most of the parking lot be designed for you and parking in a handicapped space. Its everything being closed on Sunday and being angry someone elses child takes a day off of school for a religious observance. Its not wanting to participate in someones rituals but wanting everyone else to participate in your prayers. Its believing everyone should be denied an abortion because your faith demands it." They continued, saying, "They believe with all of their heart that I and my family should not exist in 'their' space, and if that is their assertion, then where are we to exist? I ask you to consider, were the tables turned, what would you want for your family? You would, of course, want to live alongside my children, protected by the law, yet not restrained in your expression of faith." Habesen / Getty Images

Finally, to counter the fear, hatred, and misunderstanding their family has been subjected to, Mortellus shared what they love about their twins. "The most joyful thing in the world to me is looking at either of those kids and just knowing that theyre living their best life and getting to explore who they are. So few people get that opportunity, and Im so happy that they get to have it."

"As for Moon, they want to grow up to be an astronaut, and hope to go to the Moon, and could tell you the technical name of nearly anything in spaceeven if currently theyre obsessed with unicorns. As for Sun? Theyre an absolute math whiz  literally doing algebra at age 5, and I think theyll probably grow up to do the math that sends their sibling to space. One of their current hobbies is inventing new NumberBlocks characters and building them in Minecraft."
Parents of couple who drowned at Florida beach while on vacation speak out: report

Parents of couple who drowned at Florida beach while on vacation speak out: report

Editors note: Some parts of the video above are intentionally blacked out due to video rights.

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA)  The parents of a couple who died in a rip current on a Florida beach are speaking out days following the tragedy.

On Thursday, the Martin County Sheriffs Office said Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48, and their six kids were vacationing on Stuart Beach when a rip current swept away the couple and two of their children.

Couple dies after getting caught in rip current while on Florida vacation with their 6 kids, deputies say

Brians parents spoke to NBC affiliate WPTV, saying they heard Brian had gone into the water to help some children swept away by a current when it pulled him under.

We just went numb, his parents said. Your world gets turned upside down.

One of the children of the deceased was trying to yell to them instructions of how to swim parallel to the shore,  but they were in panic mode and unfortunately went under, Chief Deputy John Budensiek told WPTV.

Brians parents described him as a great father full of compassion and intelligence, adding that Erica was a perfect match for their son.

3 Alabama men die after becoming distressed while swimming at Florida beach

When WPTV asked the parents if they had a message for their son, Brians father Larry said, He knows were proud of him.

As for his mother, Susie: Very proud of him, and we love him. We always love him.

His parents added that the couple had begun dating a year-and-a-half ago and were vacationing with their six children, from different marriages. Two of the kids, 20 and 22, who were Brians, are now staying with their mother in Tampa, while the father of Ericas four kids flew into Florida Thursday evening.

They said their grandkids are doing surprisingly well but added, how much above horrible is there?

According to WPTV, the family is still working on the funeral arrangements.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WFLA.
Orange-Osceola State Attorney Andrew Bain is drawing fire for a political evolution that took him from a registered Democrat to an appointee of Gov. Ron DeSantis  and now has him running as an independent for the job of Central Floridas top prosecutor.

Five years ago, Bain was a registered Democrat, voter records show, but he switched to no-party affiliation in 2019.

When he kicked off his campaign earlier this year, he signed paperwork that he intended to run as a Republican. He said that was an oversight he quickly corrected. Hell appear on the ballot as NPA, meaning an independent without party affiliation and not aligned with either Republicans or Democrats.

Bain said his background demonstrates he is independent-minded and will leave partisanship out of the courthouse.

But his opponents are painting Bain as a puppet without firm convictions who is beholden to DeSantis, the Republican who catapulted him to his post.

Complicating Bains situation is that blue-leaning Orange and Osceola counties are a tough place for a Republican to run. Given his background and his support network, NPA might be the only designation that makes him a viable candidate in some of the states most Democratic friendly turf.

For Bain, though, it all raises a question that will likely define his candidacy: Who is Andrew Bain really, and what does he believe?

DeSantis suspended Democratic State Attorney Monique Worrell in August and replaced her with Bain. That move made national headlines and prompted an outcry from Democrats, who said the Republican governor was usurping the will of the voters.

Worrell is now running to get her job back. Two Republicans are also vying for the position, leaving Bain in the odd position of being viewed as the GOP governors candidate but appearing on the ballot without party affiliation.

Gov. Ron DeSantis suspends Orange-Osceola State Attorney Monique Worrell from office

Thomas Feiter, one of the GOP candidates, said some in his own party are trying to push him aside to make way for Bain.

I think Andrew Bains core beliefs are whatever Gov. DeSantis tells them they should be, said Feiter, a lawyer and founder of the firm Fighter Law.

Feiter, too, was once a Democrat, switching to Republican in 2017, voter records show.

Worrell, meanwhile, said Bains no-party label cant mask his allegiance to DeSantis. She also highlighted his membership in the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group that played an instrumental role in undoing the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court ruling protecting abortion rights.

He was appointed to take my seat undemocratically by an authoritarian, dictatorial Republican governor, she said.

DeSantis accused the elected Democrat of breaching her duty and not following the law, charges she denies, when he removed her from office.

Bain said he is beholden only to the law and protecting the community and not focused on politics.

Partisan politics should have no role in the State Attorneys office, Bain said in an email. I am registered NPA because the law should be independent of party politics.

Paperwork error

Bains candidacy kicked off with a paperwork issue that had to be quickly corrected. He signed two one-page forms on April 1 under penalties of perjury with boxes checked that he intended to run as a Republican.

The forms dealt with the appointment of a campaign treasurer. Michael Millner, a political accountant, said the fault lies with his firm, the Political Accounting Group, which prepared the form and mostly works with GOP candidates.

He was never Republican, Millner said. We just defaulted to that not thinking, and we were wrong.

Voter records show that Bain switched his registration from Democrat to no-party affiliation in April 2019. The Orange County elections office had no record of him ever being a registered Republican.

Bain said he corrected the mistake on his candidacy paperwork quickly.

I signed the documents without noticing that the party information was incorrect, he said. As soon as the error came to light it was corrected within 24 hours. It was a human error, nothing more.

A spokesman with the Florida Division of Elections did not respond to a request for a comment on the mix-up. On April 5, a state elections official wrote a letter to Bain acknowledging he was being switched from a Republican candidate to an NPA one.

Florida law requires no-party candidates to not be a member of any political party for the 365 days before the beginning of the election qualifying period. Voting records indicate Bain met that requirement.

Feiter said while mistakes happen, the paperwork snafu raised questions. He took the document seriously, he said, because it included bold text that required signers to affirm they had read the form and the information was true under penalties of perjury.

At a bare minimum, it shows carelessness on his behalf, he said.

Seth Hyman, the other Republican in the race, said he decided to run for state attorney in January 2023, months before Worrells suspension. If he secures the nomination, he said he is committed to running in the general election because he thinks a Republican should be on the ballot.

I believe we need a state attorney with a common sense traditional approach to prosecution, said Hyman, a criminal defense lawyer. We need to make sure people committing crimes are held accountable for their actions.

Bain says hes voted for both parties

Bain, 39, said he decided to switch from a Democrat to no-party affiliation in 2018 when he was working as an assistant state attorney under Aramis Ayalas leadership because he didnt like some of her choices in running the office. Ayala, a Democrat who served from 2017 until 2021, stoked controversy with some of her stances, including a decision to not pursue the death penalty for any cases handled by her office.

In 2020, DeSantis boosted Bains legal career when he appointed him to serve as a county judge. Bain subsequently won a nonpartisan election in 2022 to stay on the county bench.

Who is Andrew Bain? Federalist Society judge picked by DeSantis to replace Monique Worrell

In the meantime, DeSantis took aim at what he called woke prosecutors, making it one of his core law and order issues during his unsuccessful presidential bid. In August 2022, he suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren.

A year later, it was Central Floridas turn. DeSantis ousted Worrell and installed Bain in the position.

Campaigning as a no-party candidate is likely to help Bains prospects in this region, but hell have his work cut out for him in a year that will be dominated by the presidential race at the top of the ballot, said Aubrey Jewett, a political science professor at the University of Central Florida.

There is a pretty small percentage of Republicans in Orange these days, he said. Democrats have a big advantage.

Voters are often unfamiliar with local races and candidates, Jewett added, so party labels can be more important.

Worrell won election in 2020 with nearly 66% of the vote.

Earlier this month, DeSantis suggested his newly created political action committee, the Florida Freedom Fund, would play a role in Orlandos state attorney race, although he did not provide specifics.

Despite his DeSantis ties, Bain said he isnt a fierce partisan.

I have voted for candidates in both political parties, and will continue to vote for the person I believe is best for each elected office, he said.
HUTCHINSON ISLAND, Fla. (AP)  A Pennsylvania couple vacationing in Florida with their six children drowned after they were caught in a rip current while swimming, authorities said.

Brian Warter, 51, and 48-year-old Erica Wishard, and two of their mostly teenage children were caught in the current on Hutchinson Island, along Floridas southeast coast, the Martin County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post.

3 men drown at Florida beach

The kids were able to break the current and attempted to help their parents, but it became too dangerous and they were forced to swim ashore, investigators said.

Martin County Ocean Rescue attempted life-saving measures and took the couple to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead, according to the sheriffs office.

A crisis intervention deputy is assisting the children while other family members travel to meet them in Florida. The sheriffs office did not say where in Pennsylvania the family was from.

A rip current is a fast-moving column of water that flows away from the shore toward open water. Officials say swimmers caught in one should remain calm and then swim parallel to the shore to escape the current.

Fire Rescue officials said there were red flags at the beach Thursday, indicating the possibility of hazardous surf conditions. The National Weather Service office in Melbourne warned on its website Friday of a high risk of rip currents all along the Atlantic coast, partly because of higher ocean swells caused by a low-pressure system near the Florida-Georgia state line, said meteorologist Megan Tollefsen.

Motorcycle goes off bridge into water killing woman

A lot of people are locals, they understand rip tides. They know what to do, what not to do, Martin County Chief Deputy John Budensiek told WPTV. They know where to get in the ocean and where not to. We get these vacationers that come in and, unfortunately, this ends poorly for them. Theres no way to get the message out to all of them.

Hutchinson Island is about 55 miles (88 kilometers) north of West Palm Beach.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW.
Here's a roundup of our top stories from the past week.

With a subscription to the Pensacola News Journal, you will receive full access to the work done by our journalists and photographers as they head out every day to help inform and explain the important issues affecting your community.

Florida shark attack rescue doctor honored for saving teen's life. Here's what happened

Dr. Ryan Forbess, left, is honored Tuesday, June 128, by Orange Beach, Alabama mayor Tony Kennon for his efforts in saving a teen girl's life after a shark bite in Walton County, Florida.

It may not seem that when 15-year-old Lulu Gribbin was attacked by a shark while swimming with her sister and friends at Rosemary Beach and ultimately lost her left hand and right leg, she was lucky. But on the beach that day happened to be a small army of medical professionals.

One of them, Dr. Ryan Forbess, was honored for his life-saving efforts in his home town of Orange Beach, Alabama, on Tuesday. He and his friend, Dr. Mohammad Ali from Mississippi, were in the water with their children when the attack happened on June 7, Forbess told WBRC.com. They got to shore, but both doctors immediately ran back in when they saw blood in the water.

Keep reading: Florida shark attack rescue doctor honored for saving teen's life. Here's what happened

Gulf Breeze plastic surgeon Ben Brown arrested, charged with death of wife, Hillary Brown

Gulf Breeze plastic surgeon Ben Brown has been charged with the death of his wife, 33-year-old Hillary Brown, who died after she went into cardiac arrest while he was performing several procedures on her in his office, Restore Plastic Surgery, last November.

The Santa Rosa Sheriffs Office arrested Brown for second degree felony homicide: manslaughter by culpable negligence. He is currently being held in the Santa Rosa County Jail pending first appearance where a bond will be determined by a judge and State Attorneys Office. The 41-year-old plastic surgeon turned himself in on Monday morning after an arrest warrant was signed by a judge on Friday. He was booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail and was not given bond.

Keep reading: Gulf Breeze plastic surgeon Ben Brown arrested, charged with death of wife, Hillary Brown

Balls pits, climbing walls and mazes coming soon to new play venue at Cordova Mall

Kids Empire opened May 10 at 5794 N. Bayshore Drive across from The Cheesecake Factory, according to a Bayshore news release.

An incoming addition to Cordova Mall will try to recapture the magic of childhood with a spacious indoor playground.

The new playground will be the home of Kids Empire, a nationwide indoor-playground chain with over 70 locations across the country.

Keep reading: Balls pits, climbing walls and mazes coming soon to new play venue at Cordova Mall

Looking for the best Bushwackers in Florida? 'Food & Wine' picks these Pensacola area bars

Visit Pensacola cites the Bushwacker as "Pensacola's signature drink," so it's no surprise that when "Food & Wine" listed the best places in Florida to try the iconic beverage, Pensacola area bars dominated the list.

Originating from St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Bushwacker is traditionally a milkshake-like, rum and chocolate flavored drink popularized locally by a Pensacola Beach bar owner in the mid-1970s.

Since then, the drink has proliferated across Florida.

Keep reading: Looking for the best Bushwackers in Florida? 'Food & Wine' picks these Pensacola area bars

US House Committee on Ethics has found merit to further investigate behavior of Matt Gaetz

The U.S. House of Representative's Committee on Ethics has determined that several of the allegations it has been investigating surrounding the behavior of Florida First District Congressman Matt Gaetz merit further review, among them that he "may have engaged in sexual misconduct."

A statement issued by the committee and bearing the signature of Committee Chairman Michael Guest, R-Mississippi, states that "the Committee is reviewing allegations pursuant to Committee Rules 14(a)(3)and 18(a) that Representative Gaetz may have: engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use,accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he hada personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.

The statement later notes that the mere fact of an investigation into these allegations does notitself indicate that any violation has occurred.

Keep reading: US House Committee on Ethics has found merit to further investigate behavior of Matt Gaetz

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola top stories: Florida shark attack, Ben Brown arrest, more
'We are the people that we serve': How an ex-abortion clinic became a lifeline for Black moms

AUSTIN, Texas  Its been months since Nakeenya Wilson signed the lease, but several times a week people still show up at her door confused.

The building Wilson rents previously housed one of the largest abortion providers in Texas. Two years after the Supreme Court eliminated the longstanding constitutional right to abortion, she still has to explain the clinic is gone and abortion care is no longer offered at the building tucked away, off a busy highway that runs through the state Capitol.

She recently had that difficult conversation with a mother and daughter.

They were looking for Whole Womens Health and her mom just kept saying in Spanish, No, but like, where are they? Wilson said. And with my limited Spanish-speaking skills, I was trying to communicate to her, No, it doesn't exist anymore. It didn't just move. You cannot access these services in Texas.'

On another day, Wilson said a Black woman who had just found out she was pregnant showed up looking for The Source, a crisis pregnancy center that took over the building in 2019. Wilson explained theyre gone, too.

Nakeenya Wilson, founder of Black Mamas Village ATX, photographed Thursday May 23, 2024, at the nonprofit which is in a building previously occupied by Whole Womens Health abortion clinic in Austin.

Wilson cannot provide what these stray patients are seeking, but she has carved out a place to assist Black moms in the space that remains since the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling in 2022 paved the way for 14 states to enact near-total abortion bans. She is part of a group of advocates and health care providers hoping to fill the vacuum left by the former clinic in a meaningful way.

Wilson is the founder of Black Mamas Village, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting Black women and their families through increasing connection and belonging, health and wellness, and economic empowerment. And she shares the space that was formerly used by the clinic, now known as The Village Place, with several other nonprofit organizations and local business owners that align with that mission, including midwives, doulas and a perinatal mental health nurse practitioner.

She's among many advocates across the country working to mitigate racial disparities in health care for people carrying babies to term. Black women are nearly three times as likely to die during or after giving birth, according to the CDC, and in states with abortion bans, women are up to three times more likely to die during pregnancy, childbirth or soon after giving birth, according to a 2023 report from the Gender Equity Policy Institute.

"There are a set of corrective measures that are really about tackling systemic biases throughout the healthcare system... It's hard work, but it's also essential if you really try to build something that's workable for the future that is better than what we had before that's really responsive to the needs of all patients, particularly those who are most vulnerable who have the least economic capacity and have access to health care," said Jocelyn Frye, president of the National Partnership for Women and Families.

How a former abortion clinic became a hub for Black moms

The first time Wilson entered the former clinic in north Austin was in 2007.

She was unmarried, pursuing a masters degree in social work and struggling to make ends meet, with a daughter in prekindergarten, when she found out she was pregnant again. She said she went to Whole Womans Health and had an abortion in a room thats now used by a homeschool pod, where 11 students, including Wilsons youngest daughter, attend school.

I don't remember much more, she said, sitting in the buildings colorful kitchen in late May. It's one of those experiences that really does feel a bit out-of-body, she said.

Amali Rowe 9, left, opens gifts at her birthday party with her homeschool classmates, left to right, Onyx Dydell, 3, Madeleine Wilson, 5, Nala Dydell, 7, and Derry Dydell III, 5, at Black Mamas Village ATX which is in a building previously occupied by Whole Womens Health abortion clinic in Austin Thursday May 23, 2024.

During the following years, Wilson often looked over at the clinics sign as she drove by it on the highway. One day, she noticed it had disappeared and been replaced by a sign for The Source.

In 2016, Wilson had her second child. She developed preeclampsia, a serious form of high blood pressure, and the delivery was difficult for both her and her son. His shoulders became stuck in the birth canal during delivery, a condition known as shoulder dystocia, and she began to hemorrhage. The medication she was given to treat the bleeding exacerbated her high blood pressure, she said.

Wilson knows its common to hear similar stories from other Black women, including celebrities like Serena Williams. In 2022, the maternal mortality rate for Black women was 49.5 deaths per 100,000 births compared with 19 deaths per 100,000 for white women, 16.9 for Hispanic women and 13.2 for Asian women, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The United States has some of the worst rates of maternal mortality among high-income countries, particularly for Black women and women in states where abortion is banned or restricted. Strict abortion bans have also prompted health care providers to leave and clinics to close, worsening access to care.

In Texas, the problem of maternal mortality is particularly acute: Though fewer than 1 in 10 people live in the state, 1 in 7 of all maternal deaths took place in the state, which has among the most limited abortion access in the country. More than 80% of pregnancy-related deaths are preventable, according to the CDC.

Still, Wilsons experience shocked her. When she gave birth in 2016, she felt she had all the advantages needed to do so safely.

I had a master's degree, was solidly middle class, married, private insurance, fetal medicine specialists, I had the same doctor for the first one as the second one, she said.

After her traumatic birth experience, Wilson got involved in a number of community organizations focused on improving maternal health outcomes for Black women, including the states Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee.

Then, in the middle of her term, she had to reapply for her position as a community advocate. Late last month, she found out her application was rejected and the community advocate positions would be filled two doctors, including an outspoken anti-abortion OB-GYN. Wilson said that news is "still stinging."

"Essentially now there's nobody with lived experience and nobody that represents those most impacted at the table, coming up with solutions," she said. "That is not a best practice, and I think it is not respectful to families and Texans and the losses that we experience and the disparities that we experience."

Dr. Ingrid Skop, who now holds the rural community member position, the slot that Wilson hoped to fill, said in a statement to USA TODAY she has long cared for women traveling long distances from rural Texas maternity deserts.

"For over 30 years, I have advocated for both of my patients, a pregnant woman and her unborn child, and excellent medicine shouldnt require I pit one against the other," Skop said. "Any attempt to discredit me because I stand by my Hippocratic Oath to do no harm to any of my patients is rooted in pro-abortion ideology and bias."

Dr. Ingrid Skop, who was recently appointed to Texas maternal mortality review committee, speaks at the Texas Medical Board meeting about guidance for physicians for medical exceptions to the states abortion ban laws in Austin, on March 22, 2024.

Meanwhile, Wilson was feeling isolated in the outskirts of Austin, a predominantly white city, so she started a Facebook group for Black moms to swap stories and schedule playdates. As the group grew and pandemic-related restrictions eased, Wilson decided they needed a physical space to meet in.

Wilson said the day she came to sign the lease for the building Black Mamas Village now occupies, a woman from The Source arrived to pick up baby mattresses. It took a moment, but Wilson realized theyd met before. The woman had taught the childbirth education classes Wilson attended during her first pregnancy at another location owned by The Source, previously known as Austin LifeCare.

Both of the organizations who provided services in this space helped me in different seasons of my life And we are in a way, a third generation of organization that supports families in this particular location, she said.

Filling the 'huge need' for resources and community

Black Mamas Village ATX which is in a building previously occupied by Whole Womens Health abortion clinic in Austin Thursday May 23, 2024.

Wilson estimated she put $20,000 of her personal funds into developing and renovating the space. There are still visual reminders of what the place once was - exam room flags by the doors, pass-through boxes to collect urine samples in the bathroom - but there is also a colorful library stocked with brand new books and a cozy nap room for moms who need a break.

Wilson began recruiting other like-minded women to work in the building alongside her. She said the rent is over $11,000 each month, but she subsidizes the cost with a $50,000 grant from the St. David's Foundation and rents the space for meetings and parties. Her 12 tenants often barter or exchange services for a reduced rate.

It really is like collective solidarity economics, Wilson said.

Her neighbors in the 'collective' include a massage therapist and another Black maternal healthcare nonprofit called Mama Sana Vibrant Woman. Mama Sana holds weekly prenatal and postpartum support groups and offers individualized doula services, midwifery and lactation consultations, serving more than 200 people, according to Tiek Johnson, the organizations co-executive director.

This is another avenue advocates in Texas and elsewhere that could improve pregnancy outcomes among women of color.

Midwifery care improved multiple birth outcomes, including lowering morbidity and mortality among mothers and newborns, according to a 2023 literature review published in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology. However, just 8% of certified nurse-midwives and certified midwives identified as Black or African American, the American Midwifery Certification Board found.

Once a quarter, the midwives of Mama Sana also hold free childbirth education classes, sessions which Johnson said would typically cost hundreds of dollars.

We try to also bring access to things that are usually inaccessible, Johnson said.

Later, Wilson brought in a dance instructor and the homeschool teacher. Recently, she said she's received funding to hire about a dozen people for a year-long, drop-in childcare program. While not obviously connected to maternal health, Wilson said these offerings are essential to their core mission.

"When we talk about birth justice and reproductive justice, we're talking about everything it takes for a birthing person and their family to thrive and to have autonomy and to have humanity and quality of life that is equal to anyone else," she said. "And so education and childcare, these things are a part of the full picture."

The Village Place is also home to nonprofits dedicated to HIV awareness and sexual health and "resource navigation." Nyeka Arnold, executive director of The Healing Project, said this involves guiding families through the often complex process of acquiring public aid, like rental assistance.

I was born and raised in a marginalized community, so the resources that I use, I know of them because I use them. And so I just try to tell everybody about the resources, the way it works, the system, the steps, she said before ducking out to unload a delivery of mushrooms for their weekly food pantry.

Nyeka Arnold, Executive Director of The Healing Project, middle, and volunteer Willie Sue Anderson, left, help client Leandrea Bell carry her groceries at the food pantry at Black Mamas Village, in a building previously occupied by Whole Womans Health abortion clinic, in Austin, on May 23, 2024.

Jennifer Lynn Dungey, a co-owner of The Village Place and board president of Black Mamas Village, knows how exhausting it can be to navigate these systems. Nearly 15 years ago, Dungey moved to Austin for work and lost that job just a few months later. She was seven months pregnant, she said, and couldnt find a new job. She soon became homeless.

It was a very humbling experience to go from making $70,000 a year to being broke and applying for a shelter, she said.

Dungey is now a social worker overseeing a program that works with African American first-time moms in Travis County, Texas, in addition to managing the building and culture of Black Mamas Village. She said what sets the nonprofit apart is that the people who run it have an intimate knowledge of what resources are out there because, as she put it, "we are the people that we serve."

Theres a huge need for community, huge need for resources and accessible resources without all the demands that are required by different agencies, she said. Thats the beauty of what we do.

Dungey dreams of expanding. Its been less than a year, but she said it feels like the collective has outgrown the building already.

Though the organizations are able to offer a small stipend to two staff members including Arnold, who helps manage the building, Dungey hopes to be able to hire a full-time staff, further expand the childcare program, and maybe even purchase a nearby hotel so the collective can offer housing.

This is really just the beginning, she said.

Contributing: Ken Alltucker and Christine Fernando, USA TODAY; Nancy Flores, Austin American-Statesman

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Black maternal mortality is high. Meet the Texas moms trying to help
If you Google Peter Eliasberg, the results are misleading: Youll see him at film awards. Galas. Movie premieres. Lanky, with perpetually tousled salt-and-pepper hair, he looks a little out of place on the red carpet alongside the blond woman in the photos  his wife, Catherine Dent. Shes the actor of the pair.

What you wont find, because photos are banned in the federal courtrooms in downtown L.A., are images of Eliasberg in his admittedly less glamorous element doing what he does best: arguing in front of a judge and striking fear into the heart of the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department.

Currently, three major lawsuits are challenging notoriously bad conditions and abuse inside L.A. County's sprawling network of county jails, which are run by the Sheriff's Department. As chief counsel at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, Eliasberg is representing thousands of inmates in two of them. In 2022, Eliasberg and colleagues reignited one of the cases, which dates back to the 1970s, with the bombshell discovery that jail staff had been chaining mentally ill people to benches for days at a time. The revelation nearly led to a contempt hearing against the county the following year  something officials only narrowly avoided by acquiescing to the ACLUs demands and making major changes at the Inmate Reception Center downtown.

Peter Eliasberg

The other case, which Eliasberg spearheaded 12 years ago, is centered on the beatings and assorted violence meted out by deputies. Though change has been halting, over the last decade jailers have at least stopped beating inmates with flashlights and now punch them in the face far less often than they used to. That might seem like a low bar for progress, but its not the kind of culture shift that sheriffs departments tend to make on their own.

Neither of these massive pieces of litigation is a one-man show: In court, Eliasberg is always flanked by a dogged team of ACLU lawyers. But at 63, hes been on the case longer than anyone else except for the judge.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
The researcher daughter of a prominent Manhattan cardiologist has been accused of murdering the infant twin son of one of her closest friends.

Nicole Virzi, a fifth year Ph.D. candidate at the San Diego State University/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology, is also accused of physically abusing the dead babys twin, according to reports.

Six-week-old Leon Katz, the son of Ethan Katz and his wife Savannah Roberts, died on Fathers Day as Virzi was caring for him in the familys Pittsburgh home, authorities said.

Virzi and Roberts were doctoral students at different universities  Roberts was studying at the University of Pittsburgh  but both were focused on eating disorders, trauma and body image.

The couple left Leon in Virzis care while rushing Ari to the hospital with a mysterious injury to his genitals, which Virzi had alerted them to, authorities said.

Ethan Katz and his wife Savannah Roberts, pictured here with their twin sons Ari and Leon, left Leon i Gofundme

While the first-time parents were caring for Ari, Virzi claimed Leon fell from his bouncer chair while she stepped away to get a bottle, according to police and court records.

But doctors found the injuries consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as these are inflicted injuries that are not natural and not accidental, according to WTAE.

Virzi was referred to as a trusted family friend in the GoFundMe established to help the grieving parents and their surviving son.

Virzi had been staying in a nearby Airbnb on South Graham Street in the hipster Shadyside neighborhood when she was asked to care for the baby, who was alert, conscious and not injured, according to a criminal complaint obtained by by Pittsburghs TRIBLive.

Nicole Virzi, a fifth-year doctoral student in clinical psychology at SDSU/UC San Diego, has been charged in connection with the death of 6-week old Leon Katz. Her lawyer told The Post she plans to plead not guilty. HeartMindJournal.org

It was not clear why Virzi was in Pittsburgh, but there were traces of the friendship between the two women online.

Virzis X account is now protected, making her messages inaccessible.

But Roberts made reference to her at least twice, once in Jan. 2022 where she referred to Virzis incredible work and once in May 2021 when she wrote a post to Virzi saying: You are going to do an AMAZING job! I cant wait to hear about your experience.

Tweets exchanged years ago with the mother of the twin babies, Savannah Roberts, and her friend and fellow clinical psychology candidate Nicole Virzi. Savannah Roberts/X

Cops arrived Walnut Street home after Virzi called 911 at 11:17 p.m. June 15, authorities said in the complaint. Virzi said the baby had suffered a bump to his head.

Virzi told cops she started babysitting Leon at about 6:30 p.m. that night, and claimed he was doing fine, eaten, had soiled two diapers and had been burped, according to the complaint.

She fell asleep for a period of time while Leon was in the bouncer seat, Virzi claimed. When Virzi awoke, she said, she went to the kitchen to get a bottle for Leon, and heard the baby screaming.

Nicole Virzis mugshot. She was arrested and booked on Fathers Day and remains in jail without bail. She is accused of killing her friends 6-week-old baby boy and injuring his twin brother. Allegheny County Jail

Virzi contended she found Leon lying on the floor, picked him up, and saw a large bump to the left side of Leons head, prosecutors said in the court document.

Paramedics rushed Leon to the hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead at 5:47 a.m. on Fathers Day, police said.

The Allegheny County Medical Examiners Office ruled the death a homicide. Leons cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

A head CT scan showed Leon suffered a severe skull fracture to the left side of the head, along with multiple brain bleeds.

Leon Katz was pronounced dead early in the morning of Fathers Day. Gofundme

Virzi, a graduate of Pepperdine University who holds a graduate degree in clinical psychology from San Diego State, grew up in the tristate area, the daughter of Dr. Peter J. Virzi, a highly-respected cardiologist affiliated with Mt. Sinai Doctors in Manhattan.

I have no words, a friend and colleague of Virzis told The Post Saturday. I am absolutely shocked. I had no idea.

The friend said she did not know Virzi to be violent but said noted she had some interpersonal issues. I would say she was a little rigid. She was nice. But very driven and motivated.

The late Leon Katz, who police believe was murdered by family friend Nicole Virzi. Gofundme

A man who identified himself as the suspects father hung up when The Post called.

Virzi was charged June 16 with criminal homicide, three counts of aggravated assault, and two counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

Virzi is currently being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail.

Virzis attorney David Shrager told The Post Saturday his client was innocent, and planned to plead not guilty.

Virzis father is prominent Manhattan cardiologist Peter J. Virzi. mountsinai

She is obviously devastated, Shrager said. Shes highly distraught and deeply sad. She said it was nothing intentional. Were doing a deep investigation. She has no criminal history. We will do our best to give her a fair hearing in court. This is a case with a dead child and a young lady in jail. It should not be speculated on before the case goes to court.

Virzis professional bio says her research aims to explore the complex interplay between psychological factorssuch as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma and critical health outcomes and behaviors such as metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity, eating behavior, and exercise.

Leon Katz shortly after his birth in May 2024. Gofundme

I am particularly interested in exploring these relationships within female and trauma-exposed populations, she added. By concentrating on these relationships, my research aims to shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities for intervention within these vulnerable groups.

She was also reportedly an instructor at the Cyclebar Carmel Valley in San Diego.

Roberts declined comment.
Attendees wait in line to enter the Liacouras Center for a rally for Republican presidential candidate, former U.S. President Donald Trump on June 22, 2024 in Philadelphia. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

PHILADELPHIA - Former President Donald Trump made his way to the city of Brotherly Love on Saturday for a rally, his first in the city of 2024. It also marked the first time Trump has advised voters in Pennsylvania to use mail-in ballots, something he has regularly spoken out against.

If you want to save America, get your friends, get your family, get everyone you know and vote, Trump said. Vote early, vote absentee, vote mail-in, vote in-person, I dont care how they vote, just get out and vote.

Trump also repeated his false claims of election fraud in Philadelphia in 2020, saying it was egregious and they used COVID to cheat. They used a lot of things to cheat, but were not going to let it happen again.

While Trump leaned heavily on crime as a main talking point for the evening, speakers before him mainly kept their focus on the economy and the border. At one point, he suggested a fight league for migrants to the U.S., and discussed his support for school choice, which has emerged as a key point of contention between Democrats and Republicans in the state Legislature as they hammer out the budget.

Trump invited GOP U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick on stage to offer his total support and my total endorsement in person. He had previously endorsed McCormick after he won the Pennsylvania GOP primary in April.

McCormick made two separate appearances on stage Saturday, first to deliver an address before Trump and another to join the former president on stage as he encouraged supporters to back his candidacy over U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. It was the first time Trump and McCormick have appeared together on the campaign trail.

Trump called Casey a stiff and said he didnt remember meeting the three-term senator during his time in Washington. Nobody knows who he is, nobody has any idea, Trump said. But Dave McCormick is going to be an activist for you.

McCormick thanked Trump, and said new leadership was needed. We need a president in the White House with pro-growth economic policies, deregulation that brings back our business community.

Following the rally, Caseys campaign sent out a fundraising email reading in part, This is serious. Donald Trump just attacked Bob Casey by name at a MAGA rally in Philadelphia saying that Pennsylvania needs to defeat Bob Casey.

When talking to reporters on Friday in Philadelphia about McCormicks expected attacks on him, Casey touted his record in the U.S. Senate, saying hes delivered for the people of the state over and over again.

What I wont do is what David McCormick will do, Casey told reporters. Hes a bag man for billionaires. Thats what he is. Hell vote with the billionaires.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser (R-9th District), who has emerged as one of the most vocal surrogates for the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania, said that Trump delivers on his promises and will reverse Bidenomics and replace it with MAGAnomics.

Philadelphia needs a president that cares about it, Meuser said. Because Joe Bidens administration are all talk and no action.

Donald Trump does not give a damn about Black people

Local Democrats spent the day preempting the presumptive GOP nominees messaging.

Later today, a 34-times-indicted criminal is going to come to North Philadelphia doing what he does best, lying about his record, talking about the past, and thumbing his nose at working families all across Pennsylvania, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia) said on Saturday morning. He made the remarks at an event focused on Black voters at a Biden campaign office in North Philadelphia.

Kenyatta, state Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia), who is Chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party, and Philadelphia City Councilmember Jeffrey Young, said it was important for Democrats to counteract his message ahead of the rally.

We really have to show Mr. Trump that hes not welcome here in this city, in this town, this state, Young said. He added it was up to Democrats to remind voters in their communities about Trumps record in office.

Donald Trump is just all talk, right, Young said. In our community, we tend to idolize like celebrities, right, for some reason or another and Donald Trump appeals to that when hes trying to appeal to Black voters and other voters in our community, but we have to let them know that the celebrity is all smoke and mirrors, there is no substance to that whatsoever, he does not care about pushing our community forward.

Kenyatta blasted Trump for his record before entering politics and his false accusations that former President Barack Obama was not born in America.

Donald Trump is a person who has a record, a well-documented record, of disrespecting Black people and destabilizing Black communities, Kenyatta said.

Trumps rally on Saturday is his fourth appearance in Pennsylvania so far this year and his second appearance in Philadelphia. In February, he delivered a brief address to SneakerCon at the Pennsylvania Convention Center to promote his new line of Trump-branded shoes.

In response to a question about Trumps decision to hold a rally in North Philadelphia, Street said that Trump is trying to create a national narrative to persuade Black voters to support him, and that he believed the Trump campaign would bus supporters in from outside the city.

So, a young Black person sitting in Detroit will say well Black people in North Philly support him, how bad can he be?, Street said.

Kenyatta, who serves on the Biden-Harris National Advisory Board and is a candidate for state Auditor General, echoed a similar message, saying Trumps visit to Philadelphia was partly about getting the press to write headlines that Donald Trump is trying to talk to Black folk.

He likened Trumps rally in North Philadelphia to somebody showing up to Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles, wearing a Dallas Cowboys jersey and saying the Eagles suck.

Thats not trying to reach out to Eagles fans, Kenyatta said. So, Donald Trump bringing his KKK rhetoric, bringing his racist Bull Conner bullhorn to North Philadelphia doesnt mean hes reaching out to Black folks, he is coming to disrespect Black people.

Listen, Donald Trump is in a Black place, but Donald Trump does not give a damn about Black people, Kenyatta added.

Black voters in Philadelphia played a key role in President Joe Bidens victory over Trump in 2020 with 92% of Black voters in the state voting for Biden, while 7% voted for Trump. Recent polling has suggested that gap has narrowed, but with Biden still holding a considerable lead.

Last weekend, Trump visited Detroit for the launch of his Black Americans for Trump effort and claimed there that he had done more for the Black population than any American president since Abraham Lincoln.

When asked about recent polling showing Trump gaining support among Black voters, Street referenced polling the past two cycles in the state and said Democrats have continued to win statewide since he took over as party chair.

Donald Trump famously said that bad things happen in Philly, he is the bad thing that is happening in Philly, Kenyatta said. And he is going to get the type of welcome that he deserves in North Philly, and its not going to be nice.

Calvin Tucker, a member of the Pennsylvania Republican Party Executive Committee, told the Capital-Star following his speech that his biggest takeaway was Trumps message about the impact of Bidenflation.

I want to see him back in so that we can get back to the normalization of prices, Tucker told the Capital-Star.

In 2016, Tucker welcomed Trump to North Philadelphia for a roundtable event with Black leaders. Tucker said it was promising to see Trump in North Philadelphia again on Saturday.

This is a harbinger of the activity thats going to come, he said.

In 2020, Biden received 603,970 votes in Philadelphia, while Trump received 132,740 votes. Tucker said hes certain that Trump can make that margin more narrow, which could propel him to victory in November.

If we keep the number below 400,000, we have a great opportunity to do that, he told the Capital-Star.

Tucker cited recent polling that showed Trump gaining ground among Black and Latino Americans, and others as proof that he can flip the state back in the win column. He told the Capital-Star that he thinks Trump can win 18-25% of Black voters.

While the first level and floor of the Liacouras Center were mainly occupied by Trump supporters during Saturdays event, the second level didnt have anyone seated. The Capital-Star is seeking a crowd estimate for the event.

Prior to his address, Trump made an appearance at Tony and Nicks in South Philadelphia to buy a cheesesteak.

Protesters gathered across the street from the Liacouras Center on Saturday afternoon, as temperatures soared into the mid-90s. Some exchanged words with Trump supporters awaiting his arrival, others waved anti-Trump signs and made their displeasure known.

Anne Geheb, 69, a resident of the Philadelphia suburbs, said Saturday was supposed to be a beach day but she decided to come to the city to voice her opposition to Trump instead. Geheb, who is a lesbian, said Trumps negative rhetoric about the LGBTQ community, especially transgender people, was particularly concerning to her.

Trump said on Saturday during his speech he would sign a new executive order to cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity and any other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on to our children.

But Geheb said she was heartened to see many younger people protesting Trump as well.

Im very worried that the young people will not show up [to vote], and we need them to show up, she said.

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The post Trump in Philadelphia: The former president repeats false claims of 2020 voter fraud appeared first on Pennsylvania Capital-Star.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD)  The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety says it helped rescue a pet parrot Saturday night.

Around 6:30 p.m., a citizen asked for help retrieving their African grey parrot. The bird had escaped its cage.

A photo released by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety of a June 22, 2024, parrot rescue.

A photo released by the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety of a June 22, 2024, parrot rescue.

KDPS says it isnt always able to help in these situations, but at the time, there werent many other calls for service.

This allowed Public Safety the opportunity to assist the owner in recovering their feathery friend, the department wrote in a news release.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
Pittsburgh police find teen girl last seen in Brighton Heights

UPDATE: Pittsburgh Police say Tabitha Clark has been found and is safe.

Pittsburgh police are asking for help from the public while they search for a missing 13-year-old girl.

SVU detectives are looking for Tabitha Clark, who was last seen in the citys Brighton Heights neighborhood on June 21 around 11:30 p.m., possibly heading towards Downtown.

Tabitha is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, and has brown eyes and hair in long black braids with a blonde streak. She may be wearing glasses or sunglasses and was last seen wearing a pink head scarf with large flowers, a bluish sweatshirt and light blue slides that look like sharks.

Anyone whos seen Tabitha or may know where she is should call 911 or 412-323-7141.

Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW

TRENDING NOW:

Man dead after motorcycle crash in Westmoreland County Man dead after shooting in Wilkinsburg 3 Alabama fathers die after being caught in Gulf rip current VIDEO: Local community raising money for police in honor of business owner killed in Lower Burrell DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts
A Polish soldier stands guard at the wall on the border with Belarus. Photo: Getty Images

Warsaw is studying what kind of impact the closure of border crossings with Belarus will have on the economy and local communities.

Source: Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski on TVN24

Details: When asked if there was anything Poland could expect to do regarding Belarus, he replied that "we still have border crossings".

Quote from Sikorski: "We are now studying what consequences this will have for our economy and local communities."

More details: He noted that, for example, "the Finns have closed the border crossings with Russia, and the traffic has stopped".

Sikorski also stressed that what is happening on Poland's eastern border "is now an operation fully controlled by the Russian and Belarusian services".

He said what is particularly striking is that these people are being instructed by officers of the Belarusian state on how to hit a Polish soldier, a Polish border guard, even when they are wearing body armour. He stressed that this is absolutely unacceptable.

Sikorski noted that "we will make a decision after analysing this impact so that Lukashenko feels [the consequences of] their action, not us."

Background:

On 6 June, it became known that a border guard died in Poland after being stabbed near the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne when migrants were trying to break through from Belarus.

On 28 May, a group of about 50 foreigners threw branches and stones at Polish patrols near the border checkpoint in the village of Dubicze Cerkiewne. As the migrants attempted to cross the border by force, one of them stabbed a Polish soldier.

On 10 June, the Polish government supported the proposal of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration to establish a temporary buffer zone on the border with Belarus.

A note of protest was handed over to the Belarusian Charge d'Affaires in connection with the death of a Polish border guard, demanding that the Belarusian authorities identify the killer and hand him over to the Polish authorities.

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Police Arrest Man for Allegedly Trying to Drown His 2 Young Children at Connecticut Beach

Authorities said an officer heard "heard significant screaming taking place from the water" before arresting the man

West Haven Police Dept. via AP Prospect Beach in West Haven, Connecticut, photographed on June 22, 2024

A New York man was arrested this weekend for allegedly attempting to drown his two children on a Connecticut beach.

The West Haven Police Department said in a social media post on Saturday, June 22, that an officer spotted a Nissan SUV parked on a local beach and "heard significant screaming taking place from the water" around 2:31 a.m. local time.

Responding to the screams, the officer saw a man and two small children in the water. As the officer approached them, the man began to "drift further away with the children all while screaming at the responding officers to 'stay back,' " the West Haven Police said.

The man, later identified as 41-year-old Romney Desronvil of Queens, was "deliberately drowning his children," police stated.

"Officers immediately entered the water and were nearly 100 yards away from shore at this time. Other Officers on scene joined members of the West Shore Fire Department and entered the water utilizing the West Shore Fire boat," the police department continued, adding that the first officer was able to "gain possession" of the kids and get them to shore with the help of others.

The children were then transported to a local hospital and "life-saving measures" were taken by police.

Related: Dad Saves His 2-Year-Old Daughter from Drowning, Recalls Holding Her Limp Body and Praying

Getty Police sirens

Citing a Saturday news conference, local outlet New Haven Register reported that Police Chief Joseph Perno said Desronvil is expected to be charged with two counts of attempted murder and two counts of risk of injury, with the incident remaining under investigation.

"It is without a doubt the swift response by our patrol officers saved the lives of these children," the department said. "The communication and collaborative efforts made by the West Shore Fire Department and eventually the New Haven Police Department allowed for immediate medical aid and also the apprehension of Desronvil."

In the news conference shared by CT Insider, West Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer recognized "the brave work of our officers" for their response.

"These two children, they had guardian angels this morning, and the name of their guardian angels were officer Williamson and officer Miller," she said, calling their efforts "truly remarkable."

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.

Per the New Haven Register, the mayor said the children appeared to be improving, as Chief Perno added both were under 3 years old. Perno also reportedly shared that their mother was in New York at the time of the alleged attempted drowning and arrived in New Haven by Saturday afternoon.

West Shore Fire Chief Stephen Scafariello added during the news conference that firefighters, EMTs and paramedics "went to work immediately" on the children upon arrival. He said it took 22 minutes from the time of the dispatch to the time the children received care at the hospital.

"I would like to personally commend our firefighters who transported both patients in our rescue truck," Scafariello said. "They provided care to the highest level."

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Read the original article on People.
An extensive search was underway after a person was shot Saturday night in the Harbor Point Neighborhood in Dorchester.

Boston Police say they received a report at about 9:00 p.m. that the victim was shot near 80 Westwind Road, which is near the waterfront in Dorchester.

Police say the man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers could be seen searching on foot around Boston Harborwalk near UMass Boston.

No arrests have been made at this time and it is an ongoing investigation, said police in a statement to Boston 25.

Several police cruisers, with flood lights on, could be seen searching the area.

Police boats were also searching the shoreline near the crime scene.

#BREAKING: Boston Police say a person was shot in Harbor Point near Westwind Road around 9 pm.



The victim was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. No arrests made.



Police searching on foot around Boston Harborwalk near UMass Boston. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/JCh3hRCLeg  Daniel Coates (@danielcoates_25) June 23, 2024

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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Polish President arrives in China to discuss war in Ukraine in particular

Andrzej Duda at the press conference in Beijing. Screenshot: video by Kancelaria Prezydenta RP on Facebook

Polish President Andrzej Duda has arrived in China for an official visit, the main topics of which are security, particularly the Russian Federation's war against Ukraine, and economic matters.

Source: Office of the President of Poland, as reported by European Pravda

Details: During a pre-flight briefing, the Polish leader stated that he would offer Chinese leader Xi Jinping a perspective on "the entire security situation in our part of Europe."

Quote: "We have the war in Ukraine, as well as the hybrid attacks by Belarus on the Polish border, where the Belarusian authorities have been consistently driving migrants towards us over the last three years, causing them to try to enter the border illegally," Duda said.

The President of Poland emphasised the importance of this visit for European security. According to him, China has a huge influence on Russia.

"Today, Russia is the aggressor in Ukraine. And this is something I'd like to discuss with President Xi Jinping. In my opinion, it is incredibly crucial to explain our point of view on this problem to him," Duda is convinced.

Robert Habeck, the Vice Chancellor of Germany, warned the Chinese government about the economic consequences it will suffer if it continues to support Russia in its war against Ukraine.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg called on China to answer for Beijing's support for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In response, Lin Jian, spokesman for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, called on NATO to "stop shifting blame" and "rather do something practical for the political settlement of the crisis".

Last week, the Group of Seven (G7) countries said they would continue to take measures against entities in China and other countries that financially support the Russian military machine in its war of aggression against Ukraine.

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Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Sen. Bernie Sanders political affiliation. Sanders is an independent senator.

Pro-Palestine protestors disrupted a joint rally between Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D-N.Y.), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) on Saturday.

The protest was organized by Within Our Lives, a self-described Palestinian-led, New York pro-Palestine organization.

Endorsing Biden is endorsing the ongoing genocide in Gaza, Within Our Lifetime wrote in a thread on X promoting the demonstration at the rally.

The group has drawn ire from those on the left and right in recent weeks for their protests against the Brooklyn Museum, which ultimately led to arrests on June 1 when the museums works were reportedly damaged. The group also has been linked to the targeting of top leaders at the museums homes, including a banner at its Jewish directors home that called her a white-supremacist Zionist.

This is not peaceful protest or free speech. This is a crime, and its overt, unacceptable antisemitism, New York City Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X at the time.

During Saturdays rally, which drew a crowd of 1200 voters according to AOCs campaign, pro-Palestinian protesters led chants including Intifada, Intifada and Genocide Joe has got to go.

As the rally wrapped, the protesters headed to the politicians campaign buses, proceeding to write on them with markers and placing stickers on the buses paneling, according to a video posted to X.

The Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders, and Bowman campaigns were not immediately available for comment.

Im not supposed to fight back? Were gonna show them who the fk we are! Bowman told the crowd as pro-Palestine protesters attempted to disrupt the rally with chants in a video uploaded to X. He proceeded to lead the crowd in a cease-fire now chant.

Bowman faces a tough re-election bid in New Yorks 16th congressional district. He is set to face-off against AIPAC-backed Democrat George Latimer later this week on June 26. The division between the two candidates view on U.S. support for Israel in its war against Gaza has been a highlight of the election.

The results of Bowmans election have been closely monitored as a litmus test for the future of Democratic Party, with the war in Gaza billed as the newest progressive-moderate identity crisis facing the coalition.

All three politicians at the rally have maintained their support for a second-term Biden presidency, while some in the far-left coalition of the Democratic party, like Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) have not committed themselves to a candidate.

During a Biden campaign rally in Las Vegas, Ocasio-Cortez indicated that voters should turn to issues on the left that Biden will champion, chiefly abortion post the Dobbs decision.

Four more years of President Biden versus Donald Trump is quite literally the difference between life and death, she said.

This story was updated on June 23 at 10:36 a.m.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The historically expensive bid to unseat Rep. Jamaal Bowman is entering its final frantic hours as a moderate, White county executive from north of New York City  propelled by pro-Israel groups record advertising outlay  appears poised to deny the progressive, Black former middle school principal a third term in Congress.

New York Democrats are no strangers to hard-nosed, high-priced primary campaigns. But the fury that has captured the 16th Congressional District, which covers parts of the Bronx and suburban Westchester, now threatens to open a wider rift in liberal politics, both here and across the country, where other progressive champions face primary challenges.

The showdown between Bowman against George Latimer, the Westchester County leader who entered the race in December at the urging of pro-Israel leaders, was always destined to spotlight the divisions within the Democratic Party over the Israels war in Gaza. What has followed, though, has been something much nastier. Fraught debates over race and class, papered over for years in this diverse but largely segregated district, have exploded into a referendum on the nature  and future  of the party.

Defending Bowman, now considered the most endangered Democrat of this primary season, has become more than a political necessity. The fortunes being spent by the pro-Israel lobby, including AIPAC and Democratic Majority for Israel, to boost Latimer have contributed to the end-of-days vibe around the race. If Bowman falls, his allies reason, a chilling effect will settle in, radiating up and down the ballot.

If they are successful in defeating Jamaal, every member of Congress will be looking over their shoulder, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders said Saturday at a rally for Bowman, asking whether the billionaire class is going to spend millions of dollars against me in my campaign?  Look what they did to Bowman in the Bronx.

In an interview with CNN days earlier, Bowman argued the race transcended the factional fights Democrats have become accustomed to since Sanders first presidential run in 2016 and Ocasio-Cortezs primary win two years later.

I represent the working class. I represent the democracy that were trying to preserve and build and evolve and make healthy for all people, Bowman said. Latimer represents big money in politics and oligarchy and those who are buying our democracy.

Hes a bought-and-paid-for politician, he added. I dont know how anyone can vote for that.

For his part, Latimer is confident that voters inside the district  many of them having cast ballots for him before  are taking a different view. Despite AIPACs swamping the race, Latimer has been reticent to engage too deeply on questions about Gaza or Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Bowman has called a maniac and a blockade to a pathway to peace

I have articulated why I support Israels right to exist and why I think that there has to be negotiations for the future, Latimer told CNN. But in the short term, Hamas behavior has been abysmal. They launched a terrorist strike and you cant forget that in the discussion.

Bowman condemned Hamas October 7 attack, which killed more than 1,200 people inside Israel. But, as his critics are quick to note, he was also among the first voices in Congress to call for a ceasefire and, though he subsequently expressed regret and retracted the claim, initially described reports of sexual violence by Hamas as propaganda.

I always stand against sexual violence in all forms and stand for peace for all, he said in a statement earlier this year. Bowman has also been made to explain his past blogging about 9/11 conspiracy theories (an academic exercise, of sorts, he now regrets) and the infamous House fire alarm incident (an honest error hes copped to).

Though both candidates often say the election will be decided by issues closer to home, such as affordable housing and climate change, Israel and Gaza are never far off. The first 10 minutes of a recent hourlong debate were, with the moderators prompting, dedicated exclusively to the war. The only group not talking about Israel, it often seems, is AIPAC, which has not mentioned the issues in its television ads  instead hammering the charge that Bowman has been insufficiently loyal to Biden.

Trying to bury us in money

When Bowman, 48, was a first-time candidate in 2020, he unseated 16-term incumbent Eliot Engel in an ornery contest that drew clear lines between the progressive left, with Ocasio-Cortez, Sanders and Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts going all in for Bowman, while the liberal establishment, led by Chuck Schumer, then the Senate minority leader, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton lining up behind Engel.

In the end, it wasnt much of a contest. Bowman defeated Engel by nearly 15 points in their August primary, capping a tense summer election cycle. His victory represented a massive coup for progressives still reeling over Sanders Covid-interrupted presidential primary loss to Joe Biden, who overtook the democratic socialist with help from an eleventh-hour move to consolidate party moderates. To many on the left, Bowman embodies something close to their platonic ideal of a candidate or elected leader  an unrepentant progressive from outside the professional political sphere who never gets twisted up in knots of ideological jargon or navel-gazing.

He is also the first Black man to represent the diverse but largely segregated  by race and class  district, which ties together the wealthy, mostly White suburbs in Westchester and predominantly Black and Latino parts of the Bronx. It is majority non-White, with a growing Arab American presence, but also home to a large and deeply engaged Jewish population.

In 2020, outside groups spent more than $3.4 million on Bowmans challenge to Engel. But the candidates benefited about equally  each backed by upward of $1.7 million in PAC cash.

Days out from the 2024 primary for the same seat, that figure has skyrocketed. Outside spending on the race has gone up more than fivefold. The balance, too, has been blown away: Pro-Latimer groups, led by the AIPAC-affiliated United Democracy Project and a cryptocurrency PAC, have spent nearly $18 million on ads, while progressive Bowman allies, such as Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party, are on pace to clear only about $2.2 million.

They are trying to bury us in their money, Ana Maria Archila, New York Working Families co-director, said Saturday to Bowman supporters gathered in the baking heat at the Gil Scott-Heron Amphitheater in the Bronxs St. Marys Park. Local labor activists and progressive leaders then introduced Bowman, Ocasio-Cortez and Sanders.

Ocasio-Cortez was a ball of energy as she climbed onstage and grabbed the mic.

Powerful people, and these are powerful people  they dont give a damn about us, Ocasio-Cortez said. These Wall Street people dont give a damn about us. AIPAC doesnt give a damn about us. AIPAC doesnt give a damn about the Bronx. They dont give a damn about Westchester.

She also sought to tie the election here to Donald Trumps fortunes in November.

Its also not lost on us that the historic amounts of money being spent to defeat him are linked back to billionaires and Republicans who prop up Donald Trump and all of his thugs, Ocasio-Cortez said. We see the corruption. It is clear as day, but we know better.

Patrick Dorton, a spokesperson for United Democracy Project, the AIPAC-affiliated super PAC, dismissed much of the criticism from the left, saying the group had good  and obvious  reasons to back Latimer.

Bowman has an atrocious anti-Israel record, and is completely out of step with President Biden on that and a host of other issues, Dorton said. Hes a fringe politician, not a fit for the district or the Democratic Party.

Progressives fret over chilling effect of potential Bowman defeat

The overwhelming air support for Latimer, most of it trained against the Squad-aligned Bowman, has added a febrile intensity to the final days of the campaign.

It comes after the left lost ground in New York this year before the campaigns began in earnest. Rep. Ritchie Torres, who embraced the progressive label in 2020, fell out with the movement over his fierce support for Israels offensive in Gaza. Former Rep. Mondaire Jones, frustrated that progressives did not rally around him after a redistricting shuffle in 2022, has also sought to shed his lefty connections as he campaigns for a return to Congress in the neighboring 17th District.

Jones is now backing Latimer, and Torres hinted at plans to do the same. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also a New Yorker, endorsed Bowman  at least on paper. Often a vocal critic of primary challengers, Jeffries has offered, at most, measured advocacy.

AIPACs bombardment has further angered Bowman supporters, led by Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez, who have come to describe the primary as a historical crossroads.

This election is one of the most important in the modern history of America. It really is, Sanders said in the Bronx. Because this election is not about Jamaal vs. Mr. Latimer. This election is about whether or not the billionaire class and the oligarchs will control the United States government.

Like other Latimer allies, AIPAC spokesperson Marshall Wittmann, whose organization is said to be working with $100 million across the board in 2024, argued the groups involvement in the Bronx and Westchester was less portentous  and focused narrowly on Bowmans record.

This race offers an unambiguous choice between a candidate who consistently stands with Israel and his opponent, who is aligned with the extremist, anti-Israel fringe, Wittmann said. The pro-Israel community is deeply engaged in supporting candidates who stand with Americas ally, Israel, and opposing extremist detractors.

Clearly frustrated, Bowman on Saturday reserved his harshest message for AIPAC and other outside groups spending big to sink his political career.

We are going to show f**king AIPAC the power of the motherf**king South Bronx, Bowman said to laughter and applause before striking a defensive posture.

People ask me why I got a foul mouth, he added, accusing his opponents of attacking his family. What am I supposed to do?

Bowman speaks at a campaign rally at St. Mary's Park on June 22, 2024. - Steven Ferdman/GC Images/Getty Images

Latimers words

Latimer, who won his first election, for Rye City Council, during the second of former Gov. Mario Cuomos three terms, has been a political mainstay in Westchester for nearly four decades. He has used the connections that come with his history  former Gov. Andrew Cuomo was a fan  to make the case that he is better attuned to the districts needs than, as he puts it, the clout-chasing incumbent.

You may not get me saying the statements that are interesting enough to be on television, Latimer told CNN, But youll see me doing the work behind the scenes with other Congress members.

In other settings, Latimer has been less diplomatic. He castigated Bowman during their May 13 debate over his desire to preach and scream at opponents, saying it was counterproductive in a legislative setting. Bowman accused Latimer of trying to portray him as the angry Black man.

Its the Southern strategy in the North, Bowman said.

Latimer has repeatedly invoked race and ethnicity when pushing his most direct attacks on Bowman.

You dont mention people who are not Black or brown. Theres a whole district, Jamaal, that youve ignored, Latimer said to the congressman during a June debate, and the district knows youve ignored it.

Before that, in a May 9 interview with John Catsimatidis, a Republican donor, gadfly and occasional candidate, Latimer said the results of Bowmans 2020 primary win were skewed by an influx of absentee ballots, due to the pandemic, that led to abnormally high vote totals.

You also have, as you recall the death of George Floyd on the night of Memorial Day evening that came one month before the (2020 primary) election, Latimer added. And that generated a tremendous surge in the Black communitys concerns, anger, whatever. (In an ironic twist, Jones, who is backing Latimer, once railed against that narrative.)

Westchester County Executive George Latimer campaigns at a train station in White Plains, New York, on June 13, 2024. - Ted Shaffrey/AP

Latimer has also come under criticism for telling Bowman, during another debate, that your constituency is Dearborn, Michigan; your constituency is San Francisco, California. His campaign later insisted he was commenting on Bowmans donors, not taking a swipe at the majority Arab American population of Dearborn.

The most recent foul-up came Thursday, when Latimer told Punchbowl News that Bowman was politically weak everywhere  with a few exceptions.

Is (Bowman) going to get at least 40% of the vote? Yes. Does he have an obvious ethnic benefit? Yes, Latimer said. Will he get the people who are furthest to the left? Yes. But once you get beyond a couple of constituencies that he has strength in, hes weak everywhere else.

Bowman supporters are infuriated over Latimers line of criticism, saying it diminishes and alienates Bowman  whom Latimer mostly referred to as Jamaal during their debates  and the diverse, working-class base of voters Democrats should be trying win over ahead of the presidential election.

Some Bowman allies are also concerned that defeat for the congressman would have negative effects downstream for Biden, who, according to nearly every available poll, is already struggling with young, progressive voters.

Campaigns like the one to elect Latimer decrease turnout and push people away from participating in electoral politics, Justice Democrats spokesperson Usamah Andrabi told CNN.

What Democrats need to do in November, Andrabi added, is activate their most crucial base  young people, Black and brown people, progressives. And you need leaders like Jamaal Bowman to turn them out and expand the electorate.

Ocasio-Cortez has, despite her criticism of the administration, tried to do just that. She has become a welcome Biden surrogate, even stumping for him days earlier in Nevada. But she pulled no punches in the Bronx this weekend  and used the finale of her speech to issue a warning to Bowmans rivals.

We have to let them know that were not going anywhere. No matter what, we never go anywhere, Ocasio-Cortez said. And thats the message that we have to send. We are here for keeps.

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CENTERPOINT, Pa. (WHTM)  State troopers are seeking a woman they say struck a 60-year-old man in the face in an apparent road rage incident Friday.

State Police at Hamburg said it happened around 6 p.m. at Main and Walnut Streets in Centerport, about 11 miles north of Reading.

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Troopers said a woman struck a 60-year-old Lenhartsville man in the face and then fled.

She was described as a blonde, white woman in her early 20s, wearing a white tank top.

Anyone with information should contact State Police at Hamburg at 610-562-6885.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
Every June, cities across the country gather to celebrate Pride Month with festive events, and proudly display flags that represent LGBTQIA+ communities. While more organizations and companies are joining in to show their support of the queer community each June, this year strikes differently.

National companies which partnered with LGBTQIA+ influencers or sold Pride merchandise last year have scaled down their public support of the LGBTQIA+ community after receiving backlash from conservative and religious groups. For many individuals, Pride Month is the only time they see their identities represented publicly, but recent public support has waned during a contentious political climate. Hateful rhetoric and threats against the LGBTQIA+ community have forced many individuals to keep quiet for fear of their own safety.

Children hold flags and wear heart stickers and beads at the Austin Independent School Districts Pride Out! party in Austin, April 9, 2022. (Credit: Lauren Witte/Texas Tribune)

Now more than ever its important for companies and organizations to show support for the LGBTQIA+ community. Authentic support means taking a long-term stance to help the community advocate for its basic rights. According to a recent Harris Poll of 1,110 LGBTQIA+ adults ages 8 and older, 84% of respondents agreed that rainbow logos alone don't make a brand queer-friendly or inclusive. The same survey found that over 68% of participants said they take note of brands who say they stand for the LGBTQIA+ community, but back down as soon as opposition mounts.

Services and products that affirm diverse identities can be lifesaving, and there is a real need for representation in a range of industries, particularly healthcare, and for support from corporations in understanding the needs of LGBTQIA+ people. At Texas Health Actions Kind Clinic, as we aim to expand access to healthcare for Austins LGBTQIA+ community and people impacted by HIV, corporate partners are critical to sustaining our impact.

After listening to the patients we serve, it became clear there was a need in our community for aesthetics services. Many transgender and gender non-conforming individuals want services to accentuate or enhance more feminine or masculine characteristics to affirm their identities. Everyone deserves access to healthcare that allows them to live a healthy and fulfilling life.

In launching Glossy by Kind Clinic, we understood the need to navigate an industry that affirms LGBTQIA+ identities. This vision led us to forge partnerships with leading aesthetics manufacturers and skincare providers to ensure our treatments authentically support the LGBTQIA+ community.

When organizations and businesses listen to the audiences they serve, theres an opportunity to meet community needs. Rainbow logos arent enough to make brands inclusive. Corporations and business need to deepen their commitment to LGBTQIA+ communities and their unique healthcare needs.

Organizations should create affirming environments where everyone feels safe to live proudly and authentically not just during Pride Month, but all year long, and continue to seek corporate partners that align with their unique values.

Benitez is the Chief Advancement Officer of Texas Health Action, which operates Glossy by Kind Clinic, an extension of the organizations LGBTQIA+ health services.

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Rainbow logos arent enough to make brands LGBTQIA+ inclusive
Refugees fled conflict & violence before coming to the U.S. Theyve found a home in Idaho

Tresor Uchama and Enock Keju sat patiently on white plastic chairs on Saturday as the sun beat down, waiting to take part in the final step of their nearly decade-long journey to becoming American citizens.

Uchama had left the Democratic Republic of the Congo to avoid conflict and raised Keju in Uganda before they came to the United States as refugees.

My parents wanted a better life for their children, Keju, 19, said in an interview. (And a) better opportunity for our future.

Ten people took their oaths of citizenship to become Americans at World Refugee Day at Grove Plaza in downtown Boise on Saturday. Uchama, in a red suit, and Keju, in a gray suit, can be seen at left.

After seven years of waiting, Keju and Uchama raised their right hands alongside eight other refugees from Burundi, Thailand, Ukraine, Myanmar, Congo and the Central African Republic, and swore the oath of allegiance to become American citizens.

The event was held during a World Refugee Day event at the Grove Plaza and Capital City Public Market, with the smell of hot food wafting around and cheers from hundreds of attendees.

Uchama said he was happy to be able to take part in the event.

Im grateful, Uchama said. Its been amazing.

Uwantege Stratone from Burundi holds a bouquet of flowers after becoming an American citizen at a World Refugee Day celebration.

Home in Idaho

Those in attendance included both those who had recently arrived in Boise as refugees and those who had already gone through the citizenship process and wanted to show support.

Neville Mutombo, who was born in a refugee camp in Zambia after his parents fled conflict in Congo, moved to Boise in February with three of his family members.

Mutombo said life in Zambia was restricted and that he wasnt always allowed to speak his native language.

You are restricted. You have to adapt to their language, Mutombo told the Idaho Statesman. It was very difficult.

Mutombo was a teacher in Zambia and said hed found a job tutoring math at the College of Western Idaho.

(It feels) very nice to chat to the students, to talk to them, to get to know them, Mutombo said.

Children danced at World Refugee Day at Grove Plaza in downtown Boise on Saturday. The event is held each year to showcase world cultures and celebrate new citizens.

Like many others, Rachel Julugbeh came to Idaho in search of a way out of the refugee camp that she had lived in for 14 years.

Julugbeh moved from Liberia to Boise in 2003, became a citizen in 2009 and attended the event to support other refugees who had found a safe haven in Boise.

She said she had experienced the long road to citizenship and knew what it was like for others who had to leave their own countries.

Its a horrible feeling, Julugbeh said.

There was a lot of change moving from Liberia to Boise because she couldnt do many of the things she was used to doing in Liberia, she said.

(But) life is all about change, Julugbeh said. You got to get used to the feeling.

Julugbeh sold earrings during the citizenship event to raise money to build a library in Liberia and said she has loved living in Idaho.

Ive been here for almost 20 years and I love it, she said. I really love it here.

Rachel Julugbeh sold earrings to raise money to build a library in her native country of Liberia at a World Refugee Day celebration in downtown Boise.

Idaho welcomes thousands as global refugee crisis worsens

The 10 refugees who took part in Saturdays event were just a tiny sliver of the thousands of refugees in Idaho.

Since 2000, the state has welcomed more than 15,600 refugees with just over 1,000 projected for fiscal year 2024, according to the Idaho Office for Refugees. Thats about on par with the number of arrivals in 2023 and 2022, but up from the four years from 2016 through 2020.

Holly Beech, communications manager for the Idaho Office for Refugees, said that restrictions put in place by then-President Donald Trump had lowered the numbers of refugees, then an even bigger drop came when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The number started to climb again when the Taliban captured control of Afghanistan after the U.S. military pulled out in 2021 and when Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.

Its been a kind of interesting five years, Beech said.

The number of refugees Idaho welcomed has bounced back from the lows of the COVID-19 pandemic, when international migration dropped. The state welcomed just over 1,200 refugees in 2022 and 2023, breaking the previous record set in 2016 of 1,114 people.

While the number of refugees has gone up over the past few years, Beech said they spend a lot of time thinking about resettlement numbers to make sure they dont overwhelm local resettlement agencies and welcome centers.

In fiscal year 2023, 558 refugees arrived in Idaho from Congo, 292 from Ukraine and 132 from Afghanistan.

Congo has been the largest country of origin in recent history for Idaho, with the state welcoming nearly 3,000 refugees between 2000 and 2022.

Its just constant, said Beech.

The country has seen decades of conflict between armed groups, widespread violence, epidemics and food insecurity, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, or UNHCR. 700,000 people were displaced within Congo in 2023, ratcheting up the total number of those who have been forced to leave their homes but stayed in the country to 6.2 million.

More than one in every 69 people worldwide have been forcibly displaced from their homes, with about 43.3 million refugees worldwide at the end of 2023, according to the UNHCR. The number of refugees has tripled in the last decade.

Beech said that many of the refugees who have found a home in the Treasure Valley have been through devastating trauma  but that the World Refugee Day citizenship event is a celebration. Its a reminder that theres still life and beauty after going through those experiences.

Its an opportunity for people to start again, Beech said.

The Boise areas population has boomed. So why are so many school enrollments falling?

Micron expansion could create 15k jobs. Where is everyone going to live? Heres an idea

Boise development would add 3,500 homes. Why staff analysts say its a bad deal

Whats going on with all the traffic, road closures in downtown Boise? What to know
Rep. Ronny Jackson, who served as Donald Trumps White House physician, recklessly speculated that President Joe Biden is using drugs to stay alert and to help him perform in the upcoming presidential debate.

Im going to be demanding on behalf of many millions of concerned Americans right now that [Biden] submit to a drug test before and after this debate specifically looking for performance-enhancing drugs, Jackson said.

Rep. Ronny Jackson announces on Maria Bartiromo's show that he's writing a letter to the White House demanding that Biden submit to a drug test for performance enhancing drugs before the debate pic.twitter.com/eRD02jXKSc  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 23, 2024

The Texas Republican congressman appeared on Fox News Sunday Morning Futures where he  without evidence  accused Biden of being on a mixture of stimulants and other medications to address what Jackson claimed is a cognitive disorder. This is a common claim among the right and an attempt to discredit the president. Its a particularly rich accusation coming from those who support Trump considering within the last year, Trump has said that Barack Obama is the current president and just last weekend forgot Jacksons name, referring to him as Ronny Johnson.

Host Maria Bartiromo opened the interview with a clip of President Joe Biden appearing to stutter when attempting to say the name of Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas. Mere seconds later in the clip, Biden said Mayorkas name. To Bartiromo, this is an example of the president appearing to forget a name, but it could be a manifestation of the presidents stutter. Stuttering is unrelated to a persons intellectual abilities, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

That was president Biden on Tuesday appearing to forget the name of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Bartiromo said, the latest misstep raising concerns among voters over the presidents age and mental capacity.

Jackson told Bartiromo he has sent multiple letters to the White House demanding a drug test on the president, and he intends to send another one asking for drug tests on Biden before and after the debate. He did not mention whether he has requested that Trump submit to similar drug screenings. He went on to speculate that Biden was on something during the state of the union earlier this year.

There was a Joe Biden that came out that was not similar at all to what we

see on a day-to-day basis for the last three-and-a-half years. And theres surely no way to explain that other than he was on something. Theyd given him medication, Jackson claimed. He then theorized that Biden will be spending the next week at Camp David adjusting the doses of these alleged medications that, again, Jackson has zero proof that the president is taking.

Hes going to be there at Camp David for a full week before the debate, part of that is probably experimenting with getting the doses just right, Jackson alleged. They have to treat his cognition, give him something to help him think straighter, to wake him up for his alertness and then, you know, hes been agitated. We see that all the time. And thats a common symptom or sign of this cognitive disorder that he seems to be suffering from.

What do you think President Bidens issues are? What drugs I would they give him? Bartiromo asked.

Jackson named a laundry list of medications, including ones that treat Alzheimers and Parkinsons as well as stimulants like Addreall and Provigil, a powerful stimulant that was used by military pilots to keep them awake and alert on long missions. I feel like theyre probably giving him a little bit of all of this, they just have to get it just right, Jackson said.

Jackson-Johnson: Theres drugs that increase alertness like Provigil pic.twitter.com/xKrOfwcIJe  Acyn (@Acyn) June 23, 2024

These accusations would be laughable if they werent so dangerous, particularly because a Defense Department inspector general report released in January of this year detailed how Trumps White House Medical Unit gave out controlled substances with minimal oversight and even worse record keeping. The investigation uncovered that the unit had ordered many thousands of doses of modafinil, also known as Provigil.

Rolling Stone reported in March that Trumps White House was awash in speed and Xanax. Trump staff told Rolling Stone that the former presidents White House Medical Unit was like the Wild West with easy access to stimulants and sedatives for employees.

Trump nominated Jackson, who was then his White House physician, to become his Secretary of Veterans Affairs in 2018. Jackson withdrew his nomination after allegations came to light accusing him of writing illegal prescriptions, having outbursts of rage and drinking on the job. This past March, The Washington Post reported that Jackson was demoted by the military in 2022 from U.S. Navy Rear Admiral to Captain following allegations of alcohol abuse while working, anger issues and sexual harassment. But Jackson continues to publicly claim his Rear Admiral rank on his congressional website.

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Yolenna Regmi poses for a portrait on Capitol Hill, in Washington, D.C., in June 2024. Regmi was one of three storytellers from red states who lobbied staff for Republican representatives about abortion rights. (Grace Panetta/The 19th)

Yolenna Regmi was on a mission.

The 19-year-old college student from Nebraska was at the Capitol to lobby her representatives  all of them Republicans  for reproductive health. She cares deeply about comprehensive sex education and wants more access to abortion, including in red states like hers.

Im here, and Im very passionate about what were doing, she said.

This report was originally published by The 19th. The Illuminator is a founding member of the 19th News Network.

Regmi spoke to three Republicans offices throughout the day. Some staffers really listened, she said, while she felt others condescended to her.

She wasnt too nervous going in. Her advocacy journey began with serving on the Teen Council at her local Planned Parenthood and over the years, she said, shes gotten much more comfortable talking about sex education. If teenagers can speak openly about those topics, she reasoned, so can adult policymakers.

In the past, that would have been so scary, but it pushed me to come out of my shell, she said.

Regmi was among 17 advocates and storytellers from a dozen states who, through a program run by Planned Parenthood, came to the U.S. Capitol for a day of lobbying and advocacy rooted in their own experiences.

Personal stories have taken center stage in the legislative debates, campaign ads and the broader public discourse about abortion, especially since the Supreme Court ended a federal right to abortion nearly two years ago.

Three storytellers from red states, whom The 19th interviewed throughout the day, had the added challenge of talking to staff for Republican representatives whose opinions on abortion differed from theirs. While the Supreme Court sent the issue of abortion back to the states, Congress still holds tremendous power to shape reproductive health policy, including through federal funding.

The advocates hoped that direct conversations with congressional staff would put a human face to the complexities of abortion  and if not change minds, at least move the needle.

They came to the Capitol representing Iowa, Nebraska and South Carolina  states where the fall of Roe v. Wade paved the way for Republican lawmakers to pass new abortion bans. The three women also hail from the suburbs, representing demographics critical to the 2024 election.

But how much, they wondered, would their elected representatives listen?

Elizabeth Feldman, who came from Pleasant Hill, Iowa, began her day in the office of her congressman, Rep. Zach Nunn, a first-term Republican representing a competitive swing district.

Politics in general kind of bore me, said Feldman, 35. But her passion for reproductive rights has pushed her to speak up in her community and before state lawmakers in Des Moines.

This is a turning point in our country. History is being made, she said. And I think its really important to take a stand.

Elizabeth Feldman, of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, began her day in the office of her congressman, Rep. Zach Nunn. (Grace Panetta/The 19th)

Feldman has written and testified about her religious upbringing, which included a time volunteering at an anti-abortion counseling center at the direction of her mother. In her 20s, she got pregnant and had already decided to have an abortion when she learned the pregnancy was ectopic, which is life-threatening if not treated.

Feldman said she was somewhat nervous about having a more direct one-on-one conversation with a congressional staffer, which was a different format from her previous legislative testimony. The Nunn staffer she met with, she said, heard her out, telling her that stories like hers add dimension to the abortion debate.

He was very receptive to what I had to say and very polite, she said.

Iowa lawmakers passed a six-week abortion ban in 2023, which is currently blocked pending a ruling from the states highest court. Feldman says abortion is a frequent topic of discussion in her community and among her friends, and shes especially concerned about attacks on access to contraception.

I just want them to know that were out here, and were going to keep showing up, she said of the message she hoped storytellers would send to lawmakers. And whether you like it or not, you represent us.

The Planned Parenthood National Storytellers Program, founded in 2018, currently has 131 members around the country.

It can be scary, a little bit nerve-wracking. But the experience has been incredibly empowering, Feldman said. It makes me feel very much validated to be able to take the experiences that Ive personally had and potentially make any kind of a difference with them.

June 13, the day the 17 storytellers came to Capitol Hill, was already busy  the Senate voted on a Democratic bill on fertility treatment; across the street, the Supreme Court released a decision on medication abortion; and former President Donald Trump returned to the Hill to meet with Republican lawmakers.

But just like any other day, the Capitol complex was abuzz with activity from lawmakers, staff, reporters and throngs of visitors who descend on the Capitol every summer for tours. A group of senators and staff were also observing the chambers annual sartorial tradition of donning seersucker for the day. All along, congressional offices were doing the day-in, day-out work of meeting with constituents and advocacy groups who hoped to capture the Hills most precious resource: time and attention.

Regmi, a student at Loyola University in Chicago, grew up in Papillon, Nebraska, a suburb of Omaha as a multiracial woman  a minority amongst a minority. In high school, she saw how her classmates and friends suffered from abstinence-only sex education programs. In many cases, those programs receive federal funding, something Regmi wants to change.

Its not realistic to keep pushing this abstinence-based program federally or statewide, she said while sitting in a shady spot of the courtyard in the Russell Senate Office Building between meetings.

She views comprehensive sex education as a powerful tool to prevent unwanted pregnancies  and an opening into broader conversations about reproductive health with those who may disagree with her on abortion.

Getting away from abstinence-based programs is the doorway in people arent thinking about, she said.

In 2023, Nebraska lawmakers enacted a 12-week abortion ban that also included restrictions on gender-affirming care. Nebraskans could see up to three competing ballot measures on abortion access in the 2024 election, in which the states 2nd Congressional District also accounts for a critical vote in the Electoral College.

In addition to sex education, Regmi was advocating for more exceptions to Nebraskas abortion ban to include fatal fetal abnormalities. Even just expanding on exceptions is better than nothing, she said.

Regmi said the staffer she met with from the office of Nebraskas senior senator, Deb Fischer, was condescending at times, more focused on arguing with her on points of morality and ethics and debating her on hypothetical scenarios.

I think that Nebraska has wonderful people, but on certain issues like this, it just really disappoints me and saddens me that they cant be more supportive to women and their rights, Regmi said.

Regmi still hopes Nebraska can be the state she wants it to be and that teens will receive better sex education than she did. Regmi, who is double majoring in political science and criminal justice, aspires to be an elected official herself and hopes to be a guiding light for other young people.

I think that people shouldnt be scared to say what they believe in, when you never know whos listening, she said. You never know what opportunities are going to come to your door if you just say your values and speak up for people.

On the other side of the Capitol complex, Lacey Layne had an afternoon meeting with a staffer in the office of her congressman, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman.

Layne, a 40-year-old school counselor from Fort Mill, South Carolina, was expecting her second child, whom shed named Evan, in 2017 when she received a life-threatening fetal diagnosis. After getting that devastating news, Layne chose to end her pregnancy and receive compassionate end-of-life care for the fetus  a choice she may not be able to make today under her states abortion laws.

Lacey Layne poses for a portrait before her afternoon meeting with a staffer in the office of her congressman, Republican Rep. Ralph Norman. (Grace Panetta/The 19th)

Any decision I would have made, it would not have changed; I would not have had a living baby at the end, she said. So its hard when people are politicizing a health care decision.

In the years following, as lawmakers attempted to pass new abortion restrictions, Layne saw warning signs of what was to come and began sharing her story with legislators.

In 2023, her fears came true when South Carolina lawmakers passed a six-week abortion ban, part of a significant erosion of abortion access in the South. The ban allows abortion with limited exceptions, including a threat to the patients life and a fetal diagnosis incompatible with life.

I just think about all the moms out there that are receiving those devastating reports on their anatomy scans, and they have to figure out where to go or what to do, she said. And some of them have the privilege to travel for health care, and some of them do not.

Layne said she appreciated talking one-on-one with a staffer from Normans office, as opposed to the more impersonal setting of committee testimony.

The staffer, she said, was empathetic to her story but still emphasized that Norman is opposed to abortion, in part because of experiences within his family and his own religious beliefs. As a constituent, Layne said she found it concerning that her congressmans religion informs his policymaking.

Still, Layne sees value in sharing her story and using her experience to bridge gaps between peoples perceptions of what abortion is and how it applied to her, a married mother who was carrying a wanted pregnancy.

Im unfortunately well practiced in South Carolina. I believe Ive testified about five times for this particular cause, she said. And I would say have grown confidence; theres some empowerment there to know that Ive had this experience, but Im fortunate enough to be on the other side of it and able to share in a way that can hopefully make a difference.

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At least 27 people, including several children, died in a horrific fire at an amusement park in India.

Some of the victims were burned beyond recognition, authorities told relatives.

The massive fire broke out Saturday at an amusement park in the city of Rajkot. The two-story building where the park was located included areas for bowling, go-carting and trampolines.

Panicked visitors quickly fled the blaze but were slowed by narrow gates at the entrance, the Associated Press reported.

"Extremely distressed by the fire mishap in Rajkot," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on X. "My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. Prayers for the injured. The local administration is working to provide all possible assistance to those affected."

Extremely distressed by the fire mishap in Rajkot. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones. Prayers for the injured. The local administration is working to provide all possible assistance to those affected.  Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) May 25, 2024

The owner and manager of the amusement center are among the six persons booked in connection with the deadly fire as an investigation continues, the Indian Express reported.

The cause of the fire was under investigation but was possibly linked to a welding machine that was being used for ongoing construction work at the site.

Deadly fires are common in India. Six newborns also died this weekend at a pediatric hospital.

The BBC reported that the hospital owner was arrested as an investigation continues into that fire.
Republicans hysterical about foreign donations but do nothing about real threat: dark money

Thomas Suddes is a former legislative reporter with The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and writes from Ohio University.

Our thrifty, conservative General Assembly, like riders on Shrove Tuesday parade floats, is tossing Mardi Gras throws  beads and such  at Statehouse spectators.

The difference is that rather than dispensing trifles, our legislative revelers, as previewed last week, peel off billions of dollars in bond- and tax-financed construction projects to throw to the crowd. And General Assembly members of both parties couldnt be more proud.

Consider a press release issued by someone sometimes deemed a conservatives conservative, state Senate President Matt Huffman, a Lima Republican who may become the Ohio Houses speaker in January, ballyhooing the bricks-and-mortar bounty:

Ohio Senate invests $4.2 billion in construction and maintenance in state capital budget rollout, its headline read, not forgetting  a second Huffman release announced  that the package would include more than $11 million for important capital budget projects across [Huffmans western Ohio] Senate District 12.

But in fairness, the General Assemblys every-two-year construction process is typically bipartisan.

Jan 24, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, United States; Ohio State Senator Nickie Antonio of the 23rd District speaks during a debate on whether or not to override Governor Mike DeWine's veto of House Bill 68.

Tossing you your own money like trinkets

For example, Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, a Lakewood Democrat, while not explicitly endorsing the Senate-introduced blueprint, had this to say: Investing in local projects large and small is critical for the growth of our state. The capital budget enables us to maintain and improve our infrastructure, support our education system, and create jobs. My only regret is that we couldnt fund every project application.

All told, this legislative sessions capital improvements proposal is expected to fund hundreds of millions of dollars of state funded work in central Ohio and Greater Cleveland, neither GOP hotbeds. (In 2020, Cuyahoga and Franklin counties voted for Joseph Biden, not Donald Trump, for president.)

And so between now and months end, watch the Statehouse parade as the legislatures marchers of both parties toss trinkets to the Ohio crowd, but trinkets that cost big money: The crowds own money.

Thomas Suddes

How about a dark money ban?

There has been a lot of concern, and rightly so, about the deployment in Ohio politics of so-called dark money (campaign donations from unrevealed donors to political committees ostensibly independent of a candidates committee). Such funding figured big time in the FirstEnergy/House Bill 6 scandal, a scheme to force Ohio electricity consumers to bail out two money losing nuclear power plants the Akron utility then owned.

What was the HB6 scandal? Ohio AG announces indictments for ex-FirstEnergy execs, Randazzo in House Bill 6 scandal

Whats lost in the discussion is the fact that the General Assembly could ban dark money in Ohio politics if it wanted to.

And in 2010, with Republicans running the state Senate and Democrats led by Greater Cleveland Armond Budish running the Ohio House, the legislature almost did ban (or at least severely limit) dark money in Ohio via unanimously Senate-passed Senate Bill 240.

April 10, 2024; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Lt. Governor Jon Husted gives a thumbs up in the Ohio House chambers before Governor Mike DeWine gave his 2024 State of the State address at the Ohio Statehouse on Wednesday afternoon.

Husted dark money ride

The bans sponsor: Then-state Sen. Jon Husted, a Kettering Republican now of Upper Arlington, and lieutenant governor to Republican Gov. Mike DeWine, of Greene Countys Cedarville.

Despite that bipartisan 2010 state Senate vote to ban dark money in Ohio campaigns, the Ohio House, then run 53-46 by Democrats, and with Democrat Ted Strickland in the governors office, the House failed to act on the dark-money ban  one of the greatest lost opportunities in recent Ohio politics.

In further irony, both DeWine and Husteds campaigns have benefited from campaign spending by dark money groups.

DeWine's address to reporters: 'Chuck. Can u call me?' Mike DeWine texted to FirstEnergy CEO, looking for campaign help

The governor cant run for re-election in 2026 because Ohio bars anyone from serving more than two consecutive terms in that office. But Husted can; the former Ohio Secretary of State and house speaker, is gearing up to run for the job that year, to succeed DeWine.

It would be a political plus for Husted, and a legacy plus for DeWine, if either of them, preferably both, persuaded the General Assembly to ban dark money in Ohio campaigns.

True, that would be a politically tough sell with our mulish legislature and the political insiders that manipulate it for private advantage  helped in significant part by dark money campaign contributions.

But recent Republican hysterics over campaign donations from foreigners were a distraction from the real peril to democracy in Ohio: Dark money. It stacks the deck against Ohioans. And that has to stop.

Thomas Suddes is a former legislative reporter with The Plain Dealer in Cleveland and writes from Ohio University.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Republicans giving pass to real threat to democracy: dark money
ATESH underground resistance movement has carried out a sabotage in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don  an unknown person set fire to a relay cabinet on the Rostov-on-Don-Mariupol railway section.

Source: ATESH

Details: The resistance says this railway line plays a key role in moving military forces and equipment between different parts of Russia's Southern Military District and provides access to the sea route.

Quote: "Sabotage of this kind does not let the invaders relax, reminding them that they must be held accountable for their actions even on the territory of the Russian Federation."

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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET)  The Bakersfield Police Department is asking the community to help locate a man who was last seen in east Bakersfield.

Derek Jones, 38, was last seen in the 200 block of Baker Street around 4 a.m., June 23. Jones is considered at-risk due to him being non-verbal and autistic.

missing derek jones

Jones is 5 feet tall and weighs around 140 pounds, according to police. He has black hair that is short and curly, brown eyes and a black mustache. He also has a scar on the left side of his face.

Police say he was last seen wearing black shorts, with no shoes or shirt.

Anyone with information regarding Jones` whereabouts is encouraged to contact the

Bakersfield Police Department at 661-327-7111.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
A row is brewing over silly and offensive names at mountaineering spots in historic quarries in the Welsh countryside.

Language campaigners criticised mountaineers for replacing old Welsh quarry place names with English versions  claiming they had degraded 200 years of local culture.

The protesters say the English names, which include Dalis Hole, Never Never Land, Tunnel of Love, Rainbow Walls, and more are silly and offensive.

Campaigners hope to pressure Gwynedd council and Unesco to reinstate historic names for the climbing galleries and deep holes at the quarries across North Wales.

Eilian Williams, whose quarryman father worked at Chwarel Dinorwig  the worlds second largest slate mine, said: This quarry is the place of our ancestors with more than two centuries of Welsh history.

He added that the quarry was left alone after it closed until climbers moved in to use it for recreation and replaced the names of sites over the years.

Mountaineering council backs original names

Many are offensive and immoral, some have sexual connotations. Theyre insulting and show a lack of respect to the families of the people who worked there, he said.

The British Mountaineering Council (BMC) said it was committed to promoting the use of original names and said the climbers had also coined new ones in Welsh.

Tom Carrick, BMC access and conservation officer for Wales, said: Having grown up with the Welsh language and living in Gwynedd for most of my life it saddens me to see the conflict between my native language and my sport, passion and career.

Theyre all interlinked  there is space for both in my eyes. Its important to remember our history  but also that climbing has brought a whole new industry into the area.

Posters to Eryri Wen, a Facebook group to remember the regions quarries, say too many names are disrespectful  and want Welsh names promoted in climbing guides and elsewhere.

The BMC said this is being done already, and that they have Welsh-speaking staff and volunteers who feel passionately about this issue.

Life expectancy was 37 years

A spokesman said: Many climbers are interested to learn more about the history and culture of the places they climb and there has been an effort to ensure the original Welsh names are used in many newer climbing guides.

The issue was highlighted at an event held on Sunday to mark the 150th anniversary of the founding of the North Wales Quarrymens Union, which hopes to seek recognition for the estimated 1,500 men killed in the slate quarries of north-west Wales.

The union was established on April 27 1874 and became involved in a series of lockouts by quarry owners when workers complained of poor pay and working conditions.

The average life expectancy of quarrymen in places like Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1875 was 37 years.

Many were killed by rock blasts and falls, but it is thought thousands more died from silicosis  a lung disease.

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Romania's Mihai Kogalniceanu (MK) airbase, named after a nearby village honoring a 19th-century liberal politician, is set to become NATO's largest base in Europe, surpassing Ramstein in Germany.

This move comes as a response to Russian leader Vladimir Putin's justification for the war in Ukraine, citing NATO's encroachment on Russias European flank. NATO's increased presence in Romania is a direct response to the full-scale war, now in its third year.

The MK base will soon host a squadron of Romanian F-16s, recently acquired from Norway, as well as MQ-9 Reaper drones. Additionally, a military city is being developed to accommodate rotating NATO army, air force, and naval personnel from 32 countries, according to BBC.

BBC interviewed RAF pilot Flight Lieutenant Charlie Tagg who is on his third and final tour of duty at the MK base. "There's a much bigger US presence here, a lot more infrastructure, accommodation, people, and equipment," he noted.

According to Tagg, Russias invasion of Ukraine has altered both the areas he flies over and the strategic posture of the mission. During his last tour in 2021, NATO fighter pilots flew far out over international waters in the Black Sea. However, now they stick to the 12-nautical-mile zone above Romanian and Bulgarian territorial waters "to avoid misunderstandings, escalatory situations with the Russians."

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine claims attack on 4 refineries, Shahed drone storage sites in Russia

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Roosevelt carrier arrives in South Korea in show of force to the North

SEOUL, South Korea  A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier arrived Saturday in South Korea for a three-way exercise involving Japan as they step up military training to cope with North Korean threats, which have escalated following a security pact with Russia.

The arrival of the USS Theodore Roosevelt strike group in Busan came a day after South Korea summoned the Russian ambassador to protest a major deal between Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this week.

A look at where the Navys 11 aircraft carriers are now

The agreement pledges mutual defense assistance in the event of war. South Korea says the deal poses a threat to its security and warned that it could consider sending arms to Ukraine to help fight off the Russian invasion as a response  a move that would surely ruin its relations with Moscow.

Following a meeting between their defense chiefs in Singapore earlier in June, the United States, South Korea and Japan announced the Freedom Edge drills.

The Roosevelt strike group will participate in the exercise that is expected to start within June. South Koreas military didnt immediately confirm specific details of the training.

Rear Admiral. Christopher Alexander, commander of Carrier Strike Group Nine, said the exercise is aimed at sharpening tactical proficiency of ships and improving interoperability between the countries navies to ensure we are ready to respond to any crisis and contingency.

South Koreas navy said in a statement that the arrival of the carrier demonstrates the strong defense posture of the allies and stern willingness to respond to advancing North Korean threats.

The carriers visit comes seven months after another U.S. aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, came to South Korea in a show of strength against North Korea.

Following completion of the exercise, the Roosevelt strike group will leave for the Middle East to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region, Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement.

The Roosevelt strike group also participated in a three-way exercise with South Korean and Japanese naval forces in April in the disputed East China Sea, where worries about Chinas territorial claims are rising.

In the face of growing North Korean threats, the United States, South Korea and Japan have expanded their combined training and boosted the visibility of strategic U.S. military assets in the region, seeking to intimidate the North. The United States and South Korea have also been updating their nuclear deterrence strategies, with Seoul seeking stronger assurances that Washington would swiftly and decisively use its nuclear capabilities to defend its ally from a North Korean nuclear attack.
Editor's note: This story was updated to include the most recent information on the number of wounded.

Russian forces launched another glide bomb attack on Kharkiv, hitting civilian infrastructure on June 23.

At 5 p.m., at least one person was known to be killed and 11 people injured, according to Kharkiv Oblast Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

President Volodymyr Zelensky later stated in his evening address shortly after 8 p.m. that the wounded had increased to 12.

Moscow has recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

On June 23, Russian troops attacked Kharkiv with three gilde bombs, damaging an educational facility and multistoried residential buildings in the citys Shevchenkivskyi district, Syniehubov reported.

In Kholodnohirskyi district, the attack destroyed two private houses. One bomb hit an industrial area in the Kyivskyi district of the city, the governor said.

The aftermath of the Russian glide bomb attack on Kharkiv on June 23, 2024. (State Emergency Service/Telegram)

Part of Kharkiv is currently without power, and the metro has stopped, President Volodymyr Zelensky said following the attack.

"We will definitely restore everything and return to normal. We are working as hard as possible to deprive the Russians of the ability to terrorize our cities," he wrote on Telegram.

"Modern air defense systems for Ukraine, strong combat aviation, long-range weapons, and sufficient determination from our partners are what will certainly be able to stop the Russian terrorists."

Russia attacked Kharkiv with glide bombs for the second time over the weekend.

On June 22, Russian forces also struck the city of Kharkiv with glide bombs, killing at least three people and injuring 54.

Three glide bombs hit an enterprise in the Kholodnohirskyi district, and another one struck a five-story residential building in the Osnovianskyi district. The attack was reportedly launched from Belgorod Oblast, the regional prosecutor's office reported.

Read also: Russian attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 54, including children

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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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Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 23 that Ukraine had launched an attack against Sevastopol, a city in Russian-occupied Crimea, with five U.S.-made long-range ATACMS missiles.

Four missiles were allegedly shot down by Russian air defense, while the warhead of the fifth one "exploded above the city," the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.

Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of the illegal Russian occupation government of Sevastopol, claimed that three people were killed, including two children, and almost 100 were injured in the attack.

Earlier in the day, Russian Telegram channels posted photos and videos of the alleged attack, reporting that many people were injured on the beach of Uchkuevka, a village in the northern part of Sevastopol.

The reports could not be independently verified, and Ukraine has not commented on the news at the time of this publication.

Ukraine's military reported on a number of attacks against the peninsula in recent weeks, allegedly scoring successful hits against Russian S-300 and S-400 air defense systems.

Ukrainian forces reportedly destroyed two radars of S-300 and S-400 air defense systems near the Belbek military airfield and Sevastopol overnight on June 12.

On June 10, Kyiv also claimed a successful hit against S-400 and S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems in several areas in occupied Crimea.

Federico Borsari, a Leonardo Fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA), told the Kyiv Independent on June 12, that the recent string of Ukrainian strikes against occupied Crimea may help degrade Russian air defenses in the area and decrease the threat to Ukrainian tactical aviation.

"The goal is to dismantle (the) Russian A2/AD (anti-access/area denial) bubble in Crimea before the arrival of Western fighter jets, especially F-16," Borsari said, adding the strikes also impose "serious capability losses and costs that are difficult to replenish and absorb."

Read also: Zelensky on strikes inside Russia: It works, just as we expected

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KYIV (Reuters) -Two people were injured and scores of residential and other buildings were damaged in a Russian missile attack on the Kyiv region overnight, the head of the region's state administration said on Sunday.

Of the three missiles launched by Russia, Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed two over the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Sunday.

In his statement on the Telegram messaging app, Oleshchuk did not say what happened to the third missile.

Falling debris injured two people who did not require hospitalisation, Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv region's administration, said on Telegram.

Debris also damaged six multi-storey residential buildings and more than 20 private houses, Kravchenko added. In addition, a gas station, a pharmacy, an administrative building and three cars in the region were also damaged.

Kyiv, its surrounding region and several others across Ukraine were under air raid alerts for about an hour on Sunday morning, starting at 4:50 a.m. local time (0150 GMT).

Reuters witnesses reported hearing several blasts in and around Kyiv at the time that sounded like air defence systems hitting air weapons.

(Reporting by Pavel Polityuk and Sergiy Karazy; Writing by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Jamie Freed)
(Reuters) - Russia offered to help Vietnam develop nuclear power plants during President Vladimir Putin's trip to Hanoi, Alexei Likhachev, head of the Russian state nuclear firm Rosatom told RIA agency in remarks published on Monday.

Likhachev, who was part of Putin's entourage during his visit to Vietnam last week, said that he had made the offer to Vietnam Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh.

"We offered all possible options for co-operation... in my conversation with the prime minister of Vietnam," RIA cited Likhachev as saying.

"Rosatom offers foreign partners not only high-power, but also low-power nuclear power plants, both in land-based and floating versions."

Vietnam has no nuclear power plants and scrapped plans to build its first two nuclear power plants in 2016 following the Fukushima disaster in Japan and due to budget constraints.

Before Vietnam cancelled its plans to build the plants, Rosatom had offered Hanoi a project based on high-power units with advanced Russian reactors, Likhachev said.

During the visit, where Putin received a 21-gun salute at a military ceremony, Russia and Vietnam signed agreements on issues including energy, underlining Moscow's pivot to Asia after the West imposed sanctions on Moscow over the conflict in Ukraine.

(Reporting by Lidia Kelly in Melbourne; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
Russia claims to have shot down 33 aircraft-type unmanned aerial vehicles over its oblasts on the night of 22-23 June.

Source: Russian Defence Ministry

Details: The Russians reported that they had shot down all the UAVs.

Of these, 28 UAVs were shot down over the territory of Bryansk Oblast, two over Smolensk Oblast, two over Lipetsk Oblast, and one over the territory of Tula Oblast.

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Russia says US is responsible for deadly Ukrainian attack on Crimea

A view shows the headquarters of Russia's Ministry of Defence in Moscow

By Guy Faulconbridge and Filipp Lebedev

MOSCOW (Reuters) -Russia said on Sunday that the United States was responsible for a Ukrainian attack on the Russian-annexed Crimean peninsula with five U.S.-supplied missiles that killed four people, including two children, and injured 151 more.

The Russian Defence Ministry said four of the U.S.-delivered Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) missiles, equipped with cluster warheads, were shot down by air defence systems and the ammunition of a fifth had detonated in mid-air.

Footage on Russian state television showed people running from a beach and some people being carried off on sun loungers.

Russian-installed authorities in Crimea said missile fragments had fallen just after noon near a beach on the north side of the city of Sevastopol where locals were on holiday.

The incident generated a furious reaction among Russian public figures.

The Defence ministry said U.S. specialists had set the missiles' flight coordinates on the basis of information from U.S. spy satellites, meaning Washington was directly responsible.

"Responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on the civilians of Sevastopol is borne above all by Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine, and by the Kyiv regime, from whose territory this strike was carried out," the ministry said.

Russia annexed Crimea in 2014 and now views the Black Sea peninsula it as an integral part of its territory, though most of the world considers it still part of Ukraine.

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent tens of thousands of troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, in what he cast as a defensive move against a hostile and aggressive West. Ukraine and the West say Russia is waging an imperial-style war.

The United States began supplying Ukraine with longer range ATACMS missiles, which have a 300-kilometre (186-mile) range, earlier this year.

Reuters was unable to immediately verify battlefield reports from either side.

TREATING THE INJURED

Russian-installed Sevastopol Governor Mihail Razvozhaev put the death toll at four, with 144 injured, including 82 taken to hospitals. Twenty-seven children were among the injured.

Specialist doctors were being flown in from other parts of Russia.

Russia will respond to Sunday's attack, the Defence Ministry said, without elaborating. The Kremlin said Putin had been "in constant contact with the military" since the attack.

Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Security Council and a leading voice among Russian hawks, described the incident as "a vile, despicable act against our people".

He likened it to attacks carried out by gunmen on Sunday against a synagogue, a church and police post in Dagestan and said there was "no difference to us" between the U.S. administration, Ukrainian leaders and "crazy fanatics".

Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, a prominent supporter of the invasion, said there "was no justification whatsoever for a missile strike on civilians" and expressed indignation that the incident occurred on the Orthodox holiday of Trinity.

Neither Ukraine nor the United States has commented on the attack, which came on a day when Ukraine said one person had been killed and 10 others wounded by Russian strikes on the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

Putin has repeatedly accused the U.S. of using Ukraine to undermine Russia's own security, which Kyiv and its Western allies deny, and has warned of growing risks of a direct confrontation between Moscow and the U.S.-led NATO alliance.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge in Moscow and Filipp Lebedev in London; Editing by Gareth Jones, Ron Popeski and Bill Berkrot)
Russian forces launched a series of attacks on multiple settlements in Donetsk Oblast on the morning of June 23, injuring five civilians, the regional prosecutor's office reported.

Settlements in Donetsk Oblast suffer from daily Russian strikes due to their proximity to the front line. Heavy fighting continues in Donetsk Oblast as Russia seeks to occupy the entire region.

On June 23, the Russian strike hit a multistoried residential building in Toretsk, injuring a 70-year-old woman. Another Russian attack targeted the town of Zalizne, where an 88-year-old woman was wounded.

Russian forces also shelled a residential area in Kurakhove with cluster munitions, severely injuring a 19-year-old man and his 43-year-old father. Another man, aged 59, received shrapnel injuries, the prosecutors reported.

The type of weaponry Russian forces used to attack the settlements is being determined, reads the report.

Earlier on June 18, Ukraine's Armed Forces reported an increase in Russian attacks near the town of Toretsk after a "long lull" in fighting in the area.

Read also: After a long lull, Ukraine reports intensified Russian attacks near Toretsk in Donetsk Oblast

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Destruction in Selydove on 23 June. Photo: the Prosecutor's Office

Russian troops dropped aerial bombs on Selydove (Donetsk Oblast) on Sunday evening, wounding five civilians, including two children.

Source: Donetsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office

   23 ,  

Destruction in Selydove on 23 June.

Photo: the Prosecutor's Office

Quote: On 23 June 2024, at 17:05, the occupying forces attacked the settlement of Selydove. The Russian military dropped two aerial bombs, likely D-30SN guided aerial bombs, on civilians.

Residents of the private housing area were at the epicentre of the damage. An entire family was injured in the enemy attack: a father, 53, a mother, 54, and their son, 10, who is currently in a serious condition.

In addition, a man, 31, and a boy, 13, were injured. The people who were injured were taken to hospital."

Details: At least 30 residential buildings and cars were damaged.

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The Russians have captured the village of Novooleksandrivka in Donetsk Oblast near the settlement of Ocheretyne and approached the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway.

Source: the DeepState analytical project

Quote: "The enemy has occupied Novooleksandrivka. As of today, the Russians are trying to gain a foothold on the western outskirts of the village. Ukraines defence forces are launching attacks on Russian personnel in order to prevent them from advancing further.

Only the settlement of Vozdvyzhenka separates the Russians from [reaching] the Pokrovsk-Kostiantynivka highway.

It is important to stop further advances by the enemy since the situation near Ocheretyne is repeating. Like then, the 47th, 68th and 25th brigades and seconded units are deterring the main offensive, exhausting their potential, while the flank is cracking."

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Russians report 5 killed and over 120 injured after attack on Sevastopol  video

A moment of strike on Sevastopol beach. Screenshot: video on social media

The Russian occupation authorities of Crimea and the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation have claimed a Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol, which killed five people, including three children, and injured over 120 others.

Source: Mikhail Razvozhayev, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, on Telegram; Russian Defence Ministry on Telegram; Russian state-owned news agencies RIA Novosti, TASS

Details: The Russian Ministry of Defence reported an alleged attack on "the civilian infrastructure of the city of Sevastopol with US-supplied ATACMS tactical missiles equipped with cluster warheads".

Russia's Defence Ministry also acknowledged that civilian casualties had occurred due to Russian air defence operations.

"During the repulsion of the terrorist attack, four US-made ATACMS missiles were shot down by the on-duty air defence units. Another missile deviated from its flight path due to the impact of air defence systems at the final stage, with its warhead exploding in the air above the city," the ministry said.

Civilians have been injured, Russia's Ministry of Defence says, "due to the fall of shrapnel from cluster submunitions".

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the so-called governor of Sevastopol, confirmed three deaths, including two children, and over 100 injuries.

He also lamented that the strike took place on Holy Trinity Day, despite the fact that the Russian Federation attacked Ukraine all the same, specifically Kyiv Oblast and Kharkiv, both day and night.

The assistant to the Russian health minister stated that the attack on Sevastopol injured 124 people, including 27 children.

According to social media, people were killed on Sevastopol's Uchkuyivka beach.

Yuri Grishan, the mayor of Magadan, stated that the attack killed the daughter of Magadan's deputy mayor, Oleg Averyanov, who was on holiday with her parents in Sevastopol, according to TASS.

Later, Razvozhaev claimed that the number of people who were injured had risen to five, out of whom three were children.

In addition, he stated that five children are in intensive care, while the rest of the people affected by the attack received injuries of light and moderate severity.

Background:

Air defence systems responded to an attack on the occupied city of Sevastopol (Crimea), shooting down five targets, the Russian-appointed occupying authorities of Crimea claimed.

Three people were killed and 56 injured, including three children, in a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv on Saturday.

This news has been updated since publication.

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By Phil Stewart

ESPARGOS, Cape Verde (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's mutual defense agreement with North Korea has the potential to create friction with China, which has long been the reclusive state's main ally, the top U.S. military officer said on Sunday.

"We've got someone else who's kind of nudging in now, so that may drive a little bit more friction between (China) and Russia," Air Force General C.Q. Brown, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters during an overseas trip.

"So it'll be interesting to see how these three countries -- how this plays out."

Analysts said the pact, signed on Wednesday, could undercut Beijing's leverage over its two neighbors and any heightened instability could be negative for China's global economic and strategic ambitions.

On Thursday, Putin said Russia might supply weapons to North Korea in what he suggested would be a mirror response to the Western arming of Ukraine.

Brown acknowledged U.S. concern about the deal.

But he also tempered those remarks by noting apparent limitations to the accord and expressing doubt Moscow would give North Korea "everything" it wanted.

U.S. officials have said they believe North Korea is keen to acquire fighter aircraft, surface-to-air missiles, armored vehicles, ballistic missile production equipment or materials, and other advanced technologies from Russia.

"The feedback I have on the agreement -- it was a broad agreement that's not overly binding, which gives you an indication (that) they want to work together but they don't want to get their hands tied," Brown said.

The treaty signed by Putin and Kim on Wednesday commits each side to provide immediate military assistance to the other in the event of armed aggression against either one of them.

Putin has said Moscow expected that its cooperation with North Korea would serve as a deterrent to the West, but that there was no need to use North Korean soldiers for the war in Ukraine.

The United States and Ukraine say North Korea has already provided Russia with significant quantities of artillery shells and ballistic missiles, which Moscow and Pyongyang deny.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Diane Craft)
(PUEBLO, Colo.)  At 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, a FOX21 News crew spoke to Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) officials, who confirmed that Sailboard Beach and the surrounding areas are now open to the public.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Two dead in Lake Pueblo shooting

Lake Pueblos Sailboard Beach was closed after two bodies were discovered at around 1 a.m. on Friday, June 21, near the dam where the victims were fishing. Emergency responders arrived to find two people dead. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was called to assist in the investigation.

RELATED: New pond opens at Lake Pueblo for swimming and recreation

Information about the victims identities has not been released yet by the Pueblo County Coroner. The investigation into the shooting at Lake Pueblo is ongoing. FOX21 will provide updates as more information becomes available.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado.
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4)  As part of police efforts to reduce criminal activity along the Jordan River Trail, the Salt Lake City Police Department conducted an operation this month arresting 20 people and seizing hundreds of illicit drugs.

Since October 2023, the SLCPDs Pioneer Patrol Division has been increasing patrol around the Jordan River Trail and nearby areas by conducting daily patrols, weekly strategy meetings, and occasional law enforcement operations, according to a recent press release.

READ NEXT: 18-year-old shot twice in Clearfield, three juveniles detained

The latest operations  which took place on June 15 and June 19  included officers from SLCPD and the Utah Department of Corrections Adult Probation and Parole (AP&P).

Authorities reported arresting 20 people and seizing methamphetamine, marijuana, over 500 fentanyl pills, two illegally possessed guns, and more than $2,000 in cash. As part of the operation, undercover officers bought drugs from dealers leading to their eventual arrest.

The overall objective of this operation was to identify, locate, and arrest drug dealers, traffickers, and buyers along the Jordan River Trail, SLCPDs press release read.

Last month, officers arrested more than 30 people on the Jordan River and Folsom trails as part of another operation. In April, 28 people were arrested and more than 2,000 fentanyl pills were seized.

While the timing of the operations is not public information, the SLCPD has conducted at least one operation every month this year. The department said they anticipate similar operations will be conducted in the future.

SLCPD said they have been working on a multi-disciplinary approach since October and have coordinated with city, regional, and state agencies to help address concerns with the Jordan River Trail.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Ukraine's Naval Forces on June 23 published satellite images which confirm the destruction of storage and preparation sites for Shahed-136/Geranium-2 drones in Russia's Krasnodar Krai.

The military said that training buildings as well as command and communication points for these drone crews were destroyed. The Naval Forces carried out the attack in cooperation with Ukraine's Security Service (SBU).

Ukraine's strikes reportedly killed instructors who were training personnel to launch the Shaheds, as well as cadets being trained to carry out attacks on Ukrainian territory using these drones. The Kyiv Independent couldn't immediately verify this information.

The attack most likely took place overnight on June 21 when the General Staff reported Ukrainian strikes against four oil refineries inside Russia. That same night, Defense Forces attacked Russian radar stations and reconnaissance centers in the Bryansk region and occupied Crimea, Shahed storage site in Krasnodar region.

Krasnodar Krai is located in southern Russia and borders Rostov and Stavropol regions as well as Kerch Strait, a strategically important waterway that connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.

Read also: Ukraines partisans claim infiltration of Russian air base, leave surprises for pilots

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OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR)  A person was shot Saturday Night in a neighborhood in Southeast Oklahoma City according to police.

Oklahoma City Police reported that the shooting happened a little after 9 p.m. near 421 SE 46th.

| MORE LOCAL NEWS > Oklahoma County vs. Oklahoma City; where to put a jail >

Officials said that the person was shot in the leg and sent to the hospital.

No word on a potential suspect but police said that the person shot was not cooperating with officials.

The shooting was non-life threatening.

This is a breaking news story, more will be updated as information comes in.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KFOR.com Oklahoma City.
Saida Wurie said it was her parents lifelong dream to participate in Hajj, the religious pilgrimage that brings Muslims from around the world to Saudi Arabia each year.

Theyd spent $23,000 on an all-inclusive travel package through a tour company registered in the state of Maryland.

They saved their whole lives for this, she told CNNs Fredricka Whitfield.

But what was supposed to be the trip of a lifetime turned tragic this week, when Wurie learned that her mother Isatu Tejan Wurie, 65, and father Alieu Dausy Wurie, 71, were among the hundreds of pilgrims who have died during the extreme temperatures that have gripped the Persian Gulf country. More than 500 have been confirmed dead while there are fears that number is well above a thousand.

The Wuries were American citizens from Bowie, Maryland. Mrs. Wurie had recently retired as a head nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Prince Georges County, her daughter told CNN.

Speaking to CNNs Whitfield on Saturday, Wurie said she had been in close contact with her parents while they were in Saudi Arabia via a family group chat. It was in that chat, she said, that she learned that the tour company did not provide the proper transportation or credentials needed to participate in the pilgrimage. The group her parents were traveling with, which included up to 100 fellow pilgrims, lacked sufficient food and supplies for the five-to-six-day journey that is a pillar of Islam, she said.

Wurie believes her parents were not properly prepared for the trip by the tour operator and did not receive what they paid for from the company. CNN has reached out to the tour company for comment.

Isatu Tejan Wurie and Alieu Dausy Wurie. - Family Photo

She last heard from her parents on Saturday, June 15, when her mother messaged that they had already been waiting for transportation for hours to take them to Mount Arafat. She believes they were located in Mina at the time. The couple ultimately opted to walk instead and sent a message to their daughter after they had been walking for over two hours.

The couple then joined fellow pilgrims and others in their tour group on Mount Arafat, where they were gathering to pray and reflect on the holy site. A man on their tour group contacted Saida Wurie to say that her parents had gone missing on Mount Arafat, after her father said that he could not continue on the journey and stopped for a break along the way. The man had continued to the top of Mount Arafat but could not find the couple upon his descent.

Wurie received death notifications from the US Consulate in Jeddah, which had obtained them from the Saudi Interior Ministry, saying her parents had died of natural causes on June 15. She was later advised by someone at the US Embassy that heat stroke would be considered a natural cause.

The Consulate Generals Office told her that her parents had already been buried, but have been unable to tell her exactly where.

Now, Saida and her brothers are doing everything they can to get answers and find their parents burial place.

We did ask the Saudi government to hold the bodies in order for us to travel to Saudi Arabia to at least give them the proper burial with [their] children being present and to be able to identify the bodies, she told Whitfield. Unfortunately, they have already been buried.

She would like American diplomats to meet her and her siblings on the ground when they arrive to assist them in finding where their parents are buried and collecting their belongings, since she does not know Arabic and is not familiar with the area. As of Saturday, diplomats have not committed to meeting them in person in Saudi Arabia, she said.

The US State Department confirmed there had been deaths of multiple US citizens in Saudi Arabia, but declined to comment on any specifics around the Wurie family.

Extreme heat has been named as a main factor behind the hundreds of deaths and injuries reported this year during the Hajj. Mecca, the holy city that is central for Hajj pilgrims, saw temperatures soar to a record-setting 125 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday.

High temperatures for this years gathering had been expected, with the Saudi army deploying more than 1,600 personnel with medical units and 30 rapid response teams specifically for heatstroke. Another 5,000 health and first aid volunteers were also on duty.

A woman uses a hand held battery run fan to cool off a man lying on the ground during the symbolic 'stoning of the devil' ritual at the annual hajj pilgrimage in Mina on June 16, 2024. - Fadel Senna/AFP/Getty Images

But CNN has spoken to other Hajj pilgrims who said the preparations werent enough, with one describing seeing fellow worshipers lose consciousness and walking past bodies covered in white cloths.

The exact death toll remains unclear and is expected to rise, as countries around the world have been independently announcing the deaths of their nationals.

Concern over improper tour groups has also grown. Egypt announced it was revoking the licenses of 16 travel agencies that organize Hajj trips on Saturday, according to the state-run news agency Ahram Online.

This isnt the first time hundreds of pilgrims have died while traveling for the Hajj, which this year attracted more than 1.8 million people. In 2015 more than 700 people were killed during a stampede in the Saudi Arabian city of Mina, just outside of Mecca. In 2006, 363 people were killed during a stampede at the site where pilgrims gathered to participate in the stoning of the devil ritual in Mina. Last year, more than 200 people died.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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SC woman pleads guilty to stealing money from nursing home where she worked, official says

A South Carolina woman is heading to federal prison for stealing money from a Midlands-area nursing home where she worked, the U.S. Attorneys Office said.

Keisha Carroll Banks, a 52-year-old Lexington resident, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, the U.S. Attorneys Office said in a news release

In addition to being sentenced to 14 months, Banks also was ordered to pay $58,544.61 in restitution, according to the release. The federal prison system has no parole option.

The U.S. Attorneys Office said that evidence showed Banks was an employee of Ridgeway Manor Health Care in Ridgeway, where she was able to access money in an account that included funds held for the residents who live there. Some of the residents the Fairfield County facility are considered vulnerable adults, according to the release.

Banks diverted some of those funds and used some of the money for her own benefit, the U.S. Attorneys Office said. Information about how Banks spent the money was not available.

There was no word about how the fraud was discovered, or when Banks stopped working at Ridgeway Manor. She was indicted in December 2022, records show.

When Banks is released from prison, she will have to serve a three-year term of court-ordered supervision, according to the release.

The case was investigated by the FBI Columbia Field Office and the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division.
Schematic designs for new county jail aim to reduce criminal justice needs, designer says

This illustration shows the main entrance to the proposed Oklahoma County jail.

While Oklahoma County officials are still ironing out details for the location of a new jail, the facility's actual design is much further along in the process.

Architects working on plans for the new jail completed a schematic design in recent weeks. The design includes hundreds of beds the county intends to use to treat and divert inmates with mental health issues away from Oklahoma's criminal justice system.

The design calls for a single-story (two-level) jail with 2,328 total beds  enabling the operation to move around inmates when needed for maintenance, security or disciplinary reasons, giving it an official capacity of 1,800.

More: A court diversion program saved his life. Now he guides others through the program

It is configured to give jail detainees and employees access to natural lighting, outside exercise areas for each housing unit and safety and security features that limit detainees' movements outside of the secure environment.

The county must figure out how to address a gap between the $220 million it has available and the at-least $677 million estimate from HOK, REES and Flintco (the project's design/build team) that it would cost to fully build the project.

A 60-bed behavioral health center, planned to be built separately at the same location, is funded using $49 million provided by the American Rescue Plan Act. Patients' care in that facility would be supported by Medicaid or Medicare dollars.

The exact location of the new jail and timeline of construction is uncertain after opposition from Oklahoma City Council members and Del City leaders to the county's rezoning permit for a proposed location at 1901 E Grand Blvd., near the boundary of the two cities.

Despite public outcry, a 2-to-1 county commissioner majority authorized the county to purchase the E Grand Boulevard site, a decision they said at the time was an attempt to salvage the ARPA funding for the mental health facility. Commissioners also have filed a lawsuit to declare sovereignty over the site in an effort to move forward with jail construction without needing approval from the city.

But the project's schematic design could work anywhere the county could find sufficient space to build, said Jeff Bradley, a senior principal with HOK's justice division.

"We could have done what we are proposing at this site at the airport, or Stockyards City," Bradley said.

Here's what we know about the design.

This image shows a housing unit inside of a single-story jail that includes a mezzanine for upstairs housing. Oklahoma County's plans call for each pod of the new jail to include four housing units, and for detainees held in each housing unit to have access to an outdoor recreational courtyard.

Four two-level housing units would make up each pod of the new jail

The jail's 1,800 beds (not including its flex space) would be used to house:

112 detainees needing critical care for mental or physical health needs requiring care from the jail's medical services provider.

256 detainees with behavioral care rehabilitative needs supervised by jail detention officers.

1,432 minimum, medium and maximum security detainees.

Four housing units, each designed with access points for food and medicine deliveries, would make up each general population pod. Each housing unit would:

Hold 56 detainees in single, double, four and six bed cells, supervised during daylight hours by a single guard.

Include a multipurpose room with a detainee services kiosk, tables and chairs, plus an open interior dayroom lit with natural light, a kitchen support services area that includes a water fountain, a microwave oven and washer/dryer, plus a glass wall fronting a secure, outdoors recreational area shared by two adjacent units.

Deliver water, sewer, electricity, heating, cooling and other services to each prisoner's cell through corridors outside the controlled space, eliminating the need for maintenance and repair workers to enter the jail itself to do their work.

Co-locate housing units in a way to make it possible for a single guard to keep tabs on 224 detainees during overnight hours when they are held in their cells. "That's a tremendous savings for Oklahoma County," Bradley said.

More: The Oklahoma County jail under the Jail Trust. A timeline of trouble

The jail's design also includes:

An intake/assessment center to separate arrestees who don't need to be jailed, giving them a secure, dedicated hallway to follow outside the jail itself to get to the adjacent behavioral care center. "They never see the inside of the jail," Bradley said.

A dedicated booking area with a common seating area for cooperative arrestees, holding cells for those who aren't and an adjacent property room for arrestees' belongings.

A 30-bed infirmary capable of providing detainees with dialysis, dental services, wound treatment, exams, X-rays, ultrasound treatments, blood analysis, physical therapy, counseling, group therapy and bariatric dialysis services.

A support wing where food is prepared and laundry services are provided.

A dedicated release center staffed in part by representatives of nonprofits who would connect released people with services they typically might need. After being released, people would be directed to a holding area where they could catch a bus to access those services. "There's more public social services being offered in Oklahoma City than I see in a lot of places," Bradley said.

A detainee services space that includes counselors, an office for a chaplain, a law library and space for two upstairs courtrooms for on-site legal activities.

A public access area where visitations or reunifications between detainees and families could happen on the lower level while court proceedings are held in two courtrooms above.

A staff services space with training rooms, lockers, armory, administrative offices, a workout space and open patio employees could enjoy during their breaks.

The building's northeast profile where its staff services offices and break area (which includes a gymnasium/workout room and an outdoor patio on the second floor) will be located.

Jail costs escalating across the nation

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, non-residential building construction costs have climbed about 175% since 2009, and have climbed about 40% just since 2021.

"We meet with every department, all the staff, find out what they have now, what they don't have and should, look at what the future could bring and plan accordingly," said Bradley, adding HOK's design accommodates the countys need to be able to add more beds in the future. "We usually design to accommodate an operation's future needs for 10 to 15 years out," Bradley said.

At the cost of $335,000 a bed, Oklahoma County isn't the only entity experiencing high costs to build new jails or prisons. Others include:

Cuyahoga County, Ohio, at $393,000 a bed.

Brooklyn, New York (a high-rise jail), at $2.64 million a bed.

Alabama, (a 4,000 bed prison), at $270,000 a bed.

"We are seeing those types of costs on projects across the country," said Bradley, who added the jail's estimated current cost of $677 million may be adjusted. "We have tried to build flexibility in this both for now and the future. We are doing value engineering now," Bradley said.

Living Hell: An investigation by The Oklahoman of the current Oklahoma County jail

Public entrance to the planned adjacent behavioral care center that is proposed to be built separately on the south side of the jail complex.

HOK involves health care unit in jail's designs

The design team at HOK has fully embraced the concept of building jails that are designed to provide rehabilitative mental health services to jail inmates to keep them out of state criminal justice systems.

Over just the past eight years, the 1,600 employee company based in St. Louis, has designed 23 facilities including more than 5,000 beds geared toward the philosophy of improving mental health outcomes to help reduce recidivism and jail populations.

It also operates divisions that master plan and design aviation, transportation, arenas/ballparks, hospitals, embassy, law enforcement and defense-related projects.

Eighty-seven members of HOK's staff and another couple dozen of designers working for REES and other involved subcontractors worked on the Oklahoma County jail's schematic design, Bradley said.

Beyond jails, HOK's justice division works on prisons, courthouses, police stations and similar types of projects.

"We pulled some of our medical people in, and the end result is that the county jail will be an Oklahoma-approved mental health facility," Bradley said.

The next step for HOK/REES and Flintco is to take the jail's schematic design and turn it into detailed plans that will be used to develop construction-related documents, Bradley said.

Contributing: Staff writer Jessie Christopher Smith

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Help over housing key aim behind designs for new Oklahoma County jail
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has voiced his support for a review of the country's coronavirus policy and the efficacy of government efforts to limit the spread of the virus.

In an interview with German public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, the Social Democrat (SPD) politician said he was most sympathetic to the suggestion of having citizens' councils deal with the issue. Then not only experts and lawmakers would be involved, but also citizens, he said.

"I don't think that's a bad thing," Scholz said. As a "good experiment" by the lower house of parliament, or Bundestag, this had already worked once, he said.

A first parliamentary citizens' assembly with randomly selected participants had recently presented recommendations on food policy.

"We closed more schools in Germany than in other countries, and that was certainly not the right decision," Scholz said in reference to German coronavirus policy.

SPD parliamentary group leader Rolf Mutzenich brought up the idea of a citizens' assembly on the subject of the coronavirus pandemic.

The pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) and the opposition conservative CDU/CSU bloc were in favour of a Bundestag commission of inquiry with lawmakers and experts. There are also calls from the Greens for a review.

It remains to be seen whether and how this will be tackled in this parliamentary term. Protective rules with masks, tests and vaccinations or closures of schools and restaurants are being considered.
Argentinian President Javier Milei, known for wielding a symbolic chainsaw of austerity at public events, was offered some words of advice during a Berlin meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Sunday: Don't lose sight of social harmony.

According to Scholz's official spokesman, Steffen Hebestreit, the German chancellor stressed the need to protect social cohesion and urged Milei to employ socially acceptable policies as he rolls out his radical economic reform in Argentina.

For his part, the ultra-liberal Milei doesn't think much of state support and wealth redistribution, and sees taxes as theft.

"The state is not the solution, it's the problem," is one of his mantras, and his views have made him one of the most controversial leaders of South America.

'Milei, scumbag, you're the dictatorship'

Milei's trip to Germany was accompanied by protests in Berlin and Hamburg, and several dozen demonstrators protested against the self-described anarcho-capitalist at the Berlin Chancellery with signs saying "Away with Milei" and chanting in Spanish "Milei, scumbag, you're the dictatorship."

Milei was originally due to receive a full welcome with military honours, but this, alongside a joint press conference, was cancelled at short notice.

Instead, the two vastly contrasting leaders - one pragmatic, the other bombastic - met for just one hour, reportedly at Milei's request.

Scholz and Milei were also said to have discussed economic relations between the two countries and agreed on the need for for the swift conclusion of 25 years of talks on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American Mercosur organization, which includes Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay as well as Argentina.

Argentina has large reserves of raw materials such as lithium that are urgently needed in Germany for the green energy transition.

Agreement on Ukraine and free trade

Scholz and Milei were also on the same page when it came to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with both agreeing that "Russia has the power to end the war of aggression against Ukraine," Hebestreit said.

Milei, who was elected with more than 55% of the vote in November's presidential elections, arrived in Germany on Saturday to receive a medal from the Friedrich August von Hayek Foundation in the northern port city of Hamburg.

He collected the award from the think tank - named after the Austrian pioneer of neoliberalism - as hundreds of protesters demonstrated outside the venue against his invitation.

Around 200 supporters attended the ceremony, including notable right-wing German politicians such as Beatrix von Storch, a lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.

Only a handful of global leaders have received Milei since he took office, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy's Giorgia Meloni, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and Pope Francis.

On a previous stop in Madrid earlier this week, Milei was snubbed by officials after a bitter war of words with the Spanish government.

Milei skipped traditional early visits to Argentina's neighbours Brazil and Chile due to wide ideological differences. He has visited the United States a number of times without receiving an invitation to the White House, instead meeting with Tesla chief Elon Musk and former President Donald Trump.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz receives Argentinian President Javier Milei (L) in front of the Federal Chancellery. Fabian Sommer/dpa
TechCrunch

Fidelity Investments, one of the world's largest asset managers, has confirmed that over 77,000 customers had personal information compromised during an August data breach, including Social Security numbers and driver's licenses. The Boston, Massachusetts-based investment firm said in a filing with Maines attorney general on Wednesday that an unnamed third party accessed information from its systems between August 17 and August 19 "using two customer accounts that they had recently established. We detected this activity on August 19 and immediately took steps to terminate the access, Fidelity said in a letter sent to those affected, adding that the incident did not involve any access to customers Fidelity accounts.
Scholz 'worried' about the outcome of the election in France

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has expressed concern about the possible outcome of the snap parliamentary elections in France, an important EU partner country.

"I'm worried about the elections in France," the Social Democrat (SPD) politician said on Sunday in a summer interview on German public broadcaster ARD.

He hoped "that parties that are not Le Pen" would be successful, he explained, referring to Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party, but he emphasized: "The French will decide that."

He will continue to see French President Emmanuel Macron on the committees in which he sits as chancellor as the presidency is not being contested, but nevertheless a new far-right parliament would constitute a change, Scholz said.

In response to the defeat of his liberal forces in the European elections and a resounding victory for the right-wing nationalists, Macron had surprisingly announced new elections to the National Assembly in two rounds, on June 30 and July 7.
A "flip" cell phone. (Photo via Flickr | CC-BY DEED 2.0)

At David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri, the rule is that students must keep their cellphones out of sight during class. In reality, the teachers tasked with enforcing the rule are no match for teenagers almost compulsive need to be on their phones all the time, said science teacher Noelle Gilzow.

Gilzow confiscates offenders devices and drops them in a basket on her desk she calls the phone jail. But she knows that she is fighting a losing battle.

I cannot compete with Netflix, she said.

More than three-quarters of U.S. K-12 public schools prohibit non-academic cellphone use, according to a report from the 2021-2022 school year. But only 43% of public high schools have such a rule. And at many of them, like at Hickman High, the so-called bans are enforced weakly, if at all.

Last year, Florida became the first state to require all its public schools to bar students from using their phones during class. Now governors and legislators in at least a half-dozen other states are pushing their schools to follow suit  through persuasion or by law.

I cannot compete with Netflix.

 Noelle Gilzow, a science teacher at David H. Hickman High School in Columbia, Missouri

Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb just signed into law a bill that requires school districts to prohibit cellphone use during instructional time, with some exceptions. A similar bill is advancing in Oklahoma, and legislation has been introduced in Kansas and Vermont.

Connecticut Democratic Gov. Ned Lamont has praised schools in his state that have restricted cellphone use, and he has introduced legislation that would direct the state board of education to adopt a model policy.

Social media is often anti-social, and too much smartphone makes you stupid, Lamont said in his State of the State address this year.

In Utah, Republican Gov. Spencer Cox in January sent a letter to school leaders throughout the state urging them to get cellphones out of class.

Placing cellphones in backpacks or lockers during class time allows students to give their undivided attention to lessons, to fully participate in discussions and to build relationships with their peers, Cox wrote in an opinion piece published in the Deseret News. Our students deserve every advantage and removing cellphones from learning time is one proven way we can help our children succeed.

Cox and other proponents of such measures cite research showing that even the presence of a cellphone is a distraction, and they argue that removing them from classrooms will boost academic performance, reduce bullying and improve students mental health.

Not surprisingly, many students are loath to give up their phones. But much of the pushback against phone-free classrooms comes from parents, who want to be connected to their children throughout the day, especially if there is an emergency.

I like that its with her all the time. I want to keep my eyes on her 24/7. I want to know where she is at all times, said Elisabeth Rice of Portland, Oregon, who has a 14-year-old daughter. If she leaves the school, she wont leave her phone behind, right?

Oregon leaves it up to school districts to determine cellphone policies. The high school Rices daughter attends has a silent and away rule for phones in class, but the device does not have to be stowed in a cubby or signal-proof pouch, which other schools require.

Weve all seen how schools handle emergencies, Rice said. I would like to have a direct communication with my kid and see what the safest option is.

Eliminating distractions

To Indiana Republican state Sen. Jeff Raatz, one of the lead sponsors of the proposed ban in his state, the argument for taking phones out of the classroom boils down to one word distraction.

He was speaking about civics at a Henry County high school last fall, he recalled in an interview, when he noticed the students were unusually attentive. It took him awhile to realize why.

It was weeks before it dawned on me that there wasnt a single cellphone. I was thinking, How come nobodys looking at their phone?

Without phones, he said, instead of texting your friend, you are paying attention. We are struggling as a nation in attaining educational outcomes. One way (to help0 is to eliminate distraction.

Oklahoma Republican state Sen. Adam Pugh came to the same conclusion after talking to a few classrooms recently at an Oklahoma City suburban high school.

In every single class, he recalled, half the kids were on their phones the whole time. I cant imagine ever having a guest lecturer when I was in school and not being focused.

His bill would require local public school districts to develop policies banning students phones from campuses. It awaits a vote on the Senate floor.

A 2019 survey of college students in 37 states (plus Alberta, Canada) supports the assertion that digital devices distract students: On average, respondents spent 19.4% of class time using digital devices for non-class purposes.

Barney McCoy, a journalism and mass communications professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the author of the study, said its not surprising that students sitting in class have a hard time resisting their devices, since they are so accustomed to checking them constantly when they are outside the classroom.

If we are standing in line at the grocery store, we are going to pull out a smartphone, McCoy said. If you are in the middle of a conversation and a device beeps, boops or rings, you are going to look at it.

Some research suggests that banning cellphones from class can have a significant impact. A Norwegian study published earlier this year examined the effect of cellphone bans on middle school students, concluding that girls grades and mental health improved significantly and that bullying declined among both girls and boys. The effects were greatest among lower-income girls.

Too broad?

If you look at social media, if you look at what the kids are doing, a lot of the bullying we see is because of video taken on cellphones, said Kansas Republican state Rep. Adam Thomas, chair of the House Committee on Education and the father of five children.

But after Thomas committee held a hearing on the bill, he decided that districts, not the state, should decide what cellphone policy would work best for them.

Indiana state Rep. Ryan Dvorak, one of the eight House members who opposed the ban in his state, reached a similar conclusion.

There is not a school in the state of Indiana that doesnt have their own policy on cellphone use already, said Dvorak, a Democrat and the father of three school-age children. Teachers deal with them every day. Every classroom has a different way their teacher likes to deal with it. I dont like when the legislature gets involved in classroom minutia.

Everybody understands kids have problems with being sucked into devices. But creating some absolute law that says this can never happen is counterproductive.

Roni Cohen-Sandler, a clinical psychologist and the author of Anything But My Phone, Mom!, a book for parents on dealing with electronic devices, agreed that statewide bans for students of all ages dont make sense.

Technology is part of our kids lives, she said in an interview. Its important to help them evaluate when technology is appropriate and when its not.

Cohen-Sandler said phones dont have any place in elementary schools and that it is highly unlikely that they serve a useful function in middle school classrooms. She also said that students who text too frequently with their parents arent developing the ability to deal with their own feelings, undermining a lot of development that is taking place and impeding kids from being resilient.

High school students, however, should be mature enough to use phones appropriately, in the service of learning, Cohen-Sandler said.

You cant infantilize 16-, 17-, 18-year-olds. I hope they have the judgment to use cellphones more responsibly.

McCoy, the Nebraska professor, said teachers should take responsibility for engaging students. We have to be more innovative as instructors, he said. I cant tell you how many times Ive called on a student who is engaged on their device and they will look up and say, Can you repeat the question? Thats a challenge to myself as an instructor.

But many parents of high school students, perhaps remembering the cellphone-free days of their youth, dont think phones have any place in the classroom.

Kids dont need phones in school  period, said Vince Moody of Huntsville, Alabama, who has four children, including a ninth grader. Moody said that if he had to get in touch with one of them, hed simply call the school office and leave a message.

I dont know that there are a lot of benefits to having phones in schools, other than that parents can reach their little snowflake in school, he said.

This story was produced by Stateline, a part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network, including the Daily Montanan, supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity.

The post If schools wont ban kids cellphones, some lawmakers say, they will appeared first on Daily Montanan.
Scientists demonstrate way to 'read' chemical messages left by coral reef marine life  and it could help save future populations of coral

Scientists have found a new way to analyze the chemical clues left behind by marine organisms living in coral reef systems, which they say could help in monitoring their health, Phys.org reported.

As the publication explained, marine organisms living in and around coral reefs extract chemical clues into seawater that can help scientists understand these ecosystems better. However, traditional methods often miss any nitrogen-, oxygen-, and sulfur-containing compounds produced by marine life, as they don't attach well to the sticky membrane materials used by scientists for collection. Plus, these compounds are found at extremely low levels in seawater.

To tackle this problem, the researchers created a new method that modified dissolved metabolites  an end product of metabolism  prior to extraction to get them into a form that was more compatible with the membrane materials.

First, they collected and filtered ocean water from five coral reefs around the U.S. Virgin Islands. After facilitating a series of chemical reactions, they extracted modified metabolites and examined their composition and concentrations.

Ultimately, the researchers found 23 metabolites that had never been identified near coral reefs, including amino acids and organosulfonic acids, which are involved in photosynthesis and organismal growth, said the report.

According to the researchers, the study demonstrates how to collect previously overlooked but ecologically relevant compounds. This could help scientists monitor coral reef systems for the effects of global heating, disease, and natural disturbances, they conclude.

Understanding coral reef systems is becoming increasingly important, as scientists predict that up to 90% of Earth's coral reefs are at risk of disappearing by 2050 or sooner because of an overheating planet.

According to NASA, coral reefs are important to humanity, as they act as natural barriers, protecting coastlines during storms. They also hold medicinal value  corals have been identified as an important source for drugs that could treat cancer, arthritis, Alzheimer's, bacterial infections, viruses, and other ailments, per the Interamerican Association for Environmental Defense. Plus, NASA reported, coral reefs generate billions of dollars through ecotourism and fisheries.

Reef systems are also critical to a variety of wildlife that rely on them for shelter, including sponges, oysters, clams, crabs, sea stars, sea urchins, and many fish species. In addition, they are ecologically linked to seagrass, mangrove, and mudflat ecosystems, as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported.

Aside from a warming planet, reef systems face other threats like disease and even oil extraction. For instance, one of the healthiest coral reefs in the world, located in the Gulf of Mexico, is surrounded by the offshore oil and gas industry.

The good news is that a number of conservation efforts are underway to help save coral. For instance, one zoo in the Netherlands is putting together a "Noah's Ark" of coral species with the intention of one day reintroducing them into their native habitats when conditions improve.

Meanwhile, one group of scientists is toying with the idea of sound therapy to help coral restore itself. The method involves playing recordings of healthy coral reefs underwater  though coral doesn't have ears, it can perceive the recordings through "tiny hairs" that get moved by sound.

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Jay Slater was last heard from on Monday morning - Solarpix

Jay Slater, the missing British teenager, was last seen staggering around and worse for wear in a Tenerife nightclub just hours before his disappearance.

The 19-year-old was seen stumbling to his feet at Papagayo club in Playa de las Americas in the early hours of Monday.

A few hours later he went missing in the north of the Spanish island.

As the search for the teenager reached its seventh day, a witness reported seeing him at the venue in one of Tenerifes most popular night-life areas.

The man, 20, said: It was a good atmosphere, it was hard dance music and everybody was having a good time vibing away.

I wanted to remember the moment so I started filming, then I saw a lad staggering around in front of me.

You could see him get up off the ground, everyone turned there to look. They looked a bit concerned.

I had no idea it was Jay at first, he was proper worse for wear. He was with a couple of lads and a girl.

After reading about Mr Slaters disappearance, the man checked the video and saw it was the missing teenager.

I looked back at my videos and my blood ran cold, knowing he was gone, he said.

All our mates [had] seen it [news of the disappearance] the next day, we were all shocked.

Mr Slater was last heard from on Monday morning when he told a friend he was lost in the mountains and desperately thirsty.

He had earlier met two men at a music festival on the Spanish island and followed them back to their cottage.

On Sunday, the search for him narrowed to a crop of buildings near the small mountain village of Masca where he was last seen.

Officers from the Guardia Civil could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park.

They were looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.

The area, which is just a few hundred metres from where Jays phone pinged for the final time, had already been searched on Thursday.

A police spokesman told The Telegraph: All lines of investigation are open. There is no more information on the matter.

Police have been joined in their search by dozens of volunteers from the UK who have flown to Tenerife to help find Mr Slater.

The teenagers family and friends have also travelled to the Canary Island and several of them visited the search site on Saturday evening.

The group included his father, Warren, and brother, Zak, who visited the cottage where Mr Slater was last seen.

Warren Slater and Zak Slater visited the remote spot on Saturday evening - Geoff Pugh/The Telegraph

Through floods of tears, Warren told The Telegraph: I just want the boy back.

Earlier Debbie Duncan, Jays mother, had said: Im just exhausted. Ive not slept for five days.

Im still hopeful. Im not feeling negative just yet.

I dont know what its been like today because Ive been advised to stay away because I would just break down.

Were all devastated. Hes just a normal boy from a little town in Lancashire. These things dont happen.

She also dismissed online conspiracy theories comparing her to Karen Matthews, who carried out a fake kidnapping scam 16 years ago.

The case has prompted intense public interest, with a Facebook page dedicated to Finding Jay Slater having reached more than half-a-million members.

A GoFundMe page set up by Mr Slaters family and friends has also raised 30,000 in three days.

TikTok sleuths are also on the island carrying out their own searches for the missing teenager.

Detective-turned-TV investigator Mark Williams-Thomas has also offered to help Ms Duncan find her son.

Mr Williams-Thomas, who probed the disappearance of Nicola Bulley in 2023, said he had reached out to her on Sunday morning.

Mr Slater travelled to Tenerife with two friends to attend the NRG music festival on Sunday. He left the festival between 3am and 6am in the car of two other British men he had met that night.

Search teams look for missing Jay Slater in Tenerife - Geoff Pugh for The Telegraph

At 7.30am he posted a picture on Snapchat showing him smoking a cigarette at the doorway of a cottage in Parque Rural de Teno, more than 30 miles from where the festival was held to the south of the island.

At around 8am Ofelia Medina Hernandez, the owner of the two-bedroom Airbnb property where Mr Slater had travelled to, came across the teenager standing at a nearby bus stop.

He asked when the next bus was to Los Cristianos, a resort area where he had been staying, and she signalled it was not for another two hours. Instead of waiting, Mr Slater decided to walk.

After setting off he rang his friend Lucy Law, who had joined him at the music festival, and said he was lost, thirsty, had one per cent charge left on his phone, and had cut his leg on a cactus.

His phone died shortly after the call. Its last location was north of the cottage.

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Search for gunman underway after shooting near In-and-Out in Arden Arcade, authorities say

Authorities are looking for a suspect accused of shooting a man Saturday outside an In-and-Out in Arden Arcade, leaving the victim with critical injuries, according to the Sacramento County Sheriffs Office.

Calls for the shooting came in just after 10 p.m. in what a preliminary investigation indicated was a road rage incident at the intersection of Alta Arden Expressway and Ethan Way, according to archived audio dispatch calls reviewed by The Sacramento Bee. Witnesses said the gunman took off toward Arden Fair mall and points west, the radio dispatches said.

After the shooting, the victim drove less than two blocks away to the Cheesecake Factory on Arden Way, crossing into the city limits of Sacramento.

Authorities from both the Sacramento Police Department and the Sheriffs Office responded, with deputies ultimately determining the shooting happened in the unincorporated area.

No suspect information has been released by the Sheriffs Office, which indicated the victim was hospitalized in critical condition.
The Scott Emergency Communications Center has announced Melissa Ketcham as the next SECC Director, according to a press release. The appointment was formally approved at the June 12 Board meeting, and Ketcham is anticipated to begin the position on July 1.

Ketcham was selected from a national search conducted by Strategic Government Resources. She has over a decade of experience in 911 communications and emergency response and has been Director at Tazewell County Consolidated Communications in central Illinois since 2022. She holds a bachelors degree in Global Business Management and a masters certification in Human Resources.

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Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.) on Sunday suggested President Biden will respect the Supreme Courts forthcoming ruling on former President Trumps immunity argument.

I think theres a sharp contrast between former President Trump and President Biden in terms of their respect for the rule of law and how they approach both law enforcement and our legal system, Coons said on Fox News Sunday.

The Delaware senator was responding to a question from Fox News Sunday anchor Shannon Bream, who asked if Biden would accept the Supreme Courts decision given his criticism of the high court for its decision on his student loan forgiveness proposal.

The Supreme Court is expected to hand down its opinion this week on Trumps immunity claim, in which he argues he is immune from charges he conspired to subvert the 2020 election due to presidential immunity.

The argument, which has delayed his criminal trial in Washington, D.C., was rejected in lower courts, though the Supreme Courts oral arguments appeared open to carve out some immunity for former presidents. This may not, however, fully meet the wants of Trumps defense team.

It is not clear which day the decision could come down, though the Supreme Court has just days until the justices self-imposed deadline of finishing opinions by the end of June.

Former President Trump was in a courtroom in New York, where he attacked the prosecutor, the prosecution, the judge, the jury, the whole process so many times that before he was ultimately convicted by a jury of his peers of 34 felonies, he was subject to a gag order, Coons said, in reference to Trumps hush money trial.

The former president levied a series of attacks against Judge Juan Merchan, who oversaw the case, along with his family members and Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D), who brought the case. His remarks prompted Merchan to issue a gag order that prohibited him from speaking about Merchan and Braggs families, jurors, witnesses and family members of any counsel or staff member.

Coons sought to compare this to Bidens handling of the criminal conviction of his son, Hunter Biden, in federal court earlier this month. The presidents son was found guilty of three felony counts earlier this month over lying on federal forms about his drug use to illegally purchase a gun, making him the first child of a sitting president to be criminally convicted.

President Biden, we just saw evidence of this, this past week  his own son was convicted here in a court in Wilmington, Delaware  and he did not ever attack or criticize or question the judge, the prosecutor, the jury, the process. In fact, he said he wouldnt use the pardon power, Coons said.

Biden ruled out the possibility of commuting the sentence of his son and said he will abide by the jurys decision and will not pardon him.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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After a lifetime of backroom wheeling and dealing, former Chicago Ald. Edward Burke faces the most consequential negotiation of his life on Monday  and in the most public of places.

In a federal courtroom on the 25th floor of the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse, Burke, the longtime Democratic machine stalwart who dominated the City Council for most of his 54 years as an alderman, will be sentenced in a corruption case that rocked city politics and tanked Burkes extraordinary career as a lawyer and elected official.

The sentencing hearing is among the most anticipated proceedings in years in Chicagos federal court, a building that seen countless politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, handed prison terms, a veritable parade of alderpersons, county commissioners, state representatives, senators, governors and even a former speaker of the U.S. House.

But perhaps none wielded so much power for so long as Burke, the head of the vaunted Finance Committee who not only worked the citys purse strings but also was a shrewd ward boss, political tactician and judicial slate-maker.

Those factors make Burkes sentencing a significant referendum on Chicagos nationally recognized brand of old-school corruption.

After a last-ditch effort by Burkes legal team to postpone the sentencing was denied Friday, the stage is set for a legal spectacle that hasnt occurred since ex-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison in December 2011.

To accommodate whats expected to be a horde of media, friends and relatives of Burke, and curious onlookers, two overflow courtrooms will be set up at the courthouse at 219 S. Dearborn St. with a live video feed for those who cant get into U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendalls main courtroom.

Its unclear whether any live witnesses will be called, but last week, the judge disclosed that members of the public had been reaching out to her office directly asking to speak at the hearing.

Kendall has a wide range of options when it comes to fashioning a punishment for Burke, who turned 80 just days after he was convicted in December of racketeering conspiracy for using the powers of his elected office to try to squeeze developers to hire his private law firm.

Prosecutors have asked for 10 years in prison, saying Burkes schemes, many of which were captured on undercover wiretapped recordings, show he was no novice when it came to graft, but a savvy and sophisticated professional when it came to identifying his marks.

Burkes legal team, meanwhile, has asked for an alternative to prison such as home confinement, arguing hes in ill health and that his lapses do not erase the life of a fundamentally decent man who did a lot of good for his city over a six-decade career.

After attorneys make their arguments, all eyes will be on Burke, who will have an opportunity to speak to the judge directly. Hes not required to do so, and judges typically assure defendants they will not hold their silence against them.

If Burke does choose to speak, the notably loquacious parliamentarian might be forced to walk a fine line, apologizing but perhaps stopping short of admitting guilt, as hes expected to appeal his conviction to a higher court.

Kendall cleared the case for sentencing in a 47-page ruling late Friday denying Burkes requests for a new trial or outright acquittal on key counts, acknowledging Burkes storied career in Chicago politics but standing solidly behind the verdicts.

In fact, it is the context of Burkes powerful political career that provides support for jurors verdicts on some of the counts, Kendall wrote, such as the guilty findings related to his tempestuous exchanges with Field Museum officials.

Those same words spoken by a layperson could possibly constitute blowing off steam. But spoken by the longest-serving alderman and Chairman of the Committee on Finance during a phone call seeking acquiescence for their pending fee increase  that he had previously opposed  means the implications and consequences are night and day, Kendall wrote.

That is to say, a jury could reasonably conclude that Burke knew what he was doing and how his words affected (the museum officials), who ultimately kowtowed to Burkes threats.

The sentence requested by the U.S. attorneys office would mean that Burke could very well die in prison. But a lengthy term behind bars is warranted, prosecutors say, given the mountain of evidence in the case  including hundreds of undercover recordings  that captured Burke in his own words and make it obvious that Burke was no novice when it came to corruption.

Burke operated as a seasoned professional when it came to identifying new potential clients for his law firm and exploiting his power and position in order to secure their business, prosecutors wrote in a recent court filing asking for 121 months behind bars.

To bolster their argument about the cost of Burkes crimes, prosecutors estimated the overall financial loss he caused amounted to nearly $830,000.

Lawyers for Burke, meanwhile, argued the trial evidence showed Burke did not receive a single penny from his offenses, nor did he cause any serious financial harm to any party. Even the witnesses who were allegedly being shaken down testified Burkes demeanor was respectful, professional, and friendly  never aggressive, threatening, nor intimidating, Burkes filing stated.

They also have submitted an avalanche of character letters from friends, family and clergy, as well as current and former politicians, judges and others in the legal community.

Among the letter writers were former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb, ex-Chicago police Superintendent Garry McCarthy and retired federal Judge William Bauer, who served on the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.

There were also pleas of mercy from failed mayoral candidate Paul Vallas, and current and former City Council colleagues such as Ald. Nicholas Sposato, 38th, former Ald. Patrick OConnor, 40th, and ex-Ald. Roderick Sawyer, 6th, whose father, Eugene Sawyer, was elevated to the mayors office with key help from Burke after Mayor Harold Washingtons sudden death.

Burkes wife, Anne, formerly the chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court, described Burke as a devoted husband and father who encouraged her to finish college and go to law school. He also helped a hundred or more struggling city kids with tuition and jobs, she wrote.

He has always seen his role as taking care of people, whether they need money, or a job, or help fighting insurance companies, she wrote. I am devastated by the prospect that I will not be with Ed at the end of our lives. Please find compassion through the Holy Spirit in your decision.

And Webb, a high-profile litigator who defended former Illinois Gov. George Ryan, said he has been personal friends with the Burke family for 40 years and urged the judge to evaluate the totality of the person being sentenced.

At no time did I ever see any indication that he was other than a dedicated public servant, always interested in serving the citizens of the city of Chicago, Webb wrote.

A jury in December found Burke, the longtime leader of the Finance Committee, guilty of a series of schemes to use his considerable City Hall clout to try and win business from developers for his private property tax law firm.

Among them were efforts to woo the New York-based developers of the $600 million renovation of the Old Post Office, extorting the Texas owners of a Burger King who were seeking to renovate a restaurant in Burkes 14th Ward, and intervening on behalf of Charles Cui, a developer in Portage Park who wanted help getting a pole sign approved for a new Binnys Beverage Depot location.

Burke was also found guilty of attempted extortion for threatening to hold up a fee increase for the Field Museum because he was angry the museum had ignored an internship application from his goddaughter, who is the daughter of former 32nd Ward Ald. Terry Gabinski, Burkes longtime friend.

The jury acquitted Burke on one count of conspiracy to commit extortion related to the Burger King project.

Also convicted was Cui, whose sentencing is set for next month.

The jury acquitted Burkes longtime 14th Ward aide, Peter Andrews, of all counts alleging he helped Burke pressure the Burger King owners into hiring Burkes law firm by shutting down their restaurant renovation.

Burkes high-profile, six-week trial featured some 38 witnesses and more than 100 secretly recorded videos and wiretapped recordings, offering a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of Chicagos top political power brokers at work.

At the heart of the case were dozens of wiretapped phone calls and secretly recorded meetings made by Daniel Solis, the former 25th Ward alderman who turned FBI mole after being confronted in 2016 with his own wrongdoing.

In closing arguments, prosecutors put up on large video screens a series of now-notorious statements made by Burke on the recordings. Among them: The cash register has not rung yet, They can go (expletive) themselves, and Did we land the tuna?

Regardless of what Burkes final sentence is, Mondays hearing will provide a coda to the downfall of a political titan.

Burke was one of the last avatars of the old Chicago machine, the son of an alderman and Democratic ward boss who took over those roles after his father, Joseph, died of lung cancer.

He stayed alderman for more than five decades, accumulating power as the head of the Finance Committee and making a name for himself during the vicious Council Wars of the 1980s, when he and fellow now-convicted Ald. Eddie Vrdolyak pushed against Washington, Chicagos first Black mayor, at virtually every turn.

His ambitions to higher office  mayor, Cook County Board president, states attorney, Congress  repeatedly fell short. So he settled in as a City Council stalwart, meticulously dressed in pinstripes and pocket squares, holding forth about Chicago history to anyone who would listen and displaying deep knowledge of procedural minutiae.

Along the way, he became something of a judicial kingmaker, wielding enormous influence over which hopeful attorneys would be slated for the bench.

Among them was his wife, Anne, whom he supported through law school and who ultimately made her way to chief justice of the state Supreme Court. Anne Burke, now retired from the bench, sat in the front row of the courtroom every day of her husbands trial.

Burkes success in politics ran parallel to his success as a property tax lawyer, and his potential ethical lapses drew scrutiny for years. Among them: He admitted to voting on legislation affecting Midway Airport while his firm worked for the airports main tenant at the time, Midway Airlines; he earned six-figure legal fees from a developer whom Burke worked for behind the scenes and who got a $1.2 million subsidy from City Hall; and he once got fined $2,000 by the City Board of Ethics for using improper influence in helping a tax client.

But it wasnt until November 2018, when raiding federal agents put butcher paper over the windows of his City Hall suite, that the criminal consequences became concrete.

A criminal charge of attempted extortion was unsealed just weeks later, in January 2019. While Burke stepped down as Finance Committee chairman, he still easily won reelection in February of that year.

But as the case moved forward, he faced more charges, lost his ward committeeman post, saw his wards boundaries change, and chose not to run for reelection.

As alderman, Burke famously quipped that in Chicago, there were only three ways to leave office, The ballot box, the jury box or the pine box.

In the end, Burke may have stepped down of his own accord. But the jury had its say anyway.

And now, on Monday, its the judges turn.

_____
Serial burglar arrested in Jacksonville Beach after being found in backyard

Brandon Boyd, a serial burglar, was arrested after someone saw him in a backyard, according to the Jacksonville Beach Police Department.

Officers were contacted about a suspicious person in the backyard of a condo complex on 2nd Street North on Sunday.

While investigating, officers discovered Boyd had previously been arrested for burglary to an occupied dwelling/battery, loitering prowling, and exposure of sexual organs.

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According to a news release, police also learned two other incidents had been reported in the same condo complex. Boyd had entered the residences, was immediately confronted, and then left. Police think he got in using locked doors. He once also left behind a tablet which police believe didnt belong to him.

Jacksonville Beach police believe there could be more unreported incidents in the area. You are asked to contact them with any information.

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The city of Kharkiv. Photo: Dmytro Larin, Ukrainska Pravda

A series of explosions occurred in the city of Kharkiv on the night of 22-23 June.

Source: Suspilne Kharkiv, a Kharkiv-related branch of Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne; the map of air-raid warnings issued in Ukraine

Details: Suspilne local reporters noted that the explosions may have taken place outside the city.

An air-raid warning in Kharkiv Oblast had been in effect for almost 17 hours.

Background:

On Saturday, a Russian airstrike on Kharkiv claimed the lives of three people and left 56 more injured, including three children.

A guided aerial bomb hit a 5-storey apartment building.

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Police respond to the scene of a shooting on Friday in Fordyce, Arkansas, before a weekend spate of shootings across US.

Police respond to the scene of a shooting on Friday in Fordyce, Arkansas, before a weekend spate of shootings across US. Photograph: AP

A series of mass shootings rocked the US early on Sunday, leaving at least one dead and 34 others wounded in just four cases reported in New York, Alabama, Missouri and Ohio.

The shootings came amid a broader spate of recent mass shootings, including the one at an Arkansas grocery store on Friday that left four dead and nine wounded  as well as another at a nightclub in Kentucky on Saturday that killed one and injured seven.

The violence brought the number of mass shootings in the US so far this year, as of Sunday, to more than 240  an average of more than one daily, according to the Gun Violence Archive.

The non-partisan archive defines a mass shooting as one in which four or more victims are wounded or killed.

Such a high rate of mass shootings in the US has prompted some public calls for more substantial gun control. But the federal government has generally been unwilling or unable to heed those calls.

The weekends bloodshed came after the US supreme courts decision earlier in June to strike down a federal ban on bump stocks, accessories which can allow a semiautomatic gun to fire as fast as a machine gun.

Following the 6-3 decision from the courts conservative supermajority, Joe Biden condemned the ruling, saying that the decision strikes down an important gun safety regulation.

I call on Congress to ban bump stocks, pass an assault weapon ban and take additional action to save lives  send me a bill and I will sign it immediately, the president added.

Police did not address what kinds of guns or accessories may have been used in Sundays violence. But critics of the supreme courts bump stocks decision maintain that such a ruling does not contribute to the general publics safety.

One of Sundays shootings occurred at a park in Rochester, New York, after one person started firing into a crowd amid an argument. Six people were wounded in the shooting, which occurred at Rochesters Dr Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park.

The victims were a 17-year-old boy, three men who were 18, 21 and 33 years old  as well as two women who were 20 and 25 years old, according to police.

After the shooting, police detained a 38-year-old man and charged him with second-degree assault, second-degree obstructing governmental administration, resisting arrest and second-degree harassment, investigators said.

In Montgomery, Alabama, police and medics responded to reports of a shooting at about 1.45am Sunday. According to officials in the state capital, the shooting occurred at a party in the North Pass area where more than 600 shots were fired.

Montgomerys mayor, Steven Reed, said nine people were wounded and at least four more were injured in the chaos that followed. According to police, the nine victims sustained injuries that were not life-threatening, and three children were among the victims.

City officials also reported that the four other people who were injured included a woman and two men who were hit by a car. The other was a woman who was injured by broken glass, WSFA reports.

Authorities did not name any suspects or immediately release details about a possible motive.

Meanwhile, at about 2.30am Sunday, a shooting in downtown St Louis, Missouri, left a 26-year-old man dead and at least five others injured, including one in critical condition.

According to police, the majority of the victims are in their early 20s, with the local news outlet Fox 2 reporting that homicide detectives believe a fight broke out between a group of women that led to gunfire.

At some point, men became involved and firearms were pulled. At least one firearm was recovered from the scene but its too soon to know if its involved in the shooting, St Louis police said on Twitter/X.

In Ohio, a manhunt was under way after a gunman opened fire at about 2.30am in the 1100 block of North High Street, leaving 10 people  including two teenagers  injured.

According to police, the victims were all male between the ages of 16 and 27. One of them was listed in critical condition, the local news outlet 10TV reported.

In a post on Facebook, Columbus police asked for help in finding a car.

The Associated Press contributed reporting
Ten young men and boys were injured during a mass shooting along High Street early Sunday in the Short North, the third such shooting in Ohio this month and at least fourth since May.

Late Sunday night, police said an adult male turned himself in and identified himself as the driver of a Honda Civic police had been seeking all day Sunday. The car was recovered outside of headquarters, police said.

All 10 victims  eight men 27 or younger and two boys between 16 and 18  are expected to survive, police said. In early reports, police said one victim was transported in critical condition.

The shooting happened around 2:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of North High Street.

Police did not identity the man, but said he was arrested and charged with obstructing official business. They also said detectives are still working to identify everyone involved in the shooting.

Sunday's incident comes three weeks after a mass shooting at a birthday party on June 2 in Akron left 27 people injured and 27-year-old LaTeris Cook dead. Five people were shot in Cincinnati on June 15, but survived.

Bullet holes could be seen Sunday in two storefronts between East Fifth Avenue and East Fourth Avenue. The front window of a third building was shot out.

One of those shop's employees who did not want to be named said blood was on the sidewalk before the rain washed it away. By late Sunday morning, the brunch crowd appeared undeterred from coming to the popular entertainment district and many people were out and about.

Broken glass is seen on the sidewalk from a window that was shot out after a mass shooting in the Short North district of Columbus early Sunday morning. Ten people were injured and all are expected to survive their injuries. The shooting happened in the 1100 block of North High Street around 2:30 a.m.

The property manager of the building where the window was shot out, who did not want to be named, told The Dispatch he fears there's no recourse for violence in the city.

This is a fantastic place. Thats why were down here. I take my kid down here morning, noon and night," he said. "This is a real problem because were not planning on leaving. And the people doing this are not local residences  People causing destruction should be held accountable."

He was upset that police chased and lost the suspect's vehicle. He also called on city leaders to spend more time in some of the city's troubled neighborhoods like the Short North at night.

This is not the first time the Short North has been rocked by gun violence.

On May 6, 2023, two shootings happened in one night that injured 10 people.

A month ago, three people were killed and three others were injured in a mass shooting nearby around where Weinland Park meets Italian Village.

City leaders call violence 'unacceptable'

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said Sunday's gun violence was "outrageous, it's unacceptable and it must stop" in a statement.

"Despite what happened, I want to reassure the community that the Short North is safe, but every neighborhood could be safer," he wrote.

Ginther urged parents to "step up  to know where their kids and teens are, and to enforce a curfew in homes."

Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein also responded in a Facebook post on a Dispatch article.

"We cannot sit back or become numb to the presence of violence in our city," he wrote. "We must do everything we can to protect public safety and keep our residents, businesses and neighborhoods safe from senseless violence."

Columbus City Council President Shannon Hardin said he was "angry and outraged to wake up to another senseless shooting."

"I met with Short North community leaders just three days ago to discuss safety and neighborhood issues," he wrote in a statement. "... We won't allow our neighborhoods to be terrorized by these reckless shootouts."

Hardin also advocated for "common-sense" gun control policies.

Columbus city leaders passed some gun regulations in 2022 banning high compacity magazines and requiring safe gun storage. But those ordinances are on hold while the city battles the state in court. Many state government leaders who oppose gun restrictions have passed state laws that prevent local firearm regulations.

Columbus police are looking for a suspect vehicle after 10 people were shot in the Short North area of Columbus overnight. All are expected to survive.

Witness describes chaotic aftermath

Kurtis Chenoweth, 23, of Cincinnati, and a group of his friends were walking home from a bar after 2:20 a.m. on Sunday. He is the son of Dispatch photographer Doral Chenoweth.

Walking along High Street, Kurtis Chenoweth and his friends walked over shattered glass and came across two different men bleeding on the sidewalk. He said they saw a woman helping one of the gunshot victims by using a tourniquet. The second victim they encountered said he didn't want help.

"We waved down a cop who was driving by and told them there's a man shot here and might be bleeding out, desperately needs care," Chenoweth said. "And then we started to see a ton of cops flying by."

Hattie Cage, 52, right, and her son Dontaye Cage, 33, recount what they saw early Sunday morning. The two are unhoused and were sleeping near the scene of Sunday mornings mass shooting in the Short North. They awoke to the aftermath and recounted the chaos along the 1100 block of North High Street.

Hattie Cage, 52, and her son Dontaye Cage, 33, are homeless and were sleeping a street over when they woke up to sirens.

"We just woke up to a mess around 3 a.m.," Hattie Cage said. She said she saw crime scene tape and officers directing people who were running.

"It's just crazy out here," Hattie cage said. "I think it's a combination of the excessive heat, people smoking weed or alcohol or whatever drug they was doing and just tempers flare."

Cage, who is from the North Side, said, "we didnt have mass shootings here. We never did until recently."

Hattie Cage said she and her son always try to sleep where there are cameras or lights to keep themselves safe. She wanted to reassure her family that she and her son are safe.

Short North residents feel safe during day, fear 'hot and violent summer' at night

Anthony Accetturo, 26, and his girlfriend, Ashley Mast, 28, who lives in the Short North, were walking her dog, Chubby, in the early afternoon. The couple, which heard the sirens overnight, said they feel safe walking around the neighborhood during the day and even on a weekday night.

Once it gets past about 2 a.m. on a weekend, the couple said they wouldn't feel safe walking around the Short North.

"Like my friend says, it's going to be a hot and violent summer, because one, it's hot. Two, prices on everything are going up," Accetturo said.

But Accetturo thinks the gun violence is in some ways inevitable in an urban neighborhood.

"There will always be somebody hotheaded with a gun who decides this is worth it, this is worth killing a guy over," Accetturo said. "It's really just going to happen in these club environments where people feel their manhood is being tested," he said.

Mast said she loves living in this vibrant and walkable community full of arts and fun things to do and hates that the shootings overshadow the neighborhood.

"People who don't live in the Short North really just see it and label it as drinking or gun violence," Mast said.

jlaird@dispatch.com

@LairdWrites

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Short North mass shooting updates: Driver surrenders
Situation in Ukraine's east will remain difficult for at least 1 month, but there will be no Armageddon  Ukraine's intelligence chief

Kyrylo Budanov, the head of Ukraines Defence Intelligence (DIU), predicts that the situation in the east of Ukraine will remain difficult for at least a month, but there will be no Armageddon.

Source: Budanov in an interview with The Philadelphia Inquirer

Details: Budanov was asked whether Ukrainian troops can stop the current Russian offensive in the east of Ukraine, where Moscow is making small but steady territorial advances.

Quote: "The good news is that no Armageddon will emerge. The bad news is that the situation is quite difficult. It will remain like this for at least one month, and will not become easier."

Details: He said that Ukraine will do everything possible to "minimise the Russian successes". However, when asked whether Ukraine would be able to hold the city of Chasiv Yar, Budanov said: "I will refrain from response".

The DIU head believes that the answer to Russia's superiority in terms of personnel is warfare technology, in which Ukraine has become a world leader, replacing people on the battlefield wherever possible with new versions of drones and electronic warfare.

"Technologies will have quite a significant meaning in this war," Budanov predicts.

He also called himself a "fan" of moving the war to Russian territory with the help of long-range UAVs.

"I have been advocating this since the very first days of the war, saying openly that so long as the war is contained on our territory, it will not affect Russia. That is why since spring 2022, we have started to conduct significant operations on Russian territory, and we will go further the more resources we have for this. And Russia has started to feel it," he said.

In other words, Budanov said, Russian leader Vladimir Putin cannot pretend to his people that this war does not affect them any longer.

"It is still not critical for Russia at this stage, but it has led to the situation when the average citizen in the European part of the Russian Federation for sure knows and feels that the war is ongoing and has experienced some of the explosions himself. It influences, even on a small scale now, their morale," the DIU head said.

He also expressed the opinion that the White House's warning to Kyiv not to strike oil refineries makes no sense, as they are a legitimate military target. The attacks may not be able to turn the tide of the war, the intelligence chief admitted, but he believes they could affect the Russian economy "and psychological state", which in turn "affects the military component". DIU has announced that it considers any Russian military target within a 500-mile range to be fair game.

Budanov said that US authorisation to use US weapons to hit Russian fire sources directly across the border would "ease our lives". At the same time, he added that if Kyiv is allowed to use American weapons "to the whole so-called operational depth in Russia that we can reach, of course, it will be easier for us".

The DIU head also sees no point in peace talks, as "we have no option but to get back what was occupied. Otherwise, the state of war will go on forever".

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SLO County beaches could get a bit chilly this week  but summer weather wont be far away

Gale-force northwesterly winds last week produced clear skies throughout the Central Coast with seasonal temperatures.

However, along the coastline, these northwesterly winds triggered substantial upwelling.

The surface seawater temperature at the Diablo Canyon Waverider Buoy dropped as low as 50.2 degrees Fahrenheit last Wednesday and 50.7 on Thursday, the first day of summer. These frigid seawater temperatures combined with the onshore flow kept high temperatures in the 50s along many beaches despite the sunny skies.

For the first part of this week, moderate northwesterly winds, increasing high pressure over the Four Corners Region, and cold seawater temperatures will produce a persistent marine layer along the beaches and large temperature gradients between the coast and inland areas.

The marine layer will develop along the coastline and surge into the coastal valleys during the night and morning with areas of fog and pockets of drizzle through Tuesday as a dry cold front will move slowly southward through Central California. Consequently, many beaches will remain primarily overcast, with highs only in the 50s throughout the day.

Away from the ocean, temperatures will warm to the low to mid-80s in the coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo) and high 90s and perhaps triple-digit levels in the inland valleys (Paso Robles). The Central Valley of California will reach the 100s throughout this week.

Strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds are forecast along the coastline on Wednesday through Friday. These winds will mix out the temperature inversion layer, leaving clear skies throughout San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

Over this period, high temperatures will reach the high 90s in the inland valleys (Paso Robles), high 70s in the coastal valleys (San Luis Obispo), and 50s along the beaches, except for Cayucos, Avila Beach and Shell Beach, which will reach the mid-70s.

Decreasing northwesterly winds, a deepening marine layer, and cooler temperatures are forecast for the following weekend.

Surf report

A 3- to 5-foot northwesterly swell (with an 8- to 11-second period) is forecast along our coastline on Saturday through Monday, increasing to 4- to 6-feet with the same period on Tuesday.

Strong to gale-force (25 to 38 mph) northwesterly winds along the Northern and Central California coastline will generate a 7- to 9-foot sea and swell (with a 5- to 9-second period) on Wednesday through Friday.

Combined with these northwesterly seas, will be 1- to 2-foot southern hemisphere swell (with a 15- to 17-second period) Sunday through Wednesday.

Surface seawater temperatures will range between the low to mid-50s through Tuesday, decreasing to the low 50s on Wednesday through Friday.

On this date in weather history (June 23):

1902: The temperature at Volcano Springs, CA, soared to 129 degrees to set a June record for the U.S. (Sandra and TI Richard Sanders)

1987: A massive hailstorm hit eastern Colorado, causing an estimated $60-70 million damage. At La Junta, Colorado, hail as large as softballs caused $37 million damage. (Storm Data)

2008: The Eastern Pacific High returned to its normal position off the California coast; consequently, the northwesterly winds increased, and the marine layer returned. Temperatures were between 25- and 35-degrees cooler in the coastal regions than the previous days highs.

2021: A strong northerly flowing ocean current combined with the lack of upwelling brought a warmer body of seawater to the California coastline. A week prior, the sea surface temperature was 51 degrees at Diablo Canyon, but on this day, it was 60 degrees.

This weeks temperatures

LOWS AND HIGHS, PASO ROBLES

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 58, 99 58, 97 58, 97 59, 98 59, 97 57, 95 55, 93 52, 92

LOWS AND HIGHS, SAN LUIS OBISPO AND COASTAL VALLEYS

SUN MON TUE WED THU FRI SAT SUN 55, 81 56, 80 57, 81 58, 78 58, 77 57, 78 57, 75 55, 75

John Lindsey is a retired PG&E marine meteorologist. Email him at JohnLindseyLosOsos@gmail.com or follow him on X @PGE_John.
South Bend residents come together to 'ring with harmonies of Liberty' at Juneteenth event

David Smith sang "Lift Up Every Voice," also known as The Black National Anthem, at Saturday's Juneteenth Celebration at LaSalle Park in South Bend.

SOUTH BEND  The crowd in LaSalle Park fell quiet as David Smith sang "Lift Every Voice and Sing," also known as the Black National Anthem, a cappella. Lift every voice and sing.  Ring with harmonies of Liberty, Smith sang, his powerful voice giving attendees of the citys 24th annual Juneteenth celebration a moment of calm before the event began.

The celebration was for Juneteenth, a federal holiday that marks June 19, 1865, the day enslaved African Americans in formerly Confederate states gained freedom. The final enforcement of the Emancipation Proclamation was ordered in Texas on June 19, two years after President Lincoln had originally issued the executive order on Jan. 1, 1863.

To many, including Tania Perry, a Purdue Polytechnic high school student at the event, the holiday is a nod to a broader understanding of American history.

A lot of times we think of the Fourth of July as Independence Day when African Americans didn't really become free until Juneteenth, Perry said.

Verge 'Brother Sage' Gillam helps kick off South Bend's Juneteenth celebration Saturday at LaSalle Park.

Local Black-owned businesses, nonprofits and food vendors set up tents in LaSalle Park on Saturday afternoon to greet community members, share information and sell their products. Prominent members of the Black community in South Bend, such as Gladys Muhammed, who retired from the South Bend Heritage Foundation, and Verge "Brother Sage" Gillam were in attendance. Muhammed performed speeches by Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. Brother Sage led a brief libation ceremony at the start of the event to remember community ancestors. South Bend-area musicians and spoken word poets also performed later in the day.

Cynthia Taylor was one of the small business owners at the event. She was selling a line of coloring books she created, inspired by time spent with her four grandchildren.

A coloring book that has their culture, and kids that look like them  those are hard to find, Taylor said. "And so I figured that if I created it myself, they would see themselves represented in the coloring book."

Cynthia Taylor brought an assortment of the coloring books and journals she designed featuring African American children to Saturday's Juneteenth celebration at LaSalle Park in South Bend.

One of her books, titled The Brown Sugar Chefs 'Soul Food' Coloring Book: African American Women Cooking In The Kitchen, introduces young children to African American culinary traditions.

Taylor has lived in South Bend for 27 years and said that Juneteenth celebrations in the area have evolved over the years as awareness about the holiday has increased.

It was more intimate where you maybe went to a church and families got together to celebrate," she said, continuing, "now different organizations come together in the community, along with businesses and the City of South Bend for Juneteenth.

Mia Diggins was selling body and hair oil she makes from scratch at the Juneteenth celebration. Diggins set up her business after losing her daughter to cancer in 2022. She wanted to create a hair growth oil that would help cancer survivors.

When they go through chemo and they lose their hair, it just weighs on their self esteem," Diggins said. "I wanted to do something for them.

Mia Diggins attended the South Bend Juneteenth celebration at LaSalle Park on Saturday, where she displayed her assortment of natural oils for hair and skin.

Since initially creating the hair growth oil, Diggins expanded into beard oils for men and body moisturizers catered to those with eczema and sensitive skin.

Representatives from several nonprofits were present at the event to promote their community programs and resources. Dismas House, an organization that runs housing and re-entry programs for the formerly incarcerated; the City of South Bend Human Rights Commission and 100 Black Men of Greater South Bend, an organization that provides mentorship and blood pressure screenings for African American men, were some of the groups present.

The free event was organized by the South Bend Chapter of the Indiana Black Expo. Regina Browder-Fleming, a member of the chapter who helped organize the event, said that while Juneteenth was designated a federal holiday in 2021, South Bend is one of the few city governments in Indiana that officially commemorates it and gives employees a day off.

Dancers from Imminence Dance Studio in South Bend perform at Saturday's Juneteenth celebration at LaSalle Park in South Bend.

Browder-Fleming said that to her, Juneteenth is about people of different backgrounds and races in the community celebrating freedom.

It's about everybody coming together," she said, "and being free from whatever they're enslaved to.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: LaSalle Park event marks Juneteenth, anniversary of last freed slaves
Southeastern Grocers Inc. (SEG), the parent company of Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie grocery stores, in partnership with the SEG Gives Foundation, is proud to announce a combined donation of $70,000, along with 7,000 gallons of milk, 7,000 boxes of cereal, and 7,000 bunches of bananas, to seven food banks across the Southeast. This initiative aims to combat food insecurity among families during the summer months.

>>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<<

According to Feeding America, 1 in 5 children in the United States may face food insecurity, relying on school meal programs for their daily nutrition. With the end of the school year, many children lose access to these essential programs, raising concerns about where their next meal will come from.

Anthony Hucker, President and CEO of Southeastern Grocers, said, This donation to our partner food banks reflects our heartfelt commitment to supporting families during the critical summer months. When school is out, many children face the risk of hunger, and families often struggle to put enough food on the table. We recognize hunger doesnt take a summer vacation, and we are dedicated to bridging this gap and ensuring no child goes hungry.

As part of SEGs ongoing commitment to fighting hunger, SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation will provide the following food banks with a monetary donation and breakfast essentials to help combat childhood hunger this summer:

Community Food Bank of Central Alabama

Feeding Northeast Florida

Feeding South Florida

Feeding Tampa Bay

Feeding the Gulf Coast

Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida

Second Harvest Food Bank of Greater New Orleans and Acadiana

SEG and the SEG Gives Foundation are steadfast in their commitment to easing the burden for those struggling to put food on the table. Last year, the grocer donated more than $560,000 and 13 million pounds of food to help alleviate hunger across its five-state footprint.

Those seeking information and resources from their local food bank can visit www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank. For more information on savings, customers are encouraged to stop by their local Harveys Supermarket and Winn-Dixie stores or visit www.harveyssupermarkets.com and www.winndixie.com.

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A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches 22 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla., on Sunday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

June 23 (UPI) -- SpaceX launched a pair of Falcon 9 rockets carrying a combined 42 Starlink Internet satellites into low-Earth orbit.

The first rocket with its 22 orbitals launched from Cape Canaveral in Florida at 1:15 p.m. ET Sunday.

The reusable first-stage booster returned to the drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas in the Atlantic Ocean about 8 minutes after launch. This was the 11th flight of the booster rocket and the 75th time this droneship has been used to recover a first stage booster.

Between weather and technical issues, SpaceX has been facing challenges in deploying this mission since June 14.

It was the 65th SpaceX mission for the year, and the company is on pace for 148 missions, eclipsing last year's total of 98.

SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket with 22 Starlink satellites from Launch Complex 40 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Fla. on Sunday. Photo by Joe Marino/UPI

This is SpaceX's 348th Falcon mission overall, and the company seeks to provide internet service to 3 million people when all of its satellites are deployed.

Nine Merlin engines up and running and liftoff of Falcon 9! pic.twitter.com/mEpxbmxfPG SpaceX (@SpaceX) June 23, 2024

SpaceX launched its second rocket of the day at 8:47 p.m. PT from the Vandenberg Space Force Station in California.

Its 20-satellite payload included 13 satellites featuring Direct to Cell capabilities. SpaceX used its Of Course I Still Love You droneship to retrieve the first-stage booster rocket in the Pacific Ocean.

A Starlink satellite has a lifespan of approximately five years and SpaceX eventually hopes to launch as many as 42,000 satellites. It has been seeking approval to launch more.

SpaceX is scheduled to launch launch a geostationary satellite Monday from Cape Canaveral, weather permitting. This will be the latest in a series of geostationary satellite launches, which sit about 23,000 miles above the Earth and work with other geostationary units to cover the surface of the planet with signal through a process known as 'triangulation.' This launch has been delayed since April.
The Convent of the Poor Clares of Santa Clara de Belorado, near Burgos in northern Spain - Cesar Manso/AFP

Spains Catholic Church has excommunicated a group of 10 nuns after they refused to renounce their allegiance to a rebel former priest.

The sisters, who live in a 15th-century convent in Belorado on the St James Way pilgrimage route near Burgos, said last month they no longer recognised rule by the Vatican and claimed they were being persecuted over a real estate deal.

The cloistered nuns, who belong to the Poor Clares order and were famed for the sweets they made, including a mojito-flavoured confection, aligned themselves with a renegade priest, considered a heretic by Church authorities.

The nuns, led by their mother superior, Sister Isabel de la Trinidad, said they no longer recognised the authority of Pope Francis or the Spanish Church hierarchy and swore allegiance to Pablo de Rojas Sanchez-Franco.

The sweets and pastries made by the nuns that are sold in a supermarket in Belorado - Cesar Manso/AFP

Mr Sanchez-Franco is a controversial figure, himself excommunicated due to his support for sedevacantism, a movement that considers the papal chair is in fact vacant as all popes since Pius XII, who died in 1958, are heretics.

It is very painful to hear the mother superior say that the pope is a usurper, said the archbishop of Burgos, Mario Iceta, who on Saturday took the decision to excommunicate 10 of the 16 sisters from Belorado. Six nuns were spared as they were considered too vulnerable to be banished from the support of the Church.

Archbishop Iceta excommunicated Mr Sanchez-Franco in 2019. He has since formed the Devout Union of the Apostle Saint Paul, which he calls the true church of Christ.

The sisters no longer recognise rule by the Vatican and Pope Francis - Alberto Lingria/Reuters

Mr Sanchez-Franco is a follower of the ultra-conservative Opus Dei Catholic organisation. He has described Spanish dictator Francisco Franco as our undefeated leader.

The rebel nuns had been called to an ecclesiastical court accused of schism, but the deadline for their appearance expired on Friday.

In a fax sent to the archbishops office, the nuns reaffirmed their unanimous and irrevocable decision to leave the official Church, and said any penalty imposed on them had no legitimacy.

Sister Isabel de la Trinidad informed the Church that the sisters had agreed to pay 1.2 million euros (1 million) to buy and renovate a property for their future use. To raise funds, they wished to sell into private hands an abandoned Poor Clares convent, but the Church blocked the move, saying the property was legally bound for religious use.

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Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "deja vu" as "the feeling that one has seen or heard something before."

It's happening all over again. Just as signs for candidates running in our New Hampshire first-in-the-nation presidential primary of this past January have either been removed, smashed by slow plows, stolen as souvenirs, or otherwise met their end, batches of new signs are going up.

Jim Splaine

Another election is coming soon, this one for nominations by the Republican and Democratic parties for their statewide Sept. 10 primary. That's when voters select nominees to face off against one another in the Nov. 5 election, just 19 weeks away.

Yes, 19 weeks away. Scary.

We've already seen some television advertisements. More are coming, as well as mailings hitting our homes, and all those phone calls. If you're a real person instead of a robot, you'll likely also be asked for a donation.

You might even get a call from a pollster, though I'm still waiting for one.

While most who donate to candidates don't want or expect anything in return, some will and do. That's why it's important that as voters, we follow the money. Many candidates just accept whatever's coming their way, and therein lies part of the problem. They get hooked by cash. We've seen that happen too often, certainly in Washington.

The news media frequently treats campaign fundraising totals as a badge of honor for candidates. Headlines of "who's on first '' stories are written about which candidate is raising the most funds, with only casual mention about where that funding comes from. Supposedly, raising lots of dollars indicates popularity.

Consequently, candidates will take almost any contribution they can get. That's an incentive for even more fundraising, with few dollars rejected.

A challenge for news media

To make good political choices, we need lots of information. The news media usually does a decent job asking candidates about their positions on issues of the day.

But not always. Too often candidates just take standard positions with lots of words mixed together that don't tell us much. In one-to-one debates we hear what some consultant or focus-group came up with for the candidate to say. And sometimes they all sound alike.

But what if more news reporters ask a simple question: "Where do you get your money?" If reporters go beyond that and research campaign finance summaries, reporters can tell us even more. They just have to ask because even non-answers tell us something. Lies or deflection tell us more.

Secrets may come out  secrets the candidates would rather not be widely known.

If it becomes more of a liability to candidates and campaigns as to where their money comes from, there will be more conscience, and ethics, applied as to who takes what and how much from which source. News media can tell us that.

Our job as voters

Unfortunately the U.S. Supreme Court a dozen years ago with its "Citizens United" decision allows non-disclosed money to be spent on behalf of candidates. That leaves us, as voters, having an especially difficult job to do. We have to be smarter.

Even skeptical. Certainly at least suspicious.

In addition to what news reporters can find out, how about we ask questions about where candidates get their money? When we see them on street corners or at a forum, let's ask them. It's our right to know.

Lots of special interest organizations, corporations, businesses and large contributors give money to favorite politicians. Let's ask why they do that, and what the candidate will do to repay them.

This applies across the political divide Democrats, Republicans, other parties and independents  all of them. Our questions might surprise the candidates, and their answers might surprise us.

How far does "one hand washes the other" go?

Just follow the money

Visit the website "OpenSecrets.org" It's a wealth of information, pun intended. Fun, too

Today's quote: "Politics isn't about big money or power games. It's about the improvement of people's lives." - Minnesota U.S. Sen. Paul Wellstone. A leading Democratic progressive, Wellstone served over 10 years and visited New Hampshire while considering running for president. He could have been great. He died in a plane accident in October 2002.

Next time: Thinking about after me.

Variously since 1969, Jim Splaine has been New Hampshire state senator for six years, representative for 24 years, Police Commission and School Board member, Portsmouth assistant mayor for 12 years and city councilor for 18 years. He can be reached at jimsplaineportsmouthnh@gmail.com.

More: Here are NH elections to watch in 2024 as governor, Senate, House, council fields are set

More: NH 2024 primary races for US House set: Who's taking on Pappas? Who will replace Kuster?

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Splaine: Just follow the money in 2024 elections
Shurita Thomas-Tate was elected to the Springfield school board in April 2020. She was re-elected in 2023 and is currently the longest-serving member.

A month before the Springfield school board publicly discussed the ethics violation of Shurita Thomas-Tate, a fellow board member cited "public outcry" in asking if she was going to be reprimanded by the governing body.

"Following the public input and publicity, are you censuring board member Tate?" board member Steve Makoski wrote in a May 13 email to board officers. "We've not heard a word from board leadership."

In a follow-up email May 27, Makoski asked that the matter be placed on the agenda of the next board meeting  which was June 11  and it was.

"Our board at that time can determine how to address this matter as the public requested to include censure should a vote prevail to do so," he wrote to board president Danielle Kincaid and vice president Judy Brunner.

The motion to censure was never made but the June 11 board discussion, which lasted an hour, took different turns. There were questions about "self-dealing" and allegations that other members had slipped up on campaign finance and public disclosure reports.

There were also questions about the role of the board to enforce its own policy compared to the broader authority of the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Steve Makoski

From the start of the discussion, Makoski sought to draw comparisons between the ethics violation of Thomas-Tate  which involved not filing required reports  and a situation in February 2023 involving board member Maryam Mohammadkhani, who was removed as vice president days after allegations were raised about her behavior during a student event.

"What I wanted to actually create here is a contrast and a comparison of what happened in 2023 to today where we actually provided a board member the opportunity rather than blindsiding a board member, which I think shows our growth and our development as professionals on this board," Makoski said at the meeting.

"Yes, there was an outcry on both situations and the public needed to hear."

Makoski and board members Maryam Mohammadkhani and Kelly Byrne called on Thomas-Tate to answer for what happened. Kincaid, Brunner and new member Susan Provance acknowledged the violation but noted the matter was investigated and settled by the Missouri Ethics Commission.

"This board needs to show that we are aboveboard," Makoski said.

The MEC ruled in mid-March, as part of a consent order, that Thomas-Tate violated state statute and district policy by failing to file financial disclosure reports for 2020 and 2021. She was ordered to pay a fine, file required reports, and comply with state statute and board policy.

J. Michael Hasty, with the Queen City Watchdog group, had a press conference in February 2023 calling for school board member Shurita Thomas-Tate's resignation and alleging a conflict of interested with the nonprofit Ujima Language and Literacy.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint filed by J. Michael Hasty in early 2023, when Thomas-Tate was in a hotly contested race for reelection, which she narrowly won.

Thomas-Tate, an associate professor at Missouri State University, founded a nonprofit called Ujima Language and Literacy. In the complaint, Hasty alleged she had not adequately disclosed her relationship with the nonprofit, which has received money from Springfield Public Schools, or recused herself from votes.

Her role with Ujima and her votes on Ujima-related agenda items were not mentioned by MEC as a problem  only the failure to file the reports. However, the MEC does not investigate some parts of complaints if they are filed too close to the election.

Hasty and his group, the Queen City Watchdog, have repeatedly criticized Thomas-Tate, calling on her to step down and saying she was "unfit" to serve.

Hasty made an unsuccessful bid for Springfield City Council and picked up a packet to run for school board but did not get enough signatures to appear on the ballot. He is currently running to represent District 135 in the Missouri House against incumbent State Rep. Betsy Fogle.

His group posted a video in early 2023 showing Thomas-Tate stands for the Pledge of Allegiance in board meetings but does not say the words. Part of that video was later used in a political attack ad on KYTV, paid for by the SWMO Forward PAC, that accused Thomas-Tate of hating "American values."

Thomas-Tate referred to the MEC complaint filed by Hasty as "a witch hunt."

"I've looked on his (Queen City Watchdog) website and the things written about me on that website is a witch hunt. It is not just he's concerned about the nonprofit and the money," she said. "No, they have said some horrible things about me on that site."

'Other members who made mistakes'

In starting the June 11 discussion, Makoski argued the board has a role separate from the MEC to ensure its policies are followed. He referenced policy BFA, which outlines board member ethics, and policy BBFA about board member conflict of interest and financial disclosure.

Provance questioned if a separate board discussion was warranted.

"When the Missouri Ethics Commission settled the situation, to me, that was the highest point we take it to. In essence, the are the Supreme Court in issues like that so when they cleared it, I felt it was fine," she said. "I'm comfortable with the settlement decision."

At the April 9 meeting, new Springfield school board member Susan Provance listens to a speaker.

Provance said she does not want to be part of a situation where it appears one person is being targeted.

"If it is so deemed that one person should be scrutinized then I think that maybe we all should held accountable for our positions, our stances, our words that could be misinterpreted or could be correctly interpreted as in violation of what a board member should do," she said.

Makoski noted there had been "more than 20 emails" from the public, media coverage, and interest from talk radio in the ethics violation.

"I thought it would important that we provide advance notice that way Dr. Tate could actually address any concerns that maybe the public might have and that the public can hear," he said.

Brunner said many of the emails sent to the board used the same language.

"They all had a very familiar ring to them, which made me wonder if it wasn't a coordinated effort," she said, adding: "I don't know that to be the case."

Judy Brunner

She also questioned allowing local talk radio chatter to influence the board agenda. Makoski has been a guest host on KWTO and both Mohammadkhani and Byrne have been guests.

"As far as talk radio is concerned, that is irrelevant to me," she said. "I respect the people who listen to it. I respect the people that do the broadcasting but ... if any of us here are going to be sensitive in terms of what radio says about any of us or let that drive our agenda here at the board meeting, I think that's a mistake."

Brunner noted Thomas-Tate was "not the only board member" who has missed a reporting deadline. Kincaid then went into more detail.

"I'm not excited that we're up here throwing stones but here we are and we know the verse," she said.

Kincaid said she cannot find personal financial disclosure forms for some board members, which must be filed annually, and others were late or contained errors. She said there are members who serve on the boards of local nonprofits that also receive funds from the district.

She also alleged that as candidates, members failed to put "paid for" information on campaign signage.

"I have made missteps. I have done things that ... could probably be couched as somehow violating board policy," she said. "I admit that. I think we all have."

A couple of board members asked for more details on those alleged infractions.

"From what I've found there are other members who made mistakes on their personal financial disclosure forms and I do intend to notify them personally of the mistakes that I've found ... and then allow them to fix them," Kincaid said. "I am not going to file an MEC complaint against them."

Kincaid, who made the motion in early 2023 to remove Mohammadkhani as vice president, rejected the comparison with the ethics violation of Thomas-Tate.

"There is a difference between a board member who has created a nonprofit in our community to increase ... literacy and a board member who interrupted an educational situation in our community," she said.

Thomas-Tate said she felt the requested discussion of her ethics violation "was an orchestrated effort to get tit-for-tat for what happened ... with Maryam in 2023."

"These two situations are not congruent. Mine was investigated. It came to a conclusion. I rectified the conclusion. It was all public record. It was reported in the paper. There is no additional information beyond that," she said.

Questions about 'self-dealing'

Several board members asked Thomas-Tate to explain why she repeatedly said she had not benefited financially from Ujima. A 2021 tax form filed by the nonprofit showed she was paid $2,963 for that calendar year.

She issued a statement at the time but spoke about it it more detail at the meeting.

More: 'Watchdog' organizer seeks apology, reprimand of SPS board member over undisclosed payment

"Yes, I did get less than $3,000 from Ujima in 2021 after the pandemic when I couldn't hire anyone to work because of COVID," she said.

She said in addition to what the nonprofit was able to raise privately through grants and donations, the district gave $1,000 in 2021, $2,000 in 2022, $3,000 in 2023, $5,000 in 2023 and are slated to receive $6,500 for 2025.

"The increase is related to the fact that we went from serving about 15 kids to now when we have 60 kids that we serve and I hire high schoolers and paid them to be camp counselors," she said, noting that except for that one year, "I still don't get paid."

Maryam Mohammadkhani

Mohammadkhani said she asked for access to the district's legal counsel because she had a question about "self-dealing," which is part of policy BBFA. She also asked Thomas-Tate to recuse herself from any future votes involving Ujima.

"This is about maintaining the integrity of this board and its operations," she said.

She said her questions about "self-dealing" are broader than this situation.

"I want legal counsel involved because I have a concern ... under self-dealing which has to do with board members accepting gifts. All of us  well, maybe not all of us, I don't know about you Mrs. Provance  but the rest of us have, at some point, accepted gifts from vendors who we do or attempt to do business with," she said. "So I would like that looked at again."

'Best of intentions with Ujima'

Amid all the back-and-forth, board members signaled strong support for Ujima and appreciation for Thomas-Tate's role in creating the nonprofit.

The program promotes literacy in children through family reading events and summer camps.

Thomas-Tate said she founded the program in 2015, initially as a way to provide a hands-on learning experience for the graduate students in her school-age language and literacy course. The first literacy fair at the Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center was poorly attended.

Rebekah Fewell reads to her children Vivian, 2, and Julian, 3, during a Ujima program meeting at the Bartley-Decatur Neighborhood Center on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2017. Ujima is a community-led literacy effort that is run with the help of volunteers and several community partners.

To improve attendance at the next event, they knocked on doors to invite families. Thomas-Tate also paid for pizza and materials.

"I told my students in order for us to get traction in this community, we have show them that we're here to stay and we are not just here to benefit from them. This is a mutually beneficial relationship," she said. "That is what Ujima is, it is a Swahili word that means collective work and responsibility. We work together to solve each other's problems."

The first partner was the Springfield NAACP but then other community groups, and the school district, got involved to support the work.

Thomas-Tate said she eventually created the nonprofit and a board was formed to oversee the program. "My board started to raise funds and started to get grant money and we had two board members, in particular, who put in some substantial amount of their own money."

Kelly Byrne

In his opening statements, Makoski praised the creation of Ujima. "It serves our people, our kids, well. It helps these kids become better readers."

Brunner said: "Ujima is an organization that is, at its heart, trying to help kids read better and that, to me, says everything."

Byrne said he wanted to make clear his issue is not with Ujima.

"I think Dr. Thomas-Tate has 100% of the best intentions with Ujima and everything she does and everything around this matter, I think intentions were pure and I think that I do admire and respect what she does with Ujima and giving of her time and resources to help educate kids," he said. "I think that's very admirable. Intentions don't always lead to the right choices, though."

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Springfield school board doesn't seek censure of Shurita Thomas-Tate
Motorcycles and their riders were blessed at St Patricks Cathedral this afternoon

They have God on their side as they ride.

St. Patricks Cathedral hosted the first Motorcycle Blessing ever in its 145-year history on Saturday.

We basically shut down six highways, three bridges and Midtown Manhattan and we arrived on a long train of motorcycles, retired NYPD Sgt. Steve Cataneo, who teamed up with Joseph Imperatrice, co-founder of Blue Lives Matter NYC, to organize the event.

The Motorcycle Blessing took place on Saturday afternoon and was held at St. Patricks Cathedral for the first time this year. Robert Miller

The morning began with a charity motorbike run for the families of fallen officers, which started at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ and ended at St. Pats, and was fully police escorted from beginning to end.

Participants gathered inside St. Pats for a prayer service for active and retired police officers and first responders and then headed outside for the blessings of their bikes.

Father Andrew King blessed the crowd lined up on West 51st Street and their motorcycles parked beside them with holy water, and some bikers did the sign of the cross in reverence.

The money raised from the riders registration fee along with any donations they received, went towards Blue Lives Matter, a nonprofit organization created to help law enforcement officers and their families, and a portion was also donated to St. Patricks.

Participants gathered inside St. Pats for a prayer service for active and retired police officers and first responders and then headed outside for the blessings of their bikes. Robert Miller

Father Andrew King blessed the crowd lined up on West 51st Street and their motorcycles parked beside them with holy water, and some bikers did the sign of the cross in reverence. Robert Miller

Im a retired police sergeant, so I know what cops go through and their families, said Cataneo, a member of a New Jersey chapter of the Punishers Law Enforcement Motorcycle Club.

So it means a lot.
State of Texas: We are disappointed, Attorneys consider new petition asking Texas Medical Board to clarify abortion guidelines

AUSTIN (Nexstar)  The attorneys who originally petitioned the Texas Medical Board to clarify their guidelines on Texass abortion law are considering petitioning the board again.

Amy and Steve Bresnan are unhappy with the Texas Medical Boards new rules, unanimously approved on Friday morning, which offer further guidance on the conditions under which doctors can legally perform emergency abortions in the state.

We are disappointed, Amy Bresnan said. We dont think that doctors will feel any more comfortable providing abortion care where its necessary under the statute, which means that women are not as safe as they were, before or after these rules were adopted.

The new rules will require physicians to complete documentation explaining how and when they decided to perform an abortion, within seven days after giving a patient an emergency abortion under the states near-total ban on the procedure.

If a womans life is in danger there is no uncertainty there, said Texas Medical Board President Sherif Zaafran, M.D. That is where action should happen quickly.

The guidelines annnounced at the meeting removed some provisions that required doctors to document if they tried to transfer a patient to another doctor or facility to avoid the abortion. But the Bresnans said the board did not get rid of the provision altogether.

They took that out of the documentation part and put it over into the part of what a disciplinary panel should consider, Steve Bresnan explained. Thats an upgraded, if you will, standard. Its a lot less of a being implied as it is being made more substantive and direct. Thats moving backwards.

The Bresnans see that as a significant change that should have kept the board from approving the guidelines.

We do think that this rule is required under statute to be republished because there were substantial changes and under under statute that means that they have to give the public notice and seek comment, Amy Bresnan said.

After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, Texas was one of 13 states where abortion bans were automatically instated. Texas trigger law prohibits all abortions except under limited circumstances, such as a life-threatening condition to the mother caused by the pregnancy. Physicians who perform an abortion outside of these circumstances could be subject to a sentence of up to life in prison and at least a $100,000 fine for each offense.

Pressure around clarifying the law started growing after a group of women sued the state over its abortion law, saying they were denied abortion access in Texas, despite having pregnancy complications that risked their lives or the life of their baby.

In May in the same lawsuit, Zurawski v. Texas, the Texas Supreme Court upheld that the medical exceptions in Texas abortion ban are sufficiently broad, and do not require doctors to allow their patients to approach death before intervening.

The Zurawski opinion, in particular, set a very high standard that the state has to prove, in order to punish a doctor who performs an abortion, Steve Bresnan said. And its basically that no other reasonable physician would have arrived at the conclusion that the womans life was threatened. Thats an extremely high standard. But the medical board today through its comments indicated that its treating these like any other garden variety, medical malpractice claim. Its not.

Under the guidelines, a doctor who performs an emergency medical abortion could be penalized after board review if they did not obtain a second opinion from another doctor and attempt to transfer the patient to another hospital or physician.

Its a long, dark road for doctors and women and for families who are wanting to grow their families and have more children, Amy Bresnan said. We are considering petitioning the medical board with regard to rebuttable presumption language, which would basically codify Zurawski, which, of course, we think, should be in the rules that were adopted today.

The Bresnans said they petitioned the TMB for immediate relief for women with life-threatening pregnancy complications because the legislature was not in session.

The TMB published new language in late March to clarify possible exceptions.

The proposal in March included a series of definitions for terms like reasonable medical judgment, medical emergency, and major bodily function. It also clarified that removing an ectopic pregnancy is not an abortion.

In the previously published guidelines, the TMB says that an abortion may only be performed in compliance with all provisions of the Texas Health and Safety Code. The physician must also document that the abortion was performed due to a medical emergency where the woman faced a significant risk of severe impairment or death, providing evidence that abortion was the only viable option to preserve her life.

The Texas Medical Board consists of 12 physicians and seven members of the public who the governor appoints. One member is an OB-GYN.

Bipartisan bill would protect kids from AI deepfakes

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) announced a bipartisan bill Tuesday targeting pornographic photos posted online without a persons consent.

The TAKE IT DOWN Act, if passed, would treat real photos and photos created using artificial intelligence the same way. It would also require social media companies to unpublish those photos within 48 hours, Cruz said.

We deliberately borrowed the legal mechanism from copyright law and applied it here, Cruz said. If you put online a scene from the Lion King, thatll get pulled down immediately.

The Texas Senator said one of his constituents, Elliston Berry, inspired him to introduce this bill.

Berry, a 15-year-old, said she was a freshman in high school when a pornographic image of her circulated. She said someone created the image using artificial intelligence.

He didnt take someone elses nude images and put their faces on them. Instead, he took their actual bodies, using AI, to make the images look more real, said Anna McAdams, Ellistons mom.

McAdams said she tried to contact Snapchat to get the photo taken down. They didnt respond, McAdams said. Thats when she called Cruzs office, she said.

These images are child pornography, Cruz said.

Cruz, Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) and 11 other senators representing both parties cosponsored the legislation. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said on Tuesday the bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act was among his priorities targeting AI imagery.

Were going to look for a way to move those bills forward, Schumer said.

Snapchat said it doesnt allow pornography of any kind on its platform and said it has built-in protections to prevent people from creating AI-generated imagery on its app.

Texas active shooter alert system has yet to be activated, DPS says

An alert system meant to notify people of active shooter situations was not activated in the wake of a deadly shooting at a Juneteenth event in Round Rock, law enforcement confirmed to KXAN investigators.

Two people died and 14 others were injured in the incident, sparked by a fight between two groups at the event at Old Settlers Park on Saturday night, Round Rock police said.

On Friday, KXAN obtained an arrest affidavit saying the first suspect, Ricky Thompson III, admitted to firing shots at the celebration. Additionally, police said a male juvenile suspect was taken into custody Friday and then transported to the Williamson County Detention Center.

Turn yourself in: Round Rock police chief has message for suspect in deadly shooting during Juneteenth celebration

A spokesperson for the department said it did not try to activate the Active Shooter Alert System at the time of the shooting because it determined the incident did not meet the criteria required by Texas law for activation.

In fact, the Texas Department of Public Safety said it has yet to receive a request for the systems activation since its creation in 2021, despite its stated goal of saving lives and preventing mass violence.

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Representative Brooks Landgraf (R-Odessa) filed legislation to create the system in the wake of a mass shooting that killed seven people and injured 25 others in Odessa in 2019.

It is designed to alert people near active shooter situations through their phones, as well as local broadcast media, the electronic signs on state highways known as dynamic message signs and other resources. The idea was to model the warning system after other emergency alerts, such as those used to notify people of abducted children (AMBER Alerts), missing seniors (Silver Alerts), or when members of law enforcement are critically injured (Blue Alerts).

Law enforcement agencies have to request the Active Shooter Alert Systems activation, and the incident must meet several specific criteria:

An active shooter is in the requesting agencys jurisdiction

There is a determination that an Active Shooter Alert would assist individuals near the active shooters location

Verification exists of the active shooter situation through a preliminary investigation by the requesting agency

The active shooters last known location is identifiable

Texas Representative Vikki Goodwin told KXAN she believes it is tragic that the system is not being utilized.

We pass laws to make people safer. This one in particular to let people know if there is an active shooting event going on so they can take precaution, Goodwin told KXAN. Nobody was aware that this shooting was going on. Some people said they thought it was fireworks, at first, but then they saw people running. So, I think it would have been helpful for an alert to go out.

Goodwin said she believes there is an increased need for public awareness in cases where the suspect has not been apprehended. She first spoke out about the use of this system in December 2023, after a suspect allegedly shot and killed several people in different locations across Travis and Bexar Counties.

At the time, Austin police said they did not request the Active Shooter Alert System because the situation was not an active shooting event.

A spokesperson said, This was a series of events which took place in several different locations across the city with various or unknown motives and no specific commonality. It is not common practice for APD, or any other law enforcement agency, to issue any sort of alert for every shooting that happens in their jurisdiction with an unidentified shooter.

Shooting Spree: Decision-making process behind issuing emergency alerts for shootings in Austin

Goodwin said she met with DPS and APD to discuss how to use it better, but she did not really see any appetite for doing that.

She has heard concerns from law enforcement that people might be inundated with alerts and then become numb or desensitized. However, she feels there could be more narrow parameters or guidelines around when the system is activated.

We get a lot of AMBER Alerts, and so we feel like, Oh my gosh, another amber alert. But yet, that one alert at the right moment for the right person might save a life, so why not.

Texas cities, congressman consider hospital safety changes after KXAN crash investigation

The crashes at hospitals keep coming  and now, following a KXAN investigation, more Texas cities and a member of Congress are looking at ways to stop them.

A crash through the front window of a health center in Kentucky happened just four days ago. Two other wrecks at medical facilities  in Pennsylvania and Ohio  occurred in just the past month.

A car crashed into a Lexington, Kentucky health center on June 14 (Courtesy WDKY)

Theyre now part of a growing list that includes more than 340 similar crashes across the country in the last decade, according to data KXAN compiled from the Texas Department of Transportation and the Storefront Safety Council.

KXANs ongoing analysis has uncovered even more crashes here in Texas. The list has grown to nearly 100 incidents involving Lone Star State medical facilities in the last decade, including crashes in Austin, College Station, Friendswood, Navasota and Weslaco.

A car crashed into a medical office building at a hospital campus on May 30 in Toledo, Ohio (Courtesy WTVG)

A car crashed into a hospital structure in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on May 21 (Courtesy WPXI)

KXAN shared our investigation  prompted by a deadly crash at St. Davids North Austin Medical Center on Feb. 13 that injured five people, including two toddlers  with more than 50 state lawmakers and a dozen cities with prior medical facility crashes. In response, Austin, League City, Navasota and College Station are now considering policies that could require hospitals to install security barriers, called bollards, to stop cars from driving through.

A map of cities looking into bollard ordinances following KXANs reporting (KXAN Graphic/Wendy Gonzalez)

These types of crashes are surprisingly common due, in large part, to drivers in distress coming very close to unprotected ER entrances, according to building crash expert Rob Reiter. He co-founded the Storefront Safety Council, which has tracked nationwide incidents for more than a decade.

The immediate aftermath of the Feb. 13 crash at St. Davids North Austin Medical Center (Courtesy Diane Warmoth)

You have increased risk, by virtue of drivers who are not in the best of condition at the time theyre approaching, Reiter said. And if you have set people up to be aimed at your door, because thats where you want them to come, dont be surprised if vehicles, from time to time, dont stop.

Authorities believe some of the crashes we found  in California, Connecticut and Florida  were intentional.

This is very interesting, League City Mayor Nick Long told KXAN, after we sent him a copy of our investigation. We had not considered adding a requirement for bollards but I will have staff look into it.

Yes, we would be willing to consider looking into this with input from City Council and our community, said Navasota spokesperson Taylor Hughes, following a crash at a Baylor Scott & White medical facility in that city in January.

Austin City Councilmember Mackenzie Kelly plans to bring forward a resolution, based on KXANs investigation into safety measures following the St. Davids North crash, at the July 18 council meeting.

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I had several productive conversations today with my colleagues and that is moving forward, Kelly said on June 10. The resolution would direct the city manager to look at the land development code to see where there are places that could be amended to include that as a safety measure on any new hospital builds.

A dozen bollards installed after the Feb. 13 crash at St. Davids North Austin Medical Center (Courtesy Howry, Breen & Herman)

St. Davids  one of the largest health systems in Texas  is accused of gross negligence for not having bollards at its North Austin Medical Center, according to a lawsuit seeking more than $1 million filed last month by the family of four seriously hurt after being run over inside the ER lobby.

Per St. Davids HealthCare policy, we do not comment on issues related to pending litigation, a statement read.

Following Februarys deadly crash, St. Davids North installed seven bollards outside its ER entrance. Five more were added to the same area after KXANs investigation.

St. Davids would not say if its new, or existing, bollards are crash-rated  an important distinction, our investigation found, because they can otherwise be useless at stopping a vehicle.

The hospitals former CEO, Tom Jackson, retired on March 20  just over a month after the deadly accident. KXAN reached out to Jackson for comment but did not hear back. St. Davids said his retirement was unrelated to the February incident.

On June 6, the hospital announced Jeremy Barclay would take over as its new CEO. For the past seven years, Barclay served as CEO of St. Davids Round Rock Medical Center, where he oversaw a $53 million expansion project.

St. Davids North Austin Medical Centers new CEO Jeremy Barclay (KXAN File)

That facility was one of 34 Central Texas hospitals KXAN visited in March and April. We found 18 hospitals had bollards, nine had partial coverage and seven  including the Round Rock Medical Center ER  had none. However, its Surgery Center/Womens Center, which has a different entrance, had at least eight bollards in front.

Another hospital, Cedar Park Regional Medical Center, installed at least one bollard after KXAN reached out with questions. It said it planned to add more, citing a commitment to maintaining a safe environment for our patients, employees, physicians and visitors.

We requested to interview Barclay but, so far, have not heard back. He took over the new position on June 10.

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Jeremys knowledge of our market and healthcare system, combined with his demonstrated success in managing hospital operations and building positive stakeholder relationships, makes him well-prepared to take on this new role, St. Davids HealthCare President and CEO David Huffstutler said in a press release touting Barclays new position.

KXAN traveled two hours east of Austin to the home of College Station Councilman Bob Yancy. He watched our investigation and is now considering requiring bollards at new hospitals in his city.

A truck crashed through the ER entrance at College Station Medical Center on Aug. 7, 2017. (Courtesy KBTX)

Thats an issue I just had no idea the severity of until I saw your reporting, Yancy said.

Crashes have happened in his city before  twice.

In 2017, a truck drove through the ER doors at what was then called the College Station Medical Center.

The hospital is now affiliated with St. Joseph Health. During a recent visit in June, KXAN counted 19 bollards across two entrances. A spokesperson said it would take time to research what happened and when bollards were installed since we did not own the facility at the time of the incident mentioned.

A SUV crashed through the ER entrance at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station on Jan. 29. (Courtesy KBTX)

Days before the fatal crash at St. Davids North Austin Medical Center, a woman drove into the ER lobby at the Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station on Jan. 29.

In a phone call with KXAN, the driver, who was not arrested, said she was suffering from a medical episode at the time and had driven to the hospital to get help.

Not intentional and not intoxication, she said. It was medically related.

That is the same hospital where Yancy was the inaugural chairman of the board and had served for almost a decade from 2013-2022. He is no longer affiliated with the hospital but called his time there a wonderful, fulfilling experience that he still holds in high esteem.

Excerpt from January 2024 Baylor Scott & White College Station crash report. It notes the car was able to push a large stone (barrier) to the side. (College Station Police Photo)

Why werent there bollards there? KXAN investigative reporter Matt Grant asked.

Thats a good question, Yancy said. Its just not an issue that ever really occurred to me. And I think, in a lot of ways, this is how public policy evolves. I think you have good investigative journalism that brings to light a significant safety issue.

College Station Councilman Bob Yancy watches KXANs report (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)

Nearly six months after that crash, his former hospital has still not installed bollards. Instead, its using the same stone blocks as barriers  even though they were proven to be ineffective since the car was able to push a large stone to the side, according to a College Station police report.

I now know from your research and that of Texas Transportation Institute, Texas A&Ms TTI, theyre inadequate to the cause, Yancy said. Only through a properly engineered bollard can vehicles be stopped and these injuries and our fatalities be avoided.

If I had the benefit of your reporting when I was serving as chairman of the board of our local hospital, he added, this, I guarantee you, would have been a topic of discussion.

The city hall building where a bollard requirement discussion could soon take place, it turns out, is surrounded by them.

College Station City Hall surrounded by bollards (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)

As more and more cities look to make changes on a local level to improve hospital security, that momentum could lead to broader safety changes, experts said.

I think it helps tremendously, Reiter said. If you have multiple cities in a given state who start doing their own ordinances, states get a little nervous about that and theyd like to standardize it and make sure everybodys on a level playing field.

I think, without question, itll have an impact on the state level, he added.

St. Davids previously said it will work with policymakers to ensure compliance with any new laws if they are passed. That sentiment was also echoed by Ascension Seton, another large healthcare provider in Central Texas.

Baylor Scott & White Health did not answer any of our questions, including why its College Station medical center does not have crash-rated bollards, or if any of its other hospitals do.

Baylor Scott & White Medical Center in College Station (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)

Baylor Scott & White takes the safety of our patients, visitors and staff seriously, a statement sent to KXAN read. We have a number of safety protocols and traffic safety measures at our facilities throughout Texas. We appreciate the open dialogue as we continue our efforts to keep those visiting our facilities safe, and we look forward to working with elected officials.

I want to thank you for what I believe is a public service that you, Matt, and your team have done with this story, Yancy said.

The changes that College Station and Austin are considering will likely only apply to new hospitals, according to Yancy and Kelly.

But, what about existing facilities?

Experts said a lack of awareness and cost are barriers to making changes.

KXAN reached out to FEMA, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Homeland Security to see if there are any federal grants that could help pay for physical security upgrades to harden hospitals and other vulnerable critical infrastructure since some of the crashes were intentional.

St. Joseph Health College Station Hospital, formerly College Station Medical Center, now has 19 bollards across two entrances. (KXAN Photo/Matt Grant)

FEMA said it does not provide any type of grants for bollards for private hospitals. There is a Nonprofit Security Grant Program through FEMA that provides physical and cyber security enhancements to non-profits that are at high risk of a terrorist or extremist attack. Eligible organizations specifically include medical facilities but exclude for-profit hospitals. Applicants can apply for $150,000 per site, up to a maximum of $450,000 for three separate locations.

HHS has grants to help hospitals with disasters and public health emergencies but the money cannot be used for construction or major renovation, according to the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity. Funding, or any federal action, could require Congress getting involved.

Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, said he is not aware of any grants for security upgrades at private for-profit hospitals. But he thinks they, not taxpayers, should pony up the cost.

As the very name entails, these are for-profit enterprises, Doggett said. And, some of them, have very substantial profits that should be sufficient to pay for safety issues like this to protect their customers, their patients.

Installing 20 crash-rated bollards at an ER entrance can carry a price tag of around $30,000, according to the McCue Corporation, which makes bollards for companies across the country, including hospitals, and recently invited KXAN to watch its products get crash-tested at TTI.

U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett at KXANs office (KXAN Photo/Richie Bowes)

Doggetts office has been closely tracking our series. In an interview with Grant last week, Doggett said our reporting identified a serious problem that he was not personally familiar (with)  until you made these reports. The day after our interview, on June 11, he sent a letter with a link to KXANs investigation to the General Services Administrations Regional Administrator overseeing Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and New Mexico. In his letter, Doggett asked the GSA, which is responsible for federal facilities, to ensure government buildings  such as Veterans Affairs hospitals and smaller facilities like Social Security offices  are properly protected.

Doggett said he wants to ensure adequate safety measures are installed at all locations providing federal services and is absolutely committed to that.

Read Rep. Doggetts letter to GSADownload

A recent tragedy at St. Davids Hospital in Austin, brought to my attention by the in-depth investigative reporting of Matt Grant at KXAN, resulted from a car driven into a hospital emergency room  These troubling incidents have increased calls for action to require the installation of safety bollards or posts to prevent vehicles from crashing into buildings. With growing security concerns in recent years, I would anticipate that federal buildings have such protection, Doggetts letter said.

Doggett cited the Storefront Safety Councils research, which has tracked around 30,000 crashes in the past decade at privately owned buildings. Based on its research, the SSC estimates there are more than 100 incidents at commercial buildings every day with 6,000 injuries and more than 2,600 fatalities per year.

1 dead after stolen 18-wheeler crashes into Texas DPS building

This suggests to me a concern that should be raised about federal facilities to ensure that theyre safe, he said. Not just for those in the building as government employees, but for all who approach them  to be sure were providing adequate protection to all those who use those federal facilities.

The congressman now wants to know if any buildings used by federal agencies in this US region lack safety bollards or similar safety measures to prevent crashes.

I think your report is really important, Doggett told Grant. And I will pursue (this) with GSA as a result of your report.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin.
State workers returned to offices last week amid an outbreak of Legionella, a bacteria that can cause mild to severe lung infections, was found in water at a midtown Sacramento state office complex yards from the Capitol.

The discovery, first reported by CalMatters, was announced ahead of the first day of the states derided return-to-office plan, where government employees are mandated to work from the office at least two days a week instead of full-time at home.

An email sent out June 14 alerted employees located in five buildings that make up the East End Complex on Capitol Avenue that Legionella had seeped into the water infrastructure. The buildings contain offices for the California Department of Education, California Department of Public Health and the Department of Health Care Services and can hold up to 6,000 employees.

No illnesses have been reported, a California Department of Public Health spokesperson said in a statement.

The email arrived three days before many state employees returned to the complex for the first time since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the email, the Department of General Services tested the East End Complex of buildings for traces of the bacteria from October to March. From these samplings, it found positive results for Legionella, which if unchecked can trigger Legionnaires disease, a severe form of pneumonia. The proliferation of the bacteria is often caused by stagnant and warm water in everything from air conditioners and associated cooling systems to hot water tanks and regular taps.

However, the department said that Legionella pneumophila, a strain that causes more than 90% of lung infections, was not present in any tests, according to a statement sent to The Sacramento Bee.

SEIU Local 1000, the union that represents 96,000 state workers, demanded immediate action for what they called a recurring issue.

We are deeply concerned that the East End Complex building in Sacramento has tested positive for Legionella bacteria, said Irene Green, the vice president of bargaining for the chapter. This is not the first time weve encountered this issue in a state building.

Over the years, the union said it has dealt with a number of similar concerns, but Green did not recall any member ever falling ill or suffering from complications related to Legionella. The union demanded more information and a thorough disinfection process and said they may push for more remote work options or greater access to clean water if the situation worsens.

DGS, which operates state-owned buildings, has already taken steps to stop the bacteria from spreading, it said. Since February, it has made temperature adjustments to the contaminated water and disinfected fixtures, and continues to conduct daily flushes of the complexs pipework.

The California Department of Education confirmed in an email that these precautionary measures were underway and they have been informed that there is no present health risk to staff.

Since Legionella is present in nature, getting rid of Legionella completely from any building water system is unlikely to occur, the email to state workers conceded.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no safe level of Legionella in water, but a positive test is not necessarily indicative that people will contract Legionnaires disease, which is contracted when bacteria from the water becomes airborne.

It becomes an issue when humans inhale water droplets or mist containing Legionella. Those who contract the disease can fall ill with two types of lung infections, Legionnaires disease or Pontiac fever. The bacteria is typically not transmitted from person to person.

According to the CDC, most healthy people exposed to the bacteria do not fall sick and only 10% of those who contract Legionnaires die due to complications.

The East End Complex buildings remain open and operations there continue, officials said.
Pharmacist George Tadross takes care of a customer at MAC Pharmacy in Cleveland in May 2024. Insurance companies, and the pharmacy benefit management companies that handle prescriptions for them, often refuse to cover a specific drug until after the patient has tried cheaper alternatives, a process known as step therapy. Sue Ogrocki/The Associated Press

Cassidy Yermal, 32, began experiencing debilitating migraines when she was 17 years old. As a teenager growing up in northeastern Pennsylvania, she saw numerous neurologists and tried a variety of medications before finding one that provided relief.

In 2022, her new insurer asked her to prove it.

Yermal now lives in Marlboro, Maryland, where shes a sales representative at a furniture store. She is married and receives health care coverage through her husbands employer. In 2022, their new insurer told Yermal that it wouldnt pay for her medication unless she tried several less expensive drugs first  or could prove that she already had.

I was like, I dont know why theyre asking for this documentation now. My other insurance company didnt ask for it, Yermal told Stateline. It was really frustrating to me to have to dig up the kind of things that I knew didnt work.

Millions of Americans have experienced similar frustrations under protocols known as step therapy, or fail-first policies. Insurance companies, and the pharmacy benefit management companies that handle prescriptions for them, often refuse to cover a specific drug until after the patient has tried cheaper alternatives. Insurers argue that step therapy  taking drug treatment one step a time  prevents wasteful spending by directing patients to less expensive, but still effective, treatments.

But patient advocacy groups and physicians say doctors, not insurers, are best qualified to know which drug or treatment is likely to be most effective. Delaying the implementation of that decision, they say, often harms patients.

At least 36 states  including Maryland, where Yermal lives  have laws that are supposed to limit insurers use of step therapy. But most only apply in certain cases, and enforcement has been spotty. Most important, states do not have the power to regulate the self-funded insurance policies that large employers typically offer to their workers  and 65% of Americans are covered that way.

Only Congress has the power to curb the use of step therapy in self-funded plans; a bill that would do just that is pending on Capitol Hill. In the meantime, legislatures in several states, including Illinois, Kentucky and New Mexico, this year approved measures designed to close loopholes in their step therapy laws and extend protections to more people. The Kentucky and New Mexico bills are now law.

The Illinois measure, which is awaiting the signature of Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker, is especially far-reaching: It would ban any insurers regulated by the state, including Medicaid, from using step therapy. But because states cant regulate self-funded insurers, many Illinois residents wouldnt be covered.

Knowing that our hospitals have hundreds of employees on staff just to deal with the insurance companies really says something, Democratic state Rep. Anna Moeller, chief sponsor of the bill, told Stateline. Nobody should be turned away in the middle of a mental health crisis or spend months potentially failing on other drugs while the doctors know they wont work. No one should have to go through that.

Illinois Democratic state Sen. Laura Fine, another sponsor of the bill, acknowledged that forcing large insurance companies to abide by the ban would be a challenge.

Our Department of Insurance is going to have to come in. This is where we are going to have to make rules. How do we make sure that these laws are being carried out as written? she said.

Nevertheless, Fine said, the ban almost certainly would be a huge improvement over the current step therapy law in Illinois. That law is so weak, she said, that for most people subjected to step therapy rules, you could complain about it, but there was nothing that could be done about it.

Now, were saying, No, this is not [allowed], Fine said. And so, you can complain about it, and something can get done.

In Maryland, Yermal had to wait two months for her insurer to approve her preferred migraine medication, Emgality, which has no generic form and can cost more than $700 for the once-a-month dose. During that time, she suffered pounding headaches; it was hard to live my life, and it was hard to do basic things, she said.

She also said that taking medications that dont work can have long-lasting effects. More than a decade later, she said, she is still feeling the impact of her time on a migraine drug that didnt help her.

I still cant think straight. I used to be a really fast learner and pick up on stuff really quickly, Yermal said. I took that medication over 10 years ago and I still feel that I never recovered.

Increasing use

Insurers argue that by preventing excessive spending, step therapy yields savings for consumers in the form of lower insurance premiums and less expensive prescriptions for everyone on the plan.

James Swann, a spokesperson for AHIP, a trade group formerly known as Americas Health Insurance Plans, said step therapy protects patients from potentially harmful or unnecessary care, and that legislation to restrict it would lead to clinically inappropriate care and could raise costs for all consumers and purchasers.

Swann also suggested that insurers have a holistic perspective on the health care system that even doctors lack.

But Dr. Jack Resneck, former president of the American Medical Association, rejected that idea.

I would make an argument that physicians who have gone to medical school and have the patients entire medical record can help keep patients way more safe, Resneck said. [Insurers] are often recommending things to me that are frankly unsafe.

He added: Is it true that we have seen some drug prices go up astronomically? Absolutely. The solution is to fix drug pricing. Its not to tell patients that the drug theyve been on thats been great for them is one they cant be on anymore.

Recent research suggests that the use of step therapy by insurance companies and pharmacy benefit managers is increasing  and that it is often divorced from clinical evidence.

In a study published earlier this year in the journal Health Affairs, researchers looked at about 10 years worth of Medicare Part D plan data and found that insurers increasingly imposed restrictions on patient access to medications. They did so through step therapy, requiring doctors to get insurers permission before prescribing a drug, or by excluding drugs from coverage.

The percentage of drugs restricted by the policies increased from 32% in 2011 to 44% in 2020.

While plans justify the use of these tools as a means to control costs, restricting access to an increasing number of drugs raises concerns that these policies may adversely affect patients health, Geoffrey Joyce, chair of the Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Economics at the University of Southern California and an author of the study said in an interview.

A study published in Health Affairs in 2021 found that 17 of the largest commercial health plans applied step therapy policies about 40% of the time for treatments related to 10 diseases. The researchers found that there was wide variation among the companies use of step therapy, and that the policies requirements often departed from clinical guidelines. The protocols were more rigid than clinical guidelines at least half the time for patients with hepatitis C, multiple sclerosis and psoriatic arthritis. For psoriasis, the step therapy protocols were stricter more than 99% of the time.

James Chambers, an associate professor at the Tufts Medical Center Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy Studies and an author of the study, told Stateline that the inconsistency maybe raises a red flag about how these protocols were developed and for what reason.

From experience, we see very different step therapy protocols across plans for the same drugs for the same uses, Chambers said. Its not just subtle differences, but impactful differences for patients.

Current laws limited

The loopholes in existing state laws  and the fact that the laws dont apply to people with the most common form of insurance  frustrate patient advocacy groups. Dozens of them have been involved in lobbying for tougher state rules and the stalled federal bill.

We have a ton of inflammatory arthritis and autoimmune patients in our network. And this population typically has to undergo step therapy, which causes major delays in treatment, said Zoe Rothblatt, director of community outreach at the Global Healthy Living Foundation, which advocates for patients with chronic diseases such as migraines, arthritis, osteoporosis and psoriasis.

Patients can spend a lot of time  months  in pain, not able to work, Rothblatt said. They could have disease progression.

Joyce said it wont be easy to further restrict the use of step therapy, either at the state or the federal level. He noted the country is spending more than $4 trillion annually on health care, and the reason its so hard to change things is because that money is somebodys income  whether its yours, or a doctors or a pharma companys.

And the health care companies, he said, dont want reform.

They all fight it tooth and nail, and they all have lobbyists in Washington fighting for their interests, he said.

Kaye Pestaina, vice president and director of patient and consumer protections at KFF, a health research organization, said innovative approaches to regulating insurance companies are more likely to occur on the state level, and that civil lawsuits are a powerful enforcement tool.

States are really where the action is on health care. Changes and reforms depend on the state, Pestaina told Stateline. The state law says how much the civil penalty is, what the circumstances are, when a government investigates, what makes something a violation and what doesnt.

Fine, the Illinois senator, said the measure set to be signed by the governor is evidence of a growing legislative appetite to regulate insurers, a change that is shifting state government.

I feel our Department of Insurance now is very consumer-focused, Fine told Stateline. For a long, long time, everything was sort of slanted towards industry. And now, you know, the scale is kind of changing. And were slanting towards, How is this helping the consumer?

Yermal, meanwhile, says shes doing fine now, although she still suffers from some headaches. Shes happy she can at least get the medication she needs to deal with them, she 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 X.

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Hired security personnel wait for voters outside the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office on Nov. 3, 2020 in Tallahassee, Florida. (Photo by Mark Wallheiser/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON  The federal government has sought to bolster election security for years through a popular grant program, but the wildly fluctuating funding levels have made it difficult for state officials to plan their budgets and their projects.

Rising misinformation and disinformation about elections, often fueled by conspiracy theories, as well as threats against election workers, make the grants especially important, according to elections officials.

But U.S. House Republicans are seeking to eliminate funding for election security grants  known as Help America Vote Act, or HAVA grants  in this years appropriations process, a move they unsuccessfully attempted last year as well.

We continue to unnecessarily risk the very integrity of our elections and American democracy, Georgia Democratic Rep. Sanford Bishop said Thursday during committee debate on the funding bill.

Bishop, a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee, said he was concerned about the outdated and the insecure voting systems around the country that pose a very, very serious threat to our national security and to our democratic system.

It is irresponsible to ignore the wake-up call, Bishop added. Our nations election systems are currently and constantly under attack by foreign actors that are threatening our democratic values.

The bill was approved by the GOP-led House Appropriations Committee with no money in it for the grants.

Gideon Cohn-Postar, legislative director at Issue One & Issue One Action, said during an interview with States Newsroom that while the grants have traditionally been bipartisan, several factors have affected backing for the program in recent years.

It remains something that many Republicans in both the House and the Senate support, Cohn-Postar said. But its also been caught up, I think, in some of the false information about elections that began to spread in 2020.

Former President Donald Trump, now the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has continued to falsely claim that the 2020 election was stolen.

Issue One writes on its website that the organization strives to unite Republicans, Democrats, and independents in the movement to fix our broken political system and build an inclusive democracy that works for everyone.

Grant funding decreases

Congress approved $55 million in election security grants during the last appropriations process, which wrapped up this spring. That action came after the Republican-controlled House, which proposed zero dollars, conferenced with the Democratic-controlled Senate, which had proposed $75 million in funding.

That final funding level was a decrease from the $75 million that Congress approved in both fiscal 2023 and fiscal 2022.

Congress didnt approve any election grant funding in the annual appropriations bill during fiscal year 2021. However, that followed lawmakers allocation of $425 million in the prior years bill as well as an additional $400 million in one of the COVID-19 emergency spending bills.

Cohn-Postar said that several states have sought to make their HAVA grants last more than one year by spending less than they receive, or saving the money up for bigger projects.

Louisiana, for example, hasnt spent any of its election security grant funding since 2018, in preparation for overhauling its election system. New Hampshire passed a state law that collects the grant funding in an endowment and then only spends a portion of that each year.

But that careful budgeting and uncertainty about how much grant funding Congress might provide in the next year has led federal lawmakers to look at states use of the grants skeptically, Cohn-Postar said.

The key thing weve come across  is about half of the states have only spent about half of their HAVA grants, Cohn-Postar said. And that gets brought up in every conversation that Congress has about these grants. They say, Hey, why should we appropriate more if you havent spent?

Congress, he said, sometimes uses states careful, thoughtful budgeting as an excuse to not give them money.

Republicans in Congress are also looking to reduce federal spending overall and have made cuts throughout many of the dozen annual spending bills, including the Financial Services bill, which includes the HAVA grants.

Incredibly important in Maine

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows said during an interview the grants have been incredibly important, especially in the absence of sustainable elections funding from the federal government.

We have seen the rapid evolution of cybersecurity threats and threats against election infrastructure over the last several years, Bellows said. As the threats evolve, so must our preparedness. The election security grants are fundamental to our ability to make investments in improvements in our central voter registration system and cybersecurity protections for that system.

Congress inability or unwillingness to create a predictable, stable funding program for states to administer federal elections is unfortunate, she said.

We are very proud that Maine has always enjoyed safe, free and secure elections, Bellows said. But make no mistake, the lack of sustainable ongoing federal funding is a potential vulnerability in the future.

Washington state Elections Director Stuart Holmes said in an interview he plans his annual budget around not getting HAVA election security grants and is pleasantly surprised when Congress does provide the funding.

Through my entire career, theres only been two rounds of HAVA that were significant investments into elections, Holmes said. So its a great surprise to get an extra million dollars at the beginning of the year. But it does make it pretty much impossible to prepare and plan for anything if you have to spend it.

The grants dont expire at the end of the fiscal year and the federal government doesnt claw back unspent funding, allowing the states to take different approaches to how they use the money.

Holmes said during his interview with States Newsroom that the funding approved in fiscal 2020 allowed the state to create an entire team of cybersecurity professionals to be dedicated to protecting our infrastructure.

In the state of Washington, we have a centralized voter registration and election management system, and never before had we had dedicated election professionals that are watching the logs, preparing our system, testing our system and collaborating with other professionals to do testing, Holmes said. So were in a better position than weve ever been.

Even so, he said, local election officials would certainly look forward to a stable funding source from the federal government as it relates to federal elections.

New Hampshire election fund

New Hampshire Secretary of State David M. Scanlan said when Congress passed the HAVA program in 2002, it told states the funding was primarily to set up a statewide voter registration database, ensure every polling place had accessible voting equipment, provide poll workers with training and set up voter education programs.

The New Hampshire Legislature at the time told the secretary of state to use the initial allocation from Congress to meet the requirements, but then to establish an election fund with the remaining money.

Originally, the secretary of state could use one-twentieth of the total funding in the account for annual costs of maintaining the federal mandates, but that is currently one-twelfth of the total amount in the fund.

New Hampshire has been doing a good job with the money that we have, but theres no question that the funds have helped us put in place security measures for our electronic systems, Scanlan said.

The state, he said, has used its federal election security grants to hire vendors that specialize in keeping the electronic systems safe.

When New Hampshire set up a new voter registration database, the state used the funding to ensure none of the software included anything nefarious.

Weve really been making sure that the systems that were building are clean and that theres not something malicious lurking in the shadows, Scanlan said. Weve taken some really good steps that give me real confidence that our systems are in good shape.

Advocating for consistent, reliable federal funding

JP Martin, deputy communications director for the Arizona secretary of state, declined States Newsrooms request for an interview with the secretary of state, offering only to provide written responses to questions on HAVA election security grants.

Martin wrote in an email that fluctuating levels of federal funding have significantly impacted our strategic planning and budgeting.

The uncertainty of future allocations compels us to be cautious with expenditures, focusing on priorities such as enhancing physical security measures for voting equipment, Martin wrote. For instance, securing equipment in cagesnow requires a liftgate-equipped truck due to their increased weightdemonstrates the challenges of managing technological and budgetary constraints under limited HAVA funding.

Congress declining to provide election security grants in the future could significantly strain Arizonas election infrastructure, he wrote.

Currently, the state is under a hiring freeze, and our focus remains on supporting counties, especially with the recent changes such as the date of the primary and legislation extending ballot curing to weekends, Martin wrote. We are prioritizing increased cybersecurity training and advocating for consistent, reliable federal funding to ensure the smooth administration of elections, emphasizing the necessity of sustained financial support from Congress.

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UPDATE: Child abducted in El Paso has been found safe

UPDATE: A statewide AMBER Alert for an abducted child in El Paso has been discontinued and the child has been found safe, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. No other details were released at this time.

The original alert went out at about 7 a.m. Sunday and the alert was discontinued at about 9.

EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A statewide AMBER Alert has been issued for an abducted child in El Paso.

The El Paso Police Department is looking for a missing 6-month-old child identified as Thomas Gallardo Jr. The child was last seen shortly before midnight on Saturday, June 22 along the 700 block of Karl Drive, according to the statewide alert that was sent out.

Missing child Thomas Gallardo Jr.

Suspect Thomas Gallardo

Truck they are believed to be in

The child was last seen wearing a red Jordan onesie with black spots and he is not wearing socks or shoes.

El Paso Police are looking for 28-year-old Thomas Gallardo in connection with the abduction of the child.

Police say the child was taken during an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect was last seen wearing a black sweater, blue jeans and white shoes.

The suspect is believed to be driving a blue 2007 Chevrolet Silverado with Texas license plates LWR5358.

They were last seen in El Paso.

Law enforcement officials believe the child to be in grave or immediate danger.

Anyone with information regarding this child abduction should call 911. You can also contact the El Paso Police Department at (915) 212-4068 or to remain anonymous you can contact Crime Stoppers at (915) 566-TIPS (8477)

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
New study underscores alarming consequences of wildfires: 'All too often we're overlooking these mental health impacts'

New evidence suggests a connection between wildfires and mental health, as medications treating conditions like depression and anxiety increased after these events.

What's happening?

Medical Xpress reported on a study from researchers at the University of Washington that found an uptick in prescriptions to treat depression and anxiety or to stabilize mood in the six weeks following wildfires.

The team used prescription data, commercial insurance claims, and pharmacy records. The research was focused on California, zooming in on the impact of 25 large wildfires across the state from 2011 to 2018.

Though many studies look at the physical impacts of wildfires, very few focus on the mental health impacts, according to the authors.

"All too often we're overlooking these mental health impacts," lead author Zack Wettstein said, per Medical Xpress. "There are a lot of vulnerable groups of people and these fires have substantial mental health impact(s) we need to prepare for."

Why is this study concerning?

As our planet continues to overheat, we can expect to see longer and more severe wildfire seasons, according to NOAA. It's already gotten so bad in California that one major insurance carrier decided to stop offering new policies in the state.

But it's not just California that will feel the impacts of wildfires in the coming decades  according to one group of researchers, even regions that have been relatively safe from these natural disasters will need to start preparing for them as global temperatures continue to spike. One study estimated that more than 125 million Americans will be exposed to at least one day of unhealthy air quality  largely due to increased wildfires  by mid-century.

Meanwhile, wildfire smoke isn't the only air pollutant that's been tied to mental well-being. For instance, air pollution in China has been correlated with higher suicide rates among older people.

What's being done about wildfire smoke?

One way to help curb the health impacts associated with increasingly devastating wildfire seasons is to reduce our dependence on planet-heating energy sources such as natural gas, oil, and coal.

To that end, cities across the globe are implementing more planet-friendly policies to cut down on pollution. For example, New York City will require all Lyfts and Ubers to be electric vehicles by the year 2030. Plus, Tokyo is requiring most new buildings to have solar panels, and Los Angeles outlawed gas power in all newly constructed buildings.

You can pitch in by signing up for community solar, getting an induction stove, or installing solar panels of your own.

Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the coolest innovations improving our lives and saving our planet.
SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY)  James Danny Buie was appointed as Chief of Police starting Monday, July 8.

Suffolk City Manager Albert S. Moor II announced Buies appointment Friday after a nationwide search, taking in community feedback. Buie currently serves as interim police chief, a position he has held since October of 2023. He has served the Suffolk Police Department for 27 years.

Buie was hired by the Suffolk Police Department in September of 1996, and served in several different roles throughout the years. In 2017, Buie was promoted to the rank of Deputy Chief (Major) of Criminal Investigations until he was named interim chief of police in 2023.

Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com.
SUNSET BEACH, N.C. (WNCN)  Just as the first week of summer gets underway, things have been busy at the North Carolina coast  with a reported shark bite, an alligator scare and more than 150 water rescues amid dangerous rip currents.

Summer began on Thursday and since then much of the coast has been under a red flag warning for a high risk of rip currents. There were 152 rip current rescues along New Hanover County and Carteret County beaches starting Wednesday and continuing through Saturday  with more than 70 at Carolina Beach, the National Weather Service said.

But the activity at the coast wasnt limited to rip current water rescues. On Tuesday a man was sent to an area hospital after a shark bite at an island beach in Brunswick County, near the South Carolina border.

Photo by Sunset Beach Police

The incident, which was initially reported as a shark bite, happened just before 11:25 a.m. Tuesday in the surf at Sunset Beach.

A 20-year-old man was swimming on the eastern side of the island near 11th Street when he was bitten on the lower leg and was immediately taken by Brunswick County Emergency Medical Services to a hospital, according to Sunset Beach Police Department.

Police later said a cut on the mans leg was caused by some sort of sea life but could not confirm it was a shark bite.

On Wednesday  nearly a half mile off the coast of Oak Island  crews had to rescue two youths on a paddle board who had drifted out to sea, officials said.

Oak Island Water Rescue and the U.S Coast Guard were involved in the rescue around 3:35 p.m. which involved getting the pair back to the Brunswick County island. East to West longshore currents and offshore winds forced the pair about 2,000 feet off the beach, according to the Oak Island Fire Department.

A drone flew out to the pair who were far off Barbee Boulevard. The youths communicated with the device using the camera and a speaker on the drone, the Oak Island Fire Department said.

On Thursday  also at Sunset Beach  an alligator lurking under a car frightened folks at a Mexican restaurant, police said.

The alligator was only 5 feet long but the animals head looked menacing sticking out under a car, according to the Sunset Beach Police Department.

Photo courtesy: Oak Island Fire Department

Wildlife crews and police were called Thursday afternoon to Las Palmeras Mexican Restaurant on Chandlers Lane, near the Food Lion in Sunset Beach.

When the officers arrived, the alligator was tucked under the vehicle with his head peering out from the drivers side door, blocking access to the vehicle, police said.

Crews and police managed to get control of the gator out of concern for the safety of the vehicle owner and move it to a nearby pond, according to police.

Never approach an alligator or allow children near them. Alligators can move very quickly over short distances, Sunset Beach Police said.

Photo by Sunset Beach Police

As the weekend was underway, red flag and high rip current warnings continued along many North Carolina beaches on Saturday. There were 152 rip current rescues from Thursday through Saturday in New Hanover and Carteret counties, the National Weather Service reported.

The total water rescues for Wednesday and Thursday in New Hanover County was 20 at Kure Beach, 14 at Wrightsville Beach and 35 at Carolina Beach, the National Weather Service reported. Four total rip current rescues were reported at Atlantic Beach in Carteret County on Thursday and Saturday.

On Friday and Saturday, there were 38 water rescues at Carolina Beach, 21 at Kure Beach and 10 at Wrightsville Beach, the National Weather Service told CBS 17 Saturday.

Oak Island Water Rescue photo

Dangerous rip currents were reported Saturday from Cape Hatteras to Surf City. The National Weather Service also reported rip currents in Pender and New Hanover counties.

Saturday, the National Weather Service in Wilmington told CBS 17 that the forecast for dangerous rip currents in New Hanover County and Brunswick County was likely to diminish for the rest of the weekend.

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An exasperated Elena Kagan reached her conclusion: A majority of her colleagues on the U.S. Supreme Court offered not a whit of respect for the findings of the trial court in a racial gerrymandering case stemming from South Carolina.

The justice presented her assessment in a searing dissent last month. She made clear the 6-3 conservative majority not only cast aside a long-held standard for reversing such decisions of trial courts. It also made much more difficult the task of challenging the use of race in redrawing congressional and state legislative district lines.

Retired Editorial Page Editor Michael Douglas.

The majority opinion, written by Justice Samuel Alito, even suggests the real problem isnt racial gerrymandering. Rather, he argues that lawsuits against such discrimination are a greater threat, amounting to weapons of political warfare or risking political apartheid.

Such thinking turns civil rights law on its head.

To say the high court has encountered turbulence of late understates its troubles, most notably on the ethical front, Clarence Thomas accepting big gifts from Republican donors and the Alito household flagging its partisan bias. I wrote recently about the conservative majority taking up matters that do not rate as either a case or controversy ripe for its attention, opening the way to policy-making or scoring ideological victories.

This South Carolina gerrymander case highlights another concern  a majority with little regard for the record, or facts, as appropriately gathered by the trial court. In essence, the majority contends: We know better.

The question at the core of the South Carolina case was whether the state relied on racial data to reconfigure a U.S. House district. Everyone agreed the Republican legislative majorities wanted the district to lean more their way. To do so, they needed to move residents across district lines.

How were those residents selected? If the mapmakers targeted Democrats, that would pass muster. What isnt permitted under the Equal Protection Clause is relying mainly on racial data to achieve a partisan purpose.

Did South Carolina focus on Black residents or just Democrats?

A panel of three federal judges conducted a nine-day trial to find an answer. They built a voluminous record, including testimony from political operatives and statistical experts. They weighed the credibility of witnesses as trial judges are well placed to do. In the end, they concluded that South Carolina relied primarily on racial data. They struck down the new map.

As Justice Kagan recounts, those challenging the map mounted the stronger argument. That edge took shape in the evidence. For instance, the mapmakers were highly experienced in the use of racial data. More, the software provided mapmakers with an immediate read on the racial makeup of a district.

Most compelling, the statisticians revealed how the use of political data alone could not account for the partisan precision of the map, to the decimal point, as Kagan put it. As it is, a Black voter in South Carolina is more likely to vote for a Democrat in the next election than someone who voted for a Democrat in the last election.

Thus, Kagan notes, the single best thing the mapmakers could do to increase the Republican profile of the district was exclude Black voters.

How did Alito and his colleagues get around the record? They ignored it, and in taking such a course, they jettisoned precedent.

Ordinarily, in such cases, the Supreme Court must give the trial court significant deference, its decision reversible only for clear error. Where did the three judges plainly fall short? The majority skips past the requirement.

Instead, Alito invents a new standard. He argues that deference actually goes to state lawmakers. They deserve the benefit of the doubt, or a presumption of acting in good faith. He warns that to do otherwise risks unduly accusing lawmakers of offensive and demeaning conduct.

The ruling is breathtaking, both as out of touch and imperious. The court somehow deems state lawmakers trustworthy in a realm where they are most self-interested  redistricting. Plus, South Carolina carries a long history of racially driven voter suppression.

This isnt the first time this court has abandoned the record. Congress performed its own exhaustive fact-finding in renewing the Voting Rights Act with huge bipartisan majorities. In 2013, a court majority disdained the effort. The court gutted a key and successful provision that placed guardrails on states with such histories. Its 2010 Citizens United decision on campaign financing reflected the same, launching our era of corrupting dark money.

Add to the list more recent rulings involving affirmative action and public prayer, the work of the trial court hardly a factor as the majority pushed to assert its will. And some justices wonder why the court has a legitimacy problem? Thats what happens when ethics slide, and the record gets dismissed.

Michael Douglas was the Beacon Journal editorial page editor from 1999 to 2019. He can be reached at mddouglasmm@gmail.com.

Michael Douglas: Other states have moved away from extreme gerrymandering. Cant Ohio?

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Conservative majority on Supreme Court casts aside standards
The Supreme Court is set for an enormous week.

With just days left until the justices self-imposed deadline of finishing their opinions by the end of June, they have yet to release decisions in 14 argued cases this term.

The courts remaining opinions are set to have profound impacts, but chief among them is a decision on whether former President Trump has immunity from criminal prosecution.

Cases implicating Jan. 6 defendants, social media regulation and the power of federal agencies are among the litany of issues that remain. The court expects to release the next batch of opinions Wednesday.

Here are the five biggest decisions still unresolved as the Supreme Courts opinion season reaches its peak.

Trumps immunity claims

Do former presidents have criminal immunity for official acts while in the White House?

For months, Trump has delayed his criminal trial in Washington, D.C., on charges he conspired to subvert the 2020 election by appealing his claims that he is protected by presidential immunity.

Lower courts have rejected his assertion, but the Supreme Court at oral arguments appeared inclined to carve out some immunity for former presidents, though perhaps a shield less extensive than Trumps lawyers desire.

That outcome would send the immunity battle back to a lower court. No matter how it shakes out, it would likely aid Trump in delaying his trial until after the election, when he hopes to win the presidency and halt his prosecutions.

Even if the justices completely reject Trumps presidential immunity theory, it remains unclear if his case will proceed to trial before November.

With the clock ticking, some observers have criticized the justices for not further expediting their decision, though the court did schedule Trumps appeal faster than a normal case.

With no decision yet, the courts final potential days of opinions overlap with the first presidential debate, scheduled for Thursday night.

Jan. 6 obstruction charge

Was the Justice Department proper in charging more than 300 Jan. 6 defendants with an obstruction charge?

Another case stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot stands to disrupt the Justice Departments prosecution of rioters who stormed the Capitol where the certification of the 2020 presidential election was underway.

One rioter, Joseph Fischer, challenged an obstruction law used against him and hundreds of others in the attacks aftermath. Fischer argued that the charge  which criminalizes corruptly obstructing, impeding or interfering with an official government proceeding  was improperly applied to the rioters given its origin: the Enron accounting scandal.

The justices appeared wary of the governments use of the charge during oral arguments.

Siding with Fischer could upend many rioters already established sentences. Though most also faced other felony counts, 50 rioters were sentenced with the obstruction law as their only felony, according to U.S. Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar.

A ruling in favor of the rioters could also lend credence to claims by Trump and his allies that the Justice Department overreached in its prosecution of the attack. Trump has vowed to consider pardoning some rioters.

And, it could undermine the Justice Departments narrative that the Capitol riot was an attack on American democracy.

Biden social media contacts

Did the Biden administration coerce social media companies to remove false or misleading content in violation of the Constitution?

A challenge to the Biden administrations efforts to curb misinformation in the wake of the 2020 election and COVID-19 pandemic could upend how the federal government communicates with social media platforms about false and misleading content.

Two Republican attorneys general contend that federal officials violated the First Amendment by coercing social media companies to remove content that the government deemed potentially dangerous.

The Justice Department has warned that, if the justices side with the states, it could limit their ability to address matters of public concern, prevent national security threats and relay information. But during oral arguments, the high court seemed to lean toward siding with the government.

Florida, Texas social media laws

Can the government tell social media platforms how to moderate content without running afoul of the First Amendment?

Laws in Texas and Florida regulating social media bans have placed the rights of social media companies on the line.

At the heart of each case are efforts to prevent social media platforms from banning users for their political views, even if they violated platform policies. Detractors of the laws, like the tech industry groups challenging them, say they step on private companies First Amendment right to editorial discretion.

If allowed to stand, the laws would transform online speech by essentially eliminating unique content moderation decisions that set platforms apart, potentially chilling competition between small- and medium-sized companies.

It could also increase the amount of hateful, inappropriate or incorrect content online, over hesitance to moderate material on their platforms.

Federal agency power

Should courts defer to a federal agencys reasonable interpretation of ambiguous laws?



On Tuesday, a Supreme Court precedent bolstering federal agencies ability to regulate wide aspects of American life will mark its 40th anniversary.

When the justices return to the bench Wednesday, they may put it on its death bed.

The doctrine, known as Chevron deference, requires courts to accept agencies reasonable interpretations of federal laws when they are ambiguous.

Presidential administrations have invoked it to uphold regulations from those on fishing boats to cryptocurrency to environmental protections.

Antiregulatory interests, who deplore the growth of the administrative state in recent decades, are hoping the conservative-leaning Supreme Court will use two of its current cases to claw back the executive branchs power by overruling Chevron.

The cases have also attracted attention from advocacy groups on many issues who support Chevron and anxiously hope the justices will not question the legal basis for their favored government regulations.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
WASHINGTON (AP)  The Supreme Court on Friday rejected a settlement between Western states over the management of one of North Americas longest rivers.

In a 5-4 decision, the justices ruled that the water-sharing deal between Texas and New Mexico cant go through because the federal government still has concerns about New Mexicos water use on the Rio Grande, which Colorado also draws from.

Having acknowledged those interests, and having allowed the United States to intervene to assert them, we cannot now allow Texas and New Mexico to leave the United States up the river without a paddle, said Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, reading the majority opinion, which crossed ideological lines as it was joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and John Roberts.

In a dissent, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the United States theory about how water should be distributed between the two states is so aggressive that New Mexico fears it could devastate its economy. Joined by Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Amy Coney Barrett, he wrote that the high courts ruling defies 100 years of this courts water law jurisprudence.

On Friday, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement saying that he disagrees with the courts holding, but is committed to ending the water dispute.

After more than a decade of litigation and mediation, the states found a way to resolve their dispute under the Compact. The court has now ruled, under the very specific circumstances presented by this case and under this Compact, that it cannot enter the states proposed consent decree because it would have resolved claims that the court had earlier allowed the United States to assert under the Compact as an intervenor in this litigation. While I disagree with that finding and the courts holding, it cannot change the fact that three states have already resolved their dispute under the Compact and are interested in ending this litigation. To that end, I remain committed to working with Texas and New Mexico to develop a path forward that ends this dispute as expeditiously as possible. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser

New Mexicos state engineer said it was disappointing the high court scuttled the deal recommended by a federal judge overseeing the case.

We need to keep working to make the aquifers in the Lower Rio Grande region sustainable, and lasting solutions are more likely to come from parties working together than from continued litigation, said Mike Hamman, whose office is responsible for administering the states water resources.

Some New Mexico lawmakers had voiced concerns about the proposed settlement, which would have meant reducing the states use of Rio Grande water with steps like paying farmers to leave their fields barren and making infrastructure improvements.

Attorney Samantha Barncastle with the Elephant Butte Irrigation District, the largest in New Mexico, greeted the ruling with pleasure and said her group hopes all the parties will go back to the settlement table and hammer out a new agreement.

Farmers in southern New Mexico have had to rely more heavily on groundwater wells over the last two decades as drought and climate change resulted in reduced flows and less water in reservoirs along the Rio Grande. Texas sued over the groundwater pumping, saying the practice was cutting into the amount of water that was ultimately delivered as part of the interstate compact.

U.S. Circuit Judge Michael Melloy had previously deemed the proposal a fair and reasonable way to resolve the conflict consistent with a decadeslong water-sharing agreement.

The federal government, though, lodged several objections, including that the proposal did not mandate specific water capture or use limitations within New Mexico.

___

Associated Press writer Rio Yamat in Las Vegas contributed to this story.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX31 Denver.
Suspect leads deputies on chase following deadly shooting outside Southern California Planet Fitness

A suspect led authorities on a chase after allegedly shooting a man outside a Planet Fitness in Riverside County.

According to a spokesperson with the Riverside County Sheriffs Office, deputies were dispatched to the 1600 block of North Perris Boulevard in the city of Perris just after 12:15 a.m. Sunday on a shooting call.

Teen fatally stabs other teen at Los Angeles Police Department-sponsored street carnival

The reporting party stated a man had been shot at the location, RCSO said. When deputies arrived, they located the victim who was pronounced dead at the scenewitnesses reported the suspect fled in a gray truck.

Video taken in the immediate aftermath of the fatal shooting shows a massive police presence outside the Planet Fitness, which is open 24 hours.

Shortly after the shooting, a Riverside County Sheriffs Office helicopter located the suspects vehicle on Oak Valley Parkway in Beaumont, law enforcement officials said. Ground units attempted to make contact, but the suspect took off and a pursuit was initiated.

Dog hospitalized after ingesting meth at Anaheim park

The pursuit eventually terminated in Hemet after the suspect crashed into a wall near Florida Avenue and Acacia Way around 1 a.m.

They were taken into custody without further incident, authorities said.

The suspect was not immediately identified, and what led up to the shooting remains under investigation.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
(KRON)  A burglar who stole $900 from a seafood restaurant was arrested, according to the Daly City Police Department.

Due to a commercial burglary, Daly City PD responded to a seafood restaurant Shaking Crab in the block of Southgate Avenue. The burglary occurred at 1:50 a.m. on June 12.

Chaos erupts in Vallejo overnight: shooting, fire and sideshow

Police said the manager informed them that a suspect forced entry through the front door. The suspect reportedly stole $900 in cash from the register and drawer.

Daly City PD located a suspect matching the description inside a nearby restaurant. Officers arrested the suspect after the manager confirmed the suspects identity.

The suspect was identified as a 42-year-old San Francisco resident. The suspect was booked into a county jail for commercial burglary, possession of burglary tools and two outstanding warrants.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
BIG COUNTRY, Texas (KTAB/KRBC)  In this weeks Big Country Politics, Chris Carnohan, Chairman of the Taylor County Republican Party, discusses the necessity of uniting the Republican Party in Taylor County and addresses concerns about the influence of outside organizations on elections.

Carnohan was elected to the Republican Party chairman position earlier this year.

The basic idea of the Republican Party chairman is to be the CEO, or the spokesman for the local party conducts the meetings, has lots of appointment powers, interacts with all types of government agencies, the elections office, obviously the County Commissioners Court, various different public and governmental entities that we deal with. Also, part of my job is coming back as a reelected chairman, Carnohan said.

Carnohan was reelected with 15,364 votes in the March 5 primary out of 19,520 cast.

That means 78.7% of the Republican primary voters voted me back in I view that as a mandate to unify our party, Carnohan said. In 130 odd days now, were probably going to have the biggest election with the most impact on us, as citizens of these United States, that we will ever see when were coming to one of those forks in the road. Depending on which way we go, its going to make a world of difference in what the rest of our decade and maybe our lives will look like. Its most important that our citizens be informed, educated, and then motivated to do something with that information: go to the ballot box and vote on November 5 or earlier.

Taylor County Republican Party chairman resigns ahead of primary election

He was sworn in on Monday, but he stepped down from the position earlier this year. At the time of his resignation, he was eligible to be on the ballot for March 5, and his resignation had no impact on that.

I want to thank the voters for the vote of confidence. The upshot of it was there was for want of a better term, maybe a storm brewing, dissatisfied party members. No ship has two captains, much less a committee of captains. I believe our purpose as the Taylor County Republican Party is to maximize the Republican vote in this county and to have actively involved participating citizens. Thats the goal of it. Others may have different views as to how that could best be accomplished. But right now, were in an election season with less than 20 weeks to go. We have to get the voters up, add them, and get them to the polls. Thats the only thing that matters, Carnohan shared.

He shared that, in the end, places like Abilene and the Big Country can make up the difference for Republican voters.

In the final analysis, if we dont get the votes, what good did we do? We didnt do it. And I dont know how many of the viewers are aware of the seven golden cities West Texas, we make up the difference. If you think about Texas, Houston is going to vote Democrat. Dallas will probably vote Democrat. San Antonio will vote Democrat. Austin will vote Democrat. Am I naming the largest counties in the state? You bet I am, Carnohan said. If theyre all going to vote Democrat, you know what? The Republican candidates on the statewide ballots have to make it up somewhere. So thats where the seven golden cities come in. Thats Amarillo, Wichita Falls, Lubbock, Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, and Abilene. Abilene is one of those seven golden cities. We have to have a massive Republican turnout. We have to, without being offensive, we have to swamp the Democrats. They have to know they got drowned in our votes.

Taylor County GOP Chair talks local elections, primaries & Gov. Abbotts border invasion declaration

Carnohan quoted Proverbs 6:16-19, listing the seven abominations to God: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community. He said those who stir conflict in their community need to unite to conquer a common goal.

Sowing discord is not what you do before you enter the biggest battle of your political world. You dont fight among each other. A friend joked with me the other night that the Democrats, when theyre under fire, circle the wagons, and they shoot out. Republicans, on the other hand, when theyre under fire, circle the wagons and start shooting each other. Thats obviously a losing proposition. We have to unify, Carnohan explained. The bottom line of it is, if we vote 80% with somebody else, theyre not our enemy. Those people are our allies. We cant agree with anybody on 100% of everything doesnt work. I may like chocolate better than you do. So once, we have to pick our battles, and the battle right now is to beat Democrat challengers; there are no statewide Democrat incumbents; we have to beat them across the board.

Carnohan expressed gratitude to Freda Ragan and the elections office for their efforts related to the election.

Frieda and her entire staff are just wonderful to work with. Theyre theyre so dedicated. Anytime elections are upcoming, and now were voting weeks, if not months, in advance of the election day. Her staff is just hard at it. They have to educate all the poll workers, all the supervisors, and various parts and pieces of the whole process. Its massive. Its a massive undertaking, and they do an incredible job. Theyre dedicated beyond belief, and I appreciate them so much, Carnohan expressed.

President Biden likely to veto Abilene-supported bill funding Dyess AFB & Vet benefits, Rep. Arrington responds

During election season, many people donate money to their chosen candidates. Carnohan pointed out that while the average person can only contribute so much, others from all over the country donate thousands to local races.

Most of us cant just write six-figure checks; I dont know anybody who can personally. On the other hand, there are PACs. They can be anywhere basically in the country and can send six figures or seven figures to a particular race if they want to. Anybody heard of George Soros? Thats what he does. Hell contribute a million dollars to a district attorneys election in a little place out in the boonies Theyll have an unfair or an out of proportion effect on not just the race, but also the candidate, and then the elected winner of the election, Carnohan shared. I think a lot of folks are concerned with their voice being heard when they can contribute 25 or $100. And somebody, some other entity, is sending in hundreds of 1,000s of dollars. How is my voice going to be heard in a mix-up like that? I dont think thats a good long-term situation. I think it also subverts because if some part of the country is richer, they shouldnt control the voting in the parts of the country that arent as flush and dont have as much cash.

The politics surrounding the FTCs ban on noncompete agreements

He explained that this would become a legislative issue, but it would also spill over into constitutional matters and the concept of freedom of speech.

I think that good legislators who are dedicated and will study this have means to find the way to pass a law that will at least start curtailing the effective far distant organizations that we dont know weve never heard of. We dont know what their real agenda is. I think thats a danger that we want to be aware of and try to throttle back so that it doesnt take over and control the elections for us, Carnohan said.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com.
A swimmer from Sacramento will be competing for Team USA at the summer Olympics in Paris

A 22-year-old swimmer from Sacramento punched his ticket to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris after finishing second in his category.

Luca Urlando will compete in the 200-meter butterfly for Team USA next month at the Paris La Defense Arena after missing out on the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.

Team USA Swimming made the announcement official on Sunday morning at the conclusion of the Olympic team trials in Indianapolis, posting on social media: What a journey for @lucaurlando.

He qualified this year with a time of 1 minute, 55.08 seconds on Wednesday, about a half-second behind first-place swimmer Thomas Heilman.

The Olympic swim team is allowed up to 26 men and 26 women, selected based on a priority system. The top four finishers in the 100- and 200-meter freestyles are given priority on the team, then the winner of each other event. Once those spots are filled, the second-place finishers in the events earn a spot, and so on, until the roster is filled.

Urlando attended C.K. McClatchy High School in Land Park, where he set a national record for the 100-meter butterfly in 2019. He also swam for DART Swimming as part of Davis Aquadarts, the team he represented at the Olympic trials.

Aquadarts swimmers Tom Higdon and Sarah Bennetts also competed for a spot on the 2024 team, but neither qualified.

He currently swims for the University of Georgia, where he set the American record for the 100-meter backstroke as a sophomore, as well as school records in eight other events. He did not compete with the Bulldogs this season so he could train for the Olympics.

In 2021, Urlando finished third at the Olympic team trials in both the 100- and 200-meter butterfly events, just barely missing a spot on the team despite being favored to compete in Tokyo.

Urlando will compete his event in Paris on July 30, with finals hosted the following evening.
Swimming in waters at these San Diego County beaches could mean illness

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI)  Summertime calls for beach days and swimming, but San Diego County health officials have warned this could mean illness for those who submerge in certain areas along the coast.

On Saturday, the Department of Environmental Health and Quality released an updated water contact closure and advisory list for the county. There are nine beach areas that have been deemed questionable when it comes to medical safety.

San Diego FC opens team store in Mission Valley Mall

Beaches under water contact closures

To be listed in this category, the beaches bacteria level goes over whats considered health standards. The following beaches are under a water contact closure as of Saturday, June 22:

 Tijuana Slough Shoreline: The ocean shoreline from the U.S. /Mexico border, including Border Field State Park and the Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge, due to cross boundary flows.

 Silver Strand Shoreline: The ocean shoreline from north Carnation to south of Avenida Lunar.

 Imperial Beach Shoreline: The ocean shoreline from the south end of Seacost Drive to north of Carnation Avenue.

Beaches under water contact advisories

To be listed in this category, the beaches bacteria may exceed whats considered health standards. County health officials have advised the public to avoid water contact at the following beaches as of Saturday, June 22:

 Coronado: The area of Venida Lunar, as well as North Beach to Dog Beach, and Coronado Lifeguard Tower.

 Ocean Beach Dog Beach: In the area of San Diego River outlet to 300 feet south.

 Mission Bay: The area of North Cove and Vacation Isle to 150 feet each side of the southern drain.

San Diego beach quality updates can be checked at SanDiegoCounty.gov.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News.
System in Gulf brings rain to Mexico as chances for development dwindle

An area of stormy weather in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico could bring localized flooding to parts of northeastern Mexico Sunday, though its chances for tropical development are steadily dwindling.

The large area of showers and thunderstorms was located about 20 miles southeast of La Pesca, Mexico, as of 2 p.m. and was due to head inland, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Its odds of developing dropped to 20% from 40% earlier in the day.

The next named storm will be Beryl.

The 2024 hurricane season, which officially began June 1, is expected to be extremely active.

In its annual May outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that the 2024 hurricane season has an 85% chance of being above normal, with 17 to 25 named storms with minimum sustained winds of 39 mph, and eight to 13 hurricanes. An average year has 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.

In addition, NOAA has forecast four to seven major hurricanes for 2024, meaning those that are Category 3 or above.

Experts at Colorado State University stated in their 2024 forecast that the U.S. East Coast, including Florida, had a 34% chance of a major hurricane making landfall this year. The average from 1880-2020 was 21%.

Forecasters say that the record-warm water temperatures that now cover much of the Atlantic Ocean will continue into peak hurricane season from August to October. That warm water fuels hurricanes. By early June, the tropical Atlantic was already as hot as it usually is in mid-August  peak hurricane season.

Hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30.

_____
A soldier trains to throw grenade ahead of the Lunar New Year at an army base in Hsinchu

By Ben Blanchard

TAIPEI (Reuters) - Taiwan's annual war games this year will be as close as possible to actual combat, no longer just putting on a show to score points but aiming to simulate real fighting given a rapidly rising "enemy threat" from China, a senior official said.

China, which views democratically governed Taiwan as its territory, has been staging regular exercises around the island for four years to pressure Taipei to accept Beijing's claim of sovereignty, despite Taiwan's strong objections.

Taiwan starts its five-day Han Kuang exercises on July 22.

A senior Taiwan defence official, speaking on condition of anonymity to be able to speak more freely, said there was an urgent need to rethink how the drills were conducted.

"In recent years, the enemy threat has changed rapidly," the official said. "Our defence combat plan must also be continuously revised on a rolling basis, and the urgency of comprehensive combat training is becoming more and more important."

Elements that were mostly for show, like rehearsal drills, have been cancelled, while this year there will be nighttime exercises and, unusually, the capital Taipei will be included too, the official said.

"It's not about scoring points," the official said. "We want the soldiers to wonder whether this is for real."

Things may go wrong, like vehicle breakdowns, and that is fine, the official added. "These are problems that may be faced in actual combat."

The exercises will be a continuous experience, the official said. "War does not distinguish between night and day."

China's defence ministry did not answer calls seeking comment about the exercises outside of office hours at the weekend. It has previously said it is futile for Taiwan to think it can use arms to prevent "reunification".

Announcing the drills in April, Taiwan's defence ministry said the war games would practice "kill" zones at sea to break a blockade and simulate a scenario where China suddenly turns one of its regular drills around the island into an attack.

"Only with real-time, on-the-ground verification can we truly understand the capabilities and limitations of our troops," the official said.

China held two days of its own war games around the island shortly after President Lai Ching-te took office last month, saying it was "punishment" for his inauguration speech, which Beijing denounced as being full of separatist content.

But China has also been using grey zone warfare against Taiwan, wielding irregular tactics to exhaust a foe by keeping them continually on alert without resorting to open combat. This includes sending balloons over the island and almost daily air force missions into the skies near Taiwan.

China has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under its control. Lai, who says only the Taiwanese people can decide their future, has repeatedly offered talks but been rebuffed.

The official declined to comment on which parts of the war games Lai would attend, as is customary for the president as commander-in-chief, or whether there would be U.S. observers.

(Reporting by Ben Blanchard in Taipei; Editing by William Mallard)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark.  This week Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders had a successful special legislative session.

Talk Business & Politics host Roby Brock met with Sanders to talk about the accomplishments made during the special session.

Arkansas lawmakers wrap up special session, pass AGFC funding and tax cuts

Roby also spoke with Sanders concerning topics of abortion, the upcoming November election and the ongoing divisiveness of politics.

Talk Business & Politics airs Sunday at 9:30 a.m. on FOX 16. For more coverage, head to TalkBusiness.net.

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For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com.
A summer carnival in Los Angeles turned deadly after a teen was stabbed following a fight on Saturday night.

A Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA that the stabbing took place around 10:30 p.m. on Venice Boulevard near Keystone Avenue in L.A.s Palms neighborhood.

Dog hospitalized after ingesting meth at Anaheim park

At the time, the LAPDs Pacific Area Boosters Organizers were hosting the second night of a three-night street carnival as part of the Palms Weekend Festival, which is taking place on Venice between Overland and Motor avenues.

Police investigating after a teen fatally stabbed another teen following an altercation at a police-sponsored street fair on June 22, 2024. (OnSceneTV)

Police investigating after a teen fatally stabbed another teen following an altercation at a police-sponsored street fair on June 22, 2024. (OnSceneTV)

Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim, only identified as a 16-year-old Hispanic boy, was involved in an altercation with multiple other teens when he was stabbed multiple times by a 15-year-old boy.

The 16-year-old was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead upon arrival, police said.

Victim of Metro shooting identified by authorities; suspects remain outstanding

As of 6 a.m. Sunday, no arrests had been made, and no suspect description was immediately released.

According to KTLA 5s Jennifer McGraw, it appears that the carnival will continue as scheduled for its final night on Sunday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
ST. LOUIS  A teenager was shot early Saturday morning in St. Louis on the front porch of a home.

The shooting happened around 5 a.m. Saturday in the 1000 block of Hamilton Avenue in St. Louis West End neighborhood.

The victim, a 16-year-old boy, was shot in the arm. He was sent to a hospital for treatment, though he is currently in stable condition.

Boil order for southwestern St. Louis County

The victim told police that two suspects, both wearing black ski masks to cover their faces, shot at him while he was standing on the front porch of a home.

If you have any information relevant to this investigation, contact SLMPD at 314-444-0100 or CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477).

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
WASHINGTON (DC News Now)  The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) said a teen was shot in Southeast D.C. in the early hours of Sunday.

Police said they were dispatched to the 2400 block of Elvans Road SE for the report of a shooting.

Teen dies in crash in Prince William County

Officers said the teen boy was conscious and breathing when they arrived.

He was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | Washington, DC.
In tense times, lets talk about the hard things. Americans have found a way before | Opinion

I have some good news for you. It may seem like American discourse is in trouble right now, but its been bad before.

And Im not just talking about politics, even though thats a lot of it. We all have different opinions: on the upcoming election, on how to fix the economy, on the Chiefs and Royals border war and where the stadium might go, on hot-button social issues.

But, according to historians, weve pulled ourselves up several times from past dialogue dreck. Lets believe we can do it again.

To misquote former political operative James Carville, its the partisanship, stupid. Today, its not just that people disagree with one another  its that we cant even fathom what people think anymore.

So this week, expect to have difficult conversations at work, in the grocery store check-out line or at the health club, especially following the Kansas Legislatures vote to lure the teams, or as we get ready to watch the first presidential debate on June 27.

And on social media? Wow, just watch the negative rhetoric fly. Yes, doom-scrolling really is a word in the dictionary.

But you might be surprised to hear that I feel a sense of hope.

Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, who visited Kansas City in June, and Beth Huber, a Kansas City-bred teacher of political rhetoric, have plenty to share.

Doris Kearns Goodwin offered history, hope

Goodwin spoke to a packed house at Unity Temple on the Plaza, sponsored by Rainy Day Books and the Truman Library Institute. She talked about decades of power in America, and noted several times the country has been in conversation chaos. Its all happened before.

For example, she said when Abraham Lincoln was elected in 1860, defeating President James Buchanan, that wasnt a peaceful transition of power. The South seceded.

Goodwin points out that it took nearly two centuries to happen again, though.

The only time it didnt happen again was in 2020. And thats the feeling we have, that that election was lost, Goodwin recalled. Theres echoes of the past, always.

Im not asking how we got here. I know how we got here, at least in my mind, which you might disagree with. We got here from our leaders bad behavior, enabling intolerance, cruelty and even criminal behavior in the highest office.

Instead, I have another question. Is there anything we can do about it?

Huber, who lived in Kansas City, Kansas, and later on the Missouri side, is now an associate professor of English at Western Case University in North Carolina. Her research interests include political rhetoric, the Cold War and the 1960s and 70s.

Its like were living on different planets sometimes, right? Its hard to have an argument when we dont live in the same context with each other. We cant agree on basic things.

Like truth and facts. Can we even agree on the truth? Does 2+2=4 anymore?

Think about the bear versus man viral debate on TikTok, where women said they would rather be caught in the woods with a bear rather than a man. The videos and comments sparked debate about violence against women.

Then after the man versus bear thing for a while, the men started making videos as to why the women were wrong, Huber said.

It continued when a Black woman joined the conversation and asked would you rather be in a conference room at work with a white man or a white woman?

And then all of these Black women came into her TikTok; the discussion of how white women are not good allies, said Huber, who is white. So just this one bear versus man conversation has been a microcosm of our politics in this country.

Anonymity in social media drives incivility

Like Goodwin, Huber recalled a history in America when people found it nearly impossible to have frictionless discussions.

Its really not (new). Weve done this before and we have yelled at and screamed at each other before.

She used, as example, the Vietnam War and the conflict between President Richard Nixon and protesters, comparing it to todays discord in political ideology.

People (today) are saying, my, this is unprecedented. Nothing like this has ever happened before. But the same things were happening there.

She allows that it feels different because of social media.

I think (people) have been given permission to basically say everything that they were thinking. And its not just that we have permission. But we also have anonymity in a way. I could say horrible things to you through a screen, but not in a million years say to your face.

Huber talked about the ebbs and flows of being able to talk to one another and not being able to talk to one another.

But then a crisis happens and we come together. Then we get complacent, we get bored and we move apart again.

What would it take to bring us together again? War? Aliens? Huber chose a controversial topic.

Climate change will force us to get over ourselves, she said.

I mean, I think we will have to start looking out for each other because when the tornado tears through the town your Trump flag and your Biden flag are both gonna go fly, and both of your houses are going to be damaged.

When times get tough we have to look out for each other, and I think we always do.

In crisis, people help one another

Whether you believe climate change causes more tornadoes, Huber is spot on. I lived nearly 20 years in Oklahoma, tornado central, and witnessed firsthand what we called the Oklahoma Standard: people from different walks of life just helping others in the midst of calamity.

When your life is changed in a moment by disaster, people put aside their differences and pitch in to help. Would that it happens everywhere.

Goodwins trip to Kansas City was to promote An Unfinished Love Story, her new book about her late husband, presidential adviser Dick Goodwin, and their lives through the 1960s.

She remembered what Dick used to say: It always comes from the citizens.

So Dick said the citizens are the ones that are going to be responsible. He was already seeing what was happening at that time in our country. But America, he finally concluded, is not as fragile as it seems. And I believe that as well.

Id like to believe that, too. Our beloved country might be fragile, but she is fierce and fixable. Its up to us to hold her tight and fight together for the democracy we all ultimately share.

Its our responsibility and our privilege.
A Texas Democrat voted against rights for trans kids. This queer Black mom challenged her  and won

Lauren Ashley Simmons was heartbroken.

Simmons, a queer Black woman and labor organizer from Houston, watched her Democratic state representative break with her party and vote in favor of three Republican-led bills limiting rights for transgender teens and children. All of them became law.

Those laws supported by State Rep. Shawn Thierry put a target on some families that are already extremely vulnerable and dealing with so much, living in a state like Texas, Simmons tells The Independent.

To know that this Democrat representative for a big blue district in a pretty blue city turned her back  that betrayed and hurt me, she says. But then knowing that people had to leave the state, it really sent me over the edge.

So Simmons ran against her.

Thierry has represented the Houston-area district in the state House since 2017.

On May 28, Simmons defeated Thierry in a Democratic primary election with 65 per cent of the vote. Now the progressive candidate is widely expected to win in the mostly nonwhite and heavily Democratic-leaning district in Novembers general election.

Simmons will join an incoming class of other recently elected LGBT+ lawmakers preparing for a GOP-dominated body that routinely legislates against them and their families.

Something that Im focused on is thinking about all of the LGBT families whose very first interaction with the government was having to come to the Capitol to fight for their childrens lives, Simmons tells The Independent.

After you call your state representative, after youve written letters, after you travel to the Capitol, and have them deny your existence and treat you like you dont matter, what does that do? she says. We have a lot of work to do to heal some of those wounds.

Transgender rights advocates gather at the Texas State Capitol in Austin in 2023 (Getty Images)

Nearly one-third of all state-level bills targeting LGBT+ Americans are coming out of Texas.

Lawmakers in the state  home to more than 30 million people  filed more than 140 bills threatening LGBT+ Texans in 2023, alarming civil rights activists to the point that they felt they needed to warn the United Nations about a looming human rights crisis in the state.

Texas Republicans outlawed gender-affirming healthcare for transgender teens, blocked trans college athletes from playing on teams that dont align with their gender, and banned broadly defined sexually explicit books from school libraries.

Thierry voted for all three.

This years elections in Texas also saw the election of the first-ever openly LGBT+ state senator, emergency room nurse and community organizer Molly Cook, who joins a small but growing body of LGBT+ lawmakers at the capitol.

Simmons never planned to run for public office. She grew up in a very, very typical middle class family, nothing too out of the ordinary, she says, until she became a mother at 19 years old.

She lost her safety net  turned down from public assistance, evicted from her apartment, forced to shoplift for food, and then arrested on charges for theft that were later dismissed.

Simmons got involved with community organizing groups and labor unions to help other Texans learn how to navigate the same system she endured, and to fight for better wages and working conditions for Black women in a state with some of the weakest worker protections in the country.

She organized with the Houston Federation of Teachers, the National Domestic Workers Alliance and became a staff steward for the Communication Workers of America Local 1180.

I love organizing in my community, helping people find solutions to problems, helping people realize their own power as an individual but also what it means to feel collective power, she says.

Supporters encouraged her to run after her viral opposition to Republican threats to public education, but Thierrys vote to deny affirming healthcare to young trans people was something of a last straw.

There are so many things that have not been addressed, she tells The Independent.

I think about Uvalde, or our state refusing to accept millions of dollars of federal funding to feed kids over summer, she says. Like, its so infuriating, because were targeting a small group of families who are trying to make the best decision for their kids while totally neglecting a myriad of issues.

Democratic House Rep. Jasmine Crockett decided to weigh in after Thierry dismissed Simmons supporters as the gay ones. Thierry claimed that her comments to the Houston Chronicles editorial board were taken completely out of context.

Thierrys supporters also put out yard signs accusing Simmons of supporting Black genocide and the castration and sterilization of young Black people. Thierry denied having anything to do with the signs but didnt denounce them.

Texas State Rep. Shawn Thierry attends a campaign event in Houston on May 11 (AP)

Simmons has two children in Houston schools, including a child with a chronic health condition, and there is nothing I wouldnt do to make sure that my baby had access to the care that she needed, she tells The Independent.

There are families who are going to have to give up everything and leave this state, she says. Their lives have been upended by this. But I also thought about the people  even deeper in the margins who cant afford to do that. Like, what do they do?

Senate Bill 14, which was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott last year, forces children off transition healthcare like puberty blockers and hormone treatments against the urgent guidance from major medical associations.

Many families with trans children are leaving Texas, unable to get the care they need, and forced to flee a state that is not safe for them, according to Emily Witt, senior communications and media strategist for the Texas Freedom Network and Texas Freedom Network Education Fund.

Fleeing your home is an enormous loss. The kind of community we see in Texas and the south in general cant always be found in blue states, Witt says.

Activists rally against anti-trans legisaltion at the Texas State Capitol in Austin in March 2023 (Getty Images)

So-called book ban laws and policies across the country have taken aim at books and materials by and about LGBT+ people and Black history. Texas was no exception  House Bill 900 was labeled a blatant attempt to keep books out of students hands by the Childrens Defense Fund of Texas.

Whose stories are worth telling, and whose stories are a part of the American experience? Simmons asks. As a Black woman, as a queer woman, being able to read stories and see myself bigger than stories is very important to my own foundation.

More than 1 million students are enrolled in Houstons schools. The Texas GOPs 2024 platform calls for prosecuting educators and defunding schools and libraries that Republican officials believe are sexualizing children.

I dont think it meets the goal theyre trying to meet, Witt tells The Independent. Lauren Ashley Simmons is a pretty big emblem of that.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott speaks during the annual National Rifle Association meeting in Dallas on May 18 (REUTERS)

Texas Republicans are expected to propose restrictions to gender-affirming care for trans adults and revive a so-called Dont Say Gay bill targeting state schools in 2025.

Why are they so focused on LGBTQ families? Simmons says. They are keenly and solely focused stoking as much fear in their base as possible so people will go out and vote out of fear.  Were supposed to be able to come together and pass budgets and legislation that make life better for everybody.

The upcoming legislative battle will be a fight, she says, but Im a union organizer. Im a labor organizer. Every fight is pretty much David and Goliath.
In 2006, Ramiro Gonzales was sentenced to death in Texas as punishment for kidnapping, raping and killing Bridget Townsend when they were both 18 years old.

There were indications that Gonzales did not represent the worst of the worst kind of criminal that the death penalty is supposedly reserved for. Like many on death row, he endured horrific abuse and neglect as a child. He turned to drugs and alcohol as a teen to cope; he killed Townsend, his drug dealers girlfriend, while trying to steal drugs. After he was arrested for sexually assaulting a different woman, Gonzales confessed to the murder. He had turned 18 two months before the killing, making him barely old enough to be legally eligible for a death sentence.

In Texas, jurors on death penalty cases are instructed to predict whether the defendant is likely to commit future acts of violence. A psychiatrist, Dr. Edward Gripon, was pivotal in convincing jurors that Gonzales derived pleasure from sexual assault, was unlikely to stop, and was a poor candidate for rehabilitation. Fifteen years later, Gripon visited Gonzales on death row and reevaluated him. This led Gripon to reverse his opinion, citing a prior reliance on a debunked statistic and a witness statement that has since been recanted. In his second evaluation, Gripon wrote that it is my opinion, to a reasonable psychiatric probability, that he [Gonzales] does not pose a threat of future danger to society.

It was the only time that Gripon had ever issued a report changing his opinion in a death penalty case, the psychiatrist told The Marshall Project in 2022. Despite Gripons dramatic reversal, Texas plans to execute 41-year-old Gonzales on Wednesday, by lethal injection.

Gonzales has expressed deep remorse for his crime. I know my apologies cannot even begin to bring you peace of mind and healing, but I feel that I should still tell you how sorry I am for all the pain and anguish you have suffered because of my actions, he wrote in an apology letter to the Townsend family in 2022, which was excerpted in a petition for clemency filed by Gonzales lawyers earlier this month. I am sorry, deeply sorry, that I took what was so precious to you and I know theres nothing I can do or say to make it better.

Gonzales was born in 1982 to a 17-year-old girl who struggled with drug and alcohol addiction, according to the clemency petition. His mother drank and used drugs throughout her pregnancy, and, at one point, intentionally overdosed in an unsuccessful effort to terminate the pregnancy. After his birth, his mother gave him up to her parents. He did not meet his father until he was 19, when they were both locked up at the county jail.

The rejection from Gonzales mother was ever-present, according to the clemency petition, which noted that she went on to marry and have two more children whom she raised, despite never acknowledging Gonzales as her son. His grandparents worked long days, leaving him unsupervised. Gonzales was repeatedly sexually abused, including by a cousin, starting at the age of 6, the petition said.

Bandera, the town Gonzales grew up in, was hell on earth, a cousin, identified only as Jessica, said in a video submitted in support of Gonzales clemency application.

There was a lot of sexual abuse in the family, Jessica said. That was something that, till this day, is not really talked about. And it was not talked about, it was never stopped, because that abuse continued on to the next generation, which was Ramiro and me.

As a child, Ramiro Gonzales experienced abandonment and sexual abuse. Texas Defender Service/Elisabetta Diorio

The first time that Gonzales found care and affection from a family member was during elementary school, when his uncle married a woman named Loretta. She hugged him, praised him, and showed him the love and affection he craved, according to the clemency petition. When Gonzales was 15, Loretta was killed in a car crash with a drunk driver. Devastated, Gonzales turned to cocaine and methamphetamine to self-medicate. He dropped out of school and began stealing and forging checks to pay for drugs.

Shortly after his 18th birthday, Gonzales attempted to rob his dealers home. Townsend was inside, and when she tried to call her boyfriend, Gonzales assaulted and killed her.

Gripon testified at trial that recidivism rates among people who commit sex crimes are as high as 80%  a statistic that was widely used at the time to justify extreme punishments. Years later, when a legal scholar attempted to identify the source of the 80% claim, he found that it came from an unsubstantiated assertion in a 1986 Psychology Today article. Recent peer-reviewed studies have found recidivism rates below 20% after 25 years and that these rates are substantially lower among younger offenders, like Gonzales, Gripon noted in his second evaluation.

In court, Gripon had also relied on written statements signed by Gonzales cellmate, Frederick Ozuna. The statements described Gonzales confessing to returning to the crime scene three or four times to have sex with the body and saying that he would do it again and enjoyed it.

At trial, Ozuna tried to invoke his right to silence and then attempted to recant his statements. But the prosecutor continued to press, until Ozuna agreed to answer affirmatively to a series of leading questions about the statements. Ozuna later fully recanted in a sworn declaration, describing how an officer threatened him with a harsher sentence if he didnt help vilify Gonzales. Ramiro never said those things to me, Ozuna wrote in the declaration, referring to the claims about assaulting the victims dead body.

After Gonzales was convicted, he was appointed a lawyer named Terry McDonald to represent him in state habeas proceedings, a chance to present evidence of constitutional issues at trial. McDonald never met with Gonzales, requested funding for experts, interviewed family members and other witnesses, or conducted evaluations of Gonzales, according to Gonzales current lawyers. Ultimately, McDonald filed a nine-page habeas petition (such documents are often hundreds of pages long), which was dismissed by the court as frivolous.

Gonzales was previously set to be executed in 2022. Weeks before the scheduled killing, Gripon provided Gonzales appellate lawyers with his reevaluation report, admitting to relying on debunked information at trial and concluding that Gonzales did not pose a future danger. Two days before the execution, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals granted a stay and directed the trial court to consider Gonzales claim that his death sentence resulted from false expert testimony.

Without conducting a hearing or reviewing any additional evidence, the trial court signed verbatim the states findings of fact and conclusions of law, which recommended denying Gonzales relief. (This is common practice: A 2018 report published in the Houston Law Review found that judges adopted prosecutors findings in their entirety in 96% of 191 cases that the authors reviewed in Texas Harris County.) The Court of Criminal Appeals adopted the trial courts recommendation, and Gonzales was given another execution date.

Gonzales became a devout Christian while incarcerated. Texas Defender Service/Elisabetta Diorio

While awaiting trial, Gonzales had become a devout Christian.

He said, I cant change the past, but I hope I can prove myself in the future, said Clinton Young, who was incarcerated with Gonzales on Texas death row before Youngs conviction was overturned due to a stunning revelation that the prosecutor on his case was also on the payroll of the judge. He walked the walk.

In 2021, Gonzales tried to donate a kidney, an effort blocked by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which said the uncertain timeline of the donation could interfere with his execution. How can I give back life? This is probably one of the closest things to doing that, Gonzales told The Marshall Project in 2022.

Gonzales earned the equivalent of a bachelors degree from a Bible college and wrote sermons for the prisons radio station. When the prison introduced faith-based pods in 2021, Gonzales became one of the programs first peer coordinators. In an interview recorded for his clemency video, Gonzales described his work ministering to other people on death watch, who were also staring down an execution date.

The first thing we do to minister to them is make sure they got clothing, make sure they got food, Gonzales said. And then God comes next, in the sense where its like: Hey man, I just want you to know, Im Christian. I have a date. If you have doubts or if theres any emotional struggles right now because youre on death watch, we can talk about it. Whether you have a date or not, it doesnt matter. You still have a life to live.

Gonzales didnt just help Christians, said Cantor Michael Zoosman, a co-founder of the group, Lchaim! Jews Against The Death Penalty.

I remember Jedidiah Murphy, who was executed last year, talking about how Ramiro had provided a balm of spiritual support for him, Zoosman said in the clemency video. Even if he [Gonzales] never sees the light of day as a free person, he can bring that inner light to others in the darkest corners of our society, just by being there and sharing the faith that he has with them.

Gonzales closes all of his letters with the words faith, hope and love, a reference to the 13th chapter of 1 Corinthians, which concludes, And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Im on death row, Gonzales said in the clemency video. But I still have faith, I still have hope, and I can still love everybody around me.

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That's not what he said: Dems demonize Byron Donalds at the expense of the truth

Heres a little campaign quiz.

Which, if any, statement is true?

A) When New York needed a financial bailout, President Gerald Ford told the Big Apple to drop dead.

B) As a presidential candidate in 1968, Richard Nixon touted his secret plan to end the Vietnam war.

C) Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore said in 2000 hed invented the internet.

D) U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds claimed Black Americans were better off in the days of Jim Crow segregation.

The correct answer is none of the above.

Each of those four stories was spread by the media, a shorthand distillation of what the men really said. But they sounded like something those guys would say and fit the popular narrative of the time, so thats close enough.

Ford said hed veto a congressional bailout of profligate New York spending, so a Daily News headline writer penned, Ford to City: Drop Dead. The barb became history, although Ford never said it.

Nixon wanted to Vietnamize the war, turning it over to our allies in Saigon. But he couldnt divulge details, he said, for fear of affecting the Paris peace talks  so the press called it his secret plan.

A recent Cotterell column: Blaming the courts for Trump verdict is cheap politics

And Gore said hed worked on projects in Congress that funded research and development for parts of the Web. A handy term for that was invented the internet, so thats what the media called it.

Donalds is being liberally slammed for comparing the status of Black families now and prior to President Lyndon Johnsons Great Society 60 years ago. Heres what the Black Republican congressman from Southwest Florida said:

You see, during Jim Crow, the Black family was together. During Jim Crow, more Black people were not just conservative. Black people have always been conservative-minded. But more Black people voted conservatively and then (the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare), Lyndon Johnson  you go down that road, and now we are where we are.

Another Bill Cotterell Column: Florida Democrats will find a way to mess up their abortion advantage

If hed been writing an essay or a commencement speech, Donalds probably would have been more specific. But with the backlash hes drawn, its necessary to consider what he did not say.

Donalds didnt say civil-rights laws, education programs, voting rules, public accommodations, open housing and employment legislation were all wrong. He didnt say we should go back to the 1950s, when politicians ran openly racist campaigns that promised  as Alabama Gov. George Wallace so memorably put it  segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.

He just stated his opinion that Black families were stronger in the old days. He didnt say their strength derived from racist laws of the era.

PolitiFact, the Poynter Institutes highly respected fact-checking agency, took a look at his remarks and wrote, There is some statistical evidence to support Donalds claim about Black marriage rates being stronger during the Jim Crow era. But PolitiFact researchers said experts they interviewed felt Donalds left out a lot of other factors, like broader social, educational and economic trends.

Bill Cotterell

Major Democrats had a much simpler spin on it all.

President Joe Bidens re-election campaign tweeted, A lot of people are offended that you would repeat Jim Crow  as if to suggest that was a time period to be nostalgic for. Vice President Kamala Harris said, Its sadly yet another example of somebody out of Florida trying to erase or rewrite our true history.

U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., claimed that Donalds had said Black folks were better off during Jim Crow, and the Congressional Black Caucus demanded he apologize for misrepresenting one of the darkest chapters in our history for his own political gain.

Democrats, who claim that Floridas 30 electoral votes are within reach for Biden in November, are wise to worry about Donalds. The Democratic Party needs to shore up Black support nationwide, which has fallen from 87 percent for Biden in 2020 to 69 percent in a recent CNN poll.

The Wall Street Journal quoted Donalds on the matter last week. Hes not backing down.

Strong Black two-parent households are a great thing for the Black community and our nation, he said. It is an empirical fact that President Johnsons Great Society was debilitating to the institution of the Black family. Democrats who maliciously twisted my words last week are gaslighting you because they know their policies have been destructive to Black families.

Bill Cotterell is a retired capitol reporter for United Press International and the Tallahassee Democrat. He can be reached at wrcott43@aol.com

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Democrats twist meaning of Byron Daniels' "Jim Crow" comments
Estonian Martin Jaager has been killed in action on the front line in Kharkiv Oblast while fighting in the ranks of Ukraines defence forces.

Source: Estonian media outlet Postimees, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Martin Jaager was killed on 22 June at the village of Raihorodka, near Svatove, on the border between Kharkiv and Luhansk oblasts. This is the third Estonian to die protecting Ukraine. According to Postimees, he fought in the 3rd Assault Brigade.

Before the war in Ukraine, Jaager, 42, was a professional soldier in the Estonian army. He served in an elite unit for almost ten years and has been on a mission in Afghanistan since 2013.

Jaager arrived to fight for Ukraine over a year ago, and while there, he was in the ranks of numerous units before joining the 3rd Assault Brigade approximately a month ago.

Background:

The first Estonian volunteer that was killed in the war with Russia was Ivo Jurak in March 2023. His compatriot Tanel Kriggul was killed in September 2023.

In February 2024, the first volunteer from Lithuania, Tadas Tumas, was killed in the war with Russia and buried with military honours in Vilnius.

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Thousands gather in Tel Aviv to mark Naama Levys 20th birthday while in Hamas captivity in Gaza

Thousands of people gathered in Hostages Square in Tel Aviv on Saturday to commemorate the 20th birthday of Naama Levy, who has been held captive for 260 days.

It was one of the first and most searing viral videos to emerge as the October 7 attack unfolded. A cell phone video released by Hamas shows Levy, who was 19-years-old at the time, being dragged by her hair at gunpoint by a terrorist in Gaza. Her hands are bound, her ankles cut. Her pants are soaked in blood.

Eight months on, and Levy is one of 120 people who remain in captivity in Gaza, 116 of whom were among the more than 250 taken hostage on October 7. A hostage and ceasefire deal in November secured the release of more than 100, while a handful have been rescued. But fears for those who remain are growing, with a senior Hamas official telling CNN recently that no one has an idea how many of them are still alive.

Their plight is the subject of regular anti-government protests in Israel, where many demonstrators are calling on Israeli leaders to secure a hostage deal and hold an early election.

At Hostages Square on Saturday, Levys parents Ayelet Levy Shachar and Yoni Levy addressed the crowd.

Today, I didnt want to make a speech in the square. I just wanted to wish Naama a happy birthday, to speak to you, Naama, hoping you might hear, wishing these words reach you, Levys mother said during her speech.

I  wish for you the most basic right that you deserve as a human being  your freedom, which was taken from you eight and a half months ago, her mother added.

Levys father, Yoni, said he wished his daughter could see how many people showed up to celebrate her birthday.

I remember your laughter and can hear your voice, imagining exactly what youd be doing today. We would have prepared a table for you, full of sweets, balloons, and gifts. Like every year, Yoni said during his speech at the gathering.

How happy this day could have been. Instead, youre there. In darkness. For 260 days already. And we stand here, Yoni added.

We all understand that 120 hostages cannot be returned through military operations. We must honestly say  120 hostages will only return home through a deal, Yoni said.

People hold signs and balloons, as family, friends, and supporters of Israeli hostage Naama Levy, who was kidnapped during the deadly October 7 attack, attend a protest march on her 20th birthday in Tel Aviv on June 22, 2024. - Eloisa Lopez/Reuters

Yoni also addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu directly, saying, Victory in war is not just victory in military battles. And its not just preserving the coalition at any cost. Victory in war is the ability to preserve the values of this nation, years ahead. And victory is the ability to continue being faithful to our values as Jews and Israelis.

The gathering in Hostages Square was just one of several that took place in cities across Israel on Saturday

Families of hostages held in Gaza also took part in protests in Jerusalem, Herzliya, Caesarea, Raanana, Beer Sheva, Kiryat Gat and the town of Pardes Hanna-Karkur.

Many waved Israeli flags and held up signs with images of the Israeli hostages.

Alive! Alive! And not in body bags!, Hostage deal now! Bring them back alive now! The baby, the soldiers, the women, the men, protesters in Tel Aviv shouted.

Other protesters were heard shouting,  Elections now.

There is nothing more important, every hostage must return! protesters in Jerusalem chanted.

In Caesarea, thousands of protesters took to the streets chanting, Youre the leader, youre guilty!

In the town of Pardes Hanna-Karkur, protesters also called for the release of all hostages and an early election to be held. Some of them were heard chanting, We will not give up until we make it a better place to live.

Former Israeli war cabinet member Benny Gantz took part in a hostage rally in Carmei Gat in Kiryat Gat city with members of Kibbutz Nir Oz.

Nir Oz was one of several kibbutzim that bore the brunt of Hamas attack on October 7, with many residents murdered or taken hostage.

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Thousands of Iran-backed fighters offer to join Hezbollah in its fight against Israel

FILE - Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah carry out a training exercise in Aaramta village in the Jezzine District, southern Lebanon, Sunday, May 21, 2023. Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are offering to come to Lebanon to join the militant Hezbollah group in its fight with Israel. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar, File)

BEIRUT (AP)  Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join with the militant Hezbollah group in its battle with Israel if the simmering conflict escalates into a full-blown war, officials with Iran-backed factions and analysts say.

Almost daily exchanges of fire have occurred along Lebanon's frontier with northern Israel since fighters from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip staged a bloody assault on southern Israel in early October that set off a war in Gaza.

The situation to the north worsened this month after an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel.

Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border.

Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan fought together in Syrias 13-year conflict, helping tip the balance in favor of Syrian President Bashar Assad. Officials from Iran-backed groups say they could also join together again against Israel.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech Wednesday that militant leaders from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other countries have previously offered to send tens of thousands of fighters to help Hezbollah, but he said the group already has more than 100,000 fighters.

We told them, thank you, but we are overwhelmed by the numbers we have, Nasrallah said.

Nasrallah said the battle in its current form is using only a portion of Hezbollah's manpower, an apparent reference to the specialized fighters who fire missiles and drones.

But that could change in the event of an all-out war. Nasrallah hinted at that possibility in a speech in 2017 in which he said fighters from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Afghanistan and Pakistan will be partners of such a war.

Officials from Lebanese and Iraqi groups backed by Iran say Iran-backed fighters from around the region will join in if war erupts on the the Lebanon-Israel border. Thousands of such fighters are already deployed in Syria and could easily slip through the porous and unmarked border.

Some of the groups have already staged attacks on Israel and its allies since the Israel-Hamas war started Oct. 7. The groups from the so-called axis of resistance say they are using a unity of arenas strategy and they will only stop fighting when Israel ends its offensive in Gaza against their ally, Hamas.

We will be (fighting) shoulder to shoulder with Hezbollah if an all-out war breaks out, one official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq told The Associated Press in Baghdad, insisting on speaking anonymously to discuss military matters. He refused to give further details.

The official, along with another from Iraq, said some advisers from Iraq are already in Lebanon.

An official with a Lebanese Iran-backed group, also insisting on anonymity, said fighters from Iraqs Popular Mobilization Forces, Afghanistans Fatimiyoun, Pakistan Zeinabiyoun and the Iran-backed rebel group in Yemen known as Houthis could come to Lebanon to take part in a war.

Qassim Qassir, an expert on Hezbollah, agreed the current fighting is mostly based on high technology such as firing missiles and does not need a large number of fighters. But if a war broke out and lasted for a long period, Hezbollah might need support from outside Lebanon, he said.

Hinting to this matter could be (a message) that these are cards that could be used, he said.

Israel is also aware of the possible influx of foreign fighters.

Eran Etzion, former head of policy planning for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute on Thursday that he sees a high probability of a multi-front war.

He said there could be intervention by the Houthis and Iraqi militias and a massive flow of jihadists from (places) including Afghanistan, Pakistan" into Lebanon and into Syrian areas bordering Israel.

Daniel Hagari, Israels military spokesman, said in a televised statement this past week that since Hezbollah started its attacks on Israel on Oct. 8, it has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and drones toward Israel.

Hezbollahs increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a wider escalation, one that could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region, Hagari said. Israel will continue fighting against Irans axis of evil on all fronts.

Hezbollah officials have said they dont want an all-out war with Israel but if it happens they are ready.

We have taken a decision that any expansion, no matter how limited it is, will be faced with an expansion that deters such a move and inflicts heavy Israeli losses, Hezbollahs deputy leader, Naim Kassem, said in a speech this past week.

The U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, and the commander of the U.N. peacekeeping force deployed along Lebanons southern border, Lt. Gen. Aroldo Lazaro, said in a joint statement that the danger of miscalculation leading to a sudden and wider conflict is very real.

The last large-scale conflict between Israel and Hezbollah occurred in the summer of 2006, when the two fought a 34-day war that killed about 1,200 people in Lebanon and 140 in Israel.

Since the latest run of clashes began, more than 400 people have been killed in Lebanon, the vast majority of them fighters but including 70 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 16 soldiers and 11 civilians have been killed. Tens of thousands have been displaced on both sides of the border.

Qassir, the analyst, said that if foreign fighters did join in, it would help them that they fought together in Syria in the past.

There is a common military language between the forces of axis of resistance and this is very important in fighting a joint battle, he said.

____

Abdul-Zahra reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writers Ellen Knickmeyer in Washington and Abby Sewell in Beirut contributed to this report.
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services announced Friday that one of its partners had a security incident that may have exposed the protected health information of 19,150 Wisconsin Medicaid members.

The incident was discovered after suspicious activity was found on a Disability Rights Wisconsin email account. DHS and DRW continue to investigate and address any complications from this data security incident, according to a statement from DHS.

The departments statement said DRW is mailing notifications to Medicaid members whose information may have been accessed. They will be offered free credit monitoring for a year and given access to a dedicated call center to answer questions.

Members who receive a notification letter or have questions about this incident can call 888-733-3814 from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Three Columbia University deans placed on leave over insulting texts sent during antisemitism debate

Three administrators at Columbia were placed on leave after texts surfaced, revealing insensitive comments made toward an antisemitism panel after student protests over the Israel-Gaza war erupted on campus (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool, File)

Columbia University put three deans on leave after insensitive text messages surfaced, revealing a disrespectful exchange that took place during a discussion about antisemitism on campus.

A Columbia spokesperson told the Washington Free Beacon that the three administrators had been placed on leave were Vice Dean and Chief Administrative Officer Susan Chang-Kim, Associate Dean for Student and Family Support Matthew Patashnick, and Dean of Undergraduate Student Life Cristen Kromm.

The messages were exchanged during a May 31 Columbia College reunion panel discussion called Jewish Life on Campus focused on the climate on campus since the October 7 attack. The New York City campus took center stage in the turbulent college protests that erupted across the nation over the war in Gaza.

As panelists, including the co-leader of Columbias antisemitism task force and the head of the Columbia/Barnard Hillel, spoke about concerns they had about antisemitism on campus, the elite schools top administrators dismissed them, photos of the texts obtained by the Free Beacon reveal.

In one exchange, Patashnick allegedly wrote to Chang-Kim and Kromm: He knows exactly what hes doing and how to take full advantage of this moment. Huge fundraising potential. Its not clear who the associate dean was referring to.

Chang-Kim replied: Double Urgh.

Josef Sorett, the Dean of Columbia College, informed his team today that three administrators have been placed on leave pending a university investigation of the incident that occurred at the College alumni reunion several weeks ago, the spokesman told the outlet.

Sorett reiterated his commitment to learning from this situation and other incidents over the last year to build a community of respect and healthy dialogue, the spokesperson added.

Sorett also took part in the text exchange, according to the texts obtained by the Free Beacon. Chang-Kim seemed to be sarcastically describing Cohen, the Hillel official, as our hero.

Sorett responded with, LMAO, which is short for laughing my a** off.

In another exchange, Chang-Kim reportedly fired off the text: Difficult to listen to but Im trying to keep an open mind to learn about this point of view. Sorett agreed, texting: Yup.

Columbia College is attending to this situation with the utmost seriousness, a spokesperson for Columbia College said in a statement to The Independent., adding that it will not be discussing the specifics of the matter while the universitys investigation is ongoing. The College remains focused on continuing to execute its mission in support of our community. We are committed to confronting antisemitism, discrimination and hate, and taking concrete action to ensure that our is a community of respect and healthy dialogue where everyone feels valued and safe.

In a statement sent to the Dean to the Columbia College Board of Visitors on Friday afternoon, Sorett said: I deeply regret my role in these text exchanges and the impact they have had on our community. I am cooperating fully with the Universitys investigation of these matters. I am committed to learning from this situation and to the work of confronting antisemitism, discrimination and hate at Columbia.

Sorett is cooperating with the investigation and he will be recused from all matters relating to the probe while continuing to serve as Dean of the College.

The controversy comes after Columbias student protests garnered national attention and the universitys president, Minouche Shafik, faced intense scrutiny over her handling of the demonstrations.

Shafik was criticized after she called the NYPD to intervene, resulting in the arrests of hundreds of students. She also came under fire for her response to concerns of antisemitism on campus during a heated congressional hearing.

Earlier this week, all criminal charges were dropped against dozens of pro-Palestinian student protesters arrested in April after occupying and barricading a building at Columbia University in New York City.
Twenty-five years ago, Louisville became the first city in Kentucky to expand its anti-discrimination laws to cover sexual orientation and gender identity.

The work to amend civil rights protections to include the LGBTQ+ community took more than a decade and the activism of many throughout the county.

Community organizing to pass Louisville's Fairness Ordinance was spearheaded in the 1990s by the Fairness Campaign, a statewide advocacy organization dedicated to advancing civil rights protections for the LGBTQ+ communityin Kentucky.

Heres a look at milestones in the movement:

March 1986: The Louisville-Jefferson County Human Relations Commission votes 13-5 to recommend the inclusion of sexual orientation in the city and county anti-discrimination ordinances.

Sharon Everett said the silhouette she carried represented a friend who feared losing her job if she joined yesterday's march. June 28, 1987

1991: The Fairness Campaign is founded in Louisville and grows to become Kentucky's LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.

November 1991: A bill is introduced at the Louisville Board of Aldermen to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in housing, employment and public accommodations. Though it originally appears to have sufficient support to pass, It fails to receive a committee vote the following month, with its sponsor noting one alderman withdrew his support.

August 1992: After the ordinance was revived in May 1992, the Louisville Board of Aldermen votes 8-4 against the measure.

Supporters of the Fairness Amendment protested outside City Hall. Sept. 3,1992

March 1995: The board votes 7-4 against a more narrow version of the Fairness Ordinance limited to employment protection. About two dozen supporters arrested after refusing to leave the Board of Aldermen chambers.

September 1997: The ordinance, back for a third time, fails to win passage with a 7-3 vote.

Supporters of a gay-rights ordinance demonstrated during what they called a ``vigil for justice'' at City Hall yesterday evening and planned to stay all night to promote their cause.-Sept 8, 1997

January 1999: The ordinance, adding sexual orientation and gender identity to the city's anti-discrimination laws, passes 7-5. It applies only to employment. Jefferson Fiscal Court passes a broader version also covering housing and public accommodations in October.

August 2001: In a largely symbolic act, Louisville Board of Aldermen votes to expand the 1999 ordinance to include housing and public accommodations following a Kentucky Court of Appeals ruling that the countys more broad version applies in Louisville.

Supporters of the Fairness ordinance outnumbered opponents at the start of the aldermen's committee meeting at City Hall. Committee members looked into the ordinance. Second from left, front row, is Dr. Frank Simon. Jan. 19, 1999

December 2004: The Louisville Metro Council, in a bipartisan 19-6 vote, adopts the Fairness Ordinance for the newly merged city-county government.

Reach reporter Matthew Glowicki at mglowicki@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4000.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville's Fairness Ordinance against LGBTQ+ discrimination turns 25
I took a plane and a train on the 330-mile London to Edinburgh route. The race was closer than you might expect.

The author next to an LNER train, and a British Airways Airbus A320. BI; Fabrizio Gandolfo/Getty Images

The 332 miles between London and Edinburgh takes a similar amount of time by plane or train.

I took both modes of transport and timed how long it took from the center of each city.

The train was only slightly longer, but cheaper, more comfortable  and more convenient.

The 332 miles between London and Edinburgh show a particularly narrow difference when traveling via train or plane.

While the flight takes about an hour compared to a nearly five-hour train ride, there's also time spent traveling to the airport and waiting to board.

I grew up near London, and because my dad is from Edinburgh, we visited the Scottish capital every summer. We flew once or twice, but it was typically easier to take the train.

Last month, I visited Edinburgh for a press event and took the opportunity to time my journeys. I traveled north on an LNER Azuma train and returned the next day on a British Airways Airbus A320.

The contest was indeed close, and even though the train took longer, it was cheaper and more enjoyable.

I started my stopwatch at Trafalgar Square in the heart of London.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

A plaque here reads: "On the site now occupied by the statue of King Charles I was erected the original Queen Eleanor's cross, a replica of which stands in front of Charing Cross station. Mileages from London are measured from the site of the original cross."

Similarly, the center of Edinburgh is traditionally measured from a now-demolished post office near the train station.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

Already, this highlights the main benefit of traveling by train  especially in a city like Edinburgh where the main attractions are in a compact area.

It was only a short walk to the nearest Tube station, and I was on a train within 8 minutes.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

I arrived at King's Cross Station about 20 minutes before my train departed, which gave me plenty of time.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

There was an unusually big crowd of people for a Wednesday afternoon because some other trains had been delayed. Luckily, mine was on time.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

It was only a short wait before our platform number was announced and passengers flooded toward the ticket barriers. We departed on time, 37 minutes after I left Trafalgar Square.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

In Edinburgh, I took a 35-minute tram journey from the center to the airport. The security line was pretty speedy.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

I arrived at the airport an hour and 50 minutes before my flight's departure time.

With time to sit around, I had lunch in a Wetherspoons pub. Given my experiment, I found all the train memorabilia ironic  but this also signals the strong history of British railways.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

I'd been at the airport for an hour by the time the gate opened  then another 25 minutes before I boarded.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

Unfortunately, my flight was delayed by 45 minutes. I adjusted for that on my timer, but we still wouldn't have taken off until two-and-a-half hours after I left Waverley station.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

All the plane timings in this piece exclude the delay.

London to Edinburgh is clearly a popular route for BA, as before the safety demonstration, the pilot said: "I know many of you are probably frequent fliers."

For those regularly making this journey, there's the benefit of loyalty points which you wouldn't get on a budget airline or a train.

By the time we took off, my train had almost reached York, its third stop on the East Coast Main Line, and roughly halfway to Edinburgh.

But the flight itself would take just over an hour, traveling at roughly 300 mph versus the train's top speed of 125 mph.

A British Airways Airbus A320. Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto via Getty Images

The only true high-speed rail in Britain goes between London and the Channel Tunnel. A second line on the West Coast, known as HS2, is planned to be Europe's fastest  but construction has been delayed and cut down.

On the other hand, the train is far better for the environment given that it carries more people. I traveled on a Class 801/2 which has 611 seats compared to the plane's 180.

Joe Giddens/PA Images via Getty Images

Soon after takeoff, the flight attendants offered passengers a free bottle of water and either peanuts or cookies.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

The LNER has a cafe car on board, but wasn't serving any hot food on my journey. You can also order via a QR code on the seatback.

However, I found the legroom and seat width to be less than ideal, even at 5-foot-9.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

I flew on a British Airways Airbus A320 for $195. It's definitely better than flying budget.

On the train, I was comfortable with plenty of room  plus an extending tray table for my laptop.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

The free Wi-Fi wasn't great, but I wrote a Business Insider article. I spent the rest of the journey reading or taking in the views.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

After three and a half hours total, the plane landed at a sunny Heathrow Airport, but it took another 20 minutes to leave, with time to deplane and a long jet bridge walk.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

The timings were aided by the fact that I only had hand luggage.

I took the Elizabeth Line and the Tube back to Trafalgar Square, arriving 4 hours and 52 minutes later.

Pete Syme/Business Insider

No budget airline uses Heathrow, so it would take even longer to reach the center if you flew with easyJet or Ryanair.

By train, I reached the center of Edinburgh after 5 hours and 21 minutes.

georgeclerk/Getty Images

If you have checked bags or were traveling with a budget airline, the plane would take just as long, if not longer.

I found the train to be more comfortable and convenient. Plus, if you book in advance, it would likely be cheaper than a budget airline.

The LNER starts at 49 ($62). While a Ryanair flight starts at 17 ($21), the price of a checked bag  plus the train into London from Stansted Airport  would bring that up to 65 ($82).

So, if you're visiting the UK and want to visit both cities, the train would be cheaper since luggage is free.

Plus, there's the added benefit of seeing so much of the countryside, and some great seaside views too.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Ex-President Trumps hush money case should never have made it to indictment, according to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

During an appearance Friday on HBOs Real Time with Bill Maher, the disgraced Democrat said the prosecutors in District Attorney Alvin Braggs office pursued the former presidents conviction only because of who he is and what he wants, reports The Hill.

Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo earlier this month in Washington, D.C. Getty Images

The attorney generals case in New York, frankly, should have never been brought, Cuomo told Maher. And if his name was not Donald Trump and if he wasnt running for president Im the former AG of in New York [and] Im telling you that case wouldve never been brought.

Added Cuomo, the former New York attorney general: Thats what is offensive to people, and it should be because if theres anything left, its belief in the justice system.

Anti-Trump demonstrators celebrating Donald Trumps conviction near Manhattan Criminal Court on May 30, 2024. Getty Images

Trump was found guilty late last month on all 34 counts of falsifying business records in relation to a payment that was made to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.

Trump denies he ever had an affair with Daniels. His lawyers have stated they plan to appeal the verdicts.

Trump in court during his hush money trial. Getty Images

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg speaks after the guilty verdict in Trumps criminal trial. REUTERS

Cuomo, who resigned as governor during the summer of 2021, said the public loses faith in its institutions when politics comes into play.

You want to talk about a threat to democracy: when you have this country believing youre playing politics with the justice system and youre trying to put people in jail or convict them for political reasons, then we have a real problem.

Cuomo stepped down on August 10, 2021, three weeks after an investigation by New York Attorney General Letitia James found he had sexually harassed or mistreated 11 women during his time in office.

He has consistently denied the allegations.

Since leaving office, the former governor has reportedly been eyeing a political comeback, with insiders telling The Post recently that he may challenge Eric Adams for New York City mayor in 2025.
Trump promised green cards to all migrants who graduated in US. Then his campaign walked it back

Trump promised green cards to all migrants who graduated in US. Then his campaign walked it back

Donald Trumps campaign is walking back a promise from the former president that he would automatically give green cards to all overseas students studying in the US once they graduate.

Speaking on The All-In Podcast on Thursday, Trump said: What I want to do, and what I will do, is you graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country.

That move wouldnt only apply to graduates of four-year universities either, Trump clarified.

That includes junior colleges too. Anybody graduates from a college  you go in there for two years or four years. If you graduate, or you get a doctorate degree from a college, you should be able to stay in this country.

The campaign is now emphasizing a strict vetting process as part of the plan after the idea received immediate pushback.

Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian told The New York Post that it was a cockamamie proposal.

If someone earns a PhD at a university in a hard science, I personally will drive to their house and give them a green card, Krikorian said.

The issue is any foreign college graduate, even from a bogus two-year masters program or gender studies, would get a green card.

Fox News reports Chris Chmielenski, president of the conservative Immigration Accountability Project, as saying that the plan would reduce wages for all Americans, increase job competition, particularly for recent college graduates, and pose a national security threat.

US immigration policy must serve the interests of all Americans, not the interests of elite business leaders who seek cheap labor.

Trump campaign spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to media outlets: President Trump has made it clear that on day one of his new administration, hes going to shut down the border and launch the largest mass deportation effort of illegal aliens in history.

She also said that Trumps green card proposal would also include an aggressive vetting process that would exclude all communists, radical Islamists, Hamas supporters, America haters, and public charges.

Leavitt continued: He believes, only after such vetting has taken place, we ought to keep the most skilled graduates who can make significant contributions to America. This would only apply to the most thoroughly vetted college graduates who would never undercut American wages or workers.

The former president made the comment after one of the podcasts hosts, investor Jason Calacanis, asked him: Can you please promise us you will give us more ability to import the best and brightest from around the world to America?

Trump expressed his frustration over how some US graduates leave the country and start businesses in China or India because theyre unable to obtain visas to stay.
Trump says he has chosen running mate for US presidential election

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Faith & Freedom Conference in Washington DC. Daniel Heuer/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

Former US president Donald Trump on Saturday said that he has decided on a running mate for the US presidential election in November, but has not yet told anyone about it.

When asked by a reporter on Saturday in Philadelphia whether he had decided on his pick for vice president, Trump replied: "In my mind, yeah." Asked if anyone knew his selection, he said, "No, nobody knows."

Trump had travelled to Philadelphia in the state of Pennsylvania for a campaign appearance and beforehand stopped off at a steak restaurant, where he was cheered by supporters and also answered a few questions from reporters.

Democratic incumbent president Joe Biden and his predecessor are all but guaranteed to face off on November 5 in a rematch of the 2020 presidential election, after both achieved the required number of delegates to be nominated as candidates of the Democratic and Republican parties respectively.

Biden, 81, is running with current Vice President Kamala Harris, who, like him, is struggling with poor popularity ratings. Trump, 78, has been letting speculation run wild for months as to who he will pick as his running mate.

Before his trip to Philadelphia, Trump canvassed for votes at a meeting of politically influential evangelical Christians in the US capital Washington.

Biden, meanwhile, was spending the weekend at Camp David near Washington to prepare for the televised debate between him and Trump set for Thursday.

Trump's nomination won't be official until the Republican Party Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in July. The Democrats will officially select their candidate in Chicago in August.

Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump delivers remarks at the Faith & Freedom Conference in Washington DC. Daniel Heuer/ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
Trump Says Hes Privately Decided Who His Running Mate Will Be

(Bloomberg) -- Former President Donald Trump said hes made up his mind on who hell select as his vice presidential nominee - but hasnt told the Republicans vying for the position his decision yet.

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Trump said during a stop Saturday at a cheesesteak restaurant in Philadelphia that his running mate would be attending next Thursdays presidential debate in Atlanta, according to an NBC News reporter at the event.

While his showdown with President Joe Biden doesnt have an audience, many of the top vice presidential contenders - including North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, and Senator JD Vance of Ohio - are expected to attend a watch party hosted by Trumps campaign.

The presumptive Republican presidential nominee has previously said he would announce his choice at or shortly before the Republican National Convention, which begins July 15 in Milwaukee.

But Trump may decide to make the announcement earlier, in part to distract from coverage of his July 11 sentencing on 34 felony counts in a New York hush money case.

The campaign has ratcheted up preparations for after Trumps running mate is chosen. It has rented a private jet for the vice presidential candidate between July to November, according to a person who requested anonymity to discuss the efforts.

The choice will be a major decision for the former president, who is seeking to expand his electoral coalition amid public opinion polls that show voters were disappointed with both candidates. Trump was in Philadelphia on Saturday to appear at a rally on the citys north side, traditionally a Democratic stronghold.

Trump broke with Mike Pence after his former vice president announced that he didnt believe he had the constitutional authority to block certification of Trumps loss to Biden in 2020.

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Donald Trump says he has chosen his running mate for Novembers presidential election.

The all-but-certain Republican nominee told NBC News reporters Jake Taylor and Dasha Burns ahead of a rally in Philadelphia on Saturday (June 22) that he has picked his potential vice president.

The only thing is that he did not say who it was and also revealed that he hasnt told the individual in question or anyone else.

In my mind, yeah, Trump said when asked if hes decided.

Asked if his pick knows its them, Trump responded, No, nobody knows.

Whoever it is will reportedly be at Thursdays first presidential debate against Joe Biden, hosted by CNN in Atlanta.

That does not mean that we will find out who his running mate is that night as Trump has said previously that he may make the announcement at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in mid-July.

NEW: Trump tells me and @DashaBurns just now:

- Hes picked his VP

- He hasnt told them yet

- Theyll be at the debate pic.twitter.com/xL3qV98PFL  Jake Traylor (@jake__traylor) June 22, 2024

Speculation about who the former president would pick to join him on the 2024 Republican ticket amped up after vetting materials were sent to contenders.

A source told The Hill that North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and senators Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, and JD Vance of Ohio received vetting requests.

Recent reporting suggests that Rubio has risen to the top of the list, but Burgum has also been touted as having the best odds at being picked  and has been one of the most active surrogates for Trump  with Scott coming in with the second-best odds.

However, a New York Post report quoted a source as saying the South Carolina senators star has become less bright and he is unlikely to be picked.

Who will Trump pick as running mate? (Getty Images)

Officials working for Trumps campaign had hoped that Scott could bring in Black voters.

The source told the Post the senator might not resonate with the Black community in a way thats worth putting him on the ticket. Still, Scott could see himself as a member of the former presidents Cabinet.

A couple of people speculated that the contenders personality could be one of the reasons why he might not be chosen.

One person told the outlet: I suspect his biggest issue is that hes just not very good on TV.

Other names in the mix include Florida Rep Byron Donalds, former Trump Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Senator Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and New York Rep Elise Stefanik.

South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem was once seen as a contender until publishing a book that included an account of how she executed her dog.

Asked on Sunday mornings edition of Meet the Press by NBCs Peter Alexander whether she had received any vetting paperwork, Noem responded: No, I haven't received any paperwork. No. I haven't. I've had conversations with the president, and I know that he is the only one who will be making the decisions on who will be his vice president.
A woman who bought a $4 vase at a Maryland thrift shop and then discovered years later tha it was a Mayan artifact dating back nearly 2,000 years returned the ancient treasure to Mexico.

Anna Lee Dozier told NPR that she thought she had found a reproduction of a Mayan vase five years ago on the clearance shelf of the 2A Thrift Store in Clinton, Maryland, and shelled out $4 to purchase it.

"It did look old to me, but not old-old, like 20 to 30 years old, maybe," Dozier, a human rights advocate with Christian Solidarity Worldwide, told NPR.

"I thought it would be just a nice little thing to take home and put on the shelf and to remind me of Mexico," she said.

While on a work trip this January, Dozier saw a display of Mayan vases at the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. She noticed the similarity between the artifacts on display and the vase she had at home.

"I still was dubious that it was real, but just thought it looked enough like that that I asked to speak to someone in the [museum] offices and just ask, if I had something of interest, what would be the process to authenticate that," Dozier said.

A museum official recommended that she contact the Mexican embassy.

After sending a photo of the vase and its dimensions, she heard from the museum that the ancient vessel was real and "we would like it back."

The vase dates back to between 200 and 800 AD, Mexico's ambassador to the US Esteban Moctezuma Barragan said in a posting on X.

"A valuable witness of our Maya history returns home ... thanks to the generosity of Anne Lee Dozier," he wrote. "This historic gem will be reintegrated within the collection of [Mexico's National Museum of Anthropology and History] to preserve our rich cultural heritage."

Dozier said she was "thrilled" to play a part in returning the vase to Mexico.

"I would like it to go back to its rightful place and to where it belongs, but I also want it out of my home because I have three little boys and ... I was petrified that after 2,000 years I would be the one to wreck it," she told WUSA 9.
The first-ever Murals in Motion event seemed to be a big hit among spectators and participants.

Murals in Motion, which was hosted by representatives from the Lake Geneva Business Improvement District, was held May 15-19 in downtown Lake Geneva.

The event featured artists from throughout the country painting or installing murals for several downtown buildings.

Murals were painted on the walls of 234 Broad St., 233 Center St. and 858 W. Main St. Three panel murals are set to be installed on other downtown buildings in the future.

Business Improvement District Executive Director Alexandria Binanti highlighted some of the results of the Murals in Motion event during the June 10 Lake Geneva Tourism Commission meeting and the June 5 Business Improvement District Board meeting.

Binanti estimates that about 14,000 people attended the five-day event. She said several of the artists indicated that they enjoyed participating in the event and have encouraged some of their peers to apply to be a participant next year.

They indicated this was one of the more welcoming communities for public art, and it was a very well organized event, Binanti said. They are telling their artist friends about us to try to get other projects in place.

Spyro Condos, Business Improvement District Board member, said he is impressed with the murals that were painted on the buildings, and he has talked to several residents who seem to enjoy them, as well.

It just makes the town look so charming, and not just for tourists, Condos said. I know quite a few local people who I see walking in the morning and they all love it. The thing was 100% positive. Lets keep it going, it was great.

Brian Waspi, chairman of the Tourism Commission, said he has noticed several people taking photographs of the murals.

The installation of the one by Starbucks is incredible, Waspi said. Every time I go by that one, somebody is taking a picture of it.

Other activities during Murals in Motion

Besides the murals, the event featured several other activities including an opening reception May 14 at Horticultural Hall, 330 Broad St., which was attended by about 107 people.

The event included a gallery art walk May 17 with 19 participating businesses showcasing artwork from local students and residents, as well as a downtown sidewalk sale May 17-19.

We did it differently than Maxwell Street Days. It wasnt meant to be a bargain deal. It was an artisan market, very European style with boutique options, Binanti said. So theres a consideration of possibly adapting that into a Memorial Day through Labor Day time period for those businesses, just like the extension for outdoor dining.

About 13 artists participated in a paint-in event May 18 and May 19 in downtown Lake Geneva and Flat Iron Park, and about 20 musicians performed throughout the downtown area during those days.

A pop-up alleyway dinner was held May 18 in the alleyway of 234 Broad St., between the O2 Lounge and Geneva Stage, which was attended by about 75 people and raised about $5,000 for future art installation projects.

It was the first alleyway dinner ever in Lake Geneva, Binanti said. It was the first time we ever closed off that alley for a specific event.

Binanti said some of the smaller Mural in Motion activities may be established into future community events.

The purpose was to do a case study for future events, Binnati said.

In the future

Representatives from the Business Improvement District plan to conduct the Murals in Motion event again next year, with possibly three more murals being installed and a chalk art festival being held as part of the event.

Business Improvement District officials are conducting the Murals in Motion: Local Talent Silent Auction, which features works from local students and residents.

The purpose of the auction is to raise money for future mural projects. People who do not want to purchase a piece of artwork may make a monetary donation.

For more information about the online auction, visit www.lakegeneva.betterworld.org/auctions/murals.

A lot of students did participate, and theres some really incredible work on there, Aletha Salgado, Business Improvement District Board member, said. Were really encouraging people to take a look at that if possible, and we will have sponsorship opportunities, I think, coming in August.

Officials from the Business Improvement District have been approached by representatives from surrounding communities to help them establish a mural program.

Were kind of setting the bar for how to do art installations, Binanti said.

Three years of planning

Representatives from the Business Improvement District have been planning the Murals in Motion event for about three years.

Salgado said she is pleased with the support she has received from city officials and the other Business Improvement District Board members for planning the event.

Three years ago I had an idea and brought it to this board, not everyone was on the board at the time but the people who were, were super supportive and I appreciate every single one of you for encouraging me to go through with this and for Janine (Osborne) for jumping on board initially, Salgado. I didnt believe it until I saw paint on the wall that it was actually going to happen.

Condos said he appreciates the work the board members conducted in planning the event. He looks forward to the event being held again in the future.

I think this thing will continue to be nice, Condos said. I realize the work you guys did.

Fourth Annual Lake Geneva Bacon Fest features plenty of food and live entertainment Employees of Smokie Boyz BBQ prepare some food for hungry guests at the Lake Geneva Bacon Fest. Members of the Soul Chasers perform some bacon-inspired tunes during the Lake Geneva Bacon Fest Ashely Leakakos of Mid-City Grill prepares to serve food and drinks to Bacon Fest attendees A variety of food was available for purchase during Bacon Fest including an assortment of cheese spreads Bacon Fest attendees enjoy some live music as part of the festivities Joseph Bobeng puts the finishing touches on some loaded cheese fries Roland Wolff and Jasmine Roman of the Baker House prepare to inform potential customers about the Lake Geneva Steak House Attendees enjoy some food during Lake Geneva Bacon Fest Jeff Wasielewski salts some kettle corn during Bacon Fest A selection Bacon Fest merchandise was available for purchase during the event Remy Herrejon of the Peanut Butter Pig sells some bacon-inspired treats during Bacon Fest
Trump Says He Has Picked His VP, But a Key Detail is Missing

Former President and current Republican nominee Donald Trump has stated that he has already decided upon his pick for Vice President in the 2024 election, but theres still one more thing that he needs to do: tell them.

During Trumps stop in Philadelphia on his campaign tour on Saturday, NBC News asked if he had decided on a running mate. He responded, in my mind, yeah, and added that nobody knows who the choice is. Per Trump, whoever it is will most likely be at Thursdays CNN presidential debate in Atlanta, the first against his Democrat opponent President Joe Biden.

They'll be there, he said. I think we have a lot of people coming.

In an interview for TIMEs April cover story , the former President claimed that many people have been asking to be his Vice President.

Everybody wants to work for me. And a lot of people say, Oh, would he work for me? Oh, would he be a Vice President? Would he accept? Vice President? Ive got everybody in the nation calling me begging me to be vice president, he told TIME.

Read More: Read the Full Transcripts of Donald Trumps Interviews With TIME

Narrowing down the options, though, potential vice presidential candidates include North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Ben Carson, and Senators Marco Rubio, Tim Scott, and J.D. Vance. Congressman Byron Donalds and Congresswoman Elise Stefanik are also widely believed to be on Trump's shortlist.

In 2016, Trump strategically chose Mike Pence as his running matea fiscal and social conservative who comforted the more traditional Republicans and widened Trumps support base. The question is whether he will use a similar strategy this time around, or double down with his already devoted MAGA base.

Read More: Here's a Look at Trump's VP Shortlist and Why Each Contender May Get Picked

This is not the first time Trump has enjoyed toying with the media over his VP decision. In January, Trump had a very similar answer for Fox News moderators Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum when they inquired about who he was thinking of choosing to join him.

I cant tell you that, he said at a Fox News Town Hall in Des Moines ahead of the Iowa caucuses. But I know who its going to be.

Read More: A List of Trumps Allies Coming to Support Him at His Trial



According to NBC, Trumps senior adviser Brian Hughes said that the campaign's top criterion for selecting a running mate is a strong leader who will make a great President for eight years after his next four year term concludes.

Though the running mate could likely be at next weeks presidential debate, Trump has previously said he will announce his pick for Vice President at the Republican National Convention next month, which takes place from July 15 until July 18 in Milwaukee.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Gov. Doug Burgum (R-N.D.) dug in his heels while repeating claims that Americans are living under a dictatorship with President Joe Biden.

During an appearance on State of the Union Sunday, CNNs Kaitlan Collins pressed the governor to explain why he thinks his political disagreements with Biden make the Democratic president a despot.

I understand you dont like President Bidens policies on immigration or student loans, Collins told Burgum, a contender for Donald Trumps 2024 vice presidential spot. But, respectfully, youre calling the democratically elected president a dictator.

Citing Bidens use of executive orders, Burgum said, I just think that theres again a double standard here. He is bypassing the other two branches of government to push an ideological view of  whether its on economics or whether its on climate extremism  hes doing that without using the other branches.

Collins pushed back, telling the governor, I dont think anyone expects the Republican governor to agree with President Biden on that. But its not a dictatorship.

Burgum appears on Fox Business Network on June 13, 2024. He tried to explain why he's repeatedly called President Joe Biden a dictator during a Sunday appearance on CNN's "State of the Union." Steven Ferdman via Getty Images

Well, I think again, part of where this word has come from has been a nonstop media attack on President Trump saying that he might use executive orders when he takes office, Burgum replied.

Somehow managing to muddle his message, Burgum went on to say Biden should be using executive powers to strengthen security at the southern U.S. border.

In response, Collins reminded the governor that Trump signed 220 executive orders during his tenure in office, far more than the 139 Biden has enacted in the same timespan.

During his State of the Union appearance, Burgum also conveniently ignored Trumps own remarks about flirting with a dictatorship if reelected.

Last December, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee vowed not to abuse his presidential powers if appointed, Except for day one.

Watch Burgum and Collins exchange here:

Related...
The former Morro Bay Power Plant site on April 25, 2024, where Vistra has proposed a battery electrical storage facility. The battery facility will be located on the former oil tank farm in foreground and hidden behind the current sand berm that was a containment for the tanks.

The truth about Measure A-24

Morro Bay residents say proposed battery plant isnt safe, (sanluisobispo.com, March 8)

The facts regarding the proposed battery plant in Morro Bay need to be made clear. Proponents of Measure A-24, which will appear on the November ballot, say it will prevent the plant from moving forward. Not true. The measure denies the Morro Bay City Council the ability to rezone the property upon which the battery plant would be placed. State law, however, gives the state energy commission the ability to bypass local decisions on renewable energy projects  like this battery plant. That means that the state is not bound by the measure, nor can it prevent construction of the battery plant.

Recent actions by the state Legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom illustrate that this is precisely the type of project California wants. Renewable energy is one of their top priorities. Members of the energy commission were appointed by the governor and the legislature, and they will vote to approve this project.

While we may end up with a battery plant, in order to protect this community we need to ensure the city retains the ability to negotiate terms that hold the developer accountable. The council must retain the zoning authority. If Prop 24 passes, the developer will go to the state rather than negotiate with the city. The state will negotiate terms favorable to the state, and the needs of our community will be secondary.

We elected a city council to represent our interests. Let it do its job. We need to be in a position to hold the developers feet to the fire.

Jim Gross

Morro Bay

Opinion

Let Morro Bay have control

I care a lot about my community and the unfunded pension liabilities and unfunded pavement improvements we need in Morro Bay. So I have been doing research on Vistras proposal to build a battery plant and the local ballot measure A-24, looking for the impacts, which are unexplained.

I have read the ballot measure, and A-24 doesnt even mention the battery project. But passing the ballot measure would mean the City Council would have no authority over the decision on the plant. Is that what the measures sponsors intend? Why do the promoters of A-24 believe that the council wont study the issue and make the right decision for us?

What really concerns me is that I have learned that Vistra can bypass the council to go directly to the state Energy Commission and the Coastal Commission for necessary approvals. At a recent community meeting I heard Vistra say that they prefer to work with the city. While some probably distrust Vistra, I want my City Council  not the state to negotiate the best outcome possible for us.

Doug Rogers

Morro Bay

Missed opportunity

Did SLO County councilwomans husband punch a 13-year-old dirtbike rider? Heres what we know, (sanluisobispo.com, June 14)

Like many Tribune readers, I was drawn in by the headline of this story. It sounded like a possible scandal, which I suspect was the intention. It seemed to involve a public official. But I was disappointed  not by being denied a juicy story, but that The Tribune tried to titillate the public with a non-event. According to the evidence, no punch was thrown by Gordon Fuglie, and his wife, Atascadero City councilwoman Susan Funk, was not even present at this incident.

What The Tribune should have focused on is reckless, illegal motorcycle riding in the Salinas River corridor. The City of Atascadero has issued a thorough statement against this activity and posted signage forbidding motorized vehicles in the Salinas riverbed and on the Juan Bautista De Anza National Historic Trail, listing safety hazards, environmental damage and noise pollution as reasons for the prohibition.

The Tribune missed an opportunity to shift the focus of this minor confrontation between a responsible citizen and two teenage boys who were knowingly abusing the Atascadero Mutual Water Companys property.

Bruce Everett

Templeton

Bear tranquilized after wandering into backyard in downtown SLO, (sanluisobispo.com, June 4)

Thank you to local authorities in San Luis Obispo for responding to the recent bear sighting in downtown with compassion and restraint. Its important to remember that such animals were here first, and our ever-expanding urban boundaries encroach upon their habitat and ability to survive.

In a world where encounters with wildlife too often end in tragedy for the animals, it was nice to see humanity doing the right thing.

Mark Hawthorne

San Luis Obispo
Two men found dead in car with apparent gunshot wounds on citys South Side, Chicago police say

Two men found dead in car with apparent gunshot wounds on citys South Side, Chicago police say

CHICAGO  Two men were found dead in a car Sunday morning on the citys South Side with apparent gunshot wounds, according to a preliminary investigation by Chicago police.

Police say two unknown adult males were discovered unresponsive in a Jeep Cherokee in the 12300 block of South Halsted Street around 8:30 a.m. Sunday with apparent gunshot wounds throughout their bodies. They were pronounced dead at the scene.

Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines

Police say the circumstances surrounding the incident are under investigation by Area Two detectives.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WGN-TV.
Two years ago, SCOTUS overturned the right to an abortion. Here is how each state changed

Monday marks two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal right to an abortion.

The Dobbs decision issued June 24, 2022 upheld Mississippi's ban on abortion after 15 weeks. Since then, states have enacted a range of laws from near-total abortion bans to shield laws protecting patients from other states who travel to get the procedure. The decision has even bled into questions on the FDA's independence and access to in vitro fertilization.

Many active state laws are still in flux, and all eyes are on November when several states will put the abortion issue directly in the hands of voters.

Here is a state-by-state guide to abortion laws today and how they have changed in the last two years:

Impacts of Dobbs: More than 171K patients traveled out-of-state for abortions in 2023, new data shows

Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | Washington D.C.| West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming

Alabama

Abortion is banned outright with few exceptions.

Exceptions: When the pregnant person's life is in danger.

Changes since Dobbs: None, enforcement kicked in after decision.

Other reproductive news in the state: Alabama shook the reproductive rights community in February when the state Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization should be treated legally as children. It temporarily halted IVF treatments at clinics in the state, but the state legislature passed protections for the procedure in the weeks that followed.

Alaska

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: Abortions must be performed by a licensed physician.

Changes since Dobbs: None. The right to "reproductive choice," is protected under the state constitution, so it is likely to stay legal, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy is anti-abortion, despite the state's protections.

Arizona

Abortion is banned after 15 weeks.

Exceptions: Abortions are allowed for medical emergencies at any point in the pregnancy. Patients must also make two trips at least 24 hours apart and receive an ultrasound, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Changes since Dobbs: The undoing of Roe v. Wade in 2022 led to a petition to remove an injunction on a 160-year-old law to ban abortions. On April 9, the Arizona Supreme court ruled in favor of upholding the law which made the procedure illegal in nearly all instances. The state legislature moved quickly to pass a bill to block the ban. When that repeal goes into effect could be a moving target as it is tied to the end of the legislative session, but State Attorney General Kris Mayes had already indicated she wouldn't enforce an anti-abortion law.

The earliest the near-total ban could go into effect is September 27.

Other reproductive news in the state: Organizers in Arizona are closing in on gathering enough signatures to put a constitutional amendment to protect abortion on the ballot in November.

Map: Tracking abortion-related ballot measures in the upcoming election

Arkansas

Abortion is banned outright with few exceptions.

Exceptions: If the abortion is required to save a pregnant person's life.

Changes since Dobbs: The state had a trigger ban in place, effective immediately after the decision. In 2023, the Attorney General declined an effort to get an abortion amendment on the ballot before they started collecting signatures.

Other reproductive news in the state: Arkansas could have the measure on the ballot this year.

More: Florida, New York have abortion on the 2024 ballot. What's happening in other states?

California

Abortion is legal until 24-26 weeks, the time of fetal viability.

Exceptions: Abortion legal after viability to protect the patient's life or health.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has pushed through laws to help protect access for providers and patients in other states through shield laws.

Other reproductive news in the state: Gov. Gavin Newsom signed legislation in 2024 to temporarily allow abortion providers from Arizona to practice in California.

Colorado

Abortion is legal in all cases, no deadline.

Exceptions: Minors must have parental consent.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2023, Colorado enacted an interstate shield law to protect providers and patients from criminal consequences across state lines, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: In November, Coloradans will be able to vote on a constitutional amendment to protect the right to an abortion.

Connecticut

Abortion is banned after viability (24-36 weeks).

Exceptions: Abortions allowed after viability to save a pregnant person's health.

Changes since Dobbs: In the wake of the decision, the state passed a series of laws aimed at further protecting the right to an abortion. Those included protecting providers from actions taken in another state, allowing pharmacists to prescribe birth control and protecting patient health data.

Delaware

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: Parental notice is required for minors. After viability, abortions allowed only to save a pregnant person's life or if the fetus is not expected to survive.

Changes since Dobbs: The state enacted protections for abortion providers to shield against other states in June 2022, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Florida

Abortion is banned after 6 weeks.

Exceptions: Exceptions are in place for pregnancies resulting from rape, incest or human trafficking up until 15 weeks, but they must show proof it has been reported to officials. Abortions may also be performed to save the pregnant woman's life, avoid serious health risk or if the fetus has a fatal fetal abnormality.

Changes since Dobbs: The six-week ban went into effect in May 2024. Before the six-week ban, the house had passed a 15-week ban that went through legal challenges up to the state supreme court.

Other reproductive news in the state: Florida will vote on abortion access through viability in November.

Georgia

Abortion is banned after 6 weeks.

Exceptions: Up until 20 weeks, Georgia has exceptions to the ban for medical emergencies and cases of rape and incest.

Changes since Dobbs: Georgia passed the six-week ban in November 2022, and it was upheld by the state supreme court in 2023, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: Abortion access was a central point in the Georgia Supreme Court race, according to The Hill, but the Democratic opponent lost to the conservative justice in May.

Hawaii

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: After viability, abortions are allowed to save a pregnant person's life.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has enacted shield laws to protect patients and providers from other state agency investigations, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Idaho

Abortion is banned outright.

Exceptions: If proven in court by a medical provider, abortions can be allowed to save a pregnant person's life or in the case of incest or rape if it has been reported to law enforcement.

Changes since Dobbs: The current ban went into effect August 2022. The exceptions were narrowed in 2023, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: In April, 2024, The U.S. Supreme Court heard a Biden administration challenge to the near-total abortion ban which argued it violated federal law by not providing emergency care to mothers.

More: Supreme Court updates: Does Idaho abortion ban conflict with federal law?

Abortion rights supporters stage a "die-in" protest in support of reproductive rights and emergency abortion care, on the day the Supreme Court justices hear oral arguments over the legality of Idaho's Republican-backed, near-total abortion ban in medical-emergency situations, in Washington, U.S., April 24, 2024.

Illinois

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: Abortions are allowed after viability if necessary to save a pregnant person's life.

Changes since Dobbs: In January 2023, the state enacted interstate shield law, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights and in July 2023, the state passed a law prohibiting anti-abortion centers from using deceptive practices to try to interfere with an abortion.

Other reproductive news in the state: Illinois is a hub for those traveling for abortion, according to a New York Times analysis.

Indiana

Abortion is illegal in Indiana.

Exceptions: Allowed in instances when it is necessary to protect the life of the parent.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2022, the state enacted the total ban, but it was initially blocked in court. In 2023, the state Supreme Court rejected a challenge and the ban went into effect.

Iowa

Abortion is legal until 22 weeks, but patients must make two trips, get an ultrasound even if not medically necessary and parenteral notice is required for minors.

Exceptions: After 22 weeks, abortion is legal to save the life of the pregnant person.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2023, the state enacted a 6-week abortion ban that is on hold by the courts. The state Supreme Court is expected to issue a final ruling in the coming months.

More: I've seen the horrors women endure when denied health care. Iowa's abortion law scares me.

Kansas

Abortion is legal until 22 weeks.

Exceptions: After 22 weeks, exceptions can be made to save the pregnant person's life. Parent consent is required for minors.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2022, voters rejected an effort to amend the state constitution to declare there would be no right to an abortion in the state.

Kentucky

Abortion is illegal in Kentucky.

Exceptions: Abortion allowed in the case of a medical emergency.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2022, voters opted for the right to choose by rejecting a proposed constitutional amendment that would have further cemented the state's lack of abortion protection.

Other reproductive news in the state: Pro-choice advocates tried again to expand exceptions earlier this year, according to AP.

2023 Election lessons: Abortion delivers for Democrats from Ohio to Virginia to Kentucky

Louisiana

Abortion is illegal in Louisiana.

Exceptions: Abortion allowed in the case of a medical emergency.

Changes since Dobbs: A trigger ban went into effect with the Dobbs decision. In 2023, the state enacted a tax-credit for people who donate to crisis pregnancy centers, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: In spring of 2024, Louisiana became the first state to classify mifepristone, a drug commonly used for abortion mifepristone, as a controlled substance, but it is still allowed for pregnant women.

More: Which 14 states have abortion bans?

Maine

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: After viability, abortions are still allowed to save a pregnant person's life.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has passed several protections for providers and out of state patients.

Other reproductive news in the state: The state failed to pass a state constitutional amendment protecting the right to an abortion, according to the Associated Press.

Maryland

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: Minors must give notice to parents or guardians.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has enacted shield laws to protect against other state bans.

Other reproductive rights news in the state: In November, Maryland voters will be voting on a constitutional amendment to guarantee the right to reproductive freedom, according to Ballotpedia.

Massachusetts

Abortion is legal up until 24 weeks.

Exceptions: Abortion allowed after 24 weeks if the pregnant woman's life is in danger.

Changes since Dobbs: Massachusetts has passed shield laws for providers and patients.

Other reproductive rights news in the state: The Governor's office recently launched a campaign to warn against the dangers of anti-abortion centers known as "crisis pregnancy centers."

Michigan

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: Abortion may be restricted after viability, unless it is necessary to save a pregnant person's life, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. A 24-hour waiting period between counseling and the procedure and parental consent for minors is required, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Changes after Dobbs: Voters approved a constitutional amendment protecting the right to an abortion.

Other reproductive news in the states: Earlier this year, the "Reproductive Health Act" went into effect to try to lower more barriers to access to abortion.

Abortions in Michigan: What we know about the women who get them

Minnesota

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: According to the Attorney Generals Office, Minnesota prohibits the government from imposing restrictions.

Changes since Dobbs: The state passed several pieces of key legislation in 2023, including bills that repealed a required 24-hour waiting period. Parental consent is also no longer required for minors.

Other reproductive news in the state: A recent push to amend the state constitution to further solidify protections for abortion failed, according to the Associated Press.

Mississippi

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: To save the live of the pregnant person or in reported cases of rape or incest. Patients must also go to two appointments and minors are required to notify parents.

Changes since Dobbs: The current trigger ban went into place days after the Dobbs decision.

Other abortion news in the state: Mississippi and others sought and received an injunction from a federal judge that decided it does not have to comply with a federal rule that gives people time off for an abortion, according to the AP.

Missouri

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: Abortions allowed when necessary to save the pregnant person's life. The patient must take on the burden of proof to show that is necessary.

Changes since Dobbs: The state began enforcing a trigger ban after the June 24, 2022 decision.

Other reproductive rights news in the state: A judge recently ruled against several religious groups in favor of abortion that argued the ban violated their religious rights, the Washington Examiner reported.

Montana

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: Abortions are legal after viability if it is necessary to save the pregnant person's life. Minors seeking an abortion also require parental consent.

Changes since Dobbs: A judge struck down several laws restricting access to the procedure earlier this year, the AP reported.

Other reproductive news in the state: In 2022, a ballot measure known as the "Born-Alive Infant Protection Act" failed.

More: Florida, New York have abortion on the 2024 ballot. What's happening in other states?

Nebraska

Abortion is banned after 12 weeks.

Exceptions: Abortion is allowed after 12 weeks to save the life of a pregnant person or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest.

Changes since Dobbs: 12-week ban was enacted in May 2023. Challenges in court failed, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: Three ballot initiatives on abortion are being considered for the election in November: a total ban, and enacting abortion-access windows in the constitution set at 12 and 24 weeks.

Nevada

Abortion is legal until 24 weeks.

Exceptions: A parent or guardian must be notified about a minor's abortion.

Changes since Dobbs: In June 2022, the governor signed an executive order protecting providers from out of state investigations, and the protections were codified the following year.

Other reproductive news in the state: Activist groups are seeking to put an abortion constitutional amendment measure on the ballot in November.

New Hampshire

Abortion is legal until 24 weeks.

Exceptions: Parental notice is required for patients who are minors. Abortions are allowed after 24 weeks to save the life of the parent or in cases of fatal fetal anomalies.

Since Dobbs: The state House proposed a 15-day abortion ban, a de facto total ban, and a constitutional protection, but both measures failed according to New Hampshire Public Radio.

New Jersey

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: New Jersey encourages the patient to discuss limitations to getting an abortion with their healthcare provider.

Since Dobbs: The governor has called on banning of out-of-pocket costs for an abortion, according to AP.

New Mexico

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: According to New Mexico Health, the procedure is private and protected.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2023, the state codified previous executive orders to prohibit state agencies from cooperating with out of state investigations and shielding providers and patients, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: New Mexico has become a hub for people from Texas traveling for an abortion, according to a NYT analysis.

New York

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: After 24 weeks, abortion is still allowed if the parent's health or pregnancy is at risk.

Changes since Dobbs: New York has passed several shield laws to protect providers and patients from out of state investigations.

Other reproductive rights in the state: An abortion protection measure may appear on the ballot this year, according to Ballotpedia.

More: In states with abortion restrictions, 8,000 people each month get abortion pills elsewhere

North Carolina

Abortion is banned after 12 weeks.

Exceptions: Abortion is allowed through the 20 weeks if the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape, and through the first 24 weeks if the fetus has a life-limiting anomaly. It is allowed at any point when there is a medical emergency.

Changes since Dobbs: The current ban was enacted by the state and went into effect July 1, 2023.

Other reproductive news in the state: Some of North Carolina's restrictions on abortion pills were struck down by a federal judge on the grounds they circumvent federal regulation of the drug, according to AP.

North Dakota

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: Saving the pregnant person's life and personal health. The state also has an exception for rape and incest, but only through six weeks of pregnancy, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Changes since Dobbs: The state had a trigger ban in place that was put under an injunction, until the state replaced it with the ban that has been enforceable since April 2023, according to CRR.

Ohio

Abortion is legal up until 22 weeks.

Exceptions: Parental consent is required for minors. Patients must wait 24 hours after their first visit to have the procedure.

Changes since Dobbs: Immediately after Dobbs, the state began enforcing its six-week ban but it later was placed under injunction and is not in effect. In November 2023, voters approved a constitutional amendment to protect reproductive decision making.

Other reproductive news in the state: There have been several efforts to restrict and expand access to abortions, but little has changed.

Oklahoma

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: To save the parent's life.

Changes since Dobbs: The decision put into effect a trigger law, but the state supreme court struck down a law criminalizing abortion.

Other reproductive news in the state: An Oklahoma woman was told to wait in the car with a potentially life-threatening pregnancy complication until she was sick enough to receive an abortion, the Washington Post reported. She filed a complaint with the Biden administration but they rejected it, according to the Post.

Oregon

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: Those under the age of 15 need consent for treatment, but is up to the discretion of the health care providers.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2023, the state passed shield laws to protect patients and providers from investigations in other states, and paved the way for those under the age of 15 to be able to consent to an abortion without a guardian.

Pennsylvania

Abortion is legal until 24 weeks, with some barriers to accessing care.

Exceptions: Abortion legal after 24 weeks if necessary due to health risks. Abortions for minors require parental consent.

Changes since Dobbs: In July 2022, the governor issued an executive order protecting those who come to the state for services from legal pushback.

Other reproductive news in the state: Pennsylvania currently does not have legal protections for abortion, even though the current governor is supportive, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Rhode Island

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: After viability, abortion is legal in order to save someone's life. Parental consent is required for minors to receive abortion care.

Changes since Dobbs: In 2023, the state expanded Medicaid and state employee insurance to cover abortion.

South Carolina

Abortion is banned after six weeks.

Exceptions: Medical emergencies, if the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape, and some fetal diagnoses.

Changes since Dobbs: The current ban went into effect in May 2023.

More: Abortions in SC plummeted after six-week ban enacted; mifepristone limit could be next

South Dakota

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: Abortion may be a allowed if necessary to save someone's life.

Changes since Dobbs: The decision put into place a trigger ban. In 2023, the state carved out an exception to prevent women who receive an "unlawful abortion" from being held criminally liable, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: A ballot measure for abortion protections has been certified for November's election. However, an anti-abortion group challenged it in court, according to local station KFGO.

Tennessee

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: Abortion allowed if "necessary to prevent the death of pregnant woman or prevent serious risk of substantial and irreversible impairment of major bodily function."

Changes since Dobbs: The current ban was a trigger law in place that went into effect 30 days after the right to an abortion was overturned.

Other reproductive news in the state: Doctors and patients brought forward a lawsuit earlier this year arguing the vague language led to people with pregnancy complications being turned away from the doctor, according to Reuters.

Texas

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: The patient has a life-threatening condition that or one that could leave significant bodily impairment.

Changes since Dobbs: The state's trigger ban took effect August 2022. The law criminalized abortion, but some legal liabilities have since been rolled back, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: A federal judge in Texas decided to restrict access to a popular abortion drug mifepristone, which would have undermined the authority of the FDA, but a Supreme Court ruling struck down that ruling. The Texas Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit from women who said the abortion ban in the state prevented them from receiving emergency care for pregnancy complications, according to the Texas Tribune.

More: Supreme Court preserves access to widely used abortion medication mifepristone

Utah

Abortion is banned after 18 weeks of pregnancy.

Exceptions: Allowed when abortion is necessary to save a pregnant person's life, if the fetus is not expected to survive or if the pregnancy is a result of incest or rape.

Changes since Dobbs: After the decision, a trigger law banning abortion at all times in the pregnancy with limited exceptions went into effect but it was held up in court, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Vermont

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: According to state law, interference with reproductive choice is prohibited.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has enshrined the right to an abortion in the state constitution and enacted interstate shield laws, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

More: From health care to safety: Survey ranks Vermont fourth Best State for Women to Live

Virginia

Abortion is legal until 27 weeks into the pregnancy.

Exceptions: After 27 weeks, abortions can be permitted to save a pregnant person's life.

Other reproductive news in the state: Democrats took control of the state House in November, and successfully blocked a bill that would have put in place a near-total ban, the AP reported.

Washington

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: Abortions after viability may be permitted if necessary to safe the parent's life or health.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has enacted shield laws to protect providers and patients from out of state action and issued public funding towards abortion, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: The governor is seeking to codify in state law that hospitals must provide abortions if needed in emergency situations, according to the Associated Press, though there is no apparent evidence emergency abortion parents are being turned away in the state.

Washington D.C.

Abortion is legal.

Exceptions: According to the Attorney General, a medical provider and patient decide if it is appropriate.

Changes since Dobbs: D.C. has laws protecting patients who receive an abortion from other states.

West Virginia

Abortion is illegal.

Exceptions: A medical emergency, ectopic pregnancy, or if the fetus is "nonmedically viable," according to the Center for Reproductive Rights. If the pregnancy is the result of rape or incest, survivors must report it to law enforcement and have eight weeks to receive care. Parental consent is required for minors.

Changes since Dobbs: The current ban went into effect in September 2022, after a judge blocked the pre Roe v. Wade abortion ban which made obtaining an abortion a felony.

Wisconsin

Abortion is legal until 22 weeks.

Exceptions: Some barriers are in place for those accessing abortion within the first 22 weeks, such as a 24 hour waiting period and medically unnecessary ultra-sounds, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

Changes since Dobbs: After Dobbs, abortions were halted in the state due to an 1849 law that banned all abortions. A lower court found that law did not apply to consensual abortions, and the procedure became available again in September of 2023.

Other reproductive news in the state: The decision is being appealed, but the Wisconsin Supreme Court has a liberal majority and is likely to uphold the decision.

Wyoming

Abortion is legal until viability.

Exceptions: Minors must receive parental consent.

Changes since Dobbs: The state has tried to enact stricter bans, but both are held up in court, according to the Center for Reproductive Rights.

Other reproductive news in the state: Wyoming passed the nation's first explicit ban on medication abortions, which is still being considered in courts, according to AP.

Contributing: Kate Perez, Sara Chernikoff, Maya Marchel Hoff, C. A. Bridges, Savannah Kuchar, Shari Rudavsky, Michaela Ramm, Greg Hilburn, Jessie Balmert, Hope Karnopp

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: State abortion law changes, challenges since Dobbs ruling: A patchwork
Ukraine is increasingly fighting an attritional conflict against Russia, which can build more tanks and field more troops. Diego Herrera Carcedo/Anadolu via Getty Images

Ukraine is trapped in a strategy that favors Russia, a Ukrainian security expert argues.

Without a grand strategy for victory, the most that Ukraine can do is try to hold on.

"The lack of a strategy for victory will turn this war into a war of attrition," Oleksandr Danylyuk told BI.

Ukraine is caught in a strategic trap. It barely has the strength to keep Russia from making major advances, yet it is not strong enough to eject Russian forces from the territory it held prior to the 2022 invasion. The result is a war of attrition that Ukraine can't win.

The solution? Build up Ukrainian military power and compel Russia to agree to peace, argues a Ukrainian security expert. But that can't happen unless Ukraine devises a grand strategy that extends beyond mere survival that's characterized much of the war in 2024 as Russia exploited the long delay of US arms support.

"The lack of a strategy for victory will turn this war into a war of attrition for Ukraine, which completely coincides with Russian interests," Oleksandr Danylyuk told Business Insider.

Danylyuk dismisses the notion that even with Western aid, Ukraine can match Russia in the sheer numbers of military power like tanks, artillery and troops. "Trying to win a war with Russia at the expense of only a symmetrical mass increase is a flawed strategy, given that Russia has a larger number of [military-age] human reserves (about 30 million people in Russia, compared to about 8 million people in Ukraine), significant stockpiles of weapons and military equipment inherited from the USSR or built by 2022, as well as a developed defense-industrial complex and a powerful mining industry that satisfies its needs for a significant amount of strategic materials," he wrote in an essay for the Royal United Services Institute, a British think tank.

That leaves improving the quality of Ukraine's military. But this involves more than better weapons and tactics. Danylyuk argues that political mobilization is just as important, a view that seems reminiscent of the 19th Century German military philosopher Carl von Clausewitz, who envisioned a nation's war effort as a trinity comprised of the people, government and military.

"The political effectiveness of a military organization consists of its ability to receive financial support, the provision of weapons and military equipment, and the replenishment of human forces in the volume and quality necessary to eliminate existing threats," Danylyuk wrote. However, "the political effectiveness of the [Armed Forces of Ukraine] remains insufficient, as Ukraine's defense needs are currently only partially met."

Danylyuk blames Western restrictions on the types of weapons being supplied, and how they can be used. The US and Europe have long imposed restraints on using long-range weapons, such as ATACMS long-range guided rockets, to hit targets deep inside Russia. Only recently has the Biden administration begun to relax that policy. Easy victories with Western weapons have failed to materialize as the war has dug in. It's also clear that even with robust EU and US support, Ukraine is still at a disadvantage against the Russian war machine in a years-long fight.

Danylyuk also worries that political divergences between Ukraine and its allies are undermining Ukrainian military effectiveness. Ukraine's current government wants to liberate all occupied territory, which is "undeniably fair and rational, but it ignores the fact that the liberation of territory does not necessarily mean the end of the war," he wrote. On the other hand, US and European desires for a negotiated settlement "will be viewed by Russia as a tactical respite which can be used to restore and build capabilities and plan a new phase of aggression."

In other words, Russia could exploit a peace deal to rebuild its battered forces before launching another invasion of Ukrainian lands.

A Ukrainian serviceman carries a reconnaissance drone during training near the city of Kostiantynivka in the Donetsk region on May 19, 2023. REUTERS/Sofiia Gatilova

The result is that the Ukrainian military isn't sure what kind of war to prepare for. "The AFU are in an extremely difficult situation, as the political leaderships of both Ukraine and its partner countries see these goals in different ways, which negatively affects the ability of the AFU to develop and implement a military strategy aimed at achieving them," wrote Danylyuk.

Without a grand strategy for victory, the most that Ukraine can do is hold its own, Danylyuk told Business Insider. "The planning of individual operations, the assessment and provision of the needs of the AFU, the development of training programs and preparation, and the introduction of new tactical techniques can at best support Ukraine's ability to conduct the war, but not to win it."

There are too many competing visions of Ukrainian victory, he argues. These include retaking all lost Ukrainian territory, threatening Russia's hold on Crimea to force it into negotiations, punishing Russian industry and exports to try to force Russians to reconsider the war's costs, or exacting such a heavy toll that Russian leaders are compelled to withdraw similar to the Soviet pullout from Afghanistan.

Danylyuk does fault Ukraine for some military mistakes, such as failure to adequately prepare and train for the failed counteroffensive against well-entrenched Russian forces in summer 2023. But he considers tactical improvements to be at the bottom of Ukraine's to-do list.

The West can boost Ukrainian military power by focusing on weapons that have already proven devastating against Russian vulnerabilities, according to Danylyuk. This includes cheap naval drones that have sunk numerous Russian warships and driven Russia's Black Sea Fleet from the Ukrainian coast, as well as giving Ukraine more Western aircraft and air-to-air missiles to contest Russian airpower.

Interestingly, Danylyuk blames the West for failing to adapt its equipment to the lessons of the Ukraine war. "This concerns, first of all, their ability to quickly improve military equipment not only because Ukraine needs it, but also because the security of the partners themselves depends on its improvement. The current pace of this improvement is completely unsatisfactory, and the approaches to identifying and eliminating the shortcomings of such systems require a complete revision."

Danylyuk's analysis does leave some questions unanswered. For example, as the Germans discovered on the Eastern Front in World War II, quality doesn't always triumph over quantity. And as Ukraine's failed 2023 counteroffensive demonstrated, achieving decisive battlefield success is no easy matter. With Russian society mobilized for total war, and with Moscow able to procure resources from allies such as China, North Korea and Iran, Russia's ability to wage a long war is considerable.

Also, choosing a grand strategy is easier said than done. For example, the Ukrainian government vows to liberate all occupied territory, including the Crimean peninsula and eastern Ukraine which Russia has annexed. Some critics say this is unrealistic, and Ukraine will have to accept some loss of territory.

Whatever strategy Kyiv chooses, Danylyuk argues, it can't be the status quo.

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
Key developments on June 22-23:

Russian attacks damage energy infrastructure in multiple Ukrainian regions

Russian June 22 attack on Kharkiv kills 3, injures 56, including children

Russia claims Ukraine attacked Sevastopol with 5 ATACMS missiles

General Staff: Ukrainian forces hit command post in Russias Belgorod region

Ukrainian army says some Russian troops withdrawing from Vovchansk area

Fighting ongoing in Toretsk sector amid reports of captured village in 'gray zone'

Russian troops launched missile and drone attacks against multiple Ukrainian regions overnight on June 22, targeting critical energy infrastructure.

Ukraine's Energy Ministry said that energy transmission systems were attacked in the southern and western regions of Ukraine, damaging equipment.

Russia has recently intensified its attacks against Ukraine's critical infrastructure in a renewed assault against the country's energy grid, leading to blackouts. The overnight attack was the eighth such massive strike in recent months.

In Zaporizhzhia Oblast, two energy workers sustained injuries and were transported to the hospital as a result of the attack, grid operator Ukrenergo wrote on social media. In Lviv Oblast, a Russian missile struck an energy infrastructure facility causing a fire, Governor Maksym Kozytskyi reported.

Explosions were heard in the northwestern city of Lutsk in Volyn Oblast, Vinnytsia Oblast, and the city of Khmelnytskyi at around 5 a.m. on June 22.

Ukrainian air defense shot down all of the 13 Shahed-type attack drones and 12 of the 16 missiles launched by Russia overnight, Air Force reported.

Read also: Russian attacks pushing Ukraines energy system toward worst-case scenario, largest private energy company says

Glide bombs attacks on Kharkiv

On June 22, Russian forces struck the city of Kharkiv with glide bombs, killing three people and injuring 56, according to Governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russian glide bomb damaged a five-story residential building, a private house, five non-residential buildings, 16 commercial pavilions, 25 vehicles, 1 trolleybus, 2 pharmacies, and a car dealership.

Three more glide bombs hit an enterprise in the Kholodnohirskyi district, injuring four people and killing one, Syniehubov reported.

Moscow has recently intensified attacks against Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city, with the use of missiles, glide bombs, and drones, destroying energy infrastructure and killing civilians.

On June 23, Russia launched yet another glide bomb attack against Kharkiv, hitting civilian infrastructure.

At least one person is known to be killed, and 12 people injured.

Russian troops attacked Kharkiv with three gilde bombs, damaging an educational facility and multi-storied residential buildings in the citys Shevchenkivskyi district, Syniehubov reported. In Kholodnohirskyi district, the attack destroyed two private houses.

Part of Kharkiv is currently without power, and the metro has stopped, President Volodymyr Zelensky said following the attack.

"We will definitely restore everything and return to normal. We are working as hard as possible to deprive the Russians of the ability to terrorize our cities," he wrote on Telegram.

"Modern air defense systems for Ukraine, strong combat aviation, long-range weapons, and sufficient determination from our partners are what will certainly be able to stop the Russian terrorists."

Read also: Glide bombs help Russia gain land in Ukraine. What makes them so effective?

Russia claims Ukraine attacked Sevastopol with 5 ATACMS missiles

Russian Defense Ministry claimed on June 23 that Ukraine had launched an attack against Sevastopol, a city in Russian-occupied Crimea, with five U.S.-made long-range ATACMS missiles.

Ukraine is regularly targeting military infrastructure in occupied Crimea.

Four missiles were allegedly shot down by Russian air defense, while the warhead of the fifth one "exploded above the city," the Russian Defense Ministry claimed.

Mikhail Razvozhaev, the head of the illegal Russian occupation government of Sevastopol, claimed that four people were killed, including two children, and 144 were injured in the attack.

Earlier in the day, Russian Telegram channels posted photos and videos of the alleged attack, reporting that many people were injured on the beach of Uchkuevka, a village in the northern part of Sevastopol.

The reports could not be independently verified, and Ukraine has not commented on the news at the time of publication.

Read also: Ukraine war latest: Ukraine claims attack on 4 refineries, Shahed drone storage sites in Russia

Ukrainian forces reportedly hit command post in Russias Belgorod region

Ukraines military struck a command post of a Russian motorized rifle regiment in Nekhoteyevka in the Belgorod region, the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces reported early on June 23.

Nekhoteyevka is a village near the Russian-Ukrainian border located around 30 kilometers southwest of the city of Belgorod.

The strike was carried out by Ukraines Air Force in cooperation with other branches of the military, according to the General Staff.

"As a result of combat work, explosions were recorded. The target was successfully hit," reads the report. The Kyiv Independent couldn't immediately verify this information.

An hour after the General Staff's report, Vyacheslav Gladkov, the governor of Russia's Belgorod region, reported via Telegram on multiple strikes against his region but did not mention any attack on Nekhoteyevka.

Read also: Zelensky on strikes inside Russia: It works, just as we expected

Military says some Russian troops withdrawing from Vovchansk area

Some of the Russian forces are withdrawing from the area near Vovchansk in Kharkiv Oblast for replenishment due to a loss of combat capability, the spokesperson for the Khortytsia group of forces, Nazar Voloshyn, said on June 22 on national television.

Russia launched a new offensive on May 10 in northern Kharkiv Oblast, and Vovchansk became the scene of some of the heaviest fighting. Moscow's forces had advanced as far as 10 kilometers (6 miles) in the region but have been halted by the first line of defense.

Russia was "bogged down" in the embattled town of Vovchansk but was constantly replenishing its forces with units from other directions, Commander-in-Chief of Ukraine's Armed Forces Oleksandr Syrskyi said on June 12.

The withdrawal of Russian units was also seen near the villages of Lyptsi and Tykhe, where the Russian Armed Forces suffered losses, Voloshyn said.

Voloshin said that the Russian army had lost 60 percent of its troops, including both killed or wounded, in that direction of the front line.

"This indicates that the enemy has suspended its active hostilities in that area, as they were not conducted over the past day and in the morning," Voloshyn said.

Read also: Russias move on Kharkiv has bogged down. But was it a failure?

Fighting ongoing in Toretsk sector amid reports of captured village in 'gray zone'

Ukrainian forces are holding back Russia's assault in the Horlivka  Toretsk direction in Donetsk Oblast on June 22 amid ongoing fighting, Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent.

His statement comes as Moscow's troops have reportedly increased their attacks near the town of Toretsk after a "long lull" in fighting in the area.

Toretsk, the strategically important town located less than 8 kilometers (5 miles) from the front line, had a population of around 31,000 before the start of the full-scale invasion.

According to the crowd-sourced DeepState monitoring service, Russian troops allegedly captured the village of Shumy, located some 10 kilometers (6 miles) east of Toretsk.

"No map can show you what is really happening on the front line. Everything is completely different there, and no conclusions can be made about the front breakthrough or its stabilization," Voloshyn told the Kyiv Independent.

Read also: With all eyes on Kharkiv, Russian troops take one Donbas village after another

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
President Volodymyr Zelensky, in his regular evening address on June 23, said that Ukraine is continuing to work on securing more air defense systems, and that the next weeks in June and July should be "no less productive" than May and the first half of June.

"We have already received decisions on new Patriot (air defence systems) for Ukraine and are working on more. We are working on obtaining additional air defence systems," Zelensky said.

On June 20, Romania agreed to provide Ukraine with another Patriot system, while the Netherlands announced on June 21 that together with another country it would also supply a Patriot system.

Kyiv has been calling on its partners to provide additional air defenses as Russia intensifies its strikes against cities and energy infrastructure.

Ukraine received its first Patriot battery from the U.S. in the first half of 2023 and since then, the U.S.' most advanced air defense system has proved crucial in protecting the sky from Russian attacks.

Read also: Russia attacks Kharkiv with glide bombs, killing 1, injuring 12

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Ukraine's Air Force destroyed 2 Russian Kalibr missiles out of 3 launched on Kyiv Oblast overnight

Two Kalibr missiles have been shot down. Photo: Ukraines Air Force

Ukraine's Air Force shot down two of the three Kalibr missiles launched by Russian forces on the night of 22-23 June.

Source: Lieutenant General Mykola Oleshchuk, Commander of Ukraine's Air Force, on Telegram

Details: Oleshchuk noted that the Russians attacked Ukraine with three Kalibr sea-launched cruise missiles from the Sea of Azov on the night of 22-23 June.

Two missiles were shot down by anti-aircraft missile units of Ukraine's Air Force in Kyiv Oblast.

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Shrapnel from an intercepted US-made missile fired by Ukraine hit a beach packed with sunbathing tourists in occupied Crimea on Sunday.

Russian officials said at least five people, including three children, had died of shrapnel wounds  and they expected the death toll to rise.

A video shot by a tourist on the beach shows a missile coming into view above the nearby city of Sevastopol and then exploding. Shrapnel crashes into the sand in a succession of thuds and bangs, and tourists scream and run.

Run! one of the tourists shouts.

Two other videos show tourists using sun loungers to carry injured people off the beach and women in bikinis frantically administering first aid to an injured tourist as his blood drips onto the sand.

One of the dead has been named as the nine-year-old daughter of the deputy mayor of a town in the north of the occupied peninsula. Russias health ministry said 124 people were injured in the incident, including 27 children.

The entire health care system has been mobilised. Doctors and medical staff are at work. The operating rooms are deployed, said Mikhail Razvozhaev, the mayor of Sevastopol.

Attacks on civilian targets are rare in Russia or Russian-occupied territory but Ukrainian missile fragments have been known to fall away from military targets. The beach is about 10 minutes from the Belbek airfield, which Russia uses to launch fighter jets that regularly target civilian infrastructure in Ukraine.

Russian air defence

Russias ministry of defence said its air-defence systems had intercepted one of five US-made ATACMS long-range artillery rockets fired by Ukraine at Crimea. It blamed the US for the attack and said that the intercepted missile had been armed with a cluster munition warhead that exploded over the beach.

Responsibility for the deliberate missile attack on civilians in Sevastopol lies primarily with Washington, which supplied these weapons to Ukraine, as well as the Kyiv regime, it said. Such actions will not go unanswered.

A video still appears to show injured people

Vladimir Putin has not commented but Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, said the Russian president had been informed of the attack and was in constant contact with his senior military, emergency and health-care staff.

Many Russian tourists have shrugged off the dangers of Ukrainian missile attacks to take advantage of discounted package holidays to Crimea, famed across Russia for its golden beaches, clear water and blue skies.

At the time of the attack, the popular beaches outside Sevastopol, the biggest city in Crimea, were crowded at the start of the holiday season with families and children.

I had eight wounded

Irina Frolova was swimming in the pool of a nearby hotel when she heard the Russian air-defence systems hit the Ukrainian missile, followed by screams from the beach.

She said she rushed her children to their hotel room and then ran down to help.

I went to the beach because Im a medic, she told the Izvestia newspaper. There were a lot of wounded people there and by the time I arrived, they had already been taken off the beach to the parking lot. I had eight wounded people.

Ms Frolova then described how a woman died in front of her. There were mostly shrapnel wounds, a woman was hit in the neck by a double shrapnel. She died, she said.

Concerns in Washington

Ukraine frequently targets Sevastopol, the main base for Russias Black Sea Fleet, but it usually fires its missiles at night and not in the middle of the day.

Russias Ministry of Defence said that the missile attack on Sunday had occurred just after midday. Ukraine has not commented but the strike will reignite concerns in Washington about relaxing rules it has laid out to Ukraine over how it uses US-made kit to hit Russia.

Ukraine wants to be given more freedom to strike targets deeper in Russia but Washington is concerned this will escalate the war.

Washington considers Crimea, annexed by the Kremlin in 2014, to be part of Ukraine and allows Ukrainian commanders to strike it with US-made missiles.
Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed 133 times across war zone over past 24 hours, mostly on Pokrovsk front  Ukraine's General Staff

Ukrainian and Russian forces clashed 133 times across the war zone on Saturday, 22 June, including 44 times on the Pokrovsk front and 15 on the Kupiansk, Toretsk and Kurakhove fronts.

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook, information as of 22:00 on 22 June

Details: There have been 133 combat engagements since the beginning of the day. Over the past 24 hours, Ukrainian aircraft and Rocket Forces and Artillery units struck 17 clusters of Russian military personnel, a command post, two air defence systems, four ammunition storage points, an electronic warfare station and one radar station.

Russian forces launched five missile attacks on the territory of Ukraine using 20 missiles, as well as 35 airstrikes from 68 combat aircraft, and also utilised 544 kamikaze drones. At the same time, the Russians targeted Ukrainian positions and populated areas over 3,200 times with tubed and rocket artillery, mortars, small arms and armoured vehicles.

On the Kharkiv front, the Russians, supported by aircraft, were attempting to advance near the town of Vovchansk during the day. Ukrainian forces successfully repelled two Russian assaults, and another engagement is currently in progress. Early reports indicate that the Russians lost 64 soldiers (killed and wounded in action), two artillery systems and six vehicles. Ukrainian troops struck 35 dugouts and one ammunition storage point belonging to the Russians.

On the Kupiansk front, the Russians mounted 15 attempts to push Ukrainian forces back from their positions near the settlements of Stelmakhivka, Synkivka, Stepova Novoselivka, Pishchane, Andriivka and Miasozharivka. Ukrainian soldiers repelled 12 Russian attacks. The situation remains tense near Stelmakhivka, where three combat engagements continue.

On the Lyman front, Russian troops attempted to advance eight times near the settlements of Nevske, Terny and Novosadove. Ukrainian defenders repelled all Russian attacks.

The situation on the Siversk front has not changed significantly. Russian forces have carried out 10 assaults near the settlements of Verkhnokamianske, Rozdolivka, Spirne and Vyimka since the beginning of the day. Nine of them failed, and one engagement is in progress. The situation is under Ukrainian forces' control.

On the Kramatorsk front, the Russians attempted to approach Ukrainian positions near the settlements of Hryhorivka, Chasiv Yar and Ivanivske four times but to no avail. A combat engagement is ongoing near the village of Klishchiivka.

The situation on the Toretsk front is tense. The number of attempts by Russian forces to break through Ukrainian defensive positions has increased to 15 since the beginning of the day. The Russians, supported by aircraft, attempted to advance near the settlements of Toretsk, Pivnichne and New-York. Ukraine's defence forces repelled 11 assaults, and four combat engagements are still ongoing. Ukrainian soldiers are making every effort to curb Russian troops' activity and exhaust them.

High-intensity combat activity continues on the Pokrovsk front. The number of combat engagements has increased to 44. With the support of all available weapons (aircraft, artillery, armoured combat vehicles, attack UAVs, First-Person View drones and small arms), the Russians are continuing to pressure the combat formations of Ukrainian defenders near the settlements of Oleksandropil, Novooleksandrivka, Vozdvyzhenka, Yevhenivka, Sokil, Novoselivka Persha, Novopokrovsk and Karlivka. Ukrainian forces repelled 32 Russian attacks, and 12 combat engagements are still in progress.

Early reports indicate that Russian forces have lost 319 soldiers (killed and wounded in action). Ukrainian troops destroyed one tank, two armoured combat vehicles, a howitzer and a car belonging to the Russians. The information about Russian losses is being gathered.

On the Kurakhove front, 15 combat engagements took place since the beginning of the day. Russian activity continues near the settlements of Nevelske, Krasnohorivka, Heorhiivka and Paraskoviivka. 11 Russian attacks were repelled, and fighting continues.

On the Prydniprovske front, six Russian assaults failed. Ukrainian forces lost no positions.

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A Ukrainian man jumps over fire during a traditional Ukrainian celebration of Kupalo Night, in Warsaw, Poland, on Saturday, June 22, 2024. Ukrainians in Warsaw jumped over a bonfire and floated braids to honor the vital powers of water and fire on the Vistula River bank Saturday night, as they celebrated their solstice tradition of Ivan Kupalo Night away from war-torn home. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)

WARSAW, Poland (AP)  Ukrainians in Warsaw jumped over a bonfire and floated braids to honor the vital powers of water and fire on the Vistula River bank Saturday night, as they celebrated their solstice tradition of Ivan Kupalo Night away from war-torn home. Hundreds joined the event, most of them war refugees.

We are doing this traditional thing here to keep up our culture which needs all our support now because Russia is trying to kill everything that is Ukrainian, said Viktoria Pogrebniak, 29, of the Euromaidan-Warszawa social initiative of the Ukrainians that organized the festivities.

We want the people who have left Ukraine to remember their tradition and to remember that they have a bond with Ukraine, Pogrebniak told The Associated Press.

Families came with children and dogs for the relaxed event, which also included a small fair with goods and fried sausages to buy. Some people were wearing traditional embroidered shirts and dresses. Women made and wore flower-and-grain ear braids. Proceeds from the event are to help buy drones for the Ukrainian army battling Russia's invasion.

People have come and that is really cool that they have not forgotten our traditions and that we are meeting here, even though it's in Poland and not in Ukraine, said festively dressed Anastassia Haydamaka, 20, from the western town of Khmelnytskyi.

Rooted in a pagan Slavic tradition of love and fertility, the Kupalo ceremonies mark the advent of summer and are supposed to bring a good harvest and help young girls and boys find good partners in marriage for life. Couples who jump off fire together will live in harmony. Girls float their braids hoping that boys who see them will become their loved husbands.

Linked to water, the tradition was later also associated with St. John the Baptist in Christianity. In Poland, floating off the braids on the year's shortest night is called St. John's Night.

Millions of Ukrainian refugees sought safety in Poland after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of their country on Feb.24, 2022. Some have moved on, but nearly 1.5 million are now officially registered for work and social benefits. Some 100,000 Ukrainian children attend schools in Poland, and another 100,000 are in pre-school age here, according to government figures.

.
By Michelle Nichols

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Afghanistan's Taliban government is due to send officials to Qatar next weekend to meet top U.N. officials and envoys from up to 25 countries for a two-day gathering that rights groups have criticized for not including Afghan women.

It will be the third such U.N.-led meeting in Doha, but the first attended by the Taliban, which has not been internationally recognized since seizing power in August 2021 as U.S.-led forces withdrew after 20 years of war.

The U.N. has been trying to find a unified international approach to dealing with the Taliban, who have cracked down on women's rights since returning to power.

"Excluding women risks legitimizing the Taliban's abuses and triggering irreparable harm to the U.N.'s credibility as an advocate for women's rights and women's meaningful participation," Tirana Hassan, executive director at Human Rights Watch, said of the third planned Doha meeting.

U.N. political affairs chief Rosemary DiCarlo, U.N. special envoy on Afghanistan Roza Otunbayeva and envoys from various countries are due to meet separately with Afghan civil society groups after meeting with the Taliban, the U.N. has said.

The Doha meetings are "part of a process and not a one-off" and women and civil society continue to be part of it, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Sunday.

"It also aims to encourage the de facto authorities to engage with the international community through a coordinated and structured approach for the benefit of the Afghan people," Dujarric said. "Human rights and the rights of women and girls will feature prominently in all the discussions, certainly from the part of the U.N."

'INSUFFICIENT' TRUST

Since the Taliban returned to 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.

The Taliban say they respect rights in line with their interpretation of Islamic law.

"Sidelining critical discussions on human rights would be unacceptable and set a deeply damaging precedent," Amnesty International Secretary General Agnes Callamard said of the planned Doha meeting.

Otunbayeva said the Doha meeting would focus on private sector business and counter-narcotics, issues she described as linked to women's rights. She also said the upcoming meeting had "generated significant expectations that cannot realistically be met in a single meeting."

"We are trying to establish a process and preserve an important mechanism of consultation. We must be realistic about how much each meeting in this process can deliver, especially at this early stage where confidence and trust are insufficient," she told the U.N. Security Council on Friday.

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres first convened envoys on Afghanistan from various countries in May last year to work on a unified approach to dealing with the Taliban authorities. The Taliban were not invited.

The Taliban then refused to attend the second Doha meeting in February, when the U.N. rejected its demand to act as Afghanistan's sole official representative, Guterres said.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Bill Berkrot)
An upside-down American flag, a symbol connected with false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from former President Donald Trump, has been flying outside an elected official's Licking County home in recent weeks.

The inverted flag has been displayed at the home of Etna Township Trustee Rozland McKee since early June. But when three residents raised the issue during the township trustees meeting Tuesday, McKee said it had nothing to do with her or her role as a trustee. It was her husband's decision to hang the flag that way, she said.

"I can't stop him from hanging a flag the way he feels like he wants to hang his flag," McKee said.

The topic has been in the national news since The New York Times reported on May 16 that an upside-down American flag flew outside the home of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito on Jan. 17, 2021, less than two weeks after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection assault on the U.S. Capitol.

An upside-down American flag flies at the Etna Township residence of Rozland McKee on Thursday, June 20, 2024. She is a township trustee.

Alito told The Times that he had no involvement in flying the flag, saying his wife put it there. When demands arose that Alito should recuse himself from any decision involving 2020 election result cases, Alito said that his wife had posted the flag upside down to protest derogatory signs in a neighbors yard and not in support of the insurrectionists.

"The flag should never be displayed with the union (stars) down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property," according to the U.S. Flag Code, which is not legally enforceable.

While it is not illegal to fly the flag upside down, the flag should only be flown that way when "trying to convey a sign of distress or great danger," according to the U.S. Department of Defense.

Inverted flags have been used by Trump supporters, particularly those protesting the 2020 election results, according to USA TODAY.

Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose's office said McKee is also one of Ohio's delegates for the 2024 Republican National Convention, which takes place next month in Milwaukee.

When asked after the trustees meeting if she was concerned about the message the upside flag sends given that she is a public official, McKee said it had nothing to do with her.

McKee declined to say why the flag is displayed that way at her home, but said that the inverted flag has been used in other movements, including anti-Vietnam War protests of the 1960s and 1970s.

"Our country is under stress right now," she said in an interview. "There is a lot going on, but it has nothing to do with me."

The three residents who brought up the issue are all former military members who were upset that a public official would "disrespect the flag that we fought for and served under," Larry Carley, a Navy veteran, said after the meeting.

Before speaking at the meeting, McKee and Carley had an altercation about the flag on June 4, according to a police report based on a complaint McKee filed with the Licking County Sheriff's Office.

McKee was outside her home when Carley drove by slowly, according to the report. After passing her house, Carley turned around and returned. McKee told deputies Carley began to curse at her over the inverted flag and pulled into her driveway. She informed him she was "a supporter of the Second Amendment" and demanded that he leave.

Carley stated he would be back and that he was a supporter of the Second Amendment as well, accoring to McKee's complaint to the sheriff's office.

After speaking with McKee, sheriff's deputies found Carley at his own nearby home, according to the report. He told deputies he pulled into McKee's driveway because he was hard of hearing. When deputies asked whether he was going to return, Carley said he planned to go back to continue their discussion.

After speaking again with McKee, deputies told Carley not to return to her home, and Carley stated he would not.

McKee said after the Tuesday meeting that she had doorbell camera footage of the incident with Carley, but declined to provided that when asked by The Newark Advocate.

Preston Cunningham, a 13-year Etna resident and Air Force veteran, said after Tuesday's meeting that he wasn't satisfied with McKee's answers about the display being her husband's decision. As an elected representative of the community, she also bears responsibility for flying an inverted flag, he said.

"If you're going to present a flag in that manner  upside down  then you ought to be willing to tell us why," he said.

Cunningham said he emailed McKee on June 12 asking why the flag was displayed in that manner and he never received a response.

McKee said after the meeting, "I don't have to answer it because it has nothing to do with me. It has nothing to do with my role as a trustee."

mdevito@gannett.com

740-607-2175

This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Upside-down flag flies at Etna trustee's home, angering veterans
Former CIA deputy director Mike Morell warned Sunday that there is a lack of sense of urgency among the Biden administration and Congress to prevent the growing threat of terrorism in the United States.

There needs to be a sense of urgency about this, and I think the American public needs to understand what the threat is. Thats why we called for a public congressional hearing just on the terrorist threats to the homeland, Morell told host Margaret Brennan on CBS Face the Nation. We need to hear what the administration is doing about this in a broad sense.

Earlier this month, Morell co-authored a piece titled The Terrorism Warning Lights Are Blinking Red Again in Foreign Affairs, comparing present national security concerns to the lead-up to the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. In the article, he pointed to the potential for attacks on U.S. soil motivated by Hamas Oct. 7 attacks and Israels war in Gaza, as well the vulnerability of the southern border.

As a CIA analyst, Morell delivered the Presidents Daily Brief to then-President George W. Bush  including on the morning of 9/11. Offering warnings similar to the ones from then-CIA director George Tenet and Counterterrorism Czar Richard Clarke about Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda in the period before 9/11, Morell wrote in Foreign Affairs that current FBI director Christopher Wray and other senior officials have now been sounding the alarm.

Morell said Sunday that after publishing the article, the response was almost universal from current and former intelligence officers and policymakers, which he said signaled to him that there isnt enough urgency from the Biden administration in addressing these threats.

He agreed that there is an issue of resources, especially as focus has shifted from counterterrorism to China. While Morell said this was understandable to some degree, he acknowledged theres a cost to the intelligence were collecting.

Morell also referenced a Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General report from June 7 that expressed a need for the department to improve its screening of asylum-seekers and noncitizens applying for admission into the U.S. Eight men from Tajikistan who were seen as potential terrorism threats were arrested earlier this month in different American cities; reports indicated that they had crossed through the southern border into the country.

The vetting system, beyond not having the information, the vetting system does not provide all of the information that the government has, Morell said. So its lack of information, and it is the system itself.

There are all sorts of issues here that need to be resolved, he added.
A US Navy aircraft carrier has arrived in South Korea just days after Russia and North Korea signed a defense pact

A US Navy aircraft carrier has arrived in South Korea just days after Russia and North Korea signed a defense pact

A US aircraft carrier has arrived in South Korea for military exercises.

Its arrival came days after Russia and North Korea agreed to an unprecedented defense pact.

The carrier group sends a message to Russia and North Korea and projects US power in the region.

A US Navy aircraft carrier has arrived in South Korea at an opportune moment.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group arrived in Busan on Saturday, days after Russian President Vladimir Putin and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Un, agreed to a defense pact during a high-profile summit in Pyongyang, North Korea.

The South Korean navy said the nuclear-powered carrier "demonstrates the strong combined defense posture of the South Korea-US alliance and their firm resolve to respond to the escalating threats from North Korea."

Its mere presence projects US power and reach across the region.

The Roosevelt is the first US carrier to dock in South Korea since the USS Carl Vinson visited in November last year. The South Korean navy said that along with the Roosevelt, the Halsey and Daniel Inouye destroyers were also in South Korea as part of the carrier's strike group.

While in South Korea, the Roosevelt is expected to participate in joint exercises with its host and Japan to improve cooperation between the three countries' navies amid growing tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

The Roosevelt previously participated in a two-day joint exercise with Japan and South Korea in April in the East China Sea.

The Roosevelt in the South China Sea. US Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Apprentice Aaron Haro Gonzalez

At Putin and Kim's meeting in Pyongyang, the two leaders displayed warm relations and agreed to support each other should one be attacked, similar to Article Five of the NATO doctrine. Putin also suggested he could send weapons to North Korea, which would have major repercussions for relations on the peninsula and beyond.

The pact between Russia and North Korea compelled a swift response from South Korea, which threatened to increase its support for Ukraine's war effort by directly sending lethal aid to Kyiv  a change from its current policy of sending ammunition only via the United States.

After the aircraft carrier finishes its exercises, it's set to depart for the Middle East, where it would replace the Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group. The Eisenhower left the region on Saturday after a relentless battle against Yemen's Houthis, who've been attacking shipping lanes in the Red Sea in support of Palestinians.

Read the original article on Business Insider
Va Lecia Adams Kellum, photographed at the Los Angeles Times in El Segundo on Sept. 8.

When the cleanup of homeless camps in Venice three years ago gave a megaphone to a flamboyant sheriff and created battle lines of opposing community activists, one measured voice emerged from the cacophony.

Va Lecia Adams Kellum, then the president and chief executive of Venice-based St. Joseph Center, secured beds in nearby motels and flooded the beachfront with case workers. As city sanitation trucks lumbered over the boardwalk behind her, Adams Kellum faced the media, promising that every person would be moved but not before each received an offer of a better place to sleep.

The monthlong campaign became the template for Inside Safe, Mayor Karen Bass' program that has cleared out about 50 of the city's toughest encampments.

After helping shape that program as a member of Bass' transition team, Adams Kellum, 58, took on the most daunting job in L.A.'s fractured homeless services system.

Selected in March last year as chief executive of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, Adams Kellum brings a strong personality and street experience to an agency that had been led by bureaucrats for nearly a decade under intensifying demands for it to be restructured or even dissolved.

'We should be driving, which means leading. We should be coming up with strategic direction.'

Va Lecia Adams Kellum

The joint-powers authority conducts the annual homeless count, distributes federal homeless funds, employs outreach teams and maintains the homeless database.

And yet, despite growing several times over with ballooning city and county funds, the agency hasn't been deeply involved in coming up with workable plans to get people off the streets and into housing.

Adams Kellum said she intends to change that.

Va Lecia Adams Kellum

"This mission is pretty clear," she said. "We should be driving, which means leading. We should be coming up with strategic direction."

Her first year has tested that resolve as she confronted bureaucratic sluggishness.

Frustrated with the numerous contract amendments that slow reimbursements to service providers, she booted the authority's chief financial and data officers.

"I asked the finance team, Can you imagine a time when we have less amendments?'" Adams Kellum told the L.A. County Board of Supervisors during a hearing on the payment problems. "Sadly, some of those people arent with me any longer. I didnt get an answer that I thought was what I should hear."

She said that's just the beginning.

"Im one year into this role, and I didnt build this system," she told the supervisors. "But I know it must be rebuilt because the suffering on the streets demands it."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
FINAL UPDATE: All lanes at I-10 West before Fabens at Mile Marker 53 are now open, according to TxDOT.

UPDATE: The right lane at I-10 West before Fabens at Mile Marker 53 remains closed. However, left lane is now open, according to TxDOT.

TxDOT said the backup is to Tornillo Road and clearing time until further notice.

ORIGINAL: EL PASO, Texas (KTSM)  A vehicle on fire has closed all lanes of Interstate 10 West before Fabens at Mile Marker 53, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

The clearing time is until further notice, according to TxDOT. The backup is to Tornillo Road.

This is a developing story and we will update it once we learn more.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News.
Amanda Gray, one of the organisers of the protest, says the poles should never have been erected in the first place - Amanda Gray

Village protesters fighting to get rid of appalling broadband poles that were installed without planning permission outside their homes are a step closer to getting them torn down after a legal victory.

Residents of Broadway, Worcestershire, have been granted a judicial review in the High Court that may allow them to challenge the local councils decision to allow 22 wooden poles being erected outside their homes.

It comes following a law change in April 2022, which allows operators to erect telegraph poles without having to apply to councils for planning permission as part of a bid to improve the UKs fibre broadband coverage.

But there has been growing anger from residents across the country, who claim the structures are unnecessary, a blight on the landscape, and even give off a pungent smell.

In November, more than 270 people took to the streets of Broadway, part of the Cotswolds National Landscape, to protest the 11 metre wooden poles being erected outside their homes by broadband provider Full Fibre.

Amanda Gray, one of the organisers of the protest, said: These poles and connecting wires should never have gone up in the first place, as we already have fibre underground. More than 280 residents signed a petition last year stating no one would connect to fibre if it was provided by overhead wires and poles, and that is still the case, no one has. They are redundant.

These monstrous poles have duplicated an infrastructure that was already underground, the much more sensible and practicable way to deliver this service

Its just appalling the district council chose to do absolutely nothing.

She also says the poles are coated in creosote, adding: It smells absolutely horrid and now the sun is out its really potent.

More than 270 people took to the streets of Broadway, part of the Cotswolds National Landscape, to protest the 11 metre wooden poles - Andrew Crowley

The protesters have now won a judicial review of Wychavon District Councils decision to allow the work to take place, which could be the first step to getting them removed.

A statement on their Crowdjustice page reads: When the cable provider first indicated that they intended to pole in Broadway, the residents, the Parish Council and the AONB Planning Officer all registered their objections to Wychavon District Council. We were all ignored as the council chose to do absolutely nothing to prevent the telegraph poles from being erected.

Residents were extremely concerned that Wychavon District Council had appointed a person who was not in planning to oversee the planning directorship dealing with the proposed installation of poles and broadband in our community, when this individual had a pre-existing relationship with the personnel of telecoms operator Full Fibre Ltd.

Following a freedom of information request, emails obtained between the two created a perception of bias in the minds of residents that the person appointed by the Council was in favour of the roll-out of poles and overhead infrastructure.

The potential for bias was recognised in the judges decision to grant the review.

Meesha Patel, director of legal and governance for Wychavon District Council, said: Were clear that Permitted Development Rights mean we have no powers to prevent the installation of poles under 15 metres, force communication infrastructure to be installed underground, or to have poles removed once installed.

While the original application for a judicial review was rejected, we respect the fact that on appeal the court felt a review of the decision-making process was justified and we will present our case accordingly once a date for a hearing has been set.

A spokesperson for Full Fibre said: We would note that judicial review is against the local authority and not Full Fibre LTD. The [judicial review] references Full Fibre as an interested party. As this is an ongoing legal matter there is no further comment at this time.

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Village on Ukraine's doorstep set to become NATO's biggest European air base as Putin vows to go 'until the end' in the war

Village on Ukraine's doorstep set to become NATO's biggest European air base as Putin vows to go 'until the end' in the war

Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu air base is set to become NATO's largest base in Europe.

A major expansion is expected to allow the base to support 10,000 NATO personnel and their families.

Russian President Vladimir Putin recently vowed to go "until the end" in the war in Ukraine.

An air base roughly 12 miles from the Black Sea coast and 180 miles from the key port city of Odesa in southern Ukraine is poised to become NATO's largest base in Europe.

A $2.7 billion project began earlier this year to transform the Mihail Kogalniceanu air base in Romania.

The base, which has been used by the US military since 1999, is set to become the size of a small city, with the capacity to host 10,000 NATO personnel and their families, Euro News Romania previously reported.

Nicolae Cretu, the commander of the air base, told the outlet that the expanded facility would require "maintenance hangars, fuel stores, ammunition, equipment, aviation technical materials, simulators, feeding facilities, accommodation."

"Everything that is needed to support the operation and missions of a base of this size," he said.

A squadron of Romanian F-16 fighter jets recently bought from Norway, as well as MQ-9 Reaper drones, were expected to arrive at the base soon, the BBC reported Sunday.

NATO announced earlier this month that seven Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets had also landed at the base on June 3 to carry out "training and real-world sorties along the eastern flank on the Black Sea coast."

"For two months the Finnish jets are joining a Royal Air Force Typhoon detachment and will be doing quick-reaction alert duty and flying alongside them and Romanian F-16s collectively securing NATO airspace and assuring the Romanian population," Lt Cl Rami Lindstrom, the first commander of the Finnish detachment at the base, said.

Romanian Air Force F-16 fighter planes. AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru

The US presence at the base is also stepping up, Flt. Lt. Charlie Tagg, a pilot with the UK's Royal Air Force, told the BBC, adding that there was "a lot more infrastructure, accommodation, people, and equipment."

Dorin Popescu, a geopolitical analyst, previously told Euro News: "The Mihail Kogalniceanu base will become the most important permanent NATO military structure in the immediate vicinity of the conflict in southern Ukraine."

"Let's not imagine that this conflict will end this year in 2025 or in 2026," he said. "It's a long-term conflict."

Some Russian politicians have issued stark warnings over the project, with Andrey Klimov, the deputy chair of the Federation Council Committee on Foreign Affairs, previously warning that it was a "threat" to Bucharest.

"If the Romanians like it, it's their business, of course, but the NATO suicide club drags ordinary civilians into such adventures that can end very badly for their families and children," he said.

Russian President Vladimir Putin. ALEXANDER NEMENOV via Getty

Russian President Vladimir Putin justified his full-scale invasion of Ukraine in part by saying that NATO had been aggressively expanding ever closer toward Russia over the past few decades, and he has long warned against further expansion.

In spite of his rhetoric, NATO has continued to creep further eastward, with Finland joining NATO in April of last year and Sweden joining this past March.

Putin this week issued fresh threats to the West, vowing to go "until the end" in the war with Ukraine.

Defeat in Ukraine, Putin said, would mean "the end of the 1,000-year history of the Russian state," adding: "Isn't it better to go all the way, until the end?"

Read the original article on Business Insider
'This violence mess has to stop': South Bend rallies against gun violence after teen dies

A memorial in honor of 16-year-old Alyyus Enoexpettiford at the 500 block of East Victoria Street on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in South Bend. Enoexpettiford, a Riley High School student, was shot and killed near the school on Friday evening.

SOUTH BEND  The South Bend community says it's time for violence to stop as it grieves the death of another young person as a result of gun violence.

Alyyus Enoexpettiford, 16, had just finished his freshman year at Riley High School and was on summer break when police reported that he was found suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the 500 block of East Victoria Street on June 14. Enoexpettiford was transported to the hospital and died from his injuries.

As of June 21, police had not released any suspects' names and continue to investigate the shooting.

South Bend Common Council President Sharon McBride shared memories July 18 by phone of Enoexpettiford, her great-nephew. She described him as a very respectable young man who was loving and kind.

"He loved people," she said. "He was a friendly kid, positive and always looking for the best in life."

Riley High School Principal Shawn Henderson reached out to Riley parents in a letter he released on social media to offer thoughts and prayers to Enoexpettiford's friends and family during this difficult time. He encouraged families to have open conversations about their feelings and concerns.

A memorial in honor of 16-year-old Alyyus Enoexpettiford at the 500 block of East Victoria Street on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in South Bend. Enoexpettiford, a Riley High School student, was shot and killed near the school on Friday evening.

Days later, on June 17, Enoexpettiford's family, friends and fellow community members gathered for a vigil in his memory.

Though community activist and retired police officer Lynn Coleman didn't know the family personally, he said he attended the vigil out of concern for the young life lost.

This violence mess has to stop, Coleman said. It goes on and on.

Coleman spoke of this "tough time," referencing three South Bend shooting incidents, and a shooting on the bypass where the SBPD is still determining if the incident occurred north or south of the state line. These incidents resulted in one death and six injuries.

Another South Bend shooting occurred June 20 on Parry Street that resulted in the hospitalized of two women for their injures and the death of 28-year-old Jasmine Swanson. The condition of the two injured women has not been released. On Friday, June 21, the South Bend Police Department announced that Rya Barnes, 22, had been identified as a suspect and arrested Thursday afternoon.

We have to stand up against violence on all levels, Coleman said.

Despite this influx of recent shootings, SBPD Chief of Police Scott Ruszkowski told the Board of Public Safety at its June 18 meeting that it feels like 100 shootings, but that is not the case," adding that it's still not good news because the amount is above zero.

The police department released their year-to-date of criminally assaulted shootings, comparing 2024 to 2023.

Criminally Assaulted Shooting Incidents:

2024 YTD: 22

2023 YTD: 29

Criminally Assaulted Shooting Victims:

2024 YTD Fatal = 4

2023 YTD Fatal = 9

2024 YTD Non-Fatal: 31

2023 YTD Non-Fatal 33

A memorial in honor of 16-year-old Alyyus Enoexpettiford at the 500 block of East Victoria Street on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, in South Bend. Enoexpettiford, a Riley High School student, was shot and killed near the school on Friday evening.

A call to action

Four days after Enoexpettiford's death, McBride said her family is still grieving.

"It's still very difficult and shocking," McBride said. They're taking it one day at a time, she said.

As South Bend Common Council President, McBride said she's been trying to address this on-going battle, even before gun violence took one of her loved ones.

"Weve been trying to work with ways in the community on how to curb gun violence," she said.

For Mychael Winston, the director of Goodwill SAVE Outreach, who regularly interacts with the community to form preventive measures against gun violence, Enoexpettiford's death was different, he said, because it was so tragic.

Even (for) the most hardened or experienced professionals, this rocks you," Winston said. We try to make sense of things and use strategies, like the GVI strategy, to confront violence a specific way, and then you have things like this happen that can throw things into disarray."

He said random acts of violence, such as this, make his team go back to the drawing board, but they continue to persist.

Theyll continue to be active in neighborhoods deemed as focus areas, he said, and spend time engaging the community and continue to be steadfast.

"We see that violence doesn't know an age," Winston said. "It's not like violence is only for those (ages) 21 to 24 or 30 and up. It can attack anyone."

Winston said their call to action against violence is a total community effort.

"Law enforcement goes out and fights hard," Winston said. "We understand that. A lot of what law enforcement does has to be reactionary."

Winston said the police department's community resource officers are proactive and engage with the community, which is great, he said, but he added, "The duty lies with all of us."

Email Tribune staff writer Camille Sarabia at csarabia@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend again vows action after gun violence kills another teen
Surgeon General Vivek Murthys recent call for warning labels on social media is a good idea. He notes that children who spend significant time on social media are at risk for mental illness. Murthy concludes, The moral test of any society is how well it protects its children.

But how best should we protect kids? Murthy recognizes that a warning label is a simple solution to a complex problem. Last year, his office issued a more detailed report noting that schools, parents, policymakers, and technology companies have a role to play in protecting kids. And long-term solutions depend upon education.

There is probably also a role for prohibitions. Smartphones have been banned in schools in Fresno and recently in Los Angeles. This week, Governor Newsom called for a statewide smartphone ban in California schools. Social media and smartphones are not the same thing. However, a school ban on smartphones is effectively a ban on social media during school time.

Opinion

Tools and technologies can be employed in good or bad ways. A hammer can be used to build or to destroy. Prohibitions are justifiable when the risks are obvious and severe, and when the purported benefits of a tool are unclear. And with kids, their relative immaturity matters. A ban on social media access for kids might be justifiable and there is some wisdom in prohibiting smartphones at school. But at this point, a ban on these technologies is akin to closing the proverbial barn door once the horse has already galloped off.

People disagree about the risks and benefits of various technologies. One might argue against these bans by claiming that these technologies are more beneficial than dangerous. These tools help us stay connected, access the news, and conduct business. Of course, these tools also provide instant access to cyberbullying, exploitation, scams, and disinformation. But there is some truth to the claim that with smartphones and social media, its not the tool that is to blame, but how it is used.

Some technophobes are opposed to any innovative tool. Calculators were once viewed with skepticism, as was the Internet. These days technophobes are worried about artificial intelligence. But skeptics often adapt to new technologies, when their safety and usefulness are proven.

Hard-core libertarians resist every effort at prohibition. The recent Supreme Court case allowing bump stock weapons is worth mentioning here. The decision depends upon a technical matter involving trigger mechanisms. But the bigger question, not decided in this case, is whether there should be limits on dangerous weapons or whether individuals have a right to own even very dangerous weapons.

Social media and smartphones do not seem as dangerous as machine guns. So, it is easy to imagine a libertarian argument against Newsoms proposed ban. Furthermore, social media is useful for kids. Its how they socialize, organize clubs and teams, and how they communicate with each other and even with their parents. Smartphones can be useful in education when used properly to access information.

An outright ban may take away useful tools. And a school ban will have no impact on after-school usage. But there is no doubt that education is part of the solution. Teenagers must take drivers ed and pass a licensing test to drive. Perhaps a similar training course and qualifying exam could be created for social media and smartphones.

Kids need critical lessons about cyberbullying, peer pressure, the bandwagon effect, and the power of misinformation and exploitative algorithms. They also need frank examples of the dangers of social media and smartphone addiction. They would benefit from a training course that includes lessons in digital citizenship, ethical A.I., and virtuous virtual reality that encourage best practices online and good moral habits in cyberspace.

A Surgeon Generals warning is only a starting point for a broader conversation. We need to continue this conversation. A ban at school might help. But the social media and smartphone horse is already out of the barn. Kids need to be taught the skills and virtues that are required to ride that horse without getting hurt.

Andrew Fiala is a professor of philosophy and director of The Ethics Center at Fresno State. Contact him at fiala.andrew@gmail.co m
Warnock says Black voters cannot be taken for granted in presidential election

Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) said in a Saturday interview that Black voters cannot be taken for granted when it comes to the 2024 presidential election.

We know Black voters cannot be taken for granted, Warnock said on MSNBCs The Katie Phang Show with host Charles Coleman Jr. And I like the fact that the Biden-Harris campaign is not taking Black voters for granted.

Warnock also said the idea that Black folks should just show up, is wrongheaded.

And I believe that Joe Biden understands that, Warnock continued. [Vice President Harris] certainly understands it. Which is why, as we move forward into this campaign, you will see the ways in which they have already invested, far more than [former President Trump,] in reaching out to Black communities even as they work to lift them up. And you will see them ramp up over the next few months, in order to tell that story, and the job isnt done until November 5th.

A recent poll found most Black voters in Pennsylvania and Michigan saying that they would vote for President Biden in a hypothetical matchup. Both Biden and Trump have escalated messaging to Black male voters recently, highlighting the consequentiality the group has when it comes to the upcoming presidential election.

Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-N.C.) recently blamed issues Biden has dealt with when it comes to Black voters on miscommunication and disinformation.

We have to be very careful because this is all about miscommunication, disinformation, and thats what causes me great pause, Clyburn said in a Wednesday interview.

I know the power of the media, and the power of the media, repeating these things rather than reporting whats actually happening, he continued, that is whats causing the problem.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill.
New internal Russian trade data obtained by the Washington Post shows that Russia may have received 1.6 million artillery shells from North Korea over the course of six months.

The data shows that Russia moved 74,000 metric tons of explosives from two ports located in the country's far east to other parts of the country, primarily near its border with Ukraine, according an article published June 22 by the Washington Post. The data spans from August 2023 to January 2024, and the weight corresponds to 1.6 million shells of the type currently used by Russia in its war against Ukraine.

The information was provided to the Washington Post by the global security nonprofit Center for Advanced Defense Studies (C4ADS). Analysis of Russian shipment movements during this period suggests the likely origin of the shipments is North Korea.

North Korea and Russia have tightened their relationship throughout the course of the war. On June 19, the two signed a mutual defense agreement during the first in decades visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea.

The pact declared in part, "In case any one of the two sides is put in a state of war by an armed invasion from an individual state or several states, the other side shall provide military and other assistance with all means in its possession without delay."

The agreement also covers trade, investment, political and security cooperation.

In response to the announcement, South Korea said it would reconsider supplying weapons to Ukraine.

North Korea has been shaping up to be Russia's leading weapons supplier for a while as Russia faces reduced military stocks and production capacity simultaneously hampered by Western sanctions.

Read also: Rather desperate  5 key takeaways from Putins North Korea visit

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Indian River County Watchdog Reporter Nick Slater began at TCPalm in July after graduating from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. A Windy City native and die-hard Cubs fan, Nick is quick to point out that ketchup does not belong on a hot dog.

Before moving to the Sunshine State, he completed an internship at the Billings Gazette in Montana. Though he has reluctantly traded in his cowboy boots for flip-flops, he is quickly calling the Treasure Coast home.

Q: Why did you choose to be a watchdog journalist?

A: Municipal government infiltrates every aspect of day-to-day life. By bringing Indian River County factual and accurate reporting, I can help readers stay up-to-date on the issues that affect their lives and ultimately do the most good. I have the opportunity to learn and grow every day as a reporter and citizen. Covering Indian River County truly is an honor. I cannot think of a better place to begin my career.

Q: What do you like most about covering Indian River County?

A: There is never a dull moment! Even in the short time I have covered the county it has changed and evolved. Vero Beach has two huge projects in Three Corners and downtown revitalization that will captivate residents for years; Sebastian is celebrating its centennial; and Fellsmere is on the verge of a population boom. I am so excited to see what the future holds, and I plan to bring accurate reporting and compelling storytelling to readers as we sit on the precipice of history.

Q: What is your most memorable story?

A: I have two. One is the first story I wrote as a member of TCPalm on the Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County. The shelter was suffering from overcrowding and it was my first taste of being a member of the news team. The other was the devastating floods in Fellsmere and Vero Lake Estates in November. I waded through knee-deep water to gather stories of the victims, and it was a truly humbling experience.

Q: What do you like to do outside of work?

A: Go outside! I spent three summers as a kayak guide on Lake Superior in Wisconsin, so I love paddling and exploring the Indian River Lagoon. Though I'm not related to World Champion Kelly Slater, I have been trying to teach myself to surf. I also am a huge history buff, so I find myself diving down rabbit holes and using my investigative chops to piece together stories from our past.

Nick Slater is TCPalm's Indian River County Watchdog reporter. You can reach him at Nick.Slater@tcpalm.com and 224-830-2875.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Meet the staff: Watchdog Reporter Nick Slater covers Indian River County
After seven years as Fresno Unified superintendent, Bob Nelson is leaving for a tenure track position at Fresno State and spilling tea as he goes.

Leading up to his last day as a district employee (July 31), Nelson hasnt been bashful about speaking out. The career educator known for his bald head and booming baritone used two recent exit interviews to sound off about the political realities of his job and divisions among board trustees.

Fresno Unifieds web of politics and education is more complex than in many places. Much of that is due to the districts sheer size (Californias third-largest with nearly 70,000 students) as well as the diversity of the neighborhoods within its boundaries.

Another factor is the long history of dreadful academic performance  the elephant in the room that never goes away but is seldom discussed unless board members are arguing with each other or getting scolded during public comment.

Opinion

Nelson entered into a politically fraught situation in 2017 after the board members forced out his predecessor (I was the least openly detested [person] available, he said) and nothing has changed as he steps away. Current trustees are so divided they cant even agree on a succession plan.

Why is that? For Nelson, the switch to district elections for the seven board seats a decade ago fundamentally altered internal politics.

Trustees started to be more representative of the community, and the traditional powers that be, who kind of control politics and Fresno, lost their ability to tightly control what was going on at the board level and it created a different level of conflict, Nelson said in his interview with The Bee.

Nelson went on to disparage board members that use the job as a stepping stone to further their own ambitions rather than make education their sole focus.

The truth is a lot of our trustees are getting elected to the school board with the intent of moving on to the city council or county government, he said. They see us as the AAA franchise of other political interests.

Nelson made similar comments during his interview with the nonprofit news outlet Fresnoland: The hard part in Fresno is that a lot of our trustees see themselves as a city council person or a county supervisor in embryo. This is the entry level political job on the path to become (US Rep.) Jim Costa.

Ouch.

The only current Fresno council member that followed that specific path is Luis Chavez, a Fresno Unified trustee from 2012-16 who is now running for Fresno County supervisor. (Board member Elizabeth Jonasson Rosas, Chavezs wife, currently represents the Roosevelt district.)

Annalisa Perea and Miguel Arias each served on the State Center Community College District governing board before becoming council members, while Nelson Esparza served on the Fresno County Office of Education board. (Esparza has filed papers to run for the State Board of Equalization in 2026.)

Nelson doesnt tap dance

Nelson also didnt tap dance around a delicate situation involving board president Susan Wittrup and her boyfriend Darius Assemi, one of Fresnos largest and most influential developers who also owns and publishes an online news outlet, GV Wire.

When Wittrup was elected in 2022, the nearly $175,000 her campaign raised dwarfed not only her opponent but also the combined fields in other races. A sizable chunk of that money came from companies owned by Assemi and other developers including Richard Spencer.

Are Fresnans connecting the dots between deep-pocketed developers out to serve their own interests and the priorities of board members? Nelson doesnt believe so.

When, for example, a board president raises $175,000 in contributions for a trustee race  the vast majority of which are coming from either the Assemi family of companies or Harris Construction or developers  and then flip and turn and you have kind of a pseudo-media outlet in GV Wire reporting on the positive allocations that this person has generated, he said to Fresnoland.

Nelsons comments were so specific, and pointed, that reporter Julianna Moreno was compelled to seek comment from Wittrup. The board president staunchly defended her independence from Assemi and other developers and labeled Nelsons comments as smoke and mirrors.

Isnt it great when people in positions of authority tell us not to trust our own eyes?

Nelsons exit interviews also delved into students continued poor test scores in English and math (short answer: the pandemic torpedoed any progress) as well as the districts squabbles with the teachers union. But his most pointed comments were toward board members.

Too bad that sort of candidness is reserved for when a superintendent is on his way out. Makes for fun reading.
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD)  On This Week in Louisiana Politics, Louisiana is back in the national headlines after becoming the first state to mandate the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom. Lawsuits are already filing in and could challenge years of legal precedence.

A federal judge heard arguments on a motion to stop using the farm line at Louisiana State Penitentiary during high temperatures.

Also, see what laws Gov. Jeff Landry has signed into law and what he vetoed.

The push for better teacher pay is now being taken up in Congress. Some of the Louisiana delegation weighs in.

Plus, Shannon Heckt sits down with Rep. Garret Graves who announced he is not running for re-election amid redistricting court cases.

Study: Louisiana named sixth least expensive US state to give birth

Latest News

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to BRProud.com.
North Carolina Legislative Building (Photo: Clayton Henkel)

Dueling GOP budgets: NC House Repubs advance proposal that Senate counterparts say is too generous

NC House Speaker Tim Moore

By Lynn Bonner

Republicans in the state House were hit from all sides Wednesday as they gave preliminary approval to their $31.7 billion budget proposal.

Their House Democratic colleagues condemned the budget for proposing to spend about $500 million on private school vouchers  money they said could be better used to increase public school teacher pay, give more help to childcare centers that are floundering as pandemic-era federal support dries up, or provide emergency funding to the State Employee Health Plan.[Read more...]

Bonus read: Votes but no breakthrough in the GOP state budget stalemate

NC lawmakers, advocates call for action to address crisis in Black maternal health

Sen. Natalie Murdock speaks at a press conference

By Ahmed Jallow

When she found out she was pregnant in 2016, Charity Watkins, a doctoral student at the time, did all the right things, meticulously following all recommended practices to ensure a successful and healthy pregnancy.

I initiated prenatal care my husband and I enrolled in birthing classes, I read books on what to expect, and took extra care to ensure I ate well and exercised throughout my pregnancy, said Watkins, who is Black. [Read more]

Governor Cooper vetoes bill that targets mask wearing, alters campaign finance laws

Governor Roy Cooper

By Clayton Henkel

Governor Roy Cooper vetoed House Bill 237 (Various Criminal and Election Law Changes) on Friday, saying the controversial legislation created a gaping loophole for secret and unlimited campaign contributions.

While voters are kept in the dark, this scheme allows anonymous out-of-state billionaires to flood North Carolina with campaign contributions to rescue extreme right-wing candidates that Republicans now fear will lose, said Cooper in a statement.

Good government groups widely panned the bill that initially addressed just wearing masks in public, but was then revised to include language that would dramatically change the states campaign finance laws. [Read more...]

Medical marijuana clears initial North Carolina Senate vote with bipartisan support

Medical marijuana

By Clayton Henkel

Late addition to hemp bill sparks debate over family values, compassionate care

We all want to be compassionate and help people in need, Jere Royall of the NC Family Policy Council told member of the Senate Rules Committee Thursday morning, before sharing his dismay about the latest version of House Bill 563. A day earlier, a lengthy amendment was added to the bill regulating hemp-derived consumables to legalize medical marijuana in North Carolina. [Read more...]

Bonus read: NCs medical marijuana bill finds new life as state moves to regulate hemp-derived consumables

N.C. House budget calls for $135 million in childcare stabilization grants

childcare worker with small child.

By Greg Childress

Despite hurdles, Habitat Humanity of Durham is dedicating three new homes this week

Surrounded by friends and Habitat Humanity of Durham staff, Laura Phoenix grew emotional Thursday during the dedication of her new home in East Durham.

Just a year ago, the 43-year-old yoga instructor was without permanent housing after a bad break-up. It was the second time as an adult that shed found herself without a permanent home. [Read more]

VP Harriss husband Doug Emhoff, Dem officials celebrate Juneteenth at Raleigh campaign event

U.S. Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff

By Rob Schofield

Second Gentleman calls on audience to save our democracy, save our world, and our very way of life.

Second Gentleman.

Its a unique and rather awkward official title that Doug Emhoff  the husband of the nations first woman vice president, Kamala Harris  bears, but it appeared to be one with which hes come to enjoy as he stumped in Raleigh on Tuesday for his wifes and President Bidens reelection in November.

Emhoffs seemed comfortable and at-home as he spoke to a gathering of 200 or so in the steamy back parking lot of Southeast Raleighs Word of God Church during an informal Juneteenth celebration that featured food trucks, vendors, childrens games, and performances by an elementary school chorus.[Read more.]

Juneteenth holiday: An important moment to contemplate our nations past and present (commentary)



A man shows his Juneteenth shirt which reads "free-ish since 1865"

By Rob Schofield

What in the world could they have been thinking?

Thats one of the questions (or, at least, one hopes it is) that most white Americans ask themselves periodically when contemplating the evil of human slavery  the institution that undergirds so much of their modern privilege and wealth. How could any human being ever think themselves entitled to own another human because of their skin color? [Read more...]

The post Weekend reads: Dueling budgets, marijuana legalization, and steps to ensure a healthy pregnancy appeared first on NC Newsline.
Editors note: This is the second part of a five-part series on the history of World War II POW camps in Michigan. Part 1 is available to read here.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD)  During World War II, life was markedly different for American prisoners of war compared to their counterparts who were housed in the U.S.

The American military made a point of following the Geneva Conventions, providing humane accommodations for POWs. Other countries, in both Europe and Asia, were far less considerate.

More than 90,000 Americans were imprisoned in Europe, most of them shot down on flying missions over Germany or captured during the Battle of the Bulge. To put it lightly, the camps were crowded and there was a lack of medical attention, food, and in some cases basic humanity.

POW camps kept Michigans farms, factories afloat during World War II

In the Pacific theater, nearly 30,000 Americans were imprisoned by the Japanese. Many were packed into ships and forced into slave labor, working seven days a week with minimal food. Approximately 40% of them died because of the poor conditions.

Stateside, German and Italian POWs had a shockingly different experience. Life in the POW camps was surprisingly relaxed and the prisoners were in good spirits.

Between 1943 and 1946, the U.S. took in more than 400,000 POWs and housed them in camps across the country, where there was more space and didnt take away from the resources on the front lines.

The Geneva Conventions spelled out some of the basics for how POWs should be treated. Each camp was supposed to provide basic living quarters, an infirmary, a mess hall and a rec room, along with adequate food and medical care. POWs couldnt be forced to work or do any work connected to the war effort, but they could be paid  roughly 80 cents a day  to help the farmers and in the nearby factories who were desperate for more hands.

How tragedy led to Michigans first lady lightkeepers

The conditions were so drastically different at home than the stories trickling home from overseas that many Americans criticized military leaders for coddling the enemy. Making use of a derogatory term for Germans at the time, some camps were referred to as the Fritz Ritz.

Gregory Sumner, a historian who also teaches history at the University of Detroit Mercy, wrote a book called Michigan POW Camps in World War II. He told News 8 that the complaints were overstated, calling the camps spartan.

There were complaints, letters to the editor, like (they the POWs are staying at) the Waldorf, Sumner said. The reality was there was food, which there wasnt for our guys in a German camp  they were just out of food in general.

Most historians will say that POWs certainly werent coddled. They were still prisoners. But compared to American POWs, they had it easy. And the dividing lines between the Axis and the Allied supporters blurred.

Then and now: Finding the scars left by redlining in Grand Rapids

No one pressed pause on the racism of the era for the sake of the war effort. While the POWs lived in an easy-going atmosphere, Japanese Americans were being shuffled off to internment camps. African American soldiers were still routinely rejected by restaurants and other businesses, while the foreign POWs were welcomed in.

Sumner relayed a story from U.S. serviceman Lloyd Brown and his group of Black troops who were stationed at a base in Kansas. The owner told him that colored people werent allowed in, yet he saw German POWs enjoying lunch inside.

There were about 10 of them, Brown recalled. They were dressed in fatigues and wore the distinctive high-peaked caps of Rommels Afrika Korps. It was something we had to see with our own eyes.

A Michigan soldier stationed in Georgia recalled a similar incident in Texas. He saw Germans enjoying a snack bar at a train station. But if he had tried to enter, he said, the MPs would have busted my skull, a citizen-soldier of the United States.

In this 1943 file photo from Camp Blanding in Florida, three German POWs relax on their cots, reading books and magazines, under the watchful eyes of American pinup girls. Their POW work coveralls hang along the wall. (Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

WE WERE IN PARADISE

In his book, Sumner explained how many Axis soldiers were forced to fight and were relieved when they were captured.

One soldier told him the story of his capture. He remembered arriving at his first stop and being issued a bathing kit, just a simple towel and soap, toothpaste and a toothbrush.

We felt that we were in paradise and had again become humans, the soldier said.

A reporter for the Owosso Argus-Press visited a nearby tent camp in 1944 and detailed the surprisingly high morale.

They are a rather happy lot, despite the fact that they are prisoners, and go about their tasks whistling, singing and laughing. They do their work willingly and take exceptional pride in keeping the compound or stockade as neat as grandmother used to keep her parlor, the reporter wrote.

Lake Michigan Triangle: The might of the Great Lakes is more powerful than any myth

While there was an adjustment period for the POWs to get accustomed to American cooking, there was plenty of food. Sumner said that the POWs, who were allowed to send letters home, would tell their families not to send care packages. They werent needed and those goods were harder to come by for them at home than in the POW camp.

The easy-going atmosphere stemmed from the relaxed nature of the people running the camps. Sumner described it jokingly as Hogans Heroes but with the roles reversed.

It was obvious to the POWs that most of the men watching them were not exactly spit-and-polish professional soldiers, Sumner wrote. He clarified in a follow-up interview, I would call the security in most of these camps minimum security.

Who is Daniel West? Michigan legislator discovered to be con man

Most prisoners and guards worked together to shirk some of the rules for everyones benefit. Plenty of guards would take advantage of the long days by taking a nap, and the prisoners would alert him if a captain was coming for an inspection.

There was no real fear of the prisoners escaping. Sumner told one story of a guard who ditched his crew for the day to go on a date and instead gave his prisoners some rods and reels. When he returned to camp, all of his prisoners were accounted for and they all enjoyed a fresh fish dinner together.

The general idea was, well, where are these guys going to go if they try to escape? They are wearing these fatigues with PW stencils all over them, Sumner said. Most of them dont speak English very well and they are out in rural Michigan.  There were a few who walked off jobs. They were picked up very quickly. Theres no place to go.

Most community members across Michigan warmed to the POWs, but they were still the enemy.

If you flee camp, people arent going to hesitate to turn you in. At the end of the day, youre still a POW. Youre still a German, he said.

In the end, the POWs did enough to help support local businesses and won over enough communities to quash any rising anger toward them. In the final days of the war, the Grand Rapids Press published an editorial titled Decency Shortens the War that summed up how the conditions in their POW camps may have played a role in the victory.

In part, it read: Our surrender propaganda, dropped from the skies, has fallen on more willing ears because of our liberal interpretation of the terms of the Geneva Conventions. Perhaps we have erred on the side of kindness, but thereby we may have helped shorten the war and bring more American sons, husbands and fathers home safely.

Editors note: This is the second part of a five-part series on the history of World War II POW camps in Michigan. A new story will be published every Sunday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com.
On the night Amy went missing, she was at the cruise ship's disco with her brother, other passengers and crew members, according to the FBI

FBI Amy Lynn Bradley

On March 24, 1998, 23-year-old Amy Lynn Bradley went missing while on a cruise ship with her family. For more than 25 years, her disappearance has puzzled investigators who are still trying to solve the cold case.

On Saturday, March 21 of that year, the Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines ship Rhapsody of the Seas left San Juan, Puerto Rico, for Aruba. Two days later, on March 23, the ship left Aruba and headed to Curacao. Amy went missing in the early morning hours of March 24 while the ship was between the two destinations, according to the FBI.

On that night, according to FBI Special Agent Erin Sheridan, Amy was at the cruise ship's disco with her brother, other passengers and crew members. The next morning, Amy's brother and parents couldn't locate her.

"Myself and my parents have had to endure a lot of sadness, but the last thing that I ever said to Amy was, 'I love you,' before I went to sleep that night," Amy's brother Brad said in a video shared by the FBI. "Knowing that's the last thing I said to her has always been very comforting to me."

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.

According to a 2005 NBC News report, numerous rumors surrounded Amy's disappearance. Some passengers claimed to see a woman, who was not confirmed to be Amy, heading to the top deck of the ship in the early morning hours while others claimed she was with an unidentified ship employee. Others also claimed to see Amy on Curacao in the years after her disappearance, but these sightings remain unconfirmed.

"When we discovered Amy missing, we begged the ship's personnel to not put the gangway down, to not allow anybody to leave the ship. And we told them that if Amy had left the room for any more than 15 minutes, she would have left us a note. And they put the gangway down anyway. People left the ship in Curacao," Amy's mother, Iva Bradley, told NBC News in 2005.

After stopping in Curacao, the ship made two additional stops during the cruise and returned to Puerto Rico on March 28 as planned.

According to a missing persons poster, Amy has four tattoos that could be used to help identify her: A Tasmanian Devil on her shoulder, the sun on her lower back, a Chinese symbol on her right ankle, and a gecko on her stomach. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the solving of the case.

Anyone with information on Amy's disappearance is asked to contact their local FBI office.

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Read the original article on People.
Guest Opinion. Juneteenth marks a joyous moment in American history  the final emancipation of enslaved African Americans. This day, recognized every year on June 19, is a celebration of freedom and mark on our national journey toward equality and reconciliation with our difficult past. For the Cherokee Nation, Juneteenth is especially profound as we celebrate an important moment for the United States and also reflect on our own history.

The Cherokee Nation, like much of the United States, has a complex and troubled history with slavery. In the 19th century, the Cherokee Nation, along with several other Native tribes, adopted the practice of enslaving others for their labor. We must acknowledge and learn from this dark chapter in our history. Emancipation came to the Cherokee Nation with the Treaty of 1866, which granted freedom to all enslaved people within our tribe and made them and their descendants full citizens for all time.

Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning.

Today, equality is the order of the day within the Cherokee Nation. We are proud to count more than 15,000 Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent among our robust population. These citizens of our tribe have all the rights, benefits and responsibilities that come with Cherokee Nation citizenship. We continue to lead the way through our commitment to justice and equality.

Juneteenth is a mark of progress but also a reminder of the work still ahead for greater equality and justice. Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and I, along with the Council of the Cherokee Nation, are committed to that work. Our commitment is reflected in the Cherokee Nation Executive Order on Equality, which seeks to ensure that all Cherokee citizens, regardless of descent, are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin, Jr.

Recently, a task force of community leaders studied whether Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent are provided equal access to tribal programs and services. The report is revealing and will inform our efforts, going forward. There are areas where we are meeting the mark when it comes to fulfilling the obligations of citizenship available to Freedmen, and there are areas where we are falling short.

On the issue of Freedmen and equality, we believe firmly that we cannot hope to heal if we close our eyes to the history of slavery. We cannot make progress if we are unwilling to examine whether our efforts at healing today are adequate. This task force report gives us some important answers, and some guidance, and challenges us to ask even more questions.

Additionally, we are calling on Congress to update the Federal Major Crimes Act, so that our Freedmen descendant citizens have the same right to due process as other Cherokees. Current federal law creates a separate and unequal system of justice for Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent. Cherokee Nation has lived up to its treaty promise of equal rights to all of our citizens, and we are calling on the United States to do the same.

I hope we can all put the passion we feel about Juneteenth into civic action. As the largest tribe in America, we work tirelessly to ensure our policies reflect our values and that every citizen has the opportunity to thrive.

We continue to honor the history of Cherokee citizens of Freedmen descent through a world-class traveling museum exhibit currently on display at the U.S. Marshals Museum in Fort Smith and by the leadership of the Cherokee Freedmen History Project. Those stories and contributions are integral to our shared history.

Together, by acknowledging our past and taking bold steps toward greater justice, Cherokee Nation honors the true spirit of Juneteenth  the power of reconciliation and the promise of a better future for all.

Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Defending Balderrama

Police chief on leave in Fresno applies to be top cop of major Texas city, report says, (fresnobee.com, June 19)

Although I am no longer a citizen of Fresno, my two adult children live and work there, so issues that impact their safety are of great concern to me.

That said, the infidelity issue involving Chief of Police Paco Balderrama has concerned me. Why is he being held to a higher standard than someone who is running for president of the United States? A significant percentage of married people cheat on their spouses, and very few of them have owned up to it by admitting their transgressions. Even fewer, including the Republican nominee for president, have asked for forgiveness! Donald Trumps tactic have been to lie and deny. But thats not Balderramas strategy.

He has been a very effective public servant. Id hate to see Fresno  a city with a past record of rampant crime  lose a chief whos making great strides in reducing crime to Texas.

His alleged digressions are between the people immediately involved and should not impact his professional standing. Too many others in powerful positions have made the same error and never paid the price. The chief should not be held to a different standard.

Dan Martinez

Corcoran

Opinion

Appalling neglect

Paint party raises money for childrens center mural, (fresnobee.com, June 23, 2016)

I had the privilege of being the university librarian of Fresno State University for 20 years, from 1988 to 2007. The library accomplished a number of impressive things during that time, including the establishment of the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Childrens Literature.

Dr. Nixon, a beloved professor for many years, left the library a major, near-priceless collection of childrens books as well as a substantial monetary endowment to support it. In its heyday, the center had a library faculty member and two paraprofessionals as its staff. It was one of the leading collections of its kind in the U.S.

But now I have watched from afar as the center has been neglected, denuded of staff and slighted both by library administrators and the university itself, culminating in the suicidal dissolution of an enthusiastic fundraising and support group (Arne Nixon Center Advocates).

This appalling neglect raises two important questions: What is happening to the income from the endowment that Nixon established to support the center? Why does the university not offer the collection and its endowment to one of the many academic libraries that would honor Nixons intentions in a way that the university refuses to do?

Michael Gorman

University librarian emeritus

Chicago

One plus

Vulnerable Central Valley Republicans split on Trump verdict, (fresnobee.com, June 6)

Im not a fan of Donald Trump, but today I read about his pledge to spend $500 billion on programs for black businesses, communities and churches. I dont think US govt funding for churches would work out under the Constitution, but the fact that he wants to spend what amounts to 58% of the defense budget to help Black Americans is great.

I dont want him to win, but if he does its good to see at least one plus to his presidency.

David Remus

Clovis
Why Mount Rainier is the US volcano that troubles scientists most

The CNN Original Series Violent Earth With Liev Schreiber explores harrowing weather events, such as hurricanes and wildfires, that are increasingly frequent in our changing climate. The latest episode airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT Sunday.

The snowcapped peak of Mount Rainier, which towers 4.3 kilometers (2.7 miles) above sea level in Washington state, has not produced a significant volcanic eruption in the past 1,000 years. Yet, more than Hawaiis bubbling lava fields or Yellowstones sprawling supervolcano, its Mount Rainier that has many US volcanologists worried.

Mount Rainier keeps me up at night because it poses such a great threat to the surrounding communities. Tacoma and South Seattle are built on 100-foot-thick (30.5-meter) ancient mudflows from eruptions of Mount Rainier, Jess Phoenix, a volcanologist and ambassador for the Union of Concerned Scientists, said on an episode of Violent Earth With Liv Schreiber, a CNN Original Series.

The sleeping giants destructive potential lies not with fiery flows of lava, which, in the event of an eruption, would be unlikely to extend more than a few miles beyond the boundary of Mount Rainier National Park in the Pacific Northwest. And the majority of volcanic ash would likely dissipate downwind to the east away from population centers, according to the US Geological Survey.

Instead, many scientists fear the prospect of a lahar  a swiftly moving slurry of water and volcanic rock originating from ice or snow rapidly melted by an eruption that picks up debris as it flows through valleys and drainage channels.

Mount Rainier, a snowcapped volcano, looms over Puyallup Valley near Orting, Washington. The prospect of a lahar  a swiftly moving debris flow caused by melting snow and ice typically during a volcanic eruption  poses a threat to surrounding communities. - Ed Ruttledge/U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory

The thing that makes Mount Rainier tough is that it is so tall, and its covered with ice and snow, and so if there is any kind of eruptive activity, hot stuff  will melt the cold stuff and a lot of water will start coming down, said Seth Moran, a research seismologist at USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory in Vancouver, Washington.

And there are tens, if not hundreds of thousands of people who live in areas that potentially could be impacted by a large lahar, and it could happen quite quickly.

A lahar is a fast-moving debris flow

The deadliest lahar in recent memory was in November 1985 when Colombias Nevado del Ruiz volcano erupted. Just a couple hours after the eruption started, a river of mud, rocks, lava and icy water swept over the town of Armero, killing over 23,000 people in a matter of minutes.

When it comes to rest  youve got this hardened almost, like, concrete substance that can be like quicksand when people are trying to get out of it, Bradley Pitcher, a volcanologist and lecturer in Earth and environmental sciences at Columbia University, said in an episode of CNNs Violent Earth.

Pitcher said that Mount Rainier has about eight times the amount of glaciers and snow as Nevado del Ruiz had when it erupted. Theres the potential to have a much more catastrophic mudflow.

In the the US Geological Surveys most recent threat assessment from 2018, the federal agency considered Hawaiis Kilauea the most hazardous US volcano  no surprise given how many people live near it and how frequently it erupts. Mount St. Helens, which cataclysmically erupted in May 1980, ranked as second most hazardous before Mount Rainier in third place.

The eruption of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano in November 1985 devastated the town of Armero, Colombia, when a lahar killed more than 23,000 people in a matter of minutes. - Jacques Langevin/Sygma/Getty Images

Past eruptions reveal multiple mudflows

Lahars typically occur during volcanic eruptions but also can be caused by landslides and earthquakes. Geologists have found evidence that at least 11 large lahars from Mount Rainier have reached into the surrounding area, known as the Puget Lowlands, in the past 6,000 years, Moran said.

Scientists have not connected the most recent of these lahars, which occurred about 500 years ago, with any kind of volcanic activity. A large landslide on the mountains west flank may have caused the flow event, according to researchers.

Loose, weak rock remains in that spot, and its the threat of a similar, spontaneous landslide-triggered lahar that particularly troubles Moran and other volcanologists.

Theres the knowledge now that the volcano is potentially capable of doing it again. And then were in this world of it could happen at any time, Moran said.

Should it be the same size, then its 10 minutes to the nearest places where people are living, and 60 minutes to the nearest large communities. And those are really short time frames, he added.

A 2022 study modeled two worst-case scenarios. In the first simulation, a 260 million-cubic-meter, 4-meter deep (9.2 billion-cubic-foot, 13-foot deep) lahar would originate on the west side of Mount Rainier. The debris flow would be equivalent to 104,000 Olympic-size pools, according to Moran, and could reach the densely populated lowlands of Orting, Washington, about one hour after an eruption, where it would travel at the speed of 13 feet (4 meters) per second.

A second area of pronounced hazard is the Nisqually River Valley, where a massive lahar could displace enough water from Alder Lake to cause the 100-meter-tall (330-foot-tall) Alder Dam to spill over, according to the simulation.

USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory geophysicist Rebecca Kramer works on station PR05, part of the Mount Rainier lahar detection network. The system has been upgraded and expanded since it was first set up in 1998. - Rob Mertens/U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory

Surviving a lahar

Mount Rainiers cousin Mount St. Helens, farther south in the Cascade Range, triggered a devastating lahar when it erupted four decades ago, although it did not reach any densely populated areas.

Venus Dergan and her then-boyfriend, Roald Reitan, were caught in the Mount St. Helens lahar during a camping trip and are two of only a few people known to have survived being swept up in a debris flow.

I tried to hang on as we were being swept downstream, the bark on the trees were just scraping.  I could feel it on my legs, on my arms, she recalled during an interview for CNNs Violent Earth.

And at one point, I went under the logs and the mud, and I just resigned myself that this was it. I wasnt going to get out of this and that I was going to die.

Reitan managed to lift her out of the mudflow, and they rode on a huge log down the river. When the log came to a stop, they jumped on to an embankment and crawled up a hillside, where they were rescued. It took Dergan two years to recover fully from her injuries.

Worlds largest lahar evacuation drill

In the wake of the Mount St. Helens eruption, the US Geological Survey set up an lahar detection system at Mount Rainier in 1998, which since 2017 has been upgraded and expanded.

About 20 sites on the volcanos slopes and the two paths identified as most at risk of a lahar now feature broadband seismometers that transmit real-time data and other sensors including trip wires, infrasound sensors, web cameras and GPS receivers.

The system is geared toward both detecting a lahar should the volcano wake up in the future and the specific scenario of a lahar triggered by a landslide, Moran said.

The original system had low bandwidth and low power requirements due to the limitations of 1990s-era technology, which meant that data was only transmitted every two minutes.

There is a lack of historical reference data since there arent many lahars around the world that monitoring stations have recorded, so a wider range of instruments will help determine whether a seismic signal received from one of the stations is actually from a debris flow, and not from an eruption or an earthquake, Moran said.

Infrasound instruments, for instance, would tell the researchers that there was a disturbance at ground surface rather than deeper in the earth.

During a March drill, students walk to the Washington State Fairgrounds in Puyallup to practice evacuating from a lahar that could be generated by Mount Rainier. - U.S. Geological Survey Cascades Volcano Observatory

In March, some 45,000 students from Puyallup, Sumner-Bonney Lake, Orting, White River and Carbonado, Washington, participated in a lahar evacuation drill. It was the first time that multiple school districts practiced on the same day, making it the worlds largest lahar drill, according to the USGS.

Around 13,000 students walked up to 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) to designated locations outside of the mapped lahar zone, while the remainder in schools situated outside the lahar zone practiced sheltering in place.

Moran said that the fail-safe parts of the lahar detection system are located about 45 minutes from the nearest large community, making that the time frame with which communities had to work.

Most of what happens at volcanoes is close by, and thats why you try to keep people away because things happen fast, but lahars can travel a long way from the volcano and have a big impact.

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Why do people bike nude? We asked 6 people at the World Naked Bike Ride in Milwaukee

John Jankowski Sr., the organizer of World Naked Bike Ride in Milwaukee on June 22, 2024, leads the way for nearly 150 riders behind him.

The World Naked Bike Ride made its way through Milwaukee for its fourth run on June 22. Close to 150 bodies, partially and fully naked, gathered at the parking lot on the corner of Orchard and Barclay to converse, drink and collectively enjoy the nude experience.

According to the ride's website, the 15-mile ride doubles as a peaceful protest for body positivity, cyclist awareness and energy independence, or the use of clean energy. What does that mean for participants? From veteran naked bike riders to those making their nude debut, we spoke to six individuals on why they bike or run naked.

Andy Olsan: Maybe well be seen more if were seen nude.

For Andy Olsan, one of the few runners in the race, the attention and gawking from spectators can be a form of power, an antidote to invisibility.

Vehicles dont always stop for bike riders or pedestrians, even when these non-vehicular travelers have the right of way, Olsan said. When youre running or biking naked, they most definitely stop.

We all in general, as a whole, feel invisible to the world at times because there are certain circumstances where people just will not see you, Olsan said. That's one big reason why to go nude. Maybe we'll be seen more if we're seen nude.

Sonny Walden represents Wisconsin's pride, cheese and beer, in his eye-catching ensemble at the World Naked Bike Ride in Milwaukee on June 22, 2024.

Sonny Walden: I like to stand out a little bit.

Sonny Walden has been with World Naked Bike Ride since its start in 2021 and has yet to miss a ride. Donning a cheese-shaped hat and holding a cheese-shaped can holder, Walden was a noticeable figure among the crowd of naked bodies.

With a beer in hand, Walden seemed to embody Wisconsins most famous food and drink. Although this year, he upgraded his cheese ensemble by adding a leather collar and bracelets, as well as a flower garland he found in his costume closet.

Everybodys naked, so I like to stand out a little bit, Walden said. He continued, sarcastically, Its so embarrassing, I hate to be so naked in front of these people.

9-year-old daughter & her mother: Were here and were proud to be here.

A 9-year old girl, who led the collective of riders last year, biked at the front of the pack again this year. The minors participation in the naked bike ride has garnered scrutiny, particularly from Wisconsin Republican politicians who have tried to ban the event. These efforts, including requests for the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and two GOP-authored bills, have not gone far.

When the Journal Sentinel interviewed the mother of the young girl, she said that the event has always been optional for her daughter. Two years ago, her daughter chose not to participate. This year, she absolutely insisted to ride at the front of the group, the mother said.

For the mother, the heart of the reason for her and her daughters attendance is to feel comfortable in their own skin. According to her, her daughter feels more connected to the protest as she learns about climate change in the classroom. Given last years controversy, she said that the decision to continue participating was a difficult one.

It's hard because a part of me wants to shield her from feeling that she's responsible for other people's reactions to her body, she said. The other part of me wants to say, 'screw them,' and wants to be open and out and be able to say, Here we are, we're here, and we're proud to be here.

Kate Travis: Dude, Im proud of you.

When John Jankowski Sr., the organizer of the ride, asked first-time nude bikers to raise their hands, Kate Travis shot up. Travis had planned to go the previous year, but did not follow through, after hearing her father talk about potentially attending.

This year, she told her family and close friends: Steer clear. This is my zone. Stay out of it or else you might see something you dont want to see.

For Travis, her initial goal was to push her boundaries and attend topless. After realizing how accepting and non-judgmental the community was, she decided to go fully nude.

I went topless for like 45 minutes, Travis said. I was like, No ones really looking at me. Its really not that big of a deal.' And as soon as I took it off someone high-fived me, and they were like, 'Dude, Im proud of you.'

Crystal Kowalczyk: Accepting my body now, after pregnancy

Its been a year and a half since Crystal Kowalczyk gave birth. Now, as she bikes on a rented Bublr bike, she is learning to love her postpartum body.

Kowalczyk attended the ride with her own mother, who did not participate in the nude bike riding, after her mother discovered the event through Facebook last year. Like Travis, this year is Kowalczyks first time participating in the event.

It's just fun. It feels good, like body empowerment, Kowalczyk said. I'm just accepting my body now, after pregnancy. I love how it's all about body acceptance, too, and all that."

For Andy Tinzelman, the World Naked Bike Ride in Milwaukee on June 22, 2024, offered a "non-judgmental" community where he could freely show off his colostomy bag.

Andy Tinzelman: I got an 'ostomy, nobody cares

A lot of people would shy away from showing off their ostomy bag, a prosthetic attached to the abdomen that helps the body pass waste. Not Andy Tinzelman.

Tinzelman has been participating in naked bike rides, in both Madison and Milwaukee, for more than nine years. In getting an colostomy, a surgery to treat those with digestive or urinary disease, plenty of doctors and nurses had already seen Tinzelmans naked body. According to Tinzelman, riding naked was no problem.

I got an 'ostomy, nobody cares, Tinzelman said. Theres a woman missing a breast over there, nobody cares. Theres people in transition for gender reassignment. People dont care. And its really encouraging and enlightening that people arent judgmental.

The first recorded naked bike ride took place in Zaragora, Spain, in 2001. Since then, naked bike rides have gained popularity and have spread to more than 30 countries.

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Missed the Naked Bike Ride? Heres the story, in words and pictures.
As most people know, I served 16 years in prison  from age 17 to 32  for a murder and rape that I didnt commit. My conviction, by an overzealous Westchester District Attorney's office under Carl Vergari, despite a pre-trial negative DNA Test, was caused in part by prosecutorial misconduct and then sustained by former Westchester District Attorney Jeanine Pirros office fighting arguments that I was innocent based on the DNA; repeated denials of further DNA Testing; and the DAs office getting my Habeas Corpus Petition dismissed because it arrived four days too late  a lateness caused by misinformation by the court clerk regarding the filing procedure. Ultimately, I was exonerated through DNA Testing via the Databank, testing agreed to by Pirros successor, Janet DiFiore.

While I have previously been critical of DiFiore as a prosecutor and chief judge of the Court of Appeals, she did the right thing in my case.

In my 18 years of freedom, I have become an advocate with a large body of work, including founding The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, which has freed 14 wrongfully convicted people and helped pass three laws, and an additional six as a key member of the national coalition group, It Could Happen To You; and becoming an attorney. I wrote a thesis en route to getting a Masters' Degree in Criminal Justice. I know from first-hand experience, as well as from being an attorney and advocate, the importance of having a district attorney who is committed to justice.

Here is how I see the upcoming Democratic Primary for the Westchester County District Attorneys race.

This election is not just about selecting a chief law enforcement officer; its about voting for a leader who will make our entire county safer, fairer, and stronger while restoring public trust in the justice system. Maintaining the status quo will not get us there; we need to confront the challenges of today with a fresh perspective and ability to enact real change, especially with a spike in hate crimes against AAPI and our Jewish neighbors, per the Anti-Defamation League report in 2023.

Additionally, having a fully functioning conviction review unit is essential to exonerating the innocent while speaking up in favor of wrongful conviction prevention legislation, as well as other criminal justice reform measures that will make the justice system fairer while also maintaining public safety. It is critical to facilitate long-overdue policy changes while helping to restore public trust in the justice system.

Let me turn to the candidates: Susan Cacace and Willliam O. Wagstaff III.

Cacace is a former county court judge and a former ADA who worked primarily on animal abuse cases and also a defense attorney. Through Keith Olson, working with the Cacace for DA campaign, statements were made in his op-ed to the effect that trying to enact any change is equivalent to being an activist, while also insisting that Westchester is an exception to the issues that plague the rest of New York and the nation. Her time on the bench and as a candidate in the race are similar: she operates within the system, she does not try to improve it from within. Rather than engaging in the broad-ranging reform that is needed to drive change, Cacace is only interested in upholding the system as it currently exists.

William O. Wagstaff III, a candidate for Westchester County district attorney, stands by the statue of the Rev. Martin Luther King by the Richard Daronco Westchester County Courthouse on April 23, 2024.

Similarly, while she worked as a defense attorney, there were no noteworthy cases or causes that I can find that stand out. There are examples of judges and district attorney candidates trying to improve the system from within while staying well within the bounds of what is lawful and proper.

During the Warren era of the U.S. Supreme Court, many important rights we take for granted were established through judicial decisions: Miranda Warnings and the Right To Counsel. In Brooklyn, the late Kenneth Thompson ran for district attorney in part on an anti-wrongful conviction plank. His Conviction Review Unit subsequentlyexonerated 23 people in two-and-a-half years.

Someone convinced that the system is working is unlikely to implement any changes  a view backed up by her activist statement.

Lastly, her campaign filing objections to Wagstaff appearing on the ballot in the primary is troubling because, rather than respecting the democratic process by engaging in public debate, sharing competing ideas and visions, and then letting the voters decide at the ballot box, Cacace decided to try to deprive the voters of a say at all. Is this a foreshadowing of how, if elected, a Cacace administration would fight against arguments by defendants  rather than engage on the merits, lets instead attempt to use technicalities?

Wagstaff is a civil rights attorney with a body of work in the area since 2016.

He has handled some of the highest profile civil rights cases: lawsuits against the city of Poughkeepsie police for using excessive force, a lawsuit on behalf of the family of an unarmed man shot by New Rochelle police, and victims of illegal police surveillance.

Wagstaff is formerly justice involved, having committed a misdemeanor in his youth. Federal Judge Lisa Magaret Smith, who sentenced Wagstaff, many years later wrote a recommendation letter on his behalf to the Character and Fitness Committee of both New York and New Jersey. A former federal prosecutor, Smiths letter should allayconcerns about his record, particularly since he has significantly added to society since then.

Seeing the criminal justice system up close and personal gives him insight into the justice system, which is important when seeking justice. His perspective is unique and the type of approach that Westchester County needs to adopt to become more equitable.

Jeffrey Deskovic

In terms of experience, Wagstaff serves as the city of Mount Vernons Special Prosecutor for Police Discipline, holding bad actors accountable while also defending law enforcement officers who are upholding their oath. His creation of training modules for the Mount Vernon Police Department regarding use of force and mental health issues shows that he can work effectively with law enforcement.

Wagstaff has handled complex criminal cases as a criminal defense attorney and is no stranger to working in the criminal courts throughout New York State; he knows the criminal law.

Lastly, Wagstaff has an MBA from Fordham Business School, which gives him the education to manage an office the size of the DAs office, something Cacace has never done, and she lacks any education that suggests she is capable.

Wagstaff, by miles, is far and away the better choice.

Jeffrey Deskovic is executive director of The Jeffrey Deskovic Foundation for Justice, a criminal justice advocate, an exoneree and an attorney.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: William Wagstaff must be Westchester County' District Attorney
Womans $3.99 Thrift Store Vase Turned Out to Be a Mayan Artifact  So She Returned It

A woman purchased a nearly 2,000-year-old Mayan vase at a Maryland thrift store  but didn't realize what she had until she saw a similar one in a museum

Esteban Moctezuma Barragan/x Mayan artifact sold for $4.99 at Maryland thrift store returned to Mexico

A woman from Washington, D.C.,was in for quite the surprise after she purchased a vase from a thrift shop for $3.99, which turned out to be a Mayan artifact.



Mom of three and cultural worker Anna Lee Dozier was exploring 2A Thrift Store in Clinton, Maryland. about five years ago, when she came across what she thought was a "tourist reproduction" of a Mayan vase, she told local CBS affiliate WUSA,

"It did look old to me, but not old-old, like 20 to 30 years old, maybe," she told NPR station KVCR.

"I could see that it had some kind of link to Mexico, in terms of what it looked like," she added. "And since it's a country that I work on and it's really important to me, I thought it would be just a nice little thing to take home and put on the shelf and to remind me of Mexico."

Then in January 2024, Dozier traveled to Mexico for business.

During her trip, she paid a visit to Mexico City's National Museum of Anthropology  and did a double-take when she saw some very similar vases to the one she purchased for less than $5. The vases she saw were so strikingly similar, that she approached a museum worker and asked what she should do if she found an artifact from the same historical period.

"Some of the things I was looking at looked awfully like what I had at home on my shelf," she told KVCR. "I still was dubious that it was real, but just thought it looked enough like that that I asked to speak to someone in the [museum] offices."

Related: 'Titanic' Artifact Recovery Mission Canceled After Death of 'Titan' Passengers

Esteban Moctezuma Barragan/x Other artifacts at the Mexican Embassy.

After arriving home from her trip, Dozier contacted the Mexican Embassy and sent them photos and measurements, and anthropologists working with the embassy determined that the vase was a ceremonial urn belonging to the Indigenous Mayan people  and it was nearly 2,000 years old.



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As she prepared to help the embassy transport the priceless artifact back to its home country, Dozier told KUSA she only had one worry  keeping it in the house with her three rambunctious sons.

"I was petrified that after two-thousand years I would be the one to wreck it!" she said.



Related: 10 Newly Discovered Shipwrecks from 3,000 B.C. to WWII Reveal Ancient Artifacts Spanning Centuries

Esteban Moctezuma Barragan/x Anne Lee Dozier and ambassador Esteban Moctezuma Barragan at the Mexican Embassy.

But after packing the vase into a cardboard box with crumpled-up newspaper as a cushion, she carefully drove it to the embassy in D.C., where Mexicos Ambassador to the U.S. was waiting to send it home.

"A valuable witness to our Mayan history returns home  #Mexico," the ambassador wrote in Spanish in a post on X, announcing that the vase would be returned to the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico City.



"Thanks to the generosity of Anne Lee Dozier, a US citizen, we recovered a classical vessel, dated between 200 and 800 AD," added Esteban Moctezuma Barragan. "This historical gem will be reintegrated into the [Institute] collection to preserve our rich cultural heritage."

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According to Dozier, returning the vase to its home in Mexico was much more valuable than any financial gain.

"Giving it back feels so much better than it would if I put it on eBay and I got a bunch of money," she told KVCR. "It's really important to recognize that some of these things, especially with such historical and cultural value to an entire country and people  you can't really put a number on that."



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COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH)  A 35-year-old woman appeared in Franklin County Municipal court twice on charges related to a fatal shooting in southeast Columbus.

Danielle Hardy received a bond of just over $1 million on six charges, including the murder of 25-year-old Jahaan Harris on June 14. Hardy also has been charged with four counts of felonious assault and one count of discharging a firearm near a public property or road.

What makes this weeks Intel super load different than earlier ones

Among her bond conditions include no further acts of violence and no possession of weapons, alcohol, or drugs. Hardys preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 28.

Court records state on June 14 that Hardy allegedly was inside an apartment building on Brandy Drive and began firing shots towards a group of people walking in the street. Among those people was Harris, who was shot and pronounced dead as a result of his injuries.

Court records say that the shots allegedly fired by Hardy were in the direction of Refugee Road and that surveillance video shows her carrying a gun.

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A woman is accused of attempting to drown a 3-year-old Muslim child in possible hate crime incident

A woman in Texas has been charged with attempted capital murder and injury to a child after trying to drown a 3-year-old child at an apartment complex pool and making racist statements, according to police.

The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations identified the family as Muslim and Palestinian and called on state and federal law enforcement authorities to investigate the incident as a hate crime and take all precautions to keep the Muslim family and the Muslim community safe, the organization said in a news release Friday.

On May 19, Euless Police Department officers responded to a call at an apartment complex pool regarding a disturbance between two women. Witnesses told officers a woman who was very intoxicated had tried to drown a child and argued with the childs mother, police said in a news release.

The woman, identified as Elizabeth Wolf, 42, was approached by officers as she tried to leave and placed under arrest for public intoxication.

The victims mother told police Wolf was questioning where she was from and if the two children playing at the pool were hers, the release said. The mother was visibly Muslim and wore a hijab, or Islamic headscarf, and modest swimwear, according to the council.

Wolf also made statements about the mother not being an American and made other racist statements, according to police.

When the mother answered her, she stated that Wolf tried to grab her 6-year-old son but he pulled away from her grasp, which caused a scratch on his finger. The mother began helping her son when Wolf grabbed her 3-year-old daughter and forced her underwater, the news release said.

The mother was able to pull her daughter from the water but she had been yelling for help and was coughing up water.

Both children were medically cleared by the Euless Medics, according to the release.

We are American citizens, originally from Palestine, and I dont know where to go to feel safe with my kids, the council quoted the mother, identified only as Mrs. H, as saying. My country is facing a war, and we are facing that hate here. My daughter is traumatized; whenever I open the apartment door, she runs away and hides, telling me she is afraid the lady will come and immerse her head in the water again.

The Euless Police Department confirmed to CNN that Wolf posted bail out of Tarrant County Jail.

The bond for the Attempted Capital Murder charge was $25,000. The bond for the Injury to a Child charge was $15,000, Capt. Brenda Alvarado told CNN.

CNN has reached out to Wolfs attorney for comment.

We ask for a hate-crime probe, a higher bail bond, and an open conversation with officials to address this alarming increase in Islamophobia, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian sentiment, Shaimaa Zayan, the councils Austin operations manager, said in a statement.

Texas Rep. Salman Bhojani said he is shocked and appalled by this alleged racist, Islamophobic occurrence that took place in my town, according to the news release. Hate has no place in Euless, District 92, or anywhere in our great state. I want to thank Euless PD for quickly apprehending the alleged provocateur, and I extend my service to the affected family.

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Insights from Science News, The Washington Post, and The Associated Press

The News

This week, more than 1,000 temperature records broke around the world, many of them shattered by extreme heat. Hundreds have perished while making the Hajj pilgrimage to Islams holiest site, Mecca, while some 100 million people are under a heat advisory in the United States. The total number of heat-related deaths isnt yet clear, but at least hundreds have died in an unseasonably early heat wave; in India, which has seen some of the most extreme temperatures, at least 100 people have died in the last three months due to heat.

The heatwaves are the fingerprint of climate change, experts said, and are a glimpse of whats to come as human-induced climate change continues to amplify extreme weather. It should be obvious that dangerous climate change is already upon us, a climate scientist told The Washington Post. People will die because of global warming on this very day.

SIGNALS

Semafor Signals: Global insights on today's biggest stories.

Early heat waves may be more deadly

Sources: Science News, WRAL News, The Hill

Its early in the summer for these kinds of temperatures, and scientists say that might make the heat even more dangerous. Earlier-than-usual heat can catch people by surprise, one climate scientist said, because their bodies dont have enough time to acclimate to rising temperatures. Climate change also means heat waves are coming earlier and earlier every year, putting more people at risk. As extreme weather becomes more common, experts say its crucial that cities update their infrastructure to handle the heat. The longer it takes us to catch up the more lives are on the line, said the director of climate resilience and sustainability at the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, a US-based climate non-profit.

Dangerous climate change is here, but some people dont buy it

Sources: Pew Research Center, World Meteorological Organization, The New York Times

The threat of climate change is grave but research shows many people are still skeptical of the climate crisis effect on their lives. Between 2000 and 2019, extreme heat killed an estimated 489,000 people per year, according to the World Meteorological Organization; Last year, 14% of Americans said there was no concrete evidence of climate change. The effects of climate change may be irreversible, but scientists say humans could lessen future warming by stopping greenhouse gas emissions. A seminal 2023 UN report advised that nations would need to immediately stop using fossil fuels to prevent dangerous overheating in the next decade.

Extreme heat is more dangerous than people realize

Sources: The Associated Press, TIME

Many people dont realize how quickly extreme heat can become deadly, experts told The Associated Press, particularly when conditions are humid. In fact, extreme heat kills more people in the US each year than hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes combined. And heat strikes quickly; When the body gets too hot, organs start to fail, and the window for treatment closes swiftly. People dont understand that heat can kill you, and it will kill you, climate journalist Jeff Goodell said, and people who have low socioeconomic status or certain medical conditions are most at risk. The most vulnerable individualsthe people least likely to have air conditioningare also the ones least likely to have a park nearby to cool off in, an environmental scientist said.
World's highest oceans court issues landmark opinion on air pollution that could have implications for major polluters: 'We now have an authoritative definition'

The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea, the world's highest court governing oceans, has said that nations must take action to prevent marine pollution and curb the effects of heat-trapping gases.

Although the court's statement isn't legally binding, it is a groundbreaking, unanimous advisory opinion. It also sets the stage for bringing future claims against polluting countries. As The New York Times reported, the judges ruled that greenhouse gases pollute marine environments, and countries can be held accountable for that pollution.

The tribunal of 21 judges, also called the Oceans Court, took this stance to warn the world about the inevitable effects of rising temperatures, including altered ocean currents, coral bleaching, and the acidification of ocean waters that harm sea life. It sets a precedent for other courts to follow as they address growing ocean concerns like plastic pollution and sewage waste.

Representatives from island nations significantly affected by rising sea levels requested the review and opinion by the Oceans Court, which affects over 165 countries. This opinion expands the definition of marine pollution to include greenhouse gases, which were not previously mentioned in the 1970s negotiations. We did not have the research to understand how serious a problem they were then.

Payam Akhavan, the lead lawyer on the case, described the judicial decision as "an epic David and Goliath contest," in a press briefing, as reported by the Straits Times. Akhavan noted that some of the smallest nations in the world are using international law to bring major polluters to justice.

"We got everything we asked for; we now have an authoritative definition of the obligations of states to avert irreversible harm," Akhavan said, per the New York Times.

Per Reuters, China fought the islands' request during the case's hearings, claiming that the court had no authority to make such a ruling. However, the judges ruled that the court did have proper jurisdiction.

The ruling affects some of the largest polluting countries, including Russia and India. However, it does not apply to the U.S. because it didn't ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea based on objections to several treaty provisions unfavorable to the American economy.

Yet globally, the Oceans Court ruling has the potential to keep our oceans cleaner and more resilient to the catastrophic effects of the changing climate.

Louise Fournier, a Greenpeace legal advisor, said in a statement that the tribunal's opinion "marks a significant step forward in international environmental law and the protection of our oceans."

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NEW YORK (PIX11)  We are just days away from primary election day in New York.

Candidates came out in full force on Saturday, including those vying for New Yorks 14th and 16th Congressional Districts.

More Local News

By Congressman Jamaal Bowmans side at a rally in the Bronx, some of the most well-known progressives in Congress, including congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Vermont senator Bernie Sanders.

In his final push before the primary on Tuesday, Bowman addressed the millions of dollars spent by the pro-Israel lobby to attack him for his support of Palestine, including repeated calls for a cease-fire in the Middle East.

Our movement is more powerful than their money, Bowman said.

Senator Sanders says the challenge against Bowman represents a threat to American democracy.

Never before in history have special interests spent so much money trying to defeat a candidate. This campaign is about telling the billionaire crowd, oligarchs, they are not going to destroy American democracy.

Bowmans challenger, Westchester County Executive George Latimer, spent Saturday casting his early vote in Mount Vernon.

He said, The issue in Washington is the lack of focus on getting a result. If you want to do that, you have to work with everyone in your conference and focus on the appropriate product, not just on the process or stating the problems.

The latest polling from PIX11, Emerson College, and The Hill shows Latimer with a 17-point lead. He says thats a sign voters are ready for a change.

Ive tried to meet people where they are. Grassroots, Latimer said.

Meantime, back at the Bronx rally, despite facing a primary of her own in New York, 14 Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez spent most of her time championing Bowman.

Ocasio Cortez said, They want him out because hes not bought. hes not owned by anybody.

She added, he knows his primary responsibility is to our community, our towns. To White Plains. to new rochelle to yonkers.

As for her opponent, Wall Street veteran Marty Dolan, he was at a community event in Jackson Heights.

Dolan said, Her time is up, and the voters have seen enough. On Tuesday, we were going to have a change in representation for this district.

The primary day is on June 25. Early voting ends on Sunday.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11.
NEW YORK  Several political proxy wars will move toward their conclusion Tuesday when voters cast primary ballots to decide who will represent them in Congress and the statehouse.

Those battles for public office have for the most part pitted progressive Democrats against moderates, with the race between incumbent Rep. Jamaal Bowman and Westchester County Executive George Latimer proving to be the most emblematic of that dynamic.

But not all local races are playing out along those lines.

In upper Manhattan, where two state Assembly seats are being hotly contested, political control that had traditionally rested in the hands of the Harlem political machine could continue to shift toward Washington Heights and Rep. Adriano Espaillats base of power.

Other races that will soon be decided feature candidates with shady pasts who are either trying to hold onto power or make a comeback.

With polling places set to open Tuesday for primary election day, these are some of the most important races to keep an eye on:

Bowman v. Latimer in progressive-moderate proxy battle

For months, Bowman, a progressive member of the lefty Squad, and Latimer, whos positioned himself as a moderate corrective to the incumbents two congressional terms, have traded blows over the Israel-Hamas war, the verity of each others campaign claims and race.

Of the congressional progressives viewed as most vulnerable to a primary challenge nationwide, Bowman is broadly seen as sitting atop that list  a reality that recent polling supports. And his victory or defeat could serve as a bellwether for similar contests between moderates and progressives down the road.

Much of the backlash against Bowman can be traced back to his rhetoric around Israels war in Gaza in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attacks, which he has described as a genocide. But Bowman has countered the attacks against him by attempting to paint Latimer as pawn of powerful pro-Israel lobbying interests like AIPAC, which have poured millions of dollars into the race, making it the most costly House primary in history.

Latimer has publicly and repeatedly portrayed Bowman as out of touch in the district and as a liar, citing his claims that he co-wrote one of President Joe Bidens signature legislative achievements and a television ad suggesting Bowman won the endorsement of The New York Daily News when in fact it was Latimer who earned the papers support.

The contest has attracted big name surrogates and political endorsers as well.

Latimer has won the support of 2016 Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, while Bowman locked down endorsements from progressive standard-bearers such as Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

AOC, Goldman facing challenges

Unlike Bowman, who polls show could very easily lose his primary fight, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez maintains a clear advantage over her more moderate Democratic challenger, Marty Dolan, a banker whos called for the rollback of New Yorks sanctuary city status.

Ocasio-Cortez has raised much more money than Dolan, and while the political winds have shifted to the center in recent months, she continues to enjoy broad popularity and near-celebrity status, making her re-election a virtual lock.

Rep. Dan Goldman, a moderate who oversaw the first impeachment inquiry into ex-President Donald Trump before serving his one term in Congress, is also facing a primary challenge, coming from the left and the center. One of his opponents, Evan Hutchison, has portrayed Goldman as AIPAC-backed, while the other, Bruno Grandsard, is vying for the middle lane and has criticized Goldman for focusing too much of his rhetoric on Trump.

While all those match-ups highlight a progressive-moderate divide in the city, on Long Island the Democratic primary for the Suffolk County seat held by Republican incumbent Rep. Nick LaLota is shaping up to be a far more centrist affair.

John Avlon, a former aide to Republican Mayor Rudy Giuliani who voted in the eastern Long Island district for the first time in 2020, is running against Nancy Goroff, a longtime staple of the political scene there who has tried to tar Avlon for his time working with Giuliani. For his part, Avlon has questioned Goroffs viability, noting that she lost to former GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin by 10% in 2020.

Progs vs. Mods on the state level

Aside from lending her support to Bowman, AOC has also thrown her political heft down ballot to Assemblywoman Emily Gallagher, whose northern Brooklyn district is close to her own.

Gallagher, an avowed progressive whos sought to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, is facing a primary challenge from Anathea Simpkins, an anti-gun violence advocate whos viewed as more moderate and has clashed with Gallagher over a controversial street redesign in Greenpoint.

Incumbent progressives arent the only Democrats facing primary challenges.

In another race that will test the strength of the Democratic Partys centrist faction, Brooklyn Assemblywoman Stefani Zinerman is facing a challenge for her 56th Assembly District from Eon Huntley, a left-wing activist backed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

Huntley, a 39-year-old native Brooklynite, is hoping to ride a left-wing wave that carried other young progressives into public office in past election cycles to represent Bedford-Stuyvesant.

Zinerman is currently the only centrist-leaning elected Democrat representing the sprawling Brooklyn neighborhood, giving that race outsize importance for both wings of the party. To that end, shes racked up endorsements from power players in New Yorks Democratic establishment, including U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and state Attorney General Letitia James. A PAC bankrolled by real estate interests are also helping boost her reelection campaign.

Huntley has raised more money for his campaign than Zimerman, though, and is being backed by state Sen. Jabari Brisport, whose district overlaps with the 56th.

In the Bronx, another incumbent centrist Democrat whos facing a challenge from the left is longtime Assemblyman Michael Benedetto.

Benedetto, who chairs the Assemblys Education Committee and was first elected to represent the 82nd District in 2004, is for the second election cycle in a row facing off against Jonathan Soto, an ex-staffer to Ocasio-Cortez whos been endorsed by her as well as the Democratic Socialists of America.

Turnout was low in the 2022 election, when Benedetto beat Soto by about 1,766 votes, about a 20% margin of the ballot total. But in a recent interview with Jacobin Magazine, Soto said he has a better shot this time around because conditions are different.

The mayor, who is Benedettos main surrogate and ally, is deeply unpopular, Soto told the outlet, referring to Mayor Eric Adams declining approval ratings.

A different kind of battle for Harlem

In a primary thats not so much about ideological differences as it is about alliances to local political power brokers, East Harlem Assemblyman Eddie Gibbs will square off against Xavier Santiago, chairman of the local community board.

Gibbs, the first ex-con elected to New Yorks state legislature, is enjoying the support of some of the citys most prominent Black leaders, including the mayor, state Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and Bronx Democratic Party boss Jamaal Bailey.

Santiago is backed by Espaillat, an influential figure in city politics who won ex-Rep. Charlie Rangels seat when he stepped down and is known for recruiting Hispanic candidates to run for office.

Before Gibbs took office in 2022, his 68th Assembly District, which is heavily Hispanic, was represented by a Latino lawmaker for more than a decade.

In the leadup to Tuesdays election, Gibbs has landed in hot water for claiming in campaign literature that he was endorsed by a number of elected officials who arent actually backing him, including Rep. Jerry Nadler.

In another race to represent Harlem in the statehouse, four candidates are vying to take control of the seat being vacated by Assemblywoman Inez Dickens.

Jordan Wright, former campaign manager for New York City Council Member Yusef Salaam, is among those now running for the Assembly seat once occupied by his father, Keith Wright, the head of the Manhattan Democratic Party and a longtime Espaillat rival.

Dickens, who courted controversy when she said that Espaillats seat should revert to a Black leader, is backing Wright in the race.

To his left is Maria Ordonez, a Democratic state committee member and tenant organizer. Shana Harmongoff, a lawyer who worked for former Lt. Gov. Brian Benjamin, and Craig Schley, a law clerk, are also running for the seat.

Scandal-laced races in Queens

Clouds of scandal loom over a couple of competitive Assembly primaries in Queens due to the personal histories of the male candidates in each race.

Convicted felon Hiram Monserrate, an ex-state senator who spent nearly two years in prison in the early 2010s after being convicted of fraud and domestic abuse charges, is again running in the Democratic primary for the 35th Assembly District, which covers East Elmhurst as well as parts of Corona and LeFrak City.

Monserrate ran for that seat in 2022, too, but was handily defeated by incumbent Assemblyman Jeffrion Aubry.

Aubrys stepping down at the end of this year, though, providing an opening for Monserrate, whos campaigning on a law-and-order agenda that echoes the priorities of his former state Senate colleague and onetime political ally, Mayor Adams.

Monserrate faces Larinda Hooks, a Queens district leader who has been endorsed by Aubry and the local Democratic establishment.

In the nearby 37th Assembly District, incumbent Democrat Juan Ardila is in a difficult race for reelection following accusations from two women who allege he attempted to take advantage of them sexually at a party in 2015. He has denied the accusations.

Some of the states top Democrats, including Gov. Kathy Hochul, have called on Ardila to resign. But he has held on to his seat and is heading into Tuesdays election largely an outcast in his own party.

Hes going up against Johanna Carmona, a former sex crimes prosecutor in Brooklyn and Claire Valdez, a union organizer endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America.

Carmona and Valdez have pointed to the allegations against Ardila, a progressive, as reason for why hes unfit to represent the constituents of the 37th.
Six more participants have joined Ukraines peace summit communique this week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on June 23. He did not specify the new countries or organizations that signed on.

"It is important to us that every part of the world, every country, and every leader who respects international law can contribute to the advancement of peace and the full restoration of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter," Zelensky wrote on social media.

"The first Peace Summit demonstrated that it is possible to restore all aspects of security and achieve genuine peace. However, this requires global unity. We are working towards such unity."

Switzerland hosted Ukraine's global peace summit on June 15-16, with over 90 countries and organizations in attendance. Seventy-eight states and four organizations signed the final joint communique of the peace summit on June 16.

Some countries that participated but were notably absent from the list of signatories included India, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Colombia, South Africa, Thailand, Mexico, and the United Arab Emirates. Russia and China did not attend.

On June 22, Zelensky announced that Barbados and the Marshall Islands had signed the joint communique after the summit.

Kyiv is planning to arrange the second global peace summit before the end of 2024.

Read also: Ukraines Peace Summit is over  what were its highs and lows?

Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Zelensky calls for more extensive weapons for striking deep in Russia

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky attends the closing press conference of the Summit on peace in Ukraine. -/Ukraine Presidency/dpa

In light of the prolonged shelling of the city of Kharkiv, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Western allies to provide more extensive weapons and authorization to strike deep inside Russian territory.

"Russian combat aircraft must be destroyed wherever they are, by all effective means available," said Zelensky in his daily video address on Sunday.

Zelensky pointed to the need to prevent airstrikes like the recent one on the city of Kharkiv, which he said had left one person dead and 12 injured.

The recent lifting of a ban by Western states on firing on Russian territory close to the border with the weapons supplied had already produced results, Zelensky said.

A "part of Russia's terrorist capacity" has been destroyed, but only a part, and Zelensky said Ukrainians need better protection. "We need proper weapons for Ukrainians."

Negotiations on this issue are ongoing, he noted, adding that he expects further progress in the coming weeks.

Zelensky also sees progress in his country's endeavours to join the EU and said accession negotiations would begin next week. "It is a truly historic week."

Zelensky said the start of the negotiations was made possible by those who took up arms to defend Ukraine on February 24, when Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine began more than two years ago.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reports that six more countries and organisations signed the Peace Summit communique this week.

Source: Zelenskyy on Facebook

Quote: "This week, six more participants signed the Peace Summit Communique. And our team is working to get more signatures.

It is important to us that every part of the world, every country and every leader who respects international law can show their worth in bringing peace closer and restoring the full effectiveness of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

The first Peace Summit showed that it is possible to restore all security aspects and true peace. But this requires the unity of the world. We are working for such unity. I thank everyone who is helping!"

Background:

The participants of the Global Peace Summit held in Switzerland issued a joint communique on the foundations of peace.

The President's Office says that the outcome document of the Global Peace Summit in Switzerland may be supported by additional countries that have not yet signed it.

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Zelenskyy announces new air defence agreements, says air defence will decide when war will end

Ukraines President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced new agreements that will see Ukraine receive more air defence systems from its partners.

Source: President Zelenskyys video address on 23 June

Quote from Zelenskyy: "The remaining week of June and the first half of July will be no less productive for Ukraine than May and the first half of June.

We have already received decisions on new Patriot [air defence systems] for Ukraine and are working on more. We are working on obtaining additional air defence systems.

Long-range [weapons] arent just about what we can achieve on the battlefield, but about when this war might come to an end. The more we can do, the sooner we will be able to get Russia to accept just and fair peace."

Background:

On 20 June, Romania agreed to supply Ukraine with one Patriot air defence system.

On 21 June, Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren announced that the Netherlands, along with another state, will send a Patriot air defence system to Ukraine.

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(KRON)  The Bay Area is set to introduce a new form of commute. On Thursday, Archer, an electric aircraft company, announced that it would offer an air mobility network in South San Francisco, Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore, replacing one-to-two-hour trips by car with zero-emission, 10-to-20-minute air taxi flights.

According to the manufacturer, their first facility could come as early as the end of 2025.

SFPD search for missing North Beach resident

Archer will look to build a main base at Oyster Point in South San Francisco, connecting it with routes to Napa, San Jose, Oakland, and Livermore. The company will work with real estate giant Kilroy Realty Corp to make the 50-acre Kilroy Oyster Point waterfront campus.

The aircraft company said on its website that it aims to compete against ground-based ride services like Uber or Lyft by creating a service with a price equivalent to its own.

Archers flagship design, Midnight, is built for a pilot to fly as many as four passengers and charge for just a few minutes between trips.

Aside from the main air taxi port at Oyster Point, Archer and Kilroy intend to create a Sea Portala renewable energy-powered development that offers electric ferry services for waterfront-based companies.

Photo: Archer

In June, Archer received its Part 135 from the FAAA, a certificate allowing them to operate their airline commercially. Archer became one of just two eVTOL manufacturers to earn a Part 135 worldwide.

It expects to install electric charging stations at locations in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Miami by next year. The company also intends to add electric chargers to planned air taxi hubs in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KRON4.
Whether you've been interested in buying a new Windows laptop recently or you're simply invested in the tech world, you've no doubt heard of Copilot+ PCs and Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chipsets.

Qualcomm currently offers four Snapdragon X Elite variants, but only two are widely available right now.

The Snapdragon X Elite Dev Kit is labeled as variant X1E-00-1DE and will primarily be used as a mini PC for developers creating ARM-compatible apps. Then, the most powerful X1E-84-100 variant is only available in Samsung's Galaxy Book4 Edge.

That leaves the Snapdragon X Elite's mid-tier and low-tier chipsets, respectively labeled X1E-80-100 and X1E-78-100. These are the two chipsets you'll see most frequently advertised in Copilot+ PCs you can buy right now.

These new chipsets from Qualcomm boast better performance and longer-lasting battery life compared to x64-based chips we're used to from Intel and AMD. But how do they compare against each other? Let's dive into it.

Snapdragon X Elite X1E-78-100 vs X1E-80-100

On paper, Qualcomm's lower- (X1E-78-100) and mid-tier (X1E-80-100) Snapdragon X Elite chipset variants don't look too different.

A table compariing specs for the Snapdragon X Elite models and the Snapdragon X Plus.

Both chipsets are paired with LPDDR5x RAM and feature a 12-core Oryon CPU with a cache of 42 MB and a max multithreaded frequency of 3.4 GHz, 3.8 TFLOPs of Adreno GPU performance, and a Hexagon NPU capable of 45 TOPS.

Here's the key spot where Qualcomm's chipsets differ: dual-core boost capabilities.

The lower-end (X1E-78-100) Snapdragon X Elite chipset lacks a dual-core boost option, whereas the mid-tier (X1E-80-100) chipset is capable of reaching a clock rate of 4.0 GHz with dual-core boost.

While this small difference in max multithread frequency may seem insignificant, our initial test results say otherwise.

Geekbench 6.3 results

The most updated Geekbench CPU benchmark is one we run on all the laptops we review, as it's generally considered the best way to test performance consistently across multiple platforms. A higher score indicates stronger performance.

We haven't published reviews yet for the HP Elitebook Ultra, equipped with the Qualcomm's X1E-78-100 variant, or Microsoft's new Surface Pro packing the X1E-80-100 variant. However, they're in our hands and they've been subject to many of our benchmarks, including Geekbench 6.3.

A hand holding a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip held in a sealed display case

Geekbench 6.3 delivers two scores: a single-core score and a multi-core score. Generally, we pay attention to the multi-core score because most computer apps and processes use multiple cores, but single-core score differences are still worth noting.

The HP Elitebook Ultra earned a multi-core score of 12,717 on Geekbench 6.3 (ARM), and a single-core score of 2,371. Comparatively, the new Microsoft Surface Pro cleared an impressive multi-core score of 14,432 and single-core score of 2,813.

Despite the small 0.2 GHz max multithread frequency difference with dual-core boost, Qualcomm's mid-tier (X1E-80-100) variant was about 13% better-performing than the lower-end (X1E-78-100) Snapdragon X Elite variant, when comparing multi-core scores.

Geekbench ML 0.6 results

Testing NPU AI performance for Copilot+ PCs generally isn't as easy as testing the efficiency or overall power of a laptop's CPU, GPU, or other components. That said, one of the best tests we currently have to test AI performance is Geekbench ML, a benchmark from the same people who created Geekbench 6.

According to the official site, "Geekbench ML is a cross-platform AI benchmark that uses real-world machine learning tasks to evaluate AI workload performance." This benchmark measures collective performance of your computer's CPU, GPU, and NPU.

A higher number indicates better NPU performance, and both of Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Elite chips we're comparing today offer up to 45 TOPS of NPU performance.

qualcomm snapdragon x elite on laptop

In an ARM-optimized Geekbench ML test, the HP Elitebook Ultra and Microsoft Surface Pro delivered scores of 2,861 and 2,859, respectively.

As we expected, the strength of Qualcomm's Hexagon NPU, capable of the same 45 TOPS in both variants, is practically identical. If you're looking to buy a Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptop purely for AI-related task performance, there's no need to be specific about which variant you grab.

HandBrake 1.8.0 results

Put simply, the HandBrake test involves converting a 4K video to 1080p and recording how long the process takes. More specifically, we load the 6.5GB, open-source, 4K Tears of Steel video into the HandBrake video encoder, and then convert it with the Fast 1080p30 preset. The less time it takes a laptop to complete this process, the better.

Because these are ARM chips, not your typical x64-based chips found in most Windows laptops, we ran this HandBrake test with both x64- and ARM-optimized versions.

I used DaVinci Resolve on a Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite laptop and I'm ready to ditch my MacBook

In an average of three HandBrake 1.8.0 (x64) tests, the HP Elitebook Ultra (with X1E-78-100) completed the process in 9 minutes and 41 seconds. An average of three ARM-optimized versions of the same test provided a slightly shorter completion time of 6 minutes and 53 seconds.

The Microsoft Surface Pro (with X1E-80-100) completed the x64-optimized HandBrake test in an average of 8 minutes and 12 seconds, and the ARM-optimized version in just 5 minutes and 21 seconds.

Comparing the two results, the Microsoft Surface Pro was able to complete the x64-optimized HandBrake test roughly 15% faster than the HP Elitebook Ultra, and the ARM-optimized test about 22% faster.

Outlook

If you want the best possible performance out of a Snapdragon X Elite-powered laptop, the X1E-80-100 variant is the one you want. This mid-tier variant scored 13% higher on Geekbench 6, and completed the HandBrake test 22% faster.

When you consider there's not much of a price difference between Copilot+ PCs with this better-performing X1E-80-100 variant and the low-end X1E-78-100 variant, why wouldn't you choose the one that's slightly better-performing?

That said, if the only Copilot+ PC you can get your hands on is one equipped with an X1E-78-100 or if it's majorly discounted, it's certainly not a bad computer to own. Both its multi-core Geekbench 6 score and HandBrake completion time are nothing to sneeze at.

But if you're after a budget-friendly ARM-powered Windows laptop, one featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon X Plus chipset (X1P-64-100) might be a smarter choice. It's equipped with the same NPU, and therefore AI performance capabilities, but features a slightly less powerful 10-core CPU at a more affordable price.

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Walking into Nord Security's Cyber City campus in Vilnius, Lithuania, is quite the experience. Comprising three huge Soviet-era buildings  previously used as sock factories  it's now a central part of Vilnius' burgeoning Silicon Valley.

Cyber City is home to what we rate as the best VPN, NordVPN, as well as Surfshark, Oxylabs, and Hostinger. Billion-dollar startup Vinted is headquartered just two minutes down the road, and countless other tech businesses are dotted around the beautiful Naujamiestis district.

The startup culture that has driven Vilnius' rapid rise towards the tech elite is evident, and I was lucky enough to be invited out to meet the teams. Over the course of three days I learned about their new developments  I even had the chance to interview key members of the team to bend their ears on some of today's most pressing privacy concerns.

Here, I'll be running down everything I learned on the trip, from NordVPN's cutting-edge tech and the group's new venture, Saily, to Surfshark's provocative marketing ploys.

NordVPN: the best VPN overall

I currently rate NordVPN as my number-one VPN. It's very secure, unblocks tons of streaming sites, and has plenty of features  which I'll explore below. If you fancy checking out its current pricing, the button below will get you the best deal possible.View Deal

The front of NordVPN's ex-sock-factory office building

Nord's Threat Protection is getting an upgrade

NordVPN's Threat Protection feature has been around for a while now, and at its core, it's a DNS-based tool that filters your traffic through Nord's DNS servers. It offers useful protection from malicious websites and phishing domains, but is limited to browser extensions, Android, iOS, and Linux. This is much the same as rival offerings, like ExpressVPN's Threat Manager, and requires NordVPN to be connected to a server to work.

However, on 18 June, 2024, NordVPN introduced Threat Protection Pro. Currently available on Windows and macOS for Plus plan subscribers, it still blocks malicious and phishing domains, but it also blocks ads, malicious links, and trackers, and can even scan files for malware after you've downloaded them. It'll also silently run whenever you've got NordVPN open on your device, whether you're connected or not.

Table showing what Threat Protection Pro offers compared to competitors

In a presentation, NordVPN showed us their own findings of how successful Threat Protection Pro was at detecting and stopping dangers. It's worth mentioning that the results we saw are only from internal testing and shouldn't be used to gauge the feature. However, Threat Protection Pro appeared to block around 90% of phishing and malware URLs, whereas other alternatives  including the basic DNS-based version of Threat Protection  topped out at around 40%.

Obviously, I'll wait until I've tested it out myself and studied other independent reviews to sing its praises, but it appears to be a well-rounded tool more akin to an antivirus than a simple DNS-based blocking system. Very good news indeed.

An ever-expanding range of products

Nord Security has never been a group to mess about. Both NordVPN and Surfshark have seen a lot of investment, and have developed tons of new features which help put them ahead of the pack. In fact, I've previously complained that Nord can be a little too quick on the trigger when pushing features  for example, in its initial form, Pause VPN was a little intrusive  but in recent years the team has become more methodical and polished in its approach.

However, arguably the biggest news for the group as a whole is the launch of its eSIM provider, Saily. While I'm no expert in telecoms, and I likely won't be covering it much in the future, Saily shows that Nord Security is fearless when entering new markets, and has its sights set to the stars. After all, Nord's exactly the brand I had in mind when I asked "why are VPN companies trying to do everything?"

Saily's homepage

Essentially, Saily is a simpler version of rivals like Airalo that allows you to keep a single eSIM on your device, and top it up with data for the countries that you're visiting.

We were all given a promo code for 5 GB of data when we arrived, and from my experience over the week, it was very easy to use compared to my previous encounters with roaming eSIMs. Prices do currently look a little steeper than the competition, though, and it doesn't currently offer a global plan like Airhub and Jetpac.

While there were no concrete statements about the future of the product  it's only been live since the start of 2024  it would be a safe bet that Nord Security starts to introduce more privacy features into the app as it matures, bringing it in line with the rest of its products. Perhaps even a Saily network? Watch this space

Surfshark isn't runner-up in terms of features

For some, Surfshark may seem like a lightweight cheap VPN, and not a real NordVPN alternative, but despite its lower price, this couldn't be further from the truth. The development teams at Surfshark and NordVPN work separately, and when we asked one of the lead engineers about how much of the tech stack they share, the answer was an emphatic "none."

In fact, Surfshark offers some very interesting features that NordVPN doesn't. For example, its Alternative ID tool allows you to not only create spoof email addresses for times you might not want to use your real email address, but also full personal aliases, and even spoof phone numbers.

In terms of implementation, spoof phone numbers require significant investment and come with a fair amount of red tape on the provider's end, and it's impressive that Surfshark has gone this far to protect its users. If you're wondering why that might be useful, it's perfect for listing items on Craigslist or Gumtree, and signing up to services you don't want to share your real phone number with.

Diagram of how Surfshark Nexus works

Surfshark also offers a few very interesting features, including its Nexus feature. Nexus itself needs a whole article to do it justice, but in short, it rotates your IP  a rare thing in modern VPNs  and allows dynamic multi-hop, which allows you to connect to any two servers in tandem. This is much better than the rest of the competition, including NordVPN, which only offer certain server pairs.

Elsewhere, Incogni is really picking up steam in the personal data removal service industry. Despite being far newer than rivals like DeleteMe, Kanary, and Optery, Incogni is now the most searched-for service of its kind. I've had a test subscription for around a year now, and I've seen a moderate decrease in the amount of spam I get in my inbox.

Admittedly, I live in the UK where things like people search sites don't exist as they do in the US  and truthfully, I find it terrifying they exist at all  but Incogni is still a very useful tool for removing my info from data broker lists.

Surfshark's guerrilla marketing is fascinating

Arguably the most interesting session we were treated to looked into Surfshark's guerrilla marketing campaigns. While NordVPN is rather stoic and sensible in its approach, Surfshark is far more exciting, and is keen to push boundaries in the way it promotes its products and brand image.

One of Surfshark's first attempts at this was its leaky pipe campaign. Placed strategically outside Meta's new office in Munich, the pink and green monstrosity represented the ongoing flow of data that Big Tech leaks. It invited hands-on interaction, and seemed to cause quite a stir.

Surfshark toilet truck outside Future PLC's London office

Next up, we had my typically childish favorite, the transparent toilet truck. Essentially, it's a big glass lorry with someone inside, sat on the toilet. It drove around London  and actually visited our UK HQ in Paddington  asking anyone who saw it to question whether they should value their digital privacy as much as their physical privacy. After all, you wouldn't want to relieve yourself in public, would you? (Insert leaky pipe joke here.)

The last stunt featured a cafe in New York, in which customers were asked to pay with personal data rather than real money. Remarkably, a considerable amount of people handed over details like dates of birth, email addresses, and even credit card security codes. Thankfully Surfshark immediately shredded the data, rather than using it for nefarious purposes.

It was an excellent bit of fun to see what interesting campaigns the marketing team has come up with, and I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do next. I just hope I won't suffer another bathroom-based surprise when I'm heading out on my lunch break

...and we're back home safe and sound

All in all, my trip to Vilnius bore incredibly valuable insight into the way that Nord Security runs its ship  and for me, it has definitely settled the fact that NordVPN is my top-rated VPN.

More interesting, though, was getting to know more about Surfshark. I've always really liked the product, but after seeing some of their latest developments  and some upcoming releases I can't talk about yet  it's clearer than ever it's not simply the budget alternative it's often mistaken for.

However, despite all that, it's good to be home  if only for the fact that I won't be looked at strangely when I ask for milk in my tea.
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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday has registered an FIR regarding the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam conducted on May 5. This comes a day after the Centre announcement that the investigation into these alleged irregularities would be transferred to the agency. It is initiating actions to assume control of investigations and FIRs from other states related to the case.

Citing the officials PTI reported that a fresh case against unidentified persons on a reference from the Union Education Ministry.

In another development, Bihar Police have apprehended six individuals accused in the NEET-UG case. The arrests occurred in Deoghar, Jharkhand on June 21. Following a medical examination at LNJP Hospital in Patna, the suspects are now in police custody. The investigation is ongoing.

A total of 24 Lakh candidates have taken the medical entrance test for undergraduate courses. After the protests started gaining momentum and a several reports of paper leaks and allegations started cropping up, the Center had to give in to those demands and refer the matter to the CBI.

The students have been insisting that the exam be rescheduled for everyone, not just the 1,500 students who received grace marks. However, the government has not agreed to this, and the retest for the 1,563 candidates who initially received grace marks is taking place today.

The ministry in its statement said, "Certain cases of alleged irregularities / cheating /impersonation / malpractices have been reported.

It added, For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India after a review has decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for comprehensive investigation."

Following the onset of protests and subsequent investigation, several men were arrested in Bihar. According to the police, these men confessed to a leak. One of them, a student who was taking the exam, stated that he received the exam papers the night before.

The head of the National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the test, has been dismissed.
New Delhi: Lok Sabha MPs from the INDIA bloc will assemble in the Parliament complex Monday morning and will march to the House together on the first day of the first session of 18th Lok Sabha, sources said.

The MPs will gather near Gate No 2 of the old Parliament building, where the Gandhi statue once stood, a senior opposition party leader said.

The Gandhi statue, which was a popular protest site for MPs in the Parliament complex, was recently relocated along with 14 other statues that dotted the complex. All these were installed in one area, Prerna Sthal.

The politician said some MPs will hold copies of the Constitution of India and they will all walk down to the Parliament building.

Several opposition parties have claimed that the mandate of 2024 Lok Sabha elections was against the ruling BJP, even though it was able to form government with support of NDA allies.

The bloc has also claimed that people backed the opposition parties to "save Constitution."

The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will see oath-taking by newly elected members, followed by election of the Lok Sabha Speaker on June 26 and President Droupadi Murmu's address to joint sitting of both the Houses on June 27.
Uri Encounter Update: The body of a terrorist was discovered by security personnel on Sunday during an ongoing anti-infiltration operation in J&K's Uri area. "A dead body of the terrorist was recovered today while the search for the other dead terrorist is going on," according to an official.

He confirmed that the operation is still ongoing in the region. On Saturday, security forces battled a group of infiltrating terrorists on the Line of Control in the Uri area, killing at least two of them. The officer claimed that the dead bodies of the two terrorists could not be recovered on Saturday since they were lying near to the LoC.

Army personnel observed suspicious movement near the Line of Control (LoC) in the Gohallan area of north Kashmir's Uri sector, India Today reported.

At the time of the encounter, two terrorists were killed. Additionally, army personnel recovered large quantities of arms and ammunition during a subsequent search operation in the area.

Earlier last week, another encounter, froked out in between terrorists and security forces near the Sopore area of Baramulla in Jammu and Kashmir. Reportedly, two terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Baramulla district on Wednesday.
New Delhi: The tragic incident took place in Pune after a 19-year-old man was killed when a car allegedly driven by the nephew of an NCP MLA hit his motorbike on a highway in Maharashtra's Pune district.

The police informed that the accused Mayur Mohite was arrested and said that the car was speeding on the wrong side of the road. PTI reported that Khed NCP MLA Dilip Mohite Patil termed the incident as unfortunate and said he would not support any wrongdoing.

The accident took place on Saturday around 9.30 pm at Mauje Eklahare village on the Pune-Nashik highway in Ambegaon taluka, police said. The victim is identified as Om Bhalerao, the official said.

"The accused was driving a Fortuner car on Pune-Nashik road. He was driving the car on the wrong side of the road while travelling to Manchar village when the vehicle had a head-on collision with the motorbike. The two-wheeler rider was seriously injured in the accident and lost his life," the senior police official said, PTI reported.

Senior police officers informed that both the vehicles were badly damaged in the incident and the car driver has been arrested



"We are conducting further probe into the incident," he added.

The police said that they have registered the case against the accused under various Indian Penal Code sections, including 304 A (causing death of a person by a rash or negligent act not amounting to culpable homicide) and provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.
New Delhi: Two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed after an IED blast planted by Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Sukma districts on Sunday, police said.

The incident took place under the Jagargunda PS limits in Sukma district between Silger and Tekulagudem of Chhattisgarh, police said.

Additional SP Akash Rao informed that the two bodies of two jawans have been brought and the search operation is underway. "Two jawans of CRPF CoBRA 201 BN lost their lives... CRPF, CoBRA and police reached the spot. The bodies of the two jawans have been brought out safely. The search operation is underway at the location," he said.

#WATCH | Chhattisgarh: "Under the Jagargunda PS limits in Sukma district between Silger and Tekulagudem, Naxalites blew up security vehicles in an IED blast, this afternoon. Two jawans of CRPF CoBRA 201 BN lost their lives... CRPF, CoBRA and police reached the spot. The bodies of https://t.co/o78kZFfnSx pic.twitter.com/IR0PDGBdOo  ANI (@ANI) June 23, 2024

The killed security personnel were part of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) 201 battalion and identified as Vishnu R (35), from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and other personnel were identified as Shailendra (29) from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh.

CoBRA battalion is a specialized branch forced to undertake operations of guerrilla and jungle warfare, specifically tailored for addressing the Maoist insurgency.

The incident occurred at 3 pm on Sunday, when the jawans were on Road Opening Duty from Camp Silger to Camp Tekalgudem. The blast of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxalites resulted in their deaths.
NEET-PG Row: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over the postponement of NEET-PG exam, calling it "another unfortunate example of how the education system has been ruined." Health Ministry announced on Saturday that it has decided to postpone the NEET-PG entrance examination, which was due to take place on June 23, as a "precautionary measure" in light of recent allegations about the integrity of various competitive exams.

Gandhi wrote in Hindi on 'X', "Now NEET PG is also postponed! This is another unfortunate example of the ruined education system under the rule of Narendra Modi. "In BJP rule, students are not forced to 'study' to make their career but are forced to 'fight' with the government to save their future," he said.

"Now it is clear - Modi, who used to silently watch the spectacle every time, is completely helpless in front of the paper leak racket and education mafia, the Congress MP from Rae Bareli said.

"Narendra Modi's incompetent government is the biggest threat to the future of students - we must save the future of the country from it.Under the BJP's administration, instead of creating their professions through education, students are obliged to fight the government to secure their future," Gandhi added.

NTA Director Shunted Out, Ex-ISRO Chief To Lead Probe Against Agency

Faced with criticism over alleged malpractices and fraud in competitive exams, the Centre on Saturday removed National Testing Agency (NTA) Director General Subodh Singh and appointed a seven-member panel led by former ISRO chairman K Radhakrishnan to investigate the agency's operations and recommend exam reforms.

The June edition of the Joint Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (CSIR-UGC-NET) was postponed on Friday due to unavoidable circumstances and logistics. UGC-NET was cancelled on Wednesday due to allegations that the exam's integrity had been jeopardised.

Opposition parties have also cited irregularities in the NEET-UG medical entrance exam, the results of which were revealed by the National Testing Agency on June 4. The CBI has been tasked with investigating the suspected anomalies in this examination.
JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna, the brother of the former MP Prajwal Revanna who is accused of assaulting multiple women sexually, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of committing "unnatural offences" against a male party worker, according to police sources. He was arrested on Saturday for allegedly abusing a party worker sexually a few days prior. The charges are under various IPC sections, including "unnatural offences."



The sources claimed that Suraj was interrogated all night at the CEN police station here before being taken into custody. A 27-year-old man had reported to the police that he had been sexually abused by Suraj Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16,

Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening.

However, Suraj Revanna (37), the grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy, has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him.

On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against the JD(S) worker on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar.

Shivakumar had alleged that the party worker was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him.

It has been alleged that while the man demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna, later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore.

Suraj's brother and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women and was arrested upon his return from Germany last month.

Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him.

Their father H D Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena assured an AAP delegation that met him here on Sunday over the water crisis in the city that he will try to resolve the issue while stressing the solution lay in cooperation rather than blame game.

According to Raj Niwas officials, the MPs and MLAs who attended the meeting primarily requested the L-G to urge the Haryana Government for extra water, for a few days, till the rains arrive.

In a statement, the Aam Aadmi Party said the delegation highlighted the shortfall of 113 million gallons per day (MGD) of water from Haryana to Delhi and Saxena has assured them of addressing the issue.

A Raj Niwas official said that during the meeting, Saxena reiterated that the share of Yamuna water between Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and other neighbouring states had been fixed by the Upper Yamuna River Board and it was up for renewal in 2025.

The L-G spoke to the Haryana chief minister around 4 pm who assured Saxena that he would seriously look into the matter and try to help tide over the situation to the farthest possible extent, he said.

"Saxena stressed that the Supreme Court's advice that Delhi could approach Haryana for extra water on humanitarian grounds could fructify only in an atmosphere of cooperation and amicable dialogue, rather than by indulging into accusations, abuse and blame game," the official said.

The Delhi L-G also noted that not only Delhi's population but that of all states have increased proportionately and all were equally affected by the heat wave.

The delegation of AAP leaders, including Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh and N D Gupta, Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, and MLAs Dilip Pandey, Somnath Bharti, Rajesh Gupta and Rituraj Jha, highlighted the shortfall of 113 MGD in water released by Haryana to Delhi, a statement said.

"We informed the L-G that there is a shortage of about 113 MGD of water from Haryana right now. Due to this, lakhs of people in Delhi are facing problems.

"Since the L-G is the representative of the central government, we have requested L-G to talk to the Haryana government and get Delhi its full share of water. On this, L-G V K Saxena has assured us that he will talk to the Haryana government and try to get Delhi its full share of water," Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

He said they also conveyed to the L-G that it will rain in a week.

"It has started raining in Himachal Pradesh. So much water will come in the next week that Haryana will not be able to stop it even if it wants to. So now it is just a matter of a week. We have requested the L-G to try and get water from Haryana for Delhi for a week," Bharadwaj said.
New Delhi: Suraj Revanna, an MLC from Janata Dal (Secular) and son of former Karnataka Minister HD Revanna was arrested on Sunday on charges of sexually assaulting a male party worker, police said.

The case was registered against Suraj Revanna under sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Holenarasipura police station in Hassan district. The party worker alleged that he was sexually assaulted by the MLC at his farmhouse in Karnataka's Hassan district on June 16.

The Karnataka police infromed that the case has been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation.

Who Is Suraj Revanna?

Suraj Revanna is a leader of Janata Dal (Secular) and currently working as a memeber of Karnataka Legislative Council. Suraj is a son of JD(S) leader HD Revanna, who has been representing the Holenarasipur constituency in Hassan district. He is brother of Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexual assault case and went under the coustdy. Reportadly, Suraj had filed nomination paper from Holenarasipur taluk Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and leter declared as the director.

Suraj father H D Revanna is MLA while mother Bhavani Revanna is Hassan Zilla Panchayat member and brother Prajwal Revanna was a candidate for MP in Lok Sabha election 2024.
When voters go to the polls in Brighton, England on July 4, they will get the chance to elect what some people are calling the first artificial intelligence (AI) lawmaker.

Businessman Steve Endacott is running to represent his area as a member of Britains Parliament. During his campaign, he has used AI tools to present voters with an electronic version of himself called AI Steve. The electronic image is known as an avatar.

Voters can communicate with AI Steve through a website powered by Neural Voice, an AI company. Endacott is the companys chairman.

Endacott, aged 59, said his idea for the AI avatar came after he became unhappy with the way "standard politics" in his area operate. So he decided to run for office in a different way. The AI system permits people to ask questions and offer ideas to AI Steve. The real Endacott can look at these ideas and show them to experts and, if elected, to other members of Parliament.

Some of the issues brought to the attention of AI Steve so far include waste collection, immigration, housing, and LGBTQ rights.

Endacott bases the process on a research method called crowdsourcing. That means collecting ideas from large numbers of people to reach better solutions to problems.

Endacott told Reuters news agency he thinks using AI to gather more ideas from people supports democracy. He thinks this will help politicians know more about what people want and need. He added that he hopes to get more politicians to use AI in the same way.

"We're launching a party, we're going to be recruiting more AI candidates across the country after this election, Endacott said. We see this as thebuilding block for something big and something democratic," he added.

Aid worker Eona Johnston, aged 23, agreed with Endacott after meeting him. "We're using AI in so many (areas), at work, social interactions, why don't we put it in politics? It might change the way we live, she said.

However, not all locals think using AI will improve government policies. "AI and politicians have one thing in common," local resident Andy Clawson, aged 42, said. "They cant be trusted."

Endacott is a member the political party Smarter U.K. But he decided to run as an independent candidate. That means his name will not be connected with any political party on the ballot. The Labour Party and the Conservative Party are the two most influential political groups in Britain.

AI Steve is the name that will appear on the ballot. But Electoral Commission officials have made clear that if AI Steve wins, Endacott would win the seat in parliament, not any AI version of the politician.

Im Andrew Smith.

Andrew Smith adapted this story for Learning English based on a Reuters news report.

________________________________________________

Words in This Story

standard adj. - usual or normal

recruit v. - to select and encourage people to join an organization, business, or project
After years portraying Joe Biden as a doddering fool, Donald Trump is already trying to save face in the event he loses Thursday's debate to the president.

Trump has insisted that Biden will be using some performance enhancing drug, including cocaine, during the debate, and has called for a pre-debate drug test (which Trump, too, would also be expected to undergo in such an event. Jimmy Kimmel has suggested that the former president be tested for Adderall).

At a rally in Philadelphia Saturday night Trump said that Biden will inject drugs "in his ass" to get "jacked up" before the debate.

At a rally last Wednesday in Wisconsin, Trump said of Biden at the upcoming debate: "He's gonna be so pumped up, he's gonna be so pumped up," and indicated that president would be using cocaine before the event.

Trump referred in the speech to a small plastic bag of cocaine discovered last year (he erroneously said last month) in the White House complex near an entrance to the West Wing commonly used to give tours, and indicated it belong to Joe Biden.

"Somebody didn't pick up hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine. I wonder who that could've been. I don't know. Actually, I think it was Joe," Trump said after his "pumped up" comment about the president.

Trump is pre-spinning a bad debate performance by preemptively accusing Biden of being on drugs pic.twitter.com/5MbFmsO4Pv  Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) June 18, 2024

Trump pal and Fox News host Sean Hannity has also suggested Biden's performance would be aided by caffeinated Red Bull, caffeine pills or ... something else, just as he falsely claimed Biden was on something for his popular, powerful State of the Union address.

Hannity even suggested that Trump skip the debate.

In another strategy, Trump is suddenly reshaping Biden into a formidable opponent whom he does not want to "underestimate."

"I watched him with Paul Ryan and he destroyed Paul Ryan," Trump said of Biden's performance in the 2012 vice presidential debate.

"He beat Paul Ryan. So, I'm not underestimating him ... I assume he's gonna be somebody that will be a worthy debater," Trump said in an interview on the "All-In" podcast released Thursday. Trump didn't specify whether that's with or without cocaine.

The whiplash contradictions between the crafty and incompent versions presented of Biden is one Trump critics have long pointed out about attacks by the former president and his MAGA backers. Is Biden a conniving, sinister mastermind out to rule the earth, or a man who can barely put on his pants in the morning?

As the debate nears, Republicans are fearful they have set expectations for Biden's performance way too low, so that even a mildly competent performance could be seen as a stellar showing, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman CNN's Kaitlan Collins on Thursday.

"They're trying to move from 'Biden can't tie his shoelaces' ... to trying to suggest that they expect that he will be good in the same way he was in the State of the Union," she added.
ARGYLE  A series of powerful storms and tornadoes staggered southern Wisconsin on Saturday, obliterating a 129-year-old church in Lafayette County, causing wind damage and flooding in Janesville, and leaving thousands without power.

Even the cemetery behind Apple Grove Lutheran Church in Argyle wasn't safe, the tornado that erased the church from the landscape having knocked over dozens of grave markers.

It's just so random. The ones that are all over the place down and up," a tearful Diane Boyle said as she wandered, stunned, through the damaged cemetery. People don't realize how bad it really is down here.

While other properties in the area appeared to have sustained some damage, the tornado seemed to have picked out the church alone for complete destruction. Singly and in pairs, parishioners began arriving at the church early Sunday morning to begin piling debris and clearing the side lawn for an impromptu outdoor service.

"There's nothing you can do. It's just gone," parishioner Phil Johnson said after retrieving part of the church's bell from the rubble.

South of Janesville, a reported tornado caused considerable damage to some buildings, downed trees and knocked out power to many, the city reported Sunday. No injuries were reported, but members of one household were trapped in a basement and had to be rescued by the Janesville Fire Department.

Alliant Energy said about 10,000 customers were without power, including 800 near Janesville and 8,500 closer to Lake Geneva. We Energies reported more than 1,600 customers without power Sunday morning.

And flooding was a widespread issue in streets and basements across southern Wisconsin.

Jill Kutzke, a Baraboo resident, said the flooding wasn't as bad as 1993 or 2008, "but it was still a doozy."

The rains came down and created a new creek right next to a home on Silver Drive.

Portage had 4.7 inches of rain in 48 hours and 2.3 inches of rain in the last 24 hours.

Janesville has established an "overnight closure perimeter" defined by Center Avenue, Kellogg Avenue, Beloit Avenue and Highway 11 to allow emergency crews to operate, the city said. Residents will be allowed to enter the area, but outside traffic will not be permitted.

A volunteer and help center have been set up at the Old Rock County Job Center, 1900 Center Ave., while ECHO of Janesville is accepting financial donations to help those affected by the storm and the Salvation Army is accepting donations such as bottled water.

More details are available on the city of Janesville website.

The National Weather Service sent teams to investigate the reported tornadoes in the area. Crews were sent to Janesville and Williams Bay near Lake Geneva to assess the damage from a likely tornado, said National Weather Service meteorologist Sarah Marquardt. Crews will also head to Argyle and Watertown to respond to damage from likely tornadoes.

Assessments would take much of Sunday to complete, Marquardt said.

Through the end of May, Wisconsin already had been hit by 23 tornadoes this year, which is how many tornadoes the state typically sees in a full year, the Weather Service said.

Last year, Wisconsin experienced 21 tornadoes, although 15 of those occurred on one day, March 31. In part because of that, 2023's tornadoes were unusually centered in southern Wisconsin near the Illinois border.

In 2022, there were 28 tornadoes altogether, but only seven through the end of May. By the end of June 2022, there had been 20 tornadoes statewide.

In 2021, an astonishing 41 tornadoes hit, though none before June 24. Most occurred in July and August, but a Dec. 15 storm system spawned 10, including four F2s, which are extremely rare in Wisconsin. Since 2014, other than the Dec. 15 storms that year, only 11 tornadoes rated F2 or higher have hit the state.

The 2024 tornado season got off to a record-early start, on Feb. 8, with two tornadoes damaging parts of Green, Rock, Dane and Jefferson counties.

While the region caught a break from the storms Sunday, with dry and cooler conditions, thunderstorms are predicted again Tuesday.

Reporters Francesca Pica, Emilie Heidemann and John Gittings and assistant city editor Kirsten Adshead contributed to this report.

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of parishioner Phil Johnson's first name.

Photos: Storm destroys Wisconsin church Apple Grove Lutheran Church Apple Grove church Apple Grove Lutheran Church Apple Grove church cleanup Argyle church destroyed Service in Argyle Argyle church JunePhotosArnold03-07032024160046.jpg JunePhotosArnold01-07032024160046.jpg JunePhotosArnold02-07032024160046.jpg 20240623-04-ArgyleTornado0077-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-05-ArgyleTornado0188-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-06-ArgyleTornado0630-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-07-ArgyleTornado0739-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-08-ArgyleTornado0261-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-09-ArgyleTornado0519-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-10-ArgyleTornado0142-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-11-ArgyleTornado0235-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-12-ArgyleTornado0692-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-13-ArgyleTornado0746-06232024153103.jpg 20240623-14-ArgyleTornado0270-06232024153103.jpg
There are many more solutions which could make palay farming more profitable for the countrys diminishing farmers

(Part 3)

Rice consumption is a function of population. We consume more because we are more.

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Many decry that Thai and Vietnamese farmers trained at UP Los Banos and IRRI in Laguna, yet we now import from them.

This is a silly observation, because it fails to account for the fact that in 1978, Thailand and the Philippines had about the same population, 43-44 million. Thailand is now 70; we are 115 million.

Yet Thailand is all of 51 million hectares in basically contiguous land, while all our islands put together comprise just 30 million hectares.

Which is why Thailand has more than 9 million hectares of palay fields, while ours is just 4 million.

Vietnam has 7 million hectares devoted to rice, and its water source, the mighty Mekong River, accounts for its higher per hectare productivity. (A kilo of rice requires 5,000 liters of water to thrive.)

Indonesia has 11 million hectares planted to rice, but it has 280 million people, which is why it still has to import rice.

Yet it imports less than we do, but maintains a huge buffer stock through Bulog, its equivalent of our then non-castrated NFA.

So there: we eat more but we produce less. What should be done?

First, we need to promote economies of scale in food production, even on rice.

The agrarian reform program has subdivided what used to be large farms into mini-farms, which, at next generation transfers, is only 1.5 to 2 hectare-sized farms.

We have to consolidate these into bigger plots, through cooperatives or even corporate-managed farms so that mechanization and management will produce more yield per hectare. Vietnam produces 6 tons per hectare while we produce only about 4.

While their farmers have small plots as well, the socialist government consolidates these into successful cooperatives, while our farmers, except for some in Central Luzon, are on their own with their tiny plots.

If huge conglomerates like San Miguel, the MVP and Aboitiz groups, etc., were to manage consolidated agrarian reform beneficiaries and produce optimally, there is little reason why we cannot produce even just 5 tons per hectare.

They can use this for their employee consumption, and sell the excess to government through NFA, or if Senator Cynthia Villar, the chair of agriculture in the Senate wishes, to whatever other agency.

Then again, NIA should review its current performance, especially since, even in Central Luzon, their end-line irrigation beneficiaries receive little if any water.

COA should be very vigilant about NIA performance, where irrigation canals built do not have enough sources of water, as even NEDA chief Arsi Balisacan discovered in PNoys time.

There is a lot of harvested palay which are lost due to poor post-harvest facilities, with many subsistence farmers drying their palay in paved roads.

The total loss attributed to poor harvest facilities goes to some 7 percent, which translates to 1.4 million tons of palay, assuming DAs total figures of 20 million tons.

That 7 percent loss is equivalent to 840,000 tons of rice.

Supposing every congressman and senators pork barrel is slashed in half, which is still hefty compared to what these legislators got in PNoys time, that would amount to at least 400 billion pesos, more than enough to have mechanized dryers in every rice-producing province, whether solar-power driven or conventional, on top of increasing our irrigation facilities to produce at least 500,000 more tons of rice.

Philrice should be able to develop, along with IRRI, better inbred seeds, instead of importing highly-priced hybrid seeds that produce rice fit only for rich mens tables, and which require more fertilizers and other inputs.

Of course all these prescriptions would take some time to be fruitful, yet why are they not being started?

There are many more solutions which could make palay farming more profitable for the countrys diminishing farmers, and if we start funding and implementing these seriously, we could produce at least 95 percent of our consumption needs by 2030.

We can then project rationally what we need to import to address the shortfall, given population increases (with government adopting more pro-active measures to taper our population growth).

Then we can program our import volumes over the next five to 10 years through long-term supply contracts, instead of our current practice of buying when the shortfall stares us in the face already. (Conclusion in next column)
Morocco rejects tutorship for Sahel countries in managing their internal issues and any foreign interferences in their domestic affairs.

The remarks were made by foreign minister Nasser Bourita following talks in Rabat Friday with his Burkinabe peer Karamoko Jean-Marie Traore.

Morocco is firmly opposed to the logic of those who give lessons and those who blackmail Sahel countries, he said, stressing that the Kingdom has confidence in the elites and genius of the countries of the Sahel to find the best way to deal with the complex situation in the region and make a success of the democratic transition.

The Kingdom, he added, is against foreign interference in the affairs of Sahelian countries and the policies of those who give lessons and those who consider that, given that they have borders with the Sahel, they can opt for a policy of blackmail.

Even in the Sahel neighborhood, there are countries that want to manage the situation by blackmail and settle their own problems at the expense of regional stability, he noted, pointing out that the Kingdoms approach is based on confidence in the ability of these countries to resolve their own problems.

In this regard, he pledged Moroccos expertise and experience to support them in their programs and ambitions.

It is in this context, he explained, that the Royal Atlantic Initiative aims to give the countries of the Sahel access to the Atlantic Ocean, the ambition being to enable them to regain their vocation as a land of exchange and transit.

The countries of the Sahel reacted quickly and spontaneously to this initiative, joining in and supporting it, said the Minister.

The idea was not to present a turnkey initiative to the Sahel countries, but to enable them to take ownership of it, he added, recalling that it was this perspective that was at the origin of the meeting held in December in Marrakech, and then two weeks ago in Rabat when the Task Force convened to consider the operationalization of this initiative.

Today, we are jointly building this initiative to provide a joint response and for the countries concerned to make their contribution, he said.

Today, its time to trust the countries of the Sahel and help them develop their own vision. They dont need tutors, they need partners, said Bourita, reiterating that Morocco, in accordance with the instructions of King Mohammed VI, is committed to this approach, both in its bilateral relations with each of these countries and in its vision of the region as a whole.

The ties between Morocco and the countries of the Sahel are rooted in history, forged by a dense human, spiritual, and religious network, making this relationship solid, deep, and unique.

In this context, the Minister underlined that these ties are supported at the highest level by the King, who takes a special interest in the Sahel region, as demonstrated by the many solidarity initiatives undertaken by Morocco in favor of the countries in the region.
This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain

Chiropractors in Australia will not be able to perform spinal manipulation on children under the age of two once more, following health concerns from doctors and politicians.

But what is the spinal treatment at the center of the controversy? Does it work? Is there evidence of harm?

We're a team of researchers who specialize in evidence-based musculoskeletal health. I (Matt) am a registered chiropractor, Joshua is a registered physiotherapist and Giovanni trained as a physiotherapist.

Here's what the evidence says.

Remind me, how did this all come about?

A Melbourne-based chiropractor posted a video on social media in 2018 using a spring-loaded device (known as the Activator) to manipulate the spine of a two-week-old baby suspended upside down by the ankles.

The video sparked widespread concerns among the public, medical associations and politicians. It prompted a ban on the procedure in young children. The Victorian health minister commissioned Safer Care Victoria to conduct an independent review of spinal manipulation techniques on children.

Recently, the Chiropractic Board of Australia reinstated chiropractors' authorization to perform spinal manipulation on babies under two years old. But this week, it backflipped, following heavy criticism from medical associations and politicians.

What is spinal manipulation?

Spinal manipulation is a treatment used by chiropractors and other health professionals such as doctors, osteopaths and physiotherapists.

It is an umbrella term that includes popular "back cracking" techniques.

It also includes more gentle forms of treatment, such as massage or joint mobilizations. These involve applying pressure to joints without generating a "cracking" sound.

Does spinal manipulation in babies work?

Several international guidelines for health-care professionals recommend spinal manipulation to treat adults with conditions such as back pain and headache as there is an abundance of evidence on the topic. For example, spinal manipulation for back pain is supported by data from nearly 10,000 adults.

For children, it's a different story. Safer Care Victoria's 2019 review of spinal manipulation found very few studies testing whether this treatment was safe and effective in children.

Studies were generally small and were of poor quality. Some of those small, poor-quality studies, suggest spinal manipulation provides a very small benefit for back pain, colic and potentially bedwetting some common reasons for parents to take their child to see a chiropractor. But overall, the review found the overall body of evidence was very poor.

However, for most other children's conditions chiropractors treatsuch as headache, asthma, otitis media (a type of ear infection), cerebral palsy, hyperactivity and torticollis ("twisted neck")there did not appear to be a benefit.

The number of studies investigating the effectiveness of spinal manipulation on babies under two years of age was even smaller.

There was one high-quality study and two small, poor quality studies. These did not show an appreciable benefit of spinal manipulation on colic, otitis media with effusion (known as glue ear) or twisted neck in babies.

Is spinal manipulation on babies safe?

In terms of safety, most studies in the review found serious complications were extremely rare. The review noted one baby or child dying (a report from Germany in 2001 after spinal manipulation by a physiotherapist). The most common complications were mild in nature such as increased crying and soreness.

However, because studies were very small, they cannot tell us anything about the safety of spinal manipulation in a reliable way. Studies that are designed to properly investigate if a treatment is safe typically include thousands of patients. And these studies have not yet been done.

Why do people see chiropractors?

Safer Care Victoria also conducted surveys with more than 20,000 people living in Australia who had taken their children under 12 years old to a chiropractor in the past ten years.

Nearly three-quarters said that was for treatment of a child aged two years or younger.

Nearly all people surveyed reported a positive experience when they took their child to a chiropractor and reported that their child's condition improved with chiropractic care. Only a small number of people (0.3%) reported a negative experience, and this was mostly related to cost of treatment, lack of improvement in their child's condition, excessive use of X-rays, and perceived pressure to avoid medications.

Many of the respondents had also consulted their GP or maternity/child health nurse.

What now for spinal manipulation in children?

At the request of state and federal ministers, the Chiropractic Board of Australia confirmed that spinal manipulation on babies under two years old will continue to be banned until it discusses the issue further with health ministers.

Many chiropractors believe this is unfair, especially considering the strong consumer support for chiropractic care outlined in the Safer Care Victoria report, and the rarity of serious reported harms in children.

Others believe that in the absence of evidence of benefit and uncertainty around whether spinal manipulation is safe in children and babies, the precautionary principle should apply and children and babies should not receive spinal manipulation.

Ultimately, high quality research is urgently needed to better understand whether spinal manipulation is beneficial for the range of conditions chiropractors provide it for, and whether the benefit outweighs the extremely small chance of a serious complication.

This will help parents make an informed choice about health care for their child.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Six-year-old Helen likes to swim.

Up in Hot Springs, she doesnt get to do so often. But once a year, Helens mom, Meredith Perrin, drives her down to Splash Montana in Missoula, where she gets to practice her swimming skills and play in the water.

This year, Helens swimming trip fell on the same day that Splash Montana offered a public swimming and water safety lesson as part of the annual "Worlds Largest Swim Lesson" event.

I was like, 'This is perfect, its meant to be, Perrin said.

Helen and Perrin were two of 28 kids and their family members to participate in the "Worlds Largest Swim Lesson" at Splash Montana on Thursday, where they learned basic swimming skills and heard about safety guidelines at the waterpark.

The "Worlds Largest Swim Lesson" is a drowning prevention event created by the World Waterpark Association in 2010. Every year, participating waterparks and pools host a swimming safety lesson on the same day, according to the events website. This year, that day was June 20.

At Splash Montana, the event lasted 45 minutes, which was spent between two stations: one in the water and one on dry land.

In the pool, kids practiced floating on their backs, putting their faces in the water and kicking to stay afloat. Some of the more experienced swimmers practiced a superhero glide, where they kicked across the pool while holding a streamlined position. Others learned to bob vertically up and down in the deeper end of the pool.

During the dry land portion, lifeguards explained the waterparks safety guidelines, reminding kids to only dive in the deeper pool where its allowed, go down the parks smaller Grizzly bear slide feet first and follow a lifeguards instructions when in line for the waterparks larger slides.

The lifeguards also instructed parents to always be nearby and actively watching their children. At Splash Montana, parents are required to accompany children 6 years old or younger in the water and keep them within arms reach.

Sisters Morgan Simonson and Emily Taapken brought their daughters to the event after seeing a post about it on Facebook.

Simonson, whose daughter is 4 years old, said shes been worried about her kids not knowing how to swim. Because their daughters are both younger than 6 years old, Simonson and Taapken got in the water with them to help them with the lesson.

It was very fun to teach the kids how to swim, Simonson said.

As they toweled off in the shade after the lesson, Taapken said she was glad to see an event like this in Missoula.

Weve noticed that Missoula doesnt have really much kid-oriented things outside of camps and clubs, so it was nice to be able to just come and show up, pay the little bit to get in and then be able to participate, Taapken said.

The participation fee for the event was regular admission plus $1. Participants were not required to register for the lesson in advance. Aquatics Programs Manager Hannah Shepherd said this was done intentionally to make the event more accessible.

We want to make sure that pretty much anybody that wants to learn a little bit about water safety and learn a few swim skills, that they can come, Shepherd said.

As a result, the parks team didnt know exactly how many attendees to expect. The last time the park had tried to participate in the "Worlds Largest Swim Lesson" event, about 10 years ago, Shepherd said it was a cold, rainy day, and no one showed up.

This year, when they received the invitation to participate from the World Waterpark Association, Shepherd said they finally felt ready to try again. They were hopeful about the weather, they had the skilled staff and they knew it would be a good way to share information about water safety.

Mostly Im excited because I am pretty passionate about water safety, and Im just really excited to have an event that might have a different type of outreach than our typical, just regular public group lessons, private lessons, other things were running, Shepherd said.

Together with Currents Aquatic Center, Splash Montana offers public and private swim lessons for youth and adults, as well as scuba classes, water aerobics and a beginner competitive swim team for children ages 6 to 13. Grants that partially or completely cover the cost of participation in the programs are available for families who fall under certain income guidelines.

Shepherd said that part of drowning prevention is making sure that children participate in swimming lessons. She also said they wanted to give parents safety skills as well, like being able to recognize what drowning actually looks like.

We want to get as much of that information out to families as we possibly can, Shepherd said.
This Thursday, Donald Trump and Joe Biden will square off in a televised debate.

Neither the ex-president nor the current occupant of the Oval Office has been nominated as their party's candidate in the upcoming presidential election, but that's a formality easily overlooked. It will take a seismic event for either not to be facing the other in November.

It is also the first debate not managed by the Commission on Presidential Debates since the CPD was established in 1987. The two competitors have taken charge of the event, ignoring what had previously been a formal, independently managed affair. Both accepted an invitation from CNN for this month and a second one from ABC News, set for Sept. 16, after the conventions have made their candidacies official.

It's a rather curious choice. The CPD has sponsored every general presidential and vice-presidential debate from 1988 to 2020, organizing and establishing guidelines for two of the former and one of the latter in September and October. It is a 5013 organization, independent of politics, and funded primarily by the communities that host the debates, along with contributions from corporate, foundation and private donors.

Moderators were chosen from the broad range of reporters and commentators versed in politics, and an audience was present, reacting and sometimes empowered to ask questions. Candidates were often pressed to answer questions they tried to dodge. It could be an uncomfortable experience.

After Trump and Biden rejected CPD's supervision, there was some speculation that there would be no face-to-face exchange during the campaign. Aware of the negative impact of such a change, both presumptive candidates accepted the two networks' invitations  after some quiet negotiation.

Here are the basic rules for Thursday's Atlanta, Georgia, encounter.

Both candidates agreed to appear at a uniform podium, and their podium positions will be determined by a coin flip.

Microphones will be muted throughout the debate except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak. While no props or pre-written notes will be allowed on the stage, candidates will be given a pen, a pad of paper and a bottle of water.

The absence of a studio audience will be a departure from previous debates. But, as in the past, the moderators "will use all tools at their disposal to enforce timing and ensure a civilized discussion," according to the network.

The 90-minute session will be hosted by Jake Tapper and Dana Bash of CNN and include two commercial breaks. Other presidential aspirants will be excluded.

ABC has not released details of the September debate it will host.

This Thursday meeting will be a test for each participant. Trump may face some questions about his standing as a convicted felon. It will be interesting to hear how he deals with this. Dismissing it as yet another "witch-hunt" is likely. We may hear at least one of his frequent references to "the Biden Crime Family." In truth, we know as little of his responses at this date as he does. Trump is known for going off the rails in public discourse.

The test for Biden may be tough. He has physically aged, as is evident in his stiffened walk and slurring speech. The latter can be particularly vexing. Throughout his life, he has had to work to control stuttering. When he is having to deal with it, he squints, almost closing his eyes in his effort to maintain a steady flow of words.

That focus can also cause him to speak too rapidly and softly. Such physical effort can be distracting, yet he betrays no cognitive lapses.

Viewers will watch and listen closely, ready to attribute any vocal mishap to mental decline, reinforcing the constant image of him as a doddering old man, as he is depicted in the unending flow of political cartoons.

Trump actually has more trouble speaking coherently. His voice is strong, and he speaks with force and enthusiasm, but his off-script rambles can be weird, such as his Vegas rumination last week on sharks and explosives. On two recent occasions, his rants have dissolved into gibberish. His fans seem to enjoy the sound of his voice, ignoring the frequent lack of coherence in what he says.

It is always a problem for an incumbent president to discuss matters in which he is currently involved. American voters aren't the only ones paying attention; international allies and enemies are also tuned in. Challengers have the advantage of offering easy, and non-binding, answers to delicate problems with which the incumbent is wrestling.

With immigrant issues, the out-of-hand situation in Gaza, the battle for Ukraine, price-gouging in the marketplace, rampant financial inequality, and a steadily worsening climate, no responsible president can pretend there are easy answers. His opponent has no such restraint and can give a simple yes-or-no response to address any crisis.

A final complication which has vexed serious politicians for a long time: campaigning is a performance venue. Citizens tend to vote on how they feel about a candidate, not on his or her demonstrated qualifications, experience, or knowledge. Many voters have but a dim awareness of policy issues and their implications but react positively to a good performance.

The cynic says politics is all show biz. If so, Act One opens this Thursday.

Don Wooten is a former Illinois state senator and a regular columnist. Email him at: donwooten4115@ gmail.com.
A labor leader who almost came to blows with a Republican U.S. senator is set to address GOP delegates at the party's presidential nominating convention next month.



Sean O'Brien of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters will be the group's first president to speak at a Republican National Convention, a union spokesperson said Friday, according to reports.



"Our 1.3 million members represent every political background, and their message needs to be heard by as wide an audience as possible, and that includes all political candidates running for elected office," said Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz.



Deniz also said the union appreciated former President Donald Trump's "openness to inviting a labor leader to speak on behalf of working families."



O'Brien asked to speak at both the Republican and Democratic conventions, but hasn't yet heard back from the Democrats, Deniz said.

The Republican National Convention is set to start on July 15 in Milwaukee, just days after Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in New York City for his conviction last month in the Stormy Daniels "hush money" case.

During a congressional hearing in November, O'Brien was challenged to a fight by Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin of Oklahoma, who read aloud a series of social media messages in which O'Brien called him a "moron" and said he was "full of s---."



"If you want to run your mouth, we can be two consenting adults. We can finish it here," Mullin said.



The men exchanged insults for several minutes, ignoring repeated orders to stop talking from independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who was chairing the meeting,

They didn't stop until Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire began her questioning by talking over them.

The influential Teamsters union endorsed President Joe Biden in his 2020 race against Trump, but hasn't yet announced its choice for the November election.



In a Friday post on his social media website, Trump said: "When I am back in the White House, the hardworking Teamsters, and all working Americans, will once again have a country they can afford to live in and be respected around the world."



Biden has repeatedly described himself as the "most pro-union president in American history" and in September became the first president to participate in a picket line when he joined striking members of the United Auto Workers union in Belleville, Michigan.



The UAW endorsed Biden in January, with president Shawn Fain saying: "If Donald Trump ever worked in an auto plant, he wouldn't be a UAW member. He'd be a company man, trying to squeeze the American worker."
A Davenport man is facing a charge of animal abuse after police said he hanged his dog by its leash and punched the animal.

Robert Lee Hylton III, 42, is charged with one count of animal abuse. The charge is a serious misdemeanor under Iowa law that carries a jail sentence of up to one year.

According to the arrest affidavit filed by Davenport Police Officer Ethan Bock, officers were sent to Golden Mart, 1026 W. River Drive, at 9:35 p.m. Friday to investigate a disturbance.

At the scene, five witnesses told police that Hylton had hanged his dog by its leash and punched the animal more than seven times. Witnesses also told officers that Hylton then slammed his bicycle on the dog. When the witnesses confronted Hylton, he threatened to fight them.

Bock said in his affidavit that the dog appeared lethargic, was squinting her eyes and had her tail between her legs. The dog was taken to the Humane Society by officers.

Hylton was booked Friday night into the Scott County Jail.

During a first appearance on the charge Saturday in Scott County District Court, Magistrate Richard Wells scheduled a preliminary hearing in the case for July 12.

Wells released Hylton from the Scott Count Jail on his own recognizance with Hylton's promise to appear at all future court dates.
Nvidia signs deal to use its AI across the Middle East

Clients of Ooredoo's data centres in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait and the Maldives will get access to Nvidia's AI and graphics processing tech. Photo: Shutterstock

Nvidia has signed a deal to deploy its artificial intelligence technology at data centres owned by Qatari telecoms group Ooredoo in five Middle Eastern countries, said Ooredoo's CEO.



The agreement marks Nvidia's first large-scale launch in a region to which Washington has curbed the export of sophisticated US chips.



It will make Ooredoo the first company in the region able to give clients of its data centres in Qatar, Algeria, Tunisia, Oman, Kuwait and the Maldives direct access to Nvidia's AI and graphics processing technology, Ooredoo said in a statement.



Providing the technology will allow Ooredoo to better help its customers deploy generative AI applications, Nvidia's senior vice president of telecom Ronnie Vasishta said.



"Our b2b clients, thanks to this agreement, will have access to services that probably their competitors (won't) for another 18 to 24 months," Ooredoo's CEO Aziz Aluthman Fakhroo said in an interview.



The companies did not disclose the value of the deal, which was signed on the sidelines of the TM Forum in Copenhagen on June 19.



Ooredoo also would not disclose exactly what type of Nvidia technology it will be installing in its data centres, saying that it depends on availability and customer demand.



Washington allows the export of some Nvidia technology to the Middle East, but curbs exports of the company's most sophisticated chips.



Ooredoo is investing US$1 billion to boost its regional data centre capacity by 20-25 additional megawatts on top of the 40 megawatts it currently has, and plans to almost triple that by the end of the decade, Fakhroo said.



The company has carved out its data centres into a separate company following a similar move last year to create the Middle East's largest tower company in a deal with Kuwait's Zain and Dubai's TASC Towers Holding.



Ooredoo also has plans to carve out its undersea cables and fibre network into a separate entity, Fakhroo said. (Reuters)
India's infrastructure has improved significantly in recent years, highlights a report by Morgan Stanley. The report pointed out that historically, India's infrastructure competitiveness has been hindered by poor infrastructure. However, recent enhancements and government initiatives, such as 'Gati Shakti', show great promise for further progress. "India's infrastructure has materially improved in recent years - and there is significant scope for further improvements through recent government initiatives like PM Gati Shakti (PMGS)," the report stated. In the last decade, the report said that India has significantly increased its infrastructure spending, with a strong focus on scaling up and modernizing its physical assets. The report also highlighted that when comparing infrastructure scale relative to GDP, India compares favourably to China, which is often seen as the benchmark for large-scale infrastructure development. The several ministries of the Government of India have initiated long-term, sector-specific infrastructure plans to further improve various segments of the economy. These include 'Bharatmala' for road development, 'Sagarmala' for port connectivity, Power for All, and the waterways development program. According to the report, "This is at the margin helping goods move faster and at more affordable cost than in the past," illustrating the tangible benefits of these initiatives. Looking ahead, the report projects a steady increase in India's infrastructure investment. It is expected to rise from 5.3 per cent of GDP in the fiscal year 2024 (F24) to 6.5 per cent by fiscal year 2029 (F29). This increase indicates a robust compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.3 per cent, resulting in cumulative spending of USD 1.45 trillion over the next five years. As of the current fiscal year, India's GDP is 19 per cent of China's. China has long been recognized for its heavy investments in infrastructure, providing unparalleled scale, size, and efficiency. However, the report indicates that India's physical infrastructure is not significantly lagging behind China's when considering the size of their respective economies. While there may be visible differences in efficiency and quality, the report mentioned that India's ongoing and planned investments signify progress and potential for further development. While India continues to develop its infrastructure, it is poised to achieve significant advancements, positioning itself favourably in the global context. (ANI)
Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of Sri Lanka, thanked India for helping the country during its two difficult years while speaking at the 31st All India Partners' Meet 2024 convened in Colombo by KPMG in India. He said, "Having now survived two difficult years, I must acknowledge that this was possible because India gave us a loan of $3.5 billion." He affirmed his commitment to maintaining a strong partnership with India to achieve the country's development. He further added, India is on our agenda. Last week in Delhi, I discussed the need to accelerate the joint programmes with Prime Minister Modi that we have decided, and agreed on." The President emphasised the urgency of expediting joint initiatives between both countries. He said the government will introduce policies aimed at achieving economic transformation by moving towards a highly competitive, digital, green and export-oriented economy, adding that these policies will establish benchmarks for foreign investments in the country. The government will try to enhance export earnings and reduce multi-dimensional poverty. He stressed to work collectively with India in the field of energy, aiming to foster new development in the Northern region. The northern region of the country has been deeply affected by three decades of conflict. Sri Lanka will establish an International Trade Office to enhance global trade and a National Productivity Commission to boost productivity, the President said while addressing meet. Giving assurance on the stable policies, he said, "Traditionally, policies in Sri Lanka have been subject to change with each new government. To address this, we have drafted the Economic Transformation Bill, currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny in Parliament and the courts." In addition, Sri Lanka will establish new institutions, such as the Economic Commission, which will assume responsibilities from the BOI to drive investment KPMG in India hosted the 31st All India Partners Meet in Colombo, from 20-22, June. About 600 Indian partners attended the annual meeting of the firm. The film facilitates investments and enables ease of doing business with the support of India and several State Governments, according to the firm. In addition to this, the firm is also engaged in several flagship projects - both in India and overseas - across multiple sectors, including tourism, agriculture, health, skilling, and public finance management. (ANI)
David Henrie, known for his role as Justin Russo in the popular Disney Channel series 'Wizards of Waverly Place,' has teased a heartfelt reunion with his co-star Selena Gomez in the upcoming revival of the show. In an interview obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Henrie discussed the highly anticipated sequel series on Disney+, where he reprises his role as Justin Russo, now navigating life as a mortal alongside his family. The plot thickens when Alex Russo (played by Selena Gomez) introduces a young wizard named Billie (Janice LeAnn Brown) into Justin's life, leading him to mentor the aspiring wizard. Reflecting on working with Gomez again after more than a decade since the original series ended, Henrie expressed his excitement and admiration, saying, "It was awesome. We didn't want it to end. It was great. She's so good. She has such a quick wit that's only gotten stronger." Henrie also hinted at scenes in the revival that will resonate deeply with fans of the original series. "We have a couple scenes that I think will choke up the original fan of the original show, and they're really touching, and they went really well. So, I'm excited for you to see it," he shared in the interview obtained by The Hollywood Reporter. While Jake T. Austin, who played their onscreen brother Max, may not be returning for the sequel series, Maria Canals-Barrera and David DeLuise will reprise their roles as Russo parents Theresa and Jerry, respectively. Filming for the revival series commenced in April under the direction of Andy Fickman, who also directed the pilot episode and will helm multiple episodes of the series. The show is slated to premiere later this year on both Disney Channel and Disney+, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Henrie emphasized the commitment to maintaining the essence of the original series, aiming to capture its themes, values, and comedic elements. He highlighted new aspects of the storyline, particularly exploring Justin's life without his magical powers, hinting at intriguing developments from the pilot episode onward. Joining Henrie and Gomez in the revival is a talented new cast, including Max Matenko as Justin's youngest son Milo, Alkaio Thiele as his oldest son Roman, and Mimi Gianopulos as his wife Giada. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas, known for their work on 'Raven's Home,' have penned the pilot episode and serve as executive producers alongside Selena Gomez, David Henrie, and Gary Marsh. (ANI)
The duo were seen arriving at a mosque in Bandra.

Earlier in the day, Sonakshi's mother Poonam Sinha was also spotted leaving her residence seemingly heading for the festivities in a white embellished traditional attire.

Recently, the 'Heeramandi' actor was spotted attending a puja ceremony with her mother, Poonam Sinha, dressed in a stunning blue co-ord set that accentuated her pre-bridal glow.

The Sinha residence, fondly known as 'Ramayana,' has been adorned with twinkling lights, setting a magical atmosphere fitting for the celebrations.

Close friends and family have been partaking in the festivities, adding to the joyous atmosphere.

Actress Huma Qureshi and her brother, Saqib Saleem, joined the pre-wedding functions at Sonakshi's home.

A photo believed to be from the couple's mehendi ceremony has taken social media by storm. The picture shows Sonakshi and Zaheer, dressed in traditional red attire, sharing smiles with loved ones.

Just days before the wedding, Sonakshi and Zaheer celebrated with their closest friends. Sonakshi shared glimpses of her party on social media, featuring a picture with her dear friend Huma Qureshi.

Zaheer was also seen enjoying quality time with Sonakshi's father, veteran actor Shatrughan Sinha.

Adding fuel to the wedding fire, an audio invitation featuring Sonakshi and Zaheer has gone viral.

The couple reportedly confirms their impending nuptials, expressing their excitement for the moment that will make them "each other's definite and official husband and wife."

Despite the swirling rumours and leaked invites, Sonakshi and Zaheer have remained tight-lipped about their relationship.

Though they co-starred in the 2022 film 'Double XL' and share friendly social media posts, they haven't publicly acknowledged their love story.

With the wedding just around the corner, all eyes are on Sonakshi and Zaheer as they embark on their happily-ever-after! (ANI)
As star couple Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal are all set to tie the knot, Sonakshi's best friend and rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh landed in Mumbai for the couple's big day. He expressed his excitement and said, "I am here for the biggest celebration.....bina daaru ke naachunga mai..." Earlier, Honey Singh sent his best wishes to the couple. Taking to Instagram Stories, Honey Singh wrote, "Tho i gonna b in London shooting Glory's first song. But I will make sure I will attend my best friend's @aslisona SONAKSHI's wedding. As she has been a big support in my career n helped me so many times in life. Best wishes to the power couple Sona n Zaheer!! Bholenath bless them." They were recently seen in 'Kalaastar'. 'Kalaastar' is the extension of Sonakshi and Yo Yo Honey Singh's previous song Desi Kalaakar. Sonakshi and Honey Singh collaborated after 9 years for the song. Sonakshi Sinha is getting married to her boyfriend Zaheer Iqbal on Sunday. Just a couple of days ago, the actors enjoyed bachelor and bachelorette parties with their close friends. Sonakshi had shared glimpses from a party hosted by her friends. One of the images shows Sonakshi posing with her close friend and actor Huma Qureshi. On Thursday night, groom-to-be Zaheer was photographed with Sonakshi's father and film veteran Shatrughan Sinha in Bandra, Mumbai. The actor Zaheer happily posed together for the paparazzi stationed at the venue. Amid the wedding buzz, interestingly, an audio invite of Sonakshi and Zaheer went viral. In the leaked invite, the duo reportedly confirmed the news of their marriage by saying that they are ready to arrive at 'the moment' which would turn them each other's 'definite and official husband and wife. 'The digital invitation is styled like a magazine cover with a headline. The invitation featured a photo of Zaheer and Sonakshi in a snow-covered setting, with Zaheer planting a kiss on Sonakshi's cheek. However, Sonakshi and Zaheer have been tight-lipped about their relationship since their dating rumours surfaced.Sonakshi and Zaheer starred in the 2022 film Double XL. While they have not publicly opened up about their love story, they have been seen sharing adorable photos with each other on social media. (ANI)
She shared glimpses from the event on her Instagram stories. She shared a video from Taylor Swift's The Eras Tour performance. She posed at Wembley Stadium with Ahuja, in another picture. Anand Ahuja also shared a picture of the two from outside the stadium.

Rhea Kapoor and Karan Boolani also posted BTS moments on their social media handles.

Meanwhile, actor Sonam Kapoor is set to attend Dior's Haute Couture Fall/Winter Show in Paris, marking her as the only Indian celebrity invited to the prestigious event.

The show which will take place on June 24 will feature the latest couture collections from Dior, drawing top fashion names from around the world. The 'Neerja' actress has become a regular fixture at international fashion events, including Paris Fashion Week, King Charles' Coronation, and the Cannes Film Festival, where she was the first Indian actress to attend.

A recent report listed Sonam among the most influential celebrities for luxury fashion brands in 2023, placing her alongside names like Zendaya and Kylie Jenner. Her presence at Dior's show continues this trend, showcasing her impact on the fashion industry.

Apart from her fashion credentials, Sonam has also become the sole Indian actor to be on the South Asia Acquisition Committee of the Tate Modern Museum.

Sonam Kapoor recently starred in the crime thriller 'Blind,' which premiered on July 7, 2023.

The actress is also preparing for two upcoming projects, with details to be announced soon. (ANI)
California Gov. Gavin Newsom trolled Fox News while touting the state's latest job growth numbers on Saturday.

"Fox News will hate this: Last month, California created 43,700 jobs  making up 1 in 6 of the nation's jobs," the two-term Democrat wrote on social media.

Newsom also included a screenshot of a Mercury News story with the headline, "Job boom returns to Bay Area and California as hiring surges in May."

The report cited figures from the state Employment Development Department that showed 7,000 new jobs created in the nine-county Bay Area despite massive tech industry layoffs, and said they help the state reach a record 18 million-plus nonfarm payroll jobs.

A Fox News spokesperson didn't immediately return a request for comment.

But when Newsom did something similar earlier this month, writing online that Fox News "definitely" wouldn't report that California was again home to the most Fortune 500 companies of any state, several network hosts bashed him on its top-rated show, "The Five."

Jesse Watters called Newsom "Mr. Braggadocious" and said he was "stepping on a rake" because thieves in Los Angeles were reportedly stealing fire hydrants to sell as scrap metal and "it's so dangerous in Oakland, construction workers are quitting and refusing to finish its pothole-paving job."

Greg Gutfeld referred to Newsom as "greasy Gav" and portrayed him as out of touch with the state's crime, traffic and homelessness problems, and Dana Perino said, "The guy can't read a room at all."

Perino noted that the Rubio's Coastal Grill restaurant chain had closed 48 California locations in the wake of a state law that in April raised the minimum wage for fast food workers from $16 to $20 an hour.
Actor Hugh Grant shared his experience of attending Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London. He called it an "incredible" show, reported Variety. Taking to X, he wrote, "Dear @taylorswift13, You have an incredible show, an amazing and v hospitable team and excellent if gigantic boyfriend (#tequilashots.). Thanks so much from one ageing London boy, wife and thrilled 8 year old #halfgirlhalfbracelet." Hugh Grant took to social media on Sunday to share his experience of attending Taylor Swift's Eras Tour in London, calling the show "incredible." The actor also implied that he did tequila shots with Swift's "excellent if gigantic" boyfriend, Kansas City Chiefs star Travis Kelce. In a post on X, Grant wrote, "Dear @taylorswift13, You have an incredible show, an amazing and v hospitable team and excellent if gigantic boyfriend (#tequilashots.). Thanks so much from one ageing London boy, wife and thrilled 8 year old #halfgirlhalfbracelet." The actor was among the several well-known people who attended Swift's show in London. Tom Cruise, Liam Hemsworth, Rachel Zegler, Mila Kunis, and Ashton Kutcher were among the other well-known attendees. Swift entertained the crowd with a mash-up of "thanK you AIMee" and "Mean" during the show's surprise song segment. She also performed a duet of "Castles Crumbling" with Hayley Williams of Paramore. Taylor Swift added a touch of royalty to her Eras Tour show at London's Wembley Stadium, where she was joined backstage by Prince William and his children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte. Following her performance on Friday, Swift took to her Instagram account and dropped a group selfie with her boyfriend Travis Kelce and the royal family, celebrating Prince William's 42nd birthday. Prince William reciprocated the sentiment with another photo of the group, thanking Taylor Swift for a memorable evening. Swift returned the favour by posting another selfie that also included Kelce. "Happy Bday M8! London shows are off to a splendid start," Swift wrote. Sunday night marks the last of three shows at Wembley Stadium, though Swift will return in August for another five dates to end the European leg of the tour, reported Variety. (ANI)
During this, the Chief Minister appealed to the public representatives and BJP workers to cooperate in the development of the state and solve the problems of the general public.

On this occasion, Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Bansal, Dr Kalpana Saini, and former Chief Minister Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank. MLA Pradeep Batra and other dignitaries were present.

Earlier, Dhami said that the cabinet's decision to reserve 33 per cent of the posts of members of the management committee and chairperson in cooperative societies for women in the state is historic and represents a significant initiative by the state government to empower women.

"The cabinet's decision to reserve 33 per cent of the posts of members of the management committee and chairperson in cooperative societies for women of the state is historic. This is a big initiative of the state government towards women's empowerment," said CM Dhami.

He said that along with the provision of 30 per cent reservation for women in government jobs, the state government has made many schemes, including Mukhyamantri Nari Empowerment Scheme, Lakhpati Didi Scheme and Mukhyamantri Aanchal Amrit Scheme, which are making women empowered and self-reliant. (ANI)
In a post on X, the Chief Minister's Office informed that the District Collector and SP have been removed in the case of brutal cow slaughter in Seoni.

"The District Collector and SP have been removed in the case of brutal cow slaughter in Seoni. Strict action is being taken against every accused involved in the incident: Madhya Pradesh CM posted on X.

Meanwhile, on finding several dead cattle, IG Jabalpur Zone Anil Singh Kushwaha said that strict action would be taken against all the accused.

"Some incidents have happened in the last three days. We have also arrested some people. We will strict action against all those who are involved. Some people are absconding and some are on our radar. We will not leave anyone," IG Jabalpur Zone said.

Earlier, tension gripped in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni after carcasses of cows were found in the district. (ANI)
An FIR has been registered against a JD(S) worker and his brother-in-law on the complaint filed by the Personal Assistant of JD(S) MLC and son of HD Revanna, Suraj Revanna for threatening and blackmailing the MLC with false allegations of sexual assault, officials said. According to the police, the FIR has been registered under sections 384 and 506. Suraj Revanna is the son of JD (S) MLA HD Revanna and the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is currently in police custody over separate allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women which shook the state during Lok Sabha Elections 2024. Meanwhile, former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court on June 10. Prajwal Revanna, who is accused in the obscene video case, was arrested from the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after his return to the country. The court on May 31 remanded him to SIT custody till June 6 and later extended it till June 10. On June 1, the SIT team at the Holenarasipura residence of Bhavani Revanna, the mother of suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, for questioning. Bhavani is accused in the kidnapping case registered under IPC sections 64(A), 365, 109, 120(B). Her husband, HD Revanna, was arrested earlier in connection with the kidnapping case on April 29 and granted conditional bail by a special court for people's representatives. The case, registered on April 28 at the Holenarasipura town police station, involves allegations of sexual assault by Revanna and his son, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, against their house help. Prajwal Revanna had returned to India from Germany nearly a month after leaving the country supposedly on the night of April 26 after several obscene videos allegedly involving him surfaced on social media platforms. Revanna is facing a probe by the SIT over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked as a domestic help at his house. (ANI)
Following the postponement of the NEET-PG examination, ABVP General Secretary Yagyawalkya Shukla demanded explanations from both the government and the National Board of Education regarding the sudden postponement of the exam just hours before it was due to be held on June 23 morning. This is the second competitive exam that has been postponed after UGC-NET was cancelled due to the exam paper being leaked on darknet. "If the National Board of Examination or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had any kind of suspicion, they should have brought forth everything in front of candidates with full transparency... Student bodies demand the government and the National Board of Education that the students have the right to know the reasons and circumstances behind the step," Shukla said in a self-made video. On the postponement of the NEET-PG exam, JNUSU President Dhananjay said that the government has failed students on multiple fronts. "Students travel across cities to sit for this exam. This government has failed students on so many levels," he said. FAIMA Doctors Association President Dr Rohan Krishnan said that the association stands with the students. "The last-minute cancellation of the NEET-PG examination is very sad for all of us... All the candidates had reached their examination centres in various cities... I hope that the National Board of Examinations had concrete reasons to postpone this examination and they should come up with immediate answers. I request the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to come forward and tell me what was the reason for postponing the exam?... I want to assure the students that we stand with them and we will make sure that the next date is given with ample time," Krishnan said. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare postponed the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination on Saturday, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday and said that a fresh date will be announced at the earliest. The NEET-PG exams were scheduled to be held on June 23. This postponement of NEET-PG exams came on the heels of decision to remove Subodh Kumar Singh from his position as Director-General of the National Testing Agency, which has come under fire for an alleged paper leak and irregularities in the NEET-UG examination, and other examinations which it conducts. "Taking into consideration, the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students," the ministry statement read. "It has accordingly been decided, as a precautionary measure, to postpone the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, scheduled to be held on 23rd June 2024. The fresh date of this examination will be notified at the earliest," the ministry added. "The Ministry of Health sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the students. This decision has been taken in the best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of the examination process," the health ministry said. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns. The Ministry of Education said it has constituted a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols and the functioning of the NTA. The 7-member committee, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months. (ANI)
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath held an important meeting with the officials of the Stamp and Registration Department on Saturday, providing essential guidelines regarding the Online Registration Rules 2024. He emphasized that an online system for stamps and registration is crucial for ease of living and better record and data management. Preparations should be made regarding this as soon as possible and a draft should be readied and presented. CM Yogi also directed the reduction of the stamp registration fee for rent agreements of residential, non-residential, and commercial properties. He suggested creating different brackets for this and simplifying the agreement process. The Chief Minister emphasized that the entire system of codification, e-registration, and e-filing under the Online Registration Rules 2024 should be transparent. E-registration should be carried out through government agencies and RERA-approved builders. Additionally, the work of e-filing should be done through bank file 6 (1), rent agreements of up to 12 months, and any documents under sections 18 and 89 of the Registration Act 1908. CM Yogi stated that in Phase 1 of e-registration, government agencies, including development and industrial development authorities, should be given approval for sale deed, agreements and lease deeds. "Presentations and approvals should be managed by the nodal officers of these government agencies. Additionally, the photos and signatures of the parties involved should be captured digitally or electronically. The Registrar Officer will complete the registration based on the electronically transmitted data from the above process," he said. Chief Minister Yogi said that in Phase 2 of e-registration, it should be extended to RERA-approved institutions for sale deeds, agreements and lease deeds. "The photos and signatures of the parties involved should be captured digitally or electronically. Under the process, registration should be done by the registration officer on the basis of electronically transmitted data," he added. The Chief Minister said that under e-filing, processing of bank files has already started in Phase-1, while in the second phase, rent agreements of up to 12 months, online stamping, e-signature and e-KYC verification of parties and witnesses should be ensured through Aadhaar. CM Yogi highlighted that currently, physical presence at the registry office is mandatory for registration, which inconveniences citizens and consumes valuable time. "With the introduction of e-registration, significant relief will be provided to citizens. It will eliminate the need for middlemen, saving both time and money for the people. Moreover, it will reduce legal and other associated issues. Additionally, the efficiency of offices is expected to improve as a result of these changes," he said. The Chief Minister emphasized that registration records are highly sensitive and susceptible to tampering. He highlighted the importance of electronic records, which not only ensure safety but also facilitate easy verification. (ANI)
"Today, on the eve of snana poornima festival, I got darshan of Gajanan Bhesh of Lord Jagannath and got blessed by lord. I have prayed for the prosperity of the 4.5 crore people of Odisha. I also prayed for the welfare of the people and the successful performance of the upcoming Sri Gundicha Ratha yatra to be solemnized soon with the help of all," Odisha CM told reporters.

Earlier on June 12, Mohan Charan Majhi took oath as the Chief Minister of the first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The 52-year-old belonging to the Santali tribe, hails from the state's Keonjhar district.

Beginning his career as a sarpanch from 1997-2000, Majhi was elected to the state assembly for the first time in 2000 from Keonjhar. He was re-elected in 2004. From 2005 to 09, he was the government deputy chief whip in the BJD-BJP coalition government.

He was again elected as an MLA in 2019. In the recent polls, Majhi retained the seat by defeating BJD's Mina Majhi by 11,577 votes.

The BJP won 78 of 147 seats in the Odisha assembly polls. (ANI)
To empower Indian nurses with global career opportunities, Jayant Chaudhary, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, felicitated 32 healthcare professionals on Saturday for successfully completing the B1 level of German language training. The training aims to equip the nurses with the necessary language skills for a successful career and livelihood in Germany. This development reaffirms the Government's commitment to making India the global hub for skilled talent and outlines the ambitious strategies under the Skill India Mission. The two- to three-month comprehensive residential training programme was imparted to all the candidates under the Skill India International initiative who have completed their B.Sc. Nursing or the General Nursing and Midwifery (GNM) programs. Delivered by professional German native trainers, the program ensures that participants receive top-notch language education. On the occasion, Jayant Chaudhary said, "India has a great demographic dividend, that is a clear path towards transforming our country and our rural hinterland into a developed economy by 2047.With this, there is also a growing skill gap in the world today, even in the contracting global economy, approximately 8.5 crore opportunities will be there in the world by 2030. And how many of these opportunities are grabbed by our aspiring young professionals will decide the future path of our economy." "In fact, in Germany alone, with their ageing population, there would be approximately 18 Lakh job opportunities available for suitable candidates. Therefore, it's imperative that we have the right approach to fill these positions in a focused manner, and Skill India's International's strong connect with the industry can fulfil this gap and I must congratulate every candidate as each of you is a changemaker and an ambassador of India," he added. The Minister highlighted the successful placement of over 58,000 skilled Indians in various countries as part of India's mission to become a global skilling powerhouse. He praised the efforts of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE) and NSDC International in providing high-quality training to Indian youth aiming for overseas employment. He congratulated the successful candidates and personally handed them their placement offers, inspiring confidence and enthusiasm for their future roles. All 32 candidates cleared the B1 German Language Training through TELC. They will be placed with the leading hospitals and employers, earning between 2300 and 2700 euros per month (over 2 lakh INR), with B2 training included. After completing B2 in Germany, their salary will increase to approximately 3 to 4 lakh INR. German Ambassador Dr. Philipp Ackermann praised the skilling ecosystem of India and hoped this would be the start of many other such opportunities, he said, "The growing skill gap in Germany, particularly in the healthcare sector, poses a significant challenge. Therefore, we felt the need to find a solution to offer, which is structured migration, which not only caters to the skill gap but also offers us the quality expected to meet the demands of the healthcare Industry. This is where India's education system, robust skilling infrastructure, and extensive training programs are helping bridge this gap. We are immensely grateful to NSDC International for their robust efforts, as in just two months, they managed to prepare this young workforce for Germany." The Minister, the German Ambassador, along with Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary MSDE and Ved Mani Tiwari, CEO, NSDC and MD, NSDC International, flagged off the bus, taking the candidates to the airport and boosting their morale. NSDC, under the aegis of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, NSDC International, has made significant progress in positioning India as a dependable source of skilled workers. NSDC International had partnered with Auxila Academy, a Takt Group company, for the German language training programme and was instrumental in helping them find the right career opportunities in Germany. This initiative not only opens up lucrative career opportunities for Indian nurses but also addresses the growing demand for skilled nursing professionals in Germany. Under the Skill India International Initiative, there is a strong commitment to enhance the skills and employability of Indian youth, paving the way for their success on the global stage. (ANI)
Karnataka Minister of Environment, Ecology, and Forests, Eshwar B Khandre, has directed the officials to not to hand over the Devadari forest area of Sandur in Ballari to Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Limited (KIOCL). This comes after Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel HD Kumaraswamy gave his consent to start mining in the Devadari forest area to the company. Minister Eshwar Khandre said, "99,330 trees will be cut down and destroyed due to mining here if permission is given. If the dense forest is destroyed, the problem of soil erosion and flooding will arise." Thousands of trees, including Sandalwood, Teak, Bamboo, Dindala, Honne, Rakta Bhutala, Lutiwala, Bilva, Kallu, Mango, Arali, and Kadubanni, will be stung. Thus, social activists have raised strong objections to the concerned people for permitting mining. It is also known from the records of the forest department that more than 99,000 trees will have to be felled step by step for mining. Thus, there is widespread opposition from the entire state, including Bellary, against Union Minister Kumaraswamy for allowing the mining operations. A lot of loopholes have also been alleged against the mining company. The company was in trouble for violating forest rules earlier. Given all this, Ishwar Khandre has instructed not to sign the Aranya Tiruvalli contract at present. Earlier, on March 28, 2016, under the chairmanship of the Principal Conservator of Forests, Forest Department, it was decided not to allow new mining leases in forest areas. The mining site is only 19 kilometers away from the Daroji Bear Sanctuary. A campaign against mining called "Save Sanduru Forest" has started on social media and the voice against mining is slowly spreading. As per the government decision, KIOCL will mine a total area of 470.408 hectares in the Swamimalai Block of Sandur forest. (ANI)
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati called a meeting to review the party's defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. All the district-level officials, senior party leaders, and workers of the state on Sunday will attend the key meeting called in Lucknow. The meeting to be held at the BSP office will mainly focus on why the party could not win even a single seat in the general elections in the country. The discussion will also be held on how things can improve in the upcoming 2027 assembly elections. Party leaders and officials from across the country, including BSP coordinators and district presidents in Uttar Pradesh, have been asked to attend the meeting. Akash Anand, who was removed from the post of national coordinator of the party, is also expected to attend the meeting. Notably, Congress, which fought in alliance with the SP and is part of the INDIA bloc, won six seats in the state. Collectively, the opposition INDIA bloc has won 43 seats in Uttar Pradesh.The Bharatiya Janata Party, which was locked in a tense competition with the SP, managed to bag only 33 seats. Thus, marking a steep decline compared to its 2019 UP tally of 63 seats. Earlier on Saturday, the BSP released a list of 13 star campaigners for the upcoming Uttarakhand Assembly by-elections. Party chief Mayawati and her nephew Akash Anand are on the list. Other names on the list include Ramji Gautam, Suresh Arya, Sheeshpal Singh, Surajmal, Shehzad, BR Dhauni, Pradeep Chaudhary, Nathiram, Nand Gopal, Vinod Kumar Gautam, and Harish Chandra Sinoli, who will also campaign for the BSP. Voting for the assembly by-polls in the Badrinath and Manglaur seats will be held on July 10. The Badrinath seat fell vacant after Congress MLA Rajendra Bhandari resigned and joined the BJP. The Manglaur seat fell vacant after the death of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Sarwat Karim Ansari. Votes will be counted on July 13. (ANI)
Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder  but this dog's utter repulsiveness can no longer be denied.

An 8-year-old Pekingese named Wild Thang won the dubious distinction of coming in No. 1 at the annual World's Ugliest Dog contest.

The event was held Friday at the Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California. Wild Thang previously finished in second place in three of four tries.

"The fact that he had been competing for five times and only came in second is kind of like 'the bridesmaid and never the bride,'" Fiona Ma, state treasurer and a contest judge, quipped to the Associated Press.

Ma said the pooch's persistence "really tugged at our heartstrings that he deserved to win."

Wild Thang's distinctive look includes extra-long, frizzy fur that Ma said has never been cut.

The dog also has a perpetually lolling tongue and a front leg that paddles 24/7 due to a case of distemper it contracted as a puppy, according to a bio posted on the fair's website.

Owner Ann Lewis of north Bend, Oregon, was given a large trophy and a $5,000 check, according to NBC's "Today" show.
One person has been arrested by STF West Bengal in connection with the module.

The task force have arrested the chief of the said module Md Habibullah of Kanksa, Paschim Bardhaman district from his residence. Habibullah was the Ameer meaning head of this module.

This terror module is found to be linked with activists of 'Ansar Al Islam', which is a banned terror organization in Bangladesh and is affiliated to 'Al Qaida', which is a global terrorist organization, STF West Bengal said.

Ansar Al Islam group was earlier known as the Ansarullah Bangla group in Bangladesh. This group is an offshoot of Al Qaeda, STF said.

This militant group was trying to become active in India under the name of Shahadat.

It has been learned that the members of the group mostly communicate through a cryptic messaging platform, 'BiP' and are working secretly to commit acts prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of Govt. of India and Bangladesh.

"In this regard, a specific case has been registered in Kanksa PS under Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate under relevant Sections of law in the IPC and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act," STF WB said. (ANI)
After the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare announced the postponement of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Postgraduate (NEET PG) Examination, which was initially scheduled for Sunday, students have expressed their sorrow, criticising the Centre's decision. The examination scheduled to be held on June 23 will now be rescheduled, with a new date to be announced soon. A statement released by the ministry said that the decision to postpone the examination was taken in view of the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations. "Taking into consideration, the recent incidents of allegations regarding the integrity of certain competitive examinations, the Ministry of Health has decided to undertake a thorough assessment of the robustness of the processes of the NEET-PG Entrance Examination, conducted by the National Board of Examination for medical students," the ministry statement read. A candidate who went to Jaipur for the exam told ANI, "The NEET-UG exam's paper got leaked, NEET-PG was postponed 12 hours before, and the NEET-SSC exam date has not been announced yet. This shows how much the government is concerned about the health sector. The Union Health Minister and Union Education Minister must apologise for what they have done. Students and doctors have travelled a long way for the exam and come here; they have incurred a lot of expenses. On average, Rs 10,000 was the expenditure. The government must reimburse these expenditures." Jyoth Chouhan, another candidate, said that the Centre informing them at the last moment about the exam caused great inconvenience. "NTA (National Testing Agency) informed at the last moment, 10 hours before that the exam has been postponed. If they had to reschedule, they should have announced that at least a few days ago. They didn't distribute exam centres properly, candidates got very faraway places at exam centres. Students from Vadodara had exam centres in Nashik and Madhya Pradesh. And then when they reached there, they were informed that the exam had been postponed. All are having great difficulties," he said. The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) was fully prepared to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Post-Graduate (PG) 2024. Speaking exclusively to ANI, Dr Rakesh Sharma, OSD to President and Member, Governing Body, NBEMS said, "All eyes of the nation are on NBEMS for the conduct of NEET PG 2024 and we will not let down the hope of the nation. We will conduct the test through a computer-based test (CBT) mode throughout the country." The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. The Ministry of Education said it has constituted a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols and the functioning of the NTA. (ANI)
Earlier on Saturday evening, a case was registered against Suraj Revanna under sections 377 (unnatural sex), 342, and 506 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at Holenarasipura police station in Hassan district on a complaint of the party worker that he was sexually assaulted by the MLC at his farmhouse on June 16.

Meanwhile, the case has now been transferred to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation, according to the Karnataka Police.

Suraj Revanna was booked for voluntary carnal intercourse against the order of nature with an individual, wrongful confinement of an individual, and criminal intimidation, the FIR read.

A counter FIR has been registered against the JD(S) worker and his brother-in-law on the complaint filed by the Personal Assistant of Suraj Revanna for allegedly threatening and blackmailing the MLC with false allegations of sexual assault.

According to the police, the FIR has been registered under sections 384 and 506.

Suraj Revanna is the son of JD (S) MLA HD Revanna and the elder brother of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is currently in police custody over separate allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women which shook the state during Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

This development comes just days after former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was remanded to judicial custody by a special court in Bengaluru. He was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court on June 10.

Prajwal, the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent polls. (ANI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with top BJP leaders, paid tribute to Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his death anniversary on Sunday. PM called Mookerjee a great son of the country, an eminent thinker and educationist. Syama Prasad Mookerjee was the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ideological parent organisation of the BJP. In a post on X, PM wrote, "Respectful tributes to the great son of the country, eminent thinker and educationist Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day. He dedicated his life in the service of Mother India. His dynamic personality will continue to inspire every generation of the country." Home Minister Amit Shah also remembered Mookerjee on his martyrdom day and said, "Tribute to Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day, who fought all his life for the unity, integrity and self-respect of the country." "Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee gave the supreme sacrifice in the struggle to make Jammu and Kashmir an integral part of the country by giving the slogan of 'Ek Nishan, Ek Vidhan, Ek Pradhan'. He played an important role in the ideological and practical fight to keep West Bengal a part of India. As a member of the Constituent Assembly, he gave transformative suggestions regarding language and culture. He gave alternative ideas to the people of the country by establishing the Jana Sangh. This star of Indian culture will always remain bright and will guide the future generations on the path of nation first," said Shah. BJP president JP Nadda also paid floral tributes to Mookerjee at BJP headquarters in Delhi and distributed plant saplings among party workers. "I pay my heartfelt tributes to the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh, architect of cultural nationalism and national unity, eminent thinker and educationist, revered Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee on his martyrdom day, said Nadda in a post on X. "He dedicated his entire life to the progress and glory of the nation. His work for protecting India's sovereignty and for the world of education is unforgettable. Dr Syama Prasad ji's sacrifice and dedication will continue to inspire every Indian to put the nation first and to sacrifice everything," he added. Mookerjee was the founder of Bharatiya Jana Sangh. He also served as the Minister for Industry and Supply in Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's cabinet. According to the BJP's official website, on the issue of the Delhi pact with Likayat Ali Khan, Mookerjee resigned from the Cabinet on April 6, 1950. Later on October 21, 1951, Mookerjee founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in Delhi and became its first president. Mookerjee went to visit Kashmir in 1953 and was arrested on May 11. He died under detention on June 23, 1953. (ANI)
BJP MP Sambit Patra hit out at the INDIA bloc and the Congress and alleged that they were silent on the hooch tragedy in Kallakurchi, Tamil Nadu and called it a murder of 32 Dalits. BJP MP Sambit Patra said, "Today we are here to discuss news from Tamil Nadu, it is about a hooch tragedy, illicit liquor from Kallakurchi, a district of Tamil Nadu. When I came to hold this press conference and was checking the figures, the number of dead was 56. More than 56 people have died and many of them are critical, still about 200 people are admitted to the hospital. This is such an important issue and I am surprised that Mallikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK and all the people of the INDIA alliance are silent on this issue." He further alleged that the INDIA bloc was silent as they felt that it was not serving their interests. He further said, "If more than 32 Dalits are killed in this country, I would call it a murder, this is not death. They are silent as they feel that it was not serving their political interest." He asked Tamil Nadu Chief Minister ML Stalin if he was complicit in the hooch tragedy. He further added, "In the newspaper today, it is clearly written that the place where this (liquor) shop was located is a busy street. The kingpin of this incident, Govind Raj's warehouse is located and the biggest thing here is that there are DMK stickers outside and inside Govind Raj's house. So my question to ML Stalin is are you complicit or not, who will answer on your behalf?" The death toll in the Tamil Nadu Hooch tragedy has risen to 56, according to district administration's report released on Sunday. As per the information shared by the District Collectorate, Kallakurichi, there were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor. In Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), Pondy, 17 patients are alive and three have been declared dead, while in Vilupuram Medical College, four people are alive and four have been declared dead. Most deaths occurred at Kallakurichi Medical College, where 31 people are dead and 108 are alive. At Salem Medical College, 30 people are alive, whereas 18 have been reported dead."There are 160 people who were admitted to the above-mentioned hospitals and 55 people are dead," according to official data. 152 male patients are alive in the incident, whereas 51 are dead. Meanwhile, BJP workers in Tamil Nadu on Saturday staged a protest over the Kallakurichi hooch tragedy. (ANI)
After taking over the probe into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-UG exams 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formed special teams to investigate the case, the central agency said in a statement on Sunday. According to the CBI, special teams are being rushed to Patna in Bihar and Godhra in Gujarat, where local police cases have been registered. "CBI has registered a criminal case and initiated an investigation. Special teams have been formed by the CBI to investigate the matter on top priority. Special CBI teams are being sent to Patna and Godhra where local police cases have been registered", the CBI said in a statement. This comes after the central government entrusted the CBI with the matter of alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam 2024 for a comprehensive investigation. "National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the NEET(UG) Examination on May 5, 2024 in OMR (Pen and paper) mode. Certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/impersonation/malpractices have been reported. For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, after a review has decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for comprehensive investigation. Central Government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in public examinations and to provide for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto," the government said. "The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual/ organization found to be involved will face strictest action," it added. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns. (ANI)
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a criminal case based on a written complaint from the Director of the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India, New Delhi, an agency release said on Sunday. As per the agency's FIR, certain "isolated incidents" occurred in a few states during the conduct of the NEET (UG) 2024 examination which was held on May 5, 2024. CBI has accordingly registered a criminal case and initiated an investigation. Special teams have been formed by the CBI to investigate the matter on top priority. Special CBI teams are being sent to Patna and Godhra, where local police cases have been registered, the release mentioned. The NEET (UG) 2024 Examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, at 4,750 centers in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad, with over 23 lakh candidates appearing for the examination. The release stated that the case has been registered upon the request by the Ministry of Education to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust, and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes, and middlemen, including attempted irregularities. The Ministry has also requested the CBI for an investigation into the role of public servants, if any, connected with the conduct of the examination and also into the entire gamut of events and the larger conspiracy, it added. (ANI)
In a gesture of goodwill and cross-border camaraderie, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has sent a consignment of pineapples to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The pineapples were dispatched from the Akhaura check post on Sunday. "Today is a great day for us. Tripura CM Manik Saha has taken this beautiful initiative to send the Queen variety of pineapple to the Hon'ble PM of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina Ji. We always know that there is a good relationship between the two countries. So today's initiative shows the love and integrity among Bangladesh and the State of Tripura, Dipak Badya, Assistant Director, Department of Horticulture, told ANI. The consignment, laden on a truck, made its way across the border to Bangladesh, signifying the strong cultural and diplomatic ties between the neighbouring regions. This act is seen as a reinforcement of the friendly relationship shared by India and Bangladesh, particularly between Tripura and Bangladesh. CM Saha's initiative to send pineapples underscores the mutual respect and cooperation that have been hallmarks of the interactions between the two leaders. Pineapples from Tripura are renowned for their quality and sweetness, making them a perfect gift to symbolise the warmth and friendly relations between the two countries. (ANI)
In a major boost to enhancing indigenous unmanned surveillance capabilities of defence forces, the Indian Air Force has made a proposal to the central government to buy 10 Tapas drones, officials said on Sunday. Out of the 10, six Made-in-India drones would be for the Indian Air Force, while the remaining four would be for the Indian Navy, defence officials told ANI. The Indian Air Force will be the lead agency for the induction and acquisition of the Tapas drones into the defence forces, they said. The proposal by the IAF is expected to be soon taken up for discussion by the Defence Ministry. These two forces are only buying the drones at the moment, the officials said. Tapas drones are medium-altitude long, endurance-category drones that have been developed indigenously by the Defence Research and Development Organisation and have to be manufactured by a consortium of Bharat Electronics Limited and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The drones have not been able to meet the requirements of the defence forces but the limited inductions by the services are going to help them be upgraded and refined in the near future to meet larger requirements, the officials said. The IAF has a fleet of Israeli-origin Searcher, Heron Mark-1 and Mark-2 drones and is looking to induct the American Predator MQ-9B drones in the future as part of a tri-services acquisition. The six indigenous Tapas drones would help it improve unmanned surveillance on both the northern and western fronts, they said. In recent times, the Indian Air Force has emerged as one of the staunchest supporters of Make in India in Defence, with orders for 180 LCA Mark 1A and 156 LCH attack choppers worth around Rs 1.6 lakh crore getting placed or are about to be placed by it. The Indian Navy intends to use the Tapas for surveillance activities over the maritime zone.The deliveries would be made faster by the consortium as the first bird would be ready for delivery within 24 months of signing the contract, they said. DRDO is continuing with the Tapas project to further develop the system. The Tapas drones being developed by the Aeronautical Development Establishment Laboratory have not been able to fully meet the Joint Services Qualitative Requirements of flying at 30,000 feet for over 24 hours at a stretch and have been excluded from the category of mission mode projects. The Tapas drones have been tested by the defence forces and during the trials, they managed to reach 28,000 feet altitude and could fly for over 18 hours. (ANI)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Sambit Patra on Sunday defended the appointment of Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker for the 18th Lok Sabha by President Droupadi Murmu and said that the decision was made according to established convention rather than law. BJP leader Sambit Patra's remark came in response to Congress's objections, which he argues are disrupting a long-standing process. Speaking on the subject on Sunday, Patra said, "The President of India recommends the pro-tem speaker through Article 95 of the Constitution of India. It is a long convention that has been going on in this beautiful democracy of India since independence. Now, Congress is trying to disturb this process." "Bhartruhari Mahtab is serving as an MP consecutively for the seventh time. The convention says that the MP with the longest period of unbroken service can be appointed as pro-tem Speaker. So, in this 18th Lok Sabha, Bhartruhari Mahtab qualifies to become the pro-tem Speaker," he said. Adding further, he said, "As far as Congress MP, K Suresh is concerned, he has served as an MP 8 times non-consecutively. It is the 4th consecutive term of K Suresh. However, it is the 7th consecutive term of Bhartruhari Mahtab. So, there has been no breach of convention." Earlier on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the appointment of BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as the pro-tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha, has been done as per the "rules," adding that Congress should not politicise the issue. Congress reacted sharply to the central government's decision to appoint seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress, saying that the appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member. The pro-tem Speaker administers the oath to newly elected members and oversees the proceedings of the House until the permanent Speaker is elected. "We all want the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha to run peacefully. This is also the wish of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. This is a special session. There is no business transaction in this special session," Rijiju said. Earlier on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that President Droupadi Murmu had appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha. President Murmu also appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste, and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the Speaker Protem in the oath-taking of the newly-elected members. After the announcement, the Congress objected to the government's decision, saying that the longest-serving MP is made pro tem Speaker, but as per convention party MP Kodikunnil Suresh should have been given the role as he is entering his eighth term as parliamentarian. Congress leader KC Venugopal said the government should explain why it overlooked K Suresh. Congress MP Manickam Tagore also reacted sharply to the central government's decision to appoint seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Protem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress and said that the decision was a mistake on the part of the government. Congress MP Pramod Tiwari targeted the BJP, arguing that it amounts to insulting the entire House and democracy. As per Article 94 of the Constitution, the office of the Speaker becomes vacant immediately before the first meeting of the new Lok Sabha. In that case, the duties of the Speaker are to be performed by a Member of the House appointed for this purpose by the President as Speaker pro tem. The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha will start on June 24. The Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27. (ANI)
A Texas woman has been charged with attempted capital murder and injury to a child after allegedly trying to drown a 3-year-old Muslim toddler in what authorities are investigating as a potential hate crime.

Witnesses told policee that Elizabeth Wolf, 42, tried to drown the girl after arguing with the mother at an apartment complex swimming pool last month in Euless.

The victim's mother, who is Muslim and wears a hijab, said Wolf began questioning where she was from and if the two children playing at the pool were hers.

At one point, Wolf allegedly jumped into the pool to pull the woman's 6-year-old son into the deep end. He managed to pull away, but Wolf then allegedly attempted to force his 3-year-old sister underwater.

The Texas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), who identified the family as Muslim and Palestinian, said in a statement that when the mother tried to rescue her daughter, Wolf allegedly "snatched off the woman's head scarf as well as kicking her to keep her away while forcing her daughter's head underwater."

As Wolf was taken into custody by police officers, she allegedly shouted to a bystander who was comforting the mother, "Tell her I will kill her, and I will kill her whole family," according to the CAIR statement.

"We are American citizens, originally from Palestine, and I don't know where to go to feel safe with my kids," the mother said in a statement provided by CAIR.

"My country is facing a war, and we are facing that hate here," she said.

The mother said her daughter remains traumatized by the confrontation.

"Whenever I open the apartment door, she runs away and hides, telling me she is afraid the lady will come and immerse her head in the water again."

The Euless Police Department confirmed to CNN that Wolf has posted $40,000 bail.

CAIR now seeks not only a hate crime probe but also a higher bail bond and a dialogue with officials about "Islamophobia, anti-Arab, and anti-Palestinian sentiment," Shaimaa Zayan, the council's Austin operations manager, said in a statement.

"We are seeing a new level of bigotry here where a person deeply believes they get to decide, based on religion, spoken language, and country of origin, whose kids deserve to stay alive and whose don't," she added.
During the visit, he directed the Public Works Department to ensure the quality of the construction. The Chief Minister stated that the hospital would initially be upgraded to a 50-bed facility in the first phase and subsequently to a 100-bed hospital in the second phase.

Emphasising the hospital's importance as the primary healthcare provider in the Jaswan region, he assured that all deficiencies would be addressed.

"Approximately 50 percent of the construction is complete, with an additional Rs 3.61 crore required to finish the remaining work, which the state government will provide. To enhance healthcare services, the hospital will be staffed with specialist doctors in gynaecology, orthopaedics, surgery, and anaesthesia, as well as lab technicians,'' Sukhu said.

The Chief Minister said that the state government would transform Dadasiba Hospital into an 'Aadarsh Swaysthya Sansthan', deploying specialist doctors in sub-division-level hospitals to improve local healthcare accessibility.

Sukhu expressed concern over the slow pace of the hospital's construction over the past five years and called for an acceleration of the work. He reiterated the state government's commitment to enhancing health facilities across Himachal Pradesh.

"In a recent cabinet meeting, it was decided to create and fill 200 medical officer positions in the Health and Family Welfare Department. Additionally, 22 posts for Professor, Associate Professor, and Assistant Professor will be filled in various medical colleges statewide," Sukhu said.

"Efforts to improve emergency health services include creating eight emergency medical officer positions at Tanda Medical College in Kangra and five assistant professor positions at Chamba Medical College, which will facilitate the establishment of functional trauma centres in these institutions," he added.

Agriculture Minister Chander Kumar, Congress spokesperson Surender Mankotia, and other dignitaries were present at the inspection. (ANI)
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday condemned the Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu which claimed 56 lives, and attacked the Congress party stating that the latter has not uttered a word against the incident. There were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor, out of which, 56 have died, as per an official. In a conversation with ANI, Sitharaman said, "More than 200 people are still in hospital in a critical stage. 56 people have died and most of them are from the scheduled caste... I condemn the incident. I am shocked that the Congress has not uttered a word against this. In a state where licensed liquor is available from shops run by the government called 'Tasmak'. Despite that, in the middle of the city of Kallakuruchi, chemical-based illicit liquor is served. Doesn't the government know about this?" Taking a dig at the Congress party, she added, "Where is the Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge? Has he lost sympathy for people living in Tamil Nadu? Where is Rahul Gandhi? He talks about the votes of the South. He contests elections just because he is assured that he will win. When Dalits are dying because of spurious liquor, not a statement comes from Rahul Gandhi or Khargeji. I demand that this whole matter be given to the CBI for investigation." "Congress should pay attention to Tamil Nadu and not ignore it just because its alliance partner is running the state", she said. The Congress and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu are allies in the INDIA bloc and fought the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 unitedly. Earlier today, the death toll in the Tamil Nadu Hooch tragedy rose to 56, according to the district administration's report. As per the information shared by the District Collectorate, Kallakurichi, there were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor. In Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), Pondy, 17 patients are alive and three have been declared dead, while in Vilupuram Medical College, four people are alive and four have been declared dead. Most deaths occurred at Kallakurichi Medical College, where 31 people are dead and 108 are alive. At Salem Medical College, 30 people are alive, whereas 18 have been reported dead. "There are 160 people who were admitted to the above-mentioned hospitals and 55 people are dead," according to official data. 152 male patients are alive in the incident, whereas 51 are dead. (ANI)
Karnataka Police arrested Suraj Revanna, who is the son of former Karnataka Minister HD Revanna, earlier in the day for alleged sexual assault on a male party worker. The case was later transferred to the CID for further investigation.

According to the police FIR, Revanna has been charged under sections 377 (carnal intercourse against the order of nature), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC for the offense allegedly committed on June 16 as per the complaint.

A counter FIR has been registered against the complainant JD(S) worker and his brother-in-law on the complaint filed by the personal assistant of Suraj Revanna for allegedly threatening and blackmailing the MLC with false allegations of sexual assault. The FIR has been filed under sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Suraj Revanna's arrest comes days after his younger brother and former JD-S MP Prajwal Revanna was remanded to judicial custody by a special court in Bengaluru over separate allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women.

He was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court on June 10.

Prajwal Revanna and Suraj Revanna are the grandchildren of JD-S patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. (ANI)
Congress workers in Jharkhand on Sunday staged a protest over the alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. Expressing their outrage, protesters burned the effigy of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Meanwhile, soon after being entrusted with the probe into the alleged irregularities in the National Eligibility-Cum-Entrance-Test (NEET) (UG) Examination 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered an FIR in the case, sources said on Sunday. In the early hours of Sunday, the central government entrusted the matter of alleged irregularities in the NEET (UG) Examination 2024 to the CBI for a comprehensive investigation. "National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the NEET(UG) Examination on May 5, 2024, in OMR (Pen and paper) mode. Certain cases of alleged irregularities/cheating/impersonation/malpractices have been reported. For transparency on the conduct of the examination process, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, after a review has decided to entrust the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for comprehensive investigation. Central Government has also enacted the Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, to prevent unfair means in public examinations and to provide for matter connected therewith or incidental thereto," the government said. "The government is committed to ensuring the sanctity of examinations and protect the interest of students. It is reiterated that any individual/ organization found to be involved will face strictest action," it added. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns. The Ministry of Education said it has constituted a high-level committee of experts to make recommendations on reforms in the mechanism of the examination process, improvements in data security protocols and the functioning of the NTA. The 7-member committee, led by ISRO former chairman Dr K. Radhakrishnan, will submit its report to the ministry in the next two months. "In order to ensure transparent, smooth and fair conduct of examinations through the National Testing Agency (NTA), the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education constituted a High-Level Committee of Experts to make recommendations on reform in the mechanism of examination process improvement in data security protocols and the structure and functioning of National Testing Agency," the ministry said. (ANI
Several Naxalites were injured after an encounter broke out between Naxalites and the security personnel in the Amjhar village and Muhkot forests of the Dhamtari district in Chhattisgarh on Sunday noon, a police official said. The encounter has broken out since afternoon in the limits of Khallari police station in the Dhamtari district and is still underway. According to the information received, there is intermittent firing from both sides. The investigation into the encounter is continued. More details are awaited. Earlier in the day, two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in IED blast planted by Naxalites between Silger and Tekulagudem, under the limits of Jagargunda Police Station in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The killed security personnel were identified as Vishnu R (35), hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala while the other jawan was identified as Shailendra (29) who hailed from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The security personnel were part of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) 201 battalion. CoBRA battalion is a specialized force established to undertake operations of guerrilla and jungle warfare, specifically tailored for addressing the Maoist insurgency. According to the information received, the incident occurred at 3 pm on Sunday, when these jawans were on Road Opening Duty from Camp Silger (under Jagargunda police station area) to Camp Tekalgudem and the blast of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxalites claimed their lives. The IED was planted by Naxalites on the way from Camp Silger to Tekalgudem to cause harm to the security forces. Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai expressed grief at the death of two security personnel due to an IED blast carried out by Naxalites in Sukma district of the state. The Chief Minister regarded this Naxal attack as a 'cowardly act out of frustration' due to the ongoing Naxal eradication campaign in Bastar. Meanwhile, he also prayed to God for the peace of the departed soul and to provide strength to their families. (ANI)
Following Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's remarks on the Kallakurichi Hooch tragedy which claimed 56 lives so far, Congress leader K Suresh said on Sunday that the hooch tragedy happened in Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-ruled states too, but she "closed her eyes" at those times. Earlier today, in a conversation with ANI, Sitharaman condemned the hooch tragedy and attacked the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu and its alliance partner, Congress. "She has made a political statement. Hooch tragedy happened in BJP-ruled states also where more people died than in Tamil Nadu. She closed her eyes at that time. Now she is alleging the Congress party and Tamil Nadu government," Congress leader K Suresh told ANI. The Union Minister today said that she was "shocked" over the Congress's silence on the incident. She also questioned the DMK government over the availability of illicit liquor in Kallakurichi. "More than 200 people are still in hospital in a critical stage. 56 people have died and most of them are from the scheduled caste... I condemn the incident. I am shocked that the Congress has not uttered a word against this. In a state where licensed liquor is available from shops run by the government called 'Tasmak'. Despite that, in the middle of the city of Kallakuruchi, chemical-based illicit liquor is served. Doesn't the government know about this?" questioned Sitharaman. Further, Sitharaman attacked Congress National President Mallikarjun Kharge and leader Rahul Gandhi, saying, "Where is the Congress party President Mallikarjun Kharge? Has he lost sympathy for people living in Tamil Nadu? Where is Rahul Gandhi? He talks about the votes of the South. He contests elections just because he is assured that he will win. When Dalits are dying because of spurious liquor, not a statement comes from Rahul Gandhi or Khargeji. Nirmala Sitharaman also demanded that the case of the hooch tragedy be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). "I demand that this whole matter be given to the CBI for investigation", she said. There were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor, out of which, 56 have died, as per an official. Earlier today, the death toll in the Tamil Nadu Hooch tragedy rose to 56, according to the district administration's report. As per the information shared by the District Collectorate, Kallakurichi, there were a total of 216 patients admitted to four hospitals in Tamil Nadu after consuming illicit liquor. In Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer), Puducherry, 17 patients are alive and three have been declared dead, while in Vilupuram Medical College, four people are alive and four have been declared dead. Most deaths occurred at Kallakurichi Medical College, where 31 people are dead and 108 are alive. At Salem Medical College, 30 people are alive, whereas 18 have been reported dead. "There are 160 people who were admitted to the above-mentioned hospitals and 55 people are dead," according to official data. 152 male patients are alive in the incident, whereas 51 are dead. (ANI)
Governor Arif Mohammed Khan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Kelu. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and other political leaders, including those from the opposition, attended the oath-taking ceremony

He was inducted into the cabinet after K Radhakrishnan resigned as minister upon winning the recently held Lok Sabha election.

Kelu is an MLA from Mananthavady in Wayanad district.

"I am pleased that the opposition attended the swearing-in ceremony. We will find a permanent solution to wild animal attacks (in Wayanad). Priority will be given to Wayanad Medical College, and efforts will be made to secure more MBBS seats," Kelu told reporters after taking the oath.

Though Kelu is replacing K Radhakrishnan, who held Devaswom and SC and ST welfare portfolios, the former has been given the SC and ST welfare portfolio only. Opposition and some civil society leaders criticised the LDF for not giving the Devaswom portfolio to Kelu, who is the first CPI (M) minister in Kerala from a tribal community. (ANI)
A statement by AAP said that the Delhi CM filed a petition in the apex court regarding the stay on its chief's bail.

It further said that CM Kejriwal's lawyers have appealed for a hearing of the petition tomorrow morning.

On June 20, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court granted regular bail to the AAP chief despite the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) opposing the bail plea.

However, on June 21, the ED challenged the trial court order at the Delhi High Court, citing that the regular bail was passed without granting adequate "opportunity" of a hearing to the probe agency.

Following ED's petition, the Delhi HC stayed the trial court order granting bail to CM Kejriwal.

"Till pronouncement, the operation of the impugned order shall remain stayed," the Delhi HC as it put an interim stay on the trial court order.

Earlier on May 10, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to the Delhi CM for him to participate in electioneering during the Lok Sabha polls and asked him to surrender on June 2. He was asked not to visit the Office of the Chief Minister or the Delhi Secretariat.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with a money laundering case relating to alleged irregularities in the now-cancelled Delhi excise policy 2021-22. (ANI)
Amid the row over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET)-Undergraduate and UGC-NET exams 2024, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday registered a criminal case for irregularities in the exam and formed special teams to probe the matter. Early on Sunday, the central government entrusted the probe into the alleged irregularities in the NEET 2024 exam to the CBI. As per the agency's FIR, certain "isolated incidents" occurred in a few states during the conduct of the NEET (UG) 2024 examination which was held on May 5, 2024. The CBI has accordingly registered a criminal case and initiated an investigation. Special teams have been formed by the CBI to investigate the matter on top priority. Special CBI teams are being sent to Patna and Godhra, where local police cases have been registered, the release said. The NEET (UG) 2024 Examination was conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on May 5, 2024, at 4,750 centres in 571 cities, including 14 cities abroad, with over 23 lakh candidates appearing for the examination. The release stated that the case has been registered upon the request of the Ministry of Education to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the entire gamut of alleged irregularities, including conspiracy, cheating, impersonation, breach of trust, and destruction of evidence by candidates, institutes, and middlemen, including attempted irregularities. The Ministry has also requested the CBI for an investigation into the role of public servants, if any, connected with the conduct of the examination and also into the entire gamut of events and the larger conspiracy, it added. The National Testing Agency (NTA), which conducted the NEET-UG exams, is facing criticism over alleged irregularities in the exams. This resulted in several protests across the country, with protestors and political parties demanding to disband the NTA. An unprecedented 67 candidates achieved a perfect score of 720 marks out of 720, which added to the concerns. Meanwhile, the opposition leaders have sharpened their attack on the central government over the alleged irregularities in the NEET exams. Earlier today, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashed out at the Centre and claimed that under the BJP's rule, the entire education system has been handed over to the "mafia" and the "corrupt". Taking to 'X', Vadra wrote, "NEET-UG:- paper leak, NEET-PG:- cancelled, UGC-NET:- cancelled, CSIR-NET:- Cancelled! Today this is the condition of some of the biggest examinations in the country. Under the BJP rule, the entire education system has been handed over to the mafia and the corrupt. The political stubbornness and arrogance of handing over the country's education and the future of the children to greedy and sycophantic incompetent people have made paper leaks, cancellation of exams, disappearance of education from campuses and political hooliganism the identity of our education system." "The situation has become such that the BJP government cannot conduct even an examination fairly. Today, the BJP government has become the single biggest hurdle in front of the future of the youth. The capable youth of the country are wasting their precious time and energy in fighting the corruption of the BJP and the helpless Modi ji is just watching the spectacle", she added. Meanwhile, Congress workers in Jharkhand staged a protest over the alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. Expressing their outrage, protesters burnt an effigy of the Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. The CPI (M) on Sunday demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the allegation of irregularities and paper leaks in the NEET-UG 2024 examination. The party also called for the scrapping of the "centralised" NEET exams. "The Politbureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) is deeply anguished over the sinister developments which have engulfed the centralised all-India examination processes. Be it NEET-UG, UGC-NET and now NEET-PG which has been postponed indefinitely in anticipation of what obviously was waiting to happen. The combined impact of this are irregularities and complete collapse of the processes which affect vital sectors of higher education in the country," the party said in a statement. The statement said that the irregularities are not merely the result of corruption but also emerged from "centralisation, commercialisation and communication in the education sphere which is an essential ingredient of the National Education Policy". Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also demanded the resignation of the Union Education Minister, stating that there is an "education emergency" in the country. "I would say there is an education emergency in this country, the rate at which exams are being cancelled, the rate at which the Education Minister is refusing to hold himself accountable. We are seeing how one paper after another is being postponed or cancelled. Dharmendra Pradhan had refused any inquiry regarding the NEET paper leak. Just transferring the NTA chairman will not work. As far as the Education Ministry is concerned, Dharmendra Pradhan will have to resign for being a complete failure", Chaturvedi said. DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai slammed the government and said that almost 50 lakh people have been affected, and there has not been even a single word from the Prime Minister. "BJP government is incompetent. It is allowing organised gangs to leak papers. Four high-quality exams have been cancelled. Almost 50 lakh students have been affected by the sheer criminal negligence of the BJP party. There is not even a single word from the PM," Annadurai told ANI. Meanwhile, a total of 813 out of 1563 candidates appeared for the NEET-UG retest on Sunday, according to the National Testing Agency. On the orders of the Supreme Court, the retest is being conducted for the affected candidates who had experienced time loss during the originally scheduled examination on May 5. The re-conduct of the exam was announced following allegations of irregularities in NEET-UG, including paper leaks. Amid allegations of irregularities in the conduct of entrance examinations, the National Testing Agency (NTA) claimed on Sunday that its website and all its web portals are fully secure. The NTA further dismissed the allegations of the portals being compromised, calling them "wrong and misleading." "NTA website and all its web portals are fully secure. Any information that has been compromised and hacked is wrong and misleading," the NTA said in a post on 'X'. Amid the NEET irregularities allegations, the Centre postponed the NEET-PG exam a day ahead of its scheduled date and cancelled the UGC-NET exam conducted on June 18. (ANI)
Earlier on the occasion of World Environment Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a tree plantation campaign by planting a sapling at the Buddha Jayanti Park.

Taking to 'X', Chouhan wrote, "Planted a tree in the name of my late mother in Ranchi today under the #Ek Ped Ma ke Naam campaign started by the Honorable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodiji on the occasion of World Environment Day."

The union minister further requested people to join the plantation campaign.

"Today, my heart is filled with many emotions. Mother and nature both are the basis of our lives. The shade of their love always gives us coolness. I request everyone to definitely join this campaign of serving nature", he added.

The Union Minister arrived in Ranchi, earlier today. He is also the Jharkhand Assembly election in-charge of the BJP.

Chouhan, along with his election co-incharge and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, held a meeting to discuss the strategy for the upcoming Assembly elections.

Earlier on Saturday, Shivraj Singh Chouhan planted a tree at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute Campus in Delhi.

Chouhan emphasized that trees are the protectors of our lives.

"As part of the pledge to plant a tree every day, today a tree was planted at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa campus, New Delhi. Trees are the life of nature and they are also the protectors of our lives. You are requested to contribute to making the earth green and prosperous by planting trees on special occasions", he said in a post on 'X'. (ANI)
Engineers were scrambling again Sunday to make repairs to Boeing's problem-plagued Starliner spacecraft to bring two NASA astronauts back to Earth from the International Space Station.

Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams' return to the planet was delayed a third time Saturday amid several issues with the Starliner capsule.

The deadline for the astronauts' safe return to Earth is 45 days, according to officials. Wilmore and Williams were supposed to return to Earth in mid-June after a week at the space station. The launch to the space station in early June was scrubbed twice due to problems.

Likely earliest return date now will be semetime in July, following newly planned spacewalks.

Leaders from @NASA and @BoeingSpace are adjusting the June 26 return to Earth of the Crew Flight Test mission with @NASA_Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams from @Space_Station.



This adjustment deconflicts from a series of spacewalks while allowing mission teams time to pic.twitter.com/pjqz1zEu4g  NASA Commercial Crew (@Commercial_Crew) June 22, 2024

Starliner breakdowns have included the sudden shutdown of its five thrusters during flight, and a series of helium leak, according to CNN.

The holdup comes as Boeing is coming under increasing scrutiny over product safety, particularly regarding its 737 MAX aircraft and 787 Dreamliner planes, and complaints from whistleblowers about company retaliation for warnings about concerning issues.

Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun, who earns a $33 million salary, told Congress in testimony earlier this month that whistleblower retaliation is something that "happens" at the company.
The Hassan police produced the JD-S legislator before the Magistrate in Bengaluru on Sunday evening after he was arrested earlier in the day.

The case was transferred to the CID, Karnataka police, earlier in the day but the CID is yet to take over the case.

Nikhil D Kamat, Suraj Revanna's counsel, said that the next date of hearing in the case is July 6, 2024. The counsel said the CID will likely approach court tomorrow seeking Revanna's custody.

Hassan police arrested Suraj Revanna, who is the son of former Karnataka Minister HD Revanna, earlier in the day for alleged sexual assault on a male party worker.

According to the police FIR, Revanna has been charged under sections 377 (carnal intercourse against the order of nature), 342 (wrongful confinement), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC for the offence allegedly committed on June 16 as per the complaint.

A counter FIR has been registered against the complainant JD(S) worker and his brother-in-law on the complaint filed by the personal assistant of Suraj Revanna for allegedly threatening and blackmailing the MLC with false allegations of sexual assault. The FIR has been filed under sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation).

Suraj Revanna's arrest comes days after his younger brother and former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was remanded to judicial custody by a special court in Bengaluru over separate allegations of sexually assaulting multiple women.

He was sent to judicial custody for 14 days by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court on June 10.

Prajwal Revanna and Suraj Revanna are the grandchildren of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. (ANI)
Water Minister Atishi has entered the third day of her indefinite hunger strike, demanding Delhi receive its rightful water supply from Haryana. However, a health checkup done on the minister revealed that her blood pressure and sugar level dropped drastically, said AAP in a press release. According to the press release, her weight has also dropped. Compared to the first day of the fast, on the third day, the blood sugar level of the Delhi Water Minister has dropped by 26 units. Also, her diastolic (lower) blood pressure has also reached 56 mmHg. The speed with which Atishi's blood sugar level and blood pressure have dropped has been described by doctors as dangerous, said AAP. Along with this, the urine ketone level of Water Minister Atishi has also turned positive. According to doctors, if the hunger strike continues, then the amount of ketone in her body may increase in the coming days, which will be dangerous for her health. Water Minister Atishi, who is on an indefinite hunger strike to ensure the water rights of 28 lakh Delhiites, has said that her indefinite hunger strike will continue till the Haryana government provides the water rights of Delhiites and till the gates of Hathnikund Barrage are not opened, said AAP. (ANI)
While addressing a press conference in the medical library on Saturday, HPTDC Chairman RS Bali announced that the Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Tanda has achieved a significant milestone in healthcare by successfully conducting its first kidney transplant, adding that this marks a new chapter in the medical college's history.

The successful kidney transplant was performed by the dedicated team of doctors at Tanda Medical College, significantly benefiting local patients who no longer need to travel to PGI or AIIMS for such procedures.

The treatment will be provided free of charge under the Himcare and Ayushman Yojana schemes, ensuring accessible healthcare for all.

RS Bali praised the relentless efforts of the Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister, Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu, whose continuous feedback and support were crucial in realising this milestone. He also extended his gratitude to the doctors at PGI for their invaluable support.

In addition to the kidney transplant facility, the medical college already offers heart piercing and valve transplant services, further solidifying its reputation as a leading healthcare institution.

The next goals include introducing open-heart surgery and a state-of-the-art trauma centre, reflecting the government's commitment to providing high-level healthcare services.

The Nursing School at Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College has been upgraded to a Nursing College, and plans are underway to establish a Lactation Management Center to support breastfeeding mothers and infants.

Principal Dr Milap Sharma attributed the success of the kidney transplant to the continuous efforts of RS Bali and the dedicated team at Tanda Medical College. (ANI)
The meeting will be held under the chairmanship of party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

The party will prepare strategies regarding the Parliament session and the upcoming Lok Sabha speaker poll, which is scheduled to be held on June 26.

Meanwhile, BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, who has been appointed as the pro-tem speaker, will administer the oath to newly elected members and oversee the proceedings of the House.

However, the Congress has reacted sharply to the central government's decision to appoint seven-term BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as Pro-tem Speaker of Lok Sabha over senior-most Dalit MP Kodikkunnil Suresh of Congress, saying that the appointment by the BJP deviates from the traditional practice of appointing the senior member.

Earlier on Thursday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced that President Droupadi Murmu appointed BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab as pro tem Speaker of the 18th Lok Sabha.

President Murmu also appointed Suresh Kodikunnil, Thalikkottai Rajuthevar Baalu, Radha Mohan Singh, Faggan Singh Kulaste and Sudip Bandyopadhyay to assist the Speaker Protem in oath taking of the newly-elected members.

This is the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha post the general elections, which saw the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) bagging 293 seats and the INDIA bloc 234.

The Rajya Sabha session will begin on June 27. (ANI)
The deceased was identified as Meera Chhetri (44), a resident of Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, in West Bengal.

Police said that a PCR call was received in the police station at around 5 am in PS V K North, informing them that a woman was found unconscious on the Mahipalpur Bypass road. Immediately, police reached the spot, i.e., opposite CISF gate No. 01, Mahipalpur Bypass road.

After reaching the spot, the police found the woman to be unresponsive. During the inquiry, the police discovered the name and address of the woman.

Subsequently, she was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital, where she was declared brought dead. The scene was thoroughly inspected and photographed by the crime team.

The family members of the deceased, including her husband, Rajesh Chhetri, were informed, and a postmortem investigation was conducted at Safdarjung Hospital Mortuary.

As per the police analysis of the CCTV footage and discussion of the nature of the injuries, it appears that she was hit by some vehicle.

However, an investigation into the matter is underway.

Further details on the matter are awaited. (ANI)
The 8th edition of the biggest festival in Assam, Rongali, that was held at Khanapara Ground in Guwahati displayed a large canvas of tribes and communities of Assam, showcasing their way of life and culture. Speaking to ANI, Shyamkanu Mahanta, organiser of the festival, said, "Rongali is being organised from June 21-23. Rongali started in 2015 and has now become one of the biggest organised festivals in Assam. The festival showcases Assam's communities and tribes and is a platform for creativity and entrepreneurship. Rongali has created most of the designers, artists, and young musicians to showcase their talents. The festival helps create a lot of tourism in the state and has gained popularity." "Rongali is a platform of creativity, a large exhibition of art, North East India's popular musical festival, Rongali Fashion Weekend, and many more," he said. According to the organisers, Rongali which is a platform of entrepreneurship, wherein a large exhibition of products from Assam has become a major attraction of the people. The Rongali Music Awards also felicitated some outstanding musical talents of Assam, and the Rongali Entrepreneurship Award was also given to encourage the entrepreneurial culture of Assam. Music shows, dances, and the cultures of different tribes were performed at the festival. Moreover, foods from different tribes were also available at the festival. Rongali is a festival in Assam aimed at showcasing Assam as an ideal destination for investments, tourism, and business and promoting harmony in the state. Rongali brings the best of Assam into a common platform in terms of music, dance, fashion, art, craft, colors and culture. (ANI)
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said on Sunday that Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee dedicated his entire life to the unity and integrity of India. The Chief Minister was speaking at the 'Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee Samman Samaroh' programme organised in Dadar, West Mumbai, to commemorate the Balidan Diwas of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee. During this, the Chief Minister was also honoured with the Syama Prasad Mukherjee Smriti Samman. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami paid tribute to Syama Prasad Mukherjee on his death anniversary. "Syama Prasad Mukherjee ji has dedicated his entire life to the unity and integrity of India. He was a good thinker. The seed he sowed in the form of Bharatiya Jana Sangh is today in front of the world as the largest party. His life reminds us of his dedication to serving the country. He always supported equality, unity, and justice; he gave the mantra of one constitution, one head, and one flag to the country.With his thoughts, he dedicated his entire life to a powerful and prosperous India," Dhami said. The Chief Minister said that today all the countrymen are seeing the dreams of Shyama Prasad Mukherjee being fulfilled under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Today, work is being done on equal civil rights in the country, after the independence of the country, Article 370 has been abolished from Kashmir. He said that the Uttarakhand government has also made Dr. Mukherjee ji's dreams come true by passing the Uniform Civil Code Bill as per the Constitution and has obtained the approval of His Excellency the President. The state of Uttarakhand has become the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code," Dhami said. "In the Assembly elections of 2022, the people of Uttarakhand again formed our government for the second consecutive time. As soon as we came to power, we first worked to bring the Uniform Civil Code as per the promise made to the public. He said that the draft of the Uniform Civil Code was prepared by collecting the views of everyone in the state," he added. The Chief Minister said that Syama Prasad Mukherjee believed that for the creation of a strong nation, there is a need for equal law for all the people living in society. He had called it a social and moral requirement. The Chief Minister said that the Uniform Civil Code in Uttarakhand has not been brought to discriminate against anyone but to bring the Prime Minister's Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas Sabka Vishwas to reality. He said that through UCC, women, the elderly, children, and common citizens will get their rights. The Chief Minister said that, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, continuous work is being done to establish a strong society in India. "Many historical works have been done in the country under the leadership of Modi ji. Triple Talaq has been abolished. The dream of building a Ram temple has been fulfilled under the leadership of PM Modi," he said. (ANI)
Kerala Chief Minister Pinaryi Vijayan condoled the death of two security personnel in an IED blast carried out by Naxalites in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday. The Chief Minister said that their sacrifice and courage will always be remembered. In a post to X, Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan wrote, "Heartfelt condolences to the families of CRPF jawans R. Vishnu and Shailendra, who lost their lives in the Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh. R. Vishnu, a valiant member of the CRPF Cobra unit, hailed from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Their sacrifice and courage will always be remembered." The Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Kerala Assembly and the Congress leader VD Satheeshan also expressed grief over the death of security personnel who hailed from Kerala and saluted his bravery. In a social media post on Facebook, Satheeshan wrote, "Salutations to Vishnu, a brave jawan from Palaod, Thiruvananthapuram, who died a hero's death in the Maoist attack in Chhattisgarh. This heroic death for the nation will be remembered forever. Vishnu's family will be caught. Sharing in the grief of loved ones." Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai also expressed grief at the death of two security personnel due to an IED blast carried out by Naxalites in the Sukma district of the state. The Chief Minister regarded this Naxal attack as a 'cowardly act out of frustration' due to the ongoing Naxal eradication campaign in Bastar. He also prayed to God for the peace of the departed soul and to provide strength to their families. Earlier, in the day, two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were killed in an IED blast planted by Naxalites between Silger and Tekulagudem, under the limits of Jagargunda Police Station in the Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. The killed security personnel were identified as Vishnu R (35), hailing from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala while the other jawan was identified as Shailendra (29) who hailed from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh. The security personnel were part of the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) 201 battalion. According to the information received, the incident occurred at 3 pm on Sunday, when these jawans were on Road Opening Duty from Camp Silger (under Jagargunda police station area) to Camp Tekalgudem and the blast of the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxalites claimed their lives. The IED was planted by Naxalites on the way from Camp Silger to Tekalgudem to cause harm to the security forces. (ANI)
This stringent law provides for the trial punishment of enemy agents and persons committing certain offences with intent to aid the enemy and permits life imprisonment or the death penalty for those found aiding or abetting Pakistani terrorists.

"I was discussing with a top law enforcement official whether we should be invoking the Enemies Agents Act. Perhaps, it is not implemented anywhere in Jammu and Kashmir," DGP Swain said.

He was speaking after inaugurating the newly constructed building of Cyber Police Station in Jammu.

His statement came in the wake of a series of terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir in the last two weeks.

DGP Swain expressed concern over the internet becoming the medium for sustaining terrorism in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

"...The internet is becoming the medium of sustaining terrorism and separatism in J&K. If I give such a statement, I am not too far from the truth... Cybercrime is broad in its context. It can be involved in all the other conventional crimes..." (ANI)
A high-ranking Chinese official on Friday called security the foremost challenge threatening the future of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and stressed for an urgent need for boosting security protocols and a more supportive business and media environment to ensure the continuation and success of the project, Pakistan-based Dawn reported. The Minister of the Central Committee of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, Liu Jianchao, made the remarks at the third meeting of the Pakistan-China Joint Consultative Mechanism. Representatives from all major Pakistani political parties attended the meeting. He said, "Security threats are the main hazards to CPEC cooperation. As people often say, confidence is more precious than gold. In the case of Pakistan, the primary factor shaking the confidence of Chinese investors is the security situation," Dawn reported. The Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM) forum, initiated in 2019, held in-person meeting after five years. The JCM forum also held a virtual session in August 2020. In recent years, terrorists have targeted Chinese projects in Pakistan, including CPEC. In March, two attacks highlighted the threats. The banned outfit in Pakistan, the Baloch Liberation Army, tried to breach the Gwadar Port Authority complex. However, the assault was foiled, Dawn reported. Furthermore, a suicide bomber in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Shangla district hit a convoy of Chinese engineers, claiming the lives of five engineers and their local drivers. These incidents are part of a series of targeted violent incidents intended to disrupt CPEC. This threat has significantly affected the continuity of the project, contributing to the slowdown of CPEC's progress in recent years. The Chinese official praised the recent successes of Pakistani law enforcement agencies in tackling terrorism and stressed that these efforts have helped mitigate the challenge posed by terrorist groups who have "so badly sabotaged" the security environment and targeted Chinese interests. Liu Jianchao called for improving the business environment in the country. Pakistan has difficulty attracting Chinese investments due to its precarious financial situation and a history of unmet commitments to Chinese firms in the power sector. The reluctance among Chinese investors is enhanced by the reluctance of Chinese influence company Sinosure to cover new projects, causing a significant slowdown in the initiation of these endeavours. In addition, the development of Special Economic Zones, a vital component of CPEC, has remained stagnant. Liu called for a unified political front to have broad public consensus and support for CPEC. He highlighted the importance of tackling misinformation campaigns. He said, "We must take that seriously and create a CPEC-friendly media environment." Stressing the need for stability in Pakistan, he said, "Only when all political parties in a country join hands to ensure political and social stability can there be sustainable development." In his remarks, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, expressed Pakistan's commitment to advancing and upgrading CPEC in its second phase. Dar highlighted the presence of senior representatives from all major Pakistani political parties at the meeting and stated that it underscored a strong political consensus on CPEC. He spoke about the importance of relations between Pakistan and China for regional peace and development. Pakistan Senate Chairman Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani stressed the need for prioritizing inclusive and sustainable growth and ensuring that no region is left behind, Dawn reported. Meanwhile, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Barrister Ali Zafar expressed concerns regarding the slow progress of CPEC and called for an acceleration in the project's development. He later held a meeting with Pakistan's Army Chief General, Asim Munir, in Rawalpindi. Earlier in March, Khurshid Ahmed, the Information Secretary of the Baloch Human Rights Council, highlighted the negative implications of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan's province of Balochistan. Amid increased violent attacks on Chinese projects in Balochistan, Khurshid stated the reason why these projects are facing backlash in Balochistan. "The repeated attacks on China Pakistan projects by the oppressed native populations underscore the narrative that so-called developmental projects initiated by the oppressor primarily serve their own interest while offering little to no benefit to the oppressed nation," said Khurshid. (ANI)
Israeli soldiers strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military vehicle and drove him away  past two ambulances  following a gun battle in the occupied West Bank.

The shocking scene was caught on tape by someone who recorded a cellphone video from an overhead window as the armored truck and a second military vehicle drove around the ambulances, which appeared to have been heading to the shooting scene.

The wounded man was identified as Mujahed Azmi by Reuters, which said it confirmed the authenticity of the video posted on social media after the Saturday incident in the city of Jenin.

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT

Israeli army forces strapped a wounded Palestinian man to the hood of a military jeep during an arrest raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin pic.twitter.com/PtTkH3dD88  Reuters (@Reuters) June 23, 2024

The Israel Defense Forces acknowledged that its troops acted improperly and said an investigation was underway.

"In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle," the military said in a prepared statement, according to the BBC. "The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF. The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly."

Azmi was reportedly handed off to Red Crescent medics for treatment.

Azmi's relatives said that he was wounded during an arrest raid and that when they asked for an ambulance, soldiers instead took him, tied him to the hood of the vehicle and drove off, according to Reuters.

In its statement, the Israeli military said the incident took place "during counter-terrorism operations to apprehend wanted suspects in the area of Wadi Burqin."

The military said that "terrorists opened fire at IDF troops, who responded with fire" and that "one of the suspects was injured and apprehended."

The shooting came amid an ongoing surge in West Bank violence triggered by the Oct. 7 surprise attacks by Hamas against Israel that sparked the latest Mideast war in Gaza.

More than 500 Palestinians, including 100-plus children, have been killed in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since Oct. 7, according to the latest figures compiled by the United Nations.

Nearly 75% of the fatalities occurred during Israeli military operations, mainly in Jenin and Tulkarm, the U.N.'s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said June 12 on its website.

More than 37,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli-Hamas War triggered by the Hamas raid of Israel that killed some 1,200 Israelis and took hundreds hostage.
Abu Dhabi [UAE], June 23 (ANI/WAM): Abdulla Balalaa, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Energy and Sustainability of the United Arab Emirates visited Greece from 18-20 June to participate in the inaugural Athens Riviera Summit 2024 in the Greek capital. He participated in a panel entitled 'Ministerial Dialogue - Investing in Energy Security: Strategic Energy Partnerships, the Path to the Green Transition & Effective Economic Cooperation in Unstable Times' with Theodoros Skylakakis, Minister of Environment and Energy for Greece. During the panel, Balalaa discussed the significant international role the UAE plays in the energy sector, from both traditional resources such as oil and gas to renewables. He also touched on the important role Greece plays, both as a strategic partner to the UAE and as a global player in energy security. On the sidelines of the summit, Balalaa met with Skylakakis, Alexandra Sdoukou, Deputy Minister of Environment and Energy, Petros Varelidis, Secretary General of Natural Environment and Waters of the Ministry of Environment and Energy, and Maira Myrogianni, Secretary General for International Economic Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic. During the meetings, Balalaa expressed his gratitude to Greece for its participation in and support for COP28. He also invited the country to participate in the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, which aims to encourage all entities in all countries to enhance water desalination technologies. He also discussed ways to cooperate in the energy sector as well as other sectors such as climate and food security. During the visit, a significant agreement was announced between GEK Terna Group of Companies and Masdar, an Emirati-owned renewable energy company, marking one of the largest business agreements in the history of the Athens Stock Exchange, valued at 3.2 billion euros. Dr. Ali Obaid Al Dhaheri, UAE Ambassador to Greece, stated, "This visit and this agreement illustrate the importance of Greece to the UAE, not only in the field on Energy but also as a Comprehensive Strategic Partner." (ANI/WAM)
A Chinese rocket carrying a satellite passed over south Taiwan on Saturday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND) said, Central News Agency (CNA) reported. However, Taiwan's MND noted that the rocket posed no threat to the country. The Chinese rocket was launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre in China's Sichuan at 3 pm (local time), CNA reported. According to Taiwan's MND, the rocket had already left Earth's atmosphere when it passed over Taiwan. Taiwan's MND said it had been closely monitoring the launch and tracking the real-time information through the intelligence and surveillance systems. It had alerted the people about the imminent launch on Friday, according to CNA report. Earlier on January 9, Taiwanese security forces issued a nationwide air raid alert after a Chinese satellite flew over its southern airspace on Tuesday, Taiwan's Ministry of Defence (MND) said. Taiwan's MND stated that the armed forces' joint intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance system are closely monitoring the situation, including the launch and trajectory of the satellite. Taking to its official handle on X, the Taiwanese Defence Ministry posted, "The air raid alert system was activated in the form of text messages to inform the public. The default English message was not revised and therefore incorrectly stated the launch vehicle as "missile." The MND extends an apology for any confusion this may have caused." "On 1503 hr today, the PRC conducted a satellite launch. The trajectory unexpectedly flew over and went exoatmospheric when the vehicle was above Taiwan's southern airspace," it added. The development was significant as it came just days ahead of Taiwan's presidential and parliamentary elections on January 13. China has described the upcoming elections as a choice between "war and peace." On December 31, Chinese President Xi Jinping asserted that Taiwan would be reunified with China, Fox News reported. Xi has repeatedly affirmed China's stance that Taiwan is a part of China and that it must be reunified, by force if necessary. "All Chinese on both sides of the Taiwan Strait should be bound by a common sense of purpose and share in the glory of the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation," Xi said in his address on December 31. "The motherland will surely be reunified," he added. The speech was the second time in a matter of days that Xi spoke over the Taiwan issue. Xi also pledged to reunify Taiwan during a symposium in Beijing on December 26, commemorating the 130th anniversary of the birth of Mao Zedong, the founding father of Communist China. "The complete reunification of the motherland is an irresistible trend," Xi said at the event, adding that China would "resolutely prevent anyone from splitting" the two sides. Taiwan, officially known as the Republic of China, has long been a contentious issue in China's foreign policy. Despite never having governed Taiwan, China continues to assert its sovereignty over the region, considers it a part of its territory and insists on eventual reunification, by force if necessary. (ANI)
India and Bangladesh have committed to pursuing collaboration in frontier technologies, including nuclear, oceanography, and space technology. The two nations will partner in the joint development of a small satellite for Bangladesh and its launch using an Indian launch vehicle. India will extend e-Medical Visa facility to people from Bangladesh travelling to India for medical treatment. India also agreed to open a new Assistant High Commission of India in Rangpur as a step to facilitate expeditious consular and visa services for the people of north-west region of Bangladesh. Recognizing the importance of water resource management in bilateral relationship, India will continue to engage in prioritizing the exchange of data and formulating the framework for interim water sharing based on the recommendations of the Joint Rivers Commission. As part of development cooperation, India will also undertake conservation and management of Teesta River inside Bangladesh with Indian assistance within a mutually agreed timeframe. During Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's State visit to India, the two nations announced forging a new paradigm for future-oriented partnership through a "Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership" and a "Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future" in line with their respective broader Vision of "Viksit Bharat 2047" and "Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041." The joint statement issued by India and Bangladesh reads, "Underlining the pivotal role played by emerging technologies to build inclusive, sustainable and digitally empowered societies and to bring larger benefits to people of both countries, we are forging a new paradigm for future-oriented partnership through a 'Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Digital Partnership' and 'Shared Vision for India-Bangladesh Green Partnership for a Sustainable Future' in line with our respective broader Vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047' and 'Smart Bangladesh Vision 2041'." "These will build a transformative collaboration between India and Bangladesh by leveraging green and digital technologies to foster economic growth, sustainable and climate-resilient development, environmental conservation, cross-border digital interchange and regional prosperity. We will also pursue collaboration in frontier technologies, including civil nuclear, oceanography and space technology. To this end, we will partner in joint development of a small satellite for Bangladesh and its launch using Indian launch vehicle," it added. India and Bangladesh announced that they will strengthen trade and investment linkages with each other. The two nations also pledged to encourage and support the private sector to seek new investment opportunities in each other's priority areas of economic development. The joint statement reads, "Resolving to work towards promoting the prosperity of our people, we will strengthen trade and investment linkages with each other, including through early commencement of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), early operationalization of two Special Economic Zones (SEZs) offered by Bangladesh to India in Mongla and Mirsharai, the opening of new border-haats, trade facilitation to enhance bilateral trade, improving road, rail, air, and maritime connectivity and trade infrastructure which can transform our geographical proximity into new economic opportunities for our peoples." "We will also encourage and support our private sector to seek new investment opportunities in each other's priority areas of economic development," it added. The two nations pledged to continue expanding their power and energy collaboration and develop intra-regional electricity trade, including competitively-priced power generated from clean energy projects in India, Nepal and Bhutan, through the Indian electricity grid. India and Bangladesh agreed to expedite the development of 765 kV high-capacity interconnection between Katihar-Parbatipur-Bornagar with suitable Indian financial assistance, to act as the anchor for grid connectivity. On June 21, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on a two-day State visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The newly appointed Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Kirtivardhan Singh, welcomed the visiting Bangladesh PM at the airport upon her arrival. This was the first incoming bilateral State visit after PM Modi assumed office for the third consecutive term following the Lok Sabha elections. Notably, Sheikh Hasina was among the global leaders who attended the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi on June 9. On June 22, PM Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, held a bilateral meeting and delegation-level talks during the latter's State visit to India. The joint statement reads, "In their wide-ranging discussions, the two leaders recognized that India-Bangladesh partnership, which is founded on deep historical, linguistic, cultural, and economic linkages has strengthened in the last decade inspired by the spirit of their shared sacrifices of 1971 and guided by their new aspirations of the 21st century." "This is reflective of an all-encompassing partnership that transcends a strategic partnership, built upon shared values and interests, equality, trust and understanding and rooted in mutual sensitivity to each other's aspirations and concerns," it added. Sheikh Hasina called on President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi on Saturday. She also met Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar at the Vice President's Enclave here in Delhi on Saturday. (ANI)
Japan has imposed trade restrictions against firms in China, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan over their alleged support for Russia's war in Ukraine, Al Jazeera reported. The sanctions unveiled by Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday mark the first time Tokyo has targeted companies based in China over their alleged connection to the war. Under the measures, Japanese firms are barred from exporting goods to the sanctioned firms, which include Hong Kong-based Asia Pacific Links Ltd and Shenzhen-based Yilufa Electronics Limited, according to Al Jazeera report. The latest decision comes after Japan and South Korea in May imposed sanctions targeting firms and people for providing North Korean weapons to Russia for use in Ukraine. Japan has adopted a tougher stance against Moscow under the Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida-led government. During the G7 Summit in Hiroshima in 2023, Kishida offered "unwavering solidarity" to Ukraine while condemning governments that used force to change the status quo. Last week, the US announced sanctions targeting over 300 individuals and companies accused of supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, including entities in China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey, Al Jazeera reported. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the measures would diminish "Russia's ability to benefit from access to foreign technology, equipment, software, and IT services." Earlier in April, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken after concluding his three-day visit to China said he used his meeting to raise the Joe Biden administration's concerns about Beijing's support for Russia's defence industrial base, reported CNN. Blinken emphasized that the US will take further action on top of existing sanctions on more than 100 Chinese entities and individuals if such support continues. "What we said to China is this - we're going to take actions we already have, and if it doesn't stop, we're going to have to take more action, and you can anticipate as well, that other countries will (too)," Blinken said in an interview with CNN, adding that he raised the issue to both China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi and President Xi Jinping. "We're looking to them to act, and ... if they don't, we will," he said.According to CNN, Blinken made the comments in an interview with CNN on Friday while concluding his visit to China, where the top American diplomat spent hours meeting with top Chinese officials, including Xi Jinping as the two countries navigated a raft of contentious issues, from US tech controls to Beijing's support for Moscow. Additionally, he emphasised that Chinese counterparts had not acknowledged the role of these goods in the war in Ukraine. Blinken said that they characterised this as trade with Russia and said Moscow's success didn't depend on China. (ANI)
The Joe Biden administration is mulling to curb US investment in critical Chinese technology industries that are crucial to modernising China's military. The proposed Treasury Department rules would prohibit certain US investments in Chinese companies that are developing semiconductors, quantum computers and artificial intelligence systems. The Biden administration is trying to restrict American financing from helping China develop advanced technology that could be used for weapons tracking, government intelligence and surveillance, The New York Times reported. This proposal if put into action, will further strain economic ties with Beijing at a time when trade tensions are rising. The proposal is expected to be finalized later this year. "This proposed rule advances our national security by preventing the many benefits certain U.S. investments provide -- beyond just capital -- from supporting the development of sensitive technologies in countries that may use them to threaten our national security," the New York Times cited Paul Rosen, the Treasury Department's assistant secretary for investment security. Earlier, President Biden signed an executive order calling for the investment ban, which will largely affect venture capital and private equity firms that do business with Chinese companies. As per the proposed restriction, the investors are required to notify the Treasury Department about certain kinds of transactions, and some types of investments are explicitly prohibited. If it is implemented, the Treasury Department will have the power to force a divestment, and violations could be referred to the Justice Department for criminal prosecution, it reported. The rules apply to equity investments, debt financing that could be converted to equity, and to joint ventures. Earlier in May, US President Joe Biden has directed his Trade Representative to increase tariffs on USD 18 billion of imports from China, including semiconductors, solar cells, batteries, and critical minerals to 'protect' American workers and businesses, the White House said in a statement. The White House said that the decision has come in response to China's 'unfair trade practices' and to counteract the resulting harms.PlayUnmuteFullscreen"China's unfair trade practices concerning technology transfer, intellectual property, and innovation are threatening American businesses and workers. China is also flooding global markets with artificially low-priced exports. In response to China's unfair trade practices and to counteract the resulting harms, President Biden is directing his Trade Representative to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 on USD 18 billion of imports from China to protect American workers and businesses," the White House statement read. The statement on hiked tariffs on imports from China also noted that the Chinese government has used unfair and non-market practices for too long now."China's forced technology transfers and intellectual property theft have contributed to its control of 70, 80, and even 90 percent of global production for the critical inputs necessary for our technologies, infrastructure, energy, and health care--creating unacceptable risks to America's supply chains and economic security," the White House said.(ANI)
India and Bangladesh have reiterated their commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. The two nations pledged to co-lead the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and cooperate to mitigate disaster risks. A joint statement was issued following the meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bangladeshi counterpart, Sheikh Hasina, during the latter's two-day State visit to India. The joint statement released by India and Bangladesh reads, "Recognizing the contribution of our partnership to peace, security and stability in the region, we reiterate our commitment to a free, open, inclusive, secure, and rules-based Indo-Pacific region." "Based on our converging visions for the Indo-Pacific region and recognizing the vulnerability of the region to adverse impacts of climate change, we will co-lead the 'Disaster Risk Reduction and Management' pillar of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), and cooperate to mitigate disaster risks, build disaster resilient infrastructure, and contribute to the sustenance of our shared maritime region," it added. The two nations pledged to work together on global platforms to promote their common interests, particularly those of the Global South. "With our wide-ranging bilateral cooperation, we also envision India-Bangladesh relationship to become a major anchor for regional and sub-regional integration under the BIMSTEC, SAARC and IORA architectures. We will work together on global platforms to promote our common interests, especially the interests of Global South," the joint statement said. According to the joint statement, India and Bangladesh need to take the relationship to a "deeper and higher quality relationship" based on mutual trust and benefit in the coming days. India and Bangladesh committed to strengthening trade and investment linkages with each other, including through the early commencement of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), the early operationalization of two Special Economic Zones (SEZs) offered by Bangladesh to India in Mongla and Mirsharai, the opening of new border-haats, trade facilitation to enhance bilateral trade, and improving road, rail, air, and maritime connectivity. The joint statement reads, "Resolving to work towards promoting the prosperity of our people, we will strengthen trade and investment linkages with each other, including through early commencement of negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA), early operationalization of two Special Economic Zones (SEZs) offered by Bangladesh to India in Mongla and Mirsharai, opening of new border-haats, trade facilitation to enhance bilateral trade, improving road, rail, air, and maritime connectivity and trade infrastructure which can transform our geographical proximity into new economic opportunities for our peoples. We will also encourage and support our private sector to seek new investment opportunities in each other's priority areas of economic development." India and Bangladesh agreed to strengthen defence cooperation with a long-term perspective. The two sides will continue to work together for multifaceted military engagements of exercises, training and capability development. The joint statement reads, "Appreciating the significant role of the two countries in ensuring peace, stability and harmony in the region, we will strengthen our defence cooperation with a long-term perspective." "In line with the plans for modernization of the Bangladesh Armed Forces, we will explore defence industrial cooperation for modernization of the Armed Forces of Bangladesh, to strengthen their capability for defence. We will continue to work closely with Bangladesh for our multifaceted military engagements of exercises, training and capability development," it added. Considering the importance of water resource management in our bilateral relationship, the two nations continue to engage in prioritising the exchange of data and formulating the framework for interim water sharing based on the recommendations of the Joint Rivers Commission. India and Bangladesh welcomed the formation of a Joint Technical Committee to initiate discussions for the renewal of the Ganges Water Sharing Treaty of 1996, according to the joint statement. The joint statement further reads, "As part of our development cooperation, we will also undertake conservation and management of Teesta River inside Bangladesh with Indian assistance within a mutually agreed timeframe." On June 21, Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina arrived in India on a two-day State visit at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The newly appointed Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs, Kirtivardhan Singh, welcomed the visiting Bangladesh PM at the airport upon her arrival. This was the first incoming bilateral State visit after PM Modi assumed office for the third consecutive term following the Lok Sabha elections. Notably, Sheikh Hasina was among the global leaders who attended the swearing-in ceremony of PM Modi on June 9. (ANI)
Vice President Hsiao Bi-khim has said that Taiwan needs to "strengthen its defences" as long as China persists in its coercive tactics and refuses to rule out the use of force to annex Taiwan. While adressing an event hosted by British think tank Chatham House on Thursday, when asked about Beijing's perception of President Lai's inaugural speech as provocative, Hsiao responded that it is Beijing that is the "provocateur" in the cross-strait relationship. She said China should seek to assure Taiwan by "renouncing the use of force," Taiwan News reported. Further, Hsiao stressed, "And as long as China does not renounce the use of force against Taiwan and as long as they continue to exercise coercion, we have no choice but to also step up our defences." She cited the regression of basic human and civil rights in Hong Kong and Russia's invasion of Ukraine as reminders that Taiwan cannot take its freedom and peace for granted. Highlighting the ongoing conflicts, between Taiwan and China, the vice president asserted that dialogue could be the only possible way forward, adding their doors will continue to be open to dialogue based on parity and respect. Hsiao asserted, "War is not an option and dialogue is the only way forward. Although Beijing continues to impose preconditions that are unacceptable to the people of Taiwan, our doors will continue to be open to dialogue based on parity and respect." She added that like former President Tsai Ing-wen, the Lai administration's policy is "We will not provoke but neither will we submit to coercion." According to Taiwan News, during her address, she also discussed President Lai Ching-te's Four Pillars of Peace, as well as issues such as Uyghur human rights, the New Southbound Policy, and the development of Taiwan's semiconductor industry. Hsiao stated that Taiwan currently faces significant challenges, testing the resilience and adaptability of its society. She highlighted that authoritarian regimes pose a threat to Taiwan by undermining democracy and human rights through political warfare, cyber intrusions, economic coercion, and military threats. She further noted that as these regimes expand their influence, democratic nations face increasing pressure and must respond with unified and strong measures to protect freedom and uphold democratic principles. Emphasising Taiwan's democratic progress, Hsiao pointed out that since 1996, Taiwan has conducted multiple presidential elections, resulting in three peaceful transfers of power, as per Taiwan News. While striving to maintain its hard-won freedoms and democratic way of life, Taiwan also faces significant security threats and various gray-zone hybrid actions. Hsiao outlined Lai's inauguration emphasis on democracy, peace, and prosperity as the link between Taiwan and the world. She reaffirmed the "Four Pillars of Peace" action plan, guiding the new government's policies and actions for the coming years. The first pillar is strengthening Taiwan's defensive capabilities to achieve deterrence and prevent conflict. The second pillar involves economic resilience, with Taiwan aiming to bolster trade with like-minded democratic countries, seek membership in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and pursue bilateral trade agreements with more partners. The third pillar focuses on international partnerships, with recent statements from the G7 leaders reaffirming the importance of peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait for global security and prosperity, supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international affairs. The fourth pillar is demonstrating leadership in stable and principled cross-strait relations, maintaining the status quo as the greatest common denominator among stakeholders. (ANI)
According to ARY News, two other accused have fled the scene.

The suspects, Bilal, Syed Abid, and Ghufran, from the Gujarat district, were apprehended while trying to escape from Gwadar to Iran.

Police are currently searching for two other terrorists believed to be involved in the shooting incident, as per ARY News.

This operation took place ten days after three ANF officers were killed by gunfire in the Domeli Mor area of Jhelum.

It's important to note that on June 12, three Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF) personnel were martyred in a shootout with suspected drug traffickers at the Turkey toll plaza in Jhelum.

According to the officials' statement, the suspects were travelling from Rawalpindi to Lahore on GT Road when they were intercepted at the toll plaza.

The suspects opened fire on the ANF team after they were stopped, resulting in the martyrdom of three personnel, including Head Constable Gulzar, Zeeshan, and Mazhar.

According to ARY News, the police have arrested one suspect, while two others fled the scene and hid in the nearby hills.

Police officials reported that the vehicle used by the suspects has been transferred to the Dina Police Station for additional investigation. Simultaneously, a search operation is ongoing to capture the fleeing suspects. (ANI)
In a shocking incident that took place in Pakistan's Swat, a mob allegedly tortured a man to death by burning him alive over alleged desecration of the Holy Quran. Meanwhile, police have arrested 27 suspects including two brothers, ARY News reported on Sunday. The incident occurred on June 20 in Madyan, a town in the Swat district, a popular tourist spot located 340 km from the capital city of Islamabad. According to Swat District Police Officer (DPO) Zahidullah Khan, the police had moved the suspect of the alleged desecration incident to the police station but a charged mob "attacked the police station and took the suspect away". "People set fire to the police station and a mobile vehicle," the DPO said, adding that the suspect was "torched". Videos making the rounds on social media show a mob circling a body on fire in the middle of the road, along with a large number of people outside a police station. Dawn.com's correspondent has reached out to the police for confirmation of the footage, Dawn reported. DPO Khan said a heavy police force was deployed in Madyan and was trying to control the tense situation. Furthermore, the police teams are conducting raids for more arrests in the Madyan incident. Earlier, Federal Minister Ahsan Iqbal condemned the lynching incident in Swat and called to stop this 'street justice'. Ahsan Iqbal during the budget debate in the National Assembly, called the incident horrific. Ahsan said that parliament had to take stern notice of "mob justice", as it had brought Pakistan "to the brink of destruction". "We must take notice of this incident. We have now reached to a point where religion being used to justify mob violence and street justice, flagrantly violating the Constitution, the law and the state," he lamented. At least 2,120 people are reported to have been accused of committing blasphemy between 1987 and 2022, as per Dawn. Last month, police saved a Christian man from enraged people in Sargodha on allegations of desecration of the Holy Quran, He died nine days later due to his injuries. In 2022, a middle-aged man was stoned to death by a mob over alleged desecration in a remote village of Khanewal district. (ANI)
The two leaders are expected to discuss the wide-ranging issues of the partnership.

"During the visit, EAM will have a meeting with his UAE counterpart on wide-ranging issues of the partnership," MEA said in an official statement.

Further, the statement added that "this visit will provide an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of comprehensive strategic partnerships between India and UAE and regional and global developments."

Recently, Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka, called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on June 20 and reaffirmed India's steadfast support through various development and connectivity projects.

It was S Jaishankar's first bilateral visit as External Affairs Minister after his re-appointment. His visit to Colombo comes after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's recent visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9.

EAM Jaishankar called on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe in Colombo and appreciated the progress made on various bilateral projects and initiatives.

They also jointly unveiled the virtual plaque to mark the formal commissioning of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre built with a USD 6 million grant from India.

The EAM discussed the way forward for India-Sri Lanka cooperation, especially in power, energy, connectivity, port infrastructure, aviation, digital, health, food security, education and tourism sectors.

Jaishankar also joined Sri Lankan President at the virtual commissioning of Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) and the virtual handing over of 154 houses under the housing schemes of the government of India.

In a post on X, Jaishankar stated, "Concluded a productive visit to Sri Lanka, my first in this new term. We will always be a reliable friend and a dependable partner for our Sri Lankan friends."

His visit underscores the central place that Sri Lanka occupies in India's 'Neighbourhood First' Policy and SAGAR Vision, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) press release. (ANI)
A man lost in the California wilderness for 10 days after setting out on what he expected to be a moderate hike survived by eating wild berries and drinking creek water.

"I didn't bring anything" besides a flashlight and folding scissors because "I thought I was doing a three-hour hike" in the Santa Cruz hills on the way to work, Lukas McClish told KSBW-TV.

McClish, 34, an outdoors enthusiast from Boulder Creek, California, said he lost his way due to heavy fog shortly after the start of his morning hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains on June 11.

McClish made no mention of his hike to anyone, so it was not until Thursday, June 20, that he was located and rescued at the bottom of a remote canyon.

At one point, he said a mountain lion began following him, but kept its distance.

"I felt comfortable the whole time I was out there; I wasn't worried," McClish said.

He spent his time going up and down canyons, sitting by waterfalls, using his boot to collect water for hydration, and eating berries to sustain himself.

McClish's family became concerned when he didn't show up on Father's Day and reported him missing to the local sheriff's office, prompting a search involving dozens of law enforcement officers and first responders from around Boulder Creek.

McClish's mother, Diane, said that "some nights, I just had to trust God that he was going to be okay, and that was hard to do."

Eventually, McClish's yells for help were heard by searchers. Rescuers used drones to locate McClish in a densely wooded area.

First responders with off-road vehicles brought him back to safety, reuniting him with his family.

Local fire department chief Mark Bingham told the Guardian that McClish's resourcefulness in surviving 10 days in the wilderness was remarkable.

"He was disoriented and lost [but] surviving off of the land, which is pretty impressive," said Bingham.
Decrying the surge in cases of mob lynching in Pakistan, Muneeb Qadir, an academician and practising lawyer termed it a 'dangerous mentality' that considers killing an individual is the only way to ensure justice. Qadir was speaking at his book launch event on Friday. While referring to his book titled 'Paying The Price: Exploring Religious Extremism, Misogyny, Transphobia & Class Apartheid in Present-Day Pakistan' he said: "What we saw in Swat was the same mob mentality, because of which a mob gathers, tortures a man because they think, that the crimes of the man are unspeakable and his death is not only right but is the only way to ensure justice." https://x.com/muneebqadirmmq/status/1804288655579603185?s=46&t=nbusnwoIYo9hUrDuoWfhwQ In his statement, Qadir referred to a similar incident of the mob lynching of Priyantha Kumara Diyawadana in Sialkot, Punjab Province in December 2021. While explaining the incident Qadir said, "The people involved in the Sialkot incident were proud of what they did, thinking that what they did was bigger than us. There were hundreds of people involved, they first tore down his clothes and then burnt him alive, and took selfies with the burning victim as a memoir. This was because you thought that this was a milestone moment and they would forward it to future generations, stating look I was there". They were not at all reluctant but were proud. Qadir referred to the international ranking of religious freedom, questioning why Pakistan minds when its rank in the religious freedom index drops each year, as this is what the people are proud of. "I witnessed it myself that during the Eid police were baselessly raiding Ahemadiya Muslims. These were not non-state actors, and on whose behest this was being done we know very well. Similarly what happened with the Christian community in Sargodha is also well known," Qadir said. "There was just one Priyantha Kumara who was burning that day but there were at least 400 people who were involved in that burning. This is the current ratio in our country, for every non-violent person there are 400 bloodthirsty people out there to get you, and everyone sitting in this room is a potential victim and a potential threat," he said. "Sometimes I think about whether it is the government that feeds such a monster of the majoritarian mob that has been unleased or it is the mob that feeds the government which has now reached our homes, and now if the administration even tries to do the right thing then there is a possibility that the monster could attack the master itself," he added. (ANI)
A mutilated body of a Baloch individual was found dumped on a roadside along with a severely injured individual, reportedly abducted by the security agencies merely two days ago from the Naghad area of Surab District in Balochistan, Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) reported on Saturday. The Baloch Yakjehti Committee in a post on 'X' stated "Another day another mutilated body of a Baloch was found dumped near the roadside. Abdul Qadir son of Khair Muhammad Mirwani and Abdul Nabi son of Abdul Ghafoor were forcibly abducted 2 days ago from the Naghad area of Surab District." https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1804546765028217203 According to the same statement of the BYC the families of these victims had blocked the RCD Road in protest until the Administration and Police assured them of finding their sons. But, the dead body of Abdul Qadir was found with signs of torture on it and Abdul Nabi was found badly injured. Yesterday, it was Naveed Baloch and today Abdul Qadir, mutilated bodies of forcibly Disappeared Baloch youth are surfacing every day". In another incident, the BYC also reported that a Baloch woman was severely injured in an open fire incident initiated by the Frontier Corps Kharan area of Balochistan. According to the BYC, "Baloch woman Fazila Mastianzai was injured when Frontier Corps opened indiscriminate fire towards the civilian population in Kharan. Such tragic incidents are normal occurrences in Balochistan. State atrocities against Baloch masses are clearly identifying the systematic destruction of the Baloch Nation." https://x.com/BalochYakjehtiC/status/1804250520338432171 Currently, the sit-in at Fida Chowk in Balochistan's Turbat has emerged as a central point of protest, highlighting the grievances of those seeking justice and accountability for individuals who have forcibly disappeared in the region. In a post on X Baloch Yakjehti Committee, an organization that addresses issues affecting the Baloch community stated, "Baloch people have been peacefully protesting for their fundamental rights for decades. They have utilized every possible means, including long marches, protest rallies, and sit-in camps. However, their peaceful struggle has resulted in disappointment and helplessness. Nako Mayar Baloch, along with other family members of the forcibly disappeared, has been protesting for one week. They have been in a sit-in camp at Fida Chowk for five days, and now are protesting in front of the DC office." As days pass at Fida Chowk, the protesters' resolve remains steadfast. They advocate not only for their own families but also for countless others searching for answers. In the post, BYC further stated, "BYC supports the social media campaign announced by these families and urges the Baloch nation to participate in this campaign by tweeting and posting about the stories of the Baloch genocide. It is our duty to support and protect these elderly people in their struggle for their loved ones." Pakistan's Balochistan largest but least populated province, has been marred by a prolonged conflict involving allegations of enforced disappearances, where individuals are allegedly abducted by state authorities or unknown groups and held without legal recourse or public acknowledgement. (ANI)
Amid China's growing aggression, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr has said that the nation would not be intimidated by Beijing's expansionist acts, Al Jazeera reported. His remarks came at the headquarters of Philippine South China Sea forces at Palawan island. According to the Philippine President "In defending the nation, we stay true to our Filipino nature that we would like to settle all these issues peacefully." During the visit to the headquarters, Marcos awarded medals to 80 sailors who took part in the resupply mission, and urged the sailors to continue defending their nation despite the situation being "dangerous". Quoting Marcos as saying, Al Jazeera reported that the Philippines will continue to exercise its freedom. "We will never be intimidated or oppressed by anyone. Continue to exercise our freedoms and rights in support of our national interest, in accordance with international law," Marcos said. The statement came as a response towards the recent incident of a violent clash between Chinese and Philippine sailors near the Second Thomas Shoal about 200 km away from Palawan island. During that incident, the Chinese forces injured Filipino navy personnel and damaged at least two military boats in the South China Sea. Additionally, the Filipino sailors also accused Chinese coastguards of stealing and damaging their equipment, the Al Jazeera report claimed. Previously, the Philippines News Agency (PNA) had reported that the Armed Forces of the Philippines had rejected China's allegation that a Philippines ship illegally entered its waters and collided with one of its coast guard vessels, terming it "deceptive and misleading of the China Coast Guard. In a message to reporters, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Xerxes Trinidad stated, "The AFP will not discuss operational details on the legal humanitarian rotation and resupply mission at Ayungin Shoal, which is well within our EEZ (exclusive economic zone)." Trinidad added, "We will not dignify the deceptive and misleading claims of the China Coast Guard (CCG)," PNA reported. The AFP official stressed that the presence and actions of Chinese vessels within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that infringe on Manila's sovereignty and sovereign rights remain the main issue. Trinidad said that the China Coast Guard's continued aggressive actions escalated tensions in the region, according to PNA The statement of the Armed Forces of the Philippines came after the China Coast Guard (CCG) claimed that a Philippine replenishment ship illegally entered waters near Ren'ai Reef (Chinese name of Ayungin Shoal) on Monday last week, forcing them to take appropriate actions. Notably, Ayungin Shoal is a submerged reef in the Spratlys Islands in the South China Sea (SCS). The BRP Sierra Madre, which is considered an outpost of the Philippine Navy, has been grounded in Ayungin since 1999. (ANI)
Russian missile assault on Kyiv overnight killed two people and damaged dozens of residential and other facilities, according to the head of the regional administration.

Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed two of Russia's three missiles over the Kyiv region, Ukrainian Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said on Telegram, according to Al Jazeera.

Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv region's administration, stated on Telegram that two people were injured by falling debris but did not require hospitalisation. He also stated that six multi-story residential buildings, more than 20 private houses, a gas station, and a pharmacy were damaged.

Meanwhile, the aerial drone facilities in Southern Russia's Krasnodar were destroyed by Ukrainian forces.

According to Al Jazeera, the satellite images confirmed the destruction of storage depots, and control points for drones in the region.

While on the other hand, Russia, too said that its people were killed in the Ukrainian attacks.

Three people, including two children, lost their lives in a Ukrainian missile attack on the Russian-controlled Sevastopol, Russian-installed officials said, adding that about 100 people suffered shrapnel wounds, as per Al Jazeera.

According to the Russian Defence Ministry, four of the five US-supplied ATACMS missiles used in the attack were shot down by air defence systems, while the ammo of a fifth detonated in mid-flight.

Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov of the Belgorod district confirmed on Telegram that one person was killed and three were injured when Ukrainian drones struck the Russian town of Graivoron.

At least 30 drones were destroyed over Russia's western region of Bryansk, which borders Ukraine, according to Governor Alexander Bogomaz via Telegram.

There was no damage recorded. (ANI)
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar visited the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He said that the temple is a true cultural bridge between India and the UAE. Following his visit to the temple, Jaishankar, sharing some pictures, wrote in a post on X, "Blessed to visit the BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi today." "A visible symbol of India-UAE friendship, it radiates a positive message to the world and is a true cultural bridge between our two countries," he said. https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1804892788732936283 Jaishankar, notably, is on an official visit to the UAE, where he is slated to meet his UAE counterpart, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. The two leaders are expected to discuss the wide-ranging issues of the partnership. "During the visit, EAM will have a meeting with his UAE counterpart on wide-ranging issues of the partnership," MEA said in an official statement. Further, the statement added that "this visit will provide an opportunity to review the entire spectrum of comprehensive strategic partnerships between India and UAE and regional and global developments." The majestic BAPS temple, which is the first Hindu temple in Abu Dhabi, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi on February 14. Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence for the UAE, Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahyan, was also present at the inauguration. The BAPS Hindu Mandir in Abu Dhabi is the first traditional Hindu stone temple in the Middle East, and stands as a testament to the enduring friendship between India and the UAE, embodying the spirit of cultural inclusivity, interfaith harmony, and community collaboration. Before UAE, Jaishankar visited Sri Lanka, where he called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on June 20 and reaffirmed India's steadfast support through various development and connectivity projects. It was S Jaishankar's first bilateral visit as External Affairs Minister after his re-appointment. His visit to Colombo comes after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe's recent visit to India to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rashtrapati Bhavan on June 9. (ANI)
The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), Nepal's anti-graft body on Sunday filed a case in the special court against the Chief Secretary and 10 others in alleged corruption during the printing of excise duty stickers. In the filing, the CIAA claimed NRs 386.7 million rupees to have been embezzled by Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal along with 10 people and a company. Officials from the CIAA on Sunday afternoon walked into the Special Court carrying nearly one dozen files and filed their case against the Chief Secretary who now is on the run. Sunday's filing marks, the first ever corruption case to be filed against a sitting chief secretary in Nepali history. Chief Secretary Aryal has been suspended from his post after the filing of the corruption charges. Along with Chief Secretary Aryal, Joint Secretaries, Ritesh Shakya and Tanka Pandey, Under-Secretary Ganesh Bikram Shahi and Section Officer Rabindra Paudel also has been named defendants in the case. The CIAA also has lodged a case against the then executive director of Security Printing Centre Bikal Paudel, the then accounts officer Bishnu Prasad Gautam, the then section officer Harivallabh Ghimire and the then consultant of the centre Shakti Prasad Shrestha, the then director of the National Information Technology Centre Safal Shrestha. Print Cell Pvt Ltd and its proprietor Keshav Sharma have also been named as defendants. Issuing a release later on Sunday, the anti-graft body, CIAA also has demanded to recover the embezzled amount and NRs 68.44 million already paid for printing stickers to be recovered from the defendants. The Security Printing Centre under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology had called for a tender for printing excise duty stickers for the Inland Revenue Department on September 20, 2022. On December 12 of the same year, Print Cell Pvt Ltd won the contract to print excise stickers. The company and the Centre agreed to print 433.2 million pieces of excise stickers at the rate of 89 paise per piece. Earlier to this, a sticker would cost 25 paise. Calculated at 25 paise per piece, the cost of printing stickers is only NRs 108.3 million. However, the contract was signed at a ratecostlier by four times. Print Cell had signed an agreement to purchase only sticker paper and ink. In the agreement, the remaining printing work was supposed to be done by the centre, and the contract was given to Print Cell at an 'abnormal price'. The company was paid NRs 50 million as advance payment. The contract for the purchase of stickers was awarded based on the decisions of officials, including Aryal and Paudel. Aryal was the Communications Secretary from August 9, 2021, to March 28, 2023. Aryal, who was transferred to the Prime Minister's Office, became the chief secretary on June 15 last year. The Chief Sectary is also being investigated for his alleged involvement of embezzlement in the Teramox- telecommunications traffic monitoring and fraud control system purchase. (ANI)
A Pakistani delegation arrived in Jammu on Sunday evening in connection with the 1960 Indus Water Treaty (IWT). The delegation is set to visit different dam sites in the forthcoming days. The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former Pakistan President Ayub Khan in 1960. The treaty sets out a mechanism for cooperation and information exchange between the two countries regarding their use of the rivers, known as the Permanent Indus Commission which includes a commissioner from each of the two countries. It also sets out a process for resolving so-called "questions", "differences" and "disputes" that may arise between the parties. The Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) is a bilateral commission of officials from India and Pakistan, created to implement and manage the goals of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, brokered by the World Bank. It comprises the Indus Commissioners from both sides and discusses technical matters related to the implementation of the treaty. India and Pakistan have engaged in a long outstanding water dispute over two hydroelectric projects. Pakistan has objected to the building of the Kishanganga (330 megawatts) and Ratle (850 megawatts) hydroelectric plants by India, saying that it violates the provisions of the treaty. India insists on its right to build these projects and holds that their design is fully in compliance with the guidelines of the treaty. The World Bank had asked both countries to consider alternative ways to resolve their disagreements over the Indus Water Treaty Dispute in 1960. In 2015, Pakistan requested the appointment of a Neutral Expert to examine its technical objections to India's Kishenganga and Ratle Hydro Electric Projects (HEPs). In 2016, Pakistan unilaterally retracted this request and proposed that a Court of Arbitration adjudicate its objections. Pakistan, despite repeated efforts by India to find a mutually agreeable way forward, has refused to discuss the issue during the five meetings of the Permanent Indus Commission from 2017 to 2022. (ANI)
Dubai [UAE], June 23 (ANI/WAM): The United Arab Emirates has signed an agreement with the UN World Food Programme (WFP) to provide emergency food assistance to populations affected by the crisis in Sudan and South Sudan. This includes refugees, host communities, internally displaced people, and returnees impacted by the war. The agreement, formalised between the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) and WFP, was signed on behalf of the UAE by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister for International Development Affairs, and on behalf of WFP by Matthew Nims, Director of Washington Office, and in the presence of Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs for Political Affairs, and Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General, at a special ceremony at the UAE Mission to the UN in New York. 17.7 million people in Sudan and 7.1 million in South Sudan facing acute food insecurity as a result of war in Sudan. To help alleviate this crisis, UAE has committed a total of US$25 million in aid: USD 20 million for Sudan and US$5 million for South Sudan. Cindy McCain, Executive Director of the World Food Programme, said, "WFP welcomes all pledges towards our lifesaving food operations in Sudan. With this contribution, we will be able to assist vulnerable people who are at risk of sliding into famine." This contribution is part of UAE's US$70 million commitment announced in April at the "International Humanitarian Conference for Sudan and Neighbouring Countries" to UN agencies and humanitarian organisations to alleviate the severe humanitarian crisis in Sudan. Lana Zaki Nusseibeh stated, "With widespread hunger in Sudan and neighbouring countries, our partnership with WFP will assist those most vulnerable facing the devastating ramifications of this war. We cannot allow another famine to unfold in Sudan. The long-term impacts of famine, particularly on children, are incalculable. This is a call to action to halt famine in its tracks." (ANI/WAM)
Dubai [UAE], June 23 (ANI/WAM): The Emirate of Ajman has implemented a strategic economic diversification plan in recent years, fostering balanced development across all sectors. This includes a focus on tourism, which has emerged as a vital pillar for Ajman's comprehensive growth strategy. Official statistics demonstrate a significant upsurge in tourism in 2023. Compared to 2022, there was a 29% increase in tourist arrivals from outside the country. Notably, international visitors comprised a substantial 60% of Ajman's total visitor base in the same period. Visitor demographics reveal a strong appeal across age groups, with young travellers (aged 19-35) and middle-aged explorers (aged 36-55) forming a combined 70% of total arrivals. This positive trend continues into 2024. Tourist arrivals for the first quarter witnessed a further 9% growth compared to the same period in the previous year, solidifying Ajman's position as a preferred travel destination. The average length of stay also increased by 5%, indicating a growing preference among visitors to extend their exploration of the emirate's offerings. In line with the directives of H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman aimed to meet the requirements of the fast-paced developments in this major sector, the emirate of Ajman has spared no efforts to cater to a diverse clientele and budgetary needs, offering a comprehensive selection of 52 accommodation options. The emirate boasts a range of establishments, from luxurious five-star resorts to convenient hotel apartments and well-appointed furnished accommodations, ensuring a perfect fit for every visitor's preferences. In recognition of this substantial increase in tourist arrivals, the Emirate of Ajman has strategically implemented a new Holiday Homes Sector. This sector adheres to the highest international standards and empowers a wider range of stakeholders to participate in the tourism ecosystem. Real estate owners, hotel management companies, and individual property holders can now offer short-term rentals of residential units specifically designated for holiday purposes. The primary objective of this initiative is to diversify the existing accommodation landscape in Ajman. This expansion caters to the evolving preferences of visitors, offering them a more flexible and personalised lodging experience. The introduction of the Holiday Homes Sector is anticipated to not only enhance tourist activity but also contribute significantly to the economic growth of Ajman. This will be achieved through the creation of new employment opportunities for residents and the stimulation of associated economic sectors. To guarantee a seamless and high-quality experience for both visitors and property owners, Ajman's Department of Tourism Development has established a comprehensive regulatory framework for the Holiday Homes Sector. This framework prioritises: -Streamlined Electronic Registration: A user-friendly online platform facilitates efficient registration for owners and companies, allowing for the electronic submission of all necessary documentation. -Rigorous Inspections and Classification: Ajman Tourism Development Department conducts thorough inspections of registered units to ensure adherence to established tourism standards. Based on these inspections, units are assigned classifications that uphold service quality expectations. -Transparent Electronic Permit Issuance: Upon successful completion of the registration process and payment of designated fees, an electronic permit is issued for clear display within the respective unit. -Commitment to Regulatory Compliance: Clear guidelines and legislation have been established, requiring owners and operators to strictly adhere to these regulations to guarantee the delivery of exceptional service. (ANI/WAM)
Waters and beach areas along Florida's coastal areas are displaying red flag warnings about dangerous water conditions, including rip currents, which claimed five lives in two days. File Photo by Gary I Rothstein/UPI

June 22 (UPI) -- A Friday night swim proved deadly for three young Alabama men who drowned while swimming in dangerous Gulf of Mexico waters in Florida's Bay County. One day earlier a couple also died from rip currents farther south in the Atlantic Ocean.

The three men arrived at their destination in Panama City Beach on Friday afternoon and went swimming despite flags warning of dangerous waters due to rip currents.

"It is with profound sadness that we announce all three young men that entered the water around 8 p.m. [Friday] and became distressed have passed away," the Bay County Sheriff's Department posted on Facebook.

A caller reported three swimmers in distress at 8:11 p.m. EDT Friday, according to the Bay County Sheriff's Department.

First responders from the sheriff's department, U.S. Coast Guard, Bay County Emergency Services and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission initiated rescue efforts and recovered the three swimmers.

They were taken to a nearby hospital where the three men were declared dead.

Their names and ages are unreported.

The three young men drowned a day after a couple -- Brian Warter, 51, and Erica Wishard, 48 -- drowned after a rip current swept them out to sea while swimming in Atlantic coastal waters off Florida's Hutchinson Island on Thursday.

Hutchinson Island is between Port St. Lucie and Fort Pierce.

The couple was swimming with two teenage children when they were caught in a rip current that swept them out to sea.

The teens tried to save their parents but were thwarted by the dangerous water conditions.

The five drownings in two days occurred during a week in which Tropical Storm Alberto passed through the southern Gulf of Mexico and made landfall in Mexico.

Alberto is the first named storm of the Atlantic hurrican season.

Tropical storms commonly cause rip currents and other dangerous swimming conditions hundreds of miles away.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration defines rip currents as "powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water" that are prominent in coastal areas and along the Great Lakes.
Tom Cruise's daughter, Suri, is now a high school graduate, and her dad's surname wasn't part of the celebration.

With her mother, Katie Holmes, by her side on Friday, Suri received her diploma from New York's LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

The teen's graduation ceremony pamphlet stated her name as "Suri Noelle," and no longer included the famous Cruise name.

Tom Cruise did not attend the graduation, PageSix reported. He was at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour concert in London instead. Cruise and his daughter have allegedly been estranged for years.

Suri's Cruise-less name drew attention following recent name changes among the six children of divorced Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who have been locked in a bitter custody battle.

Their daughter Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, 18, earlier this month filed court papers to drop Pitt from her name.

Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, one the actors' 15-year-old twins, was also listed simply as Vivienne Jolie in a theater Playbill as a co-producer with her mom of the Broadway musical "The Outsiders."

Daughter Zahara, 19, and son Madox, 20, are also reportedly using only Jolie as their surname.

Suri is expected to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in the fall.
Black smoke billows following an Israeli airstrike in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam near the Israeli border on June 21, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters. Credit - Rabih DaherAFP/Getty Images

If the deadly and destructive Israel-Hamas war wasnt already enough, there is a growing fear of a much broader confrontation between Israel and Lebanons Hezbollah. Earlier this week, hours after the Lebanese militant group released a nine-minute video showing surveillance drones patrolling northern Israel, Israeli officials said the country is ready for an all-out war and approved plans for an offensive.

These developments come after near-daily border fire since the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that has displaced tens of thousands of people on both sides of the Israel-Lebanon border, and killed at least 400, the majority of which are Hezbollah fighters.

After exhibiting the drone footage, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah threatened a battle with no limitations, no rules, and no ceilings if Israel expands the scope of the current conflict. Nasrallah even threatened to attack E.U. member state Cyprus if any of its military facilities were opened to Israel in the looming confrontation.

Israel, by finalizing its plans for an all-out-war, is signaling its determination to alter the current balance of power in the north, stem the rocket fire from Hezbollah, and to possibly set up a de facto buffer zone several miles deep into Lebanese territory. Even if that means a major show of force.

In the days and weeks ahead, the Biden Administration will have a crucial role to play in averting war or limiting its worst outcomes, particularly in light of Irans threat to join the battle in Hezbollahs defense. U.S. mediation can also provide diplomatic off-ramps once Israel and Hezbollah are prepared to explore a political settlement that could bring their fight to a close.

Nasrallah made his latest threats after a visit to Beirut by Amos Hochstein, a senior aide to Biden. Hochstein is an experienced negotiator who successfully facilitated the demarcation of the maritime borders between Israel and Lebanon in 2022, but he is not a miracle worker. In his latest round of shuttle diplomacy between Jerusalem and Beirut, he probed for ways to restore calm to the Israeli-Lebanese frontier absent a ceasefire in Gaza. But Hezbollah flatly rejected the premise of his initiative. The group insists that the war in Gazawhich has outraged Arab public opinion over the high death tollmust first come to an end. The group also turned down U.S. suggestions that it use its influence with Hamas, another Iran-backed group, to encourage its acceptance of the proposed ceasefire.

Intermediaries in Beirut have not completely given up. They are still quietly working with Bidens envoy to explore whether a concession short of a full cessation of Hezbollahs rocket fire may be enough to unlock a political settlement. Such a scenario could entail a redeployment of Hezbollahs elite forces and anti-tank units, which constitute a primary concern for Israelis, away from the border. But it is not at all clear whether such a proposition will prove acceptable and enough to either party.

In fact, Hochstein was met in Jerusalem by a shared assessment that the situation on its northern border is no longer tenable. Hezbollah would do well to understand that no Israeli government, let alone the most right-wing in the countrys history, can accept what Nasrallah boasted about in his speech as a de facto buffer zone that his group created within Israeli territory. For all Israelis, not just Netanyahu, the status quo is simply unacceptable.

Likewise, inflated threats by senior Israeli officials warning that Beirut will not be immune from destruction, are unhelpful. An Israeli military offensive into Lebanon need not necessarily include the leveling of entire residential blocs in Hezbollahs stronghold of southern Beirut, as was the case in the last major war the two belligerents fought in 2006. Such actions would force the conflict further up the escalation ladder, compelling a now much more capable Hezbollah to rain its ballistic missiles on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv. U.S. officials are voicing serious concerns that Israels sophisticated air defense systems will be overwhelmed by Hezbollahs fire power, believed to include over 100,000 rockets and swarms of suicide drones.

When Israeli and American defense chiefs meet in Washington next week, they need to clearly define the contours of the looming confrontation. It must remain within the now largely depopulated border areas of Israel and Lebanon. And firm messages of deterrence should be communicated to Iran to preclude its direct involvement, coupled with private assurances that the U.S. will continue to actively work toward de-escalation.

Ultimately, even Israeli Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi recognizes achieving a new status quo in the north will require an indirect understanding with Hezbollah. The outlines of such an arrangement have been put forward by American and French mediators. They include a withdrawal of critical Hezbollahs capabilities up to six miles from the border, an enhanced presence by the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), a peacekeeping force that straddles the border, coupled with guarantees and strategic monitoring by the U.S. and France. Progress toward resolving some of the contested points along the border would further facilitate such an agreement.

An Israeli soldier in a house damaged by a Hezbollah anti-tank missile near the Lebanon border in Kibbutz Hanita, northern Israel, on June 19. Kobi WolfBloomberg/Getty Images

Regrettably, however, Washingtons inability to force a ceasefire in Gaza, coupled with Iran and Hezbollahs determination to continue extracting a price from Israel via Lebanon, have precluded a diplomatic resolution.

War is the continuation of politics by other means, Prussian military strategist Carl Von Clausewitz famously asserted. It seems that, for Israel and Lebanon, the time for politics is ending and the time for war is almost upon us.

Contact us at letters@time.com.
Gingrich urges Trump to lean on humor, not anger, in debate with Biden

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) on Friday suggested former President Trump use humor rather than anger when confronting President Biden at next weeks presidential debate.

My advice to Trump would be deal with Biden with humor, not anger, because Biden is pathetic. And as you know, I think hes so dishonest that you cant take him seriously, Gingrich said on Fox News Friday.

All Trump has to do is be calm, he added. Maybe ask Biden some questions like, Did you really known Vladimir Putin when he was a lieutenant colonel in the KGB in East Germany?  which Biden claimed he did. Or, Do you believe your uncle was eaten by cannibals?'

Biden, in April, implied his Army Air Corps aviator uncle Second Lt. Ambrose J. Finnegan Jr. was eaten by cannibals after being shot down over Papua New Guinea during World War II. The comment drew criticism from Papua New Guinea Prime Minister James Marape, who argued his country could not be associated with cannibalism.

Gingrich went on to suggest Trump ask Biden questions targeting his son, Hunter Biden, and the laptop controversy, to get the incumbent rolling.

Trump and Biden are slated to square off next Thursday in a CNN debate.

The two candidates, who are both their respective parties presumptive nominees, met the debate requirements last week, while other candidates including independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. did not.

The debate is widely expected to be a pivotal moment for the two candidates as they try to secure voters as the race moves into the final stretch. Both Biden and Trump face concerns over their fitness for office, from issues related to their age and temperament.

Noting the debate comes with months to go until the November election, Gingrich argued anybody could recover from anything, while still pointing to the challenges he believes Biden faces.

The problem for Biden is that he has a huge, uphill climb. The morning after this debate, Americans are going to go back to the grocery store, theyre going to be reminded of how expensive everything is. Within two or three days [after] the debate, some illegal migrant is going to commit a crime that makes national news, Gingrich said.

Trump, 78, and Biden, 81, are going into the debate with national polling showing the two neck and neck.

Trump currently has a razor-thin lead of 0.6 percentage points over Biden, per a national polling index by The Hill and Decision Desk HQ.

Trump and his allies last week suggested they would dismiss a strong debate performance from Biden as a charade, repeating baseless claims that if the incumbent has a well-received performance, it would be due to him using a performance enhancing drug.

The former presidents allies made the same argument earlier this year in an attempt to downplay Bidens State of the Union speech, with some Republicans trying to depict the incumbent as a feeble, confused old man.

Some have warned Republicans against discounting Biden ahead of the debate, including Fox News host and former Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), who said Republicans gotta be very careful with setting expectations over the debate.

I mean, I dont know why Republicans fall into this trap of setting high expectations, Gowdy responded, presumably referring to setting high expectations for the former presidents performance against Biden.

Trump on Thursday said he does not want to underestimate Biden ahead of the debate.

Well, all I can say is this: I watched him with Paul Ryan, and he destroyed Paul Ryan, Trump said during an episode of the All-In podcast. And he beat Paul Ryan, so, Im not underestimating him.

Biden went up against former House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) in the 2012 vice presidential debate before he served as vice president for former President Obama. Biden was largely thought of as the dominant figure in the debate, presenting an energetic and combative performance.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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The IDF drone strike killed Ayman Ghatma, a Hamas terrorist, as he travelled in a car near the town of Khiara, 25 miles from the Israeli border - Hassan Jarrah/AFP

A high-profile Hamas terrorist was killed in an airstrike in Lebanons Bekaa district, Israeli media reported on Saturday.

At least 42 people were also killed in separate Israeli attacks on districts of Gaza City in the north of the Palestinian enclave on Saturday, the director of the Hamas-run government media office said. The Gaza strikes were reportedly also aimed at assassinating a senior Hamas leader.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video of the drone strike that killed Ayman Ghatma, a Hamas terrorist, as he travelled in a car near the town of Khiara, some 25 miles from the Israeli border. Lebanese media showed an image of the blackened wreckage of the vehicle, still in flames.

The IDF said Ghatma was responsible for supplying weapons to Hamas and al Jamaa al-Islamiyya, an Egyptian terrorist group, in Lebanon and had been targeted for advancing attacks against Israel.

Conflict has been escalating along Israels northern border with Lebanon in recent months, stoking fears of a wider regional war.

In Gaza, the Israeli military said in a statement that IDF fighter jets struck two Hamas military infrastructure sites in the area of Gaza City.

One Israeli strike on houses in Al-Shati, one of the Gaza Strips eight historic refugee camps, killed 24 people, reported Reuters, citing a local official. Another 18 Palestinians were reportedly killed in a strike on houses in the Al-Tuffah neighbourhood.

Footage obtained by Reuters and seen widely on social media showed dozens of Palestinians scrambling to search for victims under mangled buildings. The footage showed wrecked homes, blasted walls, and debris and dust filling the dense urban environment of Shati refugee camp.

Unverified reports in the Israeli media named the target as senior Hamas commander Raad Saad, who has previously been reported to be the chief of Hamas operations. The reports did not confirm whether he had been killed.

Hamas did not comment on the Israeli claim to have hit its military infrastructure. It said in a statement the attacks targeted the civilian population and vowed in a statement the occupation and its Nazi leaders will pay the price for their violations against our people.

After almost nine months of war in Gaza, Israels advance is now focused on Rafah and the area surrounding Deir al-Balah in the centre, amid reports that the military may wind down operations to focus resources on a major offensive in the north.

The IDF has said its forces are carrying out precise, intelligence based targeted operations in Gaza.

The Palestinian health authorities have said more than 37,400 people have been killed - of whom 101 died in the past 24 hours  and that nearly the entire population has been left homeless and destitute. The statistics do not differentiate between combatants and civilians.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo.  This week its a Show-Me State version of Candidate Conversations, featuring two statewide officeholders.

Missouri Lt. Governor Mike Kehoe is looking to move into the governors office, but must first win an August Primary. In brand new polling out this week, Kehoe says his campaign is trending the right way.

The exclusive Fox 4-Hill-Emerson College Poll shows Kehoe within three points of Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft. But 46% remain undecided. Is that enough to get the Kehoe on the debate stage, with his opponents saying he has avoided scheduling showdowns?

Kehoe also addresses some issues of area importance, including Missouris response to stadium funding efforts in Kansas.

Missouri news: Headlines from St. Louis, Jefferson City and across the Show-Me State

Then, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey joins to discuss his showdown with Trump legal advisor Will Scharf, as he seeks a full term.

What is the modern attorney generals role in national issues? Is he an extreme right wing politician as labeled by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch? Plus, some issues of local importance.

Watch as 4 The People continues Candidate Conversations with other statewide and congressional candidates in Missouri and Kansas as the August Primary approaches.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
Addressing elected leaders in public was never something Diane Moten thought she would do.

The Louisville native also never thought she'd be out of a job for being herself.

Her own experience with workplace discrimination in the mid-1990s led her to volunteer with the Fairness Campaign, the statewide advocacy organization dedicated to advancing civil rights protections for the LGBTQ+ community in Kentucky.

With some encouragement, Moten started sharing her story as Louisville city government considered adding lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people to its anti-discrimination laws.

She testified about her shock and disbelief when she was fired from her daycare job in Louisville days after telling a colleague she was a lesbian.

I remember the opposition, these folks coming and talking and thinking, This is so hateful, these words that they're using,' she said. If these folks knew me, really knew me, they wouldn't feel this way because I'm not a bad person.

Diane Moten was an instrumental member of the Fairness Campaign who helped in the 1990s get the Fairness Ordinance passed before the Board of Aldermen. I remember the opposition, these folks coming and talking and thinking, This is so hateful, these words that they're using, she said. If these folks really knew me, really knew me, they wouldn't feel this way because I'm not a bad person. May 29, 2024

Moten was among the hundreds gathered in and around city hall downtown on the January evening in 1999 when the Board of Aldermen voted 7-5 to pass the Fairness Ordinance.

As it still does today, it banned LGBTQ+ discrimination in employment, making Louisville one of the first cities to adopt protections for both gender identity and sexual orientation, joining Minneapolis, Los Angeles and Seattle, among others.

Building on its win with city government, supporters lobbied the Jefferson County Fiscal Court in October 1999 to pass a broader ordinance that also covered housing and public accommodations (public and privately owned providers of goods and services). Two years later, city government followed suit.

It took four votes spanning nine years to pass the city ordinance, underpinned by more than a decade of community organizing to build enough public support and political will at a time when no such protections existed in Kentucky.

The timeline of the fight for queer rights in Kentucky doesnt start or end with Louisvilles Fairness Ordinance. And while the milestone still stands today as a testament to the power of sustained effort and coalition building, the quarter-century anniversary comes as activists are concerned about recent legislative activity in the Kentucky statehouse, including a law limited gender-affirming care and bills that would have restricted drag performances and, they say, weakened local fairness ordinances.

We're in an atmosphere right now, and people only had to look at what came out of Frankfort this last period, to understand that anything we've won is only as safe as our ability to hold it safe, said Carla Wallace, longtime community organizer and Fairness Campaign co-founder.

JAN 26 1999 Carla Wallace, right, got a hug from a well wisher after 1 of the 3 "fairness" ordinaces passed before the Louisville Board of aldermen. Wallace has been in the movement for many years.

Many of those activists from a quarter century ago are still engaged in the work alongside new generations of those looking to expand the rights of the queer community. Activism work has since moved 24 communities to add similar anti-discrimination laws to their books, covering only about one-third of Kentuckys population, said Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign.

Even with major victories for the community, from the expansion of local hate crime laws, the striking of state anti-sodomy laws, and the U.S. Supreme Courts legalization of same-sex marriage in 2015, activists say theres much work to be done.

A slow build to expanded protections

Noelle Tennis Gulden, right, and Carla Wallace, of SURJ, held signs opposing the implementation of SB 150 during a meeting of the Jefferson County Board of Education at the Vanhoose Education Center in Louisville, Ky. on Aug. 7, 2023.

When Wallace helped found the Fairness Campaign in 1991, she knew the effort to expand civil rights protections would take a broad base of support.

Wallace recalls the group making a key decision to press the issue through a variety of strategies that would get people across Louisville talking and hold politicians feet to the flames.

We need to force this community into a conversation about whether or not the humanity of lesbian and gay people matters, Wallace recalls thinking at the time. Should we be fired just because of who we are? Should we be kicked out of a restaurant? Should we be denied housing?

Organizers worked to frame the effort not as a push for special rights but for the rights already enjoyed by the majority of Louisvillians.

Groundwork was laid a few years earlier when a coalition of activists, the Greater Louisville Human Rights Coalition, lobbied the Louisville-Jefferson County Human Relations Commission to recommend the then-separate city and county governments add sexual orientation to its anti-discrimination laws.

Adam Caperton and Jenny O'Bryan were among the clapping, chanting supporters of the amendment who were gathered outside City Hall. Aug. 26, 1992

The rights commission voted 13-5 to recommend the amendment to the Board of Aldermen. In 1991, the newly formed Fairness Campaign advanced the cause to the board, where the measure languished in committee before an unsuccessful vote in 1992.

Votes in 1995 and 1997 met similar fates.

Success, viewed that way, was elusive. But organizers were convinced they were developing something that would last.

We built into the campaign a broad definition of winning, Wallace said. We talked about winning the vote, but we also said winning is more people understanding the issue, more people joining us, more people coming out, more people becoming activists and willing to speak at city hall  It hurt every time. Don't get me wrong. But we held the hurt within the context of knowing that we would win.

Nancy Goodman, facing camera, gave Alicia Pedreira a tearful hug outside the Jefferson County Courthouse yesterday after Louisville's Board of Aldermen rejected a gay-rights ordinance by a 7-3 vote. Both were supporters of the ordinance.

The campaign worked on efforts big and small to push the dial toward acceptance in the face of opposition that ranged from questioning the necessity of an amended ordinance to religious condemnation of the LGBTQ+ community.

There were outreach nights at local gay bars. Fundraisers. Mailers. Door-to-door canvassing. Yard sign campaigns. Public demonstrations. One-on-one and small group meetings with elected officials, community groups and businesses.

The campaign launched Alderwatch, sit-ins of Board of Aldermen meetings where supporters would show local politicians their support of the Fairness Ordinance. Theme nights, including Catholics for fairness and family night, were meant to show the diversity of the coalition.

Fairness rallied faith leaders to form their own organization, Religious Leaders for Fairness, to show the faith community wasnt a monolith dead set against gay rights.

They leaned on slogans such as Fairness  No more, no less and Fairness does a city good.

The organization also created a friends of fairness list, comprised of unions, small businesses, faith groups, and community organizations, among others.

Supporters of the Fairness Amendment protested outside City Hall. Sept. 3,1992

In the early '90s, people were so nervous, even groups that you would never guess would be nervous to talk about this issue were like, Oh, we're not sure. This might be controversial, Wallace said. But we knew that had to happen, that you cannot move from point A to point D without people going through a journey of transformation, and that was our work, community education.

And, at times, Fairness supporters tried humor.

In 1992, when supporters sought the Board of Aldermen to schedule a hearing to take up the ordinance, supporters held I want a date signs at city hall.

When then-aldermanic president Steve Magre said the measure didnt have a snowballs chance of passing, as the Courier Journal reported in 1997, some fairness supporters took it upon themselves to follow Magre around city hall  in a snowman costume.

Magre told the Courier Journal in 2019 that his vote in support of the ordinance in 1999, after years of opposing the measure, may have been the most important in his 23-year board tenure.

Even if you only have one complaint a year, its a good law, he said at the time. I made the right vote.

Building support with real-life stories and

Fairness ordinance 24 hour vigil at city hall. Sept 8, 1997

Personal stories and political pressure worked to slowly move the needle.

In 1991, the Fairness Campaign launched a political action committee, the Committee for Fairness and Individual Rights, making it clear the organization intended to leverage the power of the polls.

Influence took time to build, Wallace recalled.

And at first, no politician wanted our endorsement. Please don't endorse, they'd say, she said, laughing.

A poll conducted by the Courier Journal in early 1992 suggested just how much work the ordinance supporters had before them.

Jan. 19, 1999 Joey Stephenson held a sign during a protest outside City Hall of a proposed Fairness Amendment for the city. She is the sister of one of one of the main organizers, pastor Jerry Stephenson.

Forty-four percent of those polled said they wouldnt want homosexuals as neighbors. While this was an improvement from the 51% who gave that answer in a 1990 poll, it was still decisively the most negative response of the 10 groups measured, save for members of a religious cult at 63%.

But as public opinion on gay rights slowly shifted in the 1990s, a vote for the ordinance seemed less risky.

The neighbor question showed 56% in support by 1996 and, in the same poll, 65% of respondents were in support of an ordinance protecting gays and lesbians from housing and employment discrimination, the Courier Journal reported at the time.

"What it was really about is that (politicians) were afraid politically that there wasn't enough support, and that's why we had to show them ... the people in their districts were supportive, and we would bring those people into their rooms, and pressure, pressure, pressure, Wallace said. And we ran people against them ... That helps someone change their mind.

Political activism ran alongside personal narratives and testimony.

To counter the argument that such discrimination wasnt happening, Fairness tracked reported discrimination incidents and solicited real-life stories. But speaking out when there was potentially much to lose was a tough sell for some.

Sharon Everett said the silhouette she carried represented a friend who feared losing her job if she joined yesterday's march. June 28, 1987

In testimony before the Human Relations Commission in the mid-1980s, some people spoke about the discrimination they faced using only their first name while others testified from behind screens to shield their identity, fearing personal or professional ramifications.

Just months before the successful vote, Louisvillian Alicia Pedreira was fired from her job at Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children after a picture of her wearing a shirt that read Isle of Lesbos was entered without her knowledge in a photo contest at the Kentucky State Fair.

And while exceptions in Louisville's ordinance for religious institutions and religiously affiliated organizations meant Pedreira wouldnt have been protected, her case garnered much publicity and public sympathy.

The reality is, if somebody came forward and testified, they could be marked for the next job, you know, to not get it or for their family to say, Don't come back home tonight, Wallace said. People took tremendous risk getting involved.

When Moten, who was let go from her day care job, was asked if shed share her story, she set her shyness aside in hopes her words would be of help.

Diane Moten was an instrumental member of the Fairness Campaign who helped in the 1990s get the Fairness Ordinance passed before the Board of Aldermen. I remember the opposition, these folks coming and talking and thinking, This is so hateful, these words that they're using, she said. If these folks really knew me, really knew me, they wouldn't feel this way because I'm not a bad person. May 29, 2024

I knew there was people out there that couldn't or werent in a place or position to do it, she said. Even though I was very nervous, I was like, Well, maybe this will be able to help someone else somewhere and give them the courage to  feel like they're not alone.'"

Choosing a broader, intersectional approach to fairness

The Fairness Campaign during the 15th annual Kentuckiana Pride Parade in Louisville, KY. June 19, 2015

As the 1990s went on, organizers decided they would push not only for the addition of sexual orientation to the citys anti-discrimination laws but also gender identity, referring to a persons innate sense of gender that may or may not be the same as their sex assigned at birth.

Transgender activists helped push the Fairness Campaign to be more inclusive in its pursuits.

Dozens of other cities had already passed anti-discrimination laws for gays and lesbians but few had done so for transgender people.

When we would go to conferences they would say, Oh, no, you should lose the gender identity. You're not gonna be able to win that way, Wallace recalls. We are going through the doors together. We are not leaving people behind.

Alexander Griggs, a transmasculine man and community outreach coordinator at the Fairness Campaign, said the organization was listening to Black transgender people at a time when they were not being heard in many spaces.

Alexander Griggs made remarks during the public comment portion of a JCPS Board of Education meeting to listen to comments related to SB 150 at the the VanHouse Education Center in Louisville, Ky. on July 25, 2023. Opponents urged the school board to not adopt policies based on SB 150 because they believe it will harm students.

The leaders of Fairness, the founders of Fairness, refused to move forward without being inclusive of that, he said. And that's what really touched me, and that's what really spoke to me, and that's why I feel comfortable with this organization.

Griggs' past professional experience in the therapy realm and his transition journey led him to his current role.

It is still difficult for queer and trans people to be able to articulate the oppression they face, Griggs said. And because of that, it is really easy for people in power to disempower queer and trans people. So they do need protection from people who have misguided ideas about what it means to be queer and or trans.

At the same time the Fairness Campaign was working to secure protections for the queer community, it was also working on racial justice efforts, including speaking out against police violence.

We decided, unlike most places in the country, that we needed to bring an intersectional vision, which meant we're going to talk about racial justice and we're going to talk about economic justice, that this is all interconnected, Wallace said. Because the reality is for a Black gay man who is low income, what part of himself do we tell him is not part of this campaign? Bring your gay self, but don't bring your Black self or your poor self? No. We're gonna connect the issues, and we're gonna fight for all of it.

Fairness work is 'as needed today as it was back then'

Chris Hartman, Executive Director of the Fairess Campaign spoke out during a rally outside the JCPS VanHoose Center, urging JCPS leaders to support trans kids and fight against SB 150. May 23, 2023

The Louisville Metro Human Relations Commission receives and investigates discrimination reports regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as sex, race and disability, among others.

Between 2006 and 2021, the commission received an average of 10 complaints each year tied to sexual orientation or gender identity discrimination, commission data shows, and recorded monetary and non-monetary settlements for those discriminated against.

There has been significant strides made, and we are definitely grateful for the shoulders on which we stand, Griggs said. A law being passed is not going to ensure that people follow it. We still have to struggle today, unfortunately. And Fairness is as needed today as it was back then."

Hartman, of the Fairness Campaign, said despite the rapid rising in favorable public polling on gay marriage and an increase in mainstream representation of the queer community, protections for queer individuals are under threat.

"The minute marriage happened, folks thought the movement was over, and you would have thought that by how some folks in the LGBTQ movement moved as well, Hartman said.

He said securing same-sex marriage nationally hasnt eliminated other issues faced by the community, particularly transgender individuals.

And so there has been a difficult sort of re-education of the need for the movement to keep going, Hartman said. Now, in the past few years, the really vitriolic and harmful anti-trans rhetoric has made people much more acutely aware that the fight is not over.

Proposals for a statewide fairness ordinance have failed to gain much traction for more than two decades despite a growing number of communities in Kentucky that have adopted expanded protections.

With a Republican supermajority in the legislature, Hartman said the organization he leads is most often playing defense and not able to make progressive headway.

Supporters of a gay-rights ordinance demonstrated during what they called a ``vigil for justice'' at City Hall yesterday evening and planned to stay all night to promote their cause. Sept 8, 1997

Before the tenor turned, when we were really banging out fairness ordinances in the (2010s) and the legislature looked different, we had hope, he said. We were building intentional, meaningful relationships with conservative lawmakers, and we still are where we can. But the reality is that Kentucky is no longer poised to, maybe even within the next decade, adopt a statewide fairness law.

Still, Griggs thinks back to earlier this year at the Fairness Campaign's annual rally and lobby day in Frankfort. He remembers the energy in the halls of the Capitol and how the cheers of many supporters seemed to shake the marble walls.

"Bigotry doesn't die out, Griggs said. Time doesn't change hearts and minds. People do.

Reach growth and development reporter Matthew Glowicki at mglowicki@courier-journal.com or 502-582-4000.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville's Fairness Ordinance against LGBTQ+ discrimination turns 25
The blackout led to serious infrastructure failures like water pump shutoffs in Montenegro's capital of Podgorica. Photo by Boris Pejovic/EPA

June 22 (UPI) -- A major blackout left people in several Balkan countries without power amid a triple-digit heat wave.

The power failure allegedly began around 12:30 p.m. Friday in Montenegro, followed by Bosnia, Herzegovina, part of Croatia's coast and northern Albania, BalkanInsight reported.

Montenegro's Minister of Energy Sasa Mujovic told the Dubrovnik Times a sudden surge in energy consumption due to the heatwave put too much stress on the power grid.

"The failure occurred due to the heavy load on the grid, caused by the sudden increase in electricity consumption and the high temperatures," Mujovic said in an address.

The direct cause of the blackout is not yet known, but Albanian Energy Minister Belinda Balluku said authorities identified a fault on the interconnector between Albania and Greece, and similar faults have been found in Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia.

Balluku said a full investigation is underway, but preliminary findings indicated "large amounts of energy in the transmission system and very high temperatures created this technical problem."

Local authorities said they were working to restore power and already made significant progress in some areas. Energy in Albania was restored within a half hour and some major cities in Croatia got their power back after a couple of hours.

The regional blackout is particularly daunting as many areas such as Bosnia's capital of Sarajevo saw temperatures rise as high as 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Public transportation in some major cities ground to a halt, and the loss of traffic lights led to multiple collisions.

In Montenegro's capital of Podgorica, residents lost water due to pump failures, and air conditioner shutoffs led to perishable goods spoiling in stores.
ST. LOUIS  On the Katy Trail, you might find someone showing the world that despite his injury, he is still active in nature.

Ian Mackay, a Washington state resident and passionate outdoor enthusiast, has found a way to continue his love for biking despite being paralyzed from the neck down.

Sixteen years ago, while studying biology at UC Santa Cruz, Mackays life took a turn when a biking accident left him paralyzed. He was an avid cyclist before his injury, often dreaming of long bike tours. His accident occurred on a steep bike path when he lost control and crashed headfirst into a tree.

Mackay refused to let this setback halt his adventures. Today, he still bikes using a specialized wheelchair, and hes dedicated to advocating for more accessible outdoor spaces through his nonprofit, Ians Ride.

Mackay has previously ridden across Washington State twice, along U.S. Highway 101 on the Redwood Coast, from Washington D.C. to Columbus, Ohio. He holds the world record for most miles traveled in 24 hours using a sip-and-puff wheelchair.

The aftermath of the injury forced Mackay to reconsider his future, initially steering him away from the outdoors he loved so much.

More bear cub sightings reported in St. Louis County

Those first few years, I think I was trying to reinvent myself, thinking that maybe I would, you know, be a computer guy, Mackay said.

Small alligator spotted in Bonne Terre Lake

This didnt work out too well for him, and four years into this new life, he once again started exploring a local trail near his home.

I got to see the first goldfinch [of the year and a] crocus bloom. And those things really fired me up, he said. Mackay found solace in nature, motivating him to spend more time on the trails each day.

Mackays persistence led him to start Ians Ride, a nonprofit organization advocating for more accessible outdoor spaces. Through Ians Ride, he organizes long-distance rides on trails, some of which are rail trails like the Katy Trail. Rail trails are former railway lines converted into trails for recreational use.

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[The Katy Trail] is our nations longest continuous rail-trail, Mackay said. Its a great spot for some wonderful outdoor recreation.

Mackays current journey marks his fifth organized ride, taking him and his companions through scenic trails and diverse landscapes. He typically covers around 40 miles a day, exploring natural beauty, connecting with friends, and sharing his experiences on his blog.

We blog every day we talk about our experiences, share photos, and meet some good people along the way, Mackay said. I think its important for people of all abilities to get outside and live a full life.

He hopes his efforts will encourage the development of more all-access trails across the nation, making outdoor adventures accessible to everyone.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.
Two men rescued after small plane crashes near Turks and Caicos, authorities say

After three hours of searching, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two men in the waters near the Turks and Caicos Islands after their plane crashed on Saturday, officials said.

Shortly after midday, air traffic controllers on the Caribbean islands received a report of a plane crashing in the ocean about 10 miles from Northwest Point, Providenciales, which is part of the Turks and Caicos archipelago, said a spokesperson for the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force.

With two people aboard, the plane departed from the United States when it experienced an engine failure.

Police believe the plane departed from Palm Beach County. Its unclear where exactly the plane departed from.

An intensive sea search began around Providenciales, which included several government agencies on the islands.

A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter was sent from the Bahamas to aid in the search of the Cessna-type plane and the two aboard, Petty Officer Eric Rodriguez said.

Around 3:30 p.m., the Coast Guard helicopter rescued the two men after three hours of searching. The men were taken ashore.

I wish to express my profound gratitude and acknowledge the invaluable support of our national and international partners, said Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police Mat Newton.

Miami Herald reporter Jacqueline Charles contributed to this report.

This is a developing story.
A terrified North Carolina neighborhood is upping security after a local family was tortured by masked intruders earlier this month.

Authorities are still investigating why the family was targeted so viciously. The violent robbers stole a cache of items after the two parents and three young children were tortured, according to The Daily Mail.

The men tortured the family by heating up knives on the stove and using them to burn their flesh, Harnett County Sheriff Wayne Coats revealed.

Coats told the Mail that the savage torture method was the worst he had ever seen in his career and was used "to get the family to tell them where their money and guns were."

The horrifying attack occurred as the family was gathered in their garage at 2 a.m. with the door open.

The group, initially hiding nearby, stormed the home and held the family at knifepoint, forcing Maricela Morales, her husband Arturo Torres, and their three children inside.

A number of items were stolen, but the criminals were unable to find any money or guns inside the property, according to officials.

The masked intruders then fled the scene in two stolen vehicles.

Residents on the usually sleepy North Carolina street remain on edge as the suspects have yet to be apprehended.

Neighbor Jeffery Miller told WRAL that he plans to beef up his home security, and he feels "just so sorry for their family."

Yesterday "I had security installed," he added.

"I thought I was the security guard," Miller said, "but now I need to have a camera."

A GoFundMe has been set up by the victim's sister, Mayra Morales-Scott, to help the family deal with the medical costs and repair their lives.
A flood-affected segment of Interstate 29 on June 21, 2024. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Transportation)

Federal, state and local officials are focusing their efforts on a voluntary evacuation of Dakota Dunes and a levee construction project across Interstate 29 near McCook Lake as they continue responding to historic rainfall and flooding in southeast South Dakota that has claimed at least one life.

Gov. Kristi Noem led a press conference Sunday in North Sioux City. She shared news of the death but declined to provide any information about the person, circumstances or location, other than saying the death was related to flooding.

Because of respect for the family, Im not going to share any details around that, Noem said. All Im going to say is that I want to remind everybody to remember the power of water and the flow of water, and to stay away from flooded areas.

Sunday morning, prior to Noems press conference, the state Department of Public Safety issued a news release saying that an 87-year-old man died Saturday afternoon in a single vehicle crash 5 miles northeast of Harrisburg.

The man was driving a utility terrain vehicle on a road that was closed because one of the shoulders had washed away. The department said the driver attempted to turn around and went backward over the washout, was ejected from the UTV and was pronounced dead at the scene. The mans name has not been released, pending notification of family members.

Asked after the Sunday press conference whether the 87-year-old mans death was the one Noem was referencing, her spokesman Ian Fury said, Ill let Highway Patrol report that situation as they normally do. Department of Public Safety spokesman Brad Reiners said, We are not releasing additional information at this time.

Ten to 15 inches of rain fell from Thursday to Saturday in the hardest-hit area of southeast South Dakota, northwest Iowa and southwest Minnesota, with totals exceeding 17 inches in some locations. During the rain and the immediate aftermath, many basements and roads flooded, and local emergency responders conducted numerous rescues.

Estimated three-day rainfall totals in southeast South Dakota as of 7 a.m. Central time on June 22, 2024. (Courtesy of National Weather Service)

Sioux Falls temporarily asked residents to limit showers, clothes washing, dishwasher use and other contributions to the citys overstressed wastewater system. The city rescinded that request Sunday, saying the system was trending in the right direction.

Attention has since shifted to rising rivers and creeks. The Big Sioux River at Sioux City surpassed 43 feet Sunday on its way to an expected crest Sunday night, surpassing the former record of 37.7 feet for that segment.

The Big Sioux and other swollen rivers and streams flow into the Missouri River in the southeast corner of the state, as do other rivers such as the Niobrara in Nebraska, placing North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes in the crosshairs of the collected floodwaters.

John Remus is the chief of the Army Corps of Engineers Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. He said the corps lowered releases from Fort Randall and Gavins Point dams  upstream of North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes  to ease downstream flooding. There is plenty of capacity behind Fort Randall, he said, but the water behind Gavins Point was near the top of the floodgates Sunday afternoon and still rising.

Thats why we have not been able to cut outflows as much as we originally wanted to, Remus said. Were going to continue to monitor that. It appears that the inflows are starting to peak and turn over. As soon as we can, well start decreasing the flows.

The high flows headed for Dakota Dunes led authorities to issue a voluntary evacuation order.

Jason Westcott, emergency management director for Union County, said local crews are working to strengthen dikes in the area and have opened a self-serve sandbag station for local residents at the county highway shop in Elk Point.

But he stressed that people should evacuate if theyre in harms way.

The county currently is about maxed out on being able to do water rescues at this point, Westcott said. As we move further into this incident and it becomes more serious in this area, we may not have the ability to rescue people from their homes if they continue to stay there.

The county currently is about maxed out on being able to do water rescues at this point. As we move further into this incident and it becomes more serious in this area, we may not have the ability to rescue people from their homes if they continue to stay there.

 Jason Westcott, Union County emergency management director

Craig Smith, director of operations for the state Department of Transportation, said Interstate 29 would close at 6 p.m. Sunday between exits 2 and 9.

The closure will allow work crews to build a levee across Interstate 90 at Exit 4, just north of North Sioux City and Dakota Dunes, and tie it in with other protective structures. That section of interstate is sandwiched between the Big Sioux River to the east and McCook Lake to the west.

Smith said 1 to 2 feet of water could flow over the interstate there as floodwaters crest, and the closure will remain in effect as long as the levee is needed.

A lengthy detour will route drivers west through Vermillion, via Highway 50 in South Dakota and I-29 Exit 144 in Iowa.

Interstate 29 closed between exits 2 and 9 at 6 p.m. June 23, 2024, and authorities released this detour map. (Courtesy of state of South Dakota)

Some other roads in the southeast region of the state remain closed due to flooding. Drivers are encouraged to visit sd511.org or download the SD511 mobile app to view all current road closures, no-travel advisories and highway obstructions.

Noem signed an emergency declaration Saturday, which allows the state to begin paperwork for potential help from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. She urged everyone affected by the flood to document their damages and contact their insurance agent and local emergency manager, so that the information can be used in the states application to FEMA.

Sundays weather was dry and hot in southeast South Dakota. The National Weather Service forecast includes chances for isolated storms Monday and Tuesday, and sunny weather on Wednesday.

Were hoping that by Thursday morning were in a very different situation and water starts to recede, Noem said.

EDITORS NOTE: This story has been updated since its initial publication with additional flooding information and reaction from state officials.

No-boating declaration issued

To protect public health, safety and private property during ongoing flooding, Gov. Kristi Noem on Saturday enacted a no-boating declaration for the following waters:

Lake Alvin in Lincoln County.

Lake Henry in Bon Homme County.

Marindahl Lake in Yankton County.

Menno Lake in Hutchinson County.

Swan Lake in Turner County.

Wall Lake in Minnehaha County.

Lake Vermillion in McCook County.

Noems declaration states, This restriction shall be in full force and effect from this date forward until modified or removed by a subsequent declaration by the Office of the Governor, or by Kevin Robling, Secretary of the Department of Game, Fish and Parks, who I am hereby appointing as my designee in order to enable him to add to, delete or modify boating restrictions for any bodies of water similarly affected in South Dakota.

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The post Southeast SD flooding claims at least one life as focus shifts to Dakota Dunes appeared first on South Dakota Searchlight.
Volunteers from the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department have made their way to Greece as the search for a retired deputy ramps up.

Albert Calibet, 59 of Hermosa Beach, went missing June 11 while on a hike on the Greek island of Amorgos. The island was experiencing an extreme heat wave at the time, with temperatures as high as 97 degrees.

After he went missing, Calibets girlfriend and brother traveled to the island to aid with the search. Now, according to an online fundraiser, two waves of volunteers with the Sheriffs Department have flown out to Greece to help bring Calibet home.

Good morning. Its Friday evening 6pm on Amorgos. thanks to your generosity, our 2nd wave just got to the island after 30hrs of 3 plane rides and one ferry, said Robin Winston, the GoFundMe organizer who was identified as Calibets best friend. Theyre briefing with Oliver now and anxious to get started. Thank you for keeping Albert in your prayers.

Ret. L.A. deputy sheriff missing on remote Greek island

The money raised from the fundraiser, which has brought in more than $35,000 as of Saturday morning, goes toward plane tickets, drones, hotel stays and meals for those helping with the search.

Winston told KTLA that Amorgos, about half the size of Catalina Island, is low on resources and doesnt have an airport, making it tough to access.

In a statement, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said in part:

We are actively collaborating with multiple agencies abroad to provide assistance in the search for Deputy Calibet and will use every resource we have available to bring him back to those who love him.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA.
TOKYO, Jun 23 (News On Japan) - The University of Tokyo is considering raising its tuition fees, citing the need to address various challenges such as improving the educational and research environment, aging facilities, and rising prices and personnel costs. However, this move has sparked opposition, with critics arguing that it could exclude financially disadvantaged students.

The National University Association has also highlighted the severe financial difficulties faced by national universities, stating, 'We are at our limit.' How should society bear the costs of higher education? Experts weigh in on the issue.

The University of Tokyo plans to raise tuition from approximately 530,000 yen to 640,000 yen. Measures such as tuition waivers for students from low-income households are also being considered.

Kobayashi commented on the tuition increase, stating, 'As explained, the operating subsidies for national universities have been decreasing year by year, and all national universities are already at their limit. While we understand the desire to raise tuition, the fundamental role of national universities is to provide educational opportunities to the public, so we have been enduring this situation.'

Kobayashi also emphasized the importance of using the increased tuition fees solely for student education and providing scholarships. He believes that universities need to thoroughly explain the allocation of these funds to students and society.

Matsubara agreed, noting, 'Given the rising costs of goods and labor, it is inevitable for universities to increase tuition to maintain their operations independently.' He added that other universities, such as Hiroshima University and Kumamoto University, are also considering similar tuition hikes, suggesting a potential widespread impact.

Kobayashi pointed out that while some national universities in urban areas have already increased tuition fees, others in rural areas might choose not to raise fees to protect educational opportunities. This could lead to a divergence in the approach taken by different national universities.

There is a concern that increasing tuition fees could deter students from pursuing higher education, particularly those from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, combining tuition waivers and scholarships is crucial.

Matsubara highlighted that many young people are burdened with student loans, affecting their ability to marry and have children. He believes that increased support from the government and the private sector is necessary to alleviate these burdens.

Otsuka added that while universities play a significant role in developing skilled individuals who support various regions, this contribution is not widely recognized. He stressed the need for universities to actively communicate their societal contributions.

The discussion on who should bear the cost of education remains complex. Kobayashi noted that Japan's public expenditure on education is the lowest among OECD countries, a situation exacerbated by long-term financial constraints. He argued for a more significant public investment in education to ensure broader access and support for students.

Matsubara suggested that a combination of public and private funding is necessary to support higher education effectively. He pointed out that in other countries, such as the United States, universities often rely on substantial endowments and private donations to fund their operations.

The University of Tokyo's potential tuition hike reflects a broader issue of how to sustain the quality of education amid financial challenges. Without increased public support, universities may have to rely more on tuition fees, which could place a greater burden on students and their families.

Source: BIZ
Jun 23 (News On Japan) - Kinosaki Marine World in Toyooka City, Hyogo Prefecture, is facing a crisis as its once vibrant marine environment is turning into a desert-like scene due to a surge in purple sea urchins, which are consuming vast amounts of seaweed. This has significantly reduced habitats and spawning grounds for fish, leading to broader ecological issues across Japan.

To address this, the marine world staff, led by veteran Ito, are actively removing the overpopulated sea urchins to allow seaweed to regrow. They have also introduced a new tank featuring baby red seaweed, aiming to cultivate and eventually replant them in the sea.

Additionally, the marine park uses discarded cabbage to feed the sea urchins, which are then offered as a delicacy to visitors, encouraging population control through consumption. These efforts are part of a broader initiative to restore the marine ecosystem and reduce greenhouse gases by promoting seaweed growth.
NAGOYA, Jun 23 (News On Japan) - Godzilla has emerged from the water in front of the Chubu Electric MIRAI TOWER in Nagoya's Hisaya-odori Park, with menacing eyes and sharp fangs giving the impression it is about to leap...

The connection between Godzilla and the MIRAI TOWER dates back to June 20, 1954, when the tower first opened as Nagoya TV Tower. Modeled after the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the 180-meter-tall structure was often called the 'Eiffel Tower of the East.' Upon its opening, it attracted large crowds and even hosted aerial weddings. In 2008, it was designated a 'Lovers Sanctuary,' popular with couples, especially in winter.

After temporary closures due to major earthquakes, the tower was renovated and reopened in September 2020. Last year, it was recognized as an Important Cultural Property, and this year it celebrates its 70th anniversary. Alongside the tower, Godzilla has also marked significant milestones, sharing a history with the structure since the release of its first film in 1954.

Inside the MIRAI TOWER, a special exhibit showcases the intertwined history of the tower and Godzilla over the past 70 years. The exhibit highlights the towers appearances in various Godzilla films, including Mothra vs. Godzilla. Visitors can see that the tower has been destroyed by Godzilla three times in the movies.

A 70-year-old fan, who shares the same birth year as Godzilla, expressed his nostalgia: 'I appreciate the tower being destroyed in the films; its part of its history. I hope they continue this tradition and perhaps destroy the Chunichi Building next.'

The exhibit also explores the social themes addressed in Godzilla films over the decades. Many visitors, especially those in their seventies, reminisced about their childhood memories of school trips to the TV tower and watching Godzilla films like Mothra and King Ghidorah.

At the 90-meter-high observation deck, visitors can use QR codes to access AR experiences, revisiting 70 years of history shared by Nagoya and Godzilla. The exhibit also features audio from various Godzilla films, allowing fans to compare the monsters roars over the years.

The special exhibit at the Chubu Electric MIRAI TOWER will run until September 23, celebrating the shared legacy of the tower and Godzilla over the past seven decades.

Source:  NEWS ONE
LONDON, Jun 24 (News On Japan) - The Emperor and Empress of Japan have arrived in the UK for an official visit aimed at strengthening friendly relations. This marks the Emperor's first state visit to the UK in 26 years since 1998.

Their Majesties Arrive in the UK

Amid the attention of over 100 people lining the streets, the Emperor and Empress arrived at a central London hotel on the 22nd, chauffeured in a luxury Bentley sent by King Charles of the UK. This visit, aimed at promoting international goodwill, is the Emperor's first to the UK in 23 years.

A Swiss tourist commented, Its very interesting to see the Japanese Royal Family.

Following a roughly 14-and-a-half-hour flight from Japan, Their Majesties arrived at an airport near London. The Emperor wore a light blue tie, while the Empress was dressed entirely in light blue, creating a coordinated look.

Official Friendship Visit to "Memorable Place"

For Their Majesties, the UK holds special memories from their youth. This visit carries particular significance for each of them.

The Emperor stated, The UK is a place of memories from our respective student days, and we are looking forward to this visit.

After graduating from Gakushuin University, the Emperor studied at the University of Oxford. Although at different times, the Empress also studied at Oxford during her time at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Empress later married the Emperor. During the Emperor's visit to the UK 23 years ago, she was unable to accompany him due to pregnancy. At that time, the Emperor, as Crown Prince, was invited by Queen Elizabeth II.

Queen Elizabeth remarked, This is very precious, as she viewed ivory fans gifted by Japanese royalty.

To strengthen bilateral relations, the Emperor participated in the traditional Japanese dance "Awa Odori" with King Charles, who was then Prince of Wales.

The Emperor said in 2001, I am coming alone this time, but I hope we can come together next time.

While raising Princess Aiko, the Empress joined the Emperor on official trips to Oceania the following year, expressing her joy in visiting foreign countries.

The Empress said in December 2002, I am truly grateful to be able to visit New Zealand and Australia.

The Emperor added, I hope that we can make more frequent joint visits abroad in the future.

Now, as state guests, Their Majesties have arrived in the UK, a place full of memories. They will attend various official events, including a welcome ceremony and a banquet at Buckingham Palace, from the 25th to the 27th.

During their 6-night, 8-day stay, they are scheduled to visit the University of Oxford and stroll around the city on their final day, the 28th.

The Emperor reflected, Masako is also grateful for the invitation from the UK. She looks forward to this visit, recalling her two years at the University of Oxford, and hopes that the long-standing friendship between Japan and the UK will continue to deepen.

Related: Emperor and Empress Revisit Oxford: A Journey Back to Their Academic Roots

Source: ANN
LINCOLN  As the need grows for more ag educators across the nation, the ag teachers who go above and beyond in educating Americas youths and future leaders are more important than ever.

In Nebraska, six exceptional ag teachers recently were named as finalists of the 2023-24 Golden Owl Award for their positive impact in the classroom and communities they serve.

Of the finalists, Stephanie Mann, an agricultural teacher at Crofton High School, was named Nebraskas grand prize winner and 2023-24 Ag Educator of the Year.

Mann was recognized during the Nebraska Career Education Conference.

In addition to the title of Nebraskas Ag Educator of the Year, Mann will receive the coveted Golden Owl Award trophy and a $3,000 Nationwide-funded donation to further Croftons agricultural education efforts.

Manns nominations describe her as dedicated, supportive and passionate. One nomination read, Mrs. Mann has been one of the greatest teachers I have ever had. She is so dedicated to not only teaching her students about agriculture, but the industry as a whole.

Another one states, Our students have been tremendously fortunate to participate and succeed in FFA under her tutelage for nearly three decades. Her students are knowledgeable and prepared for not only FFA competitions, but also careers in the agricultural field after high school.

Nebraska FFA Foundation director Stacey Agnew said, Stephanie Mann has been a true example of what it means to grow students into leaders in FFA and agriculture education at Crofton. She is a wise mentor for many younger advisers and a trusted friend to all. We are pleased to honor Stephanie as the winner of the 2024 NAEA Outstanding Agricultural Educator and Nebraska Golden Owl Award. We also wish her the best upon her retirement.
Morocco and the United States have launched in New York the Group of Friends on Artificial Intelligence for Sustainable Development.

The group, launched by Moroccos Ambassador to the United Nations, Omar Hilale, and his U.S. counterpart, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, held its first meeting at ambassadorial level at the headquarters of the U.S. Permanent Mission in New York on Friday. This comes following the adoption by the UN General Assembly of the first UN resolution on AI, initially co-sponsored by Morocco and the United States, as well as by 123 member states until the day of its adoption.

This historic resolution defines a global consensus on Artificial Intelligence to support sustainable development.

Speaking during this event, Omar Hilale underlined the need to capitalize on the momentum triggered by the UN General Assembly resolution in order to launch a platform allowing countries to galvanize efforts in digital cooperation and artificial intelligence specifically.

This initiative intends to discuss common goals and possible contributions across this Group as well as the promises that AI offers and its impact on sustainable development in all its dimensions, noted the ambassador.

If used efficiently and ethically, AI is proving to be an engine that can help leapfrog development, and even accelerate the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), he explained.

The Ambassador further indicated that the countries of the Global South, mainly African ones, need all the tools, including AI, to help them accelerate the implementation of the SDGs.

That is why Morocco will encourage many developing countries to be actively involved in this Group of Friends, in order to have a balanced approach to AI, he underlined, stating that Morocco, conscious of the huge potential of AI for Africa, hosted two weeks ago in Rabat the first African high-level forum on AI.

After the G7, G20, Bletchley Park and Seoul Summits, the continental ambition of the Rabat High Level Forum, is to integrate Africa into the global conversation on AI, by emphasizing that an African path is possible, one that is not detached from the other major international players, he said.

For her part, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations praised the partnership between Morocco and her country, as well as the leadership role that the Kingdom played in the efforts leading to the launch of this Group of AI Friends.

She stated that this Group is aimed at mobilizing efforts to accelerate the fulfilment of the SDGs by helping eradicate hunger and poverty, advance gender equality and economic growth, and tackle the climate crisis.

It is a means to engage discussions on a future where rights-respecting AI systems are safe, secure, and trustworthy, the U.S. diplomat said, adding that the Summit of the Future to take place in New York next September reminds us that the United Nations has the power to effect meaningful change and promote new ambition for sustainable development for the sake of present and future generations.

The Group of Friends will count on the institutional support of UNESCO and the International Communications Union (ITU), based respectively in Paris and Geneva, and which together ensure the co-presidency of the working group of the United Nations system on artificial intelligence.

The designation of Morocco to co-chair this Group of Friends with the United States reflects the credibility, trust and respect enjoyed by the Kingdom at the UN and international level.
President Joe Biden is reportedly rehearsing his responses to "personally insulting" and "completely false" attacks by former President Donald Trump ahead of their crucial first debate of this year's race for the White House.

Veteran Democratic campaign lawyer Bob Bauer played the role of Trump during debate-prep sessions with Biden in 2020 and he's believed by presidential aides to be doing so again as Biden gets ready for his Thursday face-off with Trump, Politico reported Saturday.

Bauer, who also serves as Biden's personal attorney, described the process in his new book, "The Unraveling: Reflections on Politics without Ethics and Democracy in Crisis," describing how his job was to attack Biden as he expected Trump would, Politico noted.

Bauer wouldn't confirm his role in Biden's preparations in an interview at the presidential Camp David retreat in Frederick County, Maryland, but he told Politico's "Deep Dive" podcast about his past efforts portraying Trump, Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Al Gore during mock debates.

"You cannot be afraid of laying down on the table something that your candidate you're preparing this for won't like," he said, according to an edited transcript. "That could be something that's personally insulting. That's something that can be completely false about policy positions they've taken."

During a Saturday night campaign rally in Philadelphia, Trump told supporters that Biden would get "a shot in the ass" so he'll be "jacked up" for their debate.

Trump has also said that he might "lose the debate on purpose" so Democrats won't replace Biden with a potentially stronger candidate.

Bauer said he had to be careful to ensure that he stuck to the arguments likely to take place while also approximating how he expected the debate opponent would behave.

"That doesn't mean high theater," he said. "This is not a 'Saturday Night Live' impression. You don't want to detract from the serious business of prepping the candidate."

Thursday's CNN-sponsored debate is scheduled to take place in a studio without an audience, which Bauer called a "very strong point in its favor."

Bauer noted that the famed 1960 debate between John F. Kennedy and Richard Nixon employed the same format and wasn't marred by what he called the "politics of the audience."

"This is a serious format," he said. "It's a format in which the candidates can be heard, but they're the only ones who are heard and they're performing for the country, not performing for a select audience, some of whom were fortunate enough to receive tickets to the event."
Worry grips Egyptian officials who fear a natural disaster as Ethiopia prepares to fill its giant Nile dam, the Great Renaissance Dam, for the fifth time, without any coordination with downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan.

Egypt has for long expressed concern at the dam, while Ethiopia argues that the water-sharing deals signed under the colonial era were no longer relevant, arguing that the dam would help it meet its electricity needs and export surplus.

This takes place against the backdrop of rainfall scarcity and a rapid demographic growth in both upstream and downstream Nile countries, implying higher demand on water.

Several media relayed satellite imagery showing the beginning of preparations to fill the dam by Ethiopia. Downstream countries said the move was unilateral.

Mohammed Nasr Allam, who served as Egypts Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources from 2009 to 2011, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that the Ethiopian filling of the dam would be disastrous for Egypt, especially if it coincided with the Niles dry season.

Egypt and Ethiopia have been negotiating a middle solution in vain. Egyptian officials accuse the Ethiopian government of refusing to compromise.

Ethiopia views the dam as a matter of national sovereignty, leading many observers to worry of a possible military conflict in case no deal was found.

The Ethiopian filling is expected to take place at the end of July.
Photo: Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images

As we head into Primary Day, thousands of New Yorkers in Brooklyn, Queens, and Manhattan will encounter the frustrating ritual of being asked to choose between judicial candidates theyve never heard of. Chalk it up to our states odd process for electing judges, a system that is overly complicated and dominated by Democratic and Republican Party officials, who jealously guard New Yorks last bastion of political patronage.

A handful of Civil Court judicial contests are on the ballot, and theres a high-profile fight underway for Queens Surrogate, the judge in charge of handling wills and estates in the citys second-largest borough. The New York Daily News editorial board has a helpful guide explaining some of the issues and candidate positions.

But the real action, which happens almost entirely behind the scenes, is the election of many of New Yorks 300-plus Supreme Court justices, who, despite their lofty title, do not occupy the states highest court but instead are the workhorses who handle the vast majority of the states legal disputes as frontline trial judges whose terms last 14 years. As required by law, voters nominate Supreme Court justices by voting for delegates to a judicial convention, a sparsely attended post-primary meeting at which would-be judges get the partys nod to appear on the ballot in November. Finalists blessed by the convention often appear, unopposed, on multiple party lines.

The judicial conventions themselves are an empty exercise. More than 96 percent of the nominations are uncontested, the New York Times editorial board complained back in 2007. They often take, from beginning to end, as little as 20 minutes.

Its likely you wont see any names on your ballot for judicial delegate this week because the process is dominated by the elected officials and district leaders from each Assembly district, who designate friends, family, staff members, and other insiders as delegates. Few outsiders assemble the time, money, and effort to organize a group of insurgent delegates or attend the conventions.

Calls to reform or abolish the party-dominated convention system have been going for more than a century. The citys bar association has been calling for changes since the 1870s. The system was challenged all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in a unanimous 2008 opinion that New York judicial elections, while clunky and frustrating, are legal. Selection by convention has been a traditional means of choosing party nominees, Queens-born Justice Antonin Scalia wrote. While a State may determine it is not desirable and replace it, it is not unconstitutional.

In my opinion, New Yorks judicial elections are like our subway system: slow, maddeningly uncomfortable, and indefensible in many ways  but still surprisingly good at getting most of us where we need to go. Year by year, a little at a time, New Yorks convoluted system has brought an impressive amount of ethnic, political, and ideological diversity to the bench  considerably more women, Black, Latino, Asian, and working-class jurists than we would get if the choices were left to legal insiders.

Years ago, I interviewed a young lawyer named Doris Ling-Cohan, the daughter of a Chinatown seamstress and a laundryman, who had spent years schmoozing the Manhattan Democratic organization seeking a court position. Tammany Hall turned her down in 1997 and again in 2000 before allowing Ling-Cohan a ballot spot, after which she quietly made history as the first Asian American woman elected to the State Supreme Court. She promptly began issuing important decisions like a 2005 ruling overturning New York laws banning gay marriage (she was overruled by a higher court, but Ling-Cohan was proved right a decade later when the U.S. Supreme Courts Obergefell decision struck down all state-level prohibitions on same-sex unions.)

Joseph Zayas, who currently serves in the powerful post of chief administrative judge of the state, is another case in point. Raised in Harlems Frederick Douglass public-housing projects, Zayas went to Fordham and Columbia Law and spent stints as a court clerk and a legal-aid attorney before starting the long slog through the judicial election process.

I can say, from my own experience, that seeking a partys nomination for a Supreme Court judgeship  as I did successfully in 2016 (and three times unsuccessfully before that)  can include the sort of meaningful community engagement that will both broaden the judges perspective and increase confidence in the courts, should he or she ultimately be elected, Zayas wrote recently. Zayas described meeting with tons of district leaders  the people who run the judicial conventions  and found the politically necessary networking to be helpful. These community leaders represented a broad range of personal and professional backgrounds; they were teachers, secretaries, small business owners, landlords, daycare workers, lawyers, and activists, he wrote. I listened carefully to everyone I met, and answered their questions about my background and experience.

I recently met Adam Perlmutter, an appointed judge seeking election to the bench who has spent the last few months making the rounds of Brooklyns churches, block parties, and Democratic club meetings. Perlmutter was the attorney who helped free Sharrif Wilson, a Brooklyn man who was falsely convicted at age 15 and spent nearly 22 years in prison for a grisly murder he didnt commit. Wilson made headlines when he died of respiratory distress syndrome less than a year after being released from prison.

Perlmutter, who has won several exonerations for clients over the years, is an expert on false confessions, police misconduct, and other abuses of the justice system. He has moderated panels for judges about how to spot and prevent wrongful convictions. If you have somebody who is 15, 16, 17 years old, interrogated without a parent for a long period of time with nobody taping their interrogation, you know theres a problem, he told me. The National Academy of Sciences did a study about the number of wrongful convictions nationally in the death-penalty area and put it at 4 percent. In New York, at 4 percent in a year, we would have over a thousand people wrongfully convicted. Its not that well completely eradicate the phenomenon, but we need to acknowledge the phenomenon.

I would love to see more of this kind of concern about false convictions among state judges, who are often in the best position to halt injustice before it happens. But theres little that I or anybody else can do to help Perlmutters judicial campaign. We can only hope that the men and women who run the Democratic Party in Brooklyn will figure out a way to continue our long, honorable, needlessly complex tradition of selecting and elevating grassroots attorneys to the bench.
Via SchiffGold.com,

Chinas recent attempt to secure a rare earth minerals stockpile ended in failure when a competitor stepped in to snag the deal

Vital Metals, a mining firm based in Australia, announced Monday that minerals collected from its Saskatchewan-based Nechalacho Project will remain within Canadian borders.

We were presented with a case of elevated interest for Canada, Vitals managing director Geordie Mark told The Northern Miner, later adding:

This agreement highlights the strategic value and importance of the Nechalacho rare earths project and the prioritization of a rare earths value chain in Canada.

According to Vital, the Nechalacho site in northern Canada could hold more than 200 million tons of rare earth elements (REEs), which are used in green energy production and weapons manufacturing. Right now, China dominates the industry despite its comparatively small natural stock, clinching 75% of the global market with only 35% of the global REE reserves.

China was only able to establish such dominance over the REE industry in part because of lax environmental regulations, said Harvard Independent Reviews Jaya Nayar.

Low cost, high pollution methods enabled China to outpace competitors and create a stronghold in the international REE market.

Thats because rare earths can indeed produce green energybut only after generating 2,000 times their weight in catastrophically toxic waste. Many Western nations refuse to accept this tradeoff inside their own borders, imposing heavy regulations on domestic REE producers that keep exporters like China competitive despite high asking prices.

Whats pushing Canada to allow REE mining and reap the profits, despite environmental risks?

The answer lies within the Canadian critical minerals list, which includes REEs and 33 other elements/elemental groups deemed strategically and economically significant. A recent expansion of the list added high-purity iron, phosphorus, and silicon, whichlike REEs and 20 other elements on the listare key components of the green energy transition. This update, plus the last-minute swoop to protect REE supplies, gives a glimpse into the role green policy will play and foreshadows increasing pressure on component supply chains. If other countries follow Canadas example, prices of related metals on that critical listincluding cobalt, platinum group metals, REEs, silicon, and coppercould see significant boosts. Thats a bet Canada is placing early by securing its access to REEs while cutting China out of the deal.

The recent Canadian purchase from Vital is also part of a larger economic and political salvo led by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who told reporters there will be no reconciliation between Canada and China following accusations of election meddling. On the mining stage, Canada is marketing itself as a direct competitor to China, flaunting its enormous mineral reserves as an alternative source for wary European countries afraid to rely on Chinese producers. Chinas dominance wont be shaken by missing a single deal with the Australian firm, though the move certainly sends a message calculated to exacerbate already strained relations between China and the West.

As if its challenge werent clear enough, Canada recently joined the U.S., Japan, and the Philippines to conduct military exercises in the South China Sea. Tensions between the four countries are on the rise, and economics is the prime battlefield. With REEs as a strategic focus and green energy policies on the Western docket, nations may put pressure on each other by sanctioning or otherwise straining metals supply chainsa move strategists on both sides will surely consider. With two of the worlds largest holders of rare earths reserves vying for stockpiles, the pressure on consumer countries to pick sides is growing, and this new symptom of conflict in the metals market will likely boost REE and related metal prices as countries stock up while supplies last.

Its not just rare earths that will see gains. Silver, though not deemed critical, is a component of electric vehicles and other green technologies that governments (and private investors) will likely snap up in anticipation of tighter supply. Stress on metals supply chains is part of golds lifeblood, suggesting higher prices for this metal as well.

Good news for investors looking to shoot straight for the heart: REE prices bottomed out last year, indicating theyre due for revival and primed for a low buy.

Ive seen forward-looking studies that  dont even factor in demand from defense sectors that push [the global annual turnover for REEs] well over a trillion dollars by the time we reach 2050, said Melissa Sanderson, a consultant at American Rare Earths. Its a good, strong market now, and its one that appears to have healthy legs under it.

By Zerohedge.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy left a peace summit in Switzerland with a new commitment from 80 countries that Ukraine's "territorial integrity" would be the foundation of any peace deal to end the war with Russia.

But the final communique -- and the summit as a whole -- was dampened by a lack of backing from the Global South, most notably from China, which didn't send any representation to the gathering and is shopping its own peace initiative to developing countries.

Finding Perspective: Zelenskiy told reporters that representatives from 101 countries and international organizations, with more than 50 heads of state and government, mostly from Europe, were in attendance.

The Ukrainian president told my colleague Zoriana Stepanenko that he was satisfied with the result of the summit, but several countries in attendance -- such as Brazil, India, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates -- did not sign the final communique.

China didn't attend the summit because it said Russia wasn't invited and that both Kyiv and Moscow should be part of any peace talks. But ahead of the Swiss-hosted summit, Beijing had also been pushing its own rival initiative behind the scenes.

The move by China sparked some rare public criticism from Zelenskiy, who said in Singapore on June 2 that Russia and China were attempting to undermine the summit.

Zelenskiy's Good News: U.S. President Joe Biden did not attend the summit, but Vice President Kamala Harris did instead. While Biden's appearance would have lent some additional heft to the summit, he signed a 10-year bilateral security deal between Ukraine and the United States at the G7 summit before the meeting in Switzerland.

Zelenskiy's Bad News: The summit ended with overwhelming Western support for Ukraine, but it also highlighted the global divides when it comes to the war.

Chinese officials have been shopping alternative peace plans that are said to be more Russia-friendly for months, with Reuters reporting that "Beijing has told developing nations the meeting [in Switzerland] would prolong the war."

As I explained in this short video, all of this makes it much harder for China to portray itself as a neutral player when it comes to the war.

Why It Matters: China has been pursuing a wider strategy to position itself as the leader of the Global South in opposition to the U.S.-led Western bloc, and diplomacy around the war in Ukraine is the latest playing field.

China has been trying to enlist developing nations to join the six-point peace plan it issued with Brazil in May, with the proposal calling for an international peace conference "held at a proper time that is recognized by both Russia and Ukraine, with equal participation of all parties as well as fair discussion of all peace plans."

The Kremlin endorsed the idea of China brokering peace and the Chinese foreign ministry said more than 100 countries had supported its proposal.

But the bigger question is whether Beijing is genuinely looking to broker peace or simply aiming to derail any Western-backed proposal in order to help out its partner, Russia.

As the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center's Alexander Gabuev wrote in Foreign Affairs ahead of the summit:

"China will therefore continue to be a stick-in-the-mud: indirectly helping Russia, derailing Kyiv-led diplomatic initiatives, and pretending to engage in diplomacy instead of genuinely trying to work with other parties to find a solution."

Three More Stories From Eurasia

How To Deal With China's Support For Russia?

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said China should face consequences for supporting Russia's war in Ukraine, if it does not change its ways.

The Details: "Beijing cannot have it both ways. At some point -- and unless China changes course -- allies need to impose a cost. There should be consequences," Stoltenberg said in Washington on June 17.

The comments from the NATO chief add to a growing chorus of high-level Western officials in recent months more openly criticizing China's support for Russia, with Beijing supplying some 90 percent of high-value dual-use goods to Russia in the last year.

How to impose those consequences, however, is hardly straightforward.

At the recent G7 summit in Italy, the group of wealthy democracies discussed going after small Chinese banks.

Worried about being targeted by U.S. secondary sanctions, China's big banks have begun to limit their cross-border transactions involving Russia and Russian firms. Instead, smaller banks that are difficult to track and have less exposure to the international financial system have become the main channel.

Targeting Chinese institutions generally poses contagion risks due to their connection to the broader global financial system, but going after smaller banks is tough as they are by design insulated from the very Western institutions that give Brussels and Washington the economic leverage they're trying to wield.

"This is what I call the 'burner bank' strategy," Tom Keatinge, director of the Center for Financial Crime and Security Studies at the Royal United Services Institute, told me. "If the United States or other G7 countries sanction these banks, there is likely to be very limited contagion and the impact on the bank will likewise be limited as the bank has no need for access to the international banking system."

The Other Export Model

Is China actively looking to export its authoritarian model abroad? A new batch of previously unexamined Chinese government documents seems to indicate yes.

What It Means: Niva Yau, a nonresident fellow at the Atlantic Council's Global China Hub, came across a trove of 1,691 files from China's Commerce Ministry that were logged online in 2021 and 2022.

The dataset describes 795 governmental programs made up of trainings and exchanges with foreign officials that the documents state are designed to promote ideas and practices from China's economic and political model among countries in Eastern Europe and the Latin American, African, and Asian countries that make up the so-called Global South.

Chinese officials have repeatedly said Beijing isn't exporting its authoritarian system for governing, but the collection of government files add to an emerging body of evidence showing that China is trying to sell the merits of its model to officials across the Global South while also developing new initiatives and practical programs to speed up their adoption.

"This is real evidence to support what has been becoming a growing belief among the expert community," Yau told me. "We can now demonstrate in China's own words from its internal planning documents what it is trying to do."

China Looks To Revamp Central Asian Trade

After years of discussions and delays, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, which could change how Central Asian countries trade with each other, took a major step forward with Kyrgyzstan announcing it will take out a large Chinese loan to build it, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

What You Need To Know: Azamat Sakiev, director of Kyrgyz Railways, told the country's parliament on June 19 that the expenses for constructing the Kyrgyz section of the railroad are estimated at $4.7 billion in total.

Sakiev said the Chinese loan will cover 51 percent of the project while Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan will each provide 24.5 percent of the costs. Beijing will provide its loan to the Joint Design Company, a new holding company to be operated by all three countries building the railway.

Sakiev, during his public comments, added that the specifics about the terms and amount of interest on the loan are yet to be finalized.

Once completed, the railway could provide another key link for overland trade between Europe and China while adding an important artery for Central Asia, one of the world's least connected regions.

Across The Supercontinent

Climate Pressure: Kazakhstan's Lake Balkhash faces growing ecological strain in the form of climate change and China's rising demand for water upstream, as well as government plans for a nearby nuclear power plant, Maqpal Mukankyzy and Chris Rickleton report.

A Tougher Brussels: Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi said the European Union must become less "passive" in defending its economic interests against the threat of countries such as China that have "unfair advantages."

A 'More Aggressive' Cyberspace: Brad Smith, vice chairman and president of U.S. tech giant Microsoft, warned in a statement to a U.S. Congressional committee that closer cooperation between Russia, China, North Korea, and Iran on the geopolitical stage could be replicated in cyberspace, my colleague Todd Prince reports.

A Rare Visit: Senior EU diplomats have visited schools, religious sites, and a prison in Tibet as part of a dialogue with China about human rights, the Irish Times reports.

One Thing To Watch

It looks like the EU may be drifting into a trade war with China. After the bloc slapped Beijing with new tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), China announced an anti-dumping probe against EU pork and by-products.

The move is expected to target France, Spain, Germany, and the Netherlands particularly hard, which EU officials believe have been chosen as they are seen as the countries that pushed for the EV tariffs, Politico reported.

By RFE/RL

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:
Hundreds of people have shared their stories, sought help and found hope at Table Grace Cafe over the last 13 years.

The pay-as-you-can restaurant  started in 2011 by Matt Weber, a graduate of a New York City culinary school, and his musician wife, Simone  gives unhoused and low-income Omahans healthy, expertly prepared meals for free, or for nothing more than a few cents and a little labor.

Omaha native Mary Ziska is one recipient. She said she was homeless for a time and got into a little trouble with substance abuse. She ended up in Douglas County Drug Court and was sent to treatment.

Over the course of rebuilding her life, she volunteered at the downtown Omaha cafe in 2016 and ended up with a full-time job and a new support system in the Webers and Table Grace community.

Now, she said, I will forever advocate for this place wherever I go.

Ziska  who participated in music at Boys Town High School  is getting an unexpected chance to do just that.

Shes a cast member for Table Grace Cafe: The Musical, which premiered at the Scottish Rite Center on Friday night.

Simone Weber hatched the idea for the script a few years after the cafe opened, but it took a while to develop.

I heard all the interesting people who came through (the cafe) and talked about their lives, then thought This place would make an awesome musical, she said.

She began writing songs and the notes flowed, and she produced a recording that featured tunes about the cafe. But she struggled writing dialogue for the scripts music-free moments.

She enlisted Matts best friend, Jay Gish, who he had known since childhood in Dorchester, Nebraska. The two had remained close at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where Gish studied broadcast journalism, and were in each others weddings. Gish had written for the stage before and Simone thought he could help.

Simone and Gish eventually co-wrote the musical.

They had a table reading for the script in 2019, and hoped to have a full production soon after that. Then the pandemic stalled everything for a couple of years.

Simone wasnt about to give up. When COVID eased, she started looking for venues and found three: The Scottish Rite Center, where shows were performed over the weekend; Benson Theatre at 6054 Maple St., where it will be onstage Thursday through Saturday; and the Lofte Community Theatre in Manley, Nebraska, where it goes Aug. 8 and 9.

Simone found a veteran director, Dr. Laureen Pickle, who has worked at theaters across the Omaha area; a choreographer, Julie Stanfill; a stage manager, Jenny Cupak-Carroll; and a costume designer, longtime Omaha theater teacher and director Todd Uhrmacher, among other helpers.

She even found a company that will turn a painting depicting a day in the life of Table Grace to a backdrop for the traveling set. The painting is hanging at the cafe, which occupies a small space near 16th and Farnam Streets.

The musicals plot centers on Sara (Simone Weber) and Mark (Joel Woods) and the challenge they face when a developer wants to demolish their cafe to put up a parking lot. Theyre seeking funding for a new building so they can continue to serve their community  including Emily, a bullied teen whose parents arent around much; a homeless woman who battles addiction (based on Mary Ziska); a veteran who served in Afghanistan and others.

The 20-member cast includes not only people like Ziska and Keenya Barnes-Heyward, who lives above the cafe, but newcomers such as Emily Stover, who will be a sophomore at Creighton University and attended open auditions.

I did it on a whim, said Stover, who recently appeared in the musical Heathers at CU.

She said she hadnt visited the cafe before that, but now feels like shes part of the Table Grace community.

Ill definitely want to be here after (the show ends), she said in an interview at the cafe.

For her part, Ziska is thrilled to be in the production.

Being in a musical has always been on my bucket list, she said.

She didnt think it would ever be possible because she has been diagnosed with stage four heart failure.

Shes also gratified that her story is part of the plot. Shes now housed in her own place and is supporting herself, and the help she got from the Webers, she said, was invaluable.

Matt and Simone were by my side the whole time, she said.

Simone said she has plans for the musical after the summer performances. She has contracted with a company to get footage for a documentary on the making of Table Grace Cafe: The Musical and may try to show it in an Omaha theater as a fundraiser.

Shes also had several people ask her to bring it to their communities, which brings up the possibility of some sort of tour, though logistics might be tough to work out.

Id love for it to be on Broadway someday, she said with a laugh, so if anybodys listening and would like to pick it up 

She got funding for her production from the Nebraska Arts Council, the Nebraska Cultural Endowment and other donors, including people who have bought tickets for people who may not be able to afford them.

Tickets are available at bensontheatre.com and simpletix.com.

Table Grace also gets support from a number of individuals, churches and other organizations here and elsewhere, including Morning Star Lutheran Church in Omaha, where Simone is still the part-time music director.

She said the production also is a fundraiser. The 2024 budget for Table Grace Cafe is about $500,000, and 85% of the people who dine there are homeless and eat for free or for volunteer labor. It has four full-time workers and six part-timers.

The show is also designed to increase the cafes visibility in the Omaha area, and, hopefully, to change some hearts and minds, Simone said. She thinks people need to fight the human instinct to look the other way.

I hope it inspires the entire community of Omaha to look at each other and help, she said. I hope that this piece lifts up that there is dignity, humanity, grace and love in every person.
The ballot boxes were near the pole beans.

Should a large Omaha supermarket chain open on Sundays? Hinky Dinky was leaving the decision to its customers in March 1968.

Youre the boss at Hinky Dinky. For more than 40 years we have given the customer what she wants. Cast your vote on Sunday openings, read signs attached to the boxes at the 18 stores in the city.

This is a burning issue, a store spokesman said. We are opposed to opening. But we felt that if there were enough other supermarkets open, then we might have to change our position.

Food stores were among the last retailers in town to follow the lead of discount stores and be open seven days a week.

Call this look at Sunday-closing laws and the rise and  sometimes  fall of regional and national retailers in Omaha a blue-light special. Two histories for the price of one.

On the Omaha books for many years were a pair of city laws governing Sunday retail sales, the 1917 Grocery Ordinance that banned the sales of groceries, meats, fruits and vegetables and a 1933 follow-up that extended the prohibition to clothing, shoes, jewelry and hardware.

Both allowed stores to open on Sundays if they closed on Saturdays.

The first challenge to the status quo was in 1961 with the first discount department store. Grand Islands G.W. Martin Co., which operated 14 O.P. Skaggs stores in Nebraska (three in Omaha), had a new concept it was trying in its home city  a self-service food, drug and department store. A mega-store, with a 128,000 square-foot building and parking for 2,000 vehicles.

Before the November 1961 opening of Skag-Way at 72nd and L Streets, outside the city limits, the Omaha City Council strengthened Sunday closing with a new ordinance to widen its umbrella.

It is hereby declared that the intent and purpose of this ordinance is to promote the health and welfare of the people of the City of Omaha by establishing a common day of rest and recreation, read a provision. The Associated Retailers of Omaha backed it because they believed employees were entitled to a day off.

There were a few exemptions, including sales of gasoline, newspapers and magazines, beer and other beverages, tobacco, candy, medicines, travel tickets, admission tickets and restaurant meals. The Sunday-for-Saturday trade was still allowed.

In 1964, the Nebraska Supreme Court threw out as unconstitutional Grand Islands Sunday ordinance, a Douglas County District Court judge followed suit with Omahas 1961 ordinance and the states highest court invalided a statewide Sunday law enacted by the 1963 Legislature.

Its real purpose, Associate Supreme Court Justice Edward Carter wrote, is to enlist the power of the state to protect narrow commercial interests, influenced by the fierce competition between the discount store and the downtown merchants.

And in February 1966, the State Supreme Court ruled for Skag-Way in its lawsuit challenging the 1917 and 1933 Omaha ordinance that still were in the way of opening seven days a week.

Skag-Ways early competitors included the GEM membership discount department store at 66th and L Streets, the International Super Store (later Treasure City) at 90th and Maple Streets and three Skaggs Drug Stores.

GEM (1961-1973) had a $2 registration fee. After eight years, it dropped restrictions that limited membership to certain categories of employment, including those people working for public utilities or other businesses under governmental regulation such as packing houses, railroads and insurance companies.

Skaggs  not affiliated with Skag-Way, although the names were similar  gained its Omaha footprint by buying Safeway Super S stores (they were adjacent to the national chains grocery stores) at 29th Street and St. Marys Avenue (opened 1963), 24th and Lake Streets (1964) and 18th and Vinton Streets (1965).

Gulf Mart set up shop at 7500 Dodge St. in 1967, adding to the roughly 20 stores open on Sundays.

It was the prospect of the blue-light special people  Kmart and its grocery departments  coming to 72nd Street and Military Avenue and 50th and L Streets that stirred up one last effort to keep department stores and, ultimately, supermarkets closed on Sunday.

The Sunday before Christmas Eve 1967  Dec. 17  all Brandeis Department Stores, Kilpatricks at the Center Mall and Montgomery Ward in the new Westroads Shopping mall tested out Sunday hours. Other stores in malls also were open.

Ive never seen as big a crowd in our Crossroads store, Brandeis vice president John D. Diesing said. We now know people like to shop on Sunday.

Religious leaders objected.

If their pursuit of the buck leads them in this direction, can any smaller business men resist the pressure, the Rev. Robert S. Alward, pastor of Countryside Community Church, wrote in a letter to his congregation.

Wards stayed with its Sunday hours. Brandeis held off a couple months. Meanwhile, South Omaha grocer and City Council member Al Veys sought a comprehensive Sunday closing law.

I think Omaha is going to find itself with about  of its population working on Sundays. Veys said. This is going to be a hardship on the employees, for they will lose their day of rest.

It is also going to be a tremendous hardship on the merchants. I dont believe that people buy more in a seven-day week than they do in a six-day week, but it causes more expense to all merchants. This apparently has been brought about by out-of-town ownership of stores with no concern for local people.

Once the Kmarts opened in March 1968 and Brandeis went to a seven-day week two weeks later, the hay was out of the barn. The City Council spent two years on a new ordinance before dropping the matter.

By June 1969, the list of large retailers with Sunday hours included Brandeis Crossroads and Southroads stores, Wards, Gulf Mart, Kmart, Arlans Discount Department Store (1968-1971) at Dodge Street and Saddle Creek Road, two GEM stores (a second took the Treasure City space on 90th Street) and five Safeway supermarkets.

Also, the Hinky Dinky next to Arlans, too, was open as an experiment. Must have taken a long time to open those ballot boxes.

Bakers Supermarkets held out through most of that summer, but founder Abe Baker relented once Hinky Dinky and Safeway had Sunday hours. It was the same for Shavers Food Stores at most of its locations.

Discount and membership stores that came and went through the years included Grant City (1970-75) and its four stores, TurnStyle (1972-78) at 50th Street and Ames Avenue and 129th Street and West Center Road; Service Merchandise (1980-97) in the TurnStyle space on West Center and, later, at 72nd and Dodge; and Shopko (1983-2019).

Osco Drug bought the many Skaggs Drugs in 1985, with the last stores shut in 2004. Kmarts 50th and L store was the last to close 2018.

The survivors include Target, its first store (where Arlans had been on Saddle Creek) opening in 1972; Sams Club, its first at 120th and I Streets in 1990; Wal-Mart, its first at 103rd and Fort Streets in 1991; Kohls, its first at Oak View in 1996; and Costco, its first on West Dodge Road in 2007.

As the Hinky Dinky man said in 1968, its all about giving customers what they want. Seven days a week.
The plan for renovating Omahas North Saddle Creek Road business district has expanded to include more street improvements and an off-street bike-pedestrian path that connects to a popular bike trail farther west.

The City of Omaha and business owners have been working for some time on plans for a major makeover of North Saddle Creek. The five-block business district runs from Hamilton Street near Northwest Radial Highway to the traffic peanut roundabout at 50th Street, near Metcalfe Park.

The project was already set to include new sidewalks and curbs, decorative lighting, speed reduction measures, crosswalks and other pedestrian safety features and on-street parking spaces. Plans also call for straightening out a confusing five-way intersection where North Saddle Creek converges with Hamilton and North 48th Streets.

An updated plan calls for repaving the stretch of North Saddle Creek Road and building a wide sidewalk next to it, City Council President Pete Festersen said. Hes been working on the plan with the City of Omaha and business owners and residents.

The North Saddle Creek Business Improvement District and City of Omaha Public Works Department will have an open house to discuss the project Tuesday. The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Harrison Elementary School, 5304 Hamilton St.

What definitely came through in public input was anything we could do to better connect what is an already established bike route, a designated bike route, through North Saddle Creek Road, when you come from Benson and head east, Festersen said. And then the condition of the street and certainly ongoing interest in pedestrian safety and speed reduction.

He said people working on the project looked into all those desires.

We have found a way to have a 10-foot sidewalk on the south side of North Saddle Creek Road for bikes and pedestrians that will connect that bike route that comes down off Country Club Avenue, Festersen said. So one does not have to be in the traffic lanes.

People commuting by bike between Benson and downtown use the route, as do recreational cyclists.

Festersen said what made the sidewalk possible is that the city is going to repave the entire street, which needs it.

That allowed us then to reconfigure the street in a way that we could expand the sidewalk and bike path to the south, he said.

The estimated cost of the project has grown from about $4 million to $5.8 million, due in large part to the total repaving of the street.

But were confident in our funding sources, Festersen said. We have about $2.5 million committed from the city, and we have over $2.5 million committed from some really great philanthropic partners.

The City Council is scheduled to vote Tuesday on accepting a $2 million grant from the Sherwood Foundation and $250,000 from the Mammel Family Foundation for the project. The Lozier Foundation has contributed $100,000 and others have pledged contributions that arent public yet, Festersen said.

Construction should begin early next year, he said. The members of the business improvement district will pay for maintaining the new landscaping and other ongoing costs,

Businesspeople and a neighborhood cyclist said Saturday theyre looking forward to the changes.

I cant wait for it to get started, Eric Janousek said as he and his father, Don, watered plants at Janousek Florist & Greenhouse, a family-owned business thats been there since 1967. Itll be great, hopefully. This area has been pretty much passed over. Not much has been done for about 30 or 40 years.

He said additional lighting, cleaning up and repaving alleyways and adding parking should make the area more attractive to potential customers and additional businesses.

At Global Foods Imported grocery store, owner Cali Hadafow said he feels good about the prospects for the business district and the process of planning the project.

The way that the city and the businesses are all talking now, the measures that theyre taking now, is good and is a positive sign for all the businesses in this area, Hadafow said.

Like the Janouseks, Hadafow said he believes the additional costs will be worth it.

As Hadafow turned to serve customers in his busy store, a group of five bicyclists pedaled past on North Saddle Creek, heading toward Country Club and Dundee. It turned out they were returning from a 68-mile round trip to Neola, Iowa.

One of the cyclists, Mark Hare, said he would love a bike lane that separates cyclists and cars, although a lane that is also a sidewalk for pedestrians can be problematic.

We dont want to be in cars way, but we definitely dont want to be pushed off the way, Hare said. We want cars to be able to move freely. Its not an us versus them thing. We drive cars too. We just want to be safe.

Our best Omaha staff photos & videos of June 2024
Emir of Kano, Sanusi II

The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, says political elites have manipulated restructuring for their selfish interest.

Sanusi II, represented by Dr Bashir Umar of the Ado Bayero University, Kano, said this on Friday at the 9th Triennial National Conference of Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria in Abuja.

The theme of the conference is Justice, Equity and Peaceful Coexistence: Ideas and Reality in a Multi-Religious Nation.

According to him, the manipulation of fault lines by elites has been the source of communal violence and insecurity in society.

He said that the elites blind thirst for power has resulted in tribal and religious clashes,even though they are reducing in most part of the nation, but one type of crisis will reduce then another one will spring up.

It is not as if we are pro- or anti-restructuring, but rather the restructuring has been turned into a fault line that is been manipulated and exploited by the elites.

We have elite in the society that have received the best of care from the resources of the society. People of my age and those before me attended public schools from primary to university.

Unfortunately, the elites that benefited from the system in the past have left public institutions to become vandalised, dilapidated and substituted it with a private education system that is affordable only to a very few.

The health system has also been vandalised and now people have to go on medical tourism in India, Egypt, and Europe. The unfortunate thing is sometimes before you get the air ambulance the will of Allah will take place, he said.

The monarch said the elites that got power after the military created a political class that instituted thuggery, election malpractices, corruption and destroyed the Judiciary, Civil Service and security agencies.

These are all the result of the work of the political class and the unfortunate thing is that it is made to become something that is perpetual.

This has to be changed and our duty as Muslims is to learn from the ideals of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to save the society from eminent danger that is facing it.

Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo, National Vice-President, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, appealed to politicians to desist from exploiting fault lines for their political interest.

According to Adebayo, such attitude is not healthy for the growth and development of the country.

He, therefore, advised the youth to stop making themselves tools for agent provocateurs who always profit from religious violence in the country.

He urged Nigerians to imbibe peace for the overall development of the country and humanity in general.

National President of the society, Dr Lateef Okunnu, said the organisation retained it premier position among all Muslim missions and societies through the propagation of Islam.

He said in fulfilment of one of the two principal objectives of the society, the National Universities Commission issued full certificate of operation to the Ansar-Ud-Deen University named Summit University, Offa, Kwara State.
Fireworks allegedly launched from a super yacht sparked a blaze that burned about 3,000 acres of the only pine forest on the Greek island of Hydra, leading to the arrests of 13 passengers and crew members.



The defendants appeared in court in Piraeus on Sunday and were given 48 hours to prepare statements in their defense, the Guardian reported.



Hydra Mayor Giorgos Koukoudakis vowed to seek restitution if the case resulted in convictions.



"What was destroyed was absolutely beautiful pine forest and on the night in question, because of the winds, fireworks were banned," he said. "To use them was utterly irresponsible."



Greece last year increased the penalties for arson to a maximum of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $214,000, according to Germany's public broadcaster Deutsche Welle.



The local prosecutor is seeking to seize the luxury vessel, said Vasilis Kikilias, the country's minister of climate crisis and civil protection.



The 176-foot super yacht was identified as the Persefoni I by the Guardian, which said it costs about $320,000 to rent for a week during the summer.



The people onboard allegedly tried to put out the forest fire after it erupted Friday night and fled the scene when they were unable to do so



The flames were extinguished Saturday after firefighters were forced to battle the blaze from the air.



"Six airplanes and two teams of firefighters, who had to be absent from dealing with other fires and services, were required to put it out," Kikilias said.

Vehicles, including bicycles, have been banned from Hydra since the 1950s, and people there have to walk or ride horses, mules or donkeys for transportation, according to National Geographic.



None of those arrested were identified, but Greek media reportedly said the passengers were from Kazakhstan.



Friday's blaze was among 64 forest and brush fires that broke out in a 24-hour period marked by high temperatures and strong winds, Deutsche Welle said.
Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha has denied ordering the ongoing demolition of one of the Akachi towers, one of the monuments erected by his predecessor.

The demolition is coming barely 24 hours after Ihedioha assumed office.

Scores of Imo indigenes have condemned the action, stating the monument was constructed with public funds and should not be pulled down to spite the former administration.

Ihedioha was sworn-in as the sixth Executive governor of the state on Wednesday.

The Akachi tower, one of the many tourist attractions built by the former governor is being demolished as at the time of filling this report.

It was built on a reclaimed dumpsite that was abandoned by previous administrations.

The demolition exercise was supervised by soldiers who barred journalists from covering the exercise.

The Akachi monument was one of the structures commissioned by the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo barely one week ago.

The monument, a massive tower with the symbol of a hand on the Zenith, representing the hand of God, sits on an expansive plot of land, reserved for religious purposes.

There are fears Ihedioha will also demolish other monuments in Owerri, the state capital, especially the famous statues.

But the governor denied ordering the demolition.

His Special Adviser, Steve Osuji, said the governor is not aware of the demolition of any structure and never gave such directive.

According to him the new governor is in the Government House trying to settle down in his office.
A 64-year-old man identified as Bassey Archibong has been arraigned before the Ikorodu Magistrates Court 1, for having carnal knowledge of his four daughters aged between 12 and 20.

Archibong, who lives at No. 10 Kunle Dipo Street, Majidun, Owutu, in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, has been having incestuous sexual relationships with the girls since 2016.

He was arraigned on three counts of continuous sexual relationship with his daughters, failure to get their consent and involvement in an amoral relationship with the victims, thereby committing an offence punishable under Section 265 (2) of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2015.

The prosecutor, John Iberedem, said Archibong used food as bait to get the girls to consent to his amorous desire, and whenever the children objected, he would refer to Lot in the Bible, who had sex with his daughters and was not punished by God. Iberedem said

The defendant beat the children and starved them whenever they confronted him on why he was sleeping with them. He would tell them that intercourse between fathers and daughters were normal and approved by God. He told the children that God did not punish Lot, who had sexual intercourse with his children, meaning that He approves of the act.

However, Archibong pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs F. A. Azeez, remanded the accused person in a correctional facility pending advice by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

She adjourned the matter till October 30, 2019.

Meanwhile, A 20-year-old lady has dragged her father to Kaduna Court for refusing to allow her to marry the man she loves. The girl wants the court to order her father to marry her off to her heartthrob.
<! Some of those arrested and arraigned >

By Okafor Ofiebor

Over 100 people have been arrested and arraigned at the Magistrate Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State over violation of the state governments lockdown in some parts of the state capital following outbreak of Coronavirus.

The suspects, who were arrested by Police in different parts of Port Harcourt between Monday and Thursday were charged with three-count of conspiracy, disobedient to Governors directive, street trading which has caused a breach of public peace and thereby committed an offence.

Three magistrates who presided over the cases, Dr Rita Oguguo, Chief Magistrate D.D. Ihua-Maduenyi and Senior Magistrate V E Nweke in their various courts, granted bail to the suspects.

The suspects who pleaded guilty were fined N10,000 while those who pleaded not guilty were granted bail with N100,000 with two sureties as their sureties addresses must be verified by the prosecutors. Their cases were adjourned to 6th of April for hearing.

Speaking with one of the counsels who handled a case in one of the courts, Izitoh Orokwo, said despite the suffering of the suspect, he commended the way the case was handled by the magistrate.

Meanwhile some families of those arrested narrated their ordeal of paying N10,000 and above before securing bail for their loved ones.

They expressed displeasure in the arrest of their families, adding that the social distancing being canvased by government was played out in the court cell where more than 100 persons were put together.

A Coalition of Rivers Civil Society Organisation accused the Police and Judiciary for not observing Social Distancing while suspects were being prosecuted in court.
Last week, Kay and I counted 35 restaurants, bars and bakeries in downtown Bloomington, plus two retail shops and two proposed restaurants, for a grand total of 39 businesses in the food industry in downtown. Both of us were so surprised that we counted a second time, and again the total was 39.

And maybe equally interesting is that 38 of the 39 are local and privately owned. There's only one franchisee in the group, and he is a local.

Whats happening in the food industry downtown is similar to what has been quietly occurring with storefronts in downtown. It was not that many years ago that it could be said downtown was the land of empty storefronts. Not now. Shoppers are returning.

It is no secret that Kay and I are longtime fans of downtown Bloomington and have lived within walking distance for years. Several of our favorite restaurants are downtown. Sidewalk dining is fun, and Jersey barriers have been strategically placed to protect diners from errant autos or buses. If you have not been downtown for a while to dine, have a cocktail or pick up a favorite treat at a bakery, maybe it is time.

From Larry's notebook

 Red Robin  A sign on the front door of the store in Normal reads that it will be permanently closed, with June 28 the last day. No reason was given for the closing. The restaurant opened in 2015.

 Rice N Spice Indian Grill  The restaurant was just announced for the former Michaels Restaurant location in downtown Bloomington. The plan is to open in August with a north Indian menu that will include a noon buffet. An American breakfast with a live omelet station also will be available.

 Common Ground Grocery  An announcement was made that the downtown store will close before the end of this month. The store opened in 1977.

 Times Past Inn  Locals Matt and Shelly Streenz recently purchased Times Past Inn. This is their first restaurant, and any changes will be gradual. They met 27 years ago when both were servers at the original Steak 'n Shake on South Main Street in Normal, where Monicals Pizza is now.

 Denny's Doughnuts and Bakery  This eatery just celebrated 50 years. Founder Denny Marquardt bought the Freds Spudnuts Shop on North Main Street in Bloomington when he turned 18 and renamed it. Denny died in 2011, and now his wife, Barb, owns the business, with their son David as general manager. The bakery is at 1107 S. Main St.

 Pub II  The Pub II has been open 50 years! John Rokos opened the uptown Normal bar on June 17, 1974, after receiving the first full liquor license issued by the Town of Normal after the town went wet. A Pub II 50th Birthday Bash parking lot party is planned for July 6. John died in 2018, and Pub II now is owned by his wife, Barb, with their son Luke as general manager.

 Giordano's Pizza  The Bloomington franchisee recently announced table service has been permanently discontinued. The seating in the dining room and the patio is still available, but all food now must be picked up at the counter.

 Keg Grove Brewing Co.  The Bloomington brewery recently opened a Keg Grove Brewing Co. location in Morris.

 Nautical Bowls  The first Nautical Bowls south of Interstate 80 in Illinois recently opened in uptown Normal. It features acai bowls.

 Pho Bowl Vietnamese Cuisine  The Bloomington restaurant was recently sold and closed. Signature Cafe, a Mediterranean fusion restaurant, is planned for that location.

 Jazz Upfront  Nine years ago last month, James and Linda Gaston opened the live music jazz and blues club in downtown Bloomington.

 A Larry's favorite menu item  The Indian street food at Puran Indian Restaurant in Bloomington.
At least 1,301 people died during Hajj, Saudi Arabia says, mostly unauthorised pilgrims who walked long distances in intense heat.



This year's pilgrimage took place during a heatwave, with temperatures at times exceeding 50C (122F).



More than three-quarters of those who died did not have official permits to be there and walked under direct sunlight without adequate shelter, the official Saudi news agency SPA said.



Some of those who died were elderly or chronically ill, the agency added.



Health Minister Fahd Al-Jalajel said efforts had been made to raise awareness about the dangers of heat stress and how pilgrims could mitigate this.



Health facilities treated nearly half a million pilgrims, he said, and some were still in hospital for heat exhaustion.



"May Allah forgive and have mercy on the deceased. Our heartfelt condolences go to their families," he said.



Saudi Arabia has been criticized for not doing more to make the Hajj safer, especially for unregistered pilgrims who have no access to facilities such as air-conditioned tents and official Hajj transport.



Temperatures in Mecca climbed as high as 51.8C, according to Saudi Arabia's national meteorological centre.



Countries across the world have been giving updates on the number of their citizens who died, but Saudi Arabia had not commented publicly on the deaths or provided an official toll until Sunday.



AFP news agency quoted an Arab diplomat as saying 658 Egyptians had died. Indonesia said more than 200 of its nationals lost their lives, while India gave a death toll of 98 people.



Pakistan, Malaysia, Jordan, Iran, Senegal, Sudan and Iraq's autonomous Kurdistan region have also confirmed deaths.



Hajj is the annual pilgrimage made by Muslims to the holy city of Mecca. All Muslims who are financially and physically able must complete the pilgrimage at least once in their lifetime.



About 1.8 million people took part this year, Saudi Arabia said.



The fallout from the number of deaths has been growing.



On Saturday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly stripped 16 tourism companies of their licences and referred their managers to prosecutors for enabling illegal pilgrimages to Mecca.



On Friday Jordan said it had detained several travel agents who facilitated the unofficial travel of Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. Meanwhile, Tunisian President Kais Saied fired the minister of religious affairs.

Source: BBC









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A post on the microblogging platform X, formerly known as Twitter, has revealed the shocking number of Ghanaians seeking to migrate overseas for greener pastures.



According to Derek Nii Laryea, a popular digital entrepreneur, 63,375 residents of Ghana applied for a Canada visa from January to April 2024. The number of applicants for the first quarter of 2024 exceeded the total number of applicants for the year 2023.



In 2023, a total of 62,151 persons applied for a Canada visa, out of which 33,756 were approved.



In his tweet, he wrote, Canada visa applications in Ghana. 2021: 9,109, 2023: 62,151. Of these, 33,756 were approved, reflecting a substantial rise in interest and acceptance rates. 2024 Jan to April: 63,375.



The first 4 months surpassed the total number of applications for the entire previous year.



Approval numbers for January and February were relatively strong, with 6,241 and 5,826 approvals respectively. However, March and April experienced significant drops, with approvals falling to 3,749 in March and further to 3,001 in April. It seems IRCC is tightening the criteria.



The phenomenon of mass migration is not exclusive to Canada. In an earlier publication on GhanaWeb, the United States (US) Embassy in Ghana revealed that 6,468 Ghanaians secured visas and traveled to study graduate programs at American universities for the 2022-2023 academic year.



According to the embassy, the numbers were unprecedented and represented an over 31 percent increase in Ghanaian students who took graduate programs in the US for the 2021-2022 academic year (4,140).



Ghanas failing economy, poor living standards, and high unemployment rate have been listed as possible reasons for which Ghanaians, especially the youth, seek to migrate overseas for greener pastures.



Check out the tweet below-

Canada visa applications in Ghana

2021: 9109

2023: 62,151

Of these, 33,756 were approved, reflecting a substantial rise in interest and acceptance rates.



2024 Jan to April: 63,375

First 4 months surpassed the total number of applications for the entire previous year.



Approval pic.twitter.com/rbF8X40QQ1  HelicopterMan (@LaryeaDerek) June 21, 2024









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Age apparently wasn't an impediment to grab some quick cash for an 88-year-old bank robber in Montana who was sentenced this week in federal court to two years in prison for two separate heists within four days.

Steven Whitecloud previously pleaded guilty to his role in both jobs. His co-defendant, 26-year-old Patrick Justice, was also sentenced to two years in prison.

Whitecloud admitted to police that he had suggested robbing the banks as a quick way to make money as he had done in the past. He also instructed Justice on how to pull off the jobs, and then served as the getaway driver when Justice robbed a US Bank and Wells Fargo branch in Billings last year.

Whitecloud was convicted of a previous bank robbery in 2008.

In addition to the prison sentence, the federal judge ordered Whitecloud to pay $3,092 in restitution. He also faces three years of supervised released after he completes his prison sentence.
The Ga Mantse, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, has launched the Homowo Clean-up exercise and says all shops must remain closed on the day of the exercise.



"We expect all shops and businesses in the designated area to close on the day of the exercise. We also urge leaders of various groups and associations to participate fully," the Ga Mantse said when he launched the initiative at the premises of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Friday, June 21, 2024.



The clean up exercise is expected to start on July 2.



The one-month campaign, themed "Let's Keep Accra Clean", aims to promote good waste management practices, improve environmental cleanliness, and instill a sense of community ownership and responsibility towards environmental stewardship.



The exercise, a collaboration between the Ga Traditional Council (GTC), and other government agencies will take place in all the 25 local government authorities within the Greater Accra Region.



It will involve household registration for organised waste collection services, education on waste management techniques, and enforcement of bye-laws to ensure compliance with waste management regulations.



The Ga Mantse warned against the politicisation of the exercise, emphasising that environmental cleanliness affects everyone regardless of political affiliations.



He urged all residents to adhere strictly to sanitation bye-laws, clean their frontages, gutters, and premises, and called for the reintroduction of communal labor and intensified public education on sanitation.



He also issued a stern warning to those who refuse to comply with the sanitation bye-laws, stating that a special task force will be deployed to arrest offenders and ensure they face the full force of the law.



The Assemblies should also take up their responsibilities by making refuse bins available and at vantage points, he urged.



He announced an exciting twist to the clean-up campaignsanitation competitions, stating that schools, communities, markets, and lorry stations will vie for the top spot, with awards up for grabs for the cleanest.



These awards will motivate participants to go the extra mile, fostering a spirit of friendly competition and community pride, he said.



To this end, King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II took the opportunity to issue a rallying cry to corporate institutions in the capital, urging them to embrace sustainable practices and green policies that prioritise environmental wellbeing.



In a show of support, collaborating government ministries pledged their resources and expertise to ensure the initiative's success, demonstrating their commitment to a cleaner, greener Accra.



The Accra Mayor, Elizabeth K.T. Sackey, called for change, decrying the city's persistent poor sanitary conditions.



She emphasised that a clean environment was pivotal to safety and security, and praised the Ga Mantse's involvement, saying, "His Majesty's participation underscores the gravity of this issue and the collective responsibility we must embrace to create a cleaner, healthier Accra for all.



She vowed that the AMA will spare no effort in ensuring the clean-up exercise was a resounding success, leaving no stone unturned in the quest for a cleaner, greener, and healthier Accra.



Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development (MLGDRD), Vincent Ekow Assafuah, praised the Ga Mantse's leadership, acknowledging his invaluable contributions to Accra's cleanliness.



He observed that the Homowo festival was not merely a celebration, but a poignant reflection of our cultural heritage, deeply rooted in the values of cleanliness and community pride."



For her part, the Minister of Sanitation and Water Resources (MSWR), Lydia Seyram Alhassan, said her ministry was fully equipped and ready for the clean-up exercise.



She revealed an arsenal of resources, including 30 compaction trucks, over 30 tricycles, thousands of Wellington boots, 15,000 security personnel, a dedicated task force, and environmental health officers tasked with enforcing sanitation bye-laws.



She urged every citizen in Accra to join forces and play an active role in making the campaign a resounding success.



Greater Accra Regional Minister, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, commended his predecessor's efforts and expressed gratitude to the Ga Traditional Council (GTC) for reviving the 'Keep Accra Clean' campaign.



He noted that the exercise will be implemented in phases, with the first phase set to launch on July 2 in the Accra metropolitan area.



We have mobilised resources, and forged partnership to ensure the success of the clean-exercise, he assured.





Source: D.Graphic









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Charles Owusu has hailed the national campaign team of the largest opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) consisting of Joshua Alabi, the first Vice-Chancellor of the University of Professional Studies, Accra, and others.



The NDC has unveiled the list of their campaign team comprising other leading members of the party such as Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei- National Womens Organizer, Alhaji Cole Younger- National Zongo Caucus Coordinator, Joyce Bawa Mogtari- spokesperson for flagbearers campaign, Beatrice Annan-deputy spokesperson of flagbearers campaign, Alex Segbefia- head of Running Mates campaign, James Agyenim Boateng- spokesperson, Running Mates campaign.



Charles Owusu, speaking on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show, described this team as a "solid team" but stressed if the party fails to win the December 7 polls, they should lay the blame on their presidential candidate, John Dramani Mahama.



"If the NDC loses the election, it means their candidate is not good but not the party. That's why I say if you don't go to Heaven, don't blame Jesus," he said.



Watch video below

















Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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The much advertised and well-planned demonstration by the National Democratic Congress's branch in the United Kingdom failed to glitter as fewer than expected numbers turned up.



The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who was in the UK to attend a fundraising event and a townhall meeting organized in his name was to be disrupted by a monstrous demonstration by members of the opposition NDC in the UK.



According to the opposition National Democratic Congress, Ghana's economy has been mismanaged by the Akufo-Addo administration with Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia leading the Economic Management Team, and therefore ought to be blamed for it.



The demonstration, however, could only send less than 20 NDC members onto the streets of London as party members cited the global economic crisis as the reason.



Though arrangements were made to transport the branch members of the party from Milton Keynes, Manchester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Luton, Birmingham and other parts of the UK to join their London colleagues, they never showed up.



"In as much as Ghana is not doing well economically, it doesn't mean that we should hold a demonstration against the government", a Manchester branch member said.



Another member had this to say; "Let's face facts, what is the basis for this demonstration? Is the UK doing any better? This is global and so we cannot blame the Ghanaian Government."



"What can our people do about the economy if we come to power? Until the global recession stops, not even angels can turn things around in Ghana. Have things turned around here in the UK? No! This is why I never went. Enough of the deceptive politicking", a member from London angrily said.

Source: Peacefmonline.com/Ghana









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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: RDNE Stock project from Pexels

This week, the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy called for health warnings on social media for younger users. This recent call follows an earlier Advisory on Social Media and Youth Mental Health, also published by the Surgeon General.

Health warnings on social media would be analogous to the ones seen on cigarette packages, serving as reminders to parents and youth of the mental health risks of social media. The Surgeon General also called for schools to become phone-free environments. Although in his op-ed, Murthy acknowledged that research on these topics is not yet conclusive, he also noted that we "don't have the luxury to wait for perfect information."

Concerns over smartphone use and social media's impact on child and adolescent mental health are far from new. But they have been reignited because new warnings are being suggested and put into place to limit their use. Smartphone bans or restrictions have been enacted in countries around the world although how these restrictions work in practice varies. Several Canadian provinces are also implementing such restrictions.

Although these efforts are well intentioned, and seek to support youth, research supporting these practices is still unsettled. As researchers in child development and psychology, we feel it is essential to review related research and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of smartphone bans and social media health warnings.

The impacts of smartphones and social media

Our research shows that greater screen time is associated with negative physical, behavioral and cognitive outcomes. One reason why screen time may be problematic is it interferes with other activities that are associated with well-being, such as physical activity, interactions with family and friends, and academic pursuits.

Some, but not all studies show that social media use is associated with more anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents. The pressure for social validation and gaining likes and followers can increase stress and anxiety in youth. Moreover, social media can result in cyberbullying and negative social interactions, which are in turn associated with poor mental health.

Social media use in adolescents has also been associated with body image issues, particularly in girls. Social media can present filtered and unrealistic beauty standards that lead to dissatisfaction with one's own body.

It is important to note that these studies are correlational, and do not imply causal evidence.

In terms of the impact of smartphones on attention, usage can be distracting to youth. For example, research shows that students can take up to 20 minutes to refocus after being distracted by their smartphones.

The benefits and drawbacks of cell phone bans

Banning smartphones from classrooms will likely lead to fewer student distractions, particularly for youth who are experiencing more difficulties in school. Without the need to police smartphone usage, teachers can also focus the classroom more on academic learning.

Smartphone bans may also help protect youth against cyberbullying that can happen during class hours. However, smartphone bans in schools will not eliminate cyberbullying, which can occur in off school hours, so it remains critical to educate students, parents and teachers about recognizing, preventing, and addressing cyberbullying.

In contrast, banning smart phones in school could have detrimental impacts for some youth. For example, LGBTQ+ youth use social media to form a community where they can get support, share information, and develop their identity. Limiting access to a space where they can feel safe and feel like they belong could exacerbate their mental health difficulties.

Could social media health warnings be the solution?

The efficacy of warning labels depends on the form they take. Research suggests that warning labels that promote safe use are more effective.

In the case of social media, this means improving social media literacy. For example, warning labels could remind users that what they see on social media is not always representative of real life, and this reminder may help reduce the negative effects of online social comparisons.

Social media warning labels also hold the media platforms more accountable. Platforms create and design features to maximize usage, profiting from user engagement. Warning labels can help users be more aware of how these platforms profit from their usage, highlighting the potential risks of excessive use.

Although social media labels might not directly dissuade young users from high consumption, they may do so indirectly, via greater parental oversight. Indeed, parents might be more likely to set limits knowing that there is evidence that the product their child or adolescent is using is associated with some risks.

In contrast, warning labels focused on moderating or stopping social media use could be less efficient. They may foster a negative self concept in users, such as thinking "I know I shouldn't be using social media, but I can't stop because I lack self-control." This does not represent a good starting point to motivate change.

Other contributors to youth mental health and learning issues

Given the lack of causal evidence on the effects of social media on mental health difficulties, it is important to remember that banning smartphones in classrooms is not a panacea.

Importantly, it doesn't address many root problems of mental health difficulties in youth, such as cyberbullying.

Social media is one factor, among many, for why youth are currently experiencing high rates of mental health difficulties. Other factors include structural discrimination, economic hardship, and social isolation made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic. Focusing exclusively on social media will not fix the mental health challenges currently faced by youth.

Therefore, comprehensive initiatives such as increasing school funding for mental and digital health literacy alongside bolstering availability of extracurricular activities may serve as effective ways of supporting youth.

It is encouraging that policymakers are paying more attention to youth mental health and its causes, but it is important to act at multiple levels to support youth mental health and learning.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
WILDWOOD  Often times, experience teaches the best lessons.

And for some at the Barefoot Country Music Festival this weekend, that experience has made for having the best time.

The country music event, in its fourth year, returned to the beach here, bringing some of countrys biggest stars to the Jersey Shore and serving as a platform for younger acts to get their names out there.

Many of this weekends festival goers also were returnees. This year, they were greeted with scorching weather.

And with a day that started at 1 p.m. Saturday and went well past the time its headliner, Kane Brown, was set to hit the stage at 10, knowing how to navigate a long day on the beach  especially this weekend being the hottest of the year so far  and be safe is the best way to go.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for the region, with heat index values of up to 106 degrees possible. Though it has been brutally not inland, the shore was much cooler, and the atmosphere lent itself to it.

The crowd is a lot younger this year, but its been a pretty good crowd, said David Nelligan, 46, of Douglassville, Pennsylvania, adding his family was ready for the long haul.

This is the third year the Nelligans, consisting of David and Lillian and their kids, Thomas, 27, and Kimberly, 25, have made it to the festival. They were posted up by the barrier separating general admission from the VIP area closest to the Miller Lite Stage, the main stage.

They didnt plan to stay in one spot all day, Lillian Nelligan said. They wanted to check out some of the other acts on the small Jim Beam Stage as well as the different pavilions spread around the beach between Moreys Pier & Beach Front Water Parks Adventure Pier and Raging Waters Water Park.

They were excited to see the Beach Boys play later Saturday, as well as Kane Brown and Sundays headliner, Luke Bryan.

Theres a couple people we want to see, so well be here all day, said Lillian, 45, adding the plan was to return as close to their original spot by about 5 p.m. Saturday.

Added David: It depends how outgoing you are, but you can get to know the people standing next to you so you can help each other save your spot. Theres a wide range of people you get to meet.

This years festival has certain themes each day, like a tribute to the late Jimmy Buffett on Saturday. The Nelligans wore some of their finest flowered shirts, including Davids Reading Fightin Phillies button-down to represent where theyre from.

I love Jimmy Buffett. Ive never been to his concerts, but I love his music, David said.

Daniel Orlando, who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, enjoyed Fridays theme that honored the country and its service members. Before the show, two F-15s did a flyover.

I think the tribute to the United States was awesome, said Orlando, 25, of Brick Township.

Orlando was there with his fiancee, Cristen Wolff, and her parents, Eileen and Craig, of Orange County, New York. They were the early birds Saturday, part of a group of 19 that made it down for the weekend.

The Wolffs found a spot along one of the speakers, set up a beach blanket, a couple of inflatable chairs and some hay bales. The plan each day was to set up a home base far enough from the crowds that they can return to for some rest between any acts they wanted to see. Craig Wolff volunteered to guard the area all day and enjoy people watching.

Just keep the Jim Beam going and Ill be all right, Craig said.

Cristen Wolff and Orlando were excited about their plans to see some friends perform in the Central Jersey band Not Leaving Sober at one of the smaller pavilions Sunday.

This was also the third time the Wolffs made it to Barefoot. They noticed this year that the beach cleanup wasnt as on-point as it was in previous years. That was one improvement both Eileen and Craig would like to see in future years.

All in all, its still a great event, and we will be back, Eileen said.

Tickets and bracelets

Vicki Mahoney, 45, of Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and friend Kristina Brophy, of Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, had a few issues with ticketing on their way in. Mahoney said two of the tickets they purchased for her one daughter and boyfriend were faulty. The seller sold them bracelets that had a voided serial number on the back. They were able to get it resolved, but it was a headache in an era in which ticket scams run rampant for the biggest shows.

I think they should be a lot stricter. I dont think there would be as many scammers if they had proof of ID (with each bracelet), Mahoney said. My daughter registered her bracelet a month ago. So how did all of a sudden, in that month, somebody else tried to go in and steal her code?

Mahoney, who had a weekend pass, also said the VIP area was having shortages of food. She hoped to see better management of that ticket package at future festivals.

Lending itself to the festival atmosphere were games, photo opportunities and vendors spread out on the beach. Eric Pabon and Zachary Andruchowitz, both 21 and from Bloomfield, Essex County, tried their hand at bull-riding.

It was challenging! Pabon said. Its very electric here. Its just a lot of fun.

It was the first time they, along with Zacharys older brother Jonathan, 23, and their friend, Bri Benes, 21, of Branchburg, Somerset County, attended the festival. All four marveled at how welcoming and friendly the atmosphere was this weekend.

They were excited to see Bailey Zimmerman and Nate Smith on Sunday as well as the Beach Boys and Luke Bryan.

Theres always something to do, too, Benes said. When the musicians arent playing, you can go around and check out all the stuff. And the after party, too, afterwards. Theres never a dull moment. Youre always doing something.
BRIGANTINE  The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection will expedite the permitting process for South End residents looking to build bulkheads on their property due to erosion in the Cove Beach area.

Mayor Vince Sera said Wednesday a letter was sent to homeowners in the impacted area giving them information on how they can start the process of applying for a permit to build a bulkhead.

The DEP has now created a pathway to expediting the permitting process so that along that side residents can build bulkheads down there, Sera said during a recent City Council meeting.

More than 900 square feet of sand has been lost at the popular Cove beach, which is adjacent to Absecon Inlet, along the South Ends jetty over the past year due to strong coastal storms. This has limited 4-by-4 vehicle access to the beach, in addition to making the city, as well as residents, look into what they can do to protect infrastructure in the area.

City officials have met with federal, state and local officials about the issue.

Meet Anne H. Phillips, the quiet conscience of Brigantine For 28 years, Anne H. Phillips has consistently attended Brigantine's City Council meetings to voice her thoughts.

The city recently met with Francis OConnor, acting commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, to inspect the erosion. City officials also have had multiple meetings with the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and its assorted subdivisions.

The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers also have had meetings with the city and visited the site.

The Army Corps and the NJDEP advised the city of several studies that could be done to determine the appropriate solution for the erosion to provide protection for residential properties and city infrastructure, according to the letter.

Since the Army Corps has numerous beach replenishment projects to do along the states coast, it could take years for Congress to authorize a project that would stop the islands erosion long-term, officials with the Army Corps Philadelphia District have said.

The city is finalizing a letter to make a formal request for the Federal Interest Determinations that need to be completed before the Army Corps can move forward with a long-term solution to address the erosion and protect the homes and city infrastructure along the South End jetty, said Sera. The city will share the letter as soon as its completed.
This Account has been suspended.
Shakari Briggs is a reporter for the Houston Chronicle. She can be reached at shakari.briggs@houstonchronicle.com.

Before joining the Chronicle in November 2023, she worked for Spectrum News as a digital journalist based in her hometown. Shakari comes to the Houston newsroom with experience in broadcast reporting and producing as a former multimedia journalist and associate producer. The Dallas native has also worked at small to medium-sized newspapers throughout her career.

Her reporting on the rise and fall of a shopping mall won an Arkansas Associated Press Managing Editors Contest award. She also earned an Arkansas Press Association award for freelance reporting.
Med-Trans announces partnership with Med-Force

Med-Trans Corporation (Med-Trans) is partnering with Med-Force Aeromedical Transport (Med-Force). This partnership brings together resources from the regions long-standing air medical transport provider, Med-Force, with expertise from Med-Trans, a Global Medical Response solution and national air medical provide.

We are thrilled to align with Med-Force in providing care to the communities of eastern Iowa and western Illinois, Gary Valeriano, regional business director for Med-Trans, said in a news release. The partnership allows for a greater depth of resources of aircraft and maintenance support.

Med-Forces two H135 helicopters and one EC135 helicopter will continue to serve the region from bases in Colona and West Burlington, Iowa. Both bases are staffed by trained flight nurses and flight paramedics, paired with experienced pilots and mechanics from Med-Trans, providing 24/7 coverage to the region. The helicopters are medically configured with the latest avionics and safety features.

Joining forces with Med-Trans brings additional layers of experience and resources, allowing us to provide the highest standard of air medical transport and care to the communities we serve, Kevin Takacs, president and CEO of Med-Force, said in the release. The partnership allows for an increase in patient access and resource availability, as the new level of on-site aviation support will allow our aircraft to stay in service.

UnityPoint Health announces new chief medical officer

UnityPoint Health has named Dr. Gregory R. Johnson as chief medical officer of the organization, effective July 8. According to a news releae, Johnson will lead UnityPoint Healths provider workforce and enterprise-wide initiatives focused on quality of care, patient experience, safety, care coordination and service line development.

Johnson comes to UnityPoint Health with more than 15 years of clinical executive experience, most recently as chief executive officer - hospital medicine and chief health equity and diversity officer at Sound Physicians in Tacoma, Washington.

I look forward to joining the UnityPoint Health team, Johnson said in the news release. My experience is grounded in finding ways to improve quality outcomes, address health inequity and support clinicians  so we can truly meet the needs of each community.

Johnson is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the McGovern School of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. He completed his residency training in both internal medicine and family practice at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, where he also served as chief resident.

Mel Foster Co. cited among most giving companies in Iowa

Mel Foster Co. has been recognized as one of the Most Giving Companies in Iowa by The Grateful Giving Foundation of Des Moines, Iowa. The inaugural report is the first of its kind, celebrating businesses that have demonstrated exceptional commitment to charitable giving and community impact.

The Most Giving Companies in Iowa annual report serves as a testament to the power of corporate philanthropy in creating positive change, according to a news release. The report aims to inspire others to follow suit and give back to their communities.

We are honored to be recognized as one of Iowas most generous companies. For more than 100 years, Mel Foster Co. has made it our mission to give back to the communities that support us, Lynsey Engels, president of the Brokerage Division, said.

To view the Most Giving Companies in Iowa annual report and virtual recognition event, please visit the annual report.
More than a quarter of parents find it a challenge to get their children to sleep, according to a new poll. Some of the problems can be explained by poor sleep hygiene, which involves a childs environment and nighttime habits.

According to the C.S. Mott Childrens Hospital National Poll on Childrens Health, which surveyed a national sample of parents to children 1-6 years old, 27% of respondents said they have trouble getting their kids to sleep. Those parents were found to be less likely to have bedtime routines, more likely to leave the TV on and more likely to stay in their childs room until they fell asleep.

But there are other major factors at play, too.

Our report reinforces the common struggle of getting young children to sleep, Mott Poll co-director Sarah Clark, M.P.H., said in a news release.

When this transition to bedtime becomes a nightly conflict, some parents may fall into habits that work in the moment but could set them up for more sleep issues down the road, Clark continued. Establishing a consistent bedtime routine is crucial. When children dont get enough rest, it can impact their physical development, emotional regulation and behavior.

According to the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, newborns require 14-17 hours of sleep daily. Infants require 12-16 hours of sleep, toddlers require 11-14 hours, and preschoolers need 10-13 hours. Children, however, face challenges that can make those recommended totals hard to come by.

The Sleep Foundation said nearly half of kids experience sleep issues at some point during childhood. Insomnia, one of the most common sleep disorders, affects 20% to 30%, while 1% to 5% are affected by obstructive sleep apnea. Approximately 5% of children sleepwalk, 10% to 17% snore, and around 30% experience night terrors.

Not getting enough sleep, according to the CDC, can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes, poor mental health and other health issues. They also are more likely to have attention and behavior issues.

A major obstacle for young children is anxiety, which over a third of parents surveyed said their children suffer from.

Many young children go through stages when they become scared of the dark or worry that something bad might happen, causing them to delay bedtime or become distressed by parents leaving the room, Clark said. Bad dreams or being awakened in the middle of the night can also disrupt sleep.

Although this is a normal part of a childs development, it can be frustrating when parents already feel tired themselves at the end of the day. Parents should find a balance between offering reassurance and comfort while maintaining some boundaries that help ensure everyone  both kids and adults  get adequate sleep.

To improve a childs sleep, University of Michigan Health suggested ensuring children have their own bed in a quiet room. They should avoid using sleep aids, such as melatonin, unless prescribed by a doctor. While parents should offer comfort to kids experiencing anxiety, they should also enforce boundaries by not remaining in the room when the child cannot sleep.

Perhaps most important, enforce a regular bedtime routine.

A predictable bedtime routine provides a sense of security and comfort and signals to the child that its time to slow down, Clark said.

Knowing what to expect next can reduce anxiety and help children feel safe and relaxed, Clark added. Having this dedicated time with parents also promotes bonding and emotional connection, creating positive associations with bedtime.

These adorable night lights make bedtime way less scary 1. Bunny Night Light 2. Mushroom Plug-in Night Light 3. Toast Night Light 4. Strawberry Night Light 5. Rainbow Plug-in Night Light 6. Butterfly Night Light 7. Cloud Plug-in Night Light




As the first Parliamentary session after General Elections 2024 that reinstated the Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi led government in New Delhi once again sets to begin on Monday, a letter has been sent to PMO seeking his personal intervention in updation of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam. The sender, a former State coordinator to NRC (Assam), alleges huge anomalies in the NRC updating process and pointed fingers to his predecessor Prateek Hajela, IAS (retired). Congratulating PM Modi for his third consecutive triumph, Hitesh Devsarma, also an IAS (retired), conveyed that the people of Assam still hope that PM Modi would take visible actions for detection and deportation of illegal migrants (read Bangladeshi Muslims).





Devsarma, retired as a home secretary to Assam government in 2022, described how badly Assam had been affected by the illegal migration of foreigners, especially from Bangladesh, for the last several decades and he asserted that the problem is yet to be addressed properly by the Union government in New Delhi. He went ahead with saying that currently the Bangladeshi Muslims have emerged as a major threat to the existence of indigenous people of Assam. So he found no other option than writing to PMO directly reposing immense faith in Modi's determination, capability and concern for the great nation. Mentionable is that an important effort began for detection of illegal foreigners in Assam by 2014 through the updation of NRC as per the order of Supreme Court of India. The NRC updation was done under the leadership of Hajela as the State coordinator, where Devsarma was also initially involved with the process as the executive director.





"But in early 2016, Hajela started applying his discretionary power (going against the principle), which had the potential to jeopardize the entire purpose of NRC updation. For the difference of opinions, I abandoned the process in February 2017," said Devsarma in his letter to PMO, adding that the complete draft NRC was published in July 2018 and the supplementary list was released on 31 August 2019. Later Hajela was sent to his home State on deputation even though the final NRC was yet to be published. Then Devsarma was assigned as the NRC State coordinator and he found that no less than Rs 260 crores mismanagement was done during the process till 31 March 2020. The Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG) also reported about financial irregularities and fixed responsibility for these anomalies on Hajela. As per the procedure, Hajela had to face the public accounts committee to respond to all charges, but he was allowed to go on voluntary retirement.





Devsarma lodged two FIRs in this regard (another three FIRs were lodged by private parties), but none of those has been registered by the police. Now Devsarma demands a complete re-verification of the NRC (Assam) and legal actions against all those elements, which tried to derail the process for their vested interests. He also demanded that the Enforcement Directorate should inquire into the financial irregularities of NRC updating process and probable money laundering. Apprehending a foreign hand that spent a huge amount of money for the inclusion of illegal migrants' names in the NRC, Devsarma also raised voices for a National Investigation Agency probe to unearth any foreign money which might have been involved in the process.




Nicolas Buchoud





By the end of 2024, people across 65 countries, nearly half of the global population, will have cast a vote in an election, marking the biggest manifestation of the democratic process in history. [1] With populism on the rise, the geopolitical landscape of 2025 could therefore look very different from that of today. Multilateralism can be seen as being under threat, but think tanks can play an important role in supporting it through new forms of scientific and policy cooperation.





For many, globalization has become synonymous with social or economic inequities and governments inability to address widespread crises and transformations. The G7 leaders summit in Apulia, Italy, takes place at a time when there can be no status quo. In such a context, the enduring cooperation of think tanks during the past G7 and G20 presidencies offers valuable insights.





In 2023, the final communique of the Think7 (T7), G7 Japans engagement group of think tanks, promoted the bridging of G7 and G20 to address intersecting security, financial and environmental crises and re-ignite a universal approach to the 2030 Agenda.[2] The communique, which was formally presented to the Prime Minister of Japan, was the result of extensive dialogue between think tanks from G7 Japan and G20 India. It was first initiated during G7 Germany and G20 Indonesia the year before and spanned several months, involving representatives of the sherpa and finance tracks and other stakeholders, such as foundations and philanthropies.[3]





In 2024, the T7 communique, adopted at the T7 Summit held at Luiss University in Rome and chaired by the Italian Institute for International Affairs (IAI) and the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI), called on G7 leaders to promote new instruments of cooperation and governance based upon inclusive and holistic approaches. This recommendation was embodied by the T7 task forces on energy, climate and sustainable development, science, and digitalization for a better future, which drew on the work of more than 150 high-level experts from G7 and G20 countries and beyond.





How can such cooperation expand and support governments to make progress on global challenges, such as climate, during this super year of democratic elections?





Last year at the G7 leaders summit in Japan, Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, said the South would be central to Italys G7. The leaders of Brazil and India have been invited to join G7 leaders in Apulia, along with their counterparts from a dozen countries from the Global South, plus the African Union. The G7 Italy leaders summit includes sessions on the Indo-Pacific, economic security, Africa, climate change, and development, which demonstrates the G7 is slowly moving away from a long-prevailing, narrow-minded, and short-sighted the West and the rest approach.[4]





The G7 alone can no longer decide the future of multilateralism, but it can certainly help showcase that it is a common good. Yet, to do so, new forms of international cooperation are necessary. By convincing people and their governments that multilateralism yields benefits that far outpace the costs, think tanks could also meet the demand for more social, economic, and climate justice. A few convening platforms, such as the annual Global Solutions Summit in Berlin, have played an important role in showcasing the work of think tanks to a larger audience, including the German Chancellor.





Since the COVID-19 pandemic, innovative and efficient forms of cooperation among civil society engagement groups have multiplied. During G20 Italy and G20 Indonesia in 2021 and 2022, joint initiatives by the group of think tanks, businesses, and the D20 Long-Term Investors Club, in coordination with the respective presidencies, have helped transform the landscape of infrastructure and global financing for a just energy transition. During G20 India in 2023, the group of think tanks incubated the ambitious University Connect project, which mobilized several dozens of universities across India, in cooperation with many of their counterparts in lower- and middle-income countries. The think tanks were also instrumental in the launch of the Global Alliance on Life Economy Research and Innovation, echoing the agreement of G20 leaders to reignite the 2030 Agenda. Those efforts are complemented by new initiatives, such as ThinkAsia, a global knowledge platform for think tanks across the globe, and the NEXT Forum created by ISPI to nurture young talent and future leaders.





Hence, rearticulating multilateralism is not about any grand plan to reform international institutions or the global financial architecture overnight. It is about reiterating that multilateralism matters and demonstrating how it matters. It is about supporting joint efforts from civil society and governments to go beyond short-sighted attempts to make cuts in regulatory systems regarding social, economic, scientific, or environmental matters. It would be very easy to lose the multiple benefits gained from decades of building a world much less exposed to poverty, hunger, and illiteracy just by closing on globalization. Yet, it is still possible to avoid such a huge collapse.





Last year, in 2023, the cooperation and steadfast dialogue among think tanks from the G7 and G20 helped understand the links between debt and rising gaps in financing climate, biodiversity, and development agendas, especially in lower- and middle-income countries. In response, think tanks jointly formulated a 10-point action plan, which the Asian Development Bank Institute (ADBI) has continued through the Asia Africa Pacific Climate Finance Forum, together with the monetary authorities from over a dozen developing countries. This year, G20 Brazil has assigned a pivotal role to the civil society engagement group, Civil20 (C20). Hence, the C20 has initiated a dialogue on climate action and sustainable development with national and global think tanks, the G20 presidency, and other institutions.





There are many ways to make even more progress by promoting more regular and consistent dialogue among the different engagement groups in the G7 and G20. For instance, Civil7 (C7), the civil society group of the G7, convened representatives of the civil society group of the G20 at its summit in Rome. Last year, over half a dozen of the G7 Japan engagement groups cooperated with T7 to issue a joint declaration promoting gender equality in times of digitalization.





Looking back, from the aftermath of the global financial crisis of 2008 to the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the past decade or more has delivered creative ways to connect science, policy making, development, and culture. [5] As new patterns of competition, multipolarity, and complementarity emerge, think tanks can play an even greater role and positively respond to those rejecting international cooperation.





The proximity of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, and G20 summits in 2022 and 2023 played in favor of the adoption of a shared G20 leaders communique. This year, the Brazilian G20 presidency wants to impress a sense of continuity with next years BRICS summit and COP30, as both take place in Brazil.





The G7 leaders summit in Apulia begins just a week after the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy, France, and before a significant summit in Switzerland on the war in Ukraine. Think tanks have demonstrated the benefits of greater cooperation among themselves and with other groups, and their ability to innovate across geopolitical fault lines. It is time for think tanks to strengthen the case for track two diplomacy while valuing the many lessons learned in the G20 and G7. This is a responsibility shared with governments and international financial institutions.





1Plackett, B. 2024. What the Science of Elections Can Reveal in This Super-Election Year. Nature. 10 June.





2The T7 Japan Communique was complemented by a joint communique with the groups of Civil Society (C7), Youth (Y7), Women (W7) and Pride (P7) promoting gender equality and inclusion in a digital society.





3Rockefeller Foundation. 2023. Think7 and Think20 Launch a Shared Agenda for Global Cooperation. 15 May.





4Reuters. 2024. G7 Puglia Summit: Participants, Agenda and Key Issues Explained. 13 June.





5In 2023, ADBI edited a book, A World in Crisis, a World in Progress: Growing Better Together, which reviewed the outcomes of the T20 since its inception in 2012 during G20 Mexico.





Related links:





Think7

Think20
KYIV, Ukraine (AP)  At least three people were killed in a Russian bombing attack on Ukraines second city, Kharkiv, on Saturday afternoon, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said.





Another 38 people were wounded in the attack, Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said. Four aerial bombs were launched against the city, damaging residential buildings, shops and public transport stops, said Kharkiv regional Gov. Oleh Syniehubov. He said that four of the wounded were in serious condition.





This Russian terror with guided aerial bombs must and can be stopped. Bold decisions from our partners are needed so that we can destroy Russian terrorists and Russian combat aircraft where they are, Zelenskyy wrote on the messaging app Telegram.





Zelenskyy said last month that Ukraine still urgently needs at least seven more Patriot missile systems to fend off Russian strikes against the power grid and civilian areas, as well as military targets, with devastating glide bombs that wreak wide destruction.





Russia has also continued to target Ukraine's energy infrastructure with a new barrage of missiles and drones overnight, officials in Kyiv said. The attacks damaged energy facilities in the southeast and west and injured at least two workers.





Ukraine is struggling with a new wave of rolling blackouts after relentless Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that started three months ago took out half the countrys power generation capacity. Ukraines air defenses intercepted 12 of the 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia, the air force said.





State-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the strikes damaged equipment at facilities in southeastern Zaporizhzhia and the western Lviv region. Two energy workers were injured in Zaporizhzhia when a fire broke out at an energy facility, according to regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov.





With no major changes reported along the 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line, where a recent push by the Kremlins forces in eastern and northeastern Ukraine has made only incremental gains, both sides have taken aim at infrastructure targets, seeking to curb each others ability to fight in a war that is now in its third year.





Moscows overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia and Lviv follows Ukrainian military strikes on three oil refineries in southern Russia overnight into Friday.





Air defenses destroyed five drones over the Sea of ??Azov and the countrys western Bryansk and Smolensk regions, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. A man was killed in shelling of Russias Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, according to regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov.





The governor of eastern Ukraine's partly occupied Donetsk region said Saturday that Russian attacks had killed five people and wounded seven the previous day.





In the Russia-controlled part of the region, Moscow-installed Gov. Denis Pushilin said three people were killed and four were injured in shelling by Ukrainian forces Saturday morning.




Geneva: Press Emblem Campaign, the global media safety and rights body, expresses utter shock over the relentless murder of journalists in Pakistan, as the south Asian nation has lost its seventh scribe to assailants this year. Condemning the gunning down of Khalil Afridi Jibran (55), a television journalist of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on 18 June 2024, PEC demands a high level probe into his murder and nab the culprits to punish under the law.





According to local Pak media outlets, the senior journalist was associated with privately owned Pashto-language news channel Khyber TV, which is influential in Pakistan's north-western province. Khalil, also a popular civil society activist, was targeted by unidentified gunmen in the night hours as he was returning home after daily work in Landi Kotal town. The former president of Landi Kotal Press Club died on the spot. Family friends claim that Khalil used to receive threats from miscreants for some months. Local journalists organised a protest demonstration before his burial.





"Khalil Afridi Jibran becomes the 55th journalist to be killed this year around the world. Unfortunately Pakistan continues to lose journalists to perpetrators with impunity and thus emerges as a most dangerous country for media persons in the recent past. We extend moral support to the family members and colleagues in their fight for justice and urge Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Ali Amin Gandapur to do the needful," said Blaise Lempen, president of PEC (https://pressemblem.ch/pec-news.shtml).








BATANGAS, Philippines (AP)  The Philippines is engaged in a major buildout of natural gas power at a time when scientists say the world needs to urgently phase out fossil fuel use because of climate change. Analysts say Filipinos will likely pay more for their electricity and that additional future needs could have been met with clean renewables.





An Associated Press investigation found that a major cheerleader for natural gas, Gov. Hermilando Mandanas of Batangas province, stood to benefit from the buildout.





Here are key takeaways from AP's report:





The project





The government has ambitions for making the Philippines a liquified natural gas hub for the Asia-Pacific region. And Batangas province is at the heart of where its happening.





Four gas power plants lie along the coastline about two hours south of the capital Manila, and four more are planned. Six new terminals for importing the chilled and liquified gas are on the way or already operating.





Mandanas told the AP that the electricity is badly needed for development that will benefit all of the Philippines.





The Mandanas family interest





Mandanas owned the largest share in a real estate firm, AbaCore Capital Holdings Inc., that soared in value as energy companies moved in. The governor promoted the expansion in media interviews and public events. And AbaCore launched its own natural gas project.





Mandanas led a takeover of AbaCore in the 1980s, building it into a real estate behemoth beyond its original interests in mining and gaming. When he was elected governor in 2016, he stepped down as CEO and his wife, Regina Reyes, took over. But company documents show that as of last fall, Mandanas still owned almost 30% of the company.





Reyes was open about her husbands policies benefiting the family company. She told shareholders in 2019 that programs implemented and led by her husband would boost AbaCore.





A deal signed in 2019 involved an AbaCore sister company in which Mandanas now holds a large stake. The AbaCore affiliate and three Chinese firms agreed to build a $3 billion LNG complex in the fishing village of Simlong. Four properties owned by the group, including the land where the power hub will be built, were valued at $6.2 million before the deal. Afterward, they were revalued at five times as much.





Mandanas said probably one of the subsidiaries sold a piece of property to the developers, indicating a distance from the transaction. He denied his associated businesses are involved with the buildout and called natural gas the best choice for the country. And he said AbaCore is not in any energy business here in Batangas.





What ethics experts say





Legal experts said the dealings violate Philippines law on ethics in public office and possibly the nations law on local government. Philippine politicians are not allowed to own major stakes in companies with goals that could be at odds with their official duties. Governors must maintain a balanced ecology and conserve marine resources.





Michael Henry Yusingco, a lawyer and fellow at the Philippine Institute for Autonomy and Governance, called the situation a clear conflict of interest that could merit Mandanass suspension or removal from office.





Elizabeth David-Barrett, director of the Centre for the Study of Corruption at University of Sussex, England, reviewed the APs findings and agreed with Yusingco that they amount to a conflict of interest and the abuse of entrusted power for private gain which harms the public interest.




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.
Carrie Webb will be the next principal at Gilbert Linkous Elementary School in Blacksburg, the Montgomery County school system announced Wednesday.

Were excited to have Ms. Webb join the Gilbert Linkous community, schools Superintendent Bernard Bragen said in the school systems statement. She has a wealth of experience and we know she will be a great leader for the Linkous Lizards.

Webbs career in education has spanned more than 30 years and included work in the Manassas City and Prince William County school systems. She has been an elementary school teacher and assistant principal, and was an elementary school principal for eight years, the Montgomery County announcement said.

I cant wait to join the team at GLES and I look forward to being a member of the Blacksburg community, Webb said in the announcement. Im excited to meet all the students, staff, families and community members that help make GLES such a great place to learn and work.

Webb will become principal on July 1, replacing Michelle Flynn.
A drive through northwest Roanoke with the windows down is a noisy one.

In Gainsboro, downtowns ambulance sirens and train whistles waft over the hills. Along Shenandoah Avenue, industrial trucks engines and cars bass speakers create a cacophony. And in Washington Park, Interstate 581s rumble is undeniable.

When the Rev. Amy Hodge, one of Roanokes newest Gun Violence Prevention Commission members, realized that all that noise can have a negative impact on the health and happiness of her neighbors, she took steps to fill her community with the sound of church chimes.

The sounds of gunshots and sirens have become far too familiar, leaving residents feeling unsettled, unsafe and on the edge. These charms are a beacon of hope, Hodge said during a chime dedication ceremony at Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church on Wednesday. The uplifting melodies chosen for our chimes will trigger the release of endorphins, our bodys natural feel good chemicals, promoting a sense of calm and reducing stress.

Wednesdays ceremony began in the churchs front yard. At 6 p.m., the new chimes rang out and played a series of melodies, closing with the hymn It is Well with My Soul.

As participants were heading into the chapel for the remainder of the service, Roanoke police conducted a traffic stop directly in front of the church near the intersection of 22nd Street and Melrose Avenue. An on-duty officer who was attending the ceremony ran over to help.

City police confirmed later that the vehicle, a small SUV, involved in the traffic stop had been reported stolen from another jurisdiction. Three teenagers found in the SUV were detained.

One of the teens was taken to the Roanoke Juvenile Detention Center on an outstanding detention order, Caitlyn Cline, Roanoke police public information official, said in an email Thursday. The other two were transported back home to their guardians.

Calming spirits

Hodge addressed the incident once her congregation had gathered inside the churchs sanctuary.

Weve heard and seen something that were trying to avoid in our neighborhood, and some of you might feel a little bit of trauma, Hodge said. Were trying to do something so positive because violence does have to leave our community.

Its gonna take everybody to do something to curb gun violence, Lea said. You can play chimes to calm the spirit down in this community. The music has a way of going that.

When you hear those times, youre gonna feel better and youre gonna tell someone else what that means, Moon Reynolds said. Were going to find money to make sure this continues.

Hodge said the chimes, which are computerized and play through speakers in the churchs tower, were installed in May and are expected to cost up to approximately $20,000. They play hymns at 8 a.m., noon, then every two hours after that until 8 p.m., when the day closes with Amazing Grace.

Hodge said she drew inspiration from the chimes at Greene Memorial United Methodist Church downtown. Its clock tower and 10 bells were donated and installed in 1902, according to the churchs website.

It has since been modernized twice  once in 1958 with the installation of 49 electromechanical Carillon Bells, and again in 1999 with the purchase of 318 computerized Carillon Bells, the website reads.

Debbie Brown, Greene Memorials program ministries director, said the computerized bells operate on a timer and play a variety of songs, including those suggested by area residents.

The downtown residents have commented how they love to hear the bells and the music, she said in an email Tuesday.

Noise and violence

But researchers and sound control engineers know that what is music to one might be noise to another.

Sound is a physical phenomenon, Dr. Arline Bronzaft, Professor Emerita of the City University of New York, said in a recent interview. Noise is a psychological one. The sound of a bell, train tracks. When these are sounds that are annoying, disturbing, bothersome, which means theyre interpreted psychologically, they affect you. And when sounds that you dont want affect you, they can create stress.

Bronzaft completed landmark research studies in the 1970s on the effect train noise had childrens reading ability in New York City. She said more recent studies link noise to cardiovascular disorders.

Loud sounds, even if liked, can cause hearing loss, she said. Low sounds that are not that loud, but are bothersome, stressful and disturbing, can cause cause enough anxiety to affect you mentally, and can actually cause changes in the physiological system, which could lead to damaging health effects.

Bronzaft said there are some cases where noise has led to violence.

I had a mother call me. Her son was coming home from work in the evening, and thats when the neighbors started blasting their music until the middle of the night. You know what he ended up doing? Killing them, she said.

When we talk about noise in poor communities, minority communities, theres much more of it, and its more difficult for them to escape, Bronzaft continued. But I would not jump and say that that increases the violence.

Sound levels in Roanoke

They also recommend, during the day for moderate annoyance, not to exceed 50 decibels on average over the entire day, or 55 decibels for serious annoyance, Kaliski said in a recent interview. It depends on what youre trying to protect.

In a city Roanokes size, with a population density of about 2,300 per square mile, sound has a a typical day level of 50 and a night level of 44, Kaliski said. Youre right about at the threshold between moderate annoyance and sleep disturbance. But its not unusual.

The Roanoke Times used, at Kaliskis recommendation, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Healths Sound Level Meter smart phone application to examine sound levels in the citys northwest quadrant. Between about noon and 4 p.m. Friday, the area showed an average of 51.2 decibels  slightly higher than the expected average for the whole city.

Kaliski said that residents in louder areas might not notice that theyre more distracted or more anxious. While the context of the sound around them matters, generally, lower noise is better.

Church bells is an interesting one Ive never heard of, Kaliski said. Whether its noise or sound, whether its restorative or not, thats a good question.

Hodge remains hopeful that the chimes at at Mount Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church will calm those who hear them, making them easier to get along with, even if theyre having a hard day, even if theyre in the middle of a trauma.

My people know what time to come to church, she said. They dont need a chime to remind them what time church is. But these chimes remind people that the church is here, and that God is here, and that they can change their minds about the way they feel.
DAKOTA DUNES, S.D. -- Residents of Dakota Dunes are being urged to voluntarily evacuate over the next 24 hours as the Missouri River and Big Sioux River continue to rise.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem will be in North Sioux City at 2 p.m. Sunday for a press briefing on the flooding situation.

The Missouri River is expected to crest early Tuesday morning at 31.4 feet in depth; the river as of Sunday morning was 22.64 feet at Sioux City, Union County Emergency Management said in a press release, citing National Weather Service hydrograph data.

The Big Sioux River is expected to crest Monday or early Tuesday at 41 feet; the river is currently at 31.16 feet.

Tuesday's forecast crest of the Missouri River isn't far from the peak during the catastrophic flooding of 2011, when the river reached 32.25 feet. Significant levee protections were built and reinforced over the years that followed.

At the National Weather Service's observation point in Jefferson, S.D., the Big Sioux River set a new depth level on Sunday of 41.94 feet. The previous record, 40.4 feet, was set during the flooding of 2019.

If there is a major breach of the Dakota Dunes flood barriers or if the water goes over the top of the barriers, a mandatory evacuation would be ordered immediately, Union County Emergency Management said in the press release.

Dakota Dunes residents are urged to immediately reduce their water and sewer usage, turn of lawn irrigation systems and not to discharge sump pumps into the sanitary sewer system. In an extreme flooding event residents will need to plug their floor drains to prevent sewage from backing up into the basement, turn off air conditioning and not use any water.

For the time being, residents may want to move their furniture or valuables to the uppermost portion of their home.
A 12-foot mural of the life of Henry Warren Sewing, a native Texas who founded the first Black-owned bank in the Midwest, was dedicated at the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City in March 2024. Sewing is the great uncle of Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing. Courtesy of the Sewing Family Ron Posey takes a close look at the H.W. Sewing mural at the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City in on March 16, 2024. Sewing is the great uncle of Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing. Courtesy of the Sewing Family The H.W. Sewing mural was commissioned in 1974 and painted by Kansas City, Mo., artist Hank Smith. Courtesy of the Sewing Family Visitors at the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City take photos of the H.W. Sewing mural, which was dedicated at the museum in March 2024. Sewing is the great uncle of Houston Chronicle columnist Joy Sewing. Courtesty of the Sewing Family

In Black communities, legacy is often tethered to racial trauma. Its uncommon that we have the opportunity to take a piece of art that reflects a reverence for our experiences and find it a proper place for generations to learn from and admire.

That was my self-appointed mission when a close friend in Houston connected me with a mural that hung in my great-uncle H.W. Sewings bank in Kansas City, Kan., the first Black-owned bank in the Midwest.

My friends father is president of the New Orleans-based Liberty Bank and Trust that bought Sewings bank in 2008, long after his death in 1980. The bank had changed hands many times by then.

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I dont believe in coincidences, so the symbiotic connection  from my friend to her father to my great uncle  felt divinely ordained.

Not many people are still alive who know the significance of the mural that hung for 50 years in Sewings Douglass State Bank, which he named in honor of Frederick Douglass.

Sewing commissioned the painting by a Black artist in Kansas City, Mo., in 1974. It spans 12 feet and depicts Sewings life from poverty  born in 1891 into a sharecropping family in Bremond, Texas, near Waco  to marrying his college sweetheart at Huston-Tillotson University in Austin and later moving his family to Kansas, in part to escape the racial violence in Texas.

The mural illustrates how the bank, which he founded in 1947, played a pivotal role in the fight for economic freedom for Black people. Under Sewings lead, the company invested more than $17 million in home mortgage loans for Black families who were effectively barred from mortgage access at white banks due to redlining practices that deemed them too risky for loans.

Sewing believed that economic empowerment was the only way to be truly free.

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Until 2022, I didnt know the mural existed.

The painting was the last significant artifact from Sewings old office. His papers, bank records and recorded interviews are housed at the Kenneth Spencer Research Library at the University of Kansas and the public library in Kansas City, Mo.

A former city council member from Kansas City, Kan., who worked in Sewings insurance agency and later bought the firm also has an extensive collection of Sewings writings and bank documents.

Sewings life and legacy were a history lesson in my home from an early age. His memoir, which he wrote in 1970, was required reading. When things got hard, my father would remind me of how Sewing pressed through adversity, overcoming poverty, graduating from college, serving in the U.S. Army, and founding a bank during the nations repressive Jim Crow years.

He only visited Houston a few times. On one visit in the 1930s, he saw a Black man being dragged by a car through downtown and swore he would never return. But he made another visit when I was a child, a few years before his death.

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During the past two years, I made many exhausting calls and wrote emails to museums and art institutions to find the painting a home. I thought the National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C., would be fitting since it has a few small items from the bank in its collection. But my emails and calls went unanswered.

I even tried to bring the painting to Houston. Sewing helped establish other banks throughout the nation, including Riverside National Bank, now Unity National Bank, in Third Ward. But the cost to transport a mural of that size was much bigger than my wallet could bear.

Ultimately, I found the right place for my great-uncles mural at the Black Archives of Mid-America in Kansas City. In March, more than 100 family members, friends, political officials, community leaders, business owners and several former bank employees now in their 90s gathered for a special dedication ceremony at the museum.

Several people spoke about Sewings legacy and how his bank was not only a place for economic opportunity, but also central to Black life. The banks lobby was where you could get your shoes shined, a haircut, and catch up with neighbors. Other businesses operated there, too.

We know historically what having a bank, a Black bank, does for a community, said Kansas state Sen. David Haley, nephew of Pulitzer-Prize winner and Roots author Alex Haley. David Haleys late father, also a state senator, operated his law office in Sewings bank building.

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It was not just an economic institution for us to trade that was created from the foundation and hard work of H.W. Sewing. It was a hub, a citadel, a place where we could gather and foster entrepreneurship and inspire our entire community, Haley said.

Children today may never know what its like to grow up in a burgeoning business environment that offers hope in a world adrift in turmoil and divisiveness. Thats why legacy should be something we think about more than we do. Many wealthy people know how it works. They ensure their legacy is firmly planted in our minds with hefty monetary donations and buildings with their names on them. Its hard to forget anyone that way.

But for regular folk, legacy is more than passing a house down to our kids. Its about preserving treasures of our past, of our ancestors, and making sure their stories are shared well beyond family.

Of all the things Ive done, its most satisfying to know that my great uncles painting is around for posterity and that it did not end up in someones garage sale.

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SIOUX CITY  Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-Hull, is set to introduce legislation in the House of Representatives that is focused on paid family and medical leave for small business employees.

The "Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit Extension and Enhancement Act is pitched as extending and reforming the 45S tax credit which is a credit for employers who offer paid family and medical leave to their employees. The credit is equal to a percentage of wages an employer pays to qualifying employees when they are on family and medical leave, according to the IRS website.

"When a family welcomes a newborn into the world or a medical condition leaves someone unable to work, its important that employees of businesses both large and small have access to paid family and medical leave," Feenstra said in a release. "Paid family and medical leave  known as PFML for short  ensures that workers can take needed paid time off to spend with their families when a new baby arrives or, in the event of a medical emergency, allows employees to take the time that they need to heal and recover without missing a paycheck."

A companion piece of legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Deb Fischer, R-Nebraska, and Angus King, I-Maine.

One reform piece of the legislation is the reduction of the time a worker has to be employed to claim the credit. At present, a worker has to be employed by their current employer for one year before they can even reach eligibility to claim the credit, according to the Bipartisan Policy Center. The proposed bill would cut that time in half.
The Ocheyedan River near Spencer crested at a new record-high on Saturday while the Little Sioux River at Spencer crested at a near record-high Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls office.

Through 1 a.m., Sunday, Spencer officials were giving the following shelter locations:
SIOUX CITY -- Two people were shot early Sunday morning at a Historic Fourth Street bar.

At around 1:38 a.m. Sunday, Sioux City Police officers were dispatched to the Key Club, 1008 Fourth St. On arrival, officers found two victims suffering gunshot wounds.

The victims were hospitalized with what a police spokesman said are critical injuries. A third victim arrived at a hospital later in the morning suffering from a non-life-threatening injury sustained during the incident.

An investigation is ongoing. Preliminary information suggests that a single suspect fled the scene after firing the shots. The shooting is believed to have been a "targeted incident," the police said in the press release, and there it is not believed the public is in danger.

Anyone with information about the shooting is urged by the police department to call Crime Stoppers at (712) 258-TIPS (8477).
CORRECTIONVILLE, Iowa -- State transportation officials on Sunday afternoon closed Highway 20 traffic headed to Correctionville as the Little Sioux River continued to rise in the Woodbury County city.

With the swollen river flooding low lying areas in the city of 746, authorities encouraged residents at risk to consider evacuating.

"Once it gets dark, rescue efforts are too dangerous," the Woodbury County Emergency Management Department said in a statement. "Woodbury County Sheriff and DNR assets may not be able to assist you.

Authorities also asked residents who remain in town to stay in their homes and not risk going outdoors.

"Please stay in your homes instead of driving around and sightseeing at this time. Weve already got vehicles getting stuck in the water," the Correctionville - Jog Down Our Main Street account posted on Facebook earlier in the day.

The Little Sioux, which stood at 27.22 feet at 3 p.m. Sunday, was expected to crest at 31.3 feet at 1 a.m. Monday. That would topple the previous record crest of 29.3 feet.

Heavy upstream rains and runoffs in recent days have swelled the Little Sioux, which flooded large areas of Spencer this week. The floodwaters engulfed the Clay County seat's main street and damaged scores of homes and businesses.

Earlier Sunday, state officials closed Highway 31 where it intersects with 160th Street in Correctionville after water poured over the highway. The river also flooded Copeland Park.

For eastbound travelers on Highway 20, a detour has been set up to take westbound motorists south on Highway 59 to Ida Grove. Eastbound motorists on Highway 20 will be redirected to Minnesota Avenue.

Mayor Ken Bauer enacted a curfew for Correctionville, from 9:30 p.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday. Non-residents will be asked to leave town, the mayor said.

The Red Cross set up a shelter and cots in the south gym of the River Valley High School for any displaced Correctionville residents. In case of a power outage in town, residents should go instead to the River Valley Middle School in Anthon.
Dogs up for adoption in their kennels at Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

People from across the country are helping Harris County Pets find homes for the hundreds of homeless cats and dogs at the animal shelter.

They're using platforms like TikTok and Facebook to find, vet and ultimately pair would-be owners with pets in need. These informal pet networks have pulled hundreds of dogs from the shelters euthanasia list this year alone, and have helped stabilize the organization after allegations of mistreatment arose last year.

If we're looking at what's changed from last year to this year, the networks have been a huge part of that, said Theresa Lukasik, owner of Lucky Tails Rescue and one of the principal figures who pushed for reform at Harris County Pets. We've had adopters literally fly in from other states to go to the shelter, adopt the dog and take it back to the state they live in.

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The numbers confirm that these networks are having an impact. According to Corey Steele, director of Veterinary Public Health for Harris County, rescue groups removed 842 animals from Harris County Pets in 2024. He praised the work of volunteers who have come in to help market animals at the shelter.

Any help we are getting to amplify the pets in our care is extremely helpful in our overpopulation, Steele said. We have volunteers that come into video pets and then they share those videos to people on social media to network.

Owner of Lucky Trails Rescue and Transport, Theresa Lukasik holds one of her foster dogs on Thursday, March 23, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer For over six years, Paula Thoma and Angela Schimmels have fostered dogs such as the ones photographed being handed off to Lucky Trails Rescue and Transport on Thursday, March 23, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A dog up for adoption in the kennels at Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer A dog up for adoption in the kennels at Harris County Pets Resource Center on Friday, Feb. 24, 2023 in Houston. Raquel Natalicchio/Staff photographer

Over the past year, Lukasik has worked closely with Demitra Stefanoni, a resident of Maryland and administrator of the Saving Houstons Pets Facebook page. Stefanoni, who aside from running the group has no ties to the Houston area, said the situation at Houstons animal shelters demanded her attention.

Harris County is like the third world when it comes to animal rescue, Stefanoni said. One of the main reasons for that is that there arent a whole lot of active rescue organizations in the area.

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According to Stefanoni, one explanation for the lack of robust rescue groups is that those that do operate in the area generally focus on shelters that kill animals at a higher rate. She said that organizations like Houstons BARC draw the lions share of attention from local rescues, leaving the animals at Harris County Pets to people like herself and Lukasik.

BARC is Houstons equivalent to Harris County Pets and provides animal control and adoption services within city limits. In 2023, BARC euthanized close to ten times the number of animals killed by the county in the same year. At the same time, BARC took in about 20,000 animals that year, whereas Harris County Pets accepted around 4,500.

A native and lifelong resident of New England, Stefanoni first found out about the situation at Harris County Pets when she came across the shelters Facebook page in 2019. At first, she was merely posting adoption listings from Houston groups to others along the East Coast.

That strategy, however, couldn't keep pace with the sheer volume of animals euthanized by Harris County Pets. Prior to the construction of a larger facility in 2020, Stefanoni said she was forced to contend with a narrow window in which she could get the animal pulled from the kill list, regardless of if she had found a match or not.

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Harris County used to kill every morning, and twice on Fridays, she said. It was dismal. They would kill before they opened. So if a dog wasn't saved by six o'clock in the evening, it was dead by morning.

Public data from 2019 reveals the shelter euthanized close to a thousand cats and dogs that year, with an additional 819 either missing or dead from other causes. This year, Harris County Pets monthly reports currently show an average of 21 dogs euthanized per month. That number is up slightly from 2023, but not when accounting for the shelters higher intake average of 447 animals each month compared to 375 in 2023.

Euthanasia is also no longer a daily occurrence, and is limited to two days a week  Fridays and Wednesdays. Animals have a minimum of 30 days at the facility before they can be put on the euthanasia list.

According to Harris County Pets euthanasia policy, rescues and pet networks are notified a total of three times before an animal is killed. Once when they pass the 30-day mark at the shelter, again 48 hours prior to euthanasia and in a final red-alert notice sent 24 hours before.

These are the pets we need help with, Steel said. Our rescue coordinator sends emails to approved rescues with animals needing rescue.

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Those emails are what spurred people like Stefanoni into action. With almost 1,500 miles, two time zones and multiple layers of bureaucracy between her and the dogs she was trying to save, the conditions Stefanoni was working under seemed better suited to a military operation than a simple adoption program.

Soon, however, a loosely organized coalition of individuals from across the U.S. joined the Maryland-native in her quest to find homes for the countys many abandoned pets.

You need different social media platforms to help showcase dogs, because more audiences bring more eyes and more chances at adoption, Stefanoni said. We have a girl in South Carolina who helps us out there. We have people in Colorado, Washington and across the entire U.S. finding homes for dogs in Houston.

Stefanoni's network is just the first step in the adoption process. She finds eligible homes and ensures applicants are capable of providing high-quality care. According to her, that process can be as superficial as checking their social media pages, to as in-depth as running a criminal background check. If everything checks out, Lukasik arranges pick-up and transport.

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Lukasik said this is where she often encounters roadblocks, like navigating regulations that vary from state to state.

States will often prohibit the transfer of animals that are not spayed or neutered, as well as those carrying treatable illnesses.

There was one that I was trying to adopt through Washington but the dog was heartworm positive, Lukasik said. Its illegal to transport a dog that has heartworm in Washington, so we had to pull her and she ended up not getting adopted.

Once her rescue takes custody of an animal, she cannot return it. That means excessive delays can sometimes result in a potential match backing out, leaving Lukasik to coordinate another adoption.

Lukasik and Stefanoni agreed that Harris County Pets has taken strides to improve operations. Long-awaited policy changes have finally been implemented.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240622/russian-north-korean-pact-huge-loss-for-us-allies-in-region-1119067754.html

Russia-North Korea Pact Major Loss For US Allies in Region

Russia-North Korea Pact Major Loss For US Allies in Region

Sputnik International

Japan and South Korea, two of the most vital allies to the US in the region, are the biggest losers of the Russia-DPRK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership earlier this week.

2024-06-22T23:17+0000

2024-06-22T23:17+0000

2024-06-23T09:03+0000

analysis

japan

russia

moscow

gerald horne

sputnik

north korea

south korea

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Both countries have long been adversaries with the DPRK. The Republic of Korea (RoK) since The Korean War and Japan since its brutal occupation of Korea in 1910. After the signing of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, both will have to deal with a stronger, less isolated DPRK which now has the backing of Russia.Recall that Japan has been lobbying Moscow incessantly for decades for the return of the Kuril Islands, explained historian and author Dr. Gerald Horne on Sputniks The Critical Hour. You see that Japan is staggered by the prospect that North Korea, which specializes in sending missiles into Japanese space, now has a formidable ally in the form of Moscow.On Thursday, the South Korean Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the deal. "We will sternly respond to any act threatening our security with the international community, including our allies, after conducting thorough analysis on [Putins] visit to North Korea and their comprehensive strategic partnership agreement," the ministry said in a statement.Late last year, the Japanese government approved a record military budget, making it the third highest military spender in the world, after the US and China. Just a decade ago, Japan had a pacifist defense policy and would only use its military in direct self-defense. In 2014, that restriction was removed and Japan started expanding its military capabilities.This is not consoling to the DPRK, added Horne. No doubt [it] motivated this recent embrace of Moscow.For the RoK, the deal is near catastrophic. In September, the RoK pledged to give Ukraine $2.3 billion, a decision that was undoubtedly noticed by Russian President Vladimir Putin. In a sense, Russia has struck back and has strengthened [the Roks] antagonist, Horne noted.Throughout June, the DPRK has floated balloons full of trash and used toilet paper over to the South Korean part of the peninsula. The action was in response to activists in South Korea sending balloons full of propaganda pamphlets and USB drives with South Korean television shows.At a time when the reunification of Korea looks to be further than it has been in decades, North Korea is being strengthened, as US influence in the region is on the wane.Ironically, the United States had an opportunity to reach out to North Korea and improve relations during the administration of Donald Trump, who visited with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during his presidency."It is just ironic to me, all the negative press Trump got from the West when he did this in 2019," pondered The Critical Hour co-host Dr. Wilmer Leon. "It just makes me wonder where the Russian North Korean conversations would be today, if Trump had been able to further develop that rapport with Kim [Jong Um]."It is also a failure of the entire Cold War era, perpetrated and driven by US imperialism. That is to say that somehow Washington did not realize  I guess they did not study diplomatic history or political geography  that Russia, the largest country by territory on planet Earth, has been designed to play a major role in world politics be they led by communists in Moscow or non-communists in Moscow, concluded Horne. Now we see the validation of that particular thesis, because we see that Moscow [has been] resurrected.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240622/understanding-north-koreas-modest-nuclear-stockpile-and-conditions-for-use-1119061279.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240622/us-aircraft-carrier-docks-in-south-korea-amid-deepening-russia-north-korea-ties-1119059615.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/death-toll-from-ukraines-missile-attack-on-sevastopol-rises-to-5---governor-1119080023.html

Death Toll From Ukraine's Missile Attack on Sevastopol Rises to 5 - Governor

Death Toll From Ukraine's Missile Attack on Sevastopol Rises to 5 - Governor

Sputnik International

The death toll from the Ukrainian missile attack on Sevastopol, the largest city in the Crimean peninsula, has risen to five people, governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Sunday.

2024-06-23T14:39+0000

2024-06-23T14:39+0000

2024-06-23T14:39+0000

russia

sevastopol

ukraine

russian health ministry

army tactical missile system (atacms)

crimea

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Earlier in the day, the governor said that three people, including two children, were killed as a result of Kiev's strike. He also said that the number of injured people had increased to 119. The Ukrainian armed forces attacked Sevastopol earlier in the day, using US-made ATACMS missiles with cluster warheads, four of which were shot down and one deflected and exploded over the city. The Russian Health Ministry said that 124 people were injured, including 27 children. Monday is declared a day of mourning in Crimea.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/us-supplying-weapons-to-ukraine-bears-responsibility-for-sevastopol-strike---russian-mod-1119078550.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/dodik-us-creates-chaos-in-bosnia-to-serve-its-interests-hinders-local-agreements-1119074946.html

Dodik: US Creates Chaos in Bosnia to Serve Its Interests, Hinders Local Agreements

Dodik: US Creates Chaos in Bosnia to Serve Its Interests, Hinders Local Agreements

Sputnik International

The US creates chaos in other countries from Iraq to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) purely for its selfish interests, preventing Serbs, Croats and Muslim Bosniaks from agreeing on BiH's future, said Milorad Dodik, President of the Republika Srpska (RS BiH).

2024-06-23T11:09+0000

2024-06-23T11:09+0000

2024-06-23T11:09+0000

milorad dodik

world

republika srpska

bosnia and herzegovina

bosnia

treasury departments office of foreign assets control (ofac)

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Dodik told Sputnik earlier that by the end of June he would propose to the other part of the country  the Muslim-Croat Federation of BiH  a plan for a peaceful partition.But the Bosnian Serb leader warned that the separation process may be lengthy. According to sources quoted by Republika Srpska media, the draft proposal has already been prepared and is under revision by the RS BiH government.But any move towards independence for the Serb enclave would be opposed by the US, Washington's ambassador to BiH Michael Murphy has warned."Do Serbs, Bosniaks, and Croats have the right to reach an agreement on their own? How we agree, so will it be for us. Or should we be guinea pigs in someones experiment?" he continued.Dodik recalled that Austria-Hungary annexed Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908 not "to develop it but to pull out everything that could be pulled out." He said the same is happening now, only the foreign power has changed."America has never given anything to anyone, only taken," Dodik stressed, adding that the interests of Bosniaks, Serbs, and Croats can only be achieved through mutual agreements.On June 18, the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) imposed sanctions on two individuals and seven entities for "funding" Dodik and his family. The US previously sanctioned the Bosnian Serb leader in 2017 and 2022.In August 2023, the US also sanctioned BiH presidency member Zeljka Cvijanovic, RS BiH Assembly Chairman Nenad Stevandic, Prime Minister Radovan Viskovic, and Justice Minister Milos Bukejlovic. That was after the RS BiH Assembly passed a bill that June invalidating BiH Constitutional Court decisions in Sarajevo.Dodik also openly refuses to recognize High Representative for BiH Christian Schmidt, whose appointment was not confirmed by the UN due to opposition from Russia and China.In March 2023, the leadership of Republika Srpska halted all communication with staff of the US and British embassies.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240607/milorad-dodik-bih-peaceful-separation-solution-in-accordance-with-dayton-peace-treaty-1118827517.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/germanys-afd-plans-to-form-right-wing-pro-russian-faction-in-european-parliament--reports-1119072192.html

Germany's AfD Plans to Form Right-Wing Pro-Russian Faction in European Parliament - Report

Germany's AfD Plans to Form Right-Wing Pro-Russian Faction in European Parliament - Report

Sputnik International

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - German right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD) plans to set up The Sovereignists faction in the European Parliament, with its key demands being the end to EU bureaucracy and peace negotiations with Russia, German newspaper Der Spiegel reported, citing sources.

2024-06-23T07:35+0000

2024-06-23T07:35+0000

2024-06-23T08:24+0000

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russia

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alternative fuer deutschland (afd)

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The party intends to conduct a constituent meeting of the new faction in one of the European Parliament's rooms on June 27, the newspaper reported, citing a leaked email of one of the AfD party members. To have the faction formed, the party will need 23 lawmakers from seven countries while the AfD itself holds only 15 seats in the parliament, Der Spiegel said. The Sofia Declaration by Bulgarian right-wing political party Revival, which aims against the dictatorship of EU bureaucracy and was signed by many European right-wing parties, is expected to become the factions key document, the newspaper reported. The declaration also demands peace negotiations with Russia. The faction might unite such right-wing parties as S.O.S. Romania, Se Acabo La Fiesta (The Party is Over) from Spain, the Democratic Patriotic Movement from Greece, the Confederation Liberty and Independence from Poland, the Republic Movement from Slovakia, and Hungarian party Mi Hazank (Our Homeland), the newspaper added. In May, the European Parliament's right-wing Identity and Democracy bloc expelled AfD in connection with a series of scandals surrounding the party's leading candidate in EU elections, Maximilian Krah, amid reports of his spying for China. The elections' results showed that in many of the EU member states, right-wing parties did quite well. French right-wing National Rally party emerged victorious in France's European polls, finishing with over 15 percentage points ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition. Right-wing populist FPO party topped the list in Austria. The European elections in Germany resulted in the ruling Social Democratic Party coming third, while the centrist-right opposition alliance CDU/CSU won the elections with 30% of the votes, followed by AfD, who got 16%.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240426/afd-popularity-continues-to-ride-in-second-place-as-crack-downs-on-accused-espionage-cases-begin-1118118801.html

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The officer, Eitan, said to me: Come with us. I asked him Why should I go with you? I am not wanted. He told me to come with him just for 10 minutes, just to a neighbors house. I told him that if I go my children will start crying. He again told me to come just for 10 minutes and then said, I would prefer not to use force. After this, I went with them. When we were leaving the house the officer looked left and right and then grabbed me by the collar and put me in front of him as we exited and went towards the neighbors house. There was no firing at the time, but Eitan crouched down just below me and began firing to the left while the other soldiers moved towards the neighbors house.

We entered the neighbors house. There was no one there. About 15 soldiers were with us at that time. I was told to stay in one room. I was then taken from this house and told to go to another house alone, and to knock on the door. I did this but no one answered. They told me to come back. I saw that they had a type of metal box that they were carrying and they brought it to the door. I then heard an explosion. I was then told to go back to the house and to go in and if there were any people in the house to tell them to go to one room. When I went back, I found another door. Again, I knocked but no one replied. The soldiers exploded this door. At this time, they sent in a dog and then told me to go in and if I was to find any closed doors, to open them. The soldiers then came in after me.

It was now about 3.30pm, I told the soldiers that I wanted to go home and one of them replied that I could go back when they found someone else to replace me. The soldiers were searching the house and then we went to the bottom floor of the house where they put a hole in the wall between this house and the next. I was taken by the soldiers and told to go through the hole first. There were about six to seven soldiers that followed behind me. From there, I was taken to another house. Again, the soldiers searched the house; there was no one home. When leaving this house, Eitan grabbed me by the neck and put his machine gun against my right hip. I walked about 20 meters like this. I was then taken to another house of a neighbor, Ibrahim Fraihat, whom I know. When we entered, there were already soldiers there. I was placed with Ibrahim in one room. We stayed there for the night.
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/israels-defense-minister-heads-to-us-amid-biden-netanyahu-weapons-holdup-spat-1119073255.html

Israeli Defense Chief Heads to US Amid Biden-Netanyahu Weapons Freeze Spat

Israeli Defense Chief Heads to US Amid Biden-Netanyahu Weapons Freeze Spat

Sputnik International

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is heading to Washington amid a scramble to get the US to unfreeze a weapons shipment to Tel Aviv, local media reported.

2024-06-23T09:30+0000

2024-06-23T09:30+0000

2024-06-23T11:29+0000

world

israel

us

yoav gallant

benjamin netanyahu

palestine-israel conflict

israel defense forces (idf)

lebanon

hamas

joe biden

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Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant is heading to Washington amid a scramble to get the US to unfreeze a weapons shipment to Tel Aviv, local media reported. Despite having received billions-worth of American military aid, Israel has been infuriated by the holdup of a cache of large bombs. Gallant is apparently seeking to address the issue, telling reporters before setting off that the upcoming meetings with the senior government officials are critical for the future of the war.Gallant is scheduled to meet with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, CIA Director William Burns and Special Envoy Amos Hochstein. Accompanying Gallant are Defense Ministry Director General Eyal Zamir, Deputy IDF Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Amir Baram, his chief of staff Shachar Katz, military secretary Brig. Gen. Guy Markizano, and Israeli Ministry of Defense Political-Military Director.A broad range of issues besides the deferred arms shipment are reportedly set to be discussed, such as operations necessary to achieve the goals of the war against Hamas," efforts to "ensure the return of the hostages held by Hamas, and measures required to achieve regional stability, according to a readout from Gallants office.He will also raise the unique areas of cooperation between the US and Israeli defense establishments, with an emphasis on force build-up efforts and power projection, while maintaining Israels qualitative edge in the region, the statement added.Specifically, the Israeli delegation will purportedly be holding meetings with senior US military officials to discuss "phase three" of the operations in the Gazan city of Rafah. That phase is to presuppose the withdrawal of some of Israel's ground forces from the Gaza Strip, with focus directed towards localized operations against Hamas. Furthermore, Israel's plans for an offensive against Hezbollah in Lebanon will also come up for discussion, as will Irans nuclear program.The trip comes as tensions have ratcheted up between US President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The Israeli PM let loose a barrage of criticism targeting the White House in a recent video.It is inconceivable that in the past few months, the administration has been withholding weapons and ammunition to Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister said.Facing dire poll numbers and a growing protest movement, the Biden administration made a show of seemingly setting a red line for Netanyahu in May, putting on hold a shipment of weapons that included the 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 1,700 500-pound bombs. The move came amid failed US attempts to get Israel to rethink its decision to go ahead with its Rafah operation.When Netanyahu suggested that the US had been "withholding" other weapons and ammunition shipments in addition to the high-payload bombs, the White House retorted, calling the comments deeply disappointing and added that it didnt know what he's talking about", and then canceled a meeting with high-ranking Israeli officials in response.In an interview with the Punchbowl news site on June 21, Netanyahu repeated the accusations, adding that attempts to resolve the issue via many quiet conversations between our officials and American officials, and between me and the president to try to iron out this diminution of supply had fallen through.Tel Aviv had been very close to reaching an agreement with Washington to unfreeze the deliveries, Ynet quoted an Israeli source as saying. However, Netanyahus irate video supposedly didnt help matters. The Israeli PM is also set to visit the US, and will have a chance to address a joint session of Congress on July 24.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240608/israel-cant-win-all-out-war-against-lebanons-hezbollah-heres-why-1118878260.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240509/its-indescribable-humanitarian-crisis-in-rafah-rapidly-unfolds-as-us-pauses-arms-shipment--1118343345.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/kuwait-urges-nationals-to-leave-lebanon-amid-escalation-with-israel---state-media-1119068721.html

Kuwait Urges Its Citizens to Leave Lebanon as Escalation With Israel Heats Up

Kuwait Urges Its Citizens to Leave Lebanon as Escalation With Israel Heats Up

Sputnik International

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry has called on all Kuwaiti citizens to leave Lebanon as soon as possible over the recent escalation with Israel, the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

2024-06-23T02:34+0000

2024-06-23T02:34+0000

2024-06-23T09:03+0000

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In light of this, the Ministry stated that all Kuwaiti citizens currently in Lebanon should promptly depart the country for their own safety, unless they have a valid reason to remain. Following the announcement, Kuwait Airways carrier said it was increasing the number of seats on flights to Beirut to accommodate all those wishing to leave Lebanon.The situation on the Israeli-Lebanese border worsened after the start of hostilities between Israel and Palestinian movement Hamas in October 2023. The Israeli army and Lebanese Hezbollah fighters, who support Palestine in the conflict with Israel, have regularly exchanged fire across the border since then. On Tuesday, Israel said it approved and validated operational plans for an offensive in Lebanon.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240608/israel-cant-win-all-out-war-against-lebanons-hezbollah-heres-why-1118878260.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/miscalculated-stormy-seas-expose-pentagons-floating-gaza-aid-pier-as-feeble-flop-1119075334.html

Miscalculated': Stormy Seas Expose Pentagon's Floating Gaza Aid Pier as Feeble Flop

Miscalculated': Stormy Seas Expose Pentagon's Floating Gaza Aid Pier as Feeble Flop

Sputnik International

The floating pier built by the US military for humanitarian deliveries to Gaza turned out to be nothing but a wasteful boondoggle due to simple miscalculations.

2024-06-23T12:32+0000

2024-06-23T12:32+0000

2024-06-23T12:32+0000

palestine-israel conflict

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The floating pier built by the US military for humanitarian deliveries to Gaza turned out to be nothing but a wasteful boondoggle due to simple miscalculations.They just miscalculated They didnt fully understand what was going to happen with the weather  So the DoD [Department of Defense] walks away, humiliated in a fashion, Stephen Morrison, a senior vice-president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, was cited as saying by The Guardian.The $230 million-worth project conceived by the Pentagon turned out to be too fragile to handle rough seas and, furthermore, has been plagued by poor security. Its very future is now in question.It took over two months, 1,000 US troops, and multiple US Navy vessels to construct the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (JLOTS) facility. This consisted of a floating dock deployed at sea and a corresponding pier attached to the Gaza coast. Despite being operational since May 17, the maritime corridor was only functional for just 12 days. As a result, only 250 truckloads of humanitarian aid have been delivered through the vulnerable pier.Poor security meant that arriving aid was dumped on the beach on most of the days because there were no trucks to take it from the pier to warehouses in the enclave.Convoys tasked with delivering the aid have been suspended by the World Food Programme, with the international organization's security review still ongoing.The floating structure was designed to withstand sea state 3 conditions, or, in other words, waves of 0.5 to 1.25 meters tall. However, an unruly eastern Mediterranean had generated a storm on May 25 that gave the pier a serious battering. After being towed away for repairs to the Israeli port of Ashdod, it resumed operation on June 8, but just a day later aid deliveries were suspended for two more days. Rough weather forced the pier to be dismantled again on June 14.Its an easy guess that more such setbacks will follow, as the construction is just too vulnerable to the elements.Despite tactical pauses introduced by Israel to allow aid in, security conditions are described as appalling. The Rafah crossing from Egypt has been closed since May 7, when the IDF launched its Rafah offensive. The roads to the Keren Shalom border crossing in southern Israel are too dangerous due to both IDF attacks on Hamas in Gaza, and looting by gangs.Nevertheless, despite being plagued by problems, the maritime pier was described as a critical additional conduit for aid deliveries by a US official. Department of Defense Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Patrick Ryder said that, no end date has yet been established for this mission, contrary to some press reporting on the matter.When the concept for the pier was unveiled during Joe Bidens State of the Union address in March, it was trotted out as a symbol of the US presidents ostensible concern for the plight of Palestinians in Gaza. Since Israel curbed the entry of aid convoys through the land crossings, the pier was designed to help increase the flow of food into the besieged enclave. However, critics pointed out that the project was meant to serve as a humanitarian cover of sorts for Bidens support of Israel.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240507/is-biden-pushing-for-another-nakba-with-gaza-aid-pier-ploy-1118298323.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/netanyahu-complains-of-us-ignoring-israels-requests-to-supply-more-munitions-1119077695.html

Netanyahu Complains US Ignoring Israeli Requests For More Munitions

Netanyahu Complains US Ignoring Israeli Requests For More Munitions

Sputnik International

The United States significantly decreased supplies of munitions to Israel four months ago and has remained unresponsive to Israel's requests to supply more, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, adding that he hoped that speaking up about the issue publicly would help resolve it.

2024-06-23T12:37+0000

2024-06-23T12:37+0000

2024-06-23T12:46+0000

world

benjamin netanyahu

joe biden

us

israel

gaza strip

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"Four months ago, there was a dramatic decrease in the munitions coming to Israel from the US. For long weeks, we turned to our American friends and requested that the shipments be expedited ... We received all sorts of explanations, but one thing we did not receive; the basic situation did not change," Netanyahu said at a cabinet meeting. Israel's prime minister added that "certain items arrived sporadically but the munitions at large remained behind." He also said that he was "willing to absorb personal attacks on behalf of the State of Israel" that he believes could follow after his remarks. In May, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin confirmed the pause in arms deliveries to Israel, adding that this concerned only one batch. US President Joe Biden later told CNN that he would stop aviation bomb and artillery munition deliveries if the operation in the Gaza Strip was extended to the southernmost city of Rafah. But the United States would continue to provide defensive weapons to Israel, including air defense systems, he added. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the US continues shipping weapons to Israel, but for the only batch of aviation bombs that remains under consideration.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240614/us-officials-frustrated-by-israeli-demands-for-better-intelligence-sharing---reports-1118962323.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/russia-intends-to-prevent-politicization-of-economic-cooperation-within-g20-1119074754.html

Russia Intends to Prevent Politicization of Economic Cooperation Within G20

Russia Intends to Prevent Politicization of Economic Cooperation Within G20

Sputnik International

Russia intends to firmly suppress attempts to "artificially politicize" G20 economic cooperation at the forthcoming sherpa meeting in Brazels Rio de Janeiro, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador on G20 affairs and G20 Sous-Sherpa Marat Berdyev said on Sunday.

2024-06-23T09:47+0000

2024-06-23T09:47+0000

2024-06-23T09:47+0000

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The third G20 sherpa meeting will take place in Rio de Janeiro from July 3-5, opening a practical work on the draft project of the G20 Summit declaration. The G20 summit itself is scheduled for November 18-19. The key topics chosen by the Brazilian G20 presidency for the discussion are the fight against poverty, famine, implementing fair energy transitions with no damage for economic progress, and reforming global governing institutions, the official said. Russia fully supports the agenda indicated, he said. The Russian delegation at the sherpa meeting will be led by G20 Sherpa and Deputy Chief of Presidential Experts' Directorate, Svetlana Lukash, Berdyev said. Lukash will be accompanied by some officials from the Russian presidential administration and the economic cooperation department.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240331/sanctions-you-say-russia-becomes-g20s-fifth-fastest-growing-economy-1117673410.html

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economic cooperation within g20, prevent politicization
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/three-citizens-including-children-killed-in-ukrainian-attack-on-sevastopol-1119077440.html

Three Citizens, Including Children, Killed in Ukrainian Attack on Sevastopol

Three Citizens, Including Children, Killed in Ukrainian Attack on Sevastopol

Sputnik International

Three citizens have been killed, including two children, as a result of an Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea, governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said on Sunday.

2024-06-23T11:54+0000

2024-06-23T11:54+0000

2024-06-24T13:05+0000

russia

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deadly ukrainian attack on sevastopol

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The Sevastopol governor said that fragments of five downed objects fell in the coastal area of the city, injuring people in the area of Uchkuyevka and Lyubimovka neighborhoods. Also, a forest fire broke out in one of the boarding houses near Uchkuyevka and fire brigades were sent to the aid, he added. He added that the whole healthcare system was mobilized: doctors and medical staff were at their work places and all necessary medical care was being provided to the injured.The governor added that almost 100 people sought medical assistance.The Ukrainian attack on Sevastopol left 124 people wounded and injured, including 27 children, an aide to the head of the Russian Health Ministry said. Among the 27 children injured in Sevastopol after the attack by Ukrainian forces, five are in serious condition and doctors are fighting for their lives, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Ombudsman Lvova-Belova said.Kiev attacked Sevastopol with US-supplied ATACMS missiles with cluster warheads; four were shot down, one was deflected by Russian air defenses and exploded over the city, the Russian Defense Ministry said.

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ukrainian attack on sevastopol, governor mikhail razvozhayev, killed in ukrainian attack
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/trump-vows-to-settle-ukraine-conflict-even-before-taking-office-if-reelected-1119072877.html

Trump Vows to Settle Ukraine Conflict Even Before Taking Office If Reelected

Trump Vows to Settle Ukraine Conflict Even Before Taking Office If Reelected

Sputnik International

Former US President Donald Trump has vowed to settle the military conflict between Russia and Ukraine even before his inauguration in case he wins the 2024 presidential race.

2024-06-23T08:51+0000

2024-06-23T08:51+0000

2024-06-23T08:51+0000

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"Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after we win the presidency I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled," Trump said on Saturday during a rally in Philadelphia. During his speech, Trump also vowed to prevent World War III. The US presidential election will be held on November 5. The main rivals in the race are US President Joe Biden, a Democrat, and his Republican predecessor, Donald Trump. Earlier in the week, Trump said in an interview with the All-In podcast that it is understandable that Russia would be bothered by NATO troops on its border, adding that NATO's eastward expansion was a key reason for the Ukraine conflict. Trump vowed to not put US troops on the ground in Ukraine if he returns to the White House.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240616/what-to-expect-from-first-biden-trump-2024-election-campaign-debate--1118981897.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/ukmto-reports-attack-on-vessel-in-red-sea-75-miles-off-yemens-al-hudaydah-1119070922.html

UKMTO Reports Attack on Vessel in Red Sea 75 Miles Off Yemen's Al Hudaydah

UKMTO Reports Attack on Vessel in Red Sea 75 Miles Off Yemen's Al Hudaydah

Sputnik International

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said on Sunday it had received information about a drone hitting a vessel 65 nautical miles (75 miles) off the Yemeni city of Al Hudaydah.

2024-06-23T06:04+0000

2024-06-23T06:04+0000

2024-06-23T06:04+0000

red sea crisis

yemen

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red sea

houthi

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UKMTO has received a report of an incident 65NM West of Al Hudaydah, Yemen. The Master of a merchant vessel reports being hit by uncrewed aerial system [UAS], resulting in damage to the vessel. All crew members are reported safe, and the vessel is proceeding to its next port of call, the UK naval authorities wrote on X. The authorities are investigating the incident, the agency said. Meanwhile, all the vessels were advised to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity to the UK maritime authorities. Yemen's Houthi rebels vowed in November 2023 to attack any ships associated with Israel until it halts military actions in the Gaza Strip. The attacks prompted the United States to form a multinational coalition, which includes the United Kingdom among others, to protect shipping in the area of the Red Sea, as well as to strike Houthi targets on the ground.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240617/houthis-say-attacked-us-destroyer-2-ships-in-red-arabian-seas-1118991137.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/ukraines-accession-to-eu-to-cause-difficulties-for-blocs-agriculture---polish-fm-1119069237.html

Ukraine's Accession to EU to Cause Difficulties for Blocs Agriculture - Polish FM

Ukraine's Accession to EU to Cause Difficulties for Blocs Agriculture - Polish FM

Sputnik International

Ukraine's accession to the European Union will be a problem for the bloc's common agricultural policy, Polish Foreign Minister Radosaw Sikorski said.

2024-06-23T04:34+0000

2024-06-23T04:34+0000

2024-06-23T04:34+0000

world

ukraine

poland

moldova

european union (eu)

radoslaw sikorski

european commission

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"Of these thirty-odd provisions that we will negotiate, I expect that the most difficult  will be the topics of agriculture and transport," Sikorski said in an appearance on the TVN channel. He noted that Ukraine has "giant farms" on "very fertile land," which "will be a problem for the entire common agricultural policy of the European Union." The foreign minister added that the worst thing for Ukraine would be the looting of Western financial aid.On Friday, the EU Council approved the beginning of negotiations on the accession of Ukraine and Moldova starting June 25. Ukraine was granted a temporary duty-free trade arrangement with the European Union in June 2022. In March 2022, the EU additionally launched green corridors to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain to the world market amid Russia's special military operation. However, the cheap grain from Ukraine ended up flooding EU markets instead, prompting outrage among local farmers.In March 2023, Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Slovakia asked European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to introduce measures to counteract the negative effects of the increased imports of Ukrainian agricultural products. In May 2023, the European Commission banned the sale of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed and sunflower seed in those five countries until June 5 in a bid to "alleviate logistical bottlenecks," but allowed their circulation in other European markets. The ban was later extended to September 15.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240607/eu-commission-to-recommend-starting-eu-accession-talks-with-ukraine-this-june---reports-1118827396.html

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blocs agriculture, ukraine's accession to eu, polish foreign minister radosaw sikorski
https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/upgraded-russianorth-korea-strategic-partnership-sends-west-strong-challenge--1119078297.html

Upgraded RussiaNorth Korea Strategic Partnership Sends West Strong Challenge

Upgraded RussiaNorth Korea Strategic Partnership Sends West Strong Challenge

Sputnik International

President Vladimir Putins visit to North Korea and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, he signed with Kim Jong Un should be seen as "a strong signal to the West," according to the Associated Press.

2024-06-23T15:48+0000

2024-06-23T15:48+0000

2024-06-23T17:56+0000

world

russia

north korea

vladimir putin

kim jong un

nato

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President Vladimir Putins visit to North Korea and the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership he signed with North Koreas leader Kim Jong Un should be seen as "a strong signal to the West," according to the Associated Press.In NATOs proxy conflict over Ukraine, Russia is prepared to challenge Western interests like never before, stated the US news agency.The newly-signed agreement marked the strongest link between Moscow and Pyongyang since the end of the Cold War," it added. The authors recalled that Kim spoke of the new treaty as raising bilateral relations to the level of an alliance.Moscow "has nothing to lose," and is prepared to go to the end to achieve its goals in Ukraine, acknowledged the AP.Article 3 of the DPRK-Russia Treaty on Comprehensive Strategic Partnership states that, "in the event of an immediate threat of an act of armed aggression against one of the Parties, the Parties, at the request of one of the Parties, shall immediately use bilateral channels for consultations in order to coordinate their positions and agree on possible practical measures to assist each other to help eliminate the emerging threat."The news agency stressed that while in Pyongyang to sign the treaty, Putin noted statements by the US and other NATO countries on the supply of high-precision weapons systems and F-16 jet fighter aircraft to Ukraine for strikes on Russian territory. He doubled down on his May warning that NATO representatives must understand "what they are playing with" when discussing plans to allow Kiev to strike "legitimate targets" deep within Russian territory with missile systems transferred to the Ukrainian Armed Forces by the West.Russia could also provide long-range weapons to others, remarked Putin, echoing the West's argument that that they "have no control over what happens afterward."Russia could provide North Korea with help in "areas where its capabilities are still nascent, the AP suggested.Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov called the reaction of the West to the state visits of the Russian President to North Korea and Vietnam predictable, and perceived with hostility.Peskov remarked that any foreign relations move by Russia "is perceived, probably, through the prism of the main direction of Western aspirations to suppress Russia and all its activities."He also noted that Russia's cooperation with other states is in no way directed against third countries.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240620/full-text-of-russia-north-korea-strategic-agreement--1119035258.html

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240619/putins-north-korea-visit-directly-challenges-us-regional-clout-1119025861.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/us-military-bases-and-rapid-defense-deployment-worry-okinawa-residents-1119074012.html

US Military Bases and Rapid Defense Deployment Worry Okinawa Residents

US Military Bases and Rapid Defense Deployment Worry Okinawa Residents

Sputnik International

Residents of Okinawa, Japans southernmost prefecture, are anxious about US military presence, incidents involving personnel and the rapid deployment of self-defense forces, said Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki in his speech at a memorial ceremony commemorating the end of the Battle of Okinawa.

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Okinawans are still opposed to US military bases in the Japanese island province almost 80 years since it was invaded in WWII, the governor has said."The presence of massive American bases, incidents and accidents involving American military personnel, environmental issues due to the American bases, and the excessive burden on Okinawa from the American bases continue today," the governor added.Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the heads of both houses of the Japanese parliament spoke at the ceremony. Although Kishida acknowledged the burden on Okinawa, where about 70 percent of US bases are concentrated, his speech was interrupted by shouts of protest.The Battle of Okinawa, from March 26 to June 23, 1945, was one of the bloodiest for Japan in World War II. Around 200,000 people were killed, half of whom were civilians  one in four of the population.US troops have remained on the islands since the battle. There have been numerous incidents of personnel from bases committing crimes against local people, including rape and murder, and escaping trial and punishment.

https://sputnikglobe.com/20240328/japans-okinawa-prefecture-assembly-lodges-protest-over-osprey-flight-resumption---reports-1117603745.html

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/watch-russian-su-34-fighter-bomber-hammer-enemy-forces-1119069775.html

Watch Russian Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Hammer Enemy Forces

Watch Russian Su-34 Fighter-Bomber Hammer Enemy Forces

Sputnik International

The Russian Defense Ministry has released footage of Russian Su-34 aircraft carrying out strikes against Ukrainian military units in the special military operation zone.

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The Russian Defense Ministry has recently published video footage of a Russian Su-34 aircraft conducting strikes on Ukrainian military targets within the special military operation zone. The bombing raid specifically targeted camouflaged enemy equipment and personnel situated in the area of responsibility of Battlegroup Tsentr.The raids were conducted using high-explosive aerial bombs equipped with a universal planning and correction module. This technology enabled these precise, surgical strikes to be carried out without the need to enter the enemy's air defense target area.

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https://sputnikglobe.com/20240623/zakharova-on-sevastopol-attack-ukraine-chooses-mass-gatherings-for-strikes-on-purpose-1119078073.html

Zakharova on Sevastopol Attack: Ukraine Chooses Mass Gatherings for Strikes on Purpose

Zakharova on Sevastopol Attack: Ukraine Chooses Mass Gatherings for Strikes on Purpose

Sputnik International

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova accused Ukraine after the deadly attack on Sevastopol on Sunday of targeting mass gatherings of civilians on purpose.

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"They are carefully planning their crimes ... using them for maximum destruction of the civilian population and civilian infrastructure," Zakharova told the Rossiya 24 channel. Kiev is acting that way both out of hatred and to spread panic among the population of the Crimean Peninsula, the spokeswoman added. Earlier in the day, the Ukrainian armed forces attacked Sevastopol, the largest city in Crimea, using US-made ATACMS missiles with cluster warheads, four of which were shot down and one deflected and exploded over the city. Sevastopol Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said that three people had been killed and almost 100 injured in the attack.

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Mercutio ($3.20) kept his perfect streak going at Buffalo Raceway on Saturday evening, June 22 as he made it three straight victories by claiming the co-featured $19,178 Open Trot. He beat a hard-charging R Royal Port by a length in 1:57.1 over the fast track.

The chalk fest in the featured events continued in the $19,178 Open Pace as Vel Mr Nice Guy ($3.80) wired the field in equalling his season's best with a 1:53.2 tour over the Hamburg, New York half-mile oval. He easily held off the rally of Davey Day Trader by 1-1/2 lengths.

Since arriving at Buffalo Raceway on June 8 from Woodbine, Mercutio has dominated the trotting ranks. With convincing wins coming in the Class A and B classifications, it was time to take on the top sidewinders on the grounds. No problem.

There was an early battle between Mercutio and Treasured Tee. After relinquishing the lead to Treasured Tee, Mercutio (Kevin Cummings) wanted no part of the pocket and quickly scurried back to the top.

With fractions of :28.3, :59 and 1:28.2 on the board, Mercutio braced for a final charge down the stretch. R Royal Port (Jim Morrill Jr.) was gobbling up real estate and made a serious run at Mercutio but could get no closer than a length. Power And Grace (Drew Monti) was in time for the show position.

Owned and trained by Shane Arsenault, the five-year-old Mercutio (Bar Hopping-Frisky Magic) has now won $73,586 on the campaign and $146,502 in his career.

Vel Mr Nice Guy (Joseph Chindano Jr.) tried to wire the field in last week's main event but suffered a head setback. This week, he rebounded nicely to grab the victory.

Setting the pace with times of :28, :57 and 1:25, Vel Mr Nice Guy showed the way and was part of a three-horse breakaway with Davey Day Trader and Scribblers. With a panel to go, Scribblers called it a night, leaving Vel Mr Nice Guy to contend with Davey Day Trader down the stretch.

There was little suspense as Vel Mr Nice Guy kept on task and rolled to the win while Davey Day Trader (James McNeight Jr.) held on for second and Better Take It (Cummings) took the show spot.

The race marked the sixth victory in 19 outings for the six-year-old Vel Mr Nice Guy, owned by Jeff Savidge Racing LLC and trained by Maggie Chindano. The win upped his bankroll to $65,172 for 2024 and $272,202 lifetime.

Racing will resume on Wednesday, June 26 at 2:30 p.m. with 14 races slated. There is $383,500 USD in purses to be distributed on the program. The New York Sire Stakes returns once again with the three-year-old colt and gelding trotters going for $119,800 USD while the three-year-old filly trotters will go to the post with $117,700 USD on the line. There will also be four $20,000 USD races in the Excelsior Series.

(Buffalo Raceway)
Eastcoast Invader and trainer/driver Monica Sutherland pocketed their first win of the Inverness Raceway meet, overshadowing pacesetter Sunshine Lou in the Winners Over feature to close out Sunday afternoon's racing action.

Leaving from the inside post in this week's $2,000 top class, Sutherland's Eastcoast Invader got a pocket trip behind 9-5 shot Sunshine Lou and Danny Gillis with fractions clocked in :29.4, :59.1 and 1:29.4 before springing into action off the final turn and catching the pacesetter down the lane for the 1:58.4 triumph. The 4-5 favourite, Delightful Wine, finished third after a first-over journey through the final lap for Redmond Doucet.

Sent postward for the fifth race of his seven-year-old campaign at odds of 7-2, Eastcoast Invader paid $9.80 to win. Bred and co-owned by Sutherland's father Todd, the Rollwithitharry-Manhattan Delight gelding now has 19 career wins to go along with 52 other top three finishes from 102 starts.

To view Sunday's harness racing results, click the following link: Sunday Results - Inverness Raceway.

(Standardbred Canada)
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

On the weekend, an area 20km off the Illawarra coast south of Sydney became Australia's fourth offshore wind energy zone. It's the most controversial zone to date, with consultation attracting a record 14,211 submissionsof which 65% were opposed.

The zone's declaration has inflamed fierce debate over the pathway to decarbonization, particularly in industrial regions. The Illawarra hosts heavy industries such as Australia's largest steel manufacturer, BlueScope Steel.

In response to the announcement, National Party Leader David Littleproud declared Australia doesn't need "large-scale industrial windfarms." He argues the focus should instead be on household solar and battery storage.

So what is the role of offshore wind in our future energy mix? Here we argue offshore wind energy has three main advantages: scale, availability and proximity. It's just what Australia needs.

1. Scale

Offshore wind has substantial energy-production potential. A single 100-turbine project is capable of generating up to 1.5 gigawatts (GW) of energy and the Illawarra zone could contain two projects (2.9GW).

To put this in perspective, Eraring, Australia's largest coal-fired power station near Lake Macquarie in New South Wales, also produces 2.9GW.

Because offshore wind is more consistent than either onshore wind or rooftop solar, it is the most practical way to provide time-sensitive renewable energy grid security for large energy users.

This high-capacity, consistent energy source is particularly crucial for Australia's industrial decarbonization efforts. BlueScope Steel, for example, estimates it will need approximately 15 times its current energy consumption to transition to green steel-making operations in the Illawarra region.

2. Availability

Offshore wind blows more consistently than onshore wind. We can quantify this by comparing so-called "capacity factors."

The capacity factor is the actual output of a power station over a given period of time, divided by the theoretical power that could be generated if the plant operated at full output for the same period of time.

Onshore wind has a capacity factor of 30%, meaning 1GW of onshore wind farms can be relied upon to deliver 0.3GW of output at any time.

Offshore wind has a capacity factor of at least 50%.

For reference, coal plants in Australia, due to their age and condition, have a capacity factor of 60% and this falls further every year.

It is a common myth that coal is reliable. The reliability of Australian coal fired generators is currently at an all time low and falling.

The Coalition's plan for nuclear power plants announced on Wednesday might look like an alternative answer to the energy availability challenge. But the plan relies on coal in the meantime and coal-fired power plants have a limited lifespan. It's highly unlikely those nuclear power stations could be built in time to take over from coal.

The International Atomic Energy Agency publishes a step-by-step guide to going nuclear. This internationally recognized manual says it takes 1015 years for a country to go from initial consideration of the nuclear power option to operation of its first nuclear power plant.

So the first big problem with nuclear in Australia is, how do we ensure we have reliable power for the five to ten year gap between when most of the coal exits and the first nuclear power plant could possibly be commissioned?

3. Proximity

Most of Australia's population and industry is near the east coast. Placing electricity generation near to where it is needed is more efficient. It also avoids having to construct many kilometers of new overhead electricity transmission lines to connect onshore wind farms far inland.

Australia is leading the world in the uptake of home solar panels and batteries. This is definitely worthwhile. But contrary to Littleproud's suggestion, it's not the whole solution to Australia's decarbonization effort. For example, it won't solve the problem of the need to electrify heavy industry.

BlueScope has stated that to decarbonize its current steel-making operations, it will need 15 times more electricity. This is the equivalent of the solar exported by a staggering 3.6 million homesmore than one-third of the total number of homes connected to the National Electricity Market.

Putting this into perspective, the Illawarra region has 130,000 homes. By our calculations, the BlueScope steelworks currently uses the same amount of electricity each day as the total solar exported by 240,000 homesassuming generous export of 10kWh per home and Bluescope's daily use of 240,000 kWh of energy.

Even if the Illawarra had enough homes exporting solar power to electrify BlueScope's operations, getting this electricity to where it's needed is technically impossible. Home solar systems are connected to the lowest capacity part of the energy gridthe wires in the street. We simply don't have the capacity to move gigawatts of power from rooftop solar to large energy users such as steel and aluminum plants.

Australia needs large-scale energy, including wind

Australia needs large-scale electricity generation. The Coalition has recognized this, and is now promoting large nuclear power plants as well as small modular reactors.

The clean energy transition requires multiple renewable energy sources to meet different needs. There is no "one size fits all" solutionand there is clearly an important role for offshore wind in this mix.

We can expect to see Australia's first offshore wind farms operating in Victoria's Gippsland by the end of the decade.

The Coalition remains committed to the Gippsland project. But it has signaled its intention to scrap proposed offshore wind zones in the Illawarra and Hunter, if elected.

This decision would have flow-on effects. An industry is emerging around the pipeline of potential wind energy projects. The latest announcement will almost certainly heighten tensions surrounding the already bitter debates raging in our communities.

Navigating the contested waters of offshore wind

It is common for the media and politicians to frame energy debates as a blunt binary of support versus opposition for different options, such as offshore wind. Yet genuine progress requires respectful dialogue and a commitment to finding common ground.

For the Illawarra, we argue much greater attention must be paid to the methods, models and outcomes of community engagement. We need to involve the community in constructive conversations about the nature, scale and scope of our future energy mix, which may include offshore wind.

Independent scientific research can provide the evidence base for such crucial decisions about the future of our communities and industries.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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Online deliveries will see a 'massive' boost from AI, says Picnic boss Michiel Muller.

Advances in artificial intelligence are poised to drive a "massive" boom in online grocery deliveries, according to the head of Picnic, a Dutch app-only supermarket rapidly expanding into Germany and France.

Picnic has disrupted the Dutch supermarket landscape with its offer of free delivery in a time window of 20 minutesmade possible by squeezing efficiency out of huge amounts of data.

The firm already uses AI for a vast range of operations, explained CEO Michiel Muller, 59, at the firm's 43,000-square-meter distribution hub in Utrecht, central Netherlands.

"For instance, predicting how many bananas we will sell in three weeks' time. Or what happens when the weather is good or bad. Or doing our whole route planning," he told AFP.

As technology improves and datasets grow, predictions will become more accurate, further reducing food waste and offering even more precise time slots for customers, he forecast.

"Don't forget that supermarkets weren't there 60 years ago. You only had smaller stores. So there's always a movement around new technology and new ways of delivering goods."

"The supermarket will remain. That's for sure. Stores will remain. But the online part will grow massively," he said.

Picnic has developed its own in-house software to fine-tune every element of the delivery process, from processing and packing stock at the warehouse to the famously complex "last mile" of dropping off the goods.

The warehouse has 14 kilometers of conveyor belts.

Delivery times are calculated with extraordinary precision, with reams of information crunched by 300 data analysts and 300 software engineers at Picnic's headquarters.

"We know exactly how long it takes to walk around the vehicle and when it's dark outside, we add six seconds to the delivery time," said Muller.

Unlike a physical supermarket, every order comes through on the app, so the firm knows exactly what it needs to order, deliver, and how long that should take.

The firm estimates this results in seven times less food waste than at regular supermarkets.

"There's not a single baguette that is ordered and not delivered," said Gregoire Borgoltz, head of Picnic's operations in France.

The firm's drivers in the ubiquitous white Picnic vans receive a rating after every trip based on their driving, even assessing whether they have sped too fast around corners.

Each delivery is meticulously tracked.

'Level of automation'

The huge investments required in bespoke software, plus the firm's distribution hubs with 14 kilometers (nine miles) of conveyor belts, means profits have been hard to come by.

Sales have risen from 10 million euros in 2016 to 1.25 billion in 2023, with staff levels soaring from 100 employees to 17,000 over the same period.

But Muller said the firm suffered losses of "around 200 million euros" last year due to expanding in Germanyopening slots in Berlin, Hamburg and Hannover.

For the first time since its 2015 founding, it finally turned in a gross profit this year in its home market. "It took eight years to be profitable in the Netherlands," he said.

Earlier this year, the firm raised 355 million euros from investors to fund its push into Germany and France, notably from the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation and German retail giant Edeka.

When it comes to profits, it's again all down to technology, said Muller.

The company is expanding to Germany and France.

"Basically, the level of automation determines our level of profitability," he said.

"Today, we have about 30 percent automated in Holland. We will grow to 100 percent in a couple of years' time," with Germany and France following soon behind.

So far, Picnic is mainly operating in the northern French city of Lille and the greater Paris suburbs. Central Paris is a "big opportunity but also has some of the worst traffic jams", said Borgoltz.

"We will go to Paris but we have to find the right moment."

Muller has ambitions to spread the company further. "Well, there are 183 countries in the world," he jokes when asked where Picnic will expand to next.

But for the moment, he said the firm would consolidate its activities in Germany and France before looking further afieldnot ruling out a push outside Europe.

 2024 AFP
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Manchester Airport, the third-busiest in Britain, cancelled over 100 flights affecting thousands of passengers Sunday following a major power cut.

Manchester Airport, the third-busiest in Britain, cancelled over 100 flights affecting thousands of passengers Sunday following a major power cut.

At least 20 percent of all outgoing and incoming flights were cancelled, a Manchester Airport spokesperson said, adding that it expected further disruption.

Earlier aviation analytics firm Cirium said 66 departures and 50 inbound flights had been cancelled with easyJet experiencing the largest number of cancellations.

Manchester Airports Group, which also operates London Stansted and the East Midlands airports, said the airport had been "affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning" and passengers at two of the three terminals were told to stay away.

The power cut led to problems with airport security and baggage systems, according to Chris Woodroofe, the airport managing director. Flights resumed in the afternoon.

Woodroofe said on social media he expected flights to be "back to normal operations" on Monday.

The airline Jet2 said that as well as cancelling dozens of flights, it was unable to load bags onto planes as the baggage system remained "inoperable".

EasyJet warned of "very long queues" for security and said passengers could only board flights with cabin bags.

Some arriving flights were diverted to other airports including London Heathrow and Birmingham.

Some flyers took to X, formerly Twitter, to describe the "chaos", with one passenger saying they had been waiting for their bags after landing after midnight and another saying they were "stuck on the plane".

The UK travel industry has been hit by a series of technical and strike disruptions in recent years that have affected rail and air passengers.

Last month, a nationwide outage of immigration e-gates caused long delays for thousands of passengers. In August last year, Britain faced its worst air traffic control disruption in years due to a technical fault.

 2024 AFP
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Al Salam Bank-Bahrain, a leading financial institution in the kingdom, has announced the launch of its exclusive financing offer tailored for beneficiaries of the Tasheel and Enhanced Mazaya schemes aspiring to own property in the Deerat Al Oyoun in Diyar Al Muharraq, or the Danat Al Lawzi project in Hamad Town.

This exclusive offer, being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and Eskan Bank, kicks off today (June 23).

On the scheme, Al Salam Bank-Bahrain said the beneficiaries have the opportunity to explore available residential villas through the Baity App or by visiting Al Salam Banks dedicated booths located at showcase villas.

The exclusive offer features a multitude of benefits aimed at making homeownership more accessible and affordable.

These include cash rewards of BD2,000 for Deerat Al Oyoun beneficiaries and BD5,000 for buyers of Danat Al Lawzi properties. Additionally, the offer features a grace period of up to 6 months to provide further financial flexibility.

Abdulla Taleb, General Manager of Eskan Bank, said: "Our partnership with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning and Al Salam Bank presents a valuable opportunity for us to provide exclusive financing solutions to the citizens. It contributes to our collective dedication towards providing sustainable and comfortable housing for Bahrainis."

Anwar Murad, the Deputy Chief Executive Officer at Al Salam Bank, said: "We are excited to unveil our latest exclusive offers for the beneficiaries of Tasheel and Enhanced Mazaya schemes. Clients can own their dream home with installments starting from BD164.5 (excluding the Tasheel scheme installment), along with cash prizes and a grace period of 6 months."

Al Salam Bank, he stated, offers the most attractive home financing options in the market with affordable installment plans and competitive profit rates.

This ensures that beneficiaries can secure property financing that comfortably fits within their budget. The Banks streamlined approval process provides a fast and efficient experience for Tasheel and Enhanced Mazaya schemes beneficiaries, noted Murad.

"In addition to the core financing benefits, the Bank also provides a range of advantages that further incentivize homeownership. These include earning loyalty rewards and benefiting from waived financing insurance fees, administrative fees, and down payments," he stated.

Al Salam Bank also offers free real estate consultations to clients in partnership with interior design and construction firm We Invision Design & Execution, special offers from Al Salam Gas, and the chance to enter a draw where five winners will receive three months worth of installments, he added.-TradeArabia News Service
The Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah, a brand new expo being hosted next year by dmg events, the experts behind Index Saudi Arabia, aims to tap into the $613 billion project market in the Western Province, when it opens its doors in February next year.

Over the last five years, the Kingdoms Western regions of Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah and Tabuk have carved an influential space for themselves on the countrys property map, launching projects in the commercial, hospitality and residential sectors.

These projects have created a massive knock-on effect in the interior design and furniture market with demand for fit-out products at an all-time high, said the event organisers.

More than 250 companies are expected to showcase their innovative products in front of over 5,000 visitors across more than 17,000 sqm of exhibition space, they added.

To be held from February 18 to 20 at the Jeddah Superdome, the show will explore the latest innovations in the industry.

Looking to address the demand, the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah will connect thousands of buyers from across the kingdoms Western Province with local and global providers.

With an arsenal of premier events within the interior design and furniture sector, dmgs Index leads the pack as the pre-eminent interior design, furniture and fit-out trade event that connects local and global brands with interior designers, retailers, distributors and fit-out contractors.

The event, being hosted by the experts behind Index Saudi Arabia, the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah, will be curated for audience by the same team from the regions most successful interior design and furniture event.

Spanning more than 30 years in the region, Indexs legacy and success will look to complement the highly anticipated launch of the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah in the market.

"Leveraging our expertise and extensive experience in the interior design and furniture market - both locally and globally - and combined with the demand for quality products, we are ideally positioned to break new ground with the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah," remarked Jasmeet Bakshi, the Vice President of Design and Hospitality at dmg events.

As the leading international organiser of events in KSA, dmg events is set to launch the new fitout expo in 2025 as part of its expansion plans and to widen its portfolio across the interior design and furniture sector in the Kingdom.

"Our aim with the launch of the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah is to create and grow the perfect platform that will act as an interior design and furniture directory exclusive for Jeddah and the surrounding Western Province in the Kingdom," stated Bakshi.

The dmg events successful and impressive resume of expos across Saudi Arabia has made a significant contribution to the nation's global engagement, connecting over 300,000 policymakers, manufacturers, suppliers, and buyers and forging an indelible mark on the countrys events landscape, he added.

The expo will include 13 product sectors that encompass the full spectrum of the interior product market including, fit-out services, furniture and furnishings, hospitality interiors, kitchen and bathroom, bed and bedding, accessories and decor, art, technology, textiles, workspaces, flooring and surfaces, lighting, and outdoor furniture.

The show will also include exhibitors from across Italy, Greece, Turkey, Poland, India, Korea, Malaysia, Hong Kong, China, and regional exhibitors; UAE and Saudi Arabia, who will have the opportunity to tap into the Western provinces biggest projects including NEOM, King Abdullah Economic City, Jeddah Economic City, The Red Sea Project, Jeddah Central, and Jeddah Metro.

Unpacking why Jeddah is the ideal location for next years show, Turki Al Sourayia, Director of Project and Export at Al Sourayia Trading Co. For Flooring & Furniture  and one of the exhibitors at next years show  said that Jeddah has transformed into a major tourist destination becoming a hub for the Western, Northern and Southern region in the Kingdom.

He added that they looked forward to the launch of next years show as it would attract industry professionals looking to capitalize on Jeddahs growing market.

"The increased appetite for quality fit-out products from the hospitality, residential and commercial sector in Saudi Arabia represents a massive opportunity for us," said Sharad Bhushan, Vice President of Standard Carpets, a UAE-based carpet and carpet tile manufacturer and one of the exhibitors.

"Weve been witnessing a wave of interest on the back of Saudis ambitious real estate plans and our next step is to tap into a world of potential in the Kingdoms Western Province, which is why the launch of the Interiors & Furniture Show Jeddah comes at the ideal time," noted Bhushan.

For Abdullah Al Aqeel, the owner of Al Aqeel Furniture, one the most recognised Saudi-based furniture companies, the launch of the new event is momentous for Jeddah and the Western Province.

"Were excited to be part of this inaugural event and play a role in the kingdoms interior design narrative. The Western Province represents a new era for us all in the interior design and furniture market and with the roll out of some of the most impressive giga-projects, were ideally positioned to provide bespoke solutions to these potential buyers," noted Al Aqeel.

"Our decades long experience in the market makes us among the most adept and we cant wait to showcase our offering at next years launch," he added.
The Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (Danat) has announced that it has secured its membership in the United Nations Global Compact initiative, a voluntary leadership platform for the development, implementation, and disclosure of responsible business practices.

This strategic collaboration comes at a time when sustainable practices are impacting consumer choices, and its an affirmation of Danats commitment to sustainable practices and responsible business conduct, integrating sustainability principles into every facet of its operations, from supply chains and internal protocols to community engagement endeavours.

On the key achievement, Danat CEO Noora Jamsheer said: "We are extremely proud of this significant milestone. Our membership in the United Nations Global Compact represents Danat's ongoing efforts towards a brighter and more sustainable future for all."

"We aspire for Danat to play a pivotal role in advancing the Sustainable Development Goals crucial for attainment by 2030. This underscores our commitment to spearheading initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and foster the adoption of eco-friendly technologies," she stated.

A prestigious institution, Danat was established in 2017 under the aegis of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

It was formed as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Bahrain Mumtalakat Holding Company (Mumtalakat), the sovereign wealth fund of the Kingdom. Its vision is to become the worlds preferred institute for natural pearls and gemstones third-party verification services and scientific research.

According to her, Danat has made significant contributions to enhancing Bahrain's standing as a premier destination for pearls and gemstones.

"Its constant commitment to advancing the Sustainable Development Goals underscores its dedication to responsible business practices. Danat is fully committed to this endeavour and will diligently work to expedite its positive impact by fostering resilience to climate change, conserving resources, and promoting inclusivity," she added.-TradeArabia News Service
Indias Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday inaugurated the Fast Track Immigration  Trusted Traveller Programme (FTI-TTP) at Indira Gandhi International Airports Terminal-3 in New Delhi, aiming to streamline immigration procedures for Indian citizens and Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) cardholders.

The FTI-TTP, which will eventually roll out at 21 major airports across the country, is part of the governments Viksit Bharat @2047 initiative to enhance travel convenience and efficiency.

This programme is a significant step forward in providing better facilities for Indian nationals and OCI passengers, Shah said. The launch reflects our commitment to making travel smoother and safer.

The first phase of the programme will also cover airports in Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kochi, and Ahmedabad. The system utilises e-gates, which automate the immigration clearance process, minimising human intervention and expediting procedures.

FTI-TTP will be implemented in two phases, initially for Indian citizens and OCI cardholders, with plans to extend the service to foreign travelers in the future. The programme aims to develop world-class immigration facilities through automated gates (e-Gates), ensuring secure and efficient processing for international travellers.

Managed through an online portal, the Bureau of Immigration will oversee the initiative. Applicants must register online, providing necessary details and documents. Verified individuals will be added to a White List of Trusted Travellers, enabling them to use the e-Gates.

Biometric data will be captured at the Foreigner Regional Registration Office (FRRO) or during airport passage. Registration is valid until the passports expiration or for five years, whichever comes first, with options for renewal.

Upon arrival at the e-gates, registered passengers will scan their boarding passes and passports. Once biometrics confirm their identity, the e-gate will open, completing the immigration process.

This initiative is expected to modernise Indias immigration system and improve the overall travel experience for international passengers. - TradeArabia News Service
Global Hotel Alliance (GHA), the worlds largest alliance of independent hotel brands, revealed key 2024 Japanese travel and tourism trends at its global CEO conference last week.

Staged in Japan for the first time, the CEOs of more than 40 GHA hotel brands and media gathered at Hotel Groove Shinjuku in Tokyo to hear insights into the preferences and behaviours of Japanese travellers.

GHA brings together a diverse collection of independent hospitality brands with GHA Discovery, a multi-brand loyalty programme leveraging a shared technology platform. GHA Discovery member data shows its membership base in Japan continues to grow, now up to 340,000 members. Hotel revenue generated by its Japan-based members is increasing too, already ahead of total 2023 figures just five months into 2024, indicating a return to international travel, which has been slow to recover since the pandemic.

Top international destinations for Japan-based GHA Discovery members so far in 2024 are the US and Thailand in terms of nights stayed and spend, followed by Singapore.

When it comes to which GHA properties they like to stay at the most, the most popular destinations, in terms of nights spent, are in Hawaii, Yangon and Kuala Lumpur, while in revenue terms the top three are the Outrigger hotels in Waikiki.

Looking at Japan as an inbound destination, it remains the most popular choice among GHA Discovery's 27-million-strong global membership, with the US being the top source market in 2024, followed by Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong, respectively.

Further reinforcing the popularity of Japan, Bellustar Tokyo, a partner of Pan Pacific Hotels and Resorts, together with Hotel Groove Shinjuk, a Parkroyal partner hotel, were the top-performing GHA properties in 2023 and 2024 to date, by nights stayed and revenue generated by GHA Discovery loyalty members. In the last 12 months members delivered 50,983 room nights to the two hotels, which only opened in May 2023.

Delving deeper into Japanese traveller trends, a recent survey conducted by Interbrand Japan, in collaboration with Global Hotel Alliance, found:

* International travel picking up slowly: Japans number of outbound travellers in 2023 was about half that of 2019, with a slower recovery compared to domestic travel demand. 74% of respondents do not plan to travel internationally in 2024, citing high prices, a weak Japanese Yen, and uncertainty as main deterrents.

* New experiences and safety matter: Japanese tourists that are travelling overseas seek new experiences (45% of respondents) and are eager to spend days sightseeing and shopping (42%), while familiar and secure experiences, and relaxing in hotels, are less important. Safety, comfort, and affordability are crucial factors in destination choice, with high-end customers seeking adventurous new experiences.

* Hotel quality counts the most: For hotel selection, quality of accommodation, a convenient location, and affordability are important, with high-end customers also valuing hotel amenities and accommodation size.

* Loyalty starts with the basics: Members of loyalty programmes appreciate membership rates, discounts, and rewards the most, while high-end customers place additional importance on emotional experiences and service quality.

Market nuance: the affluent Japanese traveller

Supporting its research, Interbrand Japans focus group with affluent travellers found this demographic had a strong appetite for international travel. Bucking the general market trend, these travellers are not as concerned about safety, but motivated by unique, local, and exclusive experiences in the destinations they visit, informed by other in the know travellers, rather than mainstream guidebooks. They identified Budapest, Rome, Prague and mountainous destinations in the US and Switzerland as current travel inspirations.

Affluent Japanese travellers also prefer independent hotels with local character and charm to cookie-cutter brands and value loyalty programme benefits that make their travel experience more seamless and convenient, such as upgrades, complimentary breakfast, and early check-in/late checkout.

GHA CEO Chris Hartley, alongside Choe Peng Sum, CEO of Pan Pacific Hotels Group, Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO of Minor International and Masahito Namiki, President & CEO of Interbrand Japan, shared their insights on these trends and more at the CEO meeting and media event in Tokyo.

It is clear the growing number of GHA Discovery members in Japan are contributing to our global network, delivering business to GHA hotels in key destinations around the world, and this is expected to increase as confidence in international travel returns, Hartley remarked.

Japan is not only a crucial market for outbound travel but also one of the most popular destinations for our global members. This has translated into significant revenue for hotels based in the country, a trend we anticipate will continue to grow, as we look to expand our presence in the country.

The GHA CEO event in Tokyo is also timed to celebrate the alliances 20th anniversary. Since it was established in 2004, GHA has grown into a collection of 40 brands with more than 800 hotels, resorts and palaces in 100 countries, supported by GHA Discovery. First launched in 2010, and reimagined in 2021, this loyalty programme now serves 27 million members worldwide, and generated $2.3 billion in revenue and 10 million room nights in 2023. - TradeArabia News Service
The state superintendent announced plans to reduce the level of standardized testing across the state after hearing concerns from educators and other stakeholders.

Superintendent Megan Degenfelder announced this plan during the Wyoming State Board of Education's annual retreat this week.

I have heard the concerns of educators, parents, and students about the need to reduce the burden of testing, said Degenfelder in a press release. As a result, I am proposing this plan to reduce and streamline the state assessment system while still maintaining the academic rigor we need to provide valuable insight into student learning.

Degenfelder wants to reduce the length of math assessments in grades 3 through 8. She also wants to remove interim testing in kindergarten through second grade.

The K-2 interim assessments are already optional. In 2019, the average time of testing for one subject ranged from 12 minutes to 23 minutes. Interim testing for kindergartners occurs in the spring, and testing for first through second grade occurs in the fall and the spring.

According to a document published by the Wyoming Department of Education in 2022, the purpose of these assessments is to provide a snapshot of where students are and to see if they have the ability to meet the expectations of state standards. The assessments are also aligned with the third grade summative assessment, so teachers can determine if students are on track.

Degenfeld also wants to remove the third grade writing portion from the ELA assessment.

Of the recommendations, several will require changes through the state Legislature and the state Board of Education, including changing ninth grade assessments from required to optional.

She will also need the Legislature and state board to act in order to reformat high school math assessments.

Wyoming often scores highly on national standardized tests, including college-readiness assessments. The state had the second highest average SAT score in 2024. Wyoming also has the highest average ACT score out of states with 100% participation.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress has monitored math and reading progress in fourth and eighth grade across the nation for many years. In the last assessment year, Wyoming had the highest fourth grade math assessment average out of all of the participating states.

The state also had the second highest average NAEP score in fourth grade reading assessments in 2022.

The plan also includes releasing new diagnostic tools for teachers and parents.
The mother of the suspect in the double murder of Tara Geeta Ramsaroop and her infant daught
The Opposition Leader cited figures that showed the official entertainment for the Office of the Prime Minister moved from a revised estimate of $240,000 in 2024 to an estimated expenditure of $30 million in 2025.

This is an increase of 12,400%.
Albert Einstein might be known as a theoretical physicist, but he also came up with some practical ideas. In 1930, he got a patent on a new type of refrigerator, with no moving parts. It was less efficient than the traditional type of refrigerator, but hey, it did boast the distinction of having no moving parts.

That wasnt the mans greatest invention. Find out what it was below, along with information about a less reliable invention, which you can plug into your eye.

15 Dark Horse Queen Elizabeth had a horse named Obelisk, whod drop oats to lure in pigeons. Then hed stomp on the birds to kill them. He didnt eat the pigeons; he must have just liked killing them. He was removed from his post and sent for psychological counseling.

14 King Me The Taliban kidnapped New York Times reporter David Rohde, holding him for several months in 2008 and 2009. Rohde finally managed to escape by tiring the guards out, so they fell asleep. He tired them out by challenging them to games of checkers.

13 Wanna Tell the World The Lonely Island comedy song I Just Had Sex became a hit in many countries around the world. In Southeast Asia, clubs would play the song unironically. If you dont know English, or you know the language but arent super familiar with its subtleties, it just sounds like a legit song.

12 Bake Me a Cake Making cakes in Victorian times seems like a dream job, compared to alternatives that existed at the time. But being a baker back then really meant working all night so the goods would be ready by morning, kneading dough with your feet and inhaling flour dust in enclosed spaces. A baker typically died at around age 42. Advertisement Advertisement

11 Shocking Sight In 1868, a Connecticut inventor named Judah Moses got a patent for a pair of electric spectacles. These glasses sent electricity to your optic nerve, claimed ads, fully restoring your sight. We cannot confirm their effectiveness. J. Moses Wear these once, and youll never see poorly again!

10 Convicted of Kindness A nurse in the Netherlands was convicted of 10 deaths, as she was the last person to see these patients before they died. In reality, the deaths were all from natural causes, and she was the last person to see them only because she sought out dying patients to comfort them. Advertisement Advertisement

9 Je Mappelle In France, you cant legally change your surname. With very few exceptions, your legal name will always be the one you were born with. If you get married, for example, and want to take your spouses name, your passport will continue to list only your birth name.

8 Peeping Gary A Colorado motel owner spent more than a decade peering from the attic at his guests and taking notes on their sexual habits. He never got caught, and we only know about him because he eventually contacted a reporter to share his many notebooks of observations. Advertisement Advertisement

7 You Look Tired Riding bicycles is very dangerous, warned traditionalists in the 19th century. Along with various other health risks, the practice could give you bicycle face. No consensus existed about just what this face looked like, but doctors assured women that it was very ugly.

6 The Cleaning Fairy An aspiring maid in Ohio came up with a plan in 2012 to drum up some business. Shed break into homes, do some unsolicited cleaning and then leave a bill for $75. Apparently, this is illegal, and she ended up pleading guilty to attempted burglary. Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office Removing dirt counts as theft, and rightly so. Advertisement Advertisement

5 Shark Bite The Romans used to find stones that appeared to be shaped like human tongues. They believed these were petrified tongues that fell from the sky during eclipses. The truth was cooler: These finds were the teeth of ancient megalodons.

4 Redundant Accessory Presidents went almost 200 years without wearing flag pins. The first president to do it was Richard Nixon, and he got the idea from a Robert Redford movie, The Candidate. The movie was a comedy. Advertisement Advertisement

3 March of Progress In-vitro fertilization was a wild gamble when it began in the 1970s, with just a couple percent chance of success. By the 1990s, the chance of success rose to 25 percent. Today, its more than 50 percent.

2 Friends in Low Places We use the phrase low man on the totem pole for someone without much status. That makes very little sense. If people are stacked in a totem pole, the bottom person must be the strongest and most important. Advertisement Advertisement
State-run Vietnamese lender Vietcombank has a plan to sell gold bullion via an app to allow buyers to make cashless payments for gold purchases, the banks leader said during a meeting between the central bank and gold bullion sellers on Friday.

Nguyen Thanh Tung, general director of Vietcombank, said the bank would optimize its gold sale process.

The offering of gold bullion via an app will facilitate the online gold sale.

Four state-run banks  Vietcombank, VietinBank, Agribank, and BIDV  as well as the wholly state-owned Saigon Jewelry JSC (SJC) have started selling gold bullion on their websites to address the long queues of gold buyers at their transaction points over the past few weeks.

However, the demand for purchasing gold bullion remains high among customers.

A leader of another bank revealed that they used to receive up to 140,000 gold bullion purchase registrations at a time.

Due to the limited volume of gold available for sale each day, the bank would sell out within just a few minutes.

At the meeting, both local banks and gold companies agreed that the State Bank of Vietnams measures had proved effective in regulating the local gold market and narrowing the gap between domestic and global gold prices to VND4-5 million ($157-196) from nearly VND20 million (US$785.7) per tael. A tael equals 1.2 troy ounces.

Gold bullion sellers affirmed that they would continue improving their gold sale process to facilitate buyers and deal with manipulation and speculation on the domestic gold market.

Earlier, the central bank decided to directly sell gold bars to the four state-run banks. These four lenders have since sold the gold bullion to customers.

However, as the banks sold gold bullion directly to residents at their transaction points, the high demand led to long queues of customers.

According to the central bank, some people even hired others to queue up at the banks gold outlets to hoard gold bullion, aiming to push up gold prices and earn profits.

As a result, the four state-run banks and SJC have offered gold bullion online to ease pressure on bricks-and-mortar outlets.

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Vietnam always considers the U.S. as a strategically important partner, Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son affirmed during a reception for U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink in Hanoi on Friday.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday released a statement on the meeting hot on the heels of Kritenbrinks visit to Vietnam on Friday and Saturday.

Minister Son spoke highly of Kritenbrinks contributions to the two countries relations.

He thanked the U.S. Department of State for strengthening the two nations ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership and cooperating with Vietnam to successfully organize the Vietnam-U.S. Dialogue at the foreign ministerial level in Washington, D.C. in March.

The Vietnamese minister reiterated that Hanoi is willing to join hands with Washington to further promote the two sides' comprehensive strategic partnership in a deep, effective, and practical manner.

Such promotion will be conducted on the basis of respect for each others independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institution so as to bring practical benefits to the two peoples and contribute to peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world in general, he elaborated.

Vietnamese Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son (R) and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink at their meeting in Hanoi on June 21, 2024. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Kritenbrink reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to consistently support a strong, independent, self-reliant, and prosperous Vietnam.

He said Minister Sons visit to the U.S. in March was a specific step to realize the content of a joint statement on the two countries comprehensive strategic partnership.

The diplomat added that the U.S. highly values Vietnams increasingly important role at multinational and regional forums.

The U.S. also advocates the central role of ASEAN in the regional structure and is committed to continuing to boost the ASEAN-U.S. Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the Mekong-U.S. Partnership, Kritenbrink stated.

Minister Son and Assistant Secretary Kritenbrink agreed to increase high-ranking delegation exchanges and maintain cooperation in various areas, including economy, trade, investment, war aftermath remediation, and climate change response.

They were also committed to boosting collaboration in new industries such as innovation, semiconductors, and clean energy.

They discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern, emphasizing the importance of resolving disputes through peaceful measures, particularly concerning the East Vietnam Sea-related issues.

During his visit to Vietnam, Kritenbrink also met with Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc.

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Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh is slated to speak and chair several discussions at the 15th World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting of the New Champions in Chinas Dalian City on June 24-27, contributing to the events success and promoting Vietnams image in the world, according to Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai.

PM Chinh will arrive in China on Monday to attend the event and also have working sessions with Chinese officials at the invitation of Chinese PM Li Qiang and WEF founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab, Ambassador Mai said recently.

As one of the most important annual events in the Asia-Pacific region, this years meeting will bring together 1,500 global leaders from business, government, civil society, international organizations, academia, and media to discuss new models for relaunching economies, with a strong focus on entrepreneurship and innovation, the WEFs website stated.

The fact that the Vietnamese government leader has been invited to attend the event for two consecutive years demonstrates the high appreciation of the WEF and the international business community for Vietnams role in and its contributions to global and regional economic development, Ambassador Mai commented.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (L) shakes hands with his Chinese counterpart Li Qiang at a meeting in Beijing, China in June 2023. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal

PM Chinh is scheduled to deliver a special speech at the opening plenary session of the meeting, which is centered around Next Frontiers for Growth, the diplomat said.

The meeting will be accessible to the public through the live-streaming of over 50 sessions, including the opening plenary, the China economic outlook, and cooperation in a competitive world, according to the WEFs website.

These sessions will focus on six thematic pillars, including a new global economy, China and the world, entrepreneurship in the age of AI, new frontiers for industries, investing in people, and connecting climate, nature, and energy.

PM Chinh will also chair a number of discussions and dialogues with large economic corporations and innovative businesses, focusing on cooperation opportunities, new solutions to global development issues, and Vietnams economic development strategy, stated Ambassador Mai.

In addition, he will have bilateral contact activities with a number of leaders of countries, international organizations, and large corporations.

I believe that PM Chinh and the Vietnamese delegation will remarkably contribute to the success of the annual event, said the ambassador.

The PMs participation in the meeting will open up new opportunities for the Vietnamese economy to interact with and integrate into the global economy, the diplomat commented.

As the world's economic growth slows down and faces numerous risks and challenges, PM Chinh will present Vietnams assessments and perspectives on prospects, challenges, trends, and new development models for the global economy in both the short and long terms, Mai stated.

The PM will also showcase Vietnams prominent socio-economic development achievements, emphasizing the image of a dynamic, self-confident, and actively integrated Vietnam that is attractive to global corporations.

Vietnamese Ambassador to China Pham Sao Mai. Photo: Vietnam Government Portal

Ambassador Mai stated that through the event, Vietnam has the opportunity to contribute to solving common global challenges such as promoting growth, developing new industries, responding to climate change, and ensuring food security.

This participation will help Vietnam further promote its relations with other countries, partners, and international organizations, enhancing its position and prestige on the international stage.

Regarding the Vietnam-China relationship, Ambassador Mai highlighted that the upcoming 15th WEF Annual Meeting of the New Champions will mark the second consecutive time that PM Chinh has attended the event, underscoring the high respect that the Party and government of Vietnam have for the Vietnam-China comprehensive strategic partnership.

This trip will involve in-depth discussions between the government chiefs of the two countries on specific measures to effectively implement the agreements reached by their highest-level leaders.

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Read what is in the news in Vietnam today:

Politics

-- Vietnamese Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh will attend the 15th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting of the New Champions, which will take place in Dalian City, Liaoning Province, China, and have working sessions from Monday to Thursday next week, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

-- The U.S. respects Vietnam as the Southeast Asian country itself can decide how to ensure its sovereignty and national interests, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said during a press conference in Hanoi on Saturday afternoon.

Society

-- The dredging of the Bac Lieu River in the namesake Vietnamese province had affected 34 houses as of Saturday, with three of them falling into the river, the provincial government said on Saturday.

-- Police in Da Nang City, central Vietnam have broken up an online gambling ring with transactions exceeding VND1 trillion (US$39.3 million), arresting 12 suspects.

-- A 27-year-old Russian traveler expressed her gratitude to a Vietnamese man for returning her lost backpack, which she had accidentally dropped while traveling in central Vietnam. She also thanked local police for their efforts in recovering the backpack, stating that she was touched and impressed by their dedication.

-- Police in Ha Dong District, Hanoi arrested a suspect for allegedly smashing the windows of nine cars parked on the sidewalks in front of an apartment complex in the district in the wee hours of Monday, police officers told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday.

-- The Ministry of Transport has announced that Lien Khuong Airport in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is now an international airport and began receiving international flights from Saturday.

Business

-- State-run Vietnamese lender Vietcombank has a plan to sell gold bullion via an app to allow buyers to make cashless payments for gold purchases, the banks leader said during a meeting between the central bank and gold sellers on Friday.

World News

-- Greek authorities arrested 13 yacht crew members and passengers on Saturday after fireworks launched from the vessel allegedly sparked a forest fire on the island of Hydra, according to Reuters.

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Investigators from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security launched legal proceedings against Pham Van Tam, former chairman of Asanzo Group JSC, for tax evasion, a source told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday.

The Vietnamese electronics company was discovered importing Chinese products and disguising them as locally made merchandise for sale in 2019.

Tam, 43, is also banned from leaving his place of residency.

Besides, Pham Xuan Tinh, legal representative and CEO of Asanzo, faced the same charges as Tam.

Investigation results showed that Tam had directed Tinh to sign in-principle contracts with several companies to purchase parts of air conditioners.

Asanzo assembled these components into finished air conditioners and sold the products without excise tax declarations and payments.

In 2017, the local electronics maker sold 2,531 air conditioners, while over 1,440 units were shipped to Asanzo Electric Refrigeration Company and Asanzo Electronic Technology Investment JSC in 2018.

After buying air-conditioner parts, Asanzo Group hired other firms to do some assembling steps, while the company completed the final process and labeled the finished air conditioners as Asanzo products.

The enterprise sold 10,990 air conditioners to Asanzo Electric Refrigeration Company in April 2019 and handed over 15,518 units to the latter in June 2019, but it did not issue value-added invoices and did not declare excise tax.

According to a conclusion made by the Ho Chi Minh City taxman, from 2017 to the second quarter of 2019, Asanzo Group evaded paying a combined VND15.7 billion (US$616,770) in value-added and excise duties.

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Vietnam's Ministry of Transport has announced that Lien Khuong Airport in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong is now an international airport and began receiving international flights from Saturday.

Lien Khuong Airport, about 30km away from the provincial capital of Da Lat, currently has a capacity of two million passengers per year.

As per a decision signed by the transport minister, the airport will serve both regular and irregular domestic and international flights, private planes, military jets, and other aircraft.

Lien Khuong Airport, ranked 4D in accordance with the requirements set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), features a 3,250-meter-long runway designed to handle the Airbus A300, the Boeing B757, and equivalents.

Over the past several years, the ministry allowed Lien Khuong to operate many irregular international flights transporting tourists to the province despite it being a domestic airport.

According to a 2021-30 development plan for Lien Khuong Airport with a vision toward 2050 approved by the ministry in May, the airport is an international one and serves both civil and military purposes.

During the 2021-30 period, the airport is set to meet the requirements of the ICAOs 4E category, and is expected to handle five million passengers and 20,000 metric tons of cargo annually.

By 2030, the airport will be capable of accommodating a range of aircraft, including the Airbus A320 and A321, the Boeing B747 and B787, the Airbus A350, and their equivalents.

Lien Khuong Airport is scheduled to serve seven million passengers and 30,000 metric tons of freight per year by 2050.

As planned, during the 2021-30 period, the runway of the airport will be kept unchanged in its size with a length of 3,250 meters and a width of 45 meters.

Meanwhile, by 2050, the runway will be lengthened to 3,600 meters.

By 2030, the airport will have more taxiways, while its aprons will be widened.

The T1 terminal with an annual capacity of two million passengers will be kept unchanged during the 2021-30 period, while the airport will open terminal T2 with a capacity of three million passengers a year.

By 2050, the T2 terminal will be expanded so that the airports total capacity can reach seven million passengers per year.

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Police of Ha Dong District in Hanoi have detained a 24-year-old man for allegedly shattering the windows of nine parked cars to steal valuables left inside on Monday.

The suspect was identified as Thai Van Quang, hailing from the northern province of Thai Binh, a local police official told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Saturday.

Quang confessed to police officers that he packed a hammer, a pair of gloves, and a raincoat into his backpack at around 8:00 pm on June 16 before going to a cybercafe in the Khuat Duy Tien - Nguyen Trai Intersection area in Thanh Xuan District, where he used Internet services until 11:30 pm the same day.

Then, he stole a pair of sandals left outside a home when he was walking toward Ha Dong District.

As the man was approaching the Van Quan urban area in Ha Dong, he put on the raincoat to avoid being detected.

He began smashing the windows of two parked cars near the CT8 apartment building complex in the area to steal the assets left inside.

His action triggered the car alarm system, forcing him to quickly flee the scene.

The drivers side car window is smashed. Photo: D.H

Quang continued to break the windows of two other cars parked behind a nearby stadium but still failed to grab any assets inside.

He later returned to the Van Quan urban area to keep smashing the windows of other parked cars.

The suspect admitted that he had stolen a white power bank, a box of hair wax, and a small sum of cash.

However, one of the affected car owners claimed that they lost over VND18 million (US$707) worth of cash put inside their car.

After smashing the windows of the nine parked cars, Quang wandered along many streets, changing his outfit and taking a bus ride to a charity eatery where he was working and was given temporary accommodation.

A police report showed that Quang earlier married a teacher but he subsequently left his home for Hanoi due to family conflicts.

A few months ago, he roamed around Tan Trieu Commune of Thanh Tri District in suburban Hanoi before seeking for a job in the charity eatery.

As he struggled to make ends meet by working at the eatery, the man began stealing things from others.

On Monday morning, local police were notified that the windows of nine cars parked in front of the CT8A and CT8B apartment building complexes, located in the Van Quan urban area, were smashed.

All of the affected cars were parked on the sidewalks where authorized parking services are unavailable, said a police leader of Ha Dong.

Following this car window smash-and-grab incident, the police agency advised car owners to park their vehicles in licensed parking lots to ensure the safety of their assets.

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Authorities in a ward in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam have fined a restaurant VND6.5 million (US$255.4) for kicking tourists out of the facility as they were shooting videos of their complaint about the high prices of dishes at the diner.

The fine was imposed on Minh Phi 1 Restaurant in Ha Khau Ward, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province.

According to local authorities, the restaurant failed to clearly display prices, causing misunderstanding among customers, and offended others.

The ward also required the restaurant to phone to apologize to the tourists, who were from Thai Binh Province, also in northern Vietnam.

According to the Ha Long City administration, the city detached a working team to the restaurant after the tourists denounced it for its owners and employees unethical behavior and failure to clearly list prices.

The team found that a group of 10 tourists entered the restaurant for lunch on Monday.

Authorities in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam work with representatives of Minh Phi 1 Restaurant. Photo: Hong Phuong / Tuoi Tre

After paying over VND2.3 million ($90.4) for their meal, the tourists had a look at the bill and supposed the restaurant had fleeced them, so they asked the restaurant to check it again.

One of the tourists recorded videos of their complaint, but a man at the restaurant displayed inappropriate behavior and forced them to stop filming.

As the tourists refused to follow suit, some people pushed them out of the restaurant.

The tourists later reported the case to the police and administration in Ha Khau Ward.

The Ha Long City administration affirmed that it would improve the citys tourism environment and strictly handle establishments deliberately violating regulations on price listing and goods quality.

The city is resolved to build a civilized, friendly, safe, and hospitable tourism environment.

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A Russian traveler has extended her sincere thanks to police officers in central Vietnam for helping her recover the backpack that she had accidentally dropped while traveling on a motorbike, local police reported this weekend.

Police in Pho Cuong Commune, Duc Pho District, central Quang Ngai Province said on Saturday that Victoria Alexandrovna, 27, a woman of Russian nationality, had thanked local police officers for actively deploying measures to look for her lost backpack.

She also expressed her gratitude to H. L. Khuong, a 30-year-old man of Binh Dinh Province in south-central Vietnam, who had picked up the backpack and reported his finding to Pho Cuong police, leading to the return of the lost item to its owner.

On Thursday afternoon, Alexandrovna was riding a motorbike carrying her backpack from Quy Nhon City in Binh Dinh to the ancient town of Hoi An in central Quang Nam Province when she found that she had inadvertently dropped the backpack somewhere, local police reported.

The Russian woman, deeply worried, immediately halted her journey in Pho Cuong Commune, as her backpack contained her passport, cellphone, and other important belongings.

Following advice and instructions from local residents, Alexandrovna reported her case to the commune police for help.

Police officers then urged the woman to keep calm while waiting for them to take measures to recover the lost item.

The incident was broadcast on the commune's radio station, and forces were deployed to search along Highway 1 through the locale.

Detailed information about the backpack was posted on the Facebook page Co do Pho Cuong (Pho Cuong Red Flag), and staff were assigned to frequently call the womans cellphone number.

Later that same day, Khuong contacted the commune police, reporting that he had found a backpack matching the police's description in Phu Cat District, Binh Dinh, and had handed it over to police officers in Ngo May Town, Phu Cat.

Pho Cuong police officers later contacted their counterparts in Ngo May to receive the backpack and return it to Alexandrovna, who then continued her trip in Vietnam.

The Russian woman mentioned that she had heard about the commendable actions of Vietnamese police before, but this was the first time she had personally experienced their dedication.

The Duc Pho District police have commended the Pho Cuong Commune police for their prompt and effective actions, which led to the quick recovery of the lost items for the Russian tourist.

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The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) have partnered to strengthen Vietnams capacities for managing infectious diseases, including COVID-19.

According to a press release by UNICEF Vietnam on Friday, this support also aims to enhance cold chain systems for routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

As part of this effort, USAID and UNICEF have provided 680 patient vital sign monitors, 810 electronic syringe pumps, and 150 refrigerators to departments of health across nine provinces.

The vital sign monitors and syringe pumps are being distributed to hospitals with the goal of increasing their ability to effectively monitor and treat patients suffering from infectious diseases.

The vaccine refrigerators, which maintain the required temperature range of +2C to +8C for safe vaccine storage, will be distributed to commune health centers to ensure the availability of vaccines from the National Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI) for community members.

Launched in 1981, EPI provides free immunization against 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, namely tuberculosis, hepatitis B, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, Hib, measles, rubella, Japanese encephalitis, cholera, and typhoid.

All the medical devices will empower healthcare professionals to provide timely and precise care, thereby improving patient outcomes.

The departments of health receiving the equipment are serving communities in Thai Binh, Son La, Nghe An, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Lai Chau, Dien Bien, Gia Lai, and Thai Nguyen Provinces.

These locations have been identified as requiring additional support to cope with healthcare burdens associated with infectious diseases.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by USAID and UNICEF to enhance global health security and strengthen healthcare systems in countries facing public health challenges.

The provided medical equipment and cold chain supplies will provide long-term services, improving the resilience and preparedness of Vietnam's healthcare system.

"The U.S. government is proud to continue our strong collaboration with the government and people of Vietnam in jointly addressing the national and global challenge of infectious diseases, Dr. Hany Helmy, deputy office director of the USAID/Vietnam Office of Health, said during a symbolic handover ceremony in Dong Thap on Friday.

The critical commodities provided by USAID through UNICEF will help Vietnam to strengthen the country's capacity to effectively monitor and treat patients suffering from infectious diseases, including COVID-19, and to further improve cold chain systems for routine immunization and COVID-19 vaccination campaigns.

Access to reliable medical equipment is essential for effective healthcare delivery, UNICEF Vietnam acting deputy representative Anjanette Saguisag added.

This contribution will significantly improve the capacity of hospitals at both national and sub-national levels to manage and treat infectious diseases, ensuring better health outcomes for children, women, and communities across Vietnam," Saguisag said.

With USAIDs support, UNICEF is pleased to work with the Ministry of Health and help strengthen its immunization systems, ensuring that families in remote areas have strengthened access to safe vaccines.

Meanwhile, Dr. Duong Duc Thien, deputy director of the Department of Planning and Finance, expressed the Vietnamese Ministry of Healths appreciation to USAID and UNICEF for the timely support from the government and people of the U.S., and from UNICEF in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

USAID and UNICEF are among the countries and organizations that have provided the most support to Vietnam, including COVID-19 vaccines/vaccination supplies, cold chain equipment for vaccination, treatment equipment, ventilators, vital sign monitors, liquid oxygen systems, etc., for hospitals, helping Vietnam to control and reduce COVID-19 mortality rates, Thien said.

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Yesterday at the funeral for legendary funnyman John Blackman, his widow Cecile spontaneously gave ownership of Dickie Knee to Daryl Somers.

Somers eulogy which had praised Blackmans wit and generosity also told a story of how he came to be an unscripted, unplanned part of Hey Hey its Saturday. Amongst the story was Somers recalling knocking the desk and admitting, I think Ive got a dickie knee.

With Blackman interjecting, the favourite character was born, later enhanced visually by props man Krystal.

At the end of his eulogy, Cecile Blackman told mourners she didnt want Dickie sitting in a wardrobe, and entrusted it to Somers, For everything that youve done.

With that the gathering broke out into applause.

Blackman passed away on June 4 which led to an outpouring of sentiment from the public and three billboards across Melbourne and Sydney thanking him for the laughs.

A whos who from Australian televisions golden years has gathered in Malvern to farewell the late funnyman John Blackman. Hey Hey its Saturday host Daryl Somers who led the tributes, received a precious gift from his mates widow. @EmilyRice28 #9News pic.twitter.com/KYDtfE3bps  9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) June 23, 2024



M.I. Khan, TwoCircles.net

Patna: Young Tejashwi Yadav, Chirag Paswan and Santosh Suman may soon face competition in Bihars caste-ridden politics from another young man: Nishant Kumar, the only son of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and president of the ruling Janata Dal (United) or JD-U. Speculation is rife that Nishant will soon enter politics, fueled by reports from within the JD-U indicating a growing demand for him to assume leadership due to a perceived lack of second-tier leadership in the party.

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Amidst this clamor, a significant question looms in political circles: will Nitishs son enter politics? If he does, it will add yet another political family to the long list in the states politics.

Nitish, 73, has been a vocal critic of dynasty politics and stands out as one of the few top leaders in the country whose family members are not involved in politics. Over the past three decades, he has consistently criticized his primary political rival, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, and his wife, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, for promoting their sons and daughters in politics.

Even during the extensive two-month election campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Nitish repeatedly targeted Lalu and his son Tejashwi over the issue of dynasty politics. It is ironic that the chief minister, a prominent ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), vehemently denounces dynasty politics while several leaders of his party have promoted their family members in politics.

A political analyst remarked that Nitish has compromised his credibility with such statements. If his son were to enter politics tomorrow, who would take his anti-dynasty stance seriously? Nitish, who once claimed he would prefer to die than ally with the BJP, has not only joined the BJP-led NDA but has also formed governments with them thrice in the last decade alone.

His vocal opposition to dynasty politics appears tailored for public consumption and to garner anti-Lalu votes in Bihar since the mid-1990s. It would not be surprising if his son were to assume a significant position within the JD-U.

Nishant, despite his father holding power in Bihar since 2005 and being in politics since the 1980s, remains relatively unknown to the people. In his 40s, he is described as simple, soft-spoken and calm, maintaining a non-controversial image thus far. Like his father, Nishant is also an engineer.

In the past two weeks, several JD-U leaders, including Vidhanand Vikal and Rana Randhir Singh, have called for Nishants entry into politics to strengthen the party. They asserted he possesses all the necessary qualities to provide youthful leadership to both the party and the state.

Youth leaders within the JD-U are actively lobbying for Nishant to join the party, aiming to rejuvenate its image currently dominated by older leaders. Nishants arrival in the JD-U would revolutionize the party; he brings youth and vigor, promising a fresh perspective, remarked Shukant Kumar, a young JD-U worker.

However, senior JD-U leader and Bihar Minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary dismissed reports of Nishants imminent political debut as baseless. Several years ago, Nishant had publicly stated his disinterest in politics and his intention never to pursue it. Yet, as the saying goes, A week is a long time in politics, suggesting his stance may have evolved since then.

All eyes are now on the JD-Us upcoming national executive meeting on June 29 in New Delhi, where a decision regarding Nishants potential entry into politics may be made. The party leaders acknowledge that in the current political climate, anything is possible, and no outcome can be ruled out.

If Nishant does enter politics, as speculated in local Hindi media, he would follow the footsteps of Bihars Leader of Opposition and former Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, as well as Union Minister Chirag Paswan, who heads the Lok Janshakti Party-Ramvilas (LJP-R), an ally of the BJP.

Tejashwi and Chirag represent established political families in Bihar. While the former is widely viewed as the natural heir to Lalus political legacy, the latter is seen as the political successor to Ram Vilas Paswan.

Lalus family includes his two sons, Tejashwi and Tej Pratap Yadav, his two daughters, Misa Bharti and Rohini Acharya, and his wife, Rabri Devi, all of whom are active in politics.

Similarly, Chirags brother-in-law, Arun Bharti, recently won the Jamui Lok Sabha seat, and his estranged uncle and cousin are also involved in politics.

Other examples abound: former Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi, founder of the Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM), another NDA ally, won the Gaya parliamentary seat, while his elder son, Santosh Suman, serves as party president and Bihar minister. Manjhis sons mother-in-law also holds a legislative position.

Additionally, former Bihar Chief Minister Jagannath Mishras son, Nitish Mishra, is a minister in the state.

Many other politicians in the state have family members  sons, daughters, sons-in-law, brothers-in-law and even sons mother-in-law  actively involved in politics.

In the recent Lok Sabha elections, nearly a dozen new MPs from political families were elected. Notable examples include BJP MP Vivek Thakur from Nawada, who is the son of former Union Minister CP Thakur, and BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad from Patna Sahib, who is the son of former Minister Thakur Prasad. Lalus daughter Misa Bharti has been elected as MP from Patliputra.
Syed Muskan and Kulsoom Faiz, TwoCircles.net

New Delhi: The intersectional feminist approach illuminates the myriad issues confronting migrant women globally. As per the latest report from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Refugee Population Statistics Database, India hosts over 46,000 registered refugees and asylum seekers, with women constituting 46% of this population. The refugees and asylum seekers in India primarily originate from Afghanistan, Myanmar, Tibet and neighboring countries.

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For refugee women, the process of self-identification is intricate and layered, shaped by diverse factors such as cultural backgrounds, displacement experiences and the challenges of adapting to a new environment. These complexities often place them in precarious and vulnerable positions.

Priyali Sur, founder and executive director of The Azadi Project, told TwoCircles.net, A refugee womans identity is not only influenced by internal factors like gender roles, community norms, and traditions but also by external factors such as how host communities categorize them, using terms like asylum seekers or illegal immigrants.

The convergence of these factors often exposes refugee women to vulnerable and precarious situations as they navigate the complexities of a new environment while shaping their identities.

Tenzin Kyizon, a 23-year-old Tibetan refugee woman, embodies this narrative. She articulates the struggle of refugee women grappling with dual identities, confronting marginalization both as women and refugees.

Apart from being a woman, I identify strongly as Tibetan, she asserts. Kyizon made history as the first Tibetan to open an ice cream shop at Majnu Ka Tila, the Tibetan refugee settlement at Aruna Nagar in North Delhi. This initiative brought a fresh experience to her community, providing a familiar touchstone in a foreign land where connections outside her community are limited.

Currently pursuing a Hotel Management, Kyizon reflects, While the course has significantly honed my skills in shop management, the ongoing challenges I face as a Tibetan refugee woman continue to place me at a disadvantage.

She is a second-generation migrant who, along with her parents, sought refuge in India in 2003. Her parents now reside in Tibetan settlements in Himachal Pradesh.

Kyizom and her sister, Tamdim Kyi, jointly operate a small shop in the same location. Despite my best efforts, I could not find a suitable spot to open my shop in the surrounding areas. After much thought, I decided to start my business within my community, where I understand the local market and have established connections with potential customers.

She said she encounters discrimination due to her Tibetan identity, regardless of her location. She notes that people are not supportive of women managing independent shops.

The presence and resilience of refugee women in the country are allegedly viewed through the lens of intersectional feminism, which recognizes and addresses the multiple forms of oppression these women face  including refugee status, intersecting gender discrimination and economic inequality.

From this perspective, the narrative of refugee women in India becomes a story of survival, highlighting their resilience and resistance against systemic injustices that impact their identities.

Intersectional feminism acknowledges that refugee womens identities are shaped by the intersection of multiple factors, such as gender, race, ethnicity, religion and socioeconomic status. It is crucial to recognize and address these intersecting identities. Their rights, dignity and well-being must be safeguarded, empowering them to rebuild their lives and thrive in new environments, added Sur.

In March 2021, Fareeda Kherkha, a 47-year-old Afghan refugee and single mother, faced a significant challenge when the center where she worked closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Taking matters into her own hands, Fareeda started a handicraft business from her home. Today, she provides work and guidance to five-six Afghan women, offering them a means to earn a livelihood. With support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs), she has also set up stalls in various locations, enabling her to generate income to support her family.

The pandemics financial impact forced my children to pause their education due to the inability to afford associated expenses, she shared. To make ends meet, I have operated stalls in different places. However, the income from these ventures fluctuates, depending heavily on local circumstances and visitor traffic.

She expressed gratitude for the improved survival and took proactive steps by establishing bakery stalls, as suggested by NGOs.

Sur continued in hostile or unwelcoming host countries, refugee women face heightened risks due to their gender and identity. They often encounter biases and discrimination that exacerbate their vulnerability. The absence of family protection or support systems can make them susceptible to exploitation. The policies and laws  or lack thereof  implemented by these countries can profoundly impact their lives, sometimes unjustly, failing to consider their unique circumstances. For instance, different refugee communities in India are treated disparately based on their identities, she noted.

Khursheed Ahmadi, an Afghan refugee who arrived in India in 2018 seeking better economic opportunities, faced numerous challenges before securing a position as an accountant at a tour and travel company in Lajpat Nagar. Previously employed at a telecom company in Afghanistan, she found that securing employment as an Afghan woman in India posed significant challenges, with job offers often not aligning with her qualifications and aspirations.

Reflecting on the difficulties refugee women encounter in the job market, she stated, It includes encountering misleading offers and potential exploitation. Despite these challenges, I was fortunate to find a job through personal contacts.

She highlighted the limited opportunities available to Afghan women in the job market, often restricted to domestic roles or outright denied employment. She observed similar circumstances for women in India, noting ongoing struggles with her financial situation and a bleak outlook for improvement. The rent and living expenses in this area are exorbitant. I feel isolated without any friends, and saving money is incredibly challenging, she expressed.

Ahmadi prioritizes work over identity. She explained, If I emphasize my Afghan identity, I receive less assistance. It appears that work, rather than identity, is more valued.

Tenzin Choezom, a 44-year-old woman originally from Tibet, migrated to Delhi as a refugee and is now a second-generation migrant, as her parents continue to seek asylum outside India. She currently works as an aesthetician and beautician in Majnu Ka Tila. Previously, she worked in South Delhi but decided to relocate to the locality to reconnect with her community.

I moved to Delhi 20 years ago as a second-generation migrant, seeking to reconnect with my cultural roots. Initially employed in South Delhi, I felt disconnected from my community, prompting my move closer to my regional community, she shared.

Choezom added that her husband, also a first-generation migrant, has been a crucial part of her journey toward identity liberation. Venturing into entrepreneurship just a year ago, she is excited to see where this path leads.

She noted that her income at Majnu Ka Tila is lower than what she earned in South Delhi. However, she emphasized feeling much happier and more motivated in her current surroundings. She enjoys being part of a community where she feels valued and appreciated by those around her. By offering her services within her community, she establishes a sense of familiarity and feels empowered in a way that was missing before.

In many instances, refugee women are reduced to mere statistics in reports, and their identities and experiences often go overlooked or overshadowed. This dehumanization can lead to a lack of understanding and empathy, making it easier for policies and decisions to be made without considering their specific needs and vulnerabilities, Sur remarked.

(Syed Muskan and Kulsoom Faiz are freelance journalists and students pursuing MA in convergent journalism at AJK Mass Communication and Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia)
FILE PHOTO: The Boeing logo is seen on the side of a Boeing 737 MAX at the Farnborough International Airshow

By Chris Prentice, Mike Spector and Allison Lampert

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors are recommending to senior Justice Department officials that criminal charges be brought against Boeing after finding the planemaker violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The Justice Department must decide by July 7 whether to prosecute Boeing. The recommendation of prosecutors handling the case has not been previously reported.

In May, officials determined the company breached a 2021 agreement that had shielded Boeing from a criminal charge of conspiracy to commit fraud arising from two fatal crashes in 2018 and 2019 involving the 737 MAX jet.

Under the 2021 deal, the Justice Department agreed not to prosecute Boeing over allegations it defrauded the Federal Aviation Administration so long as the company overhauled its compliance practices and submitted regular reports. Boeing also agreed to pay $2.5 billion to settle the investigation.

Boeing declined to comment. It has previously said it has "honored the terms" of the 2021 settlement, which had a three-year term and is known as a deferred prosecution agreement. Boeing has told the Justice Department it disagrees with its determination that the company violated the settlement, Reuters reported this month.

A spokesperson for the Justice Department declined to comment.

The two sides are in discussions over a potential resolution to the Justice Department's investigation and there is no guarantee officials will move forward with charges, the two sources said. The internal Justice Department deliberations remain ongoing and no final decisions have been reached, they added.

Criminal charges would deepen an unfolding crisis at Boeing, which has faced intense scrutiny from U.S. prosecutors, regulators and lawmakers after a panel blew off one of its jets operated by Alaska Airlines mid-flight Jan. 5, just two days before the 2021 settlement expired.

The sources did not specify what criminal charges Justice Department officials are considering, but one of the people said they could extend beyond the original 2021 fraud conspiracy charge.

Alternatively, instead of prosecuting Boeing, the DOJ could extend the 2021 settlement by a year or propose new, stricter terms, the sources said.

In addition to financial penalties, the strictest settlements typically involve installing a third party to monitor a company's compliance. The DOJ can also require the company to admit its wrongdoing by pleading guilty.

Boeing may be willing to pay a penalty and agree to a monitor, but believes a guilty plea, which typically incurs additional business restrictions, could be too damaging, said one of the sources. Boeing derives significant revenue from contracts with the U.S. government, including the Defense Department, which could be jeopardized by a felony conviction, one of the sources said.

Relatives of the victims of the two fatal 737 MAX crashes have long criticized the 2021 agreement, arguing that Justice Department officials should have prosecuted the company and its executives.

At a Senate hearing in June, Chief Executive Dave Calhoun acknowledged the company's shortcomings on safety and apologized to the families who lost loved ones.

Last week, the families pressed prosecutors to seek a fine against the planemaker of nearly $25 billion and move forward with a criminal prosecution.

(Reporting by Chris Prentice, Mike Spector and Allison Lamper; Additional reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by Michelle Price and Lisa Shumaker)
By Phil Stewart

ESPARGOS, Cape Verde (Reuters) - An Israeli offensive in Lebanon has the potential to increase the risk of a broader conflict that draws in Iran and Iran-aligned militants, particularly if Hezbollah's existence is threatened, the top U.S. general said on Sunday.

Air Force General C.Q. Brown, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, did not predict Israel's next steps and acknowledged Israel's right to defend itself. But he cautioned that a Lebanon offensive "can drive up the potential for a broader conflict."

"Hezbollah is more capable than Hamas as far as overall capability, number rockets and the like. And I would just say I would see Iran be more inclined to provide greater support to Hezbollah," Brown told reporters before stopping in Cape Verde on his way to regional defense talks in Botswana.

"Again, all this could help to broaden the conflict in the region and really have Israel not only be worried about what's happening on their southern part of the country, but also now what's happening in the north."

Brown's comments came as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday that a coming end to the intense phase of fighting in Gaza would allow Israel to deploy more forces along the northern border with Lebanon.

Iran-backed Hezbollah began attacking Israel shortly after Hamas' Oct. 7 assault sparked the war in Gaza, and the sides have been trading blows in the months since then. Hezbollah has said it would stop until there is a ceasefire in Gaza.

Earlier in June, Hezbollah targeted Israeli towns and military sites with the largest volleys of rockets and drones in the hostilities so far, after an Israeli strike killed the most senior Hezbollah commander yet.

Brown's remarks came as Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant headed to Washington on Sunday to discuss the next phase of the Gaza war and escalating hostilities on the border with Lebanon.

Brown noted that the United States could be more limited in its ability to defend Israel from attacks by Hezbollah than it was helping intercept Iran's April missile and drone attack on Israel, which was largely thwarted.

"From our perspective, based on where our forces are, the short range between Lebanon and Israel, it's harder for us to be able to support them in the same way we did back in April," Brown said.

(Reporting by Phil Stewart; editing by Diane Craft)
Residents hold US and North Korean flags while they wait for motorcade of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un en route to the Metropole Hotel for the second US- North Korea summit in Hanoi

By Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park

SEOUL (Reuters) -Top North Korean military officials criticised the United States on Monday for its expanding military assistance to Ukraine and dispatch of one of its aircraft carriers to join joint drills with South Korea and Japan, according to state news agency KCNA.

North Korea's vice minister of defence, Kim Kang Il, said the U.S. sending an aircraft carrier to the Korean peninsula was a "very dangerous" show of force, leaving doors open for North Korea's "overwhelming, new demonstration of deterrence," state media KCNA reported.

A nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier, the Theodore Roosevelt, arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan on Saturday to take part in joint military exercises later this month with the host nation and Japan, naval officials said.

Just days after Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to Pyongyang, Pak Jong Chon, one of North Korea's top military officials, said Moscow the "right to opt for any kind of retaliatory strike" if Washington kept pushing Ukraine to a "proxy war" against Russia.

It could provoke a stronger response from Moscow, and a "new world war", Pak said, according to KCNA.

He referred to comments by the Pentagon last week that Ukrainian forces can use U.S.-supplied weapons to strike Russian forces anywhere across the border into Russia.

Washington and Seoul have been increasingly alarmed by deepening military cooperation between Russia and the North, and have accused them of violating international laws by trading in arms for Russia to use against Ukraine. Moscow and Pyongyang have denied any arms transfer.

A pact signed by Putin and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during the Russian president's visit to Pyongyang last week commits each side to provide immediate military assistance to the other in the event of armed aggression against either one of them.

Putin thanked Kim for his hospitality during the trip which brought ties to an unprecedented level, the Kremlin said on Monday.

Analysts say the pact would lay the framework for arms trade between the two countries and facilitate their anti-U.S. and anti-West coalition.

Senior officials of South Korea, the U.S. and Japan condemned "in the strongest possible terms" deepening military cooperation between North Korea and Russia in a joint statement released by Seoul's foreign ministry on Monday.

Russia may have received about 1.6 million artillery shells from North Korea from August to January, the Washington Post reported on Saturday, analysing data from U.S. security nonprofit C4ADS that shows 74,000 metric tons of explosives moved from Russia's far east ports to other sites mainly along the borders near Ukraine.

North Korea plans to send construction and engineering forces to Russia-occupied territories of Ukraine as early as next month for rebuilding work, South Korean cable TV network TV Chosun reported earlier, citing a South Korean government official.

Those forces, working overseas under the disguise of construction workers to earn hard currency for the regime, would be moved from China to those Russia-held regions, the network said.

Asked about the TV Chosun reports, South Korea's foreign ministry said it was continuing monitoring the situation.

(Reporting by Hyunsu Yim and Ju-min Park; Editing by Lisa Shumaker, Lincoln Feast and Raju Gopalakrishnan)
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Maha CET Cell mulls allowing students to verify MHT CET 2024 Answer Sheets

In order to allay the students concerns, the Maharashtra CET Cell is considering to allow them to verify their answer sheets (OMR Sheets) with the official answer keys

Sunday June 23, 2024 2:39 PM , ummid.com News Network

Pune: In order to allay the students concerns, the Maharashtra CET Cell is considering to allow them to verify their answer sheets (OMR Sheets) with the official answer keys.

Talking to the media Saturday, Maharashtra CET Cell Commissioner Dilip Sardesai said there is an atmosphere of panic among the students regarding the MHT CET results. To address the concerns of the students, the CET Cell is considering verification of OMR sheets.

The CET Cell is considering a proposal to let the students compare their answers with the answer key over a two day-period, June 27 and 28, 2024, Sardesai said.

He also said that the facility could be available for the candidates after completing the technical formalities.

The Maharashtra CET Cell said that it had received complaints about the MHT CET 2024 scores from around 200 students and resolved all their grievances.

The CET Cell Commissioner called the press conference after some students alleged irregularities in MHT CET 2024 results, and standing on behalf of senior Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray demanded stay on admission counselling .

MHT CET Entrance

MHT CET is conducted online (computer based test) by the Maharashtra CET Cell for admission in first year engineering, medical, pharmacy and other undergraduate courses.

While MHT CET PCM (Physics, Chemistry, Maths) score is used for admission in engineering, MHT CET PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) score is used for admission in medical, pharmacy and paramedical courses.

A total of 725,052 candidates from Maharashtra and outside had registered for this year's entrance for PCM and PCB both.

Of them, 675,377 students - 295,577 in PCM and 379,80 in PCB, appeared for the exams held in April / May, 2024.

MHT CET Answer Key was published on May 21. The result along with Toppers/Merit List was announced on June 16, 2024 .

54 errors in question papers

The candidates now alleged that there were serious discrepancies in the MHT CET 2024 Answer Keys and the entrance test result.

Standing on behalf of the students, senior Shiv Sena leader Aaditya Thackeray while referring to 54 errors in question papers identified by students, questioned the competence of those responsible for the conduct of the exam.

Thackeray also demanded an inquiry into the alleged irregularities in the exam and suspension of the commissioner of the CET cell.

MHT CET Counselling 2024

Thackeray also demanded a temporary stay on the admission and counselling process till the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra CET Cell is yet to publish the MHT CET Engineering, Medical and Pharmacy counselling schedule for the year 2024-25.

The CET cell normally starts CAP based admission counselling soon after the MHT CET results are announced. The CET Cell however is so far silent of the counselling dates.







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NTA Chief sacked, Govt orders CBI probe, NEET PG 2024 postponed

Amid the intensifying protests against paper leak and irregularities in various entrance exams, the Narendra Modi government Saturday sacked the National Testing Agency (NTA) Chief, ordered CBI probe into alleged irregularities in NEET UG even as Health Ministry postponed NEET PG.

Sunday June 23, 2024 12:02 PM , ummid.com News Network

New Delhi: Amid the intensifying protests against paper leak and irregularities in various entrance exams, the Narendra Modi government Saturday June 22, 2024 sacked the National Testing Agency (NTA) Chief Subodh Kumar Singh.

In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Personnel announced that Subodh Kumar Singh, who was the director general of the NTA, has been replaced by retired Indian Administration Service (IAS) officer Pradeep Singh Kharola.

The government also formed another high level committee headed by a former ISRO chief to ensure fair examination practices, following a controversy over alleged irregularities in the medical entrance NEET and UGC and CSIR UGC NET competitive exams.

The government also transferred the investigation of the alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG exam, held on May 5, to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

At the same time the Ministry of Health postponed NEET PG exam scheduled to be held today as precautionary measure.

NEET Fiasco: Timeline

May 05, 2024  NTA conducted The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) NEET UG 2024.

May 05, 2024  Allegations of irregularities and paper leak in NEET UG 2024. The NTA rejects the allegations.

May 05, 2024  Bihar Police arrest 13 persons, including candidates, and registered FIR in connection with NEET paper leak.

May 10, 2024 - Gujarat Police has filed a criminal case against Tushar Bhatt  a teacher who was appointed as Deputy Superintendent at NEET UG 2024 exam centre in Godhra, for promising to help students in return of INR 10 lakh.

June 04, 2024  NTA declares NEET UG 2024 result along with list of toppers having names of 67 candidates who scored 720/720 marks.

June 05, 2024  Nationwide protests against NTA with a demand to conduct re-exam started.

June 08, 2024  Ministry of Education 4-member panel to probe allegations of paper leak and irregularities in NEET UG 2024.

June 10, 2024  Petitions filed in Supreme Court and High Courts demanding cancellation of NEET UG and stay on medical admission in MBBS, BDS, BUMS, BHMS courses counselling.

June 12, 2024  SC issued notice to centre and NTA.

June 13, 2024  The grace marks granted to 1,563 candidates invalidated and re-exam for these candidates announced.

June 18, 2024  NTA claims successfully conducting UGC NET June 2024.

June 19, 2024  Education Ministry cancelled UGC NET June 2024 citing some irregularities amid reports of paper leak.

June 20, 2024  NEET UG 2024 candidates in Bihar Police custody confessed of receiving NEET UG 2024 question paper a day before the exam.

June 21, 2024  NTA postpones CSIR UGC NET June 2024 exam

June 22, 2024  Ministry of Health postpones NEET PG 2024 exams

June 22, 2024  NTA Chief Subodh Kumar Singh sacked

June 22, 2024  Govt announces CBI probe into the allegations of irregularities in NEET UG 2024.

June 22, 2024  Govt also forms another high level committee led by former ISRO chief to probe allegations related to NEET UG 2024.

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test  Undergraduate (NEET UG 2024) is conducted for admission in undergraduate medical courses.

UGC NET exams are conducted for award of various fellowships.







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As a revolutionary film in the Vietnamese cinema industry, Cham by Director Pham Vinh Khuong, created entirely using AI on a mobile device, will be released free of charge.

HCM CITY  Director Pham Vinh Khuong made 'Cham' as a groundbreaking film in the cinema industry. Using AI algorithms and tools, the film's cinematography, sound design and scenes were entirely crafted and processed on a mobile device, resulting in vivid and compelling imagery. It will be released free of charge.

The director recently unveiled a captivating short video introducing his latest film, which centres around the theme of domestic violence.

The video has captured public interest not just for its stunning visual effects and cutting-edge production techniques, but also for the profound humanistic message it conveys.

Director Pham Vinh Khuong describes Cham as his most ambitious project yet, entirely produced using AI technology with a total production time of 3,000 hours.

Set in a dystopian world on the brink of apocalypse, the film immerses audiences in haunting images of a devastated planet, guiding them through the journey of its central characters.

These characters, once consumed by ambition and personal glorification, embark on a gruelling journey where they learn that true heroism lies not in single-handedly saving the world, but in cherishing the emotional bonds and community that have shaped them.

Through the film Cham, Khuong delivers a poignant message about love and human connections in a society marked by turbulence and trials. In his narrative, amidst uncertainty, love and interpersonal bonds emerge as the most resilient anchors.

When confronted with difficult choices, nurturing genuine relationships and fostering mutual respect becomes paramount.

The film goes beyond mere societal critique to explore profound family dynamics, revealing their wounds and aspirations for healing. Produced on a non-profit basis, Cham aims to contribute a meaningful voice to community connections.

The director sees the film as both an experiment and a personal challenge, striving to create a powerful cinematic experience with minimal resources.

This approach not only optimises the production process and cuts down costs, but also unleashes endless creative possibilities.

"I aimed to make Cham accessible to all through the simplest and most cost-effective means possible. That's why I decided to take on every aspect of production and create this project entirely on my mobile phone, " said Director Pham Vinh Khuong.

" This decision is also my way of encouraging aspiring filmmakers, who may lack access to professional teams and high-end equipment. Using AI to highlight issues like domestic violence is just one facet of the broader narrative in Cham.

"This endeavour is not merely personal. It is a contribution towards fostering a more positive and cohesive community. My goal is to propagate positive energy through both my filmmaking approach and storytelling. By investing modestly, I believe we can create substantial and impactful content."

By offering viewers Cham for free, he also seeks to encourage individuals to share and contemplate essential values like empathy, connection and mutual care within family relationships, pivotal to our shared sense of humanity. VNS
A NANG  Rookies Pyrogenie Feuerwerk team from Germany and Surex Firma Rodzinna of Poland  described emotions of love in beautiful romantic performances on the third night of the a Nang International Fireworks Festival 2024 (DIFF)  Made of Love Inspirations on June 22.

German artist Ramos Celeste Monserrat and the Vietnamese Hoang Thong- Sac Viet Dance Group sparked the third night with the sweet melody of the song Marry You in the pre-fireworks launching moment of the third night.

Competing at the DIFF 2024 as a newcomer, Pyrogenie Feuerwerk left a deep impression on global audiences at various fireworks festivals around the world due to their high standards in fireworks production and programme design, as well as their meticulous combination of colours and effects at different levels.

The German team fascinated the fireworks night with their Sacred Love performance in a harmonious blend of sound and light in the 20-minute show.

Meanwhile, Surex Firma Rodzinna of Poland, who has long time been associated with good achievements in international fireworks competitions, showed off the art of fireworks not only by spectacular sound and light, but they sent a message of building connections among people, countries, and continents around the globe.

The Polish team stressed that their All In-The Legend of the Dragon performance was inspired by the Dragon Bridge  a Nang City's iconic bridge spanning the Han River.

Earlier, four teams  Viet Nam, France, the US and Italy  had staged at the month-long fireworks show.

Teams from China and Finland will be playing in the fourth competition night  the last qualification  with the theme Made of Fairy Tales on June 29.

The best two teams will be selected for final show on July 13.
HA NOI  Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son has affirmed that Viet Nam always considers the US a partner of strategic importance at a reception for visiting US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel J. Kritenbrink.

At the June 21 meeting, Son appreciated Kritenbrinks contributions to the bilateral ties, and thanked the US Department of State for its part in advancing the relationship to the comprehensive strategic partnership and its close coordination in the organisation of the first Viet Nam-US dialogue at the foreign ministerial level in Washington DC in March.

"Viet Nam stands ready to work together with the US to promote the comprehensive strategic partnership in an effective, stable and practical manner, on the basis of respect for each other's independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and political institutions, and in accordance with the interests of the two countries' people, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region," the minister said.

He affirmed that Viet Nam backed the US to strengthen cooperation with the region to contribute to peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world.

Kritenbrink, who visited Viet Nam from June 21-22, reiterated the USs commitment to supporting a strong, independent, self-resilient, and prosperous Viet Nam.

Recalling Sons visit to the US for co-chairing the March dialogue, Kritenbrink regarded it as a step forward in concretising cooperation contents of the comprehensive strategic partnership.

The official commended Viet Nams increasingly important role in regional and multilateral forums, stressing the US attached importance to and supported the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)s centrality in the regional architecture, and would pay more heed to enhancing the ASEAN-US comprehensive strategic partnership as well as the Mekong-US relations.

The two sides compared notes on specific measures to effectively implement the new cooperation framework in the time ahead, especially intensifying contacts and high-level delegation exchanges, and maintaining the pace of collaboration in economy, trade and investment, the settlement of war consequences, and climate change response.

They shared the view that the countries should strengthen cooperation in emerging fields like innovation, semiconductors, and clean energy transition.

The officials also exchanged opinions on regional and international issues of common concern, and emphasised the importance of handling disputes through peaceful measures in line with the basic principles of the UN Charter and international law, including the East Sea (internationally known as the South China Sea) issue, for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region.

While in Viet Nam, Kritenbrink met Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc to discuss issues within the Viet Nam-US comprehensive strategic partnership, and others of shared concern.VNA/VNS
THANH HOA  Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on June 22 inspected the 500kV Circuit-3 Quang Trach-Pho Noi power transmission line project's section crossing the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Spanning from Quang Trach in the central province of Quang Binh to Pho Noi in northern Hung Yen Province, the project has a total length of about 519km, and its total investment is over VN22.3 trillion (US$876 million).

It includes four component projects, namely Quang Trach - Quynh Luu, Quynh Luu - Thanh Hoa, Thanh Hoa - Nam inh 1 Thermal Power Plant, and Nam inh 1 Thermal Power Plant - Pho Noi. Construction on these component projects started in October 2023 and January 2024.

The Prime Minister has directed to complete the project before June 30, 2024. However, currently there are still some difficulties affecting the progress.

Visiting and presenting gifts to workers at the construction site of the 500kV transformer station at Thieu Phuc Commune, Thieu Hoa District, and workers at Cau Loc Commune of Hau Loc District, PM Chinh expressed his delight at the bustling working atmosphere there and hailed the workers and engineers as well as local residents and youngsters for their hard work and support for the project.

Underlining the significance of the project, he highlighted the need for high determination and drastic actions, and the mobilisation of resources and forces for its implementation, especially ground clearance.

He asked contractors to prioritise resources, equipment, and personnel for the project, and encouraged workers to overcome all difficulties to work continuously, striving to complete the Nam inh-Thanh Hoa section of the project by June 30, and the 500kV Thanh Hoa transformer station by June 28.

The Government leader requested ministries, sectors, and relevant localities to continue coordinating closely to deal with all arising problems and ensure the safety of workers.  VNA/VNS
NGHE AN -- Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Sunday inspected the section of the 500kV Circuit-3 Quang Trach-Quynh Luu power transmission line project crossing the central province of Nghe An.

According to a report on the progress of the 500kV power line project in Nghe An as of June 21 by the Nghe An Provincial Peoples Committee, the project spans from Quang Trach in Quang Binh Province to Quynh Luu in Nghe An Province, with a total length of approximately 82.33km. It includes 168 pole foundations corresponding to 169 pole sections in the districts of Nam an, Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Yen Thanh, and Quynh Luu.

Vietnam Electricity (EVN) and the National Power Transmission Corporation (EVNNPT) also reported as of June 20, the 500kV Circuit-3 power line projects from Quang Trach to Pho Noi had met the planned progress.

For the 500kV Quynh Luu-Thanh Hoa power line project, the land clearance had been handed over to the investor. The local authorities had handed over the entire area for pole foundations and the entire route corridor.

The projects had completed the approval of the cadastral maps, issued land acquisition notices and were continuing to determine land origins, price valuations and postings for the approval of compensation plans for some remaining pole foundations and corridors. Compensation plans had been approved for 186 out of 202 pole positions, with 16 positions remaining and for 89 out of 110 corridors requiring compensation.



The Prime Minister emphasised that the completion of the 500kV Circuit-3 power line would enhance electricity supply for Nghe An, improve the integrated transport system and facilitate the province's rapid and sustainable development.

He directed the project to be completed by June 31, 2024, urging efforts to accelerate progress with a clear focus on responsibilities, timelines and deliverables, ensuring quality, environmental cleanliness and close coordination with EVN, EVNNPT and local authorities.

He also encouraged the involvement of youth, women, veterans and the support of local residents for the project.

Visiting and presenting gifts to workers at the construction site, PM Chinh expressed his delight at the bustling working atmosphere there and hailed the workers and engineers as well as local residents and youngsters for their hard work and support for the project.

On Saturday, PM Chinh inspected the power transmission line project's section in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

He directed that the project be completed by June 30, 2024 despite some current difficulties affecting progress.

While visiting and presenting gifts to workers at the 500kV transformer station in Thieu Phuc Commune, Thieu Hoa District and Cau Loc Commune of Hau Loc District, PM Chinh highlighted the project's significance.

He stressed the need for high determination, decisive actions and mobilisation of resources, especially for ground clearance. He asked contractors to prioritise resources, equipment, and personnel, and encouraged workers to overcome difficulties and work continuously to complete the Nam inh-Thanh Hoa section by June 30 and the 500kV Thanh Hoa transformer station by June 28.

He also urged ministries, sectors and localities to coordinate closely to address arising problems and ensure worker safety. VNA/VNS
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Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation (1521 June 2024)

From 15 to 21 June, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out 14 group strikes by high-precision air- and ground-based weapons, as well as strike drones, which hit depots of military technical equipment, infrastructure of military airfields, electrical substations that supported the work of Ukrainian military hardware enterprises and training centres for the use of uncrewed surface vehicles.

Moreover, the strikes also hit deployment areas of nationalist groups and foreign mercenaries.

Over the past week, the Sever Group of Forces units have improved the situation along the front line and engaged manpower and hardware of two AFU formations, one marine brigade, and two territorial defence brigades.

Seventeen counter-attacks of AFU assault groups were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 1,980 troops, four tanks, two armoured fighting vehicles, including one U.S.-made Stryker armoured personnel carrier, 20 motor vehicles, U.S.-made HIMARS and Grad MLRS combat vehicles, 22 field artillery guns, as well as three Bukovel-AD electronic warfare stations.

The Zapad Group of Forces units captured more advantageous lines and defeated units of three mechanised, one assault, and one airmobile brigades of the AFU.

Twelve counter-attacks launched by AFU assault groups were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 3,330 Ukrainian troops, two tanks, 15 armoured fighting vehicles, 34 motor vehicles, 25 field artillery guns, including ten foreign-made guns.

Four Nota electronic warfare stations were also destroyed.

The Yug Group of Forces units improved the situation along the front line and hit manpower and hardware of three mechanised, one mechanised infantry, and one air assault brigades of the AFU.

Six counter-attacks of the AFU assault groups were repelled.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 4,290 Ukrainian troops, one German-made Leopard tank, 19 armoured fighting vehicles, including four U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers, 53 motor vehicles, 47 field artillery guns, as well as two MLRS launchers, including one Croatian-made RAK SA-12 MLRS system.

The Tsentr Group of Forces units improved the tactical situation over the past week, and also defeated units of three mechanised, one infantry, and one territorial defence brigade of the AFU. Thirty one counter-attacks of the enemy were repelled.

The enemy losses amounted to up to 2,530 troops, 13 armoured fighting vehicles, to include six U.S.-made MaxxPro and Humvee, 23 motor vehicles, 53 field artillery guns, and two Grad MLRS vehicles.

The Vostok Group of Forces units took more advantageous lines and liberated Zagornoye (Zaporozhye region). The servicemen hit clusters of manpower and hardware of one mechanised, one mechanised infantry, and two territorial defence brigades of the AFU.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 970 Ukrainian troops, ten armoured fighting vehicles, 30 motor vehicles, and 18 field artillery guns, 11 of which were foreign-made.

In addition, three Bukovel-AD and Anklav electronic warfare stations were destroyed.

The Dnepr Group of Forces units inflicted losses on units of one infantry, one mountain assault, and two territorial defence brigades of the AFU.

The AFU losses amounted to up to 610 Ukrainian troops, 24 motor vehicles, and 29 field artillery guns.

In addition, U.S.-made HIMARS and MLRS launchers were destroyed.

Air defence systems have shot down one Neptune-MD long-range cruise missile, eight French-made Hammer guided bombs, 55 U.S.-made HIMARS projectiles, and 397 unmanned aerial vehicles.

During last night alone, the enemy used 117 fixed-wing UAVs against civilian facilities on the territory of the Russian Federation, 114 of them were shot down.

The Black Sea Fleet destroyed six Ukrainian uncrewed surface vehicles near the coast of the Crimean peninsula tonight.

Over the past week, 37 Ukrainian servicemen surrendered on the line of contact.

In total, 613 airplanes and 276 helicopters, 26,188 unmanned aerial vehicles, 531 air defence missile systems, 16,397 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,346 combat vehicles equipped with MLRS, 10,706 field artillery guns and mortars, as well as 22,757 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation.

Tags:

WtR
Huties reivindican un ataque contra un buque en el mar Arabigo con varios misiles Sana, 22 jun (EFE).- Los rebeldes chiies huties del Yemen reivindicaron este sabado un nuevo ataque ...

Sana, 22 jun (EFE).- Los rebeldes chiies huties del Yemen reivindicaron este sabado un nuevo ataque contra un buque en el mar Arabigo con "varios misiles balisticos" despues de una serie de acciones en las que lograorn hundir un barco la semana pasada. IMAGENES TOMADAS DE LA CUENTA DE X DE YAHYA SAREA. DECLARACIONES DEL PORTAVOZ MILITAR DE LOS HUTIES, YAHYA SAREA Traduccion: Triumphing for the oppressed Palestinian people and in retaliation to the American-British aggression against our country. The naval forces of our Armed Forces carried out specific military operation targeting the Transworld Navigator ship in the Arabian Sea with a number of ballistic missiles, the operation led to a direct hit against the ship. The ship was targeted because the company that owns it violated the decision ban of entry into the ports of occupied Palestine. The missile force of our Armed Forces carried out a targeting operation against the US aircraft carrier Eisenhower in the northern Red Sea with a number of ballistic and cruise missiles, and the operation has achieved its objectives successfully. The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to carry out their military operations in support and solidarity with the Palestinian people until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted. The Yemeni Armed Forces will not hesitate to target hostile foreign military forces in the Red and Arabian seas in response to the aggression against our country and in defense of beloved Yemen. Triumphing for the oppression of the Palestinian people and in response to the crimes committed against our brothers in the Gaza Strip. The Yemeni Armed Forces, alongside the Iraqi Islamic Resistance, carried out two joint military operations as follows: The first operation targeted four ships in the port of Haifa, in which two of them are cement tanker ships, and the other two were general cargo ships that belong to companies violated the ban decision of entry to the ports of occupied Palestine, using a number of drones. The other operation targeted the Shorthorn Express ship in the Mediterranean Sea while was on its way to the port of Haifa, using a number of drones. Both operations have achieved their objectives successfully, and the strikes were accurate and direct. The Yemeni Armed Forces will continue to carry out their joint military operations with the Iraqi Islamic Resistance in support and solidarity with the Palestinian people until the aggression stops and the siege on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip is lifted.
JJs BBQ, a much-loved barbecue joint in the southeastern Alabama town of Elba, is reopening in a new building nearly 14 months after a fire destroyed its original location.

The new location is at 804 Davis St. in Elba -- around the corner and about a quarter-mile from the original JJs BBQ on Claxton Avenue, owner Chequita Walker tells AL.com. JJs will reopen on Monday, July 1, she says.

JJs BBQ was named Bamas Best Pulled Pork barbecue by the Alabama Pork Producers in 2020, and in 2021, AL.com included JJs on its Alabama Barbecue Bucket List of 50 must-try barbecue joints.

The site of the new location had previously been home to another Elba barbecue restaurant where Walker worked about 30 years ago, she says. She tore down the old building but kept the existing kitchen and built a new addition to it.

I used to work in this same spot ever how many years ago, she says. And now I bought it and I own it.

RELATED: A small-town Alabama BBQ joint and the little boy who inspired it

Walker, who learned to barbecue from her grandfather and father, started JJs BBQ in 2017 and named it after her adopted son, Josiah Jaron Walker  or just JJ, as everyone around Elba knows him.

JJ came to live with Walker in December 2014, when he was just two months old. She later became his legal guardian, and his adoption was finalized in January 2020.

She started her takeout-only barbecue business to help pay for JJs daycare and living expenses.

In addition to that award-winning pulled pork, the JJs menu featured beef brisket, smoked chicken and ribs, along with baked beans, coleslaw, potato salad, rice, french fries and fried okra.

Two of the most popular items on the menu were inspired by Walkers parents.

Ms. Anns Sweet Potato -- a baked sweet potato with sour cream, brown sugar butter, barbecue sauce and a choice of smoked pork or beef  was a tribute to her mother, Ann Walker, who worked at a sewing factory while also raising five children.

The Big Bubba -- a jumbo pork sandwich topped with coleslaw and barbecue sauce  was named for her father, George Bubba Walker, who worked in a cotton mill and later as a commercial trucker.

Chequita Walker and her adopted son JJ are pictured here outside the original location of JJ's BBQ in 2021. Walker started her barbecue business to earn some extra money to pay for JJ's daycare.(Bob Carlton/bcarlton@al.com)

Thankful to be back

Six years after JJs BBQ opened, though, Walker lost it all in a May 2023 fire that began in the pit in the back of the building.

When the fire happened, my daughter (Amber Walker) called me crying, Mama, I burned the business, Walker remembers. I told her that business and all that stuff was material stuff.

Nobody got hurt, and that was the number one thing for me, she adds. I was just so glad that no one got hurt from the fire because it could have easily been that way -- especially in that small building with that pit in the back.

After the fire, the outpouring of support from her hometown of Elba -- a town of about 4,000 people in Coffee County -- helped convince Walker to reopen, she says.

Im just thankful that I was able to come back because a lot of businesses dont come back from that, she says. So, Im thankful for that.

Previously, JJs BBQ had been open three days a week -- Thursdays through Saturdays -- but the new location will be open five days -- Tuesdays through Saturdays, Walker says.

The takeout-only menu -- including Ms. Anns Sweet Potato and the Big Bubba sandwich -- will be the same as before.

Meanwhile, JJ, the inspiration behind the barbecue joint that bears his name, is doing just fine, his mother says.

Hes growing like a weed, Walker says. Nine years old now. In the fourth grade. Straight-A student. Very, very smart. Hes doing good.

JJs BBQ will reopen July 1 at 804 Davis St. in Elba, Ala. The phone is 334-897-5527. Hours will be 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. For more information, go here.x
UPDATE: ALEA canceled the missing alert Sunday morning.

The pair was found safe about 1:15 a.m. Sunday by a ground crew of searchers who followed the childs footprints. Authorities said they were found about 1 1/2 miles for their residence.

EARLIER: A search is underway for a 5-year-old boy and a 20-year-old women who have been missing from Bibb County since Saturday afternoon.

Jonathan Andrew Pearce II and Jennifer Kay Watts, 20, were last seen about 4 p.m. in the area of George Mill Road in Brierfield.

Watts, according to the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, may be living with a condition that impairs her judgment.

Multiple law enforcement agencies were carrying out the search including the Bibb County Sheriffs Office, Brierfield Fire and Rescue, the Shelby County Sheriffs Office, and police from Alabaster, Pelham, and Calera.

Drones were deployed in the search.

Jonathan was last known to be wearing a black shirt with gray shorts and green light-up shoes. Watts was wearing a beige cheetah print shirt, jeans and neon pink shoes.

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency issued an Emergency Missing Child Alert for Jonathan and an Missing and Endangered Alert for Watts shortly after 10:30 p.m. Saturday.

Watts is 5-feet, 5-inches tall and weights 155 pounds. She has brown hair and blue eyes.

Jonathan is 4-feet tall and weights 40 pounds. He has brown hair and blue eyes.

The relationship between the two has not been disclosed.

Anyone with information on the boys whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the Bibb County Sheriffs Office at 205-926-3129.
Charles Webb survived three strokes two years earlier and began struggling to breathe on June 14. His wife, Mary Webb, called the ambulance to their home in rural west Alabama.

But the closest hospital with critical care pulmonologists were more than one hour away.

Instead of making the long drive to Birmingham or Tuscaloosa, the ambulance quickly arrived at Whitfield Regional Hospital in Demopolis. At the hospital, a team of doctors and nurses placed Charles Webb on the ventilator and monitors that sent all his physical information to critical care nurses at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Whitfield Regional has a new partnership with UAB to care for critically ill patients, said Whitfield CEO Doug Brewer. And that means teaming up with ICU doctors in Birmingham to increase options in west Alabama. Its UABs first tele-ICU program.

It helps us raise our game arguably, he said, to the same exact level of care that patients in downtown Birmingham in a high level of acute care at UAB are receiving.

A hybrid team of on-site doctors and remote specialists have been handling Webbs care ever since. They removed the ventilator on Monday. Hs condition has improved, Mary Webb said.

Hes still got a ways to go, but every day seem to be gradually getting better, Mary Webb said. Hes off the vent and today is the day that hes been sleeping all day.

Whitfields tele-health program started when doctors began using video carts to conference with specialists from UAB. Now patients admitted to the ICU have their physical information automatically transmitted to Birmingham, where nurses watch for changes in their condition. Specialists in kidney care, neurology and pulmonology can also review the data and offer treatment recommendations to the team in Demopolis.

Critical care pulmonologist and the nephrologist can look at these ICU patients literally around the clock, Brewer said.

Similar programs exist to help fill needs in rural parts of North Carolina, Massachusetts and Alaska.

The program requires collaboration between doctors and nurses on site and those working remotely from Birmingham. said Dr. William Stigler, director of UAB E-Medicine Critical Care.

When oxygen levels are dropping, when blood pressure levels are dropping, we can jump in the room on a camera and access their chart and help the nurses manage that patient and communicate what we are doing to the physicians on site, Stigler said.

At Whitfield Regional, it began to take shape during the COVID pandemic, when large hospitals filled with critically ill patients. The smaller, rural hospital stepped up and cared for more than 1,500 patients with COVID, including 500 who needed ventilators, Brewer said.

Now that the pandemic has ebbed, the advances in telehealth at the hospital have been benefiting patients with other serious conditions. Brewer said all suspected stroke patients would have had to seek care elsewhere prior to the partnership with UAB. Now the hospital can keep most of them in town for diagnosis and treatment.

Its beneficial to patients and their families.

One of the biggest benefits is that patients can get care close to home, Stigler said. Its not one of those things that you always see reported in the medical literature, but thats really important for family to be able to visit.

Dereck Morrison, chief operating officer for Whitfield Regional Hospital, cited the case of a patient with a suspected stroke. Doctors in Demopolis and Birmingham worked together to diagnose dementia and a urinary tract infection that could be treated at Whitfield Regional Hospital.

Before the tele-health program, that patient would have been sent to a larger city. And her daughter, a local teacher, would have had to take her, Morrison said.

She would have had to find someone to work for her the next day, Morrison said. She would have to make arrangements for the childcare for her kids. She would have had to travel to Birmingham and find a place to stay. So, the economic impact not only affects that patient, it effects the family as a whole.

Demopolis and Alabama have high rates of very sick patients who often need special care for kidney or health failure during medical emergencies. Brewer said rural hospitals must increase their capacity to care for people with diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and other conditions that are common in the South.

By keeping those patients in the community, they can help connect them with education programs and local doctors to keep them healthy.

Charles Webb has been able to heal with family nearby. Mary Webb lost some of her vision and can not drive. Since he is being treated locally, she has been able to visit, along with his sons and even his 94-year-old mother.

She has been at his bedside when doctors from UAB have been on video. She has been able to ask questions and talk to his treatment team.

Its working great, I think, Mary Webb said. I like having two opinions.
Temperatures are expected to climb well into the 90s again today in Alabama, and a few spots could break the 100-degree mark.

The National Weather Service expects more upper 90s on both Monday and Tuesday, and the chances for a brief, cooling shower will be not zero but on the lower side.

However, the weather service said a weak cold front will move into the state this afternoon, and there is the chance some in north and central Alabama could see a bit of rain or even a storm.

No cooler air is expected to follow the front, however. Mondays forecast again will feature high temperatures in the mid- to upper 90s, with more triple digits possible.

Some spots in south Alabama have a shot at seeing some rain on Monday as that frontal boundary sags southward and the sea breeze pushes inland, according to the weather service.

Heres Mondays forecast:

Here's the high temperature forecast for Monday.NWS

And Tuesday could be even worse as far as heat goes:

More 100-degree temperatures will be possible in Alabama on Tuesday.NWS

Wednesday still looks to be very hot, but a degree or two lower for some areas:

Alabama will still be well into the 90s for highs on Wednesday.NWS

Look for rain chances to increase some for parts of Alabama on Wednesday, and those slightly higher chances could last into Thursday.

Speaking of Thursday, that could be the coolest day of the week, with highs still in the 90s but mostly on the lower end:

The heat could back off just a tiny bit for many in Alabama on Thursday.NWS

The weather service is forecast more highs in the mid-90s for Friday into Saturday as well.

Above-average (even for June) temperatures look to continue through the end of the month, and NOAAs Climate Prediction Center thinks there will be high probabilities of a warmer-than-average July as well.

Heres the temperature outlook for July:
This story was updated to reflect that the beach is now closed to swimmers.

Panama City Beach is closing to swimmers Sunday as the beach remains under high risk for life-threatening rip currents.

Strong rip currents in Panama City Beach killed four in 48 hours last week, including three Alabama residents Friday evening. On Sunday, officials said they rescued one swimmer from the water and had to perform CPR. It is unclear what the individuals current status is.

Since last Thursday the total number killed in rip currents along the Florida coast is at least six - including two along the Atlantic coast.

PLEASE STAY OUT OF THE WATER, the Bay Area Sheriffs Office wrote in a social media post Sunday afternoon. The water can appear calm but underneath currents are treacherous today. Its just too dangerous right now to swim.

The area, as well as Florida beaches in Bay, Walton, Gulf and Franklin County, remain under a high risk rip current warning through Monday night, according to the National Weather Service.

Rip currents are powerful, narrow channels of fast-moving water that are found along the Gulf Coast and the U.S. West coast, along the shores of the Great Lakes.

High risk warnings mean that there is a 60-70% chance of a deadly rip current in the surf zone. Moderate warnings mean that life-threatening rip currents are possible in the area.

The issue is much like tornado warnings and getting people to take them seriously, Alabama meterologist James Spann wrote in a Facebook post Saturday. Understand rip currents can be deadly for young, strong swimmers. It doesnt matter. Please take the flags seriously if you are beach bound this summer.

Beachgoers are urged to be aware of what color beach flags are flying. A double red flag means that the water is closed to the public, but the beach remains open. Panama City Beach is currently under a double red flag warning.

Yellow flags: Medium Hazard - Moderate surf and/or currents

Purple flags: Marine Pests are Present - Exercise caution

Single red flag: High Hazard - High surf and/or strong currents

Double red flags: Water Closed To The Public - It is illegal to enter the Gulf of Mexico within the corporate limits of either city when two red flags are displayed.

Florida is the number one zone for rip current deaths, according to a recent analysis of NWS data. In 2023, Panama City rip currents claimed more lives than anywhere else in the United States, according to a USA Today report.

In Alabama, 25 deaths have been attributed to rip currents from 2017-2023, the fourth highest in the United States.

Read more: As rip current drownings rise, Alabama officials and others ponder: What is right approach?

Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore into deeper water, experts say.

The Birmingham-area fathers killed Friday were in chest-deep water when they became distressed and were quickly swept away in the current, according to the Bay Area Sheriffs Office. A 19-year-old swimmer also drowned during a red flag advisory in Panama City Beach Thursday, WJHG reported.

Also Thursday on the Atlantic side of Florida, a Pennsylvania couple visiting Florida with their six children drowned after they were caught in a rip current while swimming, according to the Associated Press.

Brian Warter, 51, and 48-year-old Erica Wishard, and two of their mostly teenage children were caught in the current on Hutchinson Island, along Floridas southeast coast, the Martin County Sheriffs Office said in a Facebook post. It added that the two children were able to break free of the current and tried to help their parents but were forced to swim ashore when conditions became too dangerous, according to the Associated Press.

Alabama and Pensacola-area beaches are seeing moderate rip current risks through Tuesday. Those areas include Fort Morgan, Dauphin Island, Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Pensacola, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Fort Walton and Destin.

If you are caught in a rip current, according to NWS:

Remain calm to conserve energy and think clearly.

Never fight against the current.

Think of it like a treadmill that cannot be turned off, which you need to step to the side of.

Swim out of the current in a direction following the shoreline. When out of the current, swim at an angle - away from the current-towards shore.

If you are unable to swim out of the rip current, float or calmly tread water. When out of the current, swim towards shore.

If you are still unable to reach shore, draw attention to yourself by waving your arm and yelling for help.

Helping someone who is caught in a rip current can also be dangerous. Here are NWS tips if you see someone caught in a rip current:
This is an opinion column

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Were counting down the days.

Graffiti will be disappearing one by one.

Trash and litter on the sidewalk and streets will become rare.

Our homeless neighbors will receive regular outreach to help connect them to services and resources they need.

The result: A lot of happy Southside visitors, merchants, restaurant operators, residents, and property owners.

Ive always loved Five Points South and Ive spent a lot of time there.

When I was a child I attended South Highland Elementary School; watched movies at the Five Points Movie Theater; got my hair cut at the Five Points Barber Shop; bowled at the 5 Points Bowling Alley and shopped at Woolworth Five-and-Dime.

It broke my heart to watch Five Points fall into disrepair.

But theres an obvious solutionand were just days away.

Business Improvement District approved for Five Points

A business improvement district (BID) has always been the obvious path for Five Points.

But historically there has been push back from some property owners. In frustration, both in 2015 and in 2019, I wrote columns reinforcing the idea of a BID for Five Points South.

Right after these columns published, I heard from a few property owners supporting the idea, but nothing ever happened.

Finally, through incredible Five Points South leadership and a lot of painstaking work, Five Points South property owners voted to become part of the current downtown BID.

New services will be funded by the property owners via an assessment based on their property values.

Think of it as a homeowners association for a business district.

Property owners pool their resources in order to provide city services beyond what the city currently provides.

Services like

Litter pick-up

Graffiti removal

Pressure washing

District events

Marketing programs

Other special projects

Following the lead of downtown Birmingham

Downtown Birminghams property owners created a BID, establishing the City Action Partnership (CAP) in 1995.

There are over 1,000 BIDs across America.

If you spend time downtown, you may recognize CAP Ambassadors as the men and women in blue shirts and caps who ride around in trucks and on bikes constantly cleaning the streets and sidewalks.

CAP Ambassadors give directions, jump dead batteries, air up flat tires, provide security escorts, rescue keys from locked vehicles, and remove graffiti. The service is free to the publicas the program is totally supported by the property owners in the district.

In calendar year 2023, CAP downtown posted these numbers

334 graffiti removals

1,196 outreach to people experiencing homelessness

3,438 panhandling instances addressed

19,076 general cleanings

23,574 interactions with business owners and employees

Its rare to see graffiti in the CAP district downtown. If graffiti is found, it is removed immediately.

Ive never heard a property owner complain about the annual bill they receive.

Almost everyone loves CAP and the services it provides.

And as a board member of CAP since its creation in 1995, Ive received hundreds of thank-yous and pats on the back. Since CAP helps so many people, its the only board Ive ever served that has been a 100% positive experience.

Everyone wins!

Visitors will have a better experience

Merchants and restaurant operators will have more customers

Homeless population will be offered outreach

Southside residents will have a much cleaner and safer neighborhood

Property owners will befit from increased property values

Property values increased in the downtown BID when it was established in 1995 from about $583 million to nearly $1.8 billion today.

Skeptics

I know there will be skeptics.

There were skeptics nearly 30 years ago when the downtown BID was created.

Ironically, the loudest and most vocal critic of CAP asked to join the board after he recognized the potential. He became one of CAPs biggest supporters.

BIDs make a difference

Steve Alexander, a Southside resident and community leader, has worked tirelessly to expand the BID for Five Points.

Heres what he wrote for al.com. The truth is that BIDS work  all over the world. I have personally witnessed what they can do in mid-town Atlanta, in lower Manhattan, and in Dublin, Ireland.

But you need look no further than our own City Center to see what can happen when local owners band together.

CAP 5 Points South services begin July 1st and youll soon see the difference.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. Hes past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

Click here to sign up for our newsletter.

Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com .
Listening to a pastor telling stories of angels as protectors and ministering spirits made me realize how many of my own amazing experiences I should document for the inspiration of others.

The pastor had recounted a now infamous story from famed evangelist Billy Graham in his book Angels. The story goes that John Paton and his wife Margaret were missionaries in the violent, cannibalistic culture of the south Pacific islands during the mid-nineteenth century. One night, warriors of the local tribes surrounded their little hut, intent on killing them. Paton and his wife fell to their knees and prayed for Gods protection throughout the night. By mornings light, they could see the warriors retreating into the hills.

About a year later, after the local tribal chief had become a Chrisitan, Paton asked him if he remembered that night and why his men did not attack Paton and his wife. The chief said he certainly did remember, explaining that they did not attack because there were hundreds of guards surrounding the hut  men with shining clothes and drawn swords!

This reminded me of another such story by Corrie ten Boom (The Hiding Place), a Dutch watchmaker turned author and evangelist. Later honored by Yad Vashem as Righteous among the Nations for her work saving Jews during WWII, Corrie had been imprisoned with her sister Betsy at Ravensbruck concentration camp.

As all new prisoners were carefully checked for contraband, Corries Bible should have been confiscated. She admitted that it bulged obviously through her dress, where shed tried to hide it, but she had prayed, Lord, cause now Thine angels to surround me; and let them not be transparent today, for the guards must not see me. The woman in front of her had hidden a woolen vest under her dress  the guards took it. Behind her, her sister Betsy was thoroughly searched. Corrie, however, seemed to walk unnoticed not once, but through two guard inspections. She knew that the angels had surrounded her both times. This caused her to jubilantly pray, O Lord, if Thou dost so answer prayer, I can face even Ravensbruck unafraid.

Corrie used that Bible to teach others about Jesus and give inspiration to the women in her barracks. It enabled Corrie and her sister to lead prayer services in the middle of one of the darkest chapters of human history.

My stories pale in comparison to these, but as the pastor reminded folks  and I believe its true  angels are still involved with our everyday lives today. From the things we write off as coincidence to the larger experiences we acknowledge as miracles, they are actively ministering to us, protecting us, and walking among us.

The first story Ill share happened when I was 26 years old. It was night, and I was driving on a rural back road to visit a friend. I hadnt passed another car for miles. The road forked at the end  to the right it became a one-way curve onto another road, whereas straight ahead it came to a stop sign. I was taking the right curve. Suddenly, I heard a voice; I still dont know how to describe it except to say it was audible in my head. It simply said, Pull to the right. I tugged the wheel slightly to the right. Not knowing what was happening, I said out loud, This is silly. Then I heard it again: Pull to the right! It seemed more urgent. I pulled the steering wheel farther until my car was just over the white line on the shoulder of the road.

Then came the final warning: Farther! The voice was louder and more demanding. Startled, I yanked the steering wheel to the far right. In an instant, and with a glaring flash of headlights, a large vehicle went by me, going the wrong way at a high rate of speed. In a split-second, Id watched it come within a hairs breadth of my drivers side door handle. I can still see that image in my mind.

Too stunned to continue on my way, I pulled over and tearfully thanked Jesus for his mercies. I have no doubt that an angel spoke to me that night.

In another instance, just a few years ago, I passed an old woman walking on a busy highway. It was a hot day, and she was lugging her groceries home in some sort of rickety old basket that barely held its wheels. No one ever walks that highway, and I couldnt believe she hadnt been hit already.

As she walked past a nearby parking lot, I was able to approach her and offer her a ride. She was dressed in a brightly colored long skirt and looked to be from another time and place. Her face was ancient, with a bony nose and chin that made her look nearly like a skeleton. Her eyes, however, were bright, blue, and full of life.

Hasnt anyone else stopped to help you? I asked.

No one. You are the first. Such a dear person to help. I cant tell you how thankful I am. Her voice was clear and unremarkable. I dont remember the rest of our banter, but I do remember that she had a stench as though she hadnt showered in weeks. She directed me to an apartment building  an ordinary brick building with four units, two upper and two lower. Each had large front windows that faced us.

She was headed to the top left apartment, and I offered to carry the groceries up the stairs, but she insisted she could do the rest. I watched her slowly take the first bag to the top before I drove off.

About three weeks later, I saw her again on the same stretch of road. I bit my lip as I remembered her accompanying stench, but I knew I couldnt leave her walking out there on a dangerous highway. Once again, I stopped to help. Are you the only person out here kind enough to help an old woman? she chuckled. It seemed to me that her eyes literally sparkled when she spoke.

I dropped her off at the same place and watched her carry the first bag up the stairs and turn in to the door before I drove off.

About a week later, I decided to buy her a gift card to get groceries. At this point in the story, you might guess how its going to end  and youd be correct!

I drove to the apartment building and met a young woman coming out of the unit where Id watched the old woman seemingly enter. Assuming it was a relative, I inquired after the old woman and even said I had a gift card I wanted to give her. The pleasant young woman said she and her husband had lived there for two years, and there was no old woman there. She then told me about the families in the other three units, some of whom I saw come and go as we stood there talking. There was no elderly woman in any of them, and no one had seen a woman like the one I described. I got the same answers at the nearby supermarket: Im sorry, but I dont remember seeing anyone of that description.

I never saw her again, but I believe that that angel was on a mission to see if any passersby had enough compassion to stop and help her. Perhaps she was also testing if that compassion would shatter in the face of something as meaningless as an offensive odor. I hope I passed the test.

Even though our modern, messed up world seems to be spiritually deflating, let us be always mindful that Gods angels still walk among us  perhaps more so now than ever! As the book of Hebrews (KJV) tells us, Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Susan D. Harris can be reached at www.susandharris.com.

Image: Marco Verch Professional Photographer and Speaker via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
The struggle to define the guiding principles of the American experiment has intensified in recent years. The lefts attempt to degrade and sabotage the American experience has widened with each passing decade. Beginning with concerns about monopolies and American greed in the years before and during the Progressive era (approximately 19001920), followed by a more pro-America backlash during the 1920s, and then, in the wake of the Great Depression, with widespread unemployment, bank deposit losses, stocks crashing, and dust bowl miseries in the agricultural sector, the FDR years promoted the pseudo-socialism of Keynesian economics. Under Keynesian economics, government debt to boost the economy and federal regulatory agencies to bring order to the economy both expanded. We went off the gold standard, which allowed for the printing of more paper money.

At the height of the Depression in 1933, 24.9% of the nation's total work force, 12,830,000 people, were unemployed. Wage income for workers who were lucky enough to have kept their jobs fell 42.5% between 1929 and 1933. Despite the vast expansion of government agencies (called the alphabet agencies) imposed by the FDR government under its Keynesian ideology, from 1937 to 1941, unemployment remained at 1520%. The government expanded its regulatory and employment role during the New Deal, but since it did not actually confiscate existing businesses, the New Deal is not considered by many economists socialistic or communistic.

However, with the New Deals dramatic increase in the extent of governmental involvement in the economy, we experienced a sea change in the proportion of economic activity by government in relation to the private sector. Except for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) where the government actually established itself as a supplier of electricity, other agencies under the New Deal were either regulatory or instruments for government employment of the unemployed. This writer concludes that despite the vast expansion of government regulation and revaluation of our currency and governmental indebtedness, the New Deal was largely ineffectual, as shown by the continuing high unemployment and slow recovery prior to WWII.

Just as the last years of progressivism had ended with our involvement in WWI, the last years of the New Deal also ended with our involvement with a world war. Intuitively, there seemed to be some connection between expanded government regulation and the expanded likelihood of our getting into war.

FDRs personal charisma and the creation of so many new agencies to protect the people and the economy contributed to the illusion of significant progress. Only the involvement in WWII after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor stimulated significant growth in the economy, and the charismatic charm of Roosevelt was further enhanced.

The net effect of this expanded dependence on government under progressivism and then under the auspices of New Deal policy dramatically shifted the belief of the public in individual initiative, godly perseverance and godly reliance, and the Christian confidence in God as the Almighty first responder to the problems we faced as individuals and as a society.

The days of national responsiveness to biblical godly values as found in the Old and New Testaments had become less a part of the national consciousness. Those biblical Jewish and Christian values had been sustained to some degree by the expansion of the land mass that composed the USA. We gained the Northwest Territory after the Revolutionary War, then we more than doubled our size with the Louisiana Purchase by Thomas Jefferson, and the Mexican War added even more territory. These expansions were believed by many to come under Manifest Destiny. Almighty God under this vision had a great plan for a great country and was opening doors for expanded territory and the inevitable wealth and power that such expansion affords.

But after World War II, the godly vision of a moral society based on biblical principles of individual and governmental responsibility began to erode. The thought that God had expanded our land mass and power in order to test our commitment to moral ideals and the enhancement of individual opportunities and individual responsibility began to wane. The expansion of government under progressivism and New Deal Keynesian ideology began to put in play an egotistical overlay of Americas power and authority as fundamentally residing in money, politics, and military might  not on Gods will over a specially conceived and anointed country.

After 171 years without a doctrine of separation of church and state, the Supreme Court of the USA in 1947 by a mere 5-4 vote declared that this separation is necessary and sacrosanct. And by 1962 and 1963, both Bible reading and prayer were declared by the Court forbidden in our public schools. By 1973, a womans right to an abortion on demand was declared a constitutional right, and legitimate thereby in every state in the Union. Only recently did the Supreme Court reverse itself, after 60 millionplus abortions, to allow each individual state to make its own abortion laws as its voters see fit. Abortions are not inherently a national, constitutional right.

In 2005, in the significant Kelo v. New London case, the Court again voted 5-4 to expand the legitimate bases for government to confiscate private property under eminent domain laws. This was a serious attack on private ownership of property. And, lastly, in Obergefell v. Hodges, the Supreme Court asserted that marriage between two men or between two women is a constitutional right. That vote also was a 5-4 vote, but this is now the law of the land. However, our Constitution says clearly in its Tenth Amendment that all matters not addressed in the Constitution belong to the law-making authority of the states. Prior to the Supreme Court decision in Obergefell, 36 states had voted against marriage for homosexual couples (with even blue-state California twice voting against it).

Thus, the founders of our country believed that our existence as a nation-state and our Constitution are meant for a moral and God-fearing people, and even Manifest Destiny adherents, who were less interested in biblical morals than were the founders, still saw a God-based providential plan for our country. Yet after Progressivism, the New Deal, and two world wars, we lost our way and the God-centeredness that was central to that way.

Now the forces of evil have gained momentum and want to turn our country over to the World Economic Forum, to the U.N.s Agenda 2030 for world government, to cultural Marxist principles regarding race (whites are inherently racist), sexuality (non-binary sexuality is as normal as binary sexuality), elected authority (inherently undemocratic), the family (Marx and his cohorts hated the family), loss of property rights under so-called green principles, and violent, pro-terrorist protests under the rubric peaceful assembly.

The disaster known as the twentieth century continues unabated  in fact, has accelerated  in our 21st century. What new horror awaits us tomorrow?

E. Jeffrey Ludwig served as a teaching fellow in American history and literature at Harvard University and on the editorial board of the Harvard Educational Review. He has taught philosophy at various colleges and was selected for four editions of Whos Who Among Americas High School Teachers. His book, The Catastrophic Decline of Americas Public High Schools, is available here.

Image: JSMed via Pixabay, Pixabay License.
The Supreme Court announced that it was adding another opinion day to its schedule -- Wednesday, June 26th. Among the pending cases is United States v. Trump, in which the court must decide to what extent presidential immunity shields the president from criminal prosecution for actions taken while in office.

While the content of the discussions during oral arguments are not a perfect indicator of how the court will rule, Scotus blog sat through oral argument and concluded the court is likely to side with Donald Trump to some degree:

With four of the courts conservative justices -- Thomas, Alito, Gorsuch, and Kavanaugh -- appearing to lean toward some form of immunity for Trump, the ruling may hinge on Roberts, who although relatively quiet seemed dubious about the reasoning of the D.C. Circuits opinion, which he summarized as saying that a former president can be prosecuted because he is being prosecuted. And although Dreeben stressed the layers of protection available to shield a former president from unwarranted prosecutions, such as the assumption that prosecutors will act in good faith and the need for a grand jury to return an indictment, Roberts asked Dreeben why the court shouldnt send the case back or issue an opinion saying thats not the law?

The timing of the release of the opinion -- should it occur on Wednesday -- is particularly significant because the following day is set for the debate between President Biden and Donald Trump, and theres every indication that Bidens strategy is to hammer on the criminal cases (and singular criminal conviction in New York) against his opponent.

But all those cases have substantial infirmities as well and Trump can certainly argue that those cases are not evidence of wrongdoing by him, but rather evince the Democrats use of lawfare to punish him and remove him from the election contest. (All these cases arise from the deep blue cities of New York and Washington, D.C. which, at least when it comes to Trump, seem to be using a Soviet legal handbook.)

This week, the Supreme Court issued two opinions that do not bode well for the outcome of the NY case brought by Bragg, which is the single conviction.

In Gonzalez v. Trevino, the court held in favor of Sylvia Gonzalez, who had been arrested in Castle Hills, Texas in 2019 on a trumped-up charge of tampering with government records. She had briefly misplaced a petition on a table at a public meeting. This was a blatant case of selective prosecution by officials whom Gonzalez had criticized. She was the only person charged in the last 10 years under the states records laws for temporarily misplacing a document. She argued that virtually every one of the prior 215 felony indictments involved the use or creation of fake government IDs. Although the charges were later dropped, the case reeked of political retaliation and selective prosecution. when she sued, the appellate court threw her case out, requiring Gonzales to shoulder an overwhelming burden of proof to establish selective prosecution for her political speech. The justices, on the other hand, reduced that burden Unlike the Trump case, the criminal charges against Gonzales were thrown out before trial. For Trump, selective prosecution claims were summarily dismissed, even though no case like Braggs appears to have ever been brought before. The Bragg case is raw political prosecution. No one seriously argues that Bragg would have brought this case against anyone other than Trump. Indeed, his predecessor rejected the case.[snip] Another case decided this week was Erlinger v. United States. The justices ruled 6-3 (and not along the standard ideological lines) to send back a case in which Paul Erlinger had been convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm as a felon. [snip] The court ruled that a jury had to decide this issue unanimously under a standard of beyond reasonable doubt. This is in contrast to how the Trump case was handled, in which jurors could disagree on key aspects of the crime yet still convict the defendant. In Trumps trial, Judge Juan Merchan effectively guaranteed a conviction by telling jurors that they did not have to agree with specificity on what had occurred in the case to convict Trump. The only way to get beyond the passage of the statute of limitations on the dead misdemeanor for falsifying business records had been to allege that the bookkeeping violation in question occurred to conceal another crime. Bragg did not bother to state clearly what that crime was, originally alluding to four different crimes. It was not until the end of the case that Merchan would lay out three possible crimes for the jury. All the way up to the final instructions in the case, legal analysts on CNN and other outlets expressed doubt about what the actual theory of the criminal conduct was in the case. [snip] Merchan told the jurors that they did not have to agree on which fact-pattern or conspiracy had occurred. They could split 4-4-4 on the secondary crime motivating the misdemeanors and just declare that some secondary crime was involved. That was all that is required in New York when in pursuit of Trump. [snip] But Gonzales and Erlinger demonstrate the high level of protections that we normally afford criminal defendants. A court with a 6-3 conservative majority just ruled for the rights of all defendants in defense of the rule of law. That is not how the law is seen from 9th Avenue. It all comes down to the legal map. As even CNN senior legal analyst Elie Honig observed, this case of contorting the law for a selective prosecution would not have succeeded outside of an anti-Trump district.

As for the pending case in Florida respecting a claim of mishandling classified documents, Judge Cannon has been wading through numerous pretrial discovery matters and motions. This week she announced she wants to hear the arguments respecting whether Jack Smiths appointment violates the Constitution, in which case he would have had no authority to bring the case at all.

Another brief, authored by a former attorney general, Edwin Meese, who is 92, and two law professors, Steven Calabresi and Gary Lawson, takes the position that Mr. Smiths appointment was unlawful. Judge Cannons judgment that the brief may be of considerable help suggests that she is taking seriously Mr. Trumps constitutional contention -- made both to her and before the Supreme Court in the January 6 case that Attorney General Garlands choice of Mr. Smith violated the Appointments Clause. That section of the national parchment ordains that the president shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate, shall appoint Ambassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls, Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other Officers of the United States, whose Appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be established by Law. Mr. Smith, it turns out, was not nominated by the president and was not confirmed by the Senate. His appointment was solely at the discretion of General Garland. Mr. Meese et al. -- and Mr. Trump -- contend that Mr. Smith does not have authority to prosecute this case. The key designation, the former president and ex-attorney general argue, is that Mr. Smith is not an inferior officer of the United States but a principal officer -- and thus requires Senate confirmation.

As for the civil fraud case against Trump presided over by Judge Arthur Engeron, even former NY governor Andrew Cuomo says it never should have been brought:

The Attorney Generals case in New York, frankly, should have never been brought and if his name was not Donald Trump, and he if he wasnt running for president, Im the former AG in New York, Im telling you that case would have never been brought, and thats what is offensive to people, Cuomo said during a discussion with Maher and former Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois in Real Time With Bill Maher: Overtime.

Jake Tapper, who will be moderating the debate on CNN, has a long history of demonstrated bias against Trump.

So while presidential debates in recent years have been snoozefests with the moderators stacked against the Republican candidates, this one, with its rules clearly designed to benefit a decrepit Democrat candidate, may well work to Trumps advantage -- the microphones will be shut off when its not the candidates turn to speak, so there can be no disruptive impromptu remarks by an often combative Trump. Theres no Candy Crowley running overt interference for the Democrat as she did for Barack Obama, and Trump, unlike Mitt Romney, will be unlikely to fold and run if any moderator pulls such an obvious stunt again.
Was anyone looking for a comeback from Ben Rhodes, President Obama's famously smug, smarmy, officious former deputy National Security Advisor, who's best known for being called an "a--hole" by veteran Pentagon correspondent Thomas Ricks?

Don't think so. But he's back anyway, and according to The Hill, he's out insulting President Trump:

Former White House national security adviser Ben Rhodes went after former President Trump for his foreign policies, calling him a chaos agent who cannot solve problems with other nations. Donald Trump  lets be blunt  hes not respected. Hes not taken seriously around the world. Hes a chaos agent, Rhodes said in an interview on MSNBC Saturday. Hes incapable of working with other countries to solve problems.

Speaking of not respected.

Rhodes, of course, who is a creative writing major, is the famous author of the Iran Deal with its pallets of cash, which the United Nations's nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, said was something nobody pays attention to any more.

According to a story that ran in Breitbart News four days ago:

Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said on Monday that former President Barack Obamas 2015 nuclear deal with Iran exists only on paper and means nothing. Nobody applies it, nobody follows it. There have been attempts to revive it here in Vienna. But unfortunately, although they were relatively close to success, they failed for reasons unknown to me, because I was not involved in the process, Grossi complained to Russias Izvestia newspaper.

They don't seem to have much respect for Ben Rhodes out there even as Rhodes claims Trump is the one who is not respected, now do they?

That isn't Rhodes's only idiocy.

He's also the smarmy public relations hack who got President Obama to restore relations with Havana and go there like Beyonce on the Malecon, doing the wave with Cuba's dictator, Raul Castro, who was otherwise busy torturing dissidents in his dungeons and sending baying mobs to fling rotten eggs and urine bombs at democracy dissidents in their homes. Just the kind of guy you want the leader of the free world hanging around with, right?

But don't think for a minute that the U.S. gained anything from this. Today, Castro is collaborating with Nicaragua and Venezuela to ship millions of illegals from all corners of the globe into the U.S. in order to destroy our country, sending electromagnetic waves to sicken U.S. diplomats abroad, and taking visits from Russian nuclear submarines detouring from their routes to slide down the U.S. coast first.

That's some friend the U.S. got in exchange for lifting sanctions and normalizing relations.

But none of this has stopped Rhodes for a moment of self-reflection.

He said Trump was 'unpredictable' with America's enemies, which he seemed to think was a bad thing, citing China.

His talking point there echoed Vladimir Putin's statement that he prefered Biden as the U.S. president because he was more predictable.

According to the Associated Press:

Biden, hes more experienced, more predictable, hes a politician of the old formation, Putin said, when asked which candidate would be better for Russia. But we will work with any U.S. leader whom the American people trust.

Of course Putin prefers Predictable Biden. Knowing what Biden will do at all times makes him as useful as a puppet, and Putin loves puppets.

It just goes to show that Rhodes hasn't changed any after all these years in the political wilderness, and if anything, is worse than ever. If Joe Biden is purveying Rhodes's services for this campaign, it would suggest that his campaign is in a world of trouble. Anyone this smug and smarmy can only hurt the Biden re-election effort.

Image: The White House, via Picryl // public domain
The Democrat primary contest between incumbent Congressman Jamaal Bowman and Westchester County executive George Latimer is garnering national attention because it pits a member of the pro-Palestinian Squad against a pro-Israel career centrist Democrat in a congressional district with significant Jewish and black constituencies. It is an increasingly nasty, expensive, and entertaining campaign, with each man accusing the other of not being a real progressive Democrat, and casting aspersions on his opponents ethnic bona fides to represent Westchesters diverse communities.

Although political pundits are positioning the race as a national referendum between the Democratic Socialist wing of the Democrat party and more moderate Democrats, there are a number of other factors at play, including control of the House of Representatives, U.S. support for Israel, and power politics in uber-blue New York State.

As the June 25 primary concludes, a record $23 million has been spent, most in an effort to defeat the bombastic Bowman, who has made a number of ill considered comments about Israel and the October 7 atrocities. The national Democrats clearly do not want to have a vulnerable candidate in the general election when the party is trying to regain primacy in the House of Representatives.

The closing days of the campaign have brought out the worst constructs of todays Democrat party, with accusations of racism, antisemitism, and bowing to nefarious outside influences.

The tinderbox was lit months ago by PACs. The United Democracy Project (UDP), a super-PAC affiliated with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, is responsible for $14 million of the outlay, nearly all of which is focused on flaying Bowman for his numerous criticisms of Israel. In contrast, Bowmans campaign has spent a mere $2 million, helped by funding from the Justice Democrats and the Working Families Party.

Bowman, a former New York City charter school principal, upset longtime respected Democrat congressman and supporter of Israel Elliot Engel, following the George Floydobsessed summer of 2020, and won re-election in 2022 despite primary challengers. However, in 2022, the Republican candidate, Dr. Miriam Levitt-Flisser, made him the worst performing Democrat due to his intemperate remarks about Israel. In the run-up to the general election, rabbis in the Bronx and Westchester issued strongly worded letters criticizing Bowmans anti-Israel stance but refused to endorse Levitt-Flisser.

In addition to his anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian stance, Bowman has embarrassed suburban Democrats for his buffoonery. He interrupted a critical vote in Congress by pulling a fire alarm, lied, and got caught. Hes appeared on Steven Colberts late night show spouting hip-hop verses so bad that Colbert quickly cut to a commercial.

George Latimer has a long, successful, and undistinguished record as an elected official. County legislator, assemblyman, state senator, and currently county executive of Westchester, he is the exemplar of well played local politics. A moderate Democrat, he is a popular go-along-to-get-along politician.

His ubiquitous social media ads say Progressive Results, touting his banning gun shows from the County Center and protecting abortion. As political sales pitches go, both show Latimers unsubstantial political style. Westchester had a single annual gun show at the County Center, and abortion up to the moment of birth is memorialized in New York State law.

Each man is throwing MAGA bombs. In one debate between the two men, Bowman slammed Latimer for getting Republican racist MAGA Trump money. The Latimer campaign, through a PAC mailer, blasted: When it mattered most, Jamaal Bowman has sided with MAGA Republicans over President Biden, the Democratic Party and our communities.

In fact, there are a number of Republicans, including ones who would qualify as MAGA, who changed voter registrations for the specific purpose of voting for Latimer. A smaller number switched to vote for Bowman, in the hope that he would be the weaker candidate in the general election against Dr. Levitt-Flisser, who is running for a second time. Bowman did vote against Bidens infrastructure bill.

Latimer has the support of most of the rabbis in Westchester. On Bowmans side are Jews for Jamaal, Protect our Power, and Jewish Vote for Peace. However, he lost the J Street endorsement, which helped him in 2022.

Latimers surrogate UDP has sent out massive numbers of expensive glossy mailers. A recent mailing states, Working with President Biden to invest in our infrastructure and save our economy is good for the country & the right thing to do. An anti-Bowman ad accuses Bowman of having his own agenda and hes hurting New York.

These memes became more explicit in the candidates final debate. Latimer charged, Your constituency is Dearborn, Michigan, your constituency is San Francisco, which Bowman immediately characterized as anti-Muslim. Bowman followed up by accusing Latimer of trying to keep Westchester segregated.

On the hot and muggy Saturday before the primary, the Democratic Socialists of America, headlined by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Bernie Sanders, staged a rally in the Bronx for Bowman. It went badly. An anti-Israeli group, Within Our Lifetime, held a raucous counter-rally. Much profanity ensued, according to the New York Post.

How this invective will roll with Westchesters Democrats is unclear. The 16th Congressional District includes all of lower Westchester and parts of the Northern Bronx. The district is 42% white, 27% Hispanic, and 21% black. Jews constitute 20% of Westchester voters. Voter registration is 2.4 to 1 Democrat in Westchester and 90% in the Bronx. Though an affluent county as a whole, Westchester is racially and economically diverse. But on the whole, everyone seems to get along reasonably well.

With polling from Emerson and others showing Latimer 17 points ahead, it is hard to think the relatively underfunded Bowman will prevail.

In the general election, the issues will switch to what each party brings to Westchester voters. Will voters opt for the party that appears increasingly chaotic and willing to kowtow to antisemitism or the one that continues to advance social norms and support Israel? The outcome may depend on whether Bowman decides to run on the Working Families Party line in November.

Linda R. Killian is a retired financial analyst and a Republican chairman in Westchester County.

Image: William Warby via Flickr, CC BY 2.0.
Would you like to hear about a bright ray of political sunshine penetrating the dense political cloud cover?

The Republican Party has long been haunted by the specter of platform infidelity on the part of the partys elected officeholders. Far too often, a Republican candidate fervently vows fidelity to the party platform during a campaign but, once elected, sheds this fervor like a duck sheds water. The officeholders primary agenda becomes re-election, and his/her stance on issues is determined by its probable effect on re-election rather than advancing platform values.

So many Republican officeholders have displayed such a high rate of platform infidelity that a new term has been coined to describe them: RINO, aka Republican in Name Only.

However, party loyalty is a two-way street. Infidelity is a game two can play. An elected officeholder may, by his/her infidelity to the party, induce voter infidelity, tooand thats what happened in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This past November, for the first time ever in that rare conservative redoubt of a very blue state, an independent was elected mayor.

Now, something similar is afoot in Idaho.

Image: YouTube screen grab.

At the June 2023 Idaho GOP summer meeting, the state GOP central committee adopted a platform-enforcement rule authorizing the state and local central committees to call into question the conduct of a Republican official regarding fidelity to the party platform or the state and federal constitutions.

Heres section 3 of Article 20 of the newly-revised platform:

Section 3: The Idaho Republican State Central Committee, Legislative District Committees, and County Central Committees are hereby empowered to call into question the conduct of a Republican elected official; give fair consideration to alleged violations and provide a meaningful opportunity for the official to be heard...

Upon receiving a petition, the central committees must schedule a meeting to hear the alleged violations and allow the GOP official to respond. A majority of the committee can then vote to censure the official. Subsequent censures with a 60% majority would remove Party support and prohibit the use of Republican Party identifiers on campaign information and advertising during the individuals current term and any other campaigns for five years.

Almost immediately, using this authority, Bonneville Countys Legislative District 32 censured three Republican legislators for platform infidelity.

The censured politicians made their sentiments known in the opinion pages of the two Idaho Falls newspapers, the East Idaho News and the Post Register. Strikingly, they did not even attempt to defend their actions. Instead, they objected to the partys chutzpa in attempting to enforce the platform.

One can feel their pain as Idaho RINOs suddenly realize they are sailing too close to the wind. Who would ever have thought that lowly party plebeians would ever insist on patrician fidelity to the party platform? The nerve of these little people!

What these politicians do not grasp is that a political party is a private association of citizens banding together to bring their views to the attention of their elected officials. Their views are summarized in their party platform. If the party platform were not enforced, there would be no reason to have a party.

How refreshing to see rank-and-file Republicans rear up on their hind legs and snarl at their betters.
Based on the narrative of the left, we're not supposed to notice anything new or negative about the unvetted foreigners rolling through on Joe Biden's open border plan.

Nothing to see here, move along.

There are those who give the flawed statistics about illegal immigrants commiting less crime than ordinary Americans, which must be very satisfying for the left to cite, given that the left believes America is a fundamentally flawed country. It's odd how many foreigners want to come to this fundamentally flawed country, but the left has never been able to answer that one.

There are others, such as the Associated Press, which makes matters easier for us, by not printing the immigration status of people caught up in ugly crimes against Americans. That way, see, we won't notice.

But it's getting increasingly hard to ignore the new waves of crimes coming about from recent illegal border crossers -- seems we are seeing a new grotesque crime every day, with women and children in the crosshairs almost like a slow motion Oct. 7.

The New York Post, which does notice the things the AP won't, has a list of three:

One of the illegal Venezuelan migrants accused of strangling and killing 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray in Texas cut the ankle monitor he was given at the border after the slaying, The Post can reveal. Johan Jose Rangel Martinez, 21, and Franklin Jose Pena Ramos, 26, were both released into the US with GPS monitoring after illegally crossing the southern border into El Paso, Texas this year. Rangel Martinez, who crossed the border on March 14, was released from the monitoring program on May 15 because he had no known criminal history and had complied with check-ins, sources said. However, Panos Ramos, who crossed the border on May 28  less than a month before the shocking murder  removed his ankle monitor two days after Nungarays body was found in a swampy creek in Houston on Monday, according to sources.

...and...

Last week, an Ecuadorian migrant allegedly raped a 13-year-old girl he bound and gagged in a Queens park. The suspect, Christian Geovanny Inga-Landi, 25, crossed into Eagle Pass, Texas, in 2021 and was ordered removed by an immigration judge the next year  but never left, The Post previously revealed. The man arrested this month and charged in the rape and murder of Maryland mom-of-five Rachel Morin is a migrant from El Salvador who crossed illegally into the US three times in two months, was booted, and then made it in undetected on his fourth try.

Heinous crimes, young female victims, most very young, and every last suspect an illegal migrant from Latin America's slums who didn't belong here, wasn't vetted, and got busy quickly preying on Americans once in. Just looking at the hard, soulless, faces of the monsters who murdered the 12-year-old and I can see the Caracas slums all over them. The kind of crime we see here is the kind of crime that we once associated with hellish places like Caracas until enough of the criminals left that city and the crime rate went down. They're now here, living their values and doing what they do back in Caracas.

The interesting thing about the Post's story is that it demonstrates well that every supposed safeguard against releasing criminals into the country from abroad fell apart.

One of the Venezuelans cut his ankle monitor, which was supposed to allow authorities to catch him. He did so after he commited his crime, not before. The other got his ankle monitor removed by authorities because he showed up to all his appointments and was thus declared safe for the public.

The Ecuadorian was ordered deported. Did anyone deport him? Like they were supposed to? Absolutely not. No deportation safeguards there, either, so the 13-year-old got raped. Biden and his lieutenant, Alejandro Mayorkas at the Department of Homeland Security like to say that "individuals" who don't belong here will be swiftly deported, but this is what they mean.

As for the Salvadoran, he simply crossed in undetected, because nobody's watching the border, not when Border Patrol agents are being reduced to turnstile operators "processing" people on a priority basis who can't be bothered to apply to come here legally. The Border Patrol's mission is to guard the border, but Biden has converted those agents to Walmart greeters, so that safeguard has failed, too, even as Biden's team calls the border 'secure.' Oh, and the victim of the Salvadoran illegal alien was reduced to being "an individual" by Mayorkas, too. Anything but an American person with a name and an identity who had a right to life.

Biden says illegal border crossers will be vetted, and they are not vetted. He says bad guys will be deported, but they are not deported. He puts ankle monitors on some, and that does nothing to prevent killers from killing Americans.

The real safeguard is to simply not let these people in. Whatever it takes, they should not be allowed in to steal our money, rape our women, and kill our children. Someone's got a real asylum case, they can do what real asylum seekers do, and take their first country of refuge.

But of course, that's not what's happening. Now Americans are starting to pay for this, to become victims, turning the U.S. into the Caracas slums and changing our culture from a high-trust society to a low-trust society where rule of law is gone and no one is ever safe.

That's what Joe Biden has brought to the U.S. by importing the worst of the worst and being unable to control what they do once in. Don't tell me these kinds of crimes happened with this frequency and this nightmarish barbarism before Joe Biden opened the border and pretty much invited them in.

It's not going to get better, because Biden doesn't think there's a problem at all.

Come November, he's got to go.

Image: Screen shot from KPRC video, via Twitter
Even as all eyes are on Louisiana for daring to display the Ten Commandments in schools, the lefts paganism is getting a shot in the arm in Massachusetts. Thats because the state has proudly unveiled a taxpayer-funded campaign of Public Service Announcements (PSAs) aimed at destroying pregnancy centers that oppose abortion.

When the Founders wrote and ratified the First Amendment, they did so in the context of a Christian world. They were fond of Jews and were beginning to recognize that people such as atheists and deists (e.g., Ben Franklin and Thomas Jefferson) existed. And that was it. Everything, especially in America, was bounded by the idea of the Christian church and the Bible. Those two concepts defined peoples understanding of the world and their obligations to that world.

Many of the original settlers in the North American colonies came because they wanted to escape the religions that their home states imposed, as well as the corollary punishments for those who did not follow the state religions. By the 18th century in Europe, these punishments did not include death but did include paying taxes to fund state churches and being banned from participating in civic life.

This was the backdrop to the Establishment Clause. The federal government could not establish a religion, nor could it prevent others from practicing their faiths: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof...

Image: YouTube screen grab.

However, even that last clause had a caveat that we would do well to remember today; namely that, at least as late as 1879, the Supreme Court still recognized that Biblical values could inform societal values. Thus, just because a state law was derived from Britains Christian tradition, that didnt mean the law was automatically invalid, even if it infringed on religious practices.

In the case of Reynolds v. United States, the Supreme Court upheld federal laws against polygamy, something the Court wrote has always been odious among the northern and western nations of Europe, and, until the establishment of the Mormon Church, was almost exclusively a feature of the life of Asiatic and of African people. To the extent it offended British law at the time of the Constitutionlaw that the Supreme Court made clear derived from Christian traditionit reasonably offended American law after the Constitution.

Strikingly, as an example of the type of anti-Biblical law the United States does not have to recognize, the Supreme Court asked, Suppose one believed that human sacrifices were a necessary part of religious worship; would it be seriously contended that the civil government under which he lived could not interfere to prevent a sacrifice? The answer, of course, is no. The U.S. does not (or, at least, did not) recognize non-Biblical, pagan practices.

But weve come a long way since 1879, and child sacrifice is an embedded principle on the left. They dress it up as health care, but the reality is that its done to placate Gaia, the amoral, capricious, and unreasonable Earth goddess, a divine personage that the left believes opposes the proliferation of humankind.

At a more pragmatic level, the abortion sacrament is also done to remove women from their core biological purpose, something that, for many, has the magical effect of turning them into lonely, neurotic ladies or blue-haired it people. (So maybe there really is some pagan magic at work there.)

In thrall to their faith, leftists work hard to violate the First Amendment by using the instruments of the state to establish their leftist religion (e.g., Pride flags, not the Ten Commandments in classrooms) and to stamp out heretics. In Massachusetts, stamping out anti-abortion heretics means using government funds to broadcast PSAs warning women about heretical churches, aka pregnancy crisis centers that offer pregnant women alternatives to abortion:

The Healey-Driscoll Administration today launched a first-in-the-nation public education campaign highlighting the dangers and potential harm of anti-abortion centers, also called crisis pregnancy centers. Anti-abortion centers often look like medical facilities and purport to offer the full spectrum of reproductive health care while, in reality, they often mislead people about their options if they are pregnant and dissuade them from accessing abortions. The campaign ads, which began running June 10 across Massachusetts in both English and Spanish, amplify how anti-abortion centers provide misinformation about abortion services to prevent people from making an informed choice about their care. The campaign is designed to help people understand their full range of options, directing them to mass.gov/GetTrustedCare with information about how to recognize anti-abortion centers and where to access unbiased, full-spectrum reproductive health care in Massachusetts.

Using taxpayer funds to push a pagan belief system and aggressively punish those who oppose it violates the First Amendment as the Founders envisioned it and the Supreme Court understood it.
In 1994, practically at the dawn of the internet, Snopes was a fun site that saw two married socialists debunk pervasive urban legends about razors in Halloween candy and hooked hands stuck to car door handles. During the Obama years, it turned into a Democrat mouthpiece that masqueraded as a fact-checking site. That Democrat fealty explains why its taken the site seven years to debunk the very fine people hoax that painted Trump as a white supremacist and that Joe Biden used to open his 2020 campaign.

Snopes was fun in the beginning but decayed badly when the founding couple, Barbara and David Mikkelson, divorced, and David took over the site. It didnt help when David Mikkelson married a porn actress and hired her to fill his sociologist ex-wifes place. Barbara alleged that, at the same time, David embezzled hundreds of thousands of dollars from the company for vacations and prostitutes. David, in turn, alleged that Barbara enriched herself to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

As you can imagine, the site degraded in quality very quickly at this time. It also took a hard left turn. And because all hard leftists are humorless scolds who ape the old Soviet apparatchiks for whom a joke was an arrestable offense, Snopes even went so far as to fact-check The Babylon Bee.

Image: Biden and the Big Lie. Facebook screen grab. (Red text added to the original image.)

In other words, Snopes is not a serious site. However, because its leftist and keeps churning out anti-conservative fact-check content, people in media and politics take it seriously.

So, when Snopes didnt fact-check the contention that Trump called white supremacists very fine people, that seemed to prove that Trump did, in fact, make that statement. The claim of Trumps praise for these white supremacists was so pervasive that Bidens first campaign video in 2020 used the allegation as its centerpiece (and repeatedly came back to it)and if anyone had checked out the truth of that assertion, Snopes would not have helped. (Biden and his team must have known, of course, that it was a lie.)

Those of us who believe in facts, of course, know that the very fine people claim was a lie from beginning to end. The truth was that, when Charlottesville, Virginia, decided in 2017 to remove its statute of Robert E. Lee, three groups of people showed up to protest: those who approved of the move, actual Neo-Nazis complete with swastikas who disapproved of the move, and people who felt that the rush to erase our nations history was a Jacobin error. (They were prescient, as 2020 proved.)

One of the Neo-Nazis drove a car through the crowd, killing a young woman. At a subsequent press conference, Donald Trump, in his usual discursive style, explained that people in the third category, like people in the first category, were often very fine people, hastening to add, Im not talking about the neo-Nazis and white nationalists because they should be condemned totally. Our morally corrupt media promptly told the world that Trump had called neo-Nazis and white nationalists very fine people.

Recently, though, some very high-profile disaffected Democrats discovered the lie:

Agreed. Until I watched this video I thought @realDonaldTrump was referring to the neo-nazis based on the press that I had read and other media. https://t.co/RBfKJrHAac  Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) June 17, 2024

The fact that the truth may finally be overtaking the Democrat establishments Big Lie seems to have spurred Snopes to action. A couple of days ago, it finally admitted that Trump never called neo-Nazis and white supremacists very fine people:

No, then-President Donald Trump did not call neo-Nazis and white supremacists "very fine people" in 2017. Speaking about a deadly protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, he said those groups should be "condemned totally." https://t.co/AHjw0mwl3i pic.twitter.com/TtCH1BzZja  snopes.com (@snopes) June 20, 2024

I guess that I should say that its a good thing that Snopes finally corrected the record, but I cant. What I can say, instead, is that theres nothing good about the Democrats having successfully traded in a Big Lie for seven years, only to fess up when they cant hide the truth anymore. Its disgusting. Perhaps if the truth came with a massive, self-abasing mea culpa and a huge check to Donald Trump, Id be more forgiving, but theres no remorse or repentance here. Theres just a despicable effort to paper over a seven-year-long moral disgrace.
Among the never-ending attempts of anti-liberty/gun cracktivists to deprive Americans of their unalienable Second Amendment rights are various microstamping schemes. Microstamping requires leaving a unique imprint on the primer of a cartridge case. The only potentially workable means of doing this is laser engraving the tip of a firing pin with very small letters/numbers. Some microstamping schemes demand a second unique imprint, but on the expended case as well as the primer.

Graphic: firing pin. Author.

What, you might ask, is the point? Is microstamping a valid crime fighting tool? No. The point is making firearms more expensive, and harassing law-abiding gun owners in any way possible. In my law enforcement career, I never solved a case through fingerprints, nor was I aware of anyone that did. Trying to solve a crime with a microstamped primer would be even less productive.

Graphic: cartridges and primer. Author.

The second imprint method has never been proved even remotely viable, so well stick to the firing pin method. Primers are not uniformly hard, even those from a single manufacturer, so imprints are iffy. A dirty gun might make no imprint. It would take only a few minutes with an abrasive to remove the laser engraving, and microstamping schemes apply only to semiautomatic handguns, which eject expended cases as part of the firing cycle. Revolvers do not.

Any microstamping scheme is of necessity a gun registration scheme, because without a massive national database containing an image of a microstamped case from every gun in America, theres no way to identify from which gun that case came. For now, its against federal law for government to maintain a gun registry, which doesnt mean government isnt trying to do it under the radar. Even so, the only case images theyd have on file are from semiautomatic handguns manufactured after a federal microstamping law went into effect. Hundreds of millions of handguns would be unaffected and essentially untraceable.

Even if a criminal doesnt file the engraving off a firing pin, all they have to do is replace the firing pin, use a revolver, or stop a few seconds to collect their expended cases. Even better, they can visit a range, collect a variety of cases, and spread them around their crime scenes, sending hapless police on wild goose chases.

Imagine youre a police officer investigating a murder in a dark alley. The shooter left behind a microstamped case. Ah-hah! Case solved! First, a blown-up image in the correct computer format must be made in the high-tech crime lab virtually no police agency outside of TV crime dramas has. Then that image must be entered into the massive federal databasewhich doesnt existwhich may or may not provide a match. Remember the hundreds of millions of guns that dont microstamp?

For the sake of argument, lets say the computer spits out 30 or so potential matches. Now a government examiner must review those potential matches. Many are only partialsprimers arent uniformly hard, and a used firing pin isnt going to make good imprints anywaybut lets say this time you get lucky and a positive match is found. Its to a 9mm S&W handgun purchased by John Q. Citizen of 1234 Pleasant Lane, Anytown, Anystate four years earlier. Ah hah! Case solved! All you have to do is arrest Citizen and hell give a tearful confession.

Not so fast, Sherlock.

The problem is probable cause. At this point, you dont have enough PC to even get a warrant to search Citizens home. What information do you have to convince a judge the gun he bought four years earlier might be there rather than in his car, or somewhere else? Warrants are annoyingly specific things. But lets say you manage to get a judge in Anytown, which is three states away from your state, to give you a warrant to search Citizens home. You show up and discover he moved out of state last year.

Even if you eventually found Citizen still owned the gun, you have to prove he was in that dark alley that night, with the gun, and that he fired it at the victim, killing them. Whats most likely is youll discover citizen sold the gun to a friend from whom the gun was stolen three years ago, and youre nowhere. Most criminals dont buy guns retail. They steal them or otherwise acquire them under the legal radar.

But none of that matters because there is no federal registration databaseits illegal.

And do you really think the people who push microstamping schemes, the same people who decriminalize crime, defund and harass the police, refuse to prosecute criminals, and refuse to impose meaningful sentences in those few cases where crooks are prosecuted, really care about combatting crime? They do, but only if youre not really a criminal.

That the real point of microstamping.

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.
Fountainhead - noun as in principal source; person who originates  administrator, builder, creator, originator, leader.

Ayn Rands novel, The Fountainhead, published in 1943, has been read by millions of people over the years (37 million books sold). The truncated film version, released in 1949, has been seen by millions of people as well.

Of course, the left has always hated Rand, her books and the films based on them. Her philosophy is a celebration of individualism, a testament to gifted and talented men and women who are able to remain true to themselves in a world that reveres and celebrates mediocrity. Ayn Rand was born in Russia in 1905, and educated there; she was twelve years old during the Bolshevik Revolution. She emigrated to the U.S. in 1926.

Her play of 1935, The Night of January 16th, was produced in Hollywood first, then on Broadway. It was a courtroom drama in which members of the audience were chosen as jurors. The plays intent was to demonstrate the conflict between individualism and conformity, which seems to be the primary conflict between and among Americans today. The left always comes down on the side of submission and conformity -- to their agenda.

Donald Trump is a larger-than-life individual. Rand might have created him for a novel, or based a novel on him had she known him. She profoundly respected people who remained true to themselves when all around them are those striving only for approval for being conventional. Her books and plays were about the tension between individualism and the collectivist mindset of the left.

No wonder the left hates Trump with a blinding obsession to destroy him; his success, his essential happiness and personal fulfillment and his failure to capitulate to their demands enrages them beyond all reason.

Rands heroes are engineers, mathematicians, builders and businessmen, not journalists, writers and the professors who believe themselves far superior to the likes of men such as Trump.

The Fountainhead is particularly famous for its representation of newspapermen who relish in creating mob actions, especially against anything new and creative.

Just as when Stravinsky debuted his The Rite of Spring in Paris in 1913, riots ensued, fights in the aisles of the theater; it was new and different. People were stunned by its departure from what they were used to hearing.

Rands Ellsworth Toohey, the architecture critic for the New York Times of the novels day (The Banner) relishes his power over the people he seeks to mobilize for one cause or another. He is a corrupt and evil man who aims to destroy anyone or anything good or original. With a column or two he could create riots, against a new and different building for example, as he does in the book. He is a classic representation of what we endure today from MSNBC and CNN, the NYT and the WaPo, their 24/7 gloating spree of malice directed at Trump  blatant attempts by mediocre people to render everyone else equally mediocre.

If Rand were alive today, she would invent DEI, ESG and CRT in order to mock how such social experiments destroy excellence, creativity and subvert merit. Each of these alphabet enemies of our civil society require self-sacrifice. Rand wrote: Self-sacrifice? But it is precisely the self that cannot and must not be sacrificed. The talking heads at the aforementioned new outlets sold their souls long ago in order to remain conventional.

Today, as the left goes to hellish, unconstitutional lengths to prevent Trump from regaining the presidency, we must admit that there is no longer a Democrat party as formerly constituted in the days of JFK. Today the Democrat party is decidedly Marxist/communist/socialist. Like Rands antagonists who set out to destroy her hero, architect Howard Roark, this Democrat party has only contempt for the American people. If they support Trump, they are in need of forced re-education, as in camps.

The Democrat left today, the party that fraudulently installed Joe Biden in the presidency knowing full well that he was and remains the most mediocre politician of the last fifty years, hates our nation and the men who founded it. Biden has proven to be the worst president in American history by any measure  economic, demographic (open border), militarily (weak, now a trans/LGBT experiment), re: energy (cutting us off), hes fostered the war in Ukraine and Israel; he wants the war in Ukraine to go on for ten years. As for Israel, he is rooting for Hamas.

Biden is everything Ayn Rand railed against, weak, evil, and corrupt. He wants to be thought great by all sides and has not the brains nor the guts to do what is right, no matter the seriousness of the situation. He has brought the country low indeed.

What can one say about the people who continue to support Biden given his painfully obvious dementia, his inability to perform his job? Do they hate Trump so much they are willing to turn the country over to some man-behind-the-curtain? We can ask: Who is calling the shots?

His cabinet is chock full of equally incompetent know-nothings beyond their love of power and money or their status as a revered minority  racial, sexual or otherwise.

How can the usual talking heads in the media continue to pretend he is a viable man, let alone qualified to be president? We all know that the debate will be rigged to favor Biden no matter what; Tapper and Bash are simply tools of the left. They will do what is expected of them, not what is fair.

The tragedy is that, like Rands Ellsworth Toohey, they will be proud of themselves for doing the collectivists bidding. Again, in the words of Ayn Rand, The spread of evil is the symptom of a vacuum. Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who evade the fact that there can be no compromise on basic principles.

The American left today fears another Trump presidency like the wicked witch feared water, for it signals the end of their deep state, bureaucratic, authoritarian rule.

There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism  by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. --Ayn Rand

Image: Rodrigo Paoletti, via Flickr // CC BY 2.0 DEED
Last month, NPR published an article entitled There are now 25 states with bans on health care for minors. NPR being what it is, health care for minors is a euphemism for the performance of hormonal and surgical procedures that obscure the biological sex of children.

In June 2023, Texas passed a law banning puberty-blockers and genital-mutilating surgeries for minors. The Texas law prohibits

any sort of procedures like double mastectomies, puberty blockers, sex change surgeries and cross-sex hormones from being performed on underage girls and boys. The law will also prevent state funds being used on such procedures. ... An exception is included in the law for minors that are already receiving puberty blockers or hormone treatments, as well as those that have already attended at least 12 mental health counseling sessions within six months prior to beginning treatment. It would, however, require those already receiving such care to be "weaned" off in a medically appropriate manner. ... The medical licenses of those convicted of breaking the law could be revoked.

Clearly, most Americans believe that subjecting minors to these procedures constitutes dangerous and permanent child abuse, regardless of whether a 10-year-old may believe differently. And most Americans believe that parents have no right to subject their children to such abusive procedures.

Nevertheless, a few days ago, the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Texas Southern District unsealed a four-count indictment against Doctor Ethan Haim, alleging that he

obtained personal information including patient names, treatment codes and the attending physician from Texas Childrens Hospitals (TCH) electronic system without authorization. He allegedly obtained this information under false pretenses and with intent to cause malicious harm to TCH. ... If convicted, Haim faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 maximum possible fine.

Acting on an FBI investigation, the Department of Justice charged Dr. Haim with HIPAA violations. Fox News reported that

Haim leaked documents to journalist Christopher Rufo in May 2023 showing that the Texas Children's Hospital continued operating its child gender clinic against state law after they claimed it had been shut down. Rufo previously stressed that none of the documents he obtained from Haim included patients' personal information at the clinic.

In a nutshell, Texas Childrens Hospital allegedly violated Texas state law after falsely claiming that they had shut down their illegal gender procedures, and a doctor who blows the whistle on TCH faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for HIPAA violations. It should be noted that the doctor has been accused of obtaining, but not disclosing, personal information from those hospital files.

If its not already doing so, Texas should be investigating TCH for violating state law. Publicity and political pressure can only help Dr. Haim with his legal battle with the feds.

How many of us have had it up to our necks with this woke, rogue, dictatorial, and some would say illegitimate Democrat administration?

Image via Pxfuel.
OnePlus has developed a new battery that, among its many perks, includes a 4-year good health promise. According to the company, the battery can maintain more than 80% of its total capacity after four years of use. It also has high energy density, ultra-fast charging support, and more.

The new 6,100 mAh Glacier battery is physically smaller than 5,000 mAh batteries

The companys new smartphone cell is called OnePlus Glacier battery and offers an impressive capacity of 6,100 mAh. Lately, OnePlus has been betting on big batteries for its mobile devices. The OnePlus 12 and OnePlus 12R offer 5,400 mAh and 5,500 mAh batteries, respectively. However, the company has taken it a step further.

Although the capacity of the Glacier battery is much larger than what you usually see on phones, this does not mean that it takes up more space. In fact, OnePlus claims that it is physically smaller than most 5,000 mAh cells implemented in phones. The company achieved this thanks to the high-capacity bionic silicon carbon material used. The battery boasts an energy density of 763 Wh/L, which is up to 23,1% higher than that of other common graphite cells. Plus, it weighs only 14 grams.

The Glacier battery is the result of a joint development between OnePlus and Ningde New Energy. It was developed around the so-called silicon carbon anode technology. It is designed to support 100W ultra-fast charging. This will allow you to fill 100% of its capacity (from 1%) in just 36 minutes.

4-year battery health commitment for the OnePlus Glacier battery

Another notable aspect of the new battery is its durability or useful life. OnePlus promises 4-year battery health, retaining more than 80% capacity after four years of regular use. That means you would still have a battery of almost 4,900 mAh after that period. This is great, considering that most current smartphones come with around 5,000 mAh by default. In addition, current batteries usually maintain around 80% of their original capacity after only 800 charging cycles.

The first smartphone to use the Glacier battery will be the OnePlus Ace 3 Pro. This device will be launched next week in China as a more powerful version of the OnePlus Ace 3 (OnePlus 12R globally). It is not yet known if the Ace 3 Pro will get an international model, but in case it doesnt, the OnePlus 13 will probably debut the new battery on the global market.
The leader of the Scottish Tories has conceded that the partys campaign has been very difficult, but warned voters against backing Reform UK.

The Conservatives north and south of the border have been under fire in recent weeks over Douglas Rosss decision to stand in the election in the stead of an ill colleague, the Prime Ministers decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early and allegations that senior figures bet on the date of the election.

Mr Ross told the BBC that voters moving across to Nigel Farages Reform UK in Scotland would result in an easier ride for the SNP.

It has been very difficult and Im not going to shy away from that, he told the BBCs Sunday Show.

I put myself forward for interview knowing that a number of these issues will come up.

The Prime Minister came under fire for leaving the D-Day commemorations early (Benjamin Cremel/PA)

But Im also out on doors, speaking to voters here in the north-east, and across the country, and hearing that they are annoying, upset and disappointed with an SNP government thats been in charge for 17 years.

Voters are upset at the Scottish Governments record on health and education, he said.

Mr Ross announced his decision to stand in the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East seat two weeks ago after former MP David Duguid was ruled out by party bosses over concerns about his health.

The announcement sparked a backlash, including briefings from inside the Scottish Tories to the media, which resulted in Mr Ross saying he would stand down as party leader after the election and would resign as an MSP if he wins the seat.

Despite the troubles his party has faced, the outgoing leader has warned against splitting the vote.

What (Mr Farage) risks doing here is letting the SNP in, he said.

Because in key seats, a vote for Reform will simply let the SNP in the back door and I think people are becoming more and more aware of that, and the risk that they will wake up on July 5 with an SNP politician because Reform votes have allowed that to happen.

Asked if he was worried about Mr Farages party, he said a vote split is a serious issue.

Theres not a single opinion poll that has got the Reform party anywhere close to winning a seat anywhere in Scotland, but they can help the SNP get in.
Celebrities from the world of Hollywood, broadcasting, sport and reality television have reflected on what it was like to experience Taylor Swifts Saturday night show at Wembley Stadium.

The 34-year-old US pop star has taken her juggernaut Eras Tour to the UK and her second show in the capital saw A-list appearances, in the crowd, from the likes of Top Gun star Tom Cruise and Barbie director Greta Gerwig.

Love Actually star Hugh Grant was also spotted at the concert and praised Swift for her incredible show and amazing team.

Dear @taylorswift13 , You have an incredible show, an amazing and v hospitable team and excellent if gigantic boyfriend (#tequilashots.). Thanks so much from one ageing London boy, wife and thrilled 8 year old #halfgirlhalfbracelet  Hugh Grant (@HackedOffHugh) June 23, 2024

In a post to X on Sunday, he said: Dear @taylorswift13, You have an incredible show, an amazing and v hospitable team and excellent if gigantic boyfriend (#tequilashots.)

Thanks so much from one ageing London boy, wife and thrilled 8 year old.

After the show, American actress Rachel Zegler, known for her roles in West Side Story and The Hunger Games prequel, posted a photo of herself wearing a purple glittery dress at the gig and captioned it: I love you so much taylor swift.

ilysmts i love you so much taylor swift pic.twitter.com/0IDeNlkinz  rachel zegler (she/her/hers) (@rachelzegler) June 22, 2024

In a follow-up post to X, she uploaded a photo of herself wearing dozens of friendship bracelets  which have become a staple at Swifts shows  and said: Thank you to everyone for my bracelets and for dancing w me and shouting w me and singing w me.

Channel 4 News presenter Krishnan Guru-Murthy called the show amazing after watching it alongside former Newsnight host Emily Maitlis, who he will co-present the broadcasters election night coverage with on July 4.

The News Agents podcast co-host Maitlis, 53, wore a pink feather boa around her neck while Strictly Come Dancing star Guru-Murthy, 54, wore shades and a white shirt.

In a post to Instagram, he wrote: Amazing. And she played my favourite (Mean) for her surprise song! And bizarrely I was sitting next to the woman I will be sitting next to on election night  Emily Maitlis!

Elsewhere, Lioness Beth Mead posted a photo from inside the stadium to her Instagram story and wrote: @taylorswift you did not disappoint! A different kind of night at Wembley with one very happy swiftie @viviannemiedema.

Former Made In Chelsea stars Jamie Laing and Sophie Habboo attended the evening with some friends and Laing, 35, shared a photo of himself swapping friendship bracelets to his Instagram story with the caption: Being a Swifty.

He also posted a photo of himself and his friend wearing cowboy hats and jumpers emblazoned with the words Kansas City Chiefs, which is the American football team Swifts boyfriend Travis Kelce plays for.

His post read: When your Wives turn you into a Swifty.

The daughter of Noel Gallagher, Anais, shared a photo to her Instagram story which showed her wearing a Taylor Swift The Eras Tour wristband and a friendship bracelet.

She wrote: Just had the best night of my life.

Earlier on Saturday evening, a fan posted a video online which appeared to show Mission Impossible star Cruise, 61, speaking to Swifties at the stadium, wearing a black blazer and white T-shirt.

Another video showed Little Women director Gerwig, 40, walking through a part of the stadium separated from fans.

Other stars, including The Hunger Games star Liam Hemsworth and married Hollywood couple Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher, were reported to have attended the concert.

Fourteen-time Grammy winner Swifts first date in London on Friday was attended by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and the Prince of Wales and his two eldest children, who took a selfie with the Anti-Hero singer.

Kelce, 34, was also said to be at the concert and was seen on Friday night, joined by his brother Jason and their parents, as well as Swifts parents Andrea and Scott, as she performed for almost 90,000 people.

After her first performance in the capital, the Pennsylvania-born musician posted a photo she had taken with Kelce and royal family members William, Princess Charlotte and Prince George.

A Taylor Swift fan poses for a photo outside Wembley Stadium in London (Lucy North/PA)

A video from the evening, widely circulated online, appeared to show William dad dancing to catchy pop song Shake It Off.

Swift performed in front of other celebrity fans that night including Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, Queer Eyes Jonathan Van Ness and model Cara Delevingne.

The billion-dollar Eras Tour takes fans through Swifts back catalogue, including hits from albums 1989, Red and Midnights.

The revamped set list, which she first unveiled at the Paris shows, also includes songs from her latest offering The Tortured Poets Department.

Thank you @TaylorSwift for a great evening! #LondonTSTheErastour pic.twitter.com/2UjQJUiekx  The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) June 22, 2024

To celebrate her arrival in the capital, murals, a special Tube map, a Taylor trail and a series of events have all been created.

Prior to her London performances the US pop star played shows in Edinburgh, Liverpool and Cardiff.

She will take to the stage in London again on Sunday evening before the tour moves on to Dublin.

In August she will return to London to play another five nights at Wembley.
Charlie Ewels has been withdrawn from Englands squad for their series against New Zealand after he was given a two-match ban for the red card received in Tokyo on Saturday.

Saracens Nick Isiekwe will replace the Bath second row in Steve Borthwicks 36-man group and is due to arrive in Auckland on Tuesday.

Ewels earned the unwanted distinction of becoming the first England player to be sent off twice after his yellow card for a dangerous clearout in the closing stages of the 52-17 victory over Japan that opened the summer tour was upgraded to red.

 England squad update The Saracens forward will arrive in Auckland on Tuesday 25 June ahead of Englands two-Test tour of New Zealand to take on the All Blacks. pic.twitter.com/VH4gSohs13  England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) June 23, 2024

The decision by the bunker review system was then upheld by a disciplinary hearing on Sunday, which rejected Englands assertion that while the clearout of Japan captain Michael Leitch was foul play, it did not warrant his dismissal.

By issuing a two-match suspension, the hearing ended Ewels involvement in the two Tests against the All Blacks, starting in Dunedin on Saturday week.

Ewels was only on the pitch for four minutes as a second-half replacement when he recklessly entered a ruck from a low position, taking out Leitch by angling into his legs.

It was his first Test since his last sending-off for a dangerous tackle against Ireland at Twickenham in the 2022 Six Nations, his international career interrupted by a serious knee injury sustained that same year.

Isiekwe made his England debut when replacing Ewels against Argentina in 2017 and now the Saracens forward, who can cover back as well as second row, now has the opportunity to add to his 11 caps.

Eight tries were amassed against a rebuilt Japan team coach by Eddie Jones in a pleasing start to the tour that saw Harlequins duo Marcus Smith and Chandler Cunningham-South produce commanding displays.

England head to New Zealand with a spring in their step while knowing there is work to be done on their discipline and cohesion when the bench arrives, as well as understanding the All Blacks will be a significant step up in class.

The performance level will need to rise when we face New Zealand in two weeks time. The discipline you cant give that number of penalties away, we know that, Borthwick said.

England head coach Steve Borthwick stands with a group of others during a training session at Twickenham (Andrew Matthews/PA)

You also cant give New Zealand the space we gave Japan but I expect our performance to go up a level.

The team has had one session in England before we flew and, after getting over the jet lag, weve had one proper session in Japan since we arrived.

To produce that display against Japan off a couple of sessions together has been very impressive from the players point of view but we will need to go up several levels  and I expect us to do so  when we face New Zealand.
Chris Jordan took Englands first ever mens T20 hat-trick in front of his home crowd in Barbados to put his side on course for the semi-finals of the World Cup.

The Bajan seamer produced a brilliant 19th over with four wickets in the space of five deliveries at the Kensington Oval, including Ali Khan, Nosthush Kenjige and Saurabh Netravalkar in successive balls.

Jordan had missed the two previous games but returned on familiar stomping ground and brought a stunning conclusion to the USA innings as they were bowled out for just 115.

HAT-TRICK!  Incredible from Chris Jordan!  Bowled. LBW. Bowled. pic.twitter.com/dKn9aN5GM6  England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2024

His was the third hat-trick of the tournament, with Australias Pat Cummins achieving the feat against both Bangladesh and Afghanistan but the first ever for the England mens team.

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Anya Shrubsole have both taken three in three for the womens side.

England had already positioned themselves well for the chase, thanks in main to Adil Rashids wonderfully-controlled spell of two for 13 through the middle, but Jordan finished things off in spectacular style.

In all the USA went from 115 for five to 115 all out in the space of just six deliveries. Jordan was involved in each of the wickets, starting with the last ball of the 18th over as he dived to take a smart catch at long-off to see off Harmeet Singh.

That put Jordan level with former captain Eoin Morgan on 48 catches  an English record  but his crowning achievement was about to follow.

Chris Jordan, right, claimed a slice of England T20 history (AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan)

With unremarkable figures of nought for 10 off his first two overs, Jordan moved in from the Joel Garner End and saw his attempted yorker to Corey Anderson lifted on the full straight to Harry Brook at long-on.

His first ball to Khan came within a whisker of clean bowling the tailender as he thrashed at fresh air. Jordan liked what he saw and went for the same again, this time tightening up just a fraction to topple the off stump.

Kenjige fared no better, smashed on the front pad as Jordan tailed one in towards middle and left the umpire with the simplest lbw decision imaginable.

The paceman could hardly have hoped for a more willing opponent than Netravalkar as he sought a slice of history, tearing down middle stump as he went full and fast.

His team-mates mobbed Jordan as he soaked up the moment and the crowd celebrated one of their own. The other wickets were spread around between Rashid and Curran, who each took two, while Liam Livingstone and Reece Topley took one apiece.
James Cleverly accused Nigel Farage of victim blaming of the worst order for suggesting the West provoked Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine.

Reform UK leader Mr Farage said he was not an apologist for the Russian president, but what I have been saying for the past 10 years is that the West has played into Putins hands, giving him the excuse to do what he wanted to do anyway.

Home Secretary Mr Cleverly said it was completely wrong for a British politician to be echoing Mr Putins justification for the war.

Home Secretary James Cleverly hit out at Nigel Farage over his Ukraine comments (Lucy North/PA)

He told GB News: There is a strong track record of Western leaders and Western countries trying to bring Russia into the fold as it were, to try and show Russia and Russians that there was a peaceful, prosperous future for them.

Time and time again now weve seen Putin reject the peaceful, more prosperous options and hes waged conflict in Ukraine, Russian troops in Georgia, Russian troops in other countries around eastern Europe.

To suggest somehow that those countries brought it upon themselves, I think, is victim blaming of the worst order.

In a BBC interview, Mr Farage claimed we provoked this war, while drawing a link between Nato and European Union expansion in recent decades and the conflict in eastern Europe.

He doubled down on his position in an article in the Sunday Telegraph, writing: Dont blame me for telling the truth about Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine. Facing up to the facts about the mistakes of the past has to be the first step towards the peaceful future we all want to see.

He added: I am not and never have been an apologist or supporter of Putin. His invasion of Ukraine was immoral, outrageous and indefensible.

But, he added: Back in 2014, when the EU first offered Ukraine an accession agreement, I said in a speech in the European Parliament that there will be a war in Ukraine. Why? Because the expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving Putin a pretext he would not ignore.

If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, dont be surprised if he responds. And if you have neither the means nor the political will to face him down, poking a bear is not good policy.

This is nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda. Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody poked the bear with a stick. The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country. They were perfectly entitled to seek both NATO and EU  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 23, 2024

Former prime minister Boris Johnson, who has championed support for Ukraine, said: Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody poked the bear with a stick.

The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country.

They were perfectly entitled to seek both NATO and EU membership. There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine  both in 2014 and 2022  and that is Putin.

To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putins lies.
Cleverly says aide described Rwanda policy as crap for dramatic effect

James Cleverly has claimed his parliamentary aide was making a counterintuitive statement for dramatic effect when he described the Rwanda policy as crap.

The Home Secretary said James Sunderland was supportive of the policy and its deterrent effect, but was making a point to grab the attention of his audience.

In a recording passed to the BBC, Mr Sunderland is heard telling a private event his thoughts on the plan to send asylum seekers on a one-way trip to the African country.

Mr Sunderland, who is standing for re-election in Bracknell, said: The policy is crap, OK? Its crap.

According to the BBC, in the recording from a Young Conservatives event in April Mr Sunderland continued by defending the plan and saying it would deter migrants from attempting to cross the Channel.

Saying the effect of the policy was what mattered, he added: There is no doubt at all that when those first flights take off that it will send such a shockwave across the Channel that the gangs will stop.

Mr Cleverly told Sky News Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that Mr Sunderland was very supportive of the policy.

Ive had a conversation with him and Ive also heard the recording. And its clear what hes doing is hes putting forward a very counterintuitive statement to grab the attention of the audience, Mr Cleverly said.

If you actually listen to what he then went on to say, he was saying that the impact, the effect, is what matters.

The Home Secretary added: He did it clearly for dramatic effect to grab the attention of the audience.

But he is  and its clear in the recording  completely supportive of the deterrent effect that the Rwanda policy has.

In the recording, Mr Sunderland also criticised colleagues for courting controversy, naming then MPs and current Conservative candidates Jonathan Gullis and Brendan Clarke-Smith as those who polarise opinion, alongside former Tory Lee Anderson, who switched to Reform in March.

Mr Sunderland told the BBC he was disappointed at being recorded at a private event.

He said: I was talking about the response to the policy. The policy itself is not the be all and end all, but part of a wider response.

This is what one Tory really thinks about their Rwanda scheme. If they dont believe in their plan, why should you? pic.twitter.com/GtzkboTdzY  The Labour Party (@UKLabour) June 23, 2024

In response to the criticism of colleagues, he said he was answering a question about resignations from party posts by saying unnecessary rhetoric and division in public life was unnecessary.

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Alistair Carmichael said: The Rwanda policy is an immoral, costly gimmick and everyone, including top Conservatives, knows it.

Rishi Sunak has poured hundreds of millions into his failing vanity project  its a disastrous waste of money.

Liberal Democrats would smash these gangs putting lives at risk and fix our immigration system.

Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson told the BBCs Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: If the Conservatives thought that this plan around Rwanda was going to work, that they were going to get flights off the ground, Im not sure they would have called the election for now.

Mr Cleverly, writing for the Sunday Telegraph, claimed the UK risks being required to take 100,000 more illegal migrants into the country from the European Union if Labour joined a quota scheme for migration with the bloc.

Ms Phillipson, told there may well be a quid pro quo of accepting quotas of migrants from the EU and asked to rule it out, replied to the BBC: What weve seen today is the Conservatives have been making all kinds of claims about this  the usual desperate lies that weve seen right throughout this campaign.

She added: We do need to make sure we get to a position where we have better returns agreements and, for example, that would be around family reunification, but that would be subject to negotiation.

We will not be part of any EU quota system and any suggestion of that kind is completely wrong.

POLITICS Migrants

Meanwhile, the number of people crossing the English Channel in small boats since Rishi Sunak entered No 10 is expected to pass 50,000 soon after further activity was reported on the water on Sunday.

The latest Home Office figures suggest 49,707 people have made the crossing since Mr Sunak became Prime Minister.

Shadow paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth said: Whatever else happens in this election campaign, Rishi Sunak will always be known as the Prime Minister who broke his promises to Britain.

He pledged to stop the boats, but has seen 50,000 people make the crossing on his watch, is currently presiding over the worst year ever for small boat arrivals, and has the Home Secretarys closest parliamentary aide now dismissing his Rwanda policy as crap.
Boris Johnson has accused Nigel Farage of a morally repugnant repetition of Vladimir Putins justification for the invasion of Ukraine.

The former prime minister, who has championed the UKs support of Ukraine, accused the Reform UK leader of spreading Kremlin propaganda.

Mr Farage said he was not an apologist for the Russian president but what I have been saying for the past 10 years is that the West has played into Putins hands, giving him the excuse to do what he wanted to do anyway.

This is nauseating ahistorical drivel and more Kremlin propaganda. Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody poked the bear with a stick. The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country. They were perfectly entitled to seek both NATO and EU  Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) June 23, 2024

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, he said: Dont blame me for telling the truth about Vladimir Putins war in Ukraine. Facing up to the facts about the mistakes of the past has to be the first step towards the peaceful future we all want to see.

He added: I am not and never have been an apologist or supporter of Putin. His invasion of Ukraine was immoral, outrageous and indefensible.

But he added: Back in 2014, when the EU first offered Ukraine an accession agreement, I said in a speech in the European Parliament that there will be a war in Ukraine. Why? Because the expansion of Nato and the European Union was giving Putin a pretext he would not ignore.

If you poke the Russian bear with a stick, dont be surprised if he responds. And if you have neither the means nor the political will to face him down, poking a bear is not good policy.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he was not an apologist for Vladimir Putin (Tim Markland/PA)

Mr Johnson shot back: Nobody provoked Putin. Nobody poked the bear with a stick.

The people of Ukraine voted overwhelmingly in 1991 to be a sovereign and independent country.

They were perfectly entitled to seek both Nato and EU membership. There is only one person responsible for Russian aggression against Ukraine  both in 2014 and 2022  and that is Putin.

To try to spread the blame is morally repugnant and parroting Putins lies.

Home Secretary James Cleverly accused Mr Farage of victim blaming of the worst order for suggesting the West provoked Mr Putin.

He said it was completely wrong for a British politician to be echoing Mr Putins justification for the war.

Home Secretary James Cleverly hit out at Nigel Farage over his Ukraine comments (Lucy North/PA)

He told GB News: There is a strong track record of Western leaders and Western countries trying to bring Russia into the fold as it were, to try and show Russia and Russians that there was a peaceful, prosperous future for them.

Time and time again now weve seen Putin reject the peaceful, more prosperous options and hes waged conflict in Ukraine, Russian troops in Georgia, Russian troops in other countries around eastern Europe.

To suggest somehow that those countries brought it upon themselves, I think, is victim blaming of the worst order.
Lando Norris said he f***** up the start to Sundays Spanish Grand Prix  a race the McLaren driver claimed he should easily have won.

Norris late surge at the Circuit de Catalunya was not enough to stop Max Verstappen claiming a seventh win of the season and extending his championship lead to 69 points.

Norris finished behind Verstappen to elevate him to second in the standings for the first time in his Formula One career.

SUPERB DRIVE, LANDO!  He took the fight to them! Another trophy in the bag, and plenty more points, for @LandoNorris ! #SpanishGP  pic.twitter.com/zrk330EgZO  McLaren (@McLarenF1) June 23, 2024

But the Briton was left to rue another missed opportunity, after he felt a poor strategy call cost him victory at the rain-hit round in Canada a fortnight ago.

Norris delivered the lap of his life to beat Verstappen to pole, but the 24-year-old was on the back foot when he dropped from first to third after the 200mph stampede to the opening corner.

McLaren put Norris on a different strategy in a bid to usurp his rivals, and, despite taking six seconds out of Verstappens lead following the final round of pit-stops, Norris never got close to threatening the Dutchman.

Norris race engineer, Will Jarvis, congratulated his driver for finishing second and recording the fastest lap.

It doesnt matter, replied a despondent Norris over the radio. I should have won. I f***** up the start. Car was amazing. Deserved more.

Frustration for Lando  But P2, fastest lap and #F1DriverOfTheDay is a solid afternoon's work  and he'll be back! #F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/I8oqtJaAwe  Formula 1 (@F1) June 23, 2024

With his crash helmet now off, Norris mood had not improved. Not could have (won), he said. Should have won. I got a bad start. Simple as that. The car was incredible. We were the quickest today and I lost it at the beginning.

There are a lot of positives to take from this weekend, and one negative ruined everything. I know that and I need to work it out for next time. The race was not good enough, simply because I should have won.

Norris remarks wreaked of deja-vu following his near-miss in Montreal. Leading the rain-hit race, a delayed pit stop under safety car conditions cost him a probable win.

Norris McLaren team were at fault for failing to get their strategy on point then, but on Sunday, Norris said, possibly harshly, that he had no-one but himself to blame.

For sure it is more frustrating here because that was an incorrect decision (by the team) in Montreal. We didnt have the quickest car there, but today I did, and I didnt maximise it. The start is down to me. I easily should have won.

Lando Norris felt he should have been celebrating victory (Joan Monfort/AP)

Norris launched an aggressive move to cover off Verstappen on the long drag to the opening corner, but over on the other side of the track, George Russell snuck under the radar.

Starting fourth, Russell blasted clear of a slow-starting Lewis Hamilton before assuming the slipstream of Norris and Verstappen and sling-shotting his Mercedes into the lead. Norris also lost out to Verstappen, with the Dutchman more daring on the brakes.

Verstappen swooped past Russell on the third lap with Norris then stuck in a Mercedes sandwich.

As his rivals stopped for fresh rubber, Norris elected to stay out. Conscious of the speed in his McLaren, Norris was asked if he wanted to cover off Russell. I think we need to go and get Max, he said.

Six laps after Verstappen stopped, Norris was in for fresh, medium tyres. He emerged in sixth, promoted one place to fifth when Charles Leclerc pitted, before he was on Hamiltons gearbox by lap 31.

Here's how things look in the Driver Standings  A significant result for Norris, who leapfrogs into P2 behind today's winner, Verstappen #F1 #SpanishGP pic.twitter.com/ecU5yYP2PF  Formula 1 (@F1) June 23, 2024

Norris cruised ahead of his countryman to take fourth, and on lap 35, Norris went wheel-to-wheel with the other Mercedes machine.

Norris launched his McLaren round the outside of Russell at turn three, only for his compatriot to slide back past at the next bend. The two Englishmen were separated by mere centimetres, with Norris dropping two of his wheels on the grass to force his way ahead at turn seven.

Norris set about reducing Verstappens nine-second lead, and when the Red Bull driver stopped for a second time on lap 44, Norris was within five seconds of the Red Bull.

Norris waited a further three laps before he changed to softs in the hope his rubber would come alive at the end of the race. And, although he turned on the after-burners in the closing stages, he never got close enough to challenge Verstappen, crossing the line 2.2 sec adrift.

Hamilton overtook team-mate Russell with 14 laps remaining to take third, 17.7 sec off the pace, claiming his first podium of the year. Russell held off Leclerc for fourth, with Carlos Sainz sixth in the other Ferrari.
The managing director of Manchester Airport has said he is really sorry for the disruption that hit passengers after a major power cut.

The outage, which hit systems in the early hours of Sunday, meant that, by lunchtime, 66 outbound flights (25% of all departures) and 50 inbound journeys (18% of all arrivals) were axed, according to aviation analytics company Cirium.

In an earlier social media post, the airport had said no flights were departing from terminals one and two, advising passengers not to go there.

It meant there were huge queues and disruption to baggage processing.

Managing director Chris Woodroofe told BBC News a fault with a cable had caused a power surge that took down security systems and baggage screening.

Mr Woodroofe said: When Terminal 1 and 2 cant depart passengers for an entire morning there is going to be an impact.

And Im really sorry that happened and were now making sure as we look forward, that impact doesnt carry on into tomorrow.

He said an investigation into what happened is set to take place.

Those due to fly from terminal three were told to go to the airport as normal unless advised otherwise by their airline after some earlier departures were delayed.

There were instances where some peoples baggage was not on flights.

EasyJet, which operates flights from terminal one, said there were very long queues for security and disruption to hold baggage processing, meaning passengers could board flights only with cabin luggage.

The airline, which had the largest number of cancellations, said: Although outside of our control, we would like to apologise for any inconvenience experienced as a result.

We are doing all we can and working closely with the airport team to minimise the disruption.

Meanwhile, a number of arriving flights were being diverted to other airports.

One Singapore Airlines flight arriving from Houston in Texas had to go to London Heathrow while another, which came in from Singapore, was forced to land at London Gatwick.

 23.06.24  9pm Final update for passengers travelling from Manchester Airport today and tomorrow. If you have been affected by the disruption and need to adjust your travel arrangements, please visit our website  https://t.co/4IIJHDpm0n pic.twitter.com/zxCEkGvp6r  Manchester Airport (@manairport) June 23, 2024

An Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi Zayed International Airport was diverted to Birmingham Airport.

Among those caught up in the disruption was Samuel Martin, 27, a student at the University of Sheffield, and his friend Matthew OBrien, 27, an operations manager, whose flight to Manchester Airport from New Zealand via Singapore was diverted to Heathrow.

Mr Martin, of Chesterfield, Derbyshire, said: We had someone driving to come and pick us up from Manchester Airport who had to turn around and go home.

A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson said: Following a site-wide power outage at Manchester Airport, baggage systems are currently not operational.

Our teams are working closely with the airport authorities and are keeping our customers up to date with the latest information.

Virgin Atlantic flights are currently departing but may be subject to minor delays.

At just after 3pm, the airport said it was in the process of resuming operations, saying flights on Monday should be unaffected.
Terf examines JK Rowling's falling-out with stars of the Harry Potter films following her public comments on gender - FilmMagic/Bruce Glikas

An Edinburgh Fringe venue has threatened to pull the plug on a controversial play about JK Rowlings views on trans issues, its producer has claimed.

Terf, which examines the Harry Potter authors falling-out with the stars of the film franchise following her public comments on gender, had been scheduled for a 23-date run at St Stephens Theatre, a prominent Fringe venue in the Scottish capital.

However, the play, described as the most provocative to be staged at the Fringe for years, is now at the centre of a de-platforming row over claims the venue has axed the shows.

Barry Church-Woods, the plays producer, claimed he had been told he would have to find a new venue as Peter Schaufuss, the owner of the building and a Danish ballet dancer and choreographer, had stepped in to veto the performances.

Mr Church-Woods accused the venue of hair-trigger censorship after the show made worldwide headlines and faced a backlash over claims it amounted to an attack on Rowling in her home city.

The play was originally titled Terf C but the second word was dropped.

Terf is a slur that stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist, which some trans activists direct at gender-critical women such as Rowling who campaign to preserve single-sex spaces.

Out of the building

We have been trying to have a conversation with him [Mr Schaufuss] but he is just saying he wants us out of the building, Mr Church-Woods told The Telegraph.

My understanding is he has a clause in his contract that gives him a veto on what acts perform.

Our next step is to find another venue. At this stage we need some kind of hero venue to step in and volunteer to have this.

We struggled to get a venue previously and if we cant find another one we will have to put it on outside of the Fringe.

There have been claims the play was struggling to attract actors amid the controversy.

Rowling this week said she would be investing heavily in popcorn shares should the producers take up an offer from India Willoughby, the transgender TV personality she has frequently clashed with online, to play her.

Mr Church-Woods has set up an online petition in which it is claimed Derek Douglas, programme director at St Stephens, loved the script but had been overruled by Mr Schaufuss.

Mr Douglas said he hoped the venues position over the play would become clear in an official announcement that is expected on Monday.

Space for reflection

Mr Church-Woods has denied that his play is a hit piece on Rowling, insisting it is a parody that offers space for reflection.

He added: Our play has now been subjected to the same censorship and stymied thinking which prevents us from having real, meaningful, and forward-thinking conversations about how to bridge our differences.

The play is inspired by Rowlings fall-out with the Harry Potter actors Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe and Rupert Grint over Rowlings gender-critical views.

The actors, who went from anonymity to stardom after being cast in the films, all distanced themselves from Rowling after she spoke out about what she saw as the threat trans ideology posed to womens rights and safety.

In April, Rowling launched a thinly veiled attack on the actors following the publication of the Cass Review, criticising celebrities who used their platforms to cheer on the transitioning of children.

In response to a social media user on X, formerly Twitter, who said they were just waiting for Dan and Emma to apologise safe in the knowledge that you will forgive them, Rowling responded not safe, Im afraid.

Five previous venues are said to have refused to stage the play because of fears it would attract protests from gender-critical campaign groups, who see Rowling as a figurehead for their movement.

Promotional materials for Terf include the tagline: She had everything until it all went to hell in a broombasket.

Mr Schaufuss was approached for comment.

Mr Douglas said no decision had officially been taken but declined to comment further.
Robert O'Brien attends a briefing in Doral, Florida, in 2020. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Donald Trumps former national security adviser Robert OBrien  tipped to play a leading role if the ex-president returns to the White House  backtracked on parts of his proposal to sever US-China economic ties, an aspect of which called for sending the entire US Marine Corps to Asia.

OBrien, who recently submitted a 5,000-word article outlining his thinking to Foreign Affairs, explained on Sunday that instead of the entire US Marine Corps, it would be only the fighting force. And he said some Marines would still be stationed at bases like Californias Camp Pendleton and North Carolinas Camp Lejeune.

We want to stop a war, and the way to stop the war is through strength, OBrien said on Sundays edition of CBS Face the Nation. Moving the Marine Corps to the Pacific and moving the carrier battle group to the Pacific would show the kind of strength needed to deter a war.

In the essay, titled The Return of Peace Through Strength, OBrien argued for the US to help expand the militaries of Indonesia, the Philippines and Vietnam; increase military assistance to Taiwan; and boost missile defense as well as fighter jet protection in the region.

He also called for renewed plutonium and enriched uranium production  as well as the resumption of live nuclear-weapons testing.

Related: Former Trump national security adviser urges resumption of nuclear testing

OBrien cites concerns over an aging US nuclear arsenal as his primary argument in favor of abandoning the current nuclear testing moratorium.

The military expansion would go beyond the measures Joe Biden has taken to counter Chinese ambitions in the Asia-Pacific region as the president seeks re-election against Trump in November.

And on Sunday, Trumps hawkish foreign policy adviser from 2019 to 2021 appeared to echo an earlier diplomatic strategy when Trump threatened to pull the US out of Asia and Europe unless its strategic partners met defense spending targets.

OBrien said US allies have fielded some, but not enough of the cost of housing US troops in their countries, and he called on them to step up to the plate.

The US currently stations nearly half of all American military deployed abroad in Japan, South Korea and Guam, along with small detachments in Taiwan and the Marshall Islands.

We need our allies to step up, OBrien said. America cant do this alone.

Sometimes you have to be tough, you have to show tough love to your allies. And just like with family members sometimes you have to be tough with your family members.
Manchester Airport was left in chaos after a power cut led to the cancellation of a quarter of all flights, delays and lengthy queues.

The countrys third-busiest airport was plunged into darkness on Sunday morning after a power spike at 1.30am shut down passport and baggage systems.

Chris Woodroofe, the airports managing director, delivered a personal apology to holidaymakers after more than 100 flights were cancelled.

He said: My sincere, personal apologies to every single passenger who has been impacted by what has gone on at Manchester Airport today.

It damaged some really key equipment for our departures security and our departures baggage systems.

That has meant both Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 havent been able to depart aircraft today and as a result we havent been able to have aircraft arrive as there is no space to park those aircraft on the airfield.

He said that there had been a fault with a cable on the airports site, which sent a surge of power across the electrical network.

 23.06.24 - 1:30pm



A message from Manchester Airport's Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe. pic.twitter.com/JDCwaSNRm7  Manchester Airport (@manairport) June 23, 2024

The airport said it had back-up generators that had restored power relatively quickly following the brief power cut.

However, the cut affected the security systems that communicate with UK Border Force, as well as the baggage systems, both of which are not designed to be turned off and take time to get back up and running.

Mr Woodroofe said the airport would investigate what had caused the fault.

Travel experts said the knock-on effect of the power cut would be felt for the next two or three days and that the airport would face a multi-million-pound compensation claim from airlines.

Travellers faced huge delays as flights were scrapped at Manchester Airport - CHP

Luggage was left piling up amid the delays and cancellations - ZENPIX LTD/ZENPIX LTD

As of 1pm on Sunday, Cirium, the aviation analytics company, said 66 departures had been cancelled, 25 per cent of all outgoing flights.

The company said a further 50 inbound flights had been cancelled, 18 per cent of all arriving aircraft.

Virgin Atlantic, Jet2 and TUI were all affected by the disruption but easyJet saw the highest number of cancellations.

EasyJet, which operates flights from Terminal 1, said there had been very long queues for security and disruption to hold-baggage processing, meaning passengers could board flights only with cabin luggage.

Passengers have been experiencing severe disruption and long queues after the power outage - PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS

At the height of the chaos, the airport said that it had had to get passengers who were already there on to flights, despite the baggage system still being down.

A spokesman said: The disruption caused by the outage means in some instances baggage may not be on those flights.

We will work with airlines to make sure passengers are reunited with any baggage that is not on their flight as soon as possible.

Paul Charles, the chief executive of the PC Agency travel consultancy, said: They will need to get to the bottom of what caused this outage and look at what the back-up systems are.

Their back-up system does not appear to be of sufficient quality. The fact they had to tell people not to come to the airport is a major issue because they do not have a fail-safe back-up system in place.

Mr Charles said the airport would likely face a multi-million-pound compensation bill that it would have to pay out to the airlines.

He said that in his opinion the airlines would probably offer passengers refunds or credit for another flight.

Arriving passengers are being diverted to other airports to combat the disruption - ZENPIX LTD

EasyJet, TUI and Jet2 all confirmed that passengers could claim refunds or request flight changes but that they would not be entitled to compensation as it was an extraordinary cause of disruption.

Compensation is not payable in extraordinary circumstances, such as unforeseeable emergencies including security issues, natural disasters, extreme weather, air traffic control restrictions and strikes by airport staff.

Paul Spencer, 67, and Jane, 66, his wife, from Wakefield, had been due to fly to Kefalonia with Jet2 at 4am but the flight was later cancelled.

Paul, a retired sales manager, said: We got here at 1.30am and managed to get through baggage check-in and security but it was chaos.

Mr Spencer said that when they arrived at the boarding gate, they had spoked to the captain of the aircraft.

He didnt know about the chaos inside the airport and was wondering why the baggage hadnt been loaded on to the plane.

Eventually, we got on to the plane, but we were sat there for 45 minutes before we were told the flight was being cancelled.

The couple were among the lucky few able to rearrange a flight to the Greek island for Monday morning from Leeds Bradford Airport.

Cancellations were expected to continue throughout the day as the airport tried to manage the backlog - PHIL NOBLE/REUTERS

Louise and Christine Hill, who are sisters-in-law, had been due to travel to Dalaman, in Turkey, at 11.20am with SunExpress.

Louise, 52, who works for Royal Mail, said: At first, we heard the flight was definitely going, but then we might have to catch an easyJet flight or go from Birmingham.

But we were eventually told that we couldnt get any flight at all.

Mr Woodroofe said it had been a very difficult situation and shortly after 3pm on Sunday, an airport spokesman said it had been in the process of resuming operations.

They added: We expect flights to restart during the remainder of this afternoon and evening.

We are also working closely with airlines to reschedule cancelled flights in the coming days. Flights scheduled for tomorrow should be unaffected and passengers due to travel should plan to come to the airport as usual.
An area is sealed off by police following the deadly attacks - Getty

Gunmen opened fire at a synagogue, an Orthodox church and a police post in Russias North Caucasus region of Dagestan on Sunday, killing six policemen and injuring 12, the interior ministry said.

A local religious organisation in the mainly Muslim region put the death toll at nine, including seven police officers.

The interior ministry, quoted by Russian news agencies, said four gunmen had been shot dead as the incidents unfolded. A local official said another had been killed during a shootout at a church in Makhachkala, the regions main administrative centre.

An Orthodox priest also was reported to have been killed.

Restive Dagestan was hit by an Islamist insurgency in the 2000s, spilling over from neighbouring Chechnya, with Russian security forces moving aggressively to combat extremists in the region.

Civilians run for safety as the attacks unfold

The agencies reported exchanges of gunfire in the centre of Makhachkala, a region with a long coastline on the Caspian Sea.

An unofficial channel on the Telegram messaging app, Mash, said police were preparing to storm a building where gunmen were holed up in Derbent, about 75 miles further south.

The gunmen attacked a synagogue and a church in Derbent, home to an ancient Jewish community and a Unesco World Heritage site. The interior ministry was quoted as saying that both the synagogue and church were ablaze.

The head of Dagestans regional government vowed stiff punishment for whichever forces lies behind these disgusting actions.

In Israel, the Foreign Ministry said the synagogue in Derbent had been burned to the ground and shots had been fired at a second synagogue in Makhachkala. The statement said it was believed there were no worshippers in the synagogue at the time.

Plumes of smoke rise as a synagogue is set ablaze during the attack - Reuters

Russian authorities have pointed to militant Muslim elements in previous incidents in the region.

Last October, after the war in Gaza broke out, rioters waving Palestinian flags broke down glass doors and rampaged through Makhachkala airport to look for Jewish passengers on a flight arriving from Tel Aviv.

Vladimir Putin, Russian president, accused the West and Ukraine of stirring up unrest inside Russia in connection with the incident.
Callum the stag had to be put down after suffering poor health - Darrell Evans/Alamy

A stag made famous on social media has had to be put down after it was fed junk food by hikers.

Callum, described as a well-known character in the north-west Scottish Highlands, had to be euthanised after developing health problems.

The animals willingness to approach visitors in the car park of Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve and eat from their hands led it to become a popular draw for those on the North Coast 500 route and earned the creature a celebrity status online.

Callum surrounded by breathtaking scenery in the Binn Eighe National Nature Reserve - Andrew Grant McKenzie/SWNS

Videos posted on YouTube show Callum being fed croissants and Rice Krispies, as well as healthier snacks such as strawberries and apples.

But after the National Trust for Scotland announced that it had been forced to have Callum put down, locals expressed concern that the stags access to snacks was to blame for its deteriorating health.

They claim that being fed the wrong types of food caused Callums teeth to rot and meant it struggled to forage for itself in the colder months.

Iona MacDonald, a Highlands journalist, told the BBC that the stag had to rely on locals to feed it in winter.

Callum was described as a "well-known character for both tourists and locals"

The docile stag was fed junk food by hikers at this car park - Andrew Grant McKenzie/SWNS

Callum was a very well-known character for both tourists and locals, she said, adding that, after being fed by tourists for quite some time, it seemed he had become quite reliant on that food source.

A National Trust for Scotland spokesman said: We are saddened to say that following expert vet advice, Callum the stag, who was often found in the car park at Torridon, has had to be humanely put down.

We know that many in the community, and visitors too, will be sorry to hear this.

As a conservation charity, we take our responsibilities for animal welfare seriously and the advice was that this was the kindest option.

The expert vet assessment found that Callum was suffering pain and discomfort as a result of poor body condition, poor coat condition and arthritis.

Callums fans were saddened by the news, with Andrew Grant McKenzie, a Highlands historian, describing the stag as a local legend.

Sad news that Callum will no longer be at the Beinn Eighe car park, but I have no doubt the advice from the vet was for welfare reasons and Callums condition had deteriorated in recent years, said Mr McKenzie.

The issue of people feeding wildlife is one that comes up regularly across the Highlands and Callums popularity should serve as a way of communicating the message that we must be careful with our interaction with the natural world.

But he added: There is no doubt Callum had a good long life for a stag.
Palestinian man was tied to a jeep bonnet and driven through narrow roads following a counterterrorism operation where the man was injured - REUTERS

The Israeli military is investigating its own soldiers for tying an injured terror suspect to the front of a jeep during a West Bank raid.

The IDF said its troops were engaged in a counter-terrorism operation in the flashpoint city of Jenin when they captured a suspected fighter.

Video taken by locals near the scene showed the injured man, identified by Reuters as Mujahed Azmi, bound to the front of the vehicle as it was driving along.

The video was widely shared, leading to the IDF launchng an investigation.

An Israeli security source told The Telegraph the suspect was being kept alive by being placed on the front of the military vehicle.

He was laid there to keep him flat, so he wouldnt die, he said. If he had been squashed into the back of the vehicle there is no way he would have made it with the injuries he had sustained in the raid.

However in a statement the IDF said: Terrorists opened fire at IDF troops, who responded with fire. During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended. In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF. The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.

Human shields

Hamas, the terror group, shared the image of the man, accusing the IDF of using Palestinians as human shields and claiming the incident happened in the area of Jabriyat.

Hamas is known to use civilians as human shields, and has been accused of using them to protect the organisations leadership hiding in Gaza.

The suspect was transferred to the Red Crescent but it is just the latest in a string of violent clashes which have soared since the outbreak of the Gaza war on Oct 7, with over 2,000 terror attacks on Jewish settlers and IDF troops carried out by groups including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and Lions Den.

Just this weekend, an Israeli man was shot and killed in the West Bank city of Qalqaliya.

Roadblocks have been set up by the IDF across the occupied territory with night-time lockdowns a frequent part of life amidst the war in Gaza.

Dehumanisation of Palestinians

The cycle of violence has been escalating on both sides, says Avi Dabush, chief executive of Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli NGO, which works with Palestinian farmers in the West Bank to help protect them in the face of extremist settler attacks.

He said the latest incident is an example of the dehumanisation of Palestinians.

We see more and more that there is a lack of understanding and empathy for Palestinians as human beings. We see more terrorist attacks so maybe it can be understood but we can see the violence from extremist settlers, from the army, and we want to deal with it.

It doesnt only harm the Palestinians but it harms our Jewish moral values of equality and dignity, of peace and justice.

Since Oct 7, the IDF has arrested over 4,150 Palestinians across the occupied territory, claiming at least 1,750 of those were linked to Hamas.

The Palestinian Authoritys ministry of health has reported at least 540 deaths of West Bank Palestinians since Oct 7 while 20 Israelis, including security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks.
A smoke plume rises after rockets fired from southern Lebanon landed near Kfar Szold in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel on 14 June. Photograph: Jalaa Marey/AFP/Getty Images

Israels Iron Dome anti-missile batteries risk being overwhelmed in the opening strikes of any significantly escalated conflict with Hezbollah.

The assessment delivered by US officials late last week, echoing recent analysis by experts in Israel and the United States, comes amid fears that a war with Hezbollah could be a far more dangerous undertaking than the devastating 2006 second Lebanon war, when Israeli bombing caused huge destruction in Lebanon.

The US and France are leading diplomatic efforts to avert a wider conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, amid fears that escalating rhetoric and exchanges of fire across the border could lead to full-scale war.

On Friday, Kuwaits foreign ministry warned its citizens to avoid travelling to Lebanon and urged those already in the country to leave. There are also reports that officials in the Biden administration told an Israeli delegation in Washington that America would offer security assistance in the event of a wider conflict, while Antonio Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, called for reason and rationality to avoid potentially catastrophic consequences for the region and the world.

Since 2006, Hezbollah, the worlds best-armed non-state group, has significantly expanded its arsenal and capabilities, including acquiring suicide drones which Israel has struggled to counter, an anti-aircraft missile capability and a widely expanded array of missiles which experts now believe number between 120,000 and 200,000.

While Hezbollahs general secretary, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, has said his group can count on 100,000 armed men, its core military strength probably amounts to around a third of that, but with a significant number having had combat experience in Syria.

It is the scale of Hezbollahs missile arsenal, however, and an operational doctrine for their use in a major conflict with Israel, that is likely to be most challenging.

While the majority of Hezbollahs stockpile comprises tens of thousands of unguided missiles  both short and long range  since 2006 it has acquired hundreds of guided ballistic missiles, with the ability to fire them from hardened bunkers and from mobile launchers.

Complicating the issue has been Hezbollahs increasing and effective use of drones, including kamikaze weapons, which Israels existing air defences have struggled to counter.

A three-year research project by Reichman Universitys Institute for Counter-Terrorism in Israel, completed not long before the Hamas attack on 7 October, concluded Hezbollah could fire up to 3,000 missiles a day, a rate that could be sustained for up to three weeks. Its key aim would be to force the collapse of Israels air defences.

The expectation of the public and of a significant portion of the leadership, that the Israeli Air Force and effective Israeli intelligence systems will succeed in preventing most of the rocket attacks on Israel, will be shattered, the report said. This is also the case regarding the publics belief that the threat of Israeli retaliation or a substantial Israeli attack on significant Lebanese assets will force Hezbollah to cease fire or significantly impair their ability to continue attacking Israeli territory.

According to a recent briefing paper assessing Hezbollahs rocket capability prepared by the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a US thinktank, finding and destroying Hezbollahs rocket and missile capabilities would involve an enormous reconnaissance-strike effort.

Hezbollahs rocket and missile arsenal also includes long-range missiles, the paper adds. These are also likely to be used mainly in a coercive capacity, with Hezbollah undertaking long-range strikes against Israeli population centres to undermine Israeli support for the war.

The most serious challenge, experts believe, is likely to be the sheer number of incoming missiles fired in waves deliberately designed to overwhelm Israels air defence systems.

It would be a tall order for Israeli air defences to confront the widespread rocket arsenal coming from the north, Seth G Jones, an analyst at the thinktank in Washington, said last week, echoing warnings from Pentagon officials. We assess that at least some Iron Dome batteries will be overwhelmed, a senior Biden administration official told CNN, which also reported that Israel was moving extra air defence assets to the north.

Israel has about 10 Iron Dome batteries each with about four individual launchers, each battery connected to a radar system that detects incoming missiles. Like all systems, however, it is physically limited by how many threats it can engage simultaneously.

Hezbollahs upgraded missile capability has triggered warnings about the threat posed to Israels civil resilience, prompting plans for coping with mass casualties if war breaks out. Not everyone is convinced that Israels military and political leadership has fully grasped the risks.

Speaking at a conference last week Shaul Goldstein, head of Noga, which manages Israels electrical systems, warned: We are not ready for a real war. We live in a fantasy world, in my eyes. He added that Israel would be uninhabitable after 72 hours without power. You look at all of our infrastructure, the optical fibres, the ports  and I wont go into the sensitive things  we are not in a good place. However, he appeared to walk back some comments in a later radio interview after other experts criticised his remarks.

In Gaza City, meanwhile, dozens of Palestinians have been killed in Israeli airstrikes on two densely populated locations. According to initial reports in the Israeli media, the bombings were aimed at assassinating a very senior Hamas commander.

Amid initial reports of tens of casualties, including some still buried under the rubble, the Israel Defense Forces said it had struck Hamas military infrastructure sites.

The strikes hit the al-Shati neighbourhood, known as Beach camp, and the al-Tuffah district, which were both struck by significant explosions, killing 38 people, according to Ismail al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run government media office. Hamas did not comment on the Israeli claim to have hit its military infrastructure.
Jess Phillips has been the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley since 2015. Photograph: Richard Saker/The Guardian

Jess Phillips is eating a sandwich and simultaneously applying makeup in her busy constituency office  a brief break between a visit to a local business and an afternoon of door-knocking. Her seat of Birmingham Yardley, in the south-east of the city, should be safe  she won in 2019 with a majority of 10,659. But like a handful of seats across the traditionally Labour city, it is now at risk.

The truth is its a mixed picture, she says. There is an element of some voters hardening against the Labour party no matter what. The issue for many is the Gaza war and Labours stance on it. The party delayed calling for an immediate ceasefire, and in October Keir Starmer controversially said that Israel had the right to withhold food and water from the Palestinian territory, something that comes up regularly on the doorstep.

Phillips took an early stand, resigning her frontbench position in November to vote for a ceasefire. Perhaps because of this, Gaza has not been as divisive in Yardley as in the neighbouring constituency of Ladywood, where independent pro-Palestine candidate Akhmed Yakoob is polling well. But it is a big issue across Birmingham, where a third of the population is Muslim. You have to have the conversation a lot, and its hard, says Phillips.

Alongside her usual campaign material, she has printed a second leaflet headlined Action for Gaza  not just words. It outlines Phillipss repeated votes for a ceasefire, money she has raised for charity and her work helping to evacuate people. One of the most palpable feelings people have about Gaza is helplessness: what can I do? So I wanted to take action where I could, she says. Most people can be convinced by the effort that Ive put in, but Im not going to loudly promise things that cant be delivered.

As Phillips knocks on doors, it is clear her message has got through to at least some people. Andy Simpson, a 58-year-old contract manager in the NHS, has a Ceasefire now poster in his front window. Starmers position has been appalling from the beginning, he says. But within her constraints, Jess has done everything she can. Simpson is a long-term Labour member but says if he lived in a different constituency, with a candidate less proactive on Palestine, he might vote for another party.

For others, the Palestine issue feeds into a wider feeling of cynicism. Politicians are just using Gaza to get peoples sympathy, and they arent going to change anything, says Mohammed Toqeer, 29, who owns a grocery shop in Acocks Green. If they really did care about humanity, they would have stopped arms deals to Israel ages ago, but they wont because its an ally. Theres no justice.

Toqeer has voted Labour in the past, but hes currently undecided and might vote for the Workers Party candidate, Jody McIntyre, who is standing on a pro-Palestine platform. But the decision, for Toqeer, does not rest only with Gaza. Weve tried Conservatives, Labour, Lib Dems, and nothing made a difference, he says. Pinned to the wall behind the till of Toqeers shop are scores of credit slips for people who couldnt afford their groceries. Food prices are rocketing and people are struggling, he says. Its shocking. People are dying to come to this country, to make some money, not realising local people are relying on food banks to survive.

Although Phillips is conscious of the role Gaza is playing in her constituency, she feels there is an even bigger battle: apathy. People have forgotten that things can get better, so theres a level of despondency at the idea that politics can help you. People just dont believe it any more, she says. This is a place that suffered such austerity that theres nothing left to close. People want to talk about the state of things  holes in the road, drop curbs. It feels hopeless.

This is clear on the doorstep. Chris ODonovan, a 51-year-old postal worker, tells Phillips she can be sure of his vote because shes done good by the community. But he is dissatisfied with the high cost of living, the NHS and social care, and has lost faith in politics ability to change anything: Im disillusioned. Politicians talk about the big issues but arent actually interested in solving them. After Brexit and the lies that were told, its hard to trust any of them.

Elsewhere, 50-year-old laundrette owner Dolraj Pandui  who voted Labour in 2019  is still undecided about his vote. Palestine needs to be a priority because innocent people are suffering  but Im not going to vote on that issue, he says. Im a small business owner, and were suffering because costs are so high. Theres a very bad situation in the NHS. We cant even see the doctor face to face.

Most people express dissatisfaction with the state of the country, and with mainstream parties. But some have a very different analysis of why Britain is struggling. Reform is polling second in Phillipss constituency, with 16% of the vote share, significantly ahead of the Conservatives on 8%. The Tories are too soft on immigration, says John Fraser-Morris, a 55-year-old telecoms worker. You go to the hospital, you have to wait days to get seen, because its full of people not from the UK, who dont pay into the system and dont work, bleeding the national services dry.

Fraser-Morris and his wife, Samantha, a 46-year-old foster carer, are planning to vote Reform, after voting for the Brexit party in 2019 and Conservative before that. I dont believe anything Starmer says. Id rather shoot myself in the head than vote for him, says Samantha. And Rishi Sunak is asleep. If anything, immigration has got worse. Now its like if youre not this side of the argument, then youre racist. What happened to having an opinion?

Ian Marsh, a 48-year-old who is currently unemployed, has always voted Conservative  except in 2019, when he didnt vote because he was so frustrated with politics. This time he is still deciding. The country is overpopulated and we need a proper leader to put their foot down. But Reform is relatively new so theyve probably not got much chance of getting in. Ill probably go for Labour because the Tories are finished.

One challenge Phillips has is that shes been Yardleys MP for nine years and people feel theyve given her their vote without seeing positive change. She tries to explain that being an opposition MP is very different from being in the party of government.

Everything good that we have, every liberty, was fought for by ordinary people, she says. Im trying to remind people that we do have the power to change things.
Wind farm

Labour would need to build wind farms on land the size of Greater London to meet its energy promise, the Tories have claimed.

Sir Keir Starmer has promised to double the amount of onshore wind in England to help deliver clean power by 2030.

But the Conservatives have said that more than 1,700 sq kilometres of land would be required to double the countrys capacity.

This would mean that the area covered by additional onshore wind farms would be larger than the size of the capital.

Labour has said that it plans to ease planning restrictions on onshore wind farms within weeks if it wins the general election.

This includes removing the requirement for community concerns to be appropriately addressed, which currently means that objections can be used to block onshore wind projects.

Ed Miliband, the shadow energy secretary, plans to use a written statement to remove the obligation in the national planning policy framework which has been in place since 2015.

The Tories have pledged to retain this stipulation if elected to government, specifically citing in the manifesto that democratic consent for onshore wind would be ensured under their plans.

Claire Coutinho, the Energy Secretary, said: The Conservatives have taken a sensible approach to onshore wind which is to balance our energy transition with protecting the countryside and respecting community views.

Labour in contrast has already said they will bulldoze over the green belt showing complete disregard for nature.

The UKs current onshore wind capacity is 15.37GW, and to double it would require around 5,123 turbines, according to Tory estimates.

It would also require 1,708 sq kilometres of land, which is larger than the 1,572 sq kilometres of Greater London.

Mr Miliband told The Telegraph last week: The onshore wind ban was a deeply unfair measure and we want to lift it. At the moment, its easier to build an incinerator than it is to build an onshore wind development.

In Wales, the Labour government has created zones which are pre-assessed areas for wind energy, a system which Mr Miliband did not rule out implementing in England.

But he insisted there would be a proper fair community consent process and that Labour would want to work with local authorities.

Labour also plans to triple the countrys solar power and quadruple offshore wind by the end of the decade.

With this it has promised not to issue new oil and gas licences in the North Sea and to ban fracking for good.

Onshore and offshore wind together supplied a record of almost 30 per cent of Britains electricity last year.
All flights out of terminals one and two at Manchester airport have been cancelled after a significant power cut in the early hours of Sunday morning, leaving hundreds of holidaymakers stranded.

The airport told all passengers due to travel from its two biggest terminals on Sunday not to come to the airport, and warned passengers on the few flights that were able to leave that they may not have their luggage with them.

More than 60 departures, about a quarter of all flights taking off from the airport on Sunday, were cancelled, along with 50 inbound flights.

Manchester airport was affected by a significant power cut in the early hours of this morning, it said in a statement. Power has been restored but the outage affected important systems, including the processing of boarding cards and baggage screening, which has caused significant delays.

At the airport on Sunday afternoon, hundreds of suitcases could be seen piled in front of check-in desks as the baggage system remained inoperable, while many passengers queued for hours in the hope of getting on flights still scheduled on departure boards.

Tensions were running high in the terminal buildings, punctuated by the sounds of announcements asking people on cancelled flights to leave the airport and to call their airline from home. Virgin Atlantic, Jet2 and easyJet flights were among those affected.

Rick and Sue Newby, from Macclesfield, should have been on an easyJet flight to Lanzarote at 7am, but after arriving at the airport at 5am, checking in their luggage and heading to the gate, they found it had been cancelled.

They managed to secure a booking on a Jet2 flight to the same destination in the afternoon, departing from terminal two, and were waiting outside the building to check in again  only for an email to come through just before 1pm saying that had also been cancelled.

We paid nearly 500 extra for new flights to get out there today, said Sue. And they let me book that at 11.30am this morning.

Oh my God, I cant believe it. We have been here since 5am.

Videos posted on social media showed the airport plunged into darkness and baggage carousels brought to a standstill when the power cut hit in the early hours. Many holidaymakers expressed frustration at how the outage was causing so much disruption, hours after power had been restored.

All the airport is open, all the shops are open, all the lights are on, hot food is being made and served  its like, what power cut? What is this power outage? said Rick. We just dont understand what is going on.

Many passengers said they made their way to the airport, the third busiest in the UK, on Sunday morning after being reassured their flight was running, only to find out just after midday that all flights from terminals one and two had been cancelled.

Paula and Meredydd Williams were scouring the internet for more flights to Nice in France after their 12.55pm departure was cancelled. They heard the news about the power outage only after travelling from their home in Eryri (Snowdonia) to the airport.

If wed known sooner, we could have stayed at home, said Paula. My daughter texted me to say she had heard it on the news. Weve had hardly any information. We were just told we could still board if we only had hand luggage, so we went all the way through security, only for it to be cancelled.

The couple run their own holiday cottage business and had to arrange cover to get time off for their five-night trip. They were struggling to find any flights that would get them on holiday before Tuesday.

Emma Jones, from Wrexham, said she had been on hold to Jet2 for an hour and 15 minutes trying to rebook her holiday after her 4pm flight to Greece was cancelled.

Its nobodys fault, is it? But I rang Jet2 before we left the house this morning, and they said to come as normal, she said. We were just told to leave extra time to get through security. It has been very stressful.

Passengers also reported being told they would not be able to take hold luggage on their flight if it went ahead. Sharon Hudson, waiting for a flight to Egypt, said: How are we supposed to go on holiday for two weeks with just hand luggage?

If they put us on a later flight with our luggage I would be fine with that. But if you go without it, it could be a week before it turns up, if ever.

Chris Woodroofe, Manchester airports managing director, said he expected the problems to be solved and normal operations to resume on Monday, as he offered his sincere personal apologies to everyone affected.

There was a power spike in our electrical system due to a failure early on this morning and that has damaged some really key equipment for departure security and our departure baggage systems, he said.

That has meant that terminal one and terminal two havent been able to depart aircraft today, and as result we havent had aircraft able to land as arrivals as there is no space to park those aircraft on the airfield.

Some flights were still arriving at the airport, but many were diverted elsewhere. The airport said terminal three, which covers domestic flights, was not severely affected but could also be subject to delays.

The travel expert Simon Calder said the systems at Manchester airport were in extreme disarray as a result of the power cut, telling LBC: All of this is happening at a time when aviation is just getting into the peak season, very heavy bookings on flights, and if you knock out a whole load of those, then its going to get very messy, and you could find people waiting several days to get where they need to be.
A truck carries humanitarian aid across Trident Pier to deliver to residents of the Gaza Strip. Photograph: US Army Central/Reuters

A floating pier built by the US military for seaborne humanitarian deliveries to Gaza has proved itself to be fragile in the face of rougher seas than expected, and the future of the whole $230m project is now in question.

The pier has been usable for just 12 days since it began operations on 17 May. On most of those days the assistance arriving by sea has had to be left on the beach as there have been no trucks to distribute it to warehouses in Gaza, because of lack of security.

The scheme has fallen far short of initial expectations. When he announced it in his state of the union speech on 7 March, Joe Biden said the temporary pier would enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.

It took more than two months to put together the two structures required, a floating dock anchored a few miles out to sea and a floating pier to be attached to the Gazan coast. About 1,000 soldiers and sailors and a small flotilla of ships were involved in the construction, including a Royal Navy landing ship, Cardigan Bay, which provided accommodation.

Over the entire course of the piers operation so far, however, only about 250 truckloads of food and other humanitarian assistance (4,100 tonnes) have arrived by the planned maritime corridor, less than half of what would cross into Gaza in a single day before the war. Much of the aid that has arrived so far is stuck at the foot of the pier on a marshalling yard established on the beach.

Since 274 Palestinians were killed by Israel Defense Forces in the course of a hostage rescue mission on 8 June, the World Food Programme (WFP) has suspended the convoys that were supposed to take pallets of aids from the marshalling yard to warehouses and then to the 2.3 million people of Gaza under bombardment and facing famine. The WFP says its security review is still in progress.

The seas in the eastern Mediterranean have been choppier than expected and the pier (known by the US military as the Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore, JLOTS) has been less robust than the Pentagon planners predicted. The JLOTS floating structure is designed to work in conditions up to sea state 3, defined by waves of 0.5 to 1.25 metres. It was hoped it would endure through the spring and summer until September, but it was badly damaged in a storm on 25 May, and the sea has been unseasonably choppy since then.

After repairs at the Israeli port of Ashdod, it came back into operation on 8 June but lasted a day before deliveries were suspended for another two days. On 14 June the pier was dismantled and towed to Ashdod again as a precaution against stormy seas.

It was put back in place on Wednesday and since then has been used to offload about 4,160 tonnes of aid, but there have been reports that, because of its vulnerability to weather and high seas, it could be dismantled once and for all ahead of schedule, as early as next month.

They just miscalculated, Stephen Morrison, a senior vice-president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said. They didnt fully understand what was going to happen with the weather  So the DoD [Department of Defence] walks away, humiliated in a fashion.

The Pentagon admits the challenges the JLOTS plan is facing but denies that a decision has already been taken to take it down early.

We have not established an end date for this mission as of now, contrary to some press reporting on the matter, the chief spokesperson Maj Gen Patrick Ryder, said on Thursday.

The pier was intended as a means of getting aid ashore independently of Israel to the besieged and devastated coastal strip, after the Biden administration became frustrated with the lack of access for relief supplies through land crossings.

Most aid workers involved in the Gaza emergency effort say that any relief is better than none but they voice concerns that the spectacular, expensive effort has distracted energy and attention from political pressure on Israel to open the land crossings fully to trucks, by far the most effective means of delivering food.

Ziad Issa, the head of policy and research at the British charity Action Aid, said that the amount of humanitarian aid arriving in Gaza had dropped to fewer than 100 trucks a day on average in the first half of June.

Hardly any assistance is being distributed around the strip because of the appalling security conditions. The main access point from Egypt, the Rafah crossing, has been closed since it was captured by the IDF on 7 May, at the start of a major offensive on Rafah city. Some trucks have been diverted to the Keren Shalom gate in southern Israel, but the roads leading into Gaza from Keren Shalom have proved extremely dangerous.

Its unsafe for aid workers and trucks to move because of the ongoing bombardments on Gaza, Issa said. The IDF declared a tactical pause last Sunday to allow an aid corridor through southern Gaza, but Issa said: We havent seen any difference since these tactical pauses have come in place.

The IDF is not the only threat to aid delivery. Aid trucks driving through Gaza have been repeatedly held up by armed gangs, who are increasingly powerful in the ruined streets of Gazas cities as the war goes on.

The UN relief agency for Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, relied on Palestinian police for the security of its aid convoys, but the police were treated by the IDF as an arm of Hamas and therefore legitimate targets. In their absence, there is a security vacuum.

Related: Australian doctor trapped in Gaza hospital begs government to evacuate medical team

The Israeli government also refuses to deal with Unrwa, which is by far the biggest relief agency in Gaza. In its place, the US government persuaded the WFP to distribute food arriving by the pier. The WFP did not respond to a query on when it might resume road convoys to and from the pier.

They were sort of pushed to the front of the stage by the US to be the partner on the ground, Morrison said. They were very uneasy and very reluctant  They just didnt want to be stuck in the middle of this craziness and the security on the ground is horrible.

We are deeply grateful for the UNs work to get assistance to the people of Gaza in this increasingly volatile and dangerous environment and appreciate their dedication to ensuring the safety of their staff and those they aim to reach with assistance, a spokesperson for the US Agency for International Development said.

We continue to press the Israeli government to facilitate the transport of aid shipments by land and sea, accelerate inspections, open up all avenues of access, and facilitate safe movements of aid convoys within Gaza so humanitarians can get aid directly and effectively to those who need it throughout Gaza.

Given all the problems at the land crossings, the Biden administration is reluctant to give up entirely on the JLOTS pier. With need in Gaza growing as well as the extreme insecurity that is making onward distribution from Keren Shalom in particular incredibly difficult for humanitarian organisations, the maritime pier is a critical additional conduit for aid deliveries, a US official said.
Affected hospitals and GP surgeries can do only about 30% of their normal number of blood tests as a result of the cyber-attack. Photograph: Simon Dawson/PA

Patients denied a blood test because of a Russian cyber-attack on the NHS may have to wait up to six months to have their sample taken, the Guardian has learned.

The delays are so long that some patients have decided to pay to have their blood taken and analysed by a private clinic rather than remain on the NHS waiting list.

Hospitals in south-east London affected by the hacking gangs seizure of 300m pieces of NHS data have been writing to patients to warn them that they now cannot provide their blood test.

One patient was told by letter: Sadly it appears it may be three to six months before bloods can be taken again. You will be put on a waiting list and our secretaries will contact you when bloods can be taken again.

Related: UK government weighs action against Russian hackers over NHS records theft

If you havent heard anything in the next four months please feel free to contact us on the details above. I want to apologise for this inconvenience and appreciate this will be frustrating.

The patient, who asked to remain anonymous, said: I have little option other than to go privately to have the tests and necessary treatment. The cost will be significant. While I can afford this, most people could not.

Nine acute or specialist NHS hospitals as well as providers of mental health, community health and GP services across a swath of south-east London serving 2 million people have had to severely ration blood tests since the Russian-based Qilin gangs ransomware attack began on 3 June.

Limited capacity means only blood tests deemed urgent by a committee of medics and managers are going ahead in the short term.

What the NHS has called significant disruption caused by the attack also forced Kings College hospital (KCH) and Guys and St Thomas (GSTT) health service trusts to cancel 1,134 planned operations and 2,194 outpatient appointments in the first 13 days. These included 184 cancer procedures and 64 organ transplants.

Qilin unleashed its attack on Synnovis, a provider of pathology services  such as blood tests and transfusions  that is jointly owned by KCH and GSTT and the private company Synlab. As a result, affected hospitals and GP surgeries can only do about 30% of their normal number of blood tests.

Related: What does the London NHS hospitals data theft mean for patients?

The Guardian reported on Friday that the UK government was considering using the National Crime Agency (NCA) to hit back against Qilin after some of the stolen data was posted online. Qilin had reportedly been demanding a $50m (40m) ransom.

In February the NCA deployed a specialist team to take action against LockBit, another gang of Russian hackers. Outfits such as Qilin and LockBit typically infiltrate an organisations IT system and prevent them from using it unless they pay a ransom to regain access.

NHS Englands London region, which is coordinating the services response to the hack, declined to comment on patients facing six-month waits to have their blood test rearranged.

However, in a question and answer statement on Friday, it acknowledged that the hack would continue to cause major problems for Synnovis and the NHS for months to come. Synnovis had plans in place to begin restoring some functionality in its IT system in the weeks to come, it said. The cyber-attack has in effect locked it out of its own IT system.

Full technical restoration will take some time, and the need to rebook tests and appointments will mean some disruption from the cyber incident will be felt over coming months, it said.

The NHS has opened a helpline to answer queries from patients.
Michel Barnier said: 'The bloc would welcome fresh talks but would not ease its previous red lines' - Shutterstock/Blondet Eliot

The European Union will reject a future Labour governments Brexit plan unless it agrees to a return to free movement, the blocs former negotiator has warned.

Michel Barnier insisted Brussels would maintain a block on attempts to cherry-pick from its single markets without signing up to the corresponding obligations in an interview with The Telegraph.

His intervention will come as a blow to Sir Keir Starmers plans to ease trade restrictions by revisiting Boris Johnsons Brexit deal.

The Labour leader has previously described the terms of that agreement as botched and not good enough.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said last week that Labour would seek closer alignment with EU rules in areas like chemicals and a better deal for City of London bankers.

Despite wanting to build closer ties with Brussels, she insisted Labour would not rejoin the single market or customs union or sign up to freedom of movement.

Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, had made it clear Labour would not rejoin the single market or sign up to freedom of movement - MAJA SMIEJKOWSKA/REUTERS

Mr Barnier, who negotiated Britains split from the EU and the future trade agreement, told The Telegraph that the bloc would welcome fresh talks but would not ease its previous red lines.

He said: It is one thing to say that we can revisit the relationship between the UK and the EU, and in the same spirit we can improve the relationship.

But it is another thing to say we can open the single market. Any UK government  the current one or the future one  knows the rules of the single market, you cannot be in and out at the same time.

No cherry-picking

During his tenure as the EUs Brexit negotiator between 2016 and 2021, Mr Barnier maintained a tough stance against picking out elements of EU membership without signing up to the necessary obligations.

If you speak about the chemical sector, you are speaking about a kind of cherry-picking. No way, he said in a direct blow to Labours plans.

However, he said a future Labour government could sign rafts of new EU agreements if it was willing to align with the blocs rules in those areas.

I can speak about defence, foreign policy, cooperation in Africa financial services, he said.

There are a lot of sectors where we can complete trade agreements and open new negotiations between the UK and EU. The main ones are obviously linked to the current situation in Ukraine and Europe with the war, the risk of terrorism, the stability all around us, I think we must, it is in our common interest to open a new negotiation.

Room for positive manoeuvre

Mr Barnier was more open about the prospect of a deal to reduce checks on British food exports.

I think there is a room for positive manoeuvre to complete a trade agreement with a specific veterinary agreement to facilitate the flows and exchanges in the sector of animals and vegetables, he said.

He also highlighted what could become a major challenge for a future Labour government when negotiations need to be held over access for European fishermen to British waters for 2026 and beyond.

Dont forget, we have put in the [Brexit trade] treaty the parallel negotiation of the agreement for the UK to access the electricity market of the EU in 2026, he said.

We have clearly put these two points in parallel, fisheries on one side with this new negotiation for the access to British and European waters reciprocally, and the access to the UK industry to the European market of electricity. This point has been very clear from day one.

I recommend both sides to be reasonable at the beginning of this negotiation.
Rishi Sunak speaks to journalists on the campaign bus - he will be in Edinburgh on Monday - Leon Neal/Getty

Rishi Sunak will today accuse Labour of virtue signalling to eco zealots instead of protecting North Sea oil and gas jobs.

The Prime Minister will visit Edinburgh on Monday to launch the Scottish Tory manifesto and will claim that Sir Keir Starmer would tax the vital UK energy sector into oblivion while attacking Labours ideological plans to ban new licences.

In contrast, he is to pledge that a Tory government would introduce new legislation to guarantee that there would be further annual oil and gas licensing rounds and promise to maintain tax breaks for investment by energy companies.

Mr Sunak will warn voters that the UKs North Sea industry isnt safe with Labour and pledge that a government he leads would always stand full square behind Scotlands North Sea oil and gas industry.

We are committed to new licences, more investment in infrastructure and skills, and energy security for our country, Mr Sunak is expected to say. We will deliver a secure future for the North Sea industry and the workers it employs.

Labour want to stop all new licences in the North Sea from day one of a Labour government. Keir Starmer and Ed Miliband want to tax the UKs oil and gas sector and the 100,000 Scottish jobs it supports into oblivion.

Labour dont want to ban oil and gas, just British oil and gas. They would rather virtue signal to eco zealots than protect jobs here at home.

The Gannet - an installation owned and operated by Shell UK in the North Sea - Julian Walters/Adobe Stock

Labours manifesto states that the party would not issue new licences to explore new fields.

Sir Keir has also vowed to double down on a windfall tax on oil and gas companies, closing loopholes in it, increasing it by three points to 78 per cent, and extending it until 2029.

The industry has warned that Labours plan will deter investment and risks leading to the loss of up to 100,000 jobs, with the Tories warning the proposals would spell disaster for Scotland.

The SNP is also refusing to commit to supporting new drilling, with John Swinney rejecting calls to abandon Nicola Sturgeons presumption against further licences and branding Mr Sunak a climate denier.

Mr Sunak will launch the Scottish Tory manifesto alongside Douglas Ross, the outgoing Scottish Tory leader.

While opinion polls suggest the Conservatives are heading for a heavy defeat UK-wide, the party is still hopeful that it can hold on to the six Scottish seats it won in 2019. Three are in the north-east of Scotland in areas heavily dependent on the North Sea.

The Scottish Tory manifesto will also include proposals to push ahead with a new nuclear power station in Scotland, despite SNP opposition, increase financial support for Scottish farmers and press for permanent removal of tariffs on Scotch whisky from the US government.

Mr Ross admitted on Sunday that the constituency he is standing in, Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, was on a knife edge.

The SNP is hoping a row that saw Mr Ross replace incumbent David Duguid, who had been hospitalised due to a serious spinal condition, as the Tory candidate will help the nationalists claim the seat.

However, Mr Sunak will urge Scottish voters to send the nationalists the strongest message possible that the people of Scotland want to move on from their independence obsession.

He is set to attack the SNPs record on tax, promising to cut levies on workers after the SNP increased them.

He will say: It tells you everything you need to know that while the SNP are turning Scotland into the high tax capital of the UK, hiking taxes at every opportunity, this Conservative Government is cutting tax for workers here in Scotland and across the United Kingdom.

Weve already cut taxes by 900 for the average worker by reducing the National Insurance tax. And if you offer us your support in this election, we will cut this tax again.

During a visit to a Scottish wind farm on Monday, Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, will claim Labours energy plans would turbocharge the Scottish economy.

The party has claimed its windfall tax will help pay for investment in green energy projects and pay for GB Energy, a publicly-owned energy company which will make targeted investments.

Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said: Under Labour, green and growth will go hand in hand as we work to bring the clean power jobs of the future here to Scotland.

Labour will unlock Scotlands potential as a clean energy superpower with a publicly owned GB Energy company based right here in Scotland.

We can slash extortionate energy bills, create 69,000 new green jobs and drive forward growth  this is an opportunity for change that Scotland cannot afford to miss.

Alison Thewliss, the SNP candidate for Glasgow North, said: Its good that Rishi Sunak and Douglas Ross will get time tomorrow to compare notes on which one has run the worst campaign.

They are both on their last legs as leaders, their party is already finished in this campaign and the real choice for Scotland in this election is who is now best placed to put Scotlands interests first.
Vladimir Putin, left, and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un attend the official welcome ceremony for the Russian president in the Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang, North Korea, on 19 June. Photograph: Gavriil Grigorov/AP

Vladimir Putins visits to North Korea and Vietnam last week caused great consternation among the western powers, which was undoubtedly his intention. The Russian president is keen to demonstrate that, notwithstanding the widespread condemnation of his illegal, full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the ensuing diplomatic ostracism and sanctions, he still has international support, and can raise the cost to his opponents of continued backing for Kyiv.

If anyone doubted the extent to which the war in Ukraine has become a truly global issue, here was conclusive proof of its almost universal impact. Putin and North Koreas dictator, Kim Jong-un, signed a mutual defence treaty that commits each country to provide military assistance to the other with all means at its disposal in the event of an attack. The treaty represents a significant boost for Kims isolated regime  and for Putins efforts, with China, to build up an anti-democratic, anti-western international alliance.

The deal directly contradicted Russias past support for UN security council sanctions intended to rein in Pyongyangs proliferating, regionally destabilising nuclear weapons and missiles programmes. Worse still, Putin suggested that Russia may directly arm North Korea despite the fact Kim regularly threatens South Korea, Japan and the US with atomic annihilation.

Putin linked such mooted arms supplies to western arms supplies to Ukraine and, in particular, the Biden administrations recent decision to allow its longer-range missiles to be used by Kyiv to hit targets inside Russia. The quid pro quo for Putin, though he denies it, is Kims ongoing provision to Russia of artillery shells and ballistic missiles for use against Ukraine.

As usual, Putin claims to be acting in response to provocative western actions when, in reality, it is he who is doing the escalating. Reacting to the North Korea pact, South Korea said it may reconsider previous refusals to send arms to Ukraine. This in turn elicited furious Russian protests. Yet theres no doubt who bears primary responsibility for this destructive spiral: the country that believes its OK to invade anothers sovereign territory.

Xi Jinping will hardly thank Putin for contaminating the east Asian sphere with the fallout from his Ukraine catastrophe

For all that, Putins peregrinations smack a little of desperation. They could backfire. Kim is an unpredictable character who may or may not keep his word  or his head. It is not impossible to envisage a situation in which Russia is dragged into an unforeseen confrontation. Moscows neediness implies more fundamental, structural weakness. And then there is the regional impact to consider.

The US, Japan and South Korea agreed last year to deepen security and defence cooperation, and a follow-up summit is expected next month on the sidelines of the Nato summit in Washington. This trilateral alliance is about the growing threat from China, but it is also about North Korea. If these three, backed by the likes of Australia and Britain, now decide to further expand their regional defensive military presence, Beijing may fairly hold Putin to blame.

Such an outcome could strain the 2022 eve-of-invasion no limits strategic partnership between Moscow and Beijing, which is so vital to Putin. Xi Jinping, his Chinese opposite number, will hardly thank him for contaminating the east Asian sphere with the toxic fallout from his Ukraine catastrophe. Likewise, Putins smarmy attempts to ingratiate himself with Vietnam may not sit well with Beijing, which has its own issues, including territorial disputes, with Hanois US-friendly leadership.

These developments again underline the urgent need for an end to the Ukraine crisis with its ubiquitous negative ramifications. One man  the same man who triggered it  could halt it today if he so chose. By refusing to do so, unscrupulous, infinitely reckless Putin proved again last week that he is global public enemy number one.
Marine Le Pen at a final rally before the European Parliament elections - ARTUR WIDAK/SHUTTERSTOCK

Olaf Scholz, the German chancellor, said he was concerned about the prospect of a far-Right victory in the upcoming French elections, in his first comments on the vote since it was called earlier this month.

Mr Scholz said he hoped parties other than Marine Le Pens were successful in the election at the end of this month, as he also lamented the rise of the Right in Germany.

I am concerned about the elections in France, Mr Scholz told ARD, a public broadcaster in Germany.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, called snap legislative elections after he was trounced in the European Union vote by Ms Le Pens National Rally party (RN).

Mr Macron said France needed a clear majority to act in serenity and harmony. But many observers and analysts have questioned the wisdom of the move, saying his confidence might be misplaced and that it could backfire.

Mr Scholz warned that 'there would be a change' if legislature is controlled by the far-Right - DPA PICTURE ALLIANCE/ALAMY

According to a poll on Sunday, the RN and its allies were leading the first round of the countrys parliamentary elections with 35.5 per cent of the vote.

The Ipsos survey, which was conducted for Le Parisien newspaper and Radio France, showed the Left-wing New Popular Front alliance in second place with 29.5 per cent of the vote.

Mr Macrons centrist alliance was seen in third place, winning 19.5 per cent of votes.

If the RN wins a majority, Mr Macron would still direct defence and foreign policy but would lose the power to set the domestic agenda, from economic policy to security.

Mr Scholz said if that was the case, though he would continue working with Mr Macron, nevertheless, there would be a change with a legislature controlled by the far-Right.

Humiliating defeat

Mr Scholz resisted pressure to call elections in Germany after the Social Democrats  his own party  suffered a humiliating defeat in the parliamentary elections. The party achieved its worst-ever result in a nationwide election, gaining just 13 per cent of the vote, and coming third.

Alternative for Germany (AfD), the far-Right party, came second nationwide and the conservative alliance  consisting of the Christian Democratic Union and the Christian Social Union  came first.

The AfD topped the polls in most of eastern Germany, where it is polling in first place ahead of key regional elections this autumn.

An AfD First Minister would be very depressing said Mr Scholz, but he has confidence that other parties would work together to prevent them from forming regional government coalitions.
Putin takes Kim out for a drive in a new Russian-built Aurus limousine during their summit. Photograph: KCNA via KNS/AFP/Getty Images

A quarter of a century ago, Vladimir Putin flew to Pyongyang to sign a friendship treaty with Kim Jong-il that helped revive Russias relations with North Korea without obliging the two sides to come to each others aid in case of a military attack.

With his visit last week, Putin has in effect gone further into the past, signing a deal with Kim Jong-un reminiscent of the 1961 security pact that existed under the Soviet Union during the cold war. But today Russia is engaged in a hot war in Ukraine that Putin has made his foreign policy priority, and a nuclear North Korea has become a crucial lifeline of munitions for his military.

The treaty that Putin signed with Kim Jong-un was a return to the cold war, but of course in the cold war North Korea had no nuclear weapons, said Dr Edward Howell, the Korea Foundation fellow with the Asia-Pacific programme at Chatham House, and a lecturer at the University of Oxford.

While last weeks summit was years in the making, it nonetheless marked a watershed in Russias relationship with North Korea, and one that US officials have warned could destabilise an uneasy balancing act in the region.

Russia has now put in writing just how willing and committed it is to deepening and expanding its cooperation with North Korea, said Jamie Kwong, a fellow in the nuclear policy programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Kim admired Russian space technology and fighter jets during a summit last year with Putin in Russias far east, and his wishlist could include technologies that would aid North Koreas space and missile programmes simultaneously, as well as economic and energy support.

The meeting also marked a new low point for nonproliferation, once a rare area of cooperation between Russia and the US

Putins immediate goal is to develop a partnership that has delivered millions of artillery shells, as well as ballistic missiles, desperately needed for his war in Ukraine. But the roots of the relationship go deeper: the two leaders have aligned in a growing anti-western coalition and seem increasingly unrestrained by western threats.

The image of Putin  who once regularly met US and European leaders  flying to Pyongyang to be feted by Kim was striking. During the summit, Putin gave Kim a second Russian-built Aurus limousine, in a symbolic rejection of the sanctions that the two sides have taken pleasure in flouting.

The two leaders really just dont care, said Howell. That highlights how, for Kim Jong-un, he now has a partner who is equally as delinquent as he is.

US and Nato officials have voiced concern over potential support for North Koreas missile and nuclear programmes. A copy of the treaty published by North Korea explicitly listed cooperation in peaceful nuclear energy, while US officials told NBC News that Russia would also be providing technology to aid North Koreas atomic submarine programme.

But analysts said the scope of support for North Koreas military nuclear programme would probably remain limited, in part because Russia is nervous about sharing sensitive technology and also because Moscow has historically been uneasy about Pyongyangs atomic weapons.

Some of the most concerning aspects of the agreement are more conventional: the reportedly growing arms trade between the two countries that could embolden North Korea and complicate western war planning in the case of an open conflict on the Korean peninsula.

Theres a lot that Russia can still give North Korea at this juncture that would significantly improve North Koreas ability to reconstitute its conventional military deterrent, said Ankit Panda, the Stanton senior fellow in the nuclear policy programme at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

The Russians are not going to be too eager to transfer some of their most sensitive nuclear technologies, he believes, but would be more ready to help North Korea improve its air defence capabilities, supply spare parts and maintenance for its ageing air force, and help modernise its navy, including technology for nuclear submarines. That would substantially complicate planning for the US-South Korea alliance, which would support both Russian and North Korean strategic objectives, Pandit said.

The deal has already led to a heated back-and-forth between Russia and South Korea. Seoul last week indicated it could provide Ukraine with lethal weapons for the first time in response to the treaty. Putin, in turn, warned that this would be a big mistake and that Moscow in response could make decisions which are unlikely to please the current leadership of South Korea.

The deal is also seen as a headache for China, which is caught between concerns about competition for influence in North Korea and the potential for the US to extend its support to South Korea as a result. Xi Jinping may seek a summit with Kim by the end of the year, Howell believes.

The meeting also marked a new low point for international efforts at promoting nonproliferation, once a rare area of cooperation between Russia and the US.

Even in 2017, after the annexation of Crimea and the accusations of Russian interference in the US elections, the US still persuaded Russia to vote for new UN sanctions against North Korea, albeit watering them down in the process.

Those days are clearly now over.

The agreement sends yet another signal that Putin is willing to put his war of aggression against Ukraine above all other interests, including promoting and safeguarding the nonproliferation regime  a regime that the Soviet Union really helped to establish in the first place, said Kwong.

 Andrew Roth is the Guardians global affairs correspondent
Rishi Sunak

A senior Conservative Party official has taken a leave of absence amid the gambling row over the election.

Nick Mason, the chief data officer, was reported to have been told that he was part of the inquiry into betting on the date of the election before it was public knowledge.

The Conservative Party confirmed to The Sunday Telegraph that he had taken a leave of absence.

It comes in the wake of Tony Lee, the partys director of campaigns, and his wife, Laura Saunders, a candidate in Bristol North West, being investigated by the Gambling Commission. Ms Saunders says she is fully cooperating with the commission.

Tony Lee is under investigation

Craig Williams, Rishi Sunaks private secretary, was also placed under investigation over a 100 flutter, which he apologised for and described as a huge error of judgment.

Meanwhile, one of Mr Sunaks close protection officers has also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public following a similar allegation and is suspended as an internal investigation is carried out by Scotland Yard.

Michael Gove, the outgoing Housing Secretary, compared the betting scandal to partygate during Boris Johnsons premiership. Mr Gove told The Sunday Times: It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us... Thats the most potentially damaging thing.

The perception that we operate outside the rules that we set for others

That was damaging at the time of partygate and is damaging here.

If youre in a privileged position [close] to the prime minister at the heart of a political operation and you use inside information to make additional money for yourself, thats just not acceptable. So if these allegations are true, its very difficult to defend.

Craig Williams allegedly 'put a flutter' on the date of the election

A spokesman for Mr Mason denied any wrongdoing and said it was inappropriate to comment during the inquiry. A Tory Party spokesman said: As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.

Mr Sunak must personally intervene in the all-out scandal, the Lib Dems have said. Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem deputy leader, said: Sunak must personally intervene to order a Cabinet Office inquiry and suspend all those under investigation.
The central district of Kyiv during a blackout this month. Russia has destroyed or damaged more than half of Ukraines power generation. Photograph: Alex Babenko/AP

Ukrainians are having to cope with widespread emergency blackouts as Russia continues to pound critical infrastructure.

In recent months, Moscow has intensified its attacks on Ukraines energy grid. On Friday night, energy facilities came under a massive attack, Ukraines energy ministry said. Several workers were injured as a result of shelling at one of the facilities.

The situation in the energy sector remains difficult, the ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

Volodomyr Zelenksiy said this month that Russia had damaged or destroyed more than half of Ukraines power generation, causing the worst rolling blackouts since the full-scale invasion in 2022.

Ukraine began implementing rolling blackouts on 15 May, disconnecting entire districts of the capital from the power grid to save energy.

In an address on Saturday evening, Zelenskiy urged Ukraines western allies to speed up deliveries of air defences. Modern air defence systems for Ukraine  such as Patriots, accelerated training of our pilots for F-16s, and most importantly, sufficient range for our weapons  are truly necessary, the Ukrainian president said.

Ukraine has at least four Patriot systems, provided by the US and Germany. Since Zelenskiy made repeated pleas for additional defence weapons, Germany, Romania and the US have each pledged to send Kyiv a Patriot system.

On Friday the Netherlands announced that it, in collaboration with another, unnamed country, would supply Ukraine with an additional Patriot missile system. Zelenskiy has said Ukraine needs seven to secure our main urban agglomerations against Russian missile attacks.

Until these deliveries arrive, it is expected that systematic attacks on power infrastructure will continue, forcing people in Kyiv to improvise.

Oleksandr Babich, 34, an IT worker, said: I cant work from my office any more and now roam from cafe to cafe to try to find a quiet spot with electricity. At night I light up candles. Russia is trying to take us back into the stone age.

Restaurants, hotels and shopping centres have invested in generators, whose constant loud hum is now a fixture in the capital.

While the long summer light made the situation somewhat bearable, Babich said, many fear the colder winter months to come, when demand for electricity will surge.

Serhiy Kovalenko, the chief executive of the energy supplier Yasno, said last week that Ukrainians may have electricity for six or seven hours a day in winter if the electricity deficit remained at 35%.

Olha Bondarenko, 46, who runs a smoothie bar in the city centre, said she had adjusted her menu to leave out fruits that require more time for blending, and squeezed other fruits by hand. Our blenders consume so much energy, she said. Luckily, our clients are understanding of the situation because everyone is going through the same problems.

On Sunday Moscow accused Ukraine of attacking the city of Sevastopol, on the Russian-occupied Crimean peninsula, with five US-supplied Atacms missiles, killing five people and injuring about 100 more.

Russias defence ministry said Ukraine had struck the civilian infrastructure of the city of Sevastopol with Atacms tactical missiles supplied by the United States and equipped with cluster warheads.

The defence ministry said the US, which supplied Ukraine with Atacms missiles, was primarily responsible for the missile attack and vowed to retaliate.

Footage circulating on social media showed beachgoers in Crimea, a popular summer destination for Russians, hastily fleeing after what appeared to be an explosion.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Russian-installed governor of Sevastopol, said about 100 people were injured by falling shrapnel. Ukraine has not yet commented on the strike.

Ukraine has also claimed to have destroyed a Russian warehouse used for launching Iranian-made kamikaze drones and training soldiers, reportedly killing several people in the attack. Satellite images published by the Ukrainian Navy showed a heavily damaged building which Kyiv said was used to store the drones.

Ukrainian firepower has been somewhat improving since US lawmakers approved a critical military aid package in April. The wests decisions to allow Ukraine to strike Russian territory with its weaponry have halted Russias push along the north-east front near Ukraines second largest city, Kharkiv.

Ukraine has even managed to push Russian positions back, recently recapturing areas south-west of Vovchansk, a prime target of Russias advances near Kharkiv.

Lt Col Nazar Voloshyn, of the Khortytsia operational strategic group of forces based in Kharkiv, said in a statement on Telegram on Saturday that his unit had recorded a withdrawal of Russian troops near Liptsi and Tykhe, two districts that have experienced some of the heaviest fighting as part of Russias Kharkiv offensive.

After delays in delivery and training pilots and ground staff, Ukraine is expected to receive from the west the first batch of F-16 fighter jets this summer, which it is hoped will protect Kharkiv from Russian bombs.

For people in Kharkiv, those deliveries could not come fast enough. On Saturday a Russian aerial bomb hit a five-storey residential building in the city, killing at least three people and wounding more than 55, officials said.

Currently, Kyiv is allowed to use US weapons only as long as they are limited to shelling Russian forces directly attacking them across the border. Ukrainian generals have been pushing for those restrictions to be lifted to enable strikes of particular high-value targets such as airbases and command centres deeper inside Russia using long-range weapons with a range of more than 62 miles.

Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its strikes on Russian oil refineries as Kyiv aims to disrupt the infrastructure supplying the Russian military.

Russian authorities said more than 30 drones were shot down over the countrys western regions between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Earlier in the week, Kyiv announced that it had struck three oil refineries inside southern Russia.
Pressman was originally scheduled to give his speech at the Hungarian parliament building, but was blocked by a senior member of Orbans ruling party. Photograph: Marton Monus/Reuters

The US ambassador in Budapest has accused the government of Hungarys far-right prime minister, Viktor Orban, of using a machinery of fear to launch legal and rhetorical attacks on the LGBTQ community.

Fear is something those who seek to undermine democracy trade on, and their currency is too often you and your families, David Pressman said at a family Pride event at the ambassadors residence.

In 2021, Hungary adopted controversial legislation that bans the display and promotion of homosexuality in material accessible to minors. The move prompted the European Commission to refer Hungary to the EUs top court, arguing that the law violates fundamental rights and the blocs values.

At the same time, some Hungarian politicians and government-controlled media outlets have been promoting narratives that experts and rights groups have described as homophobic.

In a deeply personal speech, Pressman  who is gay and raising two children with his partner  described his own experience of being stigmatised in Hungary.

At a Pride march organised by Hungarians in Pecs last year, I walked alongside a friend, fellow ambassador, and fellow parent, he recalled.

The cameras of the government-controlled media were trained on me  as they are right now  and filmed us as he introduced me to his five-year-old child. The news that evening reported on spotting my interaction with this child, and sinisterly described that I was seen interacting with children. They didnt need to finish the sentence  they let fear do the rest, he said.

The Hungarian government did not respond to a request for comment. On Saturday, thousands of Hungarians marched in an annual Budapest Pride parade.

The US ambassador noted that he was originally scheduled to give his speech at the Hungarian parliament building but was blocked by a senior member of Orbans ruling party.

The Speaker denied the parliamentarians request to host an event on human rights in parliament  a space that is meant to represent all Hungarians, he said.

Pressman drew parallels between Vladimir Putins Russia and Hungary, and criticised Orbans government for its portrayal of critics.

When a popular musician or social media influencer urges the people of Hungary to vote, they are a paedophile or a pervert. When political opposition leaders exhort citizens to support alternative policies, they are mentally unstable agents of a foreign power. When people stand with a wars victims, they are the aggressors, he said.

These attacks  whether legal, rhetorical or reputational  erode the liberties of the Hungarian people, of the Hungarian soul, Pressman said.

Whenever politicians anywhere seek to profit by twisting love into hate; integrity into depravity; those who stand up for peace as advocating for more war  we must pay attention, he added.
A rising proportion of doctors will not blow the whistle over patient safety concerns for fear of retribution, leading medics said.

The British Medical Association (BMA) surveyed doctors from around the UK in 2018 and again in 2024.

A rising proportion said they would not feel confident raising concerns about patient care  26% of 1,578 doctors in 2024 compared with 10% of around 7,900 doctors surveyed in 2018.

Three in five (61%) of those polled in 2024 said they may not raise concerns because they were afraid they they or colleagues could be unfairly blamed or suffer adverse consequences.

Meanwhile 45% said they feel that their managers discourage them from raising concerns  up from 20% in 2018.

The BMA said that doctors are now more frightened than ever to speak up when they see patient safety issues, or levels of care at risk.

Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of council at the BMA, is set to highlight a culture of protectionism rather than accountability.

On Monday, at the unions national annual meeting in Belfast, Prof Banfield will reference the case of Lucy Letby, where whistleblowers concerns about the child serial killer were not addressed for months before she was finally taken off frontline duties.

He will say that the BMA will not stand idly by as employers try to silence those who raise concerns, and it has not. Have we learned from Letby  let me tell you  I fear not.

Pandoras box of raising concerns is about to be thrown wide open. This is far bigger than the Post Office scandal and the BMA will do all it can to help uncover wrongdoing.

He will say the union will continue to fight for change and the issue of employers trying to silence those who dare to speak up and call for NHS managers to be held accountable for their actions.

Prof Banfield will describe a disgraceful revolving door of ineptitude, saying that some poorly performing managers have been conferred a degree of protection and shuffled out of prominent roles and into other senior positions.

Thats why were backing the regulation of non-medical managers. Because as long as this culture of protectionism, rather than accountability, holds sway, doctors will continue to face appalling victimisation, he will say.

Prof Banfield will also highlight the misuse of physician associates (PAs) in the NHS.

As the NHS continues with plans to increase the number of PAs in the health service, concerns have been raised that patients are mistaking them for fully qualified doctors.

PAs have been under increased scrutiny following the death of Emily Chesterton in November 2022.

The 30-year-old had been under the impression that she was seeing a GP, but was actually seen twice by a PA who failed on both occasions to spot that her leg pain and breathlessness was a blood clot, which ultimately travelled to her lungs.

Emily Chesterton died from a pulmonary embolism after being misdiagnosed on two occasions by a physician associate (Handout/PA)

The BMA has previously called for a halt in any further recruitment of PAs while concerns highlighted by the union are addressed.

Earlier this week, the Royal College of GPs called for a pause of recruitment of PAs in general practice until they are regulated.

Prof Banfield will say: NHS England says MAPs (medical associate professionals) are not doctors, but propose no ceiling on their scope of practice.

How they can entertain both positions makes no sense.

And we keep seeing examples of PAs being called physicians or specialists.

This is not just misleading the public, it incites a criminal offence.

We will lobby for a return to the term assistant and not associate.

We will not back down in our call for a halt to any further recruitment of MAPs until the medical professions concerns are fully addressed.

Last week, the union highlighted how eight in 10 locum GPs are struggling to find work, despite increased patient need for services.

Referencing the poll, Prof Banfield will tell delegates: Nothing highlights this crisis more than finding that a shocking 84% of locum GPs in England are struggling to find work.

A third are being forced out of the NHS entirely.

Driven out by the cheapening of the medical workforce and the substitution of GPs with alternatives that superficially seem less expensive, but in reality cost lives.

To have highly qualified doctors turning to other jobs to earn a living, whilst GP practices cannot meet the demands placed on them, is simply bonkers.

Meanwhile he will call the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme  a 1.4 billion funding pot designed to boost GP practice staff including physician associates and pharmacists, but not GPs or practice nurses  a Trojan horse sent into the heart of general practice to replace and substitute doctors.

We will not stand idly by to let standards of healthcare be driven down, nor accept shortcuts being imposed at the expense of patient safety, Prof Banfield will say.

On whistleblowing concerns, a spokesman for NHS England said: It is completely unacceptable for any member of staff to feel silenced or unable to speak up about issues affecting them or patients, not only should everyone working in the NHS feel they can raise concerns but they must know that they will be acted on and that they will be treated fairly, this is vital for ensuring that the NHS learns from mistakes and provides the best possible care for patients.

Every NHS trust should be adopting the updated national freedom to speak up policy and NHS England has recently asked all local areas to urgently ensure staff have easy access to information on how they can raise concerns, including through having a dedicated freedom to speak up guardian in place.

If people feel disadvantaged as a result of speaking up, NHS England has ensured there is additional help available with a national scheme in place so staff can receive additional intensive support in these circumstances.

Earlier this month NHS England boss Amanda Pritchard told the NHSConfedExpo conference that the service will create a new code of practice for all managers and leaders.
Support for a united Ireland has not advanced one step in the quarter century since Northern Irelands peace agreement, the leader of the DUP has insisted.

However, Gavin Robinson said unionists could not be complacent about the maintenance of the Union, as he acknowledged the need to convince the growing number of non-aligned middle ground voters in Northern Ireland of the case for the constitutional status quo.

In a pre-election interview with the PA news agency, Mr Robinson also dismissed suggestions his party has recently performed a U-turn on its endorsement of the UK Government deal on post-Brexit trade barriers that in January persuaded the DUP to drop its two-year protest blockade on powersharing at Stormont and return to devolution.

Countering the accusations of flip-flopping levelled by political rivals, he argued that the DUP had never claimed the Governments Safeguarding the Union command paper had resolved all the issues around checks and restrictions on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson pictured in the East Belfast constituency (Niall Carson/PA)

He insisted he had been consistent in characterising the deal as having made some progress to address his partys concerns over trade and sovereignty, but that more work was still required on outstanding issues.

Mr Robinson found himself unexpectedly elevated to the party leadership, initially on an interim basis, when his predecessor Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stood down in March after being charged with historical sexual offences.

Donaldsons case is now before the courts, and he has indicated he will contest all 11 charges facing him.

The barrister-turned-politician, who is hoping to hold off a challenge from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long to retain his parliamentary seat in East Belfast, said being thrust into the leadership role in such circumstances had created a new dynamic in his professional and personal life.

In his interview with PA, Mr Robinson offered his view on the relative strength of the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland  given the turbulence created by Brexit and intensifying calls from within nationalism for a border poll.

Asked to predict what the future might be for Northern Ireland in 50 years time, he replied: I hope it will be at peace with itself. But I can guarantee you itll be part of the Union.

We can only look back over the last 25 years that despite the enthusiastic calls for a united Ireland from some, they havent grown the percentage share of nationalist support in Northern Ireland one bit in the last 25 years.

Sometimes they get a little bit of energy about what it is they have to say. But they can point to no tangible progress over the last 25 years at all. And theres a growing and a burgeoning community within Northern Ireland who want to proudly speak of this place, speak of Northern Ireland, talk of it proudly as their home, somewhere they are proud to be from and they recognise the benefits of Northern Ireland being part of the United Kingdom.

So, Im very confident about our position, not only as unionists within Northern Ireland, but for the United Kingdom as a whole and the four constituent parts.

Indeed, the biggest threat to the Union in the last number of years has not been in Northern Ireland. Its been outside of Northern Ireland. And yet that is settled, you can see support for independence in Scotland dissipating. And, so, I think theres a strong and positive future for the Union in 50 years and beyond.

He added: I dont think there is any complacency at all, theres always a danger if you were to take your eye off the ball, but thats not what we present.

I think theres obviously a difference between political unionism and those who are pro-Union, there is a difference with that. And theres a burgeoning centre that dont think every day about the constitutional question but are pleased and content to be in the Union, recognise that the Union works for them and though the last number of years have been politically fractious for a whole host of reasons, thats not our focus  our focus is about making sure that day and daily we can highlight the benefits of being in the United Kingdom and strengthen and grow these bonds.

His downplaying of any risk to the Union stands in contrast to one of the DUPs unionist rivals, the Traditional Unionist Voice party, which accuses both Donaldson and Mr Robinson of botching negotiations to remove post-Brexit barriers on internal UK trade. At his election manifesto launch on Friday, TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the Union had never been in a more perilous state as a consequence.

Mr Robinson railed against that sort of interpretation, and also rejected the narrative that he had performed a U-turn on endorsing the Government command paper.

Were not having to counter any narrative, were going forward in this election with a very strong pro-Union message, recognising not only the delivery weve achieved over the last five years, but the opportunity for Northern Ireland to be strongly represented at Westminster, and thats resonating with people on the doors, he said.

They recognise that over the last number of years weve not only been able to identify the problems associated with Northern Ireland Protocol, but provide solutions.

And they recognise that we have made progress continually over cycle after cycle, and that that work remains an active part of what we are engaged with, and what we will deliver in the next parliament coming forward.

He insisted voters were crediting the DUP for making progress on changing the contentious UK/EU agreements that govern post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland  the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor the Windsor Framework.

They recognise that whenever we were told we could achieve nothing on the Northern Ireland Protocol, we kept at it, he said.

Whenever we were told that the European Union wouldnt come back to the negotiating table, we kept at it and achievements we secured.

So, with the Windsor Framework (agreed in 2023), we said very clearly whilst there was progress, it wasnt sufficient to see restoration of devolution.

Gavin Robinson became DUP leader after the shock resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson following his arrest and charging on historical sexual offences (PA)

Back in January (with the Safeguarding the Union command paper), we recognised that we had more progress, and it was sufficient to see the return of devolution. And I think that has resonated well.

Asked about the prospect of a Labour government in London, and the potential for that to result in a closer UK relationship with the EU  something that may remove the requirement for some checks on GB to NI trade  Mr Robinson said he needed more detail on what might emerge.

Its very important to recognise that irrespective of the government in London, we have worked positively for the benefit of Northern Ireland, he said.

And so whilst weve had good relationships with the government that has been, we have good relationships with the opposition that has been, too.

And, if they are in government in the coming weeks, then well work with them positively for Northern Ireland, always looking at detail into what it is they wish to achieve and making sure that, irrespective of where they wish to bring this country, that it does not create, it does not strengthen, but it dilutes any of those barriers that were created as a result of the debates over the European Union in the last five years.

He added: Im somebody who always look at detail on this. Broad brush (comments on EU relations from Labour to date) and people are campaigning at the moment. Thats the poetry; we need to look at the prose.

And, so, if Labour form the next government, we will engage with them productively for the people of Northern Ireland, and study in detail and work with them collectively to our benefit here in Northern Ireland.
Blake Lively's stunning engagement ring boasts a 12-carat light pink diamond set on a diamond-pave band

Andrew Toth/FilmMagic Blake Lively attends "In America: An Anthology of Fashion," the 2022 Costume Institute Benefit on May 02, 2022 in New York City; Blake Lively, ring detail, at the Cinema Society screening of "Cafe Society" on July 13, 2016 in New York City

Blake Lively's pink diamond engagement ring from husband Ryan Reynolds is certainly something to swoon over.

The couple, who met while costarring in 2011's Green Lantern, surprised fans when they tied the knot during a secret wedding ceremony in September 2012. Since then, Lively has boasted a stunning pink engagement ring and rose gold wedding band  both designed by celebrity-loved jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.

Ryan chose Lorraine Schwartz to help him find a flawless, light pink oval diamond, a spokesperson for the jeweler told PEOPLE. They worked together to design a custom setting in rose gold and pave diamonds with a nod to deco.

Related: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively's Relationship Timeline

While the A Simple Favor actress and Deadpool star have remained tight-lipped about their engagement and wedding, Lively has given fans glimpses of her custom bauble over the years. In 2015, she even told British Vogue it was her "most treasured possession."

Here's everything to know about Blake Lively's engagement ring.



Reynolds worked with celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz to design Lively's engagement ring

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Blake Lively, ring detail, at the "Cafe Society" Photocall during The 69th Annual Cannes Film Festival on May 11, 2016

Livelys engagement ring comes from celebrity jeweler Lorraine Schwartz and features a large center stone supported by a band of small diamonds.

Schwartz is the mastermind behind several celebrity engagement rings including Beyonce's 18-carat emerald-cut engagement ring from Jay-Z and Kourtney Kardashian's oval-cut diamond bauble from Travis Barker.

Related: The Most Enormous Celebrity Engagement Rings of All Time

The ring features a large pink oval diamond

Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic Blake Lively, ring detail, at the People's Choice Awards 2017 on Jan. 18, 2017 in Los Angeles

The focal point of Lively's engagement ring is a shimmering 12-carat pink oval-cut diamond. Schwartz also designed Lively's rose gold wedding band, which features a series of delicate diamonds.

The engagement ring is estimated to be worth about $2 million.

She showed off her engagement ring for the first time in October 2012

Henry Lamb/Photowire/BEI/Shutterstock Blake Lively attends the Chanel Fine Jewelry 80th Anniversary of the 'Bijoux de Diamants' Collection on October 9, 2012.

One month after marrying Reynolds, Lively showed her engagement ring off for the first time on the red carpet. The It Ends With Us actress attended Chanel Fine Jewelrys celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the Bijoux De Diamants Collection in New York City in October 2012 wearing a silver and pink Chanel gown with Louboutin heels. Of course, her pink diamond was on full display, giving fans an up-close look at the engagement ring.

Lively has called her engagement ring her "most treasured possession"

Andrew Toth/FilmMagic Blake Lively's ring detail at the Cinema Society screening of "Cafe Society" on July 13, 2016 in New York City

In 2015, Lively told British Vogue that her engagement ring is the most cherished item she owns. My most treasured possession is my engagement ring by my dear friend Lorraine Schwartz, because of the love and meaning it symbolizes, she said. No, I didnt have any hand in its design  I married a gentleman.

Lively and Reynolds kept their engagement and wedding a secret

Gotham/GC Images Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds at 'Free Guy' premiere in 2021

Neither Lively nor Reynolds has publicly shared details about how their engagement unfolded, and the details of their wedding were similarly kept under wraps. However, fans quickly discovered that the couple had tied the knot at Boone Hall Plantation, located a few miles outside of downtown Charleston, S.C. on Sept. 9, 2012. (In 2020, Reynolds said he and Lively were deeply and unreservedly sorry for booking the controversial venue.)

The event featured a performance by Livelys good friend Florence Welch (of Florence and the Machine), a children's choir, a paper lantern sendoff over the river and a sour cream wedding cake with peach-apricot preserves.



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Democrats are looking to elevate a controversial candidate in the GOP primary for a House seat set to be vacated by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) in the hopes of flipping it in November.

A Democratic-aligned super PAC and Democratic candidate Adam Frischs campaign have aired ads in the GOP primary for Colorados 3rd Congressional District either touting hard-line Republican candidate Ron Hanks as too conservative and tying him to former President Trump, or raising scrutiny on the establishment-backed Jeff Hurd.

The moves come as Democrats see Hanks, an election denier, as the weaker of the candidates heading into November and their best chance at flipping a red seat.

Its no surprise that the Democrats desperately want Ron Hanks to be the nominee because he would be a certain loser to Adam Frisch. Theres no doubt in my mind, explained former state GOP Chair Dick Wadhams.

Hurd, Hanks and Colorado State Board of Education member Stephen Varela are considered the leading candidates among a handful of contenders vying for the Republican nomination in the western Colorado congressional district. Theyre running for the seat since Boebert opted to run in a different district this cycle.

Rocky Mountain Values PAC, a liberal group, started airing advertisements last month using clips of Hanks speaking about his position on immigration, with the narrator in the ad at one point saying that Ron Hanks and Donald Trump are just too conservative. The ad also notes that both candidates were endorsed by the Colorado GOP.

Meanwhile, Frischs campaign more recently aired an ad about Hurd, claiming the candidate was hiding, ducking Republican debates and declining to say where he stood on several issues such as abortion, the Second Amendment and whom he voted for in the last few election cycles.

The strategy is apparently to elevate Hanks in the primary and make him sound like the more appealing conservative candidate while hurting Hurds chances. Democrats hope that Hankss controversial stances on issues like the 2020 election, which he maintains was stolen, will turn off moderate Republicans and unaffiliated voters in November.

That has prompted Congressional Leadership Fund (CLF), a House GOP leadership-aligned super PAC, to air a last-minute ad of their own hitting Hanks.

Why are liberals supporting Ron Hanks? They know they can count on him, says the narrator of the 30-second ad, referring to the Democratic-aligned super PAC ads. The ad claims Hanks had an anti-gun agenda and abandoned Trump.

Its an approach Democrats have used in the past, both in Colorado and in other parts of the country. Democrats sought to elevate Hanks during the Colorado Senate GOP primary in 2022, when he was running against mainstream candidate Joe ODea.

ODea ultimately won the GOP primary, later losing to Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) in the general election. However, Hanks notably won the 3rd Congressional District during the primary.

Zack Roday, a partner at Ascent who managed ODeas Senate campaign, said the tactic forced them to change their advertising in the home stretch of the GOP primary.

This is the only play for CLF and others, Roday said.

With Joe ODea in 2022, we upped our spend, and we went instead of, unfortunately, a full contrast with Michael Bennet in the closing days of the June primary, we had to go on a contrast with Ron Hanks, he added.

Republicans have argued that its hypocritical for the Democratic Party to brand itself as pro-Democracy while elevating someone who contests the 2020 election results and attended the Trump rally in Washington, D.C., on the day of the Capitol riot.

Still, some members of the GOP have differing thoughts on whether it could jeopardize the seat for them in November.

I think its a really dirty tactic, said Jon Kelly, Pitkin County GOP chair. I think it really undermines any of the claims that Democrats have  when Democrats claim that certain candidates are extreme.

Pueblo County GOP Chair Michelle Gray, who like other GOP county chairs is remaining neutral in the primary, expressed concern that Democrats involvement in the Republican primary could hurt the GOPs chances of keeping the seat in November.

If a voter here in Pueblo had a candidate in mind, and then theyre changing their mind based on these Democrat flyers that are coming out, yes  I do believe that it can affect the outcome of the race, she said.

Both the super PAC and Frischs campaign have defended intervening in the Republican primary.

Amber Miller, a spokesperson for the Rocky Mountain Values PAC, said the super PAC got involved this cycle to set the record straight about Republicans choices in the district.

Rocky Mountain Values PAC is run by Coloradans, who are very focused on defeating extreme Colorado Republicans, right, and ensuring voters in [the 3rd Congressional District] know the truth about who the two leading Republican candidates are for this open congressional seat, she said.

She noted it was important for them to broadcast where candidates stood on issues or if they declined to say.

Frischs campaign, meanwhile, explained that they got involved in the Republican primary as a way to combat attacks Frisch was receiving from both candidates.

There are two Republican candidates who can win the Republican Primary, said Frisch campaign manager Camilo Vilaseca in a statement. Ron Hanks is endorsed by the Republican Party and too extreme. Jeff Hurd is funded by corporate out-of-state interests, yet he continues to hide what he believes. Im tired of watching Adam take shots from both of them. As far as Im concerned, the general election has started.

Vilaseca said the ads demonstrate why both GOP candidates are the wrong choice for Colorados 3rd District.

Regardless of Tuesdays outcome, its crucial for CD-3 voters to know who they are voting for, she added.

The congressional district, which includes the Western Slope and almost half of the state, has voted for Republicans in more recent years. Before that, it swung between Democrats and Republicans. Trump won the district in 2020 by 8 points.

Though the seat is favorable to Republicans, the party cant take it for granted. The nonpartisan election handicapper Cook Political Report rates the seat lean Republican.

Asked about some of the accusations in the super PAC ad regarding his debate attendance and his hedging on issues, Hurd argued that the fact that [Democrats are] engaged in the primary, and theyre repeating some of the talking points that other Republicans in the primary are raising, just goes to show that theyre nervous about me in the general election.

Im the one that had the political courage to enter the race when the odds seemed long, he added. And so I dont really take a lot of credence from other competitors telling me what events I should be at and what events I shouldnt be at, given that there are dozens and dozens of events that I attended well before they got in the race.

Valera, the Colorado State Board of Education member, also criticized the Democratic interference, explaining he left the Democratic Party before becoming a Republican because of a lot of these kind of dirty tactics and dirty politics.

Hanks suggested he didnt have a problem with Rocky Mountain Values airing ads on his behalf.

Im glad theyre not lying about me. Now, the Republicans, on the other hand, are lying about me. Isnt that an ironic turn? Hanks said, alluding to the CLF ad.

Hanks brushed off Republican concern over his candidacy. He affirmed he had attended the Washington, D.C., rally on Jan. 6, 2021, and didnt believe President Biden had won the last election.

With little public polling done in the race, its unclear how much the ads will impact either candidate. Some Republicans like Dolores County GOP Chair John Funk say they dont see a problem with the act, saying its protected by the First Amendment.

But Funk worries voters may not be savvy enough to understand the ads.

The concern is that it  that we have an electorate that doesnt know the facts, Funk said.

Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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NEW YORK  Coney Island is always a spectacle. And then there's the Mermaid Parade every June, a day when self-described Coney Island freaks set the bar for the rest of the year's whimsy and imagination.

Its the day where all the weirdos show up to try to impress all the other weirdos, said Joe Hobaica, 56, who hasnt missed a Mermaid Parade since 1989.

Despite a heat advisory that remains in effect through Sunday, more than 200,000 people converged on a slightly overcast Coney Island peninsula in southern Brooklyn on Saturday, according to parade officials. Families, teenagers and longtime New Yorkers said they were there to kick off summer and celebrate ocean life.

"Life is too serious," said Marta Berk, 38, who dressed up as a mermaid with sparkly rhinestones on her face and a bright pink wig.

Bambi the Mermaid, Queen of Coney Island, right, marches in the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

The history behind the parade, which has been happening since 1983, also fills it with spiritual importance for many. The most serious and dedicated mermaids in attendance plan their extravagant costumes in line with a certain annual theme and look ahead to the parade as a time to express themselves to the fullest.

This is our high holy day, and we've taken it up many notches," said the parade's Mermaid Queen for 2024, Whitney Ward, who hasn't missed the event for the past 30 years. Even though the parade just goes on for this one day, it literally consumes our entire year," said Ward, 60, explaining how designers work on her costumes for months.

Hundreds of thousands transported under the sea

The enormous size of the parade means its the best day of the year to see the greatest number of people decked out in quirky, shocking costumes, and be celebrated for it. Iridescent fish scales, fantastical monster puppets and imaginary underwater creatures come to life on Coney Islands Surf Avenue, making attendees feel like theyre in an ocean dreamscape, far away from reality.

A man dressed in an underwater and outer space themed costume marches in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

Steve Henry, 28, said he came to the parade to celebrate the Earth's oceans and all the life they contain.

"It makes up most of the planet, it's most of the life on earth, and this is the only thing I can think of that really celebrates that," said Henry, who traveled from Sussex County, New Jersey, to attend the parade with a group decked out in lobster suits.

Kristen Henry, 28, center, watches the Coney Island Mermaid Parade with a group of friends dressed in lobster costumes on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

His twin sister Kristen Henry attended the parade for the fourth time because it always makes her feel like she's in an episode of "SpongeBob SquarePants," she said.

"It's just better to be among beautiful people like this, like a school of fish," said Henry, 28, who traveled from Dover, New Jersey. "Every person should go at least once, whether you dress up or not."

A woman dressed in an underwater and outer space themed costume marches in the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

Michele Soto, 54, a hospital clerk who lives in Brooklyn's Sunset Park neighborhood, said she returned for her seventh parade to see all the pretty costumes and happy people.

"Everybody puts a lot of effort into it, it's fun, it's a nice environment," said Soto from beneath a bright green parasol, decked out in a mermaid costume accented by seashell and sand dollar jewelry.

Yuli Franklin, with her daughter Olivia Coger, aged 7 months, walk the boardwalk during the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

Mermaid Parade celebrates Coney Island history

Coney Island has been a seaside resort for nearly two centuries, and many cultural touchstones Americans may take for granted  like fast food and roller coasters  have their roots in the amusement district, said Adam Rinn, the Artistic Director for Coney Island USA, the nonprofit that runs Coney Island's public events.

Coney Island was always the home of spectacle, it was the birthplace of American popular culture," Rinn, 52, said.

Parade marchers hold a banner during the Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

In addition to the parade, Coney Island is known for its Sideshow, where performers like fire-breathers and sword eaters have been making audiences gasp for about the past 100 years. Burlesque dance performances are an "institution" at Coney Island, said Aurora North, who was crowned Miss Coney Island in September 2023 and marched Saturday as part of the parade's outer-space-themed celestial court surrounding the king and queen.

"All the freaks came here," North, 35, said. "Coney Island is a home and a refuge for the weird; it's really the island of misfit toys."

People in costume take part in the 42nd annual Mermaid Parade at Coney Island on June 22, 2024. The parade is Coney Island's way to mark the unofficial start to Summer.

The Mermaid Parade has been going on for more than 40 years, making it just as much a part of Coney Island's history as many other well-known landmarks, like the Cyclone Roller Coaster and Nathan's hot dogs, Rinn said. For years, the event has been the largest art parade in the country, according to Coney Island USA.

"The parade continues the tradition of keeping Coney Island this fun, spectacle of a place," Rinn said.

People dressed as mermaids prepare to take part in the annual Coney Island Mermaid Parade on June 22, 2024 in New York City.

Attendees like Kristen Henry said they plan to keep coming back every year, and the "Coney Island stew" of sea creatures will forever keep the weirdness going, said Ward, explaining how the parade brings people together over this huge love for Coney and the beach and for New York."

"You realize you're part of something bigger," Ward said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What is the Coney Island Mermaid Parade? Weird.




An upset woman at the airport sitting near a window next to her suitcase.

Image source: Getty Images

As scam techniques evolve, more people are falling victim. If you travel, it's especially wise to be alert to the latest travel scams to protect your personal information and finances.

A sneaky airline customer support scam continues to impact flyers like you. As we head into the busy summer travel season, you may find yourself in a situation where you're at risk for this scam. Here's what you need to know about the scam so you can protect yourself.

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Beware of fake airline customer support numbers

What do most of us do when we need to find the answer to a question quickly? We perform a Google search. But make sure you're clicking on legitimate website links when looking for information -- especially if you're in a hurry. Don't assume the information you see after searching on Google is accurate, because it could lead to a scam.

A particular airline customer service scam is still impacting travelers. Travelers dealing with flight changes and delays are unknowingly contacting fake airline customer support lines.

After receiving email alerts about a flight delay, change, or cancellation, or finding out about last-minute changes at the airport, some flyers contact their airline's customer service line in hopes of booking an alternate flight.

But instead of checking the phone number in their airline's mobile app or on the airline's website, they quickly search Google for the phone number.

Online scammers are sharing fake numbers online in hopes of tricking travelers into calling the wrong number. If you contact a fake customer service number like this, you may be tricked into providing payment information to book a new flight or make changes to your existing itinerary.

Unfortunately, if the scammer is successful, they'll have access to your credit card information and can charge your card. Since you're dealing with a scammer and not a legitimate airline employee, you'll lose money without solving your flight issue.

Here's how to stay safe when contacting airline support

It's best to deal with official channels when seeking airline customer support. What's the best way to do that? Here are some options:

Send a message within the airline app: If your airline offers message or chat support, you can get help by sending a message within the official airline mobile app. Doing this is a great way to get customer support while on the go.

Find an airline employee at the airport: If you need help while at the airport, go to the nearest gate for your airline to find an employee. They can help or direct you to someone who can help you with your flight change needs.

Verify the customer support number on the airline's website or app: Before calling the airline's customer service line, verify that the number you'll be calling is accurate. You can find the right number on the airline's website or mobile app.

Be on alert for travel scams

Sadly, travel scams are on the rise. It's important to be alert, and if something feels off, trust your gut. If you're asked to provide payment or other personal information when making a flight change after your flight has been canceled or changed, it's likely a scam.

Most airlines will rebook your flight free of charge if they cancel it. If you're on a call that feels suspicious, hang up immediately and find an alternate way to contact the airline for help. You don't want to end up with a fraudulent charge on your travel credit card statement.

If you ever fall victim to a fraud like this, contact your credit card company as soon as possible to report the fraud. It will cancel your credit card and issue a new one, so your card number is no longer compromised.

It will also investigate, and if the charge is found to be fraudulent, it will issue a refund to your credit card account. Staying alert to travel scams like this can help you avoid added stress while traveling.

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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.Suzanne Frey, an executive at Alphabet, is a member of The Motley Fools board of directors. Natasha Gabrielle has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Alphabet. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Incredible: Elon Musk claims there are far more smart, hardworking people in China than in the US  2 easy ways to invest in the Asian giant

The U.S. has long held the title of the world's leading economic powerhouse, boasting the highest GDP both overall and per capita.

However, China's rapid ascent is reshaping the global economic landscape. According to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this formidable economic power from the east possesses a distinct advantage over the U.S.

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The sheer number of really smart, hardworking people in China is incredible, Musk said during a 2023 interview with podcaster Lex Fridman. How many smart, hardworking people are there in China? Theres far more of them there than there are here, I think, in my opinion, and theyve got a lot of energy.

The tech billionaire highlighted the countrys infrastructural development.

The architecture in China thats in recent years is far more impressive than the U.S. I mean the train stations, the buildings, the high-speed rail, everything, its really far more impressive than what we have in the U.S., he noted. I recommend somebody just go to Shanghai and Beijing, look at the buildings, and go take the train from Beijing to XiAn, where you have the terracotta warriors.

Over the past few decades, China has embarked on numerous ambitious projects, including the construction of the world's largest high-speed rail network, extensive modern highways, and countless bridges, including some of the longest in the world.

If Musk is right and China has a uniquely strong and dynamic workforce driving its economy, the country could present unique investment opportunities.

Unfortunately, the Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index is less than 1% higher so far this year. According to a Reuters article from April, the stock market has struggled because the economic recovery remains bumpy and uneven, the real estate sector is in a prolonged downturn, pension and endowment funds in the U.S. and its allies have cut Chinas exposure to avoid political risks and there's been a regulatory crackdown on the tech sector.

Heres a look at two easy ways to tap into this growing market.

Invest in Chinese stocks

One of the most direct ways to capitalize on China's economic growth is through investing in Chinese companies. China's stock market, which includes major exchanges in Shanghai and Shenzhen, offers a wide array of opportunities in sectors such as technology, consumer goods, and renewable energy.

While there are complexities involved in international investing, quite a few Chinese companies are listed on American exchanges through American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), which allow U.S. investors to buy shares in foreign companies relatively easily.

For instance, investors can consider stocks like Alibaba (BABA), a dominant force in Chinese e-commerce, and Baidu (BIDU), the leading search engine provider in China.

Read more: You didnt want to risk it: 80-year-old woman from South Carolina is looking for the safest place for her familys $250,000 savings. Dave Ramsey responds

Invest in Chinese ETFs

If you dont want to pick individual companies, another effective strategy for capitalizing on China's economic growth is through investing in exchange-traded funds. ETFs offer a more diversified approach than individual stocks because they hold a wide range of assets, reducing the risk associated with the performance of any single company.

These days, there are many ETFs that provide U.S. investors access to China  you can even choose whether you want exposure to the entire market or specific industries within China's expansive economy. Some popular names include the iShares China Large-Cap ETF (FXI), which focuses on large Chinese companies, and the KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (KWEB), which targets China's fast-growing internet sector.

When considering investment in ETFs, it's important to be mindful of the associated fees. ETFs typically charge management fees and other expenses in exchange for managing the fund, and these costs can vary widely between funds. These fees can impact the overall return on your investment, making it essential to understand and consider them before committing your capital.

Risks

Keep in mind that although investing in Chinese companies through ADRs is convenient, it's been difficult for American investors to assess the true financial health and performance of Chinese companies.

The good news is the China Securities Regulatory Commission (CSRC) announced a series of measures to step up supervision of listed companies and vet initial public offering (IPO) applications. The regulator said it would crack down on securities fraud as well as accounting manipulation, reported Reuters

Investors should also be aware of risks associated with regulatory shifts, market volatility, and changes in U.S.-China relations, all of which could impact these investments.

Investors should be aware of these factors and may want to consult with a financial adviser to ensure these investments align with their overall financial goals and risk tolerance.

What to read next

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
In July 1999, during Cincinnatis worst heat wave in recent history, paramedics rushed a man to the hospital after a neighbor found him unresponsive in an attic apartment that had no air conditioning.

It was too late. Doctors declared him dead at the hospital, with a body temperature of 108 degrees. The coroner attributed the cause of death to a brain injury caused by heatstroke.

The Cincinnati man died where most people do during heat waves: his own home.

In the quarter century since his death, thousands more across the United States have suffered similar fates during heat waves like the one now smothering large swaths of the nation. These are preventable deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, yet they continue to happen because those most at risk often are unable to get the help they need.

Almost half the 3,142 people who died from heat-related ailments in the past 20 years died at home, according to an analysis of National Weather Service data by the Cincinnati Enquirer, part of the USA TODAY Network. Many people who die in heat waves lack air conditioning or have health problems that can turn deadly in extreme heat.

When the weather gets this extreme, there's a definite risk, said Tasha Turner-Bicknell, a nurse and associate professor at the University of Cincinnati College of Nursing.

Heres what the numbers tell us about heat-related deaths in the U.S.  and whos most susceptible to them.

Most people die of heat inside homes but deaths at outside locations have surged

Unhoused people are especially vulnerable to heat-related deaths, due to their health issues and limited access to cooling centers. And in the past few years, the analysis found, there has been a surge overall in the number of people dying outdoors during heat waves.

But over the past two decades, 45% of people who died at a known location died in their homes, making it the most common location for heat-related deaths.

Outside locations, such as a camp ground or a ball field, were the second most common, making up 41% of deaths. Deaths in cars or other vehicles were next, at 12%, and mobile homes were 2.5%.

Why do people die so often in their own homes? Lack of air conditioning is a factor, said Turner-Bicknell.

Most of us take for granted that we live and work in air-conditioned environments, she said. "But we have a lot of members of our community that do not have air conditioning.

Social isolation may also play a role in heat-related deaths because those living alone may not have anyone checking on them. A study in Rome found a program aimed at decreasing social isolation among people over age 80 was linked to a lower number of deaths during the summer.

Social isolation can be especially dangerous for those with disabilities or mobility-restrictions, according to Turner-Bicknell, who rely on others to leave their homes.

Maybe they use a walker or a cane or a wheelchair, and maybe their caregivers are not available," she said. "They might be unable to get out of their house without assistance.

Burned out? Experts say extreme heat causes irritation, stress, worsens mental health

Number of heat deaths may be underestimated

According to the CDC, hotter temperatures raise the risk of heat exhaustion, dehydration, and breathing problems, and those with disabilities and chronic health conditions are especially vulnerable.

Other risk factors for heat-related death or injury include being low-income, being under 5 or over 65 years old.

Heat death rates also vary by race: non-Hispanic Native Americans had the highest rate of heat-related deaths in the country, followed by non-Hispanic Black Americans.

Though scientists say most heat-related deaths are preventable, they also caution that the true impact of heat on Americans' health may be underestimated. They say that's because other causes of death, such as cardiac arrest and stroke, often are not attributed to heat unless it obviously was a factor.

The CDC, for example, estimates the number of heat-related deaths over the past 20 years was over 10,500, more than three times higher than the National Weather Service estimates. And some scientists put the number much higher than that.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Heat waves in the US kill more people indoors than anywhere else
It is ironic that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was extolling the virtues of Asias oldest centre of higher learning at Nalanda in Bihar in the same week when a controversy around the national testing of the educational attainments of students was engaging nationwide attention. Nalanda University did not become world famous overnight. It took long years of scholarship of learned men and women for the institution to earn its reputation.

Learned men from different cities who desire to acquire renown in discussion, come here in multitudes to settle their doubts, and then the streams of their wisdom spread far and wide, wrote the Chinese Buddhist monk Hieun Tsang after his mid-7th century visit. By then Nalanda was already at least a 100-year-old institution, if not more. How many Indian universities set up in the 20th century have been able to protect their reputation into the 21st? Nalanda is a question and a reminder.

The Indian civilisation, with all its faults and inequalities, was a knowledge-based civilisation, like any other great civilisation. It respected scholarship and the flights of imagination. On his visit last week to the Nalanda University campus, Prime Minister Narendra Modi lamented its destruction. The point is moot that the person responsible for Nalandas destruction was a Muslim invader. In the same week, a movie aimed at damaging the already blemished reputation of contemporary Indias best-ranked university was released in cinema halls. Titled Jahangir National University, the movie has been pitched as an attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University, a public university that the Union education ministrys own ranking places it at the top of Indian universities.

Of what use is the lament of past tragedies when new ones occur every day and we learn so little from the experience of the past? There is, however, no point in engaging in the usual political blame game. No political party, no PM, no CM, no minister for education at the Centre or in the states can be absolved of the responsibility for the sorry state of public universities today. Nor, indeed, can they be pardoned for presiding over the extensive privatisation of education at all levels.

None other than the political, business and intellectual elite of the country have demonstrated their lack of pride in the countrys educational system. Just look at how many of them take pride in the fact that their children have studied or are studying overseas.

Till a couple of decades ago, most students going overseas went for post-graduate education. Today they also do for under-graduate and even high school education. The Covid-19 lockdown and suspension of cross-border travel brought the extent of such elite dependence on overseas education to the fore. Some attribute the rise in numbers to the growing prosperity of the Indian middle class. Perhaps so.

However, what is striking is that even as more Indian students go overseas, fewer foreign students are coming to India.

According to data collected by the ministry of external affairs, the number of Indian students studying overseas was estimated to be 13,24,954 in 2022. This does not include the 20,000 students forced to return home that year from Ukraine after the outbreak of war with Russia. The MEA data also probably underestimates the number of Indian students studying in China, at 6,000, since many who returned home after the Covid-19 outbreak did not go back. Given news reports of increasing numbers of Indian students going overseas in the past year, one can safely presume that the number in 2024 would be upwards of 14 lakhs.

By comparison, the number of foreign students studying in India was estimated to be 46,878 in 2022, according to the All-India Survey on Higher Education conducted by the Union ministry for human resources development. While most Indian students going overseas are concentrated in the United States, Canada, Australia and the UAE, most foreign students in India are nationals of Nepal and Afghanistan.

Most foreign students studying in India are concentrated in four states: Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Delhi.

There was a time when Indian universities attracted many students from Africa. The numbers have dwindled with many Africans headed to China. In 2019, before Covid-19, over 80,000 African students were studying in China compared to 25,000 in India. There may be any number of reasons why foreign students do not prefer Indian universities over campuses in China or elsewhere. We must reckon with the fact that we are not considered to be an attractive destination by comparison to others.

There was a time when Western governments did not recognise Indian degrees. A medical graduate had to pass an examination administered overseas to be able to study and work abroad. The IITs succeeded in building a global reputation that enabled its products to secure easy admission into American universities. The same political system, under different political parties, that destroyed the credibility of public universities also allowed the growth of private institutions. These private institutions were able to cater to the elites and the wealthy, who then secured access to education and employment at home and overseas. As long as the two lived in non-intersecting worlds, few bothered about it. The Neet and NET scandal shows that when the two worlds began to intersect, the system unravelled.

As long as different parts of India performed differently, the system was able to pull on. Large numbers of good students from backward states migrated to states that had a better system of education or where education could be bought with money. But then, it is easy to destroy the reputation of institutions that have been slowly and studiously built over the years. The Neet and NET controversy may have already damaged the reputation of the best Indian institutions if it is discovered that the recently exposed lapses have been long in occurring.

There were good reasons why the architects of our Constitution kept certain areas of public policy within the realm of state governments and a few on the concurrent list. The federal structure was built with care. Recent attempts to weaken this structure have partly contributed to controversies such as the present one in the sphere of education. We are paying the price for over-centralisation.
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The first high-level dialogue under the China-Germany dialogue and cooperation mechanism on climate change and green transition was held in Beijing on Saturday.

Several key outcomes were announced following the dialogue. The two sides will initiate provincial-level cooperation on green transition and establish a working group on industrial carbon reduction.

The two countries will also collaborate on demonstration projects to enhance energy efficiency in key sectors, according to a statement released by China's National Development and Reform Commission.

China expressed readiness to further enhance cooperation with Germany on energy efficiency, the circular economy, industrial carbon reduction and energy transition during the dialogue.

Germany is willing to explore further collaboration with China in areas such as renewable energy, smart grid development, and the production of zero-carbon and low-carbon products, according to the statement.
23 June 2024 08:30 (UTC+04:00)

Elnur Enveroglu Read more

The Russian-Ukrainian war has already completed its 849th day, but this war was not only a confrontation between two sides but also deepened the intercontinental conflict. We are talking about the century-old US-Russia cold war. It even literally indicates the blowing wind of nuclear war.

Yesterday, the harsh response of the Russian Foreign Ministry to the United States captured many headlines. Thus, Washington, which tried to oppress Russian diplomats, and moreover, the decision to close Russian visas in the USA, caused considerable anger in Moscow. However, in response, Moscow stated in a strict form that it would take adequate measures against the United States.

But the question is - what made the United States behave in this way towards Russia?

Of course, any emerging tensions centre on the ongoing Ukraine issue. However, yesterday Deputy Chairman of the Security Council of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev's harsh and conservative speech against the United States caused a reaction from the other side.

A staunch supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin has escalated Moscow's aggressive stance towards the United States with a stark caution.

Medvedev called the US side "nits" and threatened them for their continued military support to Ukraine. "They should trembled and shake for what they do," a Russian diplomat said in a statement.

In addition, Medvedev threatened the other side with his countrys menacing nuclear potential. He said that Moscow's nuclear arsenal will not be withdrawn until America's support to Kiev stops. Russia, which is confident in its nuclear power, has already tried to express that it is quite serious about this issue and is ready to give a tougher response to the other party.

Will the US step back?

If we look at the policy of the United States of America, we can observe that it uses more proxy powers. This means that the US does not go directly to war, and this is quite far from its policy. But how long will Ukraine, which has already suffered considerable damage from the war, arm itself against Russia? This question has already become an abstraction that could change the final decision for Moscow. Moscow has already targeted several NATO bases in the Black Sea and Eastern Europe. So, in the conflict, both Eastern Europe, Ukraine, and the live forces of the United States are under threat. Ultimately, either Ukraine must be surrendered by the United States, or the United States must take measures to defend itself against Moscow's wrath.

The impact of the Russia-NATO conflict on the surrounding regions

The Moscow-Washington misunderstanding poses serious threats to the surrounding regions rather than both countries. For example, the most important of them are European countries. Because the first target of the nuclear attack, which Russia often mentions, is the Eastern European border countries, which the USA uses as a buffer zone. The second tension is related to the Black Sea. This is one of the seas that many countries consider strategic in terms of its economic sustenance. If Russia wants to neutralize NATO forces in the Black Sea, the surrounding countries may also be affected by this tension. Therefore, as a result of the clash of two superpowers, it is inevitable that some tension will be felt in the surrounding regions.

---

Elnur Enveroglu is AzerNews deputy editor-in-chief, follow him on @ElnurMammadli1

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 June 2024 14:40 (UTC+04:00)

By Farman Aydin

French President Emmanuel Macron's rating has dropped significantly after the elections. As the saying goes, "A true friendship is tested in bad times".

Thus, during the election campaign, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is increasingly distancing himself from the country's president as he lost to center-right wings in the recent elections.

Citing "Les Echoes", a French publication, Azernews reports that the material says last week Attal presented himself as an independent Prime Minister and at the end of this week he prepared a program calling on the French people to elect the next head of government.

"On January 9, the president appointed me, and on June 30, I would like the French to elect me," said Gabriel Attal, noting his differences with Emmanuel Macron in this legislative campaign, demonstrating his independence with small but increasingly visible steps. Last Saturday, on "France 2", he presented himself as an independent Prime Minister. Alone on stage. As the sole leader of the campaign. Most video clips do not contain a single image of Emmanuel Macron. Nor is it available in the legislative program. At the beginning of the book, there is a portrait of Gabriel Attal under the slogan "Together for the Republic". The back cover has its first 100 days.. the material stated.

The publication said that the Prime Minister of France announced that he would put forward an alternative to the economic reforms planned during the Macron era. Earlier, Attal said in an interview with "Le Parisien" newspaper: "The only question is who will become the Prime Minister and who will win the majority in the parliament."

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 June 2024 15:02 (UTC+04:00)

The proposal to create a bilateral mechanism to reduce tension on the Armenian-Azerbaijani border and eliminate ceasefire violations should be welcomed.

According to Azernews, these words were written by Toivo Klaar, the special representative of the European Union (EU) for the South Caucasus, in his post on "X".

The EU official says that the monitoring mission of the EU in Georgia has been operating for almost 15 years and is ready to share its experience.

The proposal of to establish a bilateral mechanism to address alleged ceasefire violations on the -border to reduce tensions is to be welcomed. The has for 15 years through @EUMMGeorgia helped organise similar meetings in  and is ready to share its experiences.  Toivo Klaar (@ToivoKlaar) June 23, 2024

It should be noted that the ceasefire regime has been regularly violated by the Armenian armed forces in recent days.

On June 22, at 13:00, the Azerbaijani Army positions located in the direction of Mollabayramli settlement of Kalbajar district were fired again from the positions of the Armenian armed forces in the opposite direction.

Adequate response measures were taken by the units of the Azerbaijan Army located in the mentioned direction.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 June 2024 14:06 (UTC+04:00)

Fatima Latifova Read more

The Azerbaijani Ambassador to Ukraine, Seymur Mardaliyev, met with representatives of our country's diaspora in Odesa, Azernews reports.

The meeting held at "Azerbaijan House" is to get acquainted with the activities of diaspora organizations in the region, to discuss the problems they face, and to define future goals.

Emphasizing the importance of joint action for the protection of Azerbaijan's national interests, Ambassador S. Mardaliyev said: "Today, you are proud as diaspora activists of the victorious country. Under the leadership of the victorious Commander-in-Chief Ilham Aliyev, our heroic Army restored the territorial integrity of Azerbaijan. Our compatriots living in Odesa should also establish their activities in response to new challenges.

As in all countries, members of the diaspora in Ukraine have always felt the support of the Azerbaijani state. Despite the war conditions, our compatriots living in Odessa continue their activities."

Then the speeches and proposals of diaspora representatives were heard. At the end of the discussions, the ambassador said that the voiced proposals and recommendations will be delivered to the relevant institutions, and necessary decisions will be made.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 June 2024 15:35 (UTC+04:00)

Ulviyya Shahin Read more

In the 2023-2025 Action Plan for the implementation of the "Strategy for the Development of Civil Service in the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2019-2025", the main goals for ensuring the continuous professional development of civil servants and the medium and long-term multifaceted, consistent, phased measures to achieve these goals have been determined. To ensure the continuous professional development of civil servants, in accordance with those action plans, the interest of state bodies in this field should be increased, the activities of the educational centers of state bodies should be improved and coordinated, a professional and continuous training system that comprehensively meets the training needs (training needs) of civil servants and meets modern requirements should be formed.

According to Azernews, this was stated by the Chair of the State Students Admission Commission of Azerbaijan, Maleyka Abbaszade.

The Chair of the State Students Admission Commission said that the training of civil servants should become a purposeful and systematic process of acquiring and improving the knowledge, skills, experience, and competencies necessary for working in the civil service, carried out in accordance with the needs of state bodies and the interests of civil servants.

M. Abbaszade pointed out that determining the training needs (training needs) of civil servants, more effective organization of training, systematic and coordinated conduct, evaluation of training results, activities of training-educational centers subordinated to state bodies (institutions), scientific and educational institutions "Unified electronic management system of training of civil servants" was created by the Center.

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Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
23 June 2024 20:23 (UTC+04:00)

Against the background of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement signed between Russia and North Korea, the European Union (EU) plans to strengthen defense cooperation with South Korea and Japan.

The Japanese "Nikkei" newspaper published information about this with reference to sources.

According to the publication, an agreement between the EU and the countries can be concluded at the ministerial level by the end of this year.

The agreement will allow the defense industry to jointly develop products and expand the procurement geography. The EU is also considering cooperation in space, cyber security, countering disinformation and other areas. A separate partnership plan with Japan includes nuclear security and disarmament.

---

Follow us on Twitter @AzerNewsAz
In September 2023, Biden's Department of Homeland Security (DHS) formed a "DHS Intelligence Experts Group" to advise on domestic terrorism and extremism. Because the composition of the group was highly partisan, lacked appropriate authority or public input, a lawsuit was filed against them by former Ambassador Rick Grenell and investigations were begun in the US Congress. Confronted with both the Congressional investigation and the lawsuit, the Biden regime disbanded the Group in May 2024.

Now some of the documents from the group that were obtained in the lawsuit are being made public and the direction this group was headed was frightening. Essentially they were trying to project their political opponents as terrorists and extremists. There was no discussion of actual terrorists like ANTIFA. This group was focused on identifying people as extremists and domestic terrorists based on three criteria, being religious, being ex-military, or being a Trump supporter.

But when one looks at who headed this committee, this is somehow not surprising. One co-leader was John Brennan, an admitted former communist sympathizer who also admitted voting for pro-Soviet stooge Gus Hall on the American Communist Party ticket for president of the United States over Jimmy Carter or Gerald Ford in 1976. The other co-leader was James Clapper who had to resign in disgrace from his intelligence post after being caught lying to Congress while under oath over collecting intelligence on millions of Americans that he should not have. Brennan, Clapper, and a number of other members of the Group were signers of the bogus letter on the Hunter Biden laptop claiming it was "Russian disinformation".

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/dhs-intelligence-experts-group-classified-military-service-religion-trump-support

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2024/06/chilling-biden-regime-declares-trump-supporters-domestic-terror/

There certainly seems to be a distain for democracy and a tendency to favor a police state within the Biden regime.
Now that Kamala Harris has been coronated the Democratic Socialist designee for nomination as their candidate for President of these United States, after that political party's contrived primary process "democratically" elected Joseph R. Biden: What are your feelings about this party's progressive posture within their self-styled exercise of "Saving Democracy for America," and how truly critical the outcome of this presidential election will be?

8.7% I am ecstatic that this "Democracy's" First partially Black, First partially Indian, First female Co-Parent, and this nation's primary necessity is to her elect our First woman president.26.09% I really do not care about all these "Firsts." I will continue to pray, and work for this Representative Republic to elect someone competent, and brilliantly patriotic to be our next president.65.22% I will never vote for any politician that "first" does not have the core values to understand how dire this Constitutional Republic's situation has become.
By Rev. Mark Creech

Christian Action League

June 21, 2024

The study of the fall of civilizations is believed to be a complex phenomenon considered by sociologists, historians, archaeologists, and other academics using a variety of theories and methodologies. These academics study economic, political, social, environmental, external, cyclical, and technological dynamics. By examining these various factors, scholars aim to understand the multifaceted processes that lead to the fall of civilizations. However, the Bible gives a much simpler answer for the reason cultures fail and end up on the ash heap of history.

Understanding the Fall of Civilizations

In his book, Idols of Destruction, Dr. Herbert Schlossberg contends:

In place of these analogies [by academics] the biblical explanation of the end of societies uses the concept of judgment. It depicts them [civilizations] as either having submitted themselves to God or else having rebelled against him[T]he Old Testament portrays Israel as having become an evil nation, fully deserving the judgment God meted to it. Its rebellion against God was accompanied by a turning to idols, and this idolatry brought the nation to its end. With silver and gold, said the prophet Hosea, they made idols for their own destruction (Hosea 8:4).

Idolatry in its larger meaning is properly understood as any substitution of what is created for the Creator. People may worship nature, money, mankind, power, history, or social and political systems instead of the God who created them all. The New Testament writers, in particular, recognized that the relationship need not be explicitly one of cultic worship; a man can place anyone or anything at the top of his pyramid of values, and that is ultimately what he serves. The ultimacy of that service profoundly affects the way he lives. When the society around him also turns away from God to idols, it is an idolatrous society and therefore is heading for destruction. [1]

A Biblical Perspective on Societal Decline

The first commandment in Gods Big Ten is, You shall have no other gods before me (Exodus 20:3). This commandment does not acknowledge the existence of other gods as real entities. Instead, it emphasizes the exclusive worship and devotion to the one true God. Nothing must ever come before him or be first in ones heart or life. The Lord is to be loved supremely because he is Supreme and worthy of being supremely adored and obeyed.

John Calvin, the 16th-century theologian, and reformer, has said, Mans mind is like a store of idolatry and superstition; so much so that if a man believes his own mind, it is certain that he will forsake God and forge some idol in his own brain. [3]

This insightful observation rings especially true today. The Western world, long shaped by the precepts of Christianity, now finds itself in what many describe as a post-Christian era. This shift is evident in societys increasing turn to modern idols, placing faith in various temporal and unreliable constructs rather than in the eternal truths of God. As the foundational values of Christianity are set aside, the guiding light that once led the West through centuries of profound moral and cultural development dims with each passing day. This situation challenges us to reexamine the sources of our deepest convictions and the true nature of our ultimate allegiance.

Idols of Modern Society

Consider these seven pervasive idols in todays society, which people often prioritize over spiritual values. While these are indeed significant, others might suggest different influential idolatrous forces, depending on their perspective. However, these seven seem the most prominent in Western cultures, and other potential idols mentioned would likely fall under one of these categories.

Humanism

Definition and Beliefs:

Humanism is an approach to life that focuses on human rationality, ethics, and justice, without reference to the divine. This worldview advocates for the preeminence of reason, scientific discovery, and a human-based morality. While most often humanism is secular, it may at times wed itself to religious beliefs, but the approach, nevertheless, is still man-centered, denying the Sovereignty and power of God.

Impact on Society:

Progressive Christianity is a solid example of the integration of humanism with religion, more specifically, the Christian religion. Generally speaking, Progressive Christians see the Bible as simply a collection of historical and moral writings rather than the inerrant and infallible Word of the Almighty. They typically prioritize contemporary human experience and rational thought when interpreting the Scriptures, downplaying and reinterpreting aspects of the Bible that proclaim Gods dominion and miraculous ability.

In contrast, a Biblical worldview stresses Gods authority and his incomparable capacity  nothing is impossible with God. It emphasizes the Bible as the unfailing standard for truth, against which all truth claims are to be measured. Although humanity is created in the image of God with inestimable value and dignity, mankind is fallen and broken on every level, spiritually dead in sin, and desperately in need of redemption through Christ. Human abilities are finite, while Gods are infinite. This perspective encourages individuals to reject relying on their own flawed reasoning, acknowledging that human intellect, no matter how high its quotient, is seriously defective because of sin, and therefore not the ultimate source for discerning truth. Instead, true human welfare and moral responsibility are rooted in a personal relationship with an omniscient God and adherence to his commandments, directed through prayer and the scriptures.

The Bible says, Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take (Proverbs 3:5-6).

Destructive Example:

Perhaps the most destructive example of the humanist perspective is their advocacy for so-called reproductive rights through the practice of abortion. They base their arguments on principles of individual autonomy, bodily integrity, and gender equality, asserting that women should have the right to make decisions about their bodies without interference from the state or religious influences. Humanists emphasize the importance of abortion access for womens health and socioeconomic stability, rejecting religious objections based on scriptural teachings. Instead, they believe moral decisions should be based entirely on reasoned considerations. This perspective, however, dismisses the sacred contentions that human life possesses intrinsic value from the moment of conception and disputes the assertion that God alone holds the keys to both life and death.

Eve was the first humanist. She believed the secular argument, You will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3:5). In other words, she thought she could attain wisdom and carry out her life without God or true religion. Eve was the first to succumb to self-worship, and Adam quickly followed her in the same error. Every form of suffering known to mankindphysical, emotional, social, and spiritualflowed from this initial act by Adam and Eve, who chose to trust in their own understanding rather than acknowledge God and his benevolent directives.

Unfortunately, humanism is a monstrous and deadly idol of today.

Schlossberg has written: When once a man lavishes theological distinctions upon himself, he is less likely to suspect that there exists a standard of behavior more exacting than his own or that a righteous judge is observing his actions. [2]

Historicism

Origins and Development:

Historicism is the belief that history has a discernible direction and that events unfold according to specific patterns and logic. Historicism evolved over several centuries, positing that historical events, cultures, and values are products of their time, shaped by distinct contexts and processes.

Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, who lived during the 18th and 19th centuries, profoundly influenced historicism with his philosophy of history. Hegel viewed history as a dialectical process, where the unfolding of the World Spirit (Geist) ultimately leads to the realization of human freedom.

Historicism continues to intensely influence various ideologies and movements today.

Marxism:

Marxism is fundamentally rooted in historicism through its theory of historical materialism. Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels proposed that history progresses through stages driven by class struggle, leading ultimately to a classless society. This view sees economic and social developments as following a predictable and inevitable path based on material conditions and class relations.

Although not a dominant ideology, Marxism continues to exert influence in the United States, particularly within academic, cultural, and political spheres. In universities, Marxist theory is prevalent in the humanities and social sciences curricula, where it informs critical approaches to literature, sociology, and cultural studies. Culturally, Marxist critiques of capitalism are reflected in various media, art, and literature. Politically, progressive movements and some left-leaning politicians today draw on Marxist ideas to advocate for economic justice, labor rights, and wealth redistribution. Debates about income inequality, labor rights, and economic policies are often framed within a Marxist critique of capitalist structures. Marxist thought remains a significant undercurrent in discussions about social and economic issues in the U.S.

From a biblical worldview, however, Marxisms focus on class struggle and economic conditions as the primary drivers of societal change reflects a historicist perspective that sees history progressing through unstoppable stages. This contrasts with the Bibles teaching that human nature is inherently sinful and that true transformation comes only through spiritual renewal in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:23; 2 Corinthians 5:17), rather than through social or economic restructuring. While Marxism, influenced by historicism, advocates for the abolition of private property and collective ownership, the Bible upholds the legitimacy of private property and emphasizes responsible stewardship and generosity (Exodus 20:15; 1 Timothy 6:17-19). Additionally, Marxism envisions a state-controlled economic and social system to achieve equality, which is a historicist belief in the deterministic progression of society. In contrast, the Bible supports limited government that maintains order and justice, warns against excessive power, and advocates for personal responsibility and charity (Romans 13:1-7; Micah 6:8). Finally, whereas Marxisms materialistic focus on economic conditions aligns with historicist views, the Bible prioritizes spiritual wealth over material possessions, teaching that the pursuit of material goods can lead people away from God (Matthew 6:19-21; 1 Timothy 6:10).

LGBTQ Rights Movement:

The LGBTQ rights movement can also be seen through a historicist lens. The legalization of same-sex marriage in many countries, increased recognition of transgender rights, and broader societal acceptance of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are considered milestones in an inescapable historical progression toward inclusivity and human rights.

In 2020, Netflix featured a documentary titled Miss Americana. In the film, superstar Taylor Swift discussed her decision to speak out on LGBTQ issues, despite concerns from her management team and her father about potential backlash and risks to her singing career. Swift passionately insisted on showing support for the LGBTQ movement, expressing her desire to be on the right side of history.

When activists and supporters of LGBTQ rights use this oft-repeated phrase, they are drawing from the well of historicism, which suggests that history bends towards justice, equality, and greater freedom. This statement implies that supporting LGBTQ rights is part of this inevitable progress and that those who oppose these rights will be judged negatively by future generations, much like past opposition to civil rights or womens suffrage. However, the Scriptures, despite contradictions by the false prophets (clergy) of Progressive Christianity, teach that God will judge unbridled sexual sin  sex outside the marriage of one man and one woman. Those who live sexually pure may suffer the perverted judgment of men, but ultimately, it is God who will judge the sexually immoral and reward the righteous.

Environmental Movement:

Even the current environmental movement incorporates historicist thinking by framing the climate change crisis as part of a historical trajectory of industrialization and environmental degradation. The shift towards green energy and other eco-friendly practices is seen as a necessary response to something that history has predestined. Nevertheless, there is considerable evidence that many objectives of the environmental movements agenda may do more harm than good.

Historicism is a wicked idol to which the masses bow down  an idol that discounts Gods providence in history. It is an affront to Gods control of the past, present, and future. As someone has said, History is, His Story, and this is most definitely the case. Nothing ever takes God by surprise. Each event in history is part and parcel of a divinely directed plan.

So, whether its Marxism on the move, LGBTQ activism, or the environmental crusade, the Bible teaches that true equality, justice, and stewardship of the earths resources must align with Gods unchanging Word, not deceptive narratives of historical inevitability. If people really want to get on the right side of history, they should get on Gods side. Those things that do not align with Gods revelation will be judged by him, as will the people who practice them.

God will have no rival over history. History belongs exclusively to Him. The Lord declares in the Scripture, Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, and what is still to come (Isaiah 46:9-10).

Evolutionary Science

Prevalence and Acceptance:

Evolutionary science, which speaks to humanitys origins is highly prevalent and widely accepted nowadays. It is the very backbone of the biological sciences taught in universities and colleges worldwide. A tremendous amount of research funding is allocated to evolutionary studies, and numerous peer-reviewed journals regularly publish their conclusions in this field. Educational standards, such as the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) in the U.S., include evolution as a fundamental concept for K-12 education. Leading scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), endorse evolution as a crucial framework for understanding life on earth.

The late Dr. John N. Moore, once a natural science educator at Michigan State University, wrote about how widely evolutionary thinking has been adopted:

Today, evolutionary thinking has been adopted without question in every major discipline of human knowledge. This condition is the reverse of the intellectual climate when Charles Darwin was preparing for his famous voyage around the world on the H.M.S. Beagle, which began in 1831. At that time the predominant belief regarding origins was in favor of special creation.

The modern synthetic theory of evolution (a modification of Neo-Darwinism, which in turn was a modification of Darwinism) has been unquestionably adopted in economics, psychology, education, theology, philosophy, American history, political science, literature, and science. The enormity of this capture of the minds of such a wide range of intellectuals is seen as even more colossal when a candid inspection reveals the fact that mega evolution (amoeba to man) is without any observational foundation. [4]

Evolutions Impact:

In the last chapter of his book, Questions and Answers on Creation/Evolution, Moore precedes to show how evolution has deeply impacted every major discipline of knowledge he mentioned. Moore goes on to explain why the question of origins is so important. He says:

Fundamentally, the issue involved in the creation-evolution controversy is a spiritual question. Is the individual in right relation with God the Creator  with Jesus Christ as Redeemer and Savior? For if Jesus Christ is not known personally as Lord, Master, and Creator of all things, then evolution, as amoeba to man, is the only basic substitute.

Science began as an intellectual pursuit as a result of those men like Kepler, Newton, Clerk-Maxwell, and others who believed in God, the Creator.

If humankind is not a special creation of God, then an animal origin is the only logical alternative. Nowhere does Scripture contain even a hint that God chose some anthropoid, some near man, and breathed the breath of life into it. With God all things are possible, and he breathed the breath of life into the dust of the earth. Naturalistically oriented atheists will not have God, so they must believe that humankind evolved. [5]

In other words, Moore rightly contends that atheism logically follows from the findings and advocacy of evolutionary science.

Theistic Evolution?

Some argue against this claim, pointing out that many people today identify as theistic evolutionists. Theistic evolutionists believe that God used evolutionary processes to bring the universe, the earth, and various life forms into existence.

Several years ago, a reporter from Seed Magazine read an article I wrote about evolution and requested an interview. During the interview, she asked how a good Christian should respond if evolution were proven true, as many scientists insist it is. [6]

I responded that it is impossible and will remain impossible to scientifically prove the theory of evolution, regardless of how many scientists claim otherwise. Scientists who assert that evolution has been scientifically proven are spreading false teachings. Evolution operates too slowly to be measured within a human timeframe. Observing the transmutation of one organism into a higher form would presumably take millions of years, making it beyond the realm of empirical science. Although there is evidence of small variations within species today, there is no way to conclusively prove that these changes can eventually lead to different and higher kinds.

Furthermore, I told her that evolution poses an insurmountable difficulty for any Christian serious about their faith. Evolution is neither scientific by strict definition nor is it good theology. The God of the Bible is not a God of chance, confusion, random combinations, natural selection, and survival of the fittestcore doctrines of evolution. God is sovereign over all matters of His creation. Evolution, by definition, denies this sovereignty and repudiates the full scope of Gods work in Jesus Christ, from creation to consummation. Clergy and church leaders who fail to recognize this end up presenting a gospel of randomness and uncertainty. By embracing evolution as part of their faith, they inadvertently lead people away from a God of creative purpose to a god of chance.

Evolutions Harms:

Evolutionary science might be the most beloved god of modern times. It promises a better understanding of humanity but bitterly betrays its followers. By promoting a naturalistic worldview that excludes God, evolution contributes to moral relativism, which undermines humanitys ability to experience genuine unity. Without belief in divine creation, even the sanctity of human life is weakened. If humans are merely products of random processes and natural selection, rather than beings uniquely created in the image of God with inherent dignity and purpose, then what becomes the basis of human worth and ethical standards? Is it simply one animals thinking over others? God help us if that is the case!

Social concepts born out of evolutionary science have unquestionably been associated with harmful ideologies such as social Darwinism, which applies the concept of survival of the fittest to human societies, justifying eugenics, racism, and inequality.

The Scripture says, They traded the truth about God for a lie. So, they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen (Romans 1:25).

What a cruel and heartless god is the god of evolutionary science.

This article will continue in the following post.

Resources:

[1] Herbert Schlossberg, Idols of Destruction (Nashville, Camden, New York: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1983), 6.

[2] Ibid. 40

[3] Brainy Quote, John Calvin Quotes, BrainyQuote, https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/john_calvin_182879 (accessed June 20, 2024).

[4] John N. Moore, Questions and Answers on Creation/Evolution (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1978), 82.

[5] Ibid. 91-92

[6] Mark Creech, Seed Magazine Writes About The Clergy Letter Project, Crosswalk, April 4, 2006, https://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/seed-magazine-writes-about-the-clergy-letter-project-1386980.html (accessed June 21, 2024).
Mama used to say: "What goes around comes around." And we have a perfect example in the current developments in the "immigration crisis." In days gone past, the flood of illegal immigrants was mostly a boarder states' problem. Then a seismic shift occurred that is still playing out and may in fact become the deciding issue in the upcoming presidential election.

Tom Gantert, writing at thecentersquare.com, writes:

In March 2021, the Los Angeles Times published a story with a headline that asked, "What constitutes a border crisis?"

The story quoted then House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy as saying, "There is no other way to claim it than a Biden border crisis."

Then the LA Times asked, "But is it a crisis?"

Just a month later in April 2021, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio released a statement about his city being a sanctuary city.

New York City is proud to be a welcoming and inclusive city for immigrants, de Blasio said at the time.

The debate in the U.S. on migrants took off in April 2022 when Texas Gov. Greg Abbott decided to take a stand against President Joe Biden and what Abbott called an open border policy.

Abbott stated that Biden's repeal of Title 42  a pandemic-era policy that allowed the government to quickly expel arriving asylum seekers  had created an "unprecedented surge of illegal aliens" into the country with as many as 18,000 apprehensions a day.

Abbott said that Texas border towns were being overrun by migrants and were overwhelmed. His solution was to bus many of the arriving migrants to sanctuary cities across the U.S.

In August 2022, when the first bus of migrants leaving Texas arrived in New York, Abbott was clear why he had his state paid for the trip. New York had a new mayor by then.

New York City is the ideal destination for these migrants, who can receive the abundance of city services and housing that Mayor Eric Adams has boasted about within the sanctuary city, Abbott stated in a news release. I hope he follows through on his promise of welcoming all migrants with open arms so that our overrun and overwhelmed border towns can find relief."

And just over a year later, New York Gov. Kathleen Hochul was on CNN in September 2023 pleading with immigrants to go somewhere else.

How it has played out was not lost on liberal comedian Bill Maher.

Could everyone just stop the posturing? Maher said on a July 2023 podcast with Sharon Osbourne. Dont pretend that you love migrants so much and then when we send them to you, you dont like them. You know? Youre full of [expletive]. And we can see that. Yeah, you liked them when it wasnt your problem because youre not a border state. And then when they show up in Chicago and New York, youre like What the [expletive] are we going to do with these people?

New York wasnt the only destination for Abbott's buses. He also targeted other sanctuary cities, such as Washington, D.C, Chicago and Denver.

The New York Times published an article in July 2023 that had a headline that asked, "Is Texas' Busing Responsible for the Migrant Crisis Across Cities?"

On June 14, Abbotts office stated that it had bused 119,200 migrants to six sanctuary cities since August 2022. That included 45,700 migrants to New York City and 36,900 migrants to Chicago since August 2022. There were also 19,200 migrants bused to Denver since May 2023 and 12,500 migrants bused to Washington D.C. since April 2022.

But Abbott wasn't alone in busing migrants from the border to locations throughout the country. The Democratic-run city of El Paso also bused migrants north.

Democratic Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs stated in September 2023 that Arizona was "overwhelmed" by the flow of migrants into her state. Arizona spent $10.5 million transporting 10,247 migrants out of state as of September 2023.

That's just part of a bigger surge of migrants into the U.S. Since Biden took office in January 2021, about 12 million illegal border crossings have been documented, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data and a compilation of "gotaway" data obtained from border agents by The Center Square. Gotaways is the official CBP term to describe those who illegally crossed the border between ports of entry but who were not apprehended. CBP does not publicly release "gotaway" data.

The increase in migrants has hammered the budgets of sanctuary cities.

Washington, D.C. created an Office of Migrant Services with an initial start-up cost of $10 million in 2022. In 2025, the city budgeted $39 million for that office.

Chicago has spent $299 million on migrants since 2022, according to a March 2024 report by the Illinois Policy Institute, and that does not include the hundreds of millions of dollars state taxpayers have paid for costs such as migrant health care.

New York City Mayor Adams said in August 2023 the migrant crisis may cost his city $12 billion over three years.

The city of Denver stated in April 2024 that the increase in migrants has cost it $63 million.

The cost to taxpayers in the state of Texas was $13.4 billion in 2023, according to the Federation For American Immigration Reform. Only California had a higher cost at $30.9 billion.

Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation For American Immigration Reform, said Abbott's busing strategy has worked.

"His busing policy exposed the hypocrisy of many sanctuary jurisdiction politicians who extolled the virtues of mass immigration regardless of its legality, but are not so happy when they actually have to deal with the real impact of large numbers of migrants," Mehlman said in an email to The Center Square. "So long as it was someone elses problem, they were happy to virtue signal and criticize others. Once it became their problem, they demanded that Abbott and others stop sending them migrants. For years, these sanctuary proponents claimed that illegal aliens were a benefit to the country, but are now demanding federal assistance to manage to cover their costs, exposing the fact that illegal immigration imposes huge fiscal costs."
Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Some 115,110 students on Sunday began the final examinations for the first session of the secondary school leaving certificate, the baccalaureate, for the 2023-2024 school year, throughout Libya
Two wildfires in Southeastern New Mexico have caused the deaths of two people, the evacuation of 5,000 people and closed a hospital, Source New Mexico reported June 18.

The fires started June 15 and originated in or near the Mescalero Apache Reservation. A total of 5,000 people have fled the Ruidoso area.

Four patients from Ruidoso-based Lincoln County Medical Center and 15 patients from the Good Life Senior Living and Memory Care Ruidoso were evacuated and transferred to other facilities.

The hospital is closed but has not sustained damage, CEO Todd Oberheu told Becker's. It has not been determined when it will reopen.

"Our thoughts are with everyone on our staff and in our Ruidoso community, who are facing tremendous challenges and uncertainty due to the wildfires," Mr. Oberheu said.

As of June 18, the fires had engulfed more than 20,000 acres and damaged 1,400 buildings, according to the report.
Simon Cowell walked Lucy Spraggan down the aisle on her wedding day (Ian West/PA)

Music mogul Simon Cowell has said he felt emotional and quite nervous walking former X Factor contestant Lucy Spraggan down the aisle.

Musician Spraggan, 32, married her partner, wedding photographer Emilia Smith, in a ceremony earlier in the month after announcing their engagement in March.

Speaking to Hello magazine, Cowell, the TV personality behind The X Factor and Britains Got Talent, said: I was very honoured to be asked to walk Lucy down the aisle.

Lucy Spraggan has married her partner Emilia Smith (Ian West/PA)

I considered it a very big deal. As soon as she asked me, I said yes.

On the day I was actually quite nervous because Ive never been asked before. And then very proud and happy and emotional.

The best way of describing our relationship is that it feels like weve been friends for life.

Being asked to walk her down the aisle made me realise the significance and importance of that role.

And throughout the day, I was thinking even though its been a relatively short time, we do feel like family, and we share a very special bond.

Speaking about the ceremony, Spraggan told Hello: Simon and I were standing outside the door and my song started playing.

I was already crying, and Simon definitely had a tear in his eye.

I was linking arms with him but then I realised I was holding on to his arm.

He kept saying, Youre OK, youre all right. Then when Emilia walked in with her dad I just sobbed.

Spraggan wore a white three-piece suit to the ceremony and in photos from the day she can be seen wiping a tear away from her eye while holding Cowells arm.

Spraggan told Fabulous Magazine in March that she had asked Cowell to give her away while she was staying with him and his fiancee Lauren Silverman.

Bruno Tonioli, Simon Cowell and Amanda Holden, the judges of Britains Got Talent, during a photo call ahead of the new series (Aaron Chown/PA)

Spraggan previously revealed that an apology from the 64-year-old had paved the way for her healing process  more than a decade after she was raped  in her memoir Process: Finding My Way Through (2023).

Spraggan said she was raped in her hotel room, during production of The X Factor, by a porter who used a traceable keycard to gain access. He pleaded guilty and was given a 10-year jail sentence.

The music moguls apology came after she wrote to the companies behind The X Factor  ITV, Fremantle and Syco, Cowells company  detailing her experience in 2012.

Spraggan was previously married to Georgina Gordon before she announced in November 2019 that they had split after three years of marriage.

The music star released her latest single, Other Sides Of The Moon, about her wife, on their wedding day and will play at Glastonbury Festivals Avalon Stage on June 29.
Alliance and unionists are vying to win the hearts and minds of voters in North Down.

Deputy leader of the centre-ground Alliance Party Stephen Farry won the seat at the 2019 General Election ahead of then DUP representative Alex Easton amid a period of bitter division following Brexit.

Five years later the same two men are again vying for the seat but for Mr Easton as an independent unionist.

However retired colonel Tim Collins  known for a rousing pre-battle speech he made while serving in Iraq in 2003  running for the UUP has significant potential to disrupt expectations.

The race has emerged as one of the most heated so far with tensions high between the three front runners, and Mr Easton contending he has been targeted with dirty tricks such as false social media accounts and attack ads.

The other candidates have refuted those claims.

North Down has a history of doing its own thing and electing those from smaller parties or independents, from barrister Robert McCartney to Lady Sylvia Hermon.

The constituency follows the Co Down so-called gold coast from Donaghadee to Holywood, taking in some of Northern Irelands most affluent areas.

However it also encompasses several socially deprived areas, loyalist strongholds and one of the regions newest cities  Bangor.

Following boundary changes, North Down now includes some of what used to be East Belfast such as Garnerville.

North Down has particular significance for Alliance as the only seat on the green benches it won in 2019.

Just four candidates ran then, a number which has increased to six this election.

Both the DUP and TUV have bowed out in a move likely to bolster Mr Easton, but Mr Collins has contended he can recapture unionist votes lost to Mr Farry.

Mr Farry benefited in 2019 from other centre-ground parties withdrawing, but this election the Green Party is running, as well as the SDLP and independent Chris Carter.

Stephen Farry said people want to move away from orange and green politics (Liam McBurney/PA)

Sinn Fein has decided not to run, in what is traditionally one of its worst performing constituencies, while the Conservative Party is also missing from what was its best showing in Northern Ireland at the last General Election.

Mr Farry contends voters have noted the rise of Alliance across Northern Ireland to become the third largest party, and want to see that continue.

People want to move away from orange and green politics, he said.

They see the break through that Alliance is making in Northern Ireland over recent years and they want to see that continuing.

Mr Farry said he would urge all progressives to back him.

I think people understand its either me or one of the two unionists who will be in the final two at the end, he said.

Basically people who may well support other parties who may also be progressive in their outlook have a choice to make whether they vote Alliance and try to ensure that this seat stays in the hands of a cross community progressive politician or end up splitting the vote and risk a unionist coming in with potentially some very hard line views.

He added: I think I have the values that fit in with the constituency. North Down is a changing place, its much more diverse and progressive than maybe people would have thought many decades ago. I have the experience over the years of being in elected office.

I think I have the right skills and qualifications. I am also local. I think I tick all of the boxes.

Mr Easton said he is quietly optimistic ahead of the election, but stressed he doesnt take the electorate for granted.

Alex Easton (left) speaking with voter Jacqueline Cathers in Conlig (Liam McBurney/PA)

Im going to continue doing what I am doing and I believe there will be a positive result at the end of it, he said.

Despite topping the poll in recent Assembly elections, Mr Easton has missed out on the Westminster seat on three successive elections, 2015, 2017, 2019.

Yet across those elections, he has steadily built his vote from 8,487 in 2015, to 14,940 in 2017 to 15,390 in 2019, just behind Mr Farry on 18,358.

Mr Easton said he believes the addition of the SDLP and Green Party to the race this election will benefit him.

Weve got the SDLP and the Green Party running this time, I believe that is beneficial and Im certainly not complaining about that, he said.

Im a politician that is seen on the ground and somebody that works hard for everybody.

He has vowed to work to remove barriers to trade across the Irish Sea, as well as fight for more social housing, more funding for the health service and for more police officers.

Mr Easton also contended that he too is a progressive, and said he has had a positive response across all areas of the constituency.

I have always been someone who works for everybody no matter their colour, creed or religion and that hard work is, I believe, appreciated and something I intend to continue no matter what happens, he said.

I am progressive, I care about a lot of issues, including animal welfare, the environment.

UUP Westminster candidate Tim Collins wants to regain votes lost to the Alliance Party (Liam McBurney/PA)

I believe I am the lead unionists and best placed to win the seat for unionism, but Im there to represent everybody and I have a clear record of doing that.

Meanwhile Mr Collins is insistent that he can win.

He said: I think were going to win because there has been a big change since 2019  a lot of the traditional unionist vote that would have gone to Lady Hermon, went across to the Alliance Party, and I think the Alliance Party has let them down in many ways, and I think that vote is going to return to unionism, to me.

Weve got a bad reputation with the GB MPs  theyre fed up with us and the negativity. I want to go there and be positive. I want to re-establish relationships and I want to claim back our place in the United Kingdom.

Mr Collins has hit the headlines several times during the campaign, including over an anecdote about the cost of insuring a car in Northern Ireland compared to insuring his Rolls Royce in England.

He described commentary of him being fumbling and clumsy, and said they missed the point every time.

He added: I find it hard to be someone Im not, and the fact of the matter is, I grew up in a house where we got free school meals. Education was my way out of the estates. I went to university, I joined the army and nearly got myself killed a few times, and then I started a business.

I brought prosperity to a lot of people and its a good thing to give people the opportunity. As a result of that I looked and thought I have enough, I can give something back and Im ready to serve again here in Northern Ireland.

The remaining candidates running in North Down are Chris Carter (Independent), Barry McKee (Greens) and Deirdre Vaughan (SDLP).
A man has been arrested on suspicion of attacking another male with a knife during an altercation in Co Antrim.

The incident occurred at the Whitewell Road area of Newtownabbey on Saturday around 8.15pm.

The 25-year-old victim, who also had a sum of money and a mobile phone taken from him, attended hospital for two cuts to his left leg. His injuries are not believed to be serious.

A 38-year-old man arrested in the Mid Ulster area in relation to the incident has been released on police bail to allow for further enquiries.

A spokesperson for the PSNI said it was reported that the victim got into a black Vauxhall Astra with a number of passengers already inside the car.

One of the men in the front seat was then alleged to have attacked the 25-year-old with a knife and took the money and phone from him.

The victim then got out of the vehicle and an altercation occurred on the Whitewell Road involving some of the passengers.

The occupants of the black coloured Vauxhall Astra car got back into the vehicle and made off towards the Shore Road area following the incident, said the PSNI.

The injured male attended hospital for two cuts to his left leg, which are not believed to be serious.

A 38-year-old man was later arrested in the Mid Ulster area on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, robbery and possessing article with blade or point in public place. He remains in police custody at this time.

Enquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and police would appeal to anyone with any information that may be able to assist with their enquiries, to contact them on 101 quoting reference number 1470 22/06/24.
Armed Forces Day took place in Newtownabbey on Saturday. The Red Arrows dazzled spectators over the Belfast Lough. Pic: Pacemaker

A man was cautioned by the PSNI after flying a drone during a Royal Air Force display at Armed Forces Day NI in Co Antrim.

The event took place on Saturday in Newtownabbey and saw air displays from the famous Red Arrows and the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight.

However, police received a report around 1.20pm that an unmanned aerial vehicle - commonly known as a drone  was being flown at Loughshore Park on the Shore Road, Jordanstown.

Officers attended and a man aged in his 40s was cautioned in relation to the incident, said a PSNI spokesperson.

Armed Forces Day NI also saw a drumhead service and parade, static military assets, military stands, capability demonstrations, and a Beating the Retreat ceremony.

The theme of the event was the 80th anniversary of D-Day and a celebration of military veterans.

Armed Forces Day 2024 will be celebrated across the UK on Saturday, June 29.
Some of the organisers of the protest

Over 100 people gathered on the shores of Lough Neagh on Sunday afternoon to protest against the ongoing pollution in the local waterway.

The demonstration entitled Loughshore Stands Up was organised by environmental activists from Save Lough Neagh.

The collaborative campaign is made up of volunteers from organisations such as Save Our Shores, Friends of the Earth, Surfers Against Sewage, Unison, the Green Party NI, and Queens University Belfast.

The body of water supplies 40% of Northern Irelands drinking water but, after 20 water samples were taken from the lough at various points since the start of this year, algae were present in all of them, according to campaign spokesperson Padraig Cairns.

Last summer, farmers and pet owners were warned to keep their animals away from affected waters, with a number of dogs dying after coming in contact with the algal blooms.

The toxic algae appeared at levels not seen since the 1970s.

The blooms occur in the waterway for a number of reasons, from a combination of agricultural run-off, sewage, invasive species and climate change, all which have contributed to a decline in water quality.

Padraig said: We are now calling on the Stormont Executive to urgently fulfil its promise to tackle pollution at Lough Neagh.

Every day that the DAERA minister delays compounds the environmental catastrophe that is unfolding. There is no time for excuses.

He explained that the group have made a number of suggestions which Stormont can do to eradicate the pollution currently impacting the ecosystem of the lough, including transferring ownership to a public body, end the harmful sand dredging that is stirring up nutrients and fuelling toxic algal blooms and ending the financial incentives for industrial farming, like the Going for Growth scheme.

Padraig added that an Independent Environmental Protection Agency could also be established to hold polluters to account.

Anglers, sea swimmers, local families and campaigners gathered to the rear of the Oxford Island Discovery Centre, overlooking the Kinnego Marina out onto the shores of the lough on Sunday as a call for action to save their beloved water source.

Mary OHagan, from Maghera, runs the Ballyronan Bluetits, one of three open water swimming groups on the lough.

She said that cold-water swimming has helped her chronic pain and became part of the wider Save Lough Neagh initiative after the toxic algae began forcing swimmers out of the water last summer.

I have a lot of chronic health problems and it is the one and only thing that lifts the pain off me; I am in pain 24/7 but when Im in the water Im not in pain, she said.

When I was forced out of the water because of these algal blooms I lost this source of taking my pain away, I also lost my whole community.

Quite a lot of the people who swim with me do so because of health problems they have, and cold water is amazing for pain relief and also for your mental health, she added, pointing out that she regularly reports algal blooms and algae when she spots it in the water.

She now uses an app called Bloomin Algae which confirms the presence of the toxic substance.

I feel a massive responsibility to the people who are in the swimming group to make sure they can do what they love safely.

Belfast woman, Therese, who grew up in Lurgan, said that she first learned how to swim in the lough over 50 years ago.

The difference between then and now is immense; there was biodiversity then and theres barely any now, she said.

There used to be so much life about the lough.

The Best family from Moira were also in attendance at the protest.

Michael was there with his wife Sarah and their two daughters Scarlett (11) and Fern (8).

He said he holds fond memories swimming in the lough when he was a child and wanted to attend the event to protest the ongoing pollution.

Andrew Muir needs to see there are more than one or two people who cares about this, so thats why we wanted to come down today, he told Belfast Telegraph.

Coming into a new time of environmental stewardship  both in this generation and future generations to come  there needs more education and awareness around how we arent just concerned about capitalism and how much money we can make off our land.

I come from a family of farmers, weve farmed for 100 years, so I understand the idea of profit and fertilisers, but theres another way of doing things, theres a less intense way of agriculture, he added.

Things like the Going for Growth thing is stupid and short-sighted, its all about getting votes from farmers.

Tony McCormack of the Glenavy Conservation and Angling Club spoke to the crowd on Sunday.

The lough is a sleeping problem and its going to keep coming back, and if we destroy this that is it, it is not coming back, he said.

Whatever goes in at the top end of the lake takes nearly 16 months to work its way through the lough; that is quite a long time for any polluting substance to remain in the lough.

This year it is not if but only when - if we get some more sunshine in the next few weeks that lough will turn green once more, he added.

We need to now challenge our local representatives and if we sit back and dont do anything it is a corporate failure on our behalf.
Gavin Robinson said there has been no rise in support for a united Ireland in 25 years (Niall Carson/PA)

Support for a united Ireland has not advanced one step in the quarter century since Northern Irelands peace agreement, the leader of the DUP has insisted.

However, Gavin Robinson said unionists could not be complacent about the maintenance of the Union, as he acknowledged the need to convince the growing number of non-aligned middle ground voters in Northern Ireland of the case for the constitutional status quo.

In a pre-election interview with the PA news agency, Mr Robinson also dismissed suggestions his party has recently performed a U-turn on its endorsement of the UK Government deal on post-Brexit trade barriers that in January persuaded the DUP to drop its two-year protest blockade on powersharing at Stormont and return to devolution.

Countering the accusations of flip-flopping levelled by political rivals, he argued that the DUP had never claimed the Governments Safeguarding the Union command paper had resolved all the issues around checks and restrictions on goods moving from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

DUP Leader Gavin Robinson pictured in the East Belfast constituency (Niall Carson/PA)

He insisted he had been consistent in characterising the deal as having made some progress to address his partys concerns over trade and sovereignty, but that more work was still required on outstanding issues.

Mr Robinson found himself unexpectedly elevated to the party leadership, initially on an interim basis, when his predecessor Sir Jeffrey Donaldson stood down in March after being charged with historical sexual offences.

Donaldsons case is now before the courts, and he has indicated he will contest all 11 charges facing him.

The barrister-turned-politician, who is hoping to hold off a challenge from Alliance Party leader Naomi Long to retain his parliamentary seat in East Belfast, said being thrust into the leadership role in such circumstances had created a new dynamic in his professional and personal life.

In his interview with PA, Mr Robinson offered his view on the relative strength of the union between Great Britain and Northern Ireland  given the turbulence created by Brexit and intensifying calls from within nationalism for a border poll.

Asked to predict what the future might be for Northern Ireland in 50 years time, he replied: I hope it will be at peace with itself. But I can guarantee you itll be part of the Union.

We can only look back over the last 25 years that despite the enthusiastic calls for a united Ireland from some, they havent grown the percentage share of nationalist support in Northern Ireland one bit in the last 25 years.

Sometimes they get a little bit of energy about what it is they have to say. But they can point to no tangible progress over the last 25 years at all. And theres a growing and a burgeoning community within Northern Ireland who want to proudly speak of this place, speak of Northern Ireland, talk of it proudly as their home, somewhere they are proud to be from and they recognise the benefits of Northern Ireland being part of the United Kingdom.

So, Im very confident about our position, not only as unionists within Northern Ireland, but for the United Kingdom as a whole and the four constituent parts.

Indeed, the biggest threat to the Union in the last number of years has not been in Northern Ireland. Its been outside of Northern Ireland. And yet that is settled, you can see support for independence in Scotland dissipating. And, so, I think theres a strong and positive future for the Union in 50 years and beyond.

He added: I dont think there is any complacency at all, theres always a danger if you were to take your eye off the ball, but thats not what we present.

I think theres obviously a difference between political unionism and those who are pro-Union, there is a difference with that. And theres a burgeoning centre that dont think every day about the constitutional question but are pleased and content to be in the Union, recognise that the Union works for them and though the last number of years have been politically fractious for a whole host of reasons, thats not our focus  our focus is about making sure that day and daily we can highlight the benefits of being in the United Kingdom and strengthen and grow these bonds.

His downplaying of any risk to the Union stands in contrast to one of the DUPs unionist rivals, the Traditional Unionist Voice party, which accuses both Donaldson and Mr Robinson of botching negotiations to remove post-Brexit barriers on internal UK trade. At his election manifesto launch on Friday, TUV leader Jim Allister claimed the Union had never been in a more perilous state as a consequence.

Mr Robinson railed against that sort of interpretation, and also rejected the narrative that he had performed a U-turn on endorsing the Government command paper.

Were not having to counter any narrative, were going forward in this election with a very strong pro-Union message, recognising not only the delivery weve achieved over the last five years, but the opportunity for Northern Ireland to be strongly represented at Westminster, and thats resonating with people on the doors, he said.

They recognise that over the last number of years weve not only been able to identify the problems associated with Northern Ireland Protocol, but provide solutions.

And they recognise that we have made progress continually over cycle after cycle, and that that work remains an active part of what we are engaged with, and what we will deliver in the next parliament coming forward.

He insisted voters were crediting the DUP for making progress on changing the contentious UK/EU agreements that govern post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland  the Northern Ireland Protocol and its successor the Windsor Framework.

They recognise that whenever we were told we could achieve nothing on the Northern Ireland Protocol, we kept at it, he said.

Whenever we were told that the European Union wouldnt come back to the negotiating table, we kept at it and achievements we secured.

So, with the Windsor Framework (agreed in 2023), we said very clearly whilst there was progress, it wasnt sufficient to see restoration of devolution.

Gavin Robinson became DUP leader after the shock resignation of Sir Jeffrey Donaldson following his arrest and charging on historical sexual offences (PA)

Back in January (with the Safeguarding the Union command paper), we recognised that we had more progress, and it was sufficient to see the return of devolution. And I think that has resonated well.

Asked about the prospect of a Labour government in London, and the potential for that to result in a closer UK relationship with the EU  something that may remove the requirement for some checks on GB to NI trade  Mr Robinson said he needed more detail on what might emerge.

Its very important to recognise that irrespective of the government in London, we have worked positively for the benefit of Northern Ireland, he said.

And so whilst weve had good relationships with the government that has been, we have good relationships with the opposition that has been, too.

And, if they are in government in the coming weeks, then well work with them positively for Northern Ireland, always looking at detail into what it is they wish to achieve and making sure that, irrespective of where they wish to bring this country, that it does not create, it does not strengthen, but it dilutes any of those barriers that were created as a result of the debates over the European Union in the last five years.

He added: Im somebody who always look at detail on this. Broad brush (comments on EU relations from Labour to date) and people are campaigning at the moment. Thats the poetry; we need to look at the prose.

And, so, if Labour form the next government, we will engage with them productively for the people of Northern Ireland, and study in detail and work with them collectively to our benefit here in Northern Ireland.
Sue Gray, who reported on Downing Street parties in Whitehall during the coronavirus lockdown, walking in Westminster, London. (PA)

Labour chief of staff Sue Gray wants to shut all bars in the House of Commons, it has been reported.

The Daily Mail has reported that Ms Gray, who once ran a pub in Newry, is in favour of closing all of Westminsters watering holes in an effort to prevent new MPs from falling victim to political drinking culture.
UTV debate: Naomi Long denies she hid on Barrys ghost train to avoid Irish unity rally in her own constituency

Scroll down to follow along in our live blog as the five main parties take part in the UTV debate from 8pm to 9pm

Alliance leader Naomi Long was on the Barry's ghost train in Portrush when thousands of people were discussing Irish unity in her constituency

Liam Tunney, Sam McBride Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 22:00







Naomi Long has denied that she went to "hide in Barry's on a ghost train" rather than attend a united Ireland event in her own constituency.
Alleged target quashed rumours being spread online that the gang were foreign  saying they were Irish men.

A man has been arrested and charged over an incident in which three gay men were reportedly hunted by a gang with knives in Dublins Phoenix Park.

In the Seanad earlier this week, Senator Barry Ward recounted an incident in which three gay men had been chased by six men in the park in Monday June 17.

Posting on social media later in the week, one of the alleged targets said the incident, which occurred while it was still bright, was terrifying.

He also quashed rumours being spread online that the gang were foreign  saying they were Irish men.

In the wake of the incident, gardai said they had responded to reports and had liaised with representatives of the LGBTQ+ community.

In an update on Sunday, the force said they had arrested a man, and he will appear in court on Monday morning.

Yesterday, Saturday 22 June 2024, Gardai arrested a man in connection to incidents of violent disorder reported to have taken place in the Phoenix Park on Monday, 17 June 2024, a spokesperson said.

On the night of Monday 17 June, 2024 at approximately 11:30pm, Gardai received an anonymous call relating to an incident in the Phoenix Park and attended. A search of the area was conducted and no persons made themselves known to Gardai.

Following on from further enquiries, Gardai identified a suspect.

The man, aged in his late teens, was arrested on suspicion of committing an offence contrary to the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Persons Act, 1997 and detained at a Garda Station in North Dublin.

He has been charged and will appear before the CCJ tomorrow morning, Monday 24 June 2024.

The force added: An Garda Siochana takes any crime or incident, with a hate motivation, seriously, and incidents reported to us are professionally investigated.

An Garda Siochana appeals to anyone with direct knowledge or who has been a victim of such an incident in the area to contact An Garda Siochana either at Cabra Garda Station on 01 666 7400, the Diversity Unit at the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau on 01 666 3150 or through an advocacy group.

Following the reports of this alleged incident, An Garda Siochana through the Garda National Community Engagement Bureau and Community Policing Unit in Cabra Garda Station has been in contact with LGBTQIA+ advocacy groups.

Activists in Dublin organised a rally in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community in the Phoenix Park on Sunday.

The incident was raised in the Seanad by Fine Gael Senator Barry Ward, following contact from one of the allegedly targeted men.

Mr Ward said the man and his two friends were approached by a group of six men in Phoenix Park last Monday night.

"They were chased down and, as he said, hunted by six men with knives," Mr Ward said in the Seanad on Wednesday.

Speaking about the attack, Senator Ward said: "What on earth is going on that this still happens in Ireland in 2024 when every right-thinking member of society recognises the normality of sexual relationships between people of the same gender or same sex?"

The three men managed to get away, Mr Ward said, but God knows what would have happened if they had not.

He acknowledged that it is Pride Month and we have come so far as a country in accepting people of all sexualities.
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Labours plans for climate and nature have scored four times higher than the Conservatives, according to an analysis of party manifestos carried out by green groups.

Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace UK teamed up to evaluate the plans against 40 policy recommendations published last autumn by the organisations.

In the results, published on Monday, the Green Party and Liberal Democrats topped the rankings scoring 39 and 32 respectively by committing to much greater ambition.

The Labour Party came in third with 21 and the Conservatives came in last with just five points out of 40.

But the green groups are still calling on all political parties to strengthen their green policy packages if elected.

They are urging politicians to ensure the UK delivers on upcoming nature and climate targets and fully reaps the economic rewards offered by the green transition.

The manifesto scores were broken down into four categories, climate and energy, homes and transport, nature and environment, and justice and democracy.

For stating its intention to reduce the UKs dependence on oil and gas and boost renewables, Labour scored particularly well, the green groups said.

But the party did not commit to the scale of funding needed for greener farming, cheaper public transport, or to upgrade cold, carbon-leaking homes as fast as is needed, it added.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in the Training Control Room during a visit to Sizewell in Suffolk, while on the General Election campaign trail (James Manning/PA)

Meanwhile, the Conservative Partys manifesto doubled down on attempts to make climate and nature a wedge issue by committing to licence new fossil fuels on an annual basis and ban cleaner air measures like Ulez.

The Greens and Lib Dems pledged to raise billions more in taxation to fund areas such as improving public transport and additional support for international development.

Both also suggest they are prepared to borrow more to fund home energy efficiency upgrades, the switch to electric heating and nature restoration  all of which would create thousands of new jobs across the UK and in many instances reduce the cost of living and increase economic growth, the green groups said.

The Lib Dems offered a stronger plan than Labour on sewage pollution through levers such as taxing water company profits and setting more stringent legal targets, they added.

But unlike Labour, the party failed to commit to ending new oil and gas projects.

The analysis and ranking comes ahead of Wednesdays head-to-head debate between Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer on BBC One, and with just ten days to go until polling day on July 4.

A shopper (centre) questions Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves about climate change, during a visit to Morrisons in Wiltshire (Stefan Rousseau/PA)

During the election campaign, environmental campaigners have complained that the climate and nature crises have not featured as a priority issue despite being a major concern among the population.

Rebecca Newsom, Greenpeace UKs head of politics, said: While the Greens and Lib Dems showcase what can be done to deliver a green and prosperous future with enough political will, its the stark chasm between the two main parties thats most telling.

Labour set out a clear vision for a bright future with lower bills and clean energy, while generating hundreds of thousands of jobs and cutting emissions  helping to tackle the climate crisis.

Meanwhile, the Conservatives divisive proposal will deliver the very opposite.

Mike Childs, Friends of the Earths head of policy, said: With the UK veering so dangerously off track for meeting its climate targets under the Conservatives  whose manifesto is so distinctly lacklustre its almost laughable  its encouraging that Labour is 100% committed to delivering on the internationally agreed goal to reduce emissions by more than two-thirds by 2030.

This is vital if the UK is to play its part in the global effort to avert runaway climate breakdown.

Co-leader of the Green Party of England and Wales, Carla Denyer, speaks to the media during a press conference in central, London (James Manning/PA)

But to do so, Labour must develop additional policies to those in its manifesto and come up with a robust strategy for funding vital measures to make sectors like farming and housing greener.

Responding to the analysis, Green Party Co-Leader Carla Denyer said: Labours green policies are bitterly disappointing, even in the context of the dire Conservative offering.

Every single Green vote on 4th July will push the Labour government to be bolder and better on important issues  no more so than on the environment.

Tim Farron, our Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for the Environment: The Conservatives have displayed an appalling record on climate change and the natural environment.

The Liberal Democrats have a serious plan to clean up our waterways, protect our natural environment and tackle the climate emergency: from establishing a tough new water regulator and expanding Blue Flag status swimming areas, to setting binding targets against the decline of our natural environment and rolling out an emergency home insulation programme.
Part of a key road has been destroyed and left under water (PA)

Rescuers in Switzerland have found the body of one of three people who went missing after massive thunderstorms and heavy rain sparked a landslide.

The landslide hit a group of three houses in the municipality of Lostallo in the Alpine valley of Misox in Graubunden on Friday.

The two other people remain missing, but search crews did pull one woman alive from the rubble.

A team of 200 rescuers has been searching for the missing people since Saturday with excavators, specially-trained search dogs, drones and army helicopters.

The A13 road between Lostallo and Soazza has been destroyed (Michael Buholzer/Keystone/AP)

But William Kloter, from Swiss police who is leading the rescue operation, told reporters on Sunday that the likelihood of finding them alive is now low.

Search operations had to be halted during the night due to heavy rain.

Swiss authorities also said a segment of the Swiss motorway A13 leading towards Italy had been completely submerged and destroyed by flooding. The major route between the key San Bernardino Pass and Roveredo in Graubunden will likely remain closed for several months.
A charred car and the remains of the Swiss Chalet Hotel after being destroyed by the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso (Andres Leighton/AP)

A reward has been offered for information about those responsible for starting two wildfires in New Mexico which killed two people and destroyed hundreds of homes in the past week.

The FBI has offered up to 10,000 US dollars (7,900) for information in connection with the South Fork Fire and Salt Fire in the south of the state, which forced thousands to flee.

The agency said it is seeking public assistance in identifying the cause of the fires near Ruidoso that were discovered on June 17.

But the notice also pointedly suggests human hands were to blame, saying the reward is for information leading to arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for starting the fires.

The remains of a house destroyed by the South Fork Fire (Andres Leighton/AP)

The South Fork Fire, which reached 26 square miles, was 26% contained on Saturday, while the Salt Fire, at 12 square miles, was 7% contained as of Saturday morning, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre. Full containment is not expected until July 15.

Recent rain and cooler weather have assisted more than 1,000 firefighters working to contain the fires.

Fire crews have taken advantage of the conditions to use bulldozers to dig protective lines, while hand crews used shovels in more rugged terrain to battle the fires near the mountain village of Ruidoso.

Charred trees in the wake of the South Fork Fire in New Mexico (Andres Leighton/AP)

The wildfires have destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,400 structures. Other fallout from the fires, including downed power lines, damaged water, sewer and gas lines, and flooding in burn scars, continue to pose risks to firefighters and the public, according to the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department.

Evacuations in areas near Ruidoso and road closures are still in effect.

In Ruidoso, full-time residents will be allowed to return on Monday, though everyday life will not return to normal.

Youre going to need to bring a weeks worth of food, youre going to need to bring drinking water, Mayor Lynn Crawford said on Facebook.

The front of a car melted in the intense heat of the South Fork Fire in the mountain village of Ruidoso (Andres Leighton/AP)

President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration for parts of southern New Mexico on Thursday, freeing up funding and more resources to help with recovery efforts including temporary housing, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property and other emergency work in Lincoln County and on lands belonging to the Mescalero Apache Tribe.

Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, met with governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, Ms Crawford and Mescalero Apache President Thora Walsh Padilla on Saturday.

These communities have our support for as long as it takes to recover, Ms Criswell posted on the social media platform X.

Much of the Southwest has been exceedingly dry and hot in recent months. Those conditions, along with strong winds, whipped the flames out of control, rapidly advancing the South Fork Fire into Ruidoso in a matter of hours. Evacuations extended to hundreds of homes, businesses, a regional medical centre and the Ruidoso Downs horse track.

Nationwide, wildfires have scorched more than 3,344 square miles so far this year, a figure higher than the 10-year average, according to the National Interagency Fire Centre.
Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson a big fan of writers debut novel

The 25-year-old, who shares a publisher with Fergie, said Belles of Belfast, about women who live in the city, was a story that needs to be told.
Co Antrim ex-Special Forces operative caught with loaded gun while high on drugs

Former soldier, said to be in recovery from cocaine addiction, given suspended four-month jail sentence

Paul James Lyttle

John Toner Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 10:17

An ex-Army special forces soldier has avoided jail after he was caught high on drugs with a loaded firearm and spare ammunition.
Dissident turned MI5 stooge filmed New IRA thugs on night Lyra McKee was shot dead

Dissident on riot charge turned by spooks, with his footage being used against his co-accused

The New IRA gunman who shot Lyra McKee

Ciaran Barnes Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 10:06

A suspected MI5 informant recorded New IRA members rioting on the night the gang murdered journalist Lyra McKee.
Exclusive | Fears of UVF split after Shankill leadership lays down law in east Belfast

Show of strength meant as backing for new brigadier, as men still loyal to alleged ex-boss Stephen Matthews consider going own way

Hundreds of UVF members turn out for the Robert 'Squeak' Seymour parade

Ciaran Barnes Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 08:26

An East Belfast UVF faction loyal to the gangs reported former leader Stephen Matthews could split from the rest of the organisation.
Lifting the lid on Belfast's newest (and unlikeliest) tourism must-see

Humble bin down a city centre side-street all of a sudden becomes mysterious hit with sightseers

Dina Haddad from Jordan poses for a selfie with the bin

Christopher Woodhouse Sun 23 Jun 2024 at 10:21







Move over Titanic Belfast, forget the Troubles tours and dont bother with the Giants Causeway  theres a hot new tourist trap bringing visitors to Northern Ireland.
NI couple on their adoption journey: 'You have to be 100% committed or its not going to work'
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Susan Phillips is a former reporter for The Berkshire Eagle. She lives in Windsor after living abroad and in Washington, D.C.
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At least 39 people were killed by Israeli strikes across northern Gaza on Saturday, according to Palestinian and hospital officials.

Fadel Naem, director of the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City, told The Associated Press that more than three dozen bodies arrived at the hospital.

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The Palestinian Civil Defence, an emergency group active in Gaza, said it pulled approximately the same number of bodies from a building hit by an Israeli strike in an eastern neighbourhood of Gaza City.

The group said its emergency workers were also digging for survivors at the site of another strike in Shati refugee camp, west of Gaza City.

Israel said that its fighter jets struck two Hamas military sites in the Gaza City area but did not elaborate further.

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Palestinians displaced by the Israeli air and ground offensive on the Gaza Strip (Jehad Alshrafi/AP)

The deaths come a day after at least 25 people were killed in strikes on tent camps and 50 wounded near the southern city of Rafah.

A separate Israeli strike Saturday in Lebanons eastern Bekaa Valley killed a member of the military wing of al-Jamaa al-Islamiya, or the Islamic Group, a Sunni Muslim faction closely allied with Hamas, according to the group.

The member was the seventh killed by Israeli strikes in Lebanon since the war began.

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The Israel-Hamas war erupted on October 7th when Hamas militants who stormed southern Israel killed about 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage.

Israel has responded by bombarding and invading the enclave, killing more than 37, 400 Palestinians there, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between combatants and civilians in its count.

Also on Saturday, Israels army said an Israeli man was fatally shot in the northern West Bank town of Qalqilya, where Israeli forces fatally shot two militants on Friday, the latest flare of violence in the territory since the Israel-Hamas war erupted.

Since the wars start, at least 549 Palestinians in the territory have been killed by Israeli fire, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, which tracks the killings.

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Over the same period, Palestinians in the West Bank have killed at least nine Israelis, including five soldiers, according to UN data.

Israeli nationals are prohibited from entering Qalqilya and other areas of the West Bank that fall under the control of the Palestinian Authority.

Residents in Khan Younis inspect the rubble in the aftermath of an airstrike (Courtesy al-Agha family via AP)

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In April, the death of a 14-year-old Israeli settler sparked a series of settler attacks on Palestinian towns in the territory. The army said a Palestinian was later arrested in connection with the killing.

In 2014, the abduction and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the West Bank escalated tensions and eventually ignited a 50-day Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, at the time the deadliest round of fighting between the two sides.

Over recent years, the Palestinian Authoritys influence in the northern West Bank has waned as militant groups have grown increasingly powerful.

Also on Saturday, the Palestinian Health Ministry said a 12-year-old Palestinian boy died from his wounds after being shot by Israeli forces in Ramallah last week.

Commenting on the shooting, the Israeli army said its forces raided al-Amari refugee camp near Ramallah to arrest a suspect on Friday and then opened fire on a group of Palestinians who were pelting them with stones.
At least three people have been killed in Ukraines second city Kharkiv in Russian shelling, local officials said.

The shelling hit an area of dense residential development, according to city mayor Ihor Terekhov.

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He said that 19 people were wounded, along with the three dead reported by regional governor Oleh Syniehubov.

Russia launched a new barrage of missiles and drones in an overnight attack on Ukraine, officials in Kyiv said on Saturday, damaging energy facilities in the south east and west and injuring at least two workers.

Ukraine is struggling with a new wave of rolling blackouts after relentless Russian attacks on energy infrastructure that started three months ago took out half the countrys power generation capacity.

In its eighth major attack on energy facilities overnight, Russia fired 16 missiles and 13 Shahed drones, the Ukrainian air force said.

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Ukraines air defences intercepted 12 of the 16 missiles and all 13 drones launched by Russia, the air force said.

State-owned power grid operator Ukrenergo said the strikes damaged equipment at facilities in southeastern Zaporizhzhia and the western Lviv region.

Two energy workers were injured in Zaporizhzhia when a fire broke out at an energy facility, according to regional governor Ivan Fedorov.

With no major changes reported along the 1,000-kilometre (600-mile) front line, where a recent push by the Kremlins forces in eastern and northeastern Ukraine has made only incremental gains, both sides have taken aim at infrastructure targets, seeking to curb each others ability to fight in a war that is now in its third year.

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Moscows overnight attack on Zaporizhzhia and Lviv follows Ukrainian military strikes on three oil refineries in southern Russia overnight into Friday.

Air defences destroyed five drones over the Sea of Azov and the countrys western Bryansk and Smolensk regions, the Russian Ministry of Defence said.

A man was killed in shelling of Russias Belgorod region, which borders Ukraine, according to regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov.

The governor of eastern Ukraines partly occupied Donetsk region said on Saturday that Russian attacks had killed five people and wounded seven the previous day.

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In the Russia-controlled part of the region, Moscow-installed governor Denis Pushilin said three people were killed and four were injured in shelling by Ukrainian forces on Saturday morning.

A policeman was killed in the partly occupied region of Kherson as a result of a Russian drone attack on a checkpoint, the Ukrainian National Police said.
A pro-independence leader in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia was transferred to a prison facility in mainland France to await trial on charges relating to two weeks of unrest in May that left nine people dead, the public prosecutor in the territory said.

Christian Tein, an Indigenous Kanak leader of the pro-independence party known as The Field Action Co-ordination Unit, was flown to mainland France overnight on Saturday along with six other activists, prosecutor Yves Dupas said in a statement.

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The seven Kanak activists were transferred to pre-trial detention on a specially chartered plane because of the sensitivity of the procedure, Mr Dupas said.



Two weeks of unrest in New Caledonia left nine people dead and significant destruction in the archipelago with decades of tensions between those seeking independence and those loyal to France (Ludovic Marin/AP)

Moving the detained activists into custody 17,000km (10,500 miles) away from their homeland would allow the investigation into their alleged wrongdoings to continue in a calm manner and without any pressure, he said.

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The Kanak people have sought for decades to break free from France, which first took New Caledonia in 1853.

Violence flared on May 13 in response to attempts by French President Emmanuel Macrons government to amend the French Constitution and change voting lists in New Caledonia.

France declared a state of emergency two days later, rushing hundreds of troop reinforcements to help police quell the revolt that included shootings, clashes, looting and arson.

The prosecutor did not name the other six detained activists who were transferred to mainland France.

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Reports in French media suggested that the pro-independence groups communications director, Brenda Wanabo, and Frederique Muliava, chief of staff to the president of New Caledonias Congress, are among them.

The violence led to nine deaths and widespread destruction of shops, businesses and homes.



Violence flared after French President Emmanuel Macrons government planned to change voting rights in New Caledonia, a plan that has since been suspended (Luca Bruno/AP)

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On Wednesday, 11 Kanak activists were arrested in a broad police raid targeting the Field Action Co-ordination Unit. The detentions were part of an ongoing police investigation launched on May 17, just days after protests against the Paris-pushed voting reform turned violent.

On Saturday, the activists appeared in front of the investigative judge. They face a long list of charges, including complicity in attempted murder, organised theft with a weapon, organised destruction of private property while endangering people and participation in a criminal group with an intent to plan a crime.

In the past seven months, Teins Field Action Co-ordination Unit has organised major, peaceful marches in New Caledonia against the French authorities and the Paris-backed voting reform that Kanaks fear would further marginalise them.

With France now plunged into frenzied campaigning for snap parliamentary elections, French President Emmanuel Macron suspended the changes to voting rights in New Caledonia.

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Tein and nine other pro-independence leaders were placed under house arrest when the violence started.

French Interior and Overseas Territories Minister Gerald Darmanin said last month that Teins party was a small group which calls itself pro-independence, but instead commits looting, murder and violence.

The National Council of Chiefs of the Indigenous Kanak people rejected allegations that the group was involved in the deadly violence.

Grand Chief Hippolyte Sinewami-Htamumu expressed full support for the pro-independence group, which has mobilised more than 100,000 people of all ages and from all backgrounds in peaceful protests in recent months in the capital, Noumea, and throughout the island.

Tein was among pro-independence leaders who met with Mr Macron during his whirlwind trip to New Caledonia last month to calm the unrest.

After the meeting, the Kanak leader appealed to protesters to remain mobilised (and) maintain all (forms) of resistance to achieve their main objective, which he said was, full independence.

New Caledonia became French in 1853 under Emperor Napoleon III, Napoleons nephew and heir. It became an overseas territory after the Second World War, with French citizenship granted to all Kanaks in 1957.
Six people have died in Ukrainian drone and missile attacks, while the second day of Russias aerial bombing of Ukraines second largest city of Kharkiv has killed at least one person.

Among the dead were five people  including two children  were killed by falling debris when five Ukrainian missiles were shot down on Sunday in Sevastopol, a port city in Russia-annexed Crimea, said Mikhail Razvozhayev, the citys Moscow-installed governor. More than 100 others were injured.

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One person was killed and three were injured in Russias Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, when three Ukrainian drones attacked the city of Grayvoron, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Russian state news agency RIA Novosti said 124 people were wounded in Sevastopol, citing the Health Ministry.

The agency said falling rocket fragments caused a forest fire of more than 150 square meters (1,600 square feet) and set a residential building alight. It added that a fifth missile had exploded over the city.

Russias ministry of defence said both Ukraine and the US bore responsibility for a deliberate missile strike on civilians. It said that US-supplied ATACMS missiles were used in the Ukrainian attack.

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Air defence forces shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over the countrys western Bryansk, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Tula regions. No casualties were reported.



An apartment building in Kharkiv was badly damaged in a Russian bomb attack on Saturday (Ukrainian Emergency Service/AP)

A fresh attack on Kharkiv killed at least one person and injured 10 on Sunday, according to local officials. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city was attacked by a guided bomb and around half of Kharkiv was without electricity because of the strike.

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Sundays attacks came after Russia struck Kharkiv on Saturday afternoon with four aerial bombs, hitting a five-storey residential building and killing three people.

Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said 41 people were still being treated for injuries on Sunday.

In a video address following Saturdays attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraines partners to bolster its air defences.

Modern air defence systems for Ukraine  such as Patriots, accelerated training of our pilots for F-16s, and most importantly, sufficient range for our weapons  are truly necessary, he said.

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Meanwhile, two people were injured by falling debris when two Russian missiles were shot down over the Kyiv region overnight, Ukraines air force commander Mykola Oleschuk said.

Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin of Ukraines partly occupied Donetsk region said that Russian attacks on Saturday killed two people and wounded four.

In other developments, the Ukrainian Navy released photos on Sunday that it says confirm the destruction of a warehouse in Russias southern Krasnodar region used to launch and store Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Navy officials said training instructors and cadets were killed in the attack on Friday night. Moscow has not yet commented on the reports, but officials said air defences shot down a number of drones in the region overnight on Friday.
Four members of the billionaire Hinduja family were found guilty of exploiting poorly paid servants at their Geneva villa, in a damning verdict for the Swiss branch of one of Indias wealthiest and most influential clans.

Family scion Ajay Hinduja, his wife Namrata and his parents Prakash and Kamal illegally took advantage of staff hired in India, paying them wages a fraction of the going rate in Switzerland, Judge Sabina Mascotto said in a ruling.

Billionaire family members Namrata Hinduja (left) and Ajay Hinduja (second from right) received four-year sentences. Credit: AFP

The elder Hindujas  who failed to attend the trial, citing poor health  were both sentenced to 4  years in prison. Ajay and his wife, who were not present in the courtroom, were given four years. All four were acquitted of human trafficking. Despite the judgment, its uncertain whether any of the family will serve jail time.

The Hinduja family sits at the top of the Sunday Times rich list in the UK.
Fittingly, the Liberal Partys 80th birthday will be best remembered for Opposition Leader Peter Dutton going off-script and calling Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a child in a mans body during his speech at the federal council on Saturday. Lord knows what Robert Menzies wouldve made of it all.

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The night before Duttons rush of blood, Liberals were in a festive mood. The partys good and great gathered at Sydneys Hyatt Regency for a special gala dinner, where John Howard was once again wheeled out to gee up the troops, who were busy gorging themselves on marinated eye fillet and a patriotic dessert menu of raspberry lamingtons, Anzac crumble and our favourite, Cherry Ripe cheesecake.

Meanwhile, the Moderate faction gathered around the corner at El Loco, a Justin Hemmes-owned Mexican pastiche (the name appropriately translates as the crazy), for their Black Hand Dinner (a steal at $60 a head, with a cash bar). Or as former defence minister Christopher Pyne once described it, the winners circle.

Pyne sadly couldnt make Fridays event, but ensured his jovial presence was felt by buying everyone drinks from afar. It was an otherwise fairly standard crowd of mods  former attorney-general George Brandis, ex-South Australian premier Steven Marshall, Victorian opposition leader John Pesutto, NSW MP James Griffin and rebellious backbencher Bridget Archer, who were shocked to see at a Liberal event.
The Queensland government says it will negotiate further funding with Brisbane council after warnings the citys bus system may not be able to cope with the new 50-cent fare trial, and that the Brisbane Metro may be delayed.

Brisbane City Council on Sunday said commuters could face longer waits, fewer services, and worsening congestion if the state government does not invest in better buses.

Brisbane City Council is concerned the bus network will not be able to cope with increased demand amid the 50-cent fare trial. Credit: Tammy Law

It said there were 82,000 fewer bus services than a decade ago due to a lack of state funding.

But Premier Steven Miles responded by saying the government would ensure there was a fair funding arrangement so Brisbane would have the bus services it needed.
As a general rule, I try to avoid eating food that is geographically out of context. For example, if Im seven hours inland, I have serious questions about how fresh your Fresh Sushi might be. The same hesitation applies to restaurants that serve too many cuisines. Mexican, Thai and Italian on the one menu? I appreciate the ambition, but not as much as I detest the inevitable food poisoning.

And yet last week, while flying overseas on a work trip, I had absolutely no issue ordering a lobster mornay to enjoy alongside my third glass of (free!) champagne. We may have been cruising 36,000 feet above the lobsters natural habitat, but I had no concern about its freshness.

My first Business Class experience was delightful - but it ruined me forever. Credit: Michael Howard

In what world can one enjoy lobster on a plane while watching Snakes on a Plane? Two words, my friends: business class.

For as long as I can remember, flying business class has been a life goal of mine. Normal children daydream about curing cancer or, I dont know, becoming sports stars, but I spent my youth imagining a time when I could lie flat on a plane wearing complimentary airline pyjamas.
If only we could power the nation off the clattering of keyboards since the Coalition announced its nuclear policy. The seemingly endlessly renewable resource of hysteria in this country could surely be harnessed. The only trouble, I suppose, is that its a high-emission source, leading to tracts of type, miles of misinformation and acres of assumptions being spewed into the atmosphere.

Tragically, the verbal frictions and fictions of partisan politics create nothing as useful as harnessable electricity. If they did, Australia could rely on the mere existence of Opposition Leader Peter Dutton to power the energy transition.

Peter Duttons proposed nuclear power plants would be built at seven sites around the country. Credit: Monique Westermann

Since Dutton became leader, columnists have competed to describe how perfectly awful he is. Niki Savva has described him variously in this masthead as manipulative, nasty and  somewhat prematurely, it now seems  an asset to Albanese.

Literary factualist Lech Blaine used a Quarterly Essay to sketch him as a bad cop, declaring that he eats bleeding-heart lefties for breakfast (I guess the babies were wily enough to escape his maw). Peter Dutton, so Blaine writes, is tall and bald, with a resting death stare. And his lips  oh Lech, dont linger too long on those lips!  are allergic to political correctness.
Australias high priestess of fashion publishing and doyenne of Vogue Australia, Edwina McCann, has made a glamorous return to Sydneys high-end housing market, paying more than $8 million for the Woollahra home of bitcoin miner James Manning and his wife Louise.

The purchase comes two years after McCann sold her Rose Bay home, pocketing $11.5 million with David Basha, although her latest purchase is set to be in her name only after the two split recently.

The 1890s villa was sold for more than $8 million to fashion publishing doyenne Edwina McCann. Credit: Domain

The exact purchase price remains undisclosed by Highland Propertys William Manning (no relation to the vendors), but it was listed for $8 million to $8.5 million in March, and a well-placed source confirmed it sold within the range.

The freestanding villa comes with all the designer credentials youd expect of McCann, officially titled editorial director of News Corps glossy magazine division News Prestige. Built in the 1890s, it scored a contemporary redesign a few years ago by James Garvan Architecture, complete with Tamsin Johnson interiors and Wyer & Co landscaping.


Ukrainian drone attacks threaten safety of Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant Recent drone attacks by the Ukrainian armed forces on the city of Energodar, home to the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP), have raised serious concerns about the safety of the nuclear facility, local authorities said. ZNPP Director Yuriy Chernichuk said that several divisions of the ZNPP were left without power due to drone strikes on the Raduga substation that occurred on Friday, including the printing house, pump stations supplying drinking water, and production and technical equipment management.



"This is a direct hit on the critical infrastructure essential for the station's operation. It can be said that this attack impacts the safety of the ZNPP," Chernichuk told the RIA Novosti news agency on Saturday.



Three more drone strikes on Energodar were recorded on Saturday, leaving one resident injured, Eduard Senovoz, mayor of the city, said on his Telegram channel on Saturday, reports Xinhua news agency.



He added that one of the drones landed near the Raduga substation.



Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on Saturday that Russia would take all necessary measures to prevent Ukraine from carrying out similar drone attacks on Energodar in the future.




In addition, while our customer repeat rates remain as strong as ever, we are also witnessing growth in the number of new deals we are securing for businesses who are borrowing from Bizcap for the first time, he said.
Heading into the Budget, the government enjoys more flexibility than ever, buoyed by revenue growth and significant past capital expenditure (capex), according to ASHISH GUPTA, chief investment officer at Axis Asset Management Company (AMC). In an interview with Abhishek Kumar in Mumbai, Gupta emphasises the advantages of maintaining the current pace of capex. Edited excerpts:

Now that the elections are over, what do you make of the market?



Despite election uncertainty being a major point of discussion, it did not majorly impact market performance. The market continues its upward trajectory. One trend that may reverse is the
Adani Groups Ambuja Cements plans to consolidate all cement companies under a single entity in the medium term, according to brokerage firm Jefferies.

The brokerage firm published its note last week, after Adani Group companies investors meeting in Ahmedabad on June 19.

The company plans to consolidate all cement companies under one head in the medium term. The merger cost is not a deterrent, but the company is working on identifying the best structure in the interest of minority and other stakeholders, the note added.

ACC and Ambuja Cement were acquired by the Adani Group
Tata Steel chairman, N Chandrasekaran, said in the companys annual report that discussions with the Dutch government regarding the decarbonisation strategy for Tata Steel Nederland had begun | File image

A binding agreement between the Dutch government and Tata Steel on the transition to low-carbon steelmaking at the companys Ijmuiden plant in the Netherlands is expected to be concluded in the current financial year.

Tata Steel chairman, N Chandrasekaran, said in the companys annual report that the discussions with the Dutch government over the decarbonisation strategy for Tata Steel Nederland had commenced. The decarbonisation will be implemented in two phases, with one blast furnace to be replaced before 2030, followed by the second one. Click here to connect with us on WhatsApp

For the first phase, we have outlined a plan to transition to green steel production by 2030 through the direct reduced iron (DRI) and electric arc furnace (EAF) route. The DRI, set to initially operate on natural gas, will seamlessly transition to hydrogen when it emerges as an accessible and economically feasible energy source, he said in his message to shareholders.

We hope to conclude an agreement in this fiscal year, Chandrasekaran added.

The discussions with the Dutch government are on financial and policy-level support.

Green Steel Plan

The Green Steel Plan or the blueprint for the transition at the 7-million-tonne plant at Ijmuiden was presented to the Dutch government by Tata Steel in November 2023. On March 28, 2024, the Dutch Parliament confirmed that the government was willing to support the proposal from Tata Steel and had given a mandate to the government to negotiate.

The Green Steel Plan entails significant investment by Tata Steel and can succeed only with policy and financial support from the government, the companys annual report mentioned.

Media reports earlier this month indicated that the Netherlands might provide up to 3 billion euros to support the transformation at the Ijmuiden plant. The company had clarified in a stock exchange filing that discussions with the Dutch government on proposed decarbonisation were on, adding that it may be premature to draw any final conclusion.

Election impact on Port Talbot

Transition to low-carbon steelmaking in Europe has been a focus area for Tata Steel. In the UK, the company reached an agreement with the Conservative-government in September 2023 for transition from blast furnace to EAF at Port Talbot in South Wales.

The project cost is pegged at 1.25 billion pounds inclusive of a grant from the UK government of up to 500 million pounds. However, the deal is caught in a political row ahead of general elections in the UK on July 4, as the restructuring at Port Talbot puts 2,800 jobs at risk.

The Labour party wants Tata Steel to halt its plans and wait until the general election to engage in talks with the government, indicating that there is a better deal to do.

Trade union, Unite, on Friday, announced strike action from July 8. Around 1,500 workers in Port Talbot and Llanwern, according to the union, will begin an all-out strike over plans to cut 2,800 jobs and close its blast furnaces. In a statement on Friday, Tata Steel indicated if the safety and stability of operations were put at risk, it would be forced to accelerate the closure of blast furnaces and associated plants.

The company also pointed out that it was losing 1 million pounds a day in the UK as existing steelmaking assets were near the end of their life and operationally unstable, causing unsustainable losses.

European challenge

The last financial year was challenging for Tata Steels European operations. Tata Steel Europes turnover stood at Rs 78,144 crore in FY24 compared to Rs 90,300 crore in FY23. Ebitda loss at Rs 7,612 crore during FY24 was lower than the Ebitda profit of Rs 4,632 crore during FY23.

The company attributed it to the impact of the relining of a blast furnace in the Netherlands coupled with lower spreads in the market. Tata Steel UKs performance was impacted by the performance of end-of-life assets apart from subdued market conditions. Tata Steel Europes net loss stood at Rs 19,603 crore in FY24 compared to a net loss of Rs 3,263 crore in FY23.
In addition to expediting clearances, the proposed hubs would offer warehousing facilities, returns processing, labelling, product testing, and repackaging services | Photo: Shutterstock.com

In a bid to boost India's e-commerce exports, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) is working with the Department of Revenue to establish designated e-commerce hubs across the country to streamline the process for online export shipments.

The country's e-commerce exports currently stand at $ 2 billion as compared to China's staggering $ 350 billion, according to industry sources.

The government aims at bridging the gap by establishing a supportive e-commerce ecosystem, they said.

"A lot of streamlining is required in this regard. We are working with the Department of Revenue to have designated e-commerce hubs so that clearance of goods happens fast," Director General of Foreign Trade Santosh Kumar Sarangi told PTI.

He said these hubs will have facilities like dedicated customs and security checks, allowing cleared parcels to proceed through a green channel at airports, eliminating the need for further inspections.

This approach mirrors best practices observed in other countries, Sarangi said.

He also pointed out that the e-commerce hubs will be built and maintained by private entities, while the government will oversee security and customs clearances.

In addition to expediting clearances, the proposed hubs would offer warehousing facilities, returns processing, labelling, product testing, and repackaging services.

This public-private partnership aims at creating a robust infrastructure for efficient e-commerce exports, the official said.

These hubs could function similarly to bonded zones, facilitating e-commerce exports, said Ajay Sahai, Director General of the Federation of Indian Export Organisations (FIEO).

A report estimated that with policy reorientation, India's e-commerce exports could reach $ 350 billion by 2030.

Streamlining the export process through dedicated hubs is a crucial step in this direction, experts mentioned.
Jessica Flores is a reporter on the breaking news and engagement team. Before joining the Chronicle in 2021, she worked for USA Today, LAist and Curbed LA. Born and raised in Los Angeles, she is a graduate of the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism and Mount Saint Mary's University in Los Angeles.
According to economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's trade deficit with South Korea increased at a much higher rate compared to its trade deficit with the world. Photo: Bloomberg

With talks to upgrade the existing free trade agreement (FTA) moving forward between India and Korea, the department of commerce is engaging with different ministries, including heavy industries, steel, and chemicals, to prepare the offer list, an official said.

Preparation of the list is part of the negotiations, which are underway, for the upgrade of the existing FTA between the two countries, dubbed as comprehensive economic partnership agreement (CEPA).

The agreement was operationalised in January 2010. So far, 10 rounds of talks have been concluded.

The official said both sides have exchanged the request list and "are working on the offer list" and for that the commerce ministry is holding discussions with different ministries, including steel, heavy industries, textiles, chemicals and petrochemicals.

India has sought greater market access for certain products such as steel, rice, and shrimp from South Korea with a view to boost exports of these goods, the official added.

India has flagged issues over Korean firms not buying Indian steel.

The exercise assumes significance as both sides have shared the hope that the CEPA upgradation negotiations would play an important role in strengthening and deepening economic cooperation between both countries.

In such agreements, two or more countries either significantly reduce or eliminate customs duties on the maximum number of goods added between and ease norms to promote trade in services and boost investments.

Both sides review the agreement at a mutually agreed time period.

In general, such review or upgrade exercises include implementation issues, rules of origin; verification process and release of consignments; customs procedures; further liberalisation of trade in goods; and sharing and exchange of trade data.

India has also raised concerns on the growing trade deficit between the two countries. India's exports to Korea dipped to $6.41 billion in 2023-24 from $6.65 billion in 2022-23 and $8 billion in 2021-22.

The imports stood at $21.13 billion in the last fiscal as against $21.22 billion in 2022-23 and $17.5 billion in 2021-22.

According to economic think tank Global Trade Research Initiative (GTRI), India's trade deficit with South Korea increased at a much higher rate compared to its trade deficit with the world.

It said India's trade with South Korea has shown significant changes in the periods before and after the implementation of the CEPA.

The average exports from India to South Korea before the CEPA (2007-09) were valued at $3.4 billion, while the average imports stood at $7.3 billion, leading to an average trade deficit of $4 billion.

Post-CEPA (2022-24), the average exports increased to $7.1 billion, and imports surged to $19.9 billion, resulting in a much larger average trade deficit of $12.8 billion, the GTRI report said, adding this indicates an increase in the trade deficit by $7.2 billion from the pre-CEPA period to the post-CEPA period, marking a 220 per cent increase.

Besides, it said Indian exporters are facing various non-tariff barriers in South Korea, including stringent standards, regulations, and certification requirements and these barriers make it difficult for Indian goods to penetrate the South Korean market.

"There are challenges related to gaining better market access for Indian agricultural products like shrimp, rice, steel, pharmaceuticals, and services in South Korea. Indian businesses seek more favourable terms to compete effectively in these sectors," GTRI Founder Ajay Srivastava said.

There are concerns regarding the rules of origin provisions under the CEPA, which determine the eligibility of products for preferential tariffs, he said, adding that India aims to ensure that these rules are not overly restrictive and that they facilitate trade rather than hinder it.

According to the GTRI, India is looking for greater liberalisation in the services sector, including healthcare and information technology (IT), and easier access for Indian professionals and service providers in the South Korean market.

There is a need for mutual recognition of standards, qualifications, and certifications to facilitate smoother trade and investment flows between the two countries, it said.

It added that while India has granted significant tariff concessions under the CEPA, there is a push for South Korea to reciprocate with more meaningful concessions, especially in sectors where Indian products have competitive advantages.

"Addressing these issues is crucial for India to achieve a more equitable and mutually beneficial trade relationship with South Korea under the CEPA framework," Srivastava said.
Luna Green, 6, shows off the painting she made for the traveling childrens art exhibition, Soul of My Soul Exhibit, in her Oakland home on May 29. Invited to reflect on her hopes for Palestinian children, Luna, who is Palestinian American, depicted a dove carrying an olive branch. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Luna Green, left, and her mother, Fida Salameh in their Oakland home on May 29. Salameh said she and her husband are both trying to preserve their Palestinian American daughters idea of her mothers homeland while helping her understand whats happening there now. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle Childrens shoes nestle the poster of Mohammad Hassan, a 7-month-old killed in Gaza, in the Graveyard of Martyrs display at the Soul of My Soul Exhibit in Morgan Hill on May 18. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Luna Green has always been proud to be Palestinian American. To the 6-year-old Oakland resident, being Palestinian means the place where Mama is from. It means speaking Arabic, wearing her cherished thobe, a Palestinian garment, and hugging her tatreez pillow that her aunt stitched for her using traditional Palestinian embroidery.

It did not, until relatively recently, mean war.

That changed in December, when she returned home from art camp, confused. An older girl had told Luna, I dont know whats happening in Palestine, but its not Israels fault.

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Luna had no idea what she was talking about, said her mother, Fida Salameh.

Luna Green has a touk, a traditional Palestinian headpiece, placed on her head by her mother, Fida Salameh, in their Oakland home. Until she learned of the Israel-Hamas war from another child in December, Luna didnt associate her Palestinian heritage with conflict. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Since Israel responded to Hamas Oct. 7 terrorist attack with a full-scale bombardment and invasion of Gaza territory, Salameh, like many other parents, has had to reckon with how  and if  to talk about the war with her child. For the first couple of months, she and her husband tried to shield Luna and preserve in her mind the Palestine shed heard about since she was a baby, where nothing bad happened.

We want to preserve her childhood for as long as we can, but the unfortunate thing is, as a brown and Black family, we can only do that for so long, said Salameh, a Palestinian American born in Jerusalem. Her husband is Black.

As Salameh grappled with these questions, she learned about a childrens traveling art show organized by a ragtag group of Bay Area mothers called Soul of my Soul Exhibit. The exhibit, which is continuing, invites kids to reflect on their hopes for Palestinian children through artwork.

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The organizers, none of whom knew each other before mid-December, wanted to call attention to the high number of child fatalities in Gaza. The parents of the artists realized their kids were absorbing information about the conflict  sometimes graphic information  from friends, adults and social media.

As much as we adults feel helpless about whats happening, our children also feel this way, said Yosra Abdelaziz, 35, a Tri-Valley resident and Egyptian Canadian who co-founded the group behind the exhibit. Giving them an opportunity to create art to raise awareness about it gives them such a good feeling that theyre able to do something.

For children, by children

Tasneem Said of San Jose and her children take in the artwork during the May 18 Soul of My Soul Exhibit at Morgan Hill Civic Center. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Abdelaziz, a mother of three, said she was roused to action shortly after the invasion of Gaza. She remembers her social media feeds being flooded with videos of killed children and grieving parents.

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I remember very clearly feeling like I want to vomit, she said.

Of the more than 37,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza, at least 7,797 have been children, according to the U.Ns Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, which attributes its data to the Gaza Ministry of Health.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the subject of an arrest warrant application from the International Criminal Court for allegedly using starvation as a military tactic, and the Israel Defense Forces have defended their conduct in Gaza by saying the IDF upholds international law and makes efforts to minimize civilian casualties.

In December, Abdelaziz messaged on Instagram someone who had organized vigils for people killed in Gaza. Abdelaziz shared that she wanted to do something similar, focused on children.

From left, Julie Wild, Noshaba Afzal (back row, left), Yosra Abdelaziz, Omeera Qadir (back row, right) and Deana Hsu in the Graveyard of Martyrs display at the May 18 Soul of My Soul Exhibit the mothers organized at the Morgan Hill Civic Center. The Graveyard of Martyrs shows posters of Palestinian children who have been killed, both in Gaza and the West Bank. Really the goal of this is to humanize Palestinian children, Abdelaziz said. So every single poster is unique, and it shows a child, their name, their picture, and a little bit of their story about who they are. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

The organizer replied and connected her to Deana Hsu, 52, Zaineb Qazwini, 41, and Dina Abdallah Saah, 48, who were behind a November vigil in Los Gatos. Saah, a San Jose resident with family in northern Gaza and the West Bank, is Salamehs relative.

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Along with two other women, the group of six organized the first exhibit on Jan. 28 at a Pleasanton park, obtaining a city permit and publicizing it on social media. The makeshift outdoor museum displayed dozens of childrens drawings, strung up on twine between trees, and canvas paintings propped on chairs, collected through posting in WhatsApp groups and reaching out to local schools and scout troops.

Since then, the team has grown to 10 women, all moms, and has held five more shows. Primarily through word of mouth, the group has collected more than 500 pieces of childrens art.

The exhibits are intentionally focused on children, not politics, Abdelaziz said. Thats why she thinks they have been well-received and avoided controversy.

We have stripped away the politics and stripped away the antagonism of who is on the other side of the protest line, she said.

Artwork depicting an orphan, created by Hafsah A., 15, is displayed at the May 18 Soul of My Soul Exhibit in Morgan Hill. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

East Bay resident Charvi Anand, 16, said she cried as she sculpted clay babies draped in a Palestinian flag blanket to pay tribute to infants who died in a Gaza hospital amid Israeli bombardment in November. She learned about the plight from TikTok.

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I know I cant do a lot, but I want to do what I can to raise awareness of people around me, she said.

Ziyad Freij, 9, who is Palestinian American and lives in Campbell, drew a stick-figure man planting a Palestinian flag atop a mound. His hope for Gazas children, he said, is that the war ends soon so that they can go back to their homes with their families. And that they can have nice graves for their family members that passed away.

His artwork was inspired by visits to his grandfather and great grandfathers graves in a Los Altos cemetery.

One of Lunas pieces  created with watercolor paint, Sharpie and Expo marker  depicts a woman in a keffiyeh, a traditional Arab headdress, holding a journal alongside a bright orange poppy, a giant flying dove and an olive.

Luna Green, right, and her mother, Fida Salameh gather some of Lunas artwork in their Oakland home on May 29. Luna was a contributing artist to the Soul of My Soul Exhibit, which uses childrens artwork to raise awareness about child casualties in Gaza. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

Olive trees are very important to Palestinians because olive trees stay alive for a very long time, more than 150 years, Luna said. They show resistance.

Saahs aunt survived an October airstrike on St. Porphyrius Orthodox Church in Gaza, where her family had sought shelter. Unable to get medical treatment, the aunt died of sepsis June 16, Saah learned the following day, first from the churchs Facebook page, then from her aunts brother in Los Angeles. She credited her Soul of my Soul partners with holding her up during this time.

I tell them this all the time, Saah said. I feel like you guys carry the cross for me, for all of us.

What children know

Adeline, 7, places an artificial flower by a poster for a dead Palestinian child at the May 18 Soul of My Soul Exhibit in Morgan Hill. The childrens traveling art exhibition, which has accepted 500 pieces, was organized by a group of Bay Area mothers who wanted to bring attention to child casualties in Gaza. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Luna keeps a crystal rock collection in her bedroom. Her favorites, she said, are the red, green and black crystals, because they share the colors of the Palestinian flag. Making art for Palestinians makes her feel good, she said, because she feels like it will help.

I want them to have joy and freedom and love and care, Luna said. So not to have too much bad dreams, and they have to stay awake all night and not eat grass. Because they have to eat grass because there is no food.

Wow, her mom, Salameh, responded. I did not know she knew that.

As the war continues, Salameh considers it more important for her and her husband to talk to Luna about the situation.

We dont want her to get this outside information from various sources that dont know whats going on, especially from other kids that dont know whats going on, Salameh said.

Aisha Wahdani, 36, of Gilroy walks through a field of Palestinian flags at the May 18 Soul of My Soul Exhibit. When we put one flag down, it represents 1,000 kids (who) died, Wahdani said. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Abdelaziz said that when her two older children, a middle schooler and high schooler, ask her questions about the war, she has been honest but not explicit. The exhibition intentionally excludes any graphic imagery of war.

Youd be surprised by how much they know, Abdelaziz said.

Qazwinis 9-year-old daughter, Ishtar Olsen, said she noticed her mom leaving the house a lot in the fall and asked her where she was going. She was attending a protest, Qazwini said, explaining, There is a war. People are suffering. We want it to stop.

Ishtar later joined one of these protests, on Nov. 4 in San Francisco. When it was her turn to make an art piece, Ishtar drew the Palestinian flag with the words Stop bombing Gaza inked in a checkered keffiyeh pattern. Over the logos for Starbucks, Puma and McDonalds, she drew big red crosses.

Ishtar said she learned about boycotting the companies from the protest.

Luna Green points to a painting that was part of an art exhibit for Palestinian children and is now on display at her Oakland home. Carlos Avila Gonzalez/The Chronicle

They only went to one protest but a lot of the things they heard, they saw, it stayed with them, Qazwini said, referring to Ishtar and her brother. She said she is proud her daughter cares about other peoples suffering, but at the same time wants to protect her from the worst of it.

Qazwini was 8 and living with her family in Baghdad when a U.S.-led coalition began an aerial bombing campaign of the Iraq capital during the first Gulf War. She still gets a sinking feeling at air shows.

Children there are seeing this live, but I wouldnt want any child to see this brutality, Qazwini said.

I want people to know that its not good that everyones in a war, Ishtar said. Even my mom was in a war when she was a child.

Like Ishtar, the Soul of my Soul artists have big dreams.

I want to be president so that I can change lives, Luna said. And specifically, so that I can help Palestine.
The market for chatbots based on large language models (LLMs), the core software of a new artificial intelligence (AI) system, is growing as technology giants Google, Microsoft-backed Open AI, and Meta expand their services.

A key element of their expansion strategy is localised AI chatbots that support languages of a particular country. Last week, Google extended its Gemini app in India with support for nine Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.

Open AIs ChatGPT already provides support for 10 Indian languages, besides English.

The strategy helps OpenAI, Google and other companies to gain traction
Seven highly anticipated Chinese films, including projects from renowned directors Wuershan, Guan Hu, and Feng Xiaogang, were unveiled at a special event during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) on June 17.

Filmmakers pose for a group photo at a special event to promote the "Chinese Epic Showcase" initiative during the 26th Shanghai International Film Festival in Shanghai, June 17, 2024. [Photo courtesy of SIFF Organizing Committee]

The "Chinese Epic Showcase," co-hosted by Alibaba Pictures and the SIFF Organizing Committee, marked the 10th anniversary of their partnership. The two parties announced a mission-driven initiative to unite Chinese filmmakers in a bid to drive the high-quality development of the country's cinema industry. Numerous industry insiders, filmmakers, and company representatives attended the event.

"I believe that, with the collective efforts of many filmmakers, Chinese cinema will usher in an even more brilliant tomorrow. Every effort of the filmmakers will be respected, every story will be remembered, and every emotion will be conveyed," said Fu Ruoqing, chairman of China Film Group Corporation.

Li Jie, president of Alibaba Pictures, announced the launch of the "Chinese Epic" co-production plan during the event, pledging the company's unwavering commitment to the initiative. "We hope to collaborate with Chinese film creators to unlock the potential of the 'Chinese Epic' and elevate the Chinese film industry to new heights," Li said.

The "Chinese Epic" initiative will prioritize quality, industrialization, and grand-scale production in film development, focusing on four key themes: individual destinies, national sentiments, humanistic concerns, and contemporary resonance, according to the announcement.

One notable example is "Dongji Island," which has been in development for four years and is set to begin filming on June 24. The film, starring Zhu Yilong and Wu Lei, tells the true story of courageous Chinese fishermen who rescued British prisoners of war held by the Japanese army during the sinking of the Lisbon Maru in World War II. The production's scale and complexity present unprecedented challenges in Chinese film history, featuring set replicas on a real island location, actual sea filming, and a full-scale reconstruction of the Lisbon Maru. Director Guan Hu described the scale of the production as "equivalent to the volume of three big movies."

Following the success of "Creation of the Gods I: Kingdom of Storms" last year, director Wuershan is set to release his new fantasy action epic "Under One Person" on July 26. Wuershan described the film as "urban mythology and contemporary wuxia," blending Chinese traditional style with a supernatural world.

Other highly anticipated films showcased at the event include Xu Zheng's realistically-themed "Upstream," set for release on Aug. 9, which focuses on the stories of delivery workers. Anthony Pun's "City in Flames," starring Andy Lau, delves into the complex interplay of natural disasters and human calamity, and is the first Chinese film to address radiation disaster themes, according to veteran producer Bill Kong. Legendary martial arts director and choreographer Yuen Woo-Ping aims to revive the Chinese kung fu legacy with "Blades of the Guardians," featuring producer and lead actor Wu Jing.

The event also featured Zhang Disha's sci-fi adventure film project, "The Decisive Moment," which promises to blend authentic scientific details with imaginative storytelling in a distinctly Chinese sci-fi narrative that celebrates the spirit of Chinese aerospace exploration.

Rounding out the presentations was "I Know Who You Are," the latest project from renowned Chinese director Feng Xiaogang, marking his return to the period drama genre after a seven-year hiatus following his acclaimed film "Youth." Starring popular actors Lei Jiayin and Hu Ge, the film chronicles a cop's pursuit of a deeply disguised spy over a span of 40 years.

Alibaba Pictures' Li Jie emphasized the importance of epic productions in drawing audiences to theaters for a big-screen experience, especially in light of concerning data showing low cinema attendance and viewing frequency this year.

"The market needs to regain confidence, requiring the releases of big productions and major tentpole films," he said. "From plateau to peak, there are no shortcuts. To understand why cinema is what it is, we must return to the essence of cinema itself."
Participants Avani Gireesha, 20, rear center, and Manahil Syeda, 19, rear right, applaud during the opening ceremony of the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon at the MLK Student Union Building on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle The organizing team of Berkeley SkyDeck welcomes participants to the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle Alex Godfrey, 21, center, and Lukas Seklir, 20, work on a team project at the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle From right, Abby Tran, 21, Hawa Drammeh, 22, and Peter Lin, 23, check in for the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle Participants attend a workshop during the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle Participants chat Saturday during the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle

Using artificial intelligence to solve real-world problems, 1,200 developers vied for venture capital funding and other prizes over the weekend at a UC Berkeley hackathon.

Participants competed Saturday and Sunday in the field of generative AI, which consumes data, learns from it, then produces text, images, sound or computer code with similar characteristics.

Berkeley SkyDeck, a global hub for entrepreneurs, organized its second GenAI hackathon in partnership with Cal Hacks, the worlds biggest collegiate hackathon. Graduate or undergraduate students, as well as recent grads, from all colleges and universities were eligible to compete.

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Entrepreneur and investor Caroline Winnett, a former professional concert violinist, leads the Berkeley SkyDeck program, which hosts more than 200 companies each year.

Competitor Nick Yu, 40, claps hands with his teammate during the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle

Over two days, teams of up to four worked on building a project using AI, Winnett told the Chronicle. Participants could either sign up as a group or come to the competition alone and form a group when they arrived. But participants had to build the project completely from scratch over 36 hours  and the teams worked through the night to do so.

Saturday morning was remarkably calm, Winnett said, but she expected things to get a bit more frantic as the Sunday deadline approached.

Its really wonderful to see all these young people hacking their hearts out, she said.

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While participants were allowed to create whatever kind of project they wanted, this years theme was AI for Good, she said, with several prizes geared to awarding teams whose projects fit that mold.

Competitors attend the opening ceremony of the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon at the MLK Student Union Building on Saturday. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle

Last years hackathon was the largest of its kind, demonstrating that even within a short 36-hour timeframe, breakthroughs with genuine entrepreneurial promise are achievable, Chon Tang, founding partner of the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund, said in a news release. Given the rapid advancements in AI, were confident the 2024 teams will produce even more groundbreaking use cases.

This year, SkyDeck partnered with hackathon groups from such universities as Stanford and the Massachusetts Institute of technology to expand the funnel of top talent from across the country, he said.

People of all experience levels were encouraged to apply for the hackathon. This year had 3,000 applicants for the hackathons 1,200 spots, Winnett said, including people from as far as Japan and Egypt and from colleges all over the state. Most, she said, were people interested in computer science and engineering, and some even already have their own startups.

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Its really quite extraordinary, she said of the level of interest.

From left, hackathon competitors Adarsha Yemparala, 23, Dilip Reddy S, 22, and Saseendra Danthinada, 26, work on their computers. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle

On Sunday, eight top teams were to be selected, and organizers were to double-check that their project was indeed created from scratch. The weekend was to culminate in the presentation of each top teams project to a judging panel of leading venture investors, including the Berkeley SkyDeck Fund. The panel was to invest $100,000 in winning teams to work on their projects over the summer.

The goal, Winnett said, is for the 36-hour projects to become startups as well.

Were hoping that some real companies are born out of this, she said.

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The hackathon also gave participants networking opportunities, providing access to AI experts on key issues such as responsible and ethical development principles.

Competitors work on their computers Saturday during the UC Berkeley AI Hackathon. Laure Andrillon/Special to the Chronicle

Participating startups had access to SkyDecks 700 advisers, 70 industry partners, and a network of more than 510,000 UC Berkeley alumni. To date, SkyDeck startups have raised more than $1.8 billion total.

While the weekend was focused on building and entrepreneurship, there was a lot of room for fun as well. Winnett said participants got some unconventional inspiration Saturday afternoon: llamas, normally brought to campus to help students de-stress.

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In todays competitive job market, attracting and retaining top talent is more challenging than ever. You want your employees to feel valued and motivated, ensuring they remain productive and loyal to your organisation.

One crucial factor that often gets overlooked is the impact of comprehensive health insurance on employee retention and productivity. Employee health insurance is more than just a perkit's a vital element that can significantly impact your workplace.

Understanding the Link between Health Insurance, Retention, and Productivity

What do we mean by retention and productivity? Retention refers to an organisation's ability to keep its employees long term, minimising turnover and maintaining a stable workforce.

Productivity measures how efficiently your employees get their jobs done. Its about making sure everyone is working smart, not just hard. Both of these are vital for a thriving business.

When you offer comprehensive health insurance, you're not just offering a perk; Youre showing your team you care about their well-being.

Studies show that employees with good health benefits are happier at work. This happiness comes from knowing their health and finances are taken care of. A survey of 15,000 small firms found that companies offering health insurance see better worker retention, productivity, and profitability compared to those that don't.

Absenteeism (frequent absences) and presenteeism (coming to work but not being productive because of health issues) are big productivity problems. Good health insurance helps tackle both.

With access to preventive care and regular check-ups, employees can catch health issues early and deal with them before they get serious. This means fewer sick days and more days where everyone works at their best.

Companies with solid health benefits see nearly a 30% drop in turnover rates. Plus, employees with good health coverage are 25% more productivethey take fewer sick days and are more focused at work. Investing in health insurance pays off in a big way.

Retention: The Ripple Effect of Comprehensive Health Coverage

For attracting and keeping top talent, health benefits are a big deal. In todays job market, people look beyond just the paycheckthey want a great benefits package too. Offering comprehensive health insurance can set your organisation apart, making it a more attractive place to work.

When employees feel valued and supported with benefits like health insurance, theyre more likely to stick around. High turnover is expensive and disruptive. Recruiting, hiring, and training new employees takes time and money. Plus, losing experienced staff can mess up your workflow and hurt team performance.

By offering comprehensive health insurance, you can cut down on these turnover costs. Employees who feel secure about their health coverage are more likely to stay loyal to your organisation, leading to long-term commitment.

Long-term employees know the ins and outs of your companys culture, processes, and goals. They bring stability and help create a more cohesive work environment. Investing in their health through quality insurance plans is a smart move that benefits your employees and your organisation.

Productivity: The Unseen Impact of Healthy Employees

Healthy employees are the backbone of a productive workplace. When your team members are in good health, they can perform their tasks more efficiently and with greater focus.

Poor health can lead to decreased concentration, lower energy levels, and ultimately diminished job performance. By providing comprehensive health insurance, you help ensure your employees have the support they need to maintain their health, directly boosting their productivity.

Preventative care and wellness programs are essential elements of a robust health insurance plan. Regular check-ups, screenings, and health assessments can catch potential issues early, preventing them from becoming serious problems. Wellness programs that encourage healthy lifestylessuch as fitness incentives, mental health support, and nutritional counsellingalso play a crucial role.

Overcoming Challenges and Implementing Effective Strategies

One of the biggest challenges employers face when providing health insurance is managing the costs. Its understandableyou want to offer great benefits without breaking the bank. Many insurance providers offer a range of plans that you can tailor to fit your budget.

Every workforce is unique, so a one-size-fits-all approach wont cut it. Take the time to understand your employees' specific needs and preferences.

Conduct surveys or hold focus groups to gather insights on what benefits they value most. Tailoring your health insurance plans to meet these needs not only enhances employee satisfaction but also ensures that youre getting the most value out of your investment.

Regularly inform your team about the benefits available to them and how to use these services. Use multiple channelsemails, meetings, and even one-on-one sessionsto ensure everyone is in the loop. Highlight real-life examples of how the benefits have helped other employees.

Technology can be a game-changer in managing health insurance and engaging your employees. Use digital platforms to simplify the administration of health benefits. Online portals where employees can easily access their health plans, submit claims, and get support can make the process more efficient. Plus, apps that promote wellness and provide health tips can keep employees engaged with their health benefits.

Conclusion

Comprehensive health insurance is more than just a benefit; it's a game changer for employee retention and productivity. By offering solid health coverage, you show your employees that their well-being is a top priority. This fosters loyalty and boosts job performance, creating a happier and more efficient workplace.

Think of health insurance as an investment, not just an expense. It pays off in the long run with lower turnover and higher productivity. So, take that step to invest in your teams health. Its a move that will benefit both your employees and your organisation in the long run.

The workplace is always changing, and your approach to benefits should evolve too. Health insurance is crucial for creating a supportive, engaged, and productive work environment. By focusing on comprehensive health coverage, youre not just supporting your employees well-being; youre building a stronger, more resilient organisation.
CAMEROUN :: Deforestation-free cocoa : WWF rewards farmers, cooperatives in South Cameroon

Outstanding farmers in Mintom Municipality, South Region of Cameroon, that are practicing deforestation-free cocoa production have received awards and material from the World Wide Fund for Nature, WWF.

Three cooperatives (SOCOCAM-COOPCA, SCOOPS-PROCAM and SCOOPS EX-PFNL) and 26 farmers received prizes for implementing best ecologically-friendly agricultural practices that led to quality cocoa and increased yields.

The prizes and the material were handed to the farmers on June 14, during an excellence award ceremony in Mintom, in the presence of administrative authorities and local officials, Divisional Delegates of key sectorial ministries (Forestry and Wildlife, Agriculture), CSO partners, traditional rulers, farmers and IP & local communities.

The laureates were chosen based on : the quantity and quality of cocoa produced per hectare, implementation of practices that respect the environment, knowledge on harvest and post-harvest and ability to experiment novel methods.

As recognition of their work, WWF Country Director, Alain Bernard Ononino, handed over material and farm inputs to the laureates including: wheelbarrows, machetes, sprayers, tricycles and motorbikes a one-ton weighing scale etc to ease cocoa processing and commercialization.

Since 2021, WWF through the Green Commodity Landscape Program (GCLP) is supporting five farmers cooperatives engaged in durable cocoa production and non-timber forest products NTFPs, value-chains namely; SCOOPS PROCAM, SOCOCAM COOPCA, SCOOPS EX-PFLN, SCOOPS BAKA of BEMBA 2 and SCOOPS BAKA of ODOUMOU, grouping some 300 farmers.

For WWF Cameroon Country Director, Alain Ononino, WWF is implementing the GCLP with the aim of improving the living conditions of indigenous people and local communities, while preserving the biodiversity around the Dja Biosphere Reserve.



For instance, thanks to WWF support, the cocoa production of the young cooperative (SOCOCAM COOPCA) has moved from 21 tons in 2021 to 52 in 2024. In Mintom, WWF is supporting five cooperatives, he said.

A study conducted by WWF in 2022 reveals that one of the two main drivers of deforestation in Cameroon is agriculture. Given Cameroon's ambition to boost economic growth through agriculture and extractive industries, this pressure could significantly increase on Cameroon's forests.

In response to these threats, the Roadmap for Deforestation-Free Cocoa was signed in 2021 by the Cameroonian government, private sector players, CSOs and local and international NGOs, including the WWF. This framework agreement commits the signatories to work together towards sustainable cocoa production and marketing, the preservation and rehabilitation of forests, and the inclusion of cocoa farming communities.

To enable farmers to regenerate and replace ageing cocoa trees, WWF has supported the creation of three nurseries comprising 25,000 cocoa plants in the communities of Ekombite (15000), Esseng (5000) the Baka village of Assok (5000).

WWF also constructed a post-harvest cocoa processing unit, to enable farmers to process premium cocoa that meets international standards. Farmers have been taught how to produce cocoa under shade, employ natural farm treatment methods that promote high yields and do not require clearing off the forest to create new farms.

Mbassi Bitongo, one of the laureates, says since I began practicing the lessons from training offered by WWF, my production has been rising steadily. If I was at one ton per year, it goes up to 1 ton and 100.
Oakland Mayor Sheng Thaos first term has been mired in controversy, marked by a recall effort that recently qualified for the November ballot and recently having her home raided by federal agents. Scott Strazzante/The Chronicle

Republicans and moderates attack progressives and demand their ouster from office by accusing them of being inept leaders who dont know what voters want or need. These critics say progressives anti-racist crime and social policies are ill-conceived, alienate voters and turn urban areas into war zones. They also contend progressives personify the kind of corruption they accuse the political right of practicing.

These talking points can sometimes hold warped kernels of truth. Just look at three days in Oakland last week.

On June 18, the recall of progressive Mayor Sheng Thao qualified for the November ballot, just two months after the recall of progressive Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price did the same. Seats on Oaklands City Council, which has been predominantly progressive in recent years, are also on the ballot.

On June 19, at least 15 people were injured at a shooting at an Oakland Juneteenth event at Lake Merritt. The incident stoked fears of violent crime in the city at a time when police data show overall crime has been decreasing.

On June 20, Thaos home was raided by federal agents, and news reports say it could be tied to an illegal campaign contributions scandal that dates back to 2020. Despite lacking evidence, Thaos critics have called her corrupt for nearly a year.

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Frustrated moderates and their Republican allies live for real-life events that vindicate their scathing and often far-fetched criticisms of progressive leadership. In the battle for Oaklands political soul, last weeks three incidents could be what finally rips the city from the grip of progressivism come November.

Thao took office in January 2023, and one of her first big decisions was to fire popular Black Police Chief LeRonne Armstrong following a misconduct scandal. Her controversial choice would end up being the foundation of her recall, and Armstrong is now running for City Council.

But Thao made other mistakes in office, like missing a deadline to apply for a retail theft grant last fall, doing a poor job of getting people to understand her stances on the failed Oakland As negotiations and Armstrongs firing, and failing to forge a relationship with Black groups like the disgruntled moderate Oakland NAACP branch that within her first three months in office wanted to have her recalled.

FBI agents raid a home on Maiden Lane where Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao lives in Oakland on June 20. Jessica Christian/The Chronicle

In March 2023, Oakland chapter President Cynthia Adams told me it was a slap in the face that Thao hadnt developed a relationship with the branch. In the hours after the FBI raid, Adams issued a statement calling for Thaos resignation. More than a year after Adams comments about her lack of a relationship with Thao, former Alameda County Judge Brenda Harbin-Forte, a Black woman and moderate leading the recall against Thao, told me the mayor still didnt understand the needs of Black Oakland voters.

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Thao campaigned for mayor on a progressive platform in which she championed violence prevention programs to uplift struggling Black and brown communities and called for tackling the root causes of crime, like poverty. This was a stark contrast to the citys conventional approach of pouring funds into a notorious, ill-performing police force with a history of mistreating Black and brown folks.

Its no longer popular or politically advantageous to aggressively advocate for policies that support Black communities. Republicans have led the crusade against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, and because of those efforts, DEI programs at universities and corporations are being vilified, blocked or gutted. The term DEI has been poisoned so much that its used as a stand-in for the n-word by racists on social media sites like X, formerly Twitter. Even reparations have become political napalm in California politics, with few politicians willing to back the concept publicly.

When it comes to public safety, theres a pervasive right-wing narrative that cities like Oakland, under the influence of progressive leaders who embrace pro-Black policies, make their cities less safe. The bloody incident at Lake Merritt is now fuel for this troubling narrative.

According to news reports and the Oakland Police Department, a sideshow started near the lake at around 8:15 p.m. A fight broke out and shots were fired.

Oakland Police Chief Floyd Mitchell speaks during a June 20 news conference about a mass shooting at Lake Merritt on Juneteenth. David Hernandez/The Chronicle

Before Oaklanders had a chance to fully react to the Juneteenth shooting, news broke that Thaos home was being raided by federal agents. Oakland moderates on social media seized the news, even before details emerged, and the situation was covered by right-wing news outlets like Breitbart and many others.

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For Republicans and the far right, Thao is a lightning rod, a symbol of Democratic leaders they depict as architects of urban decay, painting them as radical communists, a term favored by none other than the bombastic former President Donald Trump. These exaggerated references to political ideologies are cunningly wielded by the right to stoke fears about Democrats and the perceived threats they bring.

It might be months before we find out more details as to what the FBI took from Thaos home, but her involvement in a scandal like this will do nothing to quiet the arguments that progressives are somehow untrustworthy.

Last week was a tough week for narratives around progressivism in Oakland. Only time will tell how those three days affect the citys political future for years to come.
Smoke rises Sunday from the Sites Fire in Colusa County. Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Firefighters were battled the Sites and Point fires in Northern California through another day of high temperatures Sunday after making progress overnight, according to Cal Fire.

Both fires did not grow in acreage overnight, according to a Sunday update.

The Sites Fire in Colusa County had burned 19,195 acres near the area of Sites Lodoga Road and Wilson Creek. More than 2,200 personnel are battling the fire, which sparked last Monday and was 48% contained Sunday evening. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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Crews are doing a great job, an official with Cal Fires Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit said.

The Point Fire in Sonoma County was 90% contained and had burned 1,207 acres as of Sunday evening. Crews improved control lines overnight and continued to mop up, Cal Fire said. As of Sunday morning, three buildings had been destroyed and two others damaged.

Mike Steven, a meteorologist with Cal Fire, said temperatures were expected to rise again Sunday afternoon.

The area near the Point Fire saw excellent overnight humidity recovery above 80%, Steven said. Temperatures rose into the upper 80s Sunday afternoon with no weather issues expected.

Weather conditions were warmer and drier in the area near the Sites Fire, with temperatures rising into the mid- to upper 90s by afternoon along with gusty winds, Steven said.

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Heather McClendon officially launched her campaign for Tennessee House District 30, addressing a large audience at Champys in East Ridge.

Her campaign said, "Ms. McClendon, leveraging her background as a school psychologist, a dedicated mother, and a cancer survivor, declared her candidacy with a pledge to champion substantial reforms for District 30 and all of Tennessee.

"Emphasizing her commitment to addressing the critical issues most impacting Tennesseans, Heather outlined her campaigns core priorities: enhancing public education, improving healthcare accessibility, and fostering safer neighborhoods.

"Heather McClendons campaign welcomes all of District 30 to join them in this journey to help change the future of Tennessee."

"We need to elect leaders who will work for the people, not for corporations," Ms.

McClendon said. "Together, we can tackle the challenges affecting everyday Tennesseans and build a stronger future for our communities."
Here is the latest Hamilton County arrest report.

(If your case is dismissed, just email us your name and date we ran it and we will promptly take off. Email to news@chattanoogan.com)

ANDERSON, LAKENYA NICOLE

3211 12TH AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374071860

Age at Arrest: 38 years old

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



BAKER, LARRY CEAD

727 E 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 37403

Age at Arrest: 57 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

ASSAULT



BROADNAX, QUINTUS ANTONINE

3202 Crestfield Dr Chattanooga, 374111017

Age at Arrest: 36 years old

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD

CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS

EVADING ARREST

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL.

OR MANUFACTURING)DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEBURTON, CAMERONHOMELESS EAST RIDGE, 37412Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDOBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAYRESTRICTIONS ON USE OF CONTROLLED-ACCESS ROADWAYCARNEY, ALICIA1930 HIGHWAY 411 S ETOWAH, 373315046Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTCOLEMAN, KIERSTON MARIE6026 GRASTON AVE EAST RIDGE, 37412Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDASSAULTCROSS, CEDRIC CORNELL1011 DODSON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 374063213Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGDAVIS, LEIGH ANN805 BROOKCREST LANE HIXSON, 37343Age at Arrest: 53 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEFRASHIER, ZACKERY TYLER920 SALEM RD ROSSVILLE, 307412141Age at Arrest: 30 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)HAMBRICK, GERALD2235 NIMITZ ST CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 31 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgeDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEHARDWICK, JOYCE Y4107 FAGAN STREET APT B CHATTANOOGA, 37410Age at Arrest: 51 years oldArresting Agency:THEFT OF PROPERTYHERNANDEZ, TONY LEBRONHOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 40 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffREGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLEDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPOSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)DRIVING WHILE IN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE 5 GTAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCEHUGHES, ELENA M310 HOMESTREAD CIRCLE NE CLEVELAND, 37323Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)HUGHES, ELENA M310 HOMESTREAD CIRCLE NE CLEVELAND, 37323Age at Arrest: 50 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL INQUIRYJACKSON, ISAIAH TOMASBONNY OAKS CHATTANOOGA, 374033104Age at Arrest: 23 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)JENKINS, MATTHEW PAUL153 COUNTY RD 781 RICEVILLE, 37370Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Red BankPOSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAKAMPF, DONNA E330 TANGER CIRCLE, B EAST RIDGE, 37412Age at Arrest: 59 years oldArresting Agency: OtherBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)KRALL, EDWARD BENJAMIN9854 HWY 58 OOLTEWAH, 37363Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: CollegedaleBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)LOPEZ-TORRES, JUAN WILSON407 HOWARD CIR CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 25 years oldArresting Agency: Tenn Hwy PatrolDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE (3RD OFFENSE)DRIVING ON ROADWAYS LANED FOR TRAFFIC, VIOLATIONDRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CARELIGHT LAW VIOLATION (FAILURE TO DIM LIGHTS)DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEOPEN CONTAINER LAWLOWE, DUSTIN C407 COUNTY ROAD ATHENS, 37303Age at Arrest: 35 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffLIGHT LAW VIOLATIONPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMEDTHEFT OF PROPERTYDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSEREGISTRATION, UNLAWFUL REMOVAL OF DECAL OR PLATEDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEMAYS, RUSSELL ANDERSON8734 SWEET TEA LANE HARRISON, 37341Age at Arrest: 42 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffSCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATIONSCHEDULE II DRUG VIOLATIONMCCLENDON, JUSTIN VAN906 LAFAYETTE RD ROSSVILLE, 30741Age at Arrest: 34 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffFUGITIVE (ARREST FOR CRIME IN WALKER CO GA)MCDADE, DELJUAN KHARIE1 19 YOUNG HIGH PIKE KNOXVILLE, 37920Age at Arrest: 27 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDPOSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMEDDRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALEPOSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIAPHILLIPE, LOPEZ PARAZ7254 HAMILTON ACRES CIR CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 44 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffBooked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)PITTS, FREDRICK LEROY4713 BONNY OAKS DR CHATTANOOGA, 37416Age at Arrest: 54 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSELIGHT LAW VIOLATIONRIVERA, JUANITA AMPAROHOMELESS CHATTANOOGA, 37405Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffCRIMINAL TRESPASSING (FORFEITURE CAPIAS)VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF (FORFEITURE CAPIAS)RODRIGUEZ MARTINEZ, IVAN1118 E 33RD STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37407Age at Arrest: 28 years oldArresting Agency: Tenn Hwy PatrolDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCESPEEDINGOPEN CONTAINER LAWDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSEDRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CAREROGERS, SHUNTEL DEMETRIA1003 E MLK BLVD CHATTANOOGA, 37403Age at Arrest: 54 years oldArresting Agency: Tenn Hwy PatrolDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCEDRIVERS TO EXERCISE DUE CAREFAILURE TO MAINTAIN LANEREGISTRATION, EXPIREDFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYROSS, LEONARD LEBRON526 SEQUOIA DR CHATTANOOGA, 37411Age at Arrest: 51 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL TRESPASSINGSIMS, LEE MCCAIN2110 ALLIN ST CHATTANOOGA, 374061871Age at Arrest: 69 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDSTOP SIGN VIOLATIONLIGHT LAW VIOLATIONFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYTAYLOR, RODNEY DEWAYNE858 ARLINGTON AVE CHATTANOOGA, 37406Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDTRAILER REGISTRATION REQUIREDDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSETERNEY, ANNA MALONE226 MCCALLIE ROAD FLINTSTONE, 30725Age at Arrest: 38 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDRIVING LEFT OF CENTER LINEDRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCETHOMAS, DONNIE145 HENDRIX BLVD APT 5 CHATTANOOGA, 37412Age at Arrest: 33 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffDRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSEOPEN CONTAINER LAWFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITYTHOMPSON, ISAACHOMLESS SODDY DAISY, 37379Age at Arrest: 24 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffPUBLIC INTOXICATIONDISORDERLY CONDUCTASSAULTTODD, CHRISTOPHER CARTER141 OLD BALD MOUNTAIN ROAD BLAIRSVILLE, 305127449Age at Arrest: 45 years oldArresting Agency: East RidgePOSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALAWEATHERBY, ANDREW TYLER727 E 11TH ST CHATTANOOGA, 374033104Age at Arrest: 32 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDCRIMINAL IMPERSONATIONWILLIAMS HARRIS JR, CORY TREMAINE616 GILLESPIE RD CHATTANOOGA, 374112821Age at Arrest: 21 years oldArresting Agency: Chattanooga PDDOMESTIC ASSAULTDOMESTIC ASSAULTZUNIGA, GUSTAVO DELEON7023 HAMILTON VIEW STREET CHATTANOOGA, 37421Age at Arrest: 27 years oldArresting Agency: HC SheriffREGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLEDRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSEFINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

Here are the mug shots:

ANDERSON, LAKENYA NICOLE

Age at Arrest: 38

Date of Birth: 10/25/1985

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

BAKER, LARRY CEAD

Age at Arrest: 57

Date of Birth: 05/16/1967

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

ASSAULT BROADNAX, QUINTUS ANTONINE

Age at Arrest: 36

Date of Birth: 06/11/1984

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

CONTRABAND IN PENAL INSTITUTIONS

EVADING ARREST

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE BURTON, CAMERON

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 11/18/1991

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

OBSTRUCTING HIGHWAY OR OTHER PASSAGEWAY

RESTRICTIONS ON USE OF CONTROLLED-ACCESS ROADWAY CROSS, CEDRIC CORNELL

Age at Arrest: 35

Date of Birth: 05/08/1989

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING DAVIS, LEIGH ANN

Age at Arrest: 53

Date of Birth: 06/04/1971

Arresting Agency: Red Bank



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE HAMBRICK, GERALD

Age at Arrest: 31

Date of Birth: 11/17/1992

Arresting Agency: East Ridge



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE HARDWICK, JOYCE Y

Age at Arrest: 51

Date of Birth: 11/07/1966

Arresting Agency:



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

THEFT OF PROPERTY HERNANDEZ, TONY LEBRON

Age at Arrest: 40

Date of Birth: 09/15/1982

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

REGISTRATION, DRIVING UNREGISTERED VEHICLE

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)

DRIVING WHILE IN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE 5 G

TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE HUGHES, ELENA M

Age at Arrest: 50

Date of Birth: 07/13/1973

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)



JACKSON, ISAIAH TOMAS

Age at Arrest: 23

Date of Birth: 05/31/2001

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

JENKINS, MATTHEW PAUL

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 07/07/1990

Arresting Agency: Red Bank



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

POSSESSION OF METH (SELL, DEL. OR MANUFACTURING)

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA KAMPF, DONNA E

Age at Arrest: 59

Date of Birth: 06/15/1965

Arresting Agency: Other



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

KRALL, EDWARD BENJAMIN

Age at Arrest: 32

Date of Birth: 01/11/1992

Arresting Agency: Collegedale



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

LOWE, DUSTIN C

Age at Arrest: 35

Date of Birth: 06/16/1989

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

LIGHT LAW VIOLATION

POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED

THEFT OF PROPERTY

DRIVING WITHOUT DRIVERS LICENSE / EXPIRED LICENSE

REGISTRATION, UNLAWFUL REMOVAL OF DECAL OR PLATE

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE MCCLENDON, JUSTIN VAN

Age at Arrest: 34

Date of Birth: 01/11/1990

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

FUGITIVE (ARREST FOR CRIME IN WALKER CO GA) MCDADE, DELJUAN KHARI

Age at Arrest: 27

Date of Birth: 12/13/1996

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED

DRUGS GENERAL CATEGORY FOR RESALE

POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA PHILLIPE, LOPEZ PARAZ

Age at Arrest: 44

Date of Birth: 02/04/1980

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Booked for Previous Charges or Other Reason(s)

RIVERA, JUANITA AMPARO

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 06/24/1990

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING (FORFEITURE CAPIAS)

VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF (FORFEITURE CAPIAS) ROSS, LEONARD LEBRON

Age at Arrest: 51

Date of Birth: 09/06/1972

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

CRIMINAL TRESPASSING

SIMS, LEE MCCAIN

Age at Arrest: 69

Date of Birth: 01/30/1955

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

STOP SIGN VIOLATION

LIGHT LAW VIOLATION

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY TAYLOR, RODNEY DEWAYNE

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 06/29/1990

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

TRAILER REGISTRATION REQUIRED

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE TERNEY, ANNA MALONE

Age at Arrest: 38

Date of Birth: 06/26/1985

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

DRIVING LEFT OF CENTER LINE

DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE THOMAS, DONNIE

Age at Arrest: 33

Date of Birth: 08/14/1990

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE

OPEN CONTAINER LAW

FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY THOMPSON, ISAAC

Age at Arrest: 24

Date of Birth: 03/21/2000

Arresting Agency: HC Sheriff



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

PUBLIC INTOXICATION

DISORDERLY CONDUCT

ASSAULT WILLIAMS HARRIS JR, CORY TREMAINE

Age at Arrest: 21

Date of Birth: 06/26/2002

Arresting Agency: Chattanooga PD



Last Date of Arrest: 06/22/2024

Charge(s):

DOMESTIC ASSAULT

DOMESTIC ASSAULT




District 26 State Rep. Greg Martin and District 11 State Senator Bo Watson provided a comprehensive legislative recap at the weekly Friends of Hixson Coffee Meeting at Clear Creek Church of Christ.

Rep. Martin spoke about the school choice debate around the state. He said there are excellent options for parents with magnet and charter schools like Chattanooga Preparatory School and Ivy Academy, and he supports parents in having the ability to decide what educational path is best for their children.

He said the recent TISA state education funding changes resulted in an additional $261 million in K-12 funds, all without a tax increase.

The legislature funded the largest investment in rural health in Tennessee history and provided over $17 million for additional state troopers to increase public safety, he stated.

Senator Watson, who chairs the Finance, Ways and Means Committee, said the state of Tennessee is in "incredible shape financially" and recently passed a $400 million tax cut by simplifying the franchise tax, cementing the state's status as one of the most business-friendly and small business-minded states in America.

This returned over $1.5 billion to Tennessee taxpayers while simplifying the tax code, Senator Watson said.

He said, "This is a testament to our community's resilience and the effective management of our financial resources."

The states Rainy Day Fund is currently over $2.15 billion.

Senator Watson, along with District 27 State Rep. Patsy Hazlewood, who was in attendance, sponsored the Chris Wright Act, named for a Chattanooga businessman who was murdered downtown last year. This Act increases penalties for the third and subsequent domestic assault conviction from a Class A misdemeanor to a Class E felony and upgraded offense classification for certain misdemeanor offenses to a Class E felony upon the sixth or subsequent offense.

Senator Watson reminded the attendees that Rep. Hazlewood is the chair of the Finance Committee for the House, providing Hamilton County with the chairman of both the Senate and House Finance Committees.

The FOH Community Coffee Meetings are always free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

Visit friendsofhixson.org for information on upcoming meetings.
Kenya Moore and Marc Daly have finalized their divorce, three years after initially filing paperwork. Child custody and support have been worked out, as well.

Kenya Moores future with The Real Housewives of Atlanta remains questionable after she allegedly shared intimate photos of a new cast member at her recent salon opening. While Moores career has a big question mark looming, her relationship status is crystal clear. Her divorce from Marc Daly is final, three years after she initially filed paperwork and six months after Moore claimed everything had been figured out.

Kenya Moore and Marc Dalys relationship ended more than once

While Daly and Moore have been separated since 2019, there is a reason they just got around to finalizing their divorce. The couple actually split up twice. In 2019, they announced the end of their union. The legal side of things didnt get moving right away, though. The following year, they briefly hooked back up to keep their family intact. Despite their best efforts, they parted ways again.

Marc Daly and Kenya Moore | Paras Griffin/Getty Images

Moore finally called it quits when she filed divorce paperwork in August 2021. The end of their marriage was not a quick one. The exes battled over marital property and assets that existed before they wed in 2017. They also took time to come to an agreement about custody issues and how their daughter would be raised.

A judge finally signed off on the divorce this month. Now that Kenya Moore and Marc Dalys divorce has been finalized, they are both free to move on. At the very least, it is one less thing for Moore to worry about. The reality TV personality has much bigger fish to fry at the moment. Shortly before her divorce was finalized, Moore was suspended from The Real Housewives of Atlanta. The cast is filming without her.

Details of their divorce settlement have been revealed

Three years after Kenya Moore filed for divorce from Marc Daly, shes officially single again. According to In Touch, a judge signed off on the dissolution of her marriage this week. The publication obtained the official court filings and has learned exactly how the couple resolved their issues.

Kenya Moore | Prince Williams/WireImage

According to the publication, Moore will retain primary physical custody of their daughter, Brooklyn, but the former couple is sharing legal custody of the five-year-old girl. According to the court filings, Daly has been ordered to hand over $2,000 per month to help with Brookylns care. He must also contribute $12,000 annually to an already established college fund. Brooklyn is the only child they share. Daly and Moore were both allowed to keep the property they brought into the marriage.

Moore appears to be single, but her ex apparently isnt. Back in February, Moore suggested her ex was already engaged to another woman despite a judge not yet signing off on their divorce. She made the statement during an appearance on The Breakfast Club. Moore didnt share additional details about Dalys love life during her appearance. Daly has not responded publicly to Moores admission.
Scattered across the ground at a body farm are the remains of humans, just flesh casually rotting from the bones. There are dozens of bodies, as well as random organs and limbs strewn about.

You might be wondering what happened for such a morbid scene to have taken place. Dont worry; these bodies were not victims of a horrifying mass murder. They are actually there at the body farm for science.

The body farm is officially known as the Forensic Anthropology Research Facility (FARF). The outdoor research lab is reserved for the study of the decomposition of human bodies.

It is 26 acres and is located at Freeman Ranch at the Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. It is also the largest of its kind in the world.

The facility is just one of several body farms in the United States. The first body farm was established by Dr. William Bass at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, in 1981.

The idea stemmed from the need to better estimate post-mortem interval in forensic science, which refers to the time elapsed after death.

These studies have helped provide valuable information that has been used to improve criminal investigations. Other notable body farms are located at Western Carolina University and Sam Houston State University.

At Freeman Ranch, there are about 50 donated bodies. The bodies are placed in different environments to simulate a variety of scenarios.

Some cadavers are stored in cages for the study of bacterial decomposition, while others lay out in the sun so researchers can monitor the effects of scavenging.

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Not too long ago, the faces of thousands of children were once plastered on milk cartons across the United States.

These kids all had one thing in commonthey disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Even though the milk carton campaign was widespread, it is still unclear what happened to many of these children.

One of the first children to have their faces displayed on a milk carton was six-year-old Etan Patz from New York. He went missing on May 25, 1979, and his case remained unsolved for nearly 40 years.

The day that Etan disappeared, he was walking two blocks from his home in SoHo to the bus stop by himself for the first time. He was wearing a black cap, striped sneakers, and a tote bag printed with elephant motifs.

When his absence from school was noted, the New York Police Department sent 100 officers with bloodhounds and helicopters to locate the missing boy. They went through each neighborhood in the area and searched all the rooms.

Etans disappearance was widely publicized and gained national attention. Photos of the boy were everywhereon televisions, telephone poles, and, eventually, milk cartons.

This was when the milk carton campaign for missing children really started taking off. The tactic had already been used before with two missing boys from Iowa. Etans case, in particular, inspired the formation of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in 1984. At that point, Etan had already been missing for five years.

As more and more pictures of missing children started appearing across the country on items ranging from milk cartons, pizza boxes, and grocery bags, many Americans began to feel its effects. The topic of kidnappers, child molesters, and murderers was commonly discussed at home and at school.

The search for Etan continued as the decades passed. In 2000, investigators narrowed in on Jose Ramos, a convicted offender. They couldnt find any evidence in his New York basement. Etan was declared legally dead the following year.

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Home News Man accused of desecrating Quran set on fire by lynch mob in Pakistan

A man was violently lynched by a mob in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province after accusations of desecrating a copy of the Quran were made against him. The victim, identified only as a tourist from Punjab Province, was initially taken into police custody before being forcefully taken by the mob and killed.

The incident in Swat Valley on Thursday night local time began when the accused was handed over to the police in the Madyan area, the U.K.-based group Christian Solidarity Worldwide said in a statement to The Christian Post.

According to Pakistans Dawn newspaper, announcements made over mosque loudspeakers incited a mob to gather and storm the police station. They seized the man, set fire to the station and a police vehicle, and murdered the man by shooting him and setting his body on fire.

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Zahidullah Khan, a Swat District Police Officer, was quoted as saying that the mobs violent actions resulted in injuries to eight other people and claimed that a heavy police presence was deployed to manage the unrest.

The Pakistani authorities have started an investigation to identify and apprehend those involved in the lynching, Reuters reported.

Graphic social media videos verified by police showed the horrific scenes of the lynching, sparking outrage among Pakistani social media users and reflecting the brutal reality of mob justice in the country.

Pakistans Planning Minister, Ahsan Iqbal, condemned the act during a National Assembly session on Saturday, criticizing the use of religion to justify vigilante and mob justice, according to the newswire.

Iqbal said mob justice was bringing the nation to a critical brink, stressing the importance of respecting all bodies, as mandated by Islam, and criticizing the act of burning bodies as part of mob killings.

Pakistans blasphemy laws are often misused for settling personal scores or targeting minorities and result in mob violence, CSW said.

Pakistan must do far more to prevent such horrific acts of violence, including by ending any and all impunity that surrounds those who take the law into their own hands, and repealing the blasphemy laws which are incompatible with the countrys commitments to freedom of religion or belief, said CSWs founder and President Mervyn Thomas.

In his remarks, Minister Iqbal also reflected on his own survival from an assassination attempt and lamented the weaponization of religion in Pakistan, calling for serious governmental reflection and action to address these recurring violent incidents. He proposed the formation of a committee to tackle these issues and ensure Pakistan does not succumb to anarchy.

The lynching is not an isolated event in Pakistan. Similar incidents in Jaranwala and Sargodha areas in Pakistans eastern Punjab province have occurred where mobs have lynched individuals accused of blasphemy.

This pattern has brought international scrutiny to Pakistans handling of blasphemy accusations and mob justice.

Legal processes in Pakistan often precede mob actions based on rumors or complaints, with many of these cases resulting in no serious consequences for the perpetrators. This has been noted in reports by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, criticizing the frequent impunity in such cases.

Under the blasphemy laws in Pakistan, the death penalty can be given for insulting Islam. It carries no provision to punish a false accuser or a false witness.

In 2011, the governor of Pakistans Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was assassinated by his bodyguard for speaking out against the blasphemy laws.

That same year, Asia Bibi, a Christian mother of five, was sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy, sparking international outrage, leading to her acquittal in 2018 after spending eight years on death row.
Home News Travel: Forget what youve heard about San Franciscos doom loop

Having just returned from a visit to San Francisco, I can see why Tony Bennett left his heart there.

From a streetscape defined by vintage cable cars traversing insanely steep hills to the iconic Golden Gate Bridge that spans the strait where the eponymous bay meets the Pacific, its hard to think of an American city in a more beautiful setting.

Of course, one cant visit without acknowledging the elephant in the room: the widespread perception that San Francisco is trapped in some kind of doom loop  a city hallowed out by the pandemic and overrun with crime and homelessness.

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Im confident that I saw, did and experienced more than enough things over the course of four days to say that the prevailing Fox News narrative and viral social media videos of a couple years ago arent a true and accurate reflection of San Francisco today.

Yes, San Francisco was hit hard by the pandemic. Too many offices remain partially empty, particularly on certain days of the week when workers are remote. A considerable number of retail stores, especially around Union Square, seem closed. At the same time, brick-and-mortar retail has been in a transition for a while. There is also no denying that, like other big cities, a homeless problem exists. At the same time, I saw more homeless last week during my visit to Gothenburg, Sweden, than I did in the City by the Bay. Ill also concede that San Francisco has political problems, but this isnt a political column and travel shouldnt be political.

My observations were also confirmed through honest conversations with numerous locals, all of whom readily acknowledged that the overall situation has improved over the last six or so months.

And with summer temperatures already soaring above 90 degrees in much of the country, San Francisco with her mild climate is a great escape from the heat and humidity. As the writer Mark Twain almost certainly never actually said, The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.

What to do and see

I based myself on Nob Hill.

Before the great earthquake of 1906 that destroyed much of San Francisco, this was the home of high society. It was here where the predominately white, Anglo-Saxon Protestant elite had their mansions. Remnants from this chapter of history can still be seen.

The most visible is the Pacific-Union Club, a mens-only club occupying the pre-1906 brownstone mansion of a silver baron. Back then, many members also attended Grace Cathedral, which is separated from the club only by a small park.

The cathedral, seat of the Episcopal bishop of California, might look like its always been there but it hasnt. A rich patron who helped build the transcontinental railroad donated the land after his mansion was destroyed in the earthquake.

Architecturally influenced by the great French Gothic cathedrals in Paris, Reims and Amiens, its especially notable for being constructed entirely of poured concrete. Built between 1910 and 1964, architect Lewis Hobarts design is quite remarkable, not least because anything built just 50 years later would have surely been a concrete brutalist design.

While some planned architectural details were omitted due to cost, the extensive number of stained-glass windows, including 34 windows from Charles Connick Studios, and the west fronts central portal with its bronze doors  exact copies of 15th century originals at Italys Florence Cathedral  more than make up for anything thats missing.

If you appreciate the art and architecture of Grace or the gilded age remnants of Nob Hill, youll likely want to visit the Legion of Honor Museum, part of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco.

Housed within a full-scale replica of Frances pavilion at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, which itself was a replica of the actual Palace of the Legion of Honor in Paris, the museum is one of the better big-city art museums. European art, including Monet, is a notable part of the collection. Keep an eye out for the 13th century reliquary casket of St. Thomas Becket, the martyred archbishop of Canterbury.

The weekly Saturday market at the Ferry Building with its landmark 245-foot-tall clock tower, a rare survivor of the earthquake, is superb; both in terms of the quality and range of vendors and the people watching. From there, you can walk up-and-down the Embarcadero, a waterfront boulevard with more than 4 miles of walkways.

China Town, which sits below Nob Hill, is interesting, especially for anyone who has never been to Hong Kong or one of the other old trading cities in Southeast Asia.

Other than walking over the Golden Gate Bridge, the best views of San Francisco are probably from the top of Coit Tower at Telegraph Hill. Inside the tower, which feels like a column from antiquity, are noteworthy New Deal-era murals and paintings.

Theres obviously a lot more to do and see in San Francisco, including a visit to City Hall with its 307-foot-tall dome (taller than the Capitol in Washington). Even over a long weekend I failed to complete my bucket list.

If you go

The 19-story brick and terracotta InterContinental Mark Hopkins, which was inspired by the great palace hotels of Europe, has rooms and suites facing Grace Cathedral. While I thought the overall standard of service fell short of five-star hotels, it has retained more old-school elegance than the nearby Ritz-Carlton, a major competitor.

In terms of restaurants, plan for a nice dinner at the 116-year-old Johns Grill, a bigger lunch or early dinner at any one of the many vendors at the Ferry Buildings weekly market and a relaxed dinner at Sotto Mare, a fresh seafood restaurant and market at Washington Square in the heart of San Franciscos Little Italy neighborhood.

Getting here is easy, as San Francisco International Airport is well-served by all the airlines. And no, Oaklands airport isnt in San Francisco, despite its recent name change.

I only needed rides for the airport and Legion of Honor. In both cases, Uber drivers were widely available. While some of the steepest hills were a challenge, it was still easy to explore on foot. So much so that I did around 30,000 steps each day.

Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post.
Home News Trump: If you put me back in the White House, 'America will be a free nation once again'

Former President Donald Trump promised that America will be a free nation once again if elected in 2024 after attendees of the Conservative Political Action Conference gave him a strong vote of confidence in a straw poll on Saturday.

The annual gathering of conservative activists and politicians culminated with Trump's speech that came after CPAC released a straw poll finding that 62% of attendees wanted Trump to win the Republican presidential nomination in 2024

After thanking the crowd gathered at the Gaylord National Hotel and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, for their support, the Republican presidential candidate reflected on his tenure in office and criticized the Biden administration. Trump looked ahead at what his second term in the White House might look like if he were to win the 2024 presidential election: America will be a free nation once again. Were not a free nation right now. We dont have a free press, we dont have free anything.

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Addressing LGBT ideology in his remarks, the former president proclaimed: I will revoke every Biden policy promoting the chemical castration and sexual [mutilation] of our youth and ask Congress to send me a bill prohibiting child sexual mutilation in all 50 states. He also promised to enact policies that keep men out of womens sports.

Trump also pledged to totally obliterate the deep state and fire the unelected bureaucrats and shadow forces who have weaponized our justice system like it has never been weaponized before.

At the top of his priority list, he added, would be stopping the slide into costly and never-ending wars and touted his ability to easily prevent World War III from breaking out. Reflecting on the positive relationships he developed with the leaders of adversarial nations, he also warned that youre going to have World War III if something doesnt happen fast.

Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, I will have the disastrous war between Russia and Ukraine settled. The CPAC straw poll revealed that 79% of attendees opposed giving additional money and military support to Ukraine as it battles Russia's invasion.

Under my leadership, we will defend our borders first, he said. Three years ago, we had the safest border in the history of our country, and I will quickly do that again.

Trump continued his nearly two hourlong speech by outlining his immigration agenda, which includes the construction of 200 additional miles of a border wall and a massive increase in border patrol and a colossal increase in the number of [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] deportation officers and the largest domestic deportation operation in American history.

When discussing his public safety agenda, the former president insisted that he would direct the Department of Justice to go after Marxist prosecutors offices to make them pay for their illegal race-based enforcement of the law and send in federal assets including the national guard to cities where theres been a complete breakdown of public safety until law and order is restored. He listed tough consequences on juvenile criminals as an important plank of his second administration.

Trump also expressed a desire to end the scourge of homelessness taking over our cities and suburbs, specifically by taking the homeless, drug addicted and severely deranged, [getting] them off our streets and [creating] tent cities where we will get them the help they so desperately need.

The former president spoke of his intention to revoke President Joe Bidens executive order installing Marxist diversity, equity and inclusion czars in every federal agency in addition to terminating all staffers hired to implement this horrible agenda. He maintained that if elected, he would call on Congress to create a restitution fund for Americans who have been unjustly discriminated against by these Biden policies, and we will ban all racial discrimination by the government.

Another part of his agenda is education, for which he proposed universal school choice and the direct election of school principals by the parents to advance parental rights. The former president added that he would also resurrect the 1776 Commission and teach our values and promote our history and our traditions to our children.

I will destroy the illegal censorship regime and bring back free speech in America, he continued.

Describing economic security as national security, Trump discussed a plan to revoke Chinas most favored nation trade status in addition to creating a four-year plan to phase out all Chinese imports of essential goods and gain total independence from China as well as holding China financially accountable for unleashing the coronavirus.

Deriding the World Health Organization and suggesting that its acronym actually stands for we hide outbreaks, Trump said he would withdraw from it once again. Other policy proposals included in his speech were seeking to regain energy independence, imposing term limits on members of Congress and providing baby bonuses in the hope of unleashing a new baby boom.

He concluded his speech by predicting that our country will shine, thrive and prosper like never before if he wins the 2024 election. Trump was one of four Republican presidential candidates to speak at CPAC. Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy and businessman Perry Johnson also addressed the crowd.

The RealClearPolitics average of polls asking Republican primary voters who they support for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024 shows Trump with 45.2% support, followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at 29.2% and former Vice President Mike Pence in a distant third at 6.8%. Haley has 5.3% support two weeks after entering the race. DeSantis and Pence have not announced White House bids but are thought to be considering joining the field.
A former Yosemite National Park employee is accused of raping a woman while they were both working for the parks hospitality team. Greg Griffin / The Chronicle

Federal prosecutors said a former Yosemite National Park employee raped a woman who worked with him on the parks hospitality team.

A federal grand jury on Thursday indicted Nathan Thomas Baptista, 36, for aggravated sexual abuse after investigators said he raped and strangled a co-worker at his park-provided home on May 31.

The woman told National Park Service investigators that she was walking home with a friend when she met Baptista, who knew her friend and invited them to his home, according to court documents. After the friend left, Baptista raped her, the woman said.

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Baptista denied the allegations to investigators, court documents show. He was scheduled to be released Monday after his family paid $10,000 for bail, according to court filings.
Home Opinion Do you know the Gospel?

If you ask someone, any typical person, what they think the Gospel is or perhaps to describe it in their own words, you might get a variety of answers. Some people might provide you with an answer that is untethered from the truth of Scripture; an answer like The Gospel, to me, means that all people are entitled to a good life filled with material wealth. You also might get an answer that sounds more like I dont really know what the Gospel means to me, or The Gospel is irrelevant to my life. The answer that people give to the question: What is the Gospel to me? is less important than what the truth of the Gospel means in the Bible and what God says the Gospel is.

When people think of Scripture that exemplifies the Gospel, they think of John 3:16 (ESV): For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

This foundational verse of the Gospel and Christianity is put on t-shirts and other Christ-themed merchandise as a universally accepted and essential verse that concisely gives the essence of what Jesus did for us: He died for our sins so that we would believe in Him and spend eternity with Him. This one verse describes a process that, without the help of God Himself, no one would be able to understand; so, I dont blame people who have trouble fully grasping the purpose and impact of the Gospel when they first hear about it.



What some people dont realize is that Jesus didnt die for us to live comfortable and wealthy lives that are free from health problems and pain. God died for us in order to forgive us our sins so that we can have a relationship with him and glorify Him through that relationship.

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Anyone who is willing to tell you that the Gospel is merely for your own glory is lying to you. We were created for the glory of God, not for our own glory, and our relationship with God is not meant to be for the purpose of enhancing our pleasures in this worldly existence. Christ died for us in order to make us right with Him so that we could live our lives ultimately for His glory and purpose. Created things, typically, do not get to choose what their purpose is.

If I was writing a mystery novel, it would be incredibly strange if all of a sudden, the novel, under its own autonomous power, wanted to become a science fiction novel. That wouldnt make any sense and would go completely against the notion and purpose of the creator wanting to write his own novel.

The beautiful thing, though, is that while we are under Gods complete authority over our lives, He does give us purpose to fulfill His will in a variety of ways. A writer who feels Gods calling to write can do so through fiction, non-fiction, poetry, or other forms with Gods call for them to write being the same call.

We need to remember that even though Christ died for us in order to save us for His glory, He loves us and does want us to live lives that are according to His good purpose as defined by Him in the Bible. We should think of verses like Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV): For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

The welfare or in other translations good looks different for many people. Due to the fact that we live in a fallen world, people (including believers) do suffer. The ultimate good and purpose of our lives does not end in this world, however. The ultimate good in our lives will culminate in Christs return and our union with Him in Heaven. That is the true purpose and meaning of the Gospel in our lives.
Home Opinion No-fault divorce isn't the actual problem

Last year, rightwing pundit Steven Crowder made waves when he publicly lamented the fact that his wife was abandoning their marriage.

My then-wife decided she didnt want to be married anymore, he complained. And in the state of Texas that is completely permitted.

I remember wanting to spit out my coffee when I read this.

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Why would any self-respecting person admit out loud to an audience of millions that he believed the law should trap a woman in a marriage to him against her will? What kind of narcissistic entitlement was this? How dare she be permitted to leave me? he seemed to be saying in his tirade against no-fault divorce.

And his audience was largely sympathetic. Conservatives have been decrying the evils of no-fault divorce for decades, blaming it for problems like the destruction of the family unit, the widespread throwaway attitude toward the institution of marriage, and the fatherlessness epidemic, among other societal ills.

Of course, the public sympathy for Crowder would be relatively short-lived. His ex-wife released some video footage of him behaving like a tyrant, and it mostly shut him up for a while, but the crusade to end no-fault divorce, especially in red states, seems to have snowballed in the past several years, as spearheaded by popular conservatives like Dusty Deevers, Ben Carson, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Matt Walsh, and others. The Texas Republican Party added a call to end the practice of no-fault divorce to its 2022 platform. Both the Nebraska and Louisiana GOP are considering similar proposals.

Deevers recently argued that easy access to divorce causes social upheaval, unfettered dishonesty, lawlessness, violence towards women, war on men, and expendability of children. His statements accompanied his sponsorship of an Oklahoma SB 1958, a well-intended but poorly conceived train wreck that would put (especially women) in grave danger should it ever pass committee.

Trapping battered spouses in marriages with abusers until such a time as they can legally prove the abuse is a recipe for getting people killed, especially when the abusive spouse controls the family finances. This is reckless public policy that seems to be completely divorced from the wisdom and insight of people who have walked these roads before.

G.K. Chesterton is credited with having said, Do not tear down a fence until you know why it was put up in the first place, and its a sentiment that applies here. On the right, we seem to have a pretty short memory when it comes to the horror stories that inspired Reagan to sign the first no-fault divorce law into place back in 1969.

But when it comes to conservative discussions about this topic, we dont generally hear anyone reflecting on the sordid history of increased female suicides and domestic violence. All we can seem to find are self-appointed spokespeople claiming to advocate for children and families without having earned the right to claim expertise on the topics theyre amplifying.

Its well and good to remind the public, for example, that divorce is hard on children. I dont disagree. Marriage should be for life. Kids DO suffer when their parents split. This is objectively true. Its not really up for debate. Throwaway marriage culture creates countless victims, and we do need to have a broader conversation about marriage preservation and fighting for relationships when times get tough.

But in Christian circles, all anyone ever wants to talk about is how divorce will ruin children. No one ever wants to talk about how staying in abusive marriages scars kids for life. Divorce hurts kids, but so does an entire childhood steeped in domestic violence, and for whatever reason, conservatives dont seem too terribly interested in amplifying the voices of the kids raised in homes with toxic marriages. These experiences dont serve to advance the preferred narrative. And when these voices ARE raised, theyre generally written off as a fringe few that cant be allowed to distract from the bottom line of marriage preservation at any cost.

One thing I hear a lot is that the data show that abuse isnt a factor in most divorces in America. We really need to challenge this belief.

Data are important. I wont dispute this. But its also true that there are truths the data dont reveal. My no-fault divorce says we divorced for irreconcilable differences, when, in fact, it was the quickest, safest route out of abuse and infidelity. This is the reality for countless people across the country. If you have the option of getting out of dodge as quickly, safely, and inexpensively as you can vs the option of hiring an expensive attorney to take your ex to a risky trial where anything less than damning evidence is going to end badly for you and your children, which option are you going to take?

Youre going to check the box that says irreconcilable differences and work to recover from the trauma as quickly as possible. And then family policy groups are going to take your data and conclude that abuse isnt really a problem. And they will be woefully misguided.

I honestly dont think the average decent man has any idea just how common domestic abuse and violence really are or how difficult they are to prove in court.

Decent men dont think like abusers, so it doesnt occur to them how many other men do. They keep telling me, If a wife is abused, she can file for at-fault divorce, and she will be just fine.

But they dont ever seem to have any answers for how the wife is supposed to do this if shes a stay-at-home mom with no income of her own, and her husband controls the purse strings.

They dont know how shes supposed to prove that hes whispering his constant verbal threats to her, thereby escaping recording or the attention of potential witnesses who could substantiate her claims.

They dont know how to help her be taken seriously by the police when she tells them hes trapped her in the house for the past three hours but he denies it ever happened.

Go to the website of any divorce attorney in a state where at-fault divorce is the default, and theyll spell it out for you pretty clearly: Emotional/psychological abuse is pretty difficult to prove in court.

So no, I dont think trapping (often) penniless women with their abusers is really going to save the family unit. I think its just going to obscure a problem most of us would just rather not see.

And no, of course Im not saying that all no-fault divorces are the result of abuse. But Im saying a lot of them are. And Im saying you would never know this from a surface-level review of the statistics.

And lets say Dusty Deevers and company DO succeed in getting rid of no-fault divorce. Then what? Do we actually believe theyre going to lift a finger to help women caught in abuse? Im not particularly optimistic about this.

Weve already seen hundreds and hundreds of times what the theobros do to battered women: they throw them back into the lions den, tell them to submit and pray for their husbands, and then look the other way. How many dozens of times have I written about this and brought the receipts? Google Eileen Gray.

Marriage at the expense of womens physical and emotional health is not Gods formula for thriving family. You really think the kids are going to be alright in this milieu? Of course theyre not.

If the only thing keeping a marriage intact is a law forbidding one of the spouses from leaving, weve already lost. Thats not the kind of relationship thats going to give kids the safety net you want them to have. Marriage is only as good and as healthy as the people within it.

No-fault divorce didnt create a new problem as much as it revealed a pre-existing one. Lets have that conversation.
Franklin Graham preaches in Glasgow, launches new fund to defend religious freedom in the UK

Over 7,000 came to the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Saturday night to hear American evangelist Rev Franklin Graham preach the Gospel as he announced the creation of a new fund to help Christians in the UK "who may be threatened into silence".

Graham, who heads up the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan's Purse, was in the UK this week for two more stops on his God Loves You tour.

"Maybe you're here tonight and you're wanting to know, who is Jesus?" said Graham.

"Jesus Christ is God's Son and He came on a rescue mission to save you from your sins.

"The Bible tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whosever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life."

Hundreds of people later came forward to give their life to Jesus.

Over 320 Scottish churches partnered with the BGEA in the lead-up to Saturday's event, and will continue to disciple those who made a commitment on the night.

"Our church is in a very deprived area," said Alex Gillies, pastor of Victory Christian Centre in Glasgow.

"We see depression, mental health problems, financial issues, we see it all. And it's not just our church, it's people all over Scotland. Nothing is going to help Scotland apart from Jesus."

Seeing so many people go forward to give their lives to Jesus was a great source of hope for pastors and churches in Scotland, he said, "because in the middle of all this chaos, people are seeking."

"This gives us a lot of hope," he said.

Last weekend, Graham was in Birmingham where he preached before a crowd of over 8,000. He was joined at both events by guest worship artists Michael W Smith and Taya, formerly of Hillsong, and will return to the UK to preach again next year in London.

The tour was originally planned for 2020 but was delayed due to Covid and legal action against seven venues that cancelled the BGEA's event bookings. It was able to go ahead after the cancellations were successfully challenged.

The BGEA has now announced the creation of the Billy Graham Defence Fund to support religious freedom in the UK after receiving over half a million pounds in payouts from its successful legal challenges. They include separate legal action taken in 2018 over the unlawful removal of bus adverts promoting an evangelistic event held by Graham that year.



Announcing the new fund, Graham said, "We took a stand for the Gospel and for freedom of religion in the UK. Now we're going to use these funds that came from this battle against cancel culture to help other Christians who may be threatened into silence.

"There are so many problems in our society and people are looking for hope. We know that true hope can only be found in Jesus Christ, so we need to support one another in getting the Good News of Jesus Christ out, whatever it takes. It is my prayer that this will encourage Christians across the UK to keep living out and sharing their faith freely and boldly."
COLUMBUS, Ohio  State employees aged 21 and older can use recreational marijuana while theyre off duty, but only if they work in positions not subject to random drug testing, according to Ohios updated Drug-Free Workplace policy.

The policy was updated in December, after voters approved the initiated statute that allows adults aged 21 and older to use marijuana.

Marijuana, unlike alcohol, takes more time to metabolize in the body and can be detected for weeks after consumption in a drug screening. A positive test for marijuana, however, doesnt necessarily mean the person was impaired when they took the drug test.

The state is one of numerous employers throughout Ohio looking at policies in their employee handbooks since the election last November.

The initiated statute allows Ohio adults to possess up to 2.5 ounces of flower and about 0.5 ounces of extracts. Meantime, the state is reviewing applications for dispensaries and other businesses to open and serve recreational customers. Those could open in a matter of weeks.

READ MORE: Applications for recreational marijuana businesses are out. Now the clock to begin sales starts ticking.

Ohio has about 48,100 state employees, including 1,947 who work for state agencies, boards and commissions that identify Cuyahoga County as their headquarters  such as employees of the Ohio Lottery and regional offices of the Ohio Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Transportation.

Employees aged 21 and older can consume marijuana on their own time, as long as theyre not on call  unless they work in jobs known as safety sensitive, which are subject to random drug tests, the policy states.

Generally, safety sensitive jobs require activities that could be dangerous to the physical well-being or security of the employee themselves, their coworkers or the general public.

Safety sensitive jobs include corrections officers, building inspectors, hazardous materials investigators, alcohol and drug program specialists, amusement ride and game inspectors, aviators, highway patrol officers, boiler operators, natural resource officers, dredge operators, customer service representatives at the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, tax crime investigators, weights and measures inspectors, youth leaders at schools for blind and deaf students and hospital aides, nurses and doctors in psychiatric facilities and veterans homes.

Roughly 22,105 of the states 48,100 employees are randomly drug tested, said J.C. Benton, a spokesman with the Ohio Department of Administrative Services, which oversees human resources for state employees.

The Drug-Free Workplace policy, however, screens everyone for drugs, including marijuana, when theyve been extended an employment offer  regardless of whether they could work a safety sensitive position.

The state is to rescind the job offer if a candidate has failed the test, unless the person can present an unexpired patient registration with the Ohio Medical Marijuana Control Program, according to the policy.

The state accepts medical marijuana usage off the job, except in certain job categories. If an employee holds a position that is subject to U.S. Department of Transportation testing policies or is in a position that requires them to possess a firearm or ammunition, such as a law enforcement officer, then there is no exception for medical marijuana if the employee has a positive test, said Melissa Vince, a Department of Administrative Services spokeswoman.

Dan Tierney, a spokesman for Gov. Mike DeWine, said that workers are expected to be sober during their shifts.

He didnt directly answer questions about why state employees in positions not subject to random drug tests must not test for marijuana in their pre-employment drug screening.

There is overlap of that age group (of people under aged 21) and people who are eligible for employment in the state of Ohio, he said. There are many instances, both with the state of Ohio and with private employers, where we choose to be stronger than the minimum standard of law. If you consider recreational marijuana as the baseline after the passage of Issue 2, we as the state of Ohio, which is taxpayer supported, have a higher standard than is minimally required under the law.

The Ohio State Civil Service Employees Association didnt have a comment for this story.

Laura Hancock covers state government and politics for The Plain Dealer and cleveland.com.
CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer are honoring 212 companies, nonprofits, schools and organizations in the 2024 Top Workplaces rankings.

The workplaces are split into four categories: mega workplaces (1,000-plus employees), large workplaces (with 500 to 999 employees), mid-size (with 150 to 499 employees) and small (149 employees and fewer).

These employers, with offices in Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Erie, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit and Wayne counties, ranked best in employee surveys from employee engagement expert Energage.

Companies across the region were invited to have their employees take the survey. Any organization with at least 35 employees in the region could participate. Employers could be public, private, nonprofit or governmental. There is no cost to enter the Top Workplaces program.

For the 2024 Top Workplaces list, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer compiled more than 200 stand-out Northeast Ohio employers based on employee surveys. Find the full list and stories on the top three winners in each of four categories at cleveland.com/top-workplaces.

Heres the list for the 15th annual awards. Some users may need to use this link.

Mega employers

Large

Midsize

Small

Zachary Smith is the data reporter for cleveland.com. You can reach him at zsmith@cleveland.com.
MONTMELO, SPAIN -- After stops in Monaco and Canada in its last two events, Formula 1 racing will take over the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the 65th Spanish Grand Prix. Drivers will have their engines ready for an early start Sunday at 8:55 a.m. Eastern on ESPN.

Several streaming services will broadcast the race live, and you can watch on Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial), Sling (promotional offers) and ESPN+.

While ESPN+ does not offer a free trial, fans can sign up for $10.99/mo. Coverage of the Formula 1 Spanish Grand Prix will begin at 7 a.m. on the streaming service, with the Formula 3 and Formula 2 races beginning at 4 a.m. Eastern.

Belgian-Dutch driver Max Verstappen has six wins this season and is looking to add a seventh. He should feel comfortable doing so, considering his first ever Formula 1 win came at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix.

The rest of the field wont make it easy for Verstappen, however. British driver Lando Norris beat Verstappen to the pole in Saturdays qualifier. He previously edged Verstappen at the Miami Grand Prix, as well. Also in the mix will be Lewis Hamilton, George Russell and Charles LeClerc, while Carlos Sainz Jr. is one of two Spaniards with a shot to win it.

Heres how you can watch the Spanish Grand Prix:

What: Spanish Grand Prix.

When: Sunday, June 23, 2024.

Time: 8:55 a.m. Eastern.

Where: Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya | Montmelo, Spain.

Channel: ESPN.

Best Streaming Options: Fubo (free trial), DirecTV Stream (free trial), Sling (promotional offers) and ESPN+.

Channel finder if you have cable: You can access the channel by using the channel finders online: Verizon Fios, Comcast Xfinity, Spectrum/Charter, Optimum/Altice, DIRECTV and Dish.

Here is more background from the Associated Press on Norris beating Verstappen to the pole Saturday after a fire in the McLaren facility:

MONTMELO, Spain (AP)  McLarens Formula One team went from escaping from a fire in their hospitality suite to celebrating a rare pole position by Lando Norris at the Spanish Grand Prix on Saturday.

Norris edged points leader Max Verstappen after the British driver pulled off a blistering final run during qualifying.

Norris great run was made more impressive given the circumstances. Just hours before, McLaren had to evacuate its hospitality suite because of a fire shortly before the last practice. McLaren said one team member was taken to a local hospital for precaution. Two firefighters employed by the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya were also treated at a hospital for smoke inhalation before being released, track officials said.

The best thing is that everyone is safe, everyone is doing well, Norris said. A bit of a scare for the whole team, just a bit of a more stressful day than I would have liked. I lost my shoes, that was as bad as it got for me.

McLarens hospitality facility, a multistory temporary structure that provides meals for staff and guests, started billowing smoke shortly before the third practice on Saturday morning. Firefighters responded, and said the blaze started in the kitchen. Track officials said the cause was under investigation, but it was not caused by an electrical problem.

Norris said the team would be unable to use the facility on race day. In addition to those ruined shoes, Lando said the belongings he did retrieve reeked of smoke. While insisting he wasnt complaining, he said the incident has deprived him of the rest room he used to chill out and focus.

Maybe tomorrow it will impact me a bit more if I cant just get that quiet time that I love, but it is not the end of the world, he said.
Fire and law enforcement authorities rescued Lukas McClish of Boulder Creek, who had been missing in the Santa Cruz Mountains for nine days. Cal Fire

Lukas McClish, 34, left for what he thought would be a three-hour hike on June 11 in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Three hours turned into days, and days into nights  and it was not until well over a week later that McClish was reunited with his family.

McClish ate wild berries to survive, according to Boulder Creek Fire Protection District Chief Mark Bingham, who spoke with the Santa Cruz Sentinel. He had a minor injury, Bingham said, but tried to hike out on his own when rescuers found him nine days later.

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McClish, who lives in Boulder Creek, told Salinas TV station KSBW that he slept on a bed of wet leaves and kind of just hiked each day. I go up a canyon, down a canyon to the next waterfall and sit down by the waterfall and drink water out of my boot.

He said he felt comfortable the whole time despite a mountain lion following him at a distance.

I think it was just somebody watching over me, he told the TV station.

His family reported him missing June 16, after he didnt show up for a Fathers Day dinner, KGO-TV reported. He told the station he had only a flashlight and folding scissors with him.

On Thursday, authorities received multiple reports of someone yelling for help in the area of Big Basin State Park, but could not pinpoint the exact location. With the help of several drones and K-9 units, rescuers found McClish in the forest between Empire Grade and Big Basin Highway near Foreman Creek, according to the Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

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The Santa Cruz County Sheriffs Office helped coordinate and execute the search, along with California State Parks and fire crews.
Hikers trek the Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park on approach to the section of trail that will be closed during certain weekday times beginning in July. Tracy Barbutes/Special to the Chronicle Illilouette Falls can be seen from Mist Trail at Yosemite. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle Signs warn hikers about a closure on the Mist Trail leading to Vernal Fall at Yosemite National Park in 2023. Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle

A key segment of the wildly popular Mist Trail in Yosemite National Park, which suffered a landslide two months ago, will be closed during certain times to hikers beginning July 1.

Starting from the eastern end of Yosemite Valley, the Mist Trail traces the Merced River through a gorge up to the scenic Vernal Fall and then, a bit farther, to Nevada Fall. Its a critical path for day hikers heading to the Half Dome cables and also plugs backpackers into the parks vast granite wilderness via linkups with the John Muir Trail.

On April 15, a huge slide sent a cascade of large boulders and downed trees across a 1,000-foot-long segment of the John Muir Trail near its junction with the Mist Trail. The park closed the JMT at the top of Nevada Fall for a short period but was able to reopen it in the spring.

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A large rockfall event near Nevada Fall in Yosemite National Park covered a key segment of the John Muir Trail in April 2024. Yosemite National Park

However, beginning July 1 and running through Oct. 31, as repairs continue on the Mist Trail, hikers hoping to gain access to the backcountry above Vernal Fall will have to plan their trips carefully. The park is closing the trail from the Mist Trail-JMT intersection above the Vernal Fall footbridge to the top of Vernal Fall from Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., according to the parks website. The trail will be open Fridays through Sundays and on holidays, too.

Mist Trail closure The Mist Trail will be closed Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the trailhead junction of the John Muir Trail to the top of Vernal Fall. The closure will start in July and continue through October. The Mist Trail will be open Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Dates and times are subject to change. Yosemite NP DETAIL To Half Dome/ Little Yosemite Valley N Nevada Fall Liberty Cap Merced River Vernal Fall Panorama Trail Mist Trail Clark Point Mist Trailhead John Muir Trail Stock Trail Grizzly Peak Illilouette Creek YOSEMITE Curry Village Happy Isles MILE Map: John Blanchard / The Chronicle Source: National Park Service Mist Trail closure HAPPY ISLES LOOP RD. Yosemite NP The Mist Trail will be closed Monday through Thursday, from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the trailhead junction of the John Muir Trail to the top of Vernal Fall. The closure will start in July and continue through October. The Mist Trail will be open Friday through Sunday and on holidays. Dates and times are subject to change. Curry Village DETAIL Grizzly Peak Happy Isles Liberty Cap Vernal Fall Mist Trailhead Merced River Nevada Fall Clark Point Stock Trail To Half Dome/ Little Yosemite Valley John Muir Trail Illilouette Creek Panorama Trail YOSEMITE MILE Map: John Blanchard / The Chronicle  Source: National Park Service

But the timing and dates are subject to change.

The trail should normally be open from 3:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. but it may occasionally need to remain closed overnight for safety reasons, according to the park.

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Expectant mother Sarah Hernandez, left, listens to nurse midwife Aimee Tom, a graduate of UCSFs School of Nursing, during an appointment at Collective Birth in Berkeley on Thursday, June 20. UCSF is upgrading its midwifery program to a doctoral degree that may cost more. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle UCSF is ending its long-standing and esteemed masters program for nurse midwives in favor of a doctorate program that many alumni and others in the field say will take longer and cost more to complete. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

UCSF is ending its long-standing and esteemed masters program for nurse midwives in favor of a doctorate program that many alumni and others in the field say will take longer and cost more to complete  making it harder for people to become midwives at a time maternal health workers are needed more than ever.

Founded in 1988, the UCSF midwifery masters program is one of the oldest in the country, and one of just two such midwifery education programs in the state. It has trained a significant portion of the nurse midwives in the Bay Area. Students on track to graduate next year will be the final cohort in the masters program.

The UCSF School of Nursing, which houses the nurse-midwifery program, says the change is in line with what nursing schools around the country have been doing the last two decades. Many schools are moving toward doctorate-level education as the standard for nursing education in many nursing specialties, not just nurse-midwifery, they said.

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Moving the nurse-midwifery specialty to a (Doctor of Nursing Practice degree, or DNP) will enable us to better prepare nurse leaders to serve the increasingly complex needs of maternal health, UCSF said in a statement. This will keep UCSF School of Nursing graduates at the leading edge of our field.

Critics of UCSFs plan to upgrade midwifery education to a doctoral program say the change could make it harder for people to become midwives just as more are needed around California. Santiago Mejia/The Chronicle

An advanced degree, either a masters or a doctoral, with a specialty in midwifery is needed to become a nurse midwife in California. The majority of midwives in California are nurse midwives, who practice in hospitals. The other type of midwife in the state are certified professional midwives, also known as licensed midwives; they are trained in home births and are less affected by this change.

Previously, UCSF students could enter the masters program with a bachelors degree in any discipline, and if they already had their nursing license, get their masters in two years; if they did not already have their nursing license, they could enter the program with a bachelors, spend the first year obtaining a nursing license, and the subsequent two years earning the masters.

Going forward, students must enter the doctorate program with a bachelors of science in nursing and a nursing license, and can obtain their doctorate in three years. The doctoral program, UCSF said, will include additional education in health policy and leadership.

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Hundreds of alumni of the UCSF masters program, as well as Bay Area clinicians who provide hands-on training for UCSF student midwives, have signed letters urging UCSF to reinstate the masters option. They say offering a doctorate-only option raises hurdles to entering the field  particularly for people of color and people in rural and remote areas, where providers are needed the most  and will delay midwives from entering the workforce at a time their skills are in dire need.

Collective Birth nurse midwife Jasmine Swinson, right, a UCSF graduate, listens to expectant mother Sarah Hernandez during an appointment on Thursday, June 20. UCSF is switching its masters program for nurse midwives into a doctoral degree. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

We need to be removing the barriers to people entering the profession, said Liz Donnelly, a nurse midwife and alum of the UCSF masters program who works at Alameda Health System and Kaiser hospitals in the East Bay. She is also vice chair of health policy for the California Nurse-Midwives Association, which is urging UCSF to retain the masters option.

Anything that puts time and financial barriers in place that make it harder for folks to get out into the community where theyre needed is counterintuitive, Donnelly said.

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UCSF declined to say what the cost difference will be. Donnelly estimates it will nearly double from about $149,000 to $274,000 for California residents, based on projected estimates of tuition, fees and other costs.The masters midwifery program graduates about 10-15 people each cohort. UCSF is aiming to keep the doctoral program roughly the same size.

Midwives make up a relatively small but critical part of the maternity and reproductive care workforce, and the need for their skills is growing.

As of 2019, the most recent year for which data are available, there were about 1,100 midwives in California. About two-thirds are nurse midwives and one-third are certified professional midwives, also known as licensed midwives. Nurse midwives assisted in the delivery of about 56,000 newborns in California in 2018, or roughly 11% of births  up from 8% in 2008, according to a 2019 report by the California Health Care Foundation.

UCSF is ending its long-standing and esteemed masters program for nurse midwives in favor of a doctorate program that many alumni and others in the field say will take longer and cost more to complete. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Maternity units are closing at a rapid pace in the United States and California, with at least 46 maternity wards closing in California alone since 2012, according to a 2023 CalMatters investigation. This is exacerbating maternity care deserts, or counties lacking hospitals with obstetric care, and making the need for more midwives all the more urgent, say advocates for the midwifery profession. The U.S. has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among wealthy nations  and it is twice as high for Black women compared to white women.

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Countries and states where midwives are better integrated into maternity care have better outcomes for mothers and infants, according to a 2023 analysis by the Commonwealth Fund.

Nurse midwives perform many similar functions as obstetricians and gynecologists, including delivering babies, prescribing medications, diagnosing and treating sexually transmitted infections, performing abortions, and managing prenatal, labor and postnatal care. But midwives cannot perform surgery, and generally manage patients who are considered low-risk because the midwifery professions overall philosophy is to avoid medical intervention when possible.

Patients delivering babies who have midwives with them at the hospital can receive emergency interventions, including C-sections, when needed.

Expectant mother Sarah Hernandez gets an ultra sound from Aimee Tom. UCSF says many schools are moving toward doctorate-level education as the standard for nursing education in many nursing specialties, not just nurse-midwifery. Yalonda M. James/The Chronicle

Critics of UCSFs change also say the university is losing years of faculty experience by effectively laying off most of the current faculty who teach in the masters program because they must have doctorates of their own to continue teaching in the more advanced program. Most faculty have masters degrees, and UCSF initially gave them until 2030 to obtain a DNP, Donnelly said. But recently, the deadline was abruptly moved up to 2024.

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The University is effectively and unconscionably severing its relationship with current faculty, losing decades of experience and collective knowledge, said a March letter to UCSF leadership signed by 63 organizations including the California Nurse-Midwives Association, Planned Parenthood the American College of Nurse-Midwives and others who work in reproductive health care.

UCSF said it began discussing the transition to a doctoral program with faculty in 2020 and has provided opportunities for faculty to upgrade their credentials, including offering a faculty-only cohort to upgrade to a DNP.

UCSF has temporarily paused new admissions for the DNP program while we ensure faculty in the specialty have a doctoral degree to meet the national standard for teaching doctoral students, UCSF said in a statement. We fully intend to resume admissions in the near future, which could be as early as September 2024, for a class to enter in June 2025.
View of the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, 1 July 2016.

A claim by Yemen's Houthi group on Saturday that its forces had attacked the U.S. aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea is false, two U.S. officials told Reuters.

"That is incorrect," one of the officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The Iran-aligned Houthis first launched drone and missile strikes in the key waterway in November in what they say is solidarity with Palestinian militants in Gaza, where Israel has waged a more than eight-month-old war.

In more than 70 attacks, the Houthis have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.
We don't care at which price Apple trades. When it was at $165 per share not that long ago, we thought the Club's original "own it, don't trade it" stock was momentarily expensive. Then nothing happened, and we had an ascent based on a momentary belief that the iPhone 16 would have some good artificial intelligence in it. The stock market seemed ho-hum on the device; nothing worth buying the stock for. Then came Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) with the confirmation of lots of different, disparate AI features, and we had a lot of instant, negative, analysis that day, a day where the market didn't yawn; it just went plain down. I remember watching the presentation and deciding right there, I had to upgrade. But investors, prodded by news reports and analysts spouting negatives like machine gun bullets headed to any bull that popped its head up, just dumped and dumped. WWDC was never supposed to be a major, market-moving event as it was that afternoon, and the vicious decline shocked many of us. I talked to Apple CEO Tim Cook late in the trading session. Before I asked my first questions, I said I was very surprised about the reaction given that many potential buyers had been waiting for so many different features before they pulled the trigger, and this phone seemed to address every one of them, including that of competitors. I was thinking of that last call from portfolio holding Best Buy when Samsung's phones were well-received. Tim was surprised at the reaction, too. He was talking about how there were so many more features than were highlighted. Sure enough, the next day began a historic ascent of Apple stock, an in-your-face rally that many thought made no sense. As it went up, a lot of bears turned into bulls, many price targets were raised, and a lot of tepid-but-pro Apple analysts got more positive. Where were they when everything looked so dim? The stock's ascent is all considered rational, every darned point of it even as the stock sells at 32 times earnings, much much more than its historic value. Microsoft , also a Club company, brought out a Copilot artificial intelligence assistant that garnered instant love even as most of the answers are soporific and sound like what we used to call "fill 'er up" fluff in my old newspaper days. So much of an answer reads like a term paper: 700 words long, only 400 of them relevant. Then this past week, we got a new Microsoft personal computer filled with things we can ask it and make it so it's a smart PC, as if our old ones are idiots. I continue to believe this will be a huge upgrade cycle, benefitting Dell and HP Inc. , although, somehow, it's accruing entirely to Microsoft. It doesn't even matter what chip is in the PC. Micron was just thrown back a bit and Advanced Micro Devices is down huge from its high. For all of these new features, Microsoft sells at a historically high 38 times earnings. It's all considered rational, every darned point of it. Then there's Nvidia . Right now every company that makes any hardware, every company that connects to the internet, any company that has multiple data centers to address everything from ChatGPT (Microsoft-backed OpenIA) and Claude ( Amazon -backed Anthropic), and Gemini ( Alphabet 's Google) to massive video files, and omniverse robots, needs Nvidia chips  and of whatever vintage, because they all work together, or else they cannot compete. They will be left behind, and become the hyper-scaler that is all hype, no scale. Its machines come trained, and you just add the inference and cut through it with "analysis interrogating" the data; the phrase now being used. You need the Nvidia Super Computers that can make it so everything you can do, a robot can do better. It will shock us how unadvanced we are now. There will be nothing from Intel or even AMD that will get near its speed and training. You need both: Intel, despite its bogus, sad claims, has neither. AMD has only speed; no training but that's coming. Who knows when, though, and every minute that you are reading this is one minute closer to the new Nvidia chip. There's a coalescence of two themes, high speed, accelerated computing and increasingly intelligent AI, and neither works without Nvidia chips. Therefore every central processing unit (CPU)-based machine will see its CPUs replaced with GPUs (graphics processing units) that are much more powerful, I mean really powerful and will burn less hot than many of the chips before it; at least as a ratio to output. This changeover will occur over multiple years: You can't upgrade everything that needs to be upgraded in one year or two or even three. How necessary is this upgrade? I regard the fastest CPU-based machines as 286-based, while the new GPUs are the Pentium IIs; to use an Intel metaphor. Remember, by the way, that Intel is still trying to add transistors to their chips with the hope that Moore's law, power doubling every couple of years, hasn't run out of time. If we aren't tempted to upgrade because we use our PCs just as typewriters, then maybe the upgrade won't be worth it. But that's a sorely minority position. Most users will regard our current PCs as typewriters once we see Nvidia-powered anything, especially the PC. The only thing holding Nvidia back is the possible max out of its partner, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. , unlike gigantic Intel putting up incredibly expensive factories adhering to the diminishing Moore theory, Nvidia is fabless. And for all of that, Nvidia's ascent is all considered irrational, every darned point of it. Perhaps that's because, to the naked eye it sells at 46 times earnings, but, unlike Microsoft and Apple, every time Nvidia has sold at a high level if you check back one year later it turned out to be very cheap. When I say very cheap it looks like the forward price-to-earnings (P/E) was just plain wrong. Or to put it another way, we will find out, a year from now, calendar year 2025, that Nvidia at these prices, was selling for a market multiple. Sure it could turn out that you are paying an overvalued price if anyone comes near Nvidia, if anyone catches them, but right now you would have to have something that doesn't use traditional semiconductors, something like we thought Elon Musk was going to do but ended up capitulating and going with Nvidia. I don't see anyone else creative enough to catch the company any time in the foreseeable future. Sure you can sell and bet that the "unforeseeable" future is going to be cataclysmically bad, but that's a risk I don't want to take. Now does that make Nvidia over or undervalued? Arguably overvalued now but undervalued a year from now when we find out once again that Nvidia is making more money than we thought. Again, if you think they will make less then you have to abandon ship now. I just think that, too, is a very risky bet. Nonetheless, everything I have written here comes under the category of trying to explain why Apple and Microsoft's valuation don't seem to upset anyone while Nvidia's seems to upset everyone. Most people didn't know what Nvidia was a year ago, it maintains this weird gate-crashing parvenu status. I was actually discussing this very point with my daughters during our trip out West. I said I couldn't figure out why people didn't know it. My eldest said I had been knee-deep in Nvidia (sometimes neck-deep) and that how dare I think that people should know it. "Did the viewers get to go with you to Nvidia?" she asked. "Have they met Jensen Huang like you have?" Jensen is, of course, the founder and CEO of Nvidia. I have to admit that if you haven't gone to Jensen's headquarters or spent a lot of time with the man you would still be somewhat baffled by what they do and what they will do. I grew up in Philadelphia where we would go to the Franklin Institute all of the time and we would see what Ben Franklin discovered and invented. Or if you want, go to the Da Vinci museum in Rome where you can see more than 50 of Leonardo's inventions. These are the people who are like Jensen. You couldn't buy stock in what the former two had going, but you can buy stock in Jensen by buying shares of Nvidia. I think that if you could get either Franklin or Da Vinci when they just started to dazzle you wouldn't be thinking, "When is this run going to end." You would be saying, "OK, I am not early and the darned thing can and probably will go down from here after this historic run"  but you wouldn't be baffled or mystified  you would just be in awe. But because you have probably only seen the Nvidia nameplate on things connected with gaming and not housing, not factories, not health care, not powerful computers that you will never see close up that belong to Oracle and Club names Amazon, Google, and Microsoft  and, the purpose of Nvidia seems lost. In fact, I thought that Apple would tie up with Nvidia to commercialize its new, pricey Vision Pro mixed reality headset, something that would have benefitted both companies  Jensen had talked about it and showed it at his GTC Conference. It didn't happen. In this sense, it feels like Cisco before the crash. No one could figure out quite what it did except the "visionaries" that were tech geniuses. Almost all turned out to be fools. I know that it seems impossible to ponder Nvidia's stock going any higher or passing Apple and Microsoft and staying ahead of it. But it is cheaper than either on 2025 earnings  and it doesn't have the kind of competition that either has when it comes to foreign phones or data center build-outs. One last thought. When I got in the stock picking business more than 40 years ago, a wise man once told me that the most expensive words are "it's different this time," as if everything has occurred and don't think this time will be different. It will be the same. In a four-decade retrospect, I think the five most dangerous words are "it's not different this time" because if you believed that, you would have sold Nvidia's stock at a $1 trillion market value or $2 trillion because both were so outlandish if you didn't know the stock or the company. Last week, if only briefly, Nvidia topped the U.S. $3 trillion-plus market cap club of which there are only three members. Microsoft and Apple are the others. The whole point of the best part of the market is to reward innovation, gross margins, initiative and dazzling brilliance. Ask yourself, does any company match Jensen and Nvidia right now? The answer is no. This time remains different. As tempting as it is to ring the register, I think you need real reasons to jump off. Right now, the only one I have is that there is only one Jensen. But there is only one Musk, there was only one Steve Jobs, so I have a tough time trimming the stock based on the one-and- only-great-man-theory. I say let others be baffled over the Apple versus Microsoft versus Nvidia conundrum. To me, only one is inexpensive on what will turn out to be 2025 earnings. That one is Nvidia. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer's Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust's portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.

Jim Cramer. Rob Kim | NBCUniversal
Finland and Denmark have seemingly cracked the code to living a happy life. The two countries hold the top spots on the World Happiness Report's annual ranking of the happiest countries in the world, which was most recently published in March. Finland has a lengthy track record of happiness, holding the top spot for seven years in a row now. CNBC Make It asked a group of Finnish and Danish business leaders and psychologists to explain those results. Some of them referenced a few go-to sayings that remind them to think positively and optimistically, even when  or especially when  times are tough. If you want to live a happier life, add these three phrases to your vocabulary, those experts say:

'Whatever you leave behind, you will find in front of you'

Everyone faces obstacles. Dealing with those setbacks head-on can keep them from reoccurring. That's why people in Finland often say, "Whatever you leave behind, you will find in front of you." The phrase implies that leaving an issue unattended will only result in a bigger issue, according to Anni Hallila, head of people and culture at Finnish manufacturing company Framery. DON'T MISS: The ultimate guide to becoming a master communicator and public speaker If your friend makes a distasteful joke about you, for example, not addressing it immediately could give off the impression that it's OK to make similar jokes in the future. "If you leave problems behind you, you will find them in front of you" at another point, Hallila told Make It earlier this month. "So the only way to handle it is to actually address them when they are brought up."

'Pyt med det'

More than 25% of Americans are stressed to the point of harming their mental health and productivity, often worried about circumstances outside of their control, according to a 2022 poll from the American Psychological Association. People in Denmark use a three-word phrase everyday to get ahead of that, according to Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute: "Pyt med det." The phrase translates to "It doesn't matter" or "Don't worry about it," Wiking wrote for CNBC Make It in April. "'Pyt,' or 'never mind,' embodies a profound acceptance and release of worry. It is the gentle exhale amid life's storms, a reassurance that things will be okay, even when they seem not to be." Whether you're dealing with a minor issue or a major setback, using this phrase can help you move on from life's ebbs to find happiness, Wiking wrote. "It's a good reminder to not sweat the small stuff," he added. "'Pyt med det' encourages us to shrug off negativity and move forward with grace and resilience."

'Some have happiness, everyone has summer'
The spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus on US dairy farms is raising alarms among public health and agricultural experts, showing the urgent need for coordinated action to prevent a potential crisis. Despite the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describing the current risk to the general public as low, the virus's implications for the agricultural sector and food supply are profound.

Agricultural Impact and Economic Risks

The virus has significantly impacted the poultry industry, leading to soaring egg prices and millions in losses. Similarly, dairy farms are now experiencing disruptions as H5N1 spreads among cattle. While cows are less likely to succumb to the virus compared to birds, infected cows suffer decreased milk production and can become quite ill. Multiple states have seen farmers resort to culling infected cows to control outbreaks. The economic fallout is concerning, given the already significant losses in the poultry sector.

Dr. Jennifer B. Nuzzo, an epidemiologist and director at the Pandemic Center at Brown University School of Public Health, has stressed in an opinion piece for the New York Times: "The virus is lethal to birds and has caused hundreds of millions of dollars in losses to the poultry industry and left consumers with skyrocketing egg prices last year."

She further warned that the current lax surveillance and response measures are inadequate to protect agricultural workers and the broader economy.

Public Health and Safety Concerns

While the risk of H5N1 to the general population remains low, particularly as the virus does not spread easily among humans, there are still significant public health concerns. Nearly all human infections have been linked to direct contact with infected animals, primarily among agricultural workers.

Nuzzo noted, "As an epidemiologist, I join those who are concerned that as H5N1 continues to infect animals and people exposed to them, it could become a greater threat. The virus could mutate to gain the ability to infect people more easily."

Current research exposes the severity of H5N1 infections in humans, with about half of the nearly 900 global cases since 2003 resulting in fatalities. A recent study using ferrets, which serve as proxies for human flu response, showed that the virus can spread and be deadly, signaling its potential danger.

Food Safety and Consumer Guidance

For consumers, the immediate risk from H5N1 through dairy or meat products is minimal, provided that guidelines for consuming pasteurized milk and properly cooked meat are followed. According to tests by the US Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, pasteurized milk and adequately cooked beef are unlikely to pose a risk. However, consuming raw milk or undercooked meat could be hazardous, as these have been linked to other pathogen outbreaks.

"Milk drinkers and meat eaters probably have little to worry about if they follow recommendations. Tests conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration have so far confirmed that pasteurized milk and beef cooked to at least medium is unlikely to make anyone sick," Nuzzo said.

She emphasized that while current public health messaging should be balanced to avoid unnecessary alarm, the underlying threat to food safety should not be ignored.

Calls for Action

Public health experts urge agricultural and government leaders to take decisive actions to control the spread of H5N1 on dairy farms. Improved surveillance, systematic testing, and quicker response measures are critical to safeguard both workers and the broader public. Without such measures, the risk of the virus evolving into a significant pandemic threat remains a looming possibility.

"H5N1 is enough of a risk now to warrant action, before the virus becomes a pandemic threat to America. By that point, everyone will have to worry," Nuzzo said.
Penile cancer cases are projected to surge by 77% globally over the next 26 years, according to a comprehensive analysis by the BBC. The rise is particularly alarming in Europe and developing countries, based on the latest data.

Growing Incidence Across Continents

Recent data shows a notable increase in penile cancer cases across various countries. Germany experienced a 50% rise from 1961 to 2012, and the U.K. has also seen a significant uptick. Researchers from Sun Yat-Sen University in China, who analyzed data from 43 countries, confirmed that while developing nations still have the highest incidence and mortality rates, Europe is not immune to this trend.

Brazil, ranking just behind Uganda for the highest rates of penile cancer globally, reported 21,000 cases between 2012 and 2022. This decade saw 4,000 deaths and over 6,500 amputations due to the disease. Despite vaccine availability, Brazil's low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates are a major contributing factor, according to the BBC.

HPV Vaccination: A Key Preventive Measure

HPV is a significant risk factor for penile cancer. Mauricio Dener Cordeiro from the Brazilian Society of Urology noted the critical role of vaccination. In Brazil, the HPV vaccination coverage remains low, with only 57% of girls and less than 40% of boys vaccinated, far short of the 90% coverage needed to effectively prevent the disease.

"In Brazil, despite the availability of the vaccine, the HPV vaccination rate remains low for girls -- reaching only 57% -- and for boys, it doesn't exceed 40%. The ideal coverage to prevent the disease is 90%," Cordeiro said.

Additional Risk Factors: Hygiene, Protection and Age

Dr. Neil Barber, Clinical Lead for Urology at Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, has emphasized that beyond HPV, factors such as poor hygiene and unprotected sex elevate the risk of penile cancer. The disease is more prevalent in uncircumcised men and those aged 60 and above. The aging global population is also a contributing factor to the rising cases.

"Established risk factors also include unprotected sex, specifically not using condoms, with poor hygiene further increasing risks," Barber explained.

Early detection through awareness of symptoms like penile discharge or discoloration can prevent severe outcomes, including amputation.

Need for Early Detection and Awareness

Men are advised to be vigilant about changes in their penile health, such as unusual discharge, color changes, or alterations in sex drive. Early detection is crucial for effective treatment and preventing the need for drastic measures like amputation.

Despite the rising numbers, penile cancer remains relatively rare compared to other cancers. In Uganda, the rate was 2.2 per 100,000 men between 2008 and 2012, and in Brazil, it stood at 2.1 per 100,000 men during the same period. Nonetheless, the upward trend calls for increased public health efforts and individual vigilance, according to the New York Post.
New research suggests that tirzepatide, the active ingredient in Eli Lilly's popular weight loss drugs Mounjaro and Zepbound, may effectively reduce the severity of sleep apnea, a very common sleep disorder.

Published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the novel finding could reshape the clinical approach to sleep apnea and bolster the case for broader insurance coverage for GLP-1 receptor agonists, given their expanding range of medical benefits.

Exploring Tirzepatide's Potential Beyond Weight Loss

Tirzepatide has already gained attention for its efficacy in weight management and diabetes care. Now, it appears poised to address another major health concern: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Characterized by repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep, OSA reportedly affects approximately 1 billion people worldwide and can lead to serious health conditions such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.

Current treatments often involve continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines or surgical interventions, which are not always well-tolerated by patients.

The latest study, which was a collaboration among researchers from nine countries and partly funded by Eli Lilly, involved 469 clinically obese individuals with moderate-to-severe OSA. Over a year, participants were administered varying doses of tirzepatide or a placebo.

The results were promising: tirzepatide significantly reduced the frequency of breathing interruptions during sleep, a key measure of OSA severity. Remarkably, some participants showed such improvement that they might no longer need CPAP therapy.

Dr. Atul Malhotra, the lead author of the study, noted the potential of tirzepatide to transform the treatment landscape for OSA.

"In the trials, patients with moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea and obesity treated with tirzepatide experienced about 30 fewer disruptive events every hour of sleep and nearly half achieved disease resolution," the director of sleep medicine at UC San Diego Health said in a press release.

"OSA can be very disruptive to daily life and affects a person's long-term health when left untreated because it can lead to serious cardiometabolic complications. These data support the efficacy of tirzepatide in adults living with moderate-to-severe OSA and obesity and has the potential to add to our toolbox for OSA treatment."

Implications for Treatment and Insurance Coverage

Eli Lilly's findings come as the company prepares to submit data to the FDA and other global regulatory bodies to expand tirzepatide's approved uses to include sleep apnea treatment, according to Forbes.

The drug has already received fast-track designation from the FDA for this indication. If approved, tirzepatide would be the first pharmaceutical treatment targeting the underlying causes of OSA rather than merely alleviating symptoms.

This development could also influence insurance policies. Despite the high cost of GLP-1 drugs, their potential to treat a broader array of conditions may pressure insurers to reconsider coverage restrictions. Jeff Emmick, Lilly's senior vice president of product development, has pointed out the significance of addressing OSA, noting that many cases remain undiagnosed and untreated.

"There are currently no pharmaceutical treatment options to address the underlying cause of OSA, a complex disease that disrupts the daily lives of 80 million people in the U.S. alone and is linked to serious health complications," Emmick said.

Broader Benefits of GLP-1 Drugs

The findings add to a growing body of research supporting the benefits of GLP-1 receptor agonists like tirzepatide and semaglutide, which are also marketed for heart disease, kidney disease, and other conditions.

This expanding evidence base underscores that the drugs' benefits extend beyond weight loss and blood sugar management, suggesting other therapeutic mechanisms at work. Novo Nordisk, another major player in the GLP-1 market, has already seen success with its drug semaglutide, securing label expansion for its cardiovascular benefits.
Nizhny Tagil Mayor Nikolai Didenko told the press that the International Weapons Exhibition "Russian Expo Arms-2002" won $ 1.5 billion in orders for the Sverdlovsk Region. Held in the city of Nizhny Tagil on 9 to 13 July 2002, over 1,500 pieces of hardware were displayed. In addition to small arms and light artillery, the displays included the T-90S, T-80UK and T-72M1M tanks, BTR-80A and modernized BTR-70 APCs, 300-mm Smerch and 122-mm Grad multiple rocket launch systems, Msta-S modernized self-propelled howitzers, Nona self-propelled artillery system, BRDM-2 modernized armored reconnaissance vehicle and 2S25 Sprut-SD anti-tank self-propelled gun.



Russia's arms exporting agency Rosoboronexport's current orders total 13.5 billion dollars, with aviation technology, anti-aircraft systems and naval ships accounting for the bulk of export contracts. Rosoboronexport plans to exceed this year's military equipment export target, with the 2002-to-date military export revenue already exceeding $ 2 billion and the Russians hope their second half performance is just as good. Kuwait and India were two countries rumored to be interested in major purchases.



Russia and Ethiopia signed a military development and technical cooperation agreement in Moscow on 8 July. The Russians expect to make deliveries of their latest military hardware, as well as modernizing Soviet-made weapons and hardware already used by the Ethiopian army.



The T-90S demonstration was one centerpiece of the show, engaging targets using it's thermal sights through a screen laid by it's smoke grenade launchers. In a recent visit, Indian Defense Minister George Fernandez announced that his country was considering the possibility of purchasing another 300 of the Russian tanks. Another tank was driven 100 yards under water, proofing it's fording capabilities.



Egypt also held meetings with the Russians on upgrading 200 of their Soviet-made T-62 tanks, to include fitting 120mm main guns to the Egyptian MBTs. Egypt last purchased 14 T-80 UK commander's tanks and 20 T-80U main battle tanks from the Russians in 1997.



Russia's chief of the main armor department Sergei Mayev revealed that Russian military designers were developing a fifth generation (but as yet unnamed) main battle tank, equipped with robotics and more powerful weapons. The T-72M1M upgrade was already available for purchase, which would bring a standard T-72 nearly up to T-90 performance levels. The Russian army also has about 6,000 T-72 tanks that need upgrading, which Mayev hoped to have accomplished by 2006. - Adam Geibel




June 22, 2024: U.S. SOCOM (Special Operations Command) is shrinking again and must lose 5,000 personnel over the next five years. Instead of just reorganizing units to include fewer people, SOCOM is retraining its remaining personnel to handle more technology as well as new weapons and equipment. SOCOM is also noting how Ukrainian special operations forces have adapted during more than two years of fighting the Russians.

SOCOM does not have any personnel in Ukraine and the number of active combat zones where SOCOM once operated has diminished. There are no longer SOCOM personnel in Afghanistan and far fewer in Iraq and Syria than in the past.

Most of the reductions are taking place through attrition. As existing SOCOM operators retire or resign, they will not be replaced. Over the last decade SOCOM has greatly reduced its spending on counterterrorism and that alone greatly reduced expenses. More importantly, SOCOM personnel spent less time overseas in combat zones. This was good for morale and necessary so training for new tasks can take place. SOCOM is returning to its traditional (pre-2001) missions that included training foreign special operations forces and developing relationships with military forces and civilians in foreign nations. This often involved working with the CIA and Department of Defense intelligence agencies. The SOCOM personnel spoke the local language and had learned about local customs. SOCOM personnel were often the best source of what was going on in nations where SOCOM was invited in to help with training and organizing forces to carry on the fight if that country was overrun by an enemy. After 2014 this applied to Ukraine and as is customary in such situations, details of SOCOM assistance in Ukraine were not publicized. It was understood that the SOCOM assessment of Ukrainian readiness for a war and willingness to fight the Russians was the most accurate available to NATO nations. SOCOM also passed on assessments of Russian forces in Donbas and the Russian military in general. SOCOM shared and compared assessments of Russian forces. All of this was done quietly, as was customary for this sort of thing since the 1950s when SOCOM did not exist yet. There was just the U.S. Army Special Forces component.

American military personnel were withdrawn from Ukraine after the 2014 Russian seizure of Crimea. Some SOCOM personnel remained nearby, attached to the U.S. embassy staff for a while as the rest moved across the border to Poland and Romania where there were already SOCOM contingents doing what they usually do. Many details of SOCOM activities in Ukraine after 2014 and especially after the Russian 2022 invasion were kept secret. SOCOM wasnt doing any fighting but were often the best qualified NATO personnel to coordinate American and NATO support for Ukrainian forces fighting the Russians.

SOCOM greatly expanded after 2001 and evolved considerably. After 2001 SOCOM personnel strength increased from 42,000 to 73,000 in 2020. The budget went from $3.1 billion to nearly $13.7 billion dollars a year before declining after 2020. The 2022 budget is $12.6 billion for 70,000 personnel.

Before 2001 SOCOM specialized in training troops of allied nations that needed to improv their ground forces. That was one task SOCOM has been dealing with since its beginning. One of the World War II organizations SOCOM evolved from was OSS (Office of Special Services) which, among other things, provided needed training and support for resistance units in enemy (German and Japanese) territory. Many countries are still threatened by Islamic terrorists, drug gangs and Chinese aggression and want to quickly upgrade their ability to deal with this. SOCOM has always had the ability to do that and the demand is stronger than ever.

SOCOM personnel were 1.9 percent of Department of Defense personnel in 2001 and that rose to nearly three percent by 2020. But when you factor in the additional support and personnel involved, SOCOM was getting the use of over five percent of Department of Defense personnel. Spending on SOCOM is actually higher if you consider additional spending on American special operations are not part of the SOCOM budget. This non-SOCOM spending on SOCOM operations varies but, in some years, went as high as $8 billion a year. The reason for this is that other services were always obliged to provide SOCOM with things like supplies, transportation, artillery and air support when SOCOM is carrying out a mission that aids the regular forces, or simply because SOCOM needs the extra help to get the job done.

One of the more telling statistics is the average number of SOCOM deployed on operations. In 2001, before September 11, it was 2,900. By 2014 it was 7,200. While overall SOCOM personnel has increased 48 percent the number of operators overseas has gone up three times as much. This has made it more difficult to keep the fighters, known as operators, in uniform since more frequent trips to combat zones make married life difficult and increased the incidence of stress-related problems. At the same time, the greater number of SOCOM operators out there in combat means SOCOM more frequently must call on non-SOCOM units for support. While SOCOM does have its own support troops, SOCOM cannot afford to maintain such support forces for the high intensity of operations in wartime. Since 2001 the fighting has been the sort that SOCOM does best at, which is why SOCOM is so much in demand and non-SOCOM army, air force, navy and marine units are willing to help out. This is often because the supporting organization called on SOCOM to provide specialized troops to deal with a local situation. While SOCOM strength has increased, the need for the kind of specialists SOCOM had was even greater. So is the need to provide SOCOM operators with more dwell time at home with families or just away from a combat zone. While back in their American home bases the SOCOM personnel also have the opportunity to acquire new skills and help train new operators. It is also important to keep the twelve-man ODAs or A-Teams together and all this is easier to achieve if you dont have chronic personnel shortages.

As part of the conversion to more traditional roles, in 2020 SOCOM ordered the disbanding of the five CRF (Crisis Response Force) companies. These units were established after September 11, 2001, and were based on small units Special Forces Group commanders had already created for emergency situations that involved classical commando-type skills. This included Direct Action, as in hostage rescue or difficult raids or any operation that would involve combat situations where success was very important but difficult to achieve. The CRF companies were small, under a hundred men, and were heavily used for about a decade. But after American troops left Iraq in 2011 the war on terror, while not over, saw less demand for the skills that the CRF operators had in abundance. Acquiring those skills was time consuming and expensive. CRF members had to attend a number of special courses and excel in all of them. At the same time after 2011 counter-terrorism technology and tactics changed. There was more use of SOCOM operators for collecting intelligence and letting a missile-armed UAV take care of the direct action. The few CRF type missions were easily taken care of by the two elite direct-action units; Delta Force and SEAL Team 6. These included the raids that killed Osama bin Laden and ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Same with hostage rescue and unexpected threats to embassies, where security had been improved since 2001 and other types of emergencies that did not occur as much anymore. As a result, the several hundred CRF personnel were used to fill key vacancies in Special Forces units.
Eleven days to go, and theres a growing sense that Rishi Sunak might as well just give up, save us all the hassle  and hand the keys to Downing Street straight to Sir Keir Starmer.

The Labour leader could unveil a set of horns beneath that thick thatch of his and still, it seems, voters would rather burn in a hell of their own making than entrust the smouldering remains of the Conservative Party with another term in office.

Even those who will get clobbered by VAT on private school fees and other tax hikes (as yet unspecified) are undeterred.

Starmer is remarkably coy on the whole issue of protecting womens rights in sport and safe spaces such as prisons and single-sex changing rooms, writes Sarah Vine

In the London constituency of Kensington and Bayswater  once home to David Camerons so-called Notting Hill Tories  Labours candidate is feted at lavish fundraising dinner parties in multi-million-pound mansions.

Their owners have everything to lose from a Labour government. But they dont care: shy Tories have given way to embarrassed, regretful Tories and, in many cases, hopping-mad Tories.

When even stucco-fronted Kensingtonians pivot to Labour, you know things are bad. But can you blame them? They feel let down and humiliated by the shambles of the last few years.

All Camerons detoxifying of the brand (and whatever you think of him, ultimately he did a good job on that front) has been undone. Voting Tory has become about as socially acceptable as Prince Andrew at an under-18s disco.

Just because Starmer is getting such an easy ride doesnt mean theres nothing to worry about. Indeed, there is a lot about the Labour leader and his allies thats deeply questionable, not least his assertion that Jeremy Corbyn would have made a better prime minister than Boris Johnson.

Such a view should focus voters minds  like his earlier confession that he would never resort to private healthcare if a loved one desperately needed an operation.

Even more worrying is his stance on women. Specifically, whether they can or cannot have penises, and whether only women can have cervixes. Indeed, on the whole issue of protecting womens rights in sport and safe spaces such as prisons and single-sex changing rooms, Starmer is remarkably coy.

Of course, when people such as myself (ie Conservatives) mention this, were branded bigots.

Kemi Badenoch, one of the few Tory ministers who may keep their seat, has faced a barrage of abuse over her sensible and uncompromising stance on this issue.

Its easy for Starmers team to dismiss so-called Right-wing voices. But when the criticism comes from his own side, its harder to shut out.

That is why, once again, I take my hat off to J.K. Rowling for swimming against the prevailing tide of political lemmings. She has called out Starmer for abandoning women, and having a dismissive and often offensive approach to concerns about womens rights for single-sex spaces and for the right to speak about our own bodies as we please.

She listed the number of times Starmer and his Shadow Cabinet have made it hard for her to think about voting Labour. David Lammy, calling gender-critical women dinosaurs hoarding rights and saying that a cervix is something you can have following various procedures and hormone treatments. Or Lisa Nandy, who thinks trans men and women should be in a prison of their choosing. Or Anneliese Dodds, who says the definition of a woman depends on the context.

As Rowling observes, it would be laughable were it not so tragic.

The final insult came during BBC1s Question Time last Thursday. Asked if hed changed his view on women and cervixes, Starmer explained that, as far as the biology was concerned: I agree with what Tony Blair said... in relation to men having penises and women having vaginas. Starmer and Blair: the vagina monologues. The mind boggles.

But what is most offensive about that statement is when, three years ago, Labour MP Rosie Duffield argued only women have a cervix, Starmer hung her out to dry.

But when a man  Blair  points this out to him, he agrees.

In other words, this is a politician who not only has a fundamental disregard for womens rights, but an even more fundamental disregard for their opinions  unless they are spoken by a man, in which case he agrees. The fact hes not even aware of it only makes it worse.

This is the kind of everyday sexism women face all the time.

If a man says it, its right, but if a woman says it, its a joke.

Ive lost count of the number of times Ive mentioned something in a room of men, only for it to be ignored until a man makes the same point a few minutes later.

Bottom line, Im just as furious with the Conservatives as anyone else  perhaps even more so, given my own personal circumstances. But, like J.K., I wont vote for a man who shows such little respect for women.

That's killer filler

24-year-old Love Island contestant Nicole Samuel. Before joining the show she was an accounts manager

My daughter had a friend to stay for a couple of days, which can only mean one thing: Love Island. For me, the appeal of this tawdry show eludes me  but for their age group (early 20s) its a bit of an institution. They marvel at the antics of the surgically enhanced, intellectually challenged contestants in their quest to find love, aka a lucrative modelling contract or sponsorship deal. Theyve all had the same procedures: lip fillers, lip flips, cheek fillers, boob and nose jobs, tattoos etc. And thats just the lads. Their Love Island faces replicate the aesthetics of a blow-up doll. This series, though, everyone looks much older than their real ages  like Nicole Samuel, who is 24 but looks about 42. A bad case of filler fatigue?

Experts claim we drink rose wine wrongly. It should NOT be served straight from the fridge or (my preferred method) over ice, rather at a temperature of between 7 and 15 degrees to bring out the aromas. When it comes to the consumption of so-called lady-petrol, no one is better qualified than myself - and the idea of drinking it at anything other than sub-zero temperatures is silly. Ignore the marketing hype - rose is not a serious wine. Its just a bit of fun, something to sip on a hot summers night, maybe with a crisp or two. Think of it as the Ed Davey of wines: a bit of light relief, not entirely unpalatable - but really not something you would ever want to take too seriously.

Theres always one! After Sir Ian McKellen fell off stage, the person whose knee his skull struck has been bemoaning her trauma. She complained that theatre staff failed to get the paramedics whod arrived to treat Sir Ian to assess her injuries. Oh, come on. Shes 30, and sustained a bruise. Sir Ian is 85 and hit his head badly. If anyone has a right to behave like a drama queen its him, not some attention-seeking snowflake wanting 15 minutes of fame.

Agony of Jay's poor mum

My heart goes out to the family of teenager Jay Slater whos missing in Tenerife. Hes the same age as my son, and I cant imagine what his mother is suffering. Whats more, the internet is full of armchair sleuths and conspiracy theorists, none of whom seem to have a shred of respect for his familys feelings. Vile online parasites feeding off others misery are one of the more distasteful aspects of modern life.

Anyone who doubts the power of AI need only look at the meteoric rise of gaming and robotics giant Nvidia. After investing heavily in AI technology, it has overtaken Apple and Microsoft on the stock markets. Follow the money

Donald was a true classic

Donald Sutherland in 1978 sci-fi classic Invasion of the Bodysnatchers as Matthew Bennell

So sad that Donald Sutherland has died. As an inveterate sci-fi fan, Ill always remember his performance in the movie Invasion Of The Bodysnatchers - a gem of 1970s B-movie kitsch that never grows old. Astonishingly, he was never even nominated for an Oscar. They dont make them like that any more.

First rule of politics: never be seen dancing in public (see Theresa May, John Prescott, Ann Widdecombe and, er, my ex). After Prince Williams exuberant performance at Taylor Swifts London concert, I fear we may have to add royalty to the list
It was a remarkable moment that exposed the depth of Labour's headlong plunge into the ideological madness of the transgender cult.

Interviewed on ITV's Good Morning Britain, the party's then Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities, Dawn Butler, asserted that babies are neither male or female at birth, declaring 'children are born without sex at the beginning'.

It was an unhinged statement that made a mockery of biological science.

When pressed, she continued her flight from reality by claiming that anyone who disagreed with this stance was guilty of prejudice.

'You cannot have dog-whistle transphobia,' she said, cloaking her bizarre dogma in the rhetoric of moral righteousness.

Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner kneel for Black Lives Matter and George Floyd in June 2020

Labour Party deputy leader Angela Rayner and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer join an LGBT+ march in July 2022

A 'Protect Trans kids' placard seen during the demonstration in Piccadilly Circus at Pride 2023

JK Rowling said yesterday she will not vote for Labour in the General Election after accusing Sir Keir Starmer of 'abandoning' women

Butler's demented performance back in 2020 is hardly unique among Labour MPs, who have similarly swallowed this nonsense, as J. K. Rowling highlighted yesterday in a blistering critique of Labour's stance on transgenderism.

The Harry Potter author wrote that the Left's 'lazy embrace of a quasi-religious ideology... is having calamitous consequences'.

But Labour's intellectual cowardice and linguistic contortions over the issue represent just the thin end of the woke wedge that will grip the country if it takes power.

From racially divisive obligations on employers to fulfil diversity quotas, to pernicious legislation to curtail criticism of Islamism, Labour has up its sleeve a raft of measures that will turbo-charge the woke revolution.

But it is what Labour won't say that I am convinced will give a green light to institutions from Whitehall to the judiciary to become  as activists in them so dearly wish  agents of social change. First, though, let's look at what the party does say.

Labour's election manifesto sends tacit support to social justice warriors rather than showing the restraint of a sober government-in-waiting.

A flagship policy is a new Race Equality Act, which would require firms to report regularly to the State on the racial composition of their workforces and to address any apparent disparities in pay between ethnic groups.

Of course discrimination is wrong, but Labour's method to remedy the problem risks expanding bureaucracy and fuelling anti-white and anti-male discrimination.

Sir Keir Starmer has come under fire from the bestselling author for the time he criticised fellow MP Rosie Duffield, an outspoken women's rights campaigner, for saying 'only women have cervix'

Pictured: Transgender people and their supporters march through central London to protest against a ban on puberty blockers in April

Labour's proposed new laws would also demand that the school curriculum be made more 'inclusive'  which would mean highlighting race, gender and sexuality differences, as well as empowering activist teachers to peddle theories about 'white privilege', 'unconscious bias' and 'decolonising' our history.

A survey I published in 2022 for the Policy Exchange think-tank shows a majority of schoolchildren are already hearing these pseudo-scientific terms in class  and this will only get worse.

A further crackdown on free speech under a Prime Minister Starmer would be inevitable, as a beefed up Online Safety Bill would censor 'hateful' conservative ideas around Islam, transgenderism and immigration.

It is likely that a new, wider definition of Islamophobia would be imposed by a Starmer government, using the terminology already adopted in Labour's own rule book.

In effect, a Muslim blasphemy law would be instituted in this country, with disastrous consequences for free expression.

Such a step, of course, would offer a bonanza for lawyers and a tool for zealots. Might criticising Koranic scriptures or levels of immigration from Muslim countries ultimately become offences?

And of the trans agenda, a Labour government would change attitudes towards the way parents and psychiatrists deal with young people with regard to taking puberty blockers, undergoing gender reassignment surgery and changing their pronouns.

We have been here before. The last Labour government, through measures such as the Human Rights Act and the Equality Act 2010, transformed the identity of Britain.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown on September 10, 2022, when King Charles III was formally proclaimed monarch

Under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, the obsession with diversity became a central feature of public life, while parliamentary democracy was eroded by the transfer of power to courts and unaccountable quangos.

But a Starmer Government would act as even more of a wrecking ball. After all, Sir Keir Starmer himself is a north London lawyer who has spent nearly all his career in the echo chamber of the liberal metropolitan elite.

This helps explain why he has struggled to define what a woman is, and why he 'took the knee' during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020.

If Starmer steps into No 10 on July 5, the forces of wokery will be unleashed.

For their part, over the past 14 years Conservative governments have been hesitant to protect British nationhood and tradition.

As the novelist Evelyn Waugh once bitterly remarked: 'The Tories have never turned the clock back a single second.'

But at least figures such as Esther McVey, the 'Minister for Common Sense', and Kemi Badenoch, the tough-minded Business Secretary, have acted as a brake on the worst excesses of the new progressive dogma.

Churchill's statue in Parliament Square was targeted during the Black Lives Matter protest in London, following the death of George Floyd on June 7, 2020

But at least figures such as Esther McVey, the 'Minister for Common Sense' have acted as a brake on the worst excesses of the new progressive dogma

Kemi Badenoch, the tough-minded Business Secretary, has also fought against wokeism

If they go, and the likes of Starmer and the Orwellian double-speaking Dawn Butler and her successor Anneliese Dodds are in charge, there would be no restraints.

Who among the Labour ranks would speak against rampant wokery? So far, none have.

In fact, any criticism of the creed has been dismissed by Labour figures as Tories 'whipping up the culture wars'.

Under a Labour government, activist employees and administrators in the judiciary, schools, the police, the Civil Service, the Armed Forces and universities would be emboldened to make a fresh push on equity initiatives, diversity training programmes and speech codes.

The equality industry and the fees of inclusion consultants would mushroom. Obtaining official approval for a changed gender identity would become easier.

I know, to my own cost, how intolerant activism can set the tone in institutions. In my willingness to challenge the pieties of the woke creed, I was accused by some at Birkbeck, University of London, of creating 'a hostile environment' for students and damaging morale.

Shadow equalities secretary Anneliese Dodds also came under fire for her woke claims

Though such charges were baseless, few fellow academics were willing to give me open support, a reflection of the strength of the herd instinct in overwhelmingly Left-liberal social science faculties.

Fortunately I found an alternative post at the University of Buckingham, where the principle of free speech is enshrined as part of its founding ethos.

In my new book Taboo: How Making Race Sacred Produced A Cultural Revolution, I define 'woke' as the veneration of groups historically disadvantaged by race, gender and sexual identity.

Drawing a halo of sanctity around these groups creates a form of religion, making rational debate impossible.

Supporting diversity, equality and inclusion becomes a badge of virtue, with criticism deemed a form of heresy.

Such an ideology has already suffocated public institutions enough as they turn themselves into instruments of social engineering and mass indoctrination.

But with the prospect of a Labour government, Britain hasn't seen anything yet, as Ms Rowling bravely alludes to.

Sir Keir loves to talk of his 'missions'. The most fervent of those missions would be a dream for the woke activists  but I fear it would be a nightmare for Britain.
You are here: Business

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. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and Valdis Dombrovskis, executive vice president of the European Commission, agreed on Saturday to start consultations on the issue of the European Union's anti-subsidy investigation into Chinese electric vehicles (EVs).

The consensus was reached during talks between the two officials via video link, the ministry said in a press release.
June 22, 2024: The Philippines is facing numerous problems in 2024, as it deals with the territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea, the persistent threat of terrorism and insurgency, and changes caused by the 2022 the presidential election made Ferdinand Bongbong Romualdez Marcos Jr. the new leader. Nicknamed Bongbong, the new president was the son of an ousted prior Filipino president.

Bongbong was a populist reformer who delivered on his campaign promises to reform the laws that made it difficult for Filipino farmers to make a living. Bongbong also upgraded and reinforced the armed forces, as well as military alliances with the United States and local nations that were also threatened by China.

The Philippines has increased its military presence and activities in the South China Sea, especially around the Spratly Islands and Scarborough Shoal, where it claims sovereignty over parts of the disputed waters and features. The country has also received support from its allies, such as the United States, Japan, and Australia, in conducting joint exercises and patrols, as well as providing military assistance and equipment. However, China has also intensified its operations and use of coercion in the region, deploying more ships, aircraft, and missiles, and building new structures and facilities on the artificial islands it occupies. The risk of miscalculation and escalation remains high, as China continues to ignore a 2016 ruling by the international Permanent Court of Arbitration that China has no legal claims on any part of the South China Sea, especially those that are legally controlled by the Philippines as part of their sovereign territory according to international law. China had previously agreed to abide by these terms but would deny knowledge of any previous agreement when the Philippines resisted Chinese aggression in the South China Sea.

The Philippines continues to deal with some problems with terrorist groups, such as the Islamic State-affiliated Abu Sayyaf Group and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. These two groups had been much reduced after years fighting Filipino soldiers, marines and special operations forces. These two groups were no longer much of a threat and spent most of their time just trying to survive. The communist New People's Army, or NPA, was even more diminished and in most of the country was a dim memory and in the few places where NPA still operated, they were regarded as bandits with political pretensions.

The Moslem resistance in the south had been settled by the 2019 Bangsamoro Organic Law, which granted greater autonomy and representation to the Muslim-majority areas in the south, as part of the peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, the largest rebel group that renounced violence and joined the political process. By 2023 Islamic terrorists and communist rebels were much less active because there were a lot fewer of them and there was much less popular support. The government received record high approval ratings from the voters even as local and foreign critics accuse the government of atrocious behavior.

The Philippines has maintained a balance between its alliance with the United States and its economic ties with China. The Philippines reaffirmed its commitment to the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement with the United States, which provide for mutual defense and security cooperation, as well as access to military bases and facilities. The country has also welcomed the U.S. support for its maritime claims and rights in the South China Sea, as well as the U.S. sanctions against Chinese officials and entities involved in the disputes. However, the Philippines has also sought to improve diplomatic relations with China, which is its largest trading partner and a major source of investment. The Philippines sought to manage and resolve the territorial disputes through dialogue and diplomacy, rather than confrontation and arbitration, as it did in 2016 when it won a landmark case at the Permanent Court of Arbitration that invalidated China's expansive claims in the South China Sea.
In the paperback edition of her book exposing the Movement  the secret cabal she alleges is manipulating the Conservative Party  Nadine Dorries describes the pressure she came under not to publish  and the revenge that was taken on her when she insisted on going ahead

During the year I was writing The Plot and in the weeks leading up to publication, I came under intense pressure to stop the book ever reaching the bookshops. All along I had done my best to keep a lid on what I was doing, but from 25 years working in Westminster I knew there was no such thing as a secret. MPs are as leaky as sieves and it was only ever going to be a matter of time before No 10 were on to me.

It took all of two months before they became aware of what I was writing.

I realised that the cat was out of the bag when, out of the blue, people I had no intention of speaking to began to message me and say they had information they wanted to share that I may nd useful for the book.

Boris Johnson and Nadine Dorries pictured on the former prime minister's last day in No 10

A Cabinet meeting held by Boris Johnson in 2022. Nadine Dorris alleges there is secret cabal manipulating the Conservative Party

The approaches rang an almighty klaxon of an alarm but I went ahead and met them anyway because they were colleagues, people I had worked with for many years. While some of them genuinely wanted to help, others had come with warnings and veiled threats which were at rst subtle and then, when they went unheeded, became more overt.

I knew it would be all-out war when the list of nominations for House of Lords appointments that Boris Johnson had put forward in his resignation honours list was leaked to the media early and my name was on it.

Your nomination will be blocked, I was warned by one contact. You will never be allowed to hold a public appointment again. Another said: They never forget, these people, theyll make your life a misery. A third advised me: Look after yourself. You can ask them for anything in exchange for not publishing.

That last one nearly got me. It came from a colleague I liked and respected. Thats how they work; its no accident that it was him. We were in 5 Hertford Street, a private members club in Mayfair where I conducted many of my interviews, and he glanced around the room as he leant towards me, swirling the remains of the white wine in his glass into a vortex.

You could have the chair of the BBC if you wanted it. Your old job [as culture and media secretary of state] back even. Think of yourself, not the effing party. Thatll be here long after youre dead.

Apparently he and all those other colleagues who were warning me thought I was totally mad for continuing with the book and not using my publishing contract and the information I had secured so far as leverage to propel myself further up the greasy pole. Baroness Nadine  just think what that will mean to your granddaughter.

This really did hit a nerve. For anyone of my background, the House of Lords seemed like a dream, an unattainable goal. I spent the rst 20 years of my life on a council estate and there were times when I had to borrow shoes in order to attend school. I can remember what hunger feels like and what the sickening thud of the bailiffs knock on the door sounds like.

At the age of 66, I had worked almost every day since the age of 14 when my working life began in a Liverpool ladies and childrens cut-price clothing store. I bought the clothes for my rst child when she was born from the same shop as they were all I could afford.

I trained as a nurse and served ten years in the NHS. I started my own business when my second child arrived, quite literally using my bed as a desk by day, and at the same time working three 12-hour hospital night shifts over the weekend while my husband Paul watched the girls by day as I slept.

The hard work paid off and ten years later, in 1998, I sold the business to a major blue-chip company  for a sum which felt like a wild and unimaginable fortune  before beginning the slog to enter politics.

I served 18 years as an MP and climbed up every rung of the ministerial ladder, nishing in the Cabinet. Im an author who has sold almost three million books, and now I am a columnist for Britains most widely read newspaper, the Daily Mail.

Did I think I deserved to be in the House of Lords? Of course I did. Im proud of what Ive achieved and I make no apologies whatsoever for believing I was worth it, more so than many of the people already in there with a limited track record of achievement who just happened to be somebodys friend or did a dirty deed in return for an offer of preferment.

I admit I was tempted but I ignored the bribes, just as I ignored the threats. To any normal person, what was happening to me would be called blackmail. In Westminster, its business as usual.

Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, had been unofficially advising Nadine and had acted as an interlocutor with Prime Minister Sunak

The text messages from friends and senior political gures became increasingly alarming, if not outright paranoid. Check your brakes. Do you have CCTV? I appeared to be the only person who wasnt scared. They are spooks, they are powerful, I was warned. I didnt believe a word of it. These people trying to manipulate the party and shut me up were, and remain, deeply dysfunctional individuals who are nowhere near as clever as they would like everyone to think. Once it became clear I wasnt going to play ball, negative news stories about me began to appear on a regular basis as the Movement turned up the heat, nearly always rst published by reporters in The Times.

Social media sites and even the BBC began to accuse me of being absent from my Mid-Bedfordshire constituency. It was stated as fact that I hadnt held a constituency surgery for more than a year, when in fact my last surgery had been two weeks before I resigned.

Whats more, I could prove it and so, with the help of my lawyers, I was able to stop the accusations being repeated in the mainstream media.

Then, on a balmy summers evening as the heat of the day began to fade and I was walking my dog in Battersea Park, I received a telephone call from The Times political editor, Steven Swinford. Id always thought Steven was a decent man so when I heard his familiar, Hello, my friend, down the line, I knew at once something was wrong.

Nadine, he said, Ive seen the list of nominations for the House of Lords to be announced tomorrow and look, Im really sorry, I just thought you should know, your name isnt on it.

Id been warned, but I still couldnt quite believe him. I called Boris, who was in Egypt giving a speech. Thats b***ocks, he roared. I saw Rishi on Monday and he told me there would be no funny business and whoevers name was passed to him from the House of Lords Appointment Committee [HOLAC], would be announced.

He told me he wasnt going to play games. Its Swinford, hes winding you up. Let me make a call and Ill get back to you.

Boris duly came back on the phone. Naaads, his voice boomed as he reassured me all was well. Sunak would never meddle with the precedent that an incoming Prime Minister doesnt play around with the honours list of an outgoing Prime Minister. It was a dangerous game to play. After all, if Keir Starmer becomes the next Prime Minister, Rishi may rue the day.

I wasnt so optimistic. I knew that throughout the six months clearance process for the Lords, Rishi had refused to pick up the phone to Boris.

In one of our conversations for The Plot, Boris had told me he was frustrated that Rishi wasnt speaking to him.

The former Prime Ministers club is still spectacularly small. It was extremely bad form for a Prime Minister who hadnt won so much as a leadership election to snub the former Prime Minister with an historic track record of winning and keeping the Conservatives in power with a healthy majority.

I recalled a conversation Id had with Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, who had been unofficially advising me and had acted as an interlocutor with Prime Minister Sunak and oversaw the process.

If I had known then what I know now, he would have been the last person I trusted to advise me and to facilitate the process. But back then I thought, hes a civil servant, he has to abide by the Civil Service code and remain impartial. I was a naive fool.

Case told me all would be well, despite the situation being unusual in that  along with two other nominees  I was still a member of the House of Commons when nominated for the Lords.

But he said a precedent had been set for the Appointments Committee approving the placing of an elected politician into the Lords in the case of the Scottish Tory leader, Baroness Davidson (though she didnt take her place following her nomination for two years).

I was to discover, however, that clever tactics were being used to block my nomination.

What I didnt realise at the time was that once HOLAC begins the vetting process, checks are deemed to expire after six months. Which was why Sunak refused to speak to Boris or answer any of his messages before the six-month date had passed.

Boris Johnson and Ms Dorries out campaigning for the prime minister's Brexit deal in 2019

At exactly the point that date arrived, Boris received a call asking him to pop into No10 (a meeting Rishis aides tried to claim to journalists had never taken place, until they were confronted with the security log). In that meeting, Rishi told Boris he would announce the names HOLAC had passed to him.

What he didnt tell Boris, though, was that the Committee had told No10 that I had to make a public announcement that I would stand down as an MP within six months of my name being announced and that, because the Committee is not permitted to communicate with any nominee directly, it was No10s job to inform me of my obligation to do this.

But No10 did not inform me what I had to do; they deliberately didnt pass the instruction on to me. So when Rishi promised Boris that he would announce whoevers name was on the list he was, technically, speaking the truth. He knew my name wouldnt be on the list because by not passing on the information from HOLAC, his people had engineered that I would be bumped off it.

The moment the news landed, Tory grandee and former party leader Michael Howard went on to the airwaves to insinuate that I hadnt passed the vetting process, which was nonsense given I had only recently passed all the security checks required to serve in Cabinet.

The threats had come to pass.

Perhaps the clearest insight into the outrageous way these people operate came in July 2023 when Simon Case appeared before the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC), whose chair was a young MP, William Wragg (now notorious for a sexting incident which led to him resigning the Conservative whip).

Wraggs endless attacks on Boris when he was PM had confused everyone, because as an MP with the slimmest of majorities, it was quite clear it was only the popularity of Boris that had won him a seat in Parliament in 2019.

As the committee session was nearing an end, Wragg asked Simon Case: The most recent set of resignation honours, and particularly peerages, has excited some public comment, and comment from former and lingering members of the House of Commons.

Are you aware of any forceful communications that were sent by the lingering Member for Mid Bedfordshire [ie, Nadine Dorries] to senior civil servants, in which she threatened to use the platform of the Commons and her television programme, to get to the bottom of why she has not been given a peerage?

Case: Yes, I was aware of those communications. And I have agged them to the Chief Whip and to the Speaker of the House.

Wragg: Have you taken legal advice on whether the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 could have come into play?

Case: We are seeking further advice on that question.

When I heard this, I was incapable of expression. I was in a parallel universe. Could the Cabinet Secretary really spin it like that? Of course, the answer was yes, it was happening before my very eyes.

Surely this was a set-up? Had a committee chair really conferred beforehand with a civil servant witness? Because if they hadnt colluded, how on earth did Wragg know to question Case about forceful communication to senior civil servants? And if they had colluded, wasnt that at best a breach of the strictest Parliamentary protocol and at worst breaking the law.

The fact is that I had indeed sent a single stroppy text message to Case, which had now been blown out of all proportion. But at the time I was still prepared to give him the benet of the doubt, which is why my message to him ended with two sincere apologies for being upset with him and a row of kisses. Hardly abusive. He responded in a profuse and apologetic manner.

And that was it. Just one single, heat of the moment, private message to the Cabinet Secretary. So how was it that the chair of the PACAC appeared to know about it if Case hadnt told him? And what on earth was Case playing at by talking to the Whips office and the Speaker when he was supposed to be a neutral, non-political civil servant? It was absurd.

Shortly after this, emails began to arrive: to myself, to my agent, and to my publisher, from the Director of Propriety and Ethics in the Cabinet Office, requesting a copy of the book manuscript.

The ministerial code states that Former Ministers intending to publish their memoirs are required to submit the draft manuscript to the Cabinet Secretary in good time before publication. The rules were designed to prevent publication of material by former ministers that endangered national security, harmed the UKs international reputation or breached condentiality of government business.

And if the book had been a memoir of my time in office, I would have been obliged to comply.

But The Plot was not a memoir. It was wholly party political and had nothing to do with my role as a Cabinet member. I explained that, on these grounds, I wouldnt be sending No10 the manuscript.

The Cabinet Office sent special advisers to inform the press lobby that I was in breach of the rules. They ramped up the pressure on my publisher and my agent. It was apparent they were desperately trying to lay their hands on a copy.

At the same time, letters from libel lawyers arrived. One high-prole individual managed to use the law to conceal the worst of his sexually inappropriate and abusive behaviour and the fact that he was an organiser of parties in the Partygate scandal.

The paperback edition of The Plot: The Shocking Inside Story of Who Really Runs Britain by Nadine Dorries, featuring brand new material, is released on 4 July

There are civil servants today working in key departmental roles who are protected by him and have remained completely under the radar.

When I made TV appearances to promote the book, the producers would receive a warning letter from this particular individuals solicitors an hour before I was due to appear on air, which always spooked them. But, knowing what I know, I wont give up until the day comes when I can name and shame him, because he was breaking the law while paid by the public purse, and people deserve to know.

Two days before serialisation of the book was due to begin in this newspaper, I received an email from the Cabinet Office which informed me I was now toast. It said that if I published before handing the book to the Cabinet Office, I would never be appointed to the Lords in the future or ever hold public office.

That message can also be read in reverse. They appear to have thought I was still open to bribes.

I shared that last email with the editor of the Daily Mail, Ted Verity. With 48 hours to go, we both had the same thought: that if they slapped an injunction on the book in the next 24 hours, it and the serialisation would never see the light of day.

They wouldnt have been able to stop publication, but they could have kicked it into the legal long grass. My agent and I thought there was a very real chance of that happening.

Veritys response was to say: Lets move the serialisation forward. Lets publish tomorrow. Which is what happened. But there is part of me that wonders what would have happened to the book if he hadnt bravely taken that spur-of-the-moment decision to print the rst extract of the serialisation the following morning.

The paperback edition of The Plot: The Shocking Inside Story of Who Really Runs Britain by Nadine Dorries, featuring brand new material, is released on 4 July (10.99, HarperCollins)

 Nadine Dorries 2024. To order a copy for 9.89 (offer valid to 13/07/24; UK P&P free on orders over 25) go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call 020 3176 2937.
After spending 16 months alone in her New York City apartment thanks to COVID, Glynnis MacNicol said oui oui to a month of steamy Parisian romps - and swears it changed her sex life forever.

The writer, who has no partner or children, was craving some human connection - jetting off to Paris, France, for a whirlwind month-long 'pursuit of pleasure' in August 2021.

After weeks of sexy rendezvous, romantic dates, and passionate hookups with European men, the 49-year-old said her perspective of romance has changed forever - cheekily adding she's embraced the 'fun' of casual dating.

'It's like when you don't know how thirsty you are until you have a glass of water or how tired you are until you sit down,' she gushed.

Glynnis dished on the biggest differences between American and French men, and her wild few weeks in Paris in her new book, I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself, which hit stands on June 11.

'Europeans have a healthier attitude towards sex,' she declared. 'It's not something to feel ashamed about, it shouldn't be something you talk about in the dark.'

A woman who moved to Paris and set out on whirlwind month-long 'pursuit of pleasure' at age 46 has spilled on the biggest differences between American and European men

In August 2021, Glynnis MacNicol, now 49, jetted off to Paris after being 'isolated' in her New York City apartment for 16 months amid the raging COVID-19 pandemic. She's seen in Paris

Upon arriving in the European city, Glynnis' friends encouraged her to get on a dating app - and so began a month of exciting rendezvous, romantic dates, and steamy hookups

Glynnis certainly had wild few weeks - and she documented the entire endeavor in her new book, I'm Mostly Here to Enjoy Myself, which hit stands on June 11

Amid the release of her book, the writer spoke exclusively to DailyMail.com about the biggest takeaways from her month of lovemaking - and why European men are so much better to date than Americans.

Upon arriving in the European city, Glynnis' friends encouraged her to get on a dating app - which kicked off her month of love with a series of French men.

Overall, Glynnis said she found her French partners to be 'a lot more easygoing' and much 'more comfortable talking about sex' in comparison to the people she had been with in the States.

'The men are much more comfortable talking about sexual taste or preferences, or asking what your preference is, where as here, America, has not reached that level yet,' she explained.

'We're still a little uptight,' she admitted. 'Those conversations, I don't know that American men know how to have them yet.'

Another difference Glynnis noticed was that there was a 'greater openness' around sex, and European's less embarrassed to talk about it.

'Europeans have a healthier attitude towards sex. It's not something to feel ashamed about, it shouldn't be something you talk about in the dark,' she said.

She added that the French men she dated were 'far more openminded about age gaps,' revealing that many of the men she dated were much younger than her.

'I do think we're having a cultural shift in America but America is lagging behind a little bit [with that],' she added.

Glynnis (seen in Paris) explained that she found her French partners to be 'a lot more easygoing' and much 'more comfortable talking about sex' than US guys

She added that the French men she dated were 'far more openminded about age gaps,' revealing that many of the guys she got with were much younger than her. She's seen in Paris

Should you spend a month in the City of Love? Glyniss outlined several of the biggest differences she experienced in dating European and American men French men are much more comfortable talking about their sexual tastes or preference

American men are more uptight when it comes to sex and pleasure

American men are more likely to include political stances in dating profiles, whereas the French share more about themselves

European men care less about age gaps, noting she dated many younger men Advertisement

Another interesting difference between French and American men was how they approached online dating.

Glyniss noted many men on the apps in America immediately make their stances and politics known - whereas France men's profiles were about themselves.

'People [in America] immediately want you know where they stand,' she said.

'In Paris dating profiles are more focused on the mutual enjoyment of the date versus, "Here's my political stance on every given scenario,"' she explained.

Glynnis said she had no interest in finding a long-term partner and simply wanted to have 'fun.'

'I sort of landed and I was in this frenzy of wanting community and enjoyment and touch and sensation because I had been so isolated for so long,' she recalled.

The author explained that she not only learned a lot about French men during her romps, but she also discovered a lot about herself and her desires along the way.

She said that before that summer, she was always told that women 'lose their sexiness' as they age - but now, she knows that's far from the case.

'When you hit your mid-40s you're told you're gonna lose your sexiness, but it was the complete opposite,' she advised.

'It was like, "Oh wow, I can have my pick of the litter." That was so surprising for me, especially after spending so much time by myself [during the pandemic].'

She said that before that summer, she was always told that women 'lose their sexiness' as they age - but now, she knows that's far from the case. She's seen in Paris

Glyniss was surprised to find she had 'so many' options when it came to dating - and in fact her dating prospects were getting better and not worse.

'I thought, "Now I'm in my mid to late 40s, will anyone even want to see me?"' she admitted.

'[Now] I'm looking forward to aging as a pleasurable experience now. It feels like I have so many more options than what was promised me. Things are getting better not worse.'

Overall, Glyniss hopes being so open about her sexual endeavors will encourage other women to be honest about what brings them 'pleasure.'

'Women should never be ashamed to say what they want or to say they're not sure what they want yet or to say they don't want [something],' she said.

'All of the above is fine. Your role is to enjoy yourself as much as possible and being very transparent about what does and doesn't give you pleasure is something you should not feel any shame about.'
Dear Jane,

I feel like I've ruined my son's life. At least his social life.

And it's all because of a stupid birthday party.

This whole saga started when my six-year-old son was invited to a classmate's sixth birthday celebration in our local park back in March. The invitation was sent via email to all of the parents in the class and when I received it, I admit I was pretty shocked.

Because in addition to listing all of the standard birthday party details  time, location, dress code  the invitation also came with a link to a gift registry filled with items that the little boy was hoping for, as well as a request from his parents to inform them which option we planned to choose so they could avoid 'double ups'.

Dear Jane, my son is absolutely miserable because I chose to take a silly stand against a birthday party tradition and I don't know how to fix it

Personally, I can't stand the thought of wasting money on silly things like plastic toys and brain-rotting junk, particularly when kids are so young, and particularly when I don't really know the child or their parents. Plus none of the gifts on the list were less than $40, which I just think is crazy!

So I emailed back, thanking them for the invitation, but explaining that  if a gift was required  I'd prefer one of my own choosing.

They responded saying that they had 'carefully' chosen the selection of items for their son, and that if I wasn't willing to 'adhere to the list' they'd prefer I didn't bring a gift at all. So I didn't.

I took my son to the birthday party, thinking all would be well, but as soon as I got there and saw the heaping table of gifts, I knew I was in trouble.

And what do you know, part of the party proceedings involved a ridiculously over-the-top gift opening session during which all of the children were asked to sit in a circle around the birthday boy and his presents, so he could unwrap them and give each of them personal thanks.

Obviously when he got to my son, there was nothing to open, and his parents simply said  loudly enough for everyone to hear  'well he didn't want to bring a gift', at which point the birthday boy actually burst into tears.

From there, the party was a nightmare. None of the other children would talk to my son, and I whipped him out of there as soon as possible. Before they'd even cut the cake.

International best-selling author Jane Green offers sage advice on DailyMail.com readers' most burning issues in her Dear Jane agony aunt column

Since then, he's effectively been shunned by everyone in his class, and he has been left out of every other birthday party.

I have no idea what to do here. My six-year-old is miserable and all because I decided to take a stupid stand against something so small and petty. I feel horrible about it, but I'm completely clueless about how to fix it.

I'm tempted to throw an over-the-top party for all the kids in his class just to show them how wonderful my son really is but I don't know if that will fix the problem?

What would you do?

From,

Party Pooper

Dear Party Pooper,

What a horrible situation to be in. I'm frankly a little bit stunned that this has happened to you, and further, that a group of six-year-olds would unilaterally decide to shun your son because he didn't bring a gift.

The whole thing sounds both miserable, and childish. Additionally, having a gift registry for a six-year-old is quite possibly one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. But, you are in a pickle, and now we have to figure out how to fix it.

It's not an easy one.

I hate the idea of you having to throw a party, particularly when your values are not in alignment with the rest of the class.

I think perhaps instead of trying to buy your son's way back in to popularity in his school, you start to find activities for him outside of school, where he can make a circle of friends whose friendships are not based on money or gifts.

And, I would have continuing conversations with your son about this. About how important it is to have friends who value us not because of the gifts we give or how much money we have, but because we are good people.

This is an important, valuable but painful lesson for him, but one that will serve him throughout his life.

Dear Jane,

I'm a 26-year-old teacher living in Dallas and I've found myself in a really tough spot with my close friends.

I am lucky enough to have ended up living in a city with so many of my high school friends. There are five of us who have known each other since we were 14 and we do pretty much everything together, which might sound strange, but it's just the way we've always been.

The thing is, my friends have all gone into pretty high-paying jobs in the past few years  and obviously being a teacher doesn't exactly earn me a large salary. I love my job, I really do, but I've started to feel like I'm totally out of step with my friends, who understandably want to enjoy the luxuries that their money can buy them.

Where we might have once spent a weekend away in an Airbnb, they now want to jet off on group vacations to Europe. Dinners we used to host at home with cheap bottles of wine have now been replaced with meals out at nice restaurants.

Dear Jane's Sunday service It is so easy to assume that childhood, or long-term friends should stay friends forever, no matter how much we change or how much they may inadvertently hurt us. As we grow older, we get to dictate our wants and needs, and if our so-called friends aren't able to meet them or accommodate us, we also get to choose to move on. Advertisement

I've tried so hard to keep up with them, but despite me cutting back in almost every other aspect of my life, I'm now facing some pretty insane credit card bills that I just can't afford to pay.

I don't want to stop them from enjoying everything they have earned, but I also hate the idea of them living these luxury lives without me there.

How can I find some middle ground?

From,

Penniless Pal

Dear Penniless Pal,

If these are indeed good friends, they will understand your predicament.

You need to sit them down and have an honest conversation, tell them that you love them, but you simply can't afford to keep up with the current social situation.

Ask them if they would consider going back to dinners at home so you can join in, tailoring events so you can go too.

I would not expect them to change everything, but it is a fair request to ask that at least some of their socializing be organized with you in mind. If they are true friends, they will understand, and will likely make some changes.

In fact, if their lives are truly that luxurious, it may be that they all chip in to enable you to attend as well, knowing that it's out of your means.

If no changes are made, then I'm afraid they weren't ever very good friends in the first place, and it is time to go out and make some new ones.
Emperor Naruhito and his wife Empress Masako are finally on English soil, four years after their state visit was put on hold because of the pandemic.

The couple enjoyed a warm welcome as they arrived late afternoon at Stansted Airport for the week-long official state visit.

The Japanese Emporer, 64, and his wife did attend the Queen's funeral in 2022 - this week he revealed how the late monarch had treated him 'like family' when he'd visited the UK previously - but it's taken four years to re-arrange a state visit.

Today and tomorrow the couple will carry out private engagements before their time in an official capacity begins on June 25th.

Empress Masako looked elegant in a powder blue suit with white lapels and a coordinated hat, with her husband wearing a matching shade of blue on his tie.

Both Emperor Naruhito, who ascended the Chrysanthemum Throne in 2019, and his wife Empress Masako, 60, spent time as students at Oxford University.

We're finally here Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako arrive at Stansted airport on Saturday afternoon, with members of the RAF and UK officials on hand to greet them

The couple were due to visit the UK on an official state visit in 2020 - but their plans were put on hold by the pandemic

On Tuesday, the King and Queen will formally welcome the emperor and empress before they take a ceremonial carriage ride to Buckingham Palace. Naruhito will also lay a wreath at the tomb of the unknown soldier in Westminster Abbey then return to the palace for a state banquet.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour Party leader Keir Starmer will take time away from their respective election campaigns to attend the state banquet at Buckingham Palace.

Earlier this week, Emperor Naruhito has praised the British royals for treating him 'like family' when he spent time with the late Queen Elizabeth in the 1980s.

Empress Masako, 60, looked elegant in a powder blue suit with white lapels and a coordinated hat

The couple, who both studied at Oxford University as students, looked delighted to finally be on UK soil

The Emperor's private plane flies the country's national flag out of the cockpit window as the plane comes to a standstill on Stansted's tarmac

Members of the RAF salute the couple as they made their way to an official vehicle

The Japanese Emperor said this week that the late Queen treated him 'like family' when he was a young student in the UK

During his two years studying at Oxford University, the royal, was invited to stay at Balmoral for a couple of days.

Emperor Naruhito smiled as he recalled sweet memories of the late Queen, Prince Philip and King Charles.

According to the Japan Times, he said: 'I have very fond memories of the Queen driving a car, inviting me to a barbecue and Prince Philip showing me around by driving a carriage himself.'

The father-of-one said King Charles, who was then the Prince of Wales, taught him how to fly fish, but admitted that 'neither of us had success.'

Queen Elizabeth escorts Naruhito through the Great Hall in Windsor Castle in 2001

The then Japanese Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Charles watch an exhibit after the opening ceremony of the Japan Festival 1991 at the Victoria & Albert Museum

Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako of Japan attend Queen Elizabeth's funeral in 2022

'I was welcomed with warmth as if I were their family member,' Emperor Naruhito added.

He also attended the late Queen's funeral in September 2022, marking his first overseas trip after The Emperor's enthronement.

The royal said he was 'very grateful' that King Charles is set welcome him and his wife, despite his cancer diagnosis.

The Princess of Wales, 42, also announced that she had cancer at the end of March and has been going through preventative chemotherapy.

She attended Trooping the Colour last weekend, where she rode in a carriage alongside her children Prince Louis, six, Prince George, 10 and nine-year-old Princess Charlotte.

Speaking of Charles and Kate, Naruhito said: 'I hope their treatment goes smoothly and they can make a speedy recovery.'

The Emperor is planning to fly over to the UK with his wife, Empress Masako, on Saturday and stay for eight days, with events for their official visit commencing on Tuesdau.

During their trip, the couple are going to attend private events along with meeting Japanese people who live in the UK.

Naruhito walks along Windsor Castle with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 2001

The then Crown Prince Naruhito and Prince Charles attend the opening ceremony of the Japan Festival at the Victoria & Albert Museum in 1991

The Emperor is planning to fly over to the UK with his wife, Empress Masako (both pictured), on Saturday and stay for eight days

Currently, Princess Aiko (pictured) is their only child and the law states that the throne shall only be succeeded to by a male offspring

They will also go to the Francis Crick Institute and visit Oxford on their final day, where Masako also studied.

The Empress is still in the process of recovering from a stress-induced illness, according to the Japanese outlet.

Some have said that she has been suffering from this because she feels pressure to produce a male heir.

Currently, Princess Aiko is their only child and the law states that the throne shall only be succeeded to by a male offspring.

Aside from Naruhito's nephew Prince Hisahito, 17, the only male heirs are his brother Crown Prince Akishino, 58, and his uncle Prince Hitachi, 88.

Naruhito said yesterday: 'The number of male members of the imperial family is decreasing, they are ageing, and female members of the imperial family leave the imperial family upon marriage.'

If the marriage was to a prince, they could stay within the family - the trouble is that there are no fellow male royals for them to wed.

'Due to these factors, the number of members of the imperial family who can take on public duties is decreasing compared to before,' he continued.

'This is a problem that relates to the future of the imperial family, but I would like to refrain from commenting on matters related to the [legal] system.'
An eight-year-old pekingese with a muscular disorder has won the title many pooches might not want - being named the World's Ugliest Dog.

Wild Thang, from Coos Bay, Oregon, who was diagnosed with canine distemper as a 10-week-old pup which prevented the growth of his teeth and caused a muscular disorder in one of his legs, won the title on Friday.

Wild Thang, from Coos Bay, Oregon, who was diagnosed with canine distemper as a 10-week-old pup which prevented the growth of his teeth and caused a muscular propbin one of his legs, won the title on Friday.

Eight dogs, who were adopted from shelters, went head to head for the title at the 2024 Sonoma-Marin Fair in Petaluma, California.

An eight-year-old pekingese, from Coos Bay, Oregon, with muscular disorder has won the title of World's Ugliest Dog

Wild Thangs owner, Ann Lewis, (pictured) will receive $5,000 for the win and will appear on NBCs Today show

The unconventionally cute winner has a crown of grey frizzy hair and a tongue that sticks out of his mouth.

The event has been running for over 50 years and according to the website it is not about 'making fun of ugly dogs, but having fun with some wonderful characters'.

The site notes that 'the contest speaks to the importance of advocating for the adoration of all animals and the benefits of adopting'.

Organizers say the real objective is to show the world that 'these dogs are really beautiful!'

The unconventionally cute winner has a crown of grey frizzy hair and a tongue that sticks out of his mouth

Ann Lewis held her dog Wild Thang after winning the World's Ugliest Dog contest at the Marin-Sonoma County Fair

A white-coated mixed-breed 14-year-old dog named Daisy Mae, who was rescued from the streets at age two and has lost her teeth, hair and vision, took third place

Wild Thangs owner, Ann Lewis, will receive $5,000 for the win and will appear on NBCs Today show.

She's said previously that her dog is simply 'glugly', explaining 'He is a healthy, happy Glugly (glamourous/ugly) guy.'

The runner-up in the contest was a 14-year-old pug named Rome, from Rohnert Park, California

The runner-up in the contest was a 14-year-old pug named Rome, while a white-coated mixed-breed 14-year-old dog named Daisy Mae, who was rescued from the streets at age two and has lost her teeth, hair and vision, took third place.

Last year, a seven-year-old Chinese Crested named Scooter who narrowly avoided being put down after being born with deformed back legs won the title of World's Ugliest Dog.

A Chinese Crested dog named Scooter won the title last year, after he narrowly avoided being put down after being born with deformed back legs

Scooter, who was almost euthanized in his early years over his birth defects, swept the competition at the Petaluma after being compared to a 'hairy hippopotamus.'

'Today Scooter is not only surviving but thriving,' his biography on the contest's website said. 'He has no idea that he is any different from any other dog.'
Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg today revealed he plans to hand over the throne to his son after 24 years on the throne.

The monarch, 69, announced his 'abdication' on National Day, an annual event that brings together the members of the Grand Ducal family, members of government and members of parliament to celebrate Grand Duke's official birthday.

Henri will pass this new title to his 42-year-old son, Prince Guillaume, in October, after expressing an interest in retirement earlier this year.

He said at the celebration: 'In this context, I, together with the Grand Duchess, Prince Guillaume and Princess Stephanie, would like to inform you that I have decided to transfer the Lieutenancy to Prince Guillaume this October.

'It is with all my love and confidence that I wish him the best of luck.'

Grand Duke Henri will pass this new title to his 42-year-old son, Prince Guillaume, in October (pictured both in 2022)

Grand Duke Henri announced his 'abdication' on National Day, an annual celebration of the Monarch's birthday

After the announcement, the Grand Duke appeared very moved and kissed his son whilst the room applauded.

This change means that Grand Duke Henri will retain his official title but he will instead be represented by his son, Guillaume. A full change in the Grand Duchy will likely take several years.

According to the official Palace website, 'designation of the Lieutenant-Representative traditionally occurs in the process of change of reign'.

'This is the beginning of a next chapter for our monarchy,' Luxembourg's Prime Minister Luc Frieden told local media.

The move came as a shock to the public, but Frieden said it had been mulled behind closed doors for a while.

'We have been talking about it for some time, and I think that on the national holiday it was the right moment, because the Grand Duke is the symbol of our nation,' he said.

Grand Duke Henri is the eldest son of the five children of Grand Duke Jean and Grand Duchess Josephine-Charlotte and took to the throne in 2000, after his father abdicated following a 36-year reign.

He is married to Maria Teresa Mestre, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. and the pair have five children together; Prince Guillaume, Princess Alexandra, Prince Louis, Prince Felix and Prince Sebastien.

He turned 69 in April and admitted that he 'intends to retire at some point' in an interview with French publication La Libre.

Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg is pictured with his son, Prince Guillaume and his grandson, Prince Charles in 2020

Different country, same story: King Frederik, Queen Mary and Queen Margrethe of Denmark pictured in May - Frederik was made monarch after Queen Margrethe of Denmark abdicated

'All this is planned in family consultation. I find that it is very important to give young people a perspective.'

'There are plans, it will happen,' the Grand Duke continued.

His comments follow the abdication of Queen Margrethe of Denmark, who decided to give up the throne after 52 years, making way for her son Frederik to take over as King on 14 January.

In a statement revealing the news, the former Danish monarch said: 'I have decided that now is the right time.

'The 14th January 2024 - 52 years after I followed my beloved father - I will step back as the Queen of Denmark. I leave the throne to my son the Crown Prince Frederik.'

Similar to Grand Duke Henri, Margrethe still holds the title, but Frederik and his wife Mary now undertake the duties of King and Queen.
This is the excruciating moment a father-to-be accidentally ruined him and his wife's gender reveal.

Simon and Bronagh Laverty, from Craigavon, Northern Ireland, were getting ready to host family and friends to share whether they were having a baby boy or baby girl.

But an unfortunate mishap occurred as Simon was trying to carry a balloon - filled with pink or blue confetti - to the car.

The unlucky father-to-be accidentally popped the balloon, releasing a blue shower of confetti, and ruining the surprise in a hilarious blunder.

The footage, captured on a video doorbell, shows tiny pieces of blue paper bursting over the porch, while Simon yells 'oh f***'.

This is the hilarious moment a father-to-be accidentally ruined their baby's gender reveal

Bronagh also found out about what had happened, due to a motion detector alert on her phone.

Having witnessed the accident in real time, she called him immediately, saying: 'What just happened? Have we literally just found out what we're having?'

After getting over the shock of finding out they were having a boy, Simon and Bronagh were just relieved they had still found out the gender together.

With the cat out of the bag, the couple still had to fake their surprise as they'd organised a gender reveal party.

'To be honest, we had to play along with the whole thing,' Simon said.

'We had to make sure no one else knew that we'd already found out as we didn't want to ruin the surprise for everyone else.'

The pair, whose son Theo will be three in November, said they treasure the footage now.

Simon Laverty, from Craigavon, Northern Ireland, accidentally popped the gender reveal balloon on the way to the car, revealing a cloud of blue confetti

Luckily Simon's partner Bronagh received a motion sensor alert and was able to watch the accidental gender reveal at the same time as him

Simon yelled 'oh f***' as he bent down to pick the pieces of confetti up

Simon added: 'We look back at the video all the time. It gives us a laugh about what happened and how we found out.

'Catching it on camera was even more special than doing it in front of friends and family as we can keep and cherish it.

'It will be good for the wee man when he's older to show him and say 'this is how we found out what you were going to be!''

The couple were inspired to share their footage after seeing funny Ring doorbell moments on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway.

Gender reveals often end in upset - if the result is revealed at the wrong time, or sometimes if the parents aren't happy.

Earlier this year Nicole Smith from Delaware was left in tears after finding out she was having a third son - after years of dreaming of having a mini-me daughter.
Sitting in the preparation room, the patient tells me his family works in real estate. We chat about our Zodiac signs and the weather before he heads to the operating table.

The man, 43, appears relaxed and unbothered, as if he's preparing to have his eyebrows waxed or teeth whitened. He disrobes and is covered by a surgical sheet with a hole over the groin.

He's calm, even as the plastic surgeon hovers over him, preparing to inject a long needle into his penis.

The injection contains dermal filler - a liquid substance that plumps the tissue between the muscle and the skin of the penis, increasing the size of the organ.

The patient, who has today visited the clinic for his fourth round of 'enhancing' injections, says he can't feel a thing  thanks to a local anesthetic  and is thrilled he'll again have, 'something bigger to play with'.

The patient was in the clinic for his fourth round of 'touch ups' to his genitals. Over time, the effect of the plumping fillers dissipates as its metabolized in the body

Dr David Shafer estimated he performs between four to five Shafer Width and Girth (SWAG) procedures daily.

When the 20-minute procedure is up, he jumps off the table, contented with the injection that allows him to maintain his extra two inches of girth. He pulls up his briefs and continues with the rest of his day, holding his head up higher as he walks down the street.

I am at the Shafer clinic in midtown Manhattan, run by plastic surgeon David Shafer to witness for myself the latest craze in male aesthetics treatments  penis filler.

Just like women who ask for plumping shots in their lips and cheeks, a growing number of men are now seeking Dr Shafer's services to boost the volume in their nether regions.

And demand for the procedure is swelling.

Dr Shafer said he used to do about one procedure per month in 2017, when he first began, and now does 10 to 20 procedures per week.

However, injecting filler into the genitals has not been approved by the FDA, which means this treatment isnt monitored or regulated by medical authorities, though many doctors insist that when performed correctly, it's perfectly safe.

It turns out most patients who undergo this procedure do not have a 'deficit' that needs correcting. In fact, most have an appendage of average to above average size.

Dr Shafer said: Really its people who are normal or larger, but they just want to boost what they have already.'

He added the procedure actually doesnt work as well on people with below-average penis sizes because theres less skin to work with.

Kenny, a Texas firefighter, who has had the procedure done said the treatment has helped him get erections more easily, and called it a 'miracle.' With his amended member, he said he felt like he 'couldn't go wrong' in the bedroom.

But even in average men, many are self conscious about their size, either because of a comment made by a former partner or schoolmate, or maybe because of social media, Dr Shafer said.

One study from UCLA that surveyed 52,000 men found 55 percent were dissatisfied with their penis size. The researchers also concluded men who felt they had larger members were more likely to rate themselves more favorably overall.

This suggests, they wrote, that feeling like you have a bigger penis could boost your self-confidence.

This is what Dr Shafer has seen in the patients he treats, telling me: 'For these people, they do it, and they have this new kind of confidence. So, it can be emotional for people sometimes.'

The patient I observed in the New York City clinic, who asked to remain anonymous, sees his regular medical 'tweaks' as no different to the ones women undergo to boost their breasts.

The male plastic surgery industry has been booming since 2000 - procedures for Botox in men have increased nearly 400 percent and butt lifts have increased more than 600 percent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

This, overall, represents a 29 percent increase in the number of men having regulated plastic surgery. There are likely more getting unapproved tweaks.

There could be many factors as to why more men are getting these surgeries, but it's likely influenced by both an increased social media presence and increased longevity, Dr Joseph Russo, a New York based plastic surgeon, told the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

'Partially because we're living longer and better lives, but a lot has to do with the rise in social media. We're not getting older and trying to look younger  we're staying looking young. The trend is shifting because men want to be a part of this,' he said.

So, what exactly is a penis filler procedure  and can it really be safe?

The cannula (pictured), is a long, thin plastic tool that looks like a needle, but is actually dull and rounded on the end. This is less risky than using a needle, which could puncture blood vessels as it moves around under the skin

First, I watched as the doctor cleaned the groin area with an alcohol solution to sanitize before rubbing a brown antiseptic solution all over. This is to prevent infection, he explained.

Next, he injected lidocaine into the man's penis - the same numbing product used in dental work.

Though the patient was calm that day, he remembered the nerves at this point during his first visit. He said he recalls thinking, 'my penis is about to be poked. I don't think any guy wants to imagine any sharp object near their penis.'

From there, the doctor used a small needle to pierce the skin and then threaded a long, thin plastic tube called a cannula into the space under the skin and above the muscle. The cannula is rounded on the end with a small hole on one side.

He then moved the cannula around the area under the skin, distributing syringe after syringe of a brand of filler called Bellafill - six in total in the patient's case - while moving the cannula up and down, like using a brush to clean a pipe.

I could see the cannula as it moved, like spaghetti under a sheet of fabric, and marveled at the fact the patient said he couldn't feel a thing.

This was repeated in three places across the penis to create a more balanced, natural looking appearance, Dr Shafer explained. Then the doctor placed several gauze sleeves over the penis.

Finally, the patient was allowed to get up, strap on his briefs, and continue with his day. The whole thing took less than 20 minutes. The patient recalled thinking after his first visit, 'wow, that was actually easier than I thought.'

But that's not the end of the story.

In the days after the filler is placed, it acts a bit like fresh pizza dough, Dr Shafer explained. It's malleable, a bit springy, and tends to stick to itself before it settles into a firm shape in a few weeks.

As such, Dr Shafer recommends that his patients 'roll it like a cigar' then use a gentle 'milking' motion to make sure the filler settles evenly.

If clients masturbate too vigorously or have penetrative sex during this period - the pressure from either can distort the new volume added to the appendage. This could give the penis dimples where the fingers would rest or push the filler toward the base, forming a triangular shape, Dr Shafer said.

The patient was able to put his briefs on immediately after the procedure and go about his day. He said the worst part was the numbing injection

The clinic is based in a high rise building in Midtown Manhattan. It was recently renovated and currently spans seven floors. One floor is dedicated solely to the SWAG procedure

If this happens, doctors can either inject the penis with different solution that dissolves the filler or add in more to balance it out, 'like frosting a cake,' Dr Shafer said.

Once it's healed, the filler has a firm, slightly padded feeling to the touch, the patient said. He said that if anything, it's more sensitive than before he was treated.

The FDA has not approved any treatment of this sort for the penis. As such, providers are using these medications 'off label,' meaning they were approved for treating something else than they are currently used for.

This sounds a lot scarier than it actually is, Chris Bustamante, a nurse practitioner who runs Lushful aesthetics, a New York-based medical spa, told DailyMail.com.

Ozempic, is being used off label as a weight loss medication, as it is only FDA approved to treat diabetes, he said.

Bustamante, who performs roughly three penis filler procedures a day in his clinic, said the procedure is safe.

But since its not approved, regulators have yet to study this technique widely and conclusively determine its safety. The few studies that have investigated the procedure have found little risk when performed by professionals with adequate experience.

A 2021 study reported approximately four percent of 230 patients who were injected with hyaluronic acid fillers had complications, including one percent who had mild internal bleeding, two percent who developed small painless nodules and less than one percent who got an infection.

Even still, the risk of infection, which can cause the tissue in the area to die, is large enough that providers like Dr David Goldberg, a New York dermatologist, opt out of performing the procedure.

Dr Goldberg told Allure he used to perform penis filler but stopped out of concern.

'Legally, someone can inject Bellafill into a penis for off-label use, but do I think it's smart? No,' he said.

And if the provider did the procedure wrong and injected the filler into a blood vessel, instead of the delicate place in between tissue and skin, it could block blood flow and cause tissue damage, Dr Jason Emer, a board-certified dermatologist based in West Hollywood told Allure.

In addition, some clients want to push the boundaries of what they can handle, which can be dangerous.

The majority of the people that come into the clinic are looking to add an inch or two to their width at most. 'Most people want to look natural,' Bustamante said.

However, there are some outliers who come into the clinic wanting more and more. Though some penises can handle quite a bit of extra filling, everyone has a ceiling on the amount of girth they're able to add.

Since he began injecting patients with penis filler some seven years ago, Dr Shafer estimated he's performed the procedure over 7,000 times.

At the Shafer clinic, they also perform breast augmentation, liposuction and minor procedures, like Botox and lip injections.

If a penis is over filled, then both Dr Shafer and Bustamante warned the skin could become compromised - liable to split open.

Also, too much filler can press on nerves and blood vessels, which could reduce sensation.

Both clinicians said they turn away patients who are seeking overly unrealistic results, or who have other anomalies that would make it likely for them to have a bad outcome - like an active herpes flare up.

The price of the poke ranges based on the clinic you go to, the type of filler used, and the amount needed to give you your desired effect.

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At Shafer, prices range from $6,000 to $8,500 for the first five syringes, with the second, third and fourth syringes discounted.

For example, if you were to get 15 syringes of Juvederm Ultra Plus XC at the clinic, that would run you $14,000.

On a first visit to the clinic, its common for patients to need 10 to 15 syringes, Dr Shafer said. In subsequent, top-up visits, patients tend to get less than half that.

But just as fillers in the face slowly dissipate with time, so too do these. If patients wish to keep results consistent, they must come in for touch-ups.

The amount of time between touch ups depends on the amount of filler added and the brand of filler used.

Brands like Volux, Voluma and Radiesse, which are made from hyaluronic acid  a molecule that binds to the water under skin and creates volume - don't last as long as other brands, like Bellafill, which is made from semi-permanent gel spheres.

Regular clients tend to come back every six months to a year, though it varies, Dr Shafer and Bustamante said.

Since that first visit to the clinic, the patient has returned roughly every nine months. The results, he said, are worth it. He's happy, his boyfriend is happy and he walks around with newfound confidence.

He hopes other people curious about the treatment can rise above the stigma and do what they want with their body. For him, it was simple: 'I was always curious what it would be like, you know, to have a bigger penis.

'This is really just a pure want. I'm very, very happy with the outcome.'
Thousands of children and young adults in the UK with serious mental illness are being denied the help they need because doctors label them as difficult and attention-seeking, experts claim.

Leading medics are now calling for an immediate ban on youngsters being classed as having borderline personality disorder (BPD)  a condition in which they are often considered emotionally unstable and even manipulative.

Experts say the diagnosis  although recognised as a medical condition  encourages mental health staff to treat patients as troublesome rather than in need of specialist psychiatric care.

They add that in some cases doctors ignore warnings that patients with BPD are planning to harm or kill themselves because they believe they are 'making it up'.

As a result, many are denied treatment with drugs or counselling that might help. This is despite the fact that studies show up to one in ten people with BPD symptoms end up committing suicide.

Now hundreds of senior medics have signed a letter to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins demanding the term be scrapped. It warns that doctors are telling young patients they have a flawed personality when many actually have severe mental illness triggered by trauma.

Liv Johnson, 25, from Herefordshire, suffered abuse as a child which led to an eating disorder in her teens

Leading medics are now calling for an immediate ban on youngsters being classed as having borderline personality disorder (BPD) (Stock Image)

Now hundreds of senior medics have signed a letter to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins (pictured) demanding the term be scrapped

The letter, signed by former Health Minister Sir Norman Lamb as well as leading psychiatrists, psychotherapists and mental health nurses, states: 'Until there is conclusive proof that this diagnosis does not harm children, we say it should not occur in the UK.'

An estimated 8,000 patients a year in England alone are treated on the NHS for suspected BPD. Sufferers find their emotions confusing and hard to control, they struggle with relationships and experience disturbed thoughts. They often have a deep-rooted fear of being abandoned and can act impulsively. It is diagnosed by a nine-point symptom list  if patients have five or more, they are labelled as having BPD.

An estimated 1.5 million people in the UK meet BPD criteria. But research shows many mental health professionals treat them differently to those they consider to have a 'genuine' problem.

In a study, University of Wisconsin researchers interviewed 22 psychiatrists to get their views on BPD patients.

The results, published in the journal Social Science And Medicine, found most described them as 'difficult' and did their best to get them out of their clinics as soon as possible.

One even told researchers: 'In professional circles, borderline is often synonymous with 'pain in the ass.' '

In 2022, the Royal College of Psychiatrists advertised a course for its members which described personality disorder as 'a thorn in the flesh of many clinicians'.

'These people are treated really badly,' says Keir Harding, an occupational health therapist and mental health specialist who has campaigned for several years for the BPD label to be scrapped. 'Yet many have lived through neglect, trauma and abuse. Mental health services are letting them down.

It was only when she got her discharge letter two months later that Liv realised doctors had labelled her as having BPD

Liv Johnson, 25, from Herefordshire, has experience of this. She suffered abuse as a child which led to an eating disorder in her teens. At 15 she was admitted as a psychiatric inpatient after self-harming and taking an overdose.

It was only when she got her discharge letter two months later that Liv realised doctors had labelled her as having BPD. 'I don't remember any assessment for it, or it ever being mentioned by staff,' she told The Mail on Sunday.

One time she self-harmed, she says, A&E staff denied her medical treatment due to her BPD diagnosis.

'They said they wouldn't stitch my wound because I was a self-harmer who wanted the attention of having stitches,' says Liv, who now works as a mental health peer support worker.

When she was 22, doctors finally changed her diagnosis to Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, to take account of her childhood traumas.

It meant she could finally access the therapy she was denied as a BPD sufferer.

Angela Mays, 73, from Hull, lost her 22-year-old daughter Sally to suicide in 2014 after staff at an NHS mental health unit refused to admit her  even though she tried to strangle herself in front of them.

A hearing was later told that one of the nurses said: 'Leave her  she will faint before she dies.'

Sally, who had a history of eating disorders and depression, ended her life at home a few hours later.

Retired management consultant Angela insists her daughter was not taken seriously because she had been diagnosed with BPD.

'It's a stigmatising term. Most doctors think of it as a behavioural disorder. I was told by an NHS psychotherapist that my daughter wasn't really ill at all  even though she'd been in and out of hospital for three years.'

Angela Mays, 73, from Hull, lost her 22-year-old daughter Sally (pictured) to suicide in 2014 after staff at an NHS mental health unit refused to admit her

Dr Lade Smith, president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said: 'The care of children with mental health needs is of paramount importance  we work with experts to ensure they get the best high-quality mental healthcare possible.'

The Department of Health and Social Care was approached for comment.
A former Commonwealth Games swimmer has revealed he has been left with a French accent after suffering a stroke while training.

Jersey athlete Jack Allan was rushed to hospital with a bleed on the brain after being kicked in the head during a mixed martial arts session at Loughborough University in October. The freak accident left him temporarily paralysed and unable to speak.

But as he recovered, he began talking with a French twang, leading doctors to diagnose him with foreign accent syndrome  a rare condition usually triggered by a stroke or head trauma.

Allan, 21, who swam in the 2022 Commonwealth Games, said: 'I noticed my French accent straight away. And the more tired or frustrated I got, the more French it became.'

Jersey athlete Jack Allan was rushed to hospital with a bleed on the brain

The freak accident left him temporarily paralysed and unable to speak

He had been kicked in the head during a mixed martial arts session at Loughborough University in October

The distressing injury left him paralysed on the right side and unable to communicate. After two weeks, Allan was flown back to Jersey for his rehabilitation. It was here that the French drawl emerged.

Allan told The Mail on Sunday: 'I've spent a lot of time to get my British accent back. My goal is to have the French one not leak out at all.'
June 23, 2024: Since early 2022 Russia has lost 562 military aircraft, with 415 of them destroyed and 147 captured on the ground by Ukrainian troops early in the war. In addition Russia has lost over 300 helicopters, most of them early in the war. The heavy helicopter losses prompted Russia to rarely use helicopters inside Ukraine. Most of the combat aircraft lost have been the two seat 39-ton, twin engine Su-34s and single seat 34-ton, twin engine Su-35s. The more expensive Su-34s and Su-35s have been built in small numbers, about 260 aircraft altogether. These aircraft are expensive and time consuming to build. The economic sanctions imposed on Russia after the 2022 invasion, slowed but did not stop construction of Su-34s and Su-35s. Russia still had several hundred 15-ton, twin engine MiG-29s when the Ukraine war started in 2022. Ukraine had 70 but not all were operational. A year later Ukraine had fifty of the Soviet era fighters MiG29s operational and by 2024 it was sixty.

The MiG-29 first entered service in the 1980s and half the 1,600 built so far are still in service in 2024. Russia has about 200 of these 800 MiG-29s while Ukraine has about fifty. Ukraine is awaiting the delivery of sixty or moreF-16s from European NATO nations and intends to eventually replace all their Mig-29s with F-16s, which have superior sensor and fire control systems.

Russia, after suffering heavy losses to Ukrainian air defenses early in the war, rarely enters Ukrainian air space anymore. Russian aircraft now mostly use GPS- guided glide bombs launched from the Russian side of the Ukraine border. Early on, Ukraine received western air defense weapons from NATO countries and these were very effective against Russian warplanes. Another problem was the loss of a Russian A-50 AWACS aircraft in 2023. That removed any Russian ability to monitor aircraft activity over Ukraine. Meanwhile NATO nations operated their AWACs in the Black Sea and close to the Ukrainian border to keep the Ukrainian military informed of Russian air activity.

The increased surveillance of the growing number of NATO supplied air defense systems in Ukraine forces Russian warplanes to stay out of Ukraine, and even launching glide bombs from inside Russia is now dangerous because Ukraine uses that to justify using their surprisingly effective long-range UAVs to attack economic targets deep inside Russia. Some of these attacks take place near Moscow and the even more distant St Petersburg.

Meanwhile Russia manages to keep production of military aircraft going despite the sanctions. This is being done by establishing a smuggling network of components needed to build more Su-34, Su-35 and MiG-29 aircraft.
Addicts are being charged huge sums for private rehabilitation services they do not need, one of the UK's leading experts in the field has claimed.

The revelation follows a major scandal in 2018 when it was revealed that private businesses  known as patient brokers  were posing online as free addiction advice helplines and referring callers to expensive private rehab clinics.

At the time, addiction experts said that many of these patients did not have issues severe enough to need such intensive treatment, which often costs as much as 20,000.

Following the reports, the search engine Google pledged to ban online adverts posted by the brokers.

However, Dr Samantha Duggan, a behavioural psychologist who sits on a parliamentary committee on addiction treatment, says the brokers are still operating, with dozens of adverts on Google.

Addicts are being charged huge sums for private rehabilitation services they do not need, one of the UK's leading experts in the field has claimed (file pic)

'This should have been addressed years ago,' says Dr Duggan. 'If the Government can regulate estate agents, they can do the same for rehab brokers.'

Nearly 300,000 people in the UK receive drug or alcohol addiction treatment on the NHS, while about 250,000 people have a gambling problem  but studies suggest that there are many more with addiction issues that are going untreated.

Experts say that addicts who go online looking for support wrongly believe that the expensive private addiction clinics promoted by these brokers are their best hope of treatment.

Nearly 300,000 people in the UK receive drug or alcohol addiction treatment on the NHS, while about 250,000 people have a gambling problem  but studies suggest that there are many more with addiction issues that are going untreated (file pic)

'These are desperate people, and they can be manipulated and abused as a result of these unethical practices,' says Dr Duggan.

Google said it was reviewing the broker profiles highlighted by this newspaper and removing those that violated its policies.

A spokesman added that its 'guidelines require businesses to reflect their business correctly'.
Britain's falling fertility rate could have been exacerbated by Brexit, a leading European think tank has claimed.

A report issued by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) pointed to 'Euroscepticism' as a reason for the UK's recently declining rate.

But an expert speaking at the unveiling of the Society at a Glance paper went a step further last week (JUN 20), claiming Brexit could lead to young couples deciding not to have children.

The paper had concluded overall that the total fertility rate (TFR) had on average more than halved across OECD countries since the 1960s.

On average, women gave birth to 3.3 children in 1960, falling to 1.5 children in 2022.

A report issued by the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) pointed to 'Euroscepticism' as a reason for the UK's recently declining rate

But an expert speaking at the unveiling of the Society at a Glance paper went a step further last week (JUN 20), claiming Brexit could lead to young couples deciding not to have children

The UK was slightly above average when it came to falling fertility rates  British women gave birth to 2.7 children in 1960, falling to 1.5 children in 2021  the latest year figures are available to the OECD.

When asked whether fertility was connected to political changes, Brexit was cited as an example of why younger couples might choose not to have a child.

Vienna-based researcher Tomas Sobotka told the assembly: 'I would like to mention one factor which is political polarisation in some countries, very polarised political discourses, where often the generation may feel being left out of the politics or the politics not reflecting their views and their needs.

'One example could be, for instance, Brexit in the UK, where this was politically supported overwhelmingly by the 50-plus generations, whereas young adults have completely different views and preferences around the issue.'

The UK's decline in fertility was notably less than the likes of other leading nations including several G7 leading nations Italy, Japan, Canada and Germany.

In its section on perceived uncertainties which could impact fertility, the report's authors claimed 'xenophobic responses' and 'the rise of populism' could impact fertility rates.

The report added: 'Worries about the future go beyond the economic fallout from the 2008 recession while including xenophobic responses to the refugee crisis in 2015.

'Euroscepticism, the rise of populism and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine, all contribute to spreading a feeling of uncertainty and unpredictability that prospective parents are faced with when deciding whether to have a(nother) child.'

Reform MP Lee Anderson said: 'Blame everything on Brexit. England played rubbish last night, blame that on Brexit as well'

The UK was slightly above average when it came to falling fertility rates  British women gave birth to 2.7 children in 1960, falling to 1.5 children in 2021  the latest year figures are available to the OECD

According to the Office for National Statistics, which is responsible for collecting and analysing statistics about the UK's society and population, the TFR has been in decline since 2010.

TFR estimates how many children a hypothetical cohort of women might expect to have at the end of their reproductive period.

The comments were criticised last night as an attempt to blame challenges on the UK's decision to leave the EU.

Reform MP Lee Anderson said: 'Blame everything on Brexit. England played rubbish last night, blame that on Brexit as well.

'We've had probably one of the wettest years so far, blame that on Brexit. Tell you what, everything bad that happens in Europe blame that on Brexit.

'But funnily enough European countries are having exactly the same problems that we are having  is that because of Brexit?

'These people are just clutching at straws. You need to take what these people say with a large pinch of salt.

'They need carting off somewhere, putting in a dark room, and listening to some whale music.'

OECD sources said that while Mr Sobotka did not contribute to the report, the authors referred to his papers in the chapter on fertility.

He was one of the independent experts invited to the panel discussion  the source added Mr Sobotka was highly regarded in the field.

Mr Sobotka later seemed to downplay his remarks, adding there was no data to prove his speculation.

He said: 'I did not aim to suggest that Brexit had a direct impact on fertility decisions.

'I was using the Brexit example as one of the iconic examples of political polarisation, where political representation of many countries takes life-altering long-term decisions that are not aligned with the interest (and voting) of younger generations.

'These policy splits contribute to the high levels of dissatisfaction and pessimism about the future prospects among young adults in many countries today, which is one of the factors that may in turn negatively impact fertility.

'You can probably notice a lot of 'might' and 'may' in my writing, because I do not really have data and evidence to prove this link for individual countries or make any empirical assessment, so the inference is speculative.

'Needless to say, my views do not represent OECD. I was invited as an independent researcher to comment on trends and factors affecting fertility.'

The OECD has previously been accused of projecting a gloomy economic outlook for the UK's post-Brexit economy.

Days before the Brexit referendum vote in 2016, the OECD said the UK's economic growth would be 3 per cent lower than it would be if it remained in the EU - at the time the equivalent of 2,200 less per household.
Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below.

G.W. writes: We booked a fly-and-cruise holiday with Tui. Shortly before departure, we found we needed a US Esta (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) permit as the cruise included the US Virgin Islands.

We were denied this because we visited Cuba in 2022. We called Tui for help and were relieved to be told we could rebook for a later holiday, free of further charges. However this turned out to be a lie.

G.W. was denied entry to Cuba during a fly-and-cruise holiday with Tui

Tony Hetherington replies: You freely admitted to me that Tuis Marella Cruises offshoot does warn that passengers will need an Esta or a full US visa.

The Esta is easy to get for most tourists. However, your visit to Communist Cuba meant you needed a full visa, with its more rigorous checks.

You told me: I think the fact that an Esta or visa is needed for a specific cruise destination should be in the cruise itinerary  not three pages down in the small print.

And sure enough, it really is in small print, with only the same prominence as Tuis age limit for drinking alcohol on board the ship.

What happened next should scare any Tui customer.

You called Tui and recorded the conversation.

The agent, who gave his name as Omar, assured you: We can go ahead and amend the holiday free of charge to any other new holiday that you like.

Omar even explained: If its less expensive, well refund the difference.

All you had to do was choose a replacement holiday and ask Tui to book it. Your problems were over, Omar insisted, telling you: Dont stress any more, its totally fine.

But this was a lie. When you next called Tui, you were told that Omar would call you back and sort things out. Again, a lie.

You rang Tui once more and were told a manager would contact you urgently. Another lie.

And by then it was too late to stand any chance of getting a US visa.

Just 24 hours before you were due to fly to Barbados to board the Tui cruise ship, you were told that, because you had booked a package holiday, part of which was now barred to you, you could not get on the plane. This was just another lie.

You boarded the plane, flew to Barbados, and booked into a hotel at your own expense to cover the lost week on board the cruise liner.

Back home, you complained to Tui, but were told the German-owned company regarded the matter as closed. You requested transcripts of your calls to Tui, and Tui replied by refusing but offering you 200.

You reckon the cruise ban and hotel bill cost you several thousand pounds, so you said no. Tui doubled its offer to 400, which you also turned down.

Tui told me: We are sorry to hear of Mr & Mrs Ws experience.

It is stated before finalising any booking on a Marella Cruise visiting the US, that an Esta is a requirement of travel.

'Unfortunately, misinformation was provided to Mr & Mrs W after their Esta was denied, to which we have offered 400 as a goodwill gesture for our customer service error.

So a string of lies becomes just a customer service error, and the loss of thousands of pounds warrants a so-called goodwill gesture of only 400?

I invited Tui to reconsider but it did not even bother to reply.

You could threaten to sue Tui, but based on past experience, I dont think Tui would care. It is a rich company with lawyers who could run up your legal costs without leaving their desks.

So you asked me to let you have a final word: We want your readers to know how Tui are prepared to treat their customers.

And now they do.

If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 9 Derry Street, London W8 5HY or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned.
Shein may scrap its planned 50bn float in London amid growing disquiet in Beijing

Shein may scrap its planned 50billion float in London amid growing disquiet in Beijing over the way the fast-fashion retailer is portrayed in the UK.

A series of criticisms levelled at Shein has irked some in the upper echelons of the Chinese government, according to senior City sources.

The attacks have come from politicians, the Press, other retailers and investors.

The Mail on Sunday recently revealed the British Fashion Councils concerns over the float  the biggest planned around the world this year.

The influential trade body, whose members include Mulberry and Jimmy Choo, said the listing was a significant concern to the industry and that questions remain about its business practices.

A backlash from the British Fashion Councils US equivalent, the National Retail Federation, was one of the reasons that Shein ditched its original plans to float in New York.

Shein has been criticised for using suppliers who exploit low-paid garment workers to sell its clothes at knockdown prices.

The group is based in Singapore, but its cut-price fast fashion is manufactured in China.

As a result, it needs approval from Beijing regulators to list its shares in London.

They are thought to have put up barriers to Sheins plans to float in New York amid worsening diplomatic relations between China and the US.

The Beijing authorities could now apply pressure on Shein to list in Hong Kong instead of London, a source added.

Shein  founded in Nanjing in 2008  has tried to distance itself from its Chinese links but the threat to pull the London float suggests Beijing still pulls its strings.

The UK was Sheins second choice and the float would provide a huge boost to the London Stock Exchange, which has grappled with an exodus of companies and a dearth of blockbuster listings. Shein has hired top PR firms and joined the British Retail Consortium to win over the business community.

Chairman Donald Tang has also met with Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and discussed a listing with the Labour Party in recent weeks.

Shein declined to comment.
Riding high on the ocean under a magnificent billowing cloud of canvas, the Gucci familys classic yacht Creole cuts a dash. The display is the work of the worlds oldest sailmaker, Ratsey & Lapthorn, which dates back to 1790.

The company, based in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, has made sails for kings and queens and even Lord Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805.

The topsail from the flagship HMS Victory remains at the Royal Naval Museum in Portsmouth complete with cannon ball holes.

Heritage: Ratsey & Lapthorn is now owned by Jim Hartley, left, and Simon Brazier, right

The firm later became synonymous with the Americas Cup, the worlds oldest international sporting trophy, making sails for yachts from both sides of the Atlantic for more than a century.

Heritage is a big deal for Ratsey & Lapthorn. Hanging in its sail loft in Cowes are the words of Tom W Ratsey dating back to 1833: There is only one standard of work in this loft, that is the very best.

It is something its current owners  former City fund manager Simon Brazier and Jim Hartley, the founder of the Quba sailing clothing and accessories brand  are keen to emphasise.

And no wonder. Ratsey & Lapthorn prides itself on being one of the very few lofts in the world that can still make a traditional sail. A set can put you back north of 300,000, depending on the size of the vessel.

The emphasis, therefore, is on the craft and passing the skills down to the next generation.

Our sailmakers are craftsmen of the finest order, says Hartley, 51. We focus on making sure our apprentices understand everything about how to make a sail. It has been master to apprentices since 1790 and I dont think there are many businesses in the world that can say that.

The sailmakers at work when I visit are in their 20s. Matthew Robinson, 27, is now the master sailmaker, having started as an apprentice at 16. Hes putting the final touches to a new mainsail for a West Solent One Design.

New apprentice Hattie Dumas, 23, is repairing sails from a pit sunk into the floor of the loft. Hartley says retired workers return on a regular basis to help out.

New tack: The Gucci family yacht Creole, whose sails have been made since 1927 by Ratsey & Lapthorn

But for many years, the future was far from certain. The business fell on hard times after the introduction of synthetic fabrics into the industry. When Hartley bought it in 2017, its annual turnover had fallen to just 79,000.

This was not his first business venture. A keen sailor himself, Hartley set up Quba in Salcombe, Devon, in 1996 and opened the first store in Cowes in 1999, close to the Ratsey & Lapthorn loft.

He knew its then boss, Paralympic gold medal-winning sailor Andy Cassell, and on leaving Quba asked if he could get involved.

I thought it was a wonderful old business and could sense it needed a bit of help, says Hartley. It required, in his words, a lot of love and cash.

In the hunt for investors early on, he sought advice from his old friend Brazier.

As a fund manager of 25 years, whose successful career included stints at leading City investment houses Schroders, Threadneedle and Ninety One, where he managed the UK Alpha fund, he is well accustomed to pitches from companies seeking cash.

But this time Brazier was so impressed he told Hartley: Its great, dont show it to anyone else, I want to do it.

So what did he see in it? He says: I bought in for one simple reason. We were buying an untouched heritage brand. In the back of my mind was how to use that. It has so much latent value sitting in it.

The first job, however, was to put it back on the map as a sailmaker.

If we are not leading in our sailmaking, then we cant use the brand anywhere else, says Brazier, who left the City last year and is now focusing on his new venture, where he is chairman, with Hartley running the firm day-to-day as chief executive.

The founding Ratsey family are still involved with Mark Ratsey life president.

Outside investors have been brought in and now own 10 per cent of the firm. Brazier and Hartley hold the other 90 per cent.

The brand only works because of what we are, Brazier continues. We are one of the worlds best craft sailmakers. Simple as that.

They set about raising the profile of the business again, and reminding people just what it can do.

We will make sails for anything, says Hartley. But our superpower is in classics. So we need to be much more visible where they are.

That meant setting up shop in Barcelona where the firm now has access to the huge classics fleet in the Mediterranean. The unrivalled heritage, of course, helps.

The mammoth task of restoring the Cynara is a case in point. The 100ft ketch was built in 1927 across the Solent in Gosport at the famous Camper & Nicholsons yard.

It was being refurbished recently in Japan when news reached Ratsey & Lapthorn that the contract for the sails was on the verge of being signed by a competitor.

Jim goes into the file and finds the design of the sails when the boat was built, says Brazier. We went to the owner in Japan and said, We hear youre changing sails, but you do realise we made your original sails and wed love to discuss it with you. From the jaws of defeat we won the contract.

Hartley says the vast archives held on site are part of our maritime heritage and also a killer sales pitch to owners restoring classic yachts.

He adds of Cynaras owners: They were fastidious about the authentic restoration and I think thats why they loved that we made the original sails.

Another recent coup involved the restoration of Tally Ho, which was built in 1910 and won the Fastnet race in 1927.

Bought by boatbuilder and sailor Leo Goolden, 34, for just $1, the project to rebuild it  and fit it with Ratsey & Lapthorn sails  has become a YouTube hit attracting 500,000 viewers so far.

These are the interesting projects we want to get into, says Hartley. They hope to rekindle Royal connections, too. The late Duke of Edinburgh often took to sea with Ratsey & Lapthorn sails, as did the young Prince Charles.

The Royal Warrant was lost after the Duke stopped sailing  something Brazier hopes to address.

Knowing that the new generation of royals do sail, one of our longer-term ambitions is to get our royal warrant back, he says.

Ratsey & Lapthorn last year brought in sales of about 500,000 and Brazier says they are heading towards 1 million. But with two years in the black after years of losses the pair see opportunities to move beyond sailmaking.

The firm also lays claim to being the worlds oldest bagmaker. Hartley says: Weve been making bags since 1790. We made bags to carry coal and ice to yachts out of scraps of heavy-duty canvas.

But, say Brazier and Hartley, any move back into bags will only be of the highest quality.

There is only one standard of work in this loft, and that is the very best, they chime in unison.

Perhaps the most stunning example of Ratsey & Lapthorn craftsmanship is the sails of the Creole, a three-masted schooner that like the Cynara was built by Camper & Nicholsons in Gosport in 1927.

The 214ft masterpiece, the worlds largest wooden sailing boat, was bought by Maurizio Gucci of the Italian fashion house in 1982 and lovingly restored. It has only ever been suited by Ratsey & Lapthorn since its launch in 1927, with the latest sails faring well  they were made in the 1990s.

Anybody can start a heritage brand. Its just the first hundred years that are challenging, Hartley jokes, adding: We have been around for 230 years, but we need to be around for another 230.
American streets have turned into terror for Jews over the last few months, with hate crimes and violent pro-Palestine protests sparking fear after the October 7 attacks.

But communities have a little-known covert weapon that helps combat the most serious threats - and means most can sleep soundly at night.

Those living in 'Haredi' - ultra-orthodox communities across the country - deploy teams of police-force style volunteers called Shomrim (which means 'guards' in Hebrew) to keep an eye out.

The group, which has close ties to the NYPD, is a private organization that aims to curb various crimes including burglary, vandalism, assault and anti-Semitic attacks.

Yet they are not without scandal themselves, with their ties to the police sometimes strained due to call times and reluctance to pass on information on Jewish suspects.

Shomrim volunteers responding to a vicious assault on Avenue S in Flatbush. The Flatbush Shomrim ultimately picked up one of the perpetrators, leading to his arrest

Shomrim have been accused of withholding information on suspected Jewish criminals, allegedly to comply with the Torah (bible) prohibition against informing on fellow Jews.

This stance has sparked outrage, particularly in cases involving child molesters, where Shomrim's reluctance to share information with police has been slammed.

In one case, the perpetrator of a heinous underage rape in Brooklyn was one of the Shomrim's very own.

The scandal involved Jacob Daskal, founder of the Borough Park Shomrim Society, who was sentenced to 17 years in prison for sexually abusing a teenage girl who had moved in with him and his wife to escape a troubled family situation.

Daskal, 64, subjected her to 'nightly rape sessions,' according to a statement written by the 15-year-old victim and read aloud in court by a prosecutor at the time.

In October 2023, Daskal begged for forgiveness, expressing his 'overwhelming regret' for his actions while dozens of his supporters, including eight of his adult children, sat weeping and praying in the packed courtroom after he pleaded guilty to the charges.

Shomrim, meaning 'guards' in Hebrew, are unarmed volunteer Jewish civilian patrols established in ultra-orthodox or 'Haredi' communities across the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom

The volunteer crime patrol group with close ties to the New York Police Department, is a private organizations that serve as a de facto police force within the city's insular Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods

The teenager initially looked up to Daskal as a 'savior and father figure,' the statement said, adding that he violated that trust by convincing her that sex was in her 'best interest.'

When she told a friend, Daskal threatened her, according to prosecutors, repeatedly mentioning that he 'had police protection and was a 'big' guy in the Jewish community.'

At one point, he asked her to sign a letter affirming that the sexual abuse was 'therapy,' prosecutors alleged.

At the time of the sexual abuse, Daskal led the Borough Park Shomrim.

Daskal subjected her to nightly rape sessions. The community's quiet response and reluctance to fully acknowledge the crime was criticized. (Pictured: Borough Park Shomrim founderJacob Daskal Leaves Brooklyn Federal court after being arraigned March 4 2021)

In 2017, Daskal (pictured during his first arrest in 2018) engaged in sexual relations with the victim primarily at his residence and at his summer home in South Fallsburg, NY

The community's quiet response and reluctance to fully acknowledge the crime was heavily criticized.

Before he was charged, Daskal spoke with the New York Times in 2016, agreeing to discuss the criticism the organization faces - where he dismissed the recent controversies as the work of a few 'bad apples.'

He said that those bad seeds should not tarnish the majority of the 'upstanding volunteers' who 'regularly break away from jobs or family dinners to assist.'

In addition to the Daskal scandal, the Shomrim have been criticized by the NYPD for not always notifying police promptly during emergencies.

The Shomrim were the first to respond when eight-year-old Leiby Kletzky went missing in Brooklyn's ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Borough Park in 2011.

When her son went missing, Leiby's mother's first line of defense was a call to the Shomrim, not NYPD.

NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said despite wanting the NYPD to have been notified sooner, it was unlikely to have made a difference.

'In this particular case, I don't see anything that could have been done with a quicker notification,' Kelly said at the time.

Following the Shomrim's investigation, 35-year-old Levi Aron was charged with killing Kletzky and chopping him up into several pieces after police located Aron with Kletzky's feet in his freezer and the rest of his remain in a suitcase. He'd later plead guilty to the murder.

Levi Aron is arraigned in Brooklyn criminal court in New York. Aron, 35, is charged with luring 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky to his home on Monday, and then smothering him and chopping him up when he learned that a search was under way for the missing child

The Shomrim were the first to respond when 8-year-old Leiby Kletzky (pictured) went missing in Brooklyn's ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Borough Park. When her son went missing, Leiby's mother's first line of defense was a call to the Shomrim, not NYPD

However, some view the Shomrim's involvement in the justice system integral, especially with a rise in violence against Jews in America - and more specifically, New York.

As of April 2024, 96 such hate incidents have been reported across the Big Apple - a stark rise from the 66 that were reported during the same time period last year, according to the police department statistics.

Attacks against Jewish people are the most common hate-crime in New York, according to city statistics.

Just last month, two Orthodox Jewish children were brutally beaten by a young man on a Brooklyn sidewalk in an attack captured on video.

The boys, aged 11 and 13, were playing on the sidewalk in Williamsburg when a man got off a Citi Bike and attacked them. Horrific video shows the grown man kicking and stomping on one of the boys.

And on June 11, the Crown Heights Shomrim released a wanted poster for a woman who allegedly assaulted a Jewish woman in Brooklyn on June 10.

Renowned author Rabbi Shmuley Boteach explained that many Jewish orthodox community members will turn first to the Shomrim in times of trouble.

'It's not reliant on the police. It's reliant on people you know,' he told CBS News at the time. 'It's a feeling of intimacy when comes to the community's protection.'

The Shomrim have been effective in reducing crime and aiding local communities. They have assisted in apprehending suspects, raising awareness about anti-Semitic incidents, and providing support during emergencies.

Although a Jewish founded volunteer organization, the Shomrim are dedicated to protecting any person in their communities faced with danger.

In May, a non-Jewish girl was brutally beaten and robbed on Kingston Ave in broad daylight in front of multiple witnesses. Neighbors called Crown Heights Shomrim, who arrived and help catch the perpetrators.

Allan Nadler, director of the Jewish studies program at Drew University, moved to New York shortly before the 1991 riots and recalled Jews in Crown Heights feeling unprotected at the time.

'I remember day after day the headlines in the Times and the Post were that Jews were hiding in their homes, Jewish businesses and Jewish homes were marked with mezuzas and were getting rocks thrown at them, Jews were getting attacked in the street,' Nadler told New York City News Service in 2015.

'The Shomrim societies predated this, and the Crown Heights riots were the apogee. It was the horrible climax but it's a climax to decades of Jews being afraid to walk the streets of their own community.'

There are currently about 50 members in the Crown Heights Shomrim.

'When you call 911, it can take [the police] four, five, six minutes to arrive. When you call the Shomrim hotline, and there happens to be a Shomrim member living on that block, or working in a store a block away, he gets that same description on his radio,' he said.

'He has an eyeball on this bad guy, or criminal, so now when the police arrive, we're able to tell them, the guy you're looking for is two blocks away.'

A man is arrested after Borough Park Shomrim helped identify him as the preparator who struck a child on the way to school - severely injuring him before fleeing the scene

These groups are meant to maintain 24-hour hotlines and collaborate with local police, though the degree of cooperation varies.

When receiving a call, the Shomrim attempt to locate the perpetrator and keep tabs on them until police arrive and can make an arrest.

These cases typically involve burglaries and muggings, and sometimes missing persons and hate crimes.

'We take small crimes seriously because small crimes can lead to bigger ones,' Mendy Hershkop, coordinator for the Shomrim told the outlet. 'And for that kid that bike or that scooter is worth it, it's his.'

The aim is to deter criminals and catch young offenders before they commit worse crimes. They also notify the community to alert them of nearby danger or recent incidents.

'It may deter them from becoming more brazen and doing something they'll regret for life,' he said.

Just last week, Crown Heights Shomrim helped the NYPD find two teenagers who went on a crime spree, stealing bikes and scooters, leading to one suspect's arrest, and the items returned to their owners.

Last month, after receiving multiple 'frantic calls' for an assault in Brooklyn, Shomrim Volunteers along with officers found the two suspects and placed them under arrest.

However, despite their contributions, Shomrim has been the subject of controversy and criticism. But London's Hackney Police Borough Commander praised the group for its discernment in involving law enforcement when necessary (Pictured: Members of the Jewish 'Shomrim' security patrol team are pictured in north London on August 27, 2014)

When her son went missing, Leiby's mother's first line of defense was a call to the Shomrim, not NYPD. NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly said despite having wanted the NYPD to be notified sooner, it wouldn't have made a difference (Pictured: Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol)

However, despite their contributions, Shomrim has been the subject of controversy and criticism. The organization's relationship with police is nuanced.

In major cities like Brooklyn, Baltimore, and London, Shomrim often receive emergency calls before the police, due to rapid response times and cultural familiarity.

Police Commissioner Edward Caban has said: 'The terror attacks on October 7th changed the public safety landscape, and we're still feeling the ripple effects of that terrible day.'

According to the Anti-Defamation League, between October 7 and the end of 2023, the agency recorded 5,204 incidents - more than the incident total for the whole of 2022.
But doctors have slammed online clinics that let patients take it unsupervised

'I'm tired, I'm ready to call it a day,' says the psychiatric nurse about to dole out my first ever ketamine prescription.

It's the start of our video consultation that I'm hoping will be a rigorous assessment of my suitability for a new and potentially risky treatment for anxiety and depression.

It doesn't fill me with confidence.

But this is how tens of thousands of Americans are now getting their ketamine fix: a tick-box online questionnaire, a cursory virtual assessment and a mail-order delivery that lands on their doorstep within days.

It is all perfectly legal. But the ease with which customers can now access the sedative, which is sometimes abused as a street drug, has sparked warnings among the medical community that profit-hungry clinics are putting lives at risk.

Matthew Perry's tragic death has shone a light on America's ketamine boom. The Friends actor died from an overdose of the drug. Police have opened an investigation into his death

Evidence suggests that ketamine is on the rise both recreationally and medicinally

Celebrity users such as Elon Musk, who has a ketamine prescription, have fueled its rise

The tragic death of Matthew Perry, who overdosed on ketamine, has put the drug's booming popularity in the spotlight.

Evidence suggests it is on the rise both recreationally and medicinally, as more Americans look to alternative forms of therapy.

Celebrity users are partly responsible. Elon Musk has said he has a prescription for ketamine for when his 'brain chemistry goes super negative', while Sharon Osborne underwent three months of ketamine therapy.

Pete Davidson, meanwhile, admitted that he was hooked on the drug, taking it daily for four years before checking into rehab. He subsequently took the drug to treat his depression.

But medical experts have also accused freewheeling online clinics of fueling the craze.

Many, including the online service I have approached, offer mail-order prescriptions such as tablets and nasal sprays at eye-watering prices.

The drugs are shipped to patients, who are then free to take them without medical supervision, contrary to guidance by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

This hands off approach allows firms to reduce their own costs and reach tens of thousands of customers. It has attracted millions of dollars from investors.

But some experts say the practice is irresponsible.

Dr Gerard Sanacora, director of the Yale Depression Research Program who led a team that pioneered ketamine to treat depression, told DailyMail.com that this form of therapy could be 'life saving'.

But he added: 'It also has the potential to be a dangerous treatment for a lot of people if not done carefully, responsibly, and with close monitoring.'

Dr Caleb Alexander, an epidemiologist and professor at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, has previously described it as 'a recipe for disaster'.

His last known infusion was a week and a half before his death. The medical examiner noted the ketamine found in his bloodstream could not have been from that session as it typically disappears from the system in a matter of hours

Sharon Osborne said she underwent three months of ketamine therapy

Pete Davidson admitted that he was hooked on the drug, taking it daily for four years before checking into rehab. He subsequently took the drug to treat his depression

The clinic I have signed up to, which DailyMail.com has chosen not to name, is offering me a plan that costs $129 a month and includes a package of ketamine lozenges.

Before booking my virtual consultation, I am asked to fill out a short online survey which essentially amounts to: Are you over 18? Are you sad? And do you have any pre-existing medical conditions?

Any hope that my video call might lead to a more meaningful discussion over whether the drug is right for me quickly evaporates.

The nurse appears disinterested, likely reading from a script, and eager to be through with the whole ordeal.

It appears not to matter that I have never been diagnosed with depression or anxiety, nor have I even been to therapy, nor at any point ever really had my mental health professionally examined.

In reality, I am probably fine. I don't need this.

But why not just sell me some ketamine anyway?

After ticking off a few of these points, the nurse tells me that, as my treatment progresses, I'm 'going to start being like, much more calmerless stress, less anxiety'.

'You'll be energetic, optimistic about life and who you are, and you're just like, basically, looking forward to each day,' she adds.

Sign me up.

But what I am not told about is an FDA warning issued in October, in which the agency voiced concerns over the increased use of ketamine therapy.

It warned that the drug, which is approved as an anesthetic, is not approved for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

'FDA is aware that compounded ketamine products have been marketed for a wide variety of psychiatric stress disorders (e.g. depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder ... and obsessive-compulsive disorder); however, FDA has not determined that ketamine is safe and effective for such uses,' the statement read.

Use of ketamine for those treatments without monitoring 'may put patients at risk for serious adverse events,' the agency added.

The one-sided narrative peddled by online clinics is rife.

Ketamine firm Joyous, for example, includes a quote, attributed to Yale research, that states: 'The rapid therapeutic response of ketamine in treatment-resistant patients is the biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century.'

While Yale and Dr Sanacora do advocate the potential benefits of ketamine administered under medical supervision, they categorically do not support at-home ketamine treatment offered by firms such as Joyous.

Joyous said its website did not claim that the university endorses mail-order ketamine.

Another online clinic, Mindbloom, which offers mail-order ketamine therapy for up to $359 a month, claims that 89 percent of its clients report improvement for anxiety and depression.

But the figure comes from a study where more than half of participants didn't report any follow-up data.

The research, titled 'At-home, sublingual ketamine telehealth is a safe and effective treatment for moderate to severe anxiety and depression', has been met with public criticism by Dr Sanacora.

In a written response, the professor and his Yale colleague Dr Samuel Wilkinson said they objected to the title of the paper 'for several reasons', adding that 'the authors' conclusions go well beyond the data'.

They continued: 'Potential worrisome scenarios with at-home ketamine administration include drug diversion, abuse, and dysphoric reactions which could leave patients in a fearful and paranoid state without appropriate monitoring that could lead to harm of self or others.'

Dr Sanacora's letter was sent in August 2022, but Mindbloom still proudly trumpets the paper as 'the largest ketamine therapy study to date' on its website.

The Yale professor told DailyMail.com that he regularly has to comb through marketing material of ketamine clinics and ask them to remove out-of-context quotes and his photograph.

Mindbloom's Chief Strategy Officer, Mike Petegorsky, said in response that online clinics make ketamine therapy 'accessible and affordable for people in need'.

'I've seen the concerns about at-home ketamine therapy, but I haven't seen data to support them,' he added.

Mail-order ketamine clinic Joyous includes a quote from Yale research stating that the treatment is 'the biggest breakthrough in depression research in a half century'

These mail-order clinics, including Mindbloom, which offers at-home ketamine therapy for up to $359 a month, have been accused of putting patient safety at risk by medical experts

Back to my consultation, and I am being told that after I start my treatment, my point of contact for up to four weeks will be via text.

I will send feedback to an AI tool, which collates data to be analyzed by a doctor.

They can then increase my dosage before I have a full follow up consultation on my progress.

This rings alarm bells for Dr Sanacora. 'If you start a regular antidepressant and don't have a follow up with a licensed professional in a relatively short amount of time, that could be considered negligence,' he said.

'This is really pushing it to the limits. Not having some follow up is definitely concerning.'

Before I am sent the ketamine, there is at least some due diligence.

I am asked to provide blood test results so they can check my liver is healthy - as this is the organ that processes ketamine.

But once that is cleared, the drugs are mine.

The degree of pre-treatment scrutiny varies across the board. Innerwell, which offers an eight-week at-home ketamine course for upwards of $900, requires an hour-long medical consultation before the patient is signed off.

Dr Sanacora, however, is skeptical as to whether any degree of screening can make unsupervised ketamine treatment safe.

'You can minimize the risk, but you can never eradicate it,' he said.

The clinic used by DailyMail.com said that all medical staff are licensed nurse practitioners who are put through a 'rigorous onboarding process'.

The firm added that if its team detected any issues with the medication from a patient's texts, they are required to meet with a practitioner 'as soon as possible'.

It also said its lozenges used microdoses, which prevent 'overwhelming or intense experiences' and ensures patients 'are coherent and fully oriented when taking the medication'.
EXCLUSIVE

Joel Cauchi's elderly parents are contacting every Australian who sent them a message of support after their schizophrenic son stabbed to death six people at Westfield Bondi Junction.

Michele and Andrew Cauchi have received cards and flowers from across the country in the two months since the massacre, many sent by Australians who have a family member suffering serious mental illness.

The outpouring of empathy has overwhelmed the couple, whose quiet lives in regional Queensland were upended by the Sydney shopping centre carnage of April 13.

Their 40-year-old son's rampage ended only when he was shot dead by hero cop Inspector Amy Scott, the first police officer on the scene.

Those killed were: new mother Ashlee Good, 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton, 25, security guard Faraz Ahmed Tahir, 30, architect Jade Young, 47, artist Pikria Darchia, 55, and economics student Yixuan Cheng, 27.

Two months after their schizophrenic son stabbed to death six people at Westfield Bondi Junction the parents of Joel Cauchi are contacting every Australian who sent them a message of support. Michele Cauchi is pictured

A dozen other victims were taken to hospital including Ms Good's nine-month-old daughter Harriet.

The Cauchis have engaged Brisbane-based mental health support organisation Arafmi to help them respond to all those who have expressed their sympathy and understanding of the couple's own loss.

Daily Mail Australia has obtained one of the letters Arafmi general manager Alex Tyson has been mailing to those strangers who have offered the Cauchi's much-needed comfort.

'The Cauchi family has asked Arafmi to write to you on their behalf,' Ms Tyson writes in the letter.

'They thank you for your kind thoughts and the personal message you have sent.

'The family appreciate the ongoing support they have received from so many people in the community and this includes the message from you.'

The letters are geographically tailored to recipients, providing contact details for local agencies which support carers of loved ones suffering from mental health difficulties.

'In messages to the family many people shared their own experiences of supporting and caring for someone with mental health needs,' Ms Tyson writes.

'At times these experiences can be challenging and there are supports available in all states in Australia to support carers in these situations.'

Michele and Andrew Cauchi have received cards and flowers from sympathetic Australians, many of whom have a family member suffering serious mental illness. Mr Cauchi is pictured

The Cauchis have engaged Brisbane-based mental health support organisation Arafmi to help them respond to all those who have expressed their sympathy for the couple's own loss

Daily Mail Australia spoke to the Cauchis at their Toowoomba home two weeks after the deaths of their son and his victims.

Devastated their son could become so unhinged he would turn into a multiple murderer, they were overcome by a range of emotions including confusion and grief.

'First of all, I feel for the victims,' Mrs Cauchi said.

'I don't want to take anything away from the victims. I'm so sorry about what has happened. Our son unravelled in the last few months and we didn't know.

'But I just want to say thank you to the people around Australia who have sent cards and letters.

'The majority of them have a family member with a mental illness.'

At the time, Mrs Cauchi said many of the notes she and her husband had received did not have return addresses, so she could not respond to the senders.

'I'm just not in a state to answer them at this stage anyway,' she said.

'But I just wanted to say thank you, people have been very kind.'

Joel Cauchi killed new mother Ashlee Good , 38, bride-to-be Dawn Singleton , 25, security guard Faraz Ahmed Tahir , 30, architect Jade Young , 47, artist Pikria Darchia , 55, and economics student Yixuan Cheng , 27. He is pictured during his rampage on April 13

The Cauchis had previously said they understood why Inspector Scott was forced to shoot their son and 'we hope she is coping all right'.

Mr Cauchi said he and his wife had been sent so many flowers that when one 'lovely local girl' arrived with more he had not shown enough appreciation.

'We've been inundated with probably $2,000 worth of flowers,' Mr Cauchi said on April 26. 'And food and fruit and cards.'

Mr Cauchi said he was grateful for 'the compassion of this nation' but would be trying to cope with what his son had done 'for the next 40 years'.

'Joel deserves what he got as far as I'm concerned,' he said through tears.

His wife immediately responded: 'Shoosh, don't say that.'

'He's very upset,' Mrs Cauchi said.

'We didn't know he'd slipped so far. And even if we did know, what would we do?

'Take our adult child by force to come home and then what? Where would you take him? I'm sorry, it's just very difficult.

'He did a terrible thing and I'm not denying that. I'm really sorry that it happened.'

Mrs Cauchi said New South Wales and Queensland police had been 'absolutely wonderful' in their dealings with the couple.

'Everybody has been really considerate,' she said.

'Regardless of what they might think about what happened they've been very kind.

'So I just wanted to say thank you.'
A reformed drug dealer whose Swedish model fiancee famously tried to order contract killings on prosecution witnesses has found love again - two years on from his last failed engagement.

Former strip club owner turned ecstasy producer, Steven Spaliviero, and blonde beauty, Charlotte Lindstrom, made headlines in 2007 after police arrested the pair.

He was jailed for 11 years over a clandestine drug operation that supplied the city's rich and famous and she was imprisoned for offering a hitman $200,000 to kill two witnesses.

Now six years after he walked free from jail, Daily Mail Australia can reveal Spaliviero has found love with another younger woman.

The 59-year-old is now engaged to Newcastle beauty Ciara Jones, 28, after popping the question to her on New Year's Eve.

Spaliviero and Lindstrom were engaged to be married, but she was deported after her prison release and he served 11 years in prison and became a mentor and model inmate

Steven Spalivero and fiancee Ciara Jones got engaged on New Years Eve

The pair are understood to be living a relatively quiet life on Sydney's northern beaches compared to Spaliviero's wild criminal past, but do enjoy flaunting their life of luxury travel and fine dining on social media.

The couple have flaunted their life of luxury travel and fine dining on social media.

Spaliviero's latest engagement comes two years after he popped the question to a Sydney property professional - known only as Emma - during a European holiday in 2022, but the relationship ended before the pair married.

On Wednesday, Spaliviero dodged questions on his new life when asked by Daily Mail Australia.

His vow of silence is a change of heart after he published a tell-all ebook, titled Pills Of God, in 2015.

The self-published memoir revealed stunning revelations about his chaotic relationship with Lindstrom and how he became the biggest drug cook in Australia.

Spaliviero and Lindstrom first met 20 years ago and embarked on a fateful romance that would end in jail, with their doomed relationship making headlines around the world.

At the time, Lindstrom, 18 years his junior, was a glamorous blonde who worked for Sydney's Hilton Hotel and in Merivale's Hemmesphere Bar.

The pair shared their exciting news to friends and family on social media

Lindstrom, above on surveillance camera, offered to pay $200,000 to a 'hitman', who was an undercover policeman to have two drug trial witnesses put in 'the cemetery'

Their relationship imploded in 2005 after Spaliviero received a tip off that police were bugging his house and car, and he found a tracker hidden in his bumper bar.

Police would eventually charge him with manufacturing 44kg of ecstasy at Riverstone, in northwestern Sydney, and other locations, and imprison him.

In May 2007, Lindstrom was also arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder after she met with undercover police officer 'Rob', outside Sydney's Town Hall. 'Rob' was posing as a hit man.

Lindstrom was arrested as she left Town Hall, and imprisoned for three years and ten months in Long Bay's Special Purpose Centre, where she refused to eat.

She was given the sentence in exchange for being the Crown's star witness in her fiance's drug trial.

Lindstrom, who became anorexic in prison, made world news when she turned Crown witness against her ex

Lindstrom wasted away while incarcerated in Long Bay's Special Purpose Centre and on her release after three years behind bars was deported back to her native Sweden

At the time she claimed Spaliviero ordered the hit, but he was acquitted of the charge and became a model prisoner, with his 16 year sentence reduced on appeal.

Despite this she still wanted to marry him and Spaliviero didn't resent her for testifying against him.

'We were deeply in love and we wrote to each other in prison,' he told Daily Mail Australia after his prison release.

'The last letter I got from her said "when this is all over please find me". She begged me, 'I still want the fairytale'.

'When she went back to Sweden, she was forbidden from contacting me. I didn't know where she was.

'She was like a missing person, but then [a relative of Spaliviero] got a Facebook message from a girl who knew Charlotte under a complete new identity.'

By the the time he was released from jail (he served time in in Silverwater, Goulburn, Cooma and Long Bay prisons) Spaliviero was no longer in love with Lindstrom - and was determined to forge a new crime-free life on the outside.
Bianca Censori - wife, muse and employee to controversial rapper Kanye West - dominates headlines with her increasingly explicit fashion statements and relationship drama.

But lesser known about the 29-year-old Australian is that she has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in architecture from the esteemed University of Melbourne and has worked alongside industry giants including Valerio Olgiati and Vincent Van Duysen.

The model's eccentric taste extends to her architectural designs with a portfolio boasting projects reminiscent of the 1960s cartoon The Flintstones.

Originally, Bianca dreamed of becoming a sculptor but fell in love with architecture as an art medium when her aunt introduced her to it as a young girl.

And after completing her studies she landed a role with DP Toscano Architects, a reputable firm in her home city of Melborne, before she was scouted in 2020 by Kanye as head of architecture for his YZY brand.

Her old boss, Joe Tuscano, told the Sydney Morning Herald: 'She obviously made an impression on Kanye West and she made that impression because she's actually very talented.'

Bianca Censori - wife, muse and employee to controversial rapper Kanye West - dominates headlines with her increasingly explicit fashion statements and relationship dramaAt the beginning of June, Bianca was snapped wearing a body suit that left little to the imagination and carrying some of her design drawings on her way to a meeting in Italy with Kanye

In 2021, Bianca and her fellow YZY architects Tanil Rahif and Ibrahim Salman, designed a stone age inspired house in a Californian National Park.

The Joshua Tree Residence looks like a home Fred Flintstone would move his family into if he had hit the jackpot in Viva Rock Vegas, with a flat white slab acting as a roof balanced on top of eight huge rock boulders.

It was put forward by the YZY team as an idea for rented, relatively cheap and off the grid housing.

Despite its megalithic-looking structure, it maintains a modern edge by way of floor to ceiling glass windows fitted between the giant stones and sleek furnishings built into the rock.

In 2021, Bianca and her fellow YZY architects Tanil Rahif and Ibrahim Salman, designed a stone age inspired house in Joshua Tree, a National Park in California

The Joshua Tree Residence looks like a home Fred Flintstone would move his family into if he had hit the jackpot in Viva Rock Vegas, with a flat white slab acting as a roof balanced on top of eight huge rock boulders

Despite its megalithic-looking structure, it maintains a modern edge by way of floor to ceiling glass windows fitted between the giant stones and sleek furnishings built into the rock

Censori's architectural vision appears to be a nod to the famous stone caveman house lived in by Fred Flintstone and his family as seen in the 1994 movie and cartoons from the 1960s

The bathroom is designed with minimalist metal pipe work and precisely carved free-form windows

The windows of the property appear perfectly laser-cut but are in an irregular shape that looks like the result of nature

At the beginning of June, Bianca was snapped wearing a body suit that left little to the imagination and carrying some of her design drawings on her way to a meeting in Italy with Kanye

Bianca's portfolio explains that her project Stone-Age Architecture 'compels us to reimagine the built environment through a prehistoric lens' and 'sparks a dialogue between the past and the present' - a concept she and her team call 'Primitive Futurism'.

Her architectural philosophy aims to have 'buildings and natural elements coexist in a symbiotic relationship' in hopes that mother nature will merge with and change the structure over time.

This philosophy is evident in the Saudi Sound Stage - a space she and her design partners imagined in the Arabian Desert with six sound stages and a restaurant.

Presumably, it would be used to host listening parties and concerts for her musician husband and his friends.

Only two pictures of the concept exist but from what can be seen, it looks like a giant pebble-shaped rock is balanced on top of stone walls, offering shade dictated by the sun to the mostly open-plan venue.

The Saudi Sound Stage - a space she and her design partners imagined in the Arabian Desert with six sound stages and a restaurant

Only two pictures of the concept exist but from what can be seen, it looks like a giant pebble-shaped rock is balanced on top of stone walls, offering shade dictated by the sun to the mostly open-plan venue

Bianca's portfolio says her work is 'not just about creating a visually pleasing environment but also about telling a story through design'.

A sentiment she repeated when she revealed details of a new building style thought up by her and Kanye before the pair became romantically involved.

They dubbed this new style 'Donda Language' after the Flashing Lights rapper's late mother who died in 2007 from a heart attacked caused by plastic surgery related problems and coronary artery disease.

In a resurfaced video of Bianca giving a guest lecture at the University of Malta in 2022 on her architecture career, she explained that the Donda Language is a concept they created to represent her vision of architecture as a means of storytelling. She believes every home should have its own story and should share a connection with the people who live in them.

Kanye West has been accused of dictating Bianca's style and controlling what she wears in public

Bianca pictured wearing tights and a bra that give a nearly-nude look in August 2023

Fans claim that Bianca has always had a provocative style and is not being controlled by Kanye but that the two just share the same taste

Kanye West has been accused of dictating Bianca's style and controlling what she wears in public, even to the worry of her father who recently demanded she and Kanye fly to Australia to address concerns over her X-rated outfits.

Old pictures showing Bianca in equally risque clothing before she met Kanye went viral last year, with fans contesting that she had the same aesthetic before she married Kim Kardashian's ex-husband and that the pair just share a similar taste.

The same can be said for her early architecture drawings, which are thought to be what prompted Kanye to scout her all the way from the other side of the globe.

Not long before she was whisked away to Los Angeles, Bianca had designed a concept home in the theoretical architecture style of plasticity - a term used to describe a rich, three-dimensional or sculptural presence of a building.

Fitting for the woman who, in a now deleted interview, once said : 'I always wanted to be a sculptor and to me, architecture is the union of art and pragmatics. It is the grandest artistic gesture that we can place onto the earth. I was drawn to it, purely, as a shift in artistic scale.'

She placed her concept home in a rural setting to study its capability of transforming itself by acquiring new natural characteristics over time - essentially collaborating with nature in the same way she does today.
June 23, 2024: SpaceX, the innovative and ambitious satellite communications company, became profitable in 2024. This was earlier than financial and space technology experts expected. SpaceX is estimated to earn $3.8 billion in 2024 with expenses of about $3.2 billion. SpaceX has only been in business for five years and has always operated at high speed while maintaining control over costs and efficiency of operations. SpaceX put its first 60 satellites into orbit in 2019 and expected to eventually launch 30,000 Starlink communications satellites. These would provide global high-speed internet service to those using Starlink terminals with a small dish antenna. Monthly fees were to be about the same internet users pay. Most potential internet customers live in areas that are not wired for internet service. SpaceX solves that problem with LEO (Low Earth Orbit) satellites operating 300 kilometers up. SpaceX built a factory to build its satellites and continually upgraded the design of the satellites and the reusable first stages of the Falcon 9. Development of the current FH (Falcon Heavy) B5 began with Falcon 9 v1.0 in 2010, followed by V1.1 2013, V1.2, in 2015, Block 5 in 2019, Falcon Heavy in 2018 and Falcon Heavy B5 in 2020.

On May 17, 2024, a Falcon 9 delivered 23 more Starlink Internet satellites to orbit. This Falcon 9, in 20 previous launches, has put over 530 satellites, most of them Starlinks, into orbit. This was the 51st orbital mission this year. With the latest launch SpaceX has carried out 83 lunches from the Kennedy Space Center. That is one more than the prior 82 Space Shuttle launches that took place over a thirty year period.

The rocket launched was a Falcon 9 Block 5. This model was designed to be used ten times. But now SpaceX believes these Block 5 Falcon 9s can be used for up to 40 launches. This Block 5 Falcon 9 has proved capable of carrying out a launch, then landing and carrying out another launch without refurbishment. As of now SpaceX has about 5,935 operational Starlink satellites in orbit out of a total of 6,350 launched to date. SpaceX plans to carry out 150 launches by the end of the year. A smaller number of launches take place at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. Thats where the classified Starshield satellites are launched for the U.S. Space Force.

Back in 2019 the first sixty Starlink satellites were put into orbit. The goal was for SpaceX to eventually have 30,000 Starlink satellites up there. This would provide the entire planet with low-cost, high-speed Internet access via a multiple-satellite ISP (Internet Service Provider) system. Users needed a small ground station consisting of a small satellite dish and a special modem, costing $600 for standard use with a $90 a month service charge. In large quantities these stations cost about $100 each. High Performance Starlink service costs $2,500 a month. Some nations will not allow their citizens to access Starlink while others seek to regulate what portions of the Internet users can access. This has been the experience of major competitors like ViaSat and HughesNet. When all the Starlink satellites are in orbit, Starlink will be the planets major provider of satellite Internet service.

Starlink expected to be profitable in 2024 and was, with 3.8 million fee paying customers. Thats up from 2.3 million Starlink customers in 2023.

The original gen1 Starlink system was designed to expand to over 40,000 satellites if demand by paying customers was large enough to justify and pay for it. Starlink gen2 is designed to provide so much more customer bandwidth (data transmission) that far fewer Starlink satellites will be needed. That could be up to 90 percent less than gen1. Gen2 is designed to operate more efficiently over countries that outlaw Starlink as an ISP. Nearly half the Internet users on the planet live in countries that heavily censor Internet use. Starlink makes it much more difficult to censor Internet users. Originally designed to provide affordable high-speed Internet use to those in remote areas, Starlink discovered it had gained a lot of new customer interest because of its experience in Ukraine.

The Gen2 satellites are described as nearly ten times more capable than the original Gen1 Starlink satellites. Gen2 are designed to work with Gen1 satellites and gradually replace them. Gen1 satellites are designed to last about seven years. At that point the satellite gradually loses altitude until it burns up reentering the atmosphere. The true capabilities of Gen2 wont be known until some of them are in orbit. Gen1 satellites proved more effective than expected but the list of suggested improvements indicated that a larger Gen2 satellite would be the way to go. Eventually this will mean fewer Starlink satellites in orbit but there will still be thousands of them.

The main function of Starlink is to provide cheaper, more powerful, and globally available access to the Internet or any other communications network that can pay for the use of the Starlink network. That includes military users that are friendly to Starlink and not considered a threat. The threat nations include China, Russia and several smaller countries like Iran, North Korea and Cuba that are hostile to Internet access they cannot control. China estimates that Starlink is able to increase the speed and throughput of military communications over a hundred times what it is now.

Starlink is not the only multiple-satellite ISP system. There are similar efforts underway in several countries, including Russia and China. These efforts have fallen far behind Starlink in terms of numbers and capabilities. Starlink is unique in that it was the first to enter service and quickly proved it could do what it was designed to do. That included quickly adapting to the needs of military users. This was demonstrated in Ukraine where Starlink was activated over Ukraine days after Russia invaded in February 2022. The first of thousands of free user kits were delivered in less than a week. Currently there are over 42,000 user kits in Ukraine, most of them serving as small, local ISPs by adding an inexpensive router. As long as the Ukraine War continues, SpaceX and the U.S. government will pay for the service in Ukraine.

In 2022 SpaceX announced a new subsidiary called Starshield with enhanced versions of Starlink technology on larger earth-imaging satellites with sensors to provide whatever sensing capabilities a national security customer wants. This includes photos, real-time video, and all manner of data which U.S. military-grade satellite sensors can collect. Potential users include the NSA, CIA, and equivalent agencies of American allies.

While Starlink has achieved market dominance in space-based communications for personal and commercial users, that largely consists of high-speed Internet datalinks and inexpensive ground links that can be stationary or moving in a vehicle or ship. Starshield plans to do that same with classified data government agencies presently collect. Starshield satellites are designed to accept many types of capabilities provided by user-supplied modules designed for compatibility with the Starshield interface. Starshield data and control links use much more robust encryption. Starshield will use larger SpaceX SLVs to put new Starshield satellites in orbit. Currently Russia is actively seeking ways to disrupt Starlink service. These attacks are nothing new, because government and military users of space-based communications systems have long worked on improving security.

Starshield was organized to take business away from commercial firms like Blacksky and Maxtar that already have billions of dollars in government contracts to provide persistent imaging, including real-time video, of specific areas on earth. The United States provides these specialized imaging services to Ukraine and that provides superior satellite data on Russian forces than what the Russians can provide to their own troops.

Ukrainians were impressed by the potential for Starlink and rapidly came up with new uses, some of them military. This gave Starlink a realistic test under very adverse conditions. So far this has been a success even though Russia, apparently with some help from China, is seeking ways to shut down or disrupt Starlink. Failing at that, Russia captured some Starlink terminals and purchased some on the black market. When the Ukrainians discovered this, they asked SpaceX to disconnect the illegal Russian Starlink terminals. Another advantage of Starlink was the rapidity of upgrades or modifications to deal with problems, including Russian efforts to jam or disrupt performance in Ukraine. Not only were the Russians unable to disable Starlink, but they found its encrypted signals far superior to communications Russian troops had to use in Ukraine. Worse for the Russians was the Ukrainian ability to rapidly integrate Starlink with Ukrainian communications and fire control systems. Before Gen2 satellites were ready, SpaceX pointed out that it could put additional Starlink satellites into orbit faster and more cheaply than Russia or anyone else could destroy them. This capability was part of the Starlink design that not only allowed satellite and user software to be quickly updated, but new Starlink satellites often had new features added to improve performance and that included more resistance to hacking and jamming.

Complaints that Starlink satellites would become so numerous that they would be a hazard for other satellites are unproven and even less likely once the Gen2 satellites are operating. Starlink operates in LEO (low earth orbit) between 300 and 600 kilometers from earth, where there is already a lot of space junk too small to quickly fall back into the atmosphere and burn up. Any plans to destroy a lot of Starlink satellites would make the situation worse without shutting down Starlink services. If left alone, the Gen1 and Gen2 Starlink satellites, when no longer operational, are designed to eventually de-orbit and move low enough to allow gravity to pull them towards earth and burn up in the atmosphere.

China sees Starlink as a serious threat to its current government Internet censorship and control over the population, as well as the political reliability of its military. Thats no speculation because its already happening, often live on TV, in Ukraine. China has not yet come up with a workable plan to disrupt or destroy Starlink and considers Starlink a major obstacle to China eventually becoming the most powerful military force on the planet. That was supposed to happen before 2050. With Starlink it may take longer.

Starshield also aims to provide users with a dominant position in space-based sensing. Starshield is meant to be cheaper and more responsive than any existing competitor in providing a wider array of earth sensing capabilities. SpaceX has not revealed the schedule for lifting Starshield satellites into orbit, and some may already be there testing the services Starshield will provide. Starshield activities will be less public than Starlink, which is how intelligence agencies like it.
In the world of modern dating, where endless swiping on apps often leads to frustration, people are turning to unconventional methods to find true love.

One such person is Vera Dijkmans, who took a unique approach by having potential suitors complete a 15-question quiz to see if they met her high standards.

The influencer, from the Netherlands, received an overwhelming 5,000 applications from hopeful men eager to win her heart.

However, the model - who boasts a 5.5 million following on her Instagram account @veradijkmans - has revealed she remains single after rejecting all of the men - despite going on dates with the top three candidates selected through the quiz.

Vera Dijkmans, from the Netherlands, received an overwhelming 5,000 applications from hopeful men eager to win her heart after she posted a 'boyfriend' quiz online

Speaking to Ladbible, Dijkmans said: 'I went on a date with them - but Im currently still single. Despite this disappointing result, I still consider the experiment a success since I was able to be upfront about what I want and see which men fit that criteria.'

The content creator had to sift through numerous unusual applications, revealing how one candidate offered to send a sample of his blood and asked for hers in return - which was, of course, ignored.

Dijkmans also mentioned how an undisclosed famous person had slid into her DMs.

Interestingly, she found a large percentage of applicants to have hailed from Texas and had the star sign Aquarius.

Each of the 15 quiz questions were designed to reveal applicants' lifestyles, values and level of commitment.

They included whether the applicant still lived with their parents, had any 'crazy' ex-girlfriends, held a full-time job, or currently had a 'booty call.' Dijkmans also probed their morals and loyalty by asking: 'Is it acceptable to hit on my friends?'

A variation of responses soon poured in, with one applicant admitting he lived with his parents and didn't own a car, but boasted of having two boats.

Another declared he would never hit on her friends, a baseline expectation, while a third mentioned having a full-time career but wouldn't give her a bigger wardrobe.

Despite rejecting thousands of men and picking three - with the model describing each as 'suitable' but was unable to connect with them - Dijkmans isn't disillusioned with dating.

The model - who boasts a 5.5 million following on her Instagram account @veradijkmans - remains single after going on dates with the top three candidates selected through the quiz

The content creator had to sift through numerous unusual applications, revealing how one candidate offered to send a sample of his blood and asked for hers in return

Despite rejecting thousands of men and picking three - with the model describing each as 'suitable' but was unable to connect with them - Dijkmans isn't disillusioned with dating

She said, 'At the moment, I've put the boyfriend search on hold but Im keeping my options open,' she said, adding that she wouldn't repeat the quiz on social media.

'I'm just very picky and I need a guy to be almost perfect. I dont think I should have to compromise on my needs - I'd rather be single until I find the man I'm meant to be with.'

It comes after a single woman has shared the reasons why she has turned to business networking site LinkedIn to find her soulmate over dating apps such as Bumble and Tinder.

Candice, who lives in Singapore, is challenging herself to hit one dating app every week for 10 weeks on her quest to find an 'A-grade' partner and is documenting her journey online.

The 37-year-old has already tried Bumble, Hinge and Tinder to no avail so is now turning her attention to LinkedIn as she can filter by education level, profession and country.
Following May's mayoral elections which saw dozens of pro-Palestinian campaigners elected as councillors and the Labour vote split in key areas due to Muslim protest votes, a new crop of parliamentary candidates are seeking to run for office on Gaza.

Across the country, Labour MPs seeking re-election including Naz Shah and shadow frontbencher Wes Streeting, are facing tough battles from independent candidates campaigning almost entirely on foreign policy who already have huge support.

The candidates include a Lamborghini driving defence solicitor, known as 'the Gaza Geezer' and an anti-LGBT activist who once staged mob protests outside primary schools that taught about same sex relations.

It follows a trend which has seen The Muslim Vote piling significant pressure on Labour demanding that they cut military ties with Israel and allows followers of Islam to pray in school should be elected.

The group, which has vowed to 'punish' MPs who it sees as not being supportive of Palestine by mobilising the four million Muslim voters in the UK, said it would only consider backing the Labour leader if Sir Keir caved in to their demands.

Sir Keir has said he is 'determined' to win back voters who deserted Labour at the local elections over his party's stance on Gaza

Sir Keir has said he is 'determined' to win back voters who deserted Labour at the local elections over his party's stance on Gaza, after dozens of pro-Palestine campaigners were elected as councillors in place of Labour candidates.

Many of those elected made the conflict in the Middle East part of their campaign, with some wearing rosettes in the colours of the Palestinian flag while others dedicated their victories to the people of Gaza, including one Green councillor who shouted 'Allahu Akbar!' after winning.

It has raised fears in some quarters that it is a sign of things to come, with regional votes being determined based on overseas conflicts and foreign policy, rather than local issues.

Below, MailOnline breaks down just a few of the candidates standing in the General Election on the topic of Palestine.

Meet Akhmed Yakoob, the Lamborghini-driving lawyer fighting for Parliament

Akhmed Yakoob - Birmingham Ladywood

Tik-Tok politician Akhmed Yakoob makes no secret of his stance on Gaza - he prints it on every one of his leaflets.

The 36-year-old defence solicitor, known as 'the Gaza geezer', has 195,000 followers on the social media platform and is intent on bringing the fight to Labour incumbent Shabana Mahmood who has been Birmingham Ladywoods MP since 2010.

In 2019, Mahmood was re-elected with 79.2% of the votes cast, so Yakoob's task is a daunting one, however the indepent candidate is the darling of the local area and has performed impressively on a pro-Palestine ticket already this year.

In Birmingham's Mayoral Election, Yakoob won a staggering 70,000 votes as an independent eating into the voter base of eventual winner Labours Richard Parker who beat Conservative Andy Street by less than 2000 votes.

The Lamborghini-driving lawyer has made central to his campaign opposition to Israel's military crackdown following the terrorist attacks and hostage-taking by Hamas on October 7 last year.

Mr Yakoob has 'For Gaza' printed on his election leaflets and accuses Labour of not doing enough to condemn Israel's actions and support calls for a ceasefire.

Defence solicitor Akhmed Yakoob, 36, is standing as an independent candidate for the Birmingham Ladywood constituency at the general election on July 4

Mr Yakoob is a prolific uploader of videos to TikTok, where he has more than 195,000 followers

He has made opposition to the war in Gaza central to his campaigning, both in the recent West Midlands mayoral election and the battle for the general election seat

The independent candidate was at the centre of a controversy over a 'deep-fake' video which led to a viral hate campaign against an innocent teacher.

The video, taken on a doorbell camera, used subtitles to suggest the woman had used a racial slur while canvassing for Labour.

Evidence that the video had been manipulated was then said to have been uncovered by an external digital forensics company employed by Labour.

And West Midlands Police said officers had examined the original footage and concluded no offensive words were uttered.

Mr Yakoob had shared the footage to his TikTok followers, though later deleted his posts about the allegations amid a backlash.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority has opened an investigation into him over the row and he has said he will not comment on it until the inquiry's outcome.

Ms Mahmood has been Labour MP for Birmingham Ladywood since 2010 and held the seat in 2019 with a majority of 28,582.

Yet Mr Yakoob remains bullish about his prospects of causing an upset when voters go to the polls again on July 4.

Mr Parker (centre) won for Labour, ahead of the Tories' Andy Street with Mr Yakoob third

Parliamentary candidate Muhammed Ali Islam, 20, is seeking to unseat Labour MP Naz Shah in Bradford West

In his announcement video the young councillor said: 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free'

He told the Sunday Times, while in the front seat of a Mercedes: 'Everybody was saying to me, "Labour machinery this, Labour machinery that".

'So what? I dont really care about the machinery. Can they buy the love of people? No.

'They can spend millions but they cant take the love of the people for me out of their hearts. Thats what they cant take.'

Muhammed Ali Islam - Bradford West

Parliamentary candidate Muhammed Ali Islam, 20, is seeking to unseat Labour MP Naz Shah in Bradford West - and become the youngest MP in parliament in the process.

Despite his young age, Muhammed has already been elected as a councillor by his community and is held in high esteem throughout the country, scooping a top award at the British Muslim Awards last year.

In his announcement video the young councillor said: 'Bradford West will become independent Inshallah, and let's remember this: From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.'

Strident anti-LGBT activist Shakeel Afsar is a controversial figure in the Birmingham ward of Hall Green and Moseley

Shakeel Afsar - Hall Green and Moseley

Strident anti-LGBT activist Shakeel Afsar is a controversial figure in the Birmingham ward of Hall Green and Moseley where he hopes to unseat Tahir Ali.

Prior to announcing he would stand for parliament, Afsar was best known for taking part in protests outside Parkfield and Anderton Park primary schools where amongst others he complained that children were exposed to LGBT topics 'too soon.'

Despite Afsar's campaign, he has long claimed he is not 'homophobic' arguing that the lessons would be a breach of the communities 'religious values.'

Speaking on This Morning in 2019, he claimed LGBT issues 'planted a seed in them and that 'parents feel at primary school age we should be teaching the children about humanity and respecting humanity.'

Last year, Afsar made the news again when he led a group of Muslim activists into the screening of a controversial Bollywood film.

The Kashmiri independence activist was filmed disrupting the screening of the The Kerala Story and demanding to speak to the cinema manager about the 'Islamophobic' nature of the film.

In the clip, Mr Afsar can be heard saying: 'This film is lies. This film is made to divide us. We have lived together for many years... Narendra Modi [the prime minister of India] has endorsed this film.

'An extremist has endorsed this film. We will not allow it.'

Afsar later said that his actions in the cinema had been in defence of the Quran and that he had risked his life in the process.

Ahead of the election, Afasr said: 'We are coming for ALL the LABOUR Party seats they most comfortably sit in Inshallah.'

Barrister Ayoub Khan was formerly a Liberal Democrat councillor for Birmingham's Perry Parr ward

Ayoub Khan - Perry Barr

Barrister Ayoub Khan was formerly a Liberal Democrat councillor for Birmingham's Perry Parr ward but has been operating as an independent since the May local elections after claiming he was 'silenced on Gaza.'

In a rousing message announcing his independency, he wrote: 'Politicians are slaves to the public and NOT political parties.

'Money wasted in foreign wars would have been better used in our country where we have a crisis.'

Mr Khan hopes to unseat Khalid Mahmood who was represented Perry Barr under Labour since 2001.

Popular Mr Mahmood is currently Sir Keir Starmer's shadow minister for defence procurement and won politician of the year at the 2015 British Muslim Awards.

Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting is facing a challenge from a pro-Palestinian candidate

Leanne Mohamad is an ally of ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whom she has described as 'amazing' and a 'legend'

Leanne Mohamad - Ilford North

Labour frontbencher Wes Streeting is facing a challenge from a pro-Palestinian candidate at the general election amid anger at the party's stance on Gaza.

The shadow health secretary is set to battle with Leanne Mohamad to hold onto his Ilford North seat, in Greater London, when voters go to the polls.

Ms Mohamad is a British Palestinian and a self-described 'human rights activist' who has spoken at recent protests in central London.

She is an ally of ex-Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, whom she has described as 'amazing' and a 'legend' and is campaigning as an independent in the seat.

Mr Streeting was first elected as Ilford North MP at the 2015 general election, when he took the seat off a Tory incumbent.

He held the constituency at the 2017 and 2019 general elections - most recently with a 5,198-vote majority.

But Mr Streeting might be concerned that local anger at Labour's stance on the Middle East crisis could see him lose support at this year's general election.

Altaf Patel, who goes by the name of Tiger, is the prospective candidate for Blackburn

Tiger is making a name for himself on the campaign with his garish billboard posters that see him posing with his arms crossed in front of a Palestinian flag

Tiger Patel - Blackburn

Altaf Patel, who goes by the name of Tiger, is the prospective candidate for Blackburn.

Tiger, who was born in India, has been a councillor in Little Harwood & Whitebirk Ward and is now running on a Gaza manifesto, having previously failed to become an MP in 2004.

Tiger's manifesto makes plain what his priorities for the area are.

He writes: 'It is important that we prioritise Palestine in these upcoming general elections. We must vote for the MP who upholds international law, stands for justice and calls for an end to the genocide.

'Your vote is important for the future of Palestine. We need an MP who doesnt fail to represent our concerns.'

Tiger is making a name for himself on the campaign with his garish billboard posters that see him posing with his arms crossed in front of a Palestinian flag.

In 2021, he ran as the Tory candidate for the Audley and Queen's Park ward, and dubbed himself the 'BoJo of Blackburn'.
The family of infamous serial killer Ted Bundy have revealed the subtle, bone-chilling red flags they brushed off while he was secretly murdering dozens of women.

During his time in Tacoma, Washington, in the 1970s, Bundy was remembered as a charming, 'normal' person, expertly hiding his crimes even as some victims were close to his circle of friends.

Bundy's cousin Edna Cowell Martin, now in her 70s, told DailyMail.com that in their youth the budding young murderer seemed obsessed by lurid pulp fiction depicting damsels in distress.

Then, as they grew older, she believes the handsome killer may have left a dinner party at her apartment to carry out murder after letting the 'mask slip' in front of her when she spied him staring menacingly at her roommate.

She delved into their childhood together ahead of the release of her upcoming book 'Dark Tide: Growing up with Ted Bundy', offering a glimpse inside the mind of a young maniacal killer.

Ted Bundy (pictured with his longtime girlfriend Elizabeth Kendall in 1974) exhibited an array of disturbing traits that his friends and family brushed off, his cousin revealed

The serial killer's cousin Edna Cowell Martin (pictured right in her youth growing up with Bundy, left) told DailyMail.com that his gruesome crimes left her family life 'devastated'

Psychiatrists, analysts and true crime fanatics have spent years exploring Bundy's youth, hoping to answer the question of whether he was born evil or made that way.

Edna admitted that her childhood with Bundy in Tacoma, Washington, was for the most part, 'normal', and she fondly remembered him as an older-brother type as he was five years older than her.

But she recalled several moments that, while overlooked at the time, in hindsight may have been glimpses of an early psychopath - including his obsession with reading 'salacious detective novels'.

When hanging out with her older brother John as a teenager, she said he would be consumed by books with 'compromising covers' depicting a damsel in distress, tied up or otherwise helpless, with 'some guy looming over her', she said.

'They were kind of young, and John thought that was really weird.'

In his final years when Bundy eventually confessed to a slew of crimes, he told investigators in Utah that he would take women back to his apartment, 'where he could reenact scenarios depicted on the covers of detective magazines.'

After their adolescence in Tacoma, Edna lived in Arkansas for several years, but grew closer than ever to him when she moved back home to attend the University of Washington.

However, in one bone-chilling incident, Edna said she caught Bundy potentially eying up her own roommate during what should have been a tender moment.

'I got an apartment about a five-minute walk from where Ted was living, and I saw him a lot and he would drop by frequently,' Edna told DailyMail.com this week.

Edna (riding a horse) during her childhood in Tacoma, Washington, alongside her brother John (left), a family friend (right), and her cousin, serial killer Ted Bundy (center)

Bundy (seen smiling calmly in his Florida murder trial, 1979) was remembered as a charming, respectable person - although his cousin admitted everyone overlooked some disturbing red flags

Looking back at her life with Bundy, Edna said she still gets chills thinking about rides with her cousin in his infamous Volkswagen Beetle, in which he committed many of his crimes

During one dinner with friends at her apartment, the group ended the evening by dancing to vinyl records, and Edna recalled returning back to the room to find Ted and her roommate Margie slow dancing to a romantic song.

Bundy had an infamous ability to mask his evil - as Edna said he had 'two personas' and could easily 'appear quite normal'

'Margie had her head leaned against Ted's chest, and as they turned with the music, I got a direct view of Ted. I could see him looking down at her,' she noted.

'I will never forget the look on his face.'

In her book, she said Ted danced with his 'jaw clenched tight, and his usually blue eyes appeared coal black', in a kind of trance. Following his arrest, investigators would describe seeing Bundy's eyes turn black and his pupils dilate when recounting his murder victims.

'For a moment, I swear, I didn't recognize him at all. It wasn't Ted. His countenance was tense. Mean,' Edna said, adding that after she snapped him out of it by calling his name, Ted left in a hurry.

'I have no idea what might have occurred that night after he left my apartment. What he might have done.'

Looking back at the incident, Edna told DailyMail.com that she believes this was a moment the 'mask slipped', and 'it might have concerned him so much that he ran out the door.'

Edna (right) revealed her old roommate Margie (second left) was once slow-dancing with Bundy during a romantic evening when his 'mask slipped'

Investigators have claimed Bundy's eyes would go black and his pupils would dilate when recounting his murder victims - a chilling sight that Edna revealed she saw when he embraced her roommate

Edna revealed secrets of her childhood with Ted Bundy to DailyMail.com ahead of the release of her upcoming book 'Dark Tide: Growing up with Ted Bundy'

The episode came only months before his first known kill in 1974 - local Washington ski reporter Lisa Ann Healy, who Edna revealed she had even met.

A number of detectives, notably Robert Keppel who ran the Washington State Police's investigation into Bundy, have posited that Ted had already killed several women by this time, even before he was on the radar of authorities.

Edna said this revelation stunned her as she realized her cousin was likely carrying out murders while spending time with her and her friends, and she felt disgusted at how he 'was just too smooth, too comfortable doing what he did.'

'Ted had two personas,' she continued. 'He had the mask on when he was with his family and friends, and he put us in a completely different space to where he could appear quite normal.'

Like many of his family members, when Ted was first arrested for kidnapping in 1975 - and suspected of being responsible for dozens of missing or murdered women in the area - Edna admitted she believed his cries of innocence.

She met Ted after he was bailed out following his first arrest in 1975 in Salt Lake City, and said she was easily reassured when he stressed that he wasn't responsible for the crimes.

'Call it confirmation bias. Call it familial immunity, but I believed him,' she writes in her book. 'Everything would be fine, I knew then. Just fine.'

Edna said she realized her beloved cousin was responsible after seeing the way he lapped up attention for the crimes he was accused of. Bundy is pictured posing during his 1978 perp walk in Florida after being charged with further murders in Florida

By that time, Ted's face was already plastered across newspapers linking him to missing women throughout the state, and Edna said it was his gleeful reception of this attention that sparked panic inside her.

After picking him up from jail, Edna stopped in a bookstore, and said she emerged to find Ted lapping up attention from members of the public who recognized him from his newfound infamy.

'Ted's arms were outstretched wide, a street-corner messiah, and he was slowly turning in a circle. From his smiling lips, he chanted over and over, projecting for all to hear: 'I'm Ted Bundy. I'm Ted Bundy. I'm Ted Bundy.'

'This is the image that probably haunts me most, the image that still, 50 years later, makes my heart rate surge,' she wrote.

Edna said seeing his appearance then reminded her of the jet-black eyes she had seen when he slow danced with her roommate, and told DailyMail.com that the glass shattering moment was 'devastating.'

'I had a hard time coming around, but when I finally realized that he for sure wasn't the cousin that I thought he was came when I was in the car alone with him' outside the bookstore, she said.

'Realizing he had done it was awful, it was sickening,' she added. 'It was not the Ted that I knew and loved, I felt betrayed and manipulated by him.'
Sworn to secrecy by the Japanese Imperial Army, Hideo Shimizu carried the horrors he saw at the notorious Unit 731 facility with him for more than 70 years.

The 93-year-old was just 14 when he was drafted as a cadet to the city of Harbin, in what was then Japanese-occupied Manchuria, during World War II.

There, he was groomed to take part in some of history's worst atrocities - human experiments carried out on prisoners of war including pregnant women and small children.

More than 3,000 people - mostly Chinese civilians, but also Russian, British and American POWs - were dissected alive, infected with bubonic plague and used as human guinea-pigs for frost-bite treatments in nightmarish torture laboratories.

Decades on, innocent pictures of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren reminded Shimizu of the faces of the many victims he came across in the slaughterhouse.

Hideo Shimizu, now a great-grandfather, has revealed the horrors that he saw as a member of Unit 731

Staff of the Manchukuo puppet state carrying out bacteriological tests on babies and small children - directed by Japan's Unit 73 Japanese Army's Unit 731 - in November 1940

A human 'subject', seemingly a young Chinese civilian, is subjected to an unknown form of bacteriological test at Unit 731

Hideo Shimizu, center, in 1945 when he was a teenage cadet who had just been recruited to Unit 731

The ruins of one of Japan's germ warfare facilities during WWII in China's northeastern city of Harbin

The veteran realised that he had to break his silence for the sake of the next generation.

Now a retired architect who built an comfortable life for himself and his family, Shimizu tried to bury his dark past, not even revealing it to his closest relatives.

But the memories of his former life came flooding back when he and his wife visited a war museum back in 2015.

He was unable to contain his emotions when he saw a photo among the relics of a large brick building - the Epidemic Prevention and Water Purification Department of the Kwantung Army, or Unit 731.

He found himself telling his wife everything he knew about the building, and finall admitted that his knowledge was first-hand as he had been a member of the biological warfare unit himself.

Unit 731 was built in 1936 in modern-day Harbin, northeastern China, for the Japanese Imperial Army to conduct research into germ warfare, weapons capabilities and the limits of the human body.

The covert operation was run originally under the guise of a lumber mill, then a water purification plant.

While it was human flesh rather than lumber the sick scientists were cutting up, they dehumanised their victims by referring to them in Japanese as 'marutas,' or wooden logs.

'So many 'marutas' died, and the Japanese soldiers were also dissected. I often wonder why on earth Unit 731 had done so many evil things?' Shimizu said.

An aerial image shows the camp, which housed prisoners of war on whom experiments were carried out

Wound of a plague patient during bacteriological test directed by Japan's Unit 731

Shimizu was called to bury the burnt bones of murdered inmates in an effort to conceal the unit's crimes. Pictured: Digging at Unit 731

He was recruited into the unit's ranks at the end of March 1945, just a few months before the war ended, to serve as a 'technician on probation.'

A picture remains of Shimizu as a teenage cadet in uniform alongside his comrades when he joined up.

His former teacher had encouraged him to take up the work due to his aptitude for arts and crafts.

'I knew nothing about what the army was or what it did specifically,' he said in a recent interview.

He expected he would be sent to a factory, but instead, he and five other boys from his village were packed off on a train to China to start work in Unit 731's laboratories.

He says he still has nightmares even now about the day in July 1945 when he was taken to a specimen room inside the auditorium on the second floor of the building.

The room was lined with jars, he said, some as tall as an adult - each containing human body parts preserved in formalin.

'There were ones that had been sliced in two vertically, so you could see their organs,' Shimizu said.

Picture shows some of the facilities at the notorious germ test camp

Picture shows inmates - known as 'maruta', meaning logs - and guards at the death camp

'There were children; ten or twenty of them, perhaps more. I was dumbfounded. I thought, 'how could they do this to a small child?'

It was the first time Shimizu had seen corpses, and he couldn't stop crying, while the person who took him on the tour said nothing.

'I think they took me there because they wanted to see my reaction to the sight of the logs. All I could think of was, 'what will they make me do?' he said.

Shimizu soon realised that he was being trained to carry out dissections himself.

Thankfully, the child soldier was saved by the course of the war - which would end abruptly weeks later with Japan's surrender.

Three days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, Shimizu was called to the camp prison, morbidly dubbed the 'log cabin', to bury the burnt bones of murdered inmates in an effort to conceal the unit's crimes.

Soviet forces invaded the former Manchuria in August, and he and other members of the unit retreated back to Japan.

The soldiers and technicians were given a cyanide compound and ordered to kill themselves rather than be captured.

After he returned to Japan, Shimizu never talked about what he saw or heard at the murder camp.

Today, the site, now a museum, echoes many of the chilling hallmarks of a former Nazi death camp with its disused railway track and ghostly buildings.

The ruins of one of the germ warfare facilities, featuring two large chimneys

A woman visits the ruins of one of Japan's germ warfare facilities during WWII

The site of the Japanese Unit 731 in Harbin, which was opened to the public to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II

One structure still today contains rows of cages that housed giant rats which Japanese doctors used to produce the bubonic plague.

The horrendous disease was later unleashed on hundreds of thousands of Chinese, by dropping plague-carrying fleas on villages as part of experiments in biochemical warfare.

Photographs from the book Unit 731: Laboratory of the Devil, Auschwitz of the East shows Japanese soldiers taking part in a vivisection - carrying out operations on a live person to study living tissue and organs.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the Japanese Imperial Army's crimes - as well as cover-ups by the US and others - many in Japan still refuse to believe Shimizu.

He received abuse online from right-wing nationalists who refused to accept that Japanese troops could have behaved in such a shameful way.

'This old biddy is telling lies... Either that, or he doesn't exist,' one conspiracy theorist wrote.

Responding to their claims, Shimizu told The Asahi Shimbun newspaper: 'They don't know what horrible things Japan did to people in another country.

'No matter what people say to me, I must keep telling the truth, otherwise future generations will be deprived of a chance to learn about it.'
When California native David Klein moved to the quiet city of Gallatin, Tennessee, 25 years ago, he did so to escape the chaos of West Coast urbanization.

Now, he says, it feels like it is 'chasing' him.

Since the pandemic, an influx of outsiders from the Golden State and elsewhere have turned a once tranquil community into an overcrowded 'hell'.

Meanwhile, the stream of arrivals from Democrat strongholds have sparked fears among locals their conservative values will be eroded by the incoming liberal elite.

But now they are fighting back.

Gallatin, Tennessee, has faced an influx of arrivals from blue states such as California and New York, sparking fears among locals that their conservative values will be eroded

David Klein moved to Gallatin from California in 1998. He says the 'rural community' he found when he arrived has been decimated by unabated urbanization, prompting him to successfully run for local office

Developers built more than 1,300 apartment units, mainly in Gallatin, from 2020 to 2022

A hard-right band of officials, including Klein, won a majority in 2022 and vowed to end unabated urbanization.

'We're trying to save the environment that drew people here in the first place,' the 66-year-old told DailyMail.com. 'It can become a concrete jungle in no time.'

It is an increasingly familiar tale across America, as affluent families from blue states such as California and New York have fled soaring house prices, high taxes and crime since the pandemic.

But their migration to smaller Republican enclaves has upset tight-knit neighborhoods who are fiercely protective of their communities.

Residents of Eagle, a small town in Idaho, have complained that hundreds of West Coasters were bringing 'liberal baggage' to their community.

And last month, DailyMail.com revealed that Nashville's housing boom is forcing locals to sleep on the streets while wealthy newcomers snap up luxury apartments.

But now the urban sprawl is reaching out into the state capitol's hinterlands, including Gallatin, which lies about 30 miles northeast of Music City in Sumner County.

Here, horse and cow pastures give way planned communities with bucolic names like Durham Farms and The Retreat at Norman Farm, which surround the main cities.

Klein, who is now chairman of the Sumner County planning commission, describes arriving to a 'rural community' when he moved from Los Angeles County in 1998.

'All that is going away,' he laments.

Gallatin is one of a number of small towns across America that have struggled to cope with a wave of migration from bigger cities in the wake of the pandemic

Klein said the number of three-storey apartment blocks going up around the city was 'ridiculous'. One-bed apartments in the new-build pictured above are being rented out for up to $1,300 a month

House prices in Gallatin have jumped by two-thirds since the pandemic. The above three-bedroom, three-bathroom property is listed for sale at $275,000

The average property price in the city is now $447,000, only slightly cheaper than in Nashville. Three-bed, three-bath homes in the new development pictured above are listed at $265,000

Towering condo blocks are being built at a frantic pace in downtown Nashville for new arrivals, making apartments unaffordable for many locals

Large signs like 'now leasing, luxury living, move in now!' are seen around every bend in Nashville's downtown area

Locals can't afford soaring apartment prices and have been forced to sleep on the streets of downtown Nashville

The county's population grew 22 per cent in the decade to 2020 and now stands at nearly 204,000, census figures show.

The economy grew by 8.5 per cent a year from 2020 to 2022, putting it in the top seven per cent of all U.S. counties for growth.

At the same time, the county lost 16,000 acres of farmland from 2011 to 2022, according to the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, about triple the loss of the county average in Tennessee.

Urban growth has led to a need for more government services, including schools and teachers, sparking a rise in property taxes.

Unsurprisingly, this has not gone down well.

T-shirts and bumper stickers reading 'Don't California My Tennessee' have become a common sight.

'Where I live, I live in hell,' Mary Genung, a Sumner County commissioner recently told the local planning board.

Genung, alongside Klein, is one of 14 commissioners - out of a board of 24 - who were elected in August 2022 with backing of the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans, a hard-right group that marries conservative religious beliefs with restrictive policies on growth.

Genung made her remarks at a planning board meeting in May, where a debate raged over whether to boost minimum lot sizes in rural areas to ward off developers who need more density.

'If you don't, you're going to be one big fat Nashville,' she told the board.

Indeed, although Nashville's almost 700,000-strong population dwarfs the 50,000 of Gallatin, average house prices are remarkably similar: $458,000 in Nashville and $447,000 in Gallatin, according to Realtor.com.

Property prices in the latter have jumped by two-thirds since the pandemic, but employers haven't been able to pay workers enough to lure them from Nashville.

Developers built more than 1,300 apartment units, mainly in Gallatin, from 2020 to 2022 in a bid to create a local workforce.

Klein describes the building spree as 'maniacal'.

'The number of three storey apartment blocks that are going up is ridiculous,' he adds.

'I am not anti-growth. I just want the growth to pay for itself. The infrastructure has barely changed.'

Commissioner and influential member of the Constitutional Republicans group Jeremy Mansfield told DailyMail.com that Sumner County was 'caught in a vicious cycle that enables developers to exert significant influence on the political and economic landscape, perpetuating a cycle of overdevelopment, increased taxation, and land exploitation for their own gain'.

County commissioner Mary Genung (above) recently told the local planning board that Gallatin had turned into 'hell'

Californian are also moving in droves to the quaint Idaho suburb of Eagle (seen here) - and locals are now complaining that they are not conservative enough to fit in

But the rise of the hard-right has divided the community and the local Republican party itself.

Constitutional Republicans have declared any who disagree with their agenda as 'RINOs' - Republicans In Name Only - and have featured more than two dozen current and former local officials on a 'Wall of Shame' on their website.

The group's social media activity includes regular updates on what the commission is doing, along with frequent swipes against others in their party.

'We exist to smoke out these Rinocrats,' read one recent post.

Their tactics are not popular with all. Jimmy Kisner, whose family have operated a hardware store in Gallatin for 47 years, shares the concern about unfettered growth, but hit out at what he claims is 'bullying' behavior of hardliners.

Klein himself admits he doesn't support targeted social media attacks on the opposition.

As for the anti-Californian sentiment, the man born in Santa Monica believes it has been overplayed.

'I refer to the Californians coming here as refugees,' he says. 'They're coming here for a different life.

'A lot of the Constitutional Republicans are transplanted Californians. Believe it or not, most of them are more conservative than a lot of the native Tennesseans.

'Even though there is pushback, in reality the people who move here do not want to see what they left behind.'
Top Democrats are already setting the bar low for President Joe Biden in the upcoming debate, even predicting a loss for the president in the historic match up with President Donald Trump.

Biden plans to spend most the week at the presidential retreat at Camp David resting up and preparing for the debate, which is arguably the most important debate in his career.

David Axelrod, the former campaign chief for President Barack Obama, warned the Biden team to be aware of the history of challengers facing a first term president.

'The history of incumbent presidents in first debates is pretty dismal,' Axelrod said in recent podcast discussion. 'Because those presidents haven't had anybody in their grill for a long time and their impulse is to defend every aspect of their records.'

'The incumbent president always loses the first debate,' former Obama advisor Dan Pfeiffer said during an event with former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

President Joe Biden chuckles as reporters shout questions to him at the White House

Pfeiffer recalled President Barack Obama's disastrous first debate against Mitt Romney, President George W. Bush's loss against John Kerry, and even President Bill Clinton's struggles in his first debate with Bob Dole.

Other strategists agree, either setting the bar exceedingly low for Biden or to raising the alarm for those preparing him for the debate.

'Sometimes sitting presidents get a little rusty,' former Obama advisor Tommy Vietor said in an interview, agreeing with his former cohorts.

Meanwhile, Trump allies have been floating around the idea that if Biden actually performs well, it's due to him being on cocaine or other performance-enhancing drugs.

And earlier this week, Trump suggested at a rally in Racine, Wisconsin, that Biden was going to do cocaine to get 'pumped up' for next week's debate.

'He's gonna be so pumped up, he's gonna be so pumped up,' Trump said of Biden. 'You know all that stuff that was missing about a month ago from the White House? What happened?' Trump asked.

'Somebody didn't pick up hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of cocaine,' the former president continued. 'I wonder who that could've been. I don't know. Actually, I think it was Joe.'

Former President Donald Trump, left, and Joe Biden, right, with moderator Chris Wallace, center, of Fox News during the first presidential debate on Sept. 29, 2020

Democrats are comforted by the fact that former White House chief of staff Ron Klain has confirmed he will return to help the aging president with the debate preparations.

Klain has been involved with presidential debate preparations as far back as Al Gore in the 2000 campaign. He helped Obama prepared for his debates with Mitt Romney during the 2012 reelection campaign as well as Hillary Clinton's debates with Trump in 2016.

Democrats tell DailyMail.com that former White House counsel Bob Bauer will also prepare Biden to face Trump. Bauer played Trump in Biden's preparations for the 2020 debates and was also involved with debate preparations for Obama.

'I hope they have talked about how to avoid looking rusty,' one strategist told DailyMail.com

Psaki, now an anchor for MSNBC, conceded that the debate would be a high-stakes showdown between the two candidates, but it was one Biden could not avoid.

FILE: Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the 2020 presidential debate

The Biden team was wary about whether or not they wanted to do a debate with Trump after the infamous first 2020 debate devolved into a shouting and interrupting match moderated by a protesting Chris Wallace.

For months, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and the Biden campaign refused to confirm a debate, despite Trump's repeated assertion that he would be willing to debate 'anytime, anywhere.'

But when broadcaster Howard Stern asked the president in April if he would debate, Biden confirmed he was willing to do so.

'I am somewhere,' Biden responded. 'I don't know when. I'm happy to debate him.'

Joe Biden finally confirmed his intention to debate Trump during his interview with Howard Stern

Former President Donald Trump is eagerly anticipating another debate, setting low expectations for the president

Psaki said Biden could not avoid the debate, but agreed it was 'smart' that they got Trump to agree to his terms and to get it on CNN.

Democrats were furious with the first 2020 debate, blaming the Commission on Presidential Debates for allowing Trump to walk all over Wallace and talk over Biden.

One Democratic strategist told DailyMail.com to expect a 'few zingers' from Biden but suggested that he and his team focus on his agenda.

'I think voters will want to see President Biden discuss his accomplishments and present a positive future-driven agenda to define his vision for a second term,' he said.

Others believe Biden should focus intently on provoking Trump, reminding him (and the audience) that he is a convicted felon.

Psaki advised that Democrats should find a way to get Biden to 'needle' Trump in a way that provokes Trump without turning off the viewers.

'They have to figure out the right way to do that,' she said.

The challenge for Biden, she said, was to emphasize the contrast between him and the former president to remind viewers what he represented.

'I think for him the challenge is going to be letting go of the laundry list of accomplishments of which he has many and the data points that prove those accomplishments, because that is not winning any debate,' she said.
A secret mountain route known only to locals in Idaho's Teton Valley has become the talk of the town - but it is not for the faint hearted.

The path, Reclamation Road, offers a detour over the Teton mountains, allowing residents to dodge the traffic into the wealthy enclave of Jackson Wyoming

The obscure mountain road gained attention after the primary route for workers, Highway 22, traveling between Idaho and Jackson literally fell off the side of a mountain earlier this month.

This left many commuters forced to take the long way around through Star Valley.

But with news spreading of the little-known road between Idaho and Jackson, the National Park Service is now concerned about an influx of frustrated drivers attempting to use it, The Cowboy State Daily reported.

A secret route known only to locals in Idaho's Teton Valley is becoming the talk of the town as residents seek alternatives to the congested main roads leading to Jackson, Wyoming

The obscure mountain road gained attention after the primary route for workers commuting between Idaho and Jackson literally fell off the mountain

Many people who work in Jackson cannot afford to live there so typically commute from towns using Highway 22 over Teton Pass.

But this route became impassible last week when a massive landslide caused a large section of the road to collapse in a 'catastrophic failure'.

Reclamation Road, also known as Grassy Lake Road, is a dirt and gravel path that starts about 25 miles north of Tetonia. To find it, drivers must look for the Squirrel cemetery near Ashton before heading east.

While half the journey allows speeds of up to 70 mph, the remaining stretch requires a much slower pace.

Despite the incredibly rough terrain, there is typically no traffic - just miles of potato farms and silos.

But Grand Teton National Park spokesman Jeremy Barnum warned commuters about taking this road.

He told Cowboy State Daily that with still three to four inches of snow, he is worried commuters may get stuck in snow banks and recommended people wait until the snow melts.

'It still has 3 to 4 foot snowbanks in the shady areas, and we're going to start busting through those over the next few days. The road is scheduled to be open on Monday,' he said.

'I'd just hate for people to start jumping in their Jeeps thinking it's a viable way around.'

The road is also tough at times and slow so with many commuters it is prone to bumper-to-bumper traffic jams more like something you would see in LA than what small-town Wyoming and Idaho are used to, according to the outlet.

This path, Reclamation Road, offers a detour over the Teton mountains, but it's not for the faint hearted

Part of Reclamation Road goes by beautiful Grassy Lake Reservoir

'Reclamation is nicknamed "Jeep Trail" because it's a little rough in spots,' Tetonia resident Jim Beard told The Cowboy State Daily.

The rugged trail eventually connects to US Route 191, roughly a dozen miles north of Jackson.

However, Google Maps offers little help in navigating this remote section of the Potato Belt.

But with the primary route from Jackson to its working-class communities in Idaho out of commission, locals don't have many other options.

Losing Highway 22 was a significant setback for Idaho residents.

Tourism also has since slowed, and gas prices increased.

At the Sinclair station in Tetonia, gas prices have climbed to $3.54 per gallon.

Losing Highway 22 was a significant setback for Idaho residents. Tourism also has since slowed, and gas prices increased. At the Sinclair station in Tetonia, gas prices have climbed to $3.54 per gallon

'I miss having tourists around here,' Erica Black, manager of the gas station told the outlet.

'People living here have been impacted a lot by the Teton Pass closure,' Zach Bennett, who runs a resort in town called the Teton Peaks Resort in Tetonia told the outlet. 'We've seen a lot of cancellations because everyone thinks there's nothing to do here.'
In a new district and despite being swamped in controversy, Rep. Lauren Boebert is still poised to sail to victory in a crowded primary on Tuesday.

The fiery Colorado Republican switched from the 3rd to the 4th congressional district to run in former Rep. Ken Buck's more reliably Republican seat in the upcoming election.

Still, she will face off against state Reps. Mike Lynch and Richard Holtorf, conservative activist and talk radio host Deborah Flora, Logan County Commissioner and former state Senate President Pro Tempore Jerry Sonnenberg and banking executive Peter Yu.

Recent polls show she has a comfortable lead against her rivals, but a large number of voters are still undecided and could make the race a far closer contest.

In a new district and despite being swamped in controversy, Rep. Lauren Boebert is still poised to sail to victory in a crowded primary on Tuesday

The Colorado residents who haven't made their choice - and may pay more attention to the controversies surrounding her - could be crucial to her survival in Congress.

Here's a look back at some of Boebert's biggest scandals she heads into her vital primary:

Groping a date and vaping at Beetlejuice

In September of 2023, Boebert was thrown out of a Beetlejuice performance in Denver after audience members complained that she was vaping near a pregnant woman, talking and singing too loudly, taking flash photographs and groping her date, Aspen bar owner Quinn Gallagher.

DailyMail.com later revealed that she had been dating Gallagher for months and that he came from a Democrat background.

Just weeks later, DailyMail.com reported that Boebert had used campaign funds to watch a cycle race that her partner from that night, Aspen bar owner Quinn Gallagher was competing in.

Some wonder if she can hang on to power after facing everything from an infamous ejection from a theater performance of Beetlejuice (pictured) to a nasty divorce to her son's legal troubles have kept her in the news for all the wrong reasons

Boebert, 37, and her mystery man quickly made their way through the lobby and out the front doors

Legal issues with ex-husband

Boebert's ex-husband Jayson had originally claimed that Lauren punched him during an altercation when they met up to try to get on better terms in January when he was arrested for a domestic violence incident. He later recanted that claim.

In a separate incident, Jayson Boebert was accused of assaulting their 18-year-old son and taking out a gun as the son moved to call the authorities in a fight over laundry.

Boebert, 43, accepted a deal from the 9th Judicial District Attorney's Office on Wednesday that saw him plead guilty to one count of reckless endangerment.

The Boeberts got married in 2005 and split in 2023, but have continued to make headlines with their rocky separation and legal woes.

Rep. Boebert - who became a grandmother at 36 - had asked for a restraining order to be be placed on Jayson in February after the altercations in order to protect her children.

She told a judge in March she wanted the order extended, saying she knows her four children miss their father, but said 'I am afraid his anger for me will be taken out on [their sons].'

But she later wanted it dropped after they came to a 'strict agreement'.

Lauren Boebert's ex-husband Jayson has pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment as part of a plea deal with Colorado prosecutors

Son faces legal troubles over shoplifting

Boebert's son 18-year-old son Tyler, became a father in April 2023 and made her a 37-year-old grandmother. He is also awaiting trial after he was arrested on a string of shoplifting charges in late February.

The teen is facing four counts of criminal possession of a financial device, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and three counts of theft of under $300.

He is also facing four felony counts of criminal possession of ID documents of multiple victims, one felony count of conspiracy to commit a felony and over 15 additional misdemeanor and petty offenses.

Each of Tyler's parents had messages of support for him to DailyMail.com in response to the arrest.

Jason told DailyMail.com: 'I know my son is a good-hearted child and still has his whole life ahead of him.'

Rep. Boebert, in a statement to DailyMail.com, said that her son should face consequences but she ultimately loves and supports him.

'I love my son Tyler, who has been through some very difficult, public challenges for a young man and the subject of attention that he didn't ask for,' she said.

Boebert is pictured with her son 17-year-old Tyler who is now expecting a baby with his girlfriend

She was forced to apologize after insinuating Ilhan Omar is a terrorist

In November 2021, Boebert told a crowd of supporters:

'One of my staffers, on his first day with me, got into an elevator in the Capitol. And in that elevator, we were joined by Ilhan Omar,' Boebert told the crowd in September. 'It was just us three in there and I looked over and I said, well, lookey there, it's the Jihad Squad.

'She doesn't have a backpack, she wasn't dropping it and running so we're good,' Boebert added.

Boebert later posted her apology on X: 'I apologize to anyone in the Muslim community I offended with my comment about Rep. Omar. There are plenty of policy differences to focus on without this unnecessary distraction.'
Justin Stein blinked rapidly as he was pronounced a child killer on Wednesday and then swayed sideways trying to stand for the jury, as if the truth of being a convicted murderer was just taking hold.

But by Thursday morning, waking in his cell at the vast Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in western Sydney, the reality would have well and truly sunk in.

The 34-year-old's trips from the MRRC in Silverwater to Parramatta Court for the trial and jury's deliberation went for six weeks.

Being brought up handcuffed from the cells to Court 5 might have given Stein a feeling of dread at the looming verdict, but offered some relief from the monotony back in jail.

Now that's over, Stein is in the prison's protection wing and - as a child killer - will be among the most reviled inmates along with child sex offenders.

Charlise Mutten was murdered by Justin Stein in January, 2022

Justin Stein shops for sand at Bunnings to pour into the barrel where he had put the body of Charlise Mutten after shooting her in the face

During the trial, Crown prosecutor Ken McKay SC asked Stein if he knew why Charlise was clothed but not wearing underwear when she was sleeping in his bed after she became ill and started vomiting on the eve of her murder on January 10, 2022.

Charlise was staying alone with Stein at his family property in Mt Wilson.

Stein was also asked if he had given Charlise the anti-psychotic drug Seroquel, which he took for his schizophrenia. The drug was found in her system after her death.

Stein denied any knowledge or culpability about these events.

He will be in protection at Silverwater for nine more weeks until he is sentenced on August 23, when he will again be taken in a prison van to court, the location yet to be determined.

Justice Helen Wilson will sentence Stein, taking into account the fact his victim was a child under 10 years who was in his care as a defacto stepfather.

Charlise had been holidaying with her mother Kallista, Stein's then fiancee, over Christmas and New Year at the Stein family's three residences when she was drugged, then shot in the face with a rifle.

Stein also faces a charge of interfering with a corpse, the maximum penalty for which is just two years.

But the pitiful facts of how Charlise was put into a barrel and dumped could play into his length of the sentence.

The schoolgirl's 33.5kg body was wrapped in a bag and a tarpaulin, bound with tape and put head first into barrel meant for chemicals or foodstuffs.

About 100kg of sand Stein bought at Bunnings was poured over the child and the lid screwed back on before it was, presumably, backed into the bush on the Colo River bank and rolled off to a spot where it wedged between tree trunks.

The barrel was there for five days in January 2022 before police found it and arrested Stein.

The nature of Charlise's death, and the publicity that has come with it, should keep the child killer in protection for some time.

Justin Stein is currently in Silverwater Jail (above) in a protection wing but will be moved to a prison such as Goulburn or Lithgow after he is sentenced

Charlise clutches toys and looks happy alongside her mother, Kallista Mutten, on Christmas Day, 2021, blissfully unaware of the horror to come

Stein, who is facing several decades in prison, will be assigned by a Corrective Services NSW committee to his 'jail of sentence'.

This will be one of the state's maximum security prisons, Goulburn, Lithgow, or the NSW Mid North Coast Correctional Centre at Kempsey.

This is the big time. Stein, not a tall or muscular man and still quite young-looking for someone in their mid-30s, will come face-to-face with career criminals, drug dealers, violent offenders and murderers who don't take kindly to child killers.

He is a softly spoken, privately educated man from wealthy antique dealer parents and although he has served time previously for trafficking cocaine, his shorter sentence then meant a medium or minimum security environment.

Stein will have 17 hours to spend each night in his 3m x 5m cell at Silverwater (above) and then at whichever 'jail of sentence' he is sent to for what could be decades

Charlise's horrific end inside this barrel dumped in the bush by Stein could play into the length of sentence he receives

He is a diagnosed schizophrenic and takes buprenorphine for a long-standing heroin addiction.

Life for Stein will become a tedium of days blurring into one another, of wearing prison green clothing right down to his underwear, of mornings in his cell with the standard breakfast pack of cereal, bread, jam and a carton of milk.

Then he'll be allowed into a yard, back into his cell at lunchtime for sandwiches and a piece of fruit, out into the yard again and then back behind bars at 3pm with dinner which will be meat or fish and vegetables served in a foil tray.

Corrective Services Industries, staffed by inmates, make 'nutritionally balanced' meals labelled with enticing names such as 'Thai vegetable curry' and 'chicken polenta' and 'ginger beef salad'.

But inmates complain they don't have much taste and yearn for salty, greasy treats such as McDonalds, which they can never have.

Justin Stein's anti-psychotic medication Seroquel, which was found post mortem in Charlsie Mutten's system (left) and his sheets on which the little girl vomited, perhaps as a result of being given the drug

Prison food includes dishes served in foil trays labelled with enticing names such as 'Thai vegetable curry' and 'chicken polenta' and 'ginger beef salad', but many inmates just want McDonald's

With dinner in hand, Stein will have 17 hours to spend each night in his 3m x 5m cell. He will have access to a bolted TV and books.

Because he is facing a lengthy sentence, Stein will have the opportunity to study but it is believed he has some learning difficulties which may hamper that.

If he is sentenced to Lithgow Correctional Centre, he is up for a long series of icy winters in the Blue Mountains prison, where freezing winds are known to whip through the yards.

If he goes to Goulburn, it is unlikely he'd be sent into the High Risk Management Security Correctional Centre there known as Supermax which is for violent or problem inmates.

He may end up on the Circle in the main prison which has been home to many lifers, including the Anita Cobby killers, now in their 50s and 60s, who have so far served 38 years of their 'cemented in' life sentence for the beauty queen's 1986 murder.

A person found guilty of murder in NSW can be imprisoned for life, however the judge may impose a sentence for a specific amount of time, and with a non-parole period as a minimum term.
The owner of a tattoo studio in Bali has accused an Australian and another man of trashing his shop over a cash debt they claimed they were owed.

Nizar Simahardy owns Evolve Ink Studio in Denpasar, the Indonesian holiday island's capital, and complained to police about the alleged incident earlier this month.

He alleged an Australian man named David and another man known as 'Mike' entered his shop about 6.30pm on June 2 demanding money.

When Mr Simahardy's staff refused the request, the pair allegedly smashed a glass fridge inside the studio with a chair and then later that night returned and threw a rock at the shop's glass front wall, causing a large crack.

The alleged act then sparked a street brawl as vigilantes nearby tried to detain the two men.

Mr Simahardy said he knew nothing of the debt the men claimed they were owed because he only took over the lease of the tattoo studio about six months ago.

'It's not true. I don't owe money to him,' he told Daily Mail Australia this week.

'Apparently he said the owner of the tattoo studio owed money. I bought it in December, so maybe it is the ex-owner who owes money to him.'

Nizar Simahardy (pictured) outside his tattoo shop, Evolve Ink Studio in Bali's capital Denpasar, where he has put up a poster of the driver's licence of the man he claims smashed his window

After a rock was thrown at the tattoo shop's window on June 2, a brawl broke out in the street

Kuta police chief Ketut Agus Pasek Sudina confirmed local police had received a complaint about the alleged incident and were investigating.

'We are now chasing the perpetrator. We have also coordinated with Immigration,' Mr Sudina said.

When asked if the accused Australian man had left Bali, Mr Sudina said he was not certain.

Mr Simahardy said on the evening of June 2 he had left the shop about 6.20pm despite it being busy.

'I left early as it was my child's birthday. I needed to go buy a birthday cake,' he said.

'The studio was full of clients. The two men arrived about 10 minutes later, at 6.30pm.

'One of my friends Tia called me from the studio and said that David was there and was saying we owed him money.'

Mr Simahardy explained he and Tia both knew the man because he was a client at this tattoo studio and a previous one they ran in a nearby location.

He said Tia told David the studio had changed ownership recently but he appeared not to believe her and became angry, before leaving several minutes later.

'I heard all the conversation through the phone and how David was angry to my staff,' Mr Simahardy said.

'I told them to be careful, and call people outside if they come again.

'Several minutes after that, David returned and kept saying, "I want my money", then he took a chair, and hit the chiller with the chair, damaging it.

'My friend called me again and I told her to take photo. But she only took a photo of the chiller, not David, because I think she was in shock.'

Staff at the tattoo studio (pictured) said the men smashed a glass fridge with a chair

He said it was then about 7pm when David and the other man left the studio and he directed his staff to close up shop and go home.

'I decided to continue with my plan for my child's birthday and not go into the studio but told them to close because I was worried he would come back.'

Later that night, however, a rock was thrown at the glass shopfront of the studio about 10pm causing a large crack.

'Fortunately, there [was] no one inside the studio,' Mr Simahardy said.

Staff from the neighbouring art shop told him the next day two 'foreigners' had been seen throwing a rock at the window, which caused an altercation with bystanders.

The staff told him when the pair tried to flee on a motorbike they collided with another foreigner, which then sparked an all-out street brawl.

The two were eventually helped away by locals who diffused the brawl.

Mr Simahardy said the damage to his shop and closing it on a busy night had cost him more than 10 million Indonesian Rupiah (about $1,000 AUD) and he wants an apology to his shocked staff.

Mr Simahardy said his staff, which includes a number of women (left), were shocked and scared by the incident

He has put up a poster with David's driver licence, which he had on file from when he was a client.

It is understood the address on the licence is his mother's house in Australia where he has not resided for a number years.

'I think David is still here in Bali. My friend told me that he [may be in the] Uluwatu area,' he said.

'I only hope he could pay for the damage and be responsible for what he has [allegedly] done.'

Daily Mail Australia has contacted David for comment.
More than 150,000 people dead, another nine million forced from their homes by a year of fighting, and millions more living in the shadow of famine.

The African nation of Sudan is once again on the brink of genocide as rival generals battle for power.

Yet when John Kirby, the White House national security communications adviser, was asked what the Biden administration was doing to help ease a deepening humanitarian crisis he had nothing to offer.

'I'm going to take your question on Darfur... and get back to you, rather than try to explain something that may just make me sound stupid,' he told a reporter during a telephone briefing on Thursday.

'So I dont want to do that. I want to do that right and take the question for you.'

It was an unusual moment for Kirby, who has impressed journalists with his ability to flit from world crisis to world crisis dispensing talking points at will.

Fighters ride in a vehicle moving in a military convoy accompanying the governor of Sudan's Darfur State during a stopover in the eastern city of Gedaref while on the way to Port Sudan

But for Sudan watchers, desperate for the Biden administration to act, it was telling.

'It is the public expression of a private policy, that they're not prioritizing this crisis,' said Nicole Widdersheim, deputy Washington director of Human Rights Watch and former director for African affairs at the White House National Security Council.

She added that she was astonished his briefing notes did not include a boilerplate expression of concern and call for peace.

She said: 'You don't have a go-to talking point on the biggest humanitarian crisis facing Africa, Northern Africa and frankly threatening Europe, in decades?'

White House officials push back on any idea that they do not have the bandwidth to deal with Sudan at the same time fighting rages in Gaza and Ukraine. And they point to the three statements made by President Joe Biden since fighting broke out.

Yet the most recent of those was more than a year ago.

And in that time he has tweeted about Sudan precisely four timesthe exact same number as he has posted about the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee demanded that the White House step up to prevent a repeat of the genocide that engulfed the western region of Darfur two decades ago.

'The evidence strongly suggests that genocide is occurring in Darfur. The fact that the presidents spokesperson cannot articulate that is indicative they are not paying nearly enough attention to Africa,' said Rep. Michael McCaul.

'As the conflict escalates throughout Sudan, I once again call on the administration to present a clear strategy on how it will achieve a lasting ceasefire and set the country back on the path to civilian-led rule.'

Sudanese Children suffering from malnutrition are treated at an MSF clinic in Metche Camp, Chad, near the Sudanese border, Saturday, April 6, 2024. Many people here fled the fighting in Sudan's vast western region of Darfur

A burned-out vehicle in the city of Omdurman. War has raged for more than a year in Sudan between the regular military under army chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Daglo

Yunis Ali Ishag, 60 from Geneina in West Sudan whose leg was amputated after he was shot by RSF soldiers, poses for a portrait on April 20, 2024

Sudan has been gripped by war since April 2023, when tensions between rival military leaders erupted into violence.

It pits Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, head of the Sudan Armed Forces, against the the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces led by Gen, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, known universally as 'Hemedti.'

The result is an already fragile nation pushed to breaking point. Aid workers will tell you it has the potential to rank alongside the Ethiopian famine of the 1980s in terms of misery.

Last month Biden's own envoy told the Senate as many as 150,000 people had already died.

The UN's World Food Programme says 18 million people face acute hunger across the country, but aid agencies cannot reach those in need because of fighting.

Both sides are accused of using hunger as a weapon of war.

And the State Department has determined that both sides have committed war crimes. In particular, members of the RSF and its allied militias stand accused of crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

The fighting carries echoes of the genocide that gripped the country's western Darfur region 20 years ago.

A man stands by as a fire rages in a livestock market area in al-Fasher, the capital of Sudan's North Darfur state, on September 1, 2023, in the aftermath of bombardment by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF)

Fighting has spread from the capital Khartoum to engulf most of the country in the past year

The fighting pitches army chief Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, who has allied himself with the country's Islamists, against Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (better known as Hemedti) who heads the Rapid Support Forces

The RSF, derived from the Janjaweed fighters that burned and looted villages then, is now encircling El Fasher, where the UN says 800,000 civilians are trapped.

Add to the mix the fact that Egypt and Qatar are backing the SAF with Saudi backing, the United Arab Emirates is accused of funneling weapons to the RSF, and Moscow has a foot in each camp and the result is recipe for regional conflagration.

Against that backdrop, human rights groups and aid agencies have become increasingly outspoken at what they see as White House inaction.

An alliance of campaigners delivered a 15,000-signature petition in April, the anniversary of the outbreak of war, demanding that Biden speak up.

'Despite this, President Biden has been nearly silent on Sudan for over a year,' said Amnesty International.

His last statement, apart from asides in an Eid greeting or broader messages about aid bills, was on June 20, 2023.

Widdersheim said Washington must pressure outside powers to end their support for warring parties, help implement a weapons embargo, and begin the process of designing a mission t protect civilians.

'The US has enormous amount of pressure that they are not leveraging on the Gulf actors who are basically the funders and supporters and the guardians of these general,' she said.

That was the case, she added, before the Oct 7 Hamas attack shifted the focus to Middle East.

The United Nations says more than nine million people have been forced from their homes, like this woman and infant at Metche Camp in neighboring Chad

A damaged army tank is seen on the street in Omdurman, almost one year into the war

The war shows no sign of ending after more than a year and as the country heads for famine

President Joe Biden has not issued a statement on Sudan in more than a year while his spokesman John Kirby couldn

'I can't help but feel that this is still the same old classic case of African mega crises just not rising to the level of prioritisation for Western governments,' she said.

At previous briefings Kirby has rebutted any suggestion that the administration is prioritizing other areas and neglecting Sudan.

'I would push back on the notion that were somehow so fixated on whats going on in the Middle East that we cant focus on other places around the world, including Africa,' he said in January.

'We continue to be engaged diplomatically to make sure to  to do what we can to see that the aspirations of the Sudanese people are met and that the  and that the violence between these two sides stops.'

Cameron Hudson, senior fellow at the Africa Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said there was no excuse for not being able to comment on Sudan, just a day after The New York Times had published huge multimedia appeal for action on an unfolding catastrophe.

But he said this administration did not feel the weight of history that, for example, George W. Bush felt in 2003 when the last Sudanese genocide was under way.

'Jake Sullivan [national security adviser] and Joe Biden are not worried about the historical record or their legacy in responding to genocide,' he said.

'And I think the reason for that is the lesson that they're drawing on is the lesson of American overreach in not just places like Iraq and Afghanistan but very specifically in Libya.'

An intervention to halt a genocide in 2011 ended up as a regime-change operation, he added, that triggered the collapse of a country and a crisis across Central Africa.

Like generals fighting the last war, he said, 'We're always trying to correct that record with the current case.'
Extending an arm to the working class, Republicans are now lining up behind a Trump-led effort to eliminate taxes on tipped wages.

The former president made the demand for eliminating taxes on tips at a Las Vegas rally on June 9. He pitched the idea to Republicans on Capitol Hill days later.

The idea will not become law under the current Congress, even as House and Senate Republicans have taken up Trump's mantle.

Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., immediately got behind the idea and introduced legislation in Congress.

But not all conservatives are on board. Rep. Chip Roy wrote that Greene and Massie were 'good friends' but he would 'need them to explain why we should treat [and] low wage non-tip earners differently.'

Extending an arm to the working class, Republicans are now lining up behind a Trump-led effort to eliminate taxes on tipped wages

The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimated the plan would cost between $150 billion and $250 billion in lost tax revenue.

In the Senate, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, led taxed tips legislation that drew support from Sens. Rick Scott, Fla., Steve Daines, Mont., and Kevin Cramer, N.D.

The plan would eliminate taxes on tips through cash, credit and debit by allowing such taxpayers to claim a 100 percent deduction.

The federal minimum has stayed stagnant at $7.25 since 2009, but tipped workers can make as little as $2.13 before tips.

Under current tax law, tipped wages are treated the same as regular payroll wages, but cash tips are often not reported to the government.

The proposal could also prompt more businesses to ask customers to tip their workers at a time when many Americans are feeling 'tipping fatigue.'

Democratic strategist Tim Hogan told DailyMail.com of the proposal: 'During his term, Trump tried to implement a proposal that would have resulted in servers doing more nontipped work at a lower pay rate. He opposed raising the minimum wage. He stiffed contractors left and right. He is not on the side of working people. It's another case of his rhetoric not matching reality.'

The Trump administration implemented a rule that allowed restaurants to take the tips that servers earn and share them with untipped employees such as cooks and dishwashers. But some critics noted it didn't require employers to redistribute the tips they collected.

Trump had other big ideas that may never become law in his meetings with House Republicans. He suggested eliminating the federal income tax and replacing it with tariffs on imported goods.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates there are 2.4 waiters and waitresses that depend on tips for income across the country.

Nevada has the highest concentration of tipped workers in the country, with about 25.8 waiters and waitresses per 1,000 jobs, followed by Hawaii and Florida.

Democrats have insisted the proposal is a way for Trump to try to snatch Nevada up in the November election.

'I think that has more to do with the Electoral College in Nevada than any other policy that's been vetted,' Rep. Richard Neal, Mass., the top Democrat on the House tax committee, told the Huffington Post.

President Biden carried Nevada by 2.39 percent in 2020 and Republicans see it as a top state up for grabs this year in both the Senate and presidential elections.

Nevada's GOP Senate candidate Sam Brown said earlier this month that Trump 'scooped' him - it was his idea to eliminate taxes on tips.

'Those tips are not guaranteed income, people work hard for it,' Brown told NBC.

'To those hotel workers and people who get tips, you are going to be very happy, because when I get to office we are going to not charge taxes on tips, people making tips,' Trump had said at the Vegas rally. 'We're going to do that right away, first thing in office.'

Lael Brainard, a top Biden White House adviser, told reporters last week that Biden has other ideas for helping Nevada's wage earners.

'Our view is that the meaningful set of policy changes that would really lift the living standards of Nevada workers and workers all around the country would be to raise the minimum wage and eliminate the tipped minimum wage, leading to $6,000 more in income per year,' she said.

Tax issues will be a major factor in this election - Trump's 2017 tax cuts expire in 2025 and Republicans are laying the groundwork for a new tax plan if Republicans are successful in the elections.
A family of three has been left devastated after their beloved 'Poppa' died in a tragic biking accident while on holiday in Bali.

Bernard Daniel Fritz, 73, was found dead in Bangli Village, east Bali, at about 1.40pm on Thursday.

Tabanan Police said Bernard reportedly died after he lost control of his bike and collapsed beside the road.

The 73-year-old was discovered unconscious by locals who put him in a vehicle that took him to the Baturiti 1 Public Health Facility.

Sadly, Bernard was confirmed dead by medical staff soon after arriving.

Pictured L-R: Bernard Fritz, his daughter-in-law Catherine, grand-daughter Charis, and son Aaron. The 73-year-old died on Thursday in a tragic biking accident in Bali

Catherine Fritz shared a series of sweet photos of her father-in-law and his granddaughter

Bernard is pictured reading his granddaughter a bedtime story

'Medical team at the health facility explained that there is no sign of violence on the victim's body,' a police spokesperson said in a statement.

'There are only several bruises in his forehead and nose.'

Police said Bernard's son, Aaron Daniel Fritz, told authorities his father didn't have any history of heart disease.

Aaron's wife, Yofita Katherine Fritz, shared a series of photos of her father-in-law on her Instagram following his sudden death.

'RIP Poppa... we miss you so much,' she wrote.

Aaron and Catherine are pictured with their daughter Charis in happier times

Included in the sweet photos were several of Bernard holding his young grand-daughter Charis and reading her a bedtime story.

Catherine revealed one of the photos of her and her small daughter had been taken by Bernard just 'minutes' before his death.

'What Poppa took few mins before - I can't,' she wrote.

Bernard's body has been taken to Dharma Tadnya funeral home in Denpasar, about 25km south from the Tabanan Regency.
Vladimir Putin has stepped up the rhetoric over nuclear warfare and doubled down on threats to the West in recent months - at the same time as Russian troop losses have skyrocketed.

Here, retired military intelligence officer Col Jonathan Sweet and foreign policy writer Mark Toth argue that furious escalation by the Russian president signals that he may have reached his 'high water mark' in Ukraine.

The experts discuss what the West and Kyiv should do to exploit Putin's moment of 'weakness' in order to turn the frontline tide against his invading forces for good.

Vladimir Putin has stepped up the rhetoric over nuclear warfare and doubled down on threats to the West

Chilling footage shows Russian troops carrying out tactical nuke drills near Ukraine's border

Russian soldiers film a Ukrainian drone smashing their tank to pieces

How do you spell desperation in the Kremlin?

ESCALATION.

It comes in the form of rehearsing the deployment of tactical nuclear weapons, renewed state-run media threats to strike western capitals with nuclear weapons, relocating nukes to Belarus, reminding the West how many nuclear weapons are in Kaliningrad, and threatening to strike NATO airfields where Ukrainian pilots are being trained to fly F-16s.

Now there is a second sign of desperation.

Last Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to stop hostilities and begin negotiations with Ukraine to end the war. His conditions? Kyiv must withdraw troops from the four regions annexed by Moscow in 2022 and renounce their plans to join NATO.

That is not going to happen.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky summarily rejected Putin's offer. In an official statement, he called it 'absurd,' while adding, 'Russia's plans are not for peace, but for the continuation of the war, the occupation of Ukraine, the destruction of the Ukrainian people, and further aggression in Europe.'

As Dzhokhar Dudayev, a Chechen politician, statesman and military leader of the 1990s Chechen Independence movement from Russia once said, 'Russia always offers negotiations when it is struggling, when plans are falling apart, in order to buy time, regroup, correct mistakes, find a weak spot, and then strike again with renewed strength.'

That describes Putin's situation. The Russian military is struggling in eastern Ukraine and Crimea  and as such, Putin's would-be self-serving ceasefire offer is not made from a position of strength; rather, weakness, and neither the U.S., NATO nor Ukraine are buying it.

A view of the destruction of a house on the Kostyantynivka front as the Russia-Ukraine war continues in Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, on June 20, 2024

Putin's tough talk was likely designed to influence only one audience: Russian citizens living in Moscow and St. Petersburg. He has reached his high-water mark and understands it is just a matter of time before President Joe Biden yields to pressure from NATO member-states and Zelensky and authorizes ATACMS strikes on Russian forces massing and presenting a threat to Ukraine from anywhere on the Russian side of the border.

It is finally dawning on Western leaders that the Kremlin is intentionally weaponizing Ukrainian civilians. To end it Kyiv must receive NATO's greenlight to interdict and destroy weapons systems firing ballistic missiles, drones and artillery at Ukrainian population centers and critical energy infrastructure  and to do so regardless of point of origin.

Short of active NATO intervention, there is nothing Putin would fear more than Washington and Brussels authorizing the Ukrainian military to conduct self-defense strikes against targets they deem present an imminent threat to Ukraine utilizing any weapon system provided to them by the U.S. and NATO. Putin knows it would be a game changer  and one that he could not easily win or militarily counter.

In this photo released by the Russian Defense Ministry Press Service Friday, June 21, 2024, Russian soldiers operate an anti-aircraft gun at an undisclosed location in Ukraine

1st brigade of National Guard 'Bureviy', fire a tank as they carry out a mission in a BMP-2 to shoot at russian positions in Serebryanskyy forest, in Luhansk, Ukraine on June 19, 2024

The Russian Spring offensive into the Kharkiv Oblast is dispositive. Biden's limited greenlighting of U.S. made weapons for use by the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU) had an immediate and devastating effect.

Casualties were described by one NATO official as 'astronomical' after the Kremlin launched their attack on May 10 with as many as 30,000 troops. The NATO official added that 'Russia likely suffered losses of almost 1,000 people a day in May.' According to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Russian losses during the offensive were an astounding eight times higher than those suffered AFU.

Russian soldiers are beginning to surrender or be captured en masse again. Last week, 24 plus surrendered to Ukraine's 3rd Assault Bridge after a failed raid on a Ukrainian chemical factory in Vovchansk. The week prior, the Khortytsia Regional Command reported more than 60 Russian soldiers had been captured. An additional 400 Russian soldiers are currently surrounded in an aggregateplant in Vovchansk.

Putin was likely caught by surprise in Kharkiv. Both in terms of Biden's limited greenlighting for use of U.S. made weapons inside of Russia  and that Capitol Hill had finally, on a bipartisan basis, passed a $61 billion aid package to Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gestures during a press conference of the Summit on Peace in Ukraine in Stansstad near Lucerne, Switzerland, 16 June 2024

For now, Ukraine can interdict Russian forces in Russia threatening Kharkiv and continue to wreak havoc on Russian forces in the close fight in the Donbas. However, Biden militarily has left Putin a critical opening: sanctuary.

According to the Institute for the Study of War, Washington's new rules of engagement have only 'reduced the size of Russia's ground sanctuary by only 16 percent.' Alarmingly, the same report found that 'US policy still preserves at least 84 percent of Russia's ground sanctuary  territory within range of Ukrainian ATACMS.'

Conversely, Crimea is now even more exposed. Ukrainian deep strikes with United Kingdom Storm Shadow, French SCALP and ATACMS are destroying Russia S-300/400 air defense systems  forging air corridors for F-16 fighter jets arriving in the summer.

The Kerch Strait Bridge connecting the Crimean Peninsula to the Russian mainland is now even more vulnerable. Notably, on June 12, Lt. Gen. Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine's defense intelligence directorate, said Russia moved their prized new S-500 air defense missile system to Crimea to protect the Kerch Bridge and surrounding area.

Putin recently said defeat in Ukraine would mean 'the end of Russia's statehood'

Crimea is finally becoming untenable, just as retired Army Lt. Gen. Ben Hodges predicted it would be many months ago. Ukraine is setting conditions with the precision deep strike weapons provided by the U.S., U.K. and France. When the F-16s arrive in the skies over Ukraine, they will help close the deal.

It has gone bad to worse for Putin and his generals. While the rest of the free world assembles in Obburgen, Switzerland to discuss how to bring peace to war-ravaged Ukraine, Putin is finding himself increasingly boxed in militarily and economically. New U.S. sanctions last week forced the Moscow Exchange to suspend trading in dollars and euros  and Russian banks began closing and going offline.

Putin's threats of nuclear escalation have not worked, and 530,920 Russian soldiers are now dead or wounded. Yet Moscow continues with mass in artillery and infantry, generating more combat power by securing an additional 4.8 million artillery shells from North Korea and planning the mobilization of an additional 300,000 soldiers.

But will Russia's traditional military reliance on mass be enough now that Ukraine has been given additional capability?

Not likely. His strategy remains one of attrition  to exhaust the Ukrainian military and wear down support from the West as the prospect of a 'forever war' sets in. Sanitary zones are his end state  that means he must hold on to what he has taken.

Only they are losing ground  most recently in Vovchansk. Time for plan B.

Putin's call for negotiations, as Dudayev described, is an indicator that Russia is nearing a breaking point. Now is not the time for negotiation. Rather, it is time for the U.S. and NATO to enable Ukraine to drive Russia out of Ukraine and win this war.

Seize the initiative and close Russia out. Putin is increasingly desperate  as evidenced by his hat-in-hand Tuesday visit to North Korea. The red crenelated walls of the Kremlin are beginning to close in around him.
A man suffered a horrific spinal injury that left him quadriplegic after he got on his 'first roller coaster ride' at a well-known South Carolina amusement park, according to a new lawsuit.

Kul Sannyashi rode the 'Swamp Fox' coaster at Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach in July 2021, when the alleged incident took place.

His wife, Gangia Adhikari, filed a lawsuit against the 'biggest seaside amusement park' on Thursday, suing for negligence and ultra hazardous activity. She is seeking unspecified financial damages.

Sannyashi, who also filed a lawsuit against the park, rode the 2,640-foot coaster that can reach a maximum speed of 75mph. He sustained 'an acute injury to his spinal cord' that made him quadriplegic, the lawsuit said.

The Swamp Fox, originally known as the 'Red Devil,' started running May 1966, and is one of the few wooden roller coasters left in the US.

Kul Sannyashi rode the Swamp Fox coaster at Family Kingdom Amusement Park in Myrtle Beach in July 2021, where he was left with a traumatic spinal injury and quadriplegic, a lawsuit said

His wife, Gangia Adhikari, filed a lawsuit against the 'biggest seaside amusement park' on Thursday, suing for negligence and ultra hazardous activity

The legal filing names Family Kingdom, the park's parent company Ocean Avenue Attractions LLC, along with Leigh V. Meese and Donnie Snipes, employees of the park, as the defendants.

Sannyashi and his wife in July 2021 at an amusement park

On the day of the alleged incident, Sannyashi purchased a ticket to ride the coaster. Due to 'negligence, carelessness, recklessness, willfulness and wantonness of the Defendants,' the ride allegedly severely injured him, the suit said.

The lawsuit said that the park failed to inspect the coaster to 'make sure it was operating properly' and did not 'adequately warn customers' about its danger 'compared to other rides.'

The filing added that Family Kingdom Amusement Park created 'unsafe' conditions, failed to take precautions, 'properly test, remove and restrict access' to the coaster, which in turn, created a 'dangerous roller coaster' for customers.

Morgan Martin, whose firm is representing the couple, told The Sun News that many people have said that the ride is 'violent and rough' over the years.

'The allegation is that he gets on fine and then gets off quadriplegic. It's such a sad, sad day for that young man, who is just in horrible condition,' Martin said.

The Swamp Fox, originally known as the 'Red Devil,' started running May 1966, and is one of the few wooden roller coaster's left in the US

A GoFundMe page has since been set up to raise money to pay for his ongoing procedures and around the clock care.

The donation page explained that on 'his first roller coaster ride' Sannyashi suffered a C1/C2 vertebrae spinal injury.

'He is currently a ventilator dependent quadriplegic needing 24 hour care. Our lives have been completely changed but our hearts are truly thankful that we still have Kul with us,' the page, created when the alleged incident occurred, said.

In a Facebook post on July 26, 2021, Adhikari shared a photo of her and her husband at an amusement park, though it is unclear if it was taken at Family Kingdom.

'No words can express how much I am missing you. My happiness lies there were [sic] you are. I love you so much miss u always,' she said.

As of Saturday evening, more than $14,500 has been raised. DailyMail.com contacted Family Kingdom Amusement Park for comment.

This is not the first time the Myrtle Beach amusement park has faced legal trouble over the Swamp Fox roller coaster, as a woman from Horror County sued Family Kingdom Amusement Park in 2019.

A GoFundMe page has since been set up to raise money to pay for Sannyashi's ongoing procedures and around the clock care. (pictured: Sannyashi and his wife in 2020)

The unidentified woman who rode the roller coaster on June 9, 2018 said that she was not warned how dangerous and rough the coaster was, WBTW reported.

The suit revealed that the woman had a history of back problems, but other roller coasters were not a problem for her in the past.

'However, the Swamp Fox coaster was much more rough than a normal roller coaster, and in fact rose up off the tracks and slammed back down again, aggravating Plaintiffs prior back injuries,' the suit said.

The amusement park located on Ocean Boulevard is home to more than 35 ride for children and adults.

According to Family Kingdom's website, the Swamp Fox 'takes riders on a rip roaring adrenaline rush while overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.'

The ride had to be restored in 1989 after it was damaged by Hurricane Hugo, The Sun News reported.
A neighbour who spoke to the tradie accused of shooting a woman dead said he appeared 'nice' when they met.

Ryan Geoffrey Cole, 31, allegedly shot his neighbour Natalie Jane Frahm, 34, in the head and chest as she pulled up in her car outside her house on Robb Place at South Mackay, in Queensland, on Wednesday afternoon.

Cole is also accused of shooting good Samaritan James Trevor McGill, 66, who rushed to Ms Frahm's aid after the alarm was raised by two teenagers who were in her car at the time.

Mr McGill, who was in the street visiting his elderly mother, was allegedly shot in the chest before he was rushed to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Local Denise Home was visiting her friend Mr McGill and his mother at the time.

Natalie Frahm, 34, (pictured) has been identified as the alleged victim of the brutal shooting

Denise Home (pictured) was visiting her friend Mr McGill and his mother and described her previous encounters with Cole and said he seemed 'nice'

Ryan Geoffrey Cole (pictured) allegedly went on a shooting rampage on Wednesday - his 31st birthday

She told the Courier Mail she had met Cole on several previous occasions.

'I met (Cole) a couple of times, he always seemed nice,' she said.

Ms Home recalled the terrifying moment the two teenagers ran to the house screaming for help with one them yelling someone had been killed.

She said one of the teenagers called the police while she called the ambulance, as more shots rang out.

These were allegedly the shots that injured her friend Mr McGill.

Ms Home said it took a long time for the paramedics to arrive as the area was still in lockdown.

Another neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, also recalled meeting Cole saying he 'seemed bloody normal'.

She said when she first heard the gunshots she thought they were coming from the Mackay Agricultural Show.

The close-knit Mackay community has been rocked by the tragic death of young woman Natalie Frahm (pictured)

The incident forced police to plunge the surrounding area into a lockdown as they searched for the alleged gunman (pictured, exclusion zone)

The neighbours of the quiet cul-de-sac spoke of their disbelief, how they can't sleep after the tragic shooting and are desperately searching for answers.

'I need to know what happened because it could have happened to anybody on the street,' one woman said.

'It would bring us some peace knowing the full story.'

Another neighbour said she was shocked by the chain of events, saying she frequently saw Cole in the street.

'He seemed nice,' she said.

'He has been living there for a while. He seemed like a good style of a man. He would always drive past and smile. I'd see him working on his boat or with his carpenter's trolley.

Cole was arrested about 7.45pm outside a service station on the Bruce Highway near Hilton Street, about 2km away.

It is understood Cole and Ms Frahm did not know each other, but resided on the same street.

Daily Mail Australia understands the South Mackay property where Cole was living is owned by his mother, however, it is unclear whether she was also residing at the premises.

Ms Frahm moved to Mackay several years ago from her hometown, of Mount Isa, located 1,230 km west in outback Queensland.

A heartbroken friend paid tribute to the woman online describing her as a 'beautiful angel'.

The tragedy has rocked the quiet coastal suburb, which thrusted into a massive emergency lockdown amid the alleged shootings.

Detective Acting Superintendent Emma Novosel said Cole was known to police and there was no clear motive for the alleged shootings.

Mackay mayor Greg Williamson said it would take a long time for the 'beautiful little community' come to terms with the alleged shooting.

A heartbroken friend paid tribute online to Natalie Frahm (pictured), describing her as a 'beautiful angel'

'As a community, we've got to try and pull together to make sure that anyone who needs help, gets [it]  How could this happen in Mackay?' he said.

Three years ago, Cole had his gun licence revoked.

Investigations are underway how he gained access to a firearm.

'This person had firearms illegally. His weapons licence had been cancelled. Police had taken those weapons off him,' Queensland Police Minister Mark Ryan said.

'Part of the investigation will look at how he might've come into possession of this illegal firearm ... but that work, we've got to allow police to do'

'I don't think there's a single person in Queensland whose heart doesn't break for Natalie and her family and friends.'

Cole appeared in Mackay Magistrates Court on Thursday morning via watch-house video link, charged with murder and attempted murder.

He appeared in court again on Friday morning and was remanded to September.
READ MORE: Stunning map shows the extent of Native Title control in Australia

The Queensland government is set to challenge a native title claim for exclusive ownership and use of one of Australia's most famous tropical islands.

The Woppaburra people - who are the traditional owners of the Great Keppel Island - have submitted a fresh claim to the region off the Capricorn Coast in Central Queensland.

The claim - which is in its pre-notification stage - petitions for the exclusive possession of nine lots and one partial lot totalling just over nine square metres.

In 2021, the Woppaburra people were formally recognised as the traditional owners and Native Title holders of 570sq/m of land and sea off the coast of Yeppoon.

The recognition also granted the Woppaburra people exclusive use over parts of Great Keppel Island.

The Woppburra people have submitted a fresh native title claim to the Great Keppel Islands off the Capricorn Coast, Central Queensland

The recognition also granted the Woppaburra people exclusive use over parts of Great Keppel Island

However, the native title did not include the resort on the island, which was run by Contiki and was under a private lease held by Tower Holdings.

The resort, which was a popular tourist attraction, was abandoned in 2008 and subsequently demolished 10 years later.

The Queensland government then cancelled Tower Holdings' lease in 2023 over unpaid rent owed by the operator in the amount of almost $900,000.

The termination of the lease allowed the Woppaburra people to submit a second native title claim which included the area covered by the resort and its airstrip.

It is understood the area may not be considered vacant land but rather as a strategic land management reserve under the Department of Resources.

Department of Resources Minister Scott Stewart explained the government would contest the claim.

'Parts of Great Keppel Island have already been ruled to have native title extinguished in a previous ruling,' Mr Stewart told the Courier Mail.

'This will form part of the government's response moving forward.

'As a respondent to the claim, the government will be asked to provide its views and will challenge the claim regarding the extinguished areas.'

It comes after a $30million concept master plan to redevelop the island was released last month.

The island was a haven for tourists, with its ever-popular Contiki Resort. The resort was demolished in 2018 and its lease terminated by the state government in 2023

The native title did not include the resort on the island, which was run by Contiki and was under a private lease held by Tower Holdings (pictured, a smoking ceremony being held in Sydney)

The plan was made in collaboration with the community and the island's stakeholders - including the Woppaburra people, business operators and Livingstone Shire Council.

Capricorn Enterprise chief executive Mary Carroll explained the redevelopment plans took almost two years to complete.

Ms Carroll added she was unsure how the native title claim would affect the plans and the islands' tourism industry.

'We all spent nearly two years with open and honest communication, gaining trust and understanding, to produce a shared vision and master plan for a genuine way forward to realise a new era of sustainable tourism and investment on this magnificent island,' Ms Carroll said.

Ms Carroll claimed Great Keppel Island produced one quarter of the economy of the Capricorn Coast, which would increase to 50 per cent with resort accomodation
The Tate Gallery may have to give up one of its paintings amid claims that it was looted from its original Jewish owner by the Nazis.

The Mail on Sunday can reveal that the government's Spoliation Advisory Panel has received a claim for a painting called Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy by the English painter Henry Gibbs.

The panel which resolves claims about art works looted during the Nazi period will now test the legitimacy of the claim before deciding if the artwork should be removed from the gallery and returned to its owners.

A source close to the panel said: 'A claim has been received for an item in the possession of the Tate.'

The Tate which purchased the painting in 1994 was unaware of its history until recently (general view of the Tate Britain)

The government's Spoliation Advisory Panel has received a claim for a painting called Aeneas and his Family Fleeing Burning Troy by the English painter Henry Gibbs (pictured)

The painting depicts an act of heroism by the mythological Aeneas, the son of the Greek goddess Aphrodite.

Painted in 1654 it is widely seen to be an allegory on the English civil war.

Neither the identity of the claimant nor the precise details of their claim have been revealed.

But the Mail on Sunday understands the claimant is arguing that the painting once belonged to a prominent Jewish art dealer who was forced to sell it to a Nazi sympathiser for far less than its true worth.

Prior to the outbreak of war the painting was one of more than sixty which belonged to Samuel Hartveld who ran a successful gallery in Antwerp.

Shortly before the Nazi invasion of Belgium in May 1940, Hartveld, then 62, and his wife Clara Meiboom left the country for safety in the United States.

Their library of art books and catalogues was taken away by the Nazis.

Hartveld or someone else sold the gallery and the entire art collection to Rene Van de Broek, a 31 year old art restorer who also happened to be a member of a Flemish organisation called DeVlag which campaigned for closer links with Hitler's regime.

A Belgian journalist and author called Geert Sels who has investigated the circumstances surrounding the sale has revealed that Van de Broek paid just two hundred thousand francs for the gallery and the collection of paintings.

Sels argues that this was far below the market price.

He points that the physical building which housed the gallery and which had been built with a mortgage of eight hundred thousand francs, was worth more than that on its own.

While in charge of the collection Van de Broek is believed to have sold a number of the paintings including the one by Gibbs to other third parties.

General Dwight D. Eisenhower, Supreme Allied Commander, accompanied by General Omar N. Bradley, and Lt. General George S. Patton, Jr., inspects stolen art treasures hidden by the Nazis in a German salt mine

Nazi Art Loot in American Hands. Fussen, Germany: While a lieutenant checks his list (background), 7th Army soldiers carry three valuable paintings down the steps of Neunschwanstein Castle

After the war he was questioned by the authorities about his pro Nazi sympathies.

He produced a letter which purported to show that Hartveld was happy with the way he had cared for the collection.

But Sels has referred the letter to a handwriting expert who has cast doubts on its validity.

Mr Hartveld died before he could be reunited with his collection which is now scattered in galleries across Europe.

His son Adelin, was killed fighting for the Belgian resistance in 1942.

The Tate which purchased the painting in 1994 was unaware of its history until recently.

A spokesperson for the Tate said: 'We have been in contact with the representatives of a claimant and we have proposed that they refer the matter to the Spoliation Advisory Panel, as is standard practice.' The spokesperson also confirmed that Tate was in contact with Geert Sels about his research into the painting.' The Spoliation Advisory Panel offers non-binding recommendations in response to a claim.

Where the panel recommends restitution of an item in a national museum and the museum agrees, the agreement of the Secretary of State is also required before an item can be returned.
Horror footage has emerged of a wounded Palestinian strapped to the hood of an IDF jeep during an arrest raid in the West Bank city of Jenin as the conflict in the Middle East rages on.

The Israeli Defense Forces confirmed Saturday's incident after it was captured on video and widely shared on social media - eliciting disgusted reactions from viewers online.

The disturbing footage showed a bloody Palestinian resident of Jenin, locally identified as Mujahed Azmi, tied to the front of the vehicle that passed between two ambulances.

In a statement, the Israeli military said Israeli forces were fired at and exchanged fire, before wounding a 'suspect' and apprehending him.

The IDF admitted soldiers then violated military protocol during the barbaric act.

An injured Palestinian man was filmed strapped to the bonnet of an IDF vehicle during an arrest raid on the West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday

The military vehicle passed between two ambulances with the man, identified locally as Mujahed Azmi, tied to the front

'This morning [Saturday], during counter-terrorism operations to apprehend wanted suspects in the area of Wadi Burqin, terrorists opened fire at IDF troops, who responded with fire,' the statement said.

'During the exchange of fire, one of the suspects was injured and apprehended.

'In violation of orders and standard operating procedures, the suspect was taken by the forces while tied on top of a vehicle.

'The conduct of the forces in the video of the incident does not conform to the values of the IDF. The incident will be investigated and dealt with accordingly.'

Azmi's family said that when they asked for an ambulance, the army took him, strapped him to the bonnet of their jeep and drove off - even though he was injured.

He was eventually transferred to the Red Crescent for treatment.

Speaking to Mondoweiss, a 13-year-old who witnessed an Israeli military operation carried out by special forces on Saturday in Jenin said: 'When I saw the occupation soldiers shooting inside the room, I put my head under the blanket and hid'.

Another alleged eyewitness told the publication: 'They (Hamas militants) appeared to be toying with him for amusement'.

There has been a surge in violence in the West Bank since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war on October 7.

Hamas' unprecedented attack on a southern Israel music festival resulted in the deaths of more than 1,170 people, mostly civilians, according to Israeli official figures.

During their attack, militants also seized around 251 hostages. Israel estimates 128 of them remain in Gaza including 36 who the military says are dead.

Israel's retaliatory offensive has killed at least 34,971 people in Gaza, mostly women and children, according to the Hamas-run territory's health ministry.

The shocking footage of the injured Palestinian man tied to the vehicles hood comes after Israel conducted airstrikes in Gaza City on Saturday that left mote than three dozen people dead, according to local officials.

The Washington Post reported that the strikes caused 'significant damage and a massive crater... in the densely built al-Shati refugee camp in western Gaza City'.

Israel claimed it was targeting a pair of 'Hamas military sites' but it was not immediately made clear how many of the casualties were civilians.

Another 18 Palestinians were killed in a strike on houses in the city's Al Tuffah neighbourhood, the director of the Hamas-run government media office, Ismail Al Thawabta told Reuters.

The Israeli military confirmed in a statement on Saturday that the IDF fighter jets 'struck two Hamas military infrastructure sites in the are of Gaza City,' while adding it would release more details later.

Hamas did not comment on whether its military infrastructure had been hit, as per the Israeli claim.

Hamas said the attacks targeted the civilian population. The group vowed in a statement: 'The occupation and its Nazi leaders will pay the price for their violations against our people.'

The site of Israeli strikes on houses, amid Israel-Hamas conflict, at al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City, June 22, 2024

People make their way through the rubble of buildings destroyed during Israeli bombardment at al-Shati refugee camp in Gaza City

Rescuers douse the flames on a building destroyed during Israeli bombardment at al-Shati refugee camp on Saturday

A boy carries salvaged items from the rubble of a building destroyed by Hamas militants at the Gaza City refugee camp. Israel claimed it was targeting a pair of 'Hamas military sites' but it was not immediately made clear how many of the casualties were civilians

The International Committee of the Red Cross said 25 people were killed in shelling on the al-Mawasi area that damaged its Gaza office on June 21, 2024

A Palestinian man points to ashes in a tented area, the day after a strike on the al-Mawasi area, northwest of the Palestinian city of Rafah on June 22, 2024

The series of airstrikes followed a deadly incident on Friday which saw 'heavy calibre projectiles' landing near an office of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in the Mawasi area of Rafah.

Some 25 people died and 50 were left injured as a result of the attack, the Hamas-run health ministry said.

The ICRC condemned the incident in a statement posted to X, formerly Twitter.

'Firing so dangerously close to humanitarian structures puts the lives of civilians and Red Cross staff at risk,' it wrote.

'This grave security incident is one of several in recent days; previously stray bullets have reached ICRC structures. We decry these incidents that put the lives of humanitarians and civilians at risk.'

Israel claimed it had not directly attacked a Red Cross facility, though the military said it would investigate the allegations.

Saturday's incident also recalled scenes from the Second Intifada - 'The Second Uprising' by Palestinians against the Israeli occupation between 2000 and 2005 - when Israeli troops were criticised for tying Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy, to the front of an army vehicle.

The United Nations dubbed the incident as an example of 'human shielding in action'.

The use of human shielding is prohibited by international law, and the IDF was banned from using Palestinian civilians as human shields by the Supreme Court but has ben accused of using the practice on multiple occasions since.
Two British Airways cabin crew are facing the axe for mocking a 15stone colleague about her weight in a WhatsApp group.

The stewardess, who is in her early 20s, was left horrified after she was shown the messages by a friend because she was not in the chat herself.

And furious colleagues urged her to take the messages to their bosses after the woman, from Wiltshire, was left terrified to go back to work.

The pair have now been taken off duty, with flights left short of staff as they stretched cabin crew services while they are off.

They could now be sacked if they are found guilty of misconduct.

The stewardess, who is in her early 20s, was left horrified after she was shown the messages by a friend, because she was not in the chat herself. Pictured: Stock image of a BA flight

The pair have now been taken off duty, with flights left short of staff as they stretched cabin crew services while they are off. Pictured: Stock image of BA tailfins

Now five more of the same WhatsApp group are facing scrutiny from the airline company after their behaviour was exposed.

'The poor victim of the merciless fat jokes has been left utterly bereft,' a source told The Sun on Sunday.

'She had no idea her colleagues had such disdain for her. The cruel comments left her scared to leave the house. She felt victimised. This was repugnant bullying.'

They added that the woman had hired a personal trainer and joined a gym in an effort to lose weight in the run up to the abuse.

This is because airline crews need to be within a height and weight range so they can fit in the seats and reach overhead lockers.

They need to have a height of between 2.01m and 1.575m. There is no specific weight requirement, but it has previously been reported that it must be in proportion to their height.

British Airways said: 'We have a zero-tolerance approach to bullying and always fully investigate any allegations brought to our attention.'
A massive brawl erupted on an unassuming suburban street in Far North Queensland with as many as 50 people involved.

The altercation unfolded at about 4.20pm on Saturday on McEwen Street in Mooroobool, Cairns.

Queensland Police confirmed an incident had taken place, but no formal complaint has been made.

Several members of the altercation are understood to have been armed with knives and sticks.

It's not the first time the suburb has made headlines for violent behaviour.

The brawl involving 50 people took place on McEwen Street, Carins. People had knives and sticks in the fight

Police were called to the scene on Saturday, but no formal complaints were made (pictured QLD police stock image - not from the incident)

A wild street brawl took place in Dunbar Street on the afternoon of July 22, 2023, which saw 30 men, women and children pelt rocks at each other.

Many were also carrying hammers and machetes.

Long-term resident Peter Walker said at the time he had watched the alarming events unfold from his home, but was too afraid to leave the house.

'One bloke had a knife and the bloke had a hammer and one had a long pole,' he said.

'Police arrived and they blocked off the street and people backed up and went the other way.

'There were kids and women and dogs and they were pelting rocks plus this bloke with a knife and hammers.'

The tourist hot-spot Cairns in far-North Queensland (pictured) has seen violent crimes on the rise

At a New Year's Eve party in 2022, a brawl involving up to 30 people resulted in the fatal stabbing of a 17-year-old boy in Manoora.

A second 17-year-old Mooroobool boy also went to Cairns Hospital after sustaining bottle stab wounds to the shoulder and kidney area.

According to Red Suburbs, which keeps track of crime rates in each local government area in Australia, Cairns was ranked 84 out of 100 for its crime rate.
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek has added her voice to the tirade of criticism against the Opposition's nuclear energy push, labelling the proposal as 'completely irrational' and 'designed to be a distraction'.

Speaking on Sunday, the environment and water minister criticised the Coalition for its refusal to detail the estimated cost to add nuclear generation to the national electricity market in the biggest overhaul of energy policy in decades.

'He's saying to Australians: 'I don't trust you. I don't trust you with the costing we've done,' if he's got costings,' Ms Plibersek told Sky News.

'On every analysis internationally, renewables are cheaper, nuclear is the most extensive.

'What is it going to do to pay for his power bills if the government is recouping the very expensive cost of building and running those nuclear reactors?'

According to analysis released by the Smart Energy Council using data from the latest GenCost report, Labor's non-nuclear energy plan is estimated to cost $117bn through to 2050, while the Coalition's pledge would cost upwards of $600bn.

Opposition energy spokesman Ted O'Brien has flagged an evolution in the Coalition's nuclear power policy, revealing that each of the seven sites could host multiple reactors.

Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek has added her voice to the tirade of criticism against the Opposition's nuclear energy push, labelling the proposal as 'completely irrational' and 'designed to be a distraction'

But in a major concession, Mr O'Brien said on Sunday the Coalition would not go to the election announcing the estimated generation capacity of its nuclear power plan, leaving this decision to an independent body until after the election.

'One of the lessons we learned from overseas, in order to get prices down, you need multi-unit sites,' Mr O'Brien told the ABC's Insiders program.

'Let's say the small modular reactors  When you talk about a nuclear plant, these are modularised compartments. You can add another 300, add another 300.

'You're talking about multi-unit plants.'

An independent nuclear energy coordinating authority would make recommendations on the number and type of reactors per site, Mr O'Brien said, which would then determine the final generation capacity.

'The independent body would look at each plant, and come up with a recommendation as to what sort of technology should be used,' he said.

'From there, it would be exactly what capacity based on that technology.

'Only from there can you come down to a specific number of gigawatts'.

Last week Coalition unveiled plans to build seven nuclear power plants by 2050 with the first reactor slated to be operational in just over a decade in a move designed to deliver cheaper, zero-emissions and reliable power supply.

The large-scale and small modular generators would be Commonwealth-owned, similar to arrangements governing the Snowy Hydro 2.0 scheme, requiring a multibillion-dollar funding commitment from taxpayers.

The Coalition has proposed to locate the reactors in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia on the sites of former coal fired power stations, adding no more than 10GW to the power grid, meaning renewables will remain the vast majority of the energy mix.

Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Mr Dutton's nuclear proposal would deliver 'at best' 3.7 per cent of the energy required at the same cost as the government's current strategy.

Tarong and Callide in Queensland, Liddell and Mount Piper in NSW, Port Augusta in South Australia, Loy Yang in Victoria, and Muja in Western Australia have been flagged as the locations for the stations

'In reality, current cost overruns happening right now in the UK could mean a $600 billion bill to Australian taxpayers, whilst delivering a small proportion of the energy that is actually required,' he said.

Nuclear had no place in a country with cheap, reliable energy powered by the sun and wind and backed up by renewable energy storage, Mr Grimes said.

'The most optimistic assessment of Peter Dutton's nuclear proposal indicates it is a pale shadow of the reliable renewables plan outlined and costed by the Australian Energy Market Operator,' he said.

The council has called on the opposition to release its analysis of the costings and generation capacity from the seven proposed nuclear reactor sites.

'They need to explain how their forecasts contradict the experts at the CSIRO and AEMO,' Mr Grimes said.

'It is extraordinary that the details are being hidden from the Australian public.'

Separate analysis released by CSIRO put the cost of building a large-scale nuclear reactor at $8.6bn, bringing the total cost to approximately $60bn, however nuclear projects are often subject to hefty delays and soaring cost overruns.

Smart Energy Council chief executive John Grimes said Mr Dutton's nuclear proposal would deliver 'at best' 3.7 per cent of the energy required at the same cost as the government's current strategy

Separate analysis released by CSIRO put the cost of building a large-scale nuclear reactor at $8.6bn, bringing the total cost to approximately $60bn, however nuclear projects are often subject to hefty delays and soaring cost overruns (stock image)

Asked why Australia had eschewed nuclear power when many other advanced economies had adopted the technology, Ms Plibersek pointed to Australia's comparative advantage in renewable power generation.

'We've got the room, we've got the resources, we've got the critical minerals we need, battery manufacturing, we're investing in green hydrogen,' Ms Plibersek said.

'We can be a renewable energy superpower and instead Peter Dutton wants to slam the brakes on, instead of leading the world with renewable energy investment.

'He wants to fast track nuclear, and put us on the slow lane when it comes to renewables. It's just mad.'
A document published by the Department for Business and Trade yesterday admitted letting millions more staff sue their bosses from day one will create 'concerns from business' and risks 'unwelcome additional work for the tribunal system'. But the 'Next Steps' report also reveals that the landmark Employment Rights Bill is only the first stage of the shake-up, with many more reforms to be introduced later through secondary legislation or codes of practice. The future burdens on firms include the 'right to switch off' which will prevent managers from contacting staff out of office hours. There will also be a review into the system of parental leave and the introduction of 'socioeconomic duty', which will force public sector bodies to consider the impact of policies on different classes in society, leading to fears the middle class will be squeezed out.
Military chiefs are planning the biggest mass mobilisation exercise of Britain's Army reserve in 20 years in a move to evaluate the 'deployment readiness' of more than 10,000 'weekend warriors'.

The move to prepare the UK's reserve comes as the head of the British Army General Sir Patrick Sanders says the UK should take steps to place society on a war footing in the wake of Russian aggression in eastern Europe.

While there is no suggestion that the call-up of 'weekend warriors' is linked to the war in Ukraine General Sanders has been very clear about the growing threat facing the West from Russia.

Senior officers at Army Headquarters in Andover, Hampshire, will co-ordinate the exercise in September with the aim of determining how many reservists would be prepared to volunteer to mobilise if needed in a time of crisis.

The call will go out to all reserve units with a small number reporting to the Reserve Forces Mobilisation Centre in Chilwell, Nottingham and others being processed at their local Army Reserve centres.

Military chiefs are planning the biggest mass mobilisation exercise of Britain's Army reserve in 20 years in a move to evaluate the 'deployment readiness' of more than 10,000 'weekend warriors' (Stock Photo)

The move to prepare the UK's reserve comes as the head of the British Army General Sir Patrick Sanders says the UK should take steps to place society on a war footing in the wake of Russian aggression in eastern Europe (Stock Photo)

The current strength of the Army Reserve stands at 26, 240 - a drop in the past 12 months of 4.8 per cent according to the most recent manning statistics issued by the Ministry of Defence.

Soldiers from specialist medical, infantry units and special forces reserves will be asked to volunteer for a six-month tour of duty - with commanders seeking to secure a reserve force of 10,000 ready to support the frontline Army if needed.

A senior source at Army Headquarters in Andover said the exercise will be aimed at seeing how many people are prepared to step forward and for how long.

He said : 'This is the first major mobilisation exercise we have done since the Iraq war, more than 20 years ago, and its is important to evaluate what the Army reserve can deliver in time of need.

'That is not to say we are going to war, this is an exercise and if these people were called up the aim is that the majority would be asked to backfill regular army soldiers so that those personnel can deploy.'

The Regular Army was cut several years ago from 82,500 to 73,000 and is currently listed as 75,170 as it reduces in size by 2025 - with many experts claiming the Army is too small to mount another Falklands War or similar mission.

To add to the shortage of soldiers the Army is struggling to recruit enough men and women while a large percentage of the trained force is not fire to fight according to official figures.

In February 2024 the Ministry of Defence revealed that 9,263 soldiers are medically non deployable and a further 7,669 are 'limited deployable' - leaving the operational strength to fight a war at just 57,890.

Earlier this year at the International Armoured Vehicles exhibition in London, General Sanders (pictured, right, in 2023) called on the British authorities to 'mobilise the nation' to prepare for a war with Russia

While there is no suggestion that the call-up of 'weekend warriors' is linked to the war in Ukraine General Sanders has been very clear about the growing threat facing the West from Russia (pictured: a Ukrainian serviceman carries cartridges in the Donetsk region in June)

Earlier this year at the International Armoured Vehicles exhibition in London, General Sanders called on the British authorities to 'mobilise the nation' to prepare for a war with Russia.

He called for Britain to train a 'citizen army' ready for a land war  as he questioned the size of the country's army and urged its modernisation.

'Within the next three years, it must be credible to talk of a British Army of 120,000, folding in our reserve and strategic reserve. But this is not enough,' he said.

'We will not be immune and as the pre-war generation we must similarly prepare  and that is a whole-of-nation undertaking,' he said. 'Ukraine brutally illustrates that regular armies start wars; citizen armies win them.'

At the time his comments were dismissed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Downing Street, but in May he told an audience at the Policy Exchange that 'the world is closer to dangerous nuclear escalation that at any point since the Cuban missile crisis'.

This week the General, known for his no nonsense approach, will leave the Army and he paid tribute to the Normandy veterans he made it clear that there is every possibility of a conflict on the scale of World War Two which would embroil Europe.

During the Cold war the then called Territorial Army stood at 76,000 and was increased to 89,000 by 1990 - bigger that today's frontline regular Army.

Those who serve in the Army Reserve are issued equipment, take part in physical tests and are paid to attend weekend training and a two-week annual camp with a 800 bonus for attendance.

At the time his comments were dismissed by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Downing Street, but in May he told an audience at the Policy Exchange that 'the world is closer to dangerous nuclear escalation that at any point since the Cuban missile crisis'

The Regular Army was cut several years ago from 82,500 to 73,000 and is currently listed as 75,170 as it reduces in size by 2025 - with many experts claiming the Army is too small to mount another Falklands War (pictured) or similar mission

But there is no obligation to attend and attendance across the country is sporadic with some soldiers not attending for months.

A reservist in Fleet, Hampshire who serves with the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment said there is very little incentive to attend.

He added: 'It seems like there is no money so all the good trips which were good for retention have gone, so very few people turn up'.
The mother of missing teenager Jay Slater has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day.

Debbie Duncan has issued the heartbreaking message while defending her decision to not visit the Tenerife beauty spot where the search is being carried out with his dad and brother today.

The other family members journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

But Debbie has revealed her choice not to attend with them has caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews.

Debbie said: 'People keep saying on social media why aren't I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just can't face it.

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the remote mountain spot where his mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning

'I don't want to go up there in case I see something that I don't want to. I'm just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down.

'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.'

Karen Matthews, dubbed 'Britain's worst mother' was behind the fake kidnap of her own nine-year-old schoolgirl daughter Shannon Matthews which horrified the nation in 2008.

Her co-conspirator Michael Donovan kept Shannon in his council flat for 24 days after she went missing from her home estate in Dewsbury.

Matthews had initially been seen crying on the news as she pleaded with the public to help her find her daughter.

He and Matthews had planned to 'discover' Shannon and claim a 50,000 reward for her safe return which they would split.

Karen Matthews, pictured in Dewsbury in West Yorkshire in 2008, was later convicted of kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice

Shannon, then nine, was drugged and held captive at Donovan's home for 24 days

Her accomplice Michael Donovan was also jailed for eight years in January 2009 for his involvement

West Yorkshire Police released footage of her being interviewed by officers at the time

Jay Slater, 19, from Oswaldtwistle, has been missing for six days

A MailOnline graphic detailing the timeline of events from when Jay attended the three-day NRG festival to his location when his phone died at around 8.50am on Monday

Donovan and Matthews were both jailed for eight years in January 2009 at Leeds Crown Court for their roles in Shannon's apparent abduction.

Meanwhile the father and brother of Jay did pay an emotional visit to the spot where search teams are focusing their hunt for him.

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the place which has been the focus of attention all week by police.

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Both father and son appeared to be in tears as they hugged each other at the isolated spot and Warren simply said: 'I just want the boy back.'

They also visited the Air BnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two mystery British men and from where he had sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy Mae Law.

The family gathering comes six days after Jay disappeared in Tenerife on Monday morning.

Lucy Law, 18, was the last person to speak to Jay when he called her at around 8am on Monday morning from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues

Both father and son appeared to be in tears as they hugged each other at the isolated spot and Warren simply said: 'I just want the boy back'

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains and he wasn't aware of his surroundings

The search is entering the sixth day. Pictured are search teams on June 22

Firefighters near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on June 22 as the search enters Day 6

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on one per cent'.

Earlier today a bombshell image which is the last known photograph of Jay was uncovered. It is believed to have been taken at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas in the early hours of Monday morning.

It shows Jay in the grey sport top with green shoulder edging that he was wearing when he went missing, with Lucy alongside him.

This morning it emerged that she has been questioned again at length by Spanish police separately with officers wanting to go through timings once again with her although there is no suggestion of anything untoward.

It comes as a GoFundMe set up by Lucy to help look for Jay has raised 27,000, speedily approaching its 30,000 target.

A screenshot of Jay's last known location where his phone battery died

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

The teenager posted a Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

Ophelia, the last person to see Jay, shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route

The rescue teams are currently scouring a 2,000ft-deep ravine in the remote, desert-like Teno Nature Reserve in a bid to find the missing teenager on the sixth day of searching.

This morning, his concerned mother Debbie Duncan said she still believes her son may have been kidnapped.

It follows Jay's mother vowing to stay in Tenerife for 'as long as it takes' - as it emerges a new sighting of her son is being investigated.

Speaking to MailOnline, Debbie, 55, revealed that there has been a new sighting. She said: 'Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

'He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

'They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?

'All I know is that I am going to stay here for as long as it takes, I'm not going home unless it's with Jay. I'm not going anywhere until they find him.'

Rescue teams confer as they continue to search for Jay on June 21

A drone can be seen flying over the area in Tenerife where Jay is believed to have gone missing

The sighting has not yet been officially confirmed.

The last confirmed sighting of Jay was at 8.15am on Monday when a woman saw him walking through the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de las Americas.

But Ophelia Medina Hernandez, the last person to see Jay, told The Times: 'People don't get lost here.'

She saw him next to a bus stop, adding: 'He was walking normally but a bit quickly.'

Yesterday, British police offered to help in the hunt for Jay but their offer was turned down by Spanish counterparts.

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Debbie told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police.

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

June Duncan, grandmother of missing person Jay Slater, spoke of fears for her grandson

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

'I've said to you before if someone does have him, I don't really want to say anything and it's something the police are looking at but we just don't know what's happened.

'I've seen some things on social media but now I'm staying off that, I'm just shattered, I'm so exhausted, I'm slumped her in a chair absolutely drained, I fainted as well earlier.

'Some of Jay's friends and ex-girlfriends are coming over as well to help look for him but I still can't face going up there. His dad and brother are going to go up to where they are searching.'

Debbie added:'My energy levels are just zero, I am going through every emotion, screaming, crying, I've just not slept for days.

'It's just so upsetting for all the family, we just don't have any ideas, there are just so man stories flying around about what might have happened and I don't want to know.

'I'm ignoring all of them and I don't want to say anything just in case he is being held against his will.'

It comes after his worried friends said on behalf of his mother that an unknown person is using his Instagram as it's been frequently active, but it isn't Jay.

They also claim that Jay's friends and family have had their accounts hacked and false information shared.

The apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday after an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus.

The admin of the Facebook page called Jay Slater Missing, Rachel Louise Harg, wrote: 'Some people are actually this sick in the head, there are people hacking my accounts and Jay's family's, making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it.'

She said Debbie is 'broken' and slammed the mystery person using the account as 'cruel'.

The police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals  a word that translates into English as 'bad land' according to The Sub.

The force declined an offer from Lancashire police to send support to help find the missing teen.

In a statement released late on Friday, the UK police force said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

Search and rescue were out in force on the evening of June 21

Lancashire Police released a statement regarding Jay's disappearance earlier that day, saying it had offered to provide additional support to officers on the island.

It comes as Lucy today blasted the local Spanish police for 'not doing a good enough job' in finding the missing Brit.

'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job. They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them,' she told The Times.

Meanwhile the owner of holiday rental, Casa Abuela Tina - where Mr Slater is understood to have stayed with two acquaintances - today voiced her worries about the teen after spotting him walking alone down the hills on Monday.

She said: 'It's dangerous walking around here, it's easy to lose yourself. He walked up the road when I saw him for the last time.

'He was alone. He was walking normally, though he was fast.'

The setting is surrounded by spectacular mountains and rocky roads

Authorities searching for missing teenager Jay along the ravine on June 20

Police officers also searched in the Masca ravine for Jay on June 19

Ophelia shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route.

She aired her concerns about the teenager, but in the height of the media frenzy she stated: 'We are not to blame.'

The property, which is listed online as a holiday home, is believed to have been rented by two men Jay was with the night before whilst attending the NRG festival.

In a post on the Facebook page 'Jay Slater Missing', the administrator of the group Rachel Louise Harg said family and friends of Mr Slater were in a 'living nightmare'.

She said: 'There isn't an update for anyone unfortunately.

'Struggling to find words at this time but all I can say is we are looking still and everyone is doing all they can.

'We are drained beyond words - I just can't say no more, I wish I could. I wish this would end now, this living nightmare.

The search mission has entered its fifth day. Pictured: Rescuers on June 19

Police officers and a sniffer dog are pictured in the search for Jay on June 19

Police officers and firefighters talked while searching for the missing 19-year-old on June 19

'Searches are ongoing and we remain positive.

'Thanks to you all supporting and helping we can't thank you any more, much love.'

His friend Lucy has called for the British police to assist with the investigation and slammed the local efforts.

She said she wants to 'bring him home to his family'.

'That is all that we want, all that we need,' she told the BBC.

On Friday, search and rescue personnel joined officers from the island's Guardia Civil near the village of Masca where they appeared to focus on a specific area of overgrown terrain.

Some officers used binoculars to survey the landscape before heading towards the bottom of the hillside.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force's X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.
The Barefoot Investor has praised a single mum after she claimed to have saved hundreds of dollars by paying with cash at the checkout instead of card.

Scott Pape commended the single mother-of-three after she wrote in to him to share her success story.

To makes ends meet, Rita explained she became a house cleaner to three wealthy wives and always paid with cash rather than card at the checkout.

She added she would use her cash to pay for her bills including rent and groceries and claimed it helped her save hundreds of dollars in surcharge fees.

'I am convinced it not only saved me hundreds of dollars in surcharge fees that you wrote about last week but also helped me keep to a budget during an extremely stressful time of my life,' Rita wrote.

Scott Pape has praised a single mum-of-three for saving money by using cash. However, he added cash was on the way out despite Aussies saving when they avoid cashless methods

'To this day (seven years on), I still withdraw my spending money each week in $50 and $20 notes. Life is simple with cash!'

In his reply to Rita, titled 'house cleaner gets her PhD in finance', Mr Pape praised the single mum for figuring out that using cash saved her money.

Mr Pape referenced a study conducted by the University of Melbourne and the University of Adelaide which analysed data from 11,000 participants and found Aussies were likely to spend more using cashless methods than paying with cash.

However, he argued the use of cash was on the demise despite it's money saving capabilities.

'Cash is going the way of Kevin Rudd. (It pops up every so often just to let us know that its still relevant, only to fade back into oblivion),' Mr Pape wrote.

'Cash is now only used for 16 per cent of transactions, and you can bet your shiny lil fitty that the Commissioner of Taxation is the main one cheering on its demise.

'After all, the ATOs supercomputer has so much data on you it would make Mark Zuckerberg drool (and its only getting more powerful with artificial intelligence).

'Yet, for all its computing power, its still no match for a single mum with a dustbuster.'

It comes after Aussies rushed to withdraw cash from ATMs across the country as part of a fight against the rise of digital payments.

The mass withdrawal event, called 'Cash Out Day', was organised by the Cash Is King Australia Facebook group and took place on June 14.

'Cash out tomorrow June 14th,' the group wrote. 'Bank branch or ATM, get it out, use it don't lose it.'

The mum, who worked as a house cleaner and was paid in cash, said she saved hundreds of dollars on surcharges by avoiding cashless methods of payment

Many Australians shared photos of themselves withdrawing hundreds of dollars from ATMs.

Some even reported that the high demand of cash due to the campaign resulted in some ATMs running out of money.

Finder's head of consumer research, Graham Cooke, told Daily Mail Australia that those who paid with cash can avoid extra card fees.

While some larger businesses absorb these costs into the price of their goods and services, many smaller ones lump customers with the bank fees.

The most popular way to pay with card is tap-and-go, which accounts for 95 per cent of in-person transactions, and is the most expensive.

While inserting a card into an EFTPOS machine typically costs a merchant less than 0.5 per cent per transaction using contactless Visa and Mastercard payment can amount to 0.5 to 1 per cent each time for debit cards and 1 per cent to 1.5 per cent for credit cards.

On a purchase of $100 the average cost added is 28c for EFTPOS, 52c for using the Mastercard network, and 47c for using visa.

Businesses that use the digital payment provider Square are charged a flat rate of around 1.6 per cent on all card transactions which includes business services tools, software and features.

'Its clear that sellers appreciate the flexibility, transparency, and value they get from a single blended rate,' a Square spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia.

'Squares simple and transparent pricing model provides sellers with payment processing, as well as sales reporting, point of sale software, risk management, PCI compliance, security, chargeback protection, and more, all included.'
Rishi Sunak pulled out of a Tory candidate's campaign rally to try to shore up his own support instead, it has been claimed.

The Tory leader withdrew from the planned event on the day pollsters predicted that he would become the first sitting Prime Minister to lose his seat.

He was supposed to be campaigning to help former Olympic rower James Cracknell win votes in Colchester, Essex. But local Tories were told on the day that Mr Sunak was pulling out.

An insider said the change of plans was a 'knee-jerk reaction' to fears that even the PM's seat in North Yorkshire could be lost amid a Tory wipeout.

'It was all planned well in advance,' the source said, adding that the change of plan was 'because of the polls'.

Rishi Sunak withdrew from the planned event on the day pollsters predicted that he would become the first sitting Prime Minister to lose his seat. Pictured at a meeting with representatives of the nighttime economy in central London on Saturday

He was supposed to be campaigning to help former Olympic rower James Cracknell (pictured) win votes in Colchester, Essex. But local Tories were told on the day that Mr Sunak was pulling out

An insider said the change of plans was a 'knee-jerk reaction' to fears that even the PM's seat in North Yorkshire could be lost amid a Tory wipeout

Colchester was previously held by Tory Will Quince, who won a 9,423 majority in 2019.

A source close to the PM said claims he cancelled the event to defend his own seat were 'absolutely rubbish', adding: 'Plans move around all the time.'

The PM instead spent Wednesday visiting the Sizewell B nuclear plant in Suffolk with local candidate Therese Coffey, who is defending a 20,533 majority.

Mr Sunak then travelled to his constituency on Thursday and spent the night there after the Question Time debate in York.

On Friday he was in Wales to launch the Welsh manifesto.

Election night could bring a number of 'Portillo moments'  referring to the shock defeat of Defence Secretary Michael Portillo in Labour's 1997 landslide victory.

Cabinet 'big beasts' at risk include James Cleverly, Grant Shapps, Jeremy Hunt and Penny Mordaunt.

Mr Sunak  who won Richmond with a 27,210 majority in 2019, having replaced former Tory leader William Hague  has also faced criticism for pulling out of a fundraising party on Thursday at the last minute.

Some donors asked for refunds for their 1,500 tickets at a time when the party finances could do with a boost, as falling membership numbers have hit party coffers.

Senior Tories are calling for a 'complete overhaul' of the party machine after a campaign full of 'unforced errors'.

One insider said: 'They've let the side down. If they all end up in the House of Lords, there will be a real fuss.'
A man accused of killing a young tradesman in a hit-and-run road rage attack in Sydney's west was allegedly travelling with a teenage passenger - as the alleged victim's best friend opens up about their heartbreaking final conversation.

Bradley Wilkinson, 39, allegedly cut off Rhyce Harding, 27, as the pair each drove in separate utes down Jersey Road, Blackett, at about 8.45am on Thursday.

Mr Harding exited his red car and approached the white vehicle, before Wilkinson allegedly 'intentionally and forcefully' grabbed the 27-year-old by his jumper then held him alongside his ute as he dragged him 100 metres down the road.

Mr Harding's best friend Stacey Disbray was on the phone to him at the time of tragedy.

In his final moments, Ms Disbray said Mr Harding told her he was being tailgated by another vehicle.

'He said, "hang on, he's just rear ended me" and he stopped the car, I heard him pullover,' she told 9News.

Bradley Wayne Wilkinson, 39, (pictured) has been charged with manslaughter over an alleged road rage attack in Sydney's west

Rhyce Harding was the victim of an alleged road rage attack

'He said, "hang on a second, I'll be back."

'He never came back.'

Court documents obtained by 9News reveal police will allege Wilkinson had a teenage boy as a passenger at the time of the incident.

However, Wilkinson has told police Mr Harding instigated the incident by grabbing him and that he drove off because he was scared for his safety.

Wilkinson then allegedly went to work for the day before returning home, where he parked his vehicle more than 200metres away from his Windsor home, in the city's north west.

He allegedly told police he knew something had happened, but thought if it was serious, police would find and approach him.

Daily Mail Australia can reveal Wilkinson is a father of several young children who grew up in Erskine Park, in western Sydney.

Mr Harding's best friend Stacey Disbray was on the phone to him at the time of the incident

Wilkinson allegedly 'intentionally and forcefully' held Mr Harding against the car as he drove down Jersey Road

Daily Mail Australia understands he spent some time living in Port Macquarie, on NSW's Mid North Coast, around 2023, before relocating back to the city.

His social media pages paint him as a motorcross enthusiast who likes going to music festivals.

The fatal incident on Thursday morning sparked a police manhunt and public appeal for information after Wilkinson allegedly fled the scene.

On Friday morning, Wilkinson handed himself in at Mount Druitt Police Station before he was charged with several offences including manslaughter, failing to stop and assist after a vehicle impact causing death and dangerous driving occasioning death.

Mr Wilkinson was beamed into Parramatta Local Court from Amber Laurel Correctional Centre in western Sydney where he appeared on screen via videolink wearing a black hoodie.

Police appealed for information about a white ute. Picture: NSW Police.

He was supported in court by two men who later exited with Mr Wilkinson's solicitor Javid Faiz.

Inside the court, Mr Faiz did not make a bail application as the matter was adjourned for three weeks.

Mr Faiz asked if Mr Wilkinson could be provided his medication while in custody before Mr Wilkinson interjected.

'They gave it to me ... The nurse is looking after me here, they're very professional,' Mr Wilkinson said, clasping his hands together.

In documents tendered to the court, police say Mr Wilkinson is accused of 'intentionally and forcefully holding the victim against a moving vehicle'.

Mr Faiz told the court he was waiting to see if prosecutors would proceed with the manslaughter offence.

Police also seized a white Toyota Hilux on Mileham Street, Windsor and it will undergo forensic examination.

Earlier, police had appealed for information about a white utility with a metal tray and black canopy.

The fatal incident on Jersey Rd, Blackett on Thursday morning sparked a police manhunt and public appeal for information

It is alleged that Mr Harding exited his car after he was allegedly threatened by the car following him, police have said

Police have said they will allege that Mr Harding and Mr Wilkinson spoke before the fatal incident.

It is alleged that Mr Harding exited his car after he was allegedly threatened by the car following him, police have said.

Paramedics desperately attempted to save Mr Harding, who was wearing high-visibility workwear, but he died at the scene.

Mr Harding was described as kind and humble, in a social media post by World Gym Marsden Park where he was a member.

'Staff and members here at World Gym Marsden Park are deeply saddened to hear about the passing of one of our beloved members, Rhyce Harding,' the post said.

'Rhyce was a much loved member of our club, who will always be remembered for his kindness, humbleness and dedication to his training.

'Our condolences go out to Rhyce's family and loved ones. He will be sorely missed.'

The matter will return to court on July 17.
As politicians nationwide scrap for every vote, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has an extra problem  getting locals in his constituency to realise there's an election there at all.

That's because by tradition, the Speaker does not face candidates from the Tories, Labour and Liberal Democrats.

Sir Lindsay, 67, is being challenged by the Green Party and three other hopefuls in his Chorley, Lancashire, seat.

He said: 'The fact that the three main parties aren't fielding candidates has led some people to think that somehow there's no election here.

'But there very much is. I'm up for election like any other would-be MP across the country and it's important that people in this constituency cast their vote.'

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has an extra problem  getting locals in his constituency to realise there's an election there at all

Sir Lindsay, 67, is being challenged by the Green Party and three other hopefuls in his Chorley, Lancashire, seat. Pictured out on the campaign trail

In Chorley this week, not every voter was happy with the tradition of the main parties not challenging a Speaker

In Chorley this week, not every voter was happy with the tradition of the main parties not challenging a Speaker. Painter and decorator Bernard Taylor, 62, said: 'We should be given a choice of all parties.'

He was 'disappointed' the Reform party had not fielded a prospective MP, saying: 'If there was a Farage candidate, I'd vote for him.'

But record shop owner Malcolm Allen stressed the value of having a Speaker as MP.

He said: 'We get more done because of that  ministers come to see him.'

He added that if Sir Lindsay, town MP since 1997, 'took his shirt off, you might see Chorley stamped down his spine'.
In space, no one can hear you scream, but researchers say astronauts embarking on long voyages will have needs  and sex robots may be the answer.

Scientists say sex will be important for astronauts on long missions because of its beneficial effects on both their physical and mental health  and with journeys in space likely to become much longer, the need for a solution is increasing.

Maurizio Balistreri, of the University of Tuscia, Italy, said: 'Considering the fact that astronauts might be in remote regions with limited opportunities for emotional or sexual relationships, we think that it is appropriate for space agencies and private sector companies to support the development of sex robots and promote their use among astronauts.'

Writing in the journal New Techno Humanities, Balistreri explains that as well as a lack of potential partners and the cramped confines of a spaceship, zero gravity causes blood to flow upwards, rather than downwards as is the case on earth.

The result? Less blood around the genitalia where it is needed for sexual activity.

Scientists say sex will be important for astronauts on long missions because of its beneficial effects on both their physical and mental health (Stock Image)

SpaceX Falcon 9 lifts off at the Kennedy Space Centre in September 2021

Meanwhile, another expert explained that blood circulation in space is affected and could make it difficult for a man to get an erection.

In an article for NASA, Lori Meggs, from AI Signal Research. said: 'There's no gravity to pull blood into the lower part of the body. Instead, blood goes to the chest and head, causing astronauts to have puffy faces and bulging blood vessels in their necks.'

The New Techno Humanities report suggests that astronauts should be given suitably equipped sex robots which can be touched, stroked and hugged.

As well as tending to sexual needs, the robot could serve as a 'companion', boosting an astronaut's mental health when they are far from home.

It said: 'Sex robots could allow astronauts to have a companion who is always present and able to help them with the most important practical matters.

'Having a robot next to us, an entity with which we can, for instance, converse and share a meal, would be a great advantage, and may perhaps help to make an otherwise dramatic condition more bearable.

'The robot can also be used for operational tasks, making it a reasonable and justifiable investment.'
A woman has revealed her frustrations about being unable to get her hands on a 'decent' property even with almost $100,000 in savings.

The unnamed 30-year-old was stopped on the streets of Sydney and asked about her aspirations in the real estate market.

She revealed she had saved $95,000 before admitting it still wasn't enough for her to get a foot on the property ladder.

'I think that you are sold the lie that you work hard, you save a lot of money and you'll be able to get into the property market because that's exactly what I've done,' she said in a TikTok video shared by property app Coposit Street.

'Right now it's still unattainable, especially for a single woman.'

'I think that you are sold the lie that you work hard, you save a lot of money and you'll be able to get into the property market because that's exactly what I've done,' the woman said

The woman said she was initially undecided whether to maintain her current good standard of living or buy a property

The woman has a point with Sydney's median house price of $1.442million so dear a buyer would need to save $288,391 to even have a 20 per cent mortgage deposit.

Even then, an individual borrower would need to earn $221,839 just to qualify for a home loan and still be in mortgage stress despite being among the top 3 per cent of income earners.

That means only couples can afford a house unless an individual is a particularly high income earner with the banks only able to lend borrowers 5.2 times their salary before tax.

She said she was initially undecided whether to maintain her current good standard of living or buy a property.

'So I've decided to pause and do some extra study of masters so I'm able then to live better, hopefully in the next five years,' she said.

The woman said even the current entry level housing prices has put her off.

To even get into something decent even like a two, three bedroom townhouse. It sounds like $650,000, she said.

If you haven't kind of already bought a house and have that equity.

'Even with what I've saved, it's really hard for the banks to loan you that much for what you need.'

Sydney's median house price was tipped to hit a new record-high of $1.933million in just three years (pictured is the Sydney Harbour Bridge as seen from Observatory Hill)

A University of Melbourne's Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey revealed 54 per cent of men and 47 per cent of women aged 18 to 29 were still living with their parents.

The rising cost in housing was listed as one of the contributing factors.

The future is not looking promising, house prices tipped to surge by more than a third during the next three years with Sydney's median price set to hit almost $2million.

Oxford Economics Australia is forecasting that the city's median house price will hit $1.934million by June 2027, with Perth reaching $1million.

That's up from $1.442million in May for Sydney and $769,691 for Perth in CoreLogic's monthly median house price data.

A $100,000 mortgage deposit would buy a $500,000 house at Caboolture or Logan near Brisbane, where median house prices have grown by 16 per cent during the past year.

But in Sydney, that would buy a two-bedroom unit at Campsie in the city's south-west or a one-bedroom unit at Hornsby in the city's north.

Unit values in Sydney have grown by just 5.4 per cent during the past year, compared with 8.2 per cent for houses.

Six-figure savings in the bank would be more than Australia's average, full-time salary of $98,218.
The Conservative Party's chief data officer has taken a leave of absence amid claims he 'placed dozens of bets on the timing of the General Election'.

Nick Mason became the latest Tory to be investigated by the Gambling Commission for allegedly betting on the timing of the election before the date had been announced.

The latest allegations were published by The Sunday Times, which claimed dozens of bets had been placed with potential winnings worth thousands of pounds.

The revelations are a fresh blow to Rishi Sunak's hopes of getting the Tory election campaign on track after three other Conservative figures were caught up in the scandal.

Tony Lee, the party's director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, are also under investigation by the Commission.

Tony Lee, the Conservative party's director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, are also under investigation by the Commission

Lee's wife, Laura Saunders, a Conservative candidate in the Bristol North West constituency, is also under investigation but said she is fully cooperating with the commission

Craig Williams, who was the Prime Minister's parliamentary private secretary and is the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, was also placed under investigation over a 100 'flutter' on the date of the election

Ms Saunders, a Conservative candidate in the Bristol North West constituency, has said she is fully cooperating with the commission.

Craig Williams, who was the Prime Minister's parliamentary private secretary and is the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, was also placed under investigation over a 100 'flutter' on the date of the election.

He has apologised for the act which he described as a 'huge error of judgement'.

Labour called for the Tories to suspend Ms Saunders and Mr Williams, with Keir Starmer saying: 'If it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor.'

Meanwhile, one of Mr Sunak's close protection officers has also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public following a similar allegation and is suspended as an internal investigation is carried out by Scotland Yard.

Michael Gove, the outgoing Housing Secretary, has condemned the latest reports, and likened the betting scandal to Partygate during Boris Johnson's premiership.

'It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,' he told the Sunday Times, adding: 'That's the most potentially damaging thing.'

'The perception that we operate outside the rules that we set for others.

'That was damaging at the time of partygate and is damaging here.

'If you're in a privileged position [close] to the prime minister at the heart of a political operation and you use inside information to make additional money for yourself, that's just not acceptable.

'So if these allegations are true, it's very difficult to defend,' he added.

A spokesperson for Mason denied any wrongdoing and said it was inappropriate to comment during the inquiry.

A Conservative spokesman said: 'As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.'

Mr Sunak must personally intervene in the 'all-out scandal', the Lib Dems have said.

Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem deputy leader, said: 'Sunak must personally intervene to order a Cabinet Office inquiry and suspend all those under investigation.'

On Thursday night, Mr Sunak admitted he was 'incredibly angry' after the bombshell that the gambling watchdog is investigating several senior Conservatives.

Appearing on the BBC's Question Time election special, Mr Sunak was grilled on the claims.

'I was incredibly angry to learn of these allegations. If anyone's found to have broken the rules, not only should they face the full consequences of the law, I'll make sure they are booted out of the Conservative Party,' he said.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith branded those involved as 'stupid and venal'.

Reform leader Nigel Farage accused the Conservatives of being 'corrupt'.

The use of confidential information to gain unfair advantage when betting may constitute a criminal offence of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act.

Those convicted face and unlimited fine or up to two years in jail.
A white Texas woman has been arrested after she allegedly attempted to drown a Palestinian toddler in a community pool after attacking the child's mother with racist abuse.

Elizabeth Wolf, 42, was charged with attempted capital murder and injury to a child on May 19 by the Euless Police Department.

The accused reportedly approached a hijab-wearing Muslim woman identified as Mrs. H at an apartment complex pool and began making racist comments.

Officials said that Wolf also began demanding to know where Mrs. H's family was from and if the two children in the pool were hers.

Elizabeth Wolf, 42, was charged with attempted capital murder and injury to a child on May 19 by the Euless Police Department

After a few minutes, the accused allegedly jumped into the pool and began to pull Mrs. H's six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter to the deeper end.

'Wolf tried to grab (the mother's) six-year-old son but he pulled away from her grasp, which caused a scratch on his finger.

'The mother began helping her son when Wolf grabbed her three-year-old daughter and forced her underwater. The mother was able to pull her daughter from the water.

'Her daughter had been yelling for help and was coughing up water,' Euless police said.

The Council on American-Islamic Relations explained that an African American man helped rescue the young girl from the attacker as more people gathered and witnessed what had happened.

CAIR later confirmed that the children are now safe but severely traumatized.

As Wolf was being handcuffed by police, she allegedly shouted to a witness who was with Mrs. H, 'Tell her I will kill her and I will kill her whole family,' the agency reported.

After a few minutes, the accused allegedly jumped into the pool and began to pull Mrs. H's six-year-old son and three-year-old daughter to the deeper end

Mrs. H also told CAIR that Wolf had allegedly snatched her hijab off her head and began beating and kicking her, preventing her from reaching her daughter as the suspect held her head under water.

In a statement, the distressed mother said: 'We are American citizens, originally from Palestine, and I dont know where to go to feel safe with my kids. My country is facing a war, and we are facing that hate here.

'My daughter is traumatized; whenever I open the apartment door, she runs away and hides, telling me she is afraid the lady will come and immerse her head in the water again.

'Also, my husbands employment is jeopardized due to having to leave work to accompany me and our four kids whenever we have appointments and errands to run.'

The Euless Police Department later said that Wolf had posted bail out of Tarrant County Jail.

'The bond for the Attempted Capital Murder charge was $25,000. The bond for the Injury to a Child charge was $15,000,' Captain Brenda Alvarado said.

A GoFundMe had also been launched to help the family - which has now raised nearly $5,000 more than its original $10,000 goal.
Residents have complained about loud noises and bright lights streaming into their apartments after a new train station was opened metres from their building.

Keon Park Station, which is a 750m rail bridge over a road, was opened by Transport Infrastructure minister Danny Pearson in Thomastown, Melbourne's east on Friday.

The rail bridge is only metres from apartment balconies and residents say they are being woken up by loud station announcements.

Bright fluorescent lights are also interrupting sleep as they shine into bedrooms.

Residents in two affected apartment blocks said that while they are in favour of the project they want the government to soundproof their windows.

The rail bridge (right) has been built just metres from two apartment buildings (left). Residents are urging the government to install double glazing and shades on balconies to ensure privacy

They also want shades installed across their balconies so people at the rail station can't see into their homes.

The apartment owners and renters have said these requests have been rejected, 7News reported.

'All weve asked them is to install double-glazed or triple-glazed windows for us to combat the noise and to cover our balconies with a shade to protect our privacy,' one said.

'When they started building, we complained about the noise. They gave us earplugs. Its laughable.'

Resident Angela Villella said the bright lights from the station blast through her bedroom window at night and questioned why the station needed to be so big.

'We think its great the rail crossing has been removed but we have gone from a single car garage-looking train station to something that looks like the Taj Mahal. Its massive,' she said.

One resident likened the new Keon station to the Taj-Mahal after a level crossing next to an apartment building was removed and a rail bridge put in its place

Ms Villella said that the bright light comes into her bedroom, comparing it to a 'torture tactic' used in Guantanamo Bay.

Mr Pearson was asked at Friday's unveiling about the close proximity the station was to the apartment balconies and said residents who bought their apartment before 2022 are eligible for the Voluntary Purchase Scheme.

For owners who purchased after 2022, he said they will be working with those impacted to 'understand what we can do to assist them'.

According to realestate.com.au's latest data, the median house price in Thomastown is $704,000 and for a unit it is $482,000.

It is unknown what impact the station will have to the apartment prices.

Level Crossing Removals acting CEO Matt Thorpe said although it was known there would be some concerns with residents, they could not change the location of the station.

Mr Thorpe said that during the construction of railways, Level Crossing Removals offers many options for people - such as headphones and sometimes relocation.
A crime scene reconstruction expert claims a mum who was found dead in her bedroom could not have killed herself despite police concluding her death a suicide.

Western Australian mum-of-two Amy Wensley, 24, was found slumped behind her bedroom door at her home in Serpentine, about 55km south of Perth, in 2014.

Ms Wensley's body was found with a fatal gunshot wound to her head, which was inflicted at close range.

Her belongings and her two daughters were in found inside a car in an apparent sign she was leaving the home she shared with her partner David Simmons.

Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting Mr Simmons is connected to her death and he has firmly denied being involved.

However, despite the position of her body and the suspicions of police who were the first on the scene, investigators ruled her death a suicide.

Western Australian mother-of-two Amy Wensley (pictured) was found slumped behind her bedroom door with a close-range fatal shotgun wound to her head in 2014

Following an inquest in 2021, a coroner found she could not rule out foul play and declined to record the 24-year-old's death as a suicide.

Journalists Liam Bartlett and Alison Sandy launched their own intense investigation into the case in their multi-part podcast The Truth About Amy.

In the podcast's first episode, which aired on Sunday, the team enlisted the help of forensic firm Evidence Room's boss Scott Roder.

The US-based firm has previously consulted in high-profile trials including in Derek Chauvin's case - the officer convicted of killing George Floyd - and murder allegations against Paralympian Oscar Pistorious.

Mr Roder used his expertise to recreate the room where Ms Wensley was found dead and employed a body double with almost identical physical traits to the 24-year-old.

Based on his findings, Mr Roder claimed Ms Wensley's death was '100 per cent not a suicide'.

Mr Roder recreated the scene from information shared in the 2021 inquest into Ms Wensley's death, which outlined the room and the position of her body in detail.

Ms Wensley's body was found in a seated position sitting on her right hand, with her left foot against the door and her left hand on her lap.

Police immediately saw two firearms - a shotgun on the floor splattered with blood and a pink .22 calibre rifle leaning against the wall.

The police officer who arrived first at the scene claimed it was 'very rare and unconventional' for a person to shoot the style of shotgun with just one hand.

The multi-part podcast The Truth About Amy enlisted the help of world-renowned crime scene reconstruction expert Scott Roder. He, along with his team, reconstructed the room Ms Wensley was found dead and the exact details of her positioning (pictured)

Mr Roder said the case had a number of things that troubled him, including the position of Ms Wensley's body and the placement of the guns.

'The left hand can't pull the trigger, the right hand can't pull the trigger. And as an investigator  it's becoming pretty obvious,' Mr Roder told 7News Spotlight.

'She didn't pull the trigger. Not in the manner that is consistent with the wound and the other evidence.'

Mr Roder said another troubling aspect of the case was the position of where the shotgun was found.

The inquest was told the blood-spattered shotgun was found by the side of the bed about 1.5 metres away from Ms Wensley's upright body.

The evidence also found the blood on the shotgun barrel indicated the weapon was close to Ms Wensley's head when it was fired.

'Well, the answer's very simple. The gun did not end up like that. The gun was placed like that. Or if somebody just said the gun was like that,' Mr Roder said.

Mr Roder added he travelled to Australia solely to recreate Ms Wensley's case as he believes the findings were 'so inexplicably wrong'.

Mr Roder (pictured) claimed the case was 'inexplicably wrong' and that evidence suggested Ms Wensley's death was '100 per cent not a suicide'

The team behind the podcast claim to uncover astonishing revelations in their investigation of Ms Wensley's death.

Episodes include interviews with Ms Wensley's friends, family, her two daughters and police who attended the scene.

Lawyers and advocates are also questioned about the evidence gathered from the scene and evidence not collected.

Mr Simmons has firmly denied being involved in the death.
The PhD student accused of murdering her friends' newborn baby and injuring his twin brother is the daughter of a prominent NYC cardiologist.

Nicole Virzi, 29, is charged with the murder of six-and-a-half-week old Leon Katz at his home in Pittsburgh, on what was his dad's first Father's Day -- and his parents' first wedding anniversary.

Her father, Peter J Virzi, is a top cardiologist affiliated with Mt. Sinai Doctors in Manhattan and is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

Virzi, who holds a graduate degree in clinical psychology from San Diego State, was a 'trusted friend' of the babies' parents Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts.

Police say she allegedly killed the infant while they were at the hospital with his twin brother Ari, who they allege Virzi also assaulted.

Six-month-old Leon Katz (left) was killed at his home in Pittsburgh on Father's Day. His twin brother, Ari (right), was injured. Nicole Virzi, 29, was charged for the baby's murder

Virzi (pictured) has also been accused of physically abusing Ari, who was at the hospital with his parents when she allegedly murdered his brother

'I have no words. I am absolutely shocked. I had no idea,' a colleague and friend of Virzi told the New York Post.

The friend said Virzi 'had some interpersonal issues,' but they did not know her to be violent.

'I would say she was a little rigid. She was nice. But very driven and motivated.'

DailyMail.com contacted the suspect's father for comment but did not get a response.

Virzi was charged with homicide, child endangerment, and aggravated assault but denies any wrongdoing.

Her attorney, David Shrager, has maintained Virzi's innocence and said she plans to plead not guilty.

'She is obviously devastated. Shes highly distraught and deeply sad. She said it was nothing intentional,' Shrager told The Post.

The suspects father has been identified as Peter J Virzi, a top cardiologist affiliated with Mt. Sinai Doctors in Manhattan

Leon's alleged killer was a 'trusted friend' of the babies' parents Ethan Katz and Savannah Roberts. (pictured: Baby Leon just after his birth in May 2024)

'Were doing a deep investigation. She has no criminal history. We will do our best to give her a fair hearing in court. This is a case with a dead child and a young lady in jail. It should not be speculated on before the case goes to court,' he added.

A GoFundMe set up for the devastated couple says Leon was 'tragically killed under horrific circumstances' and that a 'trusted family friend' has been arrested.

'Leon will always be remembered as a happy, smiley, goofy baby boy. His untimely and tragic death has deeply impacted the Pittsburgh community,' the donation page said.

Pictures taken just days before the tragedy showed the bright-eyed twins side by side in onesies with their names embroidered on them.

As of Sunday morning, the page has raised more than $55,000 for the heartbroken parents and their surviving son.

A GoFundMe set up for the devastated couple says Leon was 'tragically killed under horrific circumstances' and that a 'trusted family friend' has been arrested. (pictured: the twin boys with their parents)

Virzi is being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail and faces a preliminary hearing on June 28

The accused killer was continuing to babysit tiny Leon while his parents were at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh with his twin, Ari, after Virzi said she spotted an injury on his groin area, police said.

She told cops that she had gone into the kitchen to get Katz a bottle when she suddenly heard screaming.

When she returned she said the baby had fallen out of his bouncer chair. She then called 911 around 11.17pm.

'The injuries sustained by both (twins are) consistent with having been sustained as a result of child abuse, as these are inflicted injuries that are not natural and not accidental,' a doctor told investigators, according to court filings.

Virzi is being held without bail at the Allegheny County Jail and faces a preliminary hearing on June 28.

Her LinkedIn profile indicates she is a fifth-year clinical psychology candidate on the SDSU/UC San Diego Joint Doctoral Program.

The baby's killing came as their dad celebrated his father's day, which also fell on the boys' parents' first wedding anniversary

Virzi told cops that she was getting Katz a bottle when she heard screaming and saw he had fallen out of a bouncer

Her professional bio said that her 'research aims to explore the complex interplay between psychological factorssuch as depression, stress, negative affect, and trauma and critical health outcomes and behaviors such as metabolic syndrome, heart disease, obesity, eating behavior, and exercise.'

She added: 'I am particularly interested in exploring these relationships within female and trauma-exposed populations.'

'By concentrating on these relationships, my research aims to shed light on the unique challenges and opportunities for intervention within these vulnerable groups.'

The babies' mother previously interacted with Virzi on X, as Roberts referred to her 'incredible work' in January 2022.

In May 2021, Roberts said: 'You are going to do an AMAZING job! I can't wait to hear about your experience!'
Worried residents in missing British teenager Jay Slater's hometown are praying for his safety at a church service today as the search for the 19-year-old who vanished after leaving a Tenerife nightclub enters its seventh day.

The gathering has been planned for Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire where the apprentice bricklayer lives with his family and where locals told of their shock and sadness at his disappearance.

Jay's mother, who has travelled out to the Spanish holiday island, has made a direct appeal to her son - telling him: 'We just need you home.'

Her call came as rescue teams shifted their focus to a 2,000ft-deep ravine area dubbed the 'badlands' around the mountain village of Masca.

The area was described as 'very difficult' to search due to its steep and perilous slopes.

The search for British teenager Jay Slater has entered its seventh day after the 19-year-old went missing after leaving a nightclub in Tenerife

His mother Debbie Duncan has travelled to the Spanish island and made a direct appeal to her son, telling him: 'We just need you home'

Emergency workers have been carrying out searches for Jay Slater near the village of Masca in Tenerife - they are seen here on Friday, ahead of a shift in focus to a 2,000ft-deep ravine

Father Warren Slater and brother Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the remote mountain spot where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning

Back home in Oswaldtwistle, Rev Matt Smith from West End Methodist Church, told the BBC of today's service: 'We will offer our prayers for Jay and give an opportunity for people to leave messages for him and light candles.

'We are continuing to pray for Jay and hold his family in our prayers.'

Deryn Regan, owner of West End Fish and Chips where Jay was a customer, said: 'Everybody knows everybody so, for something like this to happen in our area, it does sadden us all.'

Mr Slater's mother issued her new appeal for help while defending her decision to not visit the Tenerife beauty spot where the search is being carried out with his dad and brother today.

The other family members journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

But Debbie has revealed her choice not to attend with them has caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews.

Debbie said: 'People keep saying on social media why aren't I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just can't face it.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

Prayers for Jay's safety and his family are being offered at a church service in his hometown of Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, where locals told of their shock and sadness

'I don't want to go up there in case I see something that I don't want to. I'm just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down.

'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.'

Karen Matthews, dubbed 'Britain's worst mother' was behind the fake kidnap of her own nine-year-old schoolgirl daughter Shannon Matthews which horrified the nation in 2008.

Her co-conspirator Michael Donovan - who died aged 54 in April this year - kept Shannon in his council flat for 24 days after she went missing from her home estate in Dewsbury.

Matthews had initially been seen crying on the news as she pleaded with the public to help her find her daughter.

He and Matthews had planned to 'discover' Shannon and claim a 50,000 reward for her safe return which they would split.

Donovan and Matthews were both jailed for eight years in January 2009 at Leeds Crown Court for their roles in Shannon's apparent abduction.

Karen Matthews, pictured in Dewsbury in West Yorkshire in 2008, was later convicted of kidnapping, false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice

Shannon, then nine, was drugged and held captive at Donovan's home for 24 days

Her accomplice Michael Donovan was also jailed for eight years in January 2009 for his involvement - he died aged 54 in April this year

West Yorkshire Police released footage of her being interviewed by officers at the time

A MailOnline graphic detailing the timeline of events from when Jay attended the three-day NRG festival to his location when his phone died at around 8.50am on Monday

Meanwhile, the father and brother of Jay have paid an emotional visit to the spot where search teams are focusing their hunt for him.

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the place which has been the focus of attention all week by police.

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Both father and son appeared to be in tears as they hugged each other at the isolated spot and Warren simply said: 'I just want the boy back.'

They also visited the AirBnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two mystery British men and from where he had sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy Mae Law.

The family gathering came six days after Jay disappeared in Tenerife on Monday morning.

Lucy Law, 18, was the last person to speak to Jay when he called her at around 8am on Monday morning from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues

Both father and son appeared to be in tears as they hugged each other at the isolated spot and Warren simply said: 'I just want the boy back'

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains and he wasn't aware of his surroundings

The search is entering the sixth day. Pictured are search teams on June 22

Firefighters near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on June 22 as the search enters Day 6

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on one per cent'.

This weekend a new bombshell image which is the last known photograph of Jay was uncovered - believed to have been taken at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas in the early hours of Monday morning.

It shows Jay in the grey sport top with green shoulder edging that he was wearing when he went missing, with Lucy alongside him.

This morning it emerged that she has been questioned again at length by Spanish police separately with officers wanting to go through timings once again with her although there is no suggestion of anything untoward.

It comes as a GoFundMe set up by Lucy to help look for Jay has raised 27,000, speedily approaching its 30,000 target.

A screenshot of Jay's last known location where his phone battery died

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

The teenager posted a Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

Ophelia, the last person to see Jay, shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route

The rescue teams are currently scouring a 2,000ft-deep ravine in the remote, desert-like Teno Nature Reserve in a bid to find the missing teenager on the sixth day of searching.

Ms Duncan has said she still believes her son may have been kidnapped.

It follows Jay's mother vowing to stay in Tenerife for 'as long as it takes' - as it emerges a new sighting of her son is being investigated.

Speaking to MailOnline, Debbie, 55, revealed that there has been a new sighting. She said: 'Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

'He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

'They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?

'All I know is that I am going to stay here for as long as it takes, I'm not going home unless it's with Jay. I'm not going anywhere until they find him.'

Rescue teams confer as they continue to search for Jay on June 21

A drone can be seen flying over the area in Tenerife where Jay is believed to have gone missing

The sighting has not yet been officially confirmed.

The last confirmed sighting of Jay was at 8.15am on Monday when a woman saw him walking through the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de las Americas.

But Ophelia Medina Hernandez, the last person to see Jay, told The Times: 'People don't get lost here.'

She saw him next to a bus stop, adding: 'He was walking normally but a bit quickly.'

British police have offered to help in the hunt for Jay but their offer was turned down by Spanish counterparts.

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Debbie told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police.

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

June Duncan, grandmother of missing person Jay Slater, spoke of fears for her grandson

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

'I've said to you before if someone does have him, I don't really want to say anything and it's something the police are looking at but we just don't know what's happened.

'I've seen some things on social media but now I'm staying off that, I'm just shattered, I'm so exhausted, I'm slumped her in a chair absolutely drained, I fainted as well earlier.

'Some of Jay's friends and ex-girlfriends are coming over as well to help look for him but I still can't face going up there. His dad and brother are going to go up to where they are searching.'

Debbie added: 'My energy levels are just zero, I am going through every emotion, screaming, crying, I've just not slept for days.

'It's just so upsetting for all the family, we just don't have any ideas, there are just so many stories flying around about what might have happened and I don't want to know.

'I'm ignoring all of them and I don't want to say anything just in case he is being held against his will.'

It comes after his worried friends said on behalf of his mother that an unknown person is using his Instagram as it's been frequently active, but it isn't Jay.

They also claim that Jay's friends and family have had their accounts hacked and false information shared.

The admin of the Facebook page called Jay Slater Missing, Rachel Louise Harg, wrote: 'Some people are actually this sick in the head, there are people hacking my accounts and Jay's family's, making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it.'

She said Debbie is 'broken' and slammed the mystery person using the account as 'cruel'.

The police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals  a word that translates into English as 'bad land'.

The force declined an offer from Lancashire Police to send support to help find the missing teen.

In a statement released late on Friday, the UK force said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

Search and rescue were out in force on the evening of June 21

Lancashire Police released a statement regarding Jay's disappearance earlier that day, saying it had offered to provide additional support to officers on the island.

It comes as Lucy today blasted the local Spanish police for 'not doing a good enough job' in finding the missing Brit.

'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job. They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them,' she told The Times.

Meanwhile the owner of holiday rental, Casa Abuela Tina - where Mr Slater is understood to have stayed with two acquaintances - today voiced her worries about the teen after spotting him walking alone down the hills on Monday.

She said: 'It's dangerous walking around here, it's easy to lose yourself. He walked up the road when I saw him for the last time.

'He was alone. He was walking normally, though he was fast.'

Ophelia shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route.

She aired her concerns about the teenager, but in the height of the media frenzy she stated: 'We are not to blame.'

The setting is surrounded by spectacular mountains and rocky roads

Authorities searching for missing teenager Jay along the ravine on June 20

Police officers also searched in the Masca ravine for Jay on June 19

The property, which is listed online as a holiday home, is believed to have been rented by two men Jay was with the night before whilst attending the NRG festival.

In a post on the Facebook page 'Jay Slater Missing', the administrator of the group Rachel Louise Harg said family and friends of Mr Slater were in a 'living nightmare'.

She said: 'There isn't an update for anyone unfortunately.

'Struggling to find words at this time but all I can say is we are looking still and everyone is doing all they can.

'We are drained beyond words - I just can't say no more, I wish I could. I wish this would end now, this living nightmare.

'Searches are ongoing and we remain positive.

'Thanks to you all supporting and helping we can't thank you any more, much love.'

His friend Lucy has called for the British police to assist with the investigation and slammed the local efforts.

She said she wants to 'bring him home to his family'.

'That is all that we want, all that we need,' she told the BBC.

The search mission has entered its fifth day. Pictured: Rescuers on June 19

Police officers and a sniffer dog are pictured in the search for Jay on June 19

Police officers and firefighters talked while searching for the missing 19-year-old on June 19

On Friday, search and rescue personnel joined officers from the island's Guardia Civil near the village of Masca where they appeared to focus on a specific area of overgrown terrain.

Some officers used binoculars to survey the landscape before heading towards the bottom of the hillside.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force's X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.
A top detective has revealed how despite ultra modern tracking technology that lets people see where thieves who have stolen their phones have taken them, police officers are often left unable to recover the valuable items.

The scourge of phone snatching in Britain's cities has come the fore in recent months, with numerous videos showing criminals swiping the devices from unsuspecting members of the public as they go about their daily lives.

Aside from the inconvenience and potential financial impact of losing their phones, the crimewave has seen victims lose items of great sentimental value, and having to shell out on new devices.

For many the most frustrating aspect of these brazen thefts is the struggle in getting their phones back before they are sold on the black market in the UK or as far afield as China.

With the growing popularity of tracking apps allowing people to narrow the location of the their phones down to the individual street corners, it has become easy to see where your device is once it is lift by the lawless subsection of society.

A phone snatcher lurks behind a woman moments before he steals her device in Marylebone, London, in April

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However, despite having the technology to get a location of the device, police are often powerless to retrieve them, according to one top cop.

Inspector Dan Green, who heads a team devoted to dealing with thefts including phone snatching at City of London Police, says the usefulness of apps such as 'Find My' can only go so far.

Writing in The Sunday Times, he said: 'We realise it's frustrating for victims who want us to turn up and break down the door because their phone is pinging at an address. But it's not as simple as that.'

Insp. Green said that some of these locations will not be worth sending officers to as the phone will have been moved to a private address by the time they arrive, while others could be hours outside the force's area.

He said that going to these places also requires manpower, with at least four officers needed every time as phone snatchers are 'frequently involved in other types of serious organised crime.'

He added that on occasions they have found 'more stolen property, drugs, large quantities of cash and weapons including large zombie-style knives'.

Insp. Green also said that while tracking apps can give a location, they are sometimes not accurate enough to prove truly helpful.

He said: 'The Find My app might show that an iPhone is in a block of flats, but it doesn't show you anything on the vertical axis and the building might have ten floors. So we have to decide whether to knock at every flat in the block.'

The detective added that this doesn't mean location software is never useful - he said that it can be used in tandem with other information such as intelligence that a known thief lives there to provide the basis for a search.

But if a suspect denies them entry, police sometimes have to get a court order to go inside, another process that takes time and requires detailed information to satisfy the courts to grant access. A location from the 'Find My' app is sometimes not enough to do this.

Insp. Green added that police officers can sometimes force entry to a property, but only to make an arrest and once they have reasonable grounds to believe the suspect is inside.

Emma Hall, 44, was the victim of a phone theft on April 29 just yards from her London flat

Emma tracked her phone to two addresses in North London before the device popped up again in China weeks later

In a separate incident in May, a thief on a bike was seen snatching a victim's phone from her hands in broad daylight at a bus stop in central London

In the video, a cyclist dressed all in black rides up to group of people standing near the Curzon cinema on Shaftesbury Avenue in London's West End

He said: 'So we are getting out to these addresses, but we just cannot do every single one. Having said all that, we are deploying officers every time that we can and we are getting great results.'

Earlier this month the force released footage showing police taking down Sonny Stringer, one of London's most prolific phone thieves as he sped though the capital on an e-bike.

The 28-year-old was rammed by officers and found carrying 24 mobile phones worth 20,000 - he had stolen them over the course of just one hour.

He later pleaded guilty to ten charges of theft, dangerous driving and having no insurance, at Isleworth Crown Court in West London.

He will be sentenced in August with the maximum penalty for theft being seven years in jail.

However, that will be scant consolation to some of the victims of the ongoing crimewave who have seen their phones cruelly snatched from their hands.

Among those is Emma Hall, who had her mobile stolen by a 'gang of youths on bikes' in east London in April this year.

The 44-year-old was able to track it down to two locations in North London, before the 'Find my iPhone' app showed it had been shipped to China.

She told MailOnline: 'It headed to North London at two separate addresses and then three weeks later it popped up in Shenzhen, China.

'I imagined it had gone over there to be sold on, but I got a bit obsessive about it because everyone was telling me stories about their phones being stolen and turning up in places like Egypt and Marrakesh.

'There was a concern initially because my phone was open at the time it was snatched. They can't access everything because of face ID but they could get into my photos, they could look at my text messages and that freaked me out a bit.

Sonny Stringer, 28, was taken down by police after stealing 20,000-worth of mobile phones in the space of an hour

'I went home and erased the phone straight away.'

Shenzhen has been referred to as China's 'Silicon Valley' for the number of competing businesses in electronics.

Emma said phone snatching is an 'everyday occurrence' in neighbourhoods around Stratford now, particularly close to the Olympic Park, Victoria Palace and Stratford International Station.

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'My friend had the exact same thing happen to him and they broke his wrist because he held onto his phone. He's had to have metal plates put in his wrist now,' she said.

'Something needs sorting because people shouldn't have to be worrying about going out with their phones in public. There are warnings all over social media now with people saying 'just spotted this kid' - and some are starting to film them'.

Figures have shown that a mobile phone is reported as stolen in London every six minutes.

Nearly 52,000 devices were stolen in the capital last year as criminals use violence and distraction techniques to target victims.

The worst-hit borough was the City of Westminster, where tourists flock for theatre shows and high-end shopping, with 18,863 reported incidents in the year to December - up 47 per cent from 12,836 in the previous 12 months.

Camden was the second worst affected, with 4,806 incidents, followed by Southwark (4,376), Hackney (2,761), Newham (2,585), Lambeth (2,394) and Islington (2,117). In London as a whole more than 52,000 phones were stolen last year.

Maria-Diandre Opre, a cyber-security expert at Earthweb previously told MailOnline: 'Time and again, I've analysed cases where stolen phones have resurfaced thousands of miles away, particularly in countries like China.

'This isn't mere coincidence, but a calculated ploy by criminals to exploit vulnerabilities in law enforcement across borders.

'For smartphone thieves, one of the biggest draws to trafficking stolen devices abroad is the reduced risk of detection. Some nations simply lack the robust legal framework and tracking capabilities to effectively police these crimes. This allows gangs to offload their ill-gotten merchandise with little fear of consequences.

'Certain regions have well-established black markets dedicated to disassembling, reprogramming, and reselling pilfered phones.

'These underground operatives possess specialised expertise to bypass security restrictions and wipe devices of their digital fingerprints before flipping them for a profit. Their intricate networks make tracing stolen stock an immense challenge.'
Experts have warned Hezbollah could overwhelm Israel's Iron Dome air defence system all-out war breaks out with Lebanon - with the Iran-backed terror group threatening 10 times the firepower of Hamas.

There are mounting fears of a full-scale conflict erupting as Hezbollah stepped up drone and missile strikes, forcing more than 60,000 people from their homes in northern Israel close to the border with Lebanon.

Officials and analysts say thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups in the Middle East are ready to come to Lebanon to join Hezbollah in its battle with Israel.

There have been almost almost daily exchanges of fire in the north since fighters from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip carried out last October 7's attacks on southern Israel that set off a war in Gaza.

The situation to the north worsened this month after an Israeli airstrike killed a senior Hezbollah military commander in southern Lebanon.

Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system, pictured intercepting rockets launched from Gaza as seen from the city of Ashkelon on October 9 last year, could be 'overwhelmed' by Hezbollah

Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups have offered to travel to Lebanon in its conflict with Israel - Iraqi Popular Mobilisation forces are seen marching in Baghdad in June 2018

Israel's Iron Dome aer defence system is seen being deployed near Jerusalem in April this year

Hezbollah retaliated by firing hundreds of rockets and explosive drones into northern Israel.

Israeli officials have threatened a military offensive in Lebanon if there is no negotiated end to push Hezbollah away from the border.

US analysts have issued new warnings about the military arsenal Hezbollah has built up in recent years, far more significant than its resources when the second Lebanon war with Israel ended in stalemate in 2006.

These could pose far more of a threat to Israel's Iron Dome which is crucial to the country's defence, designed to shoot down aerial attacks.

Seth G Jones, from the Centre for Strategic and International Students in Washington, said: 'My sense is that Hezbollah feels it has some leverage over the Israelis, because an escalating war  as much damage as it might do in Lebanon and Syria  would create terror in Israel.

'It would be a tall order for Israeli air defenses to confront the widespread rocket arsenal coming from the north. It would be a huge problem.'

His US thinktank said in a briefing that 'finding and destroying Hezbollahs rocket and missile capabilities would involve an enormous reconnaissance-strike effort'.

Hezbollah is believed to have acquired more than 150,000 missiles and rockets - including suicide drones, anti-aircraft missiles and guided ballistic missiles such as Iranian Almas missiles.

Sarit Zehavi, a former Israeli military intelligence-colonel who now runs the head of the Alma Research and Education Centre analysing Hezbollah, forecast the group could try to repeat the tactics used by Hamas on October 7 last year.

The Sunday Times quoted her as saying: 'The principle will be the same when the time comes. Rockets, invasion and hostages. With 10 times the firepower of Hamas.'

An Israeli flag hangs in an area near Kiryat Shmona, a city next to the border with Lebanon which has come under increasing attack by militant group Hezbollah

An Israeli firefighter and another Israeli man lie on the ground last Wednesday as sirens warn of incoming rocket attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon amid cross-border hostilities

Fighters from the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah are seen carrying out a training exercuse in Aaramta village in the southern Jezzine District in May last year

Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech last Wednesday they already had more than 100,000 fighters and have offers for more from militant leaders in Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen and other nations.

He added: 'We told them, thank you, but we are overwhelmed by the numbers we have.'

Over the past decade, Iran-backed fighters from Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan fought together in Syria's 13-year conflict, helping tip the balance in favour of Syrian President Bashar Assad.

Kuwaiti's foreign minister urged his nation's citizens not to travel to Lebanon or to leave the country if already there, while United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged 'reason and rationality' amid rising concerns about the conflict.

Officials from Lebanese and Iraqi groups backed by Iran say Iran-backed fighters from around the region will join in if war erupts on the the Lebanon-Israel border.

Thousands of such fighters are already deployed in Syria and could easily slip through the porous and unmarked border.

Some of the groups have already staged attacks on Israel and its allies since the Israel-Hamas war started October 7.

The groups from the so-called 'axis of resistance' say they are using a 'unity of arenas strategy' and they will only stop fighting when Israel ends its offensive in Gaza against their ally, Hamas.

Eran Etzion, former head of policy planning for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a panel discussion hosted by the Washington-based Middle East Institute last Thursday that he sees 'a high probability' of a 'multi-front war'.

Hezbollah's leader Hassan Nasrallah said in a speech last Wednesday the terror group already had more than 100,000 fighters

Mourners carry the coffin of late Hezbollah fighter Muhammad Ali Saab during a funeral procession in the southern Lebanese village of Yaroun on Friday after he was killed by Israel

Emergency and security service members and residents gather around the carcass of a car at the site of an Israeli strike in al-Khiyara town in Lebanon's Western Bekaa area yesterday

He said there could be intervention by the Houthis and Iraqi militias and a 'massive flow of jihadists from places including Afghanistan, Pakistan' into Lebanon and into Syrian areas bordering Israel.

Daniel Hagari, Israel's military spokesman, said in a televised statement this past week that since Hezbollah started its attacks on Israel on October 8, it has fired more than 5,000 rockets, anti-tank missiles and drones toward Israel.

He said: 'Hezbollah's increasing aggression is bringing us to the brink of what could be a wider escalation, one that could have devastating consequences for Lebanon and the entire region.

'Israel will continue fighting against Iran's axis of evil on all fronts.'

Hezbollah officials have said they do not want an all-out war with Israel but if it happens they are ready.

Since the latest exchange of strikes between Israel and Hezbollah, more than 60,000 Israelis have been forced from their homes in the northern border region - with as many a 43 communities reported to have been left as 'ghost towns'.

There have also been 100,000 people in Lebanon have fled their homes, while Israeli deaths have been put at 25 and 430 in Lebanon including 342 Hezbollah members.

Hezbollah today said it had targeted a military position in northern Israel with an armed drone in response to the killing of an Islamist commander.

The statement came hours after the group published a video excerpt purporting to show locations in Israel along with their coordinates.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged 'reason and rationality' amid rising concerns about the conflict between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel

Black smoke billows following an Israeli air strike that targeted a house in the southern Lebanese village of Khiam near the Lebanese-Israeli border on Friday

Destroyed houses in Khiam, a town near the Lebanese-Israeli border, that was hit by Israeli air strikes on Friday - seen from the Lebanese town of Marjayoun

The Jamaa Islamiya group had yesterday announced the death of one of its commanders, Ayman Ghotmeh, saying he was killed 'in a treacherous Zionist raid' in Khiara in Lebanon's eastern Bekaa area.

Israel later confirmed it had carried out the strike, saying Ghotmeh was responsible for supplying the Fajr Forces, Jamaa Islamiya's armed wing, and Hamas with weapons in the area.

Hezbollah now says its fighters launched a strike 'with an attack drone' on a military leadership position in the Beit Hillel barracks 'in response to the assassination carried out by the Israeli enemy in the town of Khiara'.

The Israeli military meanwhile said in a statement that a drone had 'crossed from Lebanon and fell in the area of Beit Hillel', adding: 'No injuries were reported.'
John Bercow has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to go on Strictly Come Dancing after his family told him he would be 'embarrassing'.

The ex-Speaker - who went viral on social media for shouting 'Order!' in the House of Commons - has turned to reality TV and selling video messages since he resigned in 2019.

Since leaving the Commons, Mr Bercow has written a memoir, created a podcast, regularly appears as a guest on talk shows, briefly became a part-time professor of politics and even took part in The Traitors US.

He also sells personalised video messages for $110 (86) wishing people a happy birthday, good luck in their exams or whatever his fans request.

Now, the former member of Parliament has revealed that he was asked to go on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing a few years ago but turned it down.

John Bercow has revealed that he turned down the opportunity to go on Strictly Come Dancing after his family told him he would be 'embarrassing'

Mr Bercow and fellow contestant Phaedra Parks - from The Real Housewives of Atlanta - during a challenge on The Traitors US

He said: 'I am off the scale an inadequate, non-performing, frankly untreatably poor dancer.'

Even if Mr Bercow had wanted to give it a whirl, his family were less than supportive.

'My family said, "You are so bad that it really would be hugely, almost irrecoverably embarrassing"', he told The Sunday Times.

The former Conservative-turned-Labour MP had an awkward gaffe during his time on The Traitors US - which was first aired in the US back in January but was released in the UK on BBC iPlayer at the start of June.

Not a single one of his fellow contestants on The Traitors - who all competed for a prize pot worth up to $250,000 - knew who he was

Within minutes of the first episode Mr Bercow had already recreated his bellowing 'Order!' - sparking bemusement.

Sadly, not a single one of his fellow contestants - who all competed for a prize pot worth up to $250,000 - knew who he was.

Appearing alongside the likes of Love Island's Ekin-Su, Drag Race's Peppermint and The Challenge's Johnny Bananas on the second season, the former Speaker was asked: 'So John, you were, like, actually a member of Parliament?'
Heathrow staff wearing pro-Palestine badges 'harassed' Israeli passengers and subjected them to 'degrading treatment'.

Passengers complained that they were targeted after staff noticed the Israeli flag on their luggage and were 'shunted' into a separate room.

When passengers asked why they were being treated differently, staff reportedly told them that as customs officials they could do whatever they wanted.

The complaints have prompted a Home Office investigation by their professional standards unit.

This comes after two Israeli survivors of the Nova Music Festival attacks were 'detained for two hours' at Manchester Airport earlier this year.

Heathrow staff wearing pro-Palestine badges harassed Israeli passengers after noticing an Israeli flag on their luggage as they passed through customs

The Home Office is investigating the complaints. Staff wearing political badges is in contravention of both the airport's uniform policy and the Equality Act 2010

The passengers arrived at Heathrow on an El Al flight from Ben Gurion airport and were passing through the airport at 10.30pm when a customs official noticed the Israeli flags on their bags.

The officers ushered the whole group into a separate room for checks and the travellers said their luggage was scanned The Times reported.

One passenger told the group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) they were walking towards the exit when a customs officer appeared and demanded one of the passengers explain what was on his suitcase.

When the man replied that it was an Israeli flag, the the customs officer reportedly told all those on the flight to move to a separate room.

One traveller said that the customs officers had told them they could do whatever they wanted.

They added: 'It was a horrible feeling to be shunted into another room.'

The Home Office is now investigating the incident as staff wearing political badges is in contravention of both the airport's uniform policy and the Equality Act 2010.

According to UKLFI the security staff engaged in 'unwanted conduct' relevant to a protected characteristic - being Jewish and Israeli and as a result those people were intimidated.

This comes after two survivors of the October 7 attacks were dealt with aggressively by UK Border Force after they had travelled to the UK to raise awareness for a not-for-profit organisation they established to help survivors of the terror attacks.

A Home Office spokesperson said: 'Complaints regarding Border Force are dealt with in accordance with the Home Office's formal complaint procedures.

'Any complaint about the way in which Home Office staff or contractors' staff carry out their duties is viewed seriously.'
Three armed youths remain on the run after a busy shopping centre was plunged into lockdown following reports of the teens chasing another group through the centre.

Westfield Marion in Adelaide, South Australia, was evacuated at 2:52pm on Sunday after three boys allegedly armed with 'expandable batons' tried to attack another group in the food court.

The armed teens remained at large on Sunday night after police urged the trio to hand themselves in.

Video circulating on social media of the incident showed heavily armed police storm the centre as siren blared through Westfield and shoppers ran for their lives from the scene.

South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said shoppers inside the centre were able to leave shortly after 5pm once police had declared the area safe.

HAPPENING NOW: Westfield Marion has been forced into lockdown after reports of an armed offender. #7NEWS pic.twitter.com/jlbWWpjAcr  7NEWS Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) June 23, 2024

Westfield Marion was plunged into lockdown following reports of a group of armed teens attacking another group in the shopping centre. Pictured is a sign during the incident

Hundreds of shoppers inside the centre were immediately evacuated or temporarily locked inside of the store they were in when the incident took place just before 3pm. Pictured are police at the scene

Retail workers wait outside the Westfield Marion after fleeing from the centre on Sunday

Footage posted online showed congested shoppers trying to evacuate the area

Assistant Commissioner Duval told reporters that CCTV footage showed three Caucasian boys with extendable batons and possibly a knife.

'I have looked at the CCTV [and] this involves three youth and I will call them boys under 18 years, of Caucasian appearance, they approached another group of boys and an altercation occurred,' he said.

'Expandable batons are seen and at this stage we cannot discount any other weapons but we have reports that a knife may be involved.

'We are not clear on the intention of that at this stage but I stress it does not appear to be a random attack, and it does not appear that the three boys were intending on targeting anyone else in the centre.

'While they were in an altercation with people they may have known, they have majorly inconvenienced everyone else.

He issued a public plea to the teens to hand themselves in.

He was confident that the boys would be found but encouraged anyone with additional information to come forward.

'They need to understand the consequences of their actions,' Assistant Commissioner Duval said.

Shoppers were told that they were able to leave by 5pm

Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval said the boys were armed with extendable batons and possibly a knife

Police are now searching for the boys after they escaped during the lockdown

Shoppers who were still stuck inside the shopping centre were told they could leave just before 5pm once police had secured the area

Two people were treated by paramedics at the scene (not pictured) and their injuries are believed to have happened during the evacuation

Paramedics at the scene treated a women in her 70s with a shoulder injury and a person in their 30s with a knee injury.

Both are believed to have been injured during the evacuation.

Neither had life-threatening injuries and one was transported to Flinders Medical Centre.

By the time police arrived at the shopping centre it had already entered into lockdown.

'As a result of the incident, centre management activated an audible alert and evacuation alarm, and the centre went into lockdown,' a police spokesperson said.

'Numerous police resources including STAR Group officers attended the centre to commence a search for the groups involved in the initial disturbance.'

Authorities have since erected fences around the shopping centre and asked members of the public to stay away.

Other footage posted to social media showed shopper and store staff in locked down in the Target staffroom.

A photo from the scene showed a billboard warning: 'Armed Offender: Escape, Hide, Tell'.

Police has asked the public to stay away from the area as shoppers are evacuated and the area secured

Numerous stores, including Woolworths and Rebel Sport, immediately shuttered their doors on the alert to keep shoppers safe

Shoppers who could not evacuate straight away were let out of the shopping centre after two hours while police cleared the area

People who were inside the shopping centre at the time of the evacuation posted about the experience online.

Numerous stores, including Woolworths and Rebel Sport, immediately shuttered their doors on the alert to keep shoppers safe.

Chloe Andrews posted to social media from inside a locked up Kmart stock room.

'I came to Marion to buy a new bin, and it's ended with myself and like 200 other people in Kmart's stock room as there is someone armed with a weapon in Marion,' she said.

'So anyone thinking of heading this way...just don't. I'm petrified.'

One shopper, writing to social media, said the scene turned into 'absolute bedlam' after the alert sounded.

'The alert was so quiet and took until the 3rd one to realise,' she said.

'We were in the movies with the two kids and it wasn't until the third one she said weapon David Jones and so shook up.

'We ran out the fire escape as one of the first from the whole cinemas and were left to find an escape. Just opening doors to find which one gets to the carport.'

Video circulating on social media shows heavily armed police officers storming into the centre

One shopper claimed the incident had unfolded on the second floor of the store and saw a security guard run up the escalator from level one

Another shopper claimed the incident had unfolded on the second floor of the store and saw a security guard run up the escalator from level one.

'The staff were great but people were certainly panicked and running to all the exits,' they said.

A third had also been shopping in David Jones when they heard a voice over the speaker system announce 'this in an emergency'.

'Then we heard it again and we've never heard that type of thing, next minute the David Jones security doors went down,' they told 9News.

Movies being shown in a nearby cinema were immediately stopped and the patrons evacuated.

One woman told the ABC: 'We were in the movies watching a movie and we just heard ... something saying "emergency" for 10 minutes and nobody really knew what it was, if it was a phone or something.

'[Then] someone went out of the movies at all of a sudden everyone just came running in a just sprinting incoming yelling "run, run!" And we ... started sprinting towards the emergency exit.

'We hid behind the seats. We had no idea it was a drill or something was happening.'

Another shopper, Wendy, told the publication that she was in Woolworths when the store's shutters closed after the first emergency announcement.

'It was all pretty fast, the shutters came down really quickly, I didn't even realise they were coming down because I was at the check-out and next thing I look up and the whole store was shut,' she said.

Police had secured the area just before 5pm and shoppers were told that it was safe to leave

Scentre Group, which owns Westfield Marion, said in a statement that the centre would reopen for trade on Monday

South Australian Police Assistant Commissioner Scott Duval urged the three teens to hand themselves in

Westfield Marion is owned by Scentre Group, same company that runs Westfield Bondi, the scene of a horrific mass murder event in April.

In a statement, the company said the centre would remain closed on Sunday, but would reopen for trade on Monday.

'The safety of our customers, business partners and people is our highest priority,' a Westfield Marion spokesman said.

'Our team have been providing their full support to SA Police this afternoon who attended an incident at Westfield Marion. For a brief period SA Police were in full control of the site.

'Please note, Westfield Marion closed at 5pm today, in line with normal trading hours, and will re-open for trade as normal tomorrow.'

Westfield Marion is a major shopping hub in the citys southern suburbs, about 12km from the CBD.

It is one of South Australia's largest shopping centres and it contains more than 340 stores.

Police conducted an active armed offender training drill at the centre in mid June.

Assistant Commissioner Duval said that the drill was effective and helped specialist police in evacuating the shopping centre on Sunday.
Ukrainian officials have complained the US is putting limits on how far Kyiv can strike inside Russia, stopping it from targeting key air bases.

Kyiv has claimed Washington is limiting how far it can strike inside Russia to within 62 miles of the border - which it argues puts airfields used by enemy warplanes out of reach, the Washington Post has reported.

It comes after President Volodymyr Zelensky warned the military aid being sent by the West is not enough to defeat Putin.

The Pentagon, however, denied the claims with a spokesperson saying Ukraine does 'have the ability to hit back'.

Earlier this month, Washington gave Kyiv permission to strike inside Russia with US-made missiles.

Pictured: A Ukrainian soldier carrying cartridges in the Donetsk region of Ukraine yesterday

Kyiv has claimed Washington is limiting how far it can strike inside Russia to within 62 miles of the border

Pictured: Destroyed buildings following the shelling of Kharkiv on June 22

The US had previously been reluctant to allow such strikes to be carried out for fear of escalating the conflict.

However, Washington changed its mind after the Kremlin launched an offensive across the border towards Kharkiv at the start of June.

The row over the US putting limits on Ukrainian missile strikes has reignited as two people were injured and scores of residential buildings were damaged in a Russian missile attack on the Kyiv region overnight.

Of the three missiles launched by Russia, Ukraine's air defence systems destroyed two over the Kyiv region, Ukraine's Air Force Commander Mykola Oleshchuk said today.

In his statement on the Telegram messaging app, Oleshchuk did not say what happened to the third missile.

Two people were injured by falling debris, Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv region's administration, said on Telegram.

Debris also damaged six multi-storey residential buildings and more than 20 houses, Kravchenko added.

A gas station, a pharmacy, an administrative building and three cars in the region were also damaged.

Pictured: Residential buildings were damaged during a Russian missile strike in the Kyiv region on June 23

Two people were injured by falling debris, Ruslan Kravchenko, head of the Kyiv region's administration, said on Telegram

Kyiv, its surrounding region and several others across Ukraine were under air raid alerts for about an hour on Sunday morning, starting from around 4.50 a.m. local time.

Witnesses reported hearing several blasts in and around Kyiv at the time that sounded like air defence systems hitting air weapons.

The missile attack comes as Russia also claims to have used a FAB-3000 M-54 glide bomb for the first time in Ukraine, which is twice the size of its standard FAB-1500 bomb.

The village of Lyptsi in the Kharkiv region was reportedly targeted by the missile strike.

A video circulating on Telegram shows extensive damage to the village, although commentary admitted that the strike had missed its target.

US officials described the use of the FAB-3000 M-54 glide bomb as a 'significant development' in the conflict.
Emmanuel Macron has driven France to the brink of its own 'Frexit' moment by ignoring warnings about migration, EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has claimed.

Mr Barnier warned in his memoir that other countries could leave the European Union if lessons were not learned from Brexit.

After leaving his role as the chief Brexit negotiator, he gave a copy of the memoir to the French president, but three years later Mr Barnier believes Macron has not listened to his warning.

Mr Barnier told The Sunday Telegraph: 'I regret that in my country that this warning has not been listened to... about migration, security, authority of the state, and the respect and development of the poorest parts of the country.'

He added: 'The first chapter was written precisely in the spirit of what could happen in [France].

Emmanuel Macron (pictured) has driven France to the brink of its own 'Frexit' moment by ignoring warnings about migration, EU's chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier has claimed

'It is my conviction that we have to pay huge conviction and great respect to what people on the ground think in some very poor regions.

'That was the case in the UK, and I think it could be the same in France.'

Mr Macron decided to dissolve parliament after his centrist alliance was defeated by the hard-Right in a European parliamentary vote this month.

Mr Barnier, who is a prominent pro-European conservative in France, called the gamble as 'very risky'.

Macron risks plunging France into chaos as his decision to call a snap election threatens to boost his hard-Right opponents, predecessor Nicolas Sarkozy warned earlier this month.

Michel Barnier warned in his memoir that other countries could leave the European Union if lessons were not learned from Brexit

Opinion polls suggest Mr Macron's centrist alliance faces an even greater rejection than Rishi Sunak is forecast to endure in next month's general election, with barely 20 per cent of French voters voicing their support.

It comes as French financial markets have taken a hammering in the week since his unexpected decision to dissolve the National Assembly in the wake of elections to the European Parliament, which saw his group trounced by the hard-Right National Rally.

Mr Macron has denied accusations he had taken a reckless gamble with the country's political future, saying it was 'a gesture of great confidence in the French people'.
A man has been charged over a suspected domestic violence incident in Perth where a woman was allegedly run down by a car before the driver ploughed into a fence.

Police rushed to the scene near the intersection of Amherst Street and Blinco Street in Fremantle, following reports of a collision on Saturday afternoon.

CCTV footage showed the car crashing into a fence moments after a woman was allegedly run down in the street.

The woman fell out of the car which allegedly continued down the street before mounting the kerb and smashing into the front fence of a nearby home.

It's believed a man and a woman  both in their 20s  who are known to each other were allegedly involved in an altercation in the car before the incident, the West Australian reported.

A man has faced court over a suspected domestic violence incident in Fremantle

Margaret and John Siinmaa spent Sunday morning cleaning up their front yard where the red Mazda ploughed through.

'I'm not worried about the fence, I just hope she is okay,' Ms Siinmaa told the publication.

Another neighbour tried to help turn the car off but it was too mangled.

Off-duty nurses provided first aid to the injured woman until paramedics arrived at the scene.

The woman was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries, where she remains in a stable condition.

The woman was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries, where she remains in a stable condition.

Daniel Komboni, 25, is facing a string of charges, including dangerous driving causing bodily harm, impeding another person's breathing, and stealing a motor vehicle

Daniel Komboni, 25, was charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, unlawful assault, impeding another person's breathing, and making a threat to unlawfully do an act.

He was charged with a string of other offences, including stealing a motor vehicle, and possessing cannabis and drug paraphernalia.

Jack Dunkeld recalled how his girlfriend had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit by the car.

She was still shaken by the near-miss the next day.

The couple went to the end of their driveway to see what was happening after they heard a lot of honking horns and screaming.

'The woman fell out just at the kerb as it came up the car hit her,' Mr Dunkeld recalled.

'Before we know it, it is coming over the back of the driveway where we were standing so unfortunately my girlfriend had to run out the way to avoid getting hit.'

Komboni was due to appear in court later on Sunday.

For confidential support 24/7, contact 1800 RESPECT.

The woman allegedly run down was rushed to Royal Perth Hospital with serious injuries




A seven-year-old girl has undergone three operations in eight days after she was nearly mauled to death by six 'XL Bullys' in a horrific attack.

Amelia Bird's face and body was covered in more than 30 wounds after she was savaged by a pack of dogs believed to have all been the controversial breed in March last year.

She had been playing outside her house in Carrington, Greater Manchester, with her sister Lara when the dangerously out-of-control dogs attacked and left her 'face down' with 'chunks of her skin and flesh gone'.

Her mother Jade rushed outside after hearing a scream and thought her youngest was dead as she fell in and out of consciousness and was not making any noise.

Amelias family drove the little girl to Manchester Children's Hospital, where she had urgent plastic surgery, the first of the three, but may face more in the future and countless hours of counseling for the psychological scars.

Amelia Bird's face and body was covered in more than 30 wounds after she was savaged by a pack of dogs believed to have all been XL Bullys in March last year

The 7-year-old (pictured) has undergone three operations in eight days after she was nearly mauled to death

Amelia (left) with her mother Jade (centre) and older sister Lara (right) at their home in Carrington, Greater Manchester

Jade, who was eight months pregnant at the time, told the Mirror: 'The doctors said they had never come across anyone else with dog bites so severe.

'Even after surgery she's got scars across her eye, her eyelid, which we call the rainbow, and scars along her tummy, her back, bum, legs and arms. She will have these for the rest of her life.

'She's suffering mentally. She will always suffer mentally as a result of this. She has got worse when it comes to dogs, and being around dogs.'

Bernard Valentine, the owner of the dogs, was charged by police with six counts of owning a dog which caused injury while dangerously out of control in a public place  one count for each animal that attacked Amelia.

The dogs, whose breed is still being determined, had jumped out whilst Valentine was living in a campervan outside his mum's house two doors down.

His pets had set upon a man walking his Dalmatian in the same place a few months earlier in December 2022, injuring both.

The 36-year-old was jailed for 49 months after pleading guilty to the charges relating to Amelia and admitting two further offences relating to the previous attack.

If police had acted earlier, Jade believes her daughter might have avoided being hurt.

She said: 'If the police had done something and arrested him then, then this wouldn't have happened to Amelia but it just seems they have shoved this under the rug. They just let him get away with it.

'[The police] are there to protect the public and they failed here. They put my daughter in danger.'

Amelia's mother has launched a Go Fund Me campaign for private counselling sessions, after she had been on a waiting list for more than a year along with her sister, who has 'also been affected massively'.

Amelia (pictured) may face more surgeries in the future after the out-of-control dogs left her with 'chunks of her skin and flesh gone'

Greater Manchester Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct when Valentine was charged with the offences in relation to Amelia's attack.

An investigation into two of the officers conduct in relation to separate incidents of dog bites in the same street is almost finished, the watchdog confirmed.

The IOPC will decide if either of the officers will face disciplinary proceedings and then publish a report on its findings.

A spokesman said: 'We will also consider whether the report identifies any areas of learning for the force to improve the response to similar incidents in the future. We will share our findings with those involved as soon as we are able.'

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak introduced a law to ban XL Bully dogs without a certificate of exemption in England and Wales in February following a string of serious and fatal attacks across the country. In Scotland, a similar ban begins at the end of July.

There is currently believed to be tens of thousands of the breed living in the UK.
Are you stuck at the airport?

Manchester Airport is in 'utter chaos' today as a major power cut cancelled dozens of flights and diverted planes with passengers stuck in packed terminals.

Huge queues formed in Terminals 1 and 2 at Britain's third busiest airport following the 'two hour' outage as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights.

Some passengers who did manage to board planes face an anxious wait to be reunited with their belongings as the airport warned luggage lined up and piled in the terminals may not even have been flown out on the same plane as them.

While people expecting to fly in to Manchester could find out they will land miles away elsewhere as a number of flights are being diverted to other airports.

All flights from Terminals 1 and 2 have been cancelled 'until further notice' and passengers have been told not to travel to the airport and to instead contact their airlines.

Terminal 3 could also face delays but people should come to the airport as usual unless their airline says otherwise, the airport said.

Are you stuck at the airport? Email matt.strudwick@mailonline.co.uk

Fed up passengers wait outside Manchester airport's Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut caused chaos

Holidaymakers departing from Terminals 1 and 2 are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Pandemonium at the airport as a power failure sees bags piled and lined up in the terminals

Passengers queue outside Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut led to disruptions and cancellations at Manchester Airport

Manchester Airport is in 'utter chaos' today with passengers standing shoulder-to-shoulder in after a major power cut left all flights facing severe delays or cancellations

The 'two hour' outage sparked chaos in Terminals 1 and 2 as holidaymakers are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Huge queues formed in the terminals as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights

One family was near the end of a 13 hour and 45 minute flight from Singapore when its Singapore Airlines plane was diverted to Heathrow.

While three friends who had tickets to see Olivia Rodrigo in Lisbon, Portugal, for her last European show are distraught after their flight was cancelled.

Another couple told MailOnline they are still sitting at Istanbul airport where their flight to Manchester has been delayed by more than three hours.

One mother, who did not wish to be named, told MailOnline she has been stuck on the runway at Heathrow for more than an hour after her connecting flight from Singapore was diverted at the last minute.

'Heathrow staff say they're struggling to get any kind of information from Manchester airport staff so no idea what's happening,' she said.

'They also said they were only told to divert the flight as they started to descend for landing at Manchester.

'The plane crew are trying their best but they have no idea what's going on either. I have some very fed up kids after a long journey from Sydney.'

Honey Harrop, 20, Evie Marsh, 20 and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight in Lisbon.

The three pals' easyJet flight was cancelled at 8.30am but they are still sitting in the arrivals hall as they have nowhere to go.

'We are all pretty devastated and just feel really frustrated cause the communication from the airport and easy jet has been really terrible,' Honey told MailOnline.

'Though we do understand that it is an unprecedented situation. It is just really annoying that we wont make it to the concert.'

Luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' at Manchester airport with prams discarded on the floor, one person claimed who has posted footage which showed people standing in near darkness as an alarm sounded.

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time,' the cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing which take time to re-boot.

This meant that staff were unable to process passengers arriving for early morning flights causing a 'giant bottleneck', an airport spokesman said.

Engineers have since fixed the fault but the exact cause is unknown.

(Pictured from left to right) Evie Marsh, 20, Honey Harrop, 20, and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight after their flight to Lisbon was cancelled

People queue to use the lifts at Manchester airport

Delayed at passengers sit on the terminal floors

People standing in the terminal at Manchester airport following an earlier power cut

Passengers sit among their luggage and look at their phones and tablet to keep them entertained during the wait

People are queuing outside the airport waiting to get inside as staff work through a backlog

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time' (Pictured -- people waiting outside)

The cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing (Pictured -- people waiting outside the airport)

'The airport runs on its own electrical supply so none of the wider area was affected,' he said.

'The fault has been fixed and checked so we are confident it won't happen again but we do not know exactly what caused it.

'What happened around 1.30am was the power cut, then the back up kicked in, the power was restored, but then went off again, all within a short space of time.

'It was effectively what happens when you rip the plug out of the back of your computer without shutting it down properly, but on a much bigger scale, and when it is affecting important infrastructure around the safety of aviation the delay in those systems getting back up and running is what caused the problem.'

He said staff were working hard to get those passengers scheduled to take off on early morning flights into the air and out of the airport, but admitted 'dozens' of flights in and out of Terminals One and Two today would be cancelled until the backlog was cleared.

So far more than 40 flights have been scrapped but more are expected.

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport 'onto flights as soon as possible', although their bags may not be loaded onto the same plane.

'We will work with airlines to make sure passengers are reunited with any baggage that is not on their flight as soon as possible,' the airport said.

Fern, who did not wish us to publish her surname, was stuck at the airport for six hours after her plane from Hurghada in Egypt landed on the tarmac at about 2.50am.

She told MailOnline she was 'herded like cattle through long corridors until alas, a dramatic halt to all movement and a one hour and 45 minute wait in corridors with no communication'.

'Frustrations continued when we were then looped back to the tarmac to board buses to T1,' she said.

'It was terribly slow movement on the passport control - several machines going down and again, zero staff- had there been a zombie apocalypse whilst we flew the skies?

'Relief washed over us when we entered the baggage claim area. This was to be short lived. Now, I'm going to cut a very long story short, but I left baggage claim at 8:45am. A staggering six hours after landing with no communication from any airline staff and only Jet2 reps visible who, whilst very helpful, could only provide so much support to those travelling with other airlines like myself.

'Absolutely shocking scenes, the trauma is sure to last a lifetime!'

Delayed passengers standing in long lines inside the airport's terminal

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport onto flights as soon as possible'

It is understood there was a widespread power cut in the area which plunged the airport into near darkness

In a statement released at 6.30am today, Manchester Airport said: 'Manchester Airport was affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning.

'This has caused widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled... we apologise for any inconvenience and aim to restore normal service as soon as possible.'

The airlines that operate from Terminal 1 include easyJet, Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Etihad Airways.

The likes of Air France, Jet 2, KLM, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Tui, and Virgin Atlantic fly out of Terminal 2.

Travel expert Simon Calder told LBC the systems at the airport are in 'extreme disarray'.

'The vast majority of passengers will be using terminals one and two [and] there are crowds of many thousands of people there, they have been there since the early hours,' he said.

'No flights are leaving and the latest information I have is that the airport is going to instruct the airlines to cancel a whole swathe of flights for several hours this morning, which will mean people who are on their way to the airport will suddenly find they will get a message saying your flight isn't going in a bid to recover the operation later today.

'On top of the tens of thousands of people who will be affected by hundreds of cancellations you've got an equal of opposite number of people waiting to fly back who are also going to be stranded.

'All of this is happening at a time when aviation is just getting into a peak season.'

He warned the situation could get 'very messy' and people could be waiting 'several days' to get to where they needed to be.

Shohaib Siddique posted footage of hundreds of people waiting to get inside the terminal as he wrote on x/ Twitter: 'Chaos at Manchester airport after power outage 2 hours stood outside the terminal with no idea if we are departing today or not.'

The electricity supply went out at around 1.30am leaving stranded passengers standing in near darkness

One person has claimed luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' with prams discarded on the floor

'What kind of hell on earth is this airport?': Stranded passengers enduring the 'chaos' at Manchester airport

The airport has apologised for any inconvenience as it explained there had been widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled

Hundreds of people have been pictured outside waiting to get inside the airport and say they don't know whether their flight will be departing today

Emily Louise said she had been in a queue for nearly three hours. She wrote: 'My gate has technically closed & passengers who checked in already their suitcases are still in the check-in area? Organised chaos & no Communication!'

A furious Max Wilkinson branded the airport a 'shambles' and called on management to quit.

'Utter disgrace, the airport should have back up systems / generators for this sort of scenario,' he wrote on X.

'Expect the unexpected. In general this airport is a shambles and needs major investment. I don't see how a power cut causes a toilet blockage across T1. Management should resign.'

Passengers at nearby Birmingham Airport have also faced travel misery for weeks as they wait in queues for hours amid confusion over the security's liquid policy.

On Thursday scores of holidaymakers took to social media to share their experience, describing two-hour queues as 'appalling' and 'ridiculous', while another traveller said the 'non-express queues are insane'.

Physical changes to the security area, which should allow for new technology required to relax the 100ml rule, mean passengers are now queuing on the ground floor and, at busy times, even outside of the airport.

The Government had announced that the 100ml rule would be scrapped in time for summer, meaning holidaymakers could take larger bottles of liquids in hand luggage for the first time in years.

But this has now been delayed, causing chaos at airports across the UK and confusion for passengers.

New 'liquid check' stations have been rolled out at the airport in a bid to cut the time wasted at security by those confused by the changes to hand luggage rules.

Airport bosses have also said they are in the process of hiring a further 100 staff to help combat the lengthy queues faced by travellers.
The death toll from a batch of toxic illegal alcohol in India has risen to 53, as more victims are rushed to hospital after drinking the toxic illegal alcohol.

Tamil Nadu state Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has said the locally brewed arrack drink was laced with poisonous methanol, killing 37 within hours after they drank the illegal alcohol on Tuesday.

More than 100 people were rushed to hospital, but some were too sick for medics to save.

Hundreds of people die every year in India from cheap alcohol made in backstreet distilleries, but this poisoning is one of the worst in recent years.

To increase its potency, the liquor is often spiked with methanol which can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

Family members perform last rites during funerals of victims who died after consuming toxic alcohol in Kallakurichi district of India's Tamil Nadu state on June 20, 2024

The Indian Express newspaper on Sunday quoted a local councillor, Palraj, describing how poor labourers in Kallakurichi district regularly bought the liquor in plastic bags costing 60 rupees (57p), which they would drink before work.

Some went blind and were rushed to hospital. Others died rapidly, collapsing in the street.

'The men work just to drink, and the women run the family', motorised rickshaw driver Shankar, who lives on a street where 23 people died, told the Indian Express.

M.S. Prasanth, the top government official in the state's Kallakurichi district, said '53 people have passed away', according to the latest figures on Saturday.

A man stands next to piles of wood arranged for the mass cremation of people, who died after drinking illegally brewed liquor

Other Indian media on Sunday put the toll as high as 55, but there was no immediate official confirmation.

Prasanth said that seven people had been arrested in connection with the 'spurious liquor tragedy', PTI added.

Tamil Nadu is not a dry state, but liquor traded on the black market comes at a lower price than alcohol sold legally.

The Indian Express also spoke to Kolanji, a domestic helper whose husband died on Thursday after drinking a packet of the tainted brew.

She said people drank the moonshine 'because they cannot afford' alcohol from the government-run shops.

Family members take part in a funeral procession of victims who died after consuming toxic alcohol

'They start buying packets early in the morning,' she said.

Selling and consuming liquor is prohibited in several other parts of India, further driving the thriving black market for potent and sometimes lethal backstreet moonshine.

Last year, poisonous alcohol killed at least 27 people in one sitting in the eastern Indian state of Bihar, while in 2022, at least 42 people died in Gujarat.
A mass murderer who shot dead six people and two unborn children in a killing spree on the NSW Central Coast more than three decades ago has died behind bars.

Malcolm George Baker, 76, died in palliative care on Saturday while serving six life sentences for a shooting spree known as The Central Coast massacre, the Daily Telegraph reported.

He used a double-barrel shotgun to smash the window to his ex-girlfriend Kerry Gannan and her sister Lisas Terrigal apartment on October 27, 1992.

A friend of the two women, Chris Gall, 22, who was visiting the house was the first victim to be shot.

Baker then shot his ex Kerry dead. She had called off the long term relationship six weeks earlier.

Baker then found Lisa - eight months pregnant - sleeping on the sofa and shot her in the face. She and her unborn child couldn't be saved.

Malcolm George Baker, 76, died in palliative care on Saturday while serving six life sentences for a killing spree six on the NSW Central Coast

The women's father Thomas Gannan, 43, was found dead in the street with a bullet to his head.

Baker then drove to his son David Baker's home in Bateau Bay, hot him in the back of head and left his son for dead in the backyard.

From there, Baker drove to Wyong, intending to take revenge on Ross Smith, 35, who he blamed for a failed business deal that cost Baker a housing deposit.

After breaking down the door, he killed Smith in the bath before shooting pregnant Leslie Read, 25, who died soon after in hospital.

Baker used a double-barrel shotgun to smash the window to his ex-girlfriend Kerry Gannon (left) and her sister Lisa Gannan's (right) Terrigal apartment in 1992

The women's dad Thomas Gannan (pictured) was also shot dead by Malcolm George Baker

Not done with his killing spree, Baker planned to go to Sydney and murder the rest of the people on his list.

Instead he visited a friend, John Thompson, who convinced him to hand himself in at a police station.

At 11pm that night, Baker went to Toukley police station and handed over his shotgun, telling police where they would find the trail of bodies.

He was charged with six counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.

On the 25th anniversary of the massacre, the mother of the killer's ex-girlfriend, Ann Gannan, spoke out about her last encounter with him.

Malcolm George Baker was sentenced to six life sentences without parole

Baker, who was 43-years-old at the time, tried to run Ms Gannan over before making a chilling threat to her and her family.

'Then he called out something like: "I'm going to take the lot of youse out," and I really panicked then,' she told news.com.au in 2017.

'I went back to Lisa and told her and we were all scared.'

She was right to be afraid of the unemployed mechanic, who went on his murder spree only weeks later.

'He was the type of person he had to be in control. You'd just get a sense that something was amiss and if you see that you know trouble's coming,' she said.

'I already knew it, I'd seen it in the girls. I'd seen the girls getting scared.'

In August 1993, Baker was sentenced to life imprisonment for each of the six murders without parole, which he was serving when he died.

He was one of the first six inmates sent to Goulburn Supermax jail's High Risk Management Unit in 2001.
James Cleverly slammed 'toxic' Nigel Farage 'for 'echoing Putin's lines' on Ukraine today.

The Home Secretary lashed out at the Reform leader after he suggested the West was to blame for Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

In interviews this morning, Mr Cleverly said he did not believe Mr Farage shared Tory values - insisting that meant he could not join the party.

'He has said over and over again his motivation is complete toxicity towards the Conservative Party,' the minister told Sky News.

'At the moment we are seeing things being said by members of the Reform party at every level which I think are completely against the principles and philosophy.'

Mr Cleverly said he was 'very proud' of the role the UK has played over Ukraine and in the Second World War - pointing to one Reform candidate having to apologise for suggesting that Britain should have stayed neutral against Hitler.

'When we see comments coming out of that party, which are echoing Putin's lines, saying that Churchill should have appeased Hitler... I cannot envisage how attitudes like that have any home in the Conservative Party now or in the future,' he said.

Mr Cleverly added: 'We are passionate about our defence of democracy and freedom, both historically and in the here and now.'

The intervention came after sources close to Volodymyr Zelensky warned that Mr Farage had been 'infected' by the 'virus of Putinism', while Rishi Sunak said he remarks were 'completely wrong and only play into Putin's hands'.

The Reform UK leader made the incendiary claims about the conflict in an interview for the BBC's Panorama election specials.

James Cleverly branded Nigel Farage 'toxic' today as he slammed him for 'echoing Putin's lines' on Ukraine

Mr Farage has been blasted for 'echoing Putin 's vile justification for the Ukraine conflict after he suggested the West was to blame for Russia's invasion

Rishi Sunak and Volodymyr Zelensky meeting at a summit in Italy last weekend

Grilled by presenter Nick Robinson, Mr Farage insisted the eastward 'expansion' of the Western alliance and political bloc had 'given a reason' for the Russian president to attack.

The Reform UK leader also spoke of his 'admiration' for Putin as a 'political operator' but insisted he disliked the Russian leader as a person.

Although there has been no official reaction from Kyiv, a source from President Zelensky's office told the BBC: 'The virus of Putinism, unfortunately, infects people.'

Mr Sunak said: 'What he said was completely wrong and only plays into Putin's hands.

'This is a man (Mr Putin) who deployed nerve agent on the streets of Britain, who is doing deals with countries like North Korea, and this kind of appeasement is dangerous for Britain's security, the security of our allies that rely on us, and only emboldens Putin further.'

Speaking to GB News, Mr Cleverly said: 'Time and time again now we've seen Putin reject the peaceful, more prosperous options and he's waged conflict in Ukraine, Russian troops in Georgia, Russian troops in other countries around eastern Europe.

'To suggest somehow that those countries brought it upon themselves, I think, is victim blaming of the worst order.'

Mr Farage was also criticised by Guy Verhofstadt, a prominent Belgian MEP, who said Farage was repeating 'Kremlin talking points'.

'In the European Parliament, Farage always defended Putin', he said.

'Every vote for Farage is celebrated in Moscow!'

Labour leader Sir Keir called the remarks 'disgraceful' and said anyone standing for Parliament should make clear Russia is the aggressor.

And Lib Dem leader Ed Davey told broadcasters on a visit to south east England: 'It is Putin and Russia who are to blame for this, no one else.

'I strongly support the efforts that Britain has made to support Ukrainians. I wish we had done more actually, and I think British people would be shocked if we do anything else.'

Mr Farage, however, doubled down on his comments last night as he posted on X: 'I am one of the few figures that have been consistent and honest about the war with Russia.

'Putin was wrong to invade a sovereign nation, and the EU was wrong to expand eastward.

'The sooner we realise this, the closer we will be to ending the war and delivering peace.'

The dramatic intervention creates a clear divide between Mr Farage's party and the Tories over how to handle the rising threat from states like Russia and China

The row comes as Mr Zelensky said last night that his country had marked 'a significant milestone' on their path toward EU membership as a negotiating framework was approved.

He said: 'These are truly historic moments. Ukraine is and will always be part of a united Europe.'

Former Nato Secretary General Lord Robertson further criticised the Reform UK leader for 'parroting the Kremlin Line' and 'producing new excuses for the brutal, unprovoked attack'.

Mr Farage claimed during the interview that Lord Robertson had agreed the Ukrainian conflict was caused by the expansion of the EU.
MBABANE  The Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg says supplying government remains the safest to supply, but suppliers should have facilities in place to cushion themselves in case of delays.

In an interview with this publication, the minister stated that, first and foremost, it was important for one to understand that government pays in cycles. He said normally just before the Southern African Customs Union (SACU) receipts come in, there would be a piling up of backlog of payment for suppliers. The minister was asked on what government was doing to address the issues of suppliers who were owed, and finding themselves defaulting on their loans from financial institutions, due to the delays in payments from government. It is worth noting that our sister publication, the Times of Eswatini earlier this month reported that government was in a tight financial position, owing suppliers E1.4 billion.During the interview with this publication last week, the minister said unfortunately, suppliers must also be able to work with that, and have facilities in place to make sure that they do not get themselves in issues if government delays payments.

Supplying government

But the beauty with supplying government is that, unlike private sector businesses that may at some point become bankrupt, government will pay the bills and government does not get bankrupt, he said.The minister shared that currently, government had received some money from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) through the bonds listing. He shared that there was another loan that recently came in over the past week, which also brought some relief. He said through all this, he hoped the E1.4 billion owed to suppliers had been reduced. Around May, government received about E400 million which came as a result of a decision it took in early 2022, to seek a loan through issuing bonds on the JSE amounting to E4 billion.

Rijkenberg shared that another relief for suppliers would come in the first week of July, when government hopes to pay some of its suppliers.



The payment of suppliers in July is indeed expected to come through as in the same month last year; the minister announced that government had spent E2.8 billion on paying suppliers.

The delays in government paying suppliers had often resulted in the suppliers defaulting in paying their loans and also defaulting in paying taxes. Defaulting in loan repayment often leads to the increase in the non-performing loans in the financial institutions.

Killing their businesses

Business owners under the Federation of Eswatini Business Community (FESBC) had been lamenting that the delay of payments by government was killing their businesses. The business owners stated that the delays led to them failing to comply with their tax obligations and further failed to pay salaries. They stated that they were struggling to get paid by government. Job losses are eminent due to the delay of payments by the government, said the businesspeople. Economist Sanele Sibiya advised that government needed to align its expenditure with the revenue it generated.

The economist told the Times of Eswatini a couple of days ago that the fact that government was heavily reliant on the SACU receipts meant that the streams of income were limited and needed to be diversified. Sibiya said other than the reliance on SACU; the hike in arrears to E1.4 billion affected the growth of the economy, as it was not circulating. He said this meant that suppliers and service providers were not re-investing and creating more revenue for themselves and government through tax. Government needs to start aligning its expenditure along with the revenue it generates, as the current cycle means service delivery will always be compromised, he said.

It is worth noting that during Sibaya in October 2023, just before the Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini was appointed, panellists questioned several candidates about how the country could find other sources of revenue and end the reliance on SACU receipts. This was highlighted as an impediment to Eswatinis growth. Among those questioned was the Minister of Finance, Rijkenberg, who also emphasised that the only way Eswatini could stop the cycle was to ensure the growth of the economy. Rijkenberg emphasised that government needed to invest in financial prudence and also weed out elements of corruption in procurement, which resulted in high amounts of money being spent on far lesser items.

During the recent Business to Government (B2G) engagement, the PM said government should stop relying on the SACU receipts for survival. Dlamini said government should find other ways to finance its budgetary obligations, other than to rely on the SACU receipts.
A man has been sent to jail after he was seen charging out of his home carrying a shotgun during a row with a neighbour about loud music.

Raging weapons nut Billy Price, 46, was seen running out of his flat shirtless in Newport and pointing the loaded gun at a man he was feuding with in August last year.

Armed police were called to the scene and searched his home, where they found an arsenal of hidden weapons including petrol bombs which they feared he would use in the music volume row.

As officers arrived at the disturbance, an unnamed man can be seen on body-worn footage approaching them and saying: 'I've had a phone call saying a guy... got a rifle on my brother. I've just gone to his flat and haven't got any answers.'

Price was arrested on suspicion of affray and can be seen being questioned by police in custody about his weapons haul, after officers found a stash of weapons including a sword, a flail, and three homemade petrol bombs when they raided his home.

Raging weapons nut Billy Price (pictured) was seen running out of his flat shirtless in Newport, Gwen and pointing the loaded gun at a man he was feuding with in August last year

Price was sentenced to six years' imprisonment and a four-year extended licence period at Cardiff Crown Court

One apparent petrol bomb appeared to have a wick made from a pair of underpants.

Price was asked by police: 'There's nothing in there that's gonna cause an explosion?', to which he replied: 'Well why don't you send the Army to find out?'

The defendant argued at Cardiff Crown Court that he was using the jars to store petrol in after a jerry can broke.

Defence counsel Tom Roberts also argued in mitigation that Prices shotgun was loaded but not fired.

Mr Roberts added that there was 'little to no planning' in the incident with the neighbour.

He argued that his client had a 'fascination' with firearms rather than an intention to use them and that his history of offending was largely non-violent.

Describing Price as a dangerous offender with a fascination with weapons, Judge Paul Hobson sentenced him and ordered the forfeiture of his weapons.

He said: 'The facts of these offences speak for themselves in terms of the level of risk that you pose.'

Price was sentenced to six years' imprisonment and a four-year extended licence period at Cardiff Crown Court.

The shotgun wielded by Price as he ran out of his flat

Officers found a stash of weapons in Price's home including a flail (left), an axe (right) and three homemade petrol bombs

A sword was also discovered in Price's house when officers raided the property

He admitted to possessing a prohibited firearm and possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence.

Price pleaded not guilty to possessing explosives but was found guilty of this after a trial.

Gwent Police detective chief inspector Matthew Edwards said after the sentencing: 'Price is a dangerous man who has an infatuation with weapons and a blase attitude.

'Weapons owned with the intent to cause harm or fear will not be tolerated in Gwent and we hope today's sentencing reminds others that we take all reports of weapons extremely seriously.'
A teenager set to be tried over the murder of a British OAP has died in a car accident in Costa Blanca.

The 18-year-old was arrested along with his mother following the stabbing and shooting of 80-year-old Monica Warren at her home in Elche near Alicante.

He died a day before his murder trial was scheduled to get underway at a youth court in Alicante after losing control of his convertible Mercedes on the AP-7 motorway near Campoamor just south of the resort of Torrevieja.

The youngster, who has not been named and was on bail following an initial remand in a youth detention centre, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Youth court prosecutors are understood to have been seeking an eight-year custodial sentence for the teenager if he was found guilty of Mrs Warren's murder.

Monica Warren, 80, was stabbed and shot at her home in Elche near Alicante

The victim's body was discovered after police were called to the property in Elche

His mother's trial, which was due to take place separately, is expected to start after the summer.

Reports at the time of the May 2022 murder said the Brit OAP could have been targeted over a real estate dispute.

The boy who died in the traffic accident, 16 at the time of the killing, was accused of helping his mother move the victim's body after she was stabbed and then shot.

Police said after the murder they homed in on the suspects after the mother's car caught fire in Alicante, shortly after Mrs Warren's bullet-riddled body was found at her home.

Mrs Warren had reported the theft of a .22 Beretta pistol, believed to be the murder weapon recovered near the house, that she was licensed to use as a firearms enthusiast.

A plumber the Brit had called to her home to carry out an urgent repair, raised the alarm when he was unable to get her to answer the door.

He told a 999 operator he was concerned because he had seen two people wearing hoodies leaving the OAP's home and driving off in a black Peugeot.

Mrs Warren, who was born in Germany but became a naturalised British citizen through marriage, moved to Spain with UK-born husband John more than 20 years before she was killed.

Police said after the murder they homed in on the suspects after the mother's car caught fire in Alicante, shortly after Mrs Warren's bullet-riddled body was found at her home

He died of cancer several years before the murder and she lived alone.

Friend Alan Benson, 70, who lived near her 350,000 villa on a residential estate a short drive from Elche, revealed after the crime she had worked as a model in London.

He added at the time: 'She was tall but she was incredibly thin. You could knock her over with a feather - I just don't understand why they did it.'

Spanish police confirmed after the May 4 2022 stabbing and shooting: 'The National Police has arrested the alleged killers of an 81-year-old British woman whose body was found with fatal gunshot wounds on Wednesday at a villa in an area near Elche called Maitino.

'Investigators have arrested a man and a woman thanks to the swift response of police units tasked with fighting violent crime based in Elche and the provincial police HQ in Alicante, who have coordinated their work to locate both detainees and seize the possible murder weapon, which is a short-barrelled firearm.'

They said in a later statement: 'The suspected authors of the homicide are a 46-year-old woman and her 16-year-old son. They are both Spanish.

'Neither has a criminal record.

'The weapon used to shoot the victim dead was found during a painstaking search of the place where her body was found and the area immediately around it.

'She had been shot three times and scenes-of-crimes officers concluded her body had been moved from the place she was killed to the spot where she was found.'
A 'war' has broken out in the upmarket town of Well-next-the-Sea in Norfolk after plans were submitted by a business owner that would have doubled the number of wine bars.

The area, known as the 'Prosecco ghetto' is the centre of a feud between a wine consultant who has planned to open up a new bar just 250m from his rival's shop.

Bert Blaize - nominated as Young Sommelier of the Year by GQ - lodged plans with the council to open a wine bar called North Norfolk Cellars.

But among those to lodge a formal objection was Richard Turfrey, a rival wine seller who runs Wells Wine Shop and Bar down the road.

The pair went head to head after Richard wrote in his official objection that the 'tranquil environment that has been enjoyed in this part of the town for hundreds of years will be lost.'

Bert Blaize, 35, was nominated as Young Sommelier of the Year by GQ. He recently submitted plans with the council to open a wine bar called North Norfolk Cellars

The new wine bar would overlook the sea. It is also only 250m away from Mr Blaize's rival

The picturesque town of Well-next-the-Sea in Norfolk has become the centre of a fine bar feud after two business rivals went head to head over planning permission

Mr Blaize, 35, who has written a book called Which Wine When, received a total of eight objections around noise, excessive booze, and closing times.

Among them was the one from Mr Turfrey - who did not disclose a connection to his bar, but wrote: 'Having lived in the east end of Wells for the last eight years I have grown to understand the significance of this tranquil environment within the town and the importance of its preservation for future generations to come.

'All drinking establishments are unavoidably noisy and therefore the addition of a licensed premises will change the above mentioned environment forever and this is an absolute fact that can not be denied.

'A different type of human traffic with a different requirement will be visiting this area for the first time as a result of the premises license and this will irrevocably change this historic environment in a detrimental way forever after being protected for so long.

'There is no doubt that the permanent residents that are living directly opposite and within a stones throw will be unavoidably effected by the inevitable noise and comings and goings of a licensed premises in an environment that has never been accustomed to one; their quiet enjoyment will be lost forever and the tranquil environment that has been enjoyed in this part of the town for hundreds of years will be lost.'

Another objector did mention his wine bar however, stating: 'In conclusion we should point out that there is already a wine bar in Wells- the Wells Wine Bar in Staithe Street.

'We don't see the need for another one.'

Councillors last week approved the proposal when Richard withdrew his objections after his identity was made public on the council planning portal.

The harbour of the Norfolk town is a favourite spot for holiday homes and now wine bars

The Wells wine shop on Straithe Street belonging to Richard Turfrey who lodged a formal objection against the new wine bar proposals submitted by Bert Blaize

Mr Blaize's plan for his wine shop were submitted o the council but received eight objections in total

The building that the award-winning sommelier plans to turn into his wine bar overlooking the sea

It has since been claimed the argument was 'blown out of proportion' and that Richard believed his name would not be released.

At the meeting on Tuesday of North Norfolk District Council, Bert said he had received an apology - and claimed Richard had been trying to drum up further objections for fear of loss of trade.

He told councillors: 'Richard, the gentleman who removed his objection, he actually came to see me.

'He's the owner of the other wine bar in Wells and he admitted that he objected because he thought that it would affect his trade and he also encouraged others to object on his behalf, which is why a couple of the objections say 'we already have one wine bar in Wells, we do not need a second'.

'He apologised to me and came to me face-to-face which is pretty respectful of him and then he phoned me later to say he removed his objection.'

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Blaize said he now held no ill-will towards his wine rival.

He added: 'I wish Richard all the best and I think this has all been hugely blown out of proportion really.'

Mr Blaize, who studied Computer Game Design at university before working for the company that makes Call of Duty only got into the wine trade after being made redundant.

He now designs wine menus for restaurants and is a freelance sommelier for celebrities.
A woman has been rescued after a terrifying ordeal during a whale watching cruise boat off the Queensland coast.

The tourist fell overboard from a Kokomo Cruises vessel as visitors gathered to watch a pod of whales on the Gold Coast on Saturday afternoon.

She clutched to a lifebuoy ring, and her phone as shocked others onboard helped her back onto the boat.

Kokomo Cruise founder Nic Jones said the woman went overboard after her jacket became tangled in a locking pin on the boat's gate.

The woman clutched to a lifebuoy ring and her phone while other people onboard tried to rescue her

A woman from Gatton has been rescued after falling overboard from a Kokomo Cruises vessel off the coast of Queensland

'At the end of the cruise as she went to go back to her seat, it unlocked the gate and threw her off balance simultaneously,' he told the Gold Coast Bulletin.

'It was a very shocking incident  thank goodness she is absolutely okay.'

It's understood the woman was visiting from Gatton in south-east Queensland's Lockyer Valley.

Another tourism operator, Whale Watch Queensland, saw the incident unfold and stepped in to assist in the rescue.

Whale Watch Queensland owner Gemma Sharp said they slowed down and approached the woman.

'She was on our right-hand side and we basically reached out with a gaff, which is a long stick with a hook on the end, so she grabbed onto that,' she told 9News.

Ms Sharp said they gently pulled the woman down to their doorway, where her sister and father lifted her her back up onto the boat.

Kokomo Cruises will prepare a report for the maritime safety authority.

The company also thanked Whale Watch Queensland for their assistance.
Jay Slater's distraught father has fought back tears as he told of just wanting 'my boy back' after the British teenager went missing a week ago.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, vanished last Monday after attending a three-day high energy music festival on the Spanish sunshine island of Tenerife.

Jay's father Warren, 58, and brother Zak, 24, have now visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes.

Choking back tears Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black t shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The visit came as a bombshell new video of missing Jay dancing shirtless in a Tenerife nightclub just hours before he disappeared has emerged.

Missing British teenager Jay Slater's father Warren struggled to hold back tears, saying 'I just want my boy back', as he visited the Spanish island Tenerife where the 19-year-old vanished

Jay, from Oslandtwistle in Lancashire, was last heard from last Monday morning

Jay's father Warren, 58, and brother Zak, 24, have now visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes

Warren and Zak were joined by other family and friends at the place which has been the focus of attention all week by police.

The pair journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

They looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Warren and Zak also visited the Air BnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two mystery British men and from where he had sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy Mae Law.

In the new clip of Jay which has emerged, he is seen dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub which is at the end me of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas.

The after-party is known to have wrapped up at 5am and an hour later Jay was with two mystery British men at their 40-a-night AirBnB 19 miles away at Masca.

Jay's father Warren was distraught as he said: 'He's my son. I just want him back'

Friends of Jay (pictured) have also flown in to Tenerife from Britain

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

A timeline of the events being scrutinised in the ongoing hunt for missing Jay Slater

It was here that a woman made the last confirmed sighting of Jay at about 8.15am, saying he was walking at pace up the hill and away from Playa de las Americas.

He contacted his friend Lucy Mae Law at 8.50am last Monday to say he was 'lost in the mountains with no water' and one per cent battery on his mobile, with the phone's last signal close to the Masca gorge beauty spot.

Jay's mum Debbie Duncan, 55, who has flown out to Tenerife from her home at Oswaldtwistle, told MailOnline there had been a sighting of someone resembling her son at around 6pm the day he disappeared by the church at Santiago de Teide which is back towards Playa de las Americas.

She said the man had told police he was "with two men sitting on a bench by the church looking a little worse for wear' however at the moment it has not been confirmed this was Jay.

Since he disappeared wild theories have flooded the internet and social media which MailOnline is not publishing but his mother Debbie fears he may be 'being held against his will'.

Police have said they are keeping an open mind on what has happened and have used helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs as part of the search for him.

Debbie has revealed her choice not to attend with them has caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews.

Debbie said: 'People keep saying on social media why aren't I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just can't face it.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

New video footage shared on TikTok shows missing British teenager Jay Slater dancing with his shirt off at the Tenerife nightclub he attended hours before he disappeared

He was with fellow revellers at Papagayo nightclub (pictured) which is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in Tenerife

Le Papagayo Beach Club was hosting an event as part of a high energy music festival

'I don't want to go up there in case I see something that I don't want to. I'm just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down.

'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.'

Karen Matthews, dubbed 'Britain's worst mother' was behind the fake kidnap of her own nine-year-old schoolgirl daughter Shannon Matthews which horrified the nation in 2008.

Lucy Law, 18, was the last person to speak to Jay when he called her at around 8am on Monday morning from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on one per cent'.

Earlier today a bombshell image which is the last known photograph of Jay was uncovered. It is believed to have been taken at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas in the early hours of Monday morning.

It shows Jay in the grey sport top with green shoulder edging that he was wearing when he went missing, with Lucy alongside him.

The search for the apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire has now entered its seventh day on the Spanish island of Tenerife

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

She has been questioned again at length by Spanish police separately with officers wanting to go through timings once again with her although there is no suggestion of anything untoward.

It comes as a GoFundMe set up by Lucy to help look for Jay has raised 27,000, speedily approaching its 30,000 target.

Rescue teams have been scouring a 2,000ft-deep ravine in the remote, desert-like Teno Nature Reserve in a bid to find Jay on the seventh day of searching.

His concerned mother Debbie still believes he may have been kidnapped.

She has vowed to stay in Tenerife for 'as long as it takes' - as it emerges a new sighting of her son is being investigated.

Speaking to MailOnline, Debbie, 55, said: 'Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

'He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

'They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains and he wasn't aware of his surroundings

The search is entering the seventh day. Pictured are search teams on June 22

Firefighters near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on June 22 as the search enters Day 6

'All I know is that I am going to stay here for as long as it takes, I'm not going home unless it's with Jay. I'm not going anywhere until they find him.'

The sighting has not yet been officially confirmed.

The last confirmed sighting of Jay was at 8.15am on Monday when a woman saw him walking through the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de las Americas.

But Ophelia Medina Hernandez, the last person to see Jay, told The Times: 'People don't get lost here.'

She saw him next to a bus stop, adding: 'He was walking normally but a bit quickly.'

Yesterday, British police offered to help in the hunt for Jay but their offer was turned down by Spanish counterparts.

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Debbie told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police.

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

A screenshot of Jay's last known location where his phone battery died

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

The teenager posted a Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

'I've said to you before if someone does have him, I don't really want to say anything and it's something the police are looking at but we just don't know what's happened.

'I've seen some things on social media but now I'm staying off that, I'm just shattered, I'm so exhausted, I'm slumped her in a chair absolutely drained, I fainted as well earlier.

'Some of Jay's friends and ex-girlfriends are coming over as well to help look for him but I still can't face going up there. His dad and brother are going to go up to where they are searching.'

Debbie added:'My energy levels are just zero, I am going through every emotion, screaming, crying, I've just not slept for days.

'It's just so upsetting for all the family, we just don't have any ideas, there are just so man stories flying around about what might have happened and I don't want to know.

'I'm ignoring all of them and I don't want to say anything just in case he is being held against his will.'

Ophelia, the last person to see Jay, shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route

Rescue teams confer as they continue to search for Jay on June 21

It comes after his worried friends said on behalf of his mother that an unknown person is using his Instagram as it's been frequently active, but it isn't Jay.

They also claim that Jay's friends and family have had their accounts hacked and false information shared.

The apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday after an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus.

The admin of the Facebook page called Jay Slater Missing, Rachel Louise Harg, wrote: 'Some people are actually this sick in the head, there are people hacking my accounts and Jay's family's, making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it.'

She said Debbie is 'broken' and slammed the mystery person using the account as 'cruel'.

The police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals  a word that translates into English as 'bad land' according to The Sub.

The force declined an offer from Lancashire police to send support to help find the missing teen.

In a statement released late on Friday, the UK police force said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

A drone can be seen flying over the area in Tenerife where Jay is believed to have gone missing

June Duncan, grandmother of missing person Jay Slater, spoke of fears for her grandson

Lancashire Police released a statement regarding Jay's disappearance earlier that day, saying it had offered to provide additional support to officers on the island.

It comes as Lucy today blasted the local Spanish police for 'not doing a good enough job' in finding the missing Brit.

'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job. They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them,' she told The Times.

Meanwhile the owner of holiday rental, Casa Abuela Tina - where Mr Slater is understood to have stayed with two acquaintances - today voiced her worries about the teen after spotting him walking alone down the hills on Monday.

She said: 'It's dangerous walking around here, it's easy to lose yourself. He walked up the road when I saw him for the last time.

'He was alone. He was walking normally, though he was fast.'

Ophelia shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route.

She aired her concerns about the teenager, but in the height of the media frenzy she stated: 'We are not to blame.'

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

The property, which is listed online as a holiday home, is believed to have been rented by two men Jay was with the night before whilst attending the NRG festival.

In a post on the Facebook page 'Jay Slater Missing', the administrator of the group Rachel Louise Harg said family and friends of Mr Slater were in a 'living nightmare'.

She said: 'There isn't an update for anyone unfortunately. Struggling to find words at this time but all I can say is we are looking still and everyone is doing all they can.

'We are drained beyond words - I just can't say no more, I wish I could. I wish this would end now, this living nightmare. Searches are ongoing and we remain positive.

'Thanks to you all supporting and helping we can't thank you any more, much love.'

His friend Lucy has called for the British police to assist with the investigation and slammed the local efforts.

She said she wants to 'bring him home to his family'.

'That is all that we want, all that we need,' she told the BBC.

On Friday, search and rescue personnel joined officers from the island's Guardia Civil near the village of Masca where they appeared to focus on a specific area of overgrown terrain.

Search and rescue were out in force on the evening of June 21

Some officers used binoculars to survey the landscape before heading towards the bottom of the hillside.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force's X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.
Call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 635 of you need support

A woman has died after falling from a popular clifftop lookout.

The woman is believed to have fallen from the peak of Castle Hill in Townsville in North Queensland at 2.54pm on Sunday.

Emergency services were only able to provide limited details about the death, which was later confirmed by Queensland Police as mental health related.

Emergency responders were aided by the Polair Townsville helicopter and the Queensland Government Air in locating the woman's body.

A woman has died after falling from the top of a lookout at the top of Castle Hill in Townsville, Queensland, at 2:54pm on Sunday

A fire and Emergency Services spokesperson confirmed that the body had been found at 4pm.

The woman had already died by the time she was located.

Castle Hill Road has since been closed and members of the public have been urged to avoid the area.

Castle Hill is an iconic centrepiece of Townsville with stunning 360 degree views of the city.

More than 2,500 locals and tourists visit the landmark and use its walking trails each day.

If you or someone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467.
Early on in their flourishing romance, Tobi-Jayne Cadbury's new partner, dashing SAS hero Christian Craighead, mentioned he had an ex-girlfriend who was a dentist. 'That's all he said, and I didn't give it any further thought,' she recalls. 'She was just an ex who happened to be a dentist.'

Not for long. Because within a few months of that conversation, as a criminal court was later to hear, that same ex  Army officer Major Jennifer Wilson  had become a monstrous presence in 37-year-old Tobi-Jayne's life.

After discovering Tobi-Jayne's and Christian's relationship, she became so consumed with hatred that over the course of many months she terrorised her with abusive and threatening messages from dawn until the small hours. Among them was one that read she wouldn't stop 'until one of us dies' and she called her a 'fat c***', a 'chicken s*** slag' and an 'uneducated slut'.

In an ongoing campaign of psychological warfare that brings to mind the disturbing Netflix hit drama Baby Reindeer, Wilson also bombarded Tobi-Jayne with naked photographs she had of Christian  a decorated officer whose name is a pseudonym to protect his identity  which she also sent to his 300,000 Instagram followers.

She created fake social media accounts in her rival's name, from which she sent abusive messages to herself, hoping that the ruse would convince police that, in fact, it was Tobi-Jayne stalking her.

Tobi-Jayne Cadbury, 37, started fearing for her life after receiving terrifying threats from her boyfriend's obsessed ex-partner

Her obsession was so all-consuming that Tobi-Jayne feared for her life. She still does, for, last Friday, 42-year-old Wilson was spared jail after pleading guilty to harassment and malicious communications at Aylesbury Crown Court  a decision that Tobi-Jayne brands 'a huge let-down'.

But she reserves her greatest ire for the Army who she accuses of 'closing ranks'.

'I feel they have let both me down and Christian who, let us not forget, is an SAS hero. I asked them for help and they ignored me.

'It is despicable she can torture someone in the way she did and they seem to think it is OK.'

Major Wilson was given a community order and has to undergo 100 hours of unpaid work.

A small consolation is that she has been given a lengthy ten-year restraining order preventing her making any contact with the victim, although Tobi-Jayne believes that even this will not stop her.

'The police have said they don't think she will ever stop, and I have to accept that,' she says quietly.

Notably fragile, Tobi-Jayne, a slender blonde, fights off tears for much of our chat, and confides that she has been in therapy for months. 'I'm anxious about sleeping alone if Christian isn't there, I no longer socialise as I worry who is around me and if a car is behind me for too long,' she says.

She is also reluctant to go into too much detail about her personal life. 'Because I'm giving her more information,' she says.

'She already knows so much about me, and I won't give her any more ammunition.'

What she will say is that while her surname conjures up images of vast family wealth courtesy of the great chocolate dynasty, she is only distantly related to the Cadbury family.

Dashing SAS hero Christian Craighead. Army major Wilson's relationship with Christian lasted four years, during which time he had learnt she was married

Jennifer Wilson, 42, was spared jail after pleading guilty to harassment and malicious communications - a decision that Tobi-Jayne brands 'a huge let-down'

A lawyer who works for a practice in Worcestershire, Tobi-Jayne's life changed when, three years ago, she was introduced by mutual friends to Christian, an SAS soldier, now 47, who in 2019 earned a Conspicuous Gallantry Cross after fighting off Islamic terrorists who stormed a hotel in Nairobi, Kenya.

Love quickly blossomed between the two and in June 2020 their affair went public after the couple were pictured at a social event. 'And that's when the horror movie began,' says Tobi-Jayne.

'Except it wasn't a horror movie, it was my life.'

At first though, she remained oblivious to Wilson's presence in her life, which initially manifested itself via endless messages from an anonymous account.

'They were quite nice messages at first, just stuff like, 'I hope you have a nice day, smiley face' but something inside me felt there was something off about them,' she says. In fact, Wilson was also contacting Christian in a more malevolent way.

'She started threatening to reveal all of his pictures, then creating fake accounts of him, uploading all of the pictures she's ever had of him, and sending them to his 300,000 Instagram followers,' Tobi-Jayne says.

'He messaged her asking why she was doing this, asking her to stop. And I've seen the emails that she sent him, which were saying: 'I will f***ing destroy you.'

It was at this point that Tobi-Jayne learned more about 'the ex who was a dentist'.

Wilson's relationship with Christian lasted four years, during which time he had learnt she was married. It ended in 2018.

'Because they were in different army barracks, for a year Christian had no idea her husband existed,' she says. 'He loved her very much, and he was heartbroken when he found out. She said she was divorcing him but eventually Christian broke it off when he realised she was never going to. So it's the ultimate irony really. She could have had him, but she didn't  and she just doesn't want anyone else to have him.'

After several weeks of bombarding Christian, Wilson turned her attention to Tobi-Jayne. 'She bulldozed into my life under the disguise of 52 anonymous social media accounts,' says Tobi-Jayne. 'It was relentless. Every time I blocked one, a new account would appear, sending me more disgusting messages.'

'You're f****d Cadbury,' read a typical one. 'He's using you, you're using him.' Others referred to Tobi-Jayne's sex life and her looks. After six weeks of this, an exhausted Tobi-Jayne reported the abuse to her local police who in turn referred it to colleagues in Thames Valley, which covered the area of Wilson's home address in Buckinghamshire.

Not long afterwards, in August 2022, she received a call from local police saying that they were holding Wilson at their station. 'They told me she'd presented herself there, they'd arrested her, and police officers were on their way to interview her,' she recalls. 'I asked what they meant by 'presented herself' and it turned out she had driven two hours to report me for stalking her  at which point they looked on the computer and went 'Oh, you're wanted' and arrested her.

'This is how calculated she was  but it backfired.'

Police confiscated Wilson's phone, which would later show screenshots she had taken of the 'abuse' she had received from Tobi-Jayne  that were, in fact, messages Wilson had sent to herself from the fake accounts she had created. In the interim, she was bailed pending further investigations. 'And 24 hours after being released, she then bought a new phone and carried on sending abusive messages and naked pictures of Christian,' Tobi-Jayne says. 'I just can't even put it into words how absolutely relentless and horrific it was.'

Again, Tobi-Jayne reported the offences to police, only to be thwarted by procedure  which required lengthy and involved investigation of phone downloads  and, on occasion, flabbergasting attitudes.

Tobi-Jayne and boyfriend Christian, who feel the Army 'closed ranks' and let them down

Major Jennifer Wilson seen outside Aylesbury Crown court

'I remember one officer saying of the revenge porn: 'We'd only really do something if it was a picture of a woman'  as if that makes a difference,' she recalls.

In November last year, Wilson  still on bail  was arrested again, this time at Gatwick Airport after returning from holiday.

'Again they kept her for 24 hours, confiscated her phone and released her on bail,' says Tobi-Jayne. They also raided her house, where they found hidden sim cards, including one in a picture frame. And once again, arrest was little in the way of deterrent.

'She got another phone, and then she upped the ante. She started to put on her Twitter account she was being stalked by Tobi-Jayne Cadbury, and she would tag me in the post.

'It got to the point where I was feeling paranoid  Christian had said how clever she was, and I thought, 'What if she has actually managed to frame me?'

In tandem, Wilson was also messaging Tobi-Jayne's friends with fake screenshots of unflattering comments. 'With one friend of mine she made it look like I had said she was fat. And, even though I explained, you're left with the sense that they maybe doubt you,' she says.

Meanwhile, the chilling threats were still coming. 'She'd message saying she had a gun, that she had been on my driveway,' she says. Given Wilson's Army involvement, Tobi-Jayne always feared her nemesis could lay her hands on weapons. 'I was scared to open the door to a delivery man, worried it would be someone about to throw acid in my face.'

What's more, with Christian frequently away for work, Tobi-Jayne was facing this largely alone. 'I tried not to speak about it much because I felt bad for him. He couldn't stop it, it's not his fault. So a lot of the things that happened, to this day, he doesn't know about them.

'I knew I just had to sit it out until the police had gathered the information they needed from the mountains of phone data, which takes time.'

Tobi-Jayne says the Army offered little help. 'I emailed Jennifer's chain of command, basically reporting her, making it clear she had released sensitive footage and images of a member of the SAS, as well as indulging in stalking behaviour. I was told they were taking no further action. I was flabbergasted. I feel like she used the Army as her protection  and they let her.'

Wilson's behaviour was also escalating: Tobi-Jayne would wake to messages sent at 6.06am calling her abusive names  'clearly her alarm goes off at 6am, and the first thing she did was attack me,' Tobi-Jayne says wryly.

Wilson started to contact members of Tobi-Jayne's family, too, sending abusive messages to her mum, sponsoring her niece on her GoFundMe charity page, and messaging her brother from a social media account posing as a journalist to say she was 'doing an expose'.

'It was her way of showing she could get to every little corner of my life,' she says.

Then, in April last year, police had the full download of Major Wilson's data  and it made for even more chilling reading. 'They found emails on Jennifer's phone to private detectives that she had instructed to follow me and Christian for four months,' she says.

'The scariest part is I don't know when. I'm walking around completely on my own not realising 10ft behind there could be some guy tracking my every move.'

Wilson was arrested and charged with stalking with fear of violence and perverting the course of justice  the latter because she was sending messages to herself, pretending to be Tobi-Jayne, whose Twitter account was also cloned by Wilson.

The seriousness of the charges meant that she was remanded to Bronzefield women's prison  once home to serial killer Rose West  ahead of her forthcoming trial, but was released after a month due to family illness.

'When she came out she immediately got in touch, with messages along the lines of: 'Watch your back, you'll never get rid of me, I'm always watching',' says Tobi-Jayne. Finally, last December, Wilson pleaded guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court to two lesser charges of harassment and malicious communications relating to the revenge porn and social media messages.

'I accepted that because I wanted the high probability of a prison sentence rather than the risk of a trial and having her walk completely free,' says Tobi-Jayne.

As we now know, Major Wilson has been spared jail after three Army colonels gave her 'glowing' character references  something the presiding Recorder said 'doesn't happen often'.

Nonetheless, despite claims by Wilson's defence counsel that what had unfolded was 'essentially an internet spat that got out of hand'  a claim Tobi-Jayne calls 'insulting'  the Recorder emphasised the grave nature of her offending. 'It is serious because it is sustained activity; and it is serious because it has had a very serious impact on her, which is not surprising,' he told Wilson.

'It is very clearly a case of jealously due to the fact that she [Ms Cadbury] was in a relationship with your ex-partner.'

It is unclear whether Wilson's husband is standing by her, but either way Tobi-Jayne cannot shake off the feeling that her ordeal is not over. 'I worry that she's got little left to lose,' she says.

'I've had to accept that she is definitely here to stay,' she says. 'Even if she doesn't contact me she will always be watching.'
Police searching for the suspected attacker

A man is fighting for life after alleged attack

A man is in hospital fighting for his life after an alleged assault at a rural bus station north of Brisbane.

The alleged attack happened near the near the Nambour bus interchange about 3pm on Sunday afternoon.

'Emergency services were called to the Civic Way address at approximately 3.15pm to reports of a fight between two men, believed to be known to each other,' a Queensland Police statement read.

A man is in hospital fighting for his life after an alleged assault near the Nambour bus interchange north of Brisbane

'Upon arrival, a 39-year-old man was located with serious head injuries.

'He was taken to Sunshine Coast University Hospital for treatment.'

It is understood the man alleged attacker fled the scene.

Nambour is a small town about 110km north of Brisbane.

Witnesses or anyone with information is urged to contact police.
A woman in her 60s has died in a car crash after a Mercedes smashed into Nissan in Bolton yesterday evening.

The tragic collision occurred at around 7pm as the two cars travelled in opposite directions along St Helen's Road.

Despite the efforts of emergency services, the passenger of the Nissan died from her injuries.

The driver of the Nissan is in hospital with serious injuries and the driver of the Mercedes has also been treated.

A man in his 30s has now been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving.

The Nissan car which was travelling along St Helen's Road in Bolton when it was involved in a smash with a Mercedes

Despite the efforts of emergency workers at the scene, a woman in her 60s died while the drivers of the cars were taken to hospital

The Mercedes involved in the collision with its front and driver door smashed in. A man in his 30s has been arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving

Greater Manchester Police's Serious Collision Investigation Unit (SCIU) is investigating the incident and their enquiries are ongoing.

Detective Constable Aarron Cramer, from GMP's Serious Collision Investigation Unit, said: 'This is a tragic incident where someone has lost their life and we are supporting the families of those involved at this sad time.

'We are continuing with our investigation as we work out the exact causes of this collision and would urge anyone with any information to please get in touch with us. No matter how big or small, your information could greatly assist our ongoing work.'

Officers are particularly keen for anyone with CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage to get in touch.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police via 101 or gmp.police.uk, quoting log 2759 of 22/06/24.

Alternatively, you can contact SCIU directly on 0161 856 4741, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 11.
The Instagram account of Jay Slater has been 'hacked' by a mystery person as the search for the teenager in Tenerife continues into a seventh day.

The 19-year-old, who is the subject of a search and rescue operation on the Spanish island after going missing last weekend, had his account 'accessed' by someone who isn't him, his loved ones have claimed.

Friends of Jay's family have furiously hit out at the currently unknown person, branding them 'sick in the head' and accused people of making up 'pure lies' about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.

The apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, in Lancashire, last posted on his Instagram account three years ago in July 2021, but there is a feature which allows close friends to see when he was last logged on.

Jay vanished last Monday after attending a three-day high energy music festival, with the teenager later being seen walking away from Playa de las Americas.

Jay Slater, pictured here in a post on Snapchat the morning he went missing, has not been seen since Monday, June 17

Search and rescue teams are scouring a mountainous region of Tenerife near the village of Masca to try and find him

He later contacted a friend to say he was 'lost in the mountains with no water' and one per cent battery on his mobile, with the phone's last signal close to the Masca gorge beauty spot, which has been the focus of search and rescue efforts in the days since then.

His mother Debbie Duncan, father Warren Slater and bother Zak, as well as other family members, have since flown out to the island to help with the search for him, while friends at home have continued to appeal for help finding the 19-year-old on social media.

However, they have hit out at some people following the case after it appears Jay's Instagram account was accessed by an unknown person while the search for him is ongoing.

Rachel Louise Harg, who runs the Jay Slater Missing page on Facebook and is close to his family, said his social media had been hacked and it wasn't Jay logging in.

She wrote: 'Jays mum's asked I post this. For everyone asking who has logged into his Instagram account, it's not him [Jay] or her [his mother], somebody else has logged into it.'

She added: 'Some people are actually this sick in the head, there are people hacking my accounts and Jay's family's, making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it.'

Ms Harg said Debbie is 'broken' and slammed the mystery person using the account as 'cruel'.

It comes as new bombshell video emerged on social media showing the teenager dancing shirtless in a nightclub just hours before he disappeared.

In the clip Jay is seen dancing without his top on in Papagayo nightclub which is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas.

The after-party is known to have wrapped up at 5am and an hour later Jay was with two mystery British men at their 40-a-night AirBnB 19 miles away at Masca.

Jay Slater, from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire, travelled to the Canary Islands for a musical festival with Lucy Law and another friend

Jay Slater was see dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub (pictured) which is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in Tenerife

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

Search teams were seen looking near buildings in a ravine close to the village of Masca on Sunday morning

It was here that a woman made the last confirmed sighting of Jay at about 8.15am, saying he was walking at pace up the hill and away from Playa de las Americas.

Debbie, 55, who has flown out to Tenerife from her home at Oswaldtwistle, told MailOnline there had been a sighting of someone resembling her son at around 6pm the day he disappeared by the church at Santiago de Teide which is back towards Playa de las Americas.

She said the man had told police he was 'with two men sitting on a bench by the church looking a little worse for wear' however at the moment it has not been confirmed this was Jay.

Since he disappeared wild theories have flooded the internet and social media which MailOnline is not publishing but his mother Debbie fears he may be 'being held against his will'.

Police have said they are keeping an open mind on what has happened and have used helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs as part of the search for him.

On Saturday Jay's father Warren, 58, and brother Zak, 24, visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes.

Choking back tears Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black t shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The pair journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the remote mountain spot where his mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

They looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Both father and son appeared to be in tears as they hugged each other at the isolated spot and Warren simply said: 'I just want the boy back.'

They also visited the Air BnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two British men and from where he had sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy Mae Law.

The family gathering comes six days after Jay disappeared in Tenerife on Monday morning.

Lucy Law, 18, was the last person to speak to Jay when he called her at around 8am on Monday morning from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains, he wasn't aware of his surroundings, he desperately needed a drink and his phone was on one per cent'.

This morning search teams attempting to locate Jay narrowed their efforts on small buildings close to where his phone last pinged in Tenerife.

Officers from the Guardia Civil in the Canary Island could be seen circling two structures at the bottom of a ravine in Rural de Teno Park on Sunday.

Efforts appeared to be solely focused on the one area after days of searches in the village of Masca and the surrounding landscape.

Those conducting the searches on the seventh day of the hunt for Mr Slater could be seen looking into blue barrels outside one of the small buildings.
I guess we can all agree that it is now time for heads to roll on the medical drugs procurement matter.



That course of action is actually long overdue and delaying it any further would be tantamount to being complicit in the crimes allegedly committed. I am saying this because the culprits who have led us, as a nation, to the medical drugs shortage that has seen many emaSwati dying unnecessarily are now known. Some of them are owners of companies that were engaged to procure medicine and other medical supplies on behalf of government while others are civil servants.

Some of these criminals, for that is exactly what they are, went on fully paid-for vacations in holiday destinations outside the country using money they obtained from their partners in crime. That is if the Funduzi Forensic Services Audit Report is anything to go by. Funduzi was contracted by government to conduct an investigation into irregularities relating to the procurement, in particular the acquisition and distribution of medicine to public health facilities. This report was tabled in Parliament by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg in February, when he presented his Budget Speech for the 2024/25 financial year. This past week, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) finally got the chance to scrutinise the report and speak to Funduzi officials on their findings. What the report contains makes for very disturbing reading.

Investigator

Presenting a summary of the forensic audit report before the PAC, Boyce Mkhize, the lead investigator roped in by Funduzi for this project, disclosed that more than E1 billion had been paid to companies that were supposed to supply drugs  without purchase orders. This is not just shocking but a criminal offence on so many levels. It contravenes both accounting rules and national laws. Investigators were also able to confirm that there was sometimes collusion between civil servants entrusted with the responsibility of managing medical drug supply processes and the suppliers of medicine. This is clearly a crime of corruption, as anticipated by the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2006.

At times, according to Mkhize, the unscrupulous suppliers would deliver medicine that had not been ordered. Instead of returning the stock that had been `dumped without having been ordered, the government employees would circumvent the procurement process and allow the supplier to issue invoices after the fact. As one can imagine, while the `dumped stock was sitting wherever it was kept, having been delivered without being ordered, it got closer and closer to its expiry date. Speaking of which, another shameful activity uncovered by Funduzi was that the shelf-life of any medicine supplied should be 18 months. However, some suppliers were allowed to deliver stock that had a shorter shelf-life. This is detrimental to you and I as end users because the stock would expire before being exhausted, which would result in shortages when it is removed from the shelves.

Paid-for trips

Mkhize also confirmed the allegation of some civil servants being bribed by certain suppliers with hard cash and fully paid-for trips to destinations of their choice. As a journalist who lives by the motto: It is not what you know but what you can prove, I was impressed that Mkhize would from time to time state that they were not just pulling rabbits out of a hat like magicians but had evidence of what they were revealing. These included the depositing of monies by suppliers, to the personal bank accounts of some civil servants. The fact that an officer who earns around E25 000 before deductions could afford to pay E700 000 as a deposit for a car worth E1.6 million confirms the reality that the drug procurement system in Eswatini has been run mafia-style.

It is a pity that there are certain elements seeking to establish how Funduzi was engaged in the first place. This may be their prerogative but as I have said before, those who are `hunting the hunters had better be acting objectively and not as a result of a mission to silence the investigators. In any case, Funduzi has finally had its day before the PAC. Most of the revelations contained in the report and confirmed by Mkhize, the lead investigator, were not new to some emaSwati. For a few months now, we have all known that there was collusion between some civil servants, especially in the Ministry of Health and some suppliers of medical drugs. Some of those implicated have taken to social media to vindicate themselves, pleading innocence and citing all sorts of reasons for them to be lied about.

As all this went on, we heard nothing about people being suspended from work, fired or arrested. There is no better time than now for that to happen. This is because the forensic report is now in the hands of the appropriate authority in the PAC, which is a committee representing not only Parliament as a legislative institution but the entire nation as well.

Blacklisted

Having heard all the shocking details surrounding the procurement of medical drugs in Eswatini, the PAC has already recommended that implicated suppliers should be blacklisted and removed from the list of vendors who supply government. This is commendable but it may have come a bit too late. This is because the criminals who have been having the time of their lives at the expense of patients who need medical care have known for several months that investigators were on to them. They may have already destroyed certain evidence.

That justice delayed is justice denied does not only apply to people who are undergoing prosecution. It also applies to the victims of crime.

If those who did the crime are not properly and timeously dealt with, victims lose faith in the system. This also makes a mockery of any countrys justice system because new culprits emerge and commit similar crimes, knowing that there will be no consequences. The ball is once again in Parliaments court. After adopting the Funduzi forensic audit report, this institution should ensure and never rest until all the implicated suppliers and government employees have been prosecuted.

That is the only way to end this national crisis once and for all.
A terrifying wildfire has broken out on a Greek island after fireworks were launched from a yacht.

Authorities have arrested 13 crew members and passengers from the yacht after the island of Hydra was set ablaze late on Friday, burning the only pine forest on the island.

The country has been ravaged by dozens of wildfires this week which have left one dead already.

On Saturday another fire raged on the island of Andros that saw four villages evacuated with planes and helicopters brought in to water bomb the flames.

Greece has toughened penalties for arson, with perpetrators now facing up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to 200,000 euros (169,000).

A terrifying wildfire has broken out on a Greek island after fireworks were launched from a yacht

The country has been ravaged by dozens of wildfires this week which have left one dead already. Pictured: The island of Hydra

The mayor of Hydra, Giorgos Koukoudakis, expressed 'outrage' after the fire was started late Friday and vowed legal action against those responsible.

On top of calling for legal action against 'irresponsible' people, Mayor Koukoudakis told said that authorities had to create more anti-fire zones and roads through forests.

Greece has been bracing for a difficult summer as authorities warned that strong winds and high temperatures meant there was a 'very high risk' of forest fires.

The Mediterranean country recorded its first heatwave of the year last week, with temperatures rising above 44 degrees Celsius in some locations.

Last year, a fierce two-week heatwave was followed by devastating wildfires in which 20 people died.
Heath experts and advocates have issued an urgent warning about a dangerous and illicit drug amid fears Australian deaths will skyrocket.

Pills being sold as MDMA have been found to be laced with nitazenes, a dangerous and highly potent drug manufactured in illicit Chinese labs.

The synthetic super-strength opioid is similar to fentanyl, which has already ravaged parts of the US.

But nitazenes are more dangerous than fentanyl and a thousand times stronger than morphine, making users far more likely to overdose.

With 20 deaths and dozens of overdoses already reported in Australia, health authorities and experts including Dr Marianne Jauncey are now on high alert.

Health experts such as Dr Marianne Jauncey (pictured) are on high alert about nitazenes

'Quite frankly, it's terrifying,' she told 60 Minutes.

'If nitazenes get into the illicit drug supply in Australia, deaths will skyrocket.'

Ms Jauncey runs the safe injecting room in Sydney's Kings Cross and warned everyone should carry naloxone, a drug which will reverse an overdose of nitazenes.

'It will save your life if you are overdosing from opiates,' she said.

'This needs to be readily available in glove boxes and kitchen cupboards around the country.'

Ms Jauncey warned that any type of substance from MDMA to cocaine, counterfeit painkillers and even vapes, could be laced with nitazenes.

She said not knowing what substances have been contaminated with is another reason why people should be able to test their drugs before taking them.

'Surely it makes sense to put information and power in the hands of people, give them information about what they're using,' she said.

'[It's] beyond frustrating, actually, when lives are at stake.'

Law reform campaigner Caitlyn Dooley said she knew something was seriously wrong when the music stopped at a rave she was working at

WHAT ARE NITAZENES? Nitazenes are a synthetic opioid made in clandestine Chinese labs. They have been blamed for fuelling an 'unusual' increase in overdoses and deaths over the past few months. They are mixed into heroin and has also been detected in oxycodone pills and Xanax powders, according to charities. Nitazenes were originally developed as painkillers by Swiss pharma company Ciba in the 1950s but they never reached the market. Available in powder, tablet and liquid form, they can be injected, swallowed, placed under the tongue, snorted and vaped. The drugs trigger feelings of pain relief, euphoria, relaxation and sleepiness. But they can also lead to sweating, itching and nausea. Advertisement

Law reform campaigner Caitlyn Dooley knew something was seriously wrong when she noticed revellers becoming unwell at a rave in January.

Ms Dooley from drug harm reduction program DanceWize said her first encounter with the drug was when her team were called following reports of a drug overdose at an event.

She said she realised that small pressed pills marked with a Red Bull logo were being sold as MDMA, but were so dangerous that there was no way to take them safely.

'People had been taking a substance that was a pressed pill that was being sold as MDMA, but was having the effect of sending people into extreme opioid overdose,' she told the program.

'It was just straight up nitazines and it was being sold to kids as MDMA, so it was just straight up poison.'

Luckily, no revellers died that night due to a group of quick thinking volunteers who administered naloxone to multiple people who has taken nitazenes.

'They would be okay for 20 minutes and they would go back down again,' Ms Dooley recalled.

'So all of these people needed to be transported to hospital. All of them needed intravenous naloxone in order to survive.'

The rising emergence of nitazenes has reignited the pill testing debate.

Advocates have renewed calls for federal and state governments to address the problem before it's too late.

Small pressed pills marked with a Red Bull logo were being sold to kids as MDMA but were laced with nitazines

'Why is it that we say the only testing that we can do is after the event?' Dr Jauncey asked.

'Surely it makes sense to put information and power in the hands of people, give them information about what they're using.'

Claire Rocha's son Dylan lost his life to after taking heroin which was contaminated with nitazenes in England three years ago.

He was one of the first people to die from nitazenes in the UK.

His grief stricken mother still thinks about the moment when she found out he had passed away.

She revealed that she went upstairs and found her 21-year-old unresponsive on the bed and turning blue.

British mum Claire Rocha lost her son Dylan to nitazenes. Picture: 60 Minutes

'The paramedic came out and said: 'I'm really sorry. We've done everything we can. Dylan has actually passed away,' Ms Rocha recalled.

'He did make some very questionable decisions and choices. But at the end of the day, what he took, he thought he was safe in taking, he'd taken that amount before, he thought he'd be okay.

'And he wasn't.

'He was ultimately killed by a silent killer that neither of us knew about... he would he would never have known it was there.

'The tiniest amount can be fatal.'
Are you stuck at the airport?

Manchester Airport's boss has today issued a grovelling apology after a major power cut left passengers stranded in huge queues for hours only for all flights to be cancelled from the two main terminals.

Managing director Chris Woodroofe stood outside the airport's building and offered his 'sincere apologies to every single passenger impacted by what has gone on'.

He said a 'big power spike' in the airport's electrical systems in the middle of the night damaged some 'key equipment'.

Mr Woodroofe added it is hoped that operations would return to normal tomorrow morning.

The airport's own power supply packed up at about 1.30am that was effectively like 'ripping the plug out of your computer without shutting it down properly'.

Engineers have since fixed the fault but so far more than 40 flights have been scrapped but more are expected.

Passengers travelling out of Terminals 1 and 2 had been told to stay away from the airport with all flights cancelled.

At 3.15pm the airport posted an updated message on its X/ Twitter page to say it expected flights to restart this afternoon and evening.

People who had to turn around today after their plane was grounded may not be able to fly out until later this week with the airport saying it is working with airlines to reschedule the flights in the coming days. Those who have flights booked tomorrow should travel to the airport as normal.

Some passengers who did manage to board planes earlier face an anxious wait to be reunited with their belongings as the airport warned luggage lined up and piled in the terminals may not even have been flown out on the same plane as them.

Are you stuck at the airport? Email matt.strudwick@mailonline.co.uk

 23.06.24 - 1:30pm



A message from Manchester Airport's Managing Director, Chris Woodroofe. pic.twitter.com/JDCwaSNRm7  Manchester Airport (@manairport) June 23, 2024

Manchester Airport's managing director Chris Woodroofe stood outside the airport's building to issue a grovelling apology to passengers

Pandemonium at Manchester airport as a power failure sees bags piled and lined up in the terminals

Passengers queue outside Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut led to disruptions and cancellations at Manchester Airport

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport onto flights as soon as possible'

(Pictured from left to right) Evie Marsh, 20, Honey Harrop, 20, and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight after their flight to Lisbon was cancelled

Holidaymakers departing from Terminals 1 and 2 are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Manchester Airport is in 'utter chaos' today with passengers standing shoulder-to-shoulder in after a major power cut left all flights facing severe delays or cancellations

Mr Woodroofe said: 'First of all an apology, my sincere, personal apologies to every single passenger who has been impacted by what has gone on at Manchester Airport today.'

He went on to explain the impact the power spike has had on its systems and the dire situation the airport finds itself in with planes unable to land on a jammed airfield.

Mr Woodroofe said: 'That's damaged some really key equipment for our departure's security and our departure's baggage systems.

'So that's meant terminal one and terminal two haven't been able to depart aircraft today and as a result we haven't been able to have those aircraft land either as arrivals as there is no space to park those aircraft on the airfield.'

He added: 'We are working very closely with our airlines to seek to recover the operation and understand what passengers can be re-booked on to future flights.'

Mr Woodroofe described it as a 'very difficult situation' and said he 'couldn't be more sorry'.

He continued: 'The good news is we very much expect this to be recovered over the afternoon and evening so we are back to normal operations tomorrow.'

Three Olivia Rodrigo fans are devastated as the chaos shattered their plans of seeing the American pop sensation in Lisbon tonight where she was performing the last show on the European leg of her Guts tour.

One family had their plane diverted at the last minute to Heathrow as it began to descend ready for landing towards the end of a 13 hour and 45 minute flight from Singapore.

Huge queues formed in Terminals 1 and 2 at Britain's third busiest airport following the 'two hour' outage as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights.

People expecting to fly in to Manchester found out mid-air they were landing miles away elsewhere as a number of flights are diverted to other airports.

One mother, who did not wish to be named, told MailOnline she has been stuck on the runway at Heathrow for more than an hour after her flight from Singapore was diverted at the last minute.

Huge queues formed in the terminals as passengers grumbled about a 'total lack of announcements' about their flights

People queue to use the lifts at Manchester airport

Delayed at passengers sit on the terminal floors

People standing in the terminal at Manchester airport following an earlier power cut

Fed up passengers wait outside Manchester airport's Terminal 1 after an overnight power cut caused chaos

Passengers sit among their luggage and look at their phones and tablet to keep them entertained during the wait

People are queuing outside the airport waiting to get inside as staff work through a backlog

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time' (Pictured -- people waiting outside)

The cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing (Pictured -- people waiting outside the airport)

'Heathrow staff say they're struggling to get any kind of information from Manchester airport staff so no idea what's happening,' she said.

'They also said they were only told to divert the flight as they started to descend for landing at Manchester.

'The plane crew are trying their best but they have no idea what's going on either. I have some very fed up kids after a long journey from Sydney.'

Honey Harrop, 20, Evie Marsh, 20 and Sara Bonakdar, 21, have all been left 'devastated' after missing out on seeing American pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo tonight in Lisbon.

The three pals' easyJet flight was cancelled at 8.30am but they are still sitting in the arrivals hall as they say they have nowhere to go.

'We are all pretty devastated and just feel really frustrated because the communication from the airport and easyJet has been really terrible,' Honey told MailOnline.

'Though we do understand that it is an unprecedented situation. It is just really annoying that we won't make it to the concert.'

Luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' with prams discarded on the floor, one person claimed who has posted footage which showed people standing in near darkness as an alarm sounded.

Several short power cuts happened at around 1.30am and, although the airport's back-up generators kicked in quickly 'within a short space of time,' the cut knocked out the computers operating the site's security systems, including those at passport control, boarding pass readers and bag processing which take time to re-boot.

This meant that staff were unable to process passengers arriving for early morning flights causing a 'giant bottleneck', an airport spokesman said.

Engineers have since fixed the fault but the exact cause is unknown.

'The airport runs on its own electrical supply so none of the wider area was affected,' he said.

The 'two hour' outage sparked chaos in Terminals 1 and 2 as holidaymakers are warned to contact their airlines before travelling to the airport

Delayed passengers standing in long lines inside the airport's terminal

It is understood there was a widespread power cut in the area which plunged the airport into near darkness

'The fault has been fixed and checked so we are confident it won't happen again but we do not know exactly what caused it.

'What happened around 1.30am was the power cut, then the back up kicked in, the power was restored, but then went off again, all within a short space of time.

'It was effectively what happens when you rip the plug out of the back of your computer without shutting it down properly, but on a much bigger scale, and when it is affecting important infrastructure around the safety of aviation the delay in those systems getting back up and running is what caused the problem.'

He said staff were working hard to get those passengers scheduled to take off on early morning flights into the air and out of the airport, but admitted 'dozens' of flights in and out of Terminals 1 and 2 today would be cancelled until the backlog was cleared.

So far more than 40 flights have been scrapped but more are expected.

The airport said it is working to get those passengers already at the airport 'onto flights as soon as possible', although their bags may not be loaded onto the same plane.

'We will work with airlines to make sure passengers are reunited with any baggage that is not on their flight as soon as possible,' the airport said.

Fern, who did not wish us to publish her surname, was stuck at the airport for six hours after her plane from Hurghada in Egypt landed on the tarmac at about 2.50am.

She told MailOnline she was 'herded like cattle through long corridors until alas, a dramatic halt to all movement and a one hour and 45 minute wait in corridors with no communication'.

The electricity supply went out at around 1.30am leaving stranded passengers standing in near darkness

One person has claimed luggage has been chucked on 'any carousel' with prams discarded on the floor

'Frustrations continued when we were then looped back to the tarmac to board buses to T1,' she said.

'It was terribly slow movement on the passport control - several machines going down and again, zero staff- had there been a zombie apocalypse whilst we flew the skies?

'Relief washed over us when we entered the baggage claim area. This was to be short lived. Now, I'm going to cut a very long story short, but I left baggage claim at 8:45am. A staggering six hours after landing with no communication from any airline staff and only Jet2 reps visible who, whilst very helpful, could only provide so much support to those travelling with other airlines like myself.

'Absolutely shocking scenes, the trauma is sure to last a lifetime!'

In a statement released at 6.30am today, Manchester Airport said: 'Manchester Airport was affected by a major power cut in the area earlier this morning.

'This has caused widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled... we apologise for any inconvenience and aim to restore normal service as soon as possible.'

The airlines that operate from Terminal 1 include easyJet, Aer Lingus, Emirates, and Etihad Airways.

The likes of Air France, Jet 2, KLM, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Tui, and Virgin Atlantic fly out of Terminal 2.

Travel expert Simon Calder told LBC the systems at the airport are in 'extreme disarray'.

'The vast majority of passengers will be using terminals one and two [and] there are crowds of many thousands of people there, they have been there since the early hours,' he said.

'No flights are leaving and the latest information I have is that the airport is going to instruct the airlines to cancel a whole swathe of flights for several hours this morning, which will mean people who are on their way to the airport will suddenly find they will get a message saying your flight isn't going in a bid to recover the operation later today.

'On top of the tens of thousands of people who will be affected by hundreds of cancellations you've got an equal of opposite number of people waiting to fly back who are also going to be stranded.

'All of this is happening at a time when aviation is just getting into a peak season.'

He warned the situation could get 'very messy' and people could be waiting 'several days' to get to where they needed to be.

Shohaib Siddique posted footage of hundreds of people waiting to get inside the terminal as he wrote on x/ Twitter: 'Chaos at Manchester airport after power outage 2 hours stood outside the terminal with no idea if we are departing today or not.'

'What kind of hell on earth is this airport?': Stranded passengers enduring the 'chaos' at Manchester airport

The airport has apologised for any inconvenience as it explained there had been widespread disruption and a significant number of flights, particularly from Terminals 1 and 2, are expected to be delayed or cancelled

Hundreds of people have been pictured outside waiting to get inside the airport and say they don't know whether their flight will be departing today

Emily Louise said she had been in a queue for nearly three hours. She wrote: 'My gate has technically closed & passengers who checked in already their suitcases are still in the check-in area? Organised chaos & no Communication!'

A furious Max Wilkinson branded the airport a 'shambles' and called on management to quit.

'Utter disgrace, the airport should have back up systems / generators for this sort of scenario,' he wrote on X.

'Expect the unexpected. In general this airport is a shambles and needs major investment. I don't see how a power cut causes a toilet blockage across T1. Management should resign.'

Passengers at nearby Birmingham Airport have also faced travel misery for weeks as they wait in queues for hours amid confusion over the security's liquid policy.

On Thursday scores of holidaymakers took to social media to share their experience, describing two-hour queues as 'appalling' and 'ridiculous', while another traveller said the 'non-express queues are insane'.

Physical changes to the security area, which should allow for new technology required to relax the 100ml rule, mean passengers are now queuing on the ground floor and, at busy times, even outside of the airport.

The Government had announced that the 100ml rule would be scrapped in time for summer, meaning holidaymakers could take larger bottles of liquids in hand luggage for the first time in years.

But this has now been delayed, causing chaos at airports across the UK and confusion for passengers.

New 'liquid check' stations have been rolled out at the airport in a bid to cut the time wasted at security by those confused by the changes to hand luggage rules.

Airport bosses have also said they are in the process of hiring a further 100 staff to help combat the lengthy queues faced by travellers.
The detective-turned-TV investigator who exposed Jimmy Savile's evil crimes and probed the disappearance of Nicola Bulley today offered to help Jay Slater's mother find her missing son.

Mark Williams-Thomas revealed he 'reached out' to Debbie Duncan this morning amid mounting speculation over what happened to the 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer.

And it was revealed this afternoon that police are now searching small buildings in near the apprentice bricklayer's last identified location in the Parque Rural de Teno.

Jay vanished on Monday after going to a three-day energy music festival in Tenerife - sparking a week-long investigation by Spanish police.

The case has piqued the curiosity of armchair sleuths spreading wild theories about his disappearance on social media and supposed psychics also said they could help.

Conspiracy theorist David Icke has now waded in making unfounded claims on Facebook about people traffickers, while others have levelled unsubstantiated allegations about possible mafia involvement.

In a post on Twitter/X, Mr Williams-Thomas said: 'I have this morning reached out to missing Jay Slater's mum offering the help of my team to get her answers as to what has happened to her son.

'Lots of speculation about what could have happened and if they give me total access and with feet on the ground I will very quickly be able to say if his disappearance is him alone or if it has third party involvement.'

Mr Williams-Thomas was previously lead investigator on the ITV Exposure documentary, The Other Side of Jimmy Savile, which revealed how the late BBC presenter systematically and disturbingly preyed upon young and vulnerable girls.

He also offered help earlier this year when mother-of-two Ms Bulley, 45, went missing while walking her dog in St Michael's on Wyre, Lancashire, before her body was later discovered and an inquest ruled she had accidentally drowned.

Lucy Mae Law, 18, has blasted Spanish police for rejecting an offer from British officers to help in the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, vanished last Monday after leaving a Tenerife nightclub

A search team is seen today near the last known location of Jay Slater in the village of Masca

A member of the Guardia Civil - which has come under fire from Jay's friends - is pictured helping search mountainous areas close to where the 19-year-old was last reported

The detective-turned-TV investigator who helped Jimmy Savile 's evil crimes today offered to help Jay Slater's mother find her missing son in a post on X, formerly Twitter

Mark Williams-Thomas (pictured) revealed he 'reached out' to Debbie Duncan this morning amid speculation over what happened to 19-year-old apprentice bricklayer Jay Slate

His latest intervention comes after one of Jay's friends blasted Spanish police over their search. Lucy, 18, was the last person to speak to Jay when he called her at around 8am on Monday morning from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

She now says local police are 'not doing a good job'.

Jay had contacted her last Monday to say he was 'lost in the mountains with no water' and one per cent battery on his mobile, with the phone's last signal close to the Masca gorge beauty spot.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he told of not being aware of his surroundings, desperately needing a drink but having no water.

Police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals  a word that translates into English as 'badland'.

In a statement released late on Friday, Lancashire Police said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

Lucy blasted: 'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job.

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

'They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them.'

She told of wanting to 'bring him home to his family', adding: 'That is all we want, all that we need.'

There has also been criticism of the Spanish police by people raising concerns on the many Facebook groups set up to help find Jay or discover what happened.

One poster commented: 'I really think they should get British police up there searching - I also think it's extremely wierd how he has not been found yet.'

Another asked: 'I'm not sure if I have missed this and apologies if I did - but why have the Spanish Police not done a press call or an update?

'Why have they not shared with the press/general public what they are doing ?

'I know they declined help from the UK police but to not ask for help from the general public and put out even a minimal update etc seems weird.'

It was also suggested, about donations to a GoFundMe page set up to help rescue efforts: 'Just had a thought. That 30k in the bank. Send 250 public people to Tenerife and I bet we come back with Jay quicker than the Spanish police.'

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Jay's mother Debbie Duncan told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police.

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

Friends of Jay (pictured) have also flown in to Tenerife from Britain

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

Meanwhile, Jay's distraught father Warren, 58, has fought back tears as he told of just wanting 'my boy back' as he and Jay's brother Zak, 24, visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes.

Choking back tears Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black t shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The visit came as a bombshell new video of missing Jay dancing shirtless in a Tenerife nightclub just hours before he disappeared has emerged.

Warren and Zak were joined by other family and friends at the place which has been the focus of attention all week by police.

The pair journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

Jay's father Warren, 58, struggled to hold back tears as he spoke about getting 'my boy' back

Jay's brother Zak joined their father in a visit to the scene in Masca where his phone last pinged

Warren and Zak looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Jay Slater's last known movements and sightings are under intense scrutiny by investigators

They looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Warren and Zak also visited the Air BnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two British men and from where he sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy.

In the new clip of Jay which has emerged, he is seen dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub which is at the end me of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas.

The after-party is known to have wrapped up at 5am and an hour later Jay was with two mystery British men at their 40-a-night AirBnB 19 miles away at Masca.

It was here that a woman made the last confirmed sighting of Jay at about 8.15am, saying he was walking at pace up the hill and away from Playa de las Americas.

Jay's mum Debbie, 55, who has flown out to Tenerife from her home at Oswaldtwistle, told MailOnline there had been a sighting of someone resembling her son at around 6pm the day he disappeared by the church at Santiago de Teide which is back towards Playa de las Americas.

She said the man had told police he was 'with two men sitting on a bench by the church looking a little worse for wear' however at the moment it has not been confirmed this was Jay.

New video footage shared on TikTok shows missing British teenager Jay Slater dancing with his shirt off at the Tenerife nightclub he attended hours before he disappeared

The new video posted on TikTok suggests it was filmed in the early hours of last Monday

The video has emerged as family and friends continue to appeal for help finding him

Jay Slater had been attending a high enerrgy music event at Le Papagayo Beach Club

Since he disappeared wild theories have flooded the internet and social media which MailOnline is not publishing but his mother Debbie fears he may be 'being held against his will'.

Police have said they are keeping an open mind on what has happened and have used helicopters, drones and sniffer dogs as part of the search for him.

Debbie has revealed her choice not to attend with them has caused her to be on the receiving end of vile social media trolls who have compared her to Karen Matthews.

Debbie said: 'People keep saying on social media why aren't I up there and calling me the new Karen Matthews, I just can't face it.

'I don't want to go up there in case I see something that I don't want to. I'm just hoping everything will turn out for the better. If I went up there I would just break down.

'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back. He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.'

Karen Matthews, dubbed 'Britain's worst mother' was behind the fake kidnap of her own nine-year-old schoolgirl daughter Shannon Matthews which horrified the nation in 2008.

Earlier this weekend a bombshell image which is the last known photograph of Jay was uncovered. It is believed to have been taken at Papagayo nightclub in Playa de las Americas in the early hours of Monday morning.

The search for the apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire has now entered its seventh day on the Spanish island of Tenerife

Rescue teams have been scouring mountain areas with drones also surveying the scene

Firefighters search near to the village of Masca, Tenerife, on Saturday, June 22

It shows Jay in the grey sport top with green shoulder edging that he was wearing when he went missing, with Lucy alongside him.

She has been questioned again at length by Spanish police separately with officers wanting to go through timings once again with her although there is no suggestion of anything untoward.

It comes as a GoFundMe set up by Lucy to help look for Jay has raised 27,000, speedily approaching its 30,000 target.

Rescue teams have been scouring a 2,000ft-deep ravine in the remote, desert-like Teno Nature Reserve in a bid to find Jay on the seventh day of searching.

His concerned mother Debbie still believes he may have been kidnapped.

She has vowed to stay in Tenerife for 'as long as it takes' - as it emerges a new sighting of her son is being investigated.

Speaking to MailOnline, Debbie, 55, said: 'Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

'He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

A screenshot of Jay's last known location where his phone battery died

The teenager posted a Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

'They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?

'All I know is that I am going to stay here for as long as it takes, I'm not going home unless it's with Jay. I'm not going anywhere until they find him.'

The sighting has not yet been officially confirmed.

The strain is telling on Jay's mother Debbie, who said: 'My energy levels are just zero, I am going through every emotion, screaming, crying, I've just not slept for days.

'It's just so upsetting for all the family, we just don't have any ideas, there are just so man stories flying around about what might have happened and I don't want to know.

'I'm ignoring all of them and I don't want to say anything just in case he is being held against his will.'

It comes after his worried friends said on behalf of his mother that an unknown person is using his Instagram as it's been frequently active, but it isn't Jay.

They also claim that Jay's friends and family have had their accounts hacked and false information shared.

The apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, was last heard from on Monday after an attempt to walk back to his accommodation after missing a bus.

Ophelia Medina Hernandez, the last person to see Jay, shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route

A drone can be seen flying over the area in Tenerife where Jay is believed to have gone missing

The admin of the Facebook page called Jay Slater Missing, Rachel Louise Harg, wrote: 'Some people are actually this sick in the head, there are people hacking my accounts and Jay's family's, making it pure lies and pretending we are all in it.'

She said Debbie is 'broken' and slammed the mystery person using the account as 'cruel'.

The last confirmed sighting of Jay was at 8.15am on Monday when a woman saw him walking through the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de las Americas.

But Ophelia Medina Hernandez, the last person to see Jay, told The Times: 'People don't get lost here.'

She saw him next to a bus stop, adding: 'He was walking normally but a bit quickly.'

Meanwhile the owner of holiday rental, Casa Abuela Tina - where Mr Slater is understood to have stayed with two acquaintances - today voiced her worries about the teen after spotting him walking alone down the hills on Monday.

She said: 'It's dangerous walking around here, it's easy to lose yourself. He walked up the road when I saw him for the last time.

'He was alone. He was walking normally, though he was fast.'

June Duncan, grandmother of missing person Jay Slater, spoke of fears for her grandson

Rescue teams confer as they continue to search for Jay on June 21

Ophelia shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route.

She aired her concerns about the teenager, but in the height of the media frenzy she stated: 'We are not to blame.'

The property, which is listed online as a holiday home, is believed to have been rented by two men Jay was with the night before whilst attending the NRG festival.

On Friday, search and rescue personnel joined officers from the island's Guardia Civil near the village of Masca where they appeared to focus on a specific area of overgrown terrain.

Some officers used binoculars to survey the landscape before heading towards the bottom of the hillside.

On Thursday, a helicopter flew over Rural de Teno park in the south of the Spanish island as search teams followed various footpaths in the area.

Footage released by the Guardia Civil on Thursday showed the views from the helicopter as it scoured the hillside.

The video, posted to the force's X account, showed officers searching in bushes and overgrown terrain with dogs.
A video has come to light showing a man, believed to have ties to Al Qaeda terrorists, filming important landmarks in Washington DC a little over a year before the 9/11 attacks.

In the video, shot in the summer of 1999, Omar al-Bayoumi walked around the nation's capital remarking on various buildings, including the Washington Monument, before stopping in front of the US Capitol Building and referring to 'a plan.'

Bayoumi's video has been in the possession of the FBI for decades - but was just unsealed thanks to a court action by the families of 9/11 victims who sued the Saudi Arabian government for its alleged complicity in the attacks, something the ruling family denies.

The Capitol Building, one of the most recognizable symbols of American democracy, was long thought to be one of the possible targets in the terrorist strikes that killed nearly 3,000 people on September 11, 2001.

The FBI said in a declassified document from 2022 that Bayoumi had 'a 50/50 chance' of knowing the 9/11 attacks were going to occur, an assertion based on his prior relationship with the men who hijacked the plane that would crash into the Pentagon, Khalid al-Mihdhar and Nawaf al-Hazmi.

Pictured: Omar al-Bayoumi is out in front of the Capitol Building. He goes on to detail its entrances and exits, as well as where security guards are posted

The FBI got the video after British authorities raided Bayoumi's apartment in the days after the devastating attack in 2001, when he was a PhD student at Aston University in Birmingham, over 100 miles from London.

They also found a handwritten address book that lawyers for the 9/11 families say had the phone numbers of many Saudi Arabian officials working in the government at that time.

London's Metropolitan Police handed over all this evidence to the FBI, which has sought to keep it under lock and key ever since.

Now 25 years later, the world gets to see inside the mind of someone who possibly had a hand in executing the worst terrorist strike on US soil in its history.

In the video obtained by CBS News and aired on 60 Minutes, Bayoumi addresses his 'beloved' and 'esteemed brothers' while pointing the camera at the Capitol Building on a cloudy day around 6pm.

Positioned in front of the Capitol, he points out the entrances and exits to the building and also films passing security guards.

He later gets closer to an unknown building and films what appears to be government vehicles parked outside.

'Their cars,' he said. 'You said that in the plan.'

Khalid al-Mihdhar, left, and Nawaf al-Hazmi hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 and crashed it into the Pentagon, killing all 64 people on board and 125 people within the Pentagon. Both men pictured had close ties to Bayoumi, according to the FBI

A rescue helicopter flies over the Pentagon just after the plane struck the building

FBI agents, fire fighters, rescue workers and engineers work at the Pentagon crash site on September 14, 2001, three days after the attacks

Richard Lambert, a retired FBI agent who led the initial 9/11 investigation, told 60 Minutes he believes Bayoumi was talking to the people within Al Qaeda who planned the 9/11 attacks.

'What I see Bayoumi doing is going out and making a detailed video record of the Capitol, of all its sides and conducting that 360 degree panoramic view,' added Lambert, who now serves as a consultant to the families of 9/11 victims in their case against Saudi Arabia.

Another reference to his shadowy conspirators came when Bayoumi pointed out the Washington Monument, which is a short walk from the Capitol.

'I will get over there, and I will report...to you in detail what is there.'

The video also gives additional weight to the long held theory by federal investigators that the hijackers of Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, were intending to destroy the Capitol.

The FBI has said that Bayoumi was accompanied by two Saudi Arabian diplomats with ties to Al-Qaeda while filming this video, only deepening the possibility that state actors were involved in the attacks.

Emergency personnel mark off the crash site of United Airlines Flight 93 near Shanksville, Pennsylvania the day it crashed. Passengers on the flight overwhelmed the Al Qaeda hijackers, causing the aircraft to take a nose dive into this field

Saudi Arabia has denied that Bayoumi was ever an agent of theirs and has also denied any involvement in or support of 9/11.

With oral arguments scheduled for this summer in the 9/11 suit from victims' families, lawyers for the Saudi Arabian government have filed a motion to dismiss.

The Saudis have also claimed that Bayoumi shot the video as a tourist, something retired FBI agent Ken Williams strongly disagrees with.

The official 9/11 Commission report, published in 2004, found that Saudi Arabia wasn't tied to Al Qaeda operationally or financially, a bombshell revelation only revealed to the public in 2016 when President Obama declassified 28 key pages of the 525-document.

'Saudi Arabia has long been considered the primary source of al Qaeda funding, but we have found no evidence that the Saudi government as an institution or senior Saudi officials individually funded the organization,' it read.

The report also said this about Bayoumi: 'We have seen no credible evidence that he believed in violent extremism, or knowingly aided extremist groups.'

The man who's been credited at the mastermind of the attacks, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, told authorities during an interrogation that he didn't know Bayoumi.

Following his arrest by British authorities at the request of the US, Bayoumi was released back to Saudi Arabia because he couldn't be held on any charges besides visa fraud.

The 9/11 Commission and the FBI interviewed Bayoumi after the attacks, according to the commission's report.

As of 2004, Bayoumi, described as a devout Muslim, was living in Saudi Arabia and 'well aware of his notoriety.'
READ MORE: Trump narrows his VP short list to just seven

Donald Trump says his 2024 running mate will be at the CNN debate in Atlanta on Thursday.

The former president revealed he has picked who will run as vice president on the Republican ticket in November, but that the individual he decided on doesn't even know yet.

Reporters asked Trump ahead of his rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday whether he had settled on a running mate with just over four months until the election.

'In my mind, yeah,' Trump replied.

When asked if he had yet informed the individual they are his choice for VP, Trump said: 'No, nobody knows.'

Donald Trump said his VP pick will 'most likely' be at Thursday's debate and said he has not told anyone who he decided to join his ticket in November

Trump is heading to Atlanta, Georgia on Thursday for his first debate with President Joe Biden in the 2024 general election race.

The debate is one of the earliest in the election cycle in modern history and comes just a month after the former president was found guilty in Manhattan of 34 felony charges related to the hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.

Trump told NBC News that his pick will 'most likely' be at the debate on Thursday.

The selection of Trump's VP has ramped up in weeks ahead of the debate and the Republican National Convention taking place July 15-18.

Over the last several months, Trump was most seriously considering a list of eight Republicans to join him on the ticket in November, his campaign confirmed to multiple outlets.

The short list included; North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum (R), Sen. J.S. Vance (R-Ohio), Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) and Trump's former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

Among the short list for VP are a few past 2024 candidates, including South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott (pictured) and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum

While Trump has praised all these individuals and others, claiming they would make good selections, he has also downplayed the impact his running mate will play on his election.

'It's never really had that much of an effect on an election,' Trump told Fox earlier this year.

Several candidates received vetting materials from Trump's campaign in recent weeks.

Trump has said he might reveal publicly his choice for No. 2 at the GOP Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Immediately after the debate, Trump will head straight to Virginia for a rally Friday outside of Norfolk and Virginia Beach.

Meanwhile, Biden will go directly to North Carolina for a rally and Vice President Kamala Harris will head to Nevada for an event on mobilizing Latino voters. Both North Carolina and Nevada are battleground states essentially for Biden if he wants to win reelection.
Labour MP Stella Creasy has issued a warning to the culprits of an 'anti-democratic attack' which saw her office destroyed and 'malicious and false leaflets' circulated this weekend.

The politician, 47, posted pictures of cracked glass windows and doors with several holes in them at her offices in Walthamstow, northeast London.

Ms Creasy, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2010 and is currently campaigning to keep her seat on July 4, also said 'malicious and false' leaflets had been handed out since Saturday night's attack.

She wrote on social media on Sunday: 'Message to whoever attacked my office last night.

'You don't intimidate me and you don't belong in the political process. Same as those circulating malicious and false leaflets.

'Police already on this to find you - will press for the strongest penalties for such an anti-democratic attack and I know Walthamstow won't be cowed or influenced by your violence either.'

The politician, 47, posted pictures of cracked glass windows and doors with several holes in them at her offices in Walthamstow, northeast London

Ms Creasy, who has been the MP for the constituency since 2010 and is currently campaigning to keep her seat on July 4

Ms Creasy said the culprits of the attack 'don't intimidate me and you don't belong in the political process'

A Labour spokesman added: 'We completely condemn any intimidation tactics towards candidates of any party.

'It is vital to our democracy that parliamentary candidates are able to campaign freely.'

An investigation into the incident has been launched by the Metropolitan Police, who say the attack has not been recorded as a hate crime.

Detective Superintendent Dion Brown, one of the senior officers responsible for policing the area, said: 'It is entirely unacceptable for the office of one of London's prospective parliamentary candidates to be targeted in this way.

'An urgent investigation is under way, and officers have attended the scene and are already following up active lines of enquiry, which will include full analysis of all available CCTV footage.

'The incident is believed to have occurred between 03:10hrs and 03:30hrs on Sunday, 23 June. I urge any witnesses or anyone with information to contact police and share what they know.

'Anyone who witnessed the damage being caused, or who has other information, should call police on 101 with the reference 2621/23jun.

'Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers, 100% anonymously, on 0800 555 11.'

Ms Creasy had previously been a frontbencher in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and was a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, claiming the party was 'running on empty' with him at the helm.

In 2013, Ms Creasy supported feminist author Caroline Criado Perez in her campaign for the Bank of England to put a woman on the 10 note. As a result, she received numerous rape threats and other misogynistic messages on her Twitter timeline.

The attack saw her office destroyed (pictured) and 'malicious and false leaflets' circulated this weekend

She was forced to endure a social services investigation last year after an online troll thought he was 'entitled' to the view that her children should be put into care.

The politician was told by police that they would not impose criminal sanctions on her tormentor, who pounded her office with emails because he disagreed with her political views.

Leicestershire Police said the harasser had legitimate right to make a social services referral because he disagreed with Creasy's opinions on misogyny, even though he lacked evidence against the MP.

Ms Creasy's harasser used the alias 'Lance Jones' and carried no personal connection to the politician or her children.

She told The Times that the police's response gave other trolls the 'green light' to target the families of those in the public eye merely because they do not like them.
A frantic grandmother begged firefighters to save her 20-month-old granddaughter from a faulty Tesla after it imprisoned the toddler alone inside the car as temperatures rose on a scorching Arizona morning.

Renee Sanchez was about to set off for a day out at Phoenix Zoo with the little girl in her Tesla Model Y.

She had just strapped the baby into the back seat and shut the door on her when the battery that opens the doors of the electric vehicle died without warning at her home in Scottsdale.

'I closed the door, went around the car, get in the front seat, and my car was dead,' she said.

'I could not get in. My phone key wouldn't open it. My card key wouldn't open it.'

A trip to the zoo with her baby granddaughter turned into a nightmare for Renee Sanchez when her Tesla trapped the baby inside, and Sanchez outside

The frantic grandmother could only wave at the little girl as temperatures rose in the car

The child could only watch as her grandmother struggled to open the door before realizing that she had an emergency on her hands and called 911.

'And when they got here, the first thing they said was, 'Uggh, it's a Tesla. We can't get in these cars',' she told azfamily.com.

'And I said, 'I don't care if you have to cut my car in half. Just get her out'.'

The firefighters took an axe to the $45,000 car, taping over a window to stop glass flying onto the little girl before climbing in and pulling her to safety.

'She was OK for the first few minutes,' Sanchez said.

'But as soon as the firemen came and all the commotion started and the windows getting broken into, she started crying because she was scared.'

'After I knew she was safe, then the anger.

'Then, all the thoughts of, oh my God, this could have been so much worse.'

The incident took place just hours after another woman was trapped in her 2021 Model Y by a battery problem across town in Phoenix where temperatures have reached 115 degrees in recent days.

'I don't care if you have to cut my car in half,' she told firefighters, 'Just get her out'.'

The Tesla Model Y retails at $45,000 and is supposed to offer drivers three warnings if the battery is about to fail

'It was fully charged,' Diane told the station.

'I unplugged the car, went to get in my car, shut the door, and everything just shut down. I couldn't open the windows. I couldn't unlock the doors. I was trapped.'

And she could not consult the user's manual to see if there was a solution because it was in the glove box which had also snapped shut.

With her phone in the car she was able to log onto to a Tesla app which revealed the existence of a little-known lever tucked away on the driver's side which allows the door to be opened from the inside.

But that was little use to Sanchez as she watched her granddaughter getting hotter and hotter while buckled in the child seat.

'When that battery goes, you're dead in the water,' she said.

Last month a Tesla owner was trapped for 40 minutes in 103 degree heat outside a Chic-Fil-A in Costa Mesa, California when she tried to update the car's system.

Brianna Janel feared she might run out of air as she was unable to roll down the windows.

The internal temperature had reached 115 degrees before the car let her out according to a video of her ordeal has been seen more than 30 million times since she posted it to TikTok.

'I literally made it out of my car. Look I'm sweating,' she said.

'The AC has never felt so good and I've never felt better. I feel like I just took a bath.'

In February this year the sister-in-law of Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell died when she could not free herself from a Tesla SUV she had driven into a pond on her 900-acre ranch in Texas.

It took first responders 24 minutes to reach Angela Chao at the remote spot west of Johnson City as the vehicle filled up with water.

A Tesla owner was left horrified after she got stuck in her Tesla when she tried to update the car's system in a Chic-Fil-A parking lot

In February Angela Chao, pictured her husband, venture capitalist Jim Breyer, died when she could not free herself from a Tesla SUV she had driven into a pond on her Texas ranch

Drivers wanting to open the door of a dead Tesla need to find a three-inch circle at the front of the car called a toe-cover, pull out the cables inside and connect them to a jump starter, just to open the hood.

If they get the hood open they can then access the 12V battery the powers the electronics and try to recharge it.

'They need to educate the first responders because they had no idea,' Sanchez said.

'They were as much in the dark as I was.

'I give Tesla props. When it works, it's great. But when it doesn't, it can be deadly.'
Russia has blamed the United States after three people including two children were killed when a Ukrainian missile was shot down over a crowded beach in Russian-occupied Crimea.

The victims were among nearly 120 tourists who were hit by fragments of the weapon after it was blasted out of the sky above Sevastopol today.

Two children, aged three and ten, were among those killed, as was an elderly woman who was swimming in the sea at the time of the impact.

Russian officials claimed they shot down five missiles in total as they flew over the Crimean capital, with the fifth munition breaking up into deadly debris over the beach in Uchkuevka.

In the aftermath of the attack the Kremlin claimed the weapons which were destroyed were American-made and that Washington bears responsibility for those killed.

People gather round a Russian tourist who was wounded by the downed Ukrainian missile in Crimea on Sunday

Wounded tourists are attended to by passers-by on a beach in Sevastopol after the incident on Sunday

Spray flies into the air as pieces of debris from the shot down missile land in the coast off Sevastopol

Cars parked next to the beach in Sevastopol were also hit by the debris, smashing windscreens

'The responsibility for a deliberate missile strike on peaceful residents of Sevastopol is carried primarily by Washington, which supplied this weaponry to Ukraine,' the Russian defence ministry wrote on Telegram, saying Ukraine used ATACMS missiles.

Video shared on social media shows terror-stricken Russian tourists fleeing the beach in Sevastopol in the occupied Black Sea peninsula at the moment of the strike.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, Governor of Sevastopol, said the number of wounded was almost 100, describing the incident as grave.

'All available emergency medical crews have been sent there,' he said.

'Some people have already been taken to a hospital, and they are being provided with all the necessary assistance.

'All forces have been mobilised.'

Reports said the missiles were US-supplied ATACMS operational-tactical missiles equipped with cluster warheads.

Two Majors pro-war Telegram channel said: 'While repelling a terrorist attack by air defence forces on duty, four American ATACMS missiles were shot down.

'Another missile, as a result of the impact of air defence systems at the final stage, deviated from the flight path and detonated the warhead in the air over the city territory.

'As a result of falling fragments of cluster submunitions, more than 20 civilians, including children, were injured.'

Later in the day the toll was put at much higher.

The wounded were carried from the beach in Uchkuevka, Sevastopol by tourists and emergency services after today's strike by debris from a downed Ukrainian missile.

Russians in Crimea have been flocking to beaches in Crimea despite the risk of Ukrainian kamikaze drone and missile attacks.

Separate footage of Sudak beach in Crimean shows how people have crowded to the popular summer relaxation spots despite the risk of missile strikes.

The incident comes the same day that Russian bombs destroyed a residential block in Kharkiv, killing at least one person and injuring 10 on Sunday

The ruined remains of an apartment are exposed to the air after Russian missiles damage a block of flats in Kharkiv, Ukraine, on Sunday

Ukrainians clean the streets and look at the damage caused by Russian bombs in Kharkiv on Sunday

An elderly woman, who was swimming in the sea at the time of the impact, died on the beach in Sevastopol, eyewitnesses say.

Sevastopol, a Black Sea port city and traditional headquarters of the Russian Black Sea Fleet even when it was under Ukrainian rule, was annexed by Russia in 2014.

It regularly comes under fire from Ukraine but the toll from Sunday's attack was unusually high.

There were reports of a lack of air raid alerts ahead of the strike.

Earlier in the day one person was killed and three were injured in Russia's Belgorod region, bordering Ukraine, when three Ukrainian drones attacked the city of Grayvoron, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said.

Russia's ministry of defence said air defence forces shot down 33 Ukrainian drones over the country's western Bryansk, Smolensk, Lipetsk and Tula regions.

A fresh attack on Kharkiv killed at least one person and injured 10 on Sunday, according to local officials. Mayor Ihor Terekhov said the city was attacked by a guided bomb and around half of Kharkiv was without electricity because of the strike.

Ukraine's military has not commented on the attack, which came a day after a Russian guided bomb strike on the city of Kharkiv hit an apartment building, killing two people and injuring more than 50.

On Sunday, Russian strikes hit a house and a children's educational facility in Kharkiv, killing one person and injuring 10 including two teenagers, regional governor Oleg Synegubov said.

Regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said 41 people were still being treated for injuries on Sunday.

In a video address following Saturday's attack, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged Ukraine's partners to bolster its air defences.

'Modern air defence systems for Ukraine - such as Patriots, accelerated training of our pilots for F-16s, and most importantly, sufficient range for our weapons - are truly necessary,' he said.

Meanwhile, two people were injured by falling debris when two Russian missiles were shot down over the Kyiv region overnight, Ukraine's air force commander Mykola Oleschuk said.

Regional Governor Vadym Filashkin of Ukraine's partly occupied Donetsk region said that Russian attacks on Saturday killed two people and wounded four.

In other developments, the Ukrainian Navy released photos on Sunday that it says confirm the destruction of a warehouse in Russia's southern Krasnodar region used to launch and store Iranian-designed Shahed drones.

Navy officials said training instructors and cadets were killed in the attack on Friday night. Moscow has not yet commented on the reports, but officials said air defences shot down a number of drones in the region overnight on Friday.
This is the moment emergency crews rescued a 15-year-old boy who cheated death after plunging off a 60ft cliff while on a school trip.

The teenager was on a geography field trip when he posed for a photo near the edge of the cliffs at Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage, Dorset.

His teachers and classmates watched in horror as he lost his footing close to the precipice and fell over the edge.

The 15-year-old boy landed on a shingle bed at the base of the chalk cliffs and remarkably was seen to get back on his feet.

He walked towards the shore as coastguards and a lifeboat crew rushed to the scene.

Video footage from the Swanage RNLI crew shows the moment they arrived at the foot of Old Harry Rocks.

This is the moment emergency crews rescued a 15-year-old boy who cheated death after plunging off a 60ft cliff while on a school trip

The teenager was on a geography field trip when he posed for a photo near the edge of the cliffs at Old Harry Rocks, near Swanage, Dorset

His teachers and classmates watched in horror as he lost his footing close to the precipice and fell over the edge

They point to a group of kayakers who were nearby when it happened, with one lifeboatman noticing they didn't look 'too alarmed'.

They then confirmed reports that the boy was 'walking wounded'.

When emergency crews reached the schoolboy they confirmed he had survived the dramatic fall with just a cut to his head and a scratch to his back.

He was checked over by an ambulance crew at Knoll Beach, Studland, and was given the all clear.

The boy, who has not been named, later phoned his mother to let her know he was alright.

Coastguards said they can't fathom how the boy was not killed or seriously injured.

Ian Brown, of the Swanage coastguard, said the teen would have had to walk past a warning sign urging people to stay away from the edge of the cliff at the famous beauty spot.

He said he was told the boy had asked for his photograph to be taken of himself by a friend when the accident happened at 1.55pm on Thursday.

Mr Brown said: 'The 15-year-old boy was on a school trip from London doing a geography field study. The pupils were all advised not to go too close to the edge but he wanted a picture of himself next to it.

'His friend was meant to take the photo but as he did the boy fell over the edge. Whether he lost his footing and slipped I don't know but it was a sheer drop of 60ft.

Pictured: The Swanage inshore lifeboat arriving at the scene where the boy fell

When emergency crews reached the schoolboy they confirmed he had survived the dramatic fall with just a cut to his head and a scratch to his back

'His teachers were beside themselves and students probably thought the worst. But they saw him quite quickly get up and start walking towards the shore.'

The tide was out at the time and it is thought the boy landed on shingle that was on top of soft seaweed.

The Swanage lifeboat crew attended the scene and a volunteer found the boy below the cliffs 'virtually uninjured'.

He was placed on the inshore lifeboat and taken to Knoll Beach where he was examined by ambulance paramedics and spoken to by coastguards.

Mr Brown said: 'He had a cut to his head and a scratch on his back but that was it. He said he landed on shingle on his side.

'We can't quite fathom how he survived virtually uninjured.

'I spoke with him and told him he wasn't in trouble but that we wanted to find out what had happened. He just shrugged it off and said he was fine. He wasn't shocked but his teachers were telling him that he didn't know how lucky he was.'

Mr Brown continued: 'People visiting the coast should stay away from the edge of cliffs because you just don't know what the ground is like.'

A spokesperson for the Swanage lifeboat said: 'The inshore lifeboat was first to arrive on scene.

'The casualty was located at the base of the cliff on the Studland side of Handfast Point close to Old Harry Rocks.

'A casualty care trained crew member was put ashore to assess the casualty and work out the best way to get them to safety.

Pictured: The section of Old Harry Rocks where the boy fell from (circled)

The Swanage lifeboat crew attended the scene and a volunteer found the boy below the cliffs 'virtually uninjured'

'After an initial assessment the casualty was found to be virtually uninjured with just a few cuts and grazes.

'They were taken aboard the ILB, transferred to the ALB for a more thorough examination on the way to Knoll Beach.

'Once at Knoll Beach the casualty was handed over to the volunteers from Swanage Coastguard and a team from South West ambulance.'

The schoolboy is not the first person to survive the sheer fall off Old Harry Rocks.

In 2021 28-year-old Alex Tridico had a miraculous escape when he lost his footing and plunged off the cliff.

On that occasion the tide was in and he landed in shallow water.
MALKERNS  The late former politician Masalekhaya Simeon Simelane has been described as a brilliant and visionary man who always advocated against violence.

This was relayed by Sive Siyinqaba National Movement, otherwise known as Sibahle Sinje Vice Chairperson and former Senate Deputy President Ngomuyayona Gamedze, during the late Simelanes memorial service held at St John Bosco High School hall yesterday. Gamedze passed his condolences to the Simelane family and emaSwati at large for their loss. He said when he was given the daunting task of speaking on behalf of Sive Siyinqaba, he was at a loss for words and could not contemplate how he could describe the calibre of a man Simelane was.

Gamedze said he shared a close bond with Simelane and what they both had in common was that they both lost their wives and now his close friend had passed away as well.

He said Masalekhaya survived a horrific car accident and they thought they had lost him, but he managed to survive the ordeal. We did not expect him to pass away in this manner, but we want to believe that this was Gods plan, he said. He said the deceased was more like a mayor at Mankayane, as they always came to him for advice and guidance. He said Mankayane has over the years produced a certain calibre of people, who were natural leaders and Simelane fitted in that calibre of people.

Brilliant

He said the late Simelane was a brilliant man and he always had a way of understanding what people wanted, without even them saying it to him. Gamedze said Simelane was polite, strict and direct at the same time and always found a solution to whatever problem they encountered in their journey as friends and colleagues. Gamedze further added that it was a difficult task to explain the type of person Simelane was, but summarised him as a person who always advocated against violence and promoted dialogue when people had differences. Whenever he had differences with someone, he would be upfront with them and tell them that he disagreed with them in a polite, but firm manner, he said.

Gamedze also mention that Simelane was one of the founders of Sive Siyinqaba and described him as visionary leader that he always looked up to for guidance. He also announced that one of the people who stood with them throughout their journey was businessman and former Senator Walter Bennett, who donated a cow and said he felt obligated to make the announcement in public.

Speaking during the memorial service, Bennett described Simelane as a loyal citizen and intelligent man. He said he knew Simelane for 26 years, before they formed Sive Siyinqaba. He said Simelane was a gentleman at heart who was always smiling. At the end of it all, he was a gentleman and I cannot recall a day when I saw him angry in his entire life, he said. Bennett also mentioned that Simelane was the pride of his life and to work with him was a pleasure and they understood things the same way. Sharing his experience with Simelane as senators, Bennett said the late former senator was a principled man, who always advocated for service delivery and accountability of public officials. He recalled that as senators, they together instituted an accounting probe, which was one of the tasks they took at hand as colleagues. He said the late Simelane was extremely intellectual and intelligent politician.

Sacrificed

He was different and a cut above the rest. In him was a good accountant and he took pride in what he did. During our days as senators, we used to have service delivery oriented politicians, not like nowadays, said Bennett. He said the late Simelane sacrificed his career and took up politics and he believed that not everyone would agree with him, but at the same time he was fearless. He said Simelane was an advocate for the welfare of politicians, both current and former. He said Simelane believed that power of politics was in numbers, not in individuals.
Three wolves in a zoo outside Paris mauled a 37-year-old woman while she was out for a jog after spending the night in a safari-style lodge, it is understood.

The woman was bitten 'on the neck, the calf and the back' at the Thoiry zoo around 25 miles west of the French capital, a source close to the case said.

Maryvonne Caillibotte, chief prosecutor in Versailles, said the woman's life was in danger.

The woman is believed to have gone out alone for a run after spending the night with her family in a safari-style lodge at the zoo, which is advertised on its website at between 220 and 760 euros per night.

Lodges in the wolf zone promise 'silence, rest and disconnection', according to the zoo's adverts. They offer 'a one-of-a-kind, very intimate experience with the arctic wolves you'll be able to see from the living room'.

Three wolves in a zoo outside Paris mauled a 37-year-old woman. Pictured: Wolves at the Thoiry zoo

The woman is believed to have gone out alone for a run after spending the night with her family in a safari-style lodge at the zoo. Pictured: Lodges at the zoo

The lodges (pictured) offer 'a one-of-a-kind, very intimate experience with the arctic wolves you'll be able to see from the living room'

The woman 'ended up in the safari zone, which is supposed to be restricted to cars. That's where she was attacked by three wolves,' Caillibotte said.

She added that it was not clear 'whether she made a mistake or the trail wasn't clearly marked'.

First responders got to the scene 'very quickly', the wolves were 'moved away, then returned to their area,' Caillibotte said.

The source familiar with the case said the woman must have got through 'security systems, a trench and an electric fence supposed to keep the animals in'. Police are investigating the incident.

The lodges (pictured) allow you to safely view the wolves from where you're staying

The woman was bitten 'on the neck, the calf and the back' at the Thoiry zoo

Thoiry zoo was founded in 1968 by Paul de la Panouse, owner of a local chateau that has been in his family since the 16th Century.

He recalled to regional newspaper L'Independant in April how he initially stocked the zoo with a ship loaded with 120 animals brought from Kenya.

De la Panouse sold the zoo to a group of investors in 2018.
James Cleverly today insisted Tories who placed bets on the election date should 'do the right thing' and come forward.

The Home Secretary acknowledged that the furore was distracting from the election battle as the party's chief data officer became latest investigated by the Gambling Commission.

But he played down fears about the scandal snowballing, suggesting there were only a 'small number of individuals' involved and he had 'no reason' to believe they included Cabinet ministers.

The remarks came In a round of interviews this morning, after it emerged Nick Mason has taken a leave of absence amid claims he placed 'dozens of bets' on the timing of the election.

The latest allegations were published by The Sunday Times, which claimed the potential winnings were worth thousands of pounds. A spokesman for Mr Mason denied wrongdoing but said it would be inappropriate to comment.

The revelations are a fresh blow to Rishi Sunak's hopes of getting the Tory election campaign on track after three other Conservative figures were caught up in the scandal.

Tony Lee, the party's director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, are also under investigation by the Commission.

James Cleverly (pictured) acknowledged the betting furore was distracting from the election as the Tories' chief data officer became latest investigated by the Gambling Commission

It has emerged that Tory chief data officer Nick Mason (pictured) has taken a leave of absence amid claims he placed 'dozens of bets' on the timing of the election

Tony Lee, the Conservative party's director of campaigns, and his wife Laura Saunders, are also under investigation by the Commission

Lee's wife, Laura Saunders, a Conservative candidate in the Bristol North West constituency, is also under investigation but said she is fully cooperating with the commission

Craig Williams, who was the Prime Minister's parliamentary private secretary and is the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, was also placed under investigation over a 100 'flutter' on the date of the election

Ms Saunders, a Conservative candidate in the Bristol North West constituency, has said she is fully cooperating with the commission.

Craig Williams, who was the Prime Minister's parliamentary private secretary and is the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, was also placed under investigation over a 100 'flutter' on the date of the election.

He has apologised for the act which he described as a 'huge error of judgement'.

Labour called for the Tories to suspend Ms Saunders and Mr Williams, with Keir Starmer saying: 'If it was one of my candidates, they'd be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor.'

Meanwhile, one of Mr Sunak's close protection officers has also been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public following a similar allegation and is suspended as an internal investigation is carried out by Scotland Yard.

Mr Cleverly told Sky News: 'I'm not in any way going to defend people who placed bets on that.

'There is an investigation by the Gambling Commission and we have been told very, very clearly that we are not to discuss the investigations.'

He said that 'my understanding is that it is a small number of individuals' involved.

Asked if any Cabinet ministers were involved, he said: 'I've got no reason to believe any of them were, at all.'

Asked why Mr Sunak was not sacking anyone who admitted placing a bet, Mr Cleverly said it was a matter for the Gambling Commission to investigate.

On Times Radio a clearly frustrated Mr Cleverly said: 'I would much prefer this interview was about the plans that we have got to continue bearing down on taxes for working people, the plans we've got to get flights off to Rwanda etc, rather than having to comment about what might be inappropriate behaviour.'

He added: 'I would always say people should do the right thing. I mean, people should always do the right thing. I don't know of any other individuals involved.'

Michael Gove, the outgoing Housing Secretary, has condemned the latest reports, and likened the betting scandal to Partygate during Boris Johnson's premiership.

'It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,' he told the Sunday Times, adding: 'That's the most potentially damaging thing.'

'The perception that we operate outside the rules that we set for others.

'That was damaging at the time of partygate and is damaging here.

'If you're in a privileged position [close] to the prime minister at the heart of a political operation and you use inside information to make additional money for yourself, that's just not acceptable.

'So if these allegations are true, it's very difficult to defend,' he added.

A spokesperson for Mason denied any wrongdoing and said it was inappropriate to comment during the inquiry.

A Conservative spokesman said: 'As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.'

Mr Sunak must personally intervene in the 'all-out scandal', the Lib Dems have said.

Daisy Cooper, the Lib Dem deputy leader, said: 'Sunak must personally intervene to order a Cabinet Office inquiry and suspend all those under investigation.'

On Thursday night, Mr Sunak admitted he was 'incredibly angry' after the bombshell that the gambling watchdog is investigating several senior Conservatives.

Appearing on the BBC's Question Time election special, Mr Sunak was grilled on the claims.

'I was incredibly angry to learn of these allegations. If anyone's found to have broken the rules, not only should they face the full consequences of the law, I'll make sure they are booted out of the Conservative Party,' he said.

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith branded those involved as 'stupid and venal'.

Reform leader Nigel Farage accused the Conservatives of being 'corrupt'.

The use of confidential information to gain unfair advantage when betting may constitute a criminal offence of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act.

Those convicted face and unlimited fine or up to two years in jail.
Part of President Joe Biden's argument against another four years under Donald Trump will be parading the former president's new status as a convicted felon during the Atlanta debate on Thursday.

The president's reelection campaign has made clear that a central argument and strategy at CNN's general election debate will focus on the 34 felony charges against Trump.

Biden campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu said the 'American people have to sit' with the fact that the presumptive Republican nominee is a convicted felon.

'I'll let the President say what he's going to say. But the fact of the matter is that the sky is blue sometimes and Donald Trump is a convicted felon,' Landrieu told NBC host Peter Alexander on Sunday.

But the argument could backfire considering most polls find Republicans  and even many independent voters  are undeterred by the outcome of the Manhattan hush money case so far.

President Joe Biden is likely to make Trump's felony conviction a key argument on the debate stage on Thursday. Biden's campaign co-chair Mitch Landrieu argues it doesn't matter how the candidates perform in Atlanta next week

WATCH: @PeterAlexander asks if President Biden will make former President Trumps legal issues a centerpiece of Thursdays debate.



Biden campaign co-chair @MitchLandrieu: The fact of the matter is that the sky is blue sometimes and Donald Trump is a convicted felon. pic.twitter.com/UTGDbpTSVQ  Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) June 23, 2024

Iowa voter Donald Share, 63, told the Des Moines Register last week that he is definitely voting for Trump due to his criminal conviction.

'His convictions on these charges are part of the reason my mind is made up,' said Share.

'The more they try to get him out of the picture, the stronger they make him,' he added. 'I, for one, believe that the charges are bogus.'

Landrieu still argues, however, that the case will impact Trump without Biden needing to point it out at the debate.

'The person who wants to be president has to go sit with his probation officer before he actually goes to the debate,' the campaign co-chair lamented. 'And so it is just a fact. But it's not just to call Donald Trump a convicted felon. It goes to his behavior and it goes to his character.'

Landrieu also claims that how Biden, 81, performs on stage Thursday against Trump, 78, doesn't really make a difference for the trajectory of the election.

'I expect President Biden to do an excellent job just like he did the last few debates. It really doesn't matter how Donald Trump shows up,' he insisted.

'People are going to know that he's a twice impeached convicted felon who has been found to have defamed somebody, sexually abused somebody and going bankrupt six times.'

Biden was convicted of 34 felony charges last month in the Manhattan hush money trial

Biden and Trump will go head-to-head in their first debate of the general election on Thursday in Atlanta, Georgia

Trump was found guilty at the end of May by a Manhattan jury on 34 felony counts related to his hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

There are still three other outstanding criminal cases against the former president  one in Washington, D.C., one in Fulton County, Georgia and one in Florida.

After Trump 's guilty verdict, the former president still leads Biden by just one point in a hypothetical 2024 match-up.

Only 40 percent say Trump's conviction won't affect how they cast their ballot in a post-conviction Emerson poll.

Still, more than a quarter (27 percent) say that Trump's guilty verdict actually makes them more likely to want to vote for him for president. And 33 percent say it makes them less likely to support him.
Zach Stubbings began flying Sea King helicopters for RAF Search and Rescue in January 2000, when he was 21 years old.

From day one, he loved the RAF, adored flying, was a natural pilot and was quickly promoted to trainer  one of his pupils was Prince William, whom he has described as 'brilliant' and 'a top lad'.

Zach flew more than 2,500 hours in Sea Kings but, along with his colleagues, he struggled with the black, sooty fumes that billowed forward from the exhaust.

'If you're by the cargo door, the exhaust comes right through. Even worse, if you're working on the winch, which I was, you're putting your head right out into it,' he says. 'Sometimes the wind whipped it away, but mostly it pulled the fumes back so you got a face full and would be coughing and eyes streaming. And the smell!'

When they returned to base, their flying suits and bright yellow helmets were black with soot.

In 2013, Zach Stubbings (pictured with his wife Anna-Louise) was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, which is a very unusual disease for a ferociously fit man in his early 30s. He was given ten years to live

Former Royal Navy commander Richard Sutton (left) and RAF Pilot Zack Stubbings have both brought claims against the Ministry of Defence having developed cancer from fumes

'We had to clean everything. It didn't feel right. There was no protection, nothing,' says Zach. 'We all complained about it.'

But no action was taken. No PPE was provided. No attempt made by the RAF to modify the exhaust system on Sea Kings, Wessex or, more recently, Puma and Chinook helicopters.

And this was despite the fact that documents and official reports clearly reveal that the Government knew about the dangers of the Sea King's exhaust as far back as 1999. Instead, the Ministry of Defence continued to allow aircrew to fly in the helicopter, with no extra safety precautions, until it was decommissioned in 2018.

In 2013, Zach was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, cancer of the blood and bone marrow, which is a very unusual disease for a ferociously fit man in his early 30s. He was given ten years to live.

He put two and two together, did a lot of digging  'I had time on my hands,' he says  and, at about that time, came across another pilot, Rich Sutton, now 53, who had flown more than 3,500 hours in Sea Kings and was also suffering with a very rare form of cancer (epithelioid fibrosarcoma) which caused tumours to keep cropping up throughout his body.

'We got chatting over a cuppa in the crew room and thought, Well, that's a bit odd,' says Zach.

Three more colleagues got in touch. They were suffering from throat and lung cancers, despite never smoking.

And together they formed a WhatsApp group called Fly Hard, Fight Hard, with the motto, 'Shoulder to Shoulder'.

'We wanted to raise awareness. We were worried there'd be others and wanted to make sure they knew what could be coming for them.'

Sadly, he was right. Two of the original five passed away last year. But more people got in touch.

Some were pilots suffering from cancers such as non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, multiple myeloma, lung cancer, throat cancer and testicular cancer.

Others were family members of pilots who had been struck down with cancer in their prime. And all had flown more than 2,000 hours in either Chinook, Wessex, Puma or Sea King helicopters.

So far, an estimated 150 military personnel, from all three services and of all ranks (along with family members), have contacted solicitors about bringing actions against the RAF.

Louisa Donaghy, a senior associate at Hugh James solicitors, says they have already been contacted by at least 40 potential claimants. Others are being handled by Simpson Millar. Many, many more are expected.

Anna Irwin was the RAF's golden girl. Since joining in 2003 she completed eight three-month tours in Afghanistan, met David Beckham  who was on a visit to perk up the troops  and served alongside Prince Harry

The funeral of Anna Irwin in 2017, She died aged 38, from a rare form of lung cancer, despite never having smoked

But until recently, most thought they were alone.

Anna Irwin's family had always assumed that her death  in October 2017, aged 38, from a rare form of lung cancer, despite never having smoked  was just horribly bad luck.

'Anna loved the RAF. She was virtually married to it. We had no idea  I was always racking my brains asking, Why her? Why her?', says her father Mick Irwin. 'We are still reeling from the news that she was probably poisoned.'

Anna was the RAF's golden girl. Since joining in 2003 she completed eight three-month tours in Afghanistan, met David Beckham  who was on a visit to perk up the troops  and served alongside Prince Harry.

'She loved Harry, before he had his shenanigans and was a lot younger and more sensible,' says Mick.

In 2013 she was presented with the Most Outstanding Airman award by the then Prince Charles for successfully fending off a group of Taliban troops trying to shoot down her Chinook helicopter, packed full of wounded troops.

She'd been a rising star from the start. Ambitious, energetic, immensely likeable, fantastically fit  just before she was diagnosed in 2017, after complaining of a nagging pain in her back, she had completed an Iron Man challenge and had applied to join the Special Services.

Over the years, she was exposed to more than 2,400 hours of emissions onboard Chinook helicopters.

'She loved Chinooks and would sit on the ramp when they were flying. In the fumes,' says Mick. 'Sometimes I wish a bullet had taken her. She had taken that risk, not the risk of being bloody poisoned!'

Every day now, more potential claimants are coming forward  all with tales of heroic service and terrible suffering.

Squadron Leader Kai Macnaughton died on March 24, 2023, just three weeks after being diagnosed with a vanishingly rare type of blood vessel cancer.

'He was a huge 6ft2 bear of a man,' says his widow Claire. 'A big dashing hero who burst into the room like Captain Flashman.'

A Specials Forces Chinook pilot who'd won the Sword of Honour at Cranwell, he served everywhere from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan and Iraq, before taking a desk job in 2013.

He had everything to live for. Two children, a glittering career, a wife who adored him.

'We met on a blind date in Edinburgh in 1997,' says Claire. 'I was on crutches with a broken leg and when he scooped me up and kissed me it was love at first sight and that was that.'

His death 26 years later was dreadful.

'It was really awful. It wasn't like in the films. It was not peaceful. He did not die in his sleep and there were no last words,' says Claire baldly.

'He fought death right up until his last breath, but he wasn't ready and he felt robbed. He'd been happy to go into combat and be shot at, because he felt in control. With the cancer he had no strategy. It was not a risk he had taken.'

When Kai died, Claire's phone started ringing with calls from friends and colleagues.

'They all came out of the woodwork. Oh yes, I've had cancer too. And me. And me! It was like, "I'm Spartacus!" At least seven close friends,' she says. 'But Kai was the first to go.'

It was at about the time Kai fell ill, in February 2023, that former RAF pilot Tim Hamilton, 53 - who had flown Wessex helicopters between 1996 and 2001 before becoming a commercial pilot - noticed a swelling in his leg.

Just after proposing to his girlfriend, he was told by a specialist that he had an incurable form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

So, like Zach, he started digging  researching the link between toxic fumes and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, until he was convinced there was a connection to his time in the Wessex.

He also contacted old friends and colleagues from his RAF days, and discovered that 34 of them had cancer, including the best man at his wedding.

The funeral of Squadron Leader Kai Macnaughton, who died on March 24, 2023, just three weeks after being diagnosed with a vanishingly rare type of blood vessel cancer

Kai had won the Sword of Honour at Cranwell, he served everywhere from Sierra Leone to Afghanistan and Iraq, before taking a desk job in 2013

The number of cases is disturbing, not least because the problem has been going on for so long. Earlier this month, The Times disclosed that troops flying RAF Sea King search-and-rescue helicopters raised their 'genuine concern' about exhaust inhalation more than 20 years ago.

More terrifying still is that the Ministry of Defence still seems to have its head in the sand; that nothing was done in response to the damning report back in the late 1990s. (In contrast, the German military, which discovered the risks at about the same time, installed longer exhausts on some aircraft to direct the fumes away). That it chose not to make the pilots aware. That, still now, nothing is being done.

So far, just five cases have been settled  brought by Zach, Rich and three others, two of whom have since died.

Initially the MoD tried to fob Zach off. But eventually it admitted liability in his case and his case alone - before backtracking and settling with the others on a 'no fault' basis.

Of course, military personnel are different to the rest of us: far, far tougher and extraordinarily resilient.

Even after she was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, Anna threw herself into sponsored runs and climbs and raised more than 100,000 for children's cancer charities.

She tried every treatment going  at the Royal Marsden in London, but also more experimental offerings in Belgium and Spain.

'She fought like bloody hell,' says her father. 'She wanted to beat it. She didn't want to die. She fought and fought. She wasn't used to losing, but in the end, she had just nine months.'

She was in St Michael's Hospice in Basingstoke when she received a letter from Prince Harry saying how sorry he was abut her predicament.

'It was such a lovely letter. She was so pleased and it came in an embossed envelope,' says her little sister Katie, now 38.

Mick can remember the moment his daughter finally gave up.

'She said to me: "I'm sleeping 22 hours a day. What's the point, Dad?"'

Meanwhile, Rich Sutton, 53, is still fighting for survival after ten operations, two rounds of radiotherapy and a cycle of chemotherapy. His latest 12-hour operation, to remove a tumour the size of a melon from his neck, resulted in him having a stroke.

He joined the Navy when he was just 19 and, over the next 25 years, flew Sea Kings in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Northern Ireland, was awarded the Queen's commendation for bravery and became a commanding officer of 848 Naval Air Squadron.

Today he is unable to work, struggles to eat, is forever waiting for the next test result and, off the top of his head, knows 'a dozen or so friends and colleagues with cancer'.

But for all that, he still eulogises his time in RAF and tells me that he cannot look up when he hears a plane going over because he misses flying so much.

That's the other thing that sets these extraordinary pilots apart from the rest of us. They are loyal. They don't like to complain, or rock the boat. There is a code  of discretion, duty, honour. And Zach says that when he started making allegations back in 2020, some colleagues thought he had breached it.

Richard Sutton had flown more than 3,500 hours in Sea Kings and suffered with a very rare form of cancer (epithelioid fibrosarcoma) which caused tumours to keep cropping up in his body

Richard Sutton receiving the Afghan Medal from the then Prince Charles in 2010

'They blanked me. I got a lot of grief  people telling me I'd made it up, that I'd broken the code.'

David Sheppard, 53, flew Wessex and Sea Kings and Griffin helicopters between 1992 and 2019. He was diagnosed with tonsil cancer last summer but is now, happily, in remission. After making a couple of calls, he discovered that three of his former colleagues have the same cancer.

But he tells me that when he first spoke of suing the air force his father-in-law, who is also ex-military, was very much against it, saying: 'It's just not done. It's not the sort of thing we do.'

Which is perhaps why, for so long, no one joined the dots  the poisonous fumes, the unusual cancers, and the grindingly painful deaths in such numbers.

Perhaps the RAF relied on this reticence. Maybe it helped that men don't tend to discuss these things as much as women.

Certainly, Kai's widow Claire feels like she's banging her head against a brick wall.

'Nothing has changed. Nothing. Same Chinook, same Wessex. Same poisonous fumes and no protection. And they're being cowards and not even admitting that there is a problem,' she says.

She doesn't even expect the MoD to ground the Chinooks. She claims: 'The reality is that it's cheaper to give all these guys cancer and pay them off than fix the problem.'

But, like Rich and Zach, she wants pilots to be able to make an informed choice about the risks of their service  a luxury her Kai did not have.

And she wants the MoD to at least try to provide adequate protection - shutting the doors, wearing PPE - and set up a proper, structured compensation scheme.

The MoD said: 'We continually review our policies to ensure they are aligned with good practice and protect our people from harm.

'Service personnel and veterans who believe they have suffered ill health due to service, from April 6, 2005, have the existing and long-standing right to apply for no-fault compensation under the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme.'

They can be sure the claimants are going to keep on coming.

'They're in a cancer sausage machine,' she says. 'I just want people to stop dying.'

Sadly, that isn't going to happen soon. Some are already ill. Some will become ill over the next few years. Meanwhile, I'm told that the Squadron Facebook pages are now very much feverish with talk of fumes and cancer and possible blood tests.

'I know a lot of very anxious people,' says Zach. 'They are living with a cloud over them  they are ticking time bombs and they know it.'

And dare I ask, what about Prince William  is he likely to be at risk?

'He was in a Sea King  different mark, but the same exhaust system,' he says. 'I'm not privy to his logbook. I know how many hours I flew with him, but I don't know how many hours he flew in total. Or how much they had the door open; how much exposure he had. I am sure he has his own doctor,' he says. 'But like everyone else, he'll just have to wait and see.'
She delighted her TV chat show mother earlier this year when she told her she was pregnant.

Now Lorraine Kelly has another reason to be cheerful after her daughter Rosie Smith has revealed she is due to get married.

The 29-year-old shared the details of the exciting development by posting a series of photos of her showing off her engagement ring after her boyfriend Steve White popped the question on holiday.

The couple have been sunning themselves in Malaga, Spain, ahead of the birth of their first child.

Posting photos of her wearing the new sparkler, Ms Smith wrote: There are too many lovely things going on and Im not quite sure what to do with myself.

Glowing Rosie relaxes in shades, with her solitaire engagement ring proudly on show

Everyone always told me youll know when its about to happen but I had absolutely no idea, but I have a lifetime to get you back [Steve White].

The images showed Ms Smith, the only daughter of the ITV daytime star and her husband Steve Smith, dressed in a white dress and sunglasses, sitting at a table in a restaurant with incredible sea views and palm trees in the background.

Mum Lorraine, 64, replied, writing: So happy - its such lovely news and I will have a son as well as a granddaughter.

She cradles her bump in a photo taken during the couples holiday in Malaga, Spain

Delighted chat show host mum Lorraine congratulated her daughter on her engagement news

Rosie is due to marry her boyfriend Steve White after he popped the question, and the couple will welcome a baby girl in September

In May, Ms Smith revealed her pregnancy, sharing a photo of herself cradling her growing baby bump, with a caption saying: We could not be more excited - youre already so loved little one.

Glasgow-born mum Lorraine was quick to share her own joy at the news, writing: The most exciting thing to have ever happened in our family. Cannot wait to be a granny and so proud of Rosie and her Steve.
Police are probing all possible sightings of Jay Slater as the hunt for the missing British teenager goes into its seventh day after his night at a Tenerife nightclub.

Now MailOnline has put together a timeline and map as the search goes on for the apprentice bricklayer, 19, whose disappearance has baffled investigators.

Spanish police have come under fire from Jay's friends - especially after rejecting an offer of help from Lancashire Police, who cover his hometown of Oswaldtwistle.

Officers using a helicopter, sniffer dogs, a drone and mountain rescue units have been scouring countryside close to an Airbnb he went to with two British men.

The isolated farmhouse was an hour's drive from the popular hotspot of Playa des Los Americas in southern Tenerife, in the village of Masca, 19 miles away - where he was seen dancing shirtless at a high energy music rave at Papagayo nightclub.

Here MailOnline highlights what is known since he went missing last Monday...

These are the known sightings of and contact from Jay Slater, 19, who vanished in Tenerife

The search for the apprentice bricklayer from Oswaldtwistle in Lancashire has now entered its seventh day on the Spanish island of Tenerife

SUNDAY, 8PM

Jay had been attending a three-days NRG festival due to end last Sunday with events at the Papagayo Beach Club in South Tenerife.

Ahead of going back to the club, Jay sent his relative Isabelle Price a brief Snapchat video showing him and his surroundings in Arona, near the main party drag.

The nightclub he was heading for is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in southern Tenerife.

The half-mile street has numerous bars and nightclubs that stay open until 5am and are a magnet for young holidaymakers.

Jay Slater was see dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub (pictured) which is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in Tenerife

A massive search operation is ongoing for the 19-year-old from Oswestry in Lancashire

Bars and clubs line the Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in southern Tenerife

SUNDAY, 1AM

Pictures showed him walking through a sea of clubbers with sunglasses propped on his head at the festival where he was last seen by his friends on the Spanish island on Sunday night - while a photo showed him with friend Lucy Mae Law there.

It features Jay in the grey sport top with green shoulder edging that he was wearing when he went missing, with Lucy alongside him.

New TikTok footage was shared online today showing him dancing shirtless in the nightclub - with the time said to be 1am as Sunday became Monday.

The after-party being held at the nightclub is known to have finally wrapped up at 5am - though it remains unclear at what precise time Jay left the venue.

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

New video footage shared on TikTok shows missing British teenager Jay Slater dancing with his shirt off at the Tenerife nightclub he attended hours before he disappeared

MONDAY, 7.30AM

Jay's last Snapchat photo was posted, showing his hand holding a cigarette at accommodation near the Rural de Teno Park.

He is thought to have headed to the 40-per-night AirBNB with two British men.

The property, which is listed online as a holiday home, is believed to have been rented by two men who have since left the island.

There is no suggestion the property's owners nor the British men involved have anything to do with the teenager's disappearance.

The accommodation has spectacular views over Buenavista del Norte and is an hour's drive from the main resort along mountain roads.

The teenager posted a Snapchat image on the morning he went missing in Spain

This is the Arbnb property Casa Abuela Tina in Masca at which Jay Slater had been staying

MONDAY, 8AM

His friend Lucy - who has since led criticism of Spanish police - received a phone call from Jay at about 8am, telling her he was 'lost in the mountains with no water' and just one per cent battery on his mobile.

The phone's last signal close to the Masca gorge beauty spot.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, has since accused local police of 'not doing a good enough job' in the rescue efforts which have followed.

Lucy blasted: 'It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them.'

She told of wanting to 'bring him home to his family', adding: 'That is all we want, all that we need.'

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he called and told her he was 'lost in the mountains and he wasn't aware of his surroundings

Jay is seen in this image shared to his friend Lucy's social media days before he disappeared

MONDAY, 8.15AM

This was the last - so far - confirmed sighting, with the Airbnb's owner Ophelia Medina Hernandez describing how she saw him walking at pace in the nearby village Masca - apparently heading away from Playa de las Americas.

She voiced her worries about him, saying: 'It's dangerous walking around here, it's easy to lose yourself. He walked up the road when I saw him for the last time.

'He was alone. He was walking normally, though he was fast.'

Ophelia shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route.

Ophelia, the last person to see Jay, shared that Jay has also asked about catching the bus from the area before making the journey on foot - which was the only route

Police officers have been searched in the Masca ravine - here seen there last Wednesday

Guardia Civil police cars have been parked again nearby today on the seventh day of the hunt

MONDAY, 8.50AM

Mr Slaters phone died at about 8.50am, with his last known location registered to the Rural de Teno park near Masca where he had apparently stayed that night.

His father Warren, 58, and brother Zak, 24, have since travelled to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

They looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Choking back tears, Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black T-shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The pair were joined by other family and friends and looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine searching for clues.

A screenshot of Jay's last known location where his phone battery died

Jay's father Warren and brother Zak have visited the isolated spot where his mobile phone last pinged - with Warren fighting back tears as he said: 'I just want the boy back'

MONDAY, 9.04AM

Jay is reported missing by friends including Lucy, before the UK Foreign Office is alerted later that day - and police launched mountain rescue operation.

Jays mother Debbie Duncan and his brother Zak flew to Tenerife the following day after being informed of the disappearance.

Debbie this weekend issued an urgent appeal to find her son, saying: 'The last few days have been awful. I just need him back.

'He is a handsome lad from Lancashire and he shouldn't be missing in Tenerife.'

Lucy has expressed fears he has been kidnapped, saying: 'The more time passes and he has not been seen then the more we are convinced he has been taken by someone and is being held against his will.'

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

Rescue teams have been scouring mountain areas with drones also surveying the scene

Search and rescue workers were seen today on steep clopes near the village of Masca

MONDAY, 6PM

A new potential sighting has now been reported by a man who says someone resembling Jay was sitting on a bench beside a church at Santiago de Teide, back closer towards Playa de las Americas.

Speaking to MailOnline, Jay's mother Debbie Duncan, 55, revealed that there has been a new sighting. She said: 'Someone has come forward to say they saw someone who they thought was Jay walking back down the road sat on a bench.

'He was with two men looking a bit worse for wear, and they were by a church, this guy has come forward and told the police about it and they are looking into it. We don't know if it was Jay for sure, but it's a start.

'They said it was about 6pm which is ten hours after he was seen by the lady in the village. But if it was him what was he doing there and who are these two men?

The Parroquia de San Fernando Rey church in Santiago del Teide where sighting was reported

A witness said someone resembling Jay was sitting on a bench beside the church with two men

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am - she has now highlighted the new potential sighting

'All I know is that I am going to stay here for as long as it takes, I'm not going home unless it's with Jay. I'm not going anywhere until they find him.'

The sighting has not yet been officially confirmed.
A fundraising page set up to raise funds for the family of missing teenager Jay Slater has hit its target just three days after being set up.

The GoFundMe page was set up by Lucy Mae a friend of Jay who was the last person he was in contact with before he disappeared in Tenerife last Monday.

The apprentice bricklayer vanished on Monday after going to a three-day energy music festival in Tenerife - sparking a week-long investigation by Spanish police.

Since it was set up more than 2,900 people have donated to the fundraiser and passed along their well wishes to his family, with the page reaching its target of 30,000 at 3pm today.

In a statement on the site Jay's mother, Debbie Duncan, thanked everyone who had donated for their 'generosity and kindness during this difficult time'.

She added: 'I just wanted to confirm that this is the only GoFundMe fundraiser approved by our family.

Jay Slater, pictured, went missed on the island of Tenerife on Monday morning with the search for him now entering its seventh day

A GoFundMe page set up to raise money for Jay Slater's family has reached its 30,000 target after just three days

Search teams focus on a mountainous area near the village of Masca in their search for Jay Slater today

Firefighters gather near the village of Masca in Tenerife on Sunday as they continue the search for Jay Slater

'We have not yet withdrawn any funds and are currently covering the expenses, such as the trip to Tenerife and accommodation, ourselves.

'The funds will remain on hold with GoFundMe until we post a further update on this page.

'We are extremely worried and are doing everything we can to find Jay.

'Please continue to share our fundraiser far and wide. Your support means the world to us, and we are grateful for any help you can provide.

'Thank you again.'

Debbie and other members of Jay's family, including his father and brother, have travelled to the Spanish island to help search for him.

The last person he had been in contact was Lucy, having called his 18-year-old friend at around 8am on Monday from a secluded mountain pass in Masca.

The Lancashire teenager told her he was 'lost in the mountains with no water' and one per cent battery on his mobile, with the phone's last signal close to the Masca gorge beauty spot.

The walk from Jay's last known location to his accommodation would have taken about 11 hours on foot.

Lucy Mae Law, 18, has blasted Spanish police for rejecting an offer from British officers to help in the search for missing British teenager Jay Slater

Apprentice bricklayer Jay, 19, vanished last Monday after leaving a Tenerife nightclub

Apprentice bricklayer Jay Slater, 19, pictured here with his mother Debbie Duncan, was last heard from on Monday at 8.50am

Lucy, who attended the NRG music festival with Jay, said he told of not being aware of his surroundings, desperately needing a drink but having no water.

Police are currently searching for Jay in the Teno Nature Reserve, referred to as 'malpais' by locals - a word that translates into English as 'badland'.

Lucy has said she doesn't think the Spanish police, also known as the Guardia Civil, are doing a good job.

In a statement released late on Friday, Lancashire Police said it had 'made an offer of support to the Guardia Civil' but this was declined after local cops said they were 'satisfied that they have the resources they need'.

Lucy blasted: 'We are having to do this all by ourselves as Spanish police are not doing a good enough job.

'They don't even speak English. It's been a very slow process here so we need the British police to come out and help them.'

She told of wanting to 'bring him home to his family', adding: 'That is all we want, all that we need.'

When asked how she felt that the offer from British cops to help had been declined, Jay's mother Debbie Duncan told MailOnline: 'I had a screaming and shouting day when I had the meeting with the police.

A new picture of missing teenager Jay Slater shows the 19-year-old in a nightclub in the early hours with his female friend Lucy Law just hours before he disappeared in Tenerife

The mountain range in Rural de Teno near the village of Masca where police were searching

Jay's mother Debbie Duncan has made a direct appeal to her son, telling him 'we just need you home' as the search for him enters its seventh day

'I know the Spanish police mean well, but the problem we are having is the language barrier, we just don't seem to be getting told. I'm sure they are doing their best.

'They told me they had used dogs and drones and then they said Lancashire police had offered their resources but they turned it down, but I think that would have really helped.

'I would feel happier if our people were over helping. It's just so difficult not knowing where he is, the area and the terrain is rough, but the police were saying that now there are too many people up there and it could interfere with their investigation.

Meanwhile, Jay's distraught father Warren, 58, has fought back tears as he told of just wanting 'my boy back' as he and Jay's brother Zak, 24, visited the spot where his phone last pinged and hugged each other in emotional scenes.

Choking back tears Warren, wearing a bucket hat, sunglasses and black t shirt, said: 'He's my son. I just want him back.'

The visit came as a bombshell new video of missing Jay dancing shirtless in a Tenerife nightclub just hours before he disappeared has emerged.

Warren and Zak were joined by other family and friends at the place which has been the focus of attention all week by police.

The pair journeyed to a remote gorge above the village of Masca, 19 miles from the party resort of Playa de les Americas at an altitude of 3000ft to where Jay's mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning.

Warren Slater and his son Zak, 24, were joined by other family and friends at the remote mountain spot where his mobile phone last pinged on Monday morning

Jay Slater was see dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub (pictured) which is at the end of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas in Tenerife

They looked on as mountain rescue teams and civil protection units with high-powered binoculars scanned the cactus strewn ravine looking for clues.

Friends of Jay who had flown in from Britain were also among the group and they spent several hours at the scene as search teams explained what they were doing.

Warren and Zak also visited the Air BnB where Jay had gone after the festival with two British men and from where he sent two Snapchat messages to his friend Lucy.

In the new clip of Jay which has emerged, he is seen dancing shirtless in Papagayo nightclub which is at the end me of the notorious Veronica's Strip area of Playa de las Americas.

The after-party is known to have wrapped up at 5am and an hour later Jay was with two mystery British men at their 40-a-night AirBnB 19 miles away at Masca.

It was here that a woman made the last confirmed sighting of Jay at about 8.15am, saying he was walking at pace up the hill and away from Playa de las Americas.

Jay's mum Debbie, 55, who has flown out to Tenerife from her home at Oswaldtwistle, told MailOnline there had been a sighting of someone resembling her son at around 6pm the day he disappeared by the church at Santiago de Teide which is back towards Playa de las Americas.

She said the man had told police he was 'with two men sitting on a bench by the church looking a little worse for wear' however at the moment it has not been confirmed this was Jay.
Andrew Cuomo agreed the New York hush money case against Donald Trump was politically motivated.

The former Democratic New York Governor who was also Attorney General in the state from 2007-2010 said the charges would have never been brought if Trump wasn't running for president again.

'The Attorney General's case in New York, frankly, should have never been brought,' Cuomo said in an interview Friday on HBO's Real Time with Bill Maher.

'And if his name was not Donald Trump and if he wasn't running for president  I'm the former AG of New York  I'm telling you that case would've never been brought,' he added. 'That's what is offensive to people, and it should be because if there's anything left, it's belief in the justice system.'

The case was brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and the Democrat has been accused by MAGA world of unfairly targeting Trump as the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee.

Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) said Friday that if Donald Trump wasn't running for president in 2024, the hush money case wouldn't have been brought against him

Trump was convicted last month by a Manhattan jury of 34 felonies related to a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to keep quiet about their extramarital affair a decade earlier.

The former president still denies the affair and has pledged to appeal the case.

President Joe Biden and Trump are facing off Thursday in Atlanta on stage for their first debate of the 2024 general election.

Maher said in the interview with Cuomo that he agreed the particular case against Trump was never going to be something that could sink his campaign and felt it was a longshot to bring the charges against him.

'I was always with you on the one in New York, the hush money trial,' the night show host told Cuomo in a joint interview with former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.). 'I don't think they should have brought that one.'

'It was just always going to look like a sex case and people were always just going to look at it that way,' he argued.

There are three other criminal cases against Trump with dozens of other felony charges. One case is in Florida and related to taking classified documents from the White House. The other two are related to election interference  one brought in Washington, D.C. and the other in Fulton County, Virginia.

'The trial in New York, the one he got convicted for, was the greatest fundraising bonanza ever,' Maher said in the Friday episode.

'He was lagging behind Biden and now he's pulled quite a bit ahead,' he continued. 'That trial was the greatest reason people had to send their checks for $ 5, $10, $25, to Donald Trump.'

And Maher isn't wrong.

HBO host Bill Maher agreed with Cuomo that the case against Trump was never going to sink his campaign and would only bolster his support ahead of November

Both self-reported fundraising figures as well as post-conviction poll numbers skyrocketed for Trump after he became a felon.

More than a quarter of voters (27 percent) said in a poll taken after the ruling that the conviction increases their likelihood of voting for Trump in November.

Cuomo says Americans are losing faith in democracy the more that it seems the justice system is getting involved with elections and deciding who and who cannot serve in public office.

'You want to talk about a threat to democracy  when you have this country believing you're playing politics with the justice system and you're trying to put people in jail or convict them for political reasons, then we have a real problem,' the former governor said.
Florida rapper Julio Foolio has been shot dead at the age of 26 during his birthday celebration in an 'ambush' style attack in Tampa.

The death of the up-and-coming rapper, who has one million followers on Instagram, was confirmed by his attorney Lewis Fusco.

'Foolio,' whose real name is Charles Jones, was celebrating his 26th birthday at an Airbnb with friends before he checked into a Holiday Inn, where he was 'ambushed' in the parking lot.

Tampa Police responded to a 911 call regarding a shooting at 11606 McKinley Drive at approximately 4:40 am.

One person was reportedly killed and three others injured in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn.

The rising Florida rapper Julio Foolio has been shot dead at age 26 during a birthday 'ambush' in Tampa

The death of the up-and-coming rapper, who has 1-million followers on Instagram , was confirmed by his attorney Lewis Fusco

'Foolio,' whose real name is Charles Jones, was celebrating his 26th birthday at an Airbnb with friends before he checked into a Holiday Inn, where he was 'ambushed' in the parking lot

'The victim in this morning's shooting is believed to be Charles Jones,' Tampa Police Public Information Officer Jonee' Lewis wrote in a press release. 'Positive identification is pending confirmation from the Medical Examiner's Office.'

Foolio documented the evening with videos he shared with his Instagram followers.

In one story, he mentioned cops turning up and shutting the celebration down - but the party continued to another location.

Just hours before he was killed, Foolio thanked God for another year.

'God thank you for allowing me to see another Year & To celebrate another birthday,' he wrote on X. 'Appreciate all the birthday wishes so far.'

One person was reportedly killed and three others injured in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn

Foolio documented the evening with videos he shared with his Instagram followers

Just hours before he was killed, Foolio thanked God for another year

This wasn't Foolio's first time being shot. The popular Jacksonville rapper has been a target of numerous shootings in the past with the latest occurring just eight months ago in October 2023 in another 'ambush' style attack

This wasn't Foolio's first time being shot. The popular Jacksonville rapper has been a target of numerous shootings in the past with the latest occurring just eight months ago in October 2023 in another 'ambush' style attack.

Before that, he was injured in a shooting on November 8, 2021.
'The Iceman' Wim Hof has been accused of promoting 'dangerous' cold water therapy after a string of families claimed their loved ones died after performing the breathing method.

The 65-year-old is renowned for his ability to withstand extreme cold, with thousands of fans following his methods.

They say it reduces stress, boosts the immune system and even help treat cancer, diabetes and arthritis.

The Dutch motivational speaker and athlete is determined to teach as many as possible about cold therapy, which he first embraced in a bid to conquer his grief following his wife's death in 1995.

His first wife Marivelle-Maria died by suicide after suffering from schizophrenia, leaving Wim to raise their four children alone.

But now the Sunday Times reports the unusual method is alleged to have led to people dying - accusing Wim of acting recklessly by failing to warn of the risks.

'The Iceman' Wim Hof has been accused of promoting 'dangerous' cold water therapy after a string of families claimed their loved ones died after performing the breathing method

In a interview on Piers Morgan Uncensored, the 64-year-old revealed how he first embraced the unusual method in a bid to conquer his grief following his wife's death in 1995

The newspaper reported that Kellie Poole, a mother-of-three, collapsed and died in a river in Derbyshire after embracing the trend.

In April 2022 the 39-year-old joined her friend Victoria Fielding at the River Goyt in the Peak District for a two-hour class on the method.

Soon after entering the cold water she began complaining of a headache before collapsing.

She was pulled from the water and another member of the class desperately tried to resuscitate her but she tragically died at the scene.

Her inquest heard that she had an undiagnosed heart condition and the cold water 'might have had an effect on cardiac function and might link to sudden death'.

A prevention of future deaths report was issued to warn that some people may 'experience an adverse physiological reaction to cold water immersion' which could potentially threaten their life.

Kellie Poole died on April 25 2022 during a cold water immersion session in the River Goyt

Pictured is the site of the water breathing therapy class in High Peak, Derbyshire, where the mother-of-three tragically died

Cold therapy: The Dutch motivational speaker and athlete is noted for his ability to withstand low temperatures and is determined to teach as many as possible about cold therapy

The Sunday Times used coroners' reports and interviews as well as public statements from families, to identify 11 deaths in which the victim is believed to have tried to copy the Hof method or a similar technique.

In August 2022, 17-year-old Madelyn Metzger drowned in the family swimming pool in California trying, her father believes, to copy Hof's method.

Raphael found his daughter face down in water and he dragged her out, tried to perform CPR and called paramedics but she sadly passed away.

He later discovered Maddie had been researching the method since 2020 and had downloaded his app the month before the incident occurred.

Her father has filed a 67 million lawsuit and is seeking an injunction that would ban Hof and his businesses from promoting his breathing method in California.

Mr Metzger argues Wim is negligent in promoting his technique and caused death by failing to properly warn people of the risk of drowning.

In August 2022, 17-year-old Madelyn Metzger drowned in the family swimming pool in California trying, her father believes, to copy Hof's method

Hof and his business deny the allegations, arguing they had no duty of care over Maddie.

They said: 'We are deeply saddened by the loss of life and extend our sympathies to all who have lost loved ones. The safety and wellbeing of everyone practising the Wim Hof Method is of utmost importance to us.

'That is why we consistently emphasise safety across all our platforms, products and in every aspect of our training,' the Times reported.

They said warnings and disclaimers are used anywhere the Wim Hof Method is advertised.

But a spokesperson added: 'It's important to note, however, that we advise against practising the Wim Hof Method for those with certain health conditions and always recommend consulting a doctor if you're unsure.'

MailOnline has approached The Wim Hof company for further comment.